Disclaimers &
Warnings - Please read!!
This site has lots of suggested procedures for YOU
to do things to YOUR car.
I do not know your levels of skill, the tools available
to you or the exact details of your vehicle; all information on this site
pertains to MY car or to details supplied by others about specific parts/options
on their cars. I take no responsibility for what you do with this information
- it is provided in good faith as a service to other E32 owners,
but it should be viewed as a basis for your actions, not a dictation of
them. Do your own research as well - both to save yourself any chance of
any random problem stuffing up your fix and also just for the sake of making
the contacts with other owners.
-
Some of the procedures I suggest also carry personal risk.
A lot of the risks in working on your car are also there in the operating
of it - READ THE OWNERS MANUAL THOROUGHLY. It documents a lot of
the do's & don'ts.
-
If I mention the electronics are "static sensitive" then
look up ESD (electrostatic discharge) work methods to avoid damaging any
chips. Even walking across the carpet can zap some of the computer stuff
- IF IN DOUBT, LEAVE IT ALL ALONE UNTIL YOU KNOW. New electronics
are VERY expensive, and wrecked parts might not fit in with the other parts
already in your car...
-
These cars all have high-energy ignition systems - read LETHAL
VOLTAGES. Treat with extreme care.
-
These cars have EFI and are designed to keep a residual
fuel pressure even when stopped for some time - DO NOT disconnect fuel
lines while the engine is hot. Use only EFI rated hoses to cope with
fuel-injection system pressures.
-
These cars are extremely HEAVY. DO NOT rely on the
standard jack. DO NOT rely on "cheap & nasty" jacks, stands
or ramps - get weight certified ones and learn how to use them safely,
and where it's safe to jack from...
-
These cars can have very high pressure hydraulic systems
that can reach 2000 psi easily. These systems can drive any or all
of the power steering, the power brakes, the load-adjusting suspension...
all essential driving safety systems. Use only authorised & documented
procedures around these parts: you don't want them failing on the road,
having seemed to test OK in the garage.
-
These cars have a very high capacity battery, conveniently
out of sight and mind under the rear seat. IT CAN EASILY START A FIRE IF
NOT ISOLATED - some curcuits are deliberately NOT FUSED (apart from a very
high current fusible link) and some are LIVE AT ALL TIMES.
-
If your car has airbags, GET THE BENTLEYS MANUAL.
There are numerous risks in handling the electrical systems given these
explosive devices and numerous procedures to get around them. Don't fool
around, do it right.
-
If you don't know any of what I'm talking about here, go
and get a "learn car DIY" book and read up on all the workshop safety practices
/ precautions before you start work. You can't learn safety by experience
- it's too late then.
-
Know your limits and consider the consequences if your
work should it fail while on the road!!
-
Think about any regulations/legal issues that could apply
to your work in your area BEFORE you start.
-
Good luck....
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