M42club.com - Home of the BMW E30/E36 318i/iS
FAQ / REFERENCE => Member Profiles => Topic started by: DesktopDave on September 15, 2010, 11:10:16 AM
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Can't believe I haven't done one of these profiles yet...so here's the M42 of the collection, my stock DD 318i sedan:
(http://i729.photobucket.com/albums/ww299/desktopdave/BMW/1991%20Brilliantrot%20318i/th_IMG_2827.jpg) (http://s729.photobucket.com/user/desktopdave/media/BMW/1991%20Brilliantrot%20318i/IMG_2827.jpg.html) (http://i729.photobucket.com/albums/ww299/desktopdave/BMW/1991%20Brilliantrot%20318i/th_IMG_2828_anon.jpg) (http://s729.photobucket.com/user/desktopdave/media/BMW/1991%20Brilliantrot%20318i/IMG_2828_anon.jpg.html)
(http://i729.photobucket.com/albums/ww299/desktopdave/BMW/1991%20Brilliantrot%20318i/th_IMG_2829.jpg) (http://s729.photobucket.com/user/desktopdave/media/BMW/1991%20Brilliantrot%20318i/IMG_2829.jpg.html) (http://i729.photobucket.com/albums/ww299/desktopdave/BMW/1991%20Brilliantrot%20318i/th_IMG_2831_anon.jpg) (http://s729.photobucket.com/user/desktopdave/media/BMW/1991%20Brilliantrot%20318i/IMG_2831_anon.jpg.html) (http://i729.photobucket.com/albums/ww299/desktopdave/BMW/1991%20Brilliantrot%20318i/th_IMG_2832.jpg) (http://s729.photobucket.com/user/desktopdave/media/BMW/1991%20Brilliantrot%20318i/IMG_2832.jpg.html)
Note mis-matched rear seat, e34 toolkit & 'vert sport wheel. Not too bad for 275k-ish miles, eh? Other goodies are Bilstien sport rear shocks & COP conversion. Otherwise she's pretty much stock. I've had her for over a year, she was a bargain that I couldn't pass up (largely because of this site).
Anyway, figured I'd post a few pics of the collection. My wife inspired me - she snapped a few pics of me working on the fleet.
(http://i729.photobucket.com/albums/ww299/desktopdave/BMW/th_IMG_2813.jpg) (http://s729.photobucket.com/albums/ww299/desktopdave/BMW/?action=view¤t=IMG_2813.jpg)(http://i729.photobucket.com/albums/ww299/desktopdave/BMW/1987%20Burgundrot%20325/th_IMG_2809.jpg) (http://s729.photobucket.com/user/desktopdave/media/BMW/1987%20Burgundrot%20325/IMG_2809.jpg.html)(http://i729.photobucket.com/albums/ww299/desktopdave/BMW/1987%20Burgundrot%20325/th_IMG_2808.jpg) (http://s729.photobucket.com/user/desktopdave/media/BMW/1987%20Burgundrot%20325/IMG_2808.jpg.html)
Yup, that's me in the engine bay...I'm swapping a clutch line into a recently automatic car...haven't tested anything yet, time will tell if it works. Eventually she'll have either an M50 swap or an eta-based 2.8. I miss how smooth my old M20 525iM was (I don't miss the weight though) so I decided to build one! I don't get a lot of time to do stuff like this...is it a hobby or therapy?
(http://i729.photobucket.com/albums/ww299/desktopdave/BMW/1991%20Beige%20Metallic%20325i/th_IMG_2811.jpg) (http://s729.photobucket.com/user/desktopdave/media/BMW/1991%20Beige%20Metallic%20325i/IMG_2811.jpg.html) (http://i729.photobucket.com/albums/ww299/desktopdave/BMW/1991%20Beige%20Metallic%20325i/th_IMG_2810.jpg) (http://s729.photobucket.com/user/desktopdave/media/BMW/1991%20Beige%20Metallic%20325i/IMG_2810.jpg.html)
Here's the donor...poor car. PO's "friends" punked him with a rollover party. At least that's what I think. I felt bad, but that's life...it'll be ready in a week or two.
So if you're heading through the Pittsburgh/western PA area and want to drop by, PM me a day or so ahead of time & we'll go get a beer & kick some tires. I'm convenient to many of the local highways too, and I usually have a bunch of spares if you're in need.
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thats a good collection of cars u got there....how many?
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Four. I've sold one & scrapped another...that makes six in the last year or two. Occasionally I come across a bargain and just can't say 'no.'
The wife calls it a "disease." :mad: What does she know...she married me... :D
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Found the options slip from my 325e parts car (stuck on the bottom of the rear seat)...guess which options my car now has?
209 LIMITED SLIP DIFFERENTIAL (25%)
210 ANTI-BLOCKIER-SYSTEM ( ABS )
219 Sport Steering Wheel, Leather
286 BMW LM RAD/BMW STYLING
300 ZENTRALVERRIEGELUNG ELEKTRISCH
498 Headrests in rear, Mechanic. Adjustable
530 AIR CONDITIONING
540 CRUISE CONTROL
551 On Board computer II with remote control
556 EXTERIOR TEMPERATURE DISPLAY
675 BMW sound system
498 and 540 moved right over. I added a ski bag too. Unfortunately the sport steering wheel (219) needs re-covered. At least I have a spare.
I'm still thinking about swapping the OBC (551) and the upgraded speakers (675). If I figure the code plugs out I'll do the OBC. If I can find components that will fit in the premium speaker housings they'll go in as well.
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Finally pulled the rear subframe from the bronze parts car. I figured I could use it as a rebuildable spare. What a bitch! One of the subframe bushings was sheared clear in half...and the rust is significant. Tomorrow the 3.64? LSD? is going into my burgundy red project car.
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I was going to put all this stuff in another post but it's too long-winded. So I'll add it here instead...
Personal philosophy of transportation...
I try to get a baseline feel for what a daily driver will cost in the first six months or so that I drive it. Let's say it's an extended test drive. You never know what the PO's have done to the car. Fixing the little things is fun with a new toy, but if there is a big problem, no matter how much fun the car/bike/scooter is, it goes. New cars over ten years or so cost less than a series of unreliable old cars. Don't let your heart get you into trouble over cars. Save that for the girls...
I will say that BMWs tend to be well taken care of, and they do last. Mine has over 275k miles on the original motor & tranny. The only significant trouble it's had mechanically was with the rear end...it's on it's third diff, but those are under-spec even for the light e30. Rust is also something to watch out for..other than that, it's all been trivial stuff.
These cars are very cheap to run, but if you repair every last item it'll really suck up huge amounts of time & money. I'm philosophically inclined to repair old stuff even if it costs as much as new...but I'm very cold-hearted about the whole thing...I run the numbers before every large repair to determine if the car stays or goes. So if/when the timing chain gets weak...I might be selling her off to someone else. That job is precariously close to the total value of the car...
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I figured I'd post what's been done to the car to defend my thesis above.
I stumbled on my 318i sedan while looking for a decent 325is. For $800 I figured "why not?" I had a reliable e34 525i that I could fall back on if the M42 blew up...and the body was in great shape...so I could always swap in an M52B28 if I didn't like the M42. I had heard of the car's reputation, but I was skeptical. Happily, the rumors are all true...gem of a car, one of the best BMW has bolted together.
But first, it desperately needed a diff. Sounded like a gorilla was pounding out the rear subframe with an impact wrench wherever I drove it. The wife, lacking vision, was thoroughly unimpressed.
While looking for a decent used diff, I found a suitable 3.73. Problem was, it had a rusty 325is wrapped around it. I was hoping that the car could be salvaged, but it was far beyond my skills. Happily, the parts car had black leather sport seats too. That made a huge difference in the car...and I splurged $20 on a 'vert 3-spoke wheel. Total cost, $300. Wife began to see the car as slightly acceptable.
Secondly, it needed cruise control. I use that all the time. I'll bet I spent about $200 on that, including the bad actuator & Ebay e36 cable.
Other than changing fluids and adding a decent MP3 stereo ($120), that's been the total cost of owning the car. $1500 isn't bad for a year of ownership...so it's time for some upgrades...I splurged recently on a few gaskets to keep the oil in the motor. They'll be going in presently. I'll post some pics. This winter she'll get a half-shaft CV boot, possibly a rear wheel bearing & front suspension bushings too. Exhaust system looks ratty too, we'll see about that next year. Wife has now accepted the car, even drives it on occasion.
Where else can you get a car this rewarding for $120/month? I've paid three times as much for half the fun! I hope everyone keeps buying new BMWs...
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Daily work log...another experiment. Does anyone know if a 325i VDO speedo will work in a 325e MotoMeter cluster? If not, that's OK. I'm putting it in the chocolate BMW. Likely I'll be starting that car up this weekend. It's taking forever to get all the little bits stuck on. Yesterday I made a facelift (>9/88) M20 motor fit an diving board cooling system. All I needed was a water pump from the old motor and a 5-speed radiator & hoses from an '87 325is. I could have used the original rad but I wanted to lose the integrated ATF oil cooler.
When I took these two clusters apart to swap gauges I found two surprises. The first is that the 325i cluster had been repaired - the speedo had a shop sticker on it! The second is that the 325e was missing the check engine light bulb...
AND the LED/light bar was gone. Not there. SI board is, but no LEDs for me.
WTF? I LIKE the useless little LEDs that light up for oil change intervals!
I guess they were tired of seeing the lights on, so they pulled the entire light bar. Replacing the batteries is a pain, but how often do you have to do it? Once in a car's lifetime? Lazy cheap SOBs. Good thing I have a lot of spares.
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Today's work included dropping the oil pan! Guess what? No loose bolts, no parts of the timing chain, no dissolving guides. One impact from a bolt in the pan, otherwise spotless. Whoever was in there last time really cleaned it up.
I also put in some new belts on both the 325i and the 318i. I've disabled the power steering, I'll be removing the rest of that system tomorrow. I also pulled the fan to see if the aux fan can handle the cooler weather solo.
Tomorrow should see me finishing up the coolant & braking systems on the 325i, then I'll finally have my spare car back together.
**update***
Changed oil on all the cars today. Went back to ATF for the transmission. Shift action seems a bit lighter, but I'm sure that's just placebo effect. We'll see what it's like below 0degF. I've also switched to Mobil1 0w30 green cap to see if I can squeak out another MPG. I also changed oil in the minivan...spec is 0w20, went with 0w30 just for the sake of keeping them the same. We'll see how that goes.
Also left the clutch fan on...you might ask "Why?" Well, let me tell you...the aux fan isn't working at all. I can short it (so it's not the motor), but the low speed resistor is dead as well. It was used, guess I should have sprung for the new one. I think it's the fanstat, a new one is on the way.
V-belts were totally shot as well, so I replaced them too. I'm trying some Dayco external ribbed jobbies. "Lasts longer for her" should be their motto. Perhaps I'll email it to Dayco..I can't think fan belts are very glamorous - this would help. I cracked the plastic cover on the rear of the alternator too. GRRRR:mad:. I put it back together with RTV, maybe it'll hold up. Not like it's really necessary, every other BMW I've ever seen has naked wires on the alternator. Good thing I pulled a battery lead too - the two alt leads touched briefly. :eek: That wouldn't have been good - full unfused battery power runs through the alternator...that's a damn expensive part too.
Anyone tried out Prestone Extended life? I couldn't find the Zerex G05 and didn't want to pay $25/gal to my local BMW dealer. It's for the spare car, I'll change it later & report on my findings.
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Had a great day with the car. Drove here & there doing little errands.
The ATF absolutely shifts smoother, :D but the synchros are a bit slower.:mad: So no power shifting for me. The shifter is very slick, I'd recommend this for anyone with a short shifter or cold winters like we have here.
I don't think thinner oil would be bad for a transmission, but I'm no expert. From what I've seen and heard, ATF is about 10 or 20 weight oil (works great in bike forks BTW).
I have heard that some transmissions have brass or bronze components that cannot tolerate ATF with extreme pressure (EP) sulfur or phosphorus compounds. GL-4 is the spec I've heard, but I'm not sure of that's for gear oil, ATF or both. GL-5 should be avoided even if the transmission has a yellow ATF-oil tag like mine.
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I was going to put all this stuff in another post but it's too long-winded. So I'll add it here instead...
Personal philosophy of transportation...
I try to get a baseline feel for what a daily driver will cost in the first six months or so that I drive it. Let's say it's an extended test drive. You never know what the PO's have done to the car. Fixing the little things is fun with a new toy, but if there is a big problem, no matter how much fun the car/bike/scooter is, it goes. New cars over ten years or so cost less than a series of unreliable old cars. Don't let your heart get you into trouble over cars. Save that for the girls...
I will say that BMWs tend to be well taken care of, and they do last. Mine has over 275k miles on the original motor & tranny. The only significant trouble it's had mechanically was with the rear end...it's on it's third diff, but those are under-spec even for the light e30. Rust is also something to watch out for..other than that, it's all been trivial stuff.
These cars are very cheap to run, but if you repair every last item it'll really suck up huge amounts of time & money. I'm philosophically inclined to repair old stuff even if it costs as much as new...but I'm very cold-hearted about the whole thing...I run the numbers before every large repair to determine if the car stays or goes. So if/when the timing chain gets weak...I might be selling her off to someone else. That job is precariously close to the total value of the car...
First off, Dave you have been a huge help to me. It's funny to think that 15 years ago had I bought my 318is (which I wouldn't have, didn't know how cool the M42 was until finding a link to this site) I'd be paying through the nose to repair my car and most likely end up scraping it. The internet is a crazy thing, what a wealth of information.
I try to do exactly what you describe. I was at that point just a few days ago. If the engine was toast, what was I going to do with the car? Sourcing an M42 and swapping it in was going to be a big undertaking for myself. Rebuilding the engine would be quite expensive (especially considering I paid $1000 for the car). So parting the car and starting over with a new 318 was going to be the most logical option. After thinking about it, I don't think I could do it. I almost feel a sense of duty when it comes to restoring this car to its former glory. It's funny because I haven't had a problem dropping the hammer of cars I've owned in the past but, I haven't looked this hard or wanted a car as much as this. Had I bought a car that was rusted out and beyond hope, parting it would be no problem. Had I paid $6000 for one in mint condition, a rebuild would be no problem. My car is a tweener; there isn't one fleck of rust anywhere but it has that big dent in the passenger tail light. It's a one owner car with great paint, tons of service records and a crack free dash but it has that dent and the suspension needs to be replaced. So it looks like I've let my heart get in the way on this one. I know it would be a lot cheeper to just buy that well sorted $6000 car than attempt to make this car into that. I guess the best thing to do is fix the timing chain then get a quote for the body work. If thats going to be too expensive to fix then I'll do my best to drive it as is and enjoy it until I find that $6000 prime example(for $3500).
I wish I had the room for 3 or 4 e30s like you. Once this one is up and running I bet I can con my girlfriend into one more.
Thanks again for all the help Dave!
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I'm glad to be of help, but you're giving too much credit...just personal ramblings. Thanks anyway.
I try to be careful with 'sense of duty' to my cars. Loyalty is always a good thing, but if you're not careful you might end up spending a small fortune on a car. I know I speak heresy, but the 318 isn't as much of a car as even a cheap econo-box is now. Better dynamics, absolutely, but less of an overall car. So I tend to rationalize the cost of a twenty year old car in terms of a new car payment...if I can have exactly what I want for less then the cost of a cheap new Mazda or Honda, then I'm pleased.
Happily, BMWs aren't too much trouble. They're well-built and laid out well, easy to work on and parts availability is outstanding. Dealers can be expensive and a tad arrogant, but that's not only a BMW problem. To tell you the honest truth...I like all sort of other machinery...especially Italian & French...they just feel 'right' somehow, and their cars are the right size. Hard to explain, but take out an Alfa GTV or Pug 505sti and you'll know what I mean.
