Grey Thunder - 1990 e30 316i

[Olaf 3341]

Today I spent time in my basement workshop, cleaning up and clearing a workspace.  I’d forgotten about the bench vice a friend of ours gave me years ago.  I thought it was knackered, today I was pleasantly surprised to find it just needed some oil.  It’ll get a full refurb in future.  So I set to finding the right 10mm drill bit to mount it to my carpentry workbench (it has a woodworking vice at the other end).  And, a trip to Bunnings for some more 10mm 40x40x3mm zinc square washers.  Result.

With my workshop HiFi playing Mellon Collie & the Infinite Sadness, I got productive.

I stripped down the two Girling front calipers.  If you don’t have a compressor to get the pistons out, a track bicycle pump will do.  It was after I got the first one out, I remembered Jon’s warning about a flood of brake fluid ?.  I removed the pins, boots, seals (not the inner seal inside the bore), hoses, and bleed nipples.

The pistons are good.  A little mild burnishing in a couple of spots (around a centimeter Square), they’re visible though I can’t feel them with a fingernail.

The slider pins were a bit tight and corroded in two of the holes.  Uncertain how do address that.  Do I measure the new pins, use the right size drill to dress it?  Valve grind paste?

I used a ton of brake cleaner on the two main parts.  Then donned my PPE (muffs, goggles, and respirator), and started the naughty wellington strip.  It feels good to be productive.  Strained my back walking down the street with my Volvo battery yesterday; this was better than sitting around acknowledging the pain.

This post brought to you by shitloads of tools acquired over the past 35 years, 90’s Rock, and the power of Naprosyn ?

I’ll continue stripping them back to prep for painting.  VHT caliper paint, and then rebuild next week.

[Olaf 3341]

Edd China has done a really informative video on changing out your brakes.  I'd latched on to silicon high-performance brake grease a while back, though in my case it's ATE.

Worth a watch.  These FoMoCo calipers are clearly Girling design.  The stainless shims are a nice touch.

 

[Young Thrash Driver 1020]

If it ain't a Record, it ain't a vice. Good work!

PS thanks for not showing us pics of you stripping?

[Rob HB1 90]

Hows progress? Not many days until castlepoint now. 

[Olaf 3341]

9 hours ago, Rob HB1 said:

Hows progress? Not many days until castlepoint now. 

Slow, really.  Been away for the long weekend.  After a good 90 mins in the workshop yesterday arvo, I now have 20mm (front) and 14.5mm (rear) ARBs stripped, linished, and anti-rust coated in my workshop.  I'll be giving them a coat of primer before I head to work this morning.  

About to sort a little scabbiness on the rear Konis.  I don't have a perfect match for the yellow paint, but hey, better than rust!

The brake calipers are almost ready for paint, I spent a great deal of time on them yesterday.  Full PPE kit, vacuum cleaner to catch the dust.  They should get VHT caliper paint tomorrow night.  

Then I need to clean and prep the 51mm struts for paint.

Things are getting tight.

[Olaf 3341]

Finished stripping the brake parts. No time to degrease and set them up for painting (or the bars), so I prepped the rear Konis with the flap disc and applied Rust Converter, instead.

 

... and because you mentioned it Colin @Young Thrash Driver, yep it’s a No. 2.  ?

better get my arse to work.

PS:  “uh huh huhhhh huh... he said it, he said ‘number two’”.

I had to get that Beavis and Butthead moment out of my system.

Edited June 3, 2019 by Olaf
Beavis & Butthead

[Olaf 3341]

More progress.

Cleaned up one caliper with Wax & Grease remover, and used foam earplugs to mask the holes, and tape for the cylinder.  I’ll do the other one later.

[ paint prepped caliper parts await three coats of VHT Caliper Paint ]

Drop cloths over the hoard on the bench, I primed the shocks and a good part of the rear bar with etch primer.

[some etch-primed Konis seem to have momentarily lost their identities]

[Olaf 3341]

Well my cheap yellow paint makes them look more like Bilsteins.  And I've really cocked-up the topcoat.  Not enough space to paint well, didn't warm the paint, too much rush.  Sags.  Oh dear, not like my usual work at all.

