I hope you find it’s just a blown fuse but I would not be surprised if you’ve fried some wires along the way or even damaged the DME.
PROJECT HALF PINT 🖤💚 Long Island Z3 2.8L
- Thread starter Z3Baddie
- Start date
- Joined
- Apr 1, 2016
- Points
- 208
- Location
- Maybole , South Ayrshire
- Model of Z
- Z3 Individual Dakar / Orinoco Individual
Get a multi meter reconnect battery test for power at the positive under the bonnet if that is dead under the black panel at the battery live ( red) has in line fuse that will be blown if you have 12v at front problem probably lies further in towards fuse box etc.
Stephen.
Stephen.
I’m on it as soon as I pull in my driveway.
I’ve currently got a dead car. 98 2.8L 
trying to bring him back to life. I believe I blew my main fuse jumping the car wrong. I’ve been doing electrical homework and troubleshooting. I have power at the battery, it’s just not distributing to the rest of the vehicle. All grounds are good. Spent yesterday testing fuses and relays that I was able to reach. All of them are good, aside from a 5, 10 & (x2) 30 amp fuses which were replaced. I know there are more relays beneath the dash kick panel. I’m trying to find them, I removed the lower kick panel on the driver‘s side (USA) any advice on where to go from here?
Any help or advice is appreciated!
View: https://youtu.be/Jke87ERqmOo?si=j4MbMk416M06zusP
trying to bring him back to life. I believe I blew my main fuse jumping the car wrong. I’ve been doing electrical homework and troubleshooting. I have power at the battery, it’s just not distributing to the rest of the vehicle. All grounds are good. Spent yesterday testing fuses and relays that I was able to reach. All of them are good, aside from a 5, 10 & (x2) 30 amp fuses which were replaced. I know there are more relays beneath the dash kick panel. I’m trying to find them, I removed the lower kick panel on the driver‘s side (USA) any advice on where to go from here?Any help or advice is appreciated!
Try running a jumper cable from the battery live post to the + positive jump post on the bulkhead around the outside of the car. You can join the 2 jump leads together for this exercise. This will rule out a fault in the main positive cable from rear to the front of the car.
Tony.
Tony.
Okay, I want to make sure I’m doing this right.
Jumper cables, red to positive, red to positive in bay then crank?
if I get power, means no fault there. If no power, means it does.
Correct? I’m safe to jump this way? I don’t want to blow anything else.
Thank you so much! Waiting on your reply Tony, much appreciated!
Disconnect the positive terminal from the battery and tuck it away so that it cannot reconnect. Connect the jump lead to the battery post itself. If you get sparks when you connect to the jump point on the bulkhead don’t continue. What you are in effect doing is bypassing the power cable running between the battery terminal and the front of the car. If you don’t get a lot of sparks and the ignition lights come on try cranking the motor. Better to have someone else there to remove jump lead from battery post if need be. If you’re not sure get someone with knowledge to help you.
Tony.
Tony.
From what I know there's only the fuel relay hidden under the lower kick panel, here are two pictures:
z3-roadster-forum.de - wo befindet sich das Kraftstoffrelais (8373700) - 38973 - Technik Antrieb
z3-roadster-forum.de - die Community exklusiv für BMW Z3 roadster/coupe-Enthusiasten
What's the actual problem with your Z3? Does the speedometer light up when you turn the key or is it completely dead?
Sorry, just catching up
.Presuming the actual frame of your roof is good, here in the UK there are a few shops that specialise in replacing the fabric (and window) on your existing frame, it costs between £400-1000 and takes about half a day, have you looked for anywhere near you that offers a similar service?
Alternatively, if you do go down the route of replacing the roof, hopefully I can reassure you that the job is not as daunting as it might seem. I did mine a few weeks ago (I had just had the roof fabric replaced, and spontaneously decided to change cars
).You can remove the seats and strip the rear trims and hoops to make access (much) easier, in which case your 10hr estimate is probably not far off, but it must be possible without (see shops who can do it in half a day, including putting new fabric on the frame!). Actually removing the one old roof, cleaning up mating surfaces and fitting the other one only took me a couple of hours and was the first time I had ever attempted it. Make sure you have a helper when it comes to physically moving the roofs, they aren't super heavy, but they are awkward and have lots of hard edges and corners that would make a mess of paintwork if they touch.I watched a few youtube videos before I did mine and this was probably the one I found most useful
Good luck!!
