kulgan 1042 Report post Posted August 24, 2015 (edited) I decided to start this log because of all the work I've been doing to the 740i and there's a lot more to come so instead of posting it in the "What did you do today" thread I'll post it here and keep a log for myself. Decided my daily driver needs a refresh before I seriously get stuck into the 750i. Coming up will be new shocks and some suspension work. It's been about 15 years since I last painted a car but I'm thinking about putting it in the shed and doing a bit of body work then a full repaint in the same color. As is to be expected with a 20yr old car the body has seen better days. Couple of small dents and a lot of scratches and chips. It'll be good practice before I do the repaint on the 750i. 14th August 2015 Replaced this with this pulled these out and put these in so now this stays closed. yayyy Edited August 24, 2015 by kulgan Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kulgan 1042 Report post Posted August 24, 2015 18th August 2015 Replaced this which has been broken for over a year and has pissed me off every time I looked at it. With this.It has the PDC sensors but it's still a heck of an improvement over the broken one. Then I turned this Into this. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kulgan 1042 Report post Posted August 24, 2015 19th August 2015 Did a bit more today replacing the cracked wood trim in the front doors and center console. Out with the old. In with the new. Pulled this out of the spare parts car. A bit scratched but still in better shape the the original. Sanded to 2000 grit then went looking for my small buffing wheel and couldn't find it so out with the brasso then a fine cutting compund and this was the result. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kulgan 1042 Report post Posted August 24, 2015 21st August 2015 Replaced these. Groomed the engine bay. And groomed the interior. Leather cleaned up nice using Oakwoods leather cleaner. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kulgan 1042 Report post Posted August 24, 2015 (edited) 22nd August 2015 Was going to leave the 740 alone today and do other stuff but on the way into town it started running rough. Turned around and came home. The plastic corrugated pipe that runs from the MAF to the throttle body had broken around the throttle body so I replaced that. Didn't help. Figured out it was missing on the left bank so proceeded to replace the spark plugs. Realized the plastic cover over the spark plugs had become brittle where it bolts down and had broken around the bolts so when I cleaned the engine bay yesterday it had let water seep in. Replaced the spark plugs anyway as they looked like they'd all seen better days. Ran out of time today so will do the right side tomorrow. Cars running sweet again. Phew. Edited August 24, 2015 by kulgan Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Michael. 2312 Report post Posted August 24, 2015 Sharpening up nicely. It's good to see an E38 looked after, far too many aren't! 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kulgan 1042 Report post Posted August 24, 2015 (edited) 23rd August 2015 Finished replacing the spark plugs on the RH bank. What a mess. Looks like i'm up for rocker cover gaskets very soon. Oil everywhere. Cleaned it up for now. Just glad the miss I had yesterday is sorted for now. Spark plug connector boots are stuffed and wrapped in electrical tape so need to be replaced as well. Edited August 24, 2015 by kulgan Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kulgan 1042 Report post Posted August 24, 2015 Today I replaced these which were stuffed. Then I replaced this which bolts on. With this which has push button release. And it started to rain so thats all for today. 2 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kulgan 1042 Report post Posted August 24, 2015 (edited) Sharpening up nicely. It's good to see an E38 looked after, far too many aren't! Cheers. I've decided to get my daily sorted before I get seriously stuck into the 750i. It's coming along nicely atm but there's a ton more work to be done yet. Edited August 24, 2015 by kulgan Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KwS 2372 Report post Posted August 24, 2015 looking good, will keep an eye on this thread for sure. Wish i could daily a 740, would bankrupt and piss me off in wellington though lol. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest cortez Report post Posted August 24, 2015 cars look great ! will keep an eye on your thread as well..... keep up the good work ! 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
_ethrty-Andy_ 2122 Report post Posted August 24, 2015 what is the engine cover off? havent noticed push button type before....... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kulgan 1042 Report post Posted August 24, 2015 what is the engine cover off? havent noticed push button type before....... It came off the 96 735i I'm wrecking. I hadn't seen one before either. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kulgan 1042 Report post Posted September 9, 2015 (edited) Goodies arrived today. The grab handles are a different color to my trim which is grey so I'm going to grab one from the spare parts car and see how well I can get paint to adhere. Out with the old again. Plugs were different so with a bit of splicing in with the new. I was also disappointed to discover that while the plugs are the same shape for the front map light the male plug from the car is missing a pin and wire. so the 3 main lights will work but the 2 amber led's wont. The old one didn't have led's. Turns out I have a project for the weekend. After a bit of investigation I found out I can splice into the wire going to pin 4 on the sunroof night light and use that to power the amber led's. Edited September 9, 2015 by kulgan 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kulgan 1042 Report post Posted September 11, 2015 Today I tackled the amber LED's in the front map light. These should turn on with the driving lights and stay on permanently. So apparently the 95 wasn't meant to have these and the wiring harness doesn't support it. No power wire for the LED's. So I took a pin and wire from a spare plug I had and inserted it into pin 4 on the lights plug. Then joined that to the wire coming from pin 2 on the sunroof controls which powers the light in the sunroof controls. While I was pulling the home link panel from the roof it broke. It was so brittle it was falling to pieces in my hands. I grabbed the one out of the spare parts car but ofcourse it has different colored upholstery so I used a bit of spare imitation leather I had and covered it. So I now have working Amber LED's and a tidy home link panel. Future plans include having the headliner re trimmed in a darker Grey so the home link panel wont stand out so much. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Breaker 980 Report post Posted September 11, 2015 Nice Dave, ribs must be feeling better working above your head like that 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kulgan 1042 Report post Posted September 11, 2015 (edited) Nice Dave, ribs must be feeling better working above your head like that Feeling a lot better after a couple of weeks though I still have to be careful about what I'm doing. Sneezing's still bad..lol just sticking to the little jobs for now.. Edited September 11, 2015 by kulgan 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kulgan 1042 Report post Posted September 12, 2015 (edited) Wooden handles I bought came from a tan interior so I've painted the plastic parts grey to match my interior. Took a part from the 740i to the paint shop and had it color matched. Primed with plastic adhesion primer then top coat. I'm pretty happy with the results. You'd have to look very close to know it's not original. Edited September 12, 2015 by kulgan 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kulgan 1042 Report post Posted September 12, 2015 Got home from work this morning and thought what the heck. 15 mins later. 2 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Breaker 980 Report post Posted September 12, 2015 Looking sharp Dave, devil in the detail. Well done 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kulgan 1042 Report post Posted September 13, 2015 Cheers Brent. A few more wood pieces and I'll be happy. Trying to get my hands on the b pillar lower trim with wood from a 750 and the seat backs that have the wood trim as well. Ofcourse If I could find picnic tables that would be a bonus too.. Ahhh, it's endless.. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Breaker 980 Report post Posted September 13, 2015 Haha that'll be an individual for you, list is long and very extensive for extras Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kulgan 1042 Report post Posted September 13, 2015 (edited) lol, the goal is to have the most heavily optioned 740i in NZ. Suspension upgrades and paint are in the list too including installing 750il disks and calipers because in the distant future I see one of these. Almost forgot the 6 speed manual conversion too. Edited September 13, 2015 by kulgan 2 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
_ethrty-Andy_ 2122 Report post Posted September 13, 2015 it will be the Best E38 too 2 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kulgan 1042 Report post Posted September 24, 2015 Removed this And put in this. Not much but it's the beginning of the Chromeline interior transplant. Also removed the back seats from the parts car and gave them a good clean. Ready to go in the 740i now but I've run out of time today. Works calling. 2 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