 

Edited June 4, 2019 by Olaf

[Olaf 3341]

I went back to the workshop last night, used a sharp blade to trim the runs, and gave it a gentle rub with a scotch-brite.  I gave them another coat; one of my earlier mistakes had been not pulling the tops up to full extension, and painting the tops (up, down), then the bottoms.  This laid too much paint in the middle, as too many overlaps.  

Second coat was continuous, up, down top to bottom.  It wasn’t pretty... but then these aren’t concourse!  It’s the cheap metal enamel (Galmet metal protector) that they sell at NZ Safety Blackwoods, about $10+GST per can when it’s on sale, from memory.  It doesn’t flow like Rustoleum, but it’s way cheaper and I don’t have much call for yellow.

This morning it had settled in and flowed out pretty well.  I’ll give it a quick rub with 600 wet and dry tonight, hit it with 2 thin coats 10 mins apart.  Job done!

In other news, I picked up more etch primer from Bunnings on the way to work this morning. Hooray for 0700 opening, eh?  I’ll be needing that for the strut housings.  I’ve also dreamt up a booth solution for painting the brake parts.  Watch this space.

Edited June 4, 2019 by Olaf
Wordsge

[Olaf 3341]

As planned, I got a little time in the workshop tonight.  Laid down primer on the front ARB, and touched up the rear ARB.  

I used 600 W&D - dry - as I was not keen on water this evening, sh*t it's cold!  Not so bad in the workshop.    I thinned the runs, took off the nips, and gave it all a light scuff.  I thought 'that looks like a reasonable surface, I'll get a good finish on that'.  I then used grease and wax remover.  That was probably a mistake.  I think the paint has reacted with it.  So I'm calling it 'Wrinkle Finish'.  Bummer.  Hey ho.

Not Koni Yellow, Wrinkle Finish.  Some people buy special cans of paint for that, and pay extra!

 

"Do a blind man's eyesight good" as my Dad used to say.

Tomorrow night:  Brake Calipers, and painting the bars with gloss black.

Edited June 5, 2019 by Olaf
Fotys! and wordy rappinghood.

[Olaf 3341]

Mission accomplished this evening.  Built my spray booth for the calipers.  I wanted to limit overspray, but I needed to be able to turn the workpiece while I was painting.  I used an old plastic storage box that was destined for recycling, I up-ended it, clamped it to my workmate, and made a hole in the top edge.  I wanted light transmission rather than shading; this would be ideal.

I prepped and masked the second caliper.  Those foam earplugs are great for plugging the holes.  I trimmed and bent stiff wire to suspend the caliper parts from, and devised an in-booth (exo) support from a broken rake handle (thanks kids, I knew that would come in handy!).

Paint a piece, turn it, paint some more.  Support workpiece with left hand, turn.  Repeat.  Squat down, spray underside.  Lift, turn, spray more.  Support workpiece with left hand, remove rake handle, carefully remove workpiece and hang away from your booth.  Install next piece, rinse and repeat..

This time I set up a tub of hot water to warm the spray cans before I shook them.

3 coats of VHT caliper paint, ten mins apart.  Two thin coats, then a medium wet coat.  Shake can 10 secs after every minute it's been in use.

I found the VHT caliper paint flows well.  Perhaps the warming helped.  And painting onto a porous surface makes it easier.  No runs that I could detect.  

 

Above:  the caliper frames hanging after 3 coats, while our neglected 90's hardtail race MTB's hang in the background.  My wife's '96 Gary Fisher Supercaliber, my modded '96 Supercaliber, and my custom '96 GT Zaskar LE.  I reckon I need to start pedalling again.  Perhaps when the e30 is sorted.

And after pausing to appreciate my work, I really pushed out the boat with Rustoleum “universal advanced formula” Gloss Black on the bars, one clamped in each vice.  The Rustoleum paint is just great.  You can twist the nozzle to get a vertical or horizontal spray patterm, and it flows out great.  A thin dusting coat, let it flash off, then a wet coat and it flows out nicely.

 

 

Edited June 6, 2019 by Olaf
Added image(s), a bit more wody rappinghood.

