gjm

The live searches are terrible. And the expired listings searches are all-but non-existent. Absolute rubbish. Nothing some more search filtering, or filtering of search results wouldn't cure. And the results... Search for something valued up to (say) $5k, and get results for things starting at $17k. Kinda defeats the object. Filtering older car searches by year is terrible too, with 10-year brackets to select. Looking for something between 1985 and 1995 means you have to trawl through everything from 1980 to 2000. Assuming the seller has been bothered to advertise something correctly... Right. That's enough for today. Sunday morning, the sun is shining. Wife and daughter are out for a while. I'll get something useful done, then perhaps we'll pop out and enjoy the sun for a while.

Another visit to BM World this morning to collect a replacement door handle. Despite our car being a '97 it has an earlier door handle assembly; the later assembly is different in a few small but significant ways. They both fit, but the later assembly is more ruggedly built and uses a different lock/tumbler configuration. The newer assembly is at the top, the older one below it: Back of old-style tumbler (with retaining pin alongside): Back of newer-style tumbler: Comparison of the two retaining pins. The older one is longer and is a roll-pin (spring steel); the newer one is a solid dowel. The old tumbler, with what's left of the seal that sits under the shoulder to keep water out: The key is in the tumbler to keep the pins in place. You can remove the older style tumbler from the lock without the key but the pins and springs are likely to make a break for freedom. The newer-style tumbler appears to require the key in order to withdraw the tumbler, so I'll be visiting Brent again. The two tumblers are different but the pins are the same, so I'll swap the pins from the old tumbler into the newer one, retaining one key for the whole car. More on that when I've borrowed the other key.

The other two cars are out of shot.

Removing the door handle 'officially' requires removal of the door glass. However... The glass can be released from the runner and tilted forward providing clearance for the handle to be removed. This pic is an exaggeration of what's needed but gives an idea of what is possible. To release the glass at the back, raise the window about halfway. You'll see the mechanism arm connects to a rail fitted to the bottom of the glass. There's a long-tailed clip which peaks out from behind the arm: Remove the clip by pulling to the right. Once removed, the arm can be popped out of the nylon block that slides in the rail: This shows how it fits together - the clip holds the ball on the mechanism arm in place. If the lock mechanism is still in the car (you don't need to remove the glass to remove the lock), release the rod that connects the handle to the lock. This is easiest done at the lock end. Removing the handle is a two-stage process. First slide the retaining plate towards the front of the car. This aligns the two square holes (circled) allowing a retaining peg to pass through. On the outside of the door, at the opposite end of the handle to the lock, is a flat headed dowel. This passes through the door and the handle is secured inside by a square spring clip. Remove the clip and the dowel can be withdrawn. The handle mechanism can now be withdrawn from the inside of the door. Unusually, the bush at the right hand end of the pic above is intact - typically these are worn, broken and even non-existent. This leads to more handle travel being required to operate the lock mechanism, in turn causing the broken handle parts shown at the end of the first post. The key mechanism is terrible - very stiff. I'll replace the handle and swap the locks, making sure everything is cleaned and lubed before reassembly.

The drivers door on our E36 saloon (4-door) had become deadlocked, and would not release. This meant the door was closed, could not be unlocked from outside, and could not be opened from inside or outside. Remove the door card. This can be done while the door is closed, although requires more care and persuasion than when the door is open. With the window wound up, remove the 10mm bolt securing the guide runner to the rear of the door. Once the bolt is out, the runner can drop down and be removed from inside the door. (You need to do this to gain access room to the actuator.) This pic taken using pure luck because you cannot see what is going on shows the door lock wiring (connector labelled 'A') and the lock levers (circled) with the deadlocking lever labelled 'B'. This shows another door lock with the actuator - the black plastic box - fitted. The actuator is a push fit on to the top of the door lock and is secure by a plastic locking tab. This pic shows the door lock and (circled) the deadlock lever. This shows the position of the deadlock lever in our car. Theoretically it is possible to remove the power door lock actuator from the top of the door lock while installed in the car, but the position of the deadlock lever secures the actuator to the lock mechanism. I was able (after a lot of trial and error) to insert a screwdriver under the wiring connector and push the deadlock lever back into the correct position. Sounds easy... Try it. After that it's 'just' (LOL) a case of releasing everything, removing the lock, lubricating (or replacing) it, and refitting. If you have the chance to plan this I suggest getting a new door lock gasket. While there, you'll see the other issue facing older locks and handles: This is caused by a bush wearing away, meaning the movement of the handle becomes looser so you need to lift the handle more than is normally necessary. That in turn leads to the frame breaking as shown. The bush can be replaced but this ^ really requires a new handle. I'll get pics of the offending parts later - having finally got the door open, it's started raining again! Thanks to Brent - BM World - for his advice and supply of parts.

