E30 from Ukraine - "Shadow of Intelligence"

[The_Glory]

First visit to the service station

I ride a little on the weekends ) Well, the new owner finally tried to drive it on her own for the first time! )


What can I say... she does much better on the "automatic"! )) She didn't really make friends with the "mechanics" the first time... )) Well, it's okay, I think she'll get used to it over time! ;)

But after a few trips, the brakes got worse again... I didn't start pumping them myself again, but decided to go to a specialized BMW service station to have the brakes pumped under pressure there.
After driving on a gravel road, the car was covered in dust, so I washed it first. And of course, I took a picture, while it was still clean! ))










When recording, over the phone, judging by the voice and intonation, the manager was not very happy when he heard that it was about "E30"... He even asked if it was an "F30" )) But he still replied that "if everything turns out well there, then come..." ))
I came.


I understand that they expected to see an average, killed E30... it was all the more interesting to watch the reaction! ))


And I'll tell you that my "thirty" did cause a "WOW effect"! )) When it pulled into the garage, probably all the mechanics from the service station came together to look at the "wonderful thing"! ))) Then there was the second "wave" when they opened the hood, and the third when they lifted it on a lift ))


Then there was a short "briefing", and answers to all sorts of questions. )
Well, it's very nice that the car attracts attention and arouses interest in people on the streets, on the road, and at the service station! )))

But I came here to bleed the brakes! )
They pumped under a pressure of 2 bar - there was air, but not as much as I expected. Mainly on the rear circuit. After bleeding the brakes started working normally again, the ABS also started working. After several trips, the brakes did not get worse. I hope the problem is solved... But if not, then I will definitely have to change the master brake cylinder to E32/E34, because I haven't found repair kits for the E30 325ix cylinder anywhere... I don't know why German engineers made it individual, and didn't just install the same E32/E34 cylinder... The vacuum booster is the same in them, fortunately )

I also wanted to check the suspension geometry on the 3D stand and adjust the front wheel toe-in, but the mechanic was on vacation, so I couldn't... Maybe next time...

[The_Glory]

Wheels

I've been collecting rims like a fool is collecting candy wrappers! )) Four sets. In principle, I like them all, and I don't know what to do with them - I don't want to sell them, and you can only drive on one set at a time! ) Maybe I'll change them in turn... Although, I can put all four wheels different )))

1. Borbet A multi-width rims with flat caps 7.5J16 ET20 PCD 4x100 DIA57.1 185/55R16, 9J16 ET15 PCD 4x100 DIA57.1 215/45R16 summer.

This is the basic set. In my opinion, these are some of the best rims for the E30. They look great and are without any spacers and rings. There are chips and scratches on the rim, so for a complete beautiful look, they need to be painted. The tires are already old, the front ones are completely worn out, - you need to buy a new set. But for now I installed these wheels as they are.

2. OZ wheels (ALPINA look, King) 7J15 ET13 PCD 4x100 DIA57.1 195/60R15 winter.









This was my winter set. That's why they're in pretty bad shape. Winter reagents and road salt have really damaged the paint. By the way, they're not painted exactly the same as they were in the original. They're silver with a graphite center from the factory. Mine is only silver on the front surface, and not only the middle, but also the side surfaces of all the "spoke wheels" are painted graphite. I bought another such disk separately for the spare wheel. It is all silver. I need to paint all five of them the same. I haven't decided yet - whether it's factory or the way I had it. It looked good. The tires are winter, the rear ones look almost like new - I drove them for two or three winters, but they are already old. And I don't need winter tires anymore - the car won't be driven in the winter. So, I need a new set of tires.

3. MIM 1900 7J15 ET13 PCD 4x100 DIA57.1 205/55R15 wheels








I got these wheels by chance, and almost for free - it was a sin to refuse! ) Their condition, comparatively, is not bad, although one of them needs to be leveled. These are wheels specifically for the BMW E30, although they were once installed on an Alfa Romeo 75. Even though they have a PCD of 4x98. The tires are very old. I don't know if they should be painted, but the tires need to be installed new. Maybe I'll keep them as a "sports" set... :) Someday this war will end, and then we'll be able to ride in some slalom or sprint at a club fest ;) And they look good on the E30.

4. Alloy wheels 365x150 TD ET35 with TD 220/55VR365 (Michelin TRX)














Original stock "bottle cap" rims. A teammate gave these rims to me a long time ago because he was going to scrap them! ) He bought them by mistake, thinking that they were regular stock 14" rims. In fact, they are original "metric" rims, which have a diameter of 365 mm, i.e. 14.4". This was some kind of joint "experiment" between BMW and MICHELIN in the 80s. Although, similar wheels were also on Mercedes and Ford of those times. Perhaps it was some kind of "prototype" of "runflat", because the rubber is quite hard. Why did they make "metric" diameters 340mm (13.4"), 365mm (14.4"), 390mm (15.4"), 415mm (16.4") - I don't really understand. But this is indicated on both the wheels and the rubber. Accordingly, ordinary "inch" tires do not fit on these wheels - they are either too big or too small, and do not fit on the wheel. Therefore, when buying stock wheels, you need to pay attention to this. Tires for them were produced by MICHELIN. I don't know if this is true, but I read somewhere that they were produced only until 2009. My set is completely new, but it was manufactured in 2009. I bought it by chance at a tire store, as "not liquid" ;) Although, usually, the prices for such tires are much higher than for new regular "inch" tires of the same size. I immediately put one tire on the rim to make sure that the dimensions match.




The rims need to be painted. I bought stock chrome caps for them, but I need to replace the stickers with the BMW logo on them.


This will probably be a set for "photo shoots" )) Just like a rare old-school option.

