2nd time ti owner

[Jenson Button]

Back in 1996 I bought my 1st new BMW. It was a white sport package with black interior and all the fun M-Technik stuff. I did about 20 track days with the NCC BMW CCA. I decided I wanted more power and brakes and an LSD so I traded my ti in on a 1997 M3 which I still have. Flash forward to this weekend. I received at ti from my mom for $1. My sister bought the car because she like my ti so much. Then she had kids and sold the car to my mom. Now after about 10 years of use by a little old lady to get groceries, it has been given to me. This one is red with the active package.

I am a driving instructor with the BMW and Porsche clubs and my interesting cars include the two E36s listed above and a 1986 911 Carrera.

So now the trick is to get the damn heater to work...

Bob

[1996 328ti]

Originally Posted by Jenson Button

Back in 1996 I bought my 1st new BMW. It was a white sport package with black interior and all the fun M-Technik stuff. I did about 20 track days with the NCC BMW CCA. I decided I wanted more power and brakes and an LSD so I traded my ti in on a 1997 M3 which I still have. Flash forward to this weekend. I received at ti from my mom for $1. My sister bought the car because she like my ti so much. Then she had kids and sold the car to my mom. Now after about 10 years of use by a little old lady to get groceries, it has been given to me. This one is red with the active package.

I am a driving instructor with the BMW and Porsche clubs and my interesting cars include the two E36s listed above and a 1986 911 Carrera.

So now the trick is to get the damn heater to work...

Bob

Common problem.

Is there heat when on the gas?

1) Air in the radiator
2) Loose cable to the temp dial
3) Bad bypass valve

http://www.318ti.org/forum/showthread.php?t=7784

[Jenson Button]

Originally Posted by 1996 328ti

Common problem.

Is there heat when on the gas?

1) Air in the radiator <---Burped it, then burped it again with nose elevated, I may buy some distilled water and add some and burp again with the nose REALLY high
2) Loose cable to the temp dial <------Maybe, have not removed the glovebox and knee panel to check YET
3) Bad bypass valve <----Heater control valve is hot on both tubes

http://www.318ti.org/forum/showthread.php?t=7784

Hey Steve. Remember me? Its Hopkins

[1996 328ti]

Originally Posted by Jenson Button

Hey Steve. Remember me? Its Hopkins

Oh course. Last time together we did what felt like a 720 on the skid pad.

Then I'm thinking the control cable.
It's a pain to get to.
BMW's fix is to put it back on and tap a small screw to secure it.

Add:
Damn, I love this site.
http://www.318ti.org/forum/showthread.php?t=35461

[Jenson Button]

720!?! You must have been driving.

Thank you for the link. Maybe I can get to this tonight.

[1996 328ti]

Originally Posted by Jenson Button

720!?! You must have been driving.

I still say you pulled the e-brake on me.

[Bozola]

I had a Ti, then it got totaled, then I got a 128. Then I bought a Ti for my son. Then I bought a Ti for my daughter, after I bought a z3 coupe for me. Now I have 4 ugly BMW's... but today I drove my daughter's TI. I miss driving my Ti.

[Jenson Button]

Last night was eventful. One the way home in the ti the bottom radiator hose clamp broke so the hose popped off lubricating my tires as I went through a turn with gusto. I got a bit more oversteer than I was expecting. I don't think (I hope) I did any harm overheating since I was close to home. I noticed the temp needle in the red as I was pulling in my driveway. Thankfully the neck does not seem to be broken. So I replaced the clamp and refilled the car with coolant and burped it a few times.

I also tore up the dash to get to the little yellow tab. Sure enough, it was out of place. With the heater box lever set for hot, it finally now blows heat. Now the issue is that the cable does not seem to be properly connected at the dial side either! If I turn the dial, it is still not moving the cable and lever. So now I guess the HVAC cluster needs to come off to fix that too.

Is there is set of diagrams for removing and fixing that side of the cable?

[Jenson Button]

I was able to verify that the bowden cable was disconnected at the knob side too. Seems crazy that the cable came off at both ends. Anyway, I slipped the loop around the peg on the control side and re-inserted and screwed in the yellow tab on the heater core side. Heat blows hot now. I commuted in 31ºF ambient this morning and the interior was blazing. Thanks for the beta.

Now to get a sunroof motor cover panel. Mine has all the little plastic tabs broken off. "Little Sister" as this car is known in my family is almost fit to be handed off to my wife for commuter duty.

[jca]

Got my fingers crossed for your head gasket...watch your temp guage closely. John