BMW is a superb compromise though...they have just enough of that southern European flair to make it fun, but enough hard-headed engineering to make it run. Who's ever heard of an Italian gearbox lasting 275,000 miles? I'd sit and have a good long cry if my GT Veloce had a dent in the door...how many clean examples are left? As much as I love Alfas, I just can't get myself to commit. The Japanese make great cars too. A 300zx TT in full scream is a thing of beauty. Alas, it looks like a squashed bug & only fits two skinny people. Making an IS300 slide 'round a turn despite all its parental electronics is very entertaining. That fighting gets old quickly though.
BMW to the rescue!
As far as other German marques go, BMW has more flair than M-B and Porsche on any given day. Anyone seen a Panamera? Even the horrific Bangle-ized 7-series looks better. Same for that fishy S-Class that M-B tried to foist on buyers. Don't get me started on the Cayenne. Ugh.
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Got my hands-free bluetooth working finally! Blaupunkt to the rescue with their Hamburg MP57 (http://www.midwestelectronics.com/products/Blaupunkt-Hamburg-MP57.html). It nicely matches the interior as well, red controls and very little silver. Cons are the white backlighting on the screen and menus take some getting used to. Not annoying enough to do anything about. $150 brand new. I wanted BT, MP3 and USB/Aux, seems like I've found my head unit.
I'll post a review once I get some time with it. The only annoyance is a sensitivity to bumps worse than my old Aiwa. This looks so much nicer than the very flashy blue Aiwa CDC did.
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Got my hands-free bluetooth working finally! Blaupunkt to the rescue with their Hamburg MP57 (http://www.midwestelectronics.com/products/Blaupunkt-Hamburg-MP57.html). It nicely matches the interior as well, red controls and very little silver. Cons are the white backlighting on the screen and menus take some getting used to. Not annoying enough to do anything about. $150 brand new. I wanted BT, MP3 and USB/Aux, seems like I've found my head unit.
I'll post a review once I get some time with it. The only annoyance is a sensitivity to bumps worse than my old Aiwa. This looks so much nicer than the very flashy blue Aiwa CDC did.
I'll be interested in your review of the head unit. I got a Kenwood that I've been really happy with and it matches fairly well and you can customize the RGB of the display as well as all the other stuff so it doesn't look too far out of place.
I have to say, if it is skipping, you may want to evaluate your mounting. In my rock crawling Jeep, when I mounted the head unit correctly, I had virtually no skipping- even when crawling on rocks- read; BUMPY!
If you've not done it already, I'd very highly recommend sourcing some premium speakers (tweeters and all) as that made a night and day difference in the sound in mine. The only final addition at this time I want is a mild sub for a touch more bass.
It's funny as in general I've learned a good bit from you here in re-acquainting myself with the E30 since I'd been away for a few years. I'll be interested in seeing what's next...
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As far as other German marques go, BMW has more flair than M-B and Porsche on any given day. Anyone seen a Panamera? Even the horrific Bangle-ized 7-series looks better. Same for that fishy S-Class that M-B tried to foist on buyers. Don't get me started on the Cayenne. Ugh.
I agree 100%. MB has never appealed to me, too big on comfort not enough sport. Sans the AMG models but then you are looking at ridiculous money. Porsche would be well served to make noting but the 911. The 911 has changed less than any car I can think of in the 30+ years it's been around. They should stick to what they know. The Panamera is uglier in person than on paper. $100k pacer anyone? BMW may have lost their way a little (the 7 that you mentioned, E63 6ers and the x6 to name a few) but for each of those on the road there is an E30, E24, E34 M5, E9, 2002 etc. I can think of a dozen I'd like to own.
Alfas are cool, great looking cars. Certainly a commitment to maintenance if you own one. Same goes for British cars. My grandfather has owned 3 or 4 MGB's in my life time. Fun cars for sure.
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Well, I've had a lot of good & bad recently...long work-related trip around the Commonwealth showed up a few problems.
First, parking brake still needs adjusted. I hate those brakes.
Second, I think I'm losing the passenger rear bearing. Sounds a bit like I'm dragging a matress down the road...either that, or the shredded passenger drive shaft outer boot killed the outer CV joint...
Third, the Blaupunkt stereo is both good and bad. Bluetooth works brilliantly...but the USB media reader it won't recognize the file system on my phone. The speakers "thump" periodically, sometimes frequently. Might be some low-quality rips, or perhaps read errors. I'm planning on upgrading the speakers soon, hopefully it's not an overheating problem in the head unit's internal amp...
Finally, the HVAC fan makes a really high-pitched annoying squeal on hard right turns. Bad bearing or the fan cage is striking the hvac case. Good thing I have a spare, eh?
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Honestly, I'd say something's amiss with that head unit if all that is happening...
And like I said, get some premium speakers. I think I paid $40 maybe for mine straight from a junk yard. They sound incredible! My head unit was $200 or $250, so I've got a pretty smokin' stereo for less than many pay for a single set of component speakers.
I'm in the same boat on the Ebrake- I think I had it too tight, now I think too loose. And I need to balance it better as well.
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I'll post any parking brake tips, but I suspect it has no easy solution. My rear suspension definitely isn't right...sounds a bit like a full bingo cage currently.
I have a set of nice Polk 5 1/4" 2-ways that I stripped from a parts car a while back. I'll have to try them out. Maybe I'll score an amp in a future trip too, and bypass the output stage on the head unit entirely.
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You have the weirdest damn problems with your car... :p
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Dave - You know that cruise control cable is less than 30 bucks at Tischer? The clutch switch runs about 60ish with the bracket. Just FYI
Let me know when you can chat and I'd love to give you a call to pick your brain about the cruise control set up.
Gerta
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Dave - You know that cruise control cable is less than 30 bucks at Tischer? The clutch switch runs about 60ish with the bracket. Just FYI
Let me know when you can chat and I'd love to give you a call to pick your brain about the cruise control set up.
Gerta
Read the write up here on it, and all your questions will be answered. I cobbled mine together completely from parts at a yard and it works like a charm. I think I have $20 or $30 TOTAL in it and I use it constantly.
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Work has defintely slowed down on the car. She's ready for another Yankee winter, we just got our first real snow. On a more positive note, I scrapped two E30's to clear out space for my winter project.
***Warning...Non-M42 content***
I feel a bit guilty about not answering posts on the board every night. Like everyone else, I'm pretty busy during Xmas, but it gets worse. I have another project to consume my spare time. A few friends and I have gone in on two old 80's Honda motorcycles. We're splitting them up for parts, but what's left stays with me. Then we see if I can get them back to running condition. Here are the victims:
(http://i729.photobucket.com/albums/ww299/desktopdave/Sabre/Project%20Bikes/Dec%202012%20Sabre/th_IMG_3059.jpg) (http://s729.photobucket.com/user/desktopdave/media/Sabre/Project%20Bikes/Dec%202012%20Sabre/IMG_3059.jpg.html)
(http://i729.photobucket.com/albums/ww299/desktopdave/Sabre/Project%20Bikes/th_IMG_3058.jpg) (http://s729.photobucket.com/albums/ww299/desktopdave/Sabre/Project%20Bikes/?action=view¤t=IMG_3058.jpg)
You can check them out here (http://s729.photobucket.com/albums/ww299/desktopdave/Sabre/Project%20Bikes/); I'll post updated pictures as we go.
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Definitely keep us posted on the old Honda's motorcycles. I've been thinking about getting an old bike myself, particularly a yamaha XS11 and turn it into something like this...
(http://i530.photobucket.com/albums/dd343/mjawors/Picture009-2.jpg)
By the way...
Thank you for all the help/advice that you have provided on this forum!
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No problem, I love to help. I have yet to pick up the most recent group...three v65 Sabres will be in the garage. I'd definitely suggest doing that sort of a chop to the Sabre - it's such an ugly bike to start with it's bound to help.
Is that your bike or garage? Scuderia Ferrari, Alfa and old Yamahas...yum. I'd also consider a CB1000 or a ZRX1100 too.
I also got my swapped M20 (gasp!) running today. It wouldn't even turn over yesterday...I was pulling my hair out trying to track down the wiring differences between the early chassis (1987 325e auto) wiring and the late model's (1991 325i manual) M20B25 motor. Turns out I just forgot to delete the auto tranny wiring/disable the auto interlock relay. Now it's running! I am so stoked!
Now it just needs brakes & clutch bled out, steering leak patched, rear exhaust replaced, radiator leaks plugged up, etc, etc...
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Now I'm down to only two BMWs. Shockingly, both run. The M20B25 swap needs a lot of work yet, but it's about 15degF and I'm reluctant to pull parts. Anyone close-by have a cheap muffler & rear straps? I'm guessing I'll have to bite the bullet and buy one on EBay. There's a really cheap US-made one for about $220 that I'll try. I put one like it on a VW Jetta recently and it actually fit pretty well.
While I am storing another one (an '88 sedan for e30 luck) it feels lonely in my driveway. After I handle the bikes I'll shopping for another one though...likely a 318Ti. Two are on CL now, but both look very dicey.
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More work got done on the burgundy car. It wasn't starting two weeks ago, but it was cold & then I went on vacation. But I'm back, figured I'd take a crack at it.
Basically it just quit, but still seemed like it wanted to go. It turned over easily and it'd catch a little now & then, but not enough to really get started. I tested the coil, pulled the plugs, checked the rotor & cap, everything checked out. The plugs reeked of gas, I was hoping that the DME wasn't dying. Check Engine Light didn't come on either. Crank sensor checked out (no cam sensor on the M20), timing belt still tight, everything basically checked out.
:confused:
So I figured I'd work on something else. I pulled the old 325e cluster & put together a working 325i from three spares I had sitting around. I noticed that the PO had entirely removed the O2 bulb in the middle, and the oil change LED light bar. So I found a good SI board (it was the oldest one, go figure), swapped in my 6.5K "i" tach, kept the chassis speedo to preserve the mileage and used the best of the three cases. BTW, I'm not sure if you've heard this around the 'net, but you absolutely can mix & match MotoMeter or VDO components. They're all electrically the same. Internally they're different, especially the odometer gears.
So I buttoned it back up and noticed that the fuel gauge was suddenly empty. It had been half full before...hmmm. So I put another couple gallons of gas in the car...after ten seconds of cranking she fired right up. Sometimes it's the obvious answer, eh?
So now I'm down to a few little items remaining.
The big stuff:
new radiator
new rear exhaust section
a bit of brake work. The brakes are really soft & the clutch needs bled or replaced. It's surprisingly hard to drive a car without good brakes and the clutch grabbing 1/2" off the floor.
P/S seals are shot too...e36 steering rack upgrade should fix that.
Then the little stuff:
working parking brake
13 button OBC
leather sport interior
power sunroof conversion
recharge for the OEM BMW r134a A/C
new driving lights
A bit of body work should finish it off. She has a bit of rust to chase down, one of the tail lights is weeping and the clear coat is peeling here & there.
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Chocolate BMW update...
The cluster is about 90% right. Coolant temp sensor is very sluggish. Never heats up. Might be a bad thermostat, have to replace that one of these days. Likely it'll be the old one from my M42 when I upgrade that this spring.
I tried a new type of epoxy on the radiator...high-temp SEM patch panel adhesive. A buddy had a half-tube that was about to expire and a really nice dispenser. Unfortunately the mixer tube was full of epoxy, so I cut it off & mixed it manually. I used a high-temp nylon vac fitting to replace the broken rad overflow tube. It's just a temporary repair, but works well so far. I also epoxied a broken retaining ring on my engine lift (don't worry, it's non-structural)...this is serious stuff!
Also found that the brake lights weren't working right. As soon as I turned on the key, the brake lights came on. I figured it was the brake switch, but it tested perfectly, continuity until the button is pressed, then it breaks the circuit open. :confused:
It ended up being the brake booster rod needing some adjustment. Did yo know you can adjust your brake pedal height? Well, you can! I'd swapped the pedal cluster when I replaced the old slushbox, turns out the brake pedal sits slightly differently. No problem...here's my technique...loosen the jam nut on the booster rod, pull the brake pin, spin the clevis until it's right, then put the pin back & re-tighten the jam nut.
Now mostly everything works, only safety issue is that she needs a good brake bleeding, maybe new rear pads. A few light bulbs need replaced, have to hunt down a wandering idle, and she badly needs some tires. A rear muffler section will have that car sorted out & ready to roll.
Once I get this nice comfy 325i running perfectly, I'll be free to strip my M42...goodbye A/C, P/S, insulation...see if I can put her on a diet.
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Weekend update...the M42 gets a new thermostat & fanstat. I used a hotter version to see if I can find another MPG or two. I took a while to look the car over, it's time for a bit more bodywork too...the tinworm is at my passenger front quarter & the right taillight is leaking a bit. I dinged the front fascia a bit, have to pull that out too. All in all, not too bad for such a harsh winter.
The chocolate BMW 325i now has new rear brake pads and the system's been bled very nicely. I asked the kids for help (eminent domain of daddy) & annoyed them with pressing the brake pedal about 100 times each. Worked out too...my son now [sort of] knows how to properly bleed a brake system...without cursing. Front brake pads are shot...parking brake needs some adjustment.
I might also have a line on a rear exhaust section and some of the other stuff I keep looking for. I've also found other parts over in Williamsport, maybe they'll end up in the car too. CyborgBen and I are splitting up an old 'vert he found somewhere...hopefully it'll be in decent shape.
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Some good & some bad today. I found a coolant leak, looks like I'm in for a hose delete sooner than planned. Might as well do the 4-hole injectors too. I have the parts for that already.
Bad news is that I can't get the front suspension apart. I can only have the car down for a few days here & there, so it can't be up on jack stands a week or two.
Good news is that CyborgBen had some decent US ellipsoids...and needed some old Bilstein Sports I had sitting around. I wish Hella had thought the adjuster nuts out a bit better, but they're in and ready for testing tonight!
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Still checking your thread Dave.
Good luck ahead!
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Gah. Broke the plastic coolant hose. Silly me, should have ordered one. I'll go with "the glass is half full & replace a few other items while I'm in there.
First off...I'm installing some 4-hole injectors...177 155 554 IIRC. They're the older fat metal cased ones, not the new svelte style.
Secondly, I finally pulled the remains of my power steering system. Pump, reservoir, lines.
Finally, I'll be trying out a little silicone rubber hose for my hose delete project. Good thing too, those old hoses were really rotten. The ICV hoses were so loose that it just fell off while I was removing the pipe assembly from the car. I'm shocked that the FPR wasn't leaking - that hose is crumbling into dust!
Onto the lower intake. Mine's caked with the typical oily mess. Just like everyone else's, likely the vac leaks. WD40 and a kid-sized toothbrush set that straight. I'm tempted to try out a catch can. I've seen a few on e30's, anyone have an opinion?
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She's back on the road! After a week of sitting there, I finally got the parts and put her all back together. I'm thinking the new(er) injectors make a difference, and the idle is 95% better. No wonder, those hoses were a nasty cracked leaky mess.
I also upgraded to a set of silicone hose from EBay. What color, you ask? Well, red, of course! I'll post more about that later. Seems OK thus far.
Only problem so far...I swapped the oil pressure and coolant temp plugs, of course. The oil pressure light had me worried for a bit. Swapping those plugs will wrap this little upgrade up. I'm pretty proud of that little car, she's such a trooper. After driving my minivan for a week, I forgot about how much fun she is...I felt like Aryton Senna on a slow day.
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Those new injectors are noisy, that's for sure. I can hear them clattering as soon as I open the hood.
Here's the new setup, sorry that it's so dirty. Took me a while to get it right.