5. Raking through my supplies, I found a couple more racing "slicks" - I bought them a long time ago, just to try what they were like - for drag racing )) But somehow I never got my hands on them, and then I completely forgot about them ) I don't know... maybe I'll wear them to MIM someday, - at least for a "photo shoot" )))




So, I cleaned, washed all my wheel supplies and put them in a pile - this is such a mountain of junk! ))


In the end - I need to paint four sets of wheels and buy three sets of new tires. At the moment, this does not fit into my budget, so I just packed them in bags and folded all the wheels - until better times...


That's it.

[The_Glory]

Bottom guard and brake air ducts for BBS (part 2)

To install the bottom guard, you need a lift or a viewing pit. Unfortunately, I don't have either of those in my garage. I didn't want to jack up the car again, so I decided to make an improvised "overpass" on the garage ramp ;)


My assistant is the first to check the convenience of this "know-how"! ))


So, the guard on the front edge needs to be inserted into the slots in the body under the radiator with its three protrusions.
Left


In the center


Right


In my case, these slots were closed for some reason - I had to bend the metal above them first.


We put the shield under the car and insert it into these grooves. On the sides, the shield is screwed onto the side members with two plastic nuts.
Then we screw the lower edge of the BBS apron to the shield (it already had holes for this).




In essence, the shield is installed. I wonder what the rectangular holes on the sides of the BBS apron are for?... Similar holes are also in the factory spoiler. Maybe this is for attaching the original metal protective grille?


By the way, I had to move the holes for the air conditioner a few millimeters to the left and forward so that the power steering pump pulley would not rub against the edge of the shield (I recall that I had to lower the pump a little lower than it was at the factory). I think that this will not affect the operation of the air conditioner in any way. )
The shield still needs to be screwed to the front edges of the wheel arches. But I will do this after installing the bumper so as not to do the same thing twice.

Now I need to fit the M-Technic BMW E34 air ducts in place and secure them.
First, I inserted them close to the hole in the BBS apron, and marked the required length on the edge of the shield in place. I cut off the excess. By the way, the quality of the plastic, as for 3D printing, is excellent. To make the case hold tighter, I glued it around the circumference with sealing tape.


I inserted the duct case all the way under the edge of the hole in the BBS apron, and screwed it to the plastic shield at the back.


I made a 24mm spacer from thick rubber and glued it to the air duct case. Through this spacer, I screwed the lower edge of the BBS apron to the air duct case.


Now the lower edge of the BBS apron will not sag and scoop up rubble from the garage floor every time you leave - the consequences of this are already visible on the end of the apron...
In this way, the air channel is fixed between the plastic shield and the BBS apron, connecting them together.


On the outside, the channel closes almost the entire opening in the BBS apron, and the seal covers the gaps.


Similarly on the right.




Entrance


Exit into the wheel arch.


Maybe not ideal, but, as for me, it looks good, and it holds well. It's like it was there! )
And the main thing is that the direction of the air flow is now really on the brake discs!




The overall appearance is now much better - the lower edge of the BBS apron is even, but does not sag, and the "holes" in the openings for the air ducts do not shine through.










P.S.
I mentioned the regular BBS air channels here. I've never seen them live. But I saved a photo from the Internet - air ducts for another type of BBS apron.






The direction of the air flow is similar.


But their design is somewhat more complicated - they act as both air ducts and protective shields at the same time.


But for some reason I've never seen them, even in photos on the internet...
Unless you look closely at the picture from the BBS brochure, you can see them.


I wonder if there are similar stock air ducts for my type of BBS apron? If anyone has come across them, I would appreciate the information.

[The_Glory]

Bottom guard and brake air ducts for BBS (part 1)

Summer is already ending, and I still haven't installed the air conditioning compressor and started it, so I haven't installed the bottom guard either. Firstly, I still haven't found a place to check the compressor before installation and fill it with R12 freon. Secondly, for financial reasons, the start of the air conditioning, along with the painting of the wheels, is postponed for an indefinite period. Maybe until next season... or maybe the war will finally end sooner, then maybe I'll have some kind of job and salary...
And for now, I decided to finish the bottom plastic guard and install the air ducts for brake air.
Nothing interesting, but the photo turned out a lot )
So I'll just start with a nice photo ))




I've written in the relevant section of ETK for a long time about the lower plastic shields and their differences - early ones before 85, 85-87, and restyling ones after 87.
Previously, I had only the lower shield installed, after 87. I also bought side shields and air ducts for it, but they don't fit my BBS front apron. There was an idea to look for early shields before 85, or M-Technic I shields, but finding them, especially whole, is problematic. And again, they won't really fit my apron. Or "collective farm" something homemade again, like I had before... But here I was a little lucky - by chance in a neighboring village I found the 85-87 shield I needed. Its condition was far from ideal, but I bought it. On the left is a regular 85-87 shield, on the right is a shield for the air conditioner after 87.


It was necessary to make a shield for the air conditioner from a regular shield. That is, to make three rectangular holes for blowing the engine pan. I don't know how this affects the operation of the air conditioner, but it was done that way from the factory.


The condition of the shield was very bad - broken off parts of the fasteners, and many cracks. But there was nothing else. So I decided to repair it.






The plastic resembles fiberglass, so it cannot be soldered. For soldering, I used ordinary plastic ties, melting them with a soldering iron.


These are the "seams" that came out. They seem to be holding up well, but I decided to reinforce them with bodywork polyurethane sealant.


It may not look very aesthetically pleasing, but it's cheap, reliable, and practical! (c) :)




The missing parts of the fasteners were restored using glued overlays made of similar plastic.








