MyE28.com

Water pump done on the Towncar. It didn't fit because the casting was poor, so out came the grinder to ruin my paint job. Got it on and then it was too fat around one of the bolts so a bracket didn't fit properly. More work with the die grinder. The new bolts worked fine though. Soaked the radiator with vinegar, got a bunch of flaky junk out of it. Ran a gallon of vinegar plus a gallon of water through the whole system and followed with 4 water flushes to get that as clean as its gonna be.

now I need to figure out where to get rid of the coolant. I missed the local hazmat disposal day and I've got like 6 gallons of the stuff between the couple of cars I've done since the last one. Oil is easy, parts stores take it.

not precisely car, but things with an engine.

Water pump and spark plugs done on the boat. Its got a slight misfire in the 3500 rpm range. Not a place it generally runs, but its a newer thing. Still half last year's fuel and half fresh, along with last year's fuel filter. I'll do the filter and see if that helps any. Maybe throw a bottle of the injector cleaner magic juice in there for good measure.

Picked up a lawn vacuum, imagine a Kirby crossed with a lawn mower. Since its 25 years old and cheap that means it needs work. First step was washing it off, and giving the bag a clean to get the packed-in dust out of it. Needs a throttle cable (have), the throttle cable clamp (ordered) and an air filter (ordered). I'll do oil and spark plug too. Air filter is a clogged up mess, it starts fine without it but won't light off with it installed. Got it for 100 bucks, these things typically list for 250-500 and sell new for close to 2 grand. There is a plastic cover over where the cables hook up that is missing, but not too worried about it. Its purely cosmetic.

If last month counts....

The starter in the 1960 CJ3B was sounding like gunfire when engaged last fall. I put it away for the winter. Being a software engineer, it's my experience with myself that it's frequently best to let others work on hardware, but I thought I'd tackle this myself. Got the starter out (I somehow failed to keep a picture) and the cast half dome housing that goes over the flywheel was broken off, and two of the bendix teeth were beyond salvage. Took it down to D and D in Denver and Doug fixed me right up (new Solenoid, as that had a bad post). He probably has 1,000 starters and alternators laying around (he rebuilt my E28 alternator last winter). The new alternator had a shot regulator also, so that had to go in. Not sure what happened to cause all that

On a separate topic, Parker 4x4 had the Jeep last summer doing the rear main seal and front axle rebuild. They gave it back to me having replaced the original generator with a new alternator. I can't tell if I should be happy for the upgrade, or pissed that they took an original part.

topher800 wrote: Jun 25, 2024 11:48 AM
They gave it back to me having replaced the original generator with a new alternator. I can't tell if I should be happy for the upgrade, or pissed that they took an original part.

Probably both. Being old enough to remember generators, and not fondly I might add, you're so much better off with an alternator. But a CJ3 it might affect the value. Sometimes you just can't win.

Did the stuff to the lawn vac, as soon as I put the fresh oil in the carb started dumping fuel out of the inlet. I guess I should have stuck with my general disregard for any small engine maintenance. I think they honestly like the abuse.

Played with the fuel adjustments on the Continental to cut down on the black smoke. In the middle of that one of the calipers decided it wanted to stick. These were fresh before I put it on the road in early 2018, 20k miles on them. Remans are 25 bucks each, seals are $3 but the pistons are $17 so not worth bothering with if the pistons need replacing.

Caliper swapped. Took the old one apart and the piston is scored all around at the end where it rides in the seal. There were a few tiny rust flakes in there. Not sure where that may have come from. The caliper was fresh but I suppose not impossible it sat a while before I got it. I flushed the brake fluid but the MC is old and so are the lines so maybe its trash that migrated from elsewhere? The service manual says any scoring on the pistons means replace the piston. Those are $18, the seals are $2-3, and I paid $25 for the reman caliper. Not worth the effort to rebuild it myself at that rate.

Carb from the lawn vac is cleaned, waiting on the kit to show up. Someone had been here before, the gasket to the air cleaner plate where the primer works through was torn and globbed together with RTV. There was also an air passage clogged, between the two thats probably why the primer didn't work right. There were also dents on the bowl where someone had whacked it trying to make it stop leaking. Float is fine, needle has a step in it. It seems to seal but I'll replace the needle and the rubber seat just to have all new parts and hopefully not have to touch any of this again for a long time.

topher800 wrote: Jun 25, 2024 11:48 AM On a separate topic, Parker 4x4 had the Jeep last summer doing the rear main seal and front axle rebuild. They gave it back to me having replaced the original generator with a new alternator. I can't tell if I should be happy for the upgrade, or pissed that they took an original part.

