Anyone Know What This Is And For?
 

My 12/03 4.6 has a small pack with a positive and negative terminal, and there is positive and negative wires running from it to the terminal under the hood.
http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j7...5/DSC00777.jpg

What electrical after market goodies do you have?

The only aftermarket mods I have, that are anyway electrical are
1: DVD player
2: Ipod install
3: 360bhp engine remap
4: reverse camera

Negative power coupling:rofl:

I think the size is giving away what it's powering. I spotted one of them years ago and snapped a photo.


Attachment 12013

AHHH the flux capisator wondered what I was missing in the 4.6!! Just need to set a date for the past and take an almanac with me to make a load more cash!!

Can we get a group buy for this?:rofl:

That would be great group buy!!! Think though the best one to go for is the garbage one, rather than the Plutonium, could be harder to get hold off plus I dont think ebay sell stock of plutonium!!

Hold on I'll check.

Too funny!
Sudesh,
Back to what I said on the other post about straightening your short hairs. If you ground out the positive to the negative before you start wrenching on it, if it is a capacitor, it will drain it protecting your short hairs. Try it. see what stops working.

I dont fancy finding out what doesnt work incase it throws up some faults on the OBC or Cluster. But I would love to know what its for especially if no one has it???

So thats not the ground lug? Ooops. Sorry, you meant that coil.

The ground lug is the big silver bolt attached to the body. But I have another thing sitting almost beside it, thats the subject of the thread. If you follow the black wire back it attaches to some sort of capicator or something. Some people mentioned on the other thread that, they dont have it, and wondered what it is??? I dont have a clue myself so just started this thread to see who, if anyone, has it or to find out what exactly it is??

Sudesh I am working on my X tonight I will see if mine has that as well it could be a 4.6is specific part looks like a large power cap or a selonoid coil (for the VANOS vvt system maybe?) I will also look in my shop manuals to see what I can dig up on it.

Ok thanks!! I've been looking at my BMW parts system and cant find it yet on there either??

Which side of the engine bay is it on? Mounted by the firewall? Are there only wires running to it, or do wires run to a part of the engine as well?

It's passanger side UK / drivers side USA. The only wires running to it are positive from the positive terminal of the X to the unit, and negative from the unit to the ground lug/bolt and thats it!!

It looks like a 1/2 farad capacitor that is installed wrong.
Caps that size are used for aftermarket amps, but need to be installed close to the amp (usually in the trunk)
Here is a pic for comparison.
http://caraudiosecurity.com/shop/pro...s_id/3634.html

I dont have any aftermarket AMPS in my X? All original equipment accept for the DVD which I installed myself!

Did you buy your X new from a dealer? Or used?

I purchased it from the dealer, it was the BMW directors car, run as a demo model.

I'm thinking they may have used it as a filter for the radio. I'm pretty sure it isn't a stock item.

Does the end not in the picture go to the power lug on the fire wall?

Yeah the end goes to the power terminal on the firewall!!!

It's very much, absolutly, without a doubt, quite possibly a capacitor.

Some people use them to filter out ignition noise from the radio. Could it have possibly had a CB or other two way radio before you purchased it? Can you go back to the dealer and ask?

The reason I ask is, if it fails, it should short your battery. If it severs no prupose now, I would (carefully) pull it out. Disconnect the ground. use a screw driver to short the terminals on it to discharge it. then pull it out if you decide too.

Sorry about my english in the last post. I work nights and I'm ready for bed. I think you can get the drift though.

No problem steve! It never had a CB or two way radio of any kind? Plus I think your right in that it does not seem to serve any purpose as there are no other wires running off the unit. There is just the positive and negative from the X's terminals running to it, and that all!

Its definately aftermarket. Pull it out.

Maybe a JamesBond type gizmo, Sudesh?! ;>)

Be careful; that sucker's gotta have some juice.
BR,mD

I didn't see one of those in my car...could be a european part? might be there as a filter cap to get alternator noise out of the stereo if you decide to remove it be careful man or try to discharge it first but without knowing the farad rating and voltage I am unsure what size of resistor to use on it.

I'm going to remove it tomorow and hopefully all will still be well with the X!

Try Not To Hit Any Part Fo The Car When Unbolting Those Connections! You Dont Want To Damage The Paint! Or Your Self!

No problem!! I'm going to go down the careful route and use some insulating coverings for the body and handling of the item.

y not just disconnect the battery prior to removing?:dunno:

:iagree:

Yeah good idea!!! Forgot all about it??

capacators hold charge AFTER power has been removed while a good idea if that thing is a cap is will still have residual charge so precautions must be taken

if, after disconnecting the battery, Sudesh pumped the
brakes a few times, would that discharge whatever it is
that that thing is.

Any amp draw "should" discharge it. Turn the headlights on will "probably" work also.

Ok guys thank for the extra info!! Caution is a must on this removal.

The capacitor is just a quick discharge battery.
Just be careful with your connections.

If you touch the wires the wrong way it'll scare the crap out of you.
It worse that someone honking the horn while your poking around under the hood.
Funny afterwards.

Where did you find the reverse camera?

I got mine on ebay!

Just an update! I removed the capicator today. Its a panisonic 12vd DC 68000 unit. Nothing else attached to it and it did have some charge left in it after I renmoved it. So really it wasnt doing serving any purpose. Thanks for the help guys!!

Good deal!!

Yeah thanks for the help on this steve, once removed I put a screwdriver across the 2 points and it shorted like crazy!! Its also alot neater looking under the hood as that unit looked out of place to begin with.

Congrats on the capectomy Sudesh!

Thanks Jay!! I would love to know why it was installed?? Guess it's one of those things I'll never know now......

Ahh. The joys of owning a "Pre-owned" vehicle. If that's the worst you find you'll be lucky.

I knew that mine had been in an accident. I bought it from my sister. But, I thought the dealer that did the repairs would at least put all the parts that it came with back on.

The horns were broken (sounded like a Mini), the brake cooling duct was missing and the outside air temp prode was stuffed up into the headlights. Not to mention the various fasteners that where not replaced.

Ah yes, the joys.

SS

I wouldnt really class mine as pre-owned as, it belonged to the BMW director when I purchased it, plus I bought it with only 4,800miles on it and its only got 11,000 now!

You gonna show it to your tech next time your there?
Gotta know what that is!:rofl:

Yeah I'll have a word with them and get a pic posted here too!