In principle, the overall appearance turned out not bad. Especially since it is not visible from below! )




But, nevertheless, for a more aesthetic look, I painted it with black matte paint.




The number remained normal, but the shield is now air-conditioned! ) With holes for blowing.


In the 85-87 version, German engineers for some reason decided to abandon the brake air vents in the front spoiler, and replaced them with these stampings at the bottom of the shield.




Theoretically, they were supposed to somehow direct the air flow towards the brake discs. But, damn it! )) In practice, it doesn't work! That's obvious. This is a "jam" of German engineers, which they fixed after the restyling of 1987, returning normal air ducts for blowing the brakes! But I had to somehow fix this "jam" myself! ) I previously made homemade air ducts from a plastic corrugated interior ventilation pipe from a "Moskvich" )) This time I wanted to do something less "collective farm" and more "aesthetic"! ;)
Apparently there are some ducts from the body kit manufacturer BBS, but I only saw them once in a photo on the Internet, and then for a different type of apron. So it's unlikely to find them. So I started looking through various standard air ducts from different BMW models. And I found a replica of the M-Technic air ducts for the BMW E34 at a flea market, which visually looked similar to what I needed for BBS. The seller gave me the dimensions of their holes - they almost fit! I decided to buy it, although the seller persistently warned me that they would not fit anywhere except on a replica of the M-Technic body kit for the BMW E34! ) But I was more persistent! )) I bought such a set - a 3D-printed replica, M-Technic BMW E34.






The first try-on showed that I was not mistaken - they fit well into the factory stampings on the shield.


On the other hand, it's almost perfect!


So, everything is ready for installation, and I'll deal with the nuances on site!


I'll write about the installation next time.

[The_Glory]

Assembly_196. ETK_51_Footrest

There is a rather rare option that is included in the M-package - a left footrest. Maybe that's why I couldn't find its number in the ETK.
Footrest

Part #1 - footrest. There is no number. If anyone knows it, I would be grateful for the information. This rest was in the M-package before the restyling in 1987.

Part #8 - footrest retrofit kit (51 47 2 231 604). This kit was in the M-package after restyling. But in ETK for some reason it is only for convertibles for the American market. Maybe this is another mistake... It is no longer available for order.
Footrest
Photo from the Internet






This platform differs in its fastening. It is fixed together with the fastening of the left front speaker, the central locking unit bracket, and the clutch pedal stop. All these details are also shown in the diagram, although I have already written about them in the relevant sections, so I will not repeat myself. Especially since I have an early version of the footrest.
So, back to my version.










For some reason, the ETK does not list the clip for attaching the footrest. It can be seen in the photo from the Internet.


This is a clip for fixing the original floor mats.

Part #5


Part #1
I also wrote about them in the relevant section. But this clip is for pile floor mats, so it consists of three parts - a clip and two washers. Plastic washers are not needed to fix the footrest, so the clip itself can be ordered separately by number from the retrofitting and accessories section - for rubber floor mats. Washers are not used there either.
Rubber mats

Part #5 - threaded cover SCHWARZ (51 47 1 919 177) - 1 pc.


Fastening the early version of the stop is easier - a clip in the carpet, and a self-tapping screw for the left front speaker.


Mark the location of the clip and screw it into the carpet.




Put the footrest with the hole on the clip, turn it 90 degrees and fix the footrest with it.




At the top, the footrest fits snugly against the metal bracket for mounting the steering wheel guard.


It is screwed in with a self-tapping screw together with the left front speaker. You don't have to screw in the self-tapping screw, because it also screws in the speaker guard. I screwed it in to better secure the footrest.


Next, you need to unscrew the hood opening handle to install the plastic speaker shield. But here it turned out that the shield does not fit at all, because the footrest significantly interferes with it... Looking closely at the shield, I noticed a line on it that was very similar to the cut line for the shape of the footrest...




I don't see any other option, so I cut the shield along this line.




After that, it fell into place perfectly!


By the way, then I looked at the original EBA instructions - and it does say that this is the cut line for both footrest options. So everything is correct. It also says that for the earliest cars with a pile speaker shield, nothing needs to be cut.

We screw the shield with a self-tapping screw together with the footrest and speaker. We install the hood opening handle and door seal.


All that remains is to install the lower steering wheel guard.


The left footrest is installed. Another "plus" to the "full" configuration ;)







A pretty handy thing. And considering that my carpet is the earliest, without the black pad under the left foot, it's also a practical thing - now the carpet won't get so dirty in that place.



But now I need to order original pile mats, because the rubber one from the E34 partially covers the footrest, and gets in the way a little. Well, that's for the best - maybe I'll buy them sooner now! :)

P.S.
Just for information.
There is a similar footrest for the E28, but judging by the photo, it is different in shape and size, and it won't fit the E30.
Photo from the Internet:




Although, I often came across information that the footrests for the E30, E28 or even for the E24 are the same. It looks like this is a mistake.

[The_Glory]

Repair of BMW BAVARIA C BUSINESS radio buttons

I have previously written about my collection of stock radios in the relevant ETK section.


After that, I also got a CD player, I also wrote about it.


But I only need to install one of them! Therefore, I connected them one by one to check their functionality.

I started with the top-end BLAUPUNKT MUNCHEN SCD09 - an analogue of the stock BAVARIA ELECTRONIC CDII.

I haven't found the CD cartridge yet, so I only checked the radio. Everything works, but the volume is very low. Later I found the probable cause. I made an adapter for the stock wiring and incorrectly connected the TEL MUTE contact, which mutes the volume when a call comes in to the stock phone. Maybe that's why the volume was muted. I've already redone the adapter, I'll have to connect it again and check. But I won't install it for now.

