marksdjones
Part of things
Is there any body out there ?
Posts: 39
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Jan 24, 2016 23:05:49 GMT
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Not sure if this is on the cusp of too new for retro rides, but thought I'd post it anyway. Always wanted to scratch the straight six BMW itch. Had been sort of mooching around and then this appeared on eBay just down the road.   Auction runs and it doesn't sell, then up again on an auction a while later it sells but then appears as a fix price listing a few days later. I thought with nothing to lose I would contact they guy try to find out what the score is. So an email and some texts later I go look in the dark freezing cold. Turns out the seller is quite genuine but has been messed around loads. Car belonged to his partners father who died of cancer and he can't be bothered with low ball offers, he's also giving the money to the cancer ward that treated and cared for his partners farther. A return visit in daylight and I just can't resist it, so here it is after I picked it up.  It's done 160k but you wouldn't believe it to drive it. It was his pride and joy and it shows, loads of history and everything kept up to date bang on time. Even has the first aid kit in the boot and working torch in the glove box. I'll try and post some better pictures when I get time. The plan is to keep it original and up to date. It needs wheel centers and one headlight has moisture in it. There is also a slight oil leek from the cam cover I assume, but so slight I might just leave it to be honest. First dry weekend off I get I will clay bar it and wax it I think, it's a bit green in places from being stood so I need to sort that out as well. I'm so pleased with it it's got plenty of get up and go, but is super smooth. Best of all they're happy I'm going to look after it and I'm happy that the money went to a good cause. |
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If it isn't broken then i'll fix it so it is  |
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hamps
Posted a lot
www.medwayrscentre.co.uk
Posts: 2,077
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Jan 24, 2016 23:31:55 GMT
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Cracking engine the old bm 6 banger What's your plans for it? |
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Jan 30, 2016 20:24:21 GMT
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I've just got one today! Mines a 323i and T reg other than that it's identical!!!
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Jan 30, 2016 22:05:28 GMT
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Re the rocker gasket these are very frequent problems and it will smell of burnt oil when you start to drive it as it drips onto the exhaust manifold. It may looks small but it will blow more once the oil is warm (thinner) and under pressure. I would advise to change it now. It's not a very hard job.
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pOG
Posted a lot
SHATNER'S BASSOON
Posts: 1,340
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Jan 31, 2016 22:12:11 GMT
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Are these cool / interesting enough for RR now?
[Good news if so]
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marksdjones
Part of things
Is there any body out there ?
Posts: 39
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Thanks for the comments and advice. Well it's been an interesting journey with this motor. A straight six BMW has been on my to own list for a while. But this one's already making be think I shouldn't have bothered. So a week in the central locking packs up, locking four adults and a child in the car. Out through the window for me the I eventually get my door open and we extract the others by climbing through. Luckily for me an old friend knows his way around these and for the cost of a beer it's fixed. Bloody embarrassing and very annoying though. Then it starts smelling a bit of coolant, I check and it's low, top it back up but a few days later the low coolant light is on. YouTube a few videos and it looks like an easy job as long as I can get the fan off. So off to euro car parts (can't afford genuine and it is a 16 year old car at the end of the day). Buy a radiator and expansion tank to be sure, then I trawl around a few places to get a 32mm viscose fan spanner. I'm guessing it's never been apart as the hoses are the clip type but a complete sod to get off. So a disassembly job that should have taken an hour or so takes about two  couldn't get the bottom hoses or the expansion tank off without a huge fight. Then the real fun begins as by now a friend has turned up to offer help and moral support. Two people always make life easier, so it's back together in no time and we fill it up and start it running. First up the bleed screw it the top hose snaps, but undaunted and hoping we've managed to get the air out we plug it and run it up to temperature. Can't get the air out, but what's this little trickle of water underneath, it's coming from the expansion tank. After investigation it transpires it's faulty and for some reason the level sensor is leaking. Fortunately I'd kept the original as it didn't look to bad, swapped it over and the leak is gone but I can't bleed it without replacing the top hose assembly. Really knobbed off the euro car parts as this is the second time i've have faulty curse word from them. But because it was easier I used them again. It will be the last time for sure. I know I probably should have brought genuine, but it's a sixteen year old BMW that's on its home straight and I just can't justify it. However I'll try it next time as because of the hassle it's caused me buying cheap, it may be worth the extra. So dilemma tomorrow is top hose assembly from a factor or BMW? I'll probably get a price for a good quality oem first then try BMW I suppose. No pictures as it was cold and dark by the time I'd half finished. Getting more than a bit cheesed off with the car though. Has really taken the shine off the experience. |
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If it isn't broken then i'll fix it so it is |
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hkr91
South East
Posts: 559
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Have you thought about trying German Swedish french (gsf)? There's one local to me that aren't too bad against euro, the quality is better by far.