(http://i729.photobucket.com/albums/ww299/desktopdave/BMW/1991%20Brilliantrot%20318i/Hose%20Delete%20Mod/th_IMG_0039.jpg) (http://s729.photobucket.com/user/desktopdave/media/BMW/1991%20Brilliantrot%20318i/Hose%20Delete%20Mod/IMG_0039.jpg.html)
I had a bit of difficulty with the ICV - the largest hose in the set was too short so I moved the ICV elbow closer to the TB. I also reversed the ICV mount & bent it slightly. That was the only way I could get the hose even close to straight. The silicone bends easily but the ICV/intake elbow is too short for the large hose to bend cleanly. I'm thinking a 90deg ICV might solve the problem, but I'll save that project for another day. From the other side:
(http://i729.photobucket.com/albums/ww299/desktopdave/BMW/1991%20Brilliantrot%20318i/Hose%20Delete%20Mod/th_IMG_0041.jpg) (http://s729.photobucket.com/user/desktopdave/media/BMW/1991%20Brilliantrot%20318i/Hose%20Delete%20Mod/IMG_0041.jpg.html)
Here's the sorry remnants, almost 21 years of wear & tear had taken their toll:
(http://i729.photobucket.com/albums/ww299/desktopdave/BMW/1991%20Brilliantrot%20318i/Hose%20Delete%20Mod/th_IMG_0048.jpg) (http://s729.photobucket.com/user/desktopdave/media/BMW/1991%20Brilliantrot%20318i/Hose%20Delete%20Mod/IMG_0048.jpg.html)
Finally, here's the kit & some other misc parts, at least what I had left over after the install :D:
(http://i729.photobucket.com/albums/ww299/desktopdave/BMW/1991%20Brilliantrot%20318i/Hose%20Delete%20Mod/th_IMG_0047.jpg) (http://s729.photobucket.com/user/desktopdave/media/BMW/1991%20Brilliantrot%20318i/Hose%20Delete%20Mod/IMG_0047.jpg.html)
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I'm optimistic about mileage; seems to have improved. I know using the fuel gauge is silly, but I easily made over 100 miles on the first quarter tank, mostly highway driving. That's ~10% better than usual. We do have summer fuel here, so it'll be a while & many tank-fulls before the spreadsheet tells me if I'm correct. Though patching all those vac leaks definitely improved idle quality and part-throttle smoothness. It's a subtle but noticeable difference. She used to buck on cold starts (even at 80degF!), that problem was substantially reduced.
BTW, WD40 is very nice for cleaning silicone hose. I had to use a lot, but it magically did the trick.
Car's still overheating slightly; can't figure out why the aux fan isn't turning on at all. The expansion tank seals are leaking pressure and I needed to add a quart of coolant this week. Nothing critical, but it's annoying that I have to keep an eye on it. I'll be looking at that again today & post anything I figure out.
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Well, I got the aux fan to run on high. I re-seated the fuse, and it started right up. Low won't work when jumping the fanstat. Fan tests out both low and high, of course. Anyone else have a problem with fuses that are a bit too loose?
I pulled the fuse box cover and all looks good to me. I even tested the diode in the 'box, it's pretty much in spec.
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Well, that's sorted. I had previously noted that fuse 3 (aux fan low speed) was 30 amps instead of the original 15. Swapped that out & it worked right off the bat. Now I can proceed with that r134 conversion I've been contemplating!
The 30a fuse looks good, and I'd already tested it for continuity. On a hunch I tested it for resistance. It ranged from 1 to ~20 ohms depending on how I flexed the fuse. That resistance ended up causing a voltage drop down to ~10vdc at the fan power connector (behind the driver's headlight). Must have been just enough to keep the motor from starting.
Yet I'm puzzled. Since I'm more or less just a grease monkey with a somewhat healthy fear of electrical things (they've caused me pain with little or no provocation!), does this jive with what anyone else has seen? This also seems too simple. It can't be that easy, can it? You can bet I'll be keeping an eye on it.
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Since I have a healthy fear of electrical systems, I've decided to start experimenting on batteries.
I bought a nice little battery charger for my bikes...and I've decided to try out resurrection. Based on some tips from the hard core off-grid solar people, I've dragged home some old AGM (absorbed glass mat) 12volts from my job. They're dead dead dead UPS batteries ranging from 7-12Ah, sometimes also known as SLA (sealed lead acid) batteries. Baseline on both is a little over 2VDC. Not too promising.
Guess what I found out? They're not so sealed. I popped off a cover plate with a little screwdriver & removed six little rubber caps covering the cells. I was encouraged as the caps were all holding a slight vacuum; that means the cells are likely starved for water.
With my special battery refill tool (grocery store child's medicine syringe) I filled them up with distilled water. It's surprisingly hard to do, actually. The cells are small and tend to trap air.
There's a trick to recharging AGM batteries. You need to connect a good 12VDC battery in parallel to "trick" the smart charger into powering up. Or (carefully) use a dumb charger until the battery gets above 12VDC.
First results are promising...the battery just tested out at 4.91VDC after an hour of charging. I'm being careful not to overheat them, they get warm as they charge. Not sure how well my "flood the cell" method will be, but what's the harm in attacking a battery headed for recycling?
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Two hours...after a temporary high over 6VDC, the battery started warming up and fell down to 4.09VDC. That's only two cells working, and they're gassing off quite a bit. I'll unplug it all overnight to let the battery 'rest' and test again tomorrow.
Too early to tell, but somewhat promising nonetheless. Two cells woke up, maybe the water will hydrate them overnight. Who can say? I have another battery just sitting with some extra water in it too. No charging at all, just to see how much is absorbed overnight. I'll drain that one before I start charging to see where it goes.
Started on the 2nd experiment...a 0.2VDC motorcycle AGM...with about 10mL water added per cell. On the charger for an hour to see what she'll do.
***edit*** Up to 1.74VDC in 20 minutes! That's two cells back at least. Hard to tell which cells are charging though...the level of electrolyte is too low to see.
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That AGM is now at 2.5VDC, holding steady after an hour's charging. It's a far cry from the 12.5+ I need, but it's a start.
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Well, seems like "de-sulfation" is synonymous with "killing batteries." Granted, they were dead already, but most had a sharp decline after a bit of water. I've been letting them rest for a while before another experiment, but I'm not optimistic.
I recalled that tomorrow is her 21st birthday. She came off the line August 2, 1990. Sure it's silly, but I'm thinking she's earned some updates...maybe a chin spoiler and R&R of some cracked window trims, that'd be a nice addition as well. You know, to celebrate "being legal." Of course, she's been drinking alcohol for quite some time...
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GAH - fuel leak!?!? On new hose!?!? WTF?
Good thing I had a spare...but why'd the new OEM hose crack off the fuel filter?!? I'd replaced it a month or two ago. It almost looked almost like something abraded it, but I can't be sure. I'll have to keep a close eye on that.
I'll bet I lost a gallon or so; but happily there was no need for worry (nor a fire extinguisher). Just a headache from the gasoline fumes.
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TunerPro RT is freaking awesome! $40 for that software is IMHO absolutely underpriced. The definition files seem pretty accurate as well, and community support seems more than adequate but it's too early for me to be sure. Whoever did that work deserves a huge thank-you from us here, as there isn't only one but TWO definition files for the 175 DME.
Seriously...with a $35 Willem PROM reader, an old WBO2 and $10 of 512K EEPROMs, I feel like tweaking...updates will follow!
BTW, anyone have an idea of where to get a coil driver transistor? My spare DME has one that's roasted. I'd guess it's a darlington NPN...it's in a big keyed TO-?? package but all it says is Bosch and 30004. If anyone has a junk DME from the early to mid-90s, can I send some $$ for postage?
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I found a little more info. Seems like a BU931 in a TO247 package is the ticket, at least according to this thread... (http://www.mbclub.co.uk/forums/engine/102590-ecu-ignition-output-transistors.html)
Happily, Digikey carries the BU 931 in a TO247 (http://search.digikey.com/scripts/DkSearch/dksus.dll?vendor=0&keywords=bu931) and it can be ordered in small amounts. At $3.09 each I can afford a few for my experiments.
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Used oil testing results are back from Blackstone. As my situation (motor mileage, temperature, particulates, fuel, style of driving, maintenance schedule, etc.) isn't the same as anyone else's, please take my results with a grain of salt. I don't drive the car very much, and I take it easy on her. She's leaking a fair amount of oil from the filter housing (potentially pulling in some contaminants), and I missed a filter change. That likely has something to do with these results. Time will tell when trends start to emerge.
All the wear metals are over-represented...even at 280K+ miles it's a bit higher than I'm comfortable with.
The bad news:
Oil viscosity low (how much lower can 5w20 go?!?)
iron (block), lead & copper (bearings), moly & chromium (rings), alu (pistons) were all well above average for a typical high-mileage motor.
Good news:
I didn't run a "TBN" on the oil (amount of anti-wear additive left), but the high zinc content leads me to believe I can run a thicker oil longer. I only had about 10K miles on this oil.
Conclusion:
I'll be using a thicker base oil. Preliminary findings seem to show that 5w20 is too thin for my M42. I'll be using synthetic 20w50 next. A slight penalty in fuel mileage isn't much to pay for another 100K miles.
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I do hope your high particulate counts were simply from missing a filter change. Just out of curiosity what brand of filter do you tend to use?
20w-50 synthetics are what I run in my more neglected 318 with good results in FL. However, I tried that in its properly maintained twin and found that it felt just a bit off vs the 0w/5w/10w-40 I usually run. I also see about a 1.25MPG difference between the two cars with the better MPG in car running "lighter" oil, but of course this could be down to any number of issues. Further, when I took the worse car back to MD last winter it seemed to have no issues with the 20w-50 I had in it at that time.
If you are doing a change soon I might suggest Pep Boys sale on Castrol Syntec/Edge, $23 after rebate for 5qts, (I bought 10qts to start early on the next change) as it is one of the few brands that run 20w-50 synthetic.
Thanks for the info, looking forward to correlated data.
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I'm not that worried...this car has certainly paid her dues and has been an excellent deal so far.
I was considering a 40 weight oil, but if I can find the Syntec 50 weight at my local Pep Boys I'll grab some there. I might run a quick compression check, though the test showed zero coolant, no water and insignificant fuel dilution. The motor runs clean as well - insoluble particulates were very low.
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Gah. Guibo on the way out. Clatter clatter clack clack starting in first gear. Have to order one, unless anyone has one for sale.
Got me thinking about a spare car. Just in case, you know. I'm thinking bigger this time. Less hypersensitive than the M42...
(http://i729.photobucket.com/albums/ww299/desktopdave/BMW/1982%20Schwarz%20633CSi/th_IMG_0090.jpg) (http://s729.photobucket.com/user/desktopdave/media/BMW/1982%20Schwarz%20633CSi/IMG_0090.jpg.html) (http://i729.photobucket.com/albums/ww299/desktopdave/BMW/1982%20Schwarz%20633CSi/th_IMG_0091.jpg) (http://s729.photobucket.com/user/desktopdave/media/BMW/1982%20Schwarz%20633CSi/IMG_0091.jpg.html) (http://i729.photobucket.com/albums/ww299/desktopdave/BMW/1982%20Schwarz%20633CSi/th_IMG_0094.jpg) (http://s729.photobucket.com/user/desktopdave/media/BMW/1982%20Schwarz%20633CSi/IMG_0094.jpg.html)
The sorta match, don't they? Definitely a diamond in the rough, but I'm thinking it'll make a great addition to the fleet. Once I get it running, that is. :D
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Always liked the looks of those 63x rear seats ... I think they go well with the recaros (real E21 style). Nice find Dave!
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Figured I'd post a couple of links...I've been enjoying these two sites for a few days now. I hope you do too:
http://rustybuttrusty.com/
http://www.justacargeek.com/
There's a lot to see there, I love seeing others with the same, uh, car problem I seem to have (sickness? obsession?).
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Those are great sites. Thanks! :)
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Figured I should post something here, it's been FAR too long. Projects I've lined up for the fall include an e36 steering rack and miscellaneous interior work. I'm thinking that I'll go for the H&R/Bilstein combo I've always wanted while I'm doing the rack. So I took a little time today to see where the car was at after a year or so of driving.
I knew the passenger side half shaft boots were cracked and the car's been running a bit warm recently. So I swapped the half shaft and installed a new fan clutch this afternoon. I also cleaned the taillight signal pins and even adjusted the trunk springs to compensate for the heavier e34 toolkit I'd installed a few years ago.
Unhappily, I saw a lot of other bad things along the way. I expected to see some rust creeping here & there, but it wasn't that bad. However, the front tires are kaput, the guibo looks dicey, the muffler has rusted out, the front brakes are marginal and the rears aren't too far behind.
Moral of the story? Don't ignore the poor girl for too long!
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I finally got some more work done on the car! Most importantly, she's now inspected & legal. The stickers expired about three years ago - slightly before I bought her :o. She needed front CABs, a muffler and two front tires. I'd already installed the CABs & decided on a cheap ~$40 Thrush Turbo can. The Thrush is substantially smaller than the stock can, so I left two rusted scrap hangars in the trunk and my mechanic welded it all together. The muffler isn't that much louder, we'll see how long it holds up.
I'd also installed a set of used OEM BMW front pads (Textar) to try them out. They definitely have better feel than the EBC Greens they replaced. The EBC Greens do last a long time, and didn't destroy my Ate PowerDisc rotors - that setup has been on the car for two years and still has a lot of life left.
I also took a crack at DIY string alignment. Surprisingly, it seems to have helped out significantly, though the car still pulls a bit to the right. The M3 offset CABs - highly recommended BTW - makes the car oh-so-much more more willing to take a turn.
I'll likely install the cheap KW 1.5" drop springs I ordered off Ebay if they get here this week. The e36 rack & spacers are still sitting in the garage - hopefully that'll get done this weekend.
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Lets see some recent pictures of the lady!
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My wife refuses to take part in my curious hobbies.
Oh - you meant the car! Well, here's a bunch:
Check out the ellipsoids! Just NA, but a big improvement regardless:
(http://i729.photobucket.com/albums/ww299/desktopdave/BMW/1991%20Brilliantrot%20318i/th_2012-10-02173617.jpg) (http://s729.photobucket.com/user/desktopdave/media/BMW/1991%20Brilliantrot%20318i/2012-10-02173617.jpg.html)
Interior with mods:
(http://i729.photobucket.com/albums/ww299/desktopdave/BMW/1991%20Brilliantrot%20318i/th_2012-10-02173650.jpg) (http://s729.photobucket.com/user/desktopdave/media/BMW/1991%20Brilliantrot%20318i/2012-10-02173650.jpg.html)
E34 tool kit:
(http://i729.photobucket.com/albums/ww299/desktopdave/BMW/1991%20Brilliantrot%20318i/th_2012-10-02173713.jpg) (http://s729.photobucket.com/user/desktopdave/media/BMW/1991%20Brilliantrot%20318i/2012-10-02173713.jpg.html)
Check out the lovelrly red silicone rubber:
(http://i729.photobucket.com/albums/ww299/desktopdave/BMW/1991%20Brilliantrot%20318i/th_2012-10-02173753.jpg) (http://s729.photobucket.com/user/desktopdave/media/BMW/1991%20Brilliantrot%20318i/2012-10-02173753.jpg.html)
And finally, the new muffler:
(http://i729.photobucket.com/albums/ww299/desktopdave/BMW/1991%20Brilliantrot%20318i/th_2012-10-02173817.jpg) (http://s729.photobucket.com/user/desktopdave/media/BMW/1991%20Brilliantrot%20318i/2012-10-02173817.jpg.html)
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That's the closest thing to a complete boot lid tool kit I've seen and what's there seems unused?! Niiiice!
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That's the closest thing to a complete boot lid tool kit I've seen and what's there seems unused?! Niiiice!
