Ok great info. I'm most likely going with DMF and Sachs performance clutch... I wonder if it's the same as the one one sold in the states. No one here on the site has ever seen or used one...
My main concern is effort pushing it in as I've had 4 surgeries on my clutch knee over the years
Yeah, then you have to choose wisely. I'm not sure either but I think mine is different than out of the box Sachs performance clutch.
All I can tell you is that my current clutch has a softer pedal and takes less effort than the Luk clutch in my previous M5. I prefer the current setup in every way.
A couple of small updates.
Got tired of looking at dead pixels in the cluster so I got that sorted with a silver ribbon cable from Pixelfix.
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Didn't take many pictures as I've already done this on my previous M5 and documented it better then.
Some preventive maintenance. I had an invoice that intake camshaft position sensors were replaced back in 2014 but nothing for exhaust CPS.
If you guys remember at the beginning of this thread, I bought my silver M5 with a CEL and knocking vanos which were caused by a bad exhaust CPS so figured this is a good piece of mind.
I used OEM sensors with BMW logo grinned off.
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Didn't have any problems with this prior to replacing it preventively and didn't feel any change after.
Other then that, I've been just driving the car and enjoying it.
With the morning temperatures starting around 4°C thermostat is next in the line for replacement as it can't hold a steady temperature.
I have parts for that coming and decided to replace the water pump as pm while in there. I actually got a friend from Tennessee to send me a wp from the States.
Reason being the preposterous difference in price - cheapest I could find it in Germany is $460 (German eBay) or $550 at the stealer vs $236 in the US. Even though the shipping is pricey it should save me few bucks.
Had a short outing to the city of Lyon where I struck out to buy an e46 M3.
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Truly fascinating city and I'll do a full write up when I have more time.
Also made a quick in and out to Paris to check out 1992 Audi C4 S4. Didn't buy it but still thinking about it.
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I only had enough time to get a quick glimpse of the Eiffel tower before catching the next bullet train back to Germany. :biggrin
Next Friday I'm joining M Flight in visiting Alpha-N Performance/Ohlins suspension factory and it will be the first time for the M5 and myself to drive around the Ring. Very excited for that one. :biggrin
That M3 pretty boii
I forgot to send you pics with the phone camera lenses so I'll do that now
Great updates!
That C4 S4 is so clean! I never seeing them in US. They probably uber rare in the Europe considering the age.
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The M3 looks great 30 feet away.Quote:
Originally Posted by ZHPizza
Come closer and disappointment awaits.
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Interior trashed and trim falling off, repainted poorly and now the clear coat is coming off, rims are toast, needed new tires, brakes, on the test drive something was knocking in the rear... The day before my arrival CEL and airbag light came on. '01 model, 2nd owner since 2009, 128k miles.
The car needed to be rescued and the seller was convinced this was a nice car but it just wasn't. It was on a cheaper side but we just couldn't see eye to eye on the price, we came pretty close but he didn't budge much and my gut was telling me the car was beaten and just not worth it so I didn't want to make the extra effort and walked away.
Thanks! The S4 held up pretty good for a 26 years old car.Quote:
Originally Posted by RUS_ZHP
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Needs some work, few dials not working, handbrake kaput.. but the reason I walked away was lack of any service history so the kilometers couldn't be verified as original and an outer head gasket leak which he of course didn't bother to mention.
He said it's common and someone else told me the same, it wasn't using any coolant according to him and engine sounds sweet. I don't know much about Audis but a leak of that sort in my opinion needs to be addressed asap. I walked away for now, but I might come back for it (if it doesn't sell) as everything else was solid, interior, body...
In other news - picking up Stratus grey e46 this evening!
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That M3 looks pretty hammered.... the noise in the rear could very well be torn subframe mounts. can't believe how clean the interior is on the Audi
Yeah, without getting M3 up in the air it would be tough to tell. Audi held up very good on the inside, seats, steering wheel, gear knob... all perfect.Quote:
Originally Posted by Sockethead
Soooo, brought the e46 home last week and commenced a small refreshment job. It's a '02 325i M Sport Individual finished in striking Stratus grey, has 140k miles and needs lots of TLC.
