When rebuilding my VDO gauge pod I had the radio out and the steering column covers off. When I reassembled everything I was blowing fuse #6 every time I pulled the light switch. Fuse 6 covers the right side parking lights, instrument lights, and license plate lights. On some cars it’s also the engine compartment... Continue Reading →
My car came with an old-school gauge package with three VDO gauges in a plastic housing: oil pressure, oil temperature, and battery voltage. I refer to them a lot while driving and believe their data is hugely valuable. Until they’re passing incorrect values. During a short drive the oil pressure gauge pegged off the scale.... Continue Reading →
Last October the starter on my daily driver E46 325i locked up. While waiting for the parts to arrive I drove the 323i for a bit. At Home Depot the engine cranked very slowly and would not catch. Note: this is different than my long unresolved no-start issue. Slow cranking is a sign of a... Continue Reading →
The C191 plug connects the fuel injector harness to the rest of the electrical system. A bad C191 plug can lead to all sorts of problems - hard starting rough idle lack of power fault codes for fuel injectors or temp sensor The location of the C191 plug makes it susceptible to water. Check out... Continue Reading →
Note! This is a long, rambling, wandering post. There are multiple updates with a lot of troubleshooting ideas and some successes. But my original no crank/no start issue persists. My 323 did not start a month or so ago. I turned the key but there was no response from the starter. I had strong lights... Continue Reading →
The weakest link in the E21 failed on me tonight. A lot of electrical components run through the hazard switch (it has 8 connections on the back). When the switch fails, it's a brownout for your E21. Luckily I was carrying a spare. I also have a short somewhere that pops fuse 17 and I... Continue Reading →
I stupidly left the key on in my 323 for over a month. I don't know how quickly the battery drained but it wasn't completely done - the trunk light was still dimly lit but nothing else. This was a brand-new Optima Red Top and I wasn't about to spend $150+ on a replacement. Unfortunately,... Continue Reading →
List of things to do this Winter: Finish garage wall! Can't do much when I have one of the walls under construction. And I need to plan the layout to allow me to work in the Winter. The original M20B23 engine is on an engine stand and more in the way than I expected. COMPLETE!... Continue Reading →
Doug I.
E21 323i BLOG 