What did you do to your E28 today?

[davintosh]

I got to see my car a couple of days ago; it was up on a lift at the shop in Holzen, a little town few kilometers down the road. I'm having my new best friend Axel work through the surprisingly short to-do list that the TÜV man put together for the car. I was expecting a lot more, but all that it needs is a set of new tires (I knew that already), and to have an oil leak stopped up. The main drippage appears to be coming from the oil level sensor on the bottom of the oil pan and from the drain plug. The TÜV man also found that one of the brake lights wasn't working, and the light harness connector by the trailer hitch was missing a part and had some wiring exposed. Once those things are fixed and the TÜV man signs off on it, he'll issue the certificate to get it registered (I hope.)

I'm finding that the Germans are kinda funny when it comes to inspections like this. I first noticed it on the fire safety inspection for our building. Typically in the US you have a checklist of things that you know they'll be looking for, and you get them squared away beforehand; the inspector comes, goes through the checklist, and at the end tells you if you're in compliance or not, and how to get there. But here the authorities suggest that you present for inspection as-is; the inspector looks things over, gives you a list of deficiencies that need to be addressed, you fix them, and you get the list of deficiencies signed off. It all seems way too subjective to me.

[BDKawey]

yesterday.. swapped my walbro 255 fuel pump to a housing that wasnt totally destroyed went i fitted it the first time. also changed the fuel filter and deleted the in line fuel pump. then i adjusted my rear camber to as most positive as i could and took the 5.0 swap on its first (successful) test drive. went well. still needs brakes and power steering bled more.

[Pauly Walnuts]

Tried to torque the head down and this happened, followed by yet another order from Pelican.

[Karl Grau]

Does anyone want a free M5? Seriously, get this POS out of here.

So back in June I had it up in the air to install the catalytic converter for its biannual smog test. While in the air I notice one of the rear Billie Sports is leaking, so fark, I’ll just replace them both as long as it’s already up on jack stands. A couple of days after I place the order I notice the sway bar bushings are looking somewhat suspect and the boots on the sway bar links are torn. I figure, fark, might as well replace everything as long as it’s already up on jack stands. I went for the Powerflex mounts and after fighting them for hours, I gave up and ordered stock bushings. Six days go by and I get an email saying, “sorry there are no M5 bushings in stock in the U.S. right now”.
I pay my DMV fees to avoid a late charge and on a whim, I call Carl Nelson at LJI to inquire about M5 sway bar bushings. He says “sure, come on down I’ll set them out for you”. So I'm all, “fark”, why didn’t I just call Carl in the first place?.
I put the bushings on and go in for my smog test where at 25mph, it’s clean as a whistle, nary a hydrocarbon to be found. At 15mph it spewing so much foul shit, it gets Gross Polluter status. I couldn’t remember when it last had a tune up but I know it couldn’t have been too many miles ago because I never drive the POS. I decided at the very least, that I would change the air filter and engine oil but then said, fark, I’ll do plugs cap and rotor too. While I’m under the car, I notice the fan is REALLY close to the fan shroud and on further investigation I see a dodgy looking engine mount. So I decide fark, I better replace them too. I was digging around in the parts warehouse and found a new mount so I’m all, “finally something going my way”. On closer inspection, the only marking on it is “Germany” so I don’t know if it’s crap or not and plus, it’s not the solid kind. So I’m thinking fark, I better just buy two that I know aren’t crap.
To make things better my neighbor was futzing around with his rock crawler POS which is fine except that everything he does to that thing requires the use of an oil-less compressor and what sounds like a dental drill only one thousand times louder. *sigh*


Suspect engine mount:


When I change the oil on a car with a spin-on filter, I put the date on it so after 87 years I got the bright idea to put it on air filters too.

[a]

I got to see my car a couple of days ago; it was up on a lift at the shop in Holzen, a little town few kilometers down the road. I'm having my new best friend Axel work through the surprisingly short to-do list that the TÜV man put together for the car. I was expecting a lot more, but all that it needs is a set of new tires (I knew that already), and to have an oil leak stopped up. The main drippage appears to be coming from the oil level sensor on the bottom of the oil pan and from the drain plug. The TÜV man also found that one of the brake lights wasn't working, and the light harness connector by the trailer hitch was missing a part and had some wiring exposed. Once those things are fixed and the TÜV man signs off on it, he'll issue the certificate to get it registered (I hope.)