BMW BAVARIA C BUSINESS RDS

I bought a new screen a long time ago, it needs to be replaced. The radio works fine, but there are a few problems with the cassette - low volume and interference from the radio, fast rewinding of the cassette does not work. That's why I put it off for repair.

BMW BAVARIA C BUSINESS

All functions work fine. But I stupidly broke two buttons during installation. I'll write about this in more detail later.

BMW BAVARIA C ELECTRONIC

Everything is really bad here - the radio does not respond at all, even to the code entry buttons... For repair.

BMW REVERS
I never planned to install it in the car, although it somehow works. It's the simplest radio, its visual condition is not very good, and the connector there is in terrible condition. So it will just lie in the garage.

BMW BAVARIA DIGITAL II

A simple radio. The volume control doesn't work well. Maybe it'll also need to be repaired.

So, there are a lot of radios, but little use! )) Only one is fully in working order - the BMW BAVARIA C BUSINESS. Accordingly, I'm installing it.
But there is one nuance here. The radio is installed without a "shaft", - it is simply fixed in the dashboard with two spacer screws. I have a little more wiring in my car than normal people, so in places it creates problems. ) And here too - the radio did not fully fit into the dashboard, because the wiring harnesses in it interfered. Well, when I "stuffed" the radio, I accidentally pressed the two leftmost buttons, and the contacts fell out of them! It's good that I noticed it and didn't lose them.


To say that I was upset is like saying nothing at all... (( But, fortunately, a familiar technician calmed me down a little - the contacts did not break, but simply fell out. To put them back in place, you need to unscrew and disassemble the front panel with buttons. I removed the top cover, and from what I saw for some reason I concluded (wrong, as it turned out later) that in order to remove the front panel, you need to disassemble the entire radio - remove the boards and the cassette mechanism. I am not much of a radio technician, so I decided that it would be better to contact a local technician. For two weeks he could not do anything, then he said that everything was complicated there, you need to unsolder the boards, etc. I realized that he was the same technician as me, and took the radio from him in the same condition as it was. I decided to disassemble on your own!
We unclip the plastic cover. After looking closely, I unscrewed one screw, and the front panel with the buttons was removed! Here is this ONE screw, near the volume control, - and that's it.


And here is the reason - the contacts fell out because there was not one screw on the board that they were pressed against.


Just in case, I removed these two buttons - it is clear that there are no contacts on the extreme ones.


I tried to push them between the board and the buttons - they fell out again fell out. Therefore, you need to completely unscrew the button block from the board. Here are these screws.


And here again trouble - I don't have such a small "jeweler's" screwdriver. I had to turn to another local phone repairman again. The master could not disassemble the board, because he could not find this screw, which is located between the two boards.


Although, in the upper board there is a special hole for it, through which you can easily unscrew that screw. Such masters... But the master did not give up, even when almost all the contacts from the buttons fell out, until from her took it apart... He shoved them out, as best he could by feel, between the board and the buttons, and with a sense of victory, returned my panel to me. For a symbolic 100 hryvnias! ) Just in case, I bought a set of "jeweler's" screwdrivers there, - and for good reason! )
At home I put the panel on, connect the radio, - now ALL the buttons work hard and poorly... And the two extreme right ones now don't work at all, - now there are no two contacts there! Yours!!!... I would have been better off just buying screwdrivers from that "master" and doing it myself!
I remove the radio, disassemble the panel.


The contacts are crooked, there are no contacts at all on one button, and there were two on the other! )
I laid out all the contacts in their places, covered them with a board and screwed them in with screws. That's it.


I assembled the radio, connected it - all the buttons work perfectly.
What was the difficulty for the "masters" - I don't understand. Apparently not all masters are equally useful! )) Or, as they say, if you want something done well, do it yourself!
Finally, I installed and properly secured the radio.


P.S.
Recently, I accidentally bought an air conditioner button with whole icons. At the same time, I wanted to replace it, because the icons on mine were erased.
But here too, there is a problem! ) I didn't immediately notice that the buttons themselves are not square, but rectangular, so they stand with gaps. Someone shoved buttons from E32/E34 into the E30 body.


In addition, they are not fixed when pressed. Probably because of the contact that got into the middle of the button.


It will be a spare if it can be repaired. In the meantime, there will be buttons without icons.


By the way, the temperature on the on-board computer is real! ) And I haven't even turned on the air conditioner yet...
But, literally half an hour later, the weather changed dramatically - it started to rain, or almost a hurricane of some kind!


I noticed an interesting trend. In order for it to start raining, I don't even need to wash my E30! )) It's enough to just drive it out of the garage! )) It's happened several times already! )

[The_Glory]

Searching for an electric current leak

Since I only went out on weekends, the car was in the garage for a week. Previously, I removed the "ground" terminal from the battery, because I could do something with the wiring. Now I've almost finished everything, so I didn't disconnect the terminal. And after three days, the 72Ah battery was discharged. Completely! to 4.8V! Something specifically was "eating" it!
So, I need to find out what exactly. I suspected the standard immobilizer that I installed. After all, it turns on automatically and works constantly. I even started thinking about installing a "ground" switch...
But, I'm starting the search.
We disconnect the "ground" terminal. We connect the multimeter in current measurement mode (up to 10A) in series - one contact to the "-" terminal on the battery, and the other contact to the disconnected terminal on the body.




