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Sterndotstern posted:I assert you have either a) bad alternator, b) a bad battery ground, or c) all of the above. I'd recommend checking the battery ground first. Also, beware that there are two different alternator mount brackets with different thread pitches. Just checked the battery ground and I had 0.9 ohms from one end of the cable to the other, 1 ohm even between the battery terminal and the bolt going in to the unibody. I have no idea if that's good or bad.
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Jun 9, 2011 23:41
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Pilsner posted:If it runs fine with just the MAF unplugged, it can't be a vacuum leak. Sure it can, it would just have to be the size of an almost completely disconnected MAF that randomly and instantly disconnects itself but now won't go back, which is why I thought it wasn't likely, haha.
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Jun 10, 2011 01:42
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I fail at math. If my e36 requires 10.6 quarts of coolant and I add 8 quarts of 50/50 mixed bmw coolant and 2.6 quarts plain water, what temp will that keep me protected to? I'm in Kentucky so the absolute lowest winter temps we get are usually no colder than -10f. I'd probably want -15f protection to be safe. The reason I ask is that I only bought one jug of coolant and I'd really like to avoid having to buy a second if possible. That poo poo is expensive.
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Jun 11, 2011 19:32
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revmoo posted:I fail at math. If my e36 requires 10.6 quarts of coolant and I add 8 quarts of 50/50 mixed bmw coolant and 2.6 quarts plain water, what temp will that keep me protected to? I'm in Kentucky so the absolute lowest winter temps we get are usually no colder than -10f. I'd probably want -15f protection to be safe. So you have less than 1/3 coolant. That should be about around 0 degree protection, maybe less.
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Jun 11, 2011 19:52
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Motronic posted:So you have less than 1/3 coolant. That should be about around 0 degree protection, maybe less. 4qts coolant /10.6 total volume is about 38% coolant. There should be a chart on coolant jug that shows the protection temp for around that mix, right?
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Jun 11, 2011 20:17
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Just replaced my shifter today, and the difference ended up being HUGE. I bought the understeer.com M3/328 SSK, delrin bushings, new carrier bushing and new selector rod joint. I didn't feel like taking out my exhaust so I ended up just installing a new shifter, new cup bushing and new washers/circlips. I'd say it took away 80% of the slop that was in the stock shifter. I'm not even sure I want to tear the exhaust out just to get the extra 10% from the other new parts. Taking into account all the work I've done on my e30 and e36, this was by far the best bang for buck purchase, and easy to install if you have small to medium sized hands. Getting this circlip back on was the worst part by far. 
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Jun 11, 2011 20:27
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kimbo305 posted:4qts coolant /10.6 total volume is about 38% coolant. There should be a chart on coolant jug that shows the protection temp for around that mix, right? Correct. But the dilution ratings of most coolants really aren't all that different from each other.
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Jun 11, 2011 20:48
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So I just managed to make a bad turn while parking and now the underside is dented to hell. There was an awful cracking noise too.    Is this easily repairable? I've got comprehensive, will insurance cover this (deductible is $200)? I've got a trip planned as well. The damage seems to be cosmetic. I tried taking it to 70mph and no wobbles were present. No leaks as well. Clear coat is hosed/cracked in places. Oh God I hate breaking poo poo. 
awesome-express fucked around with this message at 21:12 on Jun 11, 2011 |
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Jun 11, 2011 21:10
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Motronic posted:Correct. But the dilution ratings of most coolants really aren't all that different from each other. I was mostly noting that there's a difference between <33% and 38%. Probably worth a few degrees.
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Jun 11, 2011 21:30
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quote:Is this easily repairable? I've got comprehensive, will insurance cover this (deductible is $200)? I've got a trip planned as well. The damage seems to be cosmetic. I tried taking it to 70mph and no wobbles were present. No leaks as well. Clear coat is hosed/cracked in places. Oh God I hate breaking poo poo. I cringed looking at that. Dumb mistakes suck, don't they? If you're lucky someone might be selling rocker panel covers somewhere and you can have it painted. Chances are it's going to cost you over $200 to get it to buy it and paint it yourself so if you don't care about making the claim on your insurance do that. Takes away hunting it down regardless of where you try to find it.
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Jun 11, 2011 21:39
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Thing is, the godawful crack that I heard made me think that I ripped off my bumper or something. And I was driving at like 1mph. Stupid mistakes indeed.
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Jun 11, 2011 21:44
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awesome-express posted:Thing is, the godawful crack that I heard made me think that I ripped off my bumper or something. And I was driving at like 1mph. Stupid mistakes indeed. From the pictures and circle, I don't see how you could have damaged the bumper, so that's hopefully good news? Comprehensive isn't going to cover it; since it was being driven, it'll be Collision. Bavauto has some decent prices on aftermarket side sills.