Mostly stock apart from hideous aftermarket radio and H&R springs which actually ride pretty well.
It being a German car all its life the major drawback is naturally rust which started to show on common places like rear fenders and rear right door. I bought it as a flip car but mostly cause I really liked the color and I wanted something familiar to tinker with. The margin for profit is slim to none on this car so it's amusing fixing it up on a shoestring budget.
Even though I knew all of this when I inspected it, I simply missed driving the e46. I sold my ZHP when I left California in February 2016 and been longing for another one since then. This one will be fixed up and passed on, but I'm looking out for a 330i M sport in near future.
Parts arrived and started addressing usual e46 stuff.
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Leaky valve cover gasket replaced. The old gasket turned into plastic and was a pain to separate from the cover.
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Besides that replaced lower and upper intake boot, inspected DISA, filters and oil, spark plugs, belts & pulleys, steering coupler...
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Yummy power steering fluid.
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Fake Chinese $15 ZHP shift knob did the trick.
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The steering was just plain nasty, it's like someone took sandpaper and rubbed all over it.
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I had a lovely freshly rewrapped steering wheel laying around which I actually bought to put in my previous M5 and since the steering wheel in my current M5 is still in great condition I never used it. So I test fitted it in the e46.
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It's a piece of art. When I ordered this steering wheel I specifically asked the guy to use the same leather material like on OEM wheels so I get that perfect matching finish of OEM steering wheel. It is also a bit thicker so it feels great.
I didn't want to use this wheel in my M5 because mine is still in great condition and I wanted to keep its originality, but after driving e46 with it, I'm on the fence to put it in the M5. It's just awesome.
I think I'll swap the lower trim piece and airbag from e46 to M5 since that one appears to be in better state cosmetically but I'll think about the steering wheel.
Few pics of how the car sits at the moment.
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After giving the love to the 325i, it decided to reward me with hesitation and misfiring in lower rpms, any gear under 2000 rpm and it'll start misfiring. Plugged in PA soft, gave it some gas and it throws a code for ignition activation, spark too short on cylinder #5. Swapped the coil from cylinder #5 to #2, cleared the codes and got the same error on cylinder #2 now. Definitely a defective coil so the new one is coming.
The steering was also a bit off center to the right in a straight line so took it for alignment yesterday just to get a call an hour later saying they cannot do it. Apparently both tie rod ends are seized with inner ones and whatever they tried they couldn't break it loose. They gave up quickly and another shop told me that they could try, but would charge me double or even triple for extra work so I said nein and ordered complete tie rod assemblies to replace them if I don't manage to get them moving myself.
I'll continue working on the e46 over the weekend. I also need to replace front brakes as rotors are warped and the steering wobbles under braking.
Now the long-awaited trip to the Nürburgring with M Flight last Friday. I arrived at the location a bit before noon.
The roads around the ring are simply amazing and I got the whiff of the sacred ground instantly.
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I'd say this makes for a perfect background.
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The meeting point was at the Nürburgring sign. I was the first one to arrive and got some alone time with the sign.
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Then the convoy arrived. Everyone got their pics and we rolled out to Öhlins for a presentation and tour of their facility.
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Lined up in Öhlins courtyard.
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They prepared a short presentation about their company and showed us their working area and few of their products.
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F80 M3 coilovers.
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Pimped out M4 from a member from Belgium who runs Öhlins stuff.
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I was told that stuff for E39M is in the works and they should come out with a new product soon. They certainly make high-quality products but a bit steep for my pocket at the moment, plus I'm very happy with Konis.
Great knowledgeable group of people who made us properly welcomed. Up next was the back-stage tour of the GP track and some history talk about the Ring.
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Small historic exhibition.
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Hotel with the best soundtrack?
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Great seeing pit crews at work.
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Look at the GP track from TUV tower.
