Re: "Parking Lights" - actually turn signals

[Jim Cash <j.cash@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Alex Montoya writes:

> I HAVE AN 87 528.  ON THE FRONT BUMPER, THERE ARE FOUR ORANGE LENSES(2 =
IN
> THE FRONT AND 2 ON THE SIDE.)  WHEN I TURN ON THE BLINKERS , THE ONE OF=
 THE
> FRONT ONES BLINK.  IS THERE ANY WAY TO MAKE THE SIDE ONES BLINK? IF YES=
,
> HOW?

Alex

I did this to my 82 528eA.   I though they had added it by 1987, but if
not, this is what you do.


Trace the brown "ground" wires from the side marker lamps to the point
where they it connect to he frame ground point - just on the inside of
the fender with a bunch of other ground wires.=20

Cut the ground wire for each marker lamp at that point (as close to the
connection as you can)

Now (close to where you have that cut ground wire)  cut into the wiring
harness covers that go to the front of the car on both sides - you want
to find the wires that feed the turn indicator filaments in each of the
front bumper lamps. They are different wires for each side - driver's
side (left) is blue/red,  and right side is blue/black.

Remove a small bit of insulation on each of these wires (do not cut
them) and then solder splice that ground wire from the side indicator to
those battery wires going to the front indicator lamps.


TEST
The side lamps will now flash with the front indicators.
- - They will flash ON at the same time as the front indicators when the
parking lights are OFF
- - They will flash OFF, when the fronts ones flash on, when the parking
lights are ON.

Tape them up and that's it.


Theory of operation if required.

The side marker lamp used to get its ground directly from the frame
connection.=20

After the mod it now gets it=92s ground, for normal marker light
operation,  "through" the filament of the turn indicator bulb. Since the
turn indicator bulb is a 21 watt, and the side marker lamp is only 4
watt, the most current that can pass in this circuit is 4 watts - thus
the side lamp comes on and the front one does not.  When you activate
the turn indicators this puts battery where the side lamp was getting
it's ground, causing the side lamp to "flash off".


When the parking lights are off the side marker lamp works in reverse -
you are now supplying battery on the former ground lead, and therefore
it requires a ground source on it's normal battery lead.   Well, when
the parking lights are off this is accomplished because the front side
markers are wired in parallel with the front and rear parking lights on
each side - 2 bulbs total of 8 watts - enough to provide a ground
source.


In this case - doing the mod is easier that understanding it.

Hope that helps.

Cheers

Jim Cash
London, Ontario, Canada
BMW CCA 102929

PS - it's easier to read messages that are not all in upper case.

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