What did you do to your E28 today?

[e28Sean]

That must have been a bit scary. Glad you and the car made it out with really no issues.

I will admit to checking my pants afterwords. I am equally glad I came out the other end with nothing more than some dirt.

There was another guy, in an E36, that was not quite as lucky, and was not able to drive back out afterwords. I was in the timing booth taking over my off when I hear "SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT!". I turn around and see another dude going off in the same spot I did. He wasn't quite as lucky as I, unfortunately.

That was the point I decided that setting two new personal best lap times was enough for the day, and packed it in.

[dsmith]

I am equally glad I came out the other end with nothing more than some dirt.

Isn't it amazing how much debris ends up in a car doing that? Looks like it was pretty dry. If it was wet, you would have stood a good chance of digging in sliding sideways and rolling.

Long ago, on my ride with an instructor to test moving on to the solo group, I dropped a right rear wheel to the grass and did the same thing at about 90mph coming through an off camber kink. We skipped along the grass and dirt for quite a ways (passenger side first), also lucky not to roll it. My instructor was not impressed... It was a borrowed car and I was lucky to only have to pay for an alignment.

My current e28 will most likely enable my track day return next year. I can't wait!

[e28Sean]

I am equally glad I came out the other end with nothing more than some dirt.

Isn't it amazing how much debris ends up in a car doing that? Looks like it was pretty dry. If it was wet, you would have stood a good chance of digging in sliding sideways and rolling.

It is. I looked like I was wearing a ghilli suit when I got out. It was dry enough, thankfully. By the time I hit the wetter, lower part of that depression I was going slow enough that flipping was less of a concern than was the big concrete mouth of a drainage pipe. ... with the aforementioned E36 M3 hit head on, just a few minutes later. (you can see the structure I am referring to just above and to the right of "C" in the map I posted).

[davintosh]

Just now I peeled the car cover off of it, literally. I bought what was billed as a waterproof, breathable, indoor/outdoor car cover for it a couple of weeks back. On Thursday I took the car to the car wash, put the cover on when I got back (knew it would be sitting for a few days), and thought all was well when it rained yesterday. Apparently it leaked, then we had a pretty good freeze overnight, and...

Liars!

On a happier note, my new shocks arrived today. New parts make me happy. Now for a window of time when I can put them on.
Can't. Wait. For. Christmas. Break.

[1st 5er]

Hit 200K @ ~100 MPH in Das Biest.

If only now I could figure out
how to post pics, easily,
from photobucket on my android.

[dsmith]

If only now I could figure out
how to post pics, easily,
from photobucket on my android.

I use their app, upload from phone and copy the link. As much as PB sucks for going to their site to look at pics, the app has worked great for me to easily upload and post pics.

[Foonfer]

This past weekend I took her (him? - still not sure what "it" is) to the shop, to continue the "baselining" process. This time, suspension is the biggie and other smaller things to go along with it. It has been a slow process I know:

1. Beginning of ownership, late 2013: Address all rust. Replace fuel tank.
2. End of 2nd year: Timing belt, tuneup, valve adjustment.
3. During 2nd year: Replace torn rear seat. Replace cluster board. Add rear headrests.
4. During 3rd year: 16" wheels, sport seats, replace driver's lock, replace dash, replace heater valve (all of which I did )
5. End of 3rd year: Bilstein HDs, 22/16 sways, Hella H1/H4 lights, perhaps other things which are still being decided. Will update.

[RonW]

The bushing on the throttle linkage bellcrank just above the pedal failed, and the bellcrank came out so the pedal didn't work well.

I improvised a replacement bushing from an old piece of plumbing, a couple of washers and a bottle cap.

[1st 5er]

... an old piece of plumbing, a couple of washers and a bottle cap.

My kind of hacking.

[davintosh]

The bushing on the throttle linkage bellcrank just above the pedal failed, and the bellcrank came out so the pedal didn't work well.

I improvised a replacement bushing from an old piece of plumbing, a couple of washers and a bottle cap.

Pics or it didn't happen.

[RonW]

The bushing on the throttle linkage bellcrank just above the pedal failed, and the bellcrank came out so the pedal didn't work well.

I improvised a replacement bushing from an old piece of plumbing, a couple of washers and a bottle cap.

Pics or it didn't happen.

You'll sleep better believing it didn't happen.

[Philo]

Found that I put the MAF sensor in backwards.. Was wondering why the engine ran like crap. Mucho better now. Tomorrow will attempt to wet/color sand and buff the engine hood. Wish me luck.

[dsmith]

I am swapping out blue for black interior and found this. Actually, I was told it was done, but seriously, don't do stupid stuff like this to these cars. A prior owner removed the sport seats and cut off the power seat connectors. WTF?

