[n54xdrive]

Just finished doing a valve cover gasket for my sister and cannot remember or seem to find a place for this wire to go. I can’t find any other pictures or videos online of a similar wire so I’m getting pretty frustrated and confused, any help would be greatly appreciated thank you.

[mainbearing]

There are two ground straps off that post. I see the one going back towards the firewall, the one you are holding looks like a previous owner replaced it with a heavy gauge cable going to the secondary air valve on the stud towards the firewall side. It is slightly harder to get to, and no surprise some without a good selection of extensions just wrongly leave it off.

I think BMW calls it a noise strap or something like that.


https://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1829056


https://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1848174

[gbalthrop]

Originally Posted by n54xdrive

... I can’t find any other pictures or videos online of a similar wire...

As 'Mainbearing' states, someone has replaced a woven "Interference Suppression Strap" with a more conventional
(CHEAPER ;-) ground strap. The purpose of that is NOT to act as the Main Ground Strap. THAT is located next to Starter
Motor under vehicle on US Driver side.

That cable should work to prevent Audio Static. Just attach it to one of the two studs (under Nut on Stud) as shown in the
attached photo, red oval. That photo is of my 3/2007 build N52K engine, but your N51 should be similar.
George

[n54xdrive]

Originally Posted by gbalthrop

As 'Mainbearing' states, someone has replaced a woven "Interference Suppression Strap" with a more conventional
(CHEAPER ;-) ground strap. The purpose of that is NOT to act as the Main Ground Strap. THAT is located next to Starter
Motor under vehicle on US Driver side.

That cable should work to prevent Audio Static. Just attach it to one of the two studs (under Nut on Stud) as shown in the
attached photo, red oval. That photo is of my 3/2007 build N52K engine, but your N51 should be similar.
George

Thanks a bunch! Come to think of it that’s exactly where it was when I took it off, only difference is on my sister’s car is that it’s sandwiched on that stud between the secondary air injection valve and the nut that holds it in place.