Messages

1

Exterior / Repair of rear fascia....(rusted through)...what's the easiest way?

« on: April 22, 2014, 08:39:23 AM »

Rusted through the rear part where the jack is stored (I think it leaked around the antenna grommet)...now rusted through to the outside of the car.   

My brother can weld (I can fake it if needed)....

What's the easiest way to repair it?    New sheet metal or used parts?    Full replacement with bumper and fascia as one piece (think I've seen them before).

Thanks!

('91 E30)

2

Interior / Base Seats

« on: March 15, 2010, 01:20:00 PM »

Sorry, thought I posted that.

Allentown, PA area.

If someone here has the correct measurements for Recaro and Sparco seat holes, I may be able to drill a couple of holes in some steel pieces and make it work.

Thanks!

AFARR

3

Interior / Broken Driver's Seat....Help! (Swap, Fix, Aftermarket)?

« on: March 15, 2010, 09:47:23 AM »

I think it's a broken rear seat frame (upper part of the left side of the back)...you can see the separation around the vinyl, and you can see the broken part of the metal).    I could conceivably get someone to weld it...but then I'd be without a seat for a few days, and this is a daily driver.

I'm (for now) wondering what either aftermarket (cheap) options might be, or a seat replacement...fortunately, the seats are black, so it's a fairly common color.

AFARR

4

Interior / Broken Driver's Seat....Help! (Swap, Fix, Aftermarket)?

« on: March 15, 2010, 07:41:24 AM »

I have a 91 318is.   When I got it, it had standard seats in it (picked it up for $900, so I didn't complain too much).

The rear of the drivers seat back is broken.    

I found a "cheapy" aftermarket seat locally (Carbon fiber back reclining seat...looks pretty nice).  $40 without sliders.

I bought the (fairly expensive) Recaro seat base....actually the mounts to take the factory slider off and attach it to a recaro seat.   Unfortunately the cheapy seat appears to have Sparco spaced holes.

Wondering if there is an inexpensive adapter to use a Sparco Seat on a Recaro base (it really looks like you could take two pieces of metal...drill holes to match the seat and two more holes to match the base on each side...but I don't have measurements on the width for a Recaro seat holes).

Also....I have found an adapter for a Sparco seat (the base), but it needs sliders (doesn't use the factory slider).   Don't know if it's worth selling the Recaro base and getting the Sparco instead.

I'm just trying to get a drivable seat (rather than one that the back creaks and moves on the left side) in the car...nothing fancy, and not a lot of money out of pocket.  

Anyone have any ideas?

Thanks!

AFARR

5

General Topics / Air Conditioner Hose rupture...anyone else??

« on: June 14, 2008, 11:13:59 AM »

My wife was driving the 318is and saw White smoke under the hood....called me and told me that it was hissing.   She went to her work, and I stopped on the way there, and checked it out...I had figured it was a radiator issue, so I brought coolant, etc.

Turns out it is the AC hose.  Coming from the compressor (metal) becomes rubber, then metal again as it heads in the R headlight plastic cover area and towards the radiator....

The rubber hose was touching where the battery would be in an american car (front R sheet metal under the coils), and it rubbed a hole in itself over time, and finally gave out.

I can refill the AC myself (and even get a vacuum pump to evacuate the lines) but need a part number for the proper part...real OEM doesn't seem to show a metal--rubber--metal line.  

Any help, or anyone else have the same problem?

Thanks!

6

Engine + Driveline / Fixed hesitation....Txt..

« on: December 01, 2007, 03:13:09 PM »

Looks like I found the source of the hesitation.

Bad coil. Tested fine on Ohm meter (0.8 ohms--same as the others when cold)--but must be intermittent with vibration and/or heat.

Replaced Coil #4 with used coil and it idles and it runs normally.

I had tested the plug/wires with a noid light...seemed to work well on Cyl 1-3 but on 4 was intermittent.  Due to the length of the boot for the plugs, it was hard to get down on the top of the plugs, but that was the presumed error.  That helped to narrow it down to coil or wire #4 (new plugs had been installed already).

Plug wires are in good shape (work fine with replacement coil). The guy that sold me the coil had the wires from his E36 and I tried a replacement wire (for the presumed #4 bad wire)--seemed to work a bit better when cold, but once it warmed up, it was still hesitating.

Replaced the coil and used the original wire and it is doing well.

Will drive around town for a while to test before making long journeys.

Thanks for the help!

7

Engine + Driveline / Cheap Wires/Coils...anyone have used???..maybe Coil On Plug conversion?

