Author Topic: Ramblin Man (Read 14275 times)

Ramblin MAn · « **Reply #15 on:** October 30, 2009, 12:31:15 PM »

My car really runs GREAT!. I just thought I'd say that.

I finally put my foot into it the other day (just to verify that there were no issues I wasn't aware of, of course) and at about 5K it just shot up. Really pulled hard up to redline. I didn't try to push it past as I'm not interested is beating it, but I am really happy with the performance and for lack of a better term, the quality of the power/engine. The motor is so very quiet and it just runs great. As it started to really pull, you could hear the exhaust sort of "tune up" turn into a musical instrument. I really got lucky with this one.

Ramblin MAn · « **Reply #16 on:** November 13, 2009, 10:38:51 PM »

Like the rest of you (bastards) I just can't leave well enough alone. I'll be replacing the control arms with lemfoerder replacements (overkill) along with m3 bushings (I"m a lemming) and heavy duty swaybar end links. Arms and links courtesy of monty23spk, our forum parts guy. (everyone tell him condradulations on his upcoming nuptual)

These forums are real love hate relationships. I love all of the great info and help, but lots of times I find I have a problem I would have never ever known about and then feel obligated to follow members' leads and fix it. Like the M3 bushings. My car is perfectly stable at high speeds. But noooooo, if I'm putting new arms on, then I MUST put on the M3 bushings. It's a sickness

And QUIT SAYING "IN 10 YEARS YOU WILL BE GLAD YOU DID"! I have to sell this car as soon as I can. Everyone says why don't you keep it and drive it? Like I WANT to sell it. An e30 was my first BMW and started a long love affair with them. I always wanted a 91 318is. Even though I have several e21s, the e30 318is was THE bmw to have. So selling it is the last thing I want to do.

Speaking of sicknesses, I bought a 79 e21 callaway turbo last week. Sadly, the manifolds and turbo were gone, but for 600 bucks I got a relatively solid e21 with a decent running m10 with header, non ac pattern wood console with boost and temp guage, recaro interior with very decent seats. (Passenger is perfect) LSD, lowerd, Billsteins, skirts(which have got to go). Can't remember who made the steering wheel and shift knob but they were spendy sport replacements. Windows are tinted. The car was loved by someone for a long time. Oh ya, it's henna red, the color of my first e21, Helga, who succomed to cancer, but whose engine lives on in my 82 320is. I bought the Callaway as a parts car, but I may just put a little work into it and flip it at a profit. And, this week, there is an 83 that looks almost new that I am going to look at on Sunday. I may get that and turn it into my daily driver and give my SAAB a rest. I go to pick up the hood and grill/lights etc to repair the deer strike damage tomorrow.

If I get the 83 I will have 5 e21's.

Someone please make me stop.

Ramblin MAn · « **Reply #17 on:** November 13, 2009, 11:02:33 PM »

And just to document it here's the current list.
1978 e21
1979 e21 callaway
1982 e21 320is
1982 e21 m42 powered autocross boner machine
1984 pontiac Fiero that I completely redid. Everything is new except for paint.gonna wrap it instead.
1985 SAAB 900 turbo
1991 318is
92 mustang vert

Gave my 84 318i to my brother. Gave a 91 cavalier wagon to the kid across the street. Gave my 86 ranger to the kid up the street. Gave a 91 CRX to a freind of the kid across the street. The ranger and crx weren't pretty but they ran. I was just bored. My brother needed a car. and when I say gave, I mean here's the keys, see you later. You break it, you fix it.

I just want to mention I have not given more than 1000 dollars for any of these cars. I average 650 -700 then basically just do the maintenance that has been ignored for the last 10-15 years. So, if I get that next e21 I will have to talk the guy down because he's asking 1300 for it.

Ramblin MAn · « **Reply #18 on:** November 15, 2009, 07:00:24 PM »

Took care of some anoyances today. But first, when I got in my car there was another mud dobber in there.

Anyway, the headliner had pulled loose at the door opening and, the door weatherstrips on both sides had srunk. So I used contact cement on the roof and gled the head liner back in place so it's nice and taut.

While I had the the weather strips out I went ahead and put in the premium sound front speakers and tweeter pods. Wow, what a difference. Anyone that doesn't have the premium sound fronts and tweeters, get them. They sound awesome.

Replaced the strips with a set I got from a forum member. Much better.

It doesn't sound like much, but these interior projects take a lot of time and I stress over every little detail. They take a lot of time BECAUSE I stress over every little detail. But the results were worth it.

TunkaHunka · « **Reply #19 on:** November 16, 2009, 02:28:05 PM »

your name, this sub-section, this thread, your posts = priceless

Ramblin MAn · « **Reply #20 on:** November 16, 2009, 08:34:37 PM »

Well you will love this then. I'm running an errand today. One of those "I got just enough time to do 4 important things at lunch time except eat if I bust ass" kind of errands. Give daughter a ride to doctor appointment, pick up parts from dealership, go to western union and wire GF some money for her prescriptions, and can't remember the other thing.

On the way to the first destination, I'm thinking as soon as I get the control arms on I can drive over a bump without all of the loosness and feel comfortable that everything is done. As soon as I finished that thought, the motor dies. Going up a winding road. I back down into a driveway and call my buddy with the tow truck. Fuel pump is locked up tight.

Always always always use a new screen when replacing a fuel pump even if it's a used pump. Especially if its a used pump.

Vladi · « **Reply #21 on:** November 17, 2009, 02:21:30 AM »

Could you post some pics with the Callaway, please?

Ramblin MAn · « **Reply #22 on:** November 17, 2009, 11:54:55 AM »

Sure, but it will probably be this weekend before I can get there during the daylight hours. It's dark in the lot, and my freind with the shop has one of HIS cars in there. Like how am I supposed to work on my cars with his stuff in my way? :p Don't expect to see anything too out of the ordinary. If you have ever seen a 320is, that's what this is pretty much. And while it was loved once , it wasn't lately. Like I said, I mostly bought it as a parts car.