I can personally guarantee that only two tools in that case have been used - the combo screwdriver and the wheel spigot. It's been in the family since 1989 - I pulled it out of our old 525iM before I sold it!! :D
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Looks good, Dave! Wow is that new muffler tiny compared to the stock one! The tip looks lovely though. I am looking forward to hearing how you like the springs (and seeing pictures of course!) as well as the e36 rack. I recently put an e36 m3 rack in mine and I love it on those windy Pittsburgh roads. I am sure you will too!
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Man, that silicone looks greats! I noticed you have two throttle cables, what is the benefit of having two instead of one?
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Dave has cruise installed hence two throttle cables
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ohhhhhhhhh... wow.. I forgot about that. ignore the n00b in me...
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Love the cruise! I use it all the time.
This car is definitely set up for the highway - 3.73 diff, narrow high-profile LRR 195/70R14's on bottlecaps, synthetics lubes all around, high-temp thermostat, watered down coolant, 4-hole injectors, and the whole cruise setup. I've hit 44mpg once or twice! I'll bet if I paid more attention to the aero bits I could average high 30s.
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Gah. No fun up in the great white north this weekend. Granted, we missed teh Mayun kalender apokalypse, but we've just gotten our first official snowfall. We'll have a white Xmas this year, that's for sure. Northern winters can be a real drag - months of sleet, freezing winds & pale grey skies can really get you down. But I'm a 'glass-half-full' kinda guy...the cold weather grants a few benefits. I'm looking forward to skiing, hot spiced cider, egg nog, and unintended oversteer! Of course - those activities should all be enjoyed in moderation.:D
So for you fellas down south and out west, please think of your brothers living up in the great white north...and post a lot of pictures! We lose a couple months a year for car maintenance and/or hooning. For instance, here's what it looks like today:
(http://i729.photobucket.com/albums/ww299/desktopdave/BMW/1991%20Brilliantrot%20318i/th_2012-12-22110557.jpg) (http://s729.photobucket.com/user/desktopdave/media/BMW/1991%20Brilliantrot%20318i/2012-12-22110557.jpg.html)
The only thing I'll be doing with the car this month is putting on snow tires!
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All we have here in southern Ohio is dreadfully cold winds and a bit of blow over snow.
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Time for an update - it's been forever since I've put anything here. I know it's not an M42...but I found another project BMW/neglected orphan/scrapyard candidate...
...anyone else here have an E23?
Since my 318i is running so very well (more or less/knock on vinyl), I needed a project car. After about 20 desperate victims got away, I finally found one. I know an E23 is the biggest, heaviest, blandest, least E30-est BMW I could find. But they have a charm all their own. She's an '84 Alpineweiss with a Pearl White leather interior. Leather is intact but the definitely needs some love. The body is fairly clean, very little rust. Doors & trunk still close with that solid bank vault "clunk." The car has been all over. Florida, California, North Carolina and finally PA. PO is an active-duty USMC chopper pilot and took great care of the car. I have a box of spares and even a small sheaf of records (including dyno runs :-\ ). That pile of receipts is sure to grow, this car is no beauty queen.
But that's not why I bought it. It's not that I have anything against 'normal' E23s, but for it to tempt me, It Has To Be Different. ;D
Difference #1: It's been updated with a Getrag 5-speed. Might be a 260/5. Looks stock, short shifter to boot!
Difference #2: It's a gray market car. Euro bumpers, grilles, lights and most controls.
Difference #3: It's the fabulous 80's-tastic turbocharged 745i with the legendary M106. 8)
Lots of aftermarket goodies too...good tires on staggered aftermarket 17's, overhauled turbo, Innovate WBO2, Tein WG, etc. Here's a few pics:
(http://i729.photobucket.com/albums/ww299/desktopdave/BMW/1984%20Alpineweiss%20745i/th_IMG_0887_zpscd58e8bc.jpg) (http://s729.photobucket.com/user/desktopdave/media/BMW/1984%20Alpineweiss%20745i/IMG_0887_zpscd58e8bc.jpg.html) (http://i729.photobucket.com/albums/ww299/desktopdave/BMW/1984%20Alpineweiss%20745i/th_IMG_0884_zps8e95965c.jpg) (http://s729.photobucket.com/user/desktopdave/media/BMW/1984%20Alpineweiss%20745i/IMG_0884_zps8e95965c.jpg.html)
(http://i729.photobucket.com/albums/ww299/desktopdave/BMW/1984%20Alpineweiss%20745i/th_IMG_0875_zps6a59ecb7.jpg) (http://s729.photobucket.com/user/desktopdave/media/BMW/1984%20Alpineweiss%20745i/IMG_0875_zps6a59ecb7.jpg.html) (http://i729.photobucket.com/albums/ww299/desktopdave/BMW/1984%20Alpineweiss%20745i/th_IMG_0881_zps92fe1642.jpg) (http://s729.photobucket.com/user/desktopdave/media/BMW/1984%20Alpineweiss%20745i/IMG_0881_zps92fe1642.jpg.html)
(http://i729.photobucket.com/albums/ww299/desktopdave/BMW/1984%20Alpineweiss%20745i/th_IMG_0865_zpsa7774bfc.jpg) (http://s729.photobucket.com/user/desktopdave/media/BMW/1984%20Alpineweiss%20745i/IMG_0865_zpsa7774bfc.jpg.html) (http://i729.photobucket.com/albums/ww299/desktopdave/BMW/1984%20Alpineweiss%20745i/th_IMG_0864_zps9e9481a6.jpg) (http://s729.photobucket.com/user/desktopdave/media/BMW/1984%20Alpineweiss%20745i/IMG_0864_zps9e9481a6.jpg.html)
What's the bad?
Doesn't run.
Trunk is a damp, musty mess.
Dash looks like the Grand Canyon.
Generations of mice made it a comfortable little home along the way (one hopes that they're not still in residence, for many unpleasant reasons).
Many parts are scarce to non-existent for the big old 7-er.
The PO's buddy who sold the car to me admitted that the DME was likely wasted during a stereo overhaul. Who installs an amp with the battery connected?
:o
Can't win 'em all! More to follow...
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Congrats. My dad currently has a 87 L7, that my mom drives. He had another L7 and 735i in the past. Only issue with the car that can give you problems due to age once you get car running is the AC. It has the worst AC system of all BMWs. It uses vacuum pumps and actuators for everything which go bad, FYI. The rest of the car if very solid, so have fun.
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That's gunna clean up nicely.
Need to pick up a steam machine to start cleaning headliner.
And for God's sake, wear a mask when cleaning up interior. Mice debris and mold is no joke.
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Congrats. My dad currently has a 87 L7, that my mom drives. He had another L7 and 735i in the past. Only issue with the car that can give you problems due to age once you get car running is the AC. It has the worst AC system of all BMWs. It uses vacuum pumps and actuators for everything which go bad, FYI. The rest of the car if very solid, so have fun.
These cars do tend to last, no doubt about it. It was built when Munich had a real commitment to competing with the superb Mercedes sedans of the 70s. Now it seems BMW & M-B are in a race to sell the least for the most. I'm pretty sure they won't build cars like this ever again.
I've been reading up on that HVAC system. Besides the turbo, it's the only thing I'm really worried about; never had to rebuild something that complicated/delicate/expensive. At least the actuators are still available from BMW...but at up to $100/each let's hope most are still good. I'm planning on updating the A/C with later M30 & Behr r134a parts (unless the next refrigerant ends up being a better idea). The E34 & E38 had a far better HVAC system. Those electric stepper actuators rarely fail; the vac globes frequently do. Used E34s are really cheap...wonder if much of it would/could/should fit?
That's gunna clean up nicely.
Need to pick up a steam machine to start cleaning headliner.
And for God's sake, wear a mask when cleaning up interior. Mice debris and mold is no joke.
I have a 3M cartridge mask ready to go! I didn't think about a steamer...that's a great idea. It'd be great for the carpets and trunk too.
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Cool project Dave
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I had a great day - just working on cars, nuthin' else! ;D
Narrowed it down to a fuel problem. Most sensors are OK, just have to figure out why the DME won't signal the FP relay to send some fuel. Position and speed sensors are OK, harness is OK, FP and main relays are good, fuse #11 is intact, battery is adequate...I'm temporarily stumped. Might have to check the DME for a duff transistor or cracked solder joints as I'm running out of alternatives here.
Also found a wee bit more rust and a good sized (bondo-filled) dent in the frame under the A-pillar, and the forward jacking point is bent inward & upward too. Given that the front left quarter is a replacement panel I'd expected something along these lines. The paint must have been redone at that time too - it's still in outstanding shape. Also found some nuts missing off the wastegate & orange RTV sealing it up. I'll likely take it apart and put it back together correctly - the WBO2 won't tolerate some types of RTV. ??? Nothing out of the ordinary for a 29 year old machine. Hopefully she'll be running to celebrate her 30th birthday, on Sept 16!
I'll be posting details here (http://bmwturbos.scottiesharpe.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=5927), over at http://bmwturbos.scottiesharpe.com.
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I had a great day - just working on cars, nuthin' else! ;D
Narrowed it down to a fuel problem. Most sensors are OK, just have to figure out why the DME won't signal the FP relay to send some fuel. Position and speed sensors are OK, harness is OK, FP and main relays are good, fuse #11 is intact, battery is adequate...I'm temporarily stumped. Might have to check the DME for a duff transistor or cracked solder joints as I'm running out of alternatives here.
[/quote
Just a while shot, but I remember on one of my dads e23, the car would not start unless it was in gear, meaning in Park. Sometimes the lever was not in the correct P position and we had a no start. Moved it to N and back to P or just try while in Neutral. I dont believe this to be the issue, but who knows.
You might have this link already and if not, lots of info on e23
http://www.e38.org/e23/ (http://www.e38.org/e23/)
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I had a great day - just working on cars, nuthin' else! ;D
Narrowed it down to a fuel problem. Most sensors are OK, just have to figure out why the DME won't signal the FP relay to send some fuel. Position and speed sensors are OK, harness is OK, FP and main relays are good, fuse #11 is intact, battery is adequate...I'm temporarily stumped. Might have to check the DME for a duff transistor or cracked solder joints as I'm running out of alternatives here.
Just a while shot, but I remember on one of my dads e23, the car would not start unless it was in gear, meaning in Park. Sometimes the lever was not in the correct P position and we had a no start. Moved it to N and back to P or just try while in Neutral. I dont believe this to be the issue, but who knows.
You might have this link already and if not, lots of info on e23
http://www.e38.org/e23/ (http://www.e38.org/e23/)
Wish it was something like that...but this car is a 5-speed (one of her best features!). Looks like it was professionally converted at some point, that really sold me on this car. Even has a short-throw shifter! Feels odd on that giant car though...
I'm looking for a security system or OBC code feature to bypass. Odd that it'd only kill the pump though - they usually inhibit the starter as well. Could be the position sensor too, though I've checked it a few times. Such is life when one buys old Bavarian junk...but I'll get her running yet!
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Another good day, just didn't get enough quality time (FIL is in town, have to host a bit). Pulled apart the intake to change the fuel lines - including that PITA M30 cold-start valve fuel line (of course, that's where it was leaking...).
The silicone hose was such a success with my E30, I'm considering upgrading this motor too. Many of the hard-to-find hoses are cracked. The ISCV hose (old-fashioned ICV) is cracked in three places! I'm not even sure this was the original plumbing. Quite the enjoyable puzzle, eh?
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I took my time today cleaning & putting everything back together together. It took a while, the intake manifold is a monkey puzzle on this car. Then I gave the key a twist...and the car fired up!
We're doing baby steps though...the car won't take any throttle, feels like the AFM isn't signalling the DME to enrich. WBO2 reports about 14:1...so it's a bit lean.
More reports to follow!
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I got the car running! It's healthy, loud and (to be totally honest) just a wee bit scary. Compared to the relatively simple E30, an E23 is a hugely complex car. I'm not looking forward to the hydropneumatic brake booster overhaul, nor troubleshooting the antique Behr analog-driven vacuum servo HVAC system...looks like something from a Cold War-era German sub, LOL
Just in case you think other BMWs don't have the same problems as our four-bangers...the main problem was a bad fuel pump relay. Same darn part that gives us problems!
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post a video of the beast running?!
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I've been sloppy about posting updates, here's where I am now.
The white car is still running well. I've fixed the leaking brake booster...it had three problems. Both pressure switches were leaking, a hose was pinched against the brake "bomb" and the ATF was fairly low. Happily, the rest of the system was OK AFAICT.
Still haven't fixed the reverse light switch, and the HVAC system has to come out. Most of it was in decent shape, just a few leaking hoses. I think the short shifter has to go as well. I hate it!
All in all, she's been a fun project.
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Got some time to work on the car this week, figured I'd post another update. I've just come back from North Carolina; we spent Veterans Day there with my brother's family and the car didn't miss a beat over the 1000 mile round trip. I even sold some BMW parts while I was down there! I was trying to talk him into a pick-n-pull run. Despite it being only five minutes from his house, he declined. He has really nice cars, can't blame him.
The most annoying problems with my car were the warped rotors and dead odometer. I bought a few cheap rotors from RockAuto and a pair of Ebay odo gears.
Figured I'd do the easy job first. I'm down to my last spare cluster, a 325i MotoMeter unit. I decided to take the best of both and make one functional set. I started off on Friday...dismantled the speedometer, added nearly 200K miles to the odo to synch it up with my 'best guess' mileage (based on fuel receipts). Then I swapped the tachometer, SI board and coding chip into the MotoMeter unit & reinstalled it. Annoyingly, the odo refused to work and now the "brake lining" warning light is on. Worse, the fuel gauge needle always read 1/2 (low fuel light still worked though). The M20 fuel gauges use two senders in the larger 63L tank - they're incompatible with the M10 or M42 versions.
So out came the cluster again last night. I installed the odo repair gear in the original odo, updated the mileage, then popped it into the MotoMeter unit. I also added the M42 fuel gauge, then reinstalled it. All functions work! Just have to troubleshoot the flaky brake lining light. As a bonus, the MM cluster has a near-perfect cover, and I prefer the little MotoMeter logo in the middle of the gauges. Betcha I'm the only M42 guy sporting an MM cluster!
Figured I'd tackle the brake lining light today. Neither of those crappy little rotor bolts would come out. I hate the useless old-style E-Z outs. To top it all off, I even broke a brand new Titanium nitride drill bit. >:( So I left it as-is & installed the new rotors with my current Textar pads. They grind a bit despite having plenty of pad, I'll wait & see if they break in eventually.
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Wish I could have installed some new brake lines today! Mine are original to the car, and badly cracked. So I ordered some new vinyl-coated stainless flex lines from ECS (http://www.ecstuning.com/ES252829/). They're on sale, look nice, they even match the car! The set of six was only $75 to my door.
In other news, I rebuilt a dual-throw vacuum servo for my E23. They said it couldn't be done! Check it out before & after:
(http://i729.photobucket.com/albums/ww299/desktopdave/BMW/1984%20Alpineweiss%20745i/HVAC%20Pods/th_2013-12-04200011_zpsdc9adb04.jpg) (http://s729.photobucket.com/user/desktopdave/media/BMW/1984%20Alpineweiss%20745i/HVAC%20Pods/2013-12-04200011_zpsdc9adb04.jpg.html) (http://i729.photobucket.com/albums/ww299/desktopdave/Parts%20for%20Sale/th_2013-12-08191803_zpsbc95cfea.jpg) (http://s729.photobucket.com/user/desktopdave/media/Parts%20for%20Sale/2013-12-08191803_zpsbc95cfea.jpg.html)
Compared to the relatively simple cable-operated/electrical servo E30 HVAC unit, the E23 vac-servo HVAC system is a real handful! If there is any major vac leak the system defaults to defrost. There are six or seven servos with individual vac lines running off a central manifold with a remote reservoir. Plenty of places for leaks (the most useful tool for testing is a Mity-Vac, LOL). It's very similar to Mercedes-Benz's system. To make things worse, there was not one but two different vacuum-operated systems installed in the E23s depending on market. My grey market Euro model has the so-called 'manual' system. It's the least-well-documented one. E23s sent to our market ran a (somewhat) automatic system. In fact, the diaphragms I've installed are aftermarket replacements for Behr's better engineered M-B system.
