Dumb Question Thread - No Flaming Allowed

[IamFODI]

Either way if you have brake fluid in the booster its likely now compromised and the internal diaphragm is living on borrowed time.

^ Was thinking the same thing. Regardless of whether everything was fine before, I wouldn't trust it now – at least not to the level of trust I'd want from my brakes.

Thankfully it should fail relatively gracefully (AFAIK – someone please correct me if I'm wrong). But if it were me, I'd 100% start planning for a booster replacement.

[George Hill]

I'd be surprised if a pressure bleeder could force fluid through a good M/C seal. Wouldn't there be more pressure on those seals when the brake pedal is pressed?

I run mine to 20psi all the time, no issues.

Either way if you have brake fluid in the booster its likely now compromised and the internal diaphragm is living on borrowed time. BMW had an issue with oil entering the booster on N62 cars and once it did the diaphragm would eventually fail as well. We would install a check valve in the vacuum line to the engine from the booster and then stick a long zip tie into the vacuum hole on the booster. If it came back out wet the car got a booster. I'm not sure brake fluid wouldn't cause the same issue.

[fourmula1]

Too much pressure and you blew through the seals. Just use lower pressure next time and you will be okay.

I have the same bleeder and usually use 12.5psi. Sometimes close to 15, never exceeding 15. Never have any issues and it is on a race car.

[duracellttu]

Tried to bleed the brakes with a Motive pressure bleeder. Under pressure, brake fluid started dripping to the ground. It looked like it was coming out of the vacuum port on the booster. What would cause this? Bad master cylinder seal? Too much pressure? I usually go to 15psi but I wasn't paying attention and went to 20psi. Ended up vacuum bleeding the brakes and there are no leaks under normal use.

Too much pressure and you blew through the seals. Just use lower pressure next time and you will be okay.

[DJAM3]

Tried to bleed the brakes with a Motive pressure bleeder. Under pressure, brake fluid started dripping to the ground. It looked like it was coming out of the vacuum port on the booster. What would cause this? Bad master cylinder seal? Too much pressure? I usually go to 15psi but I wasn't paying attention and went to 20psi. Ended up vacuum bleeding the brakes and there are no leaks under normal use.

[ugaexploder]

Yeah, I think the DME 50 switch chain frictional connection is smg-to-6spd based possibly...

The airbag codes, I believe it may be a bad srs module. Not sure if these fail NC which may be causing a draw while the car is off? Totally a guess here.

https://nam3forum.com/forums/forum/main-forum/e46-2001-2006/157698-airbag-light-srs-module-bad

[fourmula1]

Also DME 50 switch chain frictional connection

Yes, so that might always be there? I do have a good brown clutch switch off my race car in it.

I'm able to fire it up now when stomping on the clutch pedal and hitting the clutch stop. I pulled the stop and slowly went past where the stop would have been and it fired up. I'm thinking it was just barely seeing it and maybe the heat exacerbated it.

Still trying to figure out the airbag light and codes.

[ugaexploder]

Intermittent crank. Airbag light on. Windows aren't fully closing when door closes. White noise from speakers with power on engine off.

Battery died and airbag light appeared around the same time, replaced battery. Car was fine this morning. Went back out and wouldn’t turn over.

There was an ews immobilizer fault, but it cleared.

Help would be much appreciated. Definitely seems electrical in nature.

smg to 6spd conversion?

[fourmula1]

Intermittent crank. Airbag light on. Windows aren't fully closing when door closes. White noise from speakers with power on engine off.

Battery died and airbag light appeared around the same time, replaced battery. Car was fine this morning. Went back out and wouldn’t turn over.

There was an ews immobilizer fault, but it cleared.

Help would be much appreciated. Definitely seems electrical in nature.

Also DME 50 switch chain frictional connection

[fourmula1]

Intermittent crank. Airbag light on. Windows aren't fully closing when door closes. White noise from speakers with power on engine off.

Battery died and airbag light appeared around the same time, replaced battery. Car was fine this morning. Went back out and wouldn’t turn over.

There was an ews immobilizer fault, but it cleared.

Help would be much appreciated. Definitely seems electrical in nature.

[Slideways]

Curious, but what did you go with for boots and clamps? I bought the turner silicon ones, then returned them and ordered the OE boots and clamps...

Found a good set of boots off a used SMG intake lol. Even was able to reuse the one time use clamps on the intake side since they can be bent back with a little heat and pliers. The Norma worm clamps are also an option if you don't want to use the original clamps and buy the ear clamp tool. For the worm clamps, you have to tighten them snug to the point where the boot still can rotate a small amount, just don't go crazy tight.

[ugaexploder]

It's a solid piece and there is no issue removing it multiple times. The beauty of servicing the S54 is the full intake system is easy to remove compared to other BMWs. I wouldn't replace a thing under it. Maybe you can swap the TPS if the one near the oil filter is newer than the one on the throttle actuator.

Curious, but what did you go with for boots and clamps? I bought the turner silicon ones, then returned them and ordered the OE boots and clamps...

[Slideways]

That makes sense...main reason I was thinking about some of these components under plenum is I'm mapping out what items I should replace when doing the Karb box. Mainly because I don't want to remove and install the plenum a bunch of times.

How resilient is the Karb plenum? Mainly connection points and the little cable holder near the firewall?

Part of me wants to replace everything under the plenum so I don't have to remove it frequently and possibly break things when doing so. Is this an irrational thought process?

It's a solid piece and there is no issue removing it multiple times. The beauty of servicing the S54 is the full intake system is easy to remove compared to other BMWs. I wouldn't replace a thing under it. Maybe you can swap the TPS if the one near the oil filter is newer than the one on the throttle actuator.

[ugaexploder]

That makes sense...main reason I was thinking about some of these components under plenum is I'm mapping out what items I should replace when doing the Karb box. Mainly because I don't want to remove and install the plenum a bunch of times.

How resilient is the Karb plenum? Mainly connection points and the little cable holder near the firewall?

Part of me wants to replace everything under the plenum so I don't have to remove it frequently and possibly break things when doing so. Is this an irrational thought process?

[Slideways]

Glad they seem to be fairly reliable as I haven't found many threads on people having issues online. It's pretty scary as I noticed it's pretty expensive through FCP, but a little bit cheaper through Schmiedmann.

My guess is the S65/85 are more prone to failure due to their location inside the V of the engine where things can get pretty hot. Either that or the internal components are different from the S54 throttle actuator. For the S54, I would not hesitate to replace with a used, good working unit since they are pretty reliable and easy to access.