We turn off all electrical consumers, close all doors and the trunk so that the interior and trunk lights go out. On newer cars, you need to wait 15-20 minutes until the car "falls asleep" and all electrical units turn off. There are no such units on the E30, so you can immediately look at the indicators.
At first, the multimeter showed 0.41A! This is A LOT! It is not surprising that the battery was completely discharged in three days. A normal current leak is considered to be 0.04A-0.06A.
I start removing all the fuses (then the relays) one by one, following the multimeter readings. If the battery is in the trunk, and the fuses are under the hood, then it is more convenient to do this with an assistant so as not to run back and forth every time. )
And then, having reached fuse No. 21, the readings on the multimeter dropped significantly - to 0.02A. That is, something that is in the circuit of this fuse and "eats up" the battery.


According to the fuse list No. 21, these are:

21 7.5A Interior lighting lamps. Glove box lighting lamp. Portable lamp. Clock. Radio receiver (station memory device). On-board computer.

The prospect of once again getting into the interior wiring of the on-board computer or audio wiring scared the crap out of me! ))) So I decided to start simple - it's logical! ) I turned off the interior lights - nothing changed. I opened the glove compartment - the same thing. But when I pressed the button with my hand, the multimeter showed pleasant readings - 0.02A! Great!


That is, the box did not fully press the button, and the lamp was constantly on. Just in case, I made sure of this by putting the phone in the box in video recording mode and closing and opening it. The lamp is constantly on in the video.
I slightly bent the button bracket and everything started working as it should. I checked it again with the phone. )
I'm very glad that everything turned out to be so simple! ) Three days have passed - the battery is normal. Finally, I fully secured its terminals and installed all the clips holding the plastic boxes over the battery.

[The_Glory]

It's awesome that you got to drive it on a quick tour of town.

It's an impressive project, beautifully documented.

Yes, I was happy like a child! )))
Thank you very much!

[roguetoaster]

It's awesome that you got to drive it on a quick tour of town.

It's an impressive project, beautifully documented.

[The_Glory]

Assembly_195. ETK_3_Cassette holder

I have already written about the original cassette holder installed in the center console. At the same time, I also mentioned another option - a cassette holder in the door pocket. This additional option was only available for E30, E32, E34 in the US market.
Therefore, in ETK it is located in the accessories section for the US.

Cassette holder


Part No. 1 - cassette holder (82 11 1 467 123) - 1 pc. No longer available for order. Installed in the driver's door pocket.

Photo (B) from the original BMW accessories booklet:


In all my time, I've only seen it for sale on eBay once, but I didn't have time to buy it. Although, I saved the photo, just in case! ;)








Honestly, if I hadn't found it in ETK, and the photo in the factory booklet, I would have thought it was some kind of homemade box! :) The cassette units are simply wrapped in plastic and pasted over with black vinyl. There are no numbers or BMW logos. I looked for it for a long time on sale, but I never found it again. In the 80s and 90s, similar cassette units from the manufacturer Fisher C-box were installed on almost all makes and models of cars. That's why I decided to buy such units and make this box myself! )
I bought a box with vertical cassette units from some car. Someone painted the white buttons with black paint, but it started to peel off.


I carefully removed it - the buttons, thanks to the paint, retained their pure white color - like new. Although, as usual, they turn yellow from old age.


I take the blocks out of the frame and use thin double-sided tape to glue the blocks together lengthwise. I made a box out of the composite sheet, and a separate bottom for it. I bought black vinyl film with the desired texture.




The composite sheet was a beautiful color, but I still decided to cover it with film so that it would be an exact copy of the original box.


The box is pasted. We glue the tape on the cassette blocks, and insert it into the box. Then we glue the bottom of the box from below.


The box for cassettes is ready.


It is no different from the original box in the photo above.










During my search, I bought all the vertical cassette units I found at local flea markets. So I put together another such box for cassettes.


Now I have a complete collection of cassette boxes for BMW E30! )


The photo shows that the white buttons, over time, turn yellow.


The photo shows a later version of the cassette blocks, with backlighting. Maybe someday I will make another version like this. Or I will try to put it somewhere with this frame.
For all brands and models, the Fisher C-box cassette blocks are the same, but the frames for them are different. Frames are either from the automaker or from the same manufacturer Fisher C-box.


If I find two more cassette units, I'll put them back in this frame. Maybe I'll figure out where to put them! )
There are never too many cassettes! )))
By the way, the units in the center console are also factory or aftermarket. Factory ones differ in buttons and the presence of filling indicators.


The factory frame has a number, BMW logo and an arrow with the inscription "front", which indicates the direction of installation of the box - that is, with the buttons backwards.


The aftermarket frame has the Fisher C-box logo, and can be installed either way.


Although, nothing prevents you from installing the factory box the other way, if that's more convenient for someone.


But I, in any case, will not install a cassette box in the center console because I already have a phone installed there.


That's why I was interested in the option of a cassette unit in the door pocket.

So, the installation, as well as the design, is very simple - it just fits tightly in the pocket. All cars have a special frame, and here the engineers apparently decided not to bother! )) I don't understand why they didn't make a mount with a frame, like on the original coin holder in the door pocket. It would look more solid ) Although, it's normal anyway. ;)


It's convenient to use. But only if you have power windows.




(the speaker is removed, because I'm installing something interesting there, - I'll write about it later ;) )

The texture perfectly matches the texture of the pocket plastic.


So that the passenger also has his own music library, - I installed the second box in the pocket of the right door. )


Surprised passenger ))


Later, when I find the original coin case in the door pocket, I'll remove the right cassette box. But for now, that's it.




P.S.
I wish I could find another box for CD cartridges somewhere, for a complete set...

[The_Glory]

First road trip!

So, the day has come! ))
The brakes are working, and finally, I can safely drive onto public roads!
It's already the middle of summer, so it's probably time to replace the winter wheels with summer ones! )
Yes, I was going to paint them, and the summer tires should have been updated by now... but I'm already completely broke with finances, so as they say now - "not the time!" )) I'll probably have to postpone painting the wheels until next season. For now, I just cleaned and washed them thoroughly.




