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More of a dumb question... will these http://desmoines.craigslist.org/pts/2499144434.html Work on my e39? I really need some better looking rims.
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Jul 18, 2011 04:41
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AlternateAccount posted:So if I have what sounds like some slightly noisy rattle coming from my valve cover area, what are the odds it's just whatever gaps in the gasket are leaking oil slightly? I keep seeing over and over again procedures for adjusting clearances on the smaller engines, but never anything for the hydraulic lifters on the M60. Are they just replaced? Are they rarely a source of trouble? It could be a bad lifter. They're hydraulic so no adjustment, and from at least one head I've taken apart, it seems like any crap ends up in the little oil passages on the rear passenger side exhaust lifters, which are incidentally the only lifters you can replace without taking off the timing chain and covers and all that. I think I might have a noise like what you're talking about and I got 2 lifters to put on along with a valve cover and plastic cover I blacked out this weekend. I'll let you know how it goes. BrokenKnucklez posted:More of a dumb question... will these E39s wheels need a weird larger 74.1mm center bore compared to other BMWs which are mostly 72.56. The only BMW rims that will swap are either others from e39s, X5s, or '01+ M5s. Lowclock fucked around with this message at 05:28 on Jul 18, 2011 |
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Jul 18, 2011 04:52
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So I have a few questions about getting back into the BMW fold. I'm going to garage my E55 for use as a weekend/fun car, and I'm looking for a daily driver. A few cars ago, I had an Alpine White 2001 BMW 330i in 5-spd and it was quite the fun little car. Just enough power (~230hp) not to be a complete dog and it was agile for a sedan. I'd definitely want to spend under 20k for this car, so I've limited it to the 00-06ish BMWs. I'm almost positive I'm going to pick up a sedan, and I'm also looking for one with a real 5- or 6-speed manual transmission, not a Steptronic or SMG (this also rules out another Mercedes). Here's what I'm looking at so far: e46 (00-05) 330i or 330xi. These are smaller but IMO are one of the best looking BMWs of all time. They're also incredibly cheap, with 90k mile cars going for $8k. I've considered a ZHP, but it seems like people are tacking another $5k on top of the price tag for the ZHPs. If I were going to spend $15k+ on an e46, it'd be an M3. Assuming the subframe isn't tearing, I'm not worried about high mileage. Replace the plastic cooling system and you're good to go. As far as 330i vs. 330xi, if I could find a 330xi (AWD) in a 6-speed for the right price, I'd get it. e39 M5 I've driven these before, and they're acceptable in the power department. Not great, but acceptable. Power seemed comparable to a B6 Audi S4 with the 4.2 V8. There's just something that grabs me when it comes to the exterior styling of the M5, though. With the caramel interior and alcantara headliner, this would be a great grocery getter. I don't believe they actually have that much more interior room than the e46, but the e39 M-car is a sedan and the e46 isn't. The transmission is extremely smooth and fun to row through the gears, and the car is definitely a lot more agile than ~my e55~. e60 530i (or 525i, 528i?) I haven't looked much into this one. I like the styling of the e60 5-series, but I don't know much about them. Are they reliable? Is higher mileage a concern? I've been told by many people to stay away from the 545i, so I'll probably avoid those. That said, I've seen the 530i/530xi in the 15k range, which would be great. Is there any particular model or year I should watch out for? Again, AWD would be nice to have but I don't need it. I've considered a 535i, but the price premium on those seems to still be up there, and I've heard all sorts of terrible things about the turbos on the N54 blowing up. I don't like the way the e90 3-series looks, so those are out. Thoughts? The e46s are sub 9k, the e39 M5s are anywhere from 13-20k, and the e60 5-series are about the same as the M5. When all is said and done I'll probably buy another 330i, but I'd definitely like to look into the other two options.
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Jul 18, 2011 05:27
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Got a odd problem on my E30... Whenever I turn the steering wheel, there is a really loud groaning sound. Not mechanical like low PS fluid. I found that the noise was coming from the nut that holds the shock mount to the front part of the control arm. I've tried tightening the bolt, which helped a little, but the sound came right back. I also pulled the nut and put a bunch of lube on before putting the nut back on. This stopped the noise for all of a day, until I assume the lube was pushed away from the spot that rubs. I am getting a new nut to try, but does this sound like maybe the control arm needs replacing? Dyscrasia fucked around with this message at 13:54 on Jul 18, 2011 |
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Jul 18, 2011 13:52
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Dyscrasia posted:Got a odd problem on my E30... It has a ball joint on that end as well - the joint is quite probably dying in usual BMW fashion. Replace CA as a unit or press in a new one, I'd guess. On the off-chance that the other BJ is gone and the problem is being referred across, maybe just get a complete LCA set with the ball joints and a new CAB?