[Olaf 3341]

I mentioned Wordy Rappinghood earlier. And because it’s Friday, and there’s been a lot of paint splashed about, it’s time for a musical interlude from the 80’s... to match the e30.

 

 

Yeah, an obvious pun with the second track.

[Olaf 3341]

After work today, I degreased both struts (SIMPLE GREEN) and removed all the stones, unblocked the drains.  And degreased the brake rotor shields.

I stripped the brake rotor shields with the flap disk followed by drill+wire brush.  After a go-over with wax remover, I gave them a good dose of Rust Converter.  That was enough for tonight.

So I'm a little behind schedule. I'll catch up by Sunday morning.

Edited June 7, 2020 by Olaf

[Cammsport 391]

Fish bin spray booth is genius! 

[Olaf 3341]

3 hours ago, Cammsport said:

Fish bin spray booth is genius! 

thanks, Cam!  I was about to break it down for the recycling, suddenly thought 'oh, that'll be good for the brake dust shields!'. May even get the strut housings in. We'll see.

[Olaf 3341]

So today I ran some errands.  Bought rubber grease from BNT, more abrasives from Bunnings.  and some other stuff.  As it wasn't raining, I took Grey Thunder.  

After chilling a little this afternoon, I got stuck into it in the workshop.  I was initially doing the tubes with the flap disc, and the cast iron with wire brush on the drill.  It was slow going.  After about 30 mins, I figured I needed something faster.  It was time to try:  The Cup Brush on my angle grinder.  I just have a baby grinder, Black and Decker.  A present from a friend years ago for helping him out with computer probs.  When I'm buying my own kit I usually buy Bosch Blue, De Walt etc.  I find the 'pro' tools have more power, more torque, do the job faster.  I've been pretty impressed with this little grinder.

 

I think going to the cup brush reduced time to complete by 2/3!

So I've bare-metaled both front strut housings, and brushed on rust converter.  As you can see above, the brush cup is pretty much shagged.

And above:  the beauty of CRC brush-on Rust Converter.  Yeah I've left the cups on as I don't have a 3-jaw puller.

 

Hints.  Eg, if you're going to do this:

- the cup brush produces little metal arrows that'll go through 3 layers of clothing and nick your skin.  Overalls are a good idea, or better still, a leather metalworkers apron if you have one.

- Make sure you use full PPE.  This is not a rehearsal!  I used 3M respirator with 2297 particulate filters; De Walt safety goggles, Peltor H7F Class 5 earmuffs (Ear Defenders, if you're from Blighty); and Welding Gauntlets.  In case I slipped with the grinder, to protect my hands and wrists.  We might not be doing this for a living, but the damage occurs just as quickly, and a trip to After Hours med centre or A&E to get stitched up or your eyes operated on is much more costly than some saftety gear!

- Buy 2 cup brushes, you might go through one and not be finished.  They're not expensive.  20 or 22mm spanner to tighten the 'Brumby' (from Bunnings) quick release into your grinder.

Oh, and here's some pics of the rotor shields that I primed this morning before errands.

Tomorrow I'll be painting.

 

 

 

Edited June 22, 2019 by Olaf
Added imagery and formatting, and a few more thoughts

[Olaf 3341]

Sunday update.

This morning I:

• Touched up a couple of marks in the topcoat on the ARBs
• Scuffed the primer with Scotch Brite, then top-coated the Rotor Shields

• Primed the Strut Housings

This evening I:

• Top coated the Strut Housings.  I didn't bother rubbing them down, scuffing them up... they're not meant to be pretty, they're meant to be protected.  Hopefully the paint has enough time to cure before installation Weds/Thurs/Fri!

 

Conclusion:  The hot-water bath for the aerosols to pre-warm the paint, really does make a difference.  The paint is easy to mix with the ball in the can, and the paint flows better, easier to get a good finish.

Tomorrow night I'll clean the brake caliper pistons, clean the slider pin housings, and then assemble with new seals.

Edited June 9, 2019 by Olaf
Added images, amended text.

[Mikan 173]

They look great! 