[cbumga11]

I finally got my car inspected, which passed with flying color. Upon arrival back to the garage, I promptly tucked all my truck wiring into a plastic loom. Once that was done, started prep-ing the truck to be por15'ed. Pretty good day, all in all.

[86GT635]

Insured it. I still have only driven it 80 miles or so getting it running and parking it at home. Tomorrow I'm going to go register it in my name so it is out of the PO's name before the first of the year so the years taxes will be in my name. I guess I'm going to start driving it. Need to find a fuel line check valve, anybody have any suggestions?

[1st 5er]

WTF?

[davintosh]

Replaced the ratty old Billies with some shiny new ones. The car likes new parts.



Now I'm looking to figure out what I have for springs on the thing.

[mattphillips]

A few months ago on Labor Day, my sister was involved in a wreck in her daily cosmoblau 86 528e. The car was irreparable and we were forced to decide what kind of car to get her to daily now. Since my family already has 6 528e's in various states, and my dad and I do all of the maintenance, we decided the best route is another e28. By the end of Labor Day week, we had found a cirrusblau 88 528e in fair condition for $1500. My dad drove it home to Greenville from Asheville with no problems other than all kinds of weird vibrations. After a few weeks, the two of us logged about 6 hours each on the car one night and both stayed up until 2 am. I was working on the engine components and dad was doing replacing the brake pads and the fuel pump and filter and I was working on engine work. I replaced the timing belt and other v belts, water pump, cam shaft seal, adjusted the valve timing, valve cover gasket, some vacuum hoses, rotor and distributor, changed the oil and filter. We also had to drill a hole in the crank pulley. For some reason, the set pin was too big for the hole and caused a very bad vibration and only had 4/6 bolts. on the pulley. Once we had done all of those repairs, we called it a night. The car got tires after that. More recently I then started with the steering and suspension elements. I began with the upper control arms and used some family members for the appropriate pre-loading. This week I got around to the steering. I found that the tie rods had probably been replaced, but the drag link was shot. I replaced both simultaneously. I was then ready to focus on some of the comfort features. I had to fix the odometer gear, replace the plastic buttons that hold the seat belt buckles up, and that stupid motor for the fresh air baffle was missing two screws causing the baffle to not close. (That was fun) I kept feeling a misfire when accelerating so I replaced the spark plugs and found a rusted #6 plug. Glove box light, cleaning the vents of insulation lovingly put there by some PO mice. :P We installed Hella low beams. Tonight we replaced the rear brake rotors and adjusted the e-brake. The interior is nearly perfect Navy Blue fabric. I had to replace the drivers armrest, but the 86 528 had blue fabric as well. Apart from cleaning the seats a bit, the car is ready to daily again. Merry Christmas to my sister! (Hopefully I can figure out how to post pictures here and show) Congrats if you read all of this, I probably forgot stuff, but I figured I would share this here.

[a]

I liked the blue cloth interior in my 2nd Lachsilber super eta. Reminded me of old jeans. Way better than pleather and more comfy than leather.
My wrassen frassen yurt queen is back inside awaiting a a fresh heater blower. The drvrs window no longer needs a tap to function. To be honest,the blower motor has been on its last legs for some time. A car without defrost or heat is dangerous this time of yr. Time for a better one The first successful blower motor refresh is in the Borman 6. I found 5 intact blowers in the shop. IIRC, the present dead blower is one I installed when I first bought the car. Smoothest, was an AC blower. I'd want to soak the bushings anyway. maybe I should try one of the stripped motors first. I have an ancient 4 amp charger that I use as a power source to test stuff with. I used it to run the window motor whilst I refreshed the regulator in the same seat I'm sitting in now. I almost prefer working in the cold than in the muggy heat . The yurt is cold, but it is out of the wind and dry inside. Power distribution is off a circuit in the shop with GFCI pigtail with extension cords. Tunes + CDs and the game are from a small throw-away box . the ground is layered in plywood and rugs, hence "yurt" When the front flap is dropped , day light comes through a storm door lashed fast in the rear end. I have a 15 watt CFL over head I also have 2 6 out plug strip s with a pair of work lights. I can run small power tools and haven't blown a breaker yet. It can be used evenings, in wet weather as well. I'm not going to get into any discussions about past trials with re-habbing old Bosch motors. Suffice to say in 20 yrs of fooling around with them. I've learned that less is more. To be cont..

All 4 out 5 blowers are good The Sofica from the Grape howls like a banshee. The Bosch I fattened up to fit in its place is perfect.

[dsmith]

Aaaack! Mission creep, from a tune up. Removing power window wiring kind of sucks, but now I'm in too deep to stop. At least the seat wiring unplugs.

