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Brock Landers posted:Trust me. You want to replace everything in the cooling system. Too many people have replaced just what broke only to find a few months later that something else breaks. These cooling systems are a very well known failure point and people don't even bother trusting old parts anymore. This man is correct. I replaced my water pump and left my radiatior alone, and lo, three loving weeks later, I needed a new radiator. The one thing I didn't replace was the fan clutch, and now Im a little worried... though if that fails, at least I don't have to crack open the whole cooling system AGAIN.
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Oct 2, 2008 16:37
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CornHolio posted:This man is correct. I replaced my water pump and left my radiatior alone, and lo, three loving weeks later, I needed a new radiator. The fan clutch is less of a deal because if it fails, you end up with an engine that runs hotter than normal, rather than one that pukes all the coolant and overheats. It still isn't great, it's just not catastrophic. You can check your fan clutch by trying to turn it with the engine off. Give it a good push and see if it "freewheels". If it does, replace it. If it has enough resistance to stop itself from turning pretty quickly, it's fine. It just makes sense to replace it when you service the cooling system because it has to come apart anyway so why duplicate labor.
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Oct 2, 2008 17:29
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I'm THIS loving close to killing the last warning light in my E30. ABS light is stuck on, easy one. Pull the kicker panel off, replace the ABS relay. Everything on the loving internet tells me it should be RIGHT THERE above the ABS computer, yet it is not. I pull the entire ABS computer out, no dice. I pull my entire gauge cluster out thinking perhaps the last time I was loving with that I shoved the relay off someplace strange, nope. I cannot find where this loving thing is supposed to go. Is it in some weird mystical void on late model (1990, in this case) E30 325i's?
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Oct 3, 2008 00:31
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I just got a BMW, seems like the place to post it. A 1991 318is I picked up for a song. The power steering leaks, the cloth seats are ripped up, and it needs a new front bumper (what should I pay for one at a jy?). I ordered one of those control arm, bushing and tie rod ebay sets, ready to install when it gets here next week. Oh and the blower only works on speed 2, and the power window fuse has blown twice, and the odometer is broken. Old cars just have a way of starting run on sentences. Pictures!    
Chriskory fucked around with this message at 05:49 on Oct 3, 2008 |
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Oct 3, 2008 05:46
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Chriskory posted:I just got a BMW, seems like the place to post it. A 1991 318is I picked up for a song. The power steering leaks, the cloth seats are ripped up, and it needs a new front bumper (what should I pay for one at a jy?). I ordered one of those control arm, bushing and tie rod ebay sets, ready to install when it gets here next week. Oh and the blower only works on speed 2, and the power window fuse has blown twice, and the odometer is broken. Old cars just have a way of starting run on sentences. Hello 318iS buddy! I just picked one of these up myself and they're fantastic cars. Where is the power steering leaking from? The rack or the reservoir? If it's the rack, you'll probably need another rack. You can also loop the hoses and disable the assist. Some people like no power steering, some don't. Reservoir leaks usually can be fixed with new hoses and clamps or safely ignored. EVERY BMW I've ever owned has leaked a little fluid from the hoses. Even after they've been fixed by the dealer. Those control arm kits from FCP Groton aren't the best parts out there, but their probably better than the worn ones that came on the car. They won't last as long as real OEM parts, but they are cheaper. The blower sounds like it might be the resistor pack or the contacts are dirty on the switch. You can disassemble the dash, change the resistor, clean the switch, and clean the blower to see if that helps. Odometer gears are a known problem on old BMWs. They get brittle and crack, but can be replaced with new ones from https://www.odometergears.com Not sure about the window issues, but it could be a bad/slow motor or a motor encountering too much resistance and blowing the fuse. Also, you should be able to get a set of vinyl sport seats for $200-300 if you're tired of looking at the ratty cloth. Enjoy your purchase!
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Oct 3, 2008 12:54
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Chriskory posted:Pictures! Soo jealous. I looked for a non-sunroof 318is for 6 months and couldn't find one near me for a price I could afford. You will have a lot of fun with that car.
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Oct 3, 2008 13:53
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Brock Landers posted:Hello 318iS buddy! I just picked one of these up myself and they're fantastic cars. Where is the power steering leaking from? The rack or the reservoir? If it's the rack, you'll probably need another rack. You can also loop the hoses and disable the assist. Some people like no power steering, some don't. Reservoir leaks usually can be fixed with new hoses and clamps or safely ignored. EVERY BMW I've ever owned has leaked a little fluid from the hoses. Even after they've been fixed by the dealer. I was thinking of a Z3 or E36 rack swap, is that any harder then putting the standard one back in? Also, do people have bad experiences with FCP groton quality? What are the best parts. The interior needs a lot actually, cracked dash of course the door cards are cloth and even the back seats are a little ripped. Might it just be easier to find a non running E30 parts car for all this stuff?
