Update: Gas tank replaced as of 4/10 E38 basketweaves w/ 205/50/16 tires as of 5/10 Tune up done with water pump, timing belt and pulley as of 4/09 Transmission shift cable as of 7/10 All coolant and heater hoses replaced as of 4/09 Cat-back exhaust as of 6/10 My E28 has been sitting in my garage for a while now. I last started her about 2 weeks ago so tonight I am going through a list to make it road worthy. First off I am pricing parts I need: Full tune up-wires, cap/rotor, plugs, filters, belts, 02 sensor, etc... Coolant-all hoses, water pump, thermo Timing belt & pulley Radiator was changed back in 1999 but only 20K miles have been driven since. Think I should still change it? Fan clutch was changed back in 97 when I had 135K miles. She currently has 225K. I haven't tried the fan clutch test yet. Gas tank will have to be on hold for now. I will just have it 1/2 tank or less . I cannot neglect this car any longer. She is still a beauty and she deserves to be out on the road. On Craigslist there is a 87 535i 5-speed for $500/no title. However, its about 2 hours from me. It is black/black with a clean body/interior (from the pics). I could swap out the dash and the sport steering wheel and other interior parts from it over to my E28 and maybe down the line time swap in the 5-speed and maybe the M30 engine as well . The owner is willing to deliver locally but I doubt 2 hours away. If I were serious to get it I would have to rent a truck with a dolly but with miles and insurance it would probably be more than the price of the 535! The owner says in the ad that the car runs fine. Yup, I though about driving it up to my house from LI but if I get caught by a police officer, than I am screwed!
No Hold it right there. I am going to have to say that judging by your past posts that, no, you cannot do this (well, the wheel and the seats and stuff, but not the dash.) It is at least an 8 hour job for me and there are many chances to break NLA stuff while doing it. It is never worth swapping E28 dashes unless the one you are swapping in is absolutely perfect. That is the problem with parts cars. You need a way to move them and a place to store them.
Well my dash has more crack(s) than a drug dealer, however, if your telling me it takes you 8 hours than I think I might pass. However, I'll take the steering wheel and other interior bits. Once I have no need of the 535 I can have a local junk yard take it away for free (I hear them advertise all the time).
Glad to see you are starting work on the 5. Must be spring is in the air.... I was trying to get back to sleep this morning and just kept thinking about the things we need to do to the 6. I decided to get up and get the punch list written down so I can get on with my day. Remember, Andy M. is a great Albany source for used and hard to find parts. Let me know if you are in need of anything and I will get you in contact with him.
Thanks Scott. If I don't get this parts car (most likely not) I would like to get a sports steering wheel
Hey, if you need some moral support or some actual help, give me a ring. I'll be glad to help you restore a machine from the 80's in need. Perhaps I'll help you with the tune-up stuff...
Not evenz a lil one I believe I need a new gas tank. When the tank is full, it leaks in front of my very eyes My mechanic quoted me $500 for labor doing a full tune up and timing belt/wp/tp so I just have to get the parts. However, if Botond can do the tune-up then it will be only $300 I would owe my mechanic. I also need two E34 basketweave wheels and 3 new tires. A new dash would be great but the Moose said it would take 4ever to change out.
I have nothing but contempt for you. I can do plugs, wires, distributor cap and rotor, and fuel filter. Pretty much the essential tune-up parts. Ignition coil too if you want. Total parts should be around $200-230 at the most... As far as timing belt goes; well that's a project we'd have to tackle together because I'm just as clueless as you are! Two idiots can surely figure it out.
I will let my mechanic do the timing belt/wp/tp and other coolant hoses and the thermo. We don't have the skill to do the timing belt just yet.
Usually from the center seam. Keep it under half a tank and you can nurse it along. I once bought a nice one from Vines BMW in Alabama. Even with shipping, ISTR it was under $200. I have only owned one 'belt' E28 and didn't have it long enough to change, but from all I understand about the job, it isn't all that hard. If you can change a radiator, you can change the belt & associated parts. The messiest stuff will be draining the coolant. Everything else is pretty much straight unbolt and replace. If you have a Bentley, I'd encourage you to do this job on your own.
THe only special skills required to change a t-belt are patience and attention to detail. I have gotten an E28 tbelt job down to 1-1.25 hours of work (I get to bill the full time of course.) Maybe have B show you the tune up and punt on the belt for now, though. On the other hand, you do have lots of spare time so if you follow the manual, it is not that hard. Up to you but I always choose effort over spending money when I have the time to do it myself.
I know you don't have one Chris, so get a Bentley. I mean now. You still sitting there reading? NOW! Snap snap! Get to it!
I have heard of Vines and they are pretty good. If I were to change the belt, I wouldn't want to do it alone. Yes, I need someone to shadow me so they can tell me if I am doing it right. Having the right tools makes things much easier. Only problem is that I don't know much about tools . I guess if someone had the tools I need to complete the job in front of me and a Bentley to go over, I'm sure I could do it . I would like to get it done in at least a few hours if possible. I don't want to have parts laying around in my garage for weeks, ya know .
Ok I will order the parts I need this week. B will install the tune-up parts. I will have my mechanic do the timing belt/wp/tp and the coolant hoses and the thermostat. Does anyone have nice 15's or 16's for sale?
It's going to be fun doing the tune-up. Don't ask me why I think it's fun... Probably because I feel "accomplished" when I change spark plugs, wires, distributor cap/rotor, fuel filter, and in your case, an air filter. *sigh* Perhaps one day I'll graduate to timing belt master... or timing chain master, hopefully on an S50.
Come early Saturday morning so we can get done at a decent time. I just let her run for about 1/2 an hour. I should have the oil changed soon. It hasn't been done in a while...long while
I finally did it. I ordered about $530 in parts just now. The list: Tune up kit wires water pump therm0stat thermostat housing 3 belts all coolant hoses timing belt kit VCG I'll pick up the 02 sensor from the local parts store (don't worry, it will be Bosch). My mechanic told me to drop it off tonight. I'll have him do the belts, hoses, VCG and the timing belt/wp/tp/thermostat. B will do the tune up. I won a bid on a sports steering wheel here: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/e...0332875894&sspagename=STRK:MEWNX:IT&viewitem= and I placed a bid on E28 M5 seats here http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=160324162710&sspagename=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&viewitem= Please don't outbid me