I ended up just brushing some snow off the poor cars. It's supposed to warm up for a bit tomorrow; I'm hoping to get the front lines installed then.
(http://i729.photobucket.com/albums/ww299/desktopdave/BMW/th_2013-12-10112004_zps5be1a452.jpg) (http://s729.photobucket.com/user/desktopdave/media/BMW/2013-12-10112004_zps5be1a452.jpg.html) (http://i729.photobucket.com/albums/ww299/desktopdave/BMW/th_2013-12-10111953_zps95ec63a1.jpg) (http://s729.photobucket.com/user/desktopdave/media/BMW/2013-12-10111953_zps95ec63a1.jpg.html)
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I hope these brake lines are as good as they look, I jumped on the bandwagon and ordered some too.
Also noticed that ECS is selling Genuine BMW Anthrazit floor mats under PN 51471911407. It will definitely be nice to have proper floor protection again.
Jumping back to your previous post. Do you know what gauge cover/front is the best to use and where I might be able to order one? Mines taken a beating from a rookie gauge ring install and countless times dragged over the steering column.
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Do you know what gauge cover/front is the best to use and where I might be able to order one? Mines taken a beating from a rookie gauge ring install and countless times dragged over the steering column.
I have no idea - I just assembled the cluster by selecting the best parts I had sitting around.
Now that I have two heavily scratched spares I might try my hand at plastic refinishing. Further down the road it would not surprise me if a Chinese company produces an economical replacement cover. They're quite enterprising at stuff like this.
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Figured since it's winter, and there isn't a lot of other stuff going on with the cars, I'd do a post about the bikes.
I just picked up a little motorcycle project. It's an '86 Kawasaki Eliminator 600. Nice little bike, all things considered. I'm planning on a quick restore & flip come springtime. The better-known Ninja 600 shares its motor with this bike, but smaller carbs and different cams give more low-end torque (at the cost of some high-end power). The Eliminator chassis likewise has far less sporting specifications. The Eliminator is retro throwback too - just the way I like it. ;D It's a very 80's style, the so-called "drag bike."
So it's old and a bit ugly, but there are some definite advantages. A heavily staggered seat in a cruiser-style frame with a short 15" rear wheel makes the saddle height very low - they claimed 28". The water-cooled inline-4 running a wet clutch to a shaft drive is robust, reliable and easy to maintain. Kawasaki puts a lot of effort into clever engineering & race track testing. While it's not one of the fastest machines ever built, it'll eat many much larger V-twins for lunch. If you've never been on a bike before, the whining snarl of an small-bore inline four running all out at 9K or so is a treat! Four tiny carbs make for a wee bit of cold-bloodedness, but once it's warmed up the responsiveness is superb.
(http://i729.photobucket.com/albums/ww299/desktopdave/Projects/1985%20ZL600/th_2014-01-27154519_zpse42f986f.jpg) (http://s729.photobucket.com/user/desktopdave/media/Projects/1985%20ZL600/2014-01-27154519_zpse42f986f.jpg.html) (http://i729.photobucket.com/albums/ww299/desktopdave/Projects/1985%20ZL600/th_2014-01-27154642_zps56a29f50.jpg) (http://s729.photobucket.com/user/desktopdave/media/Projects/1985%20ZL600/2014-01-27154642_zps56a29f50.jpg.html)
In the first pic you can see most of the current fleet - my 745i, 318i, Eliminator, and the wife's Mazda MPV (in motorcycle carrier mode). All surround the recently-rebuilt "Fort Puddles." Not pictured are a few of the other bikes - a '95 Interceptor 750 and two big old Honda 1100cc V4 bruisers.
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oh no say isn't so!!!
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Very nice!!
It's very 80s...I just pictured scenes from Karate Kid and The Lost Boys lol.
Hopefully you can flip this puppy fast. Good luck with the refresh/restoration. Keep us updated!
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I just got it running! Of course it's leaking fuel from every carb, but this is definite progress.
It's a NOISY little puppy too - those aftermarket F1s mufflers are not quiet. The motor has a downright mean little growl (which I love) but I hate loud bikes. I think four carb overhaul kits (from my local Harley-Davidson dealer) will get her back on the road. Many Harleys from the 90s use the same Keihin CVK carbs, and their prices are far cheaper than the Kawasaki dealers.
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I just got it running! Of course it's leaking fuel from every carb, but this is definite progress.
It's a NOISY little puppy too - those aftermarket F1s mufflers are not quiet. The motor has a downright mean little growl (which I love) but I hate loud bikes. I think four carb overhaul kits (from my local Harley-Davidson dealer) will get her back on the road. Many Harleys from the 90s use the same Keihin CVK carbs, and their prices are far cheaper than the Kawasaki dealers.
That's something I never thought I'd hear.
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That's something I never thought I'd hear.
You're telling me. I could not have been more surprised when I consulted for a local H-D dealer. They were quite professional, very competent and good to work with. They're also hard-core bikers all the way - nobody gave me any flack for riding a Honda. Spare parts are very reasonable too. They do make nice bikes, but they underwhelm me. V-twins just aren't all that exciting. H-D makes their money off merchandise - clothing, chrome and "performance" upgrades are quite expensive. OTOH, their riding gear is a joke, IMHO. It was all made of very high-quality materials, here in the US, and looked great. However, my bargain-basement $40 Fieldsheer textile jacket gives better protection than the $300 Harley leather jobbie.
They also speak a different language. Here's an example:
I needed some fork oil. It's made in single viscosity types (5wt, 7.5wt, 10wt, etc.) so you can 'tune the forks.' Thicker oils will stiffen up the front forks, all other things being equal. It's also pretty expensive oil. So it's important to know exactly what you're getting. I asked the parts guy what weight it was. He looked at me like I was daft, picked up the bottle and read the label to me. "That's Heavy Duty fork oil." :o Well then, I stand corrected! I'll just fill up my "Screaming Thunder" "Performance Racing" H-D forks (made in Japan) and make the potholes scream for mercy under the thundering hooves of my Harley!
Speaking of that, you might not believe this, but my Hondas also use the EXACT SAME 41mm Showa forks that most Harleys use. They have some additional chrome (of course), and less tech, but they're the same mechanism. I've considered swapping 41mm tubes from a Harley, because they're cheaper than the Japanese equivalents.
I've been to a good many Honda parts counters...let me tell you, Harley's service & parts guys left them all in the dust. Having said all that, I'll leave H-D riders for a different day...they are quite the mixed batch!
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I know all too well what you're talking about. I have a '95 FLHT that I've done quite a bit of work to, but that bike is to a Twin Cam now what a Pan Head was to me when my bike was new. (Read it over a couple of times and you'll understand).
Used to be you walked in the shop and talked bikes. Now their eyes glaze over when you do that. Last time I went to the local dealership the salesperson was a former pet store owner and had been working there four months.
Argh!!
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Aha! Another biker! LMK if you have any good routes down your way - I want to take a Civil War history trip down the Shenandoah this summer or next. I'm considering doing it on my Interceptor.
I really do admire Harley's attention to detail. They build bikes to last. My Japanese bikes must be half plastic. That's a big problem, as those parts start out rare and just get rarer. Asian bikes are also a lot less forgiving of careless storage. They kind of dissolve if not stored in climate-controlled splendor. Harley's trump card is their obsessive focus on brand...they took a liability and turned it into a downright cash cow. Honda, among others, could learn a valuable lesson there. My bikes all lack mass-market charm. Every Japanese manufacturer directly copies the Harley, sometimes even down to frame dimensions. Somehow, they never get it quite right. I'm not a cruiser-type guy, but I do have a few favorite Harleys.
Here's my favorite (http://cycle-car.com/index.htm).
I was struck by the blacked-out treatment of a newer model - I think they called it the Nightster? Reminded me of the old XLCR cafe-style 70's bike they made. I've never been on either one, but they both look great. I also like the old Harley Sprints for their sheer exuberant Italian-ness...and the XR1200 looks quite promising...and there's always Eric Buell's tempting little bikes. I could go on, LOL.
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Guess what showed up today?
(http://i729.photobucket.com/albums/ww299/desktopdave/BMW/1986%20635CSi/th_20141010_170511_zpsdnv8o8qn.jpg) (http://s729.photobucket.com/user/desktopdave/media/BMW/1986%20635CSi/20141010_170511_zpsdnv8o8qn.jpg.html) (http://i729.photobucket.com/albums/ww299/desktopdave/BMW/1986%20635CSi/th_20141010_170558_zpsi2j4iryx.jpg) (http://s729.photobucket.com/user/desktopdave/media/BMW/1986%20635CSi/20141010_170558_zpsi2j4iryx.jpg.html) (http://i729.photobucket.com/albums/ww299/desktopdave/BMW/1986%20635CSi/th_20140831_124240_zpsqhudlzs6.jpg) (http://s729.photobucket.com/user/desktopdave/media/BMW/1986%20635CSi/20140831_124240_zpsqhudlzs6.jpg.html)
(http://i729.photobucket.com/albums/ww299/desktopdave/BMW/1986%20635CSi/th_20140831_130048_zpsigvpue2q.jpg) (http://s729.photobucket.com/user/desktopdave/media/BMW/1986%20635CSi/20140831_130048_zpsigvpue2q.jpg.html) (http://i729.photobucket.com/albums/ww299/desktopdave/BMW/1986%20635CSi/th_20141010_165741_zpsxg3dfz8a.jpg) (http://s729.photobucket.com/user/desktopdave/media/BMW/1986%20635CSi/20141010_165741_zpsxg3dfz8a.jpg.html) (http://i729.photobucket.com/albums/ww299/desktopdave/BMW/1986%20635CSi/th_20141010_165229_zps94trmdi5.jpg) (http://s729.photobucket.com/user/desktopdave/media/BMW/1986%20635CSi/20141010_165229_zps94trmdi5.jpg.html)
My next project...a 1986 635CSi! Zinnoberrot over Llama leather (power memory sport seats too). 73K miles, Florida car, zero rust, un-cracked dash. Bilsteins too. Just needs a motor/tranny & diff! PO spun a bearing in the old motor. It's a shame too, it had been an M88 from an E28 M5 donor. More or less an M6 without the rear SLS and champagne chiller.
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looks like it'll clean up nicely!
What engine are you putting ib this one?
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I love those cars (except for the bumpers put on all cars of that era). What's the story behind finding this one? It looks like a "barn find" of sorts.
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looks like it'll clean up nicely!
What engine are you putting ib this one?
Dirty M30! The best motor for this car is the M90B35, the so-called "L Block." I'm also hoping for a Getrag 265 and a 3.65 or 3.73 LSD as well. It's the block that the M88 and early M30 shared. All Euro cars should have one. We got the later M30, which doesn't rev as well and makes a lot less power. I found a low-mileage M90 in a Euro parts car, but we have to agree on a price yet. I have yet to raise some cash & find a way to get it to my house...
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I love those cars (except for the bumpers put on all cars of that era). What's the story behind finding this one? It looks like a "barn find" of sorts.
I was sitting in a garage for years. Inspection sticker expired in June of '02. PO's father bought it for him when he went to college; kept the car until the M88 blew up. It's been parked in Mom's garage since. Father passed away, nobody wanted to restore it, Mom wanted the space back. I solved some problems for them, and got a decent car out of it for my trouble.
This car was affordable mainly since all the M5 goodies are missing. No big deal, I happened to find a decent E28 that will donate its brakes & suspension. Good thing I have some spares, LOL. ;D
I did find a Euro E24 to donate some parts. It has low mileage and a desirable powertrain (high-compression Euro M30B34, Getrag 265, 3.64 diff). Unfortunately it's a rusted-out hulk with no title, and I'm not sure I can even get it here yet. The planets have to line up just right...but I'm confident that it'll happen.
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Thanks for the background. Looks like a fun project.
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Forgot to add some blog articles inspired by my 745i, figured I'd share. Here they are:
http://rustybuttrusty.com/2013/10/11/autobahn-bruiser-part-zwei-1984-bmw-745i-turbo-5-speed/
http://jalopnik.com/a-1984-bmw-745i-turbo-for-2-800-1620058344
http://www.dailyturismo.com/2014/08/3k-seller-submission-1984-bmw-745i.html
http://bringatrailer.com/2014/08/17/5-speed-swapped-1984-bmw-745i-turbo/
I've never had this kind of attention before for a sale, it's been flattering. Feels like quite an honor, but not for me...all due to the car. I currently have three interested parties, but no cash has ended up in my hands yet.
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Not much going on here, so I worked a bit on the E23 today. Found something a little worrying:
(http://i729.photobucket.com/albums/ww299/desktopdave/BMW/1984%20Alpineweiss%20745i/2014%2010/th_20141018_182620_zpsokshg84a.jpg) (http://s729.photobucket.com/user/desktopdave/media/BMW/1984%20Alpineweiss%20745i/2014%2010/20141018_182620_zpsokshg84a.jpg.html)
That's the lower radiator hose. There's supposed to be a bracket to keep it from kissing the water pump pulley. Dumb design, IMHO. It's also easy to forget that bracket when swapping the hoses. Seems like a really good way to get stranded, eh?
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Did more work on the E23. I finally cut out the damaged headlight loom (PO chopped it up for a HID install) and rewired to OEM specs. I've repaired a few of these before - it requires proper inline splices with solder and heat shrink tubing. I also discovered that the Euro and NA E23 have different wiring and fuses in an identical fuse box. PO had replaced all the fuses in the NA pattern...a 7.5A fuse will not run two headlights, LOL. IIRC the H4 high beam filament is 60W, the H1 high is also 60W...10A instantly burned out both fuses. The proper 15A fuse was an easy fix.
An E30 harness worked perfectly, even matched up the same colors. It was from my 318i...I saved it when I upgraded the E30 to NA ellipsoids. Good thing I had a spare, eh?
I've owned this thing for a year without the front lights working, but now it's perfect. All six headlight filaments, the markers and the turn signals! I couldn't wire up the city lights, I'd assume those bulbs were never required in Belgium, where this car was originally sold. I love these Euro halogens, I'll be upgrading my E24 to Hellas or Cibies when I find a decent set.
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Not much E30 activity going on around here...the car just keeps running. Monotonously, almost.
I did sell the 745i today. I still have mixed feelings about it. I had big plans for the car, but when they fell through I accepted an offer. Nice fella came up from NC and bought it. He really enjoyed the car...I miss it a little bit already. :'(
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More updates...unfortunately not M42 updates, that car just keeps on running. I also had to fix a bunch of picture thumbnail links. Between PB and my own housekeeping, that's an ongoing task.