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With the backstage tour being over and learning more about the Nürburgring history, we gathered at Apex before heading off to the track.
Apex and Robert Mitchell support the club and always open their doors for us.
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Truthfully, I was a bit nervous about going out to the track. I have no track experience and I don't know the circuit well enough and didn't want to wind up on youtube like Idiot crashes his M5 on the Ring.
Decided that the best course of action was to first ride shotgun in friends M3 to get a feel for it.
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F80 M3 is a proper track machine and on Michelins it just grips and grips.
I felt confident enough and it was my turn. I drove a real touristy lap and was sticking to the right side most of the time and letting regulars blew past me on the left side.
The highest point of the track is 600 m above sea level and lowest 300 meters and it's crazy when you put those facts in reality, the track constantly goes up and down. You are driving flat out up the hill and if you are like me who doesn't know the track, you have no clue what's coming up.
Earlier that the day a guy with Nissan went out and had a close encounter with armco, and another motorcyclist ended up having a bad day during my lap.
Luckily for me, it was Friday so the track wasn't that busy. Got some great shots!
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My favorite shot. The M5 looks so mean on the track.
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It was phenomenal fun and all 20 kilometers of the track was extremely enjoyable. Driving through Carousel is just epic.
I didn't push the car to the limit but M5 took it like a champ. Konis are doing their job brilliantly and Falken rubber did great too.
I hope to get another chance to visit the Ring before the season ends and next time I'll have more confidence to push the M5. :biggrin
This man knows how to post an update!
Simply awesome although, your GF doesn't look that thrilled :)
Those first couple of pics of you car with the track in the background... I'd be making a poster out of one of those.
Weird seeing an e46 steering wheel without any buttons on it
Yessir! Thanks, Spenser.Quote:
Originally Posted by 704sw
Yeah, few turns in and she grew a beard. :biggrinQuote:
Originally Posted by Sockethead
That's the plan. :) Just gotta buy a lens that Nate recommended when taking such pictures.
Very weird, if the budget allows I might retrofit the buttons. Options on German cars are just stupid sometimes, thank god it doesn't have oven controls for A/C.
This week on BMW barn find hunter...
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Sent from my SM-G965F using Tapatalk
Nice! 850CSI?
Well those wheels look terrible on the E31.
I wish. Just a good ol' 850i 6 gang. Interior is like a time capsule, it's been parked in a dry storage for 8-10 years.Quote:
Originally Posted by Whammy
Indeed. I'll be sourcing original E31 sofa wheels to replace them.Quote:
Originally Posted by 704sw
Sent from my SM-G965F using Tapatalk
Pretty low miles...
Oh man I cannot wait to see this thing cleaned up.
Btw where the hell are you parking all of these cars???
56k miles, pretty low for a 27 year old car. It's been off the road since 2009 according to the last inspection stamp.Quote:
Originally Posted by Sockethead
Dude, I'm asking myself the same question. [emoji28] I have 2 garages, one nearby my house were M5 sleeps and another one in my old neighborhood were e46 resides at the moment.Quote:
Originally Posted by ZHPizza
3er will be up for sale soon but that garage is not really practical for the 8er. Underground garage -2 level, small parking space and 850i is a non-runner so don't really want to push it in that hole, it's just getting out of one.
I'm looking for a bigger dry garage where I can queue the music and bring this beast back to life.
Sent from my SM-G965F using Tapatalk
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sreten
Attachment 34112
Gotta get that soundtrack as well to fullfill the moment. [emoji28]
Sent from my SM-G965F using Tapatalk
Lol @ Chinese ZHP knob
It does not disappoint.
I ordered one of those on eBay and had to send it back. It was maybe half the weight of the OEM knob and Chinese quality finish. Good for $15 though!Quote:
Originally Posted by holyc0w
Wanted to give an update on E31.
This is the car I spotted on Spanish listings around 3 months ago. At that time it was advertised with a high price tag but said that it's a project car and price was negotiable. Intrigued, I contacted the guy and started getting more info on the car.