Completely dead. I had power to all my electronics before the bad jump. I just had no turnover with the engine. I had a fault somewhere (not the hazard switch) that was sending my hazards off. They went off endlessly, I disconnected my battery to avoid draining it. A reckless attempt at jumping the car got my power back but no turn over again, a day or so later and a brand new agm battery later I hook it up expecting my hazards to start going off again (like they usually did when I had power hooked up) but nothing. NOTHING. Not a headlight, dashlight, radio nothing. We definitely blew something. Connections were not reversed or anything, we just rigged a jump through the trunk with 800 interstate we had and it caused me a lot more trouble than I realized it would. I kick myself HARD, because even when we did it, I knew where the +/- were in the engine bay for jumping, I don’t know what compelled me to think nothing bad would happen. But, I’ll learn from this. Will never make that mistake again. I’ve gone through all my fuses and relays in the bay with a multimeter. Had to change x1 5amp x1 10amp & x2 30amps. Relays were all good. I want to access what I’ve got beneath the dash, but I don’t know exactly what I’m gonna find. If my main is inline with my positive I’ll have to find it. Willing to do, replace, work on whatever I have to.From what I know there's only the fuel relay hidden under the lower kick panel, here are two pictures:
z3-roadster-forum.de - wo befindet sich das Kraftstoffrelais (8373700) - 38973 - Technik Antrieb
z3-roadster-forum.de - die Community exklusiv für BMW Z3 roadster/coupe-Enthusiastenwww.z3-roadster-forum.de
What's the actual problem with your Z3? Does the speedometer light up when you turn the key or is it completely dead?
Thank you kindly! I appreciate you taking the time to read and reassure me. It makes me feel better that it was your first time installing as well, gives me a bit more confidence. I haven’t gotten quotes around me, but I definitely will considering that I know now just the fabric can be refurbished or replaced. I might even just go to one of these shops to get information or advice too. The video is a huge help, thank you! I’ll definitely look more into doing it myself. Not just to get it done, but I’d love to know how. Have that kind of job under my belt to help others. My rear window finally gave yesterday, a small hole opened up in the lining, I might simply silicone it, however it’s another good reason to address the top. Thank you John!Sorry, just catching up
Presuming the actual frame of your roof is good, here in the UK there are a few shops that specialise in replacing the fabric (and window) on your existing frame, it costs between £400-1000 and takes about half a day, have you looked for anywhere near you that offers a similar service?
Alternatively, if you do go down the route of replacing the roof, hopefully I can reassure you that the job is not as daunting as it might seem. I did mine a few weeks ago (I had just had the roof fabric replaced, and spontaneously decided to change cars
I watched a few youtube videos before I did mine and this was probably the one I found most useful
View: https://youtu.be/eTo6dzgOZx0?si=dYBDf9SNkqzVnjDQ
Good luck!!
When looking for electrical issues, in this case fuses, it is good practice to start from the largest and work your way down. Having no power at all, it will be something big. You also have a method and don't keep re-checking things that have already been addressed.
Start with the main fuse in the boot (trunk). It should be near the battery and has a plastic clipped cover over it. Then move to the other 'main fuses' which are on the left side under your steering column. They are on a common busbar and are not easy to get to (on a RHD at least), so be careful how you test them. If all the above are good, I would check all the main earth posts, as a bad earth on a major circuit will prevent power
Sending thanks to you Pond and everyone who has responded! I genuinely appreciate your advice and will be taking you up on all of it. 
I’m making a video series if anyone wants to check it out! Will keep my progress thread updated as well!
View: https://youtu.be/cyca0iuRnc0?si=0Iz7520viwxwdtwa
I’m making a video series if anyone wants to check it out! Will keep my progress thread updated as well!
Look here, guess this should be the unidentifiable piece you're talking about in your video:
Number 7, knee protector. That's only available for the US market.
RealOEM.com - Online BMW Parts Catalog
BMW parts Z3 E36 Z3 2.8 Trim panel dashboard LOWER
www.realoem.com
Number 7, knee protector. That's only available for the US market.
Have a really good look at that wiring PDF. It has a lot of information that can be really helpful.
If you look at the main power from the battery There is one 200amp fuse holder P99 supplying the car. There is no fuse between the battery and jump point in the engine bay.
Page 7000.0-11 says P99 is the RH side of the luggage caprartment. German for trunk. It does not give a pictoral view but most of the other items are shown in next section
The main power distribution can be seen on 0670.2-00. Fues holder P99 feeds G7512 the next fuse panel. G7512 is below the dash. If the main fuse by the battery is not blow I think this is the one you are looking for next and these are all big 80amp fuses.
If you look at the main power from the battery There is one 200amp fuse holder P99 supplying the car. There is no fuse between the battery and jump point in the engine bay.
Page 7000.0-11 says P99 is the RH side of the luggage caprartment. German for trunk. It does not give a pictoral view but most of the other items are shown in next section
The main power distribution can be seen on 0670.2-00. Fues holder P99 feeds G7512 the next fuse panel. G7512 is below the dash. If the main fuse by the battery is not blow I think this is the one you are looking for next and these are all big 80amp fuses.