What did you do to your other car(s) today?

[e28Sean]

Took the E28 for a drive to the auto parts store, then replaced the front sway bar end links on the Ford.

[cddallara]

Tried to smog my touring for the third time.
First time was pedal bushings-couldn't keep steady rpm on the Dyno
Second time was gas cap and 94/35 HCs
Third time was 68/50 HCs.
Not sure why they raised the max limit between July (last attempt) and December but whatever.
Did plugs, coil boots and oil change in between attempts 2 and 3.
Now it's time for some e85 in the tank I guess.

[wkohler]

Try an oxygen sensor?

[oldskool]

Drove the e30 today for the first time in a while and really, really considered selling it. Not because it drove poorly or it didn't excite me, it's just economics. Positive economics. I've had this feeling before, so I went to the store and got some cheap beer to drown out any automotive emotion. Seems to be working.

[cddallara]

Try an oxygen sensor?

It's got a fairly new one iirc. Well, a few years, but only ~26k miles.
Well, maybe not as new as I thought, but I assume they last longer than that? (Oem correct one, not aftermarket spliced in one).

[cddallara]

Drove the e30 today for the first time in a while and really, really considered selling it. Not because it drove poorly or it didn't excite me, it's just economics. Positive economics. I've had this feeling before, so I went to the store and got some cheap beer to drown out any automotive emotion. Seems to be working.

I wish I never got rid of my e30. I'd trade the e34 540iT for it back in a heartbeat (no, that's not how I got the 540) if it was possible (and I didn't need the money).

[dsmith]

Speaking of e30s, mine is sucking another chunk of cash due to a failed heater valve soaking the carpet. Pretty god damned expensive parts behind the center console.

[Mike W.]

Speaking of e30s, mine is sucking another chunk of cash due to a failed heater valve soaking the carpet. Pretty god damned expensive parts behind the center console.

But at least they (look) like they're hard to get to. Not quite E12 heater valve evil with the nuts a half an inch from the inside of the firewall, but still doesn't look fun.

[dcains]

New 12 awg wires for the new Hella BiFocus H1 low and high beams, and oem fogs, with 3 relays and Narva +50 bulbs for them all. Also wrapped all the harnesses from the firewall forward with Tesa tape, which is great stuff and easy to use.



http://www.ebay.com/itm/TESA-51025-3-4- ... 1068606236

[vinceg101]

Bought the E39 a new battery (after it stranded me at the printer 5pm yesterday). It goes in tomorrow.

Since when did batteries get so damned expensive?

[John in VA]

Bought the E39 a new battery (after it stranded me at the printer 5pm yesterday). It goes in tomorrow.
Since when did batteries get so damned expensive?

About 2 years ago! What size/type did you decide on?

[vinceg101]

Bought the E39 a new battery (after it stranded me at the printer 5pm yesterday). It goes in tomorrow.
Since when did batteries get so damned expensive?

About 2 years ago! What size/type did you decide on?

Bosch Platinum AGM 94R. Pep Boys was having an online sale of 20% off so I sprung for the AGM (which accounts for some of the sticker shock). Probably an extravagance since it is replacing a standard Bosch battery that's been doing just fine since 3/08.
With any luck it will be a long time before I think about this battery again.

[SPF2006]

Replaced the failed PNP switch on an otherwise healthy (if worn) Volvo 850 wagon with 200K on the clock. Tricky part was aligning the switch correctly when reconnecting the shifter cable -- lacking the NLA special Volvo alignment tool, I got this done with a straightedge, a holiday greeting card, and a lot of squinting. Got it right the first time. However, the 20-year-old plastic on the wiring harness promptly broke, requiring some hack surgery and electrical tape -- that won me a probably permanent CEL but I will go back in and sort it out come the spring. So far the 850 has been an enjoyable car to work on.

[cddallara]

Failed smog again on the tan car.
Fixed the door handle on the civic.

[1st 5er]

Prepping for m-n-l's Christmas visit,
fixed the passenger "seat twist".

[Nanajoth]

Deleted the air pump and piping that was full of chunks of oil air filter material and various amounts of oil and water mixture. Then I chopped off the plates on the exhaust and welded them shut. I also replaced the fuel lines.

[1st 5er]

Deleted the air pump and piping...

Linky to the process?
Pleeze and TY.

[dsmith]

I rednecked up the exhaust on the touring with bailing wire. That should get it through winter.

[Nanajoth]

Deleted the air pump and piping...

Linky to the process?
Pleeze and TY.

