BMW 5 Series E34 car engine ignition system

Ignition system. General information
The ignition system generates an ignition spark that ignites the air-fuel mixture in the cylinders at a certain moment. To generate an ignition spark of...

Functioning of the parametric ignition system
The ignition system, like the fuel injection system, is controlled by a common central electronic circuit operating using a parameter field (DME = Digital...

Safety measures when working with the ignition system
In electronic ignition systems, high voltage reaches 30,000 volts. Under adverse conditions, such as high humidity in the engine compartment, voltage peaks can...

Ignition system device
1 Ignition distributor 2 Connecting the stroboscope to the battery 3 Strobe 4 Cylinder ignition wire 5 Cylinder spark plug 6 Capacitive strobe terminal

Ignition timing check
Attention: The ignition timing can only be checked, not set. In case of deviations from the specified values, it is necessary to determine the failed elements...

Removal and installation of the distributor cover / distributor slider
Withdrawal Disconnect the ground wire from the battery. Attention: When the battery is disconnected, the information in the electronic memory devices, such as...

Checking the ignition coil
The ignition coil is checked with an ohmmeter. Disconnect the ground wire from the battery. Remove the protective cap from the ignition coil. Disconnect the...

Checking the ignition wires
Disconnect the ground wire from the battery. Attention: When the battery is disconnected, the information in the electronic memory devices, such as the engine...

Replacing Ignition Wires — Model 518i
A new wire of the required length is cut from the wire coil, after which tips are placed on it. This requires two special BMW tools. Remove the insulation from...

Technical data
Technical data of the DME ignition system Resistance values measured at 23°± 5°C

Spark plug. General information
The spark plug consists of a central electrode, an insulator with a housing and a ground electrode. The mass electrode is hermetically fixed in the insulator,...

Recommended spark plugs for BMW 5-series cars from September 1987
1) M50 engine (4-valve) 150 or 192 hp 2) 3 non-adjustable side electrodes. Attention: For installation of glow plugs, see section " Maintenance ".

Deciphering the designations on Bosch spark plugs
Example: Thanks to copper (CU), and even more so for the silver central electrode, the thermal conductivity increases, and hence the heat resistance. The...