They did it without asking you? That's pretty bizarre. There's a bunch of related wiring changes that go along with the swap (including a new voltage regulator) so it's not a trivial thing.

"fixed" the distance to empty readout on the Mark VII. Instead of the usual variable resistor where you get connection to the wiper and one end of the resistance track, you get connection to both ends. The wiper is grounded so as the float moves resistance to one end decreases and resistance to the other increases. One end feeds the fuel gauge, the other is the DTE output. For unknown reasons the connection to the DTE end of things is open. No way to further diag it without dropping the tank to access wiring and check the sender, and if the sender is bad those are NLA. My "fix" was to stick a resistor across the terminals to simulate 1/2 tank so it shuts up. Obviously the readout still doesn't work but they aren't accurate anyway. I just don't want to have to push a button every time I get in the car to make it stop beeping and show the clock.

The fuel gauge works properly so I'm not real inclined to fool with it. The maintenance records I have do not indicate the level sender was replaced, but the fuel pump has been done several times. Far from impossible the sender or the wiring was damaged at that point.

sway bar endlinks and bar to frame bushings on the Mark VII. Thought I had done the bushings, then thought I had not, but it turns out I had done them. It didn't fix the noise but the endlinks did. Last guy tightened them until the little rubber bits were smashed absolutely flat, and one of the endlinks was slightly bent.

While it was up in the air I gave the front wheels a spin and found they are overly stiff. Pulled the wheels and it seems to be the calipers are sticky. They compress but it needs more effort than I think is proper. Records indicate no replacement and the date codes on the casting agree, so we're talking calipers from 1991 with nearly 240k miles on them. Going to do all 4, the backs are also original as best I can tell. I had one on hand, the other three were $11, $25, and $43 respectively so its hard to not justify just doing the job. Pads are in excellent shape up front so they will go back on. Will evaluate the back when I get there, but I have a new set of pads on hand just in case, and if the rotors are junk I've got a set on my wrecked parts car.

The Continental tried to set itself on fire last night. Turned the key and I got a cloud of smoke. Wire to the injection pump fuel solenoid rubbed through on something and shorted. It must have blown the fuse link that powers all of the key-on stuff. I found the torched wire feeding the injection pump. I was able to break that off and hot-wire it with a wire I had in the trunk for some reason and bridge the starter relay with my keys to get home. Already looked in the wiring harness book and ordered some fuse link of the proper gauge. The fun part is going to be figuring out how far back that wire melted and what other damage the harness suffered because of it. I know the foot or so of wire I could see between the pump and wherever it vanishes into the harness is completely smoked.

Front calipers done on the Mark VII, big improvement. Rear calipers made no difference, and to my utter astonishment they were fine. That specific design is very prone to having the slide pins seize in the bracket but it was all moving. I'll pull them apart this week to see if maybe they can be rebuilt, but unless the pistons are perfect they aren't worth the bother. The only real reason to take them apart is to see what sort of condition they are in after 33 years and 240k miles.

Got the wiring mostly fixed in the Continental. It wasn't as smoked as I thought so I was able to just dig backwards into the loom a few inches and splice in some new. Fuse link hasn't shown up yet, but once it arrives all I have to do is splice that in.

Wifey's '96 XJ got some wiring TLC.
First there were hard cold starts, then hard and several no starts, but it was when the driveability went to shit that I had to get serious about finding the real culprit. Turns out it was the harness and connectors that run close to the block that succumbed to the heat and related cycling. After several hours spent uncovering, separating, and mending exposed wire, this morning's cold start was what you'd expect from a well tuned ICE veehickle.

Now, off to the parts store to replenish the extra fuse inventory.

The 911 got new wheels and tires and a new steering wheel

gadget73 wrote: Jul 29, 2024 9:22 AM I'll pull them apart this week to see if maybe they can be rebuilt, but unless the pistons are perfect they aren't worth the bother. The only real reason to take them apart is to see what sort of condition they are in after 33 years and 240k miles.

One was surprisingly OK. No scoring on the piston, no rust in the housing. It looks well used and the seal was a little on the stiff side but nothing alarming, just old/high miles things. The other was a little different. Piston and bore were OK but the seal is gummy and sticky. Not sure whats with that, contamination maybe?

set out to replace blown intake blocks and a wasted clutch kit in my e30 m3. ended up doing a top end rebuild, too. mission creep really took a good hold on that project. luckily, i already had everything on the shelf, in anticipation.

glad i did the job, the oil leaks were out of control, and the timing chain guides were HAMMERED.

dat bish.

