E30 from Ukraine - "Shadow of Intelligence"

Doing a minor build / restoration or an epic one, post it here

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The_Glory
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Thu Jan 16, 2025 1:15 pm

Assembly_185. ETK_32_Power steering pump

So, let's move on to the last section of the ETK on steering:
Power steering pump
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Finally, I bought a new power steering pump. I'm not sure if this pump is really new, most likely it was refurbished at the factory. I chose the manufacturer Meyle, although in fact, in appearance this pump is no different from similar cheaper options.
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But it looks pretty good. I hope it works well. )
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120bar declared. The original pump was 110bar. Let's see how it pumps...
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Now I decided to change the tank too. I put it new once, but that was a long time ago. The tank has a built-in filter, so it's better to replace it. I chose the Febi tank.
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The lid shows the ETK number (83 29 0 429 576) - Hydraulic fluid CHF 11 S. That is, the tank for Pentosin lubricant.
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The lid is ordinary.
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The filter looks similar to the one in the old ZF tank for ATF lubricant.
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I bought a new hose for the tank again because I lost it somewhere, I don't know where it went.
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Since I use ATF, I installed the old cap on the new tank so that there would be no confusion with the lubricants )
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The tanks look the same.
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I already wrote about installing the tank and hoses, so I just replaced the old hose and tank with a new one.
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New tank with old cap for ATF
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Back to the pump. The kit included a mounting bracket, most likely for the E36. I also wrote about the mounting brackets earlier, they are already installed on the engine. But two brackets need to be installed on the pump.
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Unscrew the fasteners that were included in the kit and install one bracket in the following position:
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On the other hand, screw the second bracket:
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The pump is ready for installation.
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Power steering pump installation kit:
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Part #1 - power steering pump 110BAR (32 41 1 133 969). I use a Meyle pump (314 631 0001) 120BAR
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Part #2 - pulley (32 42 1 730 371) - 1 pc.
Part #3 - bolt M8X12 (07 11 9 913 616) - 3 pcs.
Part No. 4 - spacer washer A8.4 (07 11 9 900 052) - 3 pcs.
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Part #5 - V-belt 9.5X825 (32 42 1 706 5970 - 1 pc. I use a Continental AVX10x825 belt
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Part #6 - repair kit for ZF pump (32 41 1 135 880), or VICKERS pump (32 41 1 133 023). My original ZF pump was very worn out and could not be repaired. Therefore, it was replaced with a new one.

We fasten the pulley to the pump with three bolts.
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I also wrote about the hoses earlier. It remains to screw two fittings to the pump. The thread diameter in them is different, so the inlet and outlet hoses are physically impossible to mix up.
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We fasten the pump with two bolts to the brackets on the engine. We put on the belt.
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An additional double pulley for the power steering pump and air conditioning compressor is already installed on the motor pulley. The front pulley is used for the power steering pump.

We tighten the belt using a special bolt and gear and fix it with a nut. Then we tighten the other bolts of the pump and the tensioning bar.
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We screw the supply hose fitting from the tank, and the high-pressure hose fitting to the steering rack.
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The power steering pump is installed. You can fill in ATF and bleed the system.
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BUT there is one nuance!
Here is such a gap between the bolts of the pump pulley and the radiator drain plug...
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A large radiator with a built-in expansion tank from the M40/M42 turned out to be great. But, only now it turned out that its drain plug was right opposite the pulley! It's scary to leave it like that - so that the pulley does not break the plug when the engine vibrates. And what to do now - I don't know ... I have one idea, but if it works out, I'll write about it next time.
On this "optimistic" note, the installation of the power steering pump is stopped! :)
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martauto
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Sat Jan 18, 2025 2:55 pm

Great work again my friend :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap:
Let`s hope "Donald" will help your situation ??

Mart.
Only the E46 cab left now.
Just got too old.
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The_Glory
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Mon Jan 20, 2025 12:17 pm

martauto wrote:
Sat Jan 18, 2025 2:55 pm
Great work again my friend :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap:
Let`s hope "Donald" will help your situation ??

Mart.
Thank you.

But I doubt that anyone will help us.
In politics, as in life - no one needs other people's problems.
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The_Glory
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Tue Jan 21, 2025 12:05 pm

Assembly_185. ETK_32_Power steering pump. (continued)

I will remind you that last time the installation of the power steering pump was stopped for this reason - a gap of 1 mm between the pulley and the radiator drain plug.
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Installing thin washers and flat-head bolts did not solve the problem - the gain on the bolts was only 2 mm, but the pump axis remained in the same place. There is no place to move the radiator either - it is already close to the body. So, the only option left was to move the pump. It was not possible to move it up, because it rested against the generator. Therefore, you only need to move it down. And then new problems appeared - a short tension bar, a belt and a hose from the tank.
For the tension bar, I made an "extension" and screwed it with a bolt.
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I wanted to screw it with two bolts, but the second bolt interfered with tensioning, so I left one. Thanks to the sides on the bar, the plate is fixed well with one bolt.
I ordered a hose for the tank for the third time :)
I measured the length of the belt with a rope and calculated it using some formulas :) I calculated 838mm. The standard is 825mm. The difference of 13mm immediately seemed too small to me... but mathematics is an exact science! I ordered it.
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The belt arrived, I tried it on - it's short! ))) The pump remained practically in the same place.
The second time I took measurements more accurately - with a rubber cord, with a similar cross-section to the belt. I fixed the pump in the desired position. It turned out 880mm. This is already something similar to reality. I found an 875mm belt. This time I decided to "save money" and buy the cheapest belt that was available at the local auto parts store - just for trying on. Suddenly it won't fit again... And it did! :)
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Well, now I'm ordering a good belt - Continental AVX10x875. This is a generator belt for M10 and S14 engines. Now there will be at least one part under the hood that matches the VIN code of the car! :)
Belts in stock! :)
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By the way, the cheap 10x875 belt, judging by the inscription on the package, is for the engine of the AZLK "Moskvich" car! It's probably no coincidence that that engine looks so similar to the BMW M10 engine! ;)
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So, I install a new belt, tighten it and fix it on the bar with an extension.
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I screw the longer hose from the tank, and the high-pressure hose to the steering rack. The pump is installed.
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Now the gap between the pulley and the radiator drain plug is a little more than 1 cm. I think this is quite enough.
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But now the pump is very low - level with the engine oil pan.
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Maybe it's not very good, but it's not critical - the main thing is not lower!
I tried on a protective plastic shield - it gets right up to the pump, but covers it.
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The restyled air conditioning panel has special ventilation holes - they are located almost under the pump.
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The pump is closed.
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I will install an early plastic panel that does not have ventilation holes. I was going to cut them in the same place, but it's a good thing I didn't have time to cut them. Now I'll move them a few centimeters so they're exactly under the pulley so it doesn't rub against the shield.
But I'll install the shield later, after I install the air conditioning compressor. I think everything will be fine.
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The_Glory
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Tue Jan 28, 2025 9:42 am

Assembly_186. ETK_61_Wiper lever / wiper blade

I was going to order wiper blades for a long time, but I kept forgetting about them. And finally, when I was ordering a belt for the power steering pump, I somehow accidentally remembered about the brushes! :) I ordered it. So, the pump works fine, the system was shaking, everything is OK. Therefore, I return to the ETK section
General electrical equipment of the car

Its last subsection
Wiper arm / blade wiper

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Original wipers can be from two manufacturers - SWF or BOSCH.

Part No. 1 - left wiper arm (61 61 1 372 551) and right (61 61 1 372 552) - 2 pcs. In my case, these are BOSCH arms - left 66577 and right 66578. The left arm has a greater bend in two planes, and a shorter length than the right one.
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SWF levers differ from BOSCH in a shorter spring and the absence of a rivet on the body.
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In the photo, black - SWF, gray - BOSCH. By the way, I do not advise clicking with a spring on the removed lever - I broke the lever mounting bracket like that. Then I accidentally bought a SWF lever, and realized that they are different :) I had to look for a BOSCH lever.
Part No. 2 - left wiper blade (61 62 7 140 965) and right (61 61 8 353 297), or a set of brushes (61 61 9 069 196) - 2 pcs. In the original, SWF brushes are most often used. I ordered them by the number of the analogue SWF 116112, - so much cheaper.
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The brushes have a replacement schedule indicator - a black circle near the brush mount. When the circle turns yellow - the brushes need to be replaced.
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The brushes need to be installed with this circle facing up so that it is visible.
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Part #3 - rubber element of the wiper blade (61 61 1 372 747) - 2 pcs. You can replace only the rubber insert itself, but I'm not sure if this makes sense.
Part #4 - protective cap SWF (61 61 1 372 746), or BOSCH (61 61 1 376 313) - 2 pcs. In my case SWF.
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Install and snap the blades onto the lever.
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We put the levers on the axis of the wiper mechanism, align them and tighten them with a nut.
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We insert a protective cap under the lever and close the nut with it.
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The wiper blades are installed.
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Close the hood - done.
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So, on the outside, all I had to do was paint and install the front and rear bumpers. Technically, - restore and install brake calipers. I'm working on it.
The finish line is coming soon! :)

P.S.
I still need to fix at least one set of wheel disks. I've already started a little, I'll write about it next time.
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The_Glory
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Thu Jan 30, 2025 10:55 am

Assembly_187. ETK_36_Steel wheel, design 1

According to my assembly plan, the last items in it were bumpers and wheels. The brake calipers somehow fell out of the plan - they should have already been installed, but something went a little wrong.. :) Now I'm working on bumpers, but in parallel I decided to pay some attention to the wheels. Although not all of them, but only the spare.
So, we will talk about the standard spare wheel. In all the time I had to use it no more than 2-3 times. Therefore, I decided to make it more like a "decorative" than a spare emergency wheel. :)

I'm starting the ETK section
Wheels with tires

The first section
Steel wheel rim, design 1
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Maybe someday I'll buy a set of steel wheels with decorative caps for my collection, and for now I'm considering only one spare wheel. Before restyling, the steel wheels were silver, and after restyling, black. On early cars, there are silver steel wheels of "metric" size for TRX tires.

