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1989 325ix Dinan Turbo stablemate for my 1988 E24 M6

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    #46
    This is why you don't just clean up parts...

    So, this is why you don't just clean up the exterior of some parts. The inside guts really count.

    This is the heater valve.


    First picture, the exterior, second is the exterior cleaned up which looks ok. Then we decide to drill out the rivets and check the guts since is appeared to be leaking slightly. The thought was to replace the o-ring inside and replace the rivets with screws and washers. Looks like we are going with a new unit. Has anyone had experience with servicing the heater valve vs replacing. Just curious.
    The last picture is of more parts that arrived. New thermostat housing, cover, related o-ring & screws and temp sensor. All BMW parts with exception of temp sensor being Bosch.


    Max
    Attached Files

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      #47
      Mine had stopped working because it was clogged with cooling system tablets, but it was not leaking, so the metal parts were not corroded like those. I cleaned all the junk out of it, then reassembled and it works fairly well, although I forgot the steel shell around the coil so it may not be working as max capacity.

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        #48
        As we continue....The under side does not look bad. Its dirty with nearly 30 years of dirt but no rot or rust issues.
        Its all coming out, getting cleaned and refreshed.

        Some more pictures.
        Underside
        Rear subframe
        Rear sub axels
        Rear breaks
        Etc
        Attached Files

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          #49
          Max, where are you located in Fl. Maybe we could meet up at WOT-Tech in Pompano Beach! :D
          Drive it like you just stole it! :p

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            #50
            Progress....

            Its been a while. Progress is being made.
            Got the incorect heater control vlave, they sent me the one for the plastic heater core inlets. I need the other version. If anyone knows where to get the correct ones please let me know. I want new, not used.

            We started making the gaskets for the Dinan turbo and exhaust components since they are all NLA. We chose to make them out of copper sheets. Went with the thickness right inbetween what the standard and heavy duty gaskets would have been. A couple of Pictures of the process being started is below.

            Also included is a picture of some of the underside rear compents after cleanup, blasting, and repaint/sealing. We replaced the bushings etc. The rear bearings have also been replaced. Naturally we replaced the rear subframe bushings. You can see the before picture on post 48 two before this one. Its the second picture. Big difference.

            Its also been decided to replace all the fuel and break lines.

            New Bilstein HD shocks for the rears and struct inserts for the front are most likely being ordered or if not we will restore the current units. Whats on the car now are the original units Dinan used whch the stampings on them matched to the HD units after talking with Bilstein. We believe they may have been revalved as Bilstein advised that the HD shocks are meant for the factory standard height. The car is lowered with Dinan springs. This is going to need to be tested and matched. Bilstein did offer to have them serviced. If I ship them they will restore them with new oil amd seals keeping what ever revalving had been done intact. What I don't like is they wont repaint them and make them look fresh thus if new units will work I'd prefer that than having tompaintbthe old ones.... jurry is still out on this ome.

            I still need to source a new muffler. The Dinan unit has a rust whole. If anyone has one for sale I may be interested otherwise, I am going to source a Eberspaecher muffler which is what Dinan used as the core for its modified version. If anyone knows of a good source for the OEM Eberspaecher mufflers please let me know.

            More to come soon as we should have it back on the road for testing soon.

            Regards

            Max
            Attached Files

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              #51
              Just request new tube covers when/if Bilstein rebuilds them. Since they are inverted, the yellow part is just an empty tube :)

              As far as the turbo gaskets, unless Dinan themselves had custom housings cast, all the gaskets are available from the turbo MFGR's (as well as aftermarket). Looks to be a typical t3/t25 manifold gasket and Garret 5 bolt waste gate housing. BUT, copper sheet works just as well :)
              john@m20guru.com
              Links:
              Transaction feedback: Here, here and here. Thanks :D

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                #52
                If you're trying to keep it original, I'd have the Bilsteins rebuilt. Asking for new "tubes" isn't a bad idea, but realistically you can't see them inside the strut housings anyway.
                Build thread

                Bimmerlabs

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                  #53
                  Any new updates on this? I love this thread - what a great car to be getting the full treatment! Well done!

