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Engine Room (Bay/Compartment) Factory Light Location?
Posted: Sat Feb 02, 2019 7:06 am
by csvnevada
Trying to locate where to mount the factory light and switch in the engine room (bay/compartment) of my 1979 BMW E21. Just finished installing the light and switch in the trunk. That was fairly easy to figure out using RealOEM and locating the factory mounting locations in the trunk lid. Not having as much luck locating the engine room light, switch and plug locations. Does anyone have a photo and/or a description of where the factory locations are? RealOEM does show the parts for the engine room light. Thanks /s/ csvnevada
Re: Engine Room (Bay/Compartment) Factory Light Location?
Posted: Sun Feb 03, 2019 9:23 am
by Jeroen
Your starting point is behind the cover for the right hand side headlights. In the wiring loom is a unused connector with a white cover, that is where you hook up the wire. Only one (+), as ground is connected through one of the screws in the hood (you may want to check the hood's ground strap to the chassis for a proper connection). There is no switch as far as I remember, it comes on if the headlights are on.
Alongside the right hinge you lead the wire up. See pics below. Wanted to take some pics how this is routed on my own car but it is nowhere near my home at the moment but this should help already.
Re: Engine Room (Bay/Compartment) Factory Light Location?
Posted: Mon Feb 04, 2019 4:58 pm
by 3771489
Switch:
Re: Engine Room (Bay/Compartment) Factory Light Location?
Posted: Thu Feb 07, 2019 9:06 am
by petroscf
Where is the switch located? Can't find it in this pic
Re: Engine Room (Bay/Compartment) Factory Light Location?
Posted: Thu Feb 07, 2019 10:25 am
by uwbuurman
In the red outlined box on the hood almost in the right upper corner....
Re: Engine Room (Bay/Compartment) Factory Light Location?
Posted: Thu Feb 07, 2019 11:09 am
by petroscf
yeah ok I just saw the whole photo
Re: Engine Room (Bay/Compartment) Factory Light Location?
Posted: Thu Feb 07, 2019 11:11 am
by petroscf
Also interested in that central rubber thing, where the back centre part of the hood locks
Didn't find the part in W+N. I am pretty sure that my car does not have this. Can anyone suggest where to buy this?
kytkin%20(Medium) by
Petros Tavaniotis, on Flickr
Re: Engine Room (Bay/Compartment) Factory Light Location?
Posted: Thu Feb 07, 2019 12:14 pm
by Jeroen
NLA for ages already, and AFAIK it was only fitted on the early examples. Our little apple had one too
Re: Engine Room (Bay/Compartment) Factory Light Location?
Posted: Thu Feb 07, 2019 12:25 pm
by petroscf
Re: Engine Room (Bay/Compartment) Factory Light Location?
Posted: Sun Feb 10, 2019 5:06 am
by csvnevada
3771489 wrote: Mon Feb 04, 2019 4:58 pm
Switch:
Thanks for the photo. Shows the light and switch location very well. Is the plug by the headlight hot all the time? My trunk light operates when the vehicle is off so I am hoping for the same results under the hood to check the oil, etc. when the vehicle is off.
/s/ csvnevada
Re: Engine Room (Bay/Compartment) Factory Light Location?
Posted: Sun Feb 10, 2019 5:27 am
by csvnevada
Jeroen wrote: Sun Feb 03, 2019 9:23 am
Your starting point is behind the cover for the right hand side headlights. In the wiring loom is a unused connector with a white cover, that is where you hook up the wire. Only one (+), as ground is connected through one of the screws in the hood (you may want to check the hood's ground strap to the chassis for a proper connection). There is no switch as far as I remember, it comes on if the headlights are on.
Alongside the right hinge you lead the wire up. See pics below. Wanted to take some pics how this is routed on my own car but it is nowhere near my home at the moment but this should help already.
Thanks for the help locating the engine compartment light locations. I purchased a couple Bosch door switches when I wired up my trunk for a very good price online but unfortunately the light that you supplied the photo of is now selling for around $50.00 American. It still seems to be available on line but I may try to find one at a salvage yard or E-Bay if one shows up soon. There just are not as many E21s being parted out in this part of the country as there use to be.
Sincerely,
/s/ csvnevada
Re: Engine Room (Bay/Compartment) Factory Light Location?
Posted: Sun Feb 10, 2019 11:53 am
by Jeroen
You're welcome. At wreckyards they're really rare these days!