« on: November 23, 2007, 02:37:47 PM »

I think I finally narrowed my hesitation/rough idle/lack of power down to the #4 Plug.  I pulled it once and it was wet (gas).   I got a cheap light that connects between the plug and wire and Cyls #1-3 do fine (light flashes and increases with RPMS), but #4 has an intermittent spark.

The wires test fine with an Ohm meter, but I had noticed some corrosion on the plug at the #4 coil.

Per the Bentley manual, the coils all show the correct (and are all at the same reading) resistance.  

Not sure if it is a coil or a wire problem, since both test fine, but I'm guessing it is the #4 wire....


Now, I checked prices--looks like I can get Bosch wires for $95.  A new coil is$48 (used are pretty cheap).

However--before I go spending the $$, I want to be sure which is the problem.

Anyone have an old used coil or wire set from a COP conversion (either loan, or prefer outright sale) to test with?

It appears I could go COP (Coil/plug connector) for $200 for a complete set--however, I assume I need extension wires to run from the original placement of the coils to the new placement of the COP on top of the engine?

Anyone know where to get these?

Thanks!

AFARR

8

Engine + Driveline / Manuals

« on: November 23, 2007, 11:33:59 AM »

I've used Haynes and Chiltons for my older American cars (cavalier, windstar, explorer, etc.), but the Bentley is the best for the BMW.

Get the E30 for the body and the E36 for the engine (two separate manuals)...you will find that it is MUCH worth the $$.

Look on Ebay/Amazon for used manuals--the E36 one will cost a good bit but helps a lot.

AFARR

(The above info is assuming you have an E30 318is).

9

Engine + Driveline / Fixed Vibration (see details)...Still Hesitating...UPDATE...Fixed!

« on: November 12, 2007, 09:01:43 AM »

Pulled the Front Subframe. Welded the engine mount area on the passenger side (Cracked, and bent downward). Didn't trust my weld, so I also took a 1/8" x 2 1/2" piece of sheet metal. Cut roughly a 6" section. Drilled holes to match the Front subframe front bolt hole and then ran it back across the engine mount and drilled the hole to match the engine mount (and tab). Used 2 bolts to form it into the proper curve. I also put a 1/8" thick washer on at the front (rear bolt) subframe bolt hole (to keep it level).

Had a rough time with the engine mount on that side--top part sheared off while I was trying to remove it. Had to grab the remaining little bit with a visegrip and turn it slowly (have some NICE bruises on my elbow to show for it from the times it slipped and I hit the front bumper/spoiler).

I used early 318 (Solid rubber. $11 apiece) engine mounts--they work fine. A bit more vibration is transmitted, but since it isn't as bad as when it was cracked, I'm happy. No longer has the rough vibration on turning right/accelerating.


Still have some hesitation:

Signs/Symptoms:
Happened after I pulled the intake manifolds (and replaced the gaskets) and removed the throttle body heater plates--in the process of eliminating the leak from the plastic tube that connects the block to the heater. I also checked the spark plugs at the same time.
To do this I disturbed the fuel rail, intake manifolds, plug wires, and AFM.

Rough idle (at 800rpms)...just feels rougher. No significant change in idle RPM (doesn't drop). If I hold the gas pedal slightly in (bump to 1200 rpm, it seems to smooth out.

Hesitates (seems to occur between 2000 and 3500rpm UNDER LOAD. Don't seem to get the hesitation while out of gear and giving it gas.

Once you reach cruising speed...65-70, it seems to be fairly smooth, however, if you drop the gear to go up a hill, etc, you notice it again.

Warm/Cold doesn't seem to matter too much.

I do hear what sounds like very, very mild pops (backfires).

As was pointed out before, backfires are usually unburned fuel.

Now:
I checked for vacuum leaks (none noticeable), and I had replaced the bulk of the hoses under the intake. Used new gaskets for the intake manifolds. ****I would have assumed that a vac leak could cause lean running and a drop in idle RPM, not the backfires, etc.***

I checked all 4 coils. All read 7-8 ohms (all 4 read the same). Plugs look fine (new Bosch +2---Yes, I know, but they are direct replacements for the ones that made 40k miles with no problems.). Plug wires all read 6k ohms, even with moving the wires. They appear to be thicker than original, and are blue in color--I would guess that a Previous owner replaced them, but not sure of the miles.

My thoughts...however, I'm not sure how to check them:
Disturbed the fuel rail, and maybe at least one injector has gunk and is spraying a stream (leaving unburned fuel), rather than a spray. I did get a recommendation from Roadfly to use a mechanics stethoscope (which I have) and listen for the various clicks from the injectors working.  That wouldn't guarantee one wasn't spraying a stream rather than a spray, but might show if one is stuck open.

