Gheko's 325i Council project.

[E30Gheko]

I bought this car a few months ago and was driving it but it clearly had quite a few problems. It had been off the road for 10 years so I wasn't expecting it to be usable straight away.

I had some bad running issues, grot in the petrol tank, then it started letting in water from somewhere and the carpets were soaking. Then the starter packed in (suspected solenoid) so with the onset of some very cold and unpleasant weather I decided to take it off the road and spend a few months trying to sort it all out.

I am lucky to have a barn to carry out some work on the car and pushed it in there last week so that at the very least it would not let any more water in.

I managed to get a day off work today so I decided to get started and try to minimise any damage caused by leaving a large puddle of water in it.

It does have a very nice interior and I'd like to keep it that way....


So out it all came.....



With the interior removed out came the centre consol, and then the carpets. I was expecting to find quite a lot of rust and although I found some, it was not nearly as bad as I thought....

Nearside footwell


Drivers side



I think the rust next to the accelerator pedal looks worse in the photo than it actually is. Without too much prodding it still feels fairly solid but certainly requires some attention.



Not sure if you'll be able to see it but there is about a litre of water sitting behind the drivers seat in this picture which has now been removed. I thought it was coming in through the sunroof but after removing the parcel shelf I noticed the corner of the back window was dripping.



My next door neighbour has a caravan repair business and is a dab hand at repairing stuff like this so I'll need to have a chat with him. It looks to me as though water has been coming in through the back window and over the wheel arch because this was the worst bit of rust I discovered...



There is definately a hole here and although I'm no welder I'm guessing that this is going to be a swine to patch because its right on the edge of the wheel arch.

The boot looks pretty good really. There is a little rust in the usual spot in the well where the jack is but I've seen worse



The electric ariel has been removed and the hole sealed up. I found this wire tho and suspect it may be from the ariel but I'm not sure. It looks like an earth wire but it's not connected to anything.






All said and done, body wise it's really not that bad for a 22 year old car which I'm fairly relieved at.

I suspect this thread is going to run for a long time because I don't get a lot of time to spare but I will keep it updated as I make progress.

[E30Gheko]

Just been trying to learn a bit more about the areas of rust I have encountered. I believe the spot in the drivers footwell originates from the jacking point. Any tips on fixing it would be appreciated. I'm going to rub the whole area down soon to get a better idea of the extent of the rust.

By the way what is the best way to get the soundproofing off the floor?

Also has anyone repaired the inside of a rear wheel arch or know if it can be done without removing the outer skin?

[ricey46]

Check your sunroof drain tray, pull back the headlining and check for rust up there, it's probably the more likely cause.

I think a heat gun is the best way not too sure though.

[gcs325i]

A heat gun or blowtorch and a scraper of some sort lifts the soundproofing off the floor no bother.

[E30Gheko]

Check your sunroof drain tray, pull back the headlining and check for rust up there, it's probably the more likely cause.

My fear with the headlining is that if I take it off i'll never get it back on! It does look a bit shabby though so if it's actually not that hard it's something I'd be interested in hearing more about. Whereabouts should I be looking to pull back the headlining? At the rear end of the sunroof opening?

[aj_mckay]

The wire in the boot looks like it's an old earth wire for an amplifier. My money's on that.

[robbo86]

I think that maybe the water got in through the aerial. I was sure that was what had happened on mine as my replacement and my old one had a hose runnign off the motor, which was direclty above the scab in the wheel arch!

Your litre of water in the rear footwell is what I get on mine, but on the passenger side. I dont think its coming from the back window though.

[jbh]

doesn't look that bad I've seen a lot worse. ill be starting my thread soon so will be good to watch other ones as well

[Chase007]

Keep us informed on anything you find out mate Good luck

[E30Gheko]

The wire in the boot looks like it's an old earth wire for an amplifier. My money's on that

I think you could be right there.

Time for a brief update.

With a whole week of E30 maintenance looming in the near future I decided to tidy the barn a bit. I Manged to clear off an old table perfect for storing the bonnet on. I asked the Mrs for an old sheet to wrap the bonnet in to avoid any scratches etc. She happened to give me an old duvet cover which I slipped over the bonnet before removing it from the car. Worked a treat. Any job I do on the engine now will be so much easier.

I think getting the starting problem sorted is going to be my first point of attack. It would make it so much easier to move about onto stands etc. I'll also be able to move it outside so I can use a hose to determine where it's leaking in water, and then look at how I'll fix that. I have a spare battery which I'm charging tonight. If that doesn't work I'll test the starting circuit and see where the problem is coming from. I fear it may be the actual ignition barrel which has seen better days.

I thought about doing the welding myself, but it's a skill I need to aquire first so instead I will be seeking the services of a local welder.

I had a brief look at the brakes too. I was pleasantly surprised to find that it has been fitted with drilled & grooved disks front and rear which, other than a little surface rust seem to be in near new condition. The brakes were quite spongy last time it was out but some new pads and fluid could do the trick.

