Hello all,
Ive been on here a few months now but thought it time I introduced myself and got onto fixing my car. Ive recently bought a 1990 e30 318is which is my eighth BMW and I absolutely love it. I mostly do around town driving and its just so much fun. My background is v12 e32's and v8 e38's so this is a little different!
Ive had it a few months and made a few costmetic changes. 15" weaves have replaced the 14" ones, a techI rear wing has replaced the 'se' spoiler, a techII wheel is due any day now from the UK and an 'is' lip should be here next week from Germany. Ive also done clear front indicators and side repeaters but its now time to handle some of the mechanical things.
Its done 242k kms and to be honest its sounding a little rattly! It sounds like a sewing machine and after spending the last 8 years in v12's and v8's its a little disconcerting not knowing what sounds are normal.
So Im starting to read up what I can and was hoping for a few tips on what to do in the first months of ownership, almost a buying guide in reverse. This car is a definite keeper as there are only 15 or so left in New Zealand so its going to be looked after. Ill be giving it an oil change, new oil and air filters and plugs over the weekend and am also looking at an M44 chain tensioner but what else would people recommend as preventative maintenance ?
My rear top mounts squeak like mice all day long so they will be looked at shortly and my heater is a little hot and cold, if you'll excuse the pun. It works most trips but every now and then I get nothing but cold air until Ive given the engine a bit of a thrashing and then its all hot air. I have a replacement heater tap to try and am hoping its just the heater core being full of crap after having spent most of its life beside the beach.
The engine bay is covered with sand and dust so Im expecting the core to be the same.
Initially I had problems with engine temp only reaching the top of the blue, so I replaced the thermostat and now it sits on 12 all the time, but for a while after that it was losing a small amount of water, but it hasnt dont that since.
Im a moderator on a BMW forum down here in NZ (bimmersport.co.nz) so I can appreciate alot of what Im after is probably in the forum already so Ill be reading through the 'how-to' and 'reference' sections over the course of the next few days and if there is anything specific to what Im asking, point me the way.
Anyway, Id appreciate any thoughts on what to look for first. Once Ive got the mechanical stuff sorted, Ill lower it on a set of H&R's and that will be about it I think. I dont usually stop modding my cars but I intend to leave this one as standard as possible.
Ill try and get some photos up shortly too but Im sure you know what one of these looks like by now !
Cheers
Topic: Penry (Read 2255 times)