Part #1 - Steel wheel rim Silber 51/2JX14 ET:35 (36 11 1 125 686), Schwarz 51/2JX14 ET:35 (36 11 1 178 826), "metric" 365X150TD ET:35 (36 11 1 179 309). I have a narrower steel wheel Silber 5JX14 ET:35
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Part No. 2 - tire valve L=42.5MM (36 12 1 116 326). When ordering this tire valve number, it comes complete with a spool and cap. Therefore, you do not have to order them separately.
Part #3 - valve spool (36 14 1 095 389)
Part #4 - valve cap (36 12 1 120 779)
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In order to unscrew or screw in the spool, you will have to use an old cap with a special head. The original cap does not have one.
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Valve assembly
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Part #5 - Schwarz M12X1.5 wheel bolt (36 13 6 781 150). The original bolts have a black coating. I sandblasted and galvanized mine. When I get to the wheel kits, I'll probably buy a set of new bolts.
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The following positions for the spare wheel, of course, I don't use, but I'll write them just for information.
Part No. 6 - decorative rim (36 13 1 120 543). Chrome-plated trim for the rim of a steel disc.
Part No. 7 - locking spring (36 13 1 122 301). Fastening the trim to the rim.
Part No. 8 - wheel hub cap (36 13 1 127 230). Chrome-plated decorative cap in the central hole of the disc.
Part No. 9 - emblem D=45MM (36 13 1 181 082). Sticker with an emblem on the cap.
Photo from the Internet:
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Part No. 10 - wheel cap D=375MM for silver disc (36 13 1 178 778). wheel cap D=391MM for black disc (36 13 1 179 170). Photo from the Internet:
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For the 318is and some Touring and Cabrio models, caps were available (36 13 1 180 667). Photo from the Internet:
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Part #11 - emblem D=70MM (36 13 6 758 569). Sticker with the emblem on the cap.

To assemble the wheel, you also need balancing weights. Unfortunately, the "old-school" lead weights with the BMW brand have long been unavailable for order.
Balance weight, lead
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So I ordered some new zinc weights. Unfortunately, they no longer have the BMW logo, so I could just install regular weights from a tire shop.
Zinc weight
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Part #1 - locking spring for alloy wheel (36 11 6 766 311), or for steel wheel (36 11 6 766 312). Of course, I have it for steel wheel.
Part #2 - zinc weight. Different weight options are available. I ordered 4 pieces: 10G (36 11 6 766 315), 15G (36 11 6 766 316), 20G (36 11 6 766 317), 25G (36 11 6 766 318). By the way, the 10G weight is not zinc, but plastic. New technologies! :)
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Part #3 is a zinc adhesive weight. These are modern weights. I haven't used them.

As I said, I decided to make an authentic spare wheel, although it will be more "decorative" than an emergency spare. I couldn't find the original BMW lead weights, but the tire is probably still original from the 80s, manufactured by MICHELIN. Of course, it's full of small cracks, it's scary to drive on it... I hope I don't have to! :) You should have seen the expression on the tire fitter's face when I showed him this tire and asked him to install it on the rim! )))
So, the rim was sanded, leveled, and powder-coated. They put the tire on, and there was a whole story about balancing it - namely, installing the weights. Apparently, the craftsmen were already used to gluing them, so there were some difficulties. :) But in the end, the wheel was assembled. It turned out so beautifully! ;)
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Made in W. Germany
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MICHELIN XZX
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Old tire size marking - 175SR14
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There is no modern marking of the production date on the tire. It would be interesting to find out the production date, but I don't know how...
The wheel looks nice and "old school" on the outside! ;)
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I tried it on the car - it's cool too! :) Maybe I'll buy a set of steel wheels later ;)
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But, its place is in the trunk.
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Fix with a cap and nut.
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Put a plastic support for the trunk floor trim.
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Put the trim.
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By the way, I already wrote in the relevant section on trim - usually the fixing cap has a slot so that there is no need to completely unscrew the nut to remove it and remove the wheel. But I installed an earlier cover, without a slot - to remove it and pull out the wheel, you need to completely unscrew the nut. We are not looking for easy ways! )))
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We close the trim. Now the trunk is completely complete.
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P.S.
Finally, I installed the moldings on the BBS pads. I had to file the lower edge of the molding a little.
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So, all that remains to be installed on the outside is the bumpers. Now I'm preparing them for painting.

P.P.S.
I ordered repair kits for brake calipers. But they need to be cleaned and painted. I'm considering three options:
1 - electroplating. Complete and uniform cleaning and coating. Simple, reliable and not expensive.
2 - powder coating. Better appearance, but the problem with the threaded holes and inner surfaces of the cylinders - they will remain uncoated.
3 - ceramic coating. Beautiful appearance, but the same problems as with powder coating. A little more expensive.

If anyone has already done any of these options, I would appreciate feedback and recommendations.
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The_Glory
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Tue Feb 11, 2025 2:14 pm

Just a photo

There's nothing to write about yet, so - just a photo :)
I took down the awning, but there's still a lot of dust under it... I'll have to do something with this "temporary" sand floor in the garage... I wiped it down, washed it a little - it's beautiful! ;)

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Externally, the car is almost completely assembled. Only the front and rear bumpers remain to be installed. The mounting is all ready, the plastic bumper moldings are also ready for painting.
The repair kits and brake caliper parts have all arrived, all that is needed is to galvanize or paint the calipers.

Painting is a thing, not very cheap, and for me this year, with this war, the "financial collapse" has probably already reached its peak (or maybe it hasn't yet...), so this process will take a bit longer... I'm waiting.
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martauto
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Tue Feb 11, 2025 5:34 pm

It`s totally amazing what you have done here :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap:
You MUST do a tour of Europe when she is finished ,especially along the Russian border with two massive fingers sticking out of the window !!!!!!!!!
Thank You Mate.

Mart.
Only the E46 cab left now.
Just got too old.
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The_Glory
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Thu Feb 13, 2025 1:05 pm

martauto wrote:
Tue Feb 11, 2025 5:34 pm
It`s totally amazing what you have done here :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap:
You MUST do a tour of Europe when she is finished ,especially along the Russian border with two massive fingers sticking out of the window !!!!!!!!!
Thank You Mate.

Mart.
Thank you!
I would do it with great pleasure! )
But, judging by the latest news, if I had to flee, even further than to Europe...
Because the racist border will now be very close. And given the "determination" and "courage" of our partners, who once disarmed Ukraine in exchange for "guarantees" of its sovereignty and territorial integrity, in a few years that border will pass somewhere in Europe..
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The_Glory
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Tue Feb 18, 2025 1:56 pm

S428 Emergency stop sign / first aid kit with built-in box for their placement

Well, so that the wait is not so boring, I sit and look through various flea markets... And it brought results! :)

I have already written about the option "S428 Emergency stop sign / first aid kit with built-in box for their placement".
I already have the original emergency stop sign for the E30. Its case for cars with a battery in the trunk has a specific shape - with a cutout on one corner. But there is another nuance - the case for storing it can be with the BMW logo and inscription, or without the BMW logo and inscription. I don't know why this is so - maybe the case was with a logo in the factory configuration, and with aftermarket retrofitting - it was already without a logo... But this is just my assumption... This is the only difference between them, but precisely because of this, the prices for them are not small, and differ very significantly from each other! ;) Then I decided not to overpay for the letters BMW, so I bought a sign without a BMW logo on the case... :)
And now, flipping through the pages of a flea market out of boredom, I see this sign in a case with a BMW logo! At a very attractive price! :) I bought it, of course!
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Condition, practically new.
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So, now I have three emergency stop signs. The very first one was a 1992 model, for a BMW E36. But it didn't fit the shape of the case for the original E30 box, so I bought the original sign then, but without the logo. Now I have a "correct" and "fetish" sign - with the BMW logo! :)
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The upper one has no logo, has some number HWB 82 129 406 734.

The lower one has a logo on the cover and BMW ETK number 71 60 1 129 747. But for some reason this number is not found by ETK...
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The badge for E36 has a logo on the case and BMW ETK number 71 60 1 180 946
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The case for the E30 states that the sign complies with the European ECE standard and must be installed at a distance of at least 30 meters from the car.
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The case for the E36 states that the sign must be installed at a distance of at least 100 meters from the car. If I'm not mistaken, this is according to some regional standard for Germany.
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In our country, apparently, if you install a sign 100 meters from the car, you will no longer see that sign! )))

Finally, we take the signs out of the cases.
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The signs for the E30 are exactly the same. The legs are folded manually in different directions. The sign for the E36 has a different design, the legs are on springs, so they unfold automatically.
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In the dark, all three signs reflect light equally.
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Of course, I will put only one sign in the car in the case with the BMW logo.
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I hope I don't have to use it! :)
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And now a few more photos found on the Internet - just for information.
The factory options catalog for the BMW E30 lists two types of emergency stop signs.
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The first one is according to the European ECE standard, which was mentioned above. And the second one according to the StVZO standard, - I don't know what standard it is, probably German, the same as for the E36, shown above.
The StVZO case is rectangular, does not have a cutout in the corner and the BMW logo. (photo from the Internet)
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The signs are also structurally different. (photo from the Internet)
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Another nuance - for cars with an engine capacity of up to 2 liters inclusive, the battery was under the hood, so another box was placed in the right niche of the trunk, which stored the emergency stop sign and first aid kit. (photo from the internet)
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P.S.
Next time I'll write about another new rare "toy" ;)
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The_Glory
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Tue Feb 25, 2025 11:42 am

Gifts

Today's post will be about a pleasant thing - about gifts! After all, everyone loves gifts! :)
So, recently I received a very nice and very unexpected gift from a colleague in the E30 club, whom I don't even know personally!

Blaupunkt Munchen SCD09
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That's how it happens! :)
My friend, I am sincerely grateful to you for such a chic surprise! A very valuable (both literally and figuratively) addition to my radio collection!
This is the top CD radio in the E30 line. Although, it does not have the inscription "BMW BAVARIA Electronic CD II", but it is absolutely the same model, only "aftermarket". Moreover, it is not just a CD, but a CD-cartridge!
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This is the first generation of car laser disc players that used special cartridge cases for listening to CDs. (photo from the Internet)
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By the way, now I still need to find this cartridge somewhere - if anyone has it - I'll buy it. So far, I haven't found anything at local flea markets...

I'll write about installation and connection later, when I have the cartridge! ;)

And last week, a colleague at work gave me a BMW advertising booklet with the entire model line of the early 2000s.
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Also a nice little thing! ;)

P.S.
I finally cleaned the brake calipers, sanded them, and sent them for electroplating today. Next week I'm going to install them, bleed the brakes and clutch, and finally, at least drive back and forth around the garage! :)
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The_Glory
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Tue Mar 25, 2025 11:46 am

Repair of brake calipers and preparation for their assembly

As always happens when I plan something, everything does not go according to plan! This is what happened with electroplating - the process took a little longer, but during this time I managed to buy and prepare everything necessary for the assembly of the calipers (in fact, of course, not everything).
So, I sandblasted the calipers and brackets myself, because they refused to do it at a professional sandblasting shop, reasoning that they were afraid of damaging the inner surfaces of the cylinders and guides. Well, if you want to do something well, do it yourself. At the same time, my brother "upgraded" our garage compressor - instead of the Chinese compressor, a restored Soviet one was installed - now it stably maintains a pressure of 7-8 atmospheres, and you can sandblast even very rusty parts normally. The result is no worse than at a professional sandblasting shop.
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At first I wanted to paint the calipers. Therefore, it made no sense to give only four bolts to electroplating, and I decided to try copper plating again.
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The result was disappointing again. This is in no way comparable to electroplating, and looks more like old rust than a protective coating from it! )) I had to sandblast these bolts again.
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Now the question is in the coating of the calipers. I considered three options:
1. Powder coating.
2. Polymer coating.
3. Galvanic galvanization.

