[electromage]

First off, thanks! This is a very helpful write-up, my started died suddenly (seems to be the way it goes), and blocked my other car in my driveway. After I figured out how to roll it to the street with no power, I started thinking about whether I was going to need a flatbed.

Luckily I found your post and a couple of videos, and it's not too much more involved than changing the alternator which I did already.

I have a couple of notes though for anyone else - it's much easier to get the little J-box off, and wiggle out the intake manifold if you remove the throttle body FIRST. Leave the intake bolted up, remove the four bolts holding the throttle to the intake, disconnect the hose and connector, and get that out of the way. Then it's easy to grab the j-box and wiggle it off off even if it's clipped in.

Another thing, those little spring clips are actually meant to be pushed in, not pulled out. You just grab it and press the clip towards the connector, the connector will just slide off. No need to fling them across the shop/street!

[dyrus587]

Originally Posted by electromage

First off, thanks! This is a very helpful write-up, my started died suddenly (seems to be the way it goes), and blocked my other car in my driveway. After I figured out how to roll it to the street with no power, I started thinking about whether I was going to need a flatbed.

Luckily I found your post and a couple of videos, and it's not too much more involved than changing the alternator which I did already.

I have a couple of notes though for anyone else - it's much easier to get the little J-box off, and wiggle out the intake manifold if you remove the throttle body FIRST. Leave the intake bolted up, remove the four bolts holding the throttle to the intake, disconnect the hose and connector, and get that out of the way. Then it's easy to grab the j-box and wiggle it off off even if it's clipped in.

Another thing, those little spring clips are actually meant to be pushed in, not pulled out. You just grab it and press the clip towards the connector, the connector will just slide off. No need to fling them across the shop/street!

What did u use to take off the rear facing bolt? Tried just about everything I could with a flex head ratchet and wrench but no success. The E12 socket doesn't sit very well either but a 3/8 ratchet ring wrench does . Still no success

[electromage]

Originally Posted by dyrus587

What did u use to take off the rear facing bolt? Tried just about everything I could with a flex head ratchet and wrench but no success. The E12 socket doesn't sit very well either but a 3/8 ratchet ring wrench does . Still no success

I used a Husky flex head ratchet and E12. I have an E60 so there might be a little more room, but it was very tight, I had my hand behind the rear air pipe when I broke the bolt loose I think. I had to un-clip the brake line that runs right by there too. I also mostly removed it by hand once it was loose. If you undo the front/bottom bolt first, and slide the starter forward on the toy/back bolt as you loosen it the head stays put and won't push the wrench back.

No way I could get a torque wrench in there, so I hope it's good enough.

[tkbrannon]

Great guide. I just did this repair and now I have a SES with a P0301 error code. Would I get this code if I put some of the sensors on backward?

[Caetyl]

You can use a 12 point 12mm combination wrench or combination ratchet wrench 12mm. All you need to do is break it and hand thread it out. this is for back bolt. for front bolt you can use a 12mm 12 point socket with long extension, same, break it and hand screw it out. Simple

[addictedtoboost]

Originally Posted by Caetyl

You can use a 12 point 12mm combination wrench or combination ratchet wrench 12mm. All you need to do is break it and hand thread it out. this is for back bolt. for front bolt you can use a 12mm 12 point socket with long extension, same, break it and hand screw it out. Simple

You didn't end up stripping the E12 bolt in back using the 12 point 12mm combo wrench? I'm trying to get the long back e12 bolt off now and its on there stupid tight, for sure overtorqued past spec. This is the last bolt I need to get off to replace the starter. This job has became a real PITA.

[Kaz26]

This thread has not received the appreciation is deserves. I'm embarrassed to admit that I took bad advice from youtube and first attempted to use a 10mm ratchet wrench on that back bolt. DO NOT DO THIS, use the proper tools mentioned here.

The stock bolt size is E12 and if you try to use a different wrench, the soft metal of the bolt will deform enough so that you can no longer get enough grip with an E12 wrench. In this situation and [B]ONLY in this situation[B] should you then attempt to remove it with a 12 point 3/8" wrench. Once again, using a 3/8" 12 point wrench on the rear E12 should ONLY be a last resort when you are left with no other options than to otherwise cut it. This is what worked when I was in despair after the 10mm messed up the head on the E12 bolt.

Once I removed it, the bolts were replaced with genuine bolts from a local BMW dealership. The new bolts are E14.

The info posted by the OP is the way to do this job, and no other method should be used. I used the proper tools to tighten the new bolts.

[gmrb6391]

Originally Posted by Kaz26

This thread has not received the appreciation is deserves. I'm embarrassed to admit that I took bad advice from youtube and first attempted to use a 10mm ratchet wrench on that back bolt. DO NOT DO THIS, use the proper tools mentioned here.

The stock bolt size is E12 and if you try to use a different wrench, the soft metal of the bolt will deform enough so that you can no longer get enough grip with an E12 wrench. In this situation and [B]ONLY in this situation[B] should you then attempt to remove it with a 12 point 3/8" wrench. Once again, using a 3/8" 12 point wrench on the rear E12 should ONLY be a last resort when you are left with no other options than to otherwise cut it. This is what worked when I was in despair after the 10mm messed up the head on the E12 bolt.

Once I removed it, the bolts were replaced with genuine bolts from a local BMW dealership. The new bolts are E14.

The info posted by the OP is the way to do this job, and no other method should be used. I used the proper tools to tighten the new bolts.

Thank you bro for this backup Plan B option! I did use a E12 socket from this set I bought years ago on Amazon and this E-torx ratcheting wrench I got for this job which was helpful (once the bolt broke free):
https://www.amazon.com/CASOMAN-Femal...s%2C139&sr=8-5
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000HBF5LQ...roduct_details
Even though it was an exact fit the head of that rear long bolt still stripped slightly. I'm guessing due to age and living in the rust belt. I stopped immediately. Did some more research on YouTube and was about to pull out the cutting/drilling tools. Tried with this 3/8th 12 point ratchet box end as a last resort before hacking it up:
https://www.harborfreight.com/9-piec...set-42304.html
And it worked!
Obviously have the wrench pointed towards you and not towards the firewall for maximum grip. Now I think I just need to buy the correct bolt as FCPEuro sent me sedan bolts that are E14:
https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/bmw...392577#fitment