DesktopDave

[DesktopDave]

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.

[DesktopDave]

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.

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:


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.

[DesktopDave]

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.



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.   

Lots of aftermarket goodies too...good tires on staggered aftermarket 17's, overhauled turbo, Innovate WBO2, Tein WG, etc.  Here's a few pics:

 

 

 



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?
 

Can't win 'em all!  More to follow...

[monty23psk]

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.

[DesktopDave]

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.

[danlolasdad]

Cool project Dave

[DesktopDave]

I had a great day - just working on cars, nuthin' else!   

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, over at http://bmwturbos.scottiesharpe.com.

[monty23psk]

I had a great day - just working on cars, nuthin' else!   

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/

[DesktopDave]

I had a great day - just working on cars, nuthin' else!   

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/

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!

[DesktopDave]

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?

[DesktopDave]

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!

[DesktopDave]

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?!