The first option looks beautiful, you can even make "racing" red calipers! ))) But the thickness of the coating is quite large, so all the docking and contact surfaces of the caliper and bracket need to be covered when painting. As you know, cast iron rusts very quickly after sandblasting, so all these unprotected surfaces will very quickly become rusty, and spoil all the beauty.
The second option, in principle, is similar to the first, although the thickness of the coating is much less. Smaller choice of color options. Slightly higher cost. Looks beautiful.
The third option - the thickness of the coating is minimal, so absolutely all surfaces of the caliper and bracket are evenly protected from corrosion with zinc. The color and appearance are as close as possible to the factory one. Looks very nice. The cost is much lower.

So, the choice is obvious - galvanic galvanization. At the same time, I galvanized several "spare" parts.
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I really like the appearance of the calipers after galvanization.
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The inner surfaces of the cylinders are not damaged.
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The threads in the holes are also protected from corrosion, there should be no problems with unscrewing hoses and fittings.
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The surface around the piston and the inner surface of the guides are also coated with zinc.
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Contact surfaces on the brackets
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Thread and inner surface of the guides.
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So, in my opinion, galvanizing is the best way to protect the calipers from corrosion.
If bright colors are needed, then perhaps after galvanizing they can also be painted with powder, covering the already protected surfaces.
But I am quite satisfied with their external "standard" appearance.

As I said, I have prepared all the necessary spare parts and materials for assembling the calipers.
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Repair kit Frenkit 248918 for front brake calipers Girling (TRW/Lucas).
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Repair kit Frenkit 233003 for rear brake calipers ATE.
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Looking ahead, I will say that later I had to order original ATE repair kits for the rear calipers, and now original TRW repair kits for the front calipers. But I will write about that later.

Brackets, plugs, clips. Rear pistons and guides are in good condition, so I left them.
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Bleeding nipples and rubber caps for them.
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The Frenkit nipple is similar in size to the original BMW nipple. The Quick Brake 0088 nipple is larger in size under the key of 9 mm, and in length.
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The Quick Brake 0126 cap is similar in size and design to the original BMW cap.
The Quick Brake 0125 cap is similar in size and design to the original ATE cap.
The cap from the Frenkit kit is just a cap.
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I will be using the Quick Brake 0088 fittings and the Quick Brake 0126 caps.

You will need to use several special lubricants to assemble the brake calipers.
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In many stores, any grease that mentions brakes in the name is sold as "universal caliper grease." In fact, this is not so. There are three types of brake caliper grease, and each of them has its own purpose.
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1. Assembly grease for brake caliper cylinders and pistons. I use ATE 03.9902-0511.2 grease for hydraulic systems.
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It is compatible with DOT 3, DOT 4, DOT 5.1 brake fluids and is used to lubricate the surface of the cylinder, piston and their rubber seals when assembling the caliper. Other lubricants cannot be used for this, because they can be dissolved by the brake fluid. This is indicated on its packaging. By the way, the packaging is very large, - 180 g. It will last a very long time.
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2. Grease for guide calipers. I use TRW PFG110 grease for guide calipers. The package is 25 g, it is quite enough for two front calipers, there is even some left for the next time.
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The packaging indicates that this grease is used for guide calipers, their protective rubber "dusters", and for the internal areas of the handbrake.
The back of the packaging also indicates that this grease cannot be used for hydraulic systems (for cylinders and pistons).
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An important nuance - TRW PFG110 grease is used ONLY for Girling guide calipers (TRW/Lucas). ATE guide calipers do NOT require lubrication at all, as they work in rubber bushings.

3. Anti-squeak grease for brake pads. I use BMW 83 19 2 158 851 grease for brake pads. The package is 3 g for one caliper. That's why I ordered 4 pieces.
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The package says that this grease is used ONLY for brake pads.

At the same time, I also bought a similar anti-squeak grease ATE 03.9902-1002.2 for disc brakes for the future. The package is 75 g, it will be enough for several brake pad replacements on all calipers.
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The packaging states that this grease is for contact surfaces of brake pads and caliper pistons, and for contact surfaces of brake pads and caliper brackets. It also states that it cannot be used for friction surfaces of discs and brake pads, and for rubber parts.
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I hope that everything is clear with caliper greases now and this will be useful to someone.

When installing brackets and calipers, you need to apply a separating thread lock (blue) to the bolts. I use ABRO separating thread lock.
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The package says how to use it - apply to the thread, tighten, and after 20-30 minutes it fixes the thread.
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I will use copper grease in an aerosol can for the threads of the brake hoses and fittings, so that they can be easily unscrewed if necessary.

So, now I can start assembling the brake calipers.
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martauto
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Thu Mar 27, 2025 5:58 pm

How you do this I don`t know, I love the galvanisation of the parts, they should last so long.

Mart.
Only the E46 cab left now.
Just got too old.
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The_Glory
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Fri Mar 28, 2025 8:51 am

I hope so too.
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The_Glory
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Tue Apr 01, 2025 8:55 am

Assembly_188. ETK_34_Front wheel brake disc

I recently said that the work on the brakes was planned to be completed a long time ago, but something went wrong, and it so happened that I only now got to the installation of the brake calipers.
So, back to the ETK section
Brake mechanisms

The front suspension was installed at the very beginning of the car's assembly, and the brake discs were installed at the same time. Therefore, this entry will be "archive".
Front wheel brake disc
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Part #1 - brake disc. In my case, it is not used, since I have ventilated front brakes installed.
Part #2 - ventilated brake disc (34 11 1 160 915) - 2 pcs. I use TRW ventilated discs. Although, I replaced them a long time ago, their thickness is still within tolerances with a large margin. Therefore, I left them.
Part No. 3 - bolt with internal hexagon M8X12 (34 11 1 123 072) - 2 pcs. Fastening the brake disc to the hub.
Part No. 4 - left protective cover (34 11 1 154 241) and right (34 11 1 154 242) - 2 pcs.
Part No. 5, 6 - bolt with washer M6X8 (34 11 1 156 427) - 6 pcs. Fastening the protective covers to the rack. Since I did not change the hub either, the protective covers remained installed on the racks.
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The front suspension struts were installed together with the protective covers.
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The brake discs were also installed at the same time.
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So, this was done quite a while ago, and now I'm continuing to install the brake calipers.
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The_Glory
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Tue Apr 01, 2025 12:25 pm

Assembly_189. ETK_34_Girling front wheel brake lining wear sensor (part 1)

For BMW E30, the front brakes could be with conventional brake discs or with ventilated brake discs. They were also from two manufacturers - ATE or Girling. They have different designs. In my case, these are Girling calipers with ventilated brake discs.
Front brake pad wear sensor Girling
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Part #1 - brake caliper housing left (34 11 1 154 379) and right (34 11 1 154 380) - 2 pcs. Complete with piston.
Part No. 2 - brake pad bracket (34 11 1 158 451) - 2 pcs. The bracket is the same on both sides. Complete with guides.
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Part No. 3 - bolt M12X1.5X32 (34 11 1 118 948) - 4 pcs. Caliper bracket mount.
Part No. 4 - bleed fitting (34 11 1 121 206) - 2 pcs. I use Quick Brake 0088 fittings.
Part No. 5 - protective cap (34 11 1 153 198) - 2 pcs. I use Quick Brake 0126 caps.
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Part No. 6 - bolt (34 11 1 154 445) - 4 pcs. Guide mounting.
Part No. 7 - brake pad wear sensor (34 35 9 058 889) - 1 pc. Installed only on the left caliper. I use the TRW sensor.
Part No. 8 - bracket (34 35 1 153 966) - 1 pc. Bracket for fixing the brake pad wear sensor connector.
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Part No. 9 - caliper seal kit (34 11 1 154 440) - 2 pcs. The original kit includes a rubber seal and a boot. I use Frenkit 248918 repair kits. The kit includes all the necessary parts. But looking ahead, I will say that from this repair kit I used only pistons and guide boot boots.
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Part No. 10 - repair kit for guide bushings (34 11 1 161 936) - 2 pcs. I use dust boots from the Frenkit 248918 repair kit.
Part No. 11 - set of brake pads TEXTAR T 444 (34 11 1 161 347) - 1 pc. I use TRW GDB820 brake pads. I replaced them literally a few weeks before I took the car apart, so they are practically in new condition. I left them.
Part #12 - brake caliper kit (34 11 9 058 982) - 1 pc. Calipers assembled.
Part #13 - 3G brake pad paste (83 19 2 158 851) - 1 pc. Anti-squeak grease for brake pads. I used one package for each caliper.
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In the previous post about calipers, I already wrote in detail about all types of grease for brake calipers. I use them.
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As you can see in the photo, I completely assembled the calipers, but my club colleagues criticized my choice of repair kits, arguing that Frenkit, like other Chinese analogues, is not of very good quality. So, I ordered the original repair kit TRW (Girling/Lucas) SP8543.
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I thought that this repair kit was for one caliper, so I ordered two of them. But it turned out that the kit includes seals for both calipers. So there will be a spare one. The kit includes unnecessary instructions in many languages ​​)
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So, I disassembled the calipers again and am now assembling them on TRW parts.
Lubricate the cylinder and seal with ATE hydraulic assembly paste.
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Insert the seal into the cylinder groove.
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Then lubricate the piston and boot with the same paste. Put the boot on the piston like this.
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Insert the edge of the boot into the caliper groove, align it around the circumference.
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Press the piston into the cylinder and put the boot on the piston groove.
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Press the piston into the cylinder, wipe off excess paste.
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We lubricate the fitting with copper grease, put a rubber cap on it and screw it into the caliper.
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The calipers are assembled, let's move on to assembling the guide brackets.
We lubricate the guides and their dust boots with special TRW grease for guides. I couldn't find TRW boot liners, so I'm leaving Frenkit for now. I'll replace them when I replace the brake pads next time.
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Insert the guides into the bracket, put the dust caps on them, remove the remaining grease.
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Screw the brackets to the calipers - ready for installation.
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I will write about the installation in the second part.
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Tue Apr 01, 2025 1:37 pm