M5board was about useless for the DIY and I did not take photos, but here is the process,

Drain coolant and remove the hard coolant pipe from the front
Remove the three piece heat shield from headers
Remove the hoses connected to the pump from the underside
Remove the tensioner for the AC/Air pump bracket (I am going with a 535 set up with M30B35 bracket)
Remove the top bolt that was blocked by the coolant neck
Pull the air pump and disconnect the power plug
Disconnect the braided steel line going to the hard lines that enter the headers
Remove the 8mm bolts that hold the air lines in to the headers and pull the lines off
Cut the plates off of the air lines and weld the holes up and install them back.


You will need to either run the Napa belt 4L330 since you will not have a tensioner for the AC, or change over to the M30B35 set up.

[1st 5er]

Thanks mange.

[rmiddendorf]

So I made a huge and awesome dollhouse for my daughter for Christmas; huge writeup coming soon. This meant my non-///M5 garage bay has been a wood shop for more than a month. So...

Yesterday I converted the wood shop back to an auto mechanics bay and put the 735i/5 in there from the carport. It sat for the last 3 weeks. Put it in the air and prepped it for a front end top suspension rebuild.

BTW sawdust sucks.

[slammin_e28]

Rover is getting new coil packs and wires as I attempt to remedy a cyl7 and multiple random misfires.



I love love love new parts.

Yes you basically have to remove the intake manifold to replace the coils....some say no, but after having done it....I think it's the proper way.

[rmiddendorf]

The Rover coil replacement reminds me of the starter job on the Lexus LS, only probably a little easier.

[slammin_e28]

The Rover coil replacement reminds me of the starter job on the Lexus LS, only probably a little easier.

Really it's not bad.....therapeutic actually.

I love this truck.

Going to toss a front crank seal in it and I have to replace a cooling oring for the heater line to the block where I knocked it removing the intake and deformed the line where it goes in.

Oh well. This thing will be back together tonight hopefully.

[T_C_D]

The e34 540i sprung a bad oil leak yesterday. Traced it down to one of the oil supply lines to the factory remote oil filter housing. Only had to remove the fan, belt, tenshioner and alt to get to it. Parts on order.

[rmiddendorf]

The e34 540i sprung a bad oil leak yesterday. Traced it down to one of the oil supply lines to the factory remote oil filter housing. Only had to remove the fan, belt, tenshioner and alt to get to it. Parts on order.

If only they were all that easy...

[cddallara]

Took the Taco bumper off, straightened some things, replaced a chrome trim, took the black off the T, trimmed the bumper sides (PO had apparently attacked them with an angry beaver to clearance the 33s), fixed the horn, went mudding, then remounted the bumper.

[wkohler]

I installed a Conforti chip for a stock pre 1/95 E36 M3 in the E34. Hauls ass, but it pings.

[e28Sean]

I was cleaning out my garage earlier, and I just happened to look over at my truck, and....

... yeeeeah. Those handprints don't look suggestive at all... /sarcasm

So i hosed the dirt off for the first time in ages. She's surprisingly shiny!

[davintosh]

Although it's not technically "mine", I am responsible for it, so I guess it counts; picked up a new Ford Tourneo Custom van on Friday, ~40 kilometers on the clock. It's a leased vehicle, intended to replace our 2001 Mercedes Benz Vito van. The Vito took a couple of very minor hits in the last couple months that effectively totaled it, so the vehicles manager decided it was best to sell it while it still had some value left.

It was already dark when I picked it up, and I haven't bothered since then, so no pics, but it looks just like this one, same color, but the hubcaps may be different;



It's a 4-cyl diesel, six-speed, front-drive 9-seater, cloth seats, and vinyl flooring throughout. It drives nicely enough, but it's tougher to get in & out of than the Vito. I kinda miss the Vito already. I know I'm really going to miss it when it comes time to go into Lörrach or Mulhouse or Freiburg or Basel; parking is a rare commodity in the cities, and most of it is in garages with less than 2 meters of headroom. The new Ford vans are too tall for most of them.

One of the cool features though is that when you're making a turn or driving at night on a twisty road, those little lights on the corners of the bumpers come on to illuminate the road a little further around the corner. I wasn't expecting that.

I guess all I did to it since we got it was drive it home then load some of the personal effects from the Vito into it. But that's something. And yeah, that is about how exciting my life has become automotive-wise. About the only maintenance related stuff I'm allowed do is wash & refuel them.

In other more exciting news, my shopping for a Vehicle To Call My Own has picked up steam; our three adult kids came over to see us, and we spent about a week galavanting around südwest Deutschland (and other adjacent locales), and we blew what was left of our allotment of personal drive time in school vehicles. I've been shopping a bit for a car that's 25 or older so that I can ship it back to the US; lots of e28s and whatnot, but most are too far away to consider, but have seen a few this weekend that are within a few hours by train, and decently priced. Stay tuned...