AirCon + PwrSteer

[tehBMWn00p 2]

Quite simply I'm tired of not having POWER STEERING especially now that summer is here (I work up the mean sweat trying to parallel) plus.. the lack of AIR CONDITIONING doesn't help either.

Is there anyone who can do write-ups on:

1. How to replace my current rack (no I'm not talking about my gf (not that I have one ) ) to a powered one?

2. Installing Air Con.?

Furthermore, anyone got the bits I need?

I have an E30, 1985 yo, 2L.

Cheers, CLIFF

[will 169]

Cliff

Powersteering is easy to fit. You will need to replace the rack and steering shaft as the non-powered one is longer than the powered one. The pump just bolts onto the side of the block and the reservoir bolle fits onto the side of the strut tower. The monting points for all the bits are there already, you won't have to fabricate any mountings. I can do a write up if you think you need one.

Aircon is quite difficult unless you can do wiring. If you are lucky your car may have some of the wiring already. Is your car manual or auto? There is a difference in wiring for manual and auto aircons. The biggest job is removing the dash to replace the non-aircon unit with an aircon one. Fitting the pipes is relatively straightfoward. You will need to remove the radiator to fit the evaporator and electric fan. Also you will need to replace all seals with R134a compatible ones and drain the oil from the compressor and replace the oil with R134a compatible oil unless you can find someone with the old R12 gas (or the substitute drop-in gas). You will also need a new dryer bottle.

It is difficult to do a write-up on installing an aircon as there are so many differences in wiring looms in the e30's but I can try if you give me enough details of what loom your car has.

I have a few complete powersteering systems here but am in Kerikeri so prob easier to get from someone down where you are. Can't help with complete aircon system though as I threw them all away.

Will

[tehBMWn00p 2]

Great reply, thanks Will.

I'll get back to you if I need help,

Cliff.

[tehBMWn00p 2]

I've got myself a power steering rack + all the other bits I need, would really appreciate a conversion write up Will and I'm sure there is bound to be others who would benefit from one also ?

Cliff

Edited December 19, 2006 by tehBMWn00p

[nz320i 0]

Funny, so many people with e30s try to get rid of power steering and air con... lol swap your car!

power steering rack easy to find on trade me, air con.. not sure i chucked mine out sorry!

[will 169]

I've got myself a power steering rack + all the other bits I need, would really appreciate a conversion write up Will and I'm sure there is bound to be others who would benefit from one also ?

Cliff

Will do one tonight when I get home.

[tehBMWn00p 2]

Primo

[ipwnyou 0]

Hey dude I'm about to ditch the AC in my 318 - everything is there, but i need more power from my already fast car . You can have that if you want.

[tehBMWn00p 2]

Hey dude I'm about to ditch the AC in my 318 - everything is there, but i need more power from my already fast car . You can have that if you want.

Did I hear you say for free?

[will 169]

Removing the non-p/s rack from the car….

The first thing you need to do is jack the car up in the front and put it on stands with both wheels removed.

Refer first pic below..

Now loosten off the nylock nut on the outer balljoints but don’t take the nuts right off. (17mm spanner) Leave them on for now but make sure the nylock bit is clear of the threads so it will come loose by hand. The reason for this is to protect the threads in case you miss-swing with your hammer.. quite easy to do as you are working in a confined space. The nut to be loostened/removed is arrowed orange in the first pic below. Once you have backed the nut off, use a heavish hammer and hit the steering arm bit on the side where the ball joint goes through. I have arrowed the point where you should hit in yellow. DO NOT HIT THE BALL JOINT ON THE TOP WHERE THE NUT GOES ON!!!!! After a few sharp cracks the joint should free and then you can remove the nut and drop the tie rod free. Repeat for the other side. If the joint does not free itself, get someone to put some downward force on the steering arm using a bar of sorts, this will help encourage it to free itself. (and for you picky people out there, yes, the pic is not of an E30 front end, but of my 328, just too lazy to jack up an E30…) The fronts are very similar anyway..

Now refer to the second pic. Remove the 2 bolts arrowed that hold the rack onto the subframe. These have nuts on the top so you will need two 17mm spanners. (also pic of 328 but similar to E30).

