What did you do to your E28 today?

[1st 5er]

Compared clusters with the E23.

[Federico]

did some cleanup:







Also, I started tearing out the dry rotted firewall insulation since I had the room to do it. I'll probably replace it with this:

[jhenner]

chopping the front end to do a euro conversion

[Federico]

Got the B28 head back from the machine shop

https://www.instagram.com/reel/ChqRgP2l ... JmNzVkMjY=

[LarryM]

Replaced my starter. Yes, getting at the top mounting bolt is every bit as challenging as people say it is.

I tried to get a B35 starter (the smaller, lighter, higher torque, easier-to-install one) to replace it with but they're on national backorder with no ETA in site. So I bought another bulky B34 starter, a Bosch factory remanufactured one from Rock Auto. To their credit, it was a reasonable $107 plus core charge, tax and shipping, and it arrived the next day!

I fitted studs in the block to make any future removals/installations a little easier. But even so, access to the top one is nearly impossible. I had to use a telescoping magnet to reach through the narrow opening between the intake manifold and head, then delicately place the the new wave washer and nut on the upper stud. Meanwhile I could just barely get my hand in there while reaching from the firewall side, managing to get the nut started with the tips of my my fingers. Insanity.

Oh, and it's also true that the only wrench that works for this job is the 17mm box end in the trunk tool kit. I have a nice assortment of U-shaped and S-shaped wrenches, and none would work. I thought about grinding down a socket as somebody suggests in the FAQs, but I don't think that would have worked either. It would require so much grinding there wouldn't be much of the socket left.

If this car ever needs another starter, it's going to sit until B35 starters are in stock and ready to ship!

[austin8753]

replaced the heater fan motor in my M5 today, and for the first time since my ownership, i have working heat. huzzah!

[HayekFan]

Replaced my starter. Yes, getting at the top mounting bolt is every bit as challenging as people say it is.
...
If this car ever needs another starter, it's going to sit until B35 starters are in stock and ready to ship!

Wow, I didn't realize the starter was such a PITA on these cars. Good to know about the B35 starter workaround!

[davintosh]

Replaced my starter. Yes, getting at the top mounting bolt is every bit as challenging as people say it is.

Just pull the intake manifold. Makes the job SOOOOO much easier.

[topher800]

My car got the newer lighter starter when the clutch went in. Start up is just not as gratifying. It used fire up instantly and with gusto. Now it's a 1-2 second hold the key.

[HayekFan]

My car got the newer lighter starter when the clutch went in. Start up is just not as gratifying. It used fire up instantly and with gusto. Now it's a 1-2 second hold the key.

Hmm :/

So maybe worth the struggle to avoid a Low-T starter experience?

[HayekFan]

Got the B28 head back from the machine shop

https://www.instagram.com/reel/ChqRgP2l ... JmNzVkMjY=

Beautiful. Looks like they nailed those angles...

[e28Sean]

Replaced the batteries in both my boopityboops.

I got tired of these boopityboops chewing through their very expensive little 12v batteries, so I swapped the entire system out for one that uses more reasonable and far longer lasting coin cell powered remotes.

[e28Sean]

Put new LED fog light bulbs in. I still need to aim the lights... that's on the docket for today.

[jimoreno]

I've been prepping for the Vintage the past couple of weekends. I changed belts, engine bay fuel lines (these got really expensive!), adjusted the valves, main coolant lines (forgot to order the heater ones which are arriving on Thursday). Only other thing pending is change the engine oil and the transmission (including replacing a non-working reverse light switch).
Then one final exam wash and interior clean and he'll be ready!

[camplo]

I've been prepping for the Vintage the past couple of weekends. I changed belts, engine bay fuel lines (these got really expensive!), adjusted the valves, main coolant lines (forgot to order the heater ones which are arriving on Thursday). Only other thing pending is change the engine oil and the transmission (including replacing a non-working reverse light switch).
Then one final exam wash and interior clean and he'll be ready!

How was the valve adjustment? That is on my to do list in the next coming weeks.