[Olaf 3341]

Thanks mate.  They were black and in reasonable nick when I started, though with thirty-odd years on them, there was  an amount of rust.  And as I stripped them back, there was a good amount of rust penetration beneath the coatings.  One side more than the other, oddly.  Most importantly, it was surface rust only.  And nothing structural in the spring perches or bases.

Hopefully my work is good enough to keep them in good shape for another twenty.

[Olaf 3341]

Another observation:  I think next time I'm using the Rust Converter, if a great finish is needed I'll use the spray-on product rather than the brush-on.  Even though it's thin, the brush-marks show through on smooth surfaces.

[Rob HB1 90]

Looking good, are you on target to finish before saturday lunchtime?

P.S. some nice looking tyres in the background.

[Olaf 3341]

1 hour ago, Rob HB1 said:

Looking good, are you on target to finish before saturday lunchtime?

P.S. some nice looking tyres in the background.

fingers x'd.  I found I'd missed some spots on the brake shields with the wet top coat (there's a dusting only).   Hey ho, can do that another time.

Was planning on cooling hose replacements, but unable to make it swing this week.  Hopefully they're sound enough for the trip (top and bottom main hoses already replaced with genuine BMW).

It's scheduled for tomorrow, we'll see if it's ready to rock by Friday arvo.  I have a very kind offer of an alternate vehicle if Grey Thunder isn't ready.

Well spotted on the other rubber.  That's for the SS Commodore in a German Suit, will go on soon.

[Olaf 3341]

Date: 12 June 2019

Distance: 259342kms

1.  Engine
New engine mounts, oil filter housing gasket, sump cleaned inside and out (found bolts reinstalled), and new gasket.  Oil filter and fresh oil.  [edit:] 5W30 synthetic.  The lifters in M40 respond well to the modern blend.  Also replaced the two drive belts.

2.  Suspension
Front: Installed freshly painted 20mm front ARB, with new bushes. Assembled and installed 51mm strut housings with all new hardware (upper spring perches, and strut collars excepted), H&R Sport Springs, Koni Sport 8641-1210 strut inserts, new bellows kit and iS bump stops. [Edit: also new wheel bearings and associated hardware].

Rear:  Installed freshly painted 14.5mm rear ARB with new bushes.  Installed H&R sport springs, Koni Sport 80-8522 shocks with new top mounts.

3.  Front Brakes
Installed Vented rotors (Zimmermann Sport X-drilled Z coat rotors, rebuilt Girling calipers, Hawk Performance HPS pads, ATE hoses.  Bled brake system rear to front.

4.  Steering Wheel.
Sport (also called SE) steering wheel installed.  I just hadn't got there. 

5.  Aligned.
It was aligned again, iS/m-technic specs. 

Jon & Auto38 did the hard work, with customary efficiency and precision, and updates.

Report:
Initial impressions:  I collected it on Thursday at the end of the work day.  All the slop in the steering is gone.  It feels a bit lower (30mm for the H&R's).  Jon cautioned me the the M40's sump is now closer to the road surface.  I think a sump guard may be a wise precaution for touring.  The setup is firm, yet comfortable.  It's like a go-kart, compared with how it was previously.  Big grins.  Noted I may need to reduce tyre pressures; I was previously running higher to counteract the baggy suspension.  I was initially worried that the tyres weren't up for it.  This was proved to be wrong.

Saturday morning I was out on the road at 0600, bedding in the rotors and pads.  Zimmermann call for braking from 100 to 50 km/h over 3 seconds, cool for 3 mins; repeat 15 times.  Then do heavier stops of 100-25 kmh over 3 seconds, cool three minutes, repeat 15 times.  A saturday morning is a reasonable time with less traffic, slow lane on motorway, check mirrors, hazards on, brake. Rinse and repeat. 

After 90 mins of driving (to Te Marua, then Ngauranga, then Paremata, Johnsonville, back to town), a Nada Bakery pie was needed to settle my now-queasy stomach.  The Brakes were feeling better.  The Z-coat takes a while to wear in.  I figured I hadn't finished the pad bed-in, but that would happen later on the Rimutaka Hill road.  