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Oct 3, 2008 16:25
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Chriskory posted:I was thinking of a Z3 or E36 rack swap, is that any harder then putting the standard one back in? Also, do people have bad experiences with FCP groton quality? What are the best parts. The interior needs a lot actually, cracked dash of course the door cards are cloth and even the back seats are a little ripped. Might it just be easier to find a non running E30 parts car for all this stuff? The E36 rack swap isn't much harder than a normal replacement. There is some minor fabrication (cutting mostly) to make it work. Here is a great writeup: http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=66247 You should probably join that forum as well as https://www.m42club.com Lots of good E30 318i info between the two. There are people who are selling complete interiors, but if you can find a parts car with a decent interior for cheap, it's probably your best bet. As far as FCP Groton, they are well respected on the Volvo boards and most owners are happy with the parts they get. BMW people aren't as much. I ordered some stuff from them and it really is sub-OEM quality for the most part. For some parts it doesn't matter as much, but BMWs put a lot of demands on control arms and the like. I bought a complete front-end refresh kit for my E28 and installed it as per BMW-specs. Within 5000 miles, the upper control arms bushings were beginning to wear (cracked and tearing) and the car was shimmying again. Replaced with factory OEM parts (for twice the cost), and it was trouble free for the next 10,000 until I sold it. I followed up with the new owner a year later and he reported no issues with the car. People in bimmerforums and the like report similar experiences. I deal with a guy named Steve Haygood (https://www.stevehaygood.com) and he can get just about every OEM BMW part for less than Pelican can. The ones that aren't cheaper are close in price. He's also fast and dependable. I just bought all new cooling and vacuum hoses (there are ALOT of them) plus a waterpump and thermostat from him for $213 shipped. Pelican was $268 + shipping. The dealer wanted $253 for the hoses alone.
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Oct 3, 2008 17:01
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I asked this over on the bf.c forums but it couldn't hurt to ask here either. I just got back from taking diff inventory at the local junkyard, and it seems like they have everything I need to roll my own LSD 3.46 diff. They have a 3.46 diff from a E28 528Eta, a S3.73 from an E30, and a 3.91 from an E36. Since these are all 188mm diffs everything should bolt right up, but looking around it seems like there are small differences with the 188mm diffs. What I want to do: LSD from E30 + 3.46 gears from E28 + E36 case = wheeeeeee.
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Oct 4, 2008 00:16
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Anyone have any idea why my air conditioning smells like sweaty gym clothes sometimes?
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Oct 4, 2008 15:44
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Doctor Grape Ape posted:I asked this over on the bf.c forums but it couldn't hurt to ask here either. I was planning on doing something similar, and I believe this post on bimmerforums explains most of the process: http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/showpost.php?p=12308327&postcount=7 After reading the summary, I decided it was a little too much work for me, and decided to take the easy way out and just use a E30 LSD 3.73 in my 318ti (E30 differentials bolts right up to E36 hatchbacks since they use the older rear suspension). Eventually I will try to combine my other E30 3.73 LSD with my E28 2.97, but I am not very confident in everything working properly once I am finished. Luckily the local junkyard sells differentials for $25 each, so if I screw it up I won't really be out much cash, only time. Swap_File fucked around with this message at 16:55 on Oct 4, 2008 |
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Oct 4, 2008 16:50
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Arwox posted:Anyone have any idea why my air conditioning smells like sweaty gym clothes sometimes? You should replace your cabin air filter. What make/model?
