kiwipetrolhead

I use Mobil 1 synthetic in both my old '83 e21 323i and also my '94 e39 540i. It's very good stuff, but all synthetic is. But I agree, do not mix it with non-syn. As for syn causing leaks and stuff, that can happen. I used to use it in my old '83 Renault Fuego, but I switched back to mineral oil and the oil leaks stopped after a while as well. No problem with leaks in my BMWs using Mobil 1 tho. If using non-syn, buy the best you can get. (Synthetic is expensive.) BTW, if you move to Synthetic, it pays to carry a litre spare in your boot. Cheers Paul Re Motor Up, it is any good? (I am always sceptcial of oil additives.) And is it safe to use with synthetic oil? Paul

Yip, it certainly pays to put decent stuff on where there is lots of heat. BTW, if you want to paint the manifold, try POR15 exhuast paint. Magic! Cheers Paul

Hi there, My old '83 e21 323i has the engine back in and the head on now. Now I need to set the tappets, but the BMW dealer gave me hot settings, which are: Inlet: 0.12" (hot) Exhaust: 0.12" (hot) If I recall from my days as a mechanic many years back, the clearances need to be wider when the engine is cold, then recheck/adjust once hot. But what I don't recall is by how much wider (if it is 'wider') that the clearances should be set to when cold. Any ideas? Also, anyone ever replaced the cam belt pulley on their car? Not the adjuster (or 'jockey', I have replaced that already), but he one that bolts to the cam itself. It is a pressed steel one and the teeth on mine look a bit worn. Should I replace it? If so, is there any good supplier other than genuine? Also, I have bought various new stainless steels cap screws and things to dress the engine up a bit. It should look quite tidy once it's all finished - but not overdone. And, I am doing the brakes up as well. I had the master Cyl sleeved with stainless steel and the brake booster re-kitted. (I was hoping the booster diaphragm was faulty 'cause them brakes were crap before.) Also, I'm getting new ventilated front discs for it, and I have already bought that rather expensive 'elf' brake fluid that they use in F1 cars (it's about $40 retail for a 500ml bottle). I plan to put some air ducting in for the brakes too - last time I took it around Manfeild the brakes were smokin' massively when I came into the pits after only 6 laps, and the discs were warped. Cheers Paul

Any decent muffler shop should be able to help you out with that one. I got a new set of manifold-to-head studs for my 323i from my mate's muffler shop in Feilding, and he has studs to suit the flange as well. Cheers Paul

Bad luck there, Try Gavin at: Euro-Italian Car Parts Ltd Email: [email protected] Cheers Paul

Thanks for that, but how do you get new oil into the trans after replacing the filter? And I assume you just put back in the amount that was drained, so I have to measure that? Thanks again P

I have had the car for two years now and never checked the auto trans fluid in that time. There's no sign of leaks so it should be fine, but I have never managed to find a dipstick to check it. Or is there some other method of filling and checking it? Also, how often should the fluid be replaced.. and the filter? I assume the filter replacement is an easy job, just take the oil pan off, true? Finally, what type of auto trans fluid do these take? Any tips appreciated. Thanks Paul

Sounds fine for a track car, but for road driving? Paul

Looks like a nice car. It would be a shame to crash it - so please don't. Sell it to me cheap instead! My e21 is a coupe as well, but a 323i (2.3 litre injected) - 1983. The engine is being done up, and is finally ready to put back in now. The crankshaft on mine was fine (I use Mobil 1 and keep it fresh), so just new shells. We replaced the top ring with ones that can't break, although the originals weren't broken anyway, and the original one-piece cast iron oil ring was replaced with three piece steel - the groove had to be turned out from 3.5mm to 4mm for that.

Hi Gus, I finally got my engine back this afternoon. I'll try to get a photo done sometime this week. But the engine builder said he spoke to the BMW dealership and they said the top of the pistons should be flush with the block on TDC, so he is still a bit concerned. He has asked around a lot about this one and has got conflicting answers, so I don't know. Perhaps I should ditch this car a get something a bit newer - one where there is more knowledge floating around. But it is a nice car and in good nick. I am quite attached to it... after 7 years of ownership so far. Cheers Paul