Dropped the engine/tranny on the 911.

Best pics I've seen of a 911 engine/tranny out of the car. Interesting, while as distant perhaps as a Ford Flathead V8 and Modular OHC V8, its still reminiscent of the aircooled VWs I played with back in the '70s. Actually probably more the tranny, but both to a degree. But I think Charlie is slipping, I mean you can still eat off the wheel wells, but I see some cosmoline on some of the body pics. Stunningly clean as I would expect.

But Charlie, what's that blue thing in the back corner in pic 3? Looks 4WD, but like some sort of a Mad Max configuration.

Mike W. wrote: Aug 10, 2024 1:29 AM But I think Charlie is slipping, I mean you can still eat off the wheel wells, but I see some cosmoline on some of the body pics. Stunningly clean as I would expect.

The real reason I dropped the engine is to clean that shit off. Doing a valve adjustment with the engine dropped is easier as a side-benefit

Mike W. wrote: Aug 10, 2024 1:29 AM But Charlie, what's that blue thing in the back corner in pic 3? Looks 4WD, but like some sort of a Mad Max configuration.

That's my Off Grid Trailers Pando 3.0!

cek wrote: Aug 10, 2024 11:34 AM

Mike W. wrote: Aug 10, 2024 1:29 AM But I think Charlie is slipping, I mean you can still eat off the wheel wells, but I see some cosmoline on some of the body pics. Stunningly clean as I would expect.

The real reason I dropped the engine is to clean that shit off. Doing a valve adjustment with the engine dropped is easier as a side-benefit

My bad, I should have seen that coming.

So, my new to me '02 530i/5. I paid too much and they guy I bought it from I'm sure feels like I stole it. Final test drive, months after the first one, it got warm, before it cooled down a half mile later. I figured sticky 'stat. Wrong.

New fan clutch. New aux fan, one of those PWM fancy ones with waaaaay to many electronics, a two sided PC board with a 48 pin CPU driving the thing. I guess I'm not repairing that one. And the seat twist. Same setup as E28s, that plastic housing that seems to stretch or whatever, but much harder to work on. Got it straight, put it back in, still not right. The whole seat bottom was twisted so even after I fixed the backrest to get it straight, once I bolted it down it twisted again. Some bloodletting, much time and swearing later I got the bottom straight, using the cables etc. But a bonus, I felt like I was sitting on the floor. After fixing it, now I can get it high enough I almost hit the roof! Funny how things work better when they work as intended.

One constant over the years, BMW seats, especially power seats, are heavy enough to double as boat anchors. Jeez those things are heavy.

The Mark VII has decided it wants to sink on the back corner, so there is something leaky in the air suspension. Tried to do the soapy water test, but it wasn't leaking last night. I did however notice one of the rear sway bar endlinks had come apart, looks like the nut came off and dropped the rest of the hardware. Had new ones in stock so I changed it. The other looked perfectly fine so I left it be. Maybe that was the random loud popping noise that I heard pulling into register at Carlisle in June. I thought it was the infrared thermometer that I found in front of the grille which must have fallen off the top of the rad support.

the leak continues to be absent and I continue to not be upset at this.

Washed, waxed, vacuumed it yesterday. I am reminded of how much I hate waxing cars. Old single stage paint, so it got old school carnauba wax. Definitely needed it though.

leak came back, still can't find it. Slow enough that its not blowing bubbles. I may throw a set of O rings on the solenoid and see if anything changes. I've changed them before but I don't know if they are actually the right ones. Internet wisdom is for some SAE dash size, but they are actually metric. I have the right ones now but I don't know if I had them when I changed the rings on it previously.

Several weeks ago, the 'Check Coolant' chime and notification kept coming on for the E39. The coolant level was continuously low every time.
After some investigation, I found a small leak in the radiator (side near the plastic tank).





For reasons of issues with my recent shop addition (the power unit on my new-to-me Bendpak lift crapped out and I had to wait for a new one), I had to delay the repairs by several weeks so I limped along with adding coolant/distilled water as needed (almost every time I drove the car). Once I got the power unit (motor & pump) and installed, I finally could tackle this project; that was this past Saturday. So I put the lift to use.