I found a box for the spare tire in one of the wheels - I had already forgotten about it... I already wrote about it before.
It's a pity that it doesn't fit in the regular spare tire...


If you look from afar, or in the photo, then you don't need to paint the wheels! )) In principle, they don't look that bad! )) In the photo, my friend approves! )


By the way, the secret compartments with the lock opened and were removed without any problems.




There is another "secret" on the lid - double protection! )) Now it looks completely different!


I filled the windshield and headlight washer fluid. By the way, I recommend this concentrate - a good thing for its price. Better than cheap ready-made solutions.


I went out to the yard for the first full-fledged car wash, because the car was covered with a thick layer of dust again.


After the wash, the interior and trunk are dry - I was a little worried about the seals, especially the front and rear windows. But the hood seal on the right side leaks a little water, although it was like that before. It will probably need to be replaced. The sunroof drainage also works fine.

Clean, beautiful, now I can go "to people"! ))








First stop, of course, is to the gas station.


Then for a beer! )))






I rode around my village for a bit, and then home, to the garage, until it started to rain! )


Well, what can I say, I rode with an idiotic smile on my face the whole time ))) She's cool!
Although, I'm really used to her. From the low landing, when you can look at the wheels of neighboring cars through the side window, from the sports seats, in which you almost lie down, from the small wooden steering wheel, on which your hands slide, from the manual transmission, when you can control the acceleration dynamics yourself, and then you remember that you have two legs, not one right one, from the stiff suspension, when you feel like you've hit a pebble, from the location of the window buttons, when you look for them on the doors, and they are on the console, from the location of the door opening handle, when you look for it in the front, and it is behind, somewhere near your elbow, from the central locking, when you look for the remote control, and you have to close it with a key, etc.! )))
But it's just great! ) How it accelerates, how it drives!. Of course, I haven't piled on "all the money" yet ))) Let everything "run in" a little first, and I'll also "run in" to it again )))
In addition, I still need to go to the service to check and adjust the suspension.
That will be the next trip. )

[The_Glory]

ABS hydraulic unit

So, - a problem with the brakes.
Looking ahead, I'll say that I created it for myself, and then I bravely fought with it! )))

After pumping, the brakes were there, but bad, "cotton" somehow. I decided to "pump" them in extreme conditions - on the go, with sharp braking. Surprisingly, it seemed to work! The brakes became better, and somewhere after 3-4 times, the wheels even started to lock. I was already happy. And then somewhere on the 5th or 6th time, the pedal suddenly failed... something must have snapped! - I thought )
And I was not mistaken - from under the left headlight a stream of brake fluid flowed... I opened the hood - it was flowing from the ABS hydraulic unit, from the outlet fitting of the rear brake circuit (h).


I drove into the garage, tried to tighten the fitting, - it didn't work. Then I remembered that during assembly, this particular fitting was screwed tightly, but then I didn't attach importance to it. Oh, in vain. I unscrewed it, it looks like everything is fine with the thread.




But I couldn't screw it in anymore - the thread in the hydraulic unit was already damaged. When assembling, I screwed it in crookedly, it held for a while, but during emergency braking it still didn't hold... We tried to thread the place with an M10x1 tap - after that the fitting was screwed in, the tube was fixed. But when I pressed the pedal, the brake fluid no longer gushed out, but simply flowed out through the damaged thread. Fiasco. I clogged the hydraulic unit. ((


I removed it, and it became clear that here it is necessary to either cut a new M12 thread, or look for another hydraulic unit.


There was also an option to install a "spring" - a Chinese repair kit for thread restoration. I almost bought it, but for some reason it did not inspire confidence in me... also in the brakes.
I also do not really like the option with cutting the thread for the M12x1/M10x1 adapter - if small metal shavings get inside, how can I clean them out later? And if they go through the tubes to the calipers?....
That's why I started looking for another hydraulic unit. On Fortunately, it turned out that they are not expensive, and there are many of them on sale, because few people need them. So, I bought an ABS hydraulic unit at a car scrapyard (at the price of a Chinese "spring"). According to the "legend" of the seller, it was brought from Poland and has been in storage for a very long time. The number is exactly the same - BOSCH 0 265 200 013.


I disassembled it a little, washed it, cleaned it, painted it.


Although the numbers are the same, the units have some insignificant differences.




Ready to install.


I installed the hydraulic unit, and here again something went wrong with the thread! Now the problem was with the outlet fitting of the front right brake circuit (r). It did not want to twist at all! Although the broken fitting twisted freely.


The thread on both fittings are normal.


I don't know what the problem was, maybe my hands are crooked... ))) But I really didn't want to screw in another hydraulic unit. Therefore, after struggling with that fitting for two days, I decided to order an adapter (or in this case, rather, a spacer) M10x1/M10x1.
And it worked! The spacer easily screwed into the hydraulic unit, and the fitting easily screwed into the spacer. I don't understand why it didn't screw in without the spacer, but we have what we have! :)


So, the hydraulic unit is installed and screwed in. By the way, before installation, I blew all the brake pipes with a compressor to completely replace the brake fluid, because it looked very dark. Therefore, the entire system needs to be pumped again. We start pumping - and trouble! The hydraulic unit does not pump. Not at all. No way. I stupidly did not blow it.
I remove the hydraulic unit again! )) I try to blow it with a compressor - it does not blow. And then I remember the words of the seller that should have alerted me - "it has been in storage for a long time". The old brake fluid in it has dried to death.
By the way, about the differences - this unit has two additional outputs (or inputs) on top, which are closed with threaded plugs. I thought they were "parallel" with the standard outputs, but they do not blow. I wonder what they are made for?




