Andrew's 1989 325i Project

[5Toes]

Some pictures from today. I had a poor excuse for a car wash. In fact, it was hard because the car is black and the soapy water just steams off too quick. Oh well, proper wash on a cloudy day later (we have lots of cloudy days!). I sprayed down every seal with Simple Green and went at it with a toothbrush. Did all around the trunk gutters, and the seal too, the sunroof, and the sides, and the engine bay. The engine, with 5 pumps of the gas pedal fired right up. I am still mazed this whole thing was only $1200... everyone I have showed it to is very impressed. Oh yes

Speaking of the engine bay, I went through a whole sprayer bottle of half Simple Green and half water on it. It helped, ALOT. Some of the green stuff even came off! I think when I pull the airbox to do the filter I will scrub it down with mineral spirits, the green shit is driving me nuts. Ill do the valve cover too when I do the valves.

I figured out today too that the washer fluid pump is shot. I can't here it clicking on, and the fuse is fine because the wipers work, and they are on the same fuse. Im buying a used unit on here for $8 shipped. Im picking up some of this too to compliment it :) http://www.1z-usa.com/einszett_krist...her_fluid.html

Also I have a couple interior shots. I pulled the rear deck speaker that isn't working, it has stock wiring, and I am 90% the speaker isn't blown. Hmm maybe the factory amp is bad? I dont want to pull the deck out because I dont know how to :(


















FAKE LEG!

[5Toes]

Well today is a very nice day, Im up early and ready to work.

So look at all the green haze that formed in the engine bay!!! ARGH!!! Gunk...
It is on the airbox, MAF (AFM, whatever?), shock towers, basically anything black. Im pissed. My nail also has no effect on it.

Plan for the day:
Scrape off the various stickers on body
Try to get other speakers to work, only one is playing now - Means Im calling Luke
Try to get windshield washer nozzles to spray something
Clean up interior
Wash car
Get all the pollen, etc. off the weather proofing.

I just came back form scraping the stickers. Came off fine, just the rear one as seen in the pictures, I took off some of the metal defrost lines in its perimeter. Pics of that later.

Sunny day:





Filthy car









The sticker where some of the lines got taken off

[5Toes]

Thanks man.

So also today... I found out more things on the car that work.

The OBC still has a temperature that works, I set the date today too, but the time I couldn't change? It has a kind of weak display but it works!

Pulled back seat and found some change, and under one of the seats was a shoe.

[trackjunkie21]

Awesome dude! Glad you finally got an e30!

[5Toes]

AND! My new $20 vise!!!

[Sagaris]

[5Toes]

Before and after a can of Gunk and 4 minutes of washing. I shoved a plastic bag up the intake, the tube that goes from the airbox to the duct doesn't go on to the duct, so that was easy. Also I covered the fuse box with a big because I thought it was broken, but the cover was on backwards, though the clip is still broken.

I sprayed on the gunk, engine was sort of hot... oh well. Let it sit for 10 minutes and then bought 4 minutes worth of water.

The valve cover oil haze crap came off just from the high pressure water at the car wash place. I didn't wash the car.

Afterwards, I pulled the bags and tried to start. It just cranked for about 6 seconds. "Shit" I thought. So I went to talk to my Mom for a couple minutes came back, and it still would just crank. I stopped, pumped gas pedal to floor like 4 times and tried again. Success! Oh Yes!

Before:







After: (less pics)


This weird green haze formed on the top of the airbox that wasn't there before :(

[4waysout]

Thanks. You missed a STEAL. STEAL

Its all good I just picked up a 91 318i from Tacoma, guy put it up for $900 said that he went over a speed bump and cracked the oil-pan, cause it it so freakin low, anyways he then put a new pan and said that he never got it to run after that. Sat for 2 months.

So I picked it up for $700 swapped out battery and started it up, looks like it has a charging problem so looking to swap out the alternator. Ill make my build thread soon, with pics.

[5Toes]

Wow great story, congrats on the buy. Man I'm happy it went to somebody that would take car of it and know whats going on.

Funny thing is that I talked to the guy when he put it up for sale, seemed real nice guy, but I never got a chance to come out there, plus its an automatic. I'm socked he didn't drop anything on the price because he had it up for a while.

Anyways keep us updated on the build, Congrats!!!

Thanks. You missed a STEAL. STEAL

The "howling" is probably a worn out wheelbearing.

Nothing howls. That was a bad adjective. It sounds like the window is down a 1/4".

Today I just got back from the local napa. They had wash mitts for $2 each, and I bought a can of Gunk. Gunk rules, this engine is DIRTY. Ill take before and after pictures.

Also, I went to a yard sale and picked up a HUGE Wilton vise for $20. It has about 4 inch jaws, tilts, and swivels on its axis. Must weigh like 40 pounds. Got a Dewalt random orbit palm sander too for $15, and a Valvoline oil filter wrench for $2. Score!

[bernzpeed]

Hit me up for parts.

[KenC]

The "howling" is probably a worn out wheelbearing.

[4waysout]

Nice buy!!!

Wow great story, congrats on the buy. Man I'm happy it went to somebody that would take car of it and know whats going on.

Funny thing is that I talked to the guy when he put it up for sale, seemed real nice guy, but I never got a chance to come out there, plus its an automatic. I'm socked he didn't drop anything on the price because he had it up for a while.

Anyways keep us updated on the build, Congrats!!!

[5Toes]

Ill ask the German teacher at school, see what she thinks. She is actually pretty awesome

[Sagaris]

:up: Although Lafawnduh has a nice ring to it.

[5Toes]

You approve of the name? Awesome