Non-BMW Stuff on a BMW Forum
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Alright. I'm finally making some progress on the e30. While take a couple steps back. While snooping around the engine I noticed quite a bit of oil seeping out around the intake manifold gaskets and I have a fair amount of oil in the throttle body. I've read some is normal, but excessive oil in the intake manifold typically points to a vacuum leak.
I ordered new intake manifold gaskets and oil drain pipe gaskets. But I think if I do have significant oil leaks they are coming from the two barbs for the IAC and brake booster. They are pretty loose. I've read that they are simply pressed into the manifold and can loosen up over time. These are some pretty solid vacuum leaks for how loose they are.
Does anyone have any recommendations for fixing these?
Thanks!
I used some permatex gasket sealer on the barbs and it seems to be holding up well. I pulled the barbs out then just put a solid amount of sealant on them toward the flange of the barb, pressed them on, and let them set and they seem to be pretty much sealed up and in there solid. Check your charcoal canister hose too to make sure it’s hooked up to the intake manifold, it’s way the hell underneath the manifold and at least on my car did not have a hose clamp, so if it came off or was left disconnected that could be your issue too. When the head was off my e30 last, I forgot to hook that vacuum line back up and couldn't figure out why it idled like hot garbage until I smoke tested it and plumes of smoke came out the bottom there. Good luck with your vac leak search, it’s a never ending task on these it seems.
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Took the opportunity while my wife was in Chicago this weekend to have a couple late nights working on the bmw. Got all of the front and rear suspension in place. Still need to go through everything and tighten it up. New shifter assembly in. Driveshaft in.
Shifter is an IE DSSR, Garagistic solid selector rod joint (highly not recommended), delrin bushings on the shifter holder arm thing, and the Turner poly arm to car holder thing. Shift feel is fantastic.
Also used some permatex epoxy on the throttle body. I think this should work nicely to keep the barbs secure and not cause a vacuum leak.
The R has been great. Next on the list for that is fixing the rear window rollers, replacing the blower motor motor, putting a stock cat back in, and some other general maintenance.
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Got the car running last night. Took some attempts. I put in a new fuel pump and it wasn't getting any power when cranking. I jumped the pump relay pins and it started. Plugged the relay back in and now the pump was magically getting power. And then while running I was getting a weird noise which ended up being the CPS harness sitting on the alternator fan getting chewed up. It didn't wear through to the bare wires, but it did remove all the protect coating and the shielding. SOOOOOO took that out and ordered an OEM CPS and a couple new relays.
This round of things grew beyond the originally planned suspension and exhaust and there some things to button up. But I'm really excited.
Beyond the e30 I have a full suspension refresh coming for the 850, rubber coolant and intercooler hoses to get rid of all the dumb red silicone hoses, and things to give it a good tune up.
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What brand was the aftermarket? That's one part I've always heard to buy oem
I can't recall 100%, but my guess it was MT.
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Wellllll alright then. Car is dirty af but it’s back on the ground. Obviously my old wheels are for sale and their replacements are some oem BBS Euroweaves. The smoked headlights went away for some new oem ellipsoids.
The engine bay is largely the same except that I went through the engine harness and peeled off all of the crusty factory sleeving and replaced it with some nicer serving. Most of it is hidden, but it makes working with the harness so much better. I also replaced the soft AC lines with oem lines, new ac compressor, alternator, and oem coolant hoses.
And what I was most excited for was the interior. I traded Tom some stuff from the car for a pair of Recaro SE. I took them to get recovered at Homestyle Custom Upholstery in Milwaukee. After talking to them about the seats and being reassured multiple times that they can recover them while maintaining their look and feel, I moved forward. Well, they butchered the seats. I’m not entirely sure how they managed to do it, but they did. What I have now is actually their second attempt at fixing them. The bolsters all point different directions, the shapes are wrong, the bottom bolsters are flat. It’s been a really disappointing process. The company won’t even acknowledge that they look wrong.