Original Spanish car that spent all its life in the Madrid area. The car was purchased by sellers father back in 1995 and they were the 2nd owners.
They barely used it and between 1995 and 2009 the car covered around 17k miles.
Last inspection stamp (ITV) was in November 2009 which is around the time the car went off the road and into storage.
https://i.postimg.cc/3rF5ncP6/Untitled.jpg
After some back and forth, I received dusty photos I posted above and the usual spiel that the car is perfect, everything working, started regularly... The price went down, but not low enough. I made him a low but realistic offer at which he responded as not being mad to sell at that price. In a nice way, I explained to him that he is indeed mad for wanting unfeasible money for the car. I wished him good luck and we stopped talking.
A few weeks ago I sent him a text asking if he sold the car, he didn't and he removed the ad since he was getting stupid offers from tire kickers. He wanted to get rid of it and asked what would I pay, I made him a bit better offer under the condition everything was as he described and that the car is running. He agreed and I decided to fly out and see this forgotten car.
The car was in the city of Salamanca, 2 hours from Madrid. I didn't have enough free time to make a proper road trip out of this and I flew alone with a return flight home the next day.
Beautiful scenery en route to Salamanca.
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I met with the seller who lives 3 hours away from Salamanca and who actually didn't see the car for 5 years. :biggrin The car was taken out of the storage and into sellers friend mechanic shop around the corner. They washed it and the car was running 2 weeks ago, but idiots didn't drain the tank and started the car with old gas. The car is turning over but not starting.
Pictures of the car.
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A sane person would walk away and never look back, but I was a man in love. The interior albeit filthy and full with years of dust is just mint - leather without wear, headliner still intact and even the pixels in the center console were still there. The doors open in a perfectly smooth manner, shifter slots into gears perfectly with no slop - everything feels like a low mileage car. 3 keys, original service book, manual and other documents, no rust, no signs of accidents and apart from fake E63 M6 wheels, totally original. Paint has various scratches most likely from it being pushed around and I'll judge the condition once properly washed, but should clean up.
Here I am, 1200 miles away from home, in an industrial area on the outskirts of Salamanca, middle of nowhere in Spain with a car that doesn't start. Naturally, I start low balling the seller and after some shrewd negotiation with my limited Spanish skills, we settle on the price. Left the car and went to sort out the paperwork. All done in timely fashion and I headed home. No time to explore Madrid but I'm going back there for vacation in December. :)
At the moment I'm trying to organize transport back to Germany. Dealing with shipping carriers is the part I hate the most.
Buying a car that doesn't run is the biggest risk I took so far and hopefully doesn't bite me in the ass. Should be one fun ride though. :biggrin More updates when the car arrives.
I actually googled Chinese ZHP knob and stumbled upon your post on e46f, lol. Fit and finish reflects the price but got the job done!Quote:
Originally Posted by ZHPizza
Hell. Yes.Quote:
Originally Posted by Sreten
This thing is awesome. I have such a hard-on for 80's/retro/synthwave shit. Gimme them flippy headlights and knight rider interior all day.
Pumped to see this thing cleaned up with some M-Parallels
http://www.spannerhead.com/wp-conten...02/BMW_E31.jpg
Good story. At least you made efforts to see the car in person and got a good vibe from it.
Edit : I just noticed the buttons have Spanish words.
Precisely why I loved my "88 Prelude si so muchQuote:
Originally Posted by ZHPizza
Looking forward to see you work your magic on it
Such a cool looking car. I cant totally appreciate why you picked it up. Really miss the old button layouts for the hazard lights and AC with everything being right in the center console. One part about the E46 I really miss that the E82 doesn't have. I loved having the hazard light button right below the shifter, right where it should be!
