Rod

Cast iron has some very desirable properties. It is a relatively inexpensive material to cast and machine. Generally it is less prone to corrosion when compared to steel or aluminium when subjected to corrosive environments, this is due to the presence of intergranular graphite. Thermal cycling can result in corrosion, hence one reason why exhaust systems can corrode from the outside in. The corrosive compounts in the exhaust gasses will cause corrosion on the inside. Due to cast iron also being porrous it attenuates noise, in the case of an exhaust manifold noise radiating from within. The ability to cast thick wall sections means that the engine can be quite quiet, a definite advantage when marketing a car to a conservative public. Aluminium however is notorious for transmitting noise, and would probably not tolerate the heat of the exhaust gases, given that it is not actively cooled like the engine. Aluminium in this application would most likely fail from fatigue due to thermal cycling. Aluminium exhaust manifolds have been used with success on some two stroke engines, where the exhaust gases are cooler due to the greater presence of unburnt fuel and oil. Aluminium does have some definite weight advantages where it can successfully be used. Titanium is the ultmate answer, however it is extremely expensive. Stainless steel can also be used however one must allow for the fact that it is inferior in terms of heat conduction, which depending upon the integrity design may result in hotspots or meltdowns. Same old story really, the best is the most difficult to work with and is the most expensive. Cast iron is a friendly material, just do not subject it to mechanical shock as it is relatively brittle. Rod

Precision AutoWerk, be very careful! I took my e28 there a number of years ago when it was known as Bryce Sommerville and was very rather dissapointed with their attitude and workmanship. It appears that they did an excellent job of the panelwork, however the standard of their paintwork was amonst the worst that I had ever seen: runs in some areas and exposed primer in others due to insufficient paint. Eventually it got sorted out several weeks later when the staff from Jerry Claytons volunteered to help resolve the matter as they believed the paintwork was not of an acceptable standard. All the while the staff at Precision AutoWerk were only concerned about their profit (the condescending "we need to run a business" lecture by their manager) even though some of their craftsmanship was shocking. In the the end they did a reasonable job (many thanks to the staff at Jerry Claytons), now though it is apparent that some of the paint did not adhere very well as it is lifting away (there is no corrosion). Regarding the fact that they completely forgot to paint one side of a panel, they then stated that it is their policy only to paint panels which are externally visible, and leave all others bare with some wax applied as paint was expensive. In my experience this does nothing to protect against corrosion long term, they were just being stingy. I have seen some other work they have done which was good, but I would not take my car there again. Rod

"You can get anythin' you want..." I admit that there have been times when it would have felt nice to have some implements of destruction in the back to assist in venting my frustration. Seriously these days there seems to be alot of people in positions of power or authority who appear to have missed some fundamental concepts along the way. Quite some time ago I saw a parallel parking space painted across a driveway, handy if its your driveway. Soon the city councils will have yellow triangles painted next to every parking space to maximise revenue, this type of scheme would not surprise me. I think I need to go talk to Obie on the side... Rod

Article courtessy of granny herald: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/9/story....jectID=10384236 Apparently as been converted to RHD by Birds, interesting.

Udit Here is what the 17" BBS RK wheels look like on the E28. Next thing I intend to do is lower the car about 1" to 1.5", however the tyres you see are 235/45 and in hindsight 235/40 would have been better. Rod

I have 17 x 8-1/2" ET15 BBS RK wheels with 235/45 Pirelli P7000 tyres on my E28. No problem up front, however the rears can sometimes slightly rub the sidewall of the tyre against the inner mudguard under hard cornering if the road surface is uneven. For 18" wheels with 235 width tyres you would need 35 profile to keep the rolling radius near (slightly under) stock. Regarding looks the 17s on mine look big, not sure that I would like to go any bigger. Rod

Originally I was going to part it out, but now my thinking is to sell it as a complete car. Rod

If anyone here is interested in the entire car which still is drivable and nearly complete, price $1800. Car has current WOF & Reg. Has usual 535 options: electric sunroof & windows, air conditioning, ABS brakes. Rod

smithy: $20 plus your old steering wheel. Note that the leather needs to be restitched. At this stage I still need a steering wheel on the car so I can move it. Rod

bmwsparkle: The front lip is pretty much stuffed. It is cracked and broken in quite a few places. Really not worth fixing, that is unless you have your own plastic welding equipment and a whole lot of time. I was going to chuck it away, so you can have it for free, you just have to come and collect it. Rod

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Have a complete NZ new car which I am parting out. Has cloth seats, upholstery is tired but otherwise interior is okay. Has electric sunroof & windows, air conditioning. Engine, transmission, differential appear to be good. Telephone (09) 535 2216 a/h for more details.