I'm finding that the Germans are kinda funny when it comes to inspections like this. I first noticed it on the fire safety inspection for our building. Typically in the US you have a checklist of things that you know they'll be looking for, and you get them squared away beforehand; the inspector comes, goes through the checklist, and at the end tells you if you're in compliance or not, and how to get there. But here the authorities suggest that you present for inspection as-is; the inspector looks things over, gives you a list of deficiencies that need to be addressed, you fix them, and you get the list of deficiencies signed off. It all seems way too subjective to me.

That's pretty much how my MA inspector at the local Shell station handles my heaps. Last time, he didnt.even remove the sticker. He said the exhaust was too leaky and the E-brake flunked too. No real big deal. So, I know what to fix I value the man's skill in diagnoses. He is way too busy to work on old BMWs, but he can inspect the hell out of them. . From what Ive heard of TUV, I probably would be walking a lot.

[dhdrums]

Finally had time to work on my car. Two weeks ago I was idling in my driveway. As I left I noticed a large puddle. So long story short it was the CSV o-ring. After getting that back in place, I found the culprit to the rough idle I've had. The vacuum hose between the ICV and the intake manifold had a large crack in it (which is weird because the hose is less than a year old). After electrical taping it back together (another one is being ordered), I put it all back together and sure enough the idle was fixed and no more fuel puking out of the side of the engine. Funny the way things work out and it is always good to check stuff even if it is fairly new.

[1st 5er]

Bought it.

[Das_Prachtstrasse]

I got to see my car a couple of days ago; it was up on a lift at the shop in Holzen, a little town few kilometers down the road. I'm having my new best friend Axel work through the surprisingly short to-do list that the TÜV man put together for the car. I was expecting a lot more, but all that it needs is a set of new tires (I knew that already), and to have an oil leak stopped up. The main drippage appears to be coming from the oil level sensor on the bottom of the oil pan and from the drain plug. The TÜV man also found that one of the brake lights wasn't working, and the light harness connector by the trailer hitch was missing a part and had some wiring exposed. Once those things are fixed and the TÜV man signs off on it, he'll issue the certificate to get it registered (I hope.)

I'm finding that the Germans are kinda funny when it comes to inspections like this. I first noticed it on the fire safety inspection for our building. Typically in the US you have a checklist of things that you know they'll be looking for, and you get them squared away beforehand; the inspector comes, goes through the checklist, and at the end tells you if you're in compliance or not, and how to get there. But here the authorities suggest that you present for inspection as-is; the inspector looks things over, gives you a list of deficiencies that need to be addressed, you fix them, and you get the list of deficiencies signed off. It all seems way too subjective to me.

That's no different to how it is here, either. The list of things that cause a roadworthy fail is so extensive that it's left up to the discrepancy of the tester to pick the faults. Fortunately, a roadworthy isn't an annual check and is only required when buying/selling a car with registration, so once it passes you never have to worry about it again unless the police request it and that only happens if something is extremely obvious and dangerous.

To keep with the thread title, I drove it to work today which I don't like doing as the beige seats don't take kindly to filthy clothes, but the wife took the e34 keys by mistake this morning so I had no other option. At least it's a sunny day.

[1st 5er]

Bought it.

Drove, well, driving, it home.

[Ordnator]

Replaced the soundproofing under the bonnet, fitted heated windshield washers and harness and new windshield wiper arms to the Zobelbraun Eta.

[juan c.]

Not today, but last Friday I managed to finish replacing the subframe bushings with Meyle HD and installing big brakes from an E32 that I got from Ray in Phoenix.
Cannot say enough how easy the bushings were with the proper tool from Brendan/Moosehead. I also put 17" style 32s on. yum.

[1st 5er]

New coolant overflow bottle
(now to get the sensor wired in)
and
Good used washer fluid tank
(still need to run the plumbing).

[davintosh]

Drove it home with a new set of plates on it! Registration is complete!

[1st 5er]

Drove it home with a new set of plates on it! Registration is complete!

[Mike W.]

Drove it home with a new set of plates on it! Registration is complete!

Cool! Speaking of registration, how expensive is it over there?

[RonW]

Changed the oil in my 535is. The old oil had only 5,500 miles on it. Normally I'd wait until the 10,000 mile mark, but the last time I changed it was 2011.