Gimme that old BMW engineering
True that. The placement makes it easy to toggle them for a flash or two as a "thank you" when someone lets me in. Tryna bring that Japanese road culture to the dirty south.Quote:
Originally Posted by Newjack
I used to do the double blink all the time in the ZHP when someone let me in. I still find myself reaching below the shifter for it in the E82.Quote:
Originally Posted by ZHPizza
Sent from my Nexus 5X using Tapatalk
I feel the same way. Pop-up headlights are the coolest thing in the world. (though the right one doesn't feel like popping up anymore :biggrin)Quote:
Originally Posted by ZHPizza
You'll be disappointed, but it will be getting original 16" cross spoke style 8 wheels for now. I'd have a tough time choosing between M Pars and CSi throwing stars but both sets are hard to find for E31 and would set me back good money. Doesn't make sense to spend big €€€ on wheels until the car is up and running. Also, for TUV it's better to have original sofa wheels since '91 E31 didn't come with 18" wheels and they will make a fuss about it cause Germany.
Thanks! It's was sketchy but I got a good feeling about it and I learned not to buy a car sight unseen. Best deals are made in person next to the car.Quote:
Originally Posted by fredo
I noticed that later as well, I think it's pretty interesting. 😊
Thanks, Rob. Older cars are just better. Period.Quote:
Originally Posted by Sockethead
Quote:
Originally Posted by Newjack
Totally agree, the button layout is just spot on, designed for the driver. I use the hazard lights in the same manner.Quote:
Originally Posted by ZHPizza
E31 cockpit is a powerful place to sit. Surrounded by quality materials with a glorious driving position - it really is an ultimate driving machine. The whip has amazing options - heated front seats, EDC suspension, electric steering column adjustment, auto dip mirror, sunroof, cassette holder, power rear sunblind that works!
Update time.
With 2 cars in the garage, the pile of parts kept getting bigger. :roundel
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With the arrival of cold weather, it was time to address the cooling system on the M5. The thermostat was stuck open and in need of replacing but while in there, I decided to address other components as part of preventive maintenance.
New parts laid out.
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Lots of stuff in the way of getting to the water pump so the disassembly begins.
MAFs and radiator shroud removed.
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One of the bolts of the water pump is obstructed by the vibration damper hence the removal of it is required.
Locked the vibration damper with 8 mm drill bit and removed the crank pulley which revealed 4 bolts that secure vibration damper in place.
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Vibration damper removed.
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Coming back to the top and preparing to the pull the thermostat housing out. Quick tip - spray a dab of WD-40 on the tstat pipe O-rings, it will make the removal that much easier.
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Pipe connection.
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The water pump was next. Before removing the tstat and wp, I drained the coolant from the block.
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Cleaned up the gunk as best as I could and mounted new wp gasket.
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New wp installed and bolts torqued to 10 Nm. The gasket likes to pop out from its seating position so installing a couple of bolts before pushing the water pump in place will stop that from happening.
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Next was reinstalling the vibration damper. It's important to use new bolts as these are stretch bolts torqued to 60 Nm and then 2 times 50° torque angle.
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I bought this cheap and flimsy torque angle gauge but it served the purpose perfectly. Before doing the bolts, I practiced on my old trolley jack. 😄
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Crank pulley, belts and new water pump pulley installed.
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New thermostat and new O-rings installed all lubed up with trusty technisches vaselin. I bought Behr 79°C and Gates 82°C thermostat. Gates is I think the same as Stant in the US and I was thinking it would be better if the car runs a little hotter in winter days but I went with Behr at the end.
The rubber O-ring on Gates is inferior to one on Behr and I'm pretty sure it would leak unless sealant is used. Maybe next time I'll give Gates a shot.
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All buttoned up along with new hoses and temp sensors.
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Started the beast, checked for leaks and there weren't any. Followed up with a test drive and got perfect readings.
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Job well done. Overall not a terrible job just tedious.
Didn't stop there though. Replaced diff fluid - the fluid that came out was nice and clean so it was replaced not long ago by the PO.
New tranny fluid - I originally put OE BMW MTF LT-2 fluid which was fine but kinda crunchy compared to what I had on the previous M5.
I went for a new Liqui Moly product - Top Tec MTF 5200 75W-80 which is BMW MTF LT-2 approved. The 2nd gear is still notchy when cold but once warmed up the shifting is much smoother.