I need to get it up on the lift and address the fuel running out everywhere from somewhere up on top of the tank. I had it running and it sounds like it has a clogged injector. Hopefully that's all it is. Didn't smoke at all an the meter seemed to be dead on. I want to get it inside and do a compression check and a valve adjustemnt, oil change and tune up. This baby has points...for now. I can do all of that outside, but I need good weather and I think we are about to run out of that.

Ramblin MAn · « **Reply #23 on:** November 17, 2009, 09:03:05 PM »

I took a bunch and they all turned out like ass. I'll take more tomorrow. I have it inside now.

With the e30 having fuel pump downtime, I had time to look at the Callawy and have some good news. I said it sounded like it had a dirty injector because it sounded like it was missing. Well today I was preparing for a valve adjustment and compression check. When I went to pull the #4 plug, the wire wasn't even on the plug. It had been jammed in the hole and was in between the plug and the well.

Main point is that it ran pretty darn good on three cylinders. I can't wait to get it hitting on all 4. Should have it road worthy tomorrow night.

Those skirts have to come off though.

Ramblin MAn · « **Reply #24 on:** November 19, 2009, 12:57:08 AM »

I know this is off topic, but since I'm waiting for parts for the e30, I did a little work on the Callaway. I guess I should stop calling it that since like I said above, the turbo and manifolds are gone. Just the dash plate and the turbo decal on the trunk.

Anyway, it has some major fuel line rot. When I had it running, gas was draining all over the ground. I dropped the tanks and everything up top looked good. What I found was the lines at the external pump were completely shot. So all of that is on order.

Gave it a valve adjustment and checked the compression. Dry numbers are 150, 145, 150, 160. Found the inner right tie rod was ready to come apart. Ordered that too along with some shifter linkage pieces. To make this relate to the 318is, I was looking for some other parts to add to my m3 bushing order to get free shipping from Bav Auto. You know, the place where everything is made of gold? Come on! Guys like us are doing the world a service keeping these cars on the road. Cut us some slack on the prices. monty23spk could have probably gotten me a better deal but he won't have time.

The really great thing was that I was pleasantly surprised at how solid the car was in the important places. There is plenty of rust, but the rot is minimal. Floor pans are all intact. Shock towers are good. I think I may make this my driver for the winter until someone buys it. I had bought it as a parts car because it looked like the rust was a lot worse than it is. As a parts car it's a gold mine. Ebay prices for the parts would be at least 1500 so for 600 I got a deal. And, once I take care of these issues it should be a pretty cool car to drive.

Ramblin MAn · « **Reply #25 on:** November 20, 2009, 12:17:04 PM »

And by the way, I take criticism well when it's meant constructively. If you guys ever see me post a picture and wonder what in the world was he thinking, please post up.

Ramblin MAn · « **Reply #26 on:** December 05, 2009, 10:17:56 PM »

Man what a week. Just got through installing the new control arms, sway bar end links and M3 control arm bushings. And enjoyable chore. I've said it before, I pitty the fool that doesn't have access to a lift. I put the new fuel pump in last night.

So I replaced the bad tie rod and all the fuel lines in the Callaway and got it running. It's running rich but I didn't have my fuel distributor tool with me. That thing is a real BEAST. My first BMW was an 81 320i (1.8L) and the motor still runs great but it doesn't have any where near the balls this thing does. I can lay posi rubber the ength of the car. It's freakin AWESOME! But jeezus it has a bunch wrong with it. And, it has so much right with it. I put my Epsilons on it and isn't it funny how a nice set of wheels really makes a car? I think this coming week me, her and the D.A. sander are going to spend some quality time together.

Spent most of the week cleaning my freind's shop. I hate working in dirt and that place was so cluttered it was impossible to keep clean. There is enough room for two more cars in there now.

I'm breat. I'm taking tomorrow off.

Ramblin MAn · « **Reply #27 on:** December 06, 2009, 04:07:29 PM »

Well that was a total waste of time. New Lemfoerder comtrol arms, M3 bushings, Meyle heavy duty sway bar end links, All installed with my typical anal stressing over every detail and today a test drive confirmed that my problem was still there. A friend of mine had suggested that my problems was a blown strut but I was sure it was ball joints. To top it off when I had the car up on the rack the inside of the right strut housing was covered in a sticky oily goo that I knew was shock oil, but I conned myself into thinking it was penetrant that had been sloppily applied when I had my allignment done. So now it looks like struts and shocks.

Man this sucks

monty23psk · « **Reply #28 on:** December 10, 2009, 12:27:46 PM »

Look on bright side, you are half way to have having an all new suspension. Glad the parts made it. I would recommend Bilstein for DD. I can get a good price on them whether sport or HD.

Also when you do the springs, autozone rents the spring compressor for free. Also replace the upper strut mount while in there.

Ramblin MAn · « **Reply #29 on:** April 18, 2010, 11:30:37 AM »

Finally got around to finishing my suspension refresh. The only thing that was not replaced was the rear control arm bushings. Every other wear part was replaced. I kept the stock springs. Bilstien HDs all the way around, new HD shock mounts all the way around, new sway bar bushings and end links all the way around, new tie rod ends. Of course, new lemforder front control arms and m3 bushings. Loving it. It really tracks now.

The right front shock was completely blown, so any little bump was pretty scary.

Before I did my struts I had to mount my buddy's spring compressor to the wall. This thing freaking rocks. You set the whole strut assembly in it, make a few adjustments and then just crank a wheel and compress the spring. It's old school but man it works like a charm. Really made the job easy.