kiwipetrolhead

Buy genuine BMW and ask for the warranty. But yes, don't overtighten or damage with a socket that is not square-on. Paul

Sounds like head gasket to me. How much to fix? Lots. Head might be cracked too, a common problem. Paul

Hey what I do on ALL my cars after having the cooling system drained is thoroughly bleed the system by filling the system with coolant from selected hoses. Yip, I slowly fill it up bit by bit working from a low point and working my way up. I select which hoses to fill from and in what order based on commonsense that air rises to the top. If done correctly, this works every time. It's way better than using the car's bleeder nipple and I never have to wait for the thermostat to open to bleed any air out. I have had the same issue as descrined here with other cars in my motor trade days in the '80s, so I developed this technique myself to overcome the problem. Of course, it can be a bit tricky filling from smaller hoses, so just go for the large ones as much as possible. Heater radiators in particular on some cars can be quite a problem to bleed so the technique I use sorts that one out every time. Cheers Paul

Yuen says "B" and he is supported by the Brembo webpage which states... "Brembo Sport slotted brake rotors are sold in axle pairs and the easiest way to verify correct usage is to install the rotors on the side of the vehicle that results in the end of the slot nearest the outer edge of the rotor always contacting the brake pads first." btccm3 says "A" (based on what he says) and a pair on his car are fitted according to an "L" or "R". Mine don't have any "L" or "R" to indicate. kerrynzl says that Yuen is "correct [Accordng to the Brembo article]" (so that's "B"), but then he goes on to say that "A" is the correct rotation. Hmmm... cainchapman thinks "A" too, based on McMillans fitting of his pair on the rear. E30-323ti mentions curved vanes, which I agree are different - mine also have the centre vanes which I think are slightly curved, but it's hard to tell for sure if they are curved. So while it might be true that the rotation of slotted discs is less important than the rotation of curved vanes, I have to get the direction correct because of the vanes in mine. But E30-323ti also thinks "A" is correct - again different to the Brembo brake article. So you see my dilemma now? I think I will go for "B" then, thanks to Yuen's help, despite the majority of 'votes' (and kerrynzl's apparent confusion being for "A". More comments welcome though, I'll be fitting them this weekend.

Hi there, I have a pair of new slotted front discs for my e21. Problem is, because the slots are angled, I'm not sure which is the correct rotation. Please see pic - should "A" or "B" be the front of the car? Hopefully this and a few other things will prevent the brakes from overheating around Manfeild, so long as the rotation is correct. Thanks Paul

"Wheel alingment won't "- I agree with that. In all my years I have never seen a worn wheel bearing cause a vibration. Yes, many people have thought a bearing might be the cause, but I have never found a true case for it. And I have replaced worn wheel bearing numerous times, but there was no vibration prior. I have never come across a worn ball joint causing a vibrating either, although I accept there might be a case for that one. A warped, or buckled wheel can certainly cause a vibration. Even mags can become buckled. One of my 540's 'new' mags has one slight buckle on the inside edge in fact, so I'll get it fixed this week or next. I have no idea how it got the buckled, but there you go. In my case, the buckle does not cause any vibration though - well, not up to 160kph at least. The most common cause of a vibration is a worn out Uni Joint on the drive shaft, but this is not a common problem on BMWs because they have a different type of joint. Sometimes an Auto Trans fault can cause a vibration, but the most common cause I know in BMW is a warped rear brake drum - yes, the brake drum for the handbrake, not the brake disc itself. In fact, my 540 has a slightly warped left rear brake drum and the car has a vibration because of that (the vibration was there before the mag got buckled). I am in no hurry to replace it though, it's no big issue at present. But if the vibration is more noticeable, it should be sorted out for sure. So my suggestion is to check your brake drums first. The other cause can be worn suspension bushes, as suggested above. This occurs quite a lot in e21's front suspension, but it's not a real common problem on most cars. However, I understand 5 series can have a bit of a problem in the rear as well, so perhaps 3s do as well. Paul