Now refer to pic 3. (E30) Remove the two bolts/nuts arrowed from the steering linkage. Squirt a bit of oil into the slot to ease removal from the splines. (this pic is of a powered rack, the steering linkage is longer on the non-assisted rack). You can now pull the rack forward, and, with a bit of jiggling and fiddling and possible tapping with a hammer, you will eventually free the rack from the steering arm. Remove the steering arm and the rack now.

You may encounter clearance problems removing the rack because it hits the sump. In this case, loosten off the engine mounts and jack the engine up a bit but put a plank under the sump to prevent cracking it. BE CAREFUL HERE IF YOU HAVE TO JACK THE MOTOR UP!!!

Now to remove the powered one, follow all the steps above but you will have to also remove the alternator and the reservoir bottle and hoses. Leave the rack in place for now and first follow the steps below.

See pic 4 The bolts mounting the alternator are arrowed (yellow). Also you will need to remove the 2 wires from the rear of the alternator to get it out. MAKE SURE YOU DISCONNECT THE BATTERY BEFORE REMOVING THESE WIRES!!!

With the alternator out of the way, slacken off the bolt/nut (red arrow) and remove the belt. Put a container under the pump and remove the two pipes from the pump by undoing the 2 nuts that secure them to the pump, one on the top and one on the side. Be careful not to lose the copper washers that seal these connections. Wait for the oil to drain.

Refer pic 5. remove the bolt arrowed to free the reservoir bottle. Twist the bottle to free it from the slotted mounting on the side of the turret.

Refer pic 6. Now remove the pipe from under the reservoir bottle that goes to the rack. It is normally connected to the underside of the bottle with a hose clamp, not one of those crimp-type clamps. (arrowed) Remove the bottle.

Swing the pump away from the block and remove the mounting bolts that attach the mounting bracket to the block. There is one on the front (green arrow) and a few on the side. Remove the pump.

(You will need to swap the pump/alternator mounting brackets over as the non-assisted one will not have the mountings for the pump. So you will have to remove the alternator from your car and get its bracket off and replace it with the one that has the pump mountings.)

Once the pump/pipes etc are removed, you can attempt to remove the powered rack from the car. This powered rack is far more difficult to get out with the hydraulic pipes on it but it can be done if you raise the motor and fiddle it around. If you don’t want this hassle, remove the 2 pipes from the steering rack just below the steering coupling. (when you are removing the powered rack from the car, you are bound to spill oil as it is impossible to get it all out..!!! Be warned…. Put some sort of cover down to catch it..)

Assembly is the reverse of removal. Once you have the power rack installed and have checked all clamps on the hoses are tight, fill the bottle with auto trans fluid and start the car and let idle. Top up the bottle, swing the steering from side to side to remove all air bubbles.

You will have to have the wheel alignment redone on the car/s ASAP afterwards..!!!! Don’t forget this!!!

If you are not sure about anything, drop me a line..

Will

EDIT>>>> sorry, the pics do not display in the order I uploaded them, sure you can sort the order out...

Edited December 20, 2006 by will

[tehBMWn00p 2]

Pr0. Thanking you muchly Will & on behalf of all other b'sporters who shall use this.

Calling Admin/Moderator for stickiness ?

Cliff

[ipwnyou 0]

Did I hear you say for free?

Yessir. Just need a hand getting it out, and it's all yours.

[jpp 0]

Will f/l PS units fit into n/fl cars?

[will 169]

Will f/l PS units fit into n/fl cars?

Yup, but there are different racks which have specific hydraulic hoses so you need to get the rack complete with all hoses. Pumps are the same, as is the reservoir bottle. (at least I havn't seen different pump shapes..)

Engine mounting pump brackets differ between 4 and 6 cylinder motors so you will need the bracket for your specific motor...

Will

[tehBMWn00p 2]

Is the power increase noticable after removing p/s? The only reason I want to replace my non-p/s is to help driving around town, on the open road she drives like a golf club.

Edited December 23, 2006 by tehBMWn00p

[will 169]

hey cliff

the 320 is a pretty gutless car (no torque), you have to rev it to get any sort of response. I don't think you will notice much difference in the power even around town with the PS. AC would affect it more.

I have a few 320's, some manual and some auto, the autos are really slack, a manual 318 will leave them for dead in pulloff, the manual 320 is not too bad, sounds great when revved. My wife's 318 manual sounds like a girl's car even when revved... but then I suppose she is a girl (although very old now like me)...

Will

[tehBMWn00p 2]

Gotta love the sound.

Cheers Will