I'm making arrangements for a donor car...the new-to-me E24 needs a power train. You had a feeing that it was time for my usual "let's make one out of two" show, didn't you? Here's our newest victim, definitely not the prettiest thing:
(http://i729.photobucket.com/albums/ww299/desktopdave/BMW/1983%20Polaris%20635CSi/th_2014-04-12153723_zps73307b24.jpg) (http://s729.photobucket.com/user/desktopdave/media/BMW/1983%20Polaris%20635CSi/2014-04-12153723_zps73307b24.jpg.html) (http://i729.photobucket.com/albums/ww299/desktopdave/BMW/1983%20Polaris%20635CSi/th_2014-04-12153001_zps35325647.jpg) (http://s729.photobucket.com/user/desktopdave/media/BMW/1983%20Polaris%20635CSi/2014-04-12153001_zps35325647.jpg.html) (http://i729.photobucket.com/albums/ww299/desktopdave/BMW/1983%20Polaris%20635CSi/th_2014-04-12153659_zpsc3be9d8a.jpg) (http://s729.photobucket.com/user/desktopdave/media/BMW/1983%20Polaris%20635CSi/2014-04-12153659_zpsc3be9d8a.jpg.html) (http://i729.photobucket.com/albums/ww299/desktopdave/BMW/1983%20Polaris%20635CSi/th_2014-04-12153706_zps87215f0f.jpg) (http://s729.photobucket.com/user/desktopdave/media/BMW/1983%20Polaris%20635CSi/2014-04-12153706_zps87215f0f.jpg.html)
Happily, the transmission and diff are in better shape. The rest of the car is a shame; it had been driven up until about ten years ago, until someone cracked the pan. It's the high-compression Euro "dirty" motor too...the M30B34 Motronic non-catalyzed variant...218hp. Very sad. Hopefully some parts can be salvaged, but I suspect the worst.
You were aware that the E24 is justifiably famous for rusting?
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I've never seen a car where even the rust rusted.
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You know it! Leaving your toys out in the rain means we can't have nice things.
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More non-E30 content! :o
The car arrives...donor & recipient shot:
(http://i729.photobucket.com/albums/ww299/desktopdave/BMW/1983%20Polaris%20635CSi/th_20141123_093754_zps6n3uqamg.jpg) (http://s729.photobucket.com/user/desktopdave/media/BMW/1983%20Polaris%20635CSi/20141123_093754_zps6n3uqamg.jpg.html) (http://i729.photobucket.com/albums/ww299/desktopdave/BMW/1983%20Polaris%20635CSi/th_20141123_093807_zpsognjji9s.jpg) (http://s729.photobucket.com/user/desktopdave/media/BMW/1983%20Polaris%20635CSi/20141123_093807_zpsognjji9s.jpg.html) (http://i729.photobucket.com/albums/ww299/desktopdave/BMW/1983%20Polaris%20635CSi/th_20141123_093815_zpsh0xi1jtt.jpg) (http://s729.photobucket.com/user/desktopdave/media/BMW/1983%20Polaris%20635CSi/20141123_093815_zpsh0xi1jtt.jpg.html)
Eww. Admittedly, the car is a mess. We knew that going in. There's a little more here than I expected; I prefer to start out pessimistic. Given, it's a flood car...but I have my fingers crossed that it's not a total loss. Insurance-wise it is...although I find it odd that Experian's AutoCheck didn't note the flood damage on the title. They did flag a mileage discrepancy; that information saved me a bunch of money.
Today's fun was cleaning it up a bit to see exactly what I have. I've been very curious about the motor's condition. I knew the oil pan was cracked; but I had some hope that flood damage could include F&R dents, a cracked pan and lots of rust. So I pulled the air filter & plugs; they seemed OK. I squirted a good bit of SeaFoam's penetrating oil down the plug holes to let it soak in. Then I pulled off the cam cover...it wasn't completely trashed! No severe rust, nothing really awful. Then I pulled the engine fan & radiator - the entire system is bone dry. Not exactly promising.
Got my big honkin' 36mm socket onto the crank bolt...with a 3' length of conduit as a breaker bar...and gave it a yank. The motor gave a bit of a groan, then broke loose & spun! ;D
Surprisingly, cam box isn't all that bad, just surface rust. Plugs weren't awful either.
(http://i729.photobucket.com/albums/ww299/desktopdave/BMW/1983%20Polaris%20635CSi/th_20141123_100118_zpscajumnqi.jpg) (http://s729.photobucket.com/user/desktopdave/media/BMW/1983%20Polaris%20635CSi/20141123_100118_zpscajumnqi.jpg.html) (http://i729.photobucket.com/albums/ww299/desktopdave/BMW/1983%20Polaris%20635CSi/th_20141123_100130_zpsh7bwpoyc.jpg) (http://s729.photobucket.com/user/desktopdave/media/BMW/1983%20Polaris%20635CSi/20141123_100130_zpsh7bwpoyc.jpg.html) (http://i729.photobucket.com/albums/ww299/desktopdave/BMW/1983%20Polaris%20635CSi/th_20141123_101336_zpsg2i5saft.jpg) (http://s729.photobucket.com/user/desktopdave/media/BMW/1983%20Polaris%20635CSi/20141123_101336_zpsg2i5saft.jpg.html)
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Haven't been here in a while, have I? ;)
Here's what I've been up to - I scrapped the Euro E24 and the motor is on a stand getting some work done. It's a bit ugly, but I'm confident that it'll run:
(http://i729.photobucket.com/albums/ww299/desktopdave/BMW/1986%20635CSi/Engine%20rebuild/th_20150215_191424_zpshuetxeg1.jpg) (http://s729.photobucket.com/user/desktopdave/media/BMW/1986%20635CSi/Engine%20rebuild/20150215_191424_zpshuetxeg1.jpg.html)
Here's the recipient:
(http://i729.photobucket.com/albums/ww299/desktopdave/BMW/1986%20635CSi/th_20141010_170511_zpsdnv8o8qn.jpg) (http://s729.photobucket.com/user/desktopdave/media/BMW/1986%20635CSi/20141010_170511_zpsdnv8o8qn.jpg.html) (http://i729.photobucket.com/albums/ww299/desktopdave/BMW/1986%20635CSi/th_20141010_170558_zpsi2j4iryx.jpg) (http://s729.photobucket.com/user/desktopdave/media/BMW/1986%20635CSi/20141010_170558_zpsi2j4iryx.jpg.html)
But something else just came up, and I couldn't pass it up. The newest member of the fleet:
(http://i729.photobucket.com/albums/ww299/desktopdave/BMW/1993%20Lagunengrun%20metallic%20325iC/th_20150625_172307_zpshbhjuhzo.jpg) (http://s729.photobucket.com/user/desktopdave/media/BMW/1993%20Lagunengrun%20metallic%20325iC/20150625_172307_zpshbhjuhzo.jpg.html) (http://i729.photobucket.com/albums/ww299/desktopdave/BMW/1993%20Lagunengrun%20metallic%20325iC/th_IMG_1458_zpsdyjjfdvb.jpg) (http://s729.photobucket.com/user/desktopdave/media/BMW/1993%20Lagunengrun%20metallic%20325iC/IMG_1458_zpsdyjjfdvb.jpg.html)
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Nice add, and '93, great find.
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The 'vert was a bargain if I don't spend too much bringing it back to life. I've spent a good few hours cleaning, trying to find what kind of bargain it is.
After cleaning & conditioning [what's left of] the leather, I'm trying out a cheap DIY recipe for getting rid of carpet stains.
I didn't have any gentle automotive carpet cleaners, but the carpet is smelly and stained. I decided to try out something gentle & homemade.
Step one is deodorizing. I sprinkle washing soda or borax all over the carpet (I use the whimsical 20 Mule Team Borax that every other homesteading eccentric washes clothes in). Baking soda works too, but it's much more expensive. Try for an even dusting...then let it sit with the doors closed for at least an hour. More is better, overnight might have been best. Then vacuum it all up. It actually works! I'd recommend one of the non-hepa vortex types. My nasty thrift store pet vac even smells fresher too. The downside is that it's messy, even inside the vacuum cleaner. Try not to get soda dust in your eyes & don't use your bare hands too much. Washing soda is very alkaline.
Step two is spot removal. I looked up a few recipes on the web. Here's my first stab at a [cheap] DIY recipe for getting rid of carpet stains:
Fill a dollar store spray bottle halfway with white vinegar...add a squirt of liquid dish detergent, a few drops of an essential oil, and top it off with hot tap water. The kids got to help out on this one - my daughter chose "spike lavender." It's a bit more minty & spicy than French lavender. Gently shake the bottle to mix, then spray the devil out of the carpet. The vinegar and essential oil are an incredibly pungent combo. A small handle scrub brush really helps to work it in, keep at it until the fumes overwhelm you. Don't worry, the smell will fade in a few hours. Repeat until spots are gone.
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For sale:
Slightly used guibo:
(http://i729.photobucket.com/albums/ww299/desktopdave/BMW/1993%20Lagunengrun%20metallic%20325iC/th_20150702_211818_zpswnzosg6a.jpg) (http://s729.photobucket.com/user/desktopdave/media/BMW/1993%20Lagunengrun%20metallic%20325iC/20150702_211818_zpswnzosg6a.jpg.html) (http://i729.photobucket.com/albums/ww299/desktopdave/BMW/1993%20Lagunengrun%20metallic%20325iC/th_20150702_211848_zpsgqgw3sjn.jpg) (http://s729.photobucket.com/user/desktopdave/media/BMW/1993%20Lagunengrun%20metallic%20325iC/20150702_211848_zpsgqgw3sjn.jpg.html) (http://i729.photobucket.com/albums/ww299/desktopdave/BMW/1993%20Lagunengrun%20metallic%20325iC/th_20150702_211903_zpsjesm5br5.jpg) (http://s729.photobucket.com/user/desktopdave/media/BMW/1993%20Lagunengrun%20metallic%20325iC/20150702_211903_zpsjesm5br5.jpg.html)
I drove this car home - I'm shocked it held up! :o It had also chopped the reverse wire harness in half. It's all fixed now, reverse lights and all. Now the brake lights are staying on. >:(
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I bet the aluminum cover was nice and clean...
That had to make some driveline noise at speeds?!
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If brake lights are stating on, the brake switch above the peddle, is stuck or broken. Easy fix.
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I figured you guys would appreciate that. I've never seen one that far gone! Surprisingly, there wasn't any really odd vibration at any speed - if I hadn't been told about it I wouldn't have known until I took a look underneath!
I forgot how tight that reverse switch is at the trans tunnel. Took longer to reinstall than it did to repair! A new brake switch on the way too, they're cheap. I just finished repairing the leaky 3rd brake light and was just about to check that all out. Today I'll be swapping in a bunch of new interior stuff too (OBC passenger door latch plate, mirror, etc.). I love this part of the project - fixing all the little cheap/free annoyances. I'm heading down to work on the driver's door & trunk locks next.
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On my e28, when it went bad, it was chewed up even more and would cause the drivesshaft due to also a bad center bearing to bounce around and hit the trans tunnel. When I took it out, it was in two pieces.
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Update time! The cabrio is running nicely now after I replaced a bunch of stuff. New timing belt, water pump, brake switch (an E36 4-pin switch can be used in a pinch FYI). I have also tested every single light bulb in that car...a surprising number were burned out. Thank goodness I stripped every E30 rust bucket I've gotten my grubby little hands on...there have been some rare items that were damaged...13 button OBC, HVAC panel, oil cooler mounts, and ten different types of light bulbs!
She's almost ready for the road. Last major problem is to figure out what's loose in the front end. Then some tires, maybe a battery if I feel like spoiling her. I'll change the rest of the fluids and then decide if she's a keeper or a flip. Even though they are really nicely made cars, they're not worth much. She still needs a new top & interior too, and those don't come cheap.
In the meantime, I finally "converted" a gearhead friend into a BMW owner. After years of my talk, he finally caved in and snapped up a very reasonably priced '98 525i. Blue over tan leather, manual transmission, 200K miles. The car had been sitting for too long. Flat battery, broken hood release, old tires. We managed to get it started but it wouldn't rev. Once I popped the loose CCV pipe back into the snorkel, the car started to run very nicely indeed. It still needs a tremendous amount of work. Bits of rust around the corners, front bushings are shot, wiper motor is dead, ABS/traction/airbag warnings galore, bits of broken trim, doors not opening. The usual litany of E39 troubles. He'll get it sorted.
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Just wanted to gloat a little bit...finally found myself a 3.46 torsen LSD!
8)
It's going into the e24, I think. You never know though. I might test it on my '91 sedan.
Driving reports and first impressions will follow!
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The fleet has expanded! Just picked up a '91 coupe from Aethric. The car is a wee bit rough, but there's a lot to work with here. Evidence of front and side body repairs, rust perforations on the driver's side and rear valance, torn up black vinyl comfort seats, and very few options. Unhappily, I also managed to give her a new boo-boo. :'( Details to follow!
The weekend started out with this:
(http://i729.photobucket.com/albums/ww299/desktopdave/BMW/1991%20Brilliantrot%20318i/th_20151015_184258_zpsmjaujezw.jpg) (http://s729.photobucket.com/user/desktopdave/media/BMW/1991%20Brilliantrot%20318i/20151015_184258_zpsmjaujezw.jpg.html)
Yup, that's a complete M42 in lieu of the passenger seat. If you ever wondered if 500# of cargo would make an E30 a little bit spooky to drive, you are entirely correct. Despite blatantly tempting fate, nothing went awry.
The weekend ended up like this:
(http://i729.photobucket.com/albums/ww299/desktopdave/BMW/1991%20Brilliantrot%20318iS/th_20151019_161402_zpsnp41xgee.jpg) (http://s729.photobucket.com/user/desktopdave/media/BMW/1991%20Brilliantrot%20318iS/20151019_161402_zpsnp41xgee.jpg.html) (http://i729.photobucket.com/albums/ww299/desktopdave/BMW/1991%20Brilliantrot%20318iS/th_20151019_161338_zpsedqxkvjc.jpg) (http://s729.photobucket.com/user/desktopdave/media/BMW/1991%20Brilliantrot%20318iS/20151019_161338_zpsedqxkvjc.jpg.html) (http://i729.photobucket.com/albums/ww299/desktopdave/BMW/1991%20Brilliantrot%20318iS/th_20151019_161347_zpsu473wyke.jpg) (http://s729.photobucket.com/user/desktopdave/media/BMW/1991%20Brilliantrot%20318iS/20151019_161347_zpsu473wyke.jpg.html)
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Dam you go through cars quick!
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I've been away for a while, figured I'd update my thread. The M42 is parked right now due to overheating. :-[ It'll be back, parts are on order. I'll be reviewing the Horror Fright coolant pressure tester kit once it goes on sale.
I do have a few other updates on the E24. It finally has a motor, transmission and diff. I've been hung up on two major problems...no oil pressure to the head, and the clutch slave isn't working. I'll get them eventually. I needed to chop up yet another car to get all the parts I needed. The newest victim was a '91 535iM. I saved the entire powertrain from the scrapper. The B35 engine block was unfortunately cracked, but I've upgraded my M30B34 with the later B35 harness and DME.
