Hello All,
Today I smashed by front spoiler (no. 3 on diagram)!!! I've always preferred the look of the M-Technic bumper to mine. Will it, providing I find one at a reasonable price, fit on my car? If so, is it just plug-and-play so to speak, or do I need various extra brackets and what-not to fit it?
8er.org/forum/index.php?attachment/24804/
Regards,
Ivan
Thank you Wokke,
On closer inspection, I note that the Lemforder aluminium ones are about €150 apiece. I thought they were twice that, with the steel ones being €150, so not nearlt as expensive as I thought. I'll be going for them. As you say, BMW most probably would not have used spherical bearings if rubber bushings would do the same job.
Regards,
Ivan
Hello All,
Thrust arm bushes now fitted, and car goes for inspection tomorrow, so fingers crossed. The guy who fitted the bushes for me says he had to take the wish bones and thrust arms assembly as one. he says that by next year's ITV (MOT) I'll probably need them replacing also as the bushes aren't looking that clever! I guess it's inevitable that at 200k km's these things'll start popping up! Can you get steel wishbones for the E31. The weight difference between the steel and aluminium on a car this heavy I don't believe'll be a factor, and I'd rather go steel if cheaper, and use the difference for something else; God knows there's a long enough list!
Regards,
Ivan
Cheers Wolf,
Your's are obviously phenomenal judging from what people who have bought them says, but my 8 is bog standard and used very little. I also have a hell of a lot of other things I need to do on the car so cannot justify the price against the €60 of the OEM bushes. Thank you for the advice and help.
Regards,
Ivan
I assume then that your sphericl bearings do not fit the OEM arms? What does pre-loading mean?
Regards,
Ivan
How much Wolf, and are yours not a bit of over-kill unless I'm doing track-days etc. and looking for sportier handling/ride?
Hello All,
Need to change the thrust-arm rubber mountings (part 10 on diagram) for MOT pass. Did I read somewhere that better to use M5 mounts?
8er.org/forum/index.php?attachment/24576/
Regards,
Ivan
Hola Chusher,
Hoy no he pasar la ITV! El razon “ Sineblock trasero brazo de suspencion de ruerda delantera izquierda”. ¿Que es un ’sineblock’?
Ivan
Hello All,
Something very strange has happened. I drove the car to the mechanics yesterday to have the new steering parts fitted. I was obviously keeping an eye on the temp gauge 'cause of the radiator leak. It's about a 20 min urban drive. When I got to the mechanics, I pooped the hood just to show him the radiator leak, and no hissing or expulsion of water as before? mechanic couldn't get the steering done (!) so drove home, again a carful eye on the temp gauge. I detoured a couple of times going into garages to check the radiator, no leak and the temp gauge is sitting perfectly just below the half-way mark??? New radiator on the way from Germany anyway, but have you heard of anything like this before? A leak that goes away!
Regards,
Ivan
Brilliant bit of work. The black-bumper spray trick is worth knowing about. My gearstick trim (the part with the numbers on) is broken and unobtainable. After seeing what you have accomplished, I may try and manufacture one myself. It is just a flay piece after all. May be back to you for advice if you dont mind.
Regards accidentally hitting the a/c buttons by accident, you may want to consider recessing them and palcing and installing a 'roller-desk' type top. A bit of work, yes, but after seeing what you have done with the rest, feasible I'd say.
Ivan
Bugger! Things are really going tits-up since hitting 200k km's! All at the same time also. Thermostat housing cracked, now new radiator needed, just replaced the valve-cover gaskets, new engine mounts on the way cause the current ones are DEAD, new tie-rod centre and pitman arm to be fitted this week which'll hopefully fix the steering play which is preventing the car passing it's MOT, or else I'll be looking at a new power-steering pump I believe! I don't know...
Regards,
Ivan
Took the large bore hose off as Timm recommended to check the boss. All seemed fine and it looks in good nick. Took the car to the petrol station as the fuel was low and been in there a few months. On checing the radiator when I cam back, I could hear a hissing coming from the large hose area, but on closer inspection, the leak appears to be coming out of the blanking-plate below the hose. I released the pressure in the system by undoing the bleed-screw and the hissing from the blanking plate stopped??? Not much water escaping, but some. See picture. Still need a new radiator, or is their an explanation/cure?
8er.org/forum/index.php?attachment/23123/
Regards,
Ivan
Cheers Timm,
Mounts on the way from 'Car-Parts24' in Germany. I find them a lot cheaper than I can get parts here in Spain, even with p&p. Looks a simple enough job but I decided to trust the job of the centre-tie rod and pitman arm (in the boot waiting to be fitted) to someone with a four-post lift so'll probably wait for the mounts to come and have them all done together.
Regards,
Ivan
Thanks rogbmw,
Seems easy enough, but then again I'm finding nearly everything on the 8 doesn't come too easy when you get down to it! I was thinking that I might as well do the gearbox mount also. I haven't had a chance to look for it, but I'd assume it'll need replacing. Have you also changed one of those? Any tips?
Regards,
Ivan
Hello All,
Spent a couple of hours under the car night before last cleaning up as much oil as possible. Came across a number of 'interesting' things, one of which being some displaced rubber on the right-side (looking forwrd) engine mount. I think I know the answer already, but does this warrant buying a new mount? Also, is this a DIY job or are special tools needed?
This picture is looking back along the oil pan at the mount.
This picture is looking up from the floor.
Regards,
Ivan
Thanks All,
With the acoustic guarding (three of the brackets snapped and all the nuts and covers missing. Called the mechanic that took off the cover; he doesn't have them!!!) replaced, it actually sounds fine now. I'll have to check the bearings on the ancillaries that you mentioned Timm. I'm du to do the belts anyway. They're looking a bit ropy so I can check stuff out when I get to that. I have now also a pretty smooth idle. Taking the oil cap off when the car is running TerryY does change the running, but when put back on it seems pretty smooth. Problem I have is I have no point of reference as don't know anyone else with an 8, and have never been in or listened to another one.
Problem I have now is that I still have an oil leak!!! Discovered a couple of drops under the car after a night, and that's after just driving it around the block!!! Also, getting a bit of smoke coming from the rear/passenger side (LHD) (see movie) of the engine. I ran a clean rag around the valve head gaskets and checked the dowty seals, no oil. I've put some paper under the car and will check again tomorrow to try and pin-point where it's coming from. This is getting a bit frustrating!!!
Ivan
Hey Timm,
You appear to be correct, again. On closer examination, the leak is definitely coming from the large top pipe. Haven't had a chance to take it off yet as want to save the coolant which I only replaced 2km ago when I changed the thermostat housing.
Also, what might this connector be, and should I 'protect' it better from the elements if not useful?
Regards,
Ivan
Is it possible to take off the fan-cowling and still run the engine. I cannot see how the expansion tank separates from the cowling?
The idling is ok'ish, but I wasn't expecting it to be perfect. Remember the batteries have been disconnected so I was thinking after a bit of a run along the motorway it would settle in. Can't take it out for a run though as have discovered a coolant leak (see my other post)!!! Will be taking bits off today to try and localise that. From what Timm is saying it's likely to be, I think I'm going to need a new radiator! The leak was most certainly not there before I started the valve-cover job. I think maybe I've put too much wait on something while working on the covers.
As for the whistling, I had a bit of bother fixing the rubber boot to the throttle housing body. Maybe I need to check that.
Regards,
Ivan
New radiator!?