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Oct 4, 2008 17:01
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Swap_File posted:I was planning on doing something similar, and I believe this post on bimmerforums explains most of the process: Awesome! Thanks. I have a crap load of free time and a garage full of tools (including a press) so I think I can tackle this. If not the junkyard has a 31 day return policy. I'll probably go grab all the diffs tomorrow and bring them home to work on. All in all I'll be out $170ish, which I can't even buy a single diff online for that much, let alone have it shipped to me. And two of the three diffs I need are already half removed from their cars 
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Oct 4, 2008 17:08
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Doctor Grape Ape posted:And two of the three diffs I need are already half removed from their cars That should save some time. Just in case you are wondering what tools you will need, this page should cover everything: http://www.318ti.org/notebook/diff_conversion/index.html Make sure to bring a 19mm box wrench, and possibly a short pipe that fits over the end of it. Also, you do not need E-Torx sockets for the E30, only metric hex drive sockets. PB blaster will be handy on the older, rustier cars. If you can, bring a friend along. It gets to be a pain in the rear end to set the parking brake, go under the car, remove two bolts, get out from under the car, unset the parking brake, rotate the wheels, reset brake, repeat. Edit: If the parking brake does not hold, bring either a pipe wrench to hold the axle, or two wheel bolts and a crowbar to hold the the wheel from turning. Sometimes you can hammer a chisel into the brakes to prevent the wheel from turning, but it can be tricky if the rotors are not vented. Swap_File fucked around with this message at 17:27 on Oct 4, 2008 |
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Oct 4, 2008 17:22
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Swap_File posted:That should save some time. Just in case you are wondering what tools you will need, this page should cover everything: Heh, the E30 and E28 are seriously just hanging by the axles, people have already pulled the trannies and drive shafts. The rotors seem to have rusted to the pads so I won't have any problem busting the nuts that connect to the flanges loose. And I have removed my E36 diff before by myself and it wasn't too bad. I'm going to end up bringing almost all of my tools along just to make sure I have my rear end covered. The only bolt that worries me is the one holding the diff to the front of the subframe on the E36. That bolt is an absolute pain the rear end, especially when it's had time to rust itself to the diff. Thanks for the heads up on the E30 bolts though, I didn't inspect it closely enough yesterday so I just assumed it was E-Torx like all the rest. Luckily I have a few posi diffs to pick from in case the LSD unit seems shot in one of them.
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Oct 4, 2008 17:42
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Arwox posted:Anyone have any idea why my air conditioning smells like sweaty gym clothes sometimes? If you have an older car, it could just be due for a cleaning. There are several products - from spray cans to fog machines - that you can use to deodorize or disinfect the system. Changing the microfilter never hurts, either. It should be replaced at least every 15k miles, or more frequently if you live in a dusty/high-pollen area.
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Oct 4, 2008 18:22
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Voltage posted:You should replace your cabin air filter. What make/model? 98 e36 m3. My dad said something about the cabin air filter as well. Mad Dragon posted:Do you run it on recirc all the time? Do you have rubber floormats? The recirc inlet is in the passenger footwell. Water on the floormats gets introduced into the system and forms mold inside the airbox. I don't use recirc very often, and my floor mats are cloth and dry. Cleaning it is probably the solution. Whats a brand you would recommend?
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Oct 4, 2008 18:51
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So after taking what seemed to be half the dashboard apart, im pretty sure i figured out what the stinky stink was. The arrows are pointing to a gap between two of the AC ducts, which were not even close to being connected. Heres another angle.  That tall thing should be under that bright piece of plastic and secured with that pin. There was also no microfilter to be found. So i think i was getting unfiltered air, as well as air from the inside of the dashboard.  I ordered a microfilter from murrays which should be in tomorow at 8 am sharp. Oh also, in search of the battery to unplug so i didnt catch the passenger air bag to the face, i found $11.50 in rolled pennies and quarters under the left rear trunk panel that the previous owner forgot! 
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Oct 4, 2008 22:27
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So i got up early today, went to murrays to pick up the filter that was supposed to be there at '8am SHARP'. Not only did the store not actually open till 9 am, but the shipping truck didnt show up yet and no one at the store has any idea where he is.  (hes coming from michigan to cleveland)Good thing my whole day didnt revolve around getting this part as early as possible so i could put the whole dashboard back together. Oh wait it actually does.
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Oct 5, 2008 14:45
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I don't know what to think about this: http://jalopnik.com/5059957/australian-bmw-m5-ute-finally-finished-debuts-at-deniliquin-ute-muster 
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Oct 7, 2008 16:52
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kimbo305 posted:I don't know what to think about this: Yet another tiny niche segment for BMW to move into!