[a]

D Smith, I think the seats are a sub harness going to the dash ,possibly C201 . Also look at what feeds the lighter socket.When I was patching the footwell , I ran an 1/8 bit through the harness feeding that. I hit a dozen wires and caused some bizarre symptoms. I cut and pasted with butt splices and tape. Never a bit of trouble. I bet you can find that harness intact.
I spent some quality time with my stock of used blowers. It was a coin toss between 2 of them. I used some turbine oil with the telescoping spout on the felts that oil the bushings. I tested all with the charger on 6 volts. Inplace and powered , it ran silently in i , whirred in ii and roared in iii. The job was easier because this was blower-ectomy #2 . the bulkhead cover screw directly behind the head was left out. A trick I learned with the top bell housing bolt. I had a pigtail all ready attached to the blower motor ground lead. I dug up 6 cable ties and viola! Done. I'm gonna treat it to some oil and a filter.

[dsmith]

D Smith, I bet the seats are a sub harness going to the dash ,possibly C201 . When I was patching the footwell , I ran an 1/8 bit through the harness feeding that. I hit a dozen wires and caused some bizarre symptoms. I cut and pasted with butt splices and tape. Never a bit of trouble. I bet you find the harness intact

Yes, the seat harnesses come out easy. It's the windows that splice all over. I ended up just cutting the switch side wires going to the window motors and the power wire from the breaker to the switch. I will reconnect the other grounds the are part the window switch grounds (S400 or something). I am just terminating all of the wires and rewrapping it all with cloth tape.

Window wires aren't that much, plus the harnesses in the doors.


Also removed the dash and am trying to figure out how the digital clock connects vs the obc. I plugged it into what looked like the right connector and the wipers ran!


I have a crack free dash on its way. Also, Kyle sent me some manual window, seat and no a/c swag.

[mattphillips]

I replaced on my mom's daily Bronzit 1988 528e:
Upper control arms
Tie rods
Drag link
Sway bar links
Rear trailing arm links

Also I created a list of things to do for my family's newly aquired e30

[davintosh]

Ordered a marderschreck for the car. A marder is the German equivalent of a Pine Marten, and schreck is to frighten; so a gadget to scare off marders.



Springtime is their mating season, and they can be pretty destructive under the hood of a car; they love to chew on the wiring and hoses and other rubbery bits. What that has to do with mating... No idea, and don't care to know. A friend here in Kandern had about 1200€ in damage done to his car last year from the little bastards. I guess I'll do whatever I need to to keep them from dining in my engine bay.

https://www.amazon.de/Gardigo-Marder-Fr ... 00EO26UPY/

Most devices are ultrasonic deterrents, but there are also high-voltage electric shock plates that mount under the hood. I've also heard of people fitting wire mesh to the open spaces under the hood to keep them out, but that still leaves brake lines vulnerable. All of our dorm vehicles have the ultrasonic gadgets under the hood, but I've still seen marder footprints on the windshields & roofs of them. To make matters worse, they're a protected species; killing one is verboten, and carries a stiff fine.

I wish I had a garage.

[a]

I have something like that for wood chucks. Inside Marina has several hyper sonic thingies plugged in . Pine martens are repopulating around me. Martens are mustelids . Hyper rodents with a blood thirsty attitude. Everything from weasels to wolverines I have 1000 acres of fresh water marsh behind me. The 528e is in the middle of the yard. All of the snow is gone. IDK if I should graft in another econo-meter or live with it. The tach is from the Borman 6 along with its mother board. The econo-meter is haunted. If I take the power off , it will re-set.

[Ordnator]

Replaced the C-pillar cover locating lug bugs to prevent leaks into the trunk.
Replaced both of the license plate light fittings and fitted led bulbs for a whiter sharper light.
Replaced the windscreen wiper motor due to loss of intermittent function so now have full range of wiper options again.
Removed, cleaned and oiled the screaming blower motor so that peace and tranquillity have once again been restored to the cabin.
Diagnosed the week windscreen washer problem, snapped T-piece in the supply pipework.
Diagnosed the lack of side lights in the new dipped beam head lamps.

Satisfactory day spent with the Zobelbraun Eta.

Regards,

Mick

[Dale3783]

Swapped out my OBC thanks to delvin and started cutting off the rotted rear valance to weld in my new euro one.

[RonW]

Cleaned the main engine ground yet again. This fixed (yet again) my temperature gauge which was reading too high. I go through this every few years.

[tig]

Finished suspension upgrade.

[kaganr]

Swapped my stalks from my old column to my new one, which, as it actually has a key, means I can steer the car.

Apparently a useful feature to have.