                  Comment


                    #54
                    Originally posted by Sower View Post
                    Any new updates on this? I love this thread - what a great car to be getting the full treatment! Well done!
                    My appologies to those following this thread. I’ve been MIA. I should have some updates posted of where things are later today/night. Its not ready yet but moving along. Realistically I see the car done in a month or so but not two months, at least I hope not.

                    Thanks

                    Max

                    Comment


                      #55
                      Originally posted by Max325ix View Post
                      My appologies to those following this thread. I’ve been MIA. I should have some updates posted of where things are later today/night. Its not ready yet but moving along. Realistically I see the car done in a month or so but not two months, at least I hope not.;)

                      Thanks

                      Max

                      of course there is always the chance of hurricanes, earthquakes or Kim Jong Un....stay tuned ;)

                      Comment


                        #56
                        Hello,

                        Life throws many curve balls.... I mean many.... I am sure my setbacks & problems pale in comparison to some... 2017 was not the kindest year to me. April 18 2017 my home was flooded due to a burst pipe underground below my foundation. Lived in a hotel with wife and 3 kids (one was 6 month old at that time) for a month. House was deemed unlivable due to the lack of access to water. Rented a house after realizing the insurance company was adverse to just accepting to repair or payout what was really required to properly repair the root of the problem.
                        They rather focussed like a horse with blinders on wanting to just replace drywall, paint and repair other related visible damages...experts on “my side” guaranteed it would happen again if we did not resolve the root cause and replace the entire galvanized pipe water line(s). That necessitated cutting most of the concrete slab on the ground floor... you get the picture. Then some 7 months in the middle of this the house we were renting gets sold...had to find another place to keep the family safe... Lets not forget the one of the worst hurricane seasons in south Florida in years. We had to evacuate Florida for 3 weeks. Come Oct 2017 my business takes a huge directional U-Turn. Partner office decides Fl is just not the place anymore for them, wanting me to move out west... So, I do the travel thing for a while. I would fly out Monday morning and return Thursday evening... At the end of January 2018 I decide that while the opportunity to move was a great one, I had already moved my family to Phoenix in 2010 and again in 2011 to South Fl. We had made South Fl our home and I did not want to move them a third time. Feb 2018 starts the search for a new source of income... Fast forward to June 1st 2018.... We are still not back in our own home! I have been fortunate to have the opportunity to join a new business... I do need to add that through all of this my 2 children (a son now 9 and a daughter now 12) have been so understanding (my 1 yr & 7 month old just goes with the flow). My kids even offered to get a job and sell their things if it would help. My wife has been great and patient trying to keeps things as normal as possible. I managed to hang on to the 89 Dinan E30 IX, 88 E24 M6, and 72 Triumph STAG.

                        Alright finally picking up where we left off....
                        Rather than cut corners and just get the Dinan back on the road I had taken a step back and placing it second to the aforementioned priorities. My mechanic has been more than patient and kind finding little things to do or address on the car plus other projects while I sorted out life.

                        Bilstein advised me that it would be 10 to 12 weeks for rebuilding the existing shocks. They are functioning fine as is and it was more for wanting to be proactive that I wanted to have them done. So my second best option... Yesterday, I ordered new Bilstein front struts and rear shocks (B6 HD performance). I will keep the existing units and have them rebuilt in the future. The rears arrive next week, the fronts the following week. I had to accept getting burned on the front struts pricing due to Bilstein's current stock shortage.

                        Something that should be so simple was not...Sourcing an original BMW OEM engine heater control valve has been an issue. BMW sent 3 in total. The original style had been replaced by a newer part which did not fit. The second "newer" unit also did not fit. Finally, the third unit was correct.

                        Now once the shocks arrive we (Steve) can move to putting the underside back together. Next will be to address some exhaust issues. Looks like a shop will have to custom make/copy one of the Dinan sections front of the cat.