[WVe28]

Drove it a total of about 1 mile (the exhaust is already shot so bah). Then I looked at it and pondered whether gloss, clearcoated shadowline would look better than flat or satin trim paint. Decisions, decisions.

[oldskool]

Drove it a total of about 1 mile (the exhaust is already shot so bah). Then I looked at it and pondered whether gloss, clearcoated shadowline would look better than flat or satin trim paint. Decisions, decisions.

Full vacuum and detail soon I hope.

[WVe28]

Yea...

[shriekback]

I replaced the 3 missing and 1 worn-out rubber door latch buffers.

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/partxre ... series=E28

[dsmith]

I replaced the 3 missing and 1 worn-out rubber door latch buffers.

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/partxre ... series=E28

When I buy stuff from BMW, they make me buy the lot. 10 of these each time. 10 of the round C pillar grommets, etc. Kind of annoying. I tried the URO brand door latch buffers once, but they were more like plastic and almost split on install.

[waynet1]

When I buy stuff from BMW, they make me buy the lot. 10 of these each time. 10 of the round C pillar grommets, etc. Kind of annoying. I tried the URO brand door latch buffers once, but they were more like plastic and almost split on install.

The dealer you are using are being ass holes, talk to them about it and if they stick with that attitude use another dealer, AND send a note to them telling them why you will never do business with them again with a CC to BMW.
I have used BMW dealers in many different locations from New England, Missouri, New Jersey, New York and South Florida and only once did I have a problem with one. Otherwise they have always given me a fair price and in exactly the quantity I wanted.

[shriekback]

I replaced the 3 missing and 1 worn-out rubber door latch buffers.

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/partxre ... series=E28

When I buy stuff from BMW, they make me buy the lot. 10 of these each time. 10 of the round C pillar grommets, etc. Kind of annoying. I tried the URO brand door latch buffers once, but they were more like plastic and almost split on install.

I bought proper BMW latch buffers. I was only thinking it would be nice to have a couple of spares around when I ordered 6 of them. Out of those 6, however, 1 was hard (like plastic) and resisted going on. I didn't force it, because I had others. I imagine it might well have split if I had, though. In any case, I am pleased by the very noticeable difference they make in closing the doors.

[davintosh]

Drove it home with a new set of plates on it! Registration is complete!

Cool! Speaking of registration, how expensive is it over there?

So far I've got about €175 into it, with a broker doing most of the footwork for me. That figure doesn't include my annual tax though; I'll get that bill in the mail. I've been told that the tax for "oldtimers" is far less than what you'd pay normally, which is calculated by your engine size. 3.4L = big bucks. But the oldtimer exemption isn't automatic either, so I'm not sure what my tax bill will look like.

[a]

So you are be-bopping around southern Germany in an E28 ? Kewel Wicked Kewel Davintosh. I fired up the 528e and went to see Mum 10 miles down Rt 3 and back. The tach, radio power and the OBC lose power whenever the mushy suspension encounters a bump. I suspect a loose or dirty instrument panel maybe the inboard 24 pin. I haven't had an IP apart in a decade. The tach has a 535i dial on the super e tach. The driver's window no longer responds to beating the door card just aft of the button. It also needs front struts badly. The perches are rotted badly. So I shouldn't be hooning it as much as I do. It hard to get motivated because it is sooo rotten.

[88 M5]

Cleaned up the contact area on the passenger side tail light and put bulb paste on the contacts, thereby making the brightness equal to the driver side.

[e28Sean]

Drove it to work, taking the long, twisty roads. Then I paused to admire it from my office, then I muttered quietly about needing to get off my lazy ass about un-denting the hood.

[Nesset]

Drove it. Taped hole in windshield gasket for tonight until I can seal the hole with sealant.

Admired it.

[Gelatinous]

This was a couple days ago, but I pulled the plates off of Farfrompimpin and handed signed transfer papers to my father to sell it. I have immigrated to the US and could only bring one vehicle with me. My E28 was a $500 purchase 5 years ago and was starting to get a little squishy in the floor.

[Nesset]

This was a couple days ago, but I pulled the plates off of Farfrompimpin and handed signed transfer papers to my father to sell it. I have immigrated to the US and could only bring one vehicle with me. My E28 was a $500 purchase 5 years ago and was starting to get a little squishy in the floor.

The Samurai would be my second choice for a daily driver. Girlfriend's father has one I have driven quite a lot the past two summers. It's a great drive on, and off road.