If the clutch pedal feels no different than before and it is only 2nd gear then it won't be the clutch, but the gearbox. If you drain the oil, as someone else already suggested, you can see if there are any bits (like bits of broken bearing cages), or fine metals flakes in the oil. If there is either, then you definitely know you therefore have a gearbox job on your hands. But gearboxes are fun and easy to rebuild, and if it is only the bearings that are faulty then replace them all and do it quick before more expensive damage is done. Cheers Paul

Yip, any modern engine (about 1990 onwards) will last a million Ks or more if it is treated right, and that includes NOT using additives. Paul

I don't' know for sure, but I suspect they'd be identical. Paul

OK, no one knows about tappet settings when cold, or won't tell me at least? Anyway, I have set them to 12 thou cold now, so I will recheck once hot (as I would have done anyway). Still, I suspect there won't be a lot of difference, if any, between hot and cold. As for the cam pulley, I haven't done anything more about this yet, but I plan to pop into the local agents tomorrow to see how much OEM ones cost. Cheers Paul (Why do I feel like I'm talking to myself! )

Ah yes, Morey's. That's been around for many years and it is one product that some mechanics will actually use. It's good stuff to put on your cam lobes after a cam job (or head or engine job) so there is no friction on the first start-up. As for engine flushing to "pic up any niggly bits that were missed" - you mean like the bits of broken rings and things? I have seen people use high detergent oil (for diesel engines), or a mix of that with kerosene, used to do an engine flush. They drain the oil and put this in, then idle for a while then drain and change the filter at that point. One guy did it on his VW Beetle one time and about a year later he did an engine job! Personally I have never bothered with a flush. If there is crap in the rocker cover area, I take it off and wash it out, and on rare occasions I have poured a bit of fresh oil in while the sump plug is still out to "pic up any niggly bits that were missed", but that's about all. Paul

Good stuff, sounds like you're having a ball! Paul

My '83 e21 323i flywheel has a slight lip - my guess is that it's about 3 thou although I didn't measure it and it's back in the car now (but I have a very good 'eye-crometer'). Might be the same flywheel as an e30. I have photos if you want them (three views, some close-up) Paul

And use POR15 paint if you want the perfect solution for long term (permanent) rust prevention. www.POR15.co.nz Paul

Yes, that makes perfect sense of course. NY Taxis aren't exactly doing a lot of stress work. As I said in my first post, normal oil is fine for normal work. But if you like to drive your BMW like it deserves to be driven, then better oil is a good investment, and it lasts longer so it is actually cheaper in the long run. Also, a slight bit of oil burning is not a harmful thing - a bit of lubrication to the top compression ring can only be a good thing. Aside from all that, any modern engine will last a hell of a long time on normal oil if you service it regularly and drive it normally. For example, a 2-litre Toyota NZ Courier van engine will happily do well over ONE MILLION Ks without any problem. Why? Because it is clocking up the Ks when it is constantly hot. (As I said in another post, most wear takes place on start-up.) Taxis in big cities usually run 24/7, so their engines will last too (hence the results you posted). But I do lots of short running, cold starts and high rev stuff, as well as towing, so I used Mobil 1. Cheers Paul P.S. After only 60,000 Ks of hot running, even if the oil was not changed even once in that time, you'd expect to find no measurable wear. (The exception might be if they were Ladas or Humber 80s.) So use cheap oil and save yourself lots of cash - just make sure you keep your engine running 24/7! Paul

Yes, I have heard this too. I am not sure why though - it might be more to do with potential to cause oil leaks than anything else. For example, I ran my old '83 Renault Fuego on Mobil 1 for a while but it leaked oil and was costing me too much, so I switched back to conventional oil (that all the previous owners would undoubtedly have been using before I bought it) and over time the oil leaks slowed until finally they stopped all together. I never touched a single gasket or seal in the entire time. In fact, I have had this car for 8 years now and have still never replaced one single gasket or seal on it. As for my old '83 e21 323i, I used Mobil 1 in that too, even though it was an oil burner when I bought the car 7.5 years ago (and again, previous owners probably used conventional oil in it before I put Mobil 1 in). I thrashed it a bit, including a few blasts around Manfeild, all on Mobil 1, and it lasted quite well really considering its state when I bought it. It was burning quite a lot of oil when I bought it, but it lasted more than another 80,000 Ks on Mobil 1 before I finally decides to do the engine up, which I am doing right now. The main thing that annoyed me was the spark plugs fouling within no time, but the engine itself was NOT smoking more and more, and even as it was when I pulled it out it would still pass the new WOF emission standard. When I get the engine back up and running, I'll run it on cheap oil for about 500 Ks, then change to Mobil 1 again and be ready for lots more trouble-free Ks. Anyway, the only reason I can think of why not to switch to synthetic for any engine (in an e30 or anything else) it that it MIGHT create oil leaks. But it might not too. Cheers Paul

