Mazter's '91 Alpine White 318is - I knew I'd be back!

[Aleman]

This may inspire you:

http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?p=24495719#post24495719

[MazterDizazter]

Woohoo! My front wheel bearings and e-brake parts came in from the U.K. finally. Tomorrow's my day off; hoping to get the bearings and brakes done, swap the power steering rack and get back to the mess under the intake. Getting really tired of driving this busted ass E320...

*update* Worked on the car yesterday; the wheel bearings and front brakes went on no issues, but I couldn't get the control arms separated from the hubs so I could install the BavAuto lowering springs. Tried heating up the ball joints and whacking them with a mallet but to no avail. Then I went to do the rear parking brake shoes and the LR dust shield was rusted out where one of the hold down pins is supposed to go. Looks like I need a new dust shield... ugh. Drum-and-hat parking brakes are one of the dumbest designs I have ever seen, for the record. My whole body is sore from fighting with the car yesterday!

I got distressed by lack of progress with the parking brake so I replaced the factory speakers with some larger Pioneer speakers and installed the new fuel filter. I hope to make more progress this Sunday.

[MazterDizazter]

'Nuther day off of wrenching accomplished! I did the "Mess Under the Intake" mod, eliminating the throttle body heater plate and the convoluted mess of failing coolant and vacuum lines associated with it. That should take care of the vacuum leaks!

I also wrestled with the grimy old steering rack for what felt like all day. Every step of the process was a struggle but it finally came out and I got a chance to degrease the subframe. I'm waiting on outer tie rods to finish getting the new rack installed. Then I can put the rest of the car together, bleed the steering and the brakes, and maybe actually drive it! You know, before parking it again to work on some more stuff :crazy:

Pics are coming, but I'm fuggin' tired right now...

[MazterDizazter]

3/14/13: Steering rack is in and bolted up! Just need to put the rear brakes in and bleed the coolant and steering. Fingers crossed for no leaks!

3/16/13: Picked up a set of stock basketweaves from a local member for cheap :) I also got a driver's side seatbelt to replace my torn one, and the RH shadowline window trim that the car was missing. I'm psyched! Now if only I could find a crack-free dashboard...

Headed home in a couple of hours to try and get everything back together so I can drive it!

[einhander]

I've lived in Iraq. You wouldn't be gangster at all.

However, this looks like a great project!

[TehPilot]

nice progress, sir!

[TimKninja]

All 4 of my last e30s had that same problem. The hole for the hold down pin on the backing plate rusts out .you may be able to just use a larger pin with some washers . Otherwise you have to remove the rear hub to get the backing plate off. And THAT SUCKS. My rear wheel bearing took me 8 hours .

[MazterDizazter]

These cleaned up OK. Not perfect, but they will be fine. Gotta get a set of new tires though:


Steering rack in. Now everything else looks like crap around it:



The guy I got the wheels and trim from has a crack-free dashboard for me. Sweeeet! I probably won't have the energy to replace my dashboard for a while, but to be able to get the part is definitely a good thing!

[MazterDizazter]

Awwwwriiiiight, the E30 finally leaves the garage under it's own power again! Had to replace the 8yr-old Optima battery, but otherwise it's so-far, so-good! I need to get it to an alignment shop today. Pics to follow!

[IronJoe]

Nice work so far! In for updates.

[MazterDizazter]

Bleeding the coolant and power steering:


Out in the sun, finally!



Unfortunately I didn't notice that one of the heater hoses had a cut in it, so on it's maiden voyage it peed coolant all the way to my friend's house and back. And I seem to have a hot start issue. And I connected the throttle cable incorrectly, so it came disconnected at one point. *sigh* Back to the garage again!

[MazterDizazter]

Alright, spent a couple hours today taking the intake plenum off and fixing the broken coolant hose. All back together. Still have the hot start issue, though. I am going to try replacing the FPR and see what happens. Put fresh plugs and fuel filter in it and the P.O. replaced the coils, so I can't imagine there being too much else to cause it. It drives much nicer than when I first got it, but it still has a few issues:

-Hot start issue
-Rear wheel bearings worn out
-Odometer/speedometer inoperable
-LF suspension clunk
-Exhaust leak
-Parking brake disabled due to rusted dust shields
-Driver's side lock inoperable

I hope to tackle these problems systematically in the upcoming month.

[MazterDizazter]

More talk, no pictures, sorry! Drove the car a couple times, yesterday it was acting up during the day but fine later on. I don't get it. ANYWAYS, I dropped another $600 and ordered the following parts:

-Throttle cable clip (the original one which I broke but made a clever jury-rig out of a cut up credit card)
-Fuel pressure regulator and o-rings
-MIL scan tool/oil svc light reset tool
-Front control arms
-Front and rear sway bar endlinks
-Front sway bar bushings
-Rear wheel bearings
-Rear brake dust shields
-Tranny output shaft seal
-Differential pinion and stub shaft seals
-Bosch beam style wiper blades

Lots of work to do over the next week! I want to get the car to legitimately pass inspection and get it to the UConn car show on Sunday the 14th. Hopefully all it will need after that are subframe and diff bushings, summer tires, and nothing more!

[MazterDizazter]

Got a chance to steam clean the carpets last night. They didn't come out perfect but they look 100x better than they did before.

Before:


After:






All back together:


Took it to work on this sunny day:




Need to work on my photography skillz... these photos are admittedly a little boring...

[MazterDizazter]

Some of the parts started trickling in, including my BavAuto code reader and MIL/oil reset tool. So psyched to get rid of the oil svc light and check codes! I'm getting a code for coolant temp sensor, which I find odd because I replaced it already. Maybe it was the wrong sensor, but I get an accurate coolant reading to the gauge, so not sure on that.