I sorted myself out, packed the car, and headed out to Melling BP and brimmed the tank with 98.  A bloke in a people mover asked me if it was for sale.  Told me had 3 other BMWs; I said "search for BMW Club NZ, we're off on a run.  Join us!".  I met up with the crew for the Wairarapa & Castlepoint run.

The run over the Rimutakas was a joy.  My first distance drive since buying Grey Thunder and bringing her home from Paraparaumu.  Not a lot of power for hill-climbing, the momentum style is required.  I did manage a couple of passes, notably a 4th gear pass toward the top of the Akatarawas.  On the Rimutakas, I tucked in behind a D-Max whose driver knew the road well, we had a great run down, with a few motorists kindly making use of the stopping bays to let us pass.  This is where the new suspension setup started to show the new character & capability.  Loads more grip, turn-in is vastly improved, You can precisely place the car in the lane.  Weight-shift is now a ballet, and the car is far more planted.  I stopped at the bottom on nearer Featherston, and did my customary photos of the group passing at a bridge.  When I re-joined the group at Martinborough, I couldn't stop smiling.  This thing is a buzz.  It's so much fun to drive.

Later I headed out to find another vantage point, and drove more roads trying to re-join the group after they passed.  I drove, dry, drizzle, rain, and fog.  I drove unfamiliar country roads, and some more familiar, on a variety of seals.  200kms from the start point to Castlepoint, and I enjoyed every one of them.  I can trust the car's handling, even if my entry line is wrong.  It's going to take me a little longer to make the weight shift super-consistent, but I'm loving it.  It's less a scalpel, more a sharp chef's knife, and it's forgiving.  Oh, and it's comfortable.  Firm, not jarring.  I hit the bump stops on the fronts once on the way home, just off the brakes at the end of a descending bridge (to turn right) and found a pot hole right in the line.  My fillings are intact, it was fairly gracefull.  There will be some experimentation to do with the Koni's adjustable rebound damping.  

Tyres.  These Hankook Optimo K415's are pretty good for what they are.  Shame we don't get high-performance tyres in 195/65R14 down here.  Reviews on the Falken Ziex 912 indicate it's no better; there are a hoarde of low-cost el-cheapo tyres to choose from, but little else (mostly touring tyres).

I think it's nearly ready to receive it's iS badge.  Should I wait till it has rear disc brakes?  An LSD?  An M42B18? 

I'm going to buy a strut brace.  ?

Workshop Photo Credits Jon Mechaniker.

Beneath Grey Thunder in dry dock II:  Sump gleaming, new gasket installed.  Photo Credit: Jon Mechaniker.

 

Beneath Grey Thunder in dry dock II:  H&R Sport Springs, Koni Yellows, 14.5mm Anti-roll bar.  Photo Credit: Jon Mechaniker.

 

Beneath Grey Thunder in dry dock II:  New front brakes.  Photo Credit: Jon Mechaniker

 

Rebuilt caliper with new piston and seals, nipple.  Ready to install..  Photo Credit: Jon Mechaniker

 

A more comfortable helm.  Moody garage shot showing Sports wheel.  

 

Out in the country, photography pack-horse.  

 

Edited June 16, 2019 by Olaf
Added 2 images, Added text in 1& 2 above, and some spelling and formatting.

[Olaf 3341]

post-trip wash completed.  Hooray for Auto Glym!

[Olaf 3341]

Date: 7 July 2019

Distance: 259907kms

1.  Window Winder Replacement (Passenger door)

Jon Mechaniker was on the money, T25 and a flat blade screwdriver.  All sorted in 5 mins flat.  Love my 1/4" set.

Before

After

2.  Took her for a drive, and made a couple of pictures. 

Ready for my profile shot, Mr DeMille

3.  Added decal on rear window (forgot to photograph it!).

You'll have to wait...

Grey Thunder is going way, way better for that good drive to Castlepoint.  With all the work we've done to bring her up to snuff, she's a joy to drive, and always improving.  I'm sorting through cooling hoses and stainless hose clips.

4.  Me e30 addicted?  You think?

A little light reading

Time to re-finish that coffee table.

Edited July 7, 2019 by Olaf
Altered Images. (Never miss an opportunity to slip in an 80’s music reference eh? ?)