Sounds to me more like a fuse or wiring issue. OK, you have already checked out the obvious, the fuse. So it must be the wiring, or an earth lead perhaps (which is still wiring). Because ALL the lights are about as well as the motor that's drive the vent controls, it must be the wiring. (Is there more than just one bulb?) Years ago when I was a mechanic in the '80s I had an e20 electrical fault to fix. Basically the gauges and things were going hay-wire. I thought the obvious, an earth...but where is it? After some searching I headed down to the local BMW dealership of the day to borrow their microfiche. "BMW microfiche won't fit on your reader!" they tried to insist. "Yes it will, Mercedes are made in Germany too you know!!!" I replied. (Yes, I worked on Benz.) Anyway they laughed at me as if I was as hopeless a mechanic as they obviously were, but they loaned me the microfiche after some hesitation. I went back to my workshop, checked out the microfiche, found what I needed and had the job fixed half an hour later. Yes, it was the earth as I had diagnosed, a big fat loom that earths out on the body under the dash on the left-hand side of the car. The paint just needed to be cleaned back a bit...it was a very new car. Simple! But will any of that help you? I don't know, but it might, so I thought the story was worth sharing. Good luck Paul

Heye, you could always ask a wrecker if you can borrow a flywheel, then if it does have a lip, take it to BNT and show them. They can't argue against hard evidence like that. Good luck Paul

If anyone knows of something similar for e21, please let me know. Thanks Paul

Thanks for that, and yip, I thought an M6 might cost about that. I won't be able to get to Te Puke sale on the 11th, but we'll see.

Hey, thanks for all these cleaning tips and things. I pretty much already do all this stuff. I always get stuck in and clean under the guards. That is where I start off in fact. On occasion I have also been known to remove the wheels to give the brakes and suspension a good clean (hose off). That also helps lengthen the time it takes for the sh*t to drift through and dirty your front mags again. If you do this though, make sure you dry your brakes out ASAP afterwards or the discs may well get a rust spot where the pads touch while sitting stationary, which could cause problems later on. In fact, I always go for a quick drive to dry the brakes out after every wash (no matter what), then I do the polish after that. As for opening doors and stuff to allow everything to dry out - yip, a definite must. As for the windows - you know how you get that hard water staining (same as on shower doors) - you can buy a product from Mitre 10 that deals to that. I forget what it's called, but it works... with some effort. The difference it makes is well worth it though. (It comes in a yellow box I think - just ask a staff member if you want to find out more about it.) There is a product made by the same company that you can apply to "protect" the glass from this staining happening again as well. The staining occurs from something in tape water, rain water is not a cause (I think). You can usually see the difference between the side and rear glass compared to the windscreen - I guess because the wipers pretty much prevent the windscreen glass from developing this staining problem. But yip, really clean glass really does make a big difference to the overall appearance of the car. Paul

One of my mates from school days lives in Surfers Paradise and he works for Caltex. He sent me this link the other day about their new very cool and funny TV advert starring Russell Ingall... > go to www.caltex.com.au and check out the new russell ingall tv ad with the flies. I have grabbed the advert and 'the making off', and all the other bits they have there, and made it all into a DVD so it can be played it on TV. The video quality is not perfect for TV, but it is still quite watchable. If anyone wants a copy, let me know and I'll burn you a copy. Cost is just the cost of a blank DVD disc (a couple of dollars) and postage (probably a 90 cent stamp). Or if you know how, you could make your own DVD by grabbing the files from the website. Cheers Paul

Hey Hartage, is that 1 minute 26.6 seconds? And on the original circuit? Tell me that and I'll tell you why I ask! Cheers Paul

A very common problem - the head will most likely be cracked. I have been told this recently by a number of different sources. It was discovered that the head on my 323 was cracked when we took the engine out to recon it. Yet there were no symptoms of water usage - not even the slightest hint of condensation in the rocker cover. Yet there it was, a cack in the usual place. BMW told me that they always crack test and pressure test every head they have off because it is a common problem. No point doing all the work only to find the head is cracked 1,000 Ks later on. So don't be surprised if your head is cracked as well, not simply just a blown head gasket. Let's hope not in your case, I know the feeling first hand now! Lucky for me though, Gus sold me a good head for $150 (plus freight). Good luck Paul

If you see that M6 again, rush out and ask the owner about it for me, and if I buy it I will pay you back by taking you for a ride around Manfeild in it. I want NZ-new (ideally), no import and definitely not left-hand drive, but thanks for that anyway. P

I bought a new set of 5 x 17" wheels and 4 tyres for my 540 last Xmas. I got 5 wheels so I have a FULL matching set, but I will wait until the tyres wear out before I have the 5th one in the boot. That might be quite a while though, them new tyres are wearing extremely well. In the meantime I'll leave the old metric wheel as the spare. The reason I switched wheels was because the metric wheels cost about the same for a new set of tyres as the cost of 5 new 17" mags and 4 new tyres. Five brand new wheels and 4 new tyres cost me just over $2K (double what you want to spend), but they look great. The reason I didn't go second-hand was because everyone just has sets of 4 wheels. I wanted a 'full' set' of 5 and they still fit in the wheel well (18" was too big for that). Anyway, I just thought I would mention this to you. As for the two guys that have responded so far, I like the set that "nz320i" has best. In fact, they suit your model car perfectly. Full chromes look yuck in my opinion (sorry "blk320i" ). BTW, "nz320i", I like your moving graphic.. is that your lady? Cheers Paul

