recently bought Z4 - have electrics been cut?

[Z4-CJ]

Hi Guys,

I am looking for some help. I recently bought a 2nd series '07 BMW Z4 2,5 Si at an oficial BMW dealer in Germany. In the engine compartment a sort of empty gap is present on the high left (if standing in front of the car). I remember it looked strange to me when I saw the car at the dealer, but they opened up the engine compartment of a 3,0 Si that was beside it that looked exactly the same. Therefore I didnt look into it further and I have driven several thousands km's since without any issues.

However, today when one of my friends looked at the engine (great six in line!) he also looked at that gap and pointed out that from the bulkhead two rubber tubes come which contain electric cables, and that one of these two tubes was actually ripped of and no electircity cables were in it. Looking into more detail we also noted that just behind the point where the springs are fixed there is also a plate with tow bolt ends on it (with nothing bolted to them) - it looks as if something should have been attached.

Does any of you know what sort of electrics come through there and what part should be affixed to the plate with the two bolts? Help and advice (or a pic what it looks like in your engine compartment) would be very much appreciated. I am new here and not sure whether I can post images myself, but will look how to do it (a pic of what it looks like probably says more than my above descr).

Cheers!

 

[Z4monster]

I think that spot is a secondary air filter for Californian emission rules. I have a similar gap and a mounting bracket with bolts and I understand that is what it might be for.

As for the ripped tube I have no idea. Maybe something else was added by the previous owner and removed before sale.

 

[Z4-CJ]

Thanks Z4monster for the quick response!

OK guys, just checked the newbies section again and here's the pic:

The arrow on the left point to the ripped tube without electric cables in it and on the right the two arrows point to the two bolt ends.

 

[peddy]

now i have the pre-facelift, so there might be some changes and this may not be relavent, but I do have something there...

not sure what it's for, but from what it says on the cap it's something to do with the brake fluid (which doesn't make sense).

with the bolts it looks like the metal pipe in your car has been directed across unlike mine which is at 45 degrees and leads to the bolts.

 

[Z4-CJ]

Interesting - thanks for the pic. I guess this is one of the changes from series 1 to series 2. The brake fluid reservoir is in my car exactly on the other side. I forgot to say my car is a LHD (not sure whether that may be of influence as well?).

 

[Z4-CJ]

Guys, I realize the image I posted above earlier provides a reasonable overview but does not show the ripped tube really clearly. Therefore, please find below a 2nd detail pic of the ripped tube.

 

[Incompatible]

Guys, I realize the image I posted above earlier provides a reasonable overview but does not show the ripped tube really clearly. Therefore, please find below a 2nd detail pic of the ripped tube....

I just took a look at my 07 Si which appears to be the same as yours. The "hose" which is torn in your pic is actually a rubber cap, on mine it's approximately 65mm in length and is fully enclosed at the end. You could probably put a plug in the end (rubber test tube stopper?) and secure it with some electrical tape and be fine. It looks to be a seal which BMW installs in the firewall initially and then depending on options/countries runs wiring through as needed. See the tube below the torn one in your pic.

 

[srhutch]

I dont think it's anything to worry about, you would have had problems by now, either the protectice cap/end has been removed in error or the previous owner installed something like laser detector and needed to route wires that they removed when selling.

 

[Z4-CJ]

Guys,

thanks very much for the input - makes me feel a lot more calm (after having had horrific electrical issues with a previous car - not a BMW). If anyone has a pic from his car showing how the hoses should look, I'd very much appreciate that and will tape the ripped end with some durable heat resistant stuff in the mean time.

cheers!

 

[MarkC]

Guys,

thanks very much for the input - makes me feel a lot more calm (after having had horrific electrical issues with a previous car - not a BMW). If anyone has a pic from his car showing how the hoses should look, I'd very much appreciate that and will tape the ripped end with some durable heat resistant stuff in the mean time.

cheers!

I would use black electrical tape, no special heat resistant tape needed. I'd also check out the other rubber bits in the engine compartment for damage, that ripped rubber bit in your picture could have been caused by a Martin. For those who aren't familiar, it's not uncommon for Martins (small weasel) in Germany to cause this type of damage. Martins are notorious for eating rubber bits in the engine compartment, had one attack a radiator hose of one of my cars when I lived there.

 

[Breaker]

You may find someone has used that to run a wire for something into the car maybe?

 

[Z4-CJ]

MarkC,

that's a good point, thx. I will check. I live in a city but the prior owner lived in the Schwarzwald and I noticed some of the insulation in that area is slightly damaged as well (you can see it somehwat in the 1st ic I posted, a little higher than the tubes coming from the bulkhead) - so guess it could well be an animal ...