The cooling system was last overhauled about 6 years/+/-40K miles ago so I was little disappointed the radiator (a Behr replacement) didn't last longer, especially since these last 40K miles haven't been all that hard. I didn't want to do the whole system, but I wanted to be smart and replace those components likely to fail next, so along with the radiator: water pump, thermostat, expansion tank and the lower cooling temp sensor. All the belts and hoses looked great as did the tensioners. Ironically I was planning on a coolant flush the weekend the lift went off line, so I had gallons of Xerex and distilled water on hand for both cars.

If ever there was case to be made for installing a Fumoto Valve for block draining, the M54B30 moves to the top of the list. First off the drain bolt is up under cylinder #2 right next to to the front CAT and above the motor mount; you can barely get your hand in there let alone a wrench/socket. Once removed you are then deluged with hot coolant, most of what didn't soak me hit the shop floor and managed to miss the 5 gallon bucket (naturally). I couldn't find my spare Fumoto Valve during this (but I found it the next day, again, naturally), so the old bolt went back in. I have one on the M535i and it makes coolant servicing a clean (and more importantly dry) easy task: connect a hose to the valve outlet, roll in the bucket and open the valve and watch coolant fill the bucket.

If you've ever done cooling system work to an E39 (M54B30), then you know it's a PITA especially dealing with the radiator shroud. Once you remove this it's pretty easy to access the front of the block and components. The actual task of removal and replacement of water pump & thermostat (a combined unit) is fast. Even loosening the main serpentine belt from the water pump is fast as you only have to slip the belt off one pulley. I suppose I should have replaced all the belts on spec and while you can do it with the radiator in, it's infinitely more difficult.






I left the old expansion tank in place even though I had a replacement only because I couldn't figure out a way to remove it from the shroud without breaking shit (old heat soaked plastic). I still managed to break two pieces of clips trying to remove this. On this car, the large plastic shroud has several items clipped to it: two hoses, an auxiliary pump, and the expansion tank & overflow hose. You have to disconnect the hoses (along with an upper engine hose) and remove the engine fan in order to lift the shroud out before you get to the radiator. Likewise when reinstalling it all, you have to slip the engine fan into the shroud as you are sliding the shroud back in. It's a sequential thing. Ask me how I know.

[Driving experience immediately following this project is pointing to a possible leaking expansion tank and/or overflow hose, but the jury is still out. If so, then crap, I have to do half this project over.]

The actual refilling and bleeding is easy following the Bentley procedure. I ended up doing it twice: once upon filling and then again the next day. So far no leaks but I did get the 'Check Coolant' chime driving home that night and it was low the next morning. But the second bleeding and top-off seems to have resolved this. Hopefully.

vinceg101 wrote: Sep 03, 2024 12:41 PM it's a PITA especially dealing with the radiator shroud.

Yeah, that fan shroud is evil. I'm not terribly enthused about the way the Datsun (QX4) is put together, but one thing they did right is it has a 2 piece fan shroud. If only E39s had that.

So... already do the coolant pipes along the block? They're fun too.

Yah, My other cars are a pair of 2016'Camrys. A finer pair of appliances you have never seen. Had them since '17. Oil changes, batteries,and a set of tires. Had them for 7 yrs. The lack of constant maintenance is refreshing.

a wrote: Sep 04, 2024 10:51 AM Yah, My other cars are a pair of 2016'Camrys. A finer pair of appliances you have never seen. Had them since '17. Oil changes, batteries,and a set of tires. Had them for 7 yrs. The lack of constant maintenance is refreshing.

Yeah, but do they make you crazy? Never a Camry, and they might be better, but while they may, or may not, last forever, most of the ones I've driven just make me crazy. Corollas with autoboxes that have an amazing capacity to usually be in the wrong gear but constantly shifting up and down on any sort of hills. And they're electronic, they program that stuff in. Older Prius's, currently working on my Grandsons '02 Tacoma pickup truck replacing a starter, but just getting it home and in the garage etc it's got headlights that are always on, probably high beams, locks that lock as soon as you turn the key to run, before you ever start it. I know modern cars like to do stuff to you, not that you necessarily want, to you, not for you, but the Toyotas I've driven seem especially bad. Modestly powered, but over rated on power too.

Still, even with my ranting there is something to be said for just starting and stopping every time you want it to, but I'm not sure the price is worth it to me at least.

Had a rock take out the turn signal lens on my Mark VII yesterday, so I guess tonight I'm either finding the spare I'm sure I have someplace, or robbing one from the parts car. Annoying but better the turn signal I have vs the windshield I cannot get.