For the love of God, where is this fusible link that you speak of???

[fasbinder]

Hey folks,

I apologise for a bit of rattling, but I am rattled.

Where is this fusible link?

I followed the cable from the battery, which in this case is located in the front - not the trunk - felt for a bit of crinkling and melted plastic...unravelled the black cable covers and still no fusible link.

Its freezing cold and froze myself solid tracing this fusible link. Nada.
I am assuming its the link that's causing me the no-start grief. No CEL light. I just want to replace the thing to rule it out.

Help.

The car is a M42 318is right hand drive.

C'mon knowledgeable folk. I need the expertise and/or the experience.

[burkey001]

How can a 318is have a battery in the engine bay?

this is not standard. hence any power wire may not be standard too.

think of this though. with a battery in the engine bay why does one need power cable running through interior with said fusible link.

it's not that cold here either, moderation please :)

[fasbinder]

Ok...by antipode standards Canberra is cold (ish). :)
The car is a UK import. And to be honest, I don't know what a fusible link looks like.:D

Thanks for the tip...I ain't ripping any of the interior carpeting looking for this silly link (the only thing between being drivable and a garage queen mind).

So, would anyone take a snap shot of the fusible link please? Or point me in the direction of a sketch of some kind - not an electrical diagram please - as that to my eyes is akin to legales to my ears. I promise you folks, not all aussies are this, ummm thick.

[FLG]

Are you looking for the fusible link that runs on a separate smaller gauge cable to the ECU? If so it looks like this shrink wrapped in black.

[fasbinder]

The hunt is on! Thanks for that pic....been feeling all the cables for something that resembles that shape. Looks like I may have to look under the carpeting after all. :|

[jlevie]

With a font mounted battery the power cables from the battery don't go into the cabin. So there's no need to go pulling up the carpet. The fusible link will be in the small from the positive post between the battery and where the cables from the battery join the car's systems on the fire wall. You can check there to see if the fusible link is blown.

[dogsbark26]

If fusible link is "blown" the battery is effectively disconnected from the vehicle. No electrical system will operate at all. No lights, nothing. So if you have any electrical activity in the vehicle at all, a fusible link is not your issue.

[FLG]

The fusible link connects only to the DME...the cars electronics will operate just fine.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

[dogsbark26]

Really? The fusible link in my 98 325 iX is located about two feet away from the battery in the 1/0 positive battery cable inside the trunk along the bottom of the passenger rear shock tower. It (and the positive cable) are covered with a protective plastic cover. If mine blows, the battery is completely disconnected from the vehicle. There are no other connections to the positive battery terminal.

I'll see if I can get a photo of it.

I know OP said his battery is in the engine compartment but surely the technology is similar. Here is a photo of the same components in an e34.

Real OEM shows part 14 for my car.

[dogsbark26]

I was wrong. Again.

Uncovered my battery cable to take a photo for you. Found that there are, in fact, two wires attached to the positive battery terminal. It appears the fusible link is in the smaller of the two cables (which I now presume goes to the DME as FLG said). I am not going to unwrap it.