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Oct 7, 2008 17:01
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TheMadMilkman posted:Yet another tiny niche segment for BMW to move into! I'm glad they finished that car and the end product came out quite nice (for what it is.) VVVVV AWESOME!!!! thealphabetsez fucked around with this message at 23:30 on Oct 8, 2008 |
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Oct 7, 2008 21:41
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I just got this month's Roundel, and noticed a familiar E30 in the letters section:
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Oct 8, 2008 23:15
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CornHolio posted:I just got this month's Roundel, and noticed a familiar E30 in the letters section:  They also chose it for the Submit Your 3, so it should be on BMWNA's website soon as well. Lightbulb Out fucked around with this message at 23:42 on Oct 8, 2008 |
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Oct 8, 2008 23:39
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So I was doing a little digging for winter tires, and I noticed that the stock wheel size on my 325ix was 205/55R15, but I have 195/65/R14 basketweaves. Given that I want to have a set of summer/winter wheels I was thinking of getting new wheels to fit at least the stock tire size for the summer. Problem is, I can't find stock 15" 325ix basketweaves anywhere. Are there any aftermarket manufacturers that make basketweaves that aren't loving gold with a black polished lip or such garbage?
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Oct 8, 2008 23:51
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kimbo305 posted:I don't know what to think about this: If BMW likes the idea, would they call it a Sports Activity Truck?
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Oct 9, 2008 09:12
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Crustashio posted:So I was doing a little digging for winter tires, and I noticed that the stock wheel size on my 325ix was 205/55R15, but I have 195/65/R14 basketweaves. Given that I want to have a set of summer/winter wheels I was thinking of getting new wheels to fit at least the stock tire size for the summer. I know where a pair of 15" basketweaves are for $225, but they're 5x120... sooo if you want to do the five lug swap.
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Oct 9, 2008 18:30
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Question regarding oxygen sensors... is it better to replace them preventatively (say, every 60k or 100k miles) or to wait until one goes out and throws a CEL? Would it hurt anything to wait? (other than the cat I suppose, though how much damage could be done to that if I get it replaced as soon as it fails?)
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Oct 9, 2008 18:43
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CornHolio posted:Question regarding oxygen sensors... is it better to replace them preventatively (say, every 60k or 100k miles) or to wait until one goes out and throws a CEL? As I understand it, until you cross some threshold of failure, the O2 sensors will work. As they degrade, they allow the engine to run rich, which results in progressively crappier performance and mileage. So you're fine to let them ride, as far as I know.
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Oct 9, 2008 19:42
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Sterndotstern posted:As I understand it, until you cross some threshold of failure, the O2 sensors will work. As they degrade, they allow the engine to run rich, which results in progressively crappier performance and mileage. So you're fine to let them ride, as far as I know. Pretty much, yeah. Also, the O2 sensor isn't the only way an engine adjusts mixture, it's more of a fine-tuning. When the ECU sees a sensor's values go too far out of spec, that's when it will throw a CEL and, as long as it isn't another bad part causing the problem, that's when you replace the sensor. The post-cat sensors should take a LONG time to go bad because your catalytic converter is cleaning the exhaust. EDIT: More info. When an O2 sensor goes bad, it gets "slow". An functioning O2 sensor will quickly switch between seeing a lean condition and seeing a rich condition many times a second. As it ages, its ability to switch quickly diminishes. ECUs can see this and trigger a CEL when the switching gets too slow to be effective. Brock Landers fucked around with this message at 20:09 on Oct 9, 2008 |
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Oct 9, 2008 20:06
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I picked up a real Dinan chip for my 92 325is (nonvanos) to replace the "Eurosport" eBay chip. And wow, what a difference. Where the Eurosport chip definitely increased power it wasn't very linear. The Dinan on the other hand pulls strong from 2k RPM all the way up to redline with no dips in power. Throttle response and a small bump in TORQUESSSS down low are some of the other differences I noticed. The real kicker is I paid $35 shipped for the Dinan chip, and I paid close to $60 for the eBay chip. I want to go out and drive again.
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Oct 10, 2008 21:03
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Doctor Grape Ape posted:I picked up a real Dinan chip for my 92 325is (nonvanos) to replace the "Eurosport" eBay chip. And wow, what a difference. Where the Eurosport chip definitely increased power it wasn't very linear. The Dinan on the other hand pulls strong from 2k RPM all the way up to redline with no dips in power. Throttle response and a small bump in TORQUESSSS down low are some of the other differences I noticed. What's the impact on fuel economy, in general? Also, did the '92 E36 use the M20 engine or a non-vanos version of the M50?
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Oct 10, 2008 21:09
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CornHolio posted:What's the impact on fuel economy, in general? non-vanos m50
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Oct 10, 2008 21:36
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CornHolio posted:What's the impact on fuel economy, in general? *shrug* I've only had the Dinan in for 20 really hard miles so I'm only averaging 16mpg right now  With the eBay chip I picked up maybe 1mpg, and got around 19/25. I can't really compare it to when I had the stock chip in the car because I had to fix several fuel and ignition related issues. Also, he non-VANOS cars average about 1-2mpg less than the VANOS cars due to the hotter cams.
