MyE28.com

Well, it wasn't today but on Thursday I lost a rear tire due to a nail. Then Friday I corded my front tire and parked the car. I ordered new tires. I spent lots of money. I cried and then went shooting. I felt better.

My dad and I did bumper lipo. Here are a few ugly pictures.

Added coolant to the overflow bottle...

swatterssr wrote:Added coolant to the overflow bottle...

This does not bode well for my plans for my car.

Spent a couple hours rehabbing the near new Bav Auto spark plug wires. Seems the PO (Or his mechanic) installed new plugs and wires but neglected to put silicone grease in the boots. No amount of gentle cursing, PB Blaster, spark plug boot wrenching or vacuum relieving was sufficient. I reverted to cave man mechanics to get them off. Result three pulled off plug connectors and one boot 3/4" shorter. The plugs were installed without the gaps being checked and one had a .052 gap! That was my odd miss under load. No anti-seize on the plugs either but the threads had been oiled so no problem there. All is repaired now and working fine.

I was amazed at the condition of the plugs though, scarcely any visible wear and only a touch of tan from gas additives.

Changed the manual transmission oil, changed the rear drive oil, and changed the brake fluid. Took me about 5 hours, but I'm slow (and I had to drive to get the brake fluid). Shifts and brakes a little better.

Gave up on trying to find the 450 milliamp draw on evil fuse #5 and wired in a kill switch on that circuit instead of opening the hood and pulling the fuse every time it sits for more than a few days and my battery is dead.

Took out and cleaned my coolant expansion tank and washer bottle, cleaned the paintwork on the inner wing below the bottle, T-cutted the clean paint, starting working my way up the wing...

Oh, and took a drill and wire brush to the engine getting it cleaned up ahead of some paint..

And took some manual window winders out of spare doors to send to a guy who's building a track car..

Had enough for one day now!!

I became more annoyed by the thing

new brake lines and replaced a seized caliper.

Looked at my 88 last night and wondered why she had to suffer so much. The paint is looking bad... because she spent a year out in the elements and not in a garage that she should be in. Then I started thinking about what she needs: the passenger rear window regulator repair because of my soon to be 4 year old; rear dogbones, and some front brakes and maybe control arms.

While cleaning the 82's interior a little bit I started thinking how bad she needs alternator bushings and a good tune up. She also needs brakes too.

:sigh:

installed new clutch slave cylinder. rest of system looked too good to change...maybe i will regret it.

also, had the car pa safety inspected with e-code lights installed. this is the second time it has passed inspection with these lights installed. we really should be able to keep purchasing these euro lights, don't you think?

New dog bones, stripped my front grilles out, scrubbed and refinished with trim paint, the kidney grille looks like it's been driven through a corn field at 90 so that's next in line for replacement.

Hopefully the car will handle better than a loose ball bearing on the highway tomorrow.

Replaced the tail lamp that I broke coming back from 5er West. Took about two hours.

I cleaned the battery posts and clamps then went out and hit 110 mph for a second or two and it wanted more! I chickened out. 1988 535is.

Somewhat magically got the driver's side rear window to start working.

Took the grey car for a spirited drive on the 10...got "tethered" by some 17 year olds with their hot little niblet girlfriend in the passenger seat of a nice '66 Mustang. Decided it was time to "air it out" a little....

The Mustang never had a chance. From what I could see in the rear mirror, the poor kids musta hit the resonant frequency for the entire suspension on that car...looked like they were in a worm-hole...and were about to come apart when he lifted.
Too funny. I sure love that M30.

(Past 2 days solid...) sanded it down to bare metal and prepped the garage with plastic and filtered inlet/outlet fans. Body filler and primer will go on tomorrow.
DA sanders are brutal, my hands hurt something fierce...

Well , while tripping thru the rows of prospects in "Mad Max" land in OTAY MESA Ca. { a stones throw to MEXICO} ..@ ECOLOGY WRECKERS , I came across a 535i with a remarkably new looking power antennae .. Took a chance and .,, VIOLA !!! Hooked it up .. IT WORKS ... FACTORY REPLACEMENT TOO ........All for 22. American dollars ...

Saturday: Replaced the oil in both the 535i and the Honda with Syntec 20W-50.
And installed my RED diagnostic port cap.

While not today, I used my shiny new floor jack to get all four wheels off the garage floor last night in preparation for the clutch R&R.



Guess what's going to occupy me over the holiday weekend!

And today I went out to the self-serve yard hoping to grab a few items off the e32 that was put out a couple of months ago, only to find that they crushed it last Friday. Crap. My fault entirely for not getting out earlier... They did have another C4C car out there though, an e34 530i. It's got a nice set of basketweaves on it that I'll go back for on 20% off day -- $18 apiece seems like a decent price for them -- and I might also grab the brake calipers while I'm there. They won't be needed for the e28, but should find a new home by way of the For Sale section.

Fitted my new (to me) headlights. Getting a bit closer to the end but still have a TON to do. Excuse the US holes in the radiator support and the primer coated tow-hook cover.

davintosh wrote:and I might also grab the brake calipers while I'm there. They won't be needed for the e28, but should find a new home by way of the For Sale section.

I wouldn't bother.

wkohler wrote:

davintosh wrote:and I might also grab the brake calipers while I'm there. They won't be needed for the e28, but should find a new home by way of the For Sale section.

I wouldn't bother.

Chris is right, anyone that has been here for a day or two will hold off for something else more worth their while.

Post it on craigslist. If its not gone in a week. Part out begans.

Swapped out the interior. No longer Black on Black...now Black on Red. Love the two-tone doorcards and the contrast with the other black stuff.

ealinn wrote:

wkohler wrote:

davintosh wrote:and I might also grab the brake calipers while I'm there. They won't be needed for the e28, but should find a new home by way of the For Sale section.

I wouldn't bother.

Chris is right, anyone that has been here for a day or two will hold off for something else more worth their while.

I suppose you're both right; 750 brakes > 530 brakes.

Unless maybe I clean 'em up all shiny & nice and rattle-can them ricer yellow or red... That gives them extra stopping powr, right?

Did emissions. Got it aligned. Removed catalyzed exhaust. Removed driveshaft. Installed CSB on replacement driveshaft. Removed entire shifter assembly.

Most of this stuff (aside from the exhaust work) I'd never done before and it's taken way way longer than anticipated. Hopefully re-assembly tomorrow goes quicker.

My 88 Super 528e developed a coolant leak on the way home from work Sunday, and a pretty good one at that!. I figured it was one of the hoses to the intake manifold and thought it would be a quick 45min fix at most. Well on my only day off I was set to fix it. After way too much time spent on the hoses I found the gasket for the coolant intake feed/return housing leaking at the TB. Made a trip to the local autoparts outlet and picked up a roll of gasket material. Took three times to cut it correct but all is good now. No leaks. Initialy I thought it was a hose and an easy fix. It took half the afternoon to repair with the run to the parts store (I live 7 miles from town). All said and done I feel it was a job well done. Got some cleaning done while it was all apart too!

spinedocab wrote:Swapped out the interior. No longer Black on Black...now Black on Red. Love the two-tone doorcards and the contrast with the other black stuff.

Awesome.