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Jun 11, 2011 23:05
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Warning for anyone who may be working on anything relating to the belt that drives the alternator: The Bentley manual's diagrams and description are only valid for the mechanical tensioner. If you have the hydraulic tensioner, where the mechanical tensioner has an adjustment bolt that must be turned clockwise you will instead find a very weak bolt which will snap off right at the threads if turned more than 1/4 turn clockwise. This does not seem to be an uncommon problem, googling "E46 tensioner bolt broke" got back dozens of results of others who had the same problem after following the Bentley manual. Apparently the correct way to loosen this belt is to use an 8mm hex socket directly in to the pulley and apply clockwise pressure to push against the tensioner. Now once I have the tensioner off I have a new problem of getting the broken bolt out of the block.
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Jun 12, 2011 22:38
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wolrah posted:Warning for anyone who may be working on anything relating to the belt that drives the alternator: The Bentley manual's diagrams and description are only valid for the mechanical tensioner. If you have the hydraulic tensioner, where the mechanical tensioner has an adjustment bolt that must be turned clockwise you will instead find a very weak bolt which will snap off right at the threads if turned more than 1/4 turn clockwise. This is why the Bentley manual that I got with my e34 sits in the bottom of a box in my garage. I bet if you wouldn't have read it you would have taken it off correctly by yourself. At best they're vague and not very helpful, at worst they tell you how to break poo poo. My buddy also used the torque spec from a Haynes manual to tighten a cam bearing cap on his old Talon and after the first two little bolts snapped the head right off them, he checked Nissan's own manual and found a significantly smaller number. Luckily they were easy to get out. Screw third-party repair manuals.
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Jun 12, 2011 23:49
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Lowclock posted:This is why the Bentley manual that I got with my e34 sits in the bottom of a box in my garage. I bet if you wouldn't have read it you would have taken it off correctly by yourself. At best they're vague and not very helpful, at worst they tell you how to break poo poo. You know, I have ALWAYS felt this way. Let's get a book of cheap paper full of vague instructions about a whole range of cars, not specifically ours, with photos that look like they were photocopied several times out of newspaper clippings from the 50s.
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Jun 13, 2011 02:11
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Bentley is good as a reference, but I always double check with the internet. I tore my e30 apart looking for something before I realized that that section was referring to the first gen 318i only, not a 325. Sometimes it makes the distinction between models but in other sections it doesn't. Also glosses over a LOT of steps. I've found bentley torque specs to be pretty spot on though, and I cross-referenced with BMW factory manuals. If you can get your hands on a factory manual, those are really the best. The pictures suck worse than a bentley/haynes, but they cover EVERY model, not just the common ones. It was the only place I could even find info about the 325iX transfer case.
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Jun 13, 2011 02:32
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Lowclock posted:This is why the Bentley manual that I got with my e34 sits in the bottom of a box in my garage. I bet if you wouldn't have read it you would have taken it off correctly by yourself. At best they're vague and not very helpful, at worst they tell you how to break poo poo. This was a painful learning experience. I had picked up the belief that this was a problem with the Haynes and Chilton's manuals and that the Bentley was the exception, supposedly better than factory manuals in some ways. Obviously that is not the case.
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Jun 13, 2011 04:05
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So my E46 looks like it has a small oil leak. I noticed this on the splash shield underneath the radiator on the driver's side. It's definitely not coolant and it shouldn't be P/S fluid since I just changed and checked the hoses last month. I'm going to just wait it out for a while though since it's a slow leak. Nothing gets on the driveway so I'm not too worried but I'd like to know what it is. I haven't gotten time to take a good look at it yet unfortunately, but my research leads me to believe it's the oil filter housing gasket. The dip stick appears to be at the normal range so it may just be a tiny leak that collects over time which would make sense. I don't think it's the pan gasket due to the location of the leak. I will definitely check the P/S hoses again, but are there other hoses or gaskets in that area that may be causing the leak?
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Jun 13, 2011 21:17
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Bank posted:So my E46 looks like it has a small oil leak. I noticed this on the splash shield underneath the radiator on the driver's side. It's definitely not coolant and it shouldn't be P/S fluid since I just changed and checked the hoses last month. I'm going to just wait it out for a while though since it's a slow leak. Nothing gets on the driveway so I'm not too worried but I'd like to know what it is. From what you're describing, it's def. the oil filter housing gasket. Mine was leaking all over the driver's side, even onto the control arm on that side. If it was the valve cover gasket, it would stink of burned oil in the cabin at random times. When you fix the gasket, might as well do the oil separator and the little plastic hoses, since it'll be the easiest shot at all that poo poo with the OFH out of the way.
