picked up a 33 year old MILF - non-e30 content

[kronus]

Some more photos...

On the drive last weekend, the bad side of my car. Paint is coming in the next few weeks:


Last Monday, getting some exhaust work done:


Took delivery of a non-foglight euro valence today:

[ck_taft325is]

I'm down.

[kronus]

Ok, so it stood for a week, I drove it around for 10 minutes. Then, I changed out the coolant reservoir cap, and the coolant (which was flushed a month ago) is reddish brown.

So, either there's an air bubble in the coolant and it's rusting like a fucker, or head gasket/crack somewhere.

How do I differentiate rust and oil in the coolant? Is it possible to verify blown head gasket without tearing into it? The engine temp seems to stay stable but low, which is different from my previous air bubble in the coolant experiences.

This weekend, motor/trans mounts, valve adjustment, interior cleaning.

[Farbin Kaiber]

BlockTester.

something like this... Most auto parts stores sell something like it.

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00916147000P?sid=IDx20070921x00003a&ci_src=14110944&ci_sku=00916147000P

[kronus]

A video of it idling! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WgVfLjhF3_I

[Good & Tight]

You should turbo that thing... here one of these would help get you started...

[kronus]

^ I'm considering it. Want to send one over so that I can evaluate it? :D

[kronus]

Took the front valence off and sold to Abaddon. It was attached with 18 sheet metal screws. Lol. This is what was under it:





Behold! The chinless wonder!

I will be stripping, priming, painting, and mounting the euro valence tomorrow.

[kronus]

Today's projects include the ignition switch and thermostat replacement.
After getting the old thermostat out, I spent some time trying to get the broken and stripped bleeder screw out of the thermostat housing. It now has claimed the lives of two screw extractors, and I don't think it'll come out. Best option for me is to get one that doesn't have a screw stuck in it. Are M90 thermostat housings the same as M30 ones?

Pictures of mine, showing the awesome current state of the bleeder screw:





Also of interest was the rust situation. The areas forward of the thermostat (so, into the t-stat housing and onward to the radiator) were all covered in rust goop, but the areas inside the motor look ok. Is the inside of my radiator rusting?

[kronus]

15 month bump. I'm working on this old girl again.



brakes are on, front suspension is fully rebuilt, coilovers are on but GC sent me rear springs that are WAAAY too long. Pictures is the height at the lowest setting in the back. I'm emailing them about switching the spring for one that actually fits. FWIW 9" is way too long, it should be about 7" for Koni dampers.

I'll grab some photos soon, but I chipped out the sound deadening, ground out all the rust, welded up the one wee hole that resulted, and covered everything in rust reformer. Next weekend I will be coating everything in POR15 and putting in Dynamat and Dynaliner (the carpet I pulled out was not attached to the foam I tore out), and putting the interior back together, at which point it'll be a daily driver for a while...

[kronus]

lol wut



maybe it will stop jerking on acceleration now?

[e30rapidic]

nice 3 piece guibo! hehe

[Jean]

Wtf, it failed like that?!

[kronus]

yeah. It's probably been like that for years.

Today's completed projects:
- switched out 9" springs for 7" springs. If you have an E12 rear suspension and want coilover springs, get 7" springs. That is the correct height.
- rebuilt shifter. Oddly, the selector pin diameter was 11mm (the one on all bmw in the 80s onward has been 10, I'm pretty sure. In any case, I made it work, new knuckle, short shifter made from 2002 shifter, replaced rear bushing.
- replaced guibo
- couldn't get exhaust back on because one of the pipes uses a weird compression ring design and I messed up the one on there getting the exhaust off. Working on a lift makes this a billion times less frustrating, but it is still hard.
- went for a test drive around the block with open headers, scared children

[CorvallisBMW]

Nice! Glad to see it getting work done