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Jul 18, 2011 15:48
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I replaced the control arms on my E30 about 2 years ago and I was just poking around under the car and I noticed that all off the rubber is already worn and cracked, in some cases torn all around the joint. I really don't care to spend time and money replacing these things again so soon, how bad would it be if I just forced a bunch of suspension grease in the boots every once in a while?
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Jul 18, 2011 16:03
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Saga posted:It has a ball joint on that end as well - the joint is quite probably dying in usual BMW fashion. Replace CA as a unit or press in a new one, I'd guess. On the off-chance that the other BJ is gone and the problem is being referred across, maybe just get a complete LCA set with the ball joints and a new CAB? Yea, I just thought it odd because the balljoint looks good, the rubber is fine, the sound is without a doubt coming from the nut rubbing on the CA. I was just hoping to not have to get a new CA. it also only makes noise when the suspension is loaded. When I lift the car, no sound. I do have HR Race springs and bilstein sports, so I suppose I should expect to burn through CA's.
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Jul 18, 2011 16:07
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Dyscrasia posted:Yea, I just thought it odd because the balljoint looks good, the rubber is fine, the sound is without a doubt coming from the nut rubbing on the CA. I was just hoping to not have to get a new CA. it also only makes noise when the suspension is loaded. When I lift the car, no sound. I do have HR Race springs and bilstein sports, so I suppose I should expect to burn through CA's. Something must be off if the nut's doing that though? The CA or something attached to it being the most likely culprit. two_beer_bishes, my last set lasted a couple years. One of the BJs that came off was properly messed up, so I don't know exactly how safe it would be to assume that the BJ will survive when the rubber perishes. The car does get thrashed along a twisty road every time I take it to work, however. It doesn't have the easiest life.
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Jul 18, 2011 16:57
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Was there ever a BMW that had a metal screw like the plastic one that hold up the toolbox in the trunk of 90's BMWs? My stereo is too loving loud so I had to remove the trunk struts otherwise it would keep popping the trunk, and it keeps breaking the plastic screw in half leaving it flapping open and dumping some of the tools around my trunk.
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Jul 18, 2011 20:04
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Quart sized ziploc bag will be easier to find, and will probably fit in the spare tire well 
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Jul 18, 2011 20:55
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televiper posted:Quart sized ziploc bag will be easier to find, and will probably fit in the spare tire well   (It's way too hot outside to finish it yet. Wires were hidden and amps were mounted hanging from the package tray on my old e34) I don't want to completely remove it because otherwise it leaves the trunk lid looking funny because it's molded around the tool holder thing. Maybe I'll just get a big bolt, paint it black, and JB Weld a wing nut to the back or something. Lowclock fucked around with this message at 21:27 on Jul 18, 2011 |
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Jul 18, 2011 21:13
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Nait Sirhc posted:
Man I want to drive your cars when 400HP is merely 'not great, but acceptable.' (Yes I know you have an E55, just sayin'  )
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Jul 18, 2011 21:17
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CornHolio posted:Man I want to drive your cars when 400HP is merely 'not great, but acceptable.' OK I was kind of wondering, because I read that and was like... "acceptable?"
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Jul 18, 2011 21:36
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Well, today was the hottest day of the year. What did I notice happened to my E46 coupe when I got into it after being parked outside all day? If you guessed "lol the door edge trim sagged", you're right! I figure I'm going to reglue it once, but after that, I'm just going to cut it all off. Like it is already on the driver's side.
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Jul 19, 2011 00:20
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MrChips posted:Well, today was the hottest day of the year. What did I notice happened to my E46 coupe when I got into it after being parked outside all day? If you guessed "lol the door edge trim sagged", you're right! Don't glue it. Pull it off, clean the pinch weld and the inside of the rubber with alcohol or some other good non-residue cleaner, and if it's like some of them, you can lay it flat and wack it with a hammer and a piece of wood to make the little gap flatter and tighter. It shouldn't come off again.
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Jul 19, 2011 00:25
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sigh, windshield washer pump is dead.... E34s are the best cars, E34s are the best cars, E34s are the best cars, I just gotta keep chanting it.
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Jul 19, 2011 01:52
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AlternateAccount posted:sigh, windshield washer pump is dead.... E34s are the best cars, E34s are the best cars, E34s are the best cars, I just gotta keep chanting it. I actually noticed mine wouldn't work the other day too, although I haven't looked to see if it was a fuse or anything yet. At least they're pretty cheap and painfully simple to replace.
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Jul 19, 2011 02:00
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Lowclock posted:I actually noticed mine wouldn't work the other day too, although I haven't looked to see if it was a fuse or anything yet. At least they're pretty cheap and painfully simple to replace. Yeah, I went ahead and ordered it actually. On a good note, I finally took a look and noticed the little rubber threaded stoppers and now my hood sits properly flush instead of 3/8" below the fenders.