                        After all of the above gets completed we (again, I mean Steve) can start testing all the various systems to make sure all working as originally intended by BMW, Dinan or to Steve's satisfaction. The car was “running” when I got it so hopefully we wont come across any big surprises as we have already proactively addressed everything that ages.

                        I look forward to go and pick it up in GA soon. I'll be dropping off my M6 with Steve at the same time. Perhaps I can make it a fun family summer road trip out of it.

                        To all those that followed my thread and looked forward to seeing regular updates, my apologies. I am back.

                        My best regards,

                        Max
                        Last edited by Max325ix; 06-01-2018, 07:07 AM.

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                          #57
                          Hi

                          Does anyone have a lead on Bilstein front struts 34-002513? Seams that my source fell through and as some of us know, Bilstein is under has shortage parts. If I cannot source them I am going to put back the front units since changing them was for proactive reasons not necessity. I’ll keep my order in place for future... New rears I have, just not sure if I should put them on or put back the units that were on the car. Again, I was changing them to be proactive. As of now I plan to put in the new rear ones unless those in the know suggest otherwise. I’ll be keeping the original Dinan/Bilstein units that came on the car to have refurbished by Bilstein some time in the future.

                          Thanks

                          Max

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                            #58
                            Bilstein has been down for a couple of months. My local supplier has over 100 shocks/inserts on order. :(
                            john@m20guru.com
                            Links:
                            Transaction feedback: Here, here and here. Thanks :D

                            Comment


                              #59
                              Originally posted by ForcedFirebird View Post
                              Bilstein has been down for a couple of months. My local supplier has over 100 shocks/inserts on order. :(
                              If anyone has a new set on hand they wish to unload I’d be happy to buy them. I can even replace them with new units once available again. My supplier just updated my delivery to July 16th. I wont be waiting. The units I got with the car will be going back in once we get to that point of the rebuild.
                              Bilstein must be really backed up as they suggested it would be a 12 weeks from date of reciept to have my own units rebuilt. Is I recall that isnup from the usual +-3 weeks. I guess many are sending theirs in since new aren’t available.

                              Max

                              Comment


                                #60
                                Mini update:

                                Originally I orderered and installed (I should say Steve-mechanic installed) the thicker front flex disc/guibo. Last week Steve advised me that the bolts do not have enough clearance. After reading through a thread here on r3vlimited, it looks like additional steps are needed. Cutting the bolts or shorter bolts, X5 centeriing flange etc... I did not want to make Steve spend time on additional modifications since I am restoring this car to how Dinan had done it in the 80’s I decided to revert back to the original sized OEM flex disc. As recent luck would have it, the BMW units are on BO at ECS, BAVAUTO plus several other sources. Steve found 4 units in the US via his contacts, one will arrive July 22nd. A few more misc items have been order such as a replacement handle for the hand break (current unit had a small hair line crack)... you know ... the “while I am at there” syndrome.
                                The rear end and front end have been put back together. After the original flex disc arrives and the drive shaft gets put back into the car it will be sent to a custom exhaust shop to fabricate a replica of the custom Dinan down pipe (I thinnk thats the part) becuase the exisiting unit is a little tired, pitted and has a few pin holes. Rather than just do a cheap patch with welds we are going to have a new one made. Here is where I wish the tech for 3D printers were farther along and accessible. After this we should be close! Then we begin tweeking and addressing things that may pop up with testing. It ran before we started this process this we donÂ’t expect much to come up.

                                On a side note, not to highjack my own thread... I came across a nice example of a one owner low mile garage kept 1991 E30 325i convertible. I havenÂ’t committed to it yet but I am having a hard time passing it up. I am thinking daily driver but, originally my 1988 M6 was suppsed to be my daily, then this 1989 Dinan ix was supposed to be my daily becuase the M6 should not be one... and now I am thinking this ix shouldnÂ’t be one either.

                                In the meantime here are a few misc pictures of progress...the transmission pan before and after plus a few of the turbo pipes after clean up polish and or repainted.



                                Best regards

                                Max
                                Attached Files
                                Last edited by Max325ix; 07-12-2018, 09:46 AM.

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