Changing over some stuff, have some questions..

[finch]

So i need to change my lower control arm bushings, I did a search and found a bit of info, but are the lollypop things loadbearing? like if I unbolt just them will stuff fall on me..?

Also i need to change the drifeshaft coupling, the thing that connects from the gearbox to the driveshaft, (guibo?) this looks some what involved.. and the bolts are next to imposable to get access to.. :? any tricks to this..? Do i need to drop the box out...? (Please say that i dont)

And now some Questions about the cooling system:
how much fluid (water/coolant) does the engine hold?
Is the main fan driven by the crank? and is it suposed to increase spead as the engine speed picks up?

THanks for any responce ;)
oh and car is a 85 323i with 88 2.5L engine/ gearbox/ tailshaft - manual

[aaron_silva]

I can answer a few questions...

The lollypops are not load bearing. There a two ball joints that hold the control arm to the car.

You dont need to drop the tranny to get the guibo out.

The fan is driven by the water pump (with is in turn driven by the crank). The nut holding the fan on is filled with a "gel" that allows the fan to spin at different speeds at different temperatures.

HTH

Aaron

[finch]

Thank you very much :D

so the main fan is also on a thurmostat?

[finch]

ok so i got the lollypop undone, but its hard as hell to separate from the control arm.. :(

any tricks to getting the bushing out.. or jsut use whatever you can find and pull like there is no tomorrow..?

[aaron_silva]

What I did was cut the rubber bushing so that I could get the lollypop out of the way. I used a razor blade and twisted it until it broke free. Then I used a 3 arm gear puller (found at any auto parts store) and got the rest of the bushing off.

I also heard that a lot of heat might ease the process but I couldnt imagine getting it off with out the puller.

Good luck.

Aaron

BTW- The isnt a thermostat for the fan. The gel inside the nut changes it properties as it heats up and cools down.

[finch]

ok, i have a friend who specialises in steering and suspension, so i think that ill get him to do the bushings... i give up..

BTW- The isnt a thermostat for the fan. The gel inside the nut changes it properties as it heats up and cools down.

ahhh.. because i dont think that mine increses speed, as the engine getts hotter.. is this possible..? could the gel escape somehow over time?

[aaron_silva]

Yes the fan clutch can go bad.

Aaron

[finch]

how would you go about checking this?

and if thi is the problem, is it just a matter of replacing the fan clutch..?

[BahnE30]

start the car fold a new paper into a stick like shape and insert into the moving fan blades. if the paper shreads it's not the fan clutch if the blades stop it's is the fan clutch

Watch your fingers :roll:

[finch]

start the car fold a new paper into a stick like shape and insert into the moving fan blades. if the paper shreads it's not the fan clutch if the blades stop it's is the fan clutch

Watch your fingers :roll:

new paper.. as in a A4 peice of computer paper?

[nando]

typo.. he meant newspaper.

[finch]

ah.. so a big wod of paper... it makes a lot more sence now.. do this when car is cold, normal, or doesnt matter..?

[bmwguru007]

warm