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Oct 10, 2008 22:35
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Interesting... on my way home today I went over a nasty crack in the road (seriously, gently caress the roads around here) and ever since, my speedometer won't work for the first 4-5 seconds after I take off from a stop (it seems to be time-related and not speed-related) Could this be anything OTHER than the speed sensor located in the diff? E36 5-speed by the way.
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Oct 11, 2008 00:05
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I changed my valve cover gasket the other day on my e46 and now the car vibrates on ignition some of the time. But not all the time. And occasionally it stutters when accelerating from a stop. Any idea what it could be? Also, I want to change the drive belts. I'm looking at drivewire, and they seem to have two... brands? Types? I'm not sure. There's serpentine belts and V belts, I'm not sure what the difference is. http://www.drivewire.com/products/bmw-328/serpentine-belt/1008/ http://www.drivewire.com/products/bmw-328/v-drive-belts/1008/ Which one do I need?
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Oct 11, 2008 03:21
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McSnatch posted:I changed my valve cover gasket the other day on my e46 and now the car vibrates on ignition some of the time. But not all the time. And occasionally it stutters when accelerating from a stop. Any idea what it could be? The part numbers are the same on the two pages... two_beer_bishes fucked around with this message at 03:53 on Oct 11, 2008 |
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Oct 11, 2008 03:50
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Brock Landers posted:Pretty much, yeah. Also, the O2 sensor isn't the only way an engine adjusts mixture, it's more of a fine-tuning. When the ECU sees a sensor's values go too far out of spec, that's when it will throw a CEL and, as long as it isn't another bad part causing the problem, that's when you replace the sensor. The post-cat sensors should take a LONG time to go bad because your catalytic converter is cleaning the exhaust. What else can cause the ECU to trigger a CEL regarding the O2 sensor? My car passed smog a couple days ago (barely, it hit the limit for Hcarbons), but there's definitely an issue with the car and my O2 sensor. I replaced it last week with a brand new one because that's what the thrown code. Last night I went to an NBA game and it switched back on, and when I pulled the code which read the O2 sensor again. So that leads me to believe that there are two other possibilities: 1. There's an issue with the wiring, which is causing the readings to go haywire and the ECU to throw a CEL. While I'm car handy, I do not have the know how on how to follow wirings and splicings to see if there's a short or a break or some anomaly. 2. There's something wrong with the ECU/DME. Luckily this is an easier angle to work towards because if I can find the right DME, I can test it and see if that's what is causing the issue. Just a background of what happens. CEL throws on, I will disconnect the battery and drive it to see what is going on when the CEL throws back on. Usually under acceleration, and occurs about 3-5 minutes after driving. One thing I did notice is that the last person to work on the DME did NOT know what the hell they were doing. They broke one of the mounts that the DME slides under to keep it stable, and then the DME itself has its tabs broken off, and the shell of it was being held on by electrical tape  I replaced the small mount and now it's not free to bounce around anymore, but I suppose if it's damaged in any way, it could be the problem.1994 325i by the way.
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Oct 11, 2008 23:24
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CornHolio posted:Interesting... on my way home today I went over a nasty crack in the road (seriously, gently caress the roads around here) and ever since, my speedometer won't work for the first 4-5 seconds after I take off from a stop (it seems to be time-related and not speed-related) Not to freak you out, but this is basically what happened to my car before the abs computer wacked out on my e46. I'm still not 100% certain about what is wrong yet, but we've narrowed it down to a speed sensor and the abs pump. We haven't replaced either yet so that might help you narrow it down. What ended up happening to me was, after a while the speedo would take longer and longer to start (over the course of like two weeks,) and eventually all four of my brakes locked up while I was driving. I disconnected the abs computer and was able to unlock the brakes and drive again. Good luck!
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Oct 12, 2008 03:29
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I've got a 325i (e46) and I've got a question about the pedals. My fiance is 5'0", and she does not fit comfortably at all in the driver's seat (plus I don't think it's safe that she's inches away from the airbag). What are my options for moving the pedals forward so she can sit more comfortably? Are there replacement pedals you can install that come farther towards the seat? The dealers said they don't have any way to extend the pedals and suggested looking into specialty companies that install modifications for disabled people. I thought you guys would know other possibilities. (If there's a better thread for this, please let me know).
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Oct 12, 2008 18:41
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