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Jul 19, 2011 02:07
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^^^ - doh, too slow.Lowclock posted:I actually noticed mine wouldn't work the other day too, although I haven't looked to see if it was a fuse or anything yet. At least they're pretty cheap and painfully simple to replace. For real, if it's just the pump, it's a $30 part and a 3 minute swap.
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Jul 19, 2011 02:08
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Lowclock posted:Don't glue it. Pull it off, clean the pinch weld and the inside of the rubber with alcohol or some other good non-residue cleaner, and if it's like some of them, you can lay it flat and wack it with a hammer and a piece of wood to make the little gap flatter and tighter. It shouldn't come off again. The rubber part of the trim isn't coming down; the mousefur inner piece is sagging, like this (not my image):  Is it still not a good idea to glue that bit back up? I can't see why it wouldn't be, as it appears to have been glued (badly) from the factory.
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Jul 19, 2011 02:10
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MrChips posted:Is it still not a good idea to glue that bit back up? I can't see why it wouldn't be, as it appears to have been glued (badly) from the factory. Ohhhhh I thought you meant the whole rubber part comes off. Yeah you can glue that poo poo. Super glue seems to work the best out of what I've tried. New ones are under edge protection on most catalogs and are only like $59 for e46s if you want to just replace them.
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Jul 19, 2011 02:18
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MrChips posted:The rubber part of the trim isn't coming down; the mousefur inner piece is sagging, like this (not my image): The E46's coupes were notorious for the mouse fur droops. My 2001 330ci had that problem by mid 2002 if I recall. I think the consensus back then on bimmerfest and other forums was that the glue BMW used back then couldn't handle the 100+ degree F temps here in the U.S. Some folks just epoxied or superglued it back.
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Jul 19, 2011 02:39
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Thanks on the wheel help. Before I spend a buttload of money on parts. I am getting steering wheel shakes on my 03 540i e39. I don't notice much at speed, just braking, but it never seems consistent some times its more pronounced. I jacked the front end up and tried to yank the wheel back and forth and I don't feel any play at all. And the control arms look newer than the rest of the car, plus there is no cracks on the rubber bushings so I will assume those are recently replaced. Here is what I plan to do in order (spend the least amount first) 1. Balance tires 2. Front end alignment 3. Rotors and pads (any good recommendations) 4. Control/Thrust arms 5. new tires I googled around and it every one seems to go about it differently.
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Jul 19, 2011 05:08
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Keyser S0ze posted:The E46's coupes were notorious for the mouse fur droops. My 2001 330ci had that problem by mid 2002 if I recall. Whatever glue you decide to use, I found it helpful/essential to buy at least two clamps to hold it in place as the glue dries. Works much better than trying to masking tape it down. I ended up going with marine goop because that stuff is supposed to withstand high temperatures.
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Jul 19, 2011 07:50
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BrokenKnucklez posted:Thanks on the wheel help. You could swap your front and rear tires and see if it goes away, thats a lot more free than a balance. Betting on something in the rotors or pads, but who knows.
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Jul 19, 2011 08:23
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AlternateAccount posted:You could swap your front and rear tires and see if it goes away, thats a lot more free than a balance. Betting on something in the rotors or pads, but who knows. Swap them and see if the vibration changes significantly. I doubt it will go away. If you need to do the brakes, I would just use pattern rotors and OEM pads. Check the discs and pads for any signs you have a piston binding up, maybe rebuild the calipers on a bench with new seals etc. anyway instead of spending money on fancier pads and discs. If it's on original soft lines, maybe throw some steel braided lines on (usually much cheaper than buying the BMW ones).
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Jul 19, 2011 10:32
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AlternateAccount posted:So if I have what sounds like some slightly noisy rattle coming from my valve cover area, what are the odds it's just whatever gaps in the gasket are leaking oil slightly? I keep seeing over and over again procedures for adjusting clearances on the smaller engines, but never anything for the hydraulic lifters on the M60. Are they just replaced? Are they rarely a source of trouble? Hydraulic lifters usually do a very gentle ticking. Also, they can't be adjusted, just replaced, if you can be bothered to buy 32 new lifters at $$$$$$$ just to get rid of it. However, if you say it's a noisy rattle, I'd consider the timing chain tensioner. Does it rattle more just after startup? Mine developed a nasty rattle that would be present only in the first couple of seconds after startup, then disappear. The tensioner is a little piston that gets filled with oil as the engine runs, and thus keeps the timing chain tight in place. It also has a firm spring, which makes it apply pressure in the time between having started the engine and until the oil system has been pressurized. If the spring is old and weak, it'll rattle until then. But perhaps your piston is leaky or broken so it doesn't keep the correct pressure at all. It's part #22 here. BrokenKnucklez posted:Thanks on the wheel help. If you had an E34, I'd tell you the upper control arms. Those being busted produce a very reproducable shaking under braking between around 70mph down to 55mph. At what speeds are you getting shaking?
