Hey there,

Anyone know how I can tell if my '94 530i has self-leveling suspension? Dealer can't tell from the VIN and the strut from under the car looks like any old strut (no hydraulic lines feeding into strut). The top of the strut is burried beneath the rear deck, and I would really like to avoid taking off the deck...

I guess another question could be, did BMW offer SLS on 530s? Dealer says no, but I have seen other boards that say yes.

Thanks!

NeedTheScoop

look inside the hood. If it has a huge coffee can power steering reservoir then it is SLS. Regular power steering reservoir looks like a smooth grenade.

Thanks! Does anyone have a pic or diagram of either the huge or smooth granade power steering reservoir?

If there is no hydraulic lines then it is a regular strut. The line is easily visible near the bottom have of the strut

Unless you have an e34 M5 (sedan) or 92-93 525iT (wagon) or 94-05 530iT(wagon)...no other e34 5 series came with or was optioned with rear self leveling (in the States).

The larger SLS power steering reservoir looks about the same in all BMWs from 1988-2001...and SLS was always an option except on the 750iL, e34 M5, some e34 Tourings, and early long wheelbase e32 7 series...so if you take a look at the page from the 7 series owners manual...you can see the difference between the two reservoirs.

Some e34 V8 models (for sure the 540i) used the larger PS reservoir like in the cars w/SLS...not sure about the 530i sedan...but it still did NOT come with rear self leveling...even if it uses the larger reservoir and Pentosin CHF 11 S fluid.

The regular PS system is highlighted in yellow (in pic below) and the resevoir's lid has a warning to use ATF Fluid only on it...and the SLS power steering reservoir is larger (highlighted in green in pic below) and has a warning to use Pentosin CHF 11 S fluid:

http://www.bimmerboard.com/members/q/original/E38%20Power%20Steering%20Reservoirs%20.jpg

OK, the mystery continues…

I definitely have a ’94 530i sedan (e34, right?). So, according to Qsilver7, no chance I have SLS. In looking at the PS reservoir (would have posted a pic, but I am restricted by my newbie status), it looks exactly like the larger/green highlighted one in Qsilver7s post. And yes, it says “CHF 11 S” on the cap.

Now, there are no hydraulic lines coming from the bottom half of the rear struts. So, do I or don’t I have SLS?

Some one could have deleted it, but if your PS reservoir says CH11S then it was at some point SLS

Some e34 V8 models (for sure the 540i) used the larger PS reservoir like in the cars w/SLS...not sure about the 530i sedan...but it still did NOT come with rear self leveling...even if it uses the larger reservoir and Pentosin CHF 11 S fluid.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/13728922@N02/2183178601/

thats mine. i believe its the bigger one. the cap thats on there now is the replacement cap that i got from my bmw dealer. the original one says use pentosin chf11s only. and my car does NOT have sls.

hope this clarifies it a bit for u.

Thats just a normal canister, I can take a pic of my tourings canister if you want to see what it looks like

AlmostEvil - thanks for the pic. Nope, mine is a biggun, with squarer shoulders and a different cap...just like the one on Qsilver7's diagram.

But I think I am getting somewhere...on realoem.com there is a diagram of two different PS reservoirs for the 530i sedan. One is the std, non SLS reservoir (just like AlmostEvil's). The second has two variants - that look exactly like mine. One variant is for SLS and the other for ASC (anti slip control). Both variants require CHF 11s. I have ASC. So, could this be the answer? Is CHF 11s in the 530i used for ASC and not for SLS?

ASC doesn't use any fluids, it's just a butterfly valve that closes off the intake tract, similar to letting your foot off of the throttle.

As stated above, no hydraulic lines to the struts, no SLS. Simple as that.

my car is a 94 530i and it has the PS res. that suposedly has no SLS... but the dash keeps telling me to check SLS so is it just messing with me?

Not to contradict but 95 540i M-Sports came with the SLS system standard. Don't know about 530s but don't think they had the system. My manual shows the same large type resovouir for both cars but the ones with SLS had a screen under the cap and the ones without have a short dip stick.

http://www.bmw-540i.com/1995-540i-m60b40-motor/images/engine-1.jpg
http://www.bmw-540i.com/1995-540i-m60b40-motor/images/engine-4.jpg

this is a m60 engine bay. it is not mine. but my 95 530's ps res looks exactly the same, same cap, and same green sticker which says to use CHF 11s fluid. does that mean i have or do not have SLS?