Assembly_189. ETK_34_Girling front wheel brake pad wear sensor (part 2)

Finally, you can install the front calipers. To do this, I unscrewed the brake hoses from the tubes and screwed them to the calipers, having previously lubricated them with copper grease. The brackets also need to be unscrewed from the calipers (or you could not screw them).
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Apply blue thread lock to the bolts and screw the brackets with guides to the front suspension struts.
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Two bolts each.
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We lubricate the contact surfaces of the brake pads with anti-squeak paste. By the way, it is more convenient to do this before installing the caliper so as not to smear the brake disc.
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The upper and lower pads on both sides are lubricated.
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Apply anti-squeak paste to the contact surfaces of the brake pads and caliper.
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Also to the contact surface of the piston. I lubricated the piston inside as well so that it rusts less. A 3g package was enough for one caliper.
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Install the outer pad with the wear sensor into the bracket.
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Install the inner block into the bracket.
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Apply blue thread lock to the bolts, insert and screw the caliper to the bracket with the guides.
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Put the sensor connector through the hole in the caliper.
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Fix the loop of the plastic bracket on the body wiring connector.
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We treat the contacts with a special spray, connect the sensor and fix the connector in the bracket.
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We put the bracket on a special hook on the brake disc protective casing. It is better to pass the sensor wire under the guide so that it does not rub against the wheel disc.
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Screw the brake hose to the tube, having previously lubricated it with copper grease.
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The front left caliper is installed.
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Looks nice, and doesn't really stand out visually ;) If you paint the wheels, it will be even better! :)
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On the right side, everything is similar. The only difference is the lack of a brake pad wear sensor.
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One nuance - I forgot to move the rubber protective sleeve on the brake hoses - it should be on top of the hose so that it does not rub against the body. I fixed it on both sides.
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So, the front brake calipers are installed.
Next time I will write about the rear ones.
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Wed Apr 02, 2025 11:39 am

Assembly_190. ETK_34_Rear wheel brake lining wear sensor ATE (part 1)

For BMW E30, rear brakes could be with brake drums (4-cylinder engines), with conventional brake discs, or with ventilated brake discs (only all-wheel drive 325ix Touring). On conventional Touring, the rear calipers differ from sedans - their piston diameter is 2 mm larger (35 mm instead of 33 mm). Manufacturer - ATE.
Calipers from Touring can be installed on a sedan - a kind of "upgrade" of the brakes, but I don't know how effective it will be... Calipers from all-wheel drive 325ix Touring can be installed on a sedan only in assembly together with brake discs and hubs. It will also be necessary to install wheel rims with a larger offset (ET). Therefore, there are also doubts about the feasibility of this "upgrade". Moreover, such calipers are not so easy to find. I have only seen them on sale once in all my time. At first I wanted to buy one, but I changed my mind.
The M3 has its own calipers, similar to the E32, but I don't know if they are interchangeable with the regular ones.

So, in my case, these are ATE calipers for a sedan with regular brake discs.
Rear wheel brake pad wear sensor ATE
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Part #1 - brake caliper housing left (34 21 1 153 243) and right (34 21 1 153 244) - 2 pcs. Fully assembled.
Part No. 2 - brake caliper housing left (34 21 1 160 397) and right (34 21 1 160 398) - 2 pcs. Complete with piston.
Part No. 3 - brake pad bracket (34 21 1 160 396) - 2 pcs. The bracket is the same on both sides.
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Part No. 4 - bolt M10X30 (34 21 1 153 937) - 4 pcs. Caliper bracket mounting.
Part #5 - Bleed fitting (34 11 1 153 197) - 2 pcs. I use Quick Brake 0088 fittings.
Part #6 - Protective cap (34 11 1 153 198) - 2 pcs. I use Quick Brake 0126 caps.
Part #7 - Retaining spring (34 21 1 153 199) - 2 pcs. I use BOSCH 1 987474 032 spring set.
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Part #8 - Guide pin (34 11 1 157 041) - 4 pcs. They are in good condition, so I left them.
Part No. 9 - brake pad wear sensor (34 35 1 179 819) - 1 pc. Installed only on the right caliper. I use a TRW sensor.
Part No. 10 - terminal (61 13 1 361 897) - 1 pc. This is an error in the ETK - this terminal is for earlier BMW models to fix the brake pad wear sensor connector. It is not used in the E30. Part No. 18 is used instead.
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Part No. 11 - brake disc 258X10 (34 21 6 755 407) - 2 pcs. I use TRW discs. Although, I replaced them a long time ago, their thickness is still within tolerances with a large margin. Therefore, I left them.
Part No. 12 - bolt with internal hexagon M8X12 (34 11 1 123 072) - 2 pcs. Fastening the brake disc to the hub.
Part No. 13 - protective cover left (34 21 1 162 061) and right (34 21 1 162 062) - 2 pcs. I use KLOKKERHOLM covers.
Part No. 14 - bolt M6X8 (34 11 1 156 427) - 4 pcs. Fastening the protective covers to the lever.
Part No. 15 - spring washer B6 (07 11 9 932 099) - 4 pcs. Attaching the protective covers to the lever.
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Part No. 16 - plug (34 11 1 154 979) - 3 pcs. Rubber bushing plug. I use plugs from the Frenkit 233003 repair kit.
Part No. 17 - plug (34 11 1 154 978) - 1 pc. Plug for the lower rubber bushing of the right caliper with a clip for fixing the brake pad wear sensor wire.
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ATE number 11.8190-0157.1
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Part No. 18 - bracket (34 35 1 153 966) - 1 pc. Bracket for fixing the brake pad wear sensor connector.
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Part No. 19 - not used.
Part No. 20 - caliper seal kit (34 21 1 153 194) - 2 pcs. The original kit includes a rubber seal, a dust boot, and a retaining ring. I use Frenkit 233003 repair kits. The kit includes all the necessary parts.
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Even unnecessary parts, they are probably used for other car models.
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But looking ahead, I will say that from this repair kit I used only a rubber seal, a piston dust boot, and a retaining ring.
Part No. 21 - repair kit for guide bushings (34 11 1 157 038) - 2 pcs. I use ATE 11.8171-0022.1 bushings.
Part No. 22 - set of brake linings JURID 508 (34 21 1 158 912) - 1 pc. I use TRW GDB299 brake pads. I replaced them just a few weeks before I disassembled the car, so they are practically in new condition. I left them.
Part No. 23 - 3G brake pad paste (83 19 2 158 851) - 1 pc. Anti-squeak grease for brake pads. I used one package for each caliper.

In the previous post about calipers, I already wrote in detail about all types of greases for brake calipers. I use them.
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As I said earlier, my club colleagues criticized my choice of repair kits, arguing that Frenkit, like other Chinese analogues, is not of very good quality. Moreover, after trying on the seal from the Frenkit 233003 kit, it seemed to me that it was too big. I thought it had a diameter of 35 mm, for Touring.
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It did not want to fit into the cylinder groove. Looking ahead, I will say that I was wrong, and it does fall into place, although not easily.
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So, I decided to order both original ATE repair kits, since the BMW kits are no longer available, and their price was not low. But, unfortunately, the ATE 11.0441-3302.2 caliper seal repair kit. is also no longer available. Therefore, the rubber seal, piston dust cap, and circlip will remain from the Frenkit 233003 repair kit.
The ATE 11.0101-5402.2 repair kit is available for order. It includes two bushings and three plugs (two regular ones and one with a clip for fixing the brake pad wear sensor wire). Its price is 11 Euro per caliper. But using the old ATE bushing number 11.8171-0022.1, you can order bushings separately, one by one and much cheaper - 1 Euro per piece.
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Since I already have three plugs from the Frenkit 233003 set, and one plug with a clip is original ATE, I decided to order four bushings separately.
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And here is an interesting nuance.
In the diagram in ETK there is some part without a number, which is included in the original repair kit BMW 34 11 1 157 038 - circled with a blue line.
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I was curious what it was... I found a lot of photos of this old original repair kit on the Internet, but there was no such part there. Photo from the Internet.
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But it was found in a photo of old, still factory, bushings from a teammate.
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There is a plastic insert in the middle of the rubber bushing!
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I compared my old and new ATE bushings and Frenkit bushings.
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There are no plastic inserts in any of them!
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That's why I'm really curious - what kind of inserts are those? What are they for? Why aren't they in the new bushings? Maybe they were only installed on the factory assembly line? How critical is their absence? If anyone knows, I'd be very grateful for the information.

Now, finally, we start assembling the calipers.
We lubricate the cylinder and seal with ATE hydraulic assembly paste. We insert the seal into the cylinder groove. It fits very tightly.
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Then we lubricate the piston and the boot with the same paste. We put the boot on the piston in this way and insert the piston into the cylinder.
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We press the piston into the cylinder and put the boot on the caliper.
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We wipe off the excess paste and fix the boot with a retaining ring.
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We lubricate the fitting with copper grease, put a rubber cap on it and screw it into the caliper.
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Now we need to install the rubber bushings.
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To make the bushing easier to enter the caliper, we lubricate its OUTER part with silicone grease. We insert the bushings in this way.
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We insert the guide fingers into the rubber bushings. An important nuance - the guide fingers are NOT LUBRICATED with any lubricants!
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We screw the caliper to the bracket with the guide fingers. The bushings are closed with plugs. The caliper is assembled.
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The calipers are ready for installation.
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The metal clip in the photo above is an extra detail. As I said above, it is used for earlier models E12, E21, E23, E28.