Popped in to see Brent earlier in the week and got some pointers on what to do. Release the window guide, let it drop down, manipulate the glass out of the way, and I should have easier access to the actuator. It's a fiddle and a faff, but at least theoretically possible to manipulate things to release the deadlock. And it's not raining which means I actually have an opportunity to give this a go. Wish me luck! And - Thanks Brent. Regardless of my level of success, your advice is very gratefully received.

One that's not pouring with rain and blowing a gale? Probably not Monday, but other than that I think we're OK. Send me a PM and let me know what suits you.

I did ours. Twice. Because the first FSR I was supplied turned out to be a Chinese one. (No names, no pack drill.) That was replaced and then installed a 'real' one - no problems since. I found it an almighty PITA job, trying to squeeze myself upside down in the drivers footwell under the steering wheel, but it did give me a reason to buy a set of Torx T-bars. Maybe it gets easier with practice? Glenn (Botany MotorWorx) and Ray (HellBM) both assured e it was easy, but I suspect they've done a few before.

Heads are so easily turned by a pretty ankle...

If you'd like to head south over the weekend - weather permitting - you're welcome to come and have a look. I think I have all the wiring you'd need but it's going to take a bit of sorting.

I may be able to help - I have a M10B18 (with dizzy) and I'm planning to go distributor-less, running a crank trigger and aftermarket EMS. It'll be a couple of days before I get a real chance to check what is there - work is absolutely flat out this week until close of play on Thursday evening. And I'm pretty local - Te Kauwhata. I work in Papatoetoe so if we come to an arrangement, getting bits to you shouldn't be too much of a chore.

That's a lot of unsprung weight... According to Realoem, p/n 34106887398 (395x36) weighs in at 17.55kg.

I'll give it a go. Thanks.

E36 drivers door... I've had some problems with the lock for a week or two (the key might unlock the door, but often wouldn't; no remote locking), but unlocking from the passenger side, leaning across and unlocking the drivers door hasn't been enough of a chore to make it an urgent fix. Until yesterday when leaning across and lifting the knob didn't work. It doesn't unlock. Can't open the door from the outside, or the inside. Grip the lock knob and lift, and you can feel it lift against something; release it and feel it pulled down. Almost like there's a small elastic band on the bottom of it. So the door is locked, and cannot be opened. I have managed to get the door card off without destroying it (and the foam-type liner). The window works. However, it's impossible to see anything that might be useful - it's all hidden inside the door, behind sheet metal. I think the actuator has decided to call it a day, but I've not had quite this sort of experience. There's always been a mechanical way to unlock the door, but not this time. Lifting the locking pin knob achieves nothing - there is absolutely no sense of anything happening. So... Tips, tricks and ways to sort this? Right now I'll settle for just being able to get the door open and closed!

Just as a matter of passing interest I was looking at the specs for the new Merc S-Class. Aside form forgetting how to build a car that goes from 0-100km/h in more than 5 seconds (leaving the diesel version aside), they appear to have emptied the Mercedes factory dining room when sorting the brakes. 360mm brake discs. At the back...

That's happened a lot lately. I've spent far too much time working, and when I'm not... It's raining.