After soaking with brake fluid poured from a syringe, the rear circuit and the front left circuit began to blow. And I poured the front right circuit with brake fluid, carburetor cleaner, and solvent for several days - no result.


This is such a mess!

I've already started thinking about trying to disassemble this hydraulic unit to clean it. Although it doesn't look very easy to disassemble. I found a video on the Internet. But after watching this video, I realized that it's better for me not to do this, because I'll have to put it back together later... )) There are 100,500 small parts. You also need a specific tool.
Maybe someone will need it.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=TXgrG8hen2Q&pp=ygUHQWJzIGUzMA%3D%3D

So, I'm looking for a third ABS hydraulic unit! ) But, preferably, a working one! ))
And here I got a little lucky. A teammate is building a car for sports/drift, so he completely disconnected the hydraulic unit, because he doesn't need ABS. But until recently it was working. You just need to remove it from the car. We agreed, we removed it. The hydraulic unit is exactly the same as I had before, with the same number, and without those additional fittings.
"Master ABS" )))


Everything is blown out, the brake fluid in it is fresh. Again cleaning, washing, painting.


But there is one nuance - some terrible corrosion of the aluminum body! Just to dust. I don't know what it is from. I cleaned it, and covered it with zinc. Fortunately, it is not through and through! ))




I'm installing the third ABS hydraulic unit. And you think everything went well the third time? Of course not! ))) Again the same problem with the front right circuit fitting! It doesn't turn. It's just some trash! But I already have a miraculous spacer! With it, everything turned without problems!. Such a tricky thing! ))


The brakes were bleeding for a very long time. At first, the brakes were "cottony". Then again a few passes with sharp braking, and again pumping. In the end, the brakes became better, and even ABS started working! Now I not only have it, but it also works! )) Maybe that's why the brakes still seem weak to me, because before, without ABS, it braked much more sharply! )) Or maybe I'm just used to the better brakes in the E53... I'll drive a little, and then we'll see how it brakes... ;)

That's how I've been "having fun" the last few weeks! ) Now I need to go to the rollover/rollover test stand.

[The_Glory]

Assembly_194. ETK_36_Wheel bolt lock with key

Returning to the section Wheels with tires

We will talk about the original "secret" wheel bolts.
The rarest and most interesting option is bolts with a key.
Wheel bolt lock with key




Part #1 - set of locks (36 13 1 182 006) - 1 pc. No longer available for order. The set includes - bolts, locks, covers, keys - 4 pieces each.


In my set, only one original key and one cover were preserved. I also had one "spare" bolt for a long time.


It is not possible to order the key and cover separately, so for a complete set I ordered 4 duplicates of the original key from a key shop. Also, my clubmate made copies of the covers on a 3D printer. Now the set is complete.


The bolt has a head for a standard 17mm wrench, so it tightens like other regular wheel bolts.


We don't pay attention to the condition of the wheel disks. :) The disks will be different, but they still need to be painted. I'll paint these later too.

Insert the key into the lock and put it on the bolt head.


Take out the key - the "secret" is installed. It rotates freely around the bolt and does not allow it to be unscrewed.


I hope that they will be easily removed if necessary.... :)

We close the lock with a plastic cover.


Looks good! ;)

Part No. 2 - set of wheel bolt locks M12X1.5 (36 13 6 786 419) - 1 pc. The set includes - 4 bolts, 4 covers, and 1 adapter.


These same "secrets" are listed in detail in the ETK section
Wheel bolt lock with adapter


There are many types of these "secrets" by the number of teeth with different ETK numbers. Therefore, for convenience, the bolts and the corresponding adapter to them are marked with digital codes - "CODE XX". I don't see any point in rewriting them here, so I won't indicate the numbers.
But I will post a very useful picture, from which you can find out the adapter code by the number of teeth on the bolt. The first two digits are the code, the next two digits are the number of teeth.


At one time, this picture helped me a lot when I lost the adapter and did not know its code. By the way, the code is indicated on the end of the adapter and on the end of the bolts. But when the bolts are tightened, it is problematic to read it.
So, we count the number of teeth on the bolt.
According to the picture, we enter the corresponding code.
By the code, we find the original number in the ETK and order the necessary adapter by it.

Part No. 2 - wheel bolt with code CODE XX - 4 pcs.
Part No. 3 - adapter with code CODE XX - 1 pc.
Part No. 4 - protective cap SW17MM (36 13 1 180 374) - 4 pcs.

By the way, in the photo there are M14x1.5 bolts from E53. I was somehow sure that they were the same, but on E30 they, of course, did not fit. Although, they come with a turnkey of 17 mm or 19 mm.
I will have to buy another set of M12x1.5 turnkey of 17 mm.

Now more modern "secrets" are available - instead of teeth, they have end slots of various shapes.
Wheel bolt lock set


Part #1 - wheel bolt lock set M12x1.5 (36 13 6 792 849) - 1 pc. The set includes - 4 bolts and 1 adapter.
I have come across many negative reviews about the quality of these modern "secrets". They "lick" and do not unscrew.
They were not used in the E30, so I probably will not buy them. I will order later with teeth, while they are still available.

I will write about the wheels later, when I paint at least one set of four.

P.S.
The problem with the power steering was solved quite easily - just one bolt on the steering rack was not tightened. Tightened the bolt, added ATF - everything is OK. I am very glad that everything is fine with the steering rack! )
But the problem with the brakes turned out to be more complicated than I expected. I will write about it when I solve it.