I will write about the installation in the second part.
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Wed Apr 02, 2025 1:07 pm

Assembly_190. ETK_34_Rear wheel brake lining wear sensor ATE (part 2)

The rear suspension was installed at the very beginning of the car assembly, and together with it, brake discs and protective covers were installed.
The cover must be screwed before installing the hub, otherwise it will not fit. Two bolts on each side.
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After that, you can install the bearing, hub, handbrake mechanism and brake disc.
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Finally, you can install the rear calipers. To do this, I unscrewed the brake hoses from the tubes and screwed them to the calipers, having previously lubricated them with copper grease. The brackets also need to be unscrewed from the calipers (or you could not screw them).
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We lubricate the contact surfaces of the brake pads with anti-squeak paste. By the way, it is more convenient to do this before installing the bracket so as not to smear the brake disc. The upper and lower pads are lubricated on both sides.
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We apply blue thread lock to the bolts and screw the brackets to the rear suspension arms. Two bolts each.
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Apply anti-squeak paste to the contact surfaces of the brake pads and caliper.
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Also to the contact surface of the piston. I lubricated the piston inside as well so that it rusts less. The 3g package was quite enough for one caliper.
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Install the inner pad holder into the piston.
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Install the outer pad with the wear sensor into the bracket.
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Apply blue thread lock to the guide pins.
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We insert them into the rubber bushings and screw the caliper to the bracket. The guide fingers DO NOT GREASE with anything!
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We close the rubber bushings with plugs. The upper plug is ordinary, and the lower one with a clip for the brake pad wear sensor wire is only for the right caliper.
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We insert the locking spring. We thread the sensor connector through the hole in the caliper.
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Fix the loop of the plastic bracket on the body wiring connector.
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We treat the contacts with a special spray, connect the sensor and fix the connector in the bracket.
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We put the bracket on a special hook on the brake disc protective casing. We fix the sensor wire in the clip on the lower plug so that it does not rub against the wheel disc.
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Screw the brake hose to the tube, having previously lubricated it with copper grease.
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The rear right caliper is installed.
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On the left side, everything is similar. The only difference is the lack of a brake pad wear sensor, and the same plugs for both bushings.
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Looks nice, and doesn't really stand out visually ;) If you paint the wheels, it will be even better! :)
Image

So, the rear brake calipers are installed.
Next time I'll write about bleeding the brake system and clutch.
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Thu Apr 03, 2025 11:46 am

Bleeding the brake system and clutch

So, the brakes are installed, they need to be bled. It would seem that everything is simple, but the situation was complicated by the lack of an inspection pit or a lift in the garage (as usual). I will have to crawl on the floor under the car again... Therefore, I really wanted to ease my suffering, at least a little! )) After looking at these Internet sites, I initially wanted to buy a special Chinese device for vacuum pumping. But after reading its technical specifications, for some reason I had some doubts about its effectiveness... maybe in vain, but I gave up on this idea.
I decided to do something by analogy with the original device used at official BMW car services - pressure pumping. It seems that everything is quite simple - a plug with a valve and a pressure gauge that is screwed onto the expansion tank of the master cylinder instead of a regular cover.
The plugs from all the canisters were either too small or too big. So I remembered that I had an old vacuum booster with a cylinder and a tank left. I took the cover off, took out the sensor from it. To close its hole, I took a plug from a HEPU antifreeze bottle, it was a perfect size.
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I cut off the threaded part of the plug, leaving only the upper part.
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I bought a regular valve for wheel disks, and drilled a hole for the valve in the plug.
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The valve is tight, but just in case, I put it on glue.
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We insert the valve into the tank lid. The gasket is standard, which was in the lid.
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We screw the lid with the valve onto the tank.
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The "special tool" is ready! :)
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Again, for convenience, to ease my suffering, I decided to make a special bottle for pumping from improvised means.
To do this, you need a glass bottle with a rubber stopper from a medical dropper, a thin rubber hose, a shoelace, a large paper clip, and an empty ballpoint pen rod.
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The "special tool" has a simple design - we make a hole in the rubber cap, insert a thin hose into it and a piece of rod for air removal. We make a hook from the paper clip and tie it to the bottle with a string.
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The rubber hose should reach almost to the bottom of the bottle. And the rod tube should go into the bottle a few centimeters so that if the bottle is turned over, the brake fluid does not leak through it.
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The cord with the hook is also to prevent the bottle from falling or tipping over.
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Here are two not tricky, homemade "special tools" :)
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Now you can start pumping.
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We pour brake fluid into the reservoir. Instead of the standard cap, we screw on a similar cap with a valve.
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We connect the compressor to the valve.
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According to TIS, you need to pump 2 atmospheres. But I was a little afraid for my "special tool" )), so I pumped 1.5 atmospheres. I think this is also enough...
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I start, of course, with the rear right caliper. I hung my second "special tool" on a loop on the body - I don't know what it is for, but in this case, it is very appropriate. We put the hose on the caliper fitting.
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I unscrew the fitting, and...... nothing happens..... ))) I expected that I would now unscrew 4 fittings in turn, a fountain of brake fluid would spray from each one, - and the system would be pumped in 5 minutes! ))) But, for some reason it doesn't work.
I tried it on the front calipers - there was at least some effect there, but there were no fountains there either! ) I don't understand what I did wrong... So, the trick didn't work! ))
So I had to call a friend for help, and pump the brakes in the old proven way - with the pedal.
And this is an original "special tool" for this method - like in a reputable car service! )))
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So, I couldn't ease my suffering, and I climbed under the car. By the way, it turned out that it's not that difficult to do, even without a viewing hole. With the front wheels turned to the side as much as possible, there is more or less normal access to the fittings. It's a little harder on the rear ones, but only on the left side, because the right wheel was already removed.
But the rear circuit still didn't want to be pumped. The front calipers were pumped first - everything was OK. And the rear ones, in general, nothing! Not a drop of brake fluid comes out of them! I'm already starting to think that something got into the tubes and clogged them. Although they are all new. And then my friend gets the idea to try pumping with the engine running. I was quite skeptical about this idea, but we tried it anyway. And what do you think? Brake fluid immediately came out of both rear fittings! It's probably not the engine itself, but maybe the ABS hydraulic unit.... Maybe the rear circuit was closed by some valve in the hydraulic unit? And when the hydraulic unit was powered up, that valve opened? I have no other explanation for this phenomenon.... Except maybe it's just a coincidence! ))
But, whatever it was, we went around the circle again - rear right, rear left, front right, front left. The brake system was bled.

All that remained to be bled was the clutch. And that's where the real "pain and suffering" was! ))
First, I had to raise the left front wheel as high as possible on a jack to somehow get to the clutch slave cylinder.
Secondly, the specialists who installed the gearbox said that I had not installed the clutch slave cylinder correctly - with the fitting facing down (as the book says). They argued that since the fittings on the brake calipers are on top, it should be on top here too.
I don't know why (probably out of stupidity) I agreed with them, and they moved the clutch slave cylinder with the fitting facing up.
And now I'm "reaping the fruits" of my stupidity. It doesn't affect the clutch operation in any way, but the system is pumped very hard. After all, the brake fluid now enters the cylinder not from top to bottom, but from bottom to top. And most importantly, the fitting almost rests against the gearbox and access to it is very difficult. Even on a lift, pumping will be very inconvenient. And even more so, lying under the car, and reaching for the fitting with one left hand.... I had to pump brake fluid through a hose with a syringe into the cylinder fitting, and only then did it start pumping. I even wanted to try pumping using the brakes, connecting the fitting of the front left caliper with the fitting of the clutch slave cylinder, but it didn't come to that. In the end, the clutch was pumped! I didn't take a photo, because it was very inconvenient, and not before!
Never install the clutch slave cylinder with the fitting facing up! )

Another nuance that I don't understand. All the tubes and hoses are new, the cylinders are new, the calipers are clean. But the brake fluid at the outlet is very dirty!
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Why?? Is this some kind of "preservative" in the new tubes or something? I don't like it... I'll drive a little and replace the brake fluid again.
By the way, I read somewhere that 1.2 liters of brake fluid are needed to fill the system. So I bought two bottles of one liter each. I used exactly one bottle. After pumping, about 150-200 grams of fluid drained, that is, 800-850 grams entered the system. Maybe I'll have to add more... I'll see...

So, despite all the difficulties, pain and suffering, the brake system and clutch are pumped!
Finally, I can try to drive! )
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Tue Apr 08, 2025 11:51 am

Went out!

So, right after the clutch was pumped, the first short test drive was done! I couldn't wait! )



Went out, finally! ))
But it was already late and it was raining outside, so the first drive had to be postponed for a while.

And so, this day came! )
Although, it snowed in April, I still managed to "catch" literally an hour of dry sunny weather, between rain and snowfall! I really wanted to drive a little! ))
First drive!
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Let's go! Wow! ))


After the E53, it's just a rocket!! ))) I've already managed to get used to it! ) I really missed it - emotions, like a small child from a favorite toy! )))))
After the third pass, the neighbors started coming out to see what kind of idiot was flying back and forth! ))
I couldn't resist! ))




Looks good, even in dust and without bumpers )) The photo doesn't do it justice, but in the sun the color looks very nice! After polishing it will be even better!
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I also really like the look without "tinting" - all the green polished glass looks very harmonious with the blue color, in my opinion.

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I'm happy!
Everything would be great if it weren't for two nuances.
Firstly, oil is dripping from the power steering somewhere. I thought the reason was the new Chinese pump, which buzzes like crazy, but it's dripping from somewhere from the steering rack... Maybe the hose is just not tightened, or maybe something worse...
Secondly, the brakes are very bad. I still don't understand why. Either it needs to be pumped again, or it's because of the dirt in the brake fluid... I guess I need to replace the brake fluid, I hope it helps.
But I'll solve these two problems at a car service, on a normal lift.
For now, I'm dealing with all sorts of small "jambs" in the electrical system, I'll write about it later.

P.S.
It's probably time to write that the car already has a new owner.
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Or rather, the owner. First time behind the wheel :)
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P.P.S.
But the logbook doesn't end there! ))
I still need to paint and install bumpers, polish the body, paint at least one of the four sets of wheels, fill and run the air conditioner, and add some additional options.
And I think there are a lot of other little things that will "come out"...
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martauto
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Thu Apr 10, 2025 5:21 pm

Top draw mate...........well done for getting this far under a very stressful situation, and what a result so far !!!!!!!
Just in time for summer ??