Unless you have an e34 M5 (sedan) or 92-93 525iT (wagon) or 94-05 530iT(wagon)...no other e34 5 series came with or was optioned with rear self leveling (in the States).

The larger SLS power steering reservoir looks about the same in all BMWs from 1988-2001...and SLS was always an option except on the 750iL, e34 M5, some e34 Tourings, and early long wheelbase e32 7 series...so if you take a look at the page from the 7 series owners manual...you can see the difference between the two reservoirs.

Some e34 V8 models (for sure the 540i) used the larger PS reservoir like in the cars w/SLS...not sure about the 530i sedan...but it still did NOT come with rear self leveling...even if it uses the larger reservoir and Pentosin CHF 11 S fluid.
The regular PS system is highlighted in yellow (in pic below) and the resevoir's lid has a warning to use ATF Fluid only on it...and the SLS power steering reservoir is larger (highlighted in green in pic below) and has a warning to use Pentosin CHF 11 S fluid:

http://www.bimmerboard.com/members/q/original/E38%20Power%20Steering%20Reservoirs%20.jpg

Umm..I have dot 4 power steering fluid in mine...is that bad?

Short answer yes...you may have to replace some seals, if not you are lucky just get the PS fluid out of there.

Use this as a guide http://www.bmwe34.net/E34main/Maintenance/Steering/PS_fluid.htm

Don't think you have the SLS from the looks of the large cap on your resovoir - can also look in your cabin. Should have a switch mounted next to your fog light switch with an S and a P on it - this switch controls the SLS - without the switch I'm fairly sure no SLS.

One variant is for SLS and the other for ASC (anti slip control). Both variants require CHF 11s. I have ASC. So, could this be the answer?

Yes.

ASC doesn't use any fluids, it's just a butterfly valve that closes off the intake tract, similar to letting your foot off of the throttle.


Sort of. Early ASC is solely a throttle interference system (via EML). ASC+T adds hydraulic interference of the rear brakes. On E31/E32/E34 cars, hydraulic pressure is supplied to the ASC+T control unit by the second vane of a tandem vane power steering pump (unlike E36 and later cars). ASC was optioned into early E32 7 cars (particularly the 750), but only found its way into a few E34 535 cars. In 1991 through the end of production, ASC+T was standard for E32 750 cars. In 1993, you could order an E34 with it. The dead giveaway (aside from the in-cabin button) is the existence of the secondary throttle body housing on M50 and M60 engines.


my car is a 94 530i and it has the PS res. that suposedly has no SLS... but the dash keeps telling me to check SLS so is it just messing with me?

If it's a "SUSPN SELF LEVELING" error, it's a check control issue. Your car may also have a blind plug by the right rear trailing arm that's gotten goobered up over the years and isn't consistently grounding out the CCM's pin.




this is a m60 engine bay. it is not mine. but my 95 530's ps res looks exactly the same, same cap, and same green sticker which says to use CHF 11s fluid. does that mean i have or do not have SLS?

You don't. BMW phased out the use of ATF as a power steering lubricant, so CHF became the standard.


Unless you have an e34 M5 (sedan) or 92-93 525iT (wagon) or 94-05 530iT(wagon)...no other e34 5 series came with or was optioned with rear self leveling (in the States).


Actually, I've seen it optioned on some ~'91 - '93 non M5/Touring cars. US spec E34 530 Tourings use standard rear suspension components, not LAD.


Don't think you have the SLS from the looks of the large cap on your resovoir - can also look in your cabin. Should have a switch mounted next to your fog light switch with an S and a P on it - this switch controls the SLS - without the switch I'm fairly sure no SLS.

SLS has no switch. I think you're referring to the EDC program switch on cars equipped with the full Nurburgring suspension. Some Euro M5/M5T 3.8 and M540 only (edit: also optional on some E31, E32 cars, slightly different program though)

lowell, skylinegtr, shuasha and others. Thanks for your valuable input! Making me feel like I am starting to understand this complicated buggy just a little bit better.

NTS

http://www.bmw-540i.com/1995-540i-m60b40-motor/images/engine-1.jpg
http://www.bmw-540i.com/1995-540i-m60b40-motor/images/engine-4.jpg

this is a m60 engine bay. it is not mine. but my 95 530's ps res looks exactly the same, same cap, and same green sticker which says to use CHF 11s fluid. does that mean i have or do not have SLS?
I jealous. :)