New guy

[LateFan]

Very pleased with the metal work and paint.

[mike.bmw]

Wow, that turned out nicely!

[rturbo 930]

Looks great! Glad to see you went that route. Too much replacement these days, not enough repair.

[LateFan]

Fun to find a good metal guy that does it right.

[LateFan]

This weekend we adjusted the valves - they were all right on or max .001" off. Inside of head was very very clean, that's good. New VC gaskets and plugs. Did a compression test finally. Mostly 180 with a couple of 165s. New used ABS computer module under the dash - didn't seem to make any difference, so maybe the pump / solenoids, or a wiring connection somewhere? We changed out the E90 drop hats on the front back to stock ones plus new rubber spring seats. It was just too low in the front for rough roads and city driving. Sits a little more level now, not so down in front. Played with a fender roller on the front lips where the tires were catching on turns.


Next is timing belt & tensioner (WP is <20k miles), flush the coolant, replace cam seals. Assemble the list of pieces we need to complete the manual swap package - we have trans, cross member, driveshaft, nice flywheel, shifter assembly (plate type), pedals.

[LateFan]

About to start the manual swap over here boss. We're gathering all our DIY lists and making a big parts list.
Maybe I should make a thread over in Transmission & Driveline since I'll have questions to ask.

We have the early shift plate type. There was a small engine fire under the donor car - got the rubber and plastic hot enough to melt, so we're replacing a lot of pieces.



That bushing is shot, so you have to buy the lower shaft lever, which now looks to have a Delrin ball instead of this dimpled aluminum one.

So I ground it all off with the wire wheel.




So many bits to keep track of!

[2mAn]

You will LOVE the manual...

after that, maybe an Alfa Update?

[Albie325]

I did an early model manual swap recently, with the plate style shifter. I might have a parts list excel sheet somewhere for all the carrier parts and the trans re-seal. If you run into any issues I may be able to help, the biggest different between the plate style sift carrier and rod style is the mounting bracket where the end of the carrier mounts to the body. The plate style one works a little odd (to me) but everything mounted up nice and solid. I hope you got the little bracket off the donor car, it's NLA and I was lucky to find someone who had one after posting a WTB ad.

[LateFan]

Yeah, neither of those little L brackets came with it and I don't see any out there just yet. The NW guys out here might have parts stashes to help out. Funny I was just doing a spreadsheet parts list! Thanks. Right now I'm trying to cross reference early eta case with 6 1/2" depth with part numbers for TO bearing and clutch. I think I'll get the standard SACHS kit.

I'm just taking out this melted harmonic balancer on the output flange. Is that OK? I'm under the impression most people leave it out, and it was discontinued on later cars? Trying to get it to pop loose from the yoke. Do those studs press fit in? I've tried PB, two boards, and a careful 2 lb hammer.



Simon - But, but....I won't get to drive it! He's moving to Illinois - U of I. We have to get this thing in and shaken down before he goes. I'm a bit stressed. Guess which project is on hold while I do this? I do have the RF suspension going back together with shiny bits!

[LateFan]

A search found this post by iwantspeed in 2018: His pics are long gone on his DIY.

"But this presents another opportunity to fix a mistake you made.
You should remove the harmonic balancer ring on your driveshaft.
It will hit your shift linkage since you did the z3 shifter.
You can bend your shift linkage to clear the harmonic balancer, but if you ever change shift levers in the future or upgrade to a dssr (highly recommend) then you can't install it until the that ring is removed.


"You will need a few new bolts.
From what I remember that ring uses pressed in studs.
You can hammer out the studs, remove the ring and install regular bolts.


"Also make sure you orientate the guibo in the correct direction.
The tip of the arrow needs to point to a flange.

"Most e30 do not have a harmonic balancer on the driveshaft.
A diy I made I while ago:"
http://garagistic.com/index.php?page...arrier-bushing

"Now heat up the studs and hit them with a Big fucking hammer (BFH).
Once the studs come off and fly across the room, rotate the harmonic balancer and slide it forward.

Success!"

[LateFan]

I want to change the two U joints while it's apart. They're greyed out on the realoem diagram. Is that a standard piece from a driveline shop?

What about balancing the driveshaft assembly?

[LateFan]

I really want one of these in there......917 shift knob

[Albie325]

Regarding the harmonic balancer remnants, mine was in similar shape, and I tried getting it off but couldn't. I didn't really want to hammer out the studs. I installed a UUC DSSR as well as the Z3 short shifter, and just reinstalled the flange with the balancer bracket still attached after re-sealing the output shaft. I've had no issues with the shifter hitting whats left of the harmonic balancer. Since the big rubber donut aspect of the balancer isn't there, there's not much to really get caught on:





The remants of the balancer are light enough (essentially just the steel mount plate at this point) that is doesn't have any effect on driveline vibration either that I've noticed. If I were you I'd leave it alone honestly.


Also, from my reading the driveshaft U-joints on the E30 are not serviceable the way they are on other cars. Rather than being bolted into place with a nut, they're staked in at the factory, and from what others have said most driveline shops won't touch them.

The driveshaft is also pre-balanced and there should be two white dots, one on each half of the driveshaft, that you need to align when you put the driveshaft back together:



Hope that helps

[LateFan]

Helpful information! I was just about to ask about the staked u-joints. I see them listed on FCP, so they exist. But if a shop won't put them in, then what. I think our rear one has a slight catch in it. I was about to mark the front and rear halves before we take anything apart. Need the CSB and carrier, giubo, bolts, front shaft bushing.

I see your nicely painted "bow" bracket hanging off the plate! They are not out there so far. I found one in a shifter assembly and the seller won't separate it. If I had one I could measure carefully, I bet a fab shop could bend or weld up a thick steel plate with the holes and stud. It's not carrying much weight, it just braces the shift linkage assembly.

[LateFan]

Oh, and we recently had three days of monsoon rain day and night, and the passenger front and rear carpets are soaked. Checked the sunroof drains, they run fine out the rockers. There are only the two front ones I hope - not two more at the rear? No wet door panels or surfaces up high, just the floor carpet. Door seals look good. The elephant trunk drain hose from the cowling was old and clogged, took that off. I don't know if maybe it backed up enough from the cowling vents that it overflowed into the heater box and down the firewall...? Need to pull the drivers wiper and that cowl vent to look inside, and maybe the heater closing panel in the engine compartment.