Cheers Mart.
Only the E46 cab left now.
Just got too old.
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The_Glory
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Fri Apr 11, 2025 4:21 pm

Thanks! I'm actually really glad I finally got the car together and it's running!
Yes, I hope I'll have the bumpers installed by summer! )
I'd also like to get the air conditioning running so I can test it out in the summer! )
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The_Glory
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Tue Apr 29, 2025 11:10 am

Painting bumpers part 1 plastic

So, I decided to paint the bumpers myself - not to waste the paint that I had previously ordered for the "shadow line"! )
Of course, the plastic on the bumpers was not painted at the factory, but in my case it was painted before me. It had scuffs and deep scratches in places. So later I painted it a few more times. So I had to remove all the old paint, right down to the plastic.
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As you can see, I decided to paint all the trims that I had, so that I could then choose the best ones. I collected more than two sets of them. Some were in poor condition, so I had to glue them and putty them. I will install them on my garage "E30 nightstand".
Some of them had a lot of layers of old paint on them. It was not very easy to remove it.
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Then I puttyed all the scratches, irregularities, and holes from the screws with plastic putty. I prepared smooth surfaces for painting. Quite a laborious process that took a lot of time and effort.
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Then I thoroughly washed everything, degreased it, and applied a primer for plastic.
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And finally, I painted it matte black, like the "shadow line".
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But for some reason the surface turned out matte "textured", and not just matte smooth... Either it's the paint, or the spray gun, or I'm such a painter! ))) But, in principle, it looks good for plastic too! ;)

After painting, I had to assemble the front turn signals, which are also part of the front bumper trim.
I already wrote about them in the corresponding topic about lighting, so now I will briefly write about their types and assembly.
So, I have four left and two right lights.
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Three of them were broken and glued together.
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Although, from the outside they all look normal now.
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Now about their differences. There are three manufacturers of headlights for early E30s - ZKW, ULO and Sidler. They are all interchangeable.
ZKW and ULO are practically the same.
Sidler has a different connector design. It has a separate plastic housing with two contacts. In my opinion, this design is better.
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The reflectors differ in the diameter of the cutout for the connector. Sidler has the largest, and ZKW has the smallest.
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So, I chose the two best, whole Sidler headlights from them.
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Accordingly, the glass comes from these three manufacturers, but is interchangeable, including the left and right, although some have an R mark. I have a pair of Sidler, a pair of ULO and one FIFFT analogue, - it is also of quite good quality.
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There is also original ZKW glass - transparent and smoky.
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It is strange that ZKW glass, regardless of its color (orange, transparent, smoky), has the same ETK number. It is not entirely clear how to choose its color when ordering.
I will compare them already on the car, and most likely, I will install clear glass. Or smoky. And the orange ones will be in reserve. By the way, as well as the original orange side repeaters.
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So, we insert the reflector, the orange lamp (for clear glass), the seal and screw the glass with two screws.
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The front turn signal lights are ready for installation.
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The rest of the lights are also assembled - a pair of ULO for my "E30 bedside table", and Sidler and ZKW will be in reserve.
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So, the plastic bumper covers are ready for installation.
Now I'm preparing to paint the metal parts of the bumpers.
I'll write about it next time.
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The_Glory
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Thu May 15, 2025 10:45 am

Painting bumpers part 2 chrome

My car has the factory option "shadow line", so I never had chrome bumpers. Previously, they were painted black, and it looked pretty good. Then, after an accident, the front bumper had to be replaced with a chrome one. In order not to bother with painting the chrome, I just covered it with black matte film. But at the factory, in the "shadow line" option, the bumpers were painted in the body color. So I decided to do it the way it should be - paint them blue. To save time and money, I decided to paint them myself - as if nothing complicated... (yeah, it almost worked out! :) )
First, I had to remove the film.
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It wasn't easy to remove, even with an industrial fan heater.
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At first glance, the bumper looks pretty good.
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But if you look closely, the condition of the chrome there is such that it wouldn't hurt to paint it! ))
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The bolts are very rusty, I had to cut them off.
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I didn't even pay attention to it before, but apparently someone has already smoothed this bumper a little - you can see small dents.
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In order for the paint to stick well, you need to remove the chrome from the bumper, or make its surface matte. This can be done with electroplating or sandblasting. For such large parts, electroplating is expensive. That's why I chose sandblasting. But you need a powerful industrial sandblaster.
So, from two sets of bumpers, I chose the best parts and gave them to the industrial sandblaster.
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I leveled the brackets and also sandblasted them. The metal on the front brackets is very strong, so I had to heat them a lot to level them.
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In the meantime, along with the plastic, I painted my old crooked bumper matte black. And for good reason. )
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After industrial sandblasting
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But even the powerful sand didn't remove all the rust on the inner surface.
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However, on the rear side parts, near the mounting brackets, through holes formed! )) I "puttied" them with cold welding - it turned out well. I also coated the brackets, just in case.
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I did the same with the extra holes in the front bumper.
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After that, I brushed off all the rust on the inner ribs, treated the inner surface with a rust converter and sanded it again, this time by myself.
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Finally, I can start painting. As I said, I decided to paint it myself. Because when choosing paint, they assured me that their paint and varnish in aerosol cans are no worse than regular painting (yeah, right) - I believed them )))
So, "economy offer" ))) Acid primer, acrylic two-component primer, BMW 253 paint and varnish.
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Something went wrong at the first stage! )) The acid primer turned out to be very thin, and I "poured" a lot of it, making some drips...
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It was easier with acrylic primer.
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The result seems to be not bad.
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Next was a long process of puttying...
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Then another layer of acrylic primer.
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And now the most interesting thing is the paint. It's good that I thought of trying it on one small patch, and not painting everything at once! ))
Two layers of paint, and varnish.
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As if it's not bad? The color is the same. But if you compare it with the paint on the car, the difference becomes obvious!
It's some kind of "semi-matte", not "gloss"! )
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And super shagreen! )
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So instead of saving time and money, I got a stupid waste of time and money! )))
The paint in the spray can is the same, whether it's on the paint selection or in the hardware store! Now I know! ))

I don't want to finish the painting work, as they say, "shitty to the top" at all )) So I agreed with the painter who painted the car, but there is a queue, so it won't be as soon as I would like. It was necessary to do it right away, then the bumpers would have been painted. )
And for now, they remain in this form.
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P.S.
I will temporarily install my old crooked black bumper so that there is somewhere to screw the turn signals and license plate. Then I will be able to drive to the service station on my own.
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The_Glory
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Thu May 15, 2025 2:10 pm

All sorts of little things

There were quite a few little things that I didn't finish when assembling the car for one reason or another. Well, I'm starting to finish them gradually.
I simply installed the wiper mechanism as it was, without adjusting it. I also installed the brushes. After connecting all the wiring and checking, it turned out that the brushes start their movement not up, but down! ) The reason is that the crank is screwed to the rod in the wrong position. Adjusting the wiper mechanism is well described in Etzold's book. The essence is as follows:
1. Remove the brush levers and unscrew the crank from the rod.
2. Turn the wiper on and off, wait until the electric drive reaches its final position.
3. Manually move the mechanism rods towards the left wing so that the rod and the crank are in one horizontal line.
4. In this position, screw the crank.
5. Screw the brush levers so that the distance between the glass seal and the brushes is 6 centimeters.
6. Check that the brushes should return to the same position.

I don't know how to measure correctly - from the edge or from the center of the seal. I measured from the center, because from the edge it comes out too high, as for me.
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Later I adjusted the windshield washer nozzles. I adjusted them roughly according to this diagram.
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I also adjusted the headlight washer nozzles and brushes. The brushes are adjusted simply by their position on the axis. In the video, the washer tanks are still empty, so nothing is pouring, although the pump is working.
https://youtube.com/shorts/1QyngjeXlac

I explained why the turn signals and rear window heating stopped working. When I was installing the radio, the connectors from these two buttons flew off. I fixed it )

By the way, I discovered an interesting thing with the turn signal relay for the towbar - now, when the hazard warning light is turned on, the main turn signal lamps on the instrument panel flash alternately with the turn signal lamp for the trailer. Beautiful. ) And when I was installing it, I thought I would never see it light up! ))

The next two electrical tasks are to find out why the brake pad lamp and the brake light control lamp do not go out.

Before installing the rear bumper, I decided to align the BBS rear apron, because it was slightly concave in the center. I made an additional support from a plate - something similar, by analogy, to the M-Technic I bracket.
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It got better. Although, it is probably possible to move it a little more...
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I prepared the license plates for installation. I decided to fix them on the standard mounting clips - with self-tapping screws through. I drilled the corresponding holes. But the original self-tapping screws with colored plugs are too short for the license plate frames. I may have to give them up. Although, they are club. I'll see...
The license plates are already a little wrinkled, so I'll probably replace them with new ones when I re-register the car's color change in the documents.
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I also ordered some body stickers, which were missing.
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By the way, about club paraphernalia - I also ordered club stickers for those who want them.
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The body sticker set includes a sticker for the Bilstein stock jack. And I have another stock jack. I had to look for another jack under the sticker, namely Bilstein. )
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I also accidentally bought new heated mirror elements - analogue, but the mounts are like on the original mirrors. I will change them later, because my original ones are a little scratched, especially the right one.
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There is still some news on the assembly, but I will probably write about it next time.
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The_Glory
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Tue May 20, 2025 1:21 pm

Eibach front strut

Once upon a time, a long time ago, I made a set of struts according to the factory dimensions of the BMW E30 - front, rear and middle (analogous to the Cabrio).
I posted my drawings on the club forum. Many people have already used them - there seem to be no complaints :)
I painted the rear and middle ones and installed them a long time ago - I wrote about this earlier.
During the restoration of the car, I managed to find and buy an original aluminum Eibach front strut for the BMW E30. Just in the kit for the Eibach springs. And now, finally, it's time to install it. The strut is intact, but not in perfect condition - it has small, but in places deep scratches, and traces of aluminum oxide.
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Unfortunately, the scratches are right on the logo... Eibach Kit Nr 2003920
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So, I had to work hard to bring it into proper shape.
First, I sanded it down and bought new mounting bolts.
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It became dull and very shabby. At first, I even thought that I had overdone it! )
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You can't do anything with deep scratches. There's no point in sanding down such a layer of aluminum. Unless you putty and paint it. But it has to be polished, so it will be.
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For polishing, I bought a set of special pastes, a textile polishing wheel and an adapter for it.
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Before polishing, I manually sanded the surfaces with 600 grit sandpaper to remove roughness. You can see the difference in the photo.
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Now I can start polishing.
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I polished in five passes with all the pastes in turn - black, gray, green, white, blue. It took quite a lot of time and effort. But the result suits me quite well.
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I'll say right away that I didn't set a goal to polish the aluminum to a "mirror" finish so that you could shave on it! )) I just wanted to make a slightly shiny surface. I even thought about stopping after the white paste. After all, there is no mirror chrome on the car, so it's not very appropriate here, in my opinion. But, it still turned out pretty shiny! ))
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I bought new M8x70 bolts and nuts for mounting the pipe. I bought the original nuts for mounting the flanges a long time ago (07 11 9 904 295).
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Screw the spacer flanges to the support bearing studs. Left and right are not interchangeable.
Left
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Right
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Install and screw the spacer tube.
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It fits well, doesn't get in the way and doesn't get stuck anywhere.
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Eibach Kit Nr 2003920. Scratches spoil the appearance a little, but do not affect the functionality.
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There is a cutout on the spacer flange for standard mounting of the "mass" of the motor wiring to the body, but I do not have this bracket - I forgot about it when the car was undergoing bodywork...
Previously, my "mass" terminal was screwed together with a homemade spacer to the support bearing stud. The Eibach strut has special stampings for the nuts, so the terminal doesn't fit there well.
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So, I had to move the "mass" terminal mounting lower, to the platform. There is a rectangular stamping with a threaded hole there, which is ideal for this. It seems that it was made for this. Maybe it is?..
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It looks even better this way - the wiring is hidden under the platform.