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Jun 13, 2011 22:54
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Crustashio posted:Bentley is good as a reference, but I always double check with the internet. I tore my e30 apart looking for something before I realized that that section was referring to the first gen 318i only, not a 325. Sometimes it makes the distinction between models but in other sections it doesn't. Also glosses over a LOT of steps. On the e28, Bentley says there are two bolts holding the rear seatback in place. I took those out, and it didn't move. Help me, internet! "Well, there's actually a third, located halfway between the other two." Thanks, internet! So I take that one out, and the drat thing still won't budge. There's actually a 4th bolt behind the flappy bit of the rear seat center arm rest that apparently is either an aftermarket addition by my car's previous owner (Doesn't look like it), or has rattled out of everyone else's e28s.
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Jun 13, 2011 23:31
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Has anyone ever seen a mixed interior of Modena and tan? I have a lead on a good deal for Modena Vaders, rear seats, and door cards for my e36. My center arm rest has been swapped for black, but a big chunk of the dash, the carpet, and headliner would still be tan. Would it be a neat color coordination or would it look like scarlet rear end? Might still do it even if it looks weird; my stock seats are both unsupportive and torn, and half of my door cards are falling apart.
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Jun 14, 2011 23:33
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BMW thread, would I be a moron to buy this? http://portland.craigslist.org/clk/cto/2430822813.html I don't plan on doing much distance driving with it, a couple hundred miles between school and my parents a few times a year and city driving. As far as I can tell he seems to have replaced most of the parts that would warp after that many miles... e: Perhaps important- This would be my first car purchase.
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Jun 14, 2011 23:55
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televiper posted:Has anyone ever seen a mixed interior of Modena and tan? I have a lead on a good deal for Modena Vaders, rear seats, and door cards for my e36. My center arm rest has been swapped for black, but a big chunk of the dash, the carpet, and headliner would still be tan. Would it be a neat color coordination or would it look like scarlet rear end? Personally, I think tan and modena are both pretty gross looking interior colors by themselves, and would look even worse if you mismatched them together. I would dye/replace one or the other to match, or at least a good contrast. Styling is pretty subjective though I guess, and it would probably look nicer than beat up busted door cards and seats. E: Reichstag posted:BMW thread, would I be a moron to buy this? http://portland.craigslist.org/clk/cto/2430822813.html ee: Reichstag posted:e: Perhaps important- This would be my first car purchase. 
Lowclock fucked around with this message at 00:10 on Jun 15, 2011 |
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Jun 15, 2011 00:02
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Reichstag posted:BMW thread, would I be a moron to buy this? Yes.
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Jun 15, 2011 00:07
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That bad, eh?
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Jun 15, 2011 00:38
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poo poo is going to break and be expensive and hard to find. Working on it shouldn't be too big of a pain in and of itself, but unless you have time, space, patience and money, get something newer and less rare.
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Jun 15, 2011 00:51
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Buying a 24 year old German flagship luxury car as a first car that is in questionable condition is a good way to hate life (and end up broke). You'd probably learn a lot in the process, out of necessity, but you'd hate every moment of it and be living in constant fear of "oh god what expensive thing is going to break when I turn the key this time".
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Jun 15, 2011 00:55
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Thanks for confirming that fear, moving on with my car search.
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Jun 15, 2011 00:58
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Just avoid any thing with a 7XX. Though if you are wanting a bigger BMW, purchase a 89-96 E34 535i with a 5 speed. They are a fairly reliable car, and still fun to trash around on a weekend. Buy a later year though for some of the tweaks these cars receive as time rolls along. The 525i is also a good choice, but you also have a timing belt (time bomb) that needs a religious replacement of 5 years/60k miles. They are still regarded as one of the most reliable BMW's made. If you have some more cash to spend, go for an E39 530i with a 5 speed. This has to be one of the best looking 5 series, at least I think it does. Actually, its another reliable car as well. Avoid the V8 as well, unless you want muscle car stomping performance. But if you have some cash to spend on repairing it, the V8 is just an absolute blast to drive.
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Jun 15, 2011 02:06
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BrokenKnucklez posted:If you have some more cash to spend, go for an E39 530i with a 5 speed. This has to be one of the best looking 5 series, at least I think it does. Actually, its another reliable car as well. Avoid the V8 as well, unless you want muscle car stomping performance. But if you have some cash to spend on repairing it, the V8 is just an absolute blast to drive. Is the e39 v8 really significantly more expensive to maintain than the i6? I mean, I know that a bmw i6 is going to be the more reliable option, but I heard that the 540s were still quite reliable in their own right.
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Jun 15, 2011 02:14
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The Third Man posted:Is the e39 v8 really significantly more expensive to maintain than the i6? I mean, I know that a bmw i6 is going to be the more reliable option, but I heard that the 540s were still quite reliable in their own right. Well, the alternator died in a friend of mine's 540i. Its a water cooled and at a $650 price tag, vs $230 for the 530i.