The 30-something driver of teh white X5 that pirouetted of the road in front of me last night was unlucky. Or maybe the other drivers motoring along like it was a bright and sunny afternoon were lucky? Torrential rain. Spray. Poor visibility. Standing water. Dark. Line of cars travelling at 80-90km/h but that wasn't fast enough. Came tearing past me on the inside, pulled into the outside lane. My spidey senses were tingling so I backed waaay off and then - the left hand indicator of the X5 comes on, so he's pulling back to the inside lane? Then a twitch from the back of the X5. Hmm. Then a wriggle. And then I could see the side of the X5. He'd hit a patch of standing water, perhaps while making his lane change, possibly while accelerating. A big ol' Merc handles water quite well so I was able to slow while watching the graceful rotation of the X5 as it gently spun off the side of the road and down, well out of harms way. As I started the thread about BMW drivers it seemed appropriate to post this, but in fairness that driver was far from alone - so many people in a huge hurry with no regard for the road and weather conditions. It was probably a combination of big fat tyres, standing water, and an ill-advised manœuvre that was his undoing. No one was hurt, but one of the attending police officers was preparing a lengthy lecture on 'driving to the conditions' when I left.

It could be that I identified a BMW driver in this instance because I am familiar with BMWs. That said, I've owned and drive a lot of cars over the years and I'd never really made the same distinction. Of course, this one was particularly evident as he was in front of me, behind me, alongside me, cutting me up, throwing rubbish from his car while in front of me... And I wasn't having a great day so I just fancied a good moan. So there.

I have no doubt this will be a lot of fun to drive, if a slightly detached driving experience (rather like another manufacturers V12 twin-turbo luxury saloon from - say it quietly! - nearly 15 years ago). "The V12-engine combines two turbochargers to deliver a maximum output of 448 kW at engine speeds of between 5,250 and 6,000 rpm, propelling the vehicle from 0 to 100 km/h in a mere 3.7 seconds. At the same time it’s incredibly fuel-efficient thanks to High-Precision Injection, consuming just 12.6 litres of fuel per 100 km with CO2 emissions of 299 g/km." I doubt it consumes 12.6l/100km while travelling from 0-100 in 3.7s! Yeah... OK. I'm being pedantic. I think it is a car I would prefer to be driven in, rather than drive, but without either experience that is pure conjecture. More info here.

I followed a black 745Li this morning. Dark tinted windows, big plastidipped wheels (maybe 19s, with peeling), scabby-looking tyres with well-scrubbed sidewalls, slammed, bouncy suspension, loud exhaust, broken near side mirror, and a driver who threw rubbish out of the window on to the road - looked like a Bundaberg bottle cap. Y'know - the pull ring type. Change lanes without indicating, accelerate hard (loud exhaust) before swapping lanes at traffic lights (no indicator), then sit with arm dangling out the window holding a cigarette. At least there wasn't evidence of a multi-MW stereo playing music for the whole neighbourhood to hear!

Should be fine. Vapour blasting is non-abrasive, and non-destructive. If bits are missing after vapour blasting, it's because they were rotten/rusted or corroded before blasting. Vapour blasting is suitable for aluminium, bronze, magnesium, titanium, brass, copper... It gently cleans the surface returning it (as close as possible) to how it was the day it was cast or machined.

I know vapour and media blasting yield different results, but can a single cabinet be used for both? What differences / changes in equipment would be needed?

What was it Olaf was saying about it being good to have a spare car? Mrs M would love driving this. Just that little matter of $9k...

Drop the front by 25mm and the wheels would look better. Nice car. Not sure it is worth $9k, but as I don't have $9k to spend that could just be sour grapes.

My apologies - my lack of E30-specific coilover, or BC, knowledge. I've used coilovers before on other cars, but it's been a case of unbolt various bits, and bolt up again. I didn't realise that with an E30 it's necessary to cut the original struts and weld to the new parts: I doubt it's something that's unique to the E30, but I've not heard of it before. (DIY coilovers is another matter!) While in the UK I worked on a tarmac rally E30 which had AST suspension. I don't recall any welding having been done to fit the front kit, but wasn't looking for it. That car had more than it's share of beautifully machined custom parts, too. From the sound of things you know what you're doing. I found this link which may be useful?