Leaderboard

Time for some maintenance in the engine bay. Leaking valve cover gaskets and a good attempt to sort an intermittent engine rattle that comes and goes and has been there since owning the car. Thought the timing might be slightly off but it was perfect, but did notice the main chain sprocket on the b1 intake came was off by 1 tooth compared to b2. Vanos should compensate for this easily, but it just meant that the intake cam couldn’t reach its full range of travel on advancement. Certainly didn’t feel down on power but good to correct this while it’s apart. Suspect po’s engine builder got this wrong and i did not notice way back when I refurbished the vanos units. The secondary air pump line bracket on b1 was loose due to the threads in the upper chain cover being stripped out. I think that may have caused the rattling but will have to see when it’s back on the road. 4 new cps’s to go in and a set of fresh plugs and filters. I forgot how much of a c u n t changing cps’s out on the s62. Ordered a new alternator too as the lights were flickering at idle and bearings starting to get grumbly. New belts and idler pulleys to boot also. Good to see after nearly 6 years of ownership it’s still very clean inside and the chain guides are mint.

You mean this? The one I bought? Horses for courses I reckon I paid top of market, maybe too much. It is great having a range of cars and preferences in the space, all keen to get some E30 ownership. I had my sights set on the red MTech2 but bailed at $43k. Equally that coupe with the Alpina bits that went for $15k had heaps of appeal too and would be just as enjoyable or even more than mine. I am not wealthy and mechanically not a DIY-er other than bulbs, trim etc, so a project car needing work wasn’t what I wanted. This is my 4th but not had a 6 cylinder until now. Had a mint NZ new 318i M10 that in a fit of stupidity I sold and traded on a Landrover Freelander (junk!); within a week I saw it de-badged, de-spoilered and driven by a kid lying down in the driver’s seat. Heaps of people have different plans for their E30s eh? https://www.pressreader.com/australia/new-zealand-classic-car/20180917/282527249363253 Mine is 100% standard bar the 15” wheels and has done 162kms and interior might be fractionally better but equally, some of the upgrades he has done on that blue one are things I like eg the suspension work and it looks equally tidy paint-wise. My OCD would go into full intergalactic warp mode with mismatched seats but I would LOVE sports seats like that one has.

X

wow, you got your money's worth out of those @qube 😀

Looks like a pretty mean all rounder... drive to the track... race.... then drive home. Winner at the stop light drags too Cheers... https://carbuzz.com/news/bmw-2002-transformed-into-803-hp-monster

https://www.pelicanparts.com/techarticles/MINI/41-SUSPEN-Control_Arm_Bushing_and_ball_joint_Replacement/41-SUSPEN-Control_Arm_Bushing_and_ball_joint_Replacement.htm

FB Marketplace - both these have full matching sports leather interiors and are manual. Hard to see condition of the $24k auto on TM as the photos are poor - with @E28E30 one you can see it’s immaculate and looks fantastic in red with the basket weaves.

FB Marketplace - both these have full matching sports leather interiors and are manual. Hard to see condition of the $24k auto on TM as the photos are poor - with @E28E30 one you can see it’s immaculate and looks fantastic in red with the basket weaves.

@E28E30 yup that’s the one. I do agree that it depends on the buyer’s preference. @Sammo where is this 18k 325i manual you speak of? Don’t know though, I feel like it’s tidy enough that someone would probably still buy it.

Hi all, thought I’d make an account after seeing a bit of talk about my M3 (RASPY). Not usually the type to join forums as I never have the time to be as active as I should but here goes nothing... 😆 just moved to a new phone so don’t have many detailed pics of my car(s) but rest assured I’ll upload some on the next sunny day.

I caught up on e46 maintenance yesterday. Well, at least Auto 38 in Newtown, Wellington caught up on my behalf! It had been seven or eight years since the last cooling system refresh - about 80k kms. Last time it was Hepu water pump, hoses, sensors, reservoir, thermostat, cap, thermostat clip. There had been some slow leaks - coolant loss over about 3 months bringing up the level light, and about 150ml of deionised water to top up. Now was the time to sort it. This time it was *all the hoses* - not just the top and bottom ones, every hose, including the hard plastic one that bolts to the block, and the one(s) intake manifold. New thermostat (Borg Warner), new water pump (Graf this time - metal impeller again), reservoir, support bracket, cap, sensors, auto trans thermostat, pulleys, belts. And of course BMW coolant with deionised water. Replaced fan shroud too, Jon had a spare one that wasn't cracked. Jon showed me the state of the hoses, many of them had turned hard like thermo-setting plastic. There was a little play in the Hepu waterpump bearing. Doesn't feel like much, but as Jon pointed out - there's a fan on the end of it! My impression on the drive was that the car feels a little smoother. Happy days. Great service from Jon and Keren at Auto 38! If you're in the Wellington region, this is the place to go.

Sub frame out Those engine support bars are worth their weight in gold. For $100 it is the gift that keeps on giving. She's ready to pull Now I just need to find the person doing a rain dance and tell them to cease immediately

Hi all, new member, 2004 645ci. Kerikeri

Ohhh yes. I had a Lister 7.0 (no superchargers) XJ12C. Arches bulged like a bodybuilder on a diet of pure steroids and protein. I thought that was a monster - heaven knows what this is like!

Bloody diabolical. Not too hard to do but time consuming and means removing a bunch of the front of the car. Expect to spend a decent lump of cash on labour if you arent doing it yourself. This was from when I did mine on my R53