The Blunderwagon - 89 325iX touring 3.1L stroker

[kronus]

good news! it's a driver!

I got it registered and have been driving it back and forth to a race in sonoma the last few days.




bad news, I found a bunch more issues that were previously hard to find since it hadn't been over 15mph since I'd bought it.

- wind noise from driver's door
- bad driver's door hinge pin (part ordered)
- driver's door lock doesn't work from outside (rebuild kit ordered)
- trunk lock not connected to central locking system
- IOW I can't lock the car so I can't drive it anywhere and leave it
- motor mounts are shot (parts ordered)
- clunk from front left suspension on compression (needs to be looked at)
- oil leak, which is annoying since it was previously the least leaky car I owned
- some steering wheel vibration
- half the cluster doesn't light up half the time
- exhaust resonance at 2k
- headlights were not reaimed when the PO cut the front springs, are basically pointed at the ground
- rod knock above 4500, probably :(

time to write bimmerheads an email..

[kronus]

I had the exhaust back off to fix a couple leaks from my previous welding job. Decided to tackle the floor hole at the same time.

Floor hole:



Made a template and cut a patch:



It goes there.



Welded up (low voltage, low wire feed.. nice and slow)



Etched/primed:



Black painted:




I then sealed it with 3M rubberized undercoating and tossed the exhaust back on. It'll do for a season or two.

[jeenyus]

That's really close to how I have mine. I did retain the mounting point on the transfer case though and then a single 3" all the way back. This turned out great!

[wworm]

I like this a lot

[kronus]

oh, also, last weekend we got the front valence changed out for another one that was kicking around the shop. It was also bent, but in a easier-to-fix area and overall better.

[kronus]

first there was tube



then i cut it into bits and stuff







this was a pain in the dick to close up but I figured it out





overall it came out pretty reasonable, fits into less space than the original cat, and almost doesn't even have an exhaust leak!

then I got it smogged, passed with flying colors. one step closer to reg.




celebratory unfurling of its wings:

[jeenyus]

cool, that tells me basically what I need to know

I think I'm keeping more of the 2x2" run than you did, but I want to keep the stock catback boltable to it.

Part of me wishes i still had a 2x2, but either way i was able to retain all the stock location for mounting. I can still get a picture of it, cause I might be wrong. lol not like i never see it or anything.

[kronus]

cool, that tells me basically what I need to know

I think I'm keeping more of the 2x2" run than you did, but I want to keep the stock catback boltable to it.

[jeenyus]

any shots of how you did the routing? I have a vague plan that's about as detailed as "weld thing to other thing"

I don't have any pictures, but i know how it goes. The stock manifold comes down into a single flex pipe, then single down passed the transfercase mount and that's where the highflow cat is, then a single back to the muffler.

I need to get under the car again tonight briefly. I will take some pictures then.

[kronus]

any shots of how you did the routing? I have a vague plan that's about as detailed as "weld thing to other thing"

[jeenyus]

Ok, so the car has been having a shitty time passing the sniffer. I fail idle emissions, but revved-up emissions is totally fine. I've gone through basically everything else, so I'm tossing a cat on it. Have ordered a weld-in magnaflow and a variety of related shiny metal bits.

Aiming to have it going before ski season this year.

I have a magnaflow highflow cat on mine and it hasn't not passed emissions yet.

[kronus]

Ok, so the car has been having a shitty time passing the sniffer. I fail idle emissions, but revved-up emissions is totally fine. I've gone through basically everything else, so I'm tossing a cat on it. Have ordered a weld-in magnaflow and a variety of related shiny metal bits.

Aiming to have it going before ski season this year.

[kronus]

i feel attacked

[Julien]

other than "finish the white car"?

it might involve some Leffe

Go on :)

[kronus]

it might involve some Leffe