On the flip side, I have version 2 in the works. I will likely save these seats and over time get new foams for them and take them somewhere where the people actually take pride in their work.
Wood steering wheel for full 80s effect.
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Interior V2.0 has begun. Out with the cardinal and in with the black.
I picked up a black leather rear bench this past weekend and a set of gray door cards. Cue the SEM Color Coat paint and it's now all black.
Rear bench went in the car with one of the new seats. They're Recaro LXB with a houndstooth inserts and nappa leather sides. This is what I was envisioning when I started this whole thing. I'm going to order a rear bench cover from zoomzoomzoom-ing to math the front seats in color/texture. They're also going to mimic the stitching on the rears.
I also picked up a new windshield and a clean rust/dent-free hood on marketplace. I put in the windshield and will save the hood until I also find a replacement driver fender.
Last few things to do are:
- Swap in the passenger seat and clean up the interior.
- Install a new DEM relay. I am getting intermittent no start because the fuel pump isn't getting power. I tried jumping the fuel pump relay and that did nothing. Took out and reinserted the DEM relay and it started working completely normal.
- Charge the AC system. I just ordered a new receiver since the system sat open for several months.
- Replace both tail light gaskets. Already have these but I was getting water in the trunk through the tail lights when I washed it.
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🥰
That looks amazing! Those seats are perfect in an e30
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That looks amazing! Those seats are perfect in an e30
Thank you! This is what I was always envisioning. I also ordered a rear bench cover from zoomzoomzoom-ing on ebay and they're going to match the stitching of these seats. The rears won't have the houndstooth, but they'll at least compliment the fronts and will be an identical material.
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@Tkuhn uses the Airlift brand. Harbor frieght has their own Pittsburgh tool as well.
Sorry boys. Late to the party but here's a link. Pretty satisfied after only one use.
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niiiiiice
too bad with the reupholstery debacle. did they make any sort of recompense for the shit job?
Dan
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niiiiiice
too bad with the reupholstery debacle. did they make any sort of recompense for the shit job?
Thank you!
They have yet to even acknowledge that they don't look good. I have brought up in my emails several times that this can't be the quality of work that you want to represent your business or as a professional upholsterer you feel this represents your business, etc. Nothing. I am not exaggerating when I say they have not once acknowledged that they don't look right.
I said I wanted the cost of the front seats back. The rear bench came out fine - even though it will still need to be redone if I get the fronts redone since I'll use someone else and they won't have these materials. He offered $300. The interior all together was $2,700. The fronts were about $1,800 with labor and material. I filed a payment dispute with my bank and have given them pictures, emails, and a third-party opinion. I've been issued a temporary reimbursement for the full cost of the seats. They then take all of my "evidence" and make a final decision. Although I assume if they issued me a temporary refund that my chances are good of it getting approved.
Once this is all done, I have a large review written up that I will put wherever I can for the business. The letter I have from the other business addresses how the craftsmanship is garbage and the seats are basically ruined (i.e. all foams will need to be made custom or purchased new and fitted to the frames).
In other news - the new covers for the rear bench are on their way! Matching leather with stitching that matches the front seats.
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Once this is all done, I have a large review written up that I will put wherever I can for the business. The letter I have from the other business addresses how the craftsmanship is garbage and the seats are basically ruined (i.e. all foams will need to be made custom or purchased new and fitted to the frames).
In other news - the new covers for the rear bench are on their way! Matching leather with stitching that matches the front seats.
Good, they deserve every bit of your bad reviews. Such an obvious qaulity issue and then to offer a abysmal resolution
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What's the time frame to make that drive?
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What's the time frame to make that drive?
Driving out Wednesday and Thursday. Rally is Friday and Saturday (also Sunday but I'm not staying for that portion). Drive home Sunday and Monday. Google Maps says 3500 miles but will be more because of the rally portion.
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