Guys,

On my recently acquired 320, there is a single green wire routed through the firewall, below the base of the windshield on the right (passenger) side. It has a single male spade terminal on the end of it. It routes straight down about 6"-8" to a small black boot with a female spade terminal inside. On mine, the spade terminals are disconnected, and the green wire is wrapped around a nearby hose to secure it (i.e., done intentionally).

BTW, this is an OEM wire, not some hack stereo install or anything like that. Where the wire comes through the firewall, it has a boot around it to seal it; it is right next to the area where the coil and the paint colour sticker are at.

All the electrics on my car work, and there is no aftermarket electronics installed. WTF...any ideas? Some type of ground wire? Why would the previous owner have disconnected it? :help :conf Is this one of those "ancient E21 secrets" that you only learn once you have been duly initiated? :D

Let me know if you need pics, I can run outside and get them in few minutes.

sounds like the O2 sensor wire (in 80-83 320i's). For some 320i's, disconnecting it makes it run better...altho you might sacrifice a little worse gas mileage

Isn't anyone going to tell him it's the blinker fluid level sensor wire???:devillook

Isn't anyone going to tell him it's the blinker fluid level sensor wire???:devillook

hahaha, you jack ass...

I figured nobody would know what I am talking about w/o pics, so here you go. The green wire is the one I am referring to...it goes down to the black wire, which is where the spade connectors...connect. :) The black wire runs on for about a foot until apparently it grounds to the manifold.

Any ideas yet?

sounds like the O2 sensor wire (in 80-83 320i's). For some 320i's, disconnecting it makes it run better...altho you might sacrifice a little worse gas mileage

edit: looks like the O2 sensor wire ;)

if the engine is running fine & you're satisfied w/ the gas mileage, i wouldn't touch it....but if you want to get it back to original: disconnect that black wire & trash it, then install a Bosch O2 sensor for an 83 320i.

the O2 sensor goes into the bottom of the exhaust manifold collector...you might find another O2 sensor already in there or possibly a short & fat bolt.

jbob, thanks! I will check it out tomorrow and let you know what I find.

So that's where the wire sets on... I've got mine wrapped around the A/C line down to the sensor.

You cut that wire. Your car will blow up.

Something I thought of...wouldn't my O2 light come on (on the passenger side of the dash) if it was disconnected? I know the light works because it comes on when I first start the car, then goes back out, so I know the PO didn't just take out the lamp. Just wondering.

Couldn't do anything with the car today because of the g*D*amn shitty-ass weather KC got today. Picked up my new air filter and elbow boot (mine dried out and split where it leaves the air fitler and goes into intake plenum) and Euro sport pkg springs from Baron BMW yesterday. Also got my rear marker lenses, new shift knob...Red Line for the tranny and diff...Bav Auto and BMP Design are loving me recently! Got a long weekend for the holiday too...and can't do shit because of the weather...hell yeah I'm pissed. :mad Only about 15 degrees outside, freezing rain, windy as hell. Not to mention they're dumping truckloads of salt all over the roads again...the last of it just washed away before Christmas.

I'm moving to Cali wine country as soon as I retire from the Army in another 7-8 years!! :D

this is 80s technology. no CEL yet..... the light on the dashboard runs from a mileage counter on the driver side by the steering column (inside the engine compartment). You should see a little box and from underneath see a little hole where you can insert a pen tip or small screwdriver and reset the counter.

this is 80s technology. no CEL yet..... the light on the dashboard runs from a mileage counter on the driver side by the steering column (inside the engine compartment). You should see a little box and from underneath see a little hole where you can insert a pen tip or small screwdriver and reset the counter.

It's funny you mentioned that, I just read that on another 320i website. He even has a picture showing the wire going to the O2 sensor, and shows the mileage counter that has to be reset.

I'm convinced it's the O2 sensor...I'm just going to go ahead and order a new one and replace it...what's another $30?

can you post the link to that? i need to reset mine (O2 sensor was just swapped before I bought it) Thanks

http://www.picture-this-graphics.com/oxygen_sensor.html

a LOT of helpful info:
http://bmw320i.com/library.htm

joshua

http://www.picture-this-graphics.com/oxygen_sensor.html

a LOT of helpful info:
http://bmw320i.com/library.htm

joshua

Joshua,

Those were the exact web sites that I was referring to! You are right, 320i.com has some great info...I think the "picture this graphics" site is a repost of the same article on 320i.com, or vice versa. Regardless, it's still good info.