Precautions when working with the ignition system (BMW 7 Series E32)

Electronic ignition systems have an operating voltage of up to 40,000 V, and under adverse conditions, such as moisture in the engine compartment, the high voltage can break through the insulation and cause an electric shock when touching the high-voltage wire.

To prevent electrical injuries and/or damage to parts of the electronic ignition system, when working with the electronic ignition system, pay attention to the following:

Wash the engine only when the engine is not running.

When performing electric welding work on a vehicle, disconnect both wires from the battery.

When the engine is running, do not disconnect the wires from the battery, generator and starter.

When measuring compression, be sure to remove the DME main relay to avoid ignition pulses.

Disconnect the ignition system wires only when the ignition is off.

Connecting and disconnecting measuring instrument wires (tachometer, ignition tester) perform only with the ignition off.

Secondary (high voltage) the ignition system circuit must have a load resistance of at least 4 kOhm. The spark plug plug must be connected.

Never start the engine with the wire disconnected from terminal 4 of the ignition coil.

Do not connect a suppression capacitor or test lamp to terminal 1 (-) of the ignition coil.

Terminal 1 of the ignition coil must not be connected to ground or positive battery terminal. When installing an anti-theft system, the wire leading to terminal 1 must not be used to block the engine from starting.

When heated to a temperature above 80°C (for example, when cleaning an engine with steam or when painting a car) the engine must not be started immediately after heating has finished.