Author Topic: Gerta318is (Read 20561 times)

Gerta318is · « **on:** October 27, 2010, 05:32:48 PM »

Hey folks I thought I might finally put my profile here on M42club. I've owned Gerta, my E30 for 18 or so months ... this is the first BMW in our family, a car I always wanted but family life kept getting in the way of. Now, my wife and I are at a place where this isn't such a bad idea. It's my first car that I've decided to do all the major mechanicals on and that DIY is the norm rather than a temporary fix until I get it into a shop.

Originally this car was bought so I could "fix it up" and then drive it, but now has become a serious hobby to me. I can't tell you the zen appeal to working on my car with one of my sons ... or finding the little bits or fixing the the car up just so. This has become a full time obsession according to my wife.

Gerta started out as a California car, moved to Oregon, and then finally to Washington state where she now resides with a comfortable place in the garage. This car was driven hard, with 248k on the odo when I purchased it, and now enjoys spirited yet respectful driving by me. Let me just say that I removed the fart can muffler, asian influenced sticker on the rear window, and fixed the body damage ... and then repainted her the same color DiamondSchwartz ... The dash still has one crack (hardly noticeable) and the PO's poor tint job needs to be fixed ... The front seats need a little attention but aren't terrible yet. It has been a lot of work and a lot of "live and learn" but I love this car. The car gets a lot of attention and here is the list:

Done to date:

Service I & II - June 2009
Fuel Filter
Air Filter
Sparkplugs
Coolant
Belts
Rear Axle bearings
New OEM Ansa exhaust from cat back
Used 4.10 open swapped
New Hirschmann Antenna
Left front Tie rod
OEM Floor mats - black

Done in 2010

New Thermostat
New Waterpump
Fresh Repaint and new drivers side fender
Replaced both fog lights glass
rewired Depo US Smilieys
New "i" lip
Black Vinyl Armrest / Rear Headrest back seat
New Glovebox
JVC KDR-900 stereo w/Bluetooth
Premium Speakers w/front tweeters
Recovered parcel tray black
Replaced halfshafts
Swapped to 4.10 LSD
New Hood shock / hood insulation
Replaced all tools in tool kit
New fan clutch
Replaced Subframe bushing w/ AKG 80D blue
Replaced Trailing arm bushings w OEM Rubber
Replaced rear swaybar endlinks and hanger mounts
Replaced final drive bushing w/ AKG 80D blue
Installed Bilstein sports w/ E46 mounts in rear + reinforcement plates
Eibach Sport Springs
Brake job + speed bleeder install

To do's:

Replace front valance / "is" lip
Swap bottlecaps for basket weaves
Wire Euro clock & map light rear view mirror
Black carpet install
Paint US license plate filler / interior engine bay trim / seat mounts
Front suspension overhaul
Clean engine bay
Timing chain / sprockets replacement / new radiator install / oil pan gaskets
Paint valve cover, etc ...
replace power steering lines and repair leaky resevoir
New drivers side window / rear quarter window install
Electric Ti fan conversion
Z3 1.9 short shifter + shifter bushings
New door cards / weather stripping / rear seat cards
New rear seat belt recepticles
New drivers side seat belt
Cruise control install
Sunroof headliner install / new gaskets
Tail light gasket replacement

Gerta318is · « **Reply #1 on:** October 27, 2010, 05:33:20 PM »

Pictures:

YetiX · « **Reply #2 on:** October 27, 2010, 09:47:57 PM »

Too bad the pictures aren't working, sounds like you've done great work! look forward to seeing the pictures.

DesktopDave · « **Reply #3 on:** October 27, 2010, 09:55:11 PM »

+1 on the pics...I host mine at Photobucket & paste the 'thumbnail' code directly into my posts.

Gerta318is · « **Reply #4 on:** October 27, 2010, 11:24:14 PM »

Will do Dave. Yeah, she has come a long way and yet has a long way to go. I feel differently about this car versus the others that I have had ... I mean since there is community and resources to work on the car it feels more part of the family then any of the others I've owned.