I'll leave it in for now but I might go back to Motul DCTF which had the best cold start performance. I know Royal Purple Synchromax is amongst popular for M5 but it's quite pricey in Europe.
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Early oil change. I probably said too many times that I love Liqui Moly products but one thing that bothers me about their 10w60 is that it's slow to get up to temperature, just seems a bit thick in cold weather. I tried BMW branded 10w60 in previous M5 and oil was much quicker to warm up. I pulled the spec sheet for BMW 10w60 and Shell 10w60 and they are identical so I found a good deal on Shell 10w60 and picked that up.
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The cold start seems quieter and it is a bit quicker to get up to temperature with Shell, other than that it's the same. So far I'm happy.
New fuel filter which was a waste of time and money. The previous owner replaced it last year judging by the production date. Still, it's a relatively cheap piece of mind.
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Got a good deal on OE Bosch MAFs so chucked them on quickly. Not sure if mine were ever replaced hence the decision to refresh them.
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That's it as far as the M5 goes. I'm getting ready to rebuild the alternator since bearings are shot and replace shifter bushings, the gear knob has too much slop for my taste.
The project E31 850 revival is underway.
The 8er arrived a week and a half ago. A polish guy picked up the car in Spain on Monday 5pm and delivered it in Frankfurt on Wednesday 4pm. Express delivery considering it's a 1.150 miles long journey!
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I ended up renting another parking spot in the garage where my M5 sleeps. Not ideal for this type of a project but couldn't find anything better at the time so I pushed it into the spot there.
I was anxious to hear the engine run but first I did a series of checking and replacing stuff.
First, I got 12V on both fuel pumps and they were activating and buzzing.
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Replaced fuel filters and surrounding lines which were rock hard. Fuel was on reserve and it didn't feel right opening the fuel tank at this point so I added 20 L of fresh fuel to mix it up.
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Old filter indeed.
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Replaced distributor caps & rotors. They had a date stamp from '91 so likey original.
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Replaced skanky spark plugs. At the recommendation from E31 guys I went NGK BKR6EK plugs at the end.
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Nasty air filters from '94.
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Fresh oil. The oil that came out was actually looking fresh and nice color. They told me it was replaced recently so that might be true.
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Hooked up new batteries and drained a bit of old coolant out.
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Then I decided to try and start it. Took some effort but the old girl fired up! After a few seconds, a whining noise appeared so I shut it off. I overlooked to check the PS fluid canister and surely morons filled it with ATF instead of Pentosin and mesh filter wasn't secured.
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Brake booster and power steering share the same fluid. I pumped the brake pedal like 30 times which pushed the fluid from the brake pressure accumulator to the reservoir and I sucked out as much as I could from the canister and then removed the drain plug on the PS pump and filled with correct CHF 7.1 fluid. I plan to repeat this every time before starting the car until it's entirely green. Also, the brake booster is leaking heavily so that's on the list as well.
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Fired it up again and PS pump complained for a few seconds but then it went quiet. Here's a short video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_mYHGF7EHI
(brake booster leaked fluid all over the exhaust hence the smoke from the front right, I think)
I was able to move it back and forth and I'm super happy about that considering I bought it as a non-runner!
It does idle kinda lumpy and I think it went into a limp mode so it won't rev past 3k rpm. After few minutes it started puffing blueish smoke so I had to shut it off, I'm hoping it's residual stuff and the car just needs to work but we'll see next time I start it. I also plan to flush the engine with a cleaner down the road.
Next, I replaced the VCV valves as this cleared up blue smoke on the previous 850i.
https://i.postimg.cc/MpbfnmdR/20181110-150405.jpg
Before the arrival of the car, I picked up some nice original 16" style 8 wheels with fairly newish rubber. I bought them from an older gentleman from Cologne, these came off his Japan import 840Ci with 43k miles so the condition is appropriate.
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Couldn't wait to remove those totally wrong wheels that were just an eyesore on E31. These are much better looking and pleasing to the eye.