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Jul 19, 2011 12:57
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Another question for the E34 folks, particularly the ones with an M50. Has anyone tried out a performance chip on their engine? I fill mine with premium pretty much all the time anyways so I'm tempted to get the cheap horsepower.
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Jul 19, 2011 14:40
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I hate you guys for making me want an E34 so badly. 
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Jul 19, 2011 14:43
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CornHolio posted:I hate you guys for making me want an E34 so badly. If its any consolation depending on your climate owning an E34 is a constant battle against: 1. Rust (North) 2. Interior parts coming unglued (South) 3. Paint getting torched (Further South) 4. Constant and regular control arm failure (Everywhere)
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Jul 19, 2011 14:45
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8ender posted:If its any consolation depending on your climate owning an E34 is a constant battle against: Doesn't sound too much different than my E36
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Jul 19, 2011 14:50
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CornHolio posted:Doesn't sound too much different than my E36 My 93' is doing really well considering its age and where I live but the rust is really starting to creep in all over. Also the E34s had these stupid rubber and metal door strips that pretty much guarantee that every northern E34 has rusted out door bottoms.
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Jul 19, 2011 15:02
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8ender posted:My 93' is doing really well considering its age and where I live but the rust is really starting to creep in all over. Also the E34s had these stupid rubber and metal door strips that pretty much guarantee that every northern E34 has rusted out door bottoms. The leading edge of my roof (under the top windshield weatherstrip) is rusting and I fear that's going to be the end of my car once it starts leaking. Tiny bit of rust in a couple of other places, but those are liveable, this one worries me a lot. '97 here, CA car most of its life but of course I'm an rear end and drive it in Indiana winters, which are sure to ruin any car.
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Jul 19, 2011 15:08
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CornHolio posted:The leading edge of my roof (under the top windshield weatherstrip) is rusting and I fear that's going to be the end of my car once it starts leaking. Tiny bit of rust in a couple of other places, but those are liveable, this one worries me a lot. I had a similar problem and you should really take care of it quickly. I ended up sanding and repainting with some thick rust paint just under the weatherstrip.
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Jul 19, 2011 15:11
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8ender posted:I had a similar problem and you should really take care of it quickly. I ended up sanding and repainting with some thick rust paint just under the weatherstrip. I have no experience with rust repair or painting though (plus I live in an apartment), and would probably need the windshield removed to get all of it. I'd need to pay somebody to do it. Any idea how much something like that would cost?
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Jul 19, 2011 15:41
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AlternateAccount posted:sigh, windshield washer pump is dead.... E34s are the best cars, E34s are the best cars, E34s are the best cars, I just gotta keep chanting it. You may have already done this, but make sure its not just clogged first. I thought mine was dead, went to swap it out and it was just a bunch of gunk at the bottom of the tank. Had I just taken it out and cleaned it it woulda saved me $30.
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Jul 19, 2011 17:07
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Well I tried tapping on it and that didn't work. I didnt think about clogging, but I already ordered a new one from Pelican for $14 so meh. As far as my engine's ticking, it's fairly constant. I will check the tensioner. Strangely, I can even feel the gentle tick/tap all the way through to the gearshift.
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Jul 19, 2011 17:14
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rawrr posted:Whatever glue you decide to use, I found it helpful/essential to buy at least two clamps to hold it in place as the glue dries. Works much better than trying to masking tape it down. I ended up going with marine goop because that stuff is supposed to withstand high temperatures. I used some urethane glue for my repair; so far, so good. I didn't clamp it together - I just used strips of wide masking tape every few inches. I also taped it in such a way that closing the door tightened the new glue joint.
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Jul 19, 2011 20:19
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MrChips posted:The rubber part of the trim isn't coming down; the mousefur inner piece is sagging, like this (not my image): Well I'll be fuckin damned. I wondered why the rubber window seal->headliner was so gappy on my car, I don't even have any of that poo poo on my car. Stupid PO's 
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Jul 19, 2011 21:30
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The Third Man posted:Try refreshing your diff fluid and see if it goes away would probably be the first thing I'd do. This has been on my todo list for a while, so maybe I should finally get it tackled. This is the really stinky poo poo, right? Can I get a decent replacement fluid locally? I was thinking Redline, but I'm not sure they sell that at Autozone or whatever. Does BMW sell bottles of diff fluid through the dealerships?
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Jul 19, 2011 23:21
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