BMW 3 Series (E36) Service Manual: 1992-1998 [Paperback]

Bentley Publishers (Author)

Book Description

Series: BMW | Publication Date: May 1, 1999

M3, 318i, 323i, 325i, 328i
Sedan, Coupe and Convertible

The BMW 3 Series (E36) Service Manual: 1992-1998 is a comprehensive, single source of service information and specifications for BMW 3 Series automobiles from 1992 to 1998. Bentley service manuals provide the highest level of clarity and completeness for all service and repair procedures. Enthusiasts, do-it-yourselfers, and professional technicians will appreciate the quality of photos and illustrations, theory of operation, and accurate step-by-step instructions. If you're looking for better understanding of your E36 BMW, look no further than Bentley.

3 Series models and engines covered: 318/is/lc
(M42 - 1.8L engine)
(M44 - 1.9L engine, OBD II)
323is/iC
(M52 - 2.5L engine, OBD II)
325i/is/iC
(M50 - 2.5L engine)
328i/is/iC
(M52 - 2.8L engine, OBDII)
M3
(S50US - 3.0L engine)
(S52US - 3.2L engine, OBD II)

Transmissions covered:

Manual (remove, install, external service)
Getrag S5D 250 G
Getrag S5D 200 G
ZF S5D 310 Z
ZF S5D 320 Z

Automatic (remove, install, external service)
A4S 270 R
A4S 310 R
A5S 310 Z

Features:
- Maintenance procedures for everything from brake fluid changes to resetting the Service Indicator. This manual tells you what to do and how and when to do it.

- Engine and cylinder head service, repair, and reconditioning, including camshaft timing chain setup and adjustment.

- Information for specific BMW 3 Series driveability problems, including explanation of engine management systems and OBD (On-Board Diagnostics).

- Theory of operation and repair information for DISA (Dual Resonance Intake System) on 4-cylinder engines and VANOS (Variable Valve Timing) on 6-cylinder engines.

- Drivetrain maintenance, troubleshooting, adjustment and repair, including hydraulic clutch, gearshift linkage, and driveshaft.

- Heating and air conditioning repair, including A/C component replacement.

- Body adjustments and repairs, including convertible top replacement and adjustment.

- Wiring schematics for all circuits, including power distribution, grounds, and component location illustrations and photos.

Product Details

• Paperback: 756 pages
• Publisher: Bentley Publishers; 1st edition (May 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0837603269
• ISBN-13: 978-0837603261
• Product Dimensions: 10.9 x 8 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (53 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #169,984 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #57 in Books > Professional & Technical > Automotive > Trucks & Vans

More About the Author

Since 1950, Bentley Publishers has helped professionals and do-it-yourself mechanics by publishing highly detailed automotive manuals and time-saving service guides. We started by reprinting and distributing hard-to-find British car manuals, such as Austin-Healey, MG, and Triumph. Today we offer a full line of technical automotive reference information for Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, Volkswagen and many other vehicles.

Everything that goes into a Bentley manual - from developing the outline, tearing down a car, authoring the repair information, taking our own photography, to meticulously disassembling the vehicle (and putting it back together again!) - is done by our team of Technical Editors right here in our Cambridge, Massachusetts office.

In authoring our manuals, our approach has been to go for the details, resulting in books that may look intimidating, but are easy to use. More detail and less "averaging of facts" leads to less guess work when you are working on a car.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

67 of 69 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Yes, an E36 manual. Yes, it could be better., May 16, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: BMW 3 Series (E36) Service Manual: 1992-1998 (Paperback)

I've been using Bentley Manuals to fix my cars for over 20 years. I couldn't wait until this BMW E36 Bentley book finally arrived. Well, it's a big thick book with lots of pictures, but it falls short of other efforts from Bentley. Before criticizing the publisher, BMW has made service information more difficult to obtain in recent years and this may explain the lack of depth in some areas. For whatever reason, I found lots of topics where the information is just plain non-existant. There are, however, good points about this maunual. For example, the routine service required for BMW's INSPECTION 1 & 2 maintenance is well described, clear, and straightforward. This information alone justifies owning this book. Also, as with other Bentley books, the wiring diagrams are excellent and (as far as I can tell) accurate. But, where is the information about electronic engine diagnostics? How does the ventilaltion system work? Where's the engine rebuild information? How about the fuel system?

After owning the wonderful Bentley Manuals for mid 80's VW's and Audi's, this E36 book just doesn't contain the same depth of information. Many times I found local Audi dealer mechanics using the Audi Bentley manual in their shop. I doubt if you'll ever see this book used at a BMW dealer. For the E36 enthusiast, there is only one choice; you have to buy this book as there is no other that compares. But as a comparison to other works from Bentley, this one just doesn't live up to the standards set from other works.

34 of 35 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Pretty comprehensive, but missing some details..., December 20, 2000

By 

"[e-mail]" (Torrance, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: BMW 3 Series (E36) Service Manual: 1992-1998 (Paperback)

This big, expansive book just about covers everything for an E36 BMW this side of a factory service manual... However, there are some details that are missing (or that I can't find): like adjusting the throttle/accelerator linkage, and replacing the trim at the base of the windshield/engine compartment... Also, like the other service manuals, the indices aren't very detailed... I have the Chilton's and Haynes service manuals as well, but the Bentley's is definitely the best... But I would recommend owning all three service manuals to compare procedures (a "second opinion") and just in case a procedure is not covered by one of the other manuals...

25 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Comprehensive but. . ., February 12, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: BMW 3 Series (E36) Service Manual: 1992-1998 (Paperback)

This manual covers everything and gives excellent attention to routine service. Unlike some manuals, it is focussed on the BMW 3 series and gives very little 'general' advice. It also gives useful tips about obtaining speciality tools. The general explanations at the front of the manual are indispensible. On the down side, the drawings and photographs leave something to be desired. There are too few of them and they are quite confusing. There are no comprehensive pictures pointing out the key features and the text does not fill in the gaps. Compared directly with Haynes, this manual covers far more, has better electrical schematics and the entire book is devoted to one car. On the other hand, the explanations are not as clear and the diagrams and photographs are terrible. Overall, it is good value and coupled with a more basic and more graphic manual it is very helpful.