tow bar question

Some of them have the electrics "hidden" underneath, this may be the case with this one.

Otherwise, take it to a proper towbar fitter. Fitting towing sockets to modern multiplexed electrics can be fraught with problems unless you know exactly what you're doing.

Chris Bolus ( snipped-for-privacy@RILEYELFb0lus.com) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying :

M-reg would be either a late E34 or a very early E39, right?

Can't imagine either would be MUXed.

A 12N socket's hardly difficult to fit.

Thanks Chris Got a few large pics here, could you take a quick look. ta

whats MUX?

thanks, took a look, even i could do that!

Jules ( snipped-for-privacy@blueyonder.co.uk) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying :

Multiplexed.

ah ok, still not sure what is meant by multiplexed in this thread

Jules ( snipped-for-privacy@blueyonder.co.uk) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying :

Instead of having a different bunch of wires for each different thingumybob on the car, there's a body control computer which sends signals down common wires to decoding computers which activate each individual component as appropriate.

Means you get a couple of miles less of nice reliable wiring in a car, and umpty-shitloads more complication and things to go wrong in a horribly complicated way.

But, on the plus side, it gives a good excuse for manufacturers to try and hold servicing in their very good value and top quality dealer network, and makes widely available such wonderfully useful features as wipers and lights that turn themselves on and off at random, lights that stay on for a minute or three after you lock the car, and security systems that set fire to any new stereo you might plug in.

thingumybob

thanks, now understand!! cheers for that

It's an E34. An early M registered one, as it has the narrower radiator grilles. My M registered E34 saloon has the wider grill. Looks nicer in my opinion, but otherwise your replacement looks in good nick.

As far as the towbar wiring is concerned, if you're reasonably au'fait with wiring, fitting the lighting sockets is fairly easy. Fiddly though. Favourite would be to remove the one on the other car After carefully noting and marking where all the wires go. Chances are that the colour coding for the tail lighting etc, is similar in both cars. Mike.

That's a very cynical view you're putting accross there ;-)

Mike G ( snipped-for-privacy@lycos.co.uk) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying :

Wasn't that a 6-pot vs v8 thing?

Chris Bartram ( snipped-for-privacy@delete.me.piglet-net.net) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying :

Cynical? Me...?

Dunno. AFAIK the wider grill, (should that be grille?) on E34's came in around 1994. Maybe you're right though. Jules new car is a 525i, the same as mine, except mine is a saloon, build date november '94. I would think his is earlier, but possibly there were different introduction dates for the wider grille, for the 5 series with different engine sizes. Mike.

Done 265000 but seller says it runs stunning, he had it on ebay and i asked if it could be upto the distance and he said no problem in the slightest.

i am going to follow a earlier guy who showed a diagram....that looks my best bet, that way i dont make a mess of the one i remove.

If it helps, the 2.5 engine has a reputation for being bullet proof. Certainly seems so. Your sort of mileage doesn't seem too uncommon. Read about one recently, still going strong after 400k without having had any major problems. Mike.

That looks like the official factory BMW towbar the clue is, its made from round bar /tube and most of the aftermarket ones are made from square tube. it will have the electrics fitted as standard, IIRC the socket is underneath. Des

I found out after i bought the black 2 litre everyone said i should have gone for a 2.5 but i didnt know that at the time, i thought the bore and stroke was the only differance, so both M50 engines.

The week prior to the accident in the black one, i changed the water pump for a metal one, and viscous coupling fan. But im wondering if i should swop them over to the red one (cant afford to buy the parts again) also after reading the sudden radiator problems, is it worth taking the one off the black and taking it with me in the boot?

Someone also said the 2.5 was better at fuel econ than the 2 litre, but i thought a auto would be a bit worse than a manual.

Well im off from Sheffield to Berlin, then head south and go all over, it seemed 500 quid bought a petrol touring same age, but all had short mot's and no sh, where this has a mot until next Mar and fsh. Costing me 600 quids.

I think i now will be towing a tiny trailer tent, not those with cooker, 2 beds etc that are pretty wide but a incy wincy jobbie. seen some pics. Just be a case of remember its behind the car when im down the autobahn so i dont break the speed limit

I couldnt see owt but now i think i can.

that would be great, a mate said he couldnt see the point with a tow bar and no electrics. My black one has 2 that stand out so can be seen from just about any angle, thats what threw me