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marksdjones
Part of things
Is there any body out there ?
Posts: 39
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Have you thought about trying German Swedish french (gsf)? There's one local to me that aren't too bad against euro, the quality is better by far. Yes I think I'll try that next time. Anyway I have a top hose after walking to the factors at lunchtime. Let's hope this is the last of my cooling system woes! Just need to hope it's not too dark when I get home. |
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If it isn't broken then i'll fix it so it is |
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marksdjones
Part of things
Is there any body out there ?
Posts: 39
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Rather dissapointly the car let me down while we are away on holiday.
Went to visit somewhere and came back started the car and realised that the low level coolant light was on. Pop the bonnet and check, sure enough it's completely empty.
So i call up the AA as I know that driving it is futile. While I'm waiting I pour some water in and it appears to be running straight out of the bottom of the expansion tank that I didn't replace. So I start ringing round trying to find one.
The AA guy arrives (who it transpires is really laid back and very helpful) and starts looking to see what's what and then he spots it looks like it's from the transmission oil cooler below not the expansion tank. So he says to me do you know how this comes apart, to which I say yes as I replaced the radiator. So he suggests we take it apart take a look and go from there and promptly starts getting me tools and jacking the car up to get the under tray off.
Soon as the tray is off I can see the cooler isn't located properly. I must have disturbed the part when I was swapping the tank back and forth (it's a bit difficult to explain but there's a part the slots in diagonally that goes into the bottom of the expansion tank and then into the cooler. It should sit in a slot but for what ever reason is no longer in the slot but is just above it meaning it doesn't seat properly). How on earth it hasn't leaked for two weeks and a 160 miles down the motorway two days before I have no idea I can only assume the rough ground in the car park must have disturbed it.
So the AA guy says do you think you can fix it, I said I'm sure if I take it apart and reassemble it it should be fine. So he starts handing me tools and helping get the radiator out and back in.
Anyway hour or so later (including several swear words, grazes and cuts) it's back in and we're running it up to temp.
I can't stress enough how cool the AA guy was, he could quite legitimately have just asked me where to tow my car and left it at that. As we didn't know it was going to work and to be honest I would have understood if he hadn't wanted to chance his arm help a member of the public try and fix their own mistake.
So moral of this story, never fix stuff in a rush in the dark and always take the under tray off when you want to see if stuff low down is fitted correctly (I didn't because I thought it would be a curse word to get off, when actually it took 5 minutes).
Sorry no pictures (unless you want to see the scratches on my knuckles or the AA slip).
Its really taken the shine off this car, which is a real shame because it's been on my to own list for quite some time and what makes it worse is its not all the cars fault it's mine. But I'm beginning to lose faith in it and that makes it a lot more stressful to drive because it's always on my mind. This is the first and only time i've had to use my AA membership in five years.
So motivation to do anything is very low right now. I still need to try and fix the reason the washer bottle empties it's self (which is what I thought wasn't the radiator when I first got the car), I think it's the light washers but I'm not paying £30 a side for replacement and as they don't really need them I'll probably just disconnect it from the pump and plug it. Also have the door brake/strap to fix and the cam cover gasket (which I already have). But I think it'll be a while before much else gets done.
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If it isn't broken then i'll fix it so it is |
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couldn't get the bottom hoses or the expansion tank off without a huge fight. 