[E30Gheko]

Another update:

I had a good look at the starter issue today. Now that the bonnet is off, I removed the AFM assembly and was able to get a better look at the starter motor filled with dread thinking I might have to remove it. I've read that it can be a right pain to get the top bolt off as you can't get a spanner or socket on it. This is what I found:

The blue wire which appears in the photo to be joining my yellow block is in fact meant to be connected to the starter solenoid. I popped it back on and problem solved. Don't you just love simple fixes like that??

With the car now running again I shifted it about and got it onto axel stands. Not as easy a job as on most cars because of the skirts and how much its dropped. I got the front wheels onto a plank of wood, put a small bottle jack under and then trolley jacked it.



Took one of the wheels off and noticed that the wheel housing trim was missing so I spent the next hour or so removing a small mountain of mud from the inside of the wing and the back of the arch.


Had a better look at the brake pads and they look fine too. So I'm just going to put some new fluid in and bleed them. Whilst looking for tools this evening I found a set of brake pads which I bought for my last E30 (also a 1986 325i) but never got around to fitting. - Result!


Love 'em or hate 'em there's no denying that these are mintyer than mint motorsports so they will defo be staying on the car.



Pad sensors seem to have been disconnected at some point. Not really too bothered by that.

Feel like I'm making some progress and getting to know the car a bit better!

[Alex]

Giving a new lease of life to a Chav'ed up 325i
http://www.e30zone.net/modules.php?name ... highlight=

does that include removing the council morsels then

TECH 1

[E30Gheko]

Giving a new lease of life to a Chav'ed up 325i
http://www.e30zone.net/modules.php?name ... highlight=

does that include removing the council morsels then

TECH 1

Dunno yet. It would be borin if we all had the same cars tho eh? I just want to get it useable and we'll see from there

[Alex]

well as long as you like it, thats all that matters

[cliffybabe]

I do like ur motor its different but not OTT, Like the rims too looking good

Looks like u've caught the surface rust etc in time, Should be a good resto i shall be watching this one

On another note looks like u may have EBC yellow brake pads too result

I too have to use bits of wood to drive onto to get a jack under my motor or use the standard jack o lift it enough to get the trolley jack under it

[E30Gheko]

I do like ur motor its different but not OTT, Like the rims too looking good

Cheers Cliffy. I think that's the nicest thing anyone's had to say about it!! lol.

It is a bit different which is what drew me to it in the first place. That and the fact that there are some really good bits on it such as the rims and the leather seats. See what you mean about the pads too.

There will be a little flurry of activity on it at the start of the new year cos I've got a week off from work. Also told the Mrs not to make any plans cos I'll be doin 12 hour shifts in the barn!

[cliffybabe]

I do like ur motor its different but not OTT, Like the rims too looking good

Cheers Cliffy. I think that's the nicest thing anyone's had to say about it!! lol.

It is a bit different which is what drew me to it in the first place. That and the fact that there are some really good bits on it such as the rims and the leather seats. See what you mean about the pads too.

There will be a little flurry of activity on it at the start of the new year cos I've got a week off from work. Also told the Mrs not to make any plans cos I'll be doin 12 hour shifts in the barn!

Being different is a good thing if we all had tec 1's or Tec 2's or Alpina's it would be boring its nice to stand out from the norm

I wish i had a barn but i do have a garage

[FreddieS]

Damn you and your barn!

Cars got great potential, looks to be a relatively solid shell aswell, good starting point!

[E30Gheko]

Damn you and your barn!

Cars got great potential, looks to be a relatively solid shell aswell, good starting point!

Cheers Bud. Have a look at the photo of the car on stands. If u Look closely at the wall behind it there's a big crack running diagnally down it. If the wall goes its taking the whole building with it! It could all end in tears!! It's not costin me anything but I don't like the idea of leaving it in there for too long!

[FreddieS]

Hmm, now thats a bit of an interesting issue! that does look rather dodgy to say the least!

We used to have 2 barns, about 6-8 cars worth of space, we were basically evicted from them as they planned on converting them into offices, well, its been 10+half years now and guess what, theyre still big old empty barns structurally sound aswell!

[bailephib]

Hey Gheko,

I'm green with envy for your interior. Whoever had that car before you was feeding the leather more than his kids! I love your pic of the Range Rover, the E30 and the caravan. It's a lovely piece of social dialogue. Quite what the dialogue is saying, I'm not yet sure..but that's art for you!

[E30Gheko]

We used to have 2 barns, about 6-8 cars worth of space, we were basically evicted from them as they planned on converting them into offices, well, its been 10+half years now and guess what, theyre still big old empty barns structurally sound aswell!

That sucks eh? To be honest I don't think it's going to go imminently but I agree it does look dodgy. I've only been living here for about 6 months and I can't believe how jammy I am to have this place on my doorstep. I know a lot on here would kill for some space like this. Before I moved here I never even had so much as a garage anywhere I've lived. In my last house I built a lean to shed at the side for my bikes but there wasn't enough room for anything bigger.