Yes, I was referring to "Queen of Beemas", and not you "3pedals". And yes, in certain circumstances this sort of insurance might be a good idea, but really, if it is needed then I'd say you should NOT buy the car. The insurance doesn't cover everything and it don't last forever, so it will cost you sooner or later if the car is a lemon. Cheers Paul

Regarding an earlier post by "jjs" - "E36 M50 - What oil is the best to use?", he asked about what is a good conventional petroleum oil to use and what oil additive to use. Someone else suggested Motor Up additive. I commented that I have always been sceptical of oil additives. I have seen tests done with various additives, and compared to straight oil, the results really were a bit of an eye opener. In particular, Wynns seems to be a product to use if you want to wear your engine out really fast! (If the tests I witnessed are anything to go by.) Of course, I have not seen tests performed with all oil additives out there, or all oils even, but I have a bit of a thing about maximising engine life so lubrication is a topic of special interest to me. (That's why I 'prime' my oil filter when I replace it. I bet you hadn't heard about this idea before!) Anyway,with regard to oil additives, I just read "Off The Shelf Additives" which a section in an article about conventional oil versus synthetic oil found at http://www.pelicanparts.com/BMW/techarticl...nthetic_faq.htm Here it is... --- Off The Shelf Additives There are countless over the counter oil additives on the market, as there have been for a number of years. In recent years a number of companies have appeared on the scene with huge national television advertising campaigns, racecar sponsorship, and more, all designed to make the consumer believe that the products really work and you are doing yourself a favor by adding these to your car. The fact is that these products are not necessary, do very little to help your engine, and in many cases may actually do more harm than good. The major car companies do not endorse any of these products and in fact your owner’s manual will undoubtedly advise you to avoid them. --- Personally, I'd much rather invest a bit extra cash in synthetic oil for my engine rather than using cheaper high-quality conventional oil and an additive that might or might not be beneficial. If a metal part is worn out, adding some sort of additive won't 'fill in' the worn bits - no additive can fix worn cylinders, broken rings or worn out cam lobes and followers. If it could, it'd probably also fill in the oil gaps and seize your engine. Yes, I know some people use an additive as a preventive measure rather than an attempt to fix worn out engines, thinking that it will prolong the life of the engine. But I think you are just being ripped off. If you really want to prolong the life of your engine, don't rev it hard until it is up to normal operating temp, and service it regularly - ideally using synthetic oil, and replace the air cleaner regularly too. My engines last very well, yet I feed them plenty of fat once they are hot - I never hesitate to continually run my engines on the rev limiter around a race track so long as it is up to normal operating temperature. Finally, if you just do normal everyday running and never stress or rev your engine hard or load it up (i.e. towing) then good quality conventional oil is just fine. But I leave Mobil 1 in my engine for twice as long as I would if I was to use conventional oil because it does last lots longer. So if you do that too, it will actually save you money using synthetic, so long as your engine has no oil leaks. Cheers Paul

Yes it is an e34. The earlier ones (like mine is) are only 4.0 litre V8 engines and not 4.4 litre. I have no idea which gearbox it has, but yes..."lifetime" fluid sounds a bit ominous to me. Thanks for that though I will check out the plate's colour, but I guess if there are no signs of leaks then I don't have too much to worry about. Paul Please let me know how you get on. (Mind you, I am in Palmerston North, but I will still be interested to hear.) Cheers Paul