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Jun 15, 2011 02:20
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My earlier seat color question may be academic. I just noticed on RealOEM that front seats have fitment dates listed: 'up to 1/92', '1/92 - 9/93', '9/93 - 9/94', and then '9/94 on'. I know they added pyrotechnic tensioners in '96, but that fact doesn't fit in at all with those dates. Does anyone know if the dates are really meaningful or if it's minor cosmetic changes or something, or if it's anything at all? Since these seats are from a '97, I'd be pretty bummed to get them home and find out they won't fit my 5/94. Another forum indicated that all e36 seats were swappable, but I put a little more faith in AI than in random posters on other forums. televiper fucked around with this message at 02:27 on Jun 15, 2011 |
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Jun 15, 2011 02:24
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Reichstag posted:BMW thread, would I be a moron to buy this? http://portland.craigslist.org/clk/cto/2430822813.html A college student buying an aging luxury car that is a know maintenance pig with expensive parts that presumably has no garage or tools to work on it and no alternate transportation. What could possibly go wrong?
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Jun 15, 2011 03:01
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The Third Man posted:Is the e39 v8 really significantly more expensive to maintain than the i6? I mean, I know that a bmw i6 is going to be the more reliable option, but I heard that the 540s were still quite reliable in their own right. The V8 cars don't have that many engine issues (M5s do have some peculiarities, but nothing a few thousand $ won't fix), but they do seem to have more power steering, alternator, fan, etc issues than the I6 cars do. Also, 2 VANOS units = double the failure potential.
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Jun 15, 2011 04:22
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KaiserBen posted:Also, 2 VANOS units = double the failure potential. They don't have VANOS problems like the 6s.
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Jun 15, 2011 04:24
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Bad idea or awesome idea? There is a 2003 325XI with 70k for 12k from a dealership. I have a 2007 Ford Edge at the moment, and am heavily considering trading it in for it. As far as I know, the value of my Edge is more than the 325's, and I'm hoping that wouldn't be much of an issue to trade it in for it. I was considering doing something like this maybe next spring after I've saved some money, and get some tax return money in my bank again. But browsing some ads, I see this and wonder if this is at all feasible. I honestly have no extra money to put down on anything right now though. I just bought 4 new tires for my car, and fixed my motorcycle, so I'm kinda broke now. I guess this might be more of a financing question than anything. I owe ~16k on my Edge, and it's valued at like 15k-ish. (I just refinanced it 2 months ago). I know a dealership would give me maybe 12k for it, but that would cover the cost of the BMW, especially if I can magically talk them down a notch or 2. I figure it's worth a try at least, and I'm probably going to wait a few days and call the dealership(they're a couple hours away) and talk to someone about it, and hope its still there.
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Jun 15, 2011 05:56
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Binge posted:I honestly have no extra money to put down on anything right now though. I just bought 4 new tires for my car, and fixed my motorcycle, so I'm kinda broke now. It would be unwise to buy an 8y.o. 70k BMW without having ~2 grand put aside for immediate fixes and refreshes, unless you have documentation that they've been done recently, and even then you don't want to buy one and be broke.
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Jun 15, 2011 06:04
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There is a carfax report, but it just has all the oil/filter and inspections listings and a couple "Vehicle serviced" entries. It also failed inspection at 32k miles, but has passed every one since it. Its for sale at a non-BMW dealership, so you're probably right about needed extra money for the just-in-case situations. Who knows what could be about to go on it. I may still place a call just to see what happens. I recently drove a 2011 328i and loved every second of it. Then I find myself browsing ads, and well here I am. Patience is something I normally have, but admittedly, I get too excited looking at this.
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Jun 15, 2011 06:20
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Moved to AI classifieds...
Blooot fucked around with this message at 08:37 on Jun 15, 2011 |
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Jun 15, 2011 07:27
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AlternateAccount posted:You know, I have ALWAYS felt this way. Let's get a book of cheap paper full of vague instructions about a whole range of cars, not specifically ours, with photos that look like they were photocopied several times out of newspaper clippings from the 50s. That's why the Haynes BMW manual sucks balls. I ended up throwing mine out. The Bentley manual, at least for E34, is very good. High quality paper, great photos with high contrast, and only for that specific model. There are some things you can't read in the manual, but I think the best thing about it is that you're reminded of all the little, but important things that we sometimes forget. For example, how most suspension components must be tightened with the car on the ground and at load. I'd never have thought of that if I had just went gung-ho into it. It also reminds you to swap gaskets, o-rings and locking nuts, disconnecting the battery when appropriate and such. It's also great for interior jobs where screws and fastenings can be hidden.
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Jun 15, 2011 09:14
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