1 bar = 14.50377 psi therefore 1.7 barg = 24.65642 psig

I contacted SD European a couple of times attempting to source parts. Each time they quoted me a price for second hand parts that was far more expensive than brand new parts from a BMW dealer. The brand new head from Jerry Claytons for my E28 (M30 3.5L) complete with camshaft, valves, springs, etc. was far cheaper than any of the prices being quoted here. Over the years I have dealt with most of the suppliers of new and used BMW parts, three companies have consistently given me excellent service: Jerry Claytons BMW (Takapuna & Glenfield) Coombes Johnston BMW (Hamilton) Euro-Italian Car Parts (North Harbour) Rod

There is a top piece for this bracket, but yours is missing. This missing piece has a threaded hole in the middle. A single bolt fitted with a washer fastens the two together in between the two exhaust pipes. I would take a picture of mine but my camera is currently on holiday in Japan. Brent would probably have the parts you require. Regards Rod

The R643 shown above is a copy of the BBS RX. Price may be about the same. Those Beyern Mesh wheels look real nice. Just keep in mind that they have a machined lip (which most likely has a thin clear powdercoated finish) and that means that you would have to keep them religiously clean to avoid "worms", but they do look pretty mean. I have 17"x8.5" ET15 wheels with 235/45x17 tyres on my E28, therefore you should be able to something significantly wider into an E34. Keep in mind that different tyres of the same nominal size may have different actual measured tread widths. For example the tread width on some Pirellis is about one inch wider than the equivalent Brigestone. Rod

A few months back BG Marketing was having a sale on some BBS mags. They may have some RX's left in 17"x8" (and maybe some other styles and sizes). Cost would be around $1400 all up for four 17" wheels through Herb Morgan Tyres. Add around $1000 for good 235/45x17 tyres (Bridgestone, Pirelli, etc). BBS CH's would also look quite mean on an E34. If the price is not much different I would definitely go for a good brand such as BBS as the engineering and quality will be far superior to the Ruotecompany replica wheels. Rod

A for aged! I fully agree. Back in '98 I originally wanted a manual as the slushbox destroys that taught handling that only a manual box can provide. I needed a five seater, therefore E28 or E23 as anything newer was over $20K at that time which was well beyond my budget. I searched for about 6 months for a manual and then gave up as I needed a car (carrying five people on a GSXR750 does not work for me). Saying that, part my left ankle bone is missing and the slushbox is welcome as my foot gets pretty sore otherwise, but I still hate automatics. I may put in a manual box one day as it is more enjoyable, even though painful. Rod

To my knowledge "A" represents automatic transmission. I am certain someone here could corfirm or correct my belief here. Rod

I am also keen on a set of Bilsteins and some decent springs for my E28, any chance of getting a quantity discount if a few of us band together? My car appears to be almost identical to 535E28's ride, just mine is not in such mint condition (I am envious!). Rod

Problem identified: Worn Thottle Body & Butterfly Disc When I had previously inspected the throttle body I could detect any wear, however I took the car to East City Auto Electrical in East Tamaki who are Bosch agents this morning. They identified the problem very quickly. They have stated that they have managed to correct the problem for the time being through adjustments, and that the bill will be $67+GST. They also stated that they have scanned the Motronic system and have found no faults in fuel or electrical systems. Complete diagnosis in about one hour, spot on and economical. This makes complete sense as butterfly valves are inherently unstable at less than 25 degrees of opening due to high gain. Any leakage flow would therefore be unstable causing the fluctuations in the idle speed. To avoid this unstable characteristic some high-end throttle bodies and carburettors use a piston or gate(flat slide) concept, however this design poses another problem in trying to eliminate clearance flow from around the piston/gate. Enough control valve perfomance installed flow characterisitics theory for today. Since my last post here I had also checked operation of the following myself and found no faults: Possible vacuum leaks - eliminated all known possible leaks, no impact on performance. Idle Air Stabiliser Valve - replaced with new one to eliminate this as a cause. Cold Start Injector - Confirmed that it is not leaking or stuck open. Thermo-Time Swich - Confirmed that it is operating correctly using a noid light Fuel Pressure Regulator - tested fuel pressure with accurate gauge, pressure was stable and within specification Ignition Leads - all cylinders firing and all spark plugs correct colour therefore no issues with ignition components. Always good to have a problem idenified and solved, just need to keep an eye out for a mint throttle body. Though I may be better off to buy a new one which is a little expensive at $656+GST but not prohibitive and may be a better idea long term. Rod

I have thought about the idle mixture as well, but the problem is intermittent, and why would this change all of a sudden? I will inspect the AFM to confirm its physical condition, but my suspicion is that there may also be another problem. This issue is also driving me nuts. Rod