My free BMW

[trekkor]

I went to look under the hood and gaffed my arm on the hood stay.

Blood, blood, blood!!!

I hope this isn't a reoccurring theme.


KT

[trekkor]

I got the replacement water pump today.
I was trying to get the broken off bolt out of the block and no go.

I tried an extractor and it broke off.

The water pump has 7 bolts holding it on and I am using RTV.
I wonder if it will leak if I skip that one bolt...

Any opinions or experiences?


KT

[Heel n Toe]

Have you tried a torch on the bolt?

[trekkor]

Have not torched.


KT

[trekkor]

There is very little left of the bolt and it has a been drilled up the middle very poorly.

I should have taken a picture for you...


KT

[Tidybuoy]

I had an '80 320i.

I recommend replacing all of the rubber hoses. Specifically all of the vacuum lines - these cars run terrible with the slightest vacuum leaks. Don't forget the main intake boot and the injector seals. You can do 100% of the vacuum lines, boot, & seals for about $100 and it will be like putting in a brand new engine.

You should also consider a rear sway bar which stiffens up the handling quite a bit - you can pick these up at a wrecking yard for about $15.

Mine: RIP

[trekkor]

I just drove it!

Pretty fun.
Not a lot of power. Kinda floaty. Nice transportation.
No water leaks or oil leaks.

I need to go through the brakes. They work fine, but the pedal is a little long and the e-brake needs to be pull ALL the way up. I suspect it needs rear brake shoes.

The ox sensor light is lit on the dash. It idles high ( 1200 rpm's ) and has a faint tickety noise in the valve train.
Do these cars need valve adjustments?

I want to do a compression test, too.

I went to the gas station and back ( under the radar ) and put in some fresh gas.
The manual says 91 RON is that our modern 91 pump gas? That's what I fed it


KT

[KNS]

First BMW I had ever driven was a 320i when they were still the current 3 series car, love to have one now. Good on ya for rescuing her.

[onewhippedpuppy]

Originally Posted by trekkor

I just drove it!

Pretty fun.
Not a lot of power. Kinda floaty. Nice transportation.
No water leaks or oil leaks.

I need to go through the brakes. They work fine, but the pedal is a little long and the e-brake needs to be pull ALL the way up. I suspect it needs rear brake shoes.

The ox sensor light is lit on the dash. It idles high ( 1200 rpm's ) and has a faint tickety noise in the valve train.
Do these cars need valve adjustments?

I want to do a compression test, too.

I went to the gas station and back ( under the radar ) and put in some fresh gas.
The manual says 91 RON is that our modern 91 pump gas? That's what I fed it


KT

I think all of the 6 cylinder cars up until the E36 required valve adjustments.

[trekkor]

What about the four cylinders, though?


KT

[trekkor]

I'm looking for replacement front and rear rubber window seals.
Anybody got a source?


KT

[McLovin]

yes the valves need periodic adjustment. very easy to do.

the ebrake can also be adjusted, pull up the rubber boot on the base of the handle and you'll see.

the OX sensor light is triggered strictly by mileage (no relation to the actual condition of the OX sensor), there is a black box with a reset button on it. I believe the box is in the engine compartment, but that's from memory a long time ago.

the high idle is probably a small vacuum leak somewhere.

[trekkor]

Thanks for the reply.

I picked up a valve cover gasket this afternoon.
I hear the reset box for the OX sensor is to the left of the trans and the button is white.



KT

[trekkor]

I checked the valves. A couple were loose.
No gunk under the valve cover at all. Just a dark bronze colored light film
No more tickety sound.

Found and reset the OX on the speedo box.

I did a compression test:
1- 155
2- 136
3- 145
4- 139

My nephew had Autolite platinum's in there, barely past finger tight.

I had some good Bosch Super's in the shed. It run's much better now!
( W5DC or something similar )

This seems like a pretty simple car to work on.


KT

[trekkor]

I haven't verified if the odometer works, but it says 193,xxx right now.

On a side note, I have found another free one!
I'll know if I can have it on Sunday.
A 1981. It has really nice dark blue interior, carpet and some other things.
Exterior is ugly.

It's been sitting for 15 years!
I want to strip it and have a bunch of spares ( motor, trans, brake parts, wheels, etc )


KT

[Heel n Toe]

KT, I'm enjoying the updates, but if I were in your presence, I'd give you the Three Stooges two-fingered eye poke for not telling us what you did about the water pump bolt.

NyukNyukNyukNyukNyukNyuk

[javadog]

Originally Posted by trekkor

The manual says 91 RON is that our modern 91 pump gas? That's what I fed it

91 RON is equivalent to 87 or 88 at the pump, which is the average of RON and MOT octane numbers.

JR

[trekkor]

On the water pump bolt:

I ignored it. I put it on ignore, OK?


It's a very small pump that uses 8 bolts. I figured 7 would be enough.
I filled the old bolt hole with epoxy and used Permatex waterpump gasket maker.

It doesn't leak ( today )


KT

[trekkor]

I had my paint/body man look at it this week.
He was very impressed with the overall condition and level of restoration we want to complete.

Looking at removing all windows and trim for a repaint in the original factory color.

First I need to be sure getting it smogged and registered will not be a problem.
( I'm on hold with the DMV, right now )


KT

[trekkor]

OK, no problem.
I downloaded and printed the forms from: WWW.DMV.CA.GOV

The P.O. had it on a 'non-op' status.

It will cost about $100. We're going to try to get this done today, if possible.
We'll end up with a 30 day temp, until it is smogged.


KT