WIBIMMERS

Cleaned the IACV today. Was having some problems with rough idle and generally crappy running for the past couple of days beginning with the -14 temps the other morning on the way home from work. Check Engine light on. The car would just barely stay running at idle. Same thing when I started it up to back out of the driveway this afternoon. Figured I'd start by cleaning the IACV. Decided it couldn't hurt, anyway.

Car is an 88 325ic. Pulled the IACV and took a look at it. Didn't look too dirty just eyeballing it, but, got some brownish drainage when I sprayed it out. Sprayed it until it drained clear. Did the same with the rubber hose and metal elbow going into the TB. Put it all back together again, and although it ran a little rough for the first couple of seconds after initial ignition, it smoothed right out, and no more Check Engine light. Went for a drive to warm it up, and it drove great the whole time!

Question: How frequently should one clean this part? Thinking that maybe I should do this twice a year when I do my oil changes; early spring and late fall just to be safe. Any thoughts? Am I going overboard?

m42b18 said:

 now they go for $75k simply because the demand has increased (thanks to baby boomers and nostalgia) and the supply has decreased because most of them have rusted away or beaten to death

E30's are following a similar route for sure. Spec e30 and lemons have taken a ton of e30's off the streets and thanks to the popularity of the e30 M3 and the general awesomeness of the package offered by any e30 the demand for them has increased dramatically in the last 5 years. I wouldn't be surprised if a really nice condition, stock, late model 325is is going for $15k in ten years. 

I think you've hit the nail on the head. I've only recently gotten into the BMW hobby. I've been in the Mopar hobby for over 20 years. What's happening with BMW's now is what happened with Mopars back in the late 80's through today. I bought my 66 Charger in 1988 for $1200. It was basically a running parts car. Today, that same car would sell for around $5K. I bought a running and decent 70 Charger 440 six pack/4 speed in 1996 for $8K and spent a bunch to restore it. Today that same car in the condition I bought it would command no less than $20K, and then require another $30K to make it really nice. I'm a late Baby Boomer, and those are the cars I grew up with. I'm only now seeing prices begin to increase for 66-67 Chargers because the availability of the much more popular 68-70 version has nearly dried up, and prices for those is now into stupid money.

The BMWs from the 80's and 90's are from a different era than the Muscle Cars I grew up with, and are now gaining popularity with the 20 and 30 somethings who grew up with them due to their own nostalgia. They are still somewhat plentiful as they aren't that old yet, but are becoming more rare as they age. So, we get into the whole supply and demand thing. Moderate supply plus increased demand equals increasing prices.

Then did he raise on high the Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch, saying, "Bless this, O Lord, that with it thou mayst blow thine enemies to tiny bits, in thy mercy." And the people did rejoice and did feast upon the lambs and toads and tree-sloths and fruit-bats and orangutans and breakfast cereals ... Now did the Lord say, "First thou pullest the Holy Pin. Then thou must count to three. Three shall be the number of the counting and the number of the counting shall be three. Four shalt thou not count, neither count thou two, excepting that thou then proceedeth to three. Five is right out! Once the number three, being the third number be reached, then lobbest thou the Holy Hand Grenade in the direction of thine foe, who, being naughty in my sight, shall snuff it."

I have the same con list, except that mine goes forward too.

Just changed the fan blower motor in my E30 last night. Was really easy, and took me about 30 min less than my Indy quoted me from their job book. A couple of really good DIY's on YouTube if you ever need them.

I'd go with the Volvo personally. We nearly bought a V70 wagon back in 2003. Will definitely look at them again.

My Ebay head arrived on Friday. Off to the machine shop on Tuesday and hopefully begin the process of re-assembly later this week!

Well, hope to get started on re-assembly this weekend and maybe on the road by Monday. Any suggestions for a newbie to head gasket replacement regarding setting the gasket and timing?

Got new head bolts, took a tap to each of the bolt holes to clean them up. All holes are dry and I took my parts retriever magnet to each of the holes to fish out any metal shavings from the tap. Took a razor blade to the top of the block and cleaned all the remnants of the old gasket, and cleaned the front of the block to set myself up for success on the water pump.

Weekend wasn't engine re-assembly friendly. I did, however, manage to get the head situated on the block last night with bypass hose reconnected and head bolts turned in just enough to have the caps flush with the metal. Today comes head bolt torqueing, valve adjustment, exhaust manifold attachment and hopefully thermostat housing and hose attachment.