I did fix a few things along the way. Check out this clutch job:
(http://i729.photobucket.com/albums/ww299/desktopdave/BMW/1986%20635CSi/th_20160625_000241_zpsy9f00cj6.jpg) (http://s729.photobucket.com/user/desktopdave/media/BMW/1986%20635CSi/20160625_000241_zpsy9f00cj6.jpg.html) (http://i729.photobucket.com/albums/ww299/desktopdave/BMW/1986%20635CSi/th_20160625_131619_zpsuth2bm5l.jpg) (http://s729.photobucket.com/user/desktopdave/media/BMW/1986%20635CSi/20160625_131619_zpsuth2bm5l.jpg.html)
Engine in its new home...and the transmission waiting its turn:
(http://i729.photobucket.com/albums/ww299/desktopdave/BMW/1986%20635CSi/th_20160625_200819_zpsy5pcolka.jpg) (http://s729.photobucket.com/user/desktopdave/media/BMW/1986%20635CSi/20160625_200819_zpsy5pcolka.jpg.html) (http://i729.photobucket.com/albums/ww299/desktopdave/BMW/1986%20635CSi/th_20160625_200829_zps4arvh1bm.jpg) (http://s729.photobucket.com/user/desktopdave/media/BMW/1986%20635CSi/20160625_200829_zps4arvh1bm.jpg.html) (http://i729.photobucket.com/albums/ww299/desktopdave/BMW/1986%20635CSi/th_20160625_200846_zpsie8kq5dw.jpg) (http://s729.photobucket.com/user/desktopdave/media/BMW/1986%20635CSi/20160625_200846_zpsie8kq5dw.jpg.html)
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I wanted to show off a little too. Lookie what's sitting in my garage:
(http://i729.photobucket.com/albums/ww299/desktopdave/All%20Parts/E28%20M5/S38B35/th_20160702_180855_zpscvncd0cz.jpg) (http://s729.photobucket.com/user/desktopdave/media/All%20Parts/E28%20M5/S38B35/20160702_180855_zpscvncd0cz.jpg.html)(http://i729.photobucket.com/albums/ww299/desktopdave/All%20Parts/E28%20M5/S38B35/th_20160702_180752_zpsoyw1irn3.jpg) (http://s729.photobucket.com/user/desktopdave/media/All%20Parts/E28%20M5/S38B35/20160702_180752_zpsoyw1irn3.jpg.html)(http://i729.photobucket.com/albums/ww299/desktopdave/All%20Parts/E28%20M5/S38B35/th_20160702_180823_zpsnjxob7gm.jpg) (http://s729.photobucket.com/user/desktopdave/media/All%20Parts/E28%20M5/S38B35/20160702_180823_zpsnjxob7gm.jpg.html)
(http://i729.photobucket.com/albums/ww299/desktopdave/All%20Parts/E28%20M5/S38B35/th_20160702_180730_zpsg7gxswl6.jpg) (http://s729.photobucket.com/user/desktopdave/media/All%20Parts/E28%20M5/S38B35/20160702_180730_zpsg7gxswl6.jpg.html) (http://i729.photobucket.com/albums/ww299/desktopdave/All%20Parts/E28%20M5/S38B35/th_20160702_180723_zpslohzghcm.jpg) (http://s729.photobucket.com/user/desktopdave/media/All%20Parts/E28%20M5/S38B35/20160702_180723_zpslohzghcm.jpg.html)(http://i729.photobucket.com/albums/ww299/desktopdave/All%20Parts/E28%20M5/S38B35/th_20160702_180630_zpscxxz4yqz.jpg) (http://s729.photobucket.com/user/desktopdave/media/All%20Parts/E28%20M5/S38B35/20160702_180630_zpscxxz4yqz.jpg.html)
It's a kit! Just add some time, effort, expertise & maybe a bit of machine shop time. It'll end up as an '87 US-spec S38B35. Unfortunately it's not mine. I'm sitting on the fence...should I buy it & build it, or sell it?
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Your worse than Norm.
I don't know why your partners don't go mental ::)
As for the new donk it looks like a nice new toy, but don't you have enough already.
But what does the seller want for it?
Just a thought Rohan
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I've been told that the first step is admitting you have a problem. So until I admit anything, I'm safe, right? ;)
In all seriousness, I typically sell them off once they've been rescued. If I had more space, it could certainly end up becoming problematic. The Cabrio and 318iS are already off to new owners, and I even cut loose our 2006 Mazda MPV. Don't worry though...I'm trying to grab a cheap local '91 325iS for the next project...
As for the S38, the seller is looking for $2800 currently. I listed it over at Panjo (https://www.panjo.com/buy/e28-m5-parts-187744). If anyone here is interested, ask about the M42Club member's discount.
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How similar is the s38 to s14?
Is it just a 6 cylinder version of the s14? Or are there differences.
Itb size?
Be a rare donk!
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I'm told the S38 and S14 are the same. I was doing some research into the damaged con-rod. Both motors use identical parts. I'd bet the ITBs are the same too, just missing the center pair on the S14.
I spent a little quality time on the 318i this weekend. She's due for a lot of work, having sat idle for almost a year. I was thinking about selling the car :o but my daughter brought me back to reality. Both my kids will be old enough to drive within four years...and I am always reluctant to sell a dependable car. I'll bet this car will last at least that long.
Here's the current list:
Track down overheating problem.
New front hubs (since I broke off those stupid rotor bolts). I have a hunch that those missing bolts are causing a clunk from the rotor sliding against the lug bolts.
Replace the cross-drilled rear rotors with some decent used parts and adjust the parking brake.
New brake pads and new stainless brake lines.
Replace windshield.
Giubo and CSB.
Possibly replace my offset M3 CABs with standard 318i parts. I liked the sharp turn-in but the car goes through tires too quickly.
Two new tires.
...more to come...
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Out with the old:
(http://i729.photobucket.com/albums/ww299/desktopdave/BMW/1991%20Brilliantrot%20318i/2016%2010/th_IMG_20161023_130406_zpshfyieiwu.jpg) (http://s729.photobucket.com/user/desktopdave/media/BMW/1991%20Brilliantrot%20318i/2016%2010/IMG_20161023_130406_zpshfyieiwu.jpg.html) (http://i729.photobucket.com/albums/ww299/desktopdave/BMW/1991%20Brilliantrot%20318i/2016%2010/th_IMG_20161023_130428_zpsi64ln7dm.jpg) (http://s729.photobucket.com/user/desktopdave/media/BMW/1991%20Brilliantrot%20318i/2016%2010/IMG_20161023_130428_zpsi64ln7dm.jpg.html)
In with the slightly-less-old:
(http://i729.photobucket.com/albums/ww299/desktopdave/BMW/1991%20Brilliantrot%20318i/2016%2010/th_IMG_20161023_135710_zpslfmgp1cy.jpg) (http://s729.photobucket.com/user/desktopdave/media/BMW/1991%20Brilliantrot%20318i/2016%2010/IMG_20161023_135710_zpslfmgp1cy.jpg.html)
Don't worry, I (eventually) put the missing anti-rattle spring back on. I have no idea what happened to the original one...I could have left it off last time when I installed the drilled rotors. According to my records, I last touched the rear brakes way back in June 2010. The handbrake hasn't worked properly since...hopefully my adjustments today will balance it out.
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I also determined where the pressure leak in the cooling system was. I was figuring the radiator had a leak, most likely at the expansion tank. So I bought myself the cheap HF pressure tester (http://www.harborfreight.com/radiator-pressure-tester-kit-69258.html) and got to work.
As reviewed, the pressure tester pump looked fragile. I'm only planning on occasional use, and if it saved me buying a new radiator i'm already ahead of the game. On the plus side, it was cheap and worked better than I had expected. The most important part - the late-model BMW adapter - was a pleasure to use. It fit perfectly and held pressure well. A thin film of silicone lube is a good idea. I really liked the air fittings, although they are a very small/non-standard size. ID is small, just a few mm (1/4"?). On the minus side, the pump provided some really great wrist exercise and almost a half-hour of quality meditation time. I might install a standard air fitting with a pressure reducer or a bike pump to improve it. I wish it came with a BMW cap tester. In my experience, BMW's 2 BAR pressure caps are usually bad anyhow. I just bought a new one, they're cheap insurance.
I had also been testing out an 88degC thermostat to see if I could get a few more MPG. It did give me a small gain, but the car took a long time to heat up and the gauge always looked uncomfortably warm. So I'm going back to the stock 80 degC unit and a matching 80/88 degC fanstat.
I started out by installing a new thermostat and expansion tank o-rings. The o-rings & gasket were all were in poor shape. I reassembled the system & popped on the tester. It failed to hold steady 1.5BAR pressure, leaking out slowly. I couldn't hear any leaks, but I did note a wee puddle under the middle of the car. Any ideas what that might be? >:(
Yup, bad heater core. I knew it was weak, but I had hoped to ignore it for a little while longer. So I ordered a new one, along with o-rings for the heater pipes. After I installed all that, the system finally held pressure. I'm told that BMW specifies a 1.5 BAR pressure test with less than 10% loss over a half hour. Mine held 2 BAR for over two hours with a 5% loss. I'm happy. I refilled it with a 33:66 mix of coolant:distilled water, bled the system, then came back the next day to top it off. I've found that a higher water content makes bleeding the system a bit easier. I had also hoped that thinner coolant would slightly improve fuel mileage and make the water pump live longer, but I haven't noted any substantial differences.
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Yesterday I managed to replace several brake hoses with some stainless lines from ECS. That went mostly OK. I also installed some cheap Centric C-TEK metallic pads. They're really cheap at RockAuto (like $5 a set...shipped). My expectations are pretty low, but I'll report back on their performance later.
Today's fun was bleeding the brake system. I whipped out my [sorta-trusty] Motive brake bleeder and got to work. Results are in...I have new fluid coming out of every orifice...including the rear brake reservoir bung. A little quick wash cleaned that right up. Happily, the brakes feel far more solid. The only casualty was the passenger front bleeder; it stripped. I got that off with some Vice-Grips and replaced it from my spares.
The final quick repair was replacing the alternator/pump/fan belt. The Dayco top-cog lasted seven years and I was out of adjustment space. I'll bet it could have gone longer, but why take chances? The car sits for long periods anyhow, and these Dayco belts are vulnerable to cracking on the outside radius of tight pulley bends. The loose belt was also likely undercharging the battery - it was barely taught even with the alternator tensioner adjusted all the way out. The new Bando is far tighter. I'm thinking it was $8 shipped at RockAuto?
Now the car is ready for the road. Who cares if the parking brake doesn't work?
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I have a dark secret to admit. I've left the poor little car sitting since those last posts in October. I ran into a rough patch last year so I just parked it. I had just done a good bit of work to the brakes and cooling system, but I didn't have a need for the car...I've managed to cut the need for a car completely out of my life as a frugal lifestyle move.
But I couldn't sell it. The kids love how small & simple it is, and how many good memories we have in the car...and I hate to sell a perfectly good car. So I took a little time to work on the old girl today...a vacation day from work...some unseasonably nice weather (75degF in Feb?!?). Here's what I discovered:
(http://i729.photobucket.com/albums/ww299/desktopdave/BMW/1991%20Brilliantrot%20318i/th_IMG_20170224_121443_zpsvhhksr9e.jpg) (http://s729.photobucket.com/user/desktopdave/media/BMW/1991%20Brilliantrot%20318i/IMG_20170224_121443_zpsvhhksr9e.jpg.html) (http://i729.photobucket.com/albums/ww299/desktopdave/BMW/1991%20Brilliantrot%20318i/th_IMG_20170224_121459_zps9dbneqn5.jpg) (http://s729.photobucket.com/user/desktopdave/media/BMW/1991%20Brilliantrot%20318i/IMG_20170224_121459_zps9dbneqn5.jpg.html)
It's hard to tell, but that's water on the #1 plug. I dried it off, put it back, problem solved. I figured there was no way something stupid like this would work, but she warmed up and ran normally. I'll keep an eye on it but it seems OK.
8)
How about some more pics for your viewing pleasure?
(http://i729.photobucket.com/albums/ww299/desktopdave/BMW/1991%20Brilliantrot%20318i/th_IMG_20170224_121038_zpsd8o7oaof.jpg) (http://s729.photobucket.com/user/desktopdave/media/BMW/1991%20Brilliantrot%20318i/IMG_20170224_121038_zpsd8o7oaof.jpg.html) (http://i729.photobucket.com/albums/ww299/desktopdave/BMW/1991%20Brilliantrot%20318i/th_IMG_20170224_121045_zpsc7hhzpk3.jpg) (http://s729.photobucket.com/user/desktopdave/media/BMW/1991%20Brilliantrot%20318i/IMG_20170224_121045_zpsc7hhzpk3.jpg.html) (http://i729.photobucket.com/albums/ww299/desktopdave/BMW/1991%20Brilliantrot%20318i/th_IMG_20170224_121051_zps6nlztiey.jpg) (http://s729.photobucket.com/user/desktopdave/media/BMW/1991%20Brilliantrot%20318i/IMG_20170224_121051_zps6nlztiey.jpg.html) (http://i729.photobucket.com/albums/ww299/desktopdave/BMW/1991%20Brilliantrot%20318i/th_IMG_20170224_121059_zpst0ji9yxm.jpg) (http://s729.photobucket.com/user/desktopdave/media/BMW/1991%20Brilliantrot%20318i/IMG_20170224_121059_zpst0ji9yxm.jpg.html)
291K miles and she still looks spotless! Hardly any wear. That's what a reputable synthetic oil will do for you. I usually run 15w50 Mobil1, but I'm sure you could run any similar name brand with similar results. Wish I could say the same about the cam gears.
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Another update (finally). I've done a lot of work on the car recently, including a replacement windshield and a new tire. The car isn't in awful shape, considering how long it's been sitting (almost two years!). It'll need a little rust repair too, but that's understandable given our months of salt-spattered roads.
First task was the new windshield. I saved the old seal with a little elbow grease and swapped in a cheap used replacement. I had to re-seal the windshield to prevent leaks and repair a few stone chips. Permatex black RTV (affiliate link) (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000FW2NBM/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=theiconicbmw-20&camp=1789&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=B000FW2NBM&linkId=13e01412c1a42c09f267833caf91de92) and a Blue-Star two-pack kit (affiliate link) (http://<a target="_blank" href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004GFS2C8/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B004GFS2C8&linkCode=as2&tag=theiconicbmw-20&linkId=dd713e75889c4cbd40d97d9185d5a83c">Blue-Star Fix your Windshield Do It Yourself Windshield Repair Kit, Made in USA</a><img src="//ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=theiconicbmw-20&l=am2&o=1&a=B004GFS2C8" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;" />) came to the rescue. First, some "before" pics. Note that the old windshield came out in one piece, but it was a wee bit damaged during this process:
(http://i729.photobucket.com/albums/ww299/desktopdave/BMW/1991%20Brilliantrot%20318i/2017%2009/th_IMG_20170919_190726_zpsgailzst5.jpg) (http://s729.photobucket.com/user/desktopdave/media/BMW/1991%20Brilliantrot%20318i/2017%2009/IMG_20170919_190726_zpsgailzst5.jpg.html) (http://i729.photobucket.com/albums/ww299/desktopdave/BMW/1991%20Brilliantrot%20318i/2017%2009/th_IMG_20170919_190745_zpsjf074v6i.jpg) (http://s729.photobucket.com/user/desktopdave/media/BMW/1991%20Brilliantrot%20318i/2017%2009/IMG_20170919_190745_zpsjf074v6i.jpg.html) (http://i729.photobucket.com/albums/ww299/desktopdave/BMW/1991%20Brilliantrot%20318i/2017%2009/th_IMG_20170919_190913_zpstvlkvnpu.jpg) (http://s729.photobucket.com/user/desktopdave/media/BMW/1991%20Brilliantrot%20318i/2017%2009/IMG_20170919_190913_zpstvlkvnpu.jpg.html)
Didn't take any 'after' pics yet, but I'll update when possible. I also didn't take any pictures of my adventures in tire mounting, that'll have to wait for another day.
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Did something else fun today. I took an E36 steering rack apart to 'manualize' it. I believe it's a 3.2:1 unit from an early '90s 325i. Has to be better than the stock 4:1 (?) E30 part, right? Since they both leak, I've decided to swap in the E36 part and just delete the hydraulic booster seal.
Pics to follow!
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E36 rack is cleaned, lubed & reassembled and waiting for me to find some spacers. The car unfortunately failed our safety inspection. >:( I'm off to look for some brake tubing. Has anyone ever used the cupro-nickel-iron stuff? Sometimes called CuNiFe?
Here's what I ordered, from 'The Stop Shop': 25' coil of 3/16" (4.5mm) brake line tubing (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B015YGQYW2/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&psc=1&linkCode=ll1&tag=theiconicbmw-20&linkId=c355eed5f3cf463da4daa5a3bc50c6a3) and a pack of ten 10x1mm bubble flare nuts (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01DAQ0MV2/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&psc=1&linkCode=ll1&tag=theiconicbmw-20&linkId=019aed5064799b76e3da3cc626341eb6). I already have a cheapo flare tool.