This type of "insurance" has been around for many years, and like some others point out, it does not cover wear and tear. That usually means things like brakes, clutches, tyres, cam belts and exhausts are not covered, and you have to keep to their (often over-the-top and expensive) service schedule for the"insurance" to remain valid. Like another poster in this thread, I used to work in the motor trade too, and I worked for lots of car yards that sold these packages. However, unlike the poster who says this insurance is good, I personally would not waste my money on it. (Perhaps the other poster is in the trade where he sells these things. ) When I purchased my 540i 2 years ago I was offered this insurance, but I won't touch it with a barge pole. (Mostly I purchase privately, but the 540i was one rare exception). BTW, on the matter of purchasing from a car yard, if you go in with cash and no trade-in, you can save a massive amount of cash - you can bargain them down from the asking price and get the car at a price that is more inline with what you'd expect to pay if you purchased from a private seller. If you pay by cash and stay well clear of interest-bearing HP deals, the massive amount you will save would more than pay for any big repairs you MIGHT have to do to the car. Because of the big savings I made by negotiating with cash, that's the only reason I now own a 540i! So stick to your guns too - it does work (or be prepared to walk away from the 'deal'). Cheers Paul Lucky you - you saved wasting your cash! Paul OK, I admit there are a few exceptions where these things to actually pay off. But like you say, if they pay off, chances are the car is a heap of sh*t, so get rid of it fast. And Subarus certainly are very expensive for parts and repairs, especially for a Japa car. Cheers Paul Yip, looking at this thread even further now, I am now totally convinced that 'Queen of Beemas' is in the insurance trade - a car dealer tied to this outfit or maybe even a direct employee of "Contractor Bonding Limited" itself! Paul

Mine is being replaced with the engine rebuild it's just had. The old belt had done 70,000Ks in almost 7 years. The cam belt guy (I purchase mine from a 'cam belt specialist') told me they should be replaced at 4 year intervals if that comes around before the recommended Ks. That seems rather soon to me though, and mine was still in fairly good shape too - perhaps he just wants to try and sell more stuff!. And if your car has oil leaking on the belt at some point then it will deteriorate lots faster...yes, just like any other rubber-based material does with oil contamination. Anyway, lucky you caught it when you did. Always check and replace the tensioner bearing too if there is any doubt. I didn't replace mine 70,000Ks ago, but I have done this time. If it collapses half way through the life of the belt, then you'll be in as much trouble as you would be with a broken belt. Cheers Paul

It's 20-thou now (after the top of the block was skimmed), but yes, it should be OK - the head gasket is thick enough I think. I have the head back on now, but not yet timed it up and turned over. I can get a thicker head gasket for $100 if there is a problem. But it's not just valves that could hit, too much piston protrusion would mean the pistons would hit the head in the squish area, but the head gasket is thick enough that that shouldn't be a problem. BTW, it's an M20 engine and it's a re-ring job, so the original pistons are being used. Also, what's "bently manual"? Cheers Paul

I missed the earlier thead, what was it caused by? Thanks Paul

How long to chains tend to last compared to belts? My 540 is chain driven too - I assume it's one very long chain driving both banks, but perhaps there are two separate chains. When I used to service Mercs in the '80s, the V8s had one massively long chain and we used to replace them by connecting the new one to the old one with a joining link then carefully turn the engine over by hand as we fed it in (requires two people). This was a big time saver though, compared to ripping the front of the engine apart as the manual suggested. Cheers Paul

One more good tip - I always prime my oil filters. That way, oil pressure comes up almost as quick as a normal start up. In fact, when your oil filter is mounted up side down (like it is on my 323) you can completely fill up the filter before screwing it on to the engine. If it's not mounted up side down on your engine, just put as much oil in as you can without it draining out when you hold it on the same angle as it will be when placed on the engine, but also make sure the entire filter paper is wet to maximise this. Remember, over 90% of wear takes place at start up, more so when the engine is cold...and while there is no oil pressure. Do garages do this on customer's cars? No, of course not. But I ALWAYS have! Cheers Paul