[The_Glory]

TYC Heated Mirrors

I have long written in the relevant section of ETK about heated exterior mirrors. Then I installed my old original mirrors, and the right one was not heated. Later I found the right original heated mirror, but it did not look very good.
And recently I accidentally bought an analogue of the stock mirrors from a teammate - exact copies of the original mirrors, including their mounts - TYC mirrors.


Left 303-0072-1 and right 303-0071-1


There are analogues with a simpler mount, just on latches, but I wanted exactly the mount that was at the factory.


In principle, they are the same, the only difference is the mounting ring turned 180 degrees.


The mirror is installed with the contacts towards the door, and the teeth down. Connect the heating wiring, the "polarity" does not matter.


We install the ring in such a position that four pins are visible.


The pins must fall into the holes on the four "ears" on the mirror adjustment mechanism.


After that, the ring is turned clockwise until it stops and clicks into this position, holding the glass by the "ears".


The ring is turned with a thin screwdriver inserted into the teeth on the ring through a special hole at the bottom of the mirror body.




To remove the glass, you need to turn the ring counterclockwise in the same way.

The heated mirror is installed.


Similarly on the left side.


It looks exactly like the original mirrors, the adjustment works. So far I'm satisfied. How the heating will work, time will tell.

And now briefly about the differences in mirrors.
From top to bottom - TYC analog with heating, original with heating, original and analog without heating.


The mirror glass can be ordinary, spherical, or with a "dead" zone. Each of them can be heated or not. Therefore, in some versions there are critical differences between the left and right sides. Therefore, on the original mirrors there are markings "L unten" and "R unten" - left bottom and right bottom, respectively. As I said, heated mirrors are installed with contacts towards the door. The bottom of the mirror is where there are "teeth" on the mounting ring. The original glass housings differ in the design of the contacts, but this is not critical. On the other hand, a thermistor is built into the housing, which prevents the glass from overheating.


A regular original mirror has exactly the same housing, but without contacts and a thermistor. On the housing of the analogue, there is no place for contacts and a thermistor at all. For these mirrors, it is not fundamentally left or right, it can simply be turned.


But, in fact, in the photo, all three original mirrors are left.


If necessary, the left mirror can be converted to the right, and vice versa. To do this, you need to remove the mounting ring and rotate it 180 degrees.
The glass housing on the side of the heating contacts has a special "tooth" for fixing the glass in the working position (bottom in the photo), and a "tongue" that is a stopper for the ring (top in the photo)


There is a special stop on the ring (between the contacts in the photo)


When installing, the ring is turned clockwise and fixed by this stop by the "tooth" on the housing. If you press the "tongue" on the other side with a thin screwdriver and turn the ring counterclockwise to the stop, the ring will easily be removed from the glass housing.




Turn the ring 180 degrees and install it on the body. Now this is the right mirror - the teeth on the "R unten" side.


I do the same on the heated mirror - now one is left (teeth on the "L unten" side), and the other is right (teeth on the "R unten" side).




Let them be, just in case! )

[The_Glory]

All sorts of little things

I continue to finish all sorts of little things.

The plastic trim of the rear left door was not fixed with clips and kept falling out. The reason is that the wiring niche physically does not accommodate all the harnesses. They protrude above the plane of the holes for the clips.


Apparently, German engineers did not foresee the simultaneous installation of all electrical options! :)
But since 1985, they did correct this situation a little, and made an additional mount to the body at the rear end of the trim. I have exactly such trims - with holes for clips at the end. I have already written about this in the relevant section. But there are no holes in the body, so there is nowhere to put the clips. The same wiring harnesses are preventing me from drilling holes, and on the right side there is a metal pipe for the tank ventilation hoses. And I didn't really want to drill. So I found a suitable plate and made such an "adapter".


Through this "adapter" I fixed the cover with a standard self-tapping screw that fixes the seat back. A bit of a collective farm, but practical. :)


I inserted the front edge of the cover under the B-pillar cover and snapped its clips into the threshold. The cover still didn't turn out straight, but in an arc, due to the large number of wiring harnesses under it. There's nothing you can do...


Although it's not exactly even, the trim now holds up well and doesn't fall out every time you open the door.


There's very little wiring on the right side, so this trim holds up well on the clips, so I left it like that.
At the same time, I installed the plugs on the bolts securing the rear seat belt locks, which I had previously forgotten about all the time.




While I was moving the wiring harnesses there, I found a bad contact in the wire twist for the third brake light. I fixed it, now the indicator light goes out after pressing the brake pedal, as it should be.

I also found the reason why the brake pad indicator light didn't go out. While I was installing the connector mount and fixing it, the wire broke - near the connector of the rear right wheel pad sensor. After all, the wiring is 40+ years old.... I fixed it, - now all the indicator lights work normally.


I decided to fix the muffler properly. Without a lift or inspection pit, it was very inconvenient and very difficult. But I did it, lying under the muffler, with my nose in it! )))
I screwed the bracket to the rear beam and hung the muffler on it with the original rubber ring. I lifted it as high as possible.




The right rubber ring, near the spare wheel niche, became practically problem-free.


And I struggled with the left rubber ring for quite a long time. The bracket was welded a little inaccurately, so the ring did not want to fall into place. But in the end, it did. I had to bend the bracket on the muffler a little, put on the ring, and then align the bracket again.


I was afraid that because of this the muffler would be skewed to the right side, but it turned out to be quite even.


In the relevant section, I already wrote that I bought the stock clamps for the muffler, but it turned out that they were for the M20B20, and the diameter was too small for the M20B25 muffler. Therefore, for now, I left the welded mounts to the muffler. Maybe later I will redo the entire exhaust system.... or maybe not.... ))
The pipes are raised as high as possible, to the body.


Outwardly, it also seems to be more or less even.






That's all for now.