I feel like I've died and gone to heaven! Always lived in or right next to big cities and wanted to live somewhere like this for as long as I can remember. Had to work hard for it tho!

[E30Gheko]

Hey Gheko,

I'm green with envy for your interior. Whoever had that car before you was feeding the leather more than his kids! I love your pic of the Range Rover, the E30 and the caravan. It's a lovely piece of social dialogue. Quite what the dialogue is saying, I'm not yet sure..but that's art for you!

That photo was taken at a service station on my way back from picking the car up. It was a 450 mile round trip. That's E30 love for you! BTW the range rover belongs to my cool boss who lent it to me. First one I'd driven and OMG what a motor it is.

[FreddieS]

Well sir, I am officially green with envy, damn you and all you stand for

Always wanted land and a barn or two to work on cars!

[E30Gheko]

Well sir, I am officially green with envy, damn you and all you stand for

Always wanted land and a barn or two to work on cars!

We are only renting, but I can't see us movin any time soon. We own a house somewhere else which we rent out to someone.

[Daf318is]

Where abouts in North Wales are you? I've lived here my entire life (dont have a barn though ! And I'm not envious at all - honestly! ) If you're local I dont mind coming 'round to lend a hand if ever you need one - anything to keep those E30s on the roads!

Daf

[E30Gheko]

Sound mate I'm just near Denbigh. Are you any good at welding??

[Daf318is]

Lol - couldn't be closer - I live a mile outside Ruthin! I have a welder, and have put two floors in my old metros but to be honest I'm not the best - I'm pretty hot at making bird-poo though!

I should have my M50 conversion finished and back on the road by the end of the month, I'll have to call around and have a nose. If you see a red e30 with black wheels, tech 1 spoiler and IS lip - give me a flash and a wave!!!!

Daf

[E30Gheko]

Yeah defo sounds like a plan Daf. I'm just looking to tidy up the bits on the photos in this thread. All hidden so I'm not massively bothered about the finish on the welding.

[Daf318is]

Dude!! I am happy to come and have a look at it, all my spare time is taken up with my car as it must be finished by the end of this month (MOT runs out on my shed) and I'm away for a week with work at the end of the month. If you can wait 'till Feb I'll come and see what can be done! hopefully it won't be so damn cold by then either! Spanner rash always hurts 10x more in this weather

Daf

[E30Gheko]

I'm off next week as we're closed for a week. If u need a hand with anything then give me a shout! I'm sure my welding can wait until feb. I'm aiming to have the beast on the road for the summer.

[Daf318is]

You might regret having offered to help ! To be honest I'm almost finished. I'll send you a message when It's done and I'm free to come and stick your car together!

Daf

[E30Gheko]

I must have picked the coldest week in years to work on my car. Sod's law isn't it? We had some rain the other night which froze and covered almost everywhere round here in a sheet of ice. You can make out what I mean in the picture below. I fell over twice walking to and from the barn.


Is that the chaviest back end ever or what? rieger bumper AND a DTM exhaust. Lol.

Still undeterred by sub-zero temperatures I soldiered on and made a little progress....

I found a cable had come off the back of the heater controls so now warm air is flowing again to the foot wells. There is still not much air coming out of the vents leading to the windscreen, and the cable is still attached. I haven't got to the bottom of this yet but will have a scan over the various heater issues threads.

Fitted my new Samco hoses. The old ones were quite perished on the ends and had some nasty braiding around them which splintered into the ends of my fingers. Also fitted a new petrol hose from the filter to fuel rail, removing the in-line filter I fitted to monitor petrol entering the fuel rail. That was before I decided to replace the petrol tank, and now I'm happy it's all good.



It's too cold to spray water over the car to check where it's leaking. The last thing we need right now is more ice around the yard, so instead I decided to attack some of the rust with a screw driver and a wire cup brush and try to reveal the extent. Below is the area next to the accelerator pedal. Not too bad and probably not too difficult to patch.



However, not so good is the hole in the rear wheel arch.



You can see the handle of a screw driver, and yes the shaft has gone right through. Someone has clearly tried to bodge this with some filler in the past.



That's it popping through the other side.

My question is Can this be repaired somehow without removing the rear quarter? I have no welding skills and have never attempted something like this before. As much as I like the Chav, I can't see that it's a car really worth going to this much effort to save. Can some sort of patch be applied from under the wheel arch that would get it through another year or two? The other side seems to be pretty sound.

I fear I already know the answer...

Oh and another question, would it fail an MOT because of this hole?

[lowdown]

i want them motorsport wheels

[Daf318is]

I doubt it would fail the MOT on this as I don't think it's structural. Someone else will have to confirm this though so please dont quote me on it! The hole by the accelerator pedal is pretty similar to the entire floor of my old metro ! And looks perfectly doable!

The hole with the screwdriver is what usually gives me nightmares, there's pain on the other side of what needs welding. I can't see any way of repairing that without needing the paintwork being removed and repaired. You could (shhhhh!) fiberglass it from the inside (if it's not structural) that way you are guranteed it won't rust again ;)

Daf