Before starting it again it's just a must to flush out the coolant. It's nasty looking and full of gunk so I started removing stuff for inspection and to replace the thermostat.
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One sad looking thermostat.
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Radiator drain hole was actually clogged and only started draining once I poked it through with a screwriver. The water pump is spinning noise-free and has no play.
Radiator looks good from the outside and water is moving freely so I'll give it a chance for now though I might just replace it. I'll flush it thoroughly before putting it back as well as cleaning the expansion tank, hoses and I armed myself with enough coolant flushing products to flush the entire system. I also have new belts, tensioner and pulleys coming.
Once I'm satisfied I'll start it again and let it warm up so stay tuned.
Still a long way to go for this machine but progress is being made. :biggrin
Phenomenal update as always! The work you’re able to do in the space you’ve rented is truly very impressive.
Those Style 8s are going to look great, but I’d love to see what it could look like wearing some M Pars.
M Pars would hit the spot but these will do for now.
Man, I dream of having a proper garage with proper tools and normal working environment one day. Working in these conditions just sucks.
Conveniently, the house keeper that rented me this spot forgot to mention that when it rains outside it also rains inside, right in the middle of the spot hence the need for car cover. Meanwhile, I'm looking for something better but it's very difficult to find something that fits the bill.
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Could you get a pop up tent to place over the car and then affix a tarp to control the runoff? Something like EZ UP or Quick Shade?Quote:
Originally Posted by Sreten
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That crossed my mind but I'm already getting enough weird looks as it as and grief for storing stuff behind the car. They even got hissy when I left a half-full bottle of windshield washer fluid out. Technically I'm not even supposed to work there but I'm being cautious and catch all fluid that comes out of the car, put them in containers and recycle later.
This garage will be getting renovated beginning of next year so I need to find a new home anyway.
Amazing update. I don't think I could get through that much in two weeks with a proper garage and lift. I don't know how you do it.
Can't wait to see the 8er on the correct wheels. I love how meaty the tires look on 16's.
You are staing on top of the maintenance as usual. As well as giving a proper update.
I cannot beilve air filer is from 94?! How come people ignore the basic maintenance, I don't know.
Well, e31 in good hands for sure!
Are planning to run m5 during the winter months? I forgot what is your daily car?
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The new wheels do look cushy. I try to be fast but methodical at the same time and do the work whenever I have time to spare. But it's difficult with a full-time job and you always end up sacrificing something else so planning is key.Quote:
Originally Posted by ZHPizza
I was about to start it again on Wednesday but the thread on one of the belt tensioners stripped completely and now I'm waiting for a new one to arrive.
Danke! I came to the conclusion that car maintenance in southern European countries basically goes like this: drive it until it breaks down, so I'm not that surprised by 24 years old filters! Admittedly incredible run for a pair of filters.Quote:
Originally Posted by RUS_ZHP
I don't have a daily since I leave in the city and there's no need for one. I hate driving in Frankfurt, traffic and roads are terrible and I have a monthly ticket for public transportation through my work. U-Bahn is quicker and easier to move around the city, albeit boring and I must admit I miss daily driving, but every time I need to drive somewhere during rush hours and get stuck in traffic, I get a reminder I'd go mad sitting in traffic every day.
Winter in Frankfurt is really mild with hardly any snow so I plan to use it whenever the weather is good enough and there's no salt on the roads. It won't see any snow but I do need to get winter tires since temperatures are low, however, that's not so easy.
17" style 66 wheels which are meant as winter wheels for the M5 can't fit on mine because of BBK up front and no one makes winter rubber in 275/35 R18 stock size. Well, Kumho does but I'd rather not drive at all then drive on those crappy tires, I did that last winter and never again.
I might try 245/40 R18 and all 4 corners, many on M5board had this setup for winter on stock wheels without issues so it could work, I don't plan to drive a lot anyway.
Can you not get all seasons in Deutschland? That's the ticket for enjoying cold-but-not-snowy driving.