Mike's Alpine White 1991 318is

[mike.bmw]

Ah, I see. Misunderstood. Out of curiosity, does your pressure line have the coil bend in it as well?

I didn't see a coil bend like the one in the diagram in my PS lines. Hope this helps!

[MaCheFai]

Ah, I see. Misunderstood. Out of curiosity, does your pressure line have the coil bend in it as well?

[mike.bmw]

Hey mike.bmw I have a '91 318 convertible and just had a power steering leak spring up on my high pressure hose. In looking for a replacement part, I noticed that my high pressure line looks like the one from the e36, see #5 here: https://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/sho...diagId=32_0650

Saw you mention a rebuild kit for the e36, was curious to learn more! Can't find this pressure line with a coil looking thing at the back anywhere online, and I'm beached at the moment. In Falls Church, VA and will trade beer for a lead on a pressure hose.

What I mentioned was the E36 power steering pump rebuild kit, which appears to be the same kit that would be used for the E30 power steering pump.

I haven't looked into the availability or compatibility of the power steering lines, but if they are NLA, you might be able to take your current lines to a shop that has tooling to make high pressure automotive hoses to have them remade.

[MaCheFai]

The 318is power steering pump uses the same rebuild kit as my E36 M3's pump, so I am intimately familiar with the internals. If the pump was bad, I'd expect the rotor/vanes to be seized/destroyed, or the pump to be leaking, and either way making a ton of noise. But it's not making any noise.

Hey mike.bmw I have a '91 318 convertible and just had a power steering leak spring up on my high pressure hose. In looking for a replacement part, I noticed that my high pressure line looks like the one from the e36, see #5 here: https://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/sho...diagId=32_0650

Saw you mention a rebuild kit for the e36, was curious to learn more! Can't find this pressure line with a coil looking thing at the back anywhere online, and I'm beached at the moment. In Falls Church, VA and will trade beer for a lead on a pressure hose.

[D.Martijn]

It's sometimes the little things that make a big difference!

Great write up as always Mike! :)

[mike.bmw]

The original "elephant trunk" was so brittle that when I touched it, it completely fell apart. This is used as a drain for the cowl area and can clog over time.

I ordered a new one and installation was a breeze. I cleaned up the mounting area, sprayed some silicone on the part, and it popped right on.

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[Tzantushka]

Nice updates and good to see the E30 is getting some love. Now the weather is getting better = more E30 time!

[mike.bmw]

Well, I think there's actually nothing wrong with my E30's power steering. I've been so hyper-focused on my E36 M3, I just simply forgot that the E30's steering is a bit heavier in comparison, especially with my 350mm Momo steering wheel installed. I'll probably flush the system for good measure, but it's totally fine.

[mike.bmw]

After having a shop replace the steering rack and hoses in my M3 (because I was lazy) and subsequently having to rebuild the pump (see my M3 thread), my E30 was feeling left out. I drove it for the first time in over a week today, and the power steering wasn't working whatsoever.

The fluid level is fine. The belt is new(ish) and tensioned properly. The pump spins silently. There are no visible leaks in the rack or the hoses.

The 318is power steering pump uses the same rebuild kit as my E36 M3's pump, so I am intimately familiar with the internals. If the pump was bad, I'd expect the rotor/vanes to be seized/destroyed, or the pump to be leaking, and either way making a ton of noise. But it's not making any noise.

Could this be an issue with the steering rack? Even if there are no visible leaks? Or perhaps a hose is clogged?

Any input/insight is appreciated! I'd rather not start replacing/rebuilding things until I've pinpointed the culprit.

[mike.bmw]

The reverse lights stopped working. Oops! Good thing I passed inspection the other day. ;-)

After checking the bulbs and fuses, I narrowed it down to the reverse light switch. I also ordered the wiring, but didn't end up using it. The switch was a simple 10-minute replacement, with most of the time spent "hydrating" and getting the car in the air.

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[mike.bmw]

Celebrating 9 years with my 1991 318is this month! Time for another state inspection...

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No rust, but I do need to do some cleaning underneath!

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[iXBeater]

You're bringing your spawn up right!

[mike.bmw]

Round one of this week's E30 projects: replacing the thermostat. Again.

The entire cooling system was replaced in March 2017 after I determined the thermostat was stuck open. The same symptoms surfaced a few weeks ago---heat not hot, coolant temp gauge never hitting the mark. So, as everything else was in good shape, I opted to just replace the thermostat this time.

It took me about 3 hours, with most of that time spent carefully cleaning the mating surfaces, and then about 20 minutes to bleed the system.

Avery and I took it on a test drive to one of her after-school activities. No leaks! Yet.

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[mike.bmw]

When project threads collide...

I took a day off from work to unwind, which involved taking my M3 and 318is out for some photos. With a single driver (me) it involved driving to the location, walking home to get the other car, and so on. Let's just say it's just what I needed and I definitely got my steps in!

Inspired, I wrote something for BimmerLife about classic BMWs and classic BBS wheels https://bimmerlife.com/2025/02/11/classic-fitment/

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[OSAH racing]

Beautiful photos