BMW 5 Series E34 car engine ignition system

Ignition system. General information
The ignition system produces an ignition spark, which ignites the air-fuel mixture in the cylinders at a certain moment. To produce an ignition spark of...

Functioning of the parametric ignition system
The ignition system, like the fuel injection system, is controlled by a common central electronic circuit that operates using a parameter field (DME = digital...

Safety precautions when working with the ignition system
Electronic ignition systems contain high voltages of up to 30,000 volts. Under adverse conditions, such as high humidity in the engine compartment, voltage...

Ignition system device
1 Ignition distributor 2 Connecting the stroboscope to the battery 3 Stroboscope 4 Cylinder ignition wire 5 Cylinder spark plug 6 Capacitive terminal of the...

Checking the ignition timing
Note: The ignition timing can only be checked, but not set. If there are deviations from the specified values, it is necessary to identify the failed elements...

Removal and installation the distributor cap/distributor rotor
Removal Disconnect the ground wire from the battery. Caution: When the battery is disconnected, the information in the electronic memory devices, such as the...

Checking the ignition coil
The ignition coil is checked using an ohmmeter. Disconnect the ground wire from the battery. Remove the protective cap from the ignition coil. Disconnect the...

Checking the ignition wires
Disconnect the ground wire from the battery. Caution: When the battery is disconnected, the information in the electronic memory devices, such as the engine...

Replacing Ignition Wires — Model 518i
A new wire of the required length is cut from the coil of wire, after which the tips are put on it. This requires two special BMW devices. Remove the...

Technical data
Technical data of the DME ignition system Resistance values measured at 23°±5°C

Spark plugs. General information
The spark plug consists of a central electrode, an insulator with a housing, and a ground electrode. The ground electrode is hermetically secured in the...

Recommended spark plugs for BMW 5 Series vehicles produced since September 1987.
1) Engine M50 (4-valve) with a capacity of 150 or 192 hp. 2) 3 side electrodes without adjustment possibility. Note: For installation of glow plugs, see...

Decoding the symbols on Bosch spark plugs
Example: Thanks to the copper (CU), and especially the silver central electrode, the thermal conductivity and therefore the heat resistance are increased. The...

Ignition system fault diagnostics

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Similar sections for other types of BMW cars:
4-cylinder engine: Ignition system BMW 3 Series E21 (1975-1983)
Power unit: Ignition and control systems BMW 7 Series E38 (1994-2001)

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