Reviews to follow!
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Today's fun was repairing the rear passenger window. It didn't work at all, and the switches both tested out OK. It took me a little while to figure out how to remove the the regulator assembly - the two bolts at the top were obscured by the inner plastic door membrane.
Once I got it out and over to the workbench, I couldn't figure out how the motor was attached to the regulator. I checked out some pictures on eBay; the motor mount bracket is spot-welded to the regulator rail/cable run. Or it should be, anyhow...mine was just "hanging out". JB Weld to the rescue...with any luck it'll cure up nicely (and I won't need a $100 used replacement!).
(http://i729.photobucket.com/albums/ww299/desktopdave/BMW/1991%20Brilliantrot%20318i/2017%2009/th_IMG_20171009_203058_zpssmq6idkc.jpg) (http://s729.photobucket.com/user/desktopdave/media/BMW/1991%20Brilliantrot%20318i/2017%2009/IMG_20171009_203058_zpssmq6idkc.jpg.html) (http://i729.photobucket.com/albums/ww299/desktopdave/BMW/1991%20Brilliantrot%20318i/2017%2009/th_IMG_20171009_203120_zps2wavngj7.jpg) (http://s729.photobucket.com/user/desktopdave/media/BMW/1991%20Brilliantrot%20318i/2017%2009/IMG_20171009_203120_zps2wavngj7.jpg.html)
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Good work man!
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The rear door power window regulator is finally back in! It's not perfect, pretty loud, buttons are temperamental, definitely needs new rubber wiper seals. As for the regulator repair, I ended up using a pair of sheet metal screws to hold it together long enough to bolt it back in. Despite the fact that the JB Weld gave up, the screws kept it together long enough to bolt back in. Those welds are not 100% necessary anyhow, since both the motor housing and the track are bolted to the door frame separately. The whole unit was very difficult to align properly, must have been slightly twisted. It wasn't in a cooperative mood. I also found out that it's best to tighten the window bracket at the bottom of the travel. Not only is it easier to get to, it aligned the window to the track a lot more precisely.
I also figured out how to fix a driver's outer door handle. I had pulled the outer handle a little too hard to open a jammed door, and it stopped working. The inner release still worked well. If you pull the inner door panel card and the membrane seal, it's not too hard. I had to fix a lot of stuff there. If you're thinking about trying this, I'd suggest a pack of BMW door clips while you're in there. Cheap and well worth it. There is just enough space to put your arm above the window motor and door beam. Using a large screwdriver, find the door handle extension and pry it outward. Your goal is to bend it towards the door skin, away from the inner door frame.
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Sway bar end link was the job for today. The ball joint nut had walked off a bit, causing it to clunk and rattle. I had to chop it off after I stripped the 16mm stud shoulder...and I used a really cheap "Flennor" part from RockAuto to replace it, I'll let everyone know how long it lasts.
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Wow, does that rear brake job look like a doozy! :o I put the car up on jacks, slid underneath, had second thoughts, went and got myself a beer. I spent the day rearranging the garage workshop instead. I'll get to it eventually, but that looked like the worst E30 job of them all!
This job wouldn't be all that bad if I dropped the exhaust, driveshaft, fuel tank, rear subframe, etc.. If I'm doing all that, might as well totally rebuild the entire back end! I'm not planning on anything like that, not yet anyhow.
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What rear brake job did you mean? I rebuild my rear brakes subframe etc but never had to drop the tank
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I was talking about replacing the rear hard lines at the tee junction above the differential, they've failed our safety inspection here. I'm still considering dropping the rear subframe for bushing replacement.
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Ah ok yes those better be replaced. Dropping the subframe can be a big job if the aluminium in the rubbers are fused with the metal from the car, like mine. But once its out the fun starts with removing the old rubber bushes...i put in powerflex and cleaned and painted the whole lot
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I skipped out on the rear brake work, but I have a good excuse...
...just bought a '97 M3! It's likely the worst one for sale in America. Automatic, sedan, black and (worst of all?) it's pretty rusty.
(https://drive.google.com/thumbnail?id=1pxJ2yDu_rGMCIMo92Da9foTnB2EZVkqQ&sz=w360-h270)
For future reference, USB iBus emulator (http://www.reslers.de/IBUS/index.html) and other related hackery like NavCoder (http://www.siegenthaler.co.nz/).
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Nice upgrade from an m42 powered engine. I'm sure it still likes to move when you want it to.
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Nice upgrade from an m42 powered engine. I'm sure it still likes to move when you want it to.
It's not too bad in a straight line. It's not really great around anything twisty (yet). It does have a far more sophisticated suspension but it doesn't have the 'feel' that the E30 does. IMHO the E36 isn't built as well as the E30 either.
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Nice upgrade from an m42 powered engine. I'm sure it still likes to move when you want it to.
It's not too bad in a straight line. It's not really great around anything twisty (yet). It does have a far more sophisticated suspension but it doesn't have the 'feel' that the E30 does. IMHO the E36 isn't built as well as the E30 either.
Agreed, e36 might be more refined but e30 is a little more raw for the slow car, fast car feeling. More of that go-kart feeling.
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No more distractions, I promise (he said as his fingers were crossed behind his back)...I sold the M3 this week. :'(
Actually, it wasn't that sad. I could have saved that car but it would have taken months of work. I sold it to another E30 guy for an engine & 5-lug swap. Can't argue with that!
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Sadly, I've decided to put the car up for sale:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/202509688580
It'll absolutely be missed, but I haven't driven it for years. I'll be sticking around M42Club because it'll only be a matter of time until I find another M42 (also because I'm an admin....that kind of power is hard to let go once you've had it). The next M4x will be a little newer...I'm thinking it's time for a Z3 four banger.
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Say it isn't so! Good luck with the sale, someone's going to get a pretty great car.
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I'll miss this particular E30, that's for sure. I'm not the only one...although my wife detested it, the kids loved that little car. I've owned a lot of E30s but this sedan was absolutely the pick of the littler...best of the bunch. I was hoping to get it over 300K...but 293K isn't bad.
I'm actually selling it to fund something a little safer for the kids. I'm looking for something with a more rigid chassis, better passive crash performance, side airbags, ABS & traction control. The E30 is a great little car but I need something with a little more protection.
The E36 has a lot going for it. The handling is somewhat more refined, suspension upgrades are a lot easier, chassis electronics are more advanced. I'm a big fan of the styling too; the E36 has aged exceptionally well. There are still a lot of parts cars around too. Best of all, the four-cyl is incredibly cheap. Everyone wants an M3 so they ignore the 318i. Admittedly the E36 has its troubles too. It's a lot heavier, significant design/materials/quality control problems, etc.. In short, it still has an abundance of all those little quirks that come along with owning a classic BMW!
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NO WAY! But good things do come to an end at some point. Good luck and glad to still have you around post sale. Another option is a m42 2002?
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Hard to believe, but it's been just about ten years with that car, even longer since I joined up to do my research. That's a record for me, never owned a single car for that long!
Funny you should mention an upgraded '02...BMW has made so many great cars over the years. I've always been very partial to the stodgy Neue Klasse sedans like the 2000 tilux or TI/SA. If I could afford a 2000CS that wasn't a completely rusted out hulk, that'd be another great option. They're such a quirky car, especially in US trim. Very unique. They've really grown on me over the years.
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I've been doing a little work to the car to get it ready. The rear brake lines are really crusty. They failed our PA safety inspection, time to fix them!
If you do any brake line work, I can highly recommend the newer CuNiFe (copper nickel iron) tubing. It's a little pricey but it's so easy to work. Well worth it IMHO. I bought a spool of 3/16" along with some 10mm flare nuts.
(https://drive.google.com/thumbnail?id=1a5fuE6R6NRjy54UKmqKj6tJY4G8nSNjP&sz=w400-h300)
Spool of fresh line.
(https://drive.google.com/thumbnail?id=1H9W3HSCkzMeHyvtamx-5D_nzqO5gKnNd&sz=w400-h300)
Driver's side hard line removed & ready to duplicate.
(https://drive.google.com/thumbnail?id=1emPpWo5zyGSwUVCouPFc5meYlUxcBqXM&sz=w400-h300)
Caliper with new hose installed.
(https://drive.google.com/thumbnail?id=1Lay7GUA6XI8t72Lp4LUxKUhU5LaYuzUS&sz=w400-h300)
Here's the final product, installed on the arm. Caliper mounted, I'll bleed it all later.
(https://drive.google.com/thumbnail?id=1tKsr-lbRI85SW6Uysn-ISGaXcCl6KhT0&sz=w400-h300)
Top down view. New pads too, why not? Hopefully these will last the life of the car.
(https://drive.google.com/thumbnail?id=1Ybv315GE88Chqaitb2B_yWvcO0lfmm5N&sz=w400-h300)
The worst of it is yet to come. How does anyone fix those lines up by the splitter?
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After ten years of ownership, I sold the car today. It's heading off to another E30 enthusiast, with any luck he'll pick it up where I left off. I'll still be around to check in, delete spammers, etc..
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It's already been a year since I updated this thread...how time flies by!
No real news on the M42 front, sold off that last engine. I do have a decent looking G240 if anyone's looking for one. I also have a low-mileage G220 if anyone wants some really short ratios without swapping in a diff. They're listed at my eBay store (link to the E30 section (https://www.ebay.com/str/theiconicbmw/E30-3-series-BMW/_i.html?_storecat=31529175014)), feel free to send offers my way if you see anything tempting. Don't forget about the M42Club discount.
I have been quite busy at the shop, just parted out a free E34. It still had the complete M50B25, top to bottom, even the DME & harness was unmolested, if you can believe that.
(https://i.postimg.cc/94cdpvYn/IMG-20200709-155612885-HDR.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/94cdpvYn) (https://i.postimg.cc/zHyShKFD/IMG-20200709-155624182-HDR.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/zHyShKFD) (https://i.postimg.cc/Wty7vYsd/IMG-20200709-155647489-HDR.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/Wty7vYsd) (https://i.postimg.cc/nCQGcKL0/IMG-20200709-155659064-HDR.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/nCQGcKL0)
(https://i.postimg.cc/kDGyLPPr/IMG-20200710-114140788.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/kDGyLPPr) (https://i.postimg.cc/67zd1YH5/IMG-20200710-114157377-HDR.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/67zd1YH5) (https://i.postimg.cc/TKVjnRgb/IMG-20200710-114202572-HDR.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/TKVjnRgb) (https://i.postimg.cc/5XdqHHY1/IMG-20200710-114224838-HDR.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/5XdqHHY1)
(https://i.postimg.cc/bDJQXkM0/IMG-20200710-114242858.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/bDJQXkM0) (https://i.postimg.cc/8J0LTsQ2/IMG-20200710-114359306-HDR.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/8J0LTsQ2)
The E34 is so last week though. I'm working over an E24 now, she's a sad lookin' thing. I've christened her "The Black Death", since this car is more of a biological specimen than a parts car.
(https://i.postimg.cc/p9MGtGYf/IMG-20200719-183808501-HDR.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/p9MGtGYf) (https://i.postimg.cc/R6XXKMrd/IMG-20200719-183815029-HDR.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/R6XXKMrd) (https://i.postimg.cc/tsxSwQPR/IMG-20200719-183821320-HDR.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/tsxSwQPR) (https://i.postimg.cc/vxTXvpbs/IMG-20200719-183835638-HDR.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/vxTXvpbs)
(https://i.postimg.cc/nCMwKQhD/IMG-20200719-183845884-HDR.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/nCMwKQhD) (https://i.postimg.cc/1fT7v58Y/IMG-20200719-183903424-HDR.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/1fT7v58Y) (https://i.postimg.cc/xkGsjvtW/IMG-20200719-183912710-HDR.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/xkGsjvtW) (https://i.postimg.cc/QVd6sW5y/IMG-20200719-183939194.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/QVd6sW5y)
(https://i.postimg.cc/nMS3LcGc/IMG-20200719-183952053.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/nMS3LcGc) (https://i.postimg.cc/SJwVWTPB/IMG-20200719-184027834-HDR.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/SJwVWTPB) (https://i.postimg.cc/f3vKQwbs/IMG-20200719-184033979-HDR.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/f3vKQwbs) (https://i.postimg.cc/XrdLxKSp/IMG-20200719-184048787-HDR.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/XrdLxKSp)
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I was going to post this rant on a member's problem thread, but that's not right. I'll leave it here instead.
This is just my opinion, but I have always felt that BMW's obsession with integrated pressure tanks in an unusually high-pressure cooling system is a major mistake. It's an especially toxic recipe when you add poorly-designed rubber seals and questionable materials engineering. The payout is higher efficiency and slightly better performance, but the cost comes entirely out of customer's wallets. BMW has misled customers for years, and it has seriously stained their reputation.
It's not like American or Asian competition uses different materials...radiators are supplied by the same companies, designed exactly the same way, and yet somehow these cars are paragons of durability. How many times have you heard Lexus owners complain about a cracked head? How many Hyundai owners say you should overhaul the ENTIRE COOLING SYSTEM every 80k miles since it's a "service item"?
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Wow, it's been two years since I've updated this!
I'm not sure where my other post went, perhaps it'll reappear? I've gotten myself back into a 4-cyl BMW! This one is a '97 318iS, Montreal Blue over gray Clover fabric. Happily, it's also a 5-speed, and the end of the M44, at least in the coupes. Seems oddly appropriate...this one is like the omega to my previous alpha; my Brilliant Red '91 318i was the first year of the M42.
Today's fun was the driver's door latch & switch. The door lights would randomly come on whenever driving with spirit. I happened to have an E34 parts car in the driveway (not the one from above, and not the one after that. The new one). The door striker pins are identical between the E34 & later E36 apparently. I had a heck of a time keeping the backing plate near enough to thread it back in! A longer ~6" bolt from some other BMW was the key to my success. The E36 uses a learning process to set the window stop limits, so I cranked it down all the way, held for ten seconds, then cranked it up all the way, held for ten seconds. Now it's fixed. I also adjusted a really sloppy accelerator cable and checked some of the fluids.
I really love the feeling of a new project car. Clearly it's addictive. Enough motivation for me to work outside on a cold, wet, rainy day...just to fix a car. Freude am Reparieren.
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Awesome and welcome to the M4x club.
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This poor car really needs a ton of work.
I've been working on the driver's door. PO changed the driver's window actuator, but the door open switch was also worn out. On the coupes, front windows will drop a few mm whenever the door is open to preserve the door seals. The E36 door latch strike pin contains the sensor switch, and it commonly wears out. One of the symptoms is that the window will randomly drop while you're taking corners. While it's a funny problem to have, it's really annoying.
I've found out that the newer E34 shared the same strike pin, and I just happened to have a spare E34 in the driveway! Sadly, this particular 1990 E34 was too early. It shares door strike pins with the E32 7-series. Despite that, the early E34 strike pin is almost exactly the same. Same wiring connector, same bolt patters, same seal, same washer plate. Sadly, the otherwise identical E34 part is slightly too deep to work. I used it anyway, just left the door hanging out. Ordered a few used ones off eBay, just swapped them in. It finally works as designed!
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Haha wow, glad to see that you are back in the BMW 4 banger game again! The M44 is an interesting engine. There are several improvements in it versus the m42, but also some cost-cutting things that are not so hot. I always wondered if it was possible to swap an M44 head onto an M42 to take advantage of the roller-rocker setup (significantly reduced valvetrain friction), although I suppose that one could also swap the M42's forged and counterweighted crank into an M44 (although a different crank trigger arrangement would then be required).
Anyway, if you do engine stuff (even basic maintenance) do post some pics. I have never really had a change to get a good look at too many M44's in person!