Now I can go to the stand to check and adjust the camber and toe angles.
Only the license plates need to be screwed on ;)
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The_Glory
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Thu May 22, 2025 1:00 pm

Assembly_191. ETC_51_Emblems - inscriptions

Basically, the car is completely assembled (bumpers on pause ;) ). The last step is to install the BMW emblems.
So, the ETK section Body trim

Subsection Emblems - lettering

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Of course, I ordered new emblems.
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The old emblems were original, from those times, but their condition and appearance were no longer very good.
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Inside
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Part No. 1 - Emblem Ø 82MM (51 14 8 132 375) - 1 pc. This emblem has been used since 1990 on many BMW models.
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Before this, the emblem had a different number (51 14 1 872 324), and differed in the inner part and had the inscription BOMISA MILANO. No longer available for order.
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Part #1 - Trunk emblem (51 14 1 872 969) - 1 pc. Used only on E28, E30 and Z3 M3.2.
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Early emblems have a similar number, but differ in the inner part.
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The peculiarity of this emblem is its shape - different thickness at the top and bottom - under the bend of the trunk lid.
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Part No. 2 - Tip (51 14 1 902 279) - 4 pcs. White plastic clips for fixing emblems. There is a note in the ETK - when using the modern front emblem (51 14 8 132 375), you need to use other tips (51 14 1 807 495) - black plastic clips. I don't understand why, because they are the same diameter and are essentially interchangeable. But I ordered two of each, both white and black.
Part No. 3, No. 5, No. 10 - not used. These are nameplates for the diesel and turbodiesel models "324d" and "324td" with the M21D24 engine.
Part No. 6 - not used. This is a nameplate for the "325e" model with the M20B27 engine.
Part No. 4 - "325" emblem (51 14 1 924 867) - 1 pc. In my case, it is not used.
Part No. 7 - "i" emblem (51 14 1 916 137) - 1 pc. In my case, it is not used.
These are nameplates for the "325i" model with the M20B25 engine.
For the US market, there were "sports" versions of "325is" and "325es"
The factory configuration of my car has the option "S320 No model designation". So, if the factory did not have a 316 nameplate, then there is no point in installing the 325i nameplate. Although, now it is a full-fledged 325i.
By the way, I always wondered if it was necessary to pay extra money for this option? :)
Part No. 8 - not used. This is a nameplate for the all-wheel drive model "325ix" with the M20B25 engine.
Part No. 9 - The letter "M" rear (51 14 1 917 739) and front (72 60 1 933 569) - 2 pcs. This is a nameplate "///M", which could be installed on cars that have a "sports package", "M-package", or some of their options. Photo from the Internet.
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My car has options from the "M-package", so the "///M" nameplates have every right to be present on it. But these are either suspension parts or interior parts. Externally, the M-Technic I body kit is missing, so the letters "///M" probably won't be there. Or maybe later I'll order them and install them for beauty! ) I used to have "///M3" nameplates! ))
Part #11 - M TECHNIC emblem front (51 14 2 231 593) and rear (51 14 2 251 228) - 2 pcs. Not used. These are nameplates only for the special series of M-Design convertibles from 1992. Not available for order. Although, now replicas can be seen on sedans, but this is not correct. Photo from the Internet.
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So, I'm installing the emblems. I started with the rear one.
Insert the white clips into the holes on the trunk.
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Insert the emblem tightly into the clips.
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BMW
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The same goes for the front emblem.
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We insert the black clips into the holes on the hood. By the way, the black clips went into the holes very tightly!
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We insert the emblem tightly into the clips.
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Well, now it's definitely clear that this is a BMW! :)
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Done.

I'll screw on the license plates and I can hit the roads! )
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The_Glory
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Tue May 27, 2025 8:48 am

Temporary bumper

Since there was a delay in painting the bumpers, I decided to temporarily install my old bumper so that I had something to screw the front turn signals and license plates to and could safely hit the road.
It's a good thing that I had previously painted this bumper along with the plastic. So I took it off my "nightstand", installed the glued old trim, and the clips for the license plate.
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Top trim and turn signals. Since this is temporary, I didn't install the side plastic trim.
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I once straightened this bumper as best I could after a traffic accident - it looks something like this... You can see how crooked it is... but it will be like that for the first time.
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Although, from afar, on the car, it still looks more or less normal! Even in matte black :)
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But if you look closely, everything is crooked )) I didn't install the side panels.
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I also temporarily screwed the license plates with club frames with regular self-tapping screws. Then I'll install the original ones with colored plugs.
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The same goes for the rear numbers. For now, it will be without a rear bumper.
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Now I can go outside my street! :)
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The_Glory
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Tue May 27, 2025 11:19 am

BILSTEIN jack

I have already written about the standard jack in the relevant section of the ETK, but I will briefly repeat it.
Basically, the E30 was equipped with a Storz jack (71 12 1 178 721). But some cars were equipped with a Bilstein jack (71 12 1 178 722). What is strange is that the diagram in the ETK shows this particular jack, but its number is missing in the ETK. Probably another mistake.
For restyled cars with M-Technic II sills, there was a special Storz jack (71 12 1 180 172), with a wider "paw".

So, recently I wrote that I purchased a Bilstein Heber jack.
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But it needed to be brought into proper shape. Cleaned and sanded.
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Painted it matte black.
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Bottom rubber buffer and top plastic cover.
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The gears are made in the form of flat "stars".
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We lubricate the gears and shaft with graphite grease, install a rubber buffer at the bottom, and cover the gears with a plastic cover.
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Bilstein Heber
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BMW 71 12 1 178 722
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Load capacity 700 kg
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You might be asking, why do I need another jack when I already have one, completely restored?
The thing is, I bought factory stickers for the E30, and the kit included a sticker for the jack. Judging by the photo on the Internet, this sticker was glued to Bilstein Heber jacks. In principle, nothing prevents me from sticking this sticker on the Storz jack. But, firstly, it's not entirely correct. And secondly, my jack is not completely complete, it lacks a gear cover. That's why I decided to buy a Bilstein Heber jack for this sticker! :) I like it better in appearance.
So, two standard jacks for BMW E30, - on the left Storz BMW 71 12 1 178 721, and on the right Bilstein Heber BMW 71 12 1 178 722 (with a sticker! :) )
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Bilstein Heber
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Storz
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There are no fundamental differences between them.
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Storz BMW 71 12 1 178 721
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Bilstein Heber BMW 71 12 1 178 722
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Both jacks are fixed in the trunk the same way.

Next time I'll probably write about the stickers.
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The_Glory
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Thu May 29, 2025 11:50 am

Assembly_192. ETK_71_Warning plate (part 1)

The car is almost completely assembled. Only the "final touches to the portrait" remain - factory stickers. Most of them are no longer available for order, so I ordered exact copies. I ordered all that I could find, even many extra ones.
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Of the original ones, I only had a few pieces in poor condition, so of course I replaced them too.
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So, back to the ETK section Spare parts+accessories

Subsection Warning plate

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Part #1 - ALU factory plate (51 14 2 121 107) - 1 pc. Aluminum duplicate plate with the VIN code of the car. I always had it missing. In the office of the official BMW dealer, they told me that it is not possible to order a "number" plate for old models. They cannot put my number on it either. Therefore, I ordered a blank plate - just for the general appearance. ;)
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Part No. 4 - blind rivet 3.2 2A (07 12 9 948 747) - 2 pcs. Rivet for attaching the nameplate. Regular rivets 3.2x6.4 mm. For the price of two pieces, you can buy a whole package of the same ones in a hardware store :)

Part No. 2 - "Batterie" label (51 14 1 806 553) - 1 pc. Not available for order. Sticker for replacing the battery.
Part No. 2 - "Motoroel" label (51 14 1 822 234) - 1 pc. Not available for order. Sticker for replacing the lubricant.
I have never seen these two stickers live on the car, so I am not sure where exactly they were glued, but they were there until 86.
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Part #2 - "Original BMW Teile" label (51 14 1 827 417 or 51 14 2 121 500) - 1 pc. Not available for order. Orange sticker original parts on the left front suspension strut.
Since 88 on cars with the M40 engine and on touring it was replaced with a black sticker (2 121 173). The black sticker (2 121 174) was not used on the E30, it is for later models.
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Part No. 2 - "Einfahrvorschrift" label (51 14 2 121 181) - 1 pc. Transparent "running-in" sticker on the upper left corner of the windshield.
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Part No. 3 - "Tsz Anlage" label (51 14 1 363 259) - 1 pc. Not available for order. Yellow high voltage sticker on the right front suspension strut until 87.
Part No. 3 - "Tsz Anlage" label (51 14 2 121 919) - 1 pc. Not available for order. Yellow sticker high voltage on the ignition coil.
Part No. 3 - Nameplate "Tsz Anlage" (71 21 2 122 014) - 1 pc. Yellow sticker high voltage on the right front suspension strut from 91.
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Part No. 5 - Nameplate 5-speed gearbox (51 14 2 121 028) - 1 pc. Not available for order. Black sticker on the handbrake console.
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Part No. 6 - 5-speed sports gearbox label (51 14 2 121 134) - 1 pc. Not available for order. Black sticker on the handbrake console. Not used in my case.
Part No. 7 - "Bleifreier Kraftstoff" label (51 14 2 121 497) - 1 pc. White or red sticker on the fuel filler flap.
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Part No. 7 - "Nur bleifrei Tanken" label (51 14 2 121 638) - 1 pc. Transparent sticker for the dashboard. It was available in different languages. I ordered in English (51 14 2 121 684).
I also ordered all the options for stickers for the fuel cap, although for some reason they are missing from the ETK. White early (2 122 072), white late (2 122 182), red for the lid with a lock (2 121 497). For diesel cars, red stickers for the hatch (2 121 408) and the lid (2 121 632).