[jimoreno]

Not that bad, it just takes time as you have to check the gap several times to make sure that it didn't change while tightening the nut (which happens frequently). I also need to buy another set of feeler gauges as mine are getting rusty.
I did find most of them where ok, one or two a little but tight and same on the open side.
Make sure you get a new valve cover gasket before you start!

[HayekFan]

New locking strips around the windows!

Amazing how nasty those things get after a few years.

[HayekFan]

Cleaned all my rubber door seals and hit them with some Armor All. I can't believe how much this cut down on creaking sounds from the car.

[topher800]

Cleaned all my rubber door seals and hit them with some Armor All. I can't believe how much this cut down on creaking sounds from the car.

I discovered this 4-5 years ago. The creaking was so bad I literally thought one day the car was going to break in half turning into work. Cleaned and pfledged the seals. Night and day. I do it twice a year now.

[topher800]

New locking strips around the windows!

Amazing how nasty those things get after a few years.

Wrong thread on my part, but where are we getting that stuff now? Dealer wanted eye watering $$$s.

[HayekFan]

Cleaned all my rubber door seals and hit them with some Armor All. I can't believe how much this cut down on creaking sounds from the car.

I discovered this 4-5 years ago. The creaking was so bad I literally thought one day the car was going to break in half turning into work. Cleaned and pfledged the seals. Night and day. I do it twice a year now.

Yep, I was getting sounds that I figured were coming from the rear suspension. It's remarkable how much nicer the car is to drive without all that noise.

As for the locking strips, I've got a stash of them that I bought five or six years ago. I've got enough to do one more replacement, then I'll have to face the pain of buying them again. I used to get them on eBay...seems like I could find them for around $100 for the long one that goes around the front windshield. But I just checked eBay and didn't see any for sale. I'd be interested in who the best source is these days too.

[stuartinmn]

Finally got my car out of winter storage - it took forever for spring to get here. Then I replaced the hood release cable that broke last fall. There's something satisfying about being able to make a repair using only the tools from the factory tool kit.

[davintosh]

It's been a minute or three since I posted in this thread... The e28 and I have been at odds lately; it decided to quit working last fall, and I lacked the motivation to do much of anything with it, so it just sat up against the wall on its wheel dollies all winter long. And it was a long winter.

But in recent weeks I found some motivation in a pipe dream to drive it to Vintage. That didn't happen, but I did track down the problem (kinda) and got it running long enough to drive it to Cars & Coffee last Saturday. Of course, it didn't want to start when I left, and it stalled twice on the way home, but it did get me there and back!

Now it's in time-out again until a friend has time to stop over and help me with a more permanent fix. Should be in a couple of weeks...

[EuroShark]

I finally got my 528e running. It's got a 10:1 B34 bottom end with a B35 head so I suppose it's not really a 528e anymore. My original plan was to assemble this car out of parts I had been collecting over the years. When I started I was pretty sure I had almost everything necessary to make it happen, but of course that's never the case. Many, many parts were ordered, including some that were completely unnecessary (Supersprint headers, I'm looking at you). Then, while assembling the first engine (B35), the threads pulled out of three head bolt holes at only 45lb/ft.

Rather than having the B35 block repaired I used a euro bottom end I'd been saving. Of course it was a slightly oversized block so factory rings were hideously expensive for the original 10:1 pistons, but I couldn't find any alternatives. All of this set the project back almost a year, but it finally started and ran great. I let it get up to temperature and cool down overnight, did the final torque on the head bolts and nothing felt funky. Then I was able to take it outside and do a couple of laps around the parking lot. Felt like a big victory.





We celebrated with a beer.

There's still a ton of work to do before it's ready to hit the road but at least I don't have to push it around anymore.

[srini]

I acquired a 1988 528E for free, been sitting in a garage for 16 years. dropped tank cleaned it out and changed oil. fired right up and idled like a champ. now I'm tearing it apart for timing belt and everything that goes with it. 71,000 miles plus a 5 spd. manual. Once I get it done and put new tires her see how she drives. not one spec of rust anywhere. i also changed out both fuel pumps, fuel filter and fuel sending unit. fuel gauge says on 3/4 but ill figure that out.