Oh, I need to edit what I recently did as I'd like to include the new fuel pump and fuel sender ... I think I forget all the little projects that I do with the car.

Gerta318is · « **Reply #5 on:** October 27, 2010, 11:33:59 PM »

Here's links to the start of the project: http://s1137.photobucket.com/albums/n514/Kevin_Morrin/Gerta/.

I'll upload the newer pictures shortly after I get them off the camera.

DesktopDave · « **Reply #6 on:** October 28, 2010, 08:28:52 AM »

Should yours look better than mine BEFORE you started?

I love the hacked SI board, awesome job there. She's in good hands now.

Gerta318is · « **Reply #7 on:** October 28, 2010, 10:33:17 AM »

I'm sure I can find the picture of the "sticker" that was on the back window of the car ... it is some ron jon katana weilding triangle thing ... Nothing screams "ricer" more than than ... now if I could just find my underglow ...

Gerta318is · « **Reply #8 on:** October 31, 2010, 06:00:20 PM »

Ok ... decided to put the car up on jackstands this weekend in order to start the shifter bushing replacement and Z3 1.9 short shifter install. Found out that I have the E30 325i shifter instead as the part was superceded ... waiting on the correct one from Tischer. I took some time though to change out the back up switch and paint the shifter arm, etc ... black. I took the opportunity to inspect my transmission and am thinking about draining / replacing the transmission oil. Are there recommendations on which oil to use in there? The steering rack is a mess .... I tracked the leaks from the PS resevoir and the lower banjo connection. I think I need new lines.

DesktopDave · « **Reply #9 on:** October 31, 2010, 06:55:23 PM »

The trannys used different fluids. Mine is a yellow label ATF box. I tried 75w90 gear oil that wasn't bad. It has some nice Mobil1 synthetic ATF now. Very smooth shifts even in cold weather.

If your transmission has no label, use a high grade 75w90 gear oil. I'd think 75w140 is far too thick. I found out you can even use motor oil in a pinch, the ratings are on different scales...so 75 weight gear oil is similar to 40 weight motor oil.

Gerta318is · « **Reply #10 on:** October 31, 2010, 07:04:55 PM »

Dave, Where's the label located if it has one? Also that damn shifter bushing in the back ... how do you remove/replace without dropping the drive line?

DesktopDave · « **Reply #11 on:** October 31, 2010, 08:57:50 PM »

My label is very visible on the passenger side, more than halfway down, sort of on the back of the bell housing. I'll post a pic if I remember to do it. Mine was easy enough to see without even jacking up the car. It's a large sticker too, maybe 2"x 3".

I have no idea how you'd get that bushing out if the drive shaft is still bolted up. I thought everyone replaced the shifter/seals/bushings and tranny rear output seal/guibo/CSB all in one operation. LMK if you manage it.

Gerta318is · « **Reply #12 on:** October 31, 2010, 09:45:25 PM »

I've got an idea and I'll let you know how that works out.

Gerta318is · « **Reply #13 on:** November 02, 2010, 11:53:45 PM »

Dave,

No dice on the bushing, I simply couldnt get leverage. It's hard enough for a 300 lb guy to get under the car let alone get both arms in the tranny tunnel.

I did however switch out the transmission tranny oil. It apparently hadnt been changed in 251k miles ... I did the finger test too and it was about one pinkie joint lower than the fill hole. I put the 1.2 quarts of Synthetic Mobile1 ATF in there. I cleaned a ton of metal shavings off the tranny drain plug though. It makes me wonder if the condition of that transmission is a worry.

Is it normal to have a pea sized lump of fine shavings? Do you use the same ATF in the power steering?

Gerta

Gerta318is · « **Reply #14 on:** November 03, 2010, 07:21:25 PM »

I added some pictures of my leaky power steering resevoir and underbody ... Geez this is like plugging the proverbial leaky ship!

http://s1137.photobucket.com/albums/..._Morrin/Gerta/.