Disturbed fuel rail...maybe I did something to the Fuel Pressure Regulator.

Maybe the plug wires are bad? Coils also?

Finally--I did pull the AFM & filter box (and clean the LOWER box--not the upper part with the AFM attached). Maybe it is reading wrong? How is the best way to check?

Any other thoughts?

Thanks!!

10

Engine + Driveline / OK, still need help...found likely source of Vibration, Not sure on engine hesitation

« on: November 05, 2007, 02:01:33 PM »

Thanks again...

I actually ordered some from AutohausAZ (good success with them in the past) today (The engine mounts).   Once that is resolved, I'll go through the wires, etc.  

Thanks.

AFARR

11

Engine + Driveline / I checked the plug wires on Sat...

« on: November 05, 2007, 07:37:46 AM »

Resistance on all of them is 6k ohms, and they seem to be in good shape (no change to the resistance on moving them while checking).

The wires are bright blue...I believe the PO replaced them at some point (likely between 125k and 150k miles).

Thanks!

12

Engine + Driveline / OK, still need help...found likely source of Vibration, Not sure on engine hesitation

« on: November 03, 2007, 12:33:06 PM »

I played with the car a bit today:

Replaced the Check Engine Light, so could read codes.   Got 1222 code only (stored code).   That (per looking through the links provided here) was kind of a garbage code, and may have come from a vacuum leak I had earlier.

Cleared the codes got 1444.

Went for a test drive....tried to pay VERY close attention to the way it was running.

Blipping the Throttle with no load causes almost no problems.

Idle is smooth (didn't note the very minimal thumping backfire that I had last time I tried running).  

Under load (acceleration), very hesitant, loses power, must give significant gas to get started.   Seems that when up to speed, it cruises OK.

Came back.

Only trouble code was the 1444.

Took a can of Seafoam and ran it through the intake...made lots of pretty smoke!!.

Shut it off after the last of the can went through....I'm going to let it sit for a while and then change the oil and filter.

So, I pull the plug wires, check the resistance...6k ohms (if I set the meter right), all of them read identical.  Moved the wires a bit to eliminate any possible partial breaks, but no change.

Checked the coils...#4 has some corrosion at the male and female parts on the coil/wire, rest are spotless.  

Check #4 coil..getting battery power and resistance is correct.

Cleaned all the corrosion.

Now, while I was doing this, I notice the likely source of the vibration...the Engine mount 'tab' on the right side of the car--where the rubber engine mount bolts to the subframe has cracked loose at the area where it bends away from the subframe.   (My vibration was on turning right.)  I jack up the car and notice that the Upper Oil Pan is resting on the Steering Rack...

So, I know I need NEW engine mounts, and the subframe welded.    My wife is already starting to nag about all the parts for the car (CSB, Trans Mounts, etc.).   I want to get the cheapest, functional engine mounts (Doesn't matter if I have to cut the tabs off, etc.) for the car...any recommendations?

I have a call in to my Brother (who can weld) to find out what it will take to get the Subframe welded.  Shouldn't be too hard to do once it is off the car.  Probably won't bother to take it off the car until next weekend when I have all the parts and can weld it and get it assembled instead of doing it piecemeal.

Still not sure what else to check on the engine (before I order parts Monday)...any thoughts as to what might be testable with the simple multimeter I have here?

So, to reiterate (in case you don't want to read the novella above)...
What are the cheapest substitute Engine Mounts that will work with the car?
Any thoughts on sensors, etc. that I should be checking that might cause the hesitation under load?

Thanks!

13

Engine + Driveline / No contact

« on: October 30, 2007, 03:25:22 PM »

Between the oil pan and steering rack.   Engine mounts..appear to have some minor cracking at the "folds" of the rubber, nothing leaking.

No major oil leaks around the valve cover.

14

Engine + Driveline / Helicoil

« on: October 30, 2007, 11:01:20 AM »

I should be able to handle it myself when I get a chance...., so just the parts cost (looks like--after a brief search--it will be around $30 following the instructions here).

I'd guess that is not the likely source of the problem, since I didn't take it off while fixing the intake, etc.   Probably will get around to it at some point in the near future.

15

Engine + Driveline / Didn't pull the Valve Cover

« on: October 30, 2007, 04:25:07 AM »

Couple of the threads (front 3 and two near the intake manifold) are gone (bolts are loose, and cannot hand tighten them anymore).  Figured it was going to take a helicoil repair at some point.  

AFARR