Hey guys, For years I have wanted to buy a 635csi. I once tendered on a rough 633 auto, but not really what I wanted so I tendered low and didn't get it.., but it was very rough and only a 633. In fact, no one got it from the tender so it went to auction and someone got it for about $2K. It needed major work though - brakes, paint and upholstery, and probably lots more. I'd prefer something very tidy and in original condition - perhaps even an M. I am not necessarily in the market right now, but I could be if the right car came along. Anyone know of any for sale, either now, or one that could come up for sale one day? I am not in any rush and am happy to wait for a good example to come along. I don't want a restoration job. I saw a very tidy 635csi outside a cafe the other weekend that got my urge going yet again. I was going to go out and have a chat with the owner, but he didn't come into the café, and he returned and drove off after only a couple of minutes, so I missed the opportunity. A few years back I considered one that a guy from Kapiti Coast had for sale at Classic Car meet at Manfeild. He wanted $5K for it, but it was a little rougher than I wanted. I know prices can very a lot and an M would be worth lots more of course, but anyone got some indications of current values for a plain 635csi and an M, in good condition? I would prefer a manual trans, but would take an auto. As I said, I am in no hurry, but I would like to know if something comes up... at any time in the future. So please keep me in mind if you hear of anything. Cheers Paul

No, and I'm not driving all the way over to take some... too far to go just for that (P.Nth - Feilding). Once I pick the block up though I can take some pics, but that won't be until after it is too late, when it's all assembled. I'm hoping to pick it up in the morning. P

Squeaky brakes are NOT a WOF issue. So the garage can't legally fail you on that anyway, which means they have not actually done you a favour by giving you your WOF. But there are various things you can do to stop your brakes from squeaking... The best (most reliable) option is to machine your discs, but if you do that it is also a good idea to replace the pads at the same time. (Brake squeaking is not usually caused by warped discs - it is more a pad-to-rotor glazing issue, but also sometimes it's caused by very slight and high speed vibration between the pad and calliper.) But there are cheaper (or free if you so it yourself) options that might work. One is to roughen up (sand) the discs yourself by hand (someone else has already mentioned that in this thread). Use Emery Cloth rather than sand paper. Rough up the pads as well. Also, putting a light smear of high-temp grease on the back of the pads (where the calliper pistons wear marks are) can help as well. Other tricks include making your pads 'off-centre' by taking a small bit off the leading edge of one pad and an equal amount off the trailing edge on the other pad - that's so the two pads on each side of the car are effectively off centre to each other. You just take off a thin slither though, you don’t want to reduce the pad-to-rotor contact area any more that is necessary. I use a hacksaw to do this job. Make sure you only cut off a bit of the pad's braking material too, and NOT any of the pad's steal backing. Yet another trick I have heard of, but which I have never had to resort to myself to stop brakes from squeaking, is to drill a small hole in the middle of contact area of the pad's friction material and put some pencil lead in the hole. This 'theory' it that it supposedly gives a bit of carbon lubrication, but I am not convinced it'd work and I have never had to go to this extreme- so as I said, I have not personally tested this theory. I have know some guys who claim it works though. What NOT to do... I recall many years ago a mate complained about his squeaking brakes and another mate jokingly said, "Put some oil on them." The guy took him literally and did just that (he put 3-in-1 sewing machine oil on his pads). Then he wondered why his brakes were pulling so he drove around to my place to ask me to do a test drive. His brakes were lethal! I just laughed and told him to "Go buy a new set of pads and DON'T put oil of them again?" Cheers Paul

Hi there, The Engine Builder is taking along time to finish my '83 E21 323 engine rebuild, but he's nearly there. However, this morning he phoned to tell me the pistons protrude above the top of the block by 20 thou. He re-surfaced the block but he says he only took 5 thou off, which means there must have been a 15 thou protrusion before. Does that sound right? I took the pistons out myself and don't recall any protrusion, not that I took any notice, but 20 thou seems like a lot to me - and he must be a bit concerned too given that he phoned me about it. He said the head gasket is really thick though and he thinks it will be OK, but that is just a guess on his part (his admission). But if that's how these engines are and he was to take 20 thou off the top of the pistons then the compression ratio is going to be low and the engine would be a slug then. Any ideas? Is this amount of protrusion normal or do I have a problem? Thanks Paul

Pity to have to wait tho - you might be waiting for a very long time - i.e it might not be a coil, and what if whatever it is does not deteriorate further?... Doing the coil switching trial as I suggested would help speed up the process. P