Body color stickers in individual ETK sections:

Plain paint
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Paint metallic
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My BMW color is Pur Blau Metallic - 253/5. Only the BMW Z1 was painted in this color as standard at the factory, and for other BMW models it was only available in the "Individual" line. Therefore, this sticker does not make it into the ETK for the E30. I ordered it, as for the Z1! ;)

Part #1 - Metallic paint PUR BLAU (71 21 2 122 025) - 1 pc. Black sticker on the left front suspension strut. Below is a copy in the photo - there are some differences.
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These were the basic stickers, and there are many more regulatory and optional stickers. Most of them are not in the ETK, or they are no longer available. Therefore, I will not write their numbers.
Stickers tire pressure, belt replacement, airbag, alarm, roadside assistance, ABS, unleaded gasoline, air conditioning, taillight covers and headlights, jack, vacuum brake booster, seat adjustment, power steering, manual transmission with ATF, M-seat plates.
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White stickers on Hella and Hella Black headlights, yellow stickers on Bosch headlights, white stickers on early taillight covers.
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Orange ATF Oil stickers on the power steering reservoir cover and on the late manual transmission housing.
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Blue stickers on the ATE vacuum brake booster, and a yellow sticker on the Girling dual vacuum brake booster.
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So, I removed all the unnecessary stickers, and got this set of stickers for my E30.
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Stickers under the hood (if the battery is under the hood)
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Stickers in the interior.
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Stickers in the trunk (if the battery is in the trunk).
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I'll write about the gluing in the second part.
User avatar
The_Glory
E30 Zone Regular
E30 Zone Regular
Posts: 380
Joined: Sun Feb 01, 2015 11:00 pm
Location: Kyiv, Ukraine

Thu May 29, 2025 2:45 pm

Assembly_192. ETC_71_Warning plate (part 2)

So, let's start sticking all the stickers. I won't repeat their numbers - they are indicated in the previous part.

I'll start with the engine compartment.

The factory plate is attached to special holes above the right headlight with two rivets. "Clean sheet"! :)
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The body color sticker is glued to the side on the left support. I glued the original sticker.
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The sticker of the original parts is glued to the left support.
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I glued it as high as possible so that the sticker would not cover the oil filler cap.
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I glued the sticker according to the engine oil replacement regulations to the right headlight shield.
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I don't know where it was glued at the factory. In the photo, I only saw it on the "sharks" on the hood. I have soundproofing there, so I glued it wherever I found a place, closest to the filler neck. - it seems logical, right? )
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The air conditioner sticker is glued to the right headlight grille, or to the right headlight shield. I already have a sticker on the shield, so I glued this one to the grille.
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The large high voltage sticker is glued to the right support.
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The small high voltage sticker is glued to the ignition coil.
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The ATF Oil sticker is glued to the power steering reservoir cover.
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Girling dual vacuum brake booster sticker
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A sticker according to the belt replacement regulations. I will write the dates and mileage later.
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Hella Black Headlight Sticker
Low Beam
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High Beam
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Left Headlights
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Right Headlights
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I have a few left extra stickers.
The black sticker of the original parts on cars from 88 with the M40 engine replaced the orange one on the left support. On all touring it was glued to the right in front of the radiator. Therefore, it will probably be superfluous.
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The sticker according to the antifreeze replacement regulations is also superfluous, since the factory did not use "long-life" antifreeze on the E30. Although, if you pour it in, you can stick it here...
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The small high-voltage sticker from 91 replaced the large one on the right support. You can stick it on the high-voltage wire shield, but it's probably also unnecessary )
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So all the stickers in the engine compartment are glued. Final look:
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Let's move on to the trunk.

I recently mentioned the sticker on the Bilstein jack - I glued it.
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Replaced the jack.
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I stuck the sticker according to the battery replacement regulations on the battery cover. I don't know where it was glued at the factory. It seems logical, right? )
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The stickers on the taillight housing are glued inside the housing.
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The roadside assistance sticker is glued to the tool box, or to the trunk lid. I glued it to the box.
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A set of two stickers for the hatch and the fuel tank cap. The red stickers were mainly on the lids with a lock.
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I glued the red one to the lid, and I have the original white one on the hatch.
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Although, maybe it's worth replacing it with a red one...
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Maybe I'll replace it.
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Let's move on to the interior.

Tire pressure sticker for the 325i, glued to the bottom left B-pillar of the body.
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The sticker for the "break-in" mode for the first 2000 km is glued to the upper left corner of the windshield.
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The ABS sticker is glued to the dashboard under the high beam lamp.
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The sticker for using only unleaded gasoline is glued to the dashboard under the fuel gauge. Mine is in English, like all the inscriptions on the instruments.
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The manual transmission gear diagram sticker is glued to the handbrake console.
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The airbag sticker is glued to the top flap of the glove box.
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Although my airbag is not fully installed, but it is there, so let there be a sticker! :)
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On the left side of the shield, there may still be a sticker on the cabin filter replacement regulations. But if there is air conditioning, it is not possible to install a cabin filter, so this sticker will not be there.

Seat adjustment stickers are glued to the side seat shields. I have the original stickers well preserved, so I left them for now.
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I also have the M-Technic stickers on the seat plates in good condition, so I left them for now.
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Although, the colors on the copies are a little different. I bought the original plates new, but the sticker on the driver's seat started to rub off very quickly. I covered them with transparent film so that they wouldn't rub off at all.

The sticker for the standard alarm system is glued to the glass of the front door, above the door handle. I bought these stickers original.
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I stuck them on both front doors.
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So, all the factory stickers are stuck on.

There are two "bonus" stickers left, and one club one. I also decided to stick the Ukraine UA sticker. I have a lot of them - a collection from my student days, when they were given out at all sorts of car shows ))
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A little "black" humor from the "gangster" 90s )))
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Probably glued somewhere in a prominent place in the trunk )) But I probably won't glue it... )
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RESPECT YOUR ELDERS is probably a "classic"! )
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UA
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And of course, the club "name" sticker!
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That's all for the stickers.
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P.S.
There might be something more for the BBS stickers later...
User avatar
The_Glory
E30 Zone Regular
E30 Zone Regular
Posts: 380
Joined: Sun Feb 01, 2015 11:00 pm
Location: Kyiv, Ukraine

Tue Jun 03, 2025 9:06 am

No smoking!

Earlier, in the relevant section of ETK, I already mentioned a rather rare original option (72 60 1 942 786), - something like a "non-smoking package" - a box for small items that was installed instead of the front ashtray. I have long wanted to find it, or order a new one, while it is still available, and then I accidentally see it at a club flea market for a very nice price. Of course, I bought it! )
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Unfortunately, one of the previous owners still used it as an ashtray... Therefore, its condition is not ideal - in places the bottom is melted with cigarettes.
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The next owner probably wanted to fix it somehow and glued the bottom with leather or Alcantara.
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But the smokers were very persistent, and continued to put out their cigarettes on it!
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I peeled off the burnt leather, and cleaned the glue residue as best I could.
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I carefully sanded the inside of the box.
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The appearance became better, but the bottom melted by cigarettes did not go anywhere...
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At first I wanted to putty the bottom and paint it, but then I remembered that I had self-adhesive velvet, and decided to just glue all the inside surfaces with it. It turned out, quite well.
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The bottom side remained melted in places, but it is not critical. ETK number 72 60 1 942 786.
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Compared to the standard ashtray.
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The installation is very simple - we take out the standard ashtray and insert a box for small things in its place.
It looks beautiful and unusual. And with "velvet", it may even be better than just plastic.
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The box is illuminated in the same way as the ashtray, but the illumination is always visible. It also looks very nice in the dark!
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I really like this little thing! )
I have never allowed anyone to smoke cigarettes in my car, and I will not allow this thing to do so. The rear ashtray has also lost its direct function - I installed the rear seat heating buttons in it. And now the front ashtray is also missing. I can also install the original plastic plug from later BMW models instead of the lighter, but I will probably leave it. Firstly, the plug was not used in the E30, and secondly, it is a gift from a friend, and its condition is like new.
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The_Glory
E30 Zone Regular
E30 Zone Regular
Posts: 380
Joined: Sun Feb 01, 2015 11:00 pm
Location: Kyiv, Ukraine

Tue Jun 03, 2025 10:16 am

Assembly_192. ETK_71_Warning plate (part 3)

Unexpectedly, another part on the factory plate! )

In the first part, I already wrote that I always had a factory duplicate plate with the VIN code of the car missing. There is a corresponding entry about this in the technical passport of the car. Back in 2008, after buying the car, the previous owner said that the plate was somewhere, and promised to look for it in his garage. But then he never found it, so I drove without it all the time.

But now I installed a new blank plate - just for the general appearance.
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As they say, Kyiv is a big village! )) The previous owner must have seen it somewhere on the Internet, I don't know how he found out, and after 17 years he finally found this "native" plate! ) He passed it on to me through our mutual friend - I am very grateful to both him and our friend! )
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Along with the plate, I also found the "native" fuel tank hatch in the original PLATANENGRUEN METALLIC paint (188)
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The color is beautiful and "old-school", but still "not mine". I'm sure that being in 1984, I wouldn't have bought a new E30 in this color... The condition of the hatch, like the plate, is not ideal, but as an "artifact", it has value for me! )
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Maybe when I order a new color for the car, I'll also order the plate. I'll have to order two original rivets again for the price of a package of the same ones at a hardware store. )
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The_Glory
E30 Zone Regular
E30 Zone Regular
Posts: 380
Joined: Sun Feb 01, 2015 11:00 pm
Location: Kyiv, Ukraine

Thu Jun 05, 2025 10:15 am

Assembly_193. ETC_51_Rubber floor mats

From the moment the car was purchased, rubber floor mats from a BMW E34 were in it. Therefore, this entry will not be entirely correct in relation to the E30, but since rubber floor mats for the E30 have not been available for a long time and are quite rare, I will write it just for information.

ETK section Body trim

Subsection
Foot mats
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All GRAU gray mats are no longer available, so I will not list their numbers. Only multi-colored clips for fixing the mats are available.

These clips are also in a separate ETK section, but are only available in black.
Foot mats with locking mechanism
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Part #1 - threaded cap ANTHRAZIT (51 47 1 919 171).

These same GRAU gray rubber mats are also shown in the ETK section Retrofitting, accessories

Subsection
Rubber mats
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All numbers are similar, and are no longer available. Except for the black clips.

Maybe someday I will be able to find and buy these rubber mats for the E30, just for the collection. After all, the car will not be driven in wet weather and winter.
And for now, the similar rubber mats from the E34 will remain. They are the same gray color GRAU and texture, almost the same shape, and fit perfectly on the floor.
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Front. The driver's one has already been rubbed a little, so it is taped.
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Rear
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So, the rugs are washed, the carpet is clean.
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The only nuance with the driver's mat is that it is a little wider in the front, so it covers the left footrest a little. But not critical.
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The passenger one fits perfectly.
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The rear ones too.
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I don't have the mounting clips yet.

This is temporary. I hope... :)
Later I will order a set of original velor mats while they are still available. Along with the mounting clips. But I will write about that separately.
Although, I could have put old pile aftermarket floor mats on the E30, but I didn't want to...
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That way there will be more motivation to buy new original ones :)
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