Beiträge von steve

  • Brembo Caliper Overhaul

    Well done! :top:
    In my opinion, the reason for seized pistons in our Brembos is the badly designed caliper.
    The connection screw-domes are sitting far too close to the sealing rings of the pistons and so a large amount of break dust builds up over time around the sealing.
    Heat can not dissipate under this cover and the sealing deteriorates over time and moisture enters there.


    I had two calipers seized and one of them could not be rescued anymore.
    Taking out the pads and cleaning off built up break dust every now and then helps a lot in my experience.


    I don't really understand why BMW did not used some existing Brembo calipers instead of creating a new one for the 8.
    I bought the last left sided one from BMW a couple of years ago. (I don't know if they produced a new batch since then).
    The whole caliper was painted black including all rubber parts and break fluid hoses.
    I had to rub the the paint off the rubber parts. It was very cheaply made. (I bought it from an official BMW dealer so it's original. No fake.)


    Cheers,
    Steve

  • Russian central region - 2016 trip.

    Thanks for the great images and the report! :top:
    In the school (back in Hungary) I had to learn Russian for many years. (It was mandatory).
    I was so stupid that I did not took it seriously so even after so many years I don't speak a word. I regret it now.
    The Google Translation is always a bit of a challenge to read... :laugh:


    Cheers
    Steve

  • Aircon button not staying depressed!

    Looking at the images, you would need to desolder the LEDs and probably the metal cradle is also soldered on.
    If you have an Ohm Meter you could try to put one end on to the cradle and then look for corresponding solder points on the other side.
    It certainly looks like a lot of soldering (you would need a desloder pump as well) and I'm not quite sure, that it is possible to solder everything back as tidy as original.


    Strange thing with Guido. I had a mail conversation with him in June and sent him my BC to repair the Pixels early July. He sent it back within two days perfectly repaired.
    Did you try to call him?

  • Aircon button not staying depressed!

    I think you should keep trying to reach Guido (M8-Enzo) and get some help from him.
    I found one old thread over at Bimmerforums in which Revtor wrote about changing the illumination on the HVAC unit.
    There are some images of the disassembled HVAC controller but he did not removed the microswitches so it's not much help.
    (Here are the Links: Link1, Link2)

  • Shematics or Diagrams for Radios

    In the link in my 2nd post the BMW Bavaria C Business RDS (aka Pioneer Ke-92zbm) is also pictured. It's in the middle of post #4.
    Tape drive needs to be removed and the board on the back of the drive needs to be separated. (Image 6, remove the two flex-cable carefully and unscrew the board).
    The 7th image in the post shows where the connection needs to be. (On both sides the 6th pin on the IC from the bottom + the Ground on the top)
    Image #8 shows the Line-Out pins on the main radio board.


    It would be great if someone could replicate these E30 archived pages on our server, before it disappears completely.


    Cheers
    Steve

  • Shematics or Diagrams for Radios

    Hi Terje:winkwink:


    I don't think the are any official diagrams for these old BMW radios. (At least, i have not seen any yet.)
    In one of my 840, I installed a little amp, which comes between the original radio and the original boxes. It has two Aux Inputs and it provides good sound.
    (I forgot it's name... :hmmmm:) The drawback is that you have to set the volume on your MP3 Player which is fiddly.


    In my other 840 I modified the Business RDS Casette in a way that I removed the tape unit and used the pins for the tape Line-In.
    I documented it here.


    Here is the Link for the original E30 page.


    Here is a german Youtube Video for a Reverse RDS conversion.


    The conversion still works.


    Cheers
    Steve

  • Old Petrol/Flooded engine

    AGMs are in deed not that sensitive to deep discharge but they have a small drawback. They require a slightly higher charging voltage than normal batteries.
    I have an AGM in my 5 series and it never gets fully charged except when I top it up manually with the CTEK.
    The alternator and the charging electronic doesn't know about the AGM and can't supply the higher voltage.
    It works in everyday use but needs occasionally a little help from the CTEK to maintain the "health" of the battery.


    Ivan, the CTEK uses a "brute force" method in Recondition mode. It applies a higher voltage and literally boils the battery. This way it tries to dissolve the sulfate crystals.
    The high frequency pulses the MegaPulse incorporates are far more effective and less stressful for the battery.


    There is another option which is used by some of us here in Germany. Instead of using two batteries (which is not a good idea without a separate charging electronic for each), some owners removed the left side battery and replaced by a larger (100 Ah) battery on the passenger side. It fits only if the securing plate is re positioned but it seems to work better regarding charging.


    Cheers

  • Old Petrol/Flooded engine

    Yes, exactly. The CTEK charges the battery normally, and the refresher pulsates a little bit of the current back in the battery.
    The refresher needs at least 13 V charging voltage, so let's hope that the batteries take that much. (The charging voltage is not the same as the actual voltage a battery holds after the charge).
    If you don't mind the 80 Euros, give it a try. It might take a couple of days charging and even if the CTEK gives an error after a while, try it again.
    As long as the green LED light up on the refresher, it does it's thing and slowly breaks down the crystals.


    Even if it doesn't work on this two batteries, you can keep the refresher connected in the car as well (to one battery at a time).
    I have it in my 525d normally and it keeps my battery at a good condition there. I only remove it, when I need to get some life back in my 8 series batteries.
    Cheers

  • Old Petrol/Flooded engine

    Hello Ivan,


    yes, the Batteries should be in a good condition, otherwise glitches can occur.
    I only have two 840 V8s and they are not that picky about battery level. Probably the V12s are a bit more prone to erratic behavior due to low voltage.
    I managed to deep discharge a set of batteries in one of my 8 and they were pretty ruined. (They could not provide starting power even if freshly loaded.)
    After I charged them 4 days each with the refresher, they became usable again and I still have them in the car.


    Can you charge each of them one by one (out of the car) normally (with the NORMAL instead of with the Recond mode)?
    If yes, it might work with the refresher.
    If not, then they are gone.


    Charging both of them together in the car is not very useful because one could be defect and the other one get's more juice from the charger then it can handle because the CTEK doesn't know that it charges two batteries.
    Always recharge completely discharged batteries one by one, outside of the car.


    Cheers,
    Steve

  • Old Petrol/Flooded engine

    Your batteries are probably deep discharged and sulfated.
    Some CTEKs offer a recondition mode but I would not use that.
    Years ago I bought a battery refresher, which brought back some of my batteries from death.
    It removes a small amount of current from the battery (when the battery is charged normally) and loads it back with a high frequency.
    This way it breaks up the sulfate crystals and the battery gets back to a usable condition.


    I can highly recommend it and as I know there are others here who managed to save discharged batteries with it.
    Link in Spanish Amazon
    Link in UK Amazon


    Good Luck
    Steve

  • Old Petrol/Flooded engine

    Here is a Link to Bimmerforum Thread
    There you can see how it looks, when it's disassembled.
    You can probe the fuel pump by applying 12V to the pins. (belonging to the black connector)


    If it's the pump:
    Here is a Link to a Bosch Fuel Pump


    As I know, it is possible to replace only the pump in the unit but it's not that simple.
    Here is a link to a how-to (scroll to the end, to get the link for the images)
    The plastic might be brittle after so many years so handle with care.


    Good Luck!


    Cheers
    Steve

  • Old Petrol/Flooded engine

    Do you hear the fuel pumps before the engine starts? Key to the 2nd position, before engine start. The pumps underneath the right rear seat bucket should be humming for a couple of secconds.


    Cheers
    Steve