Today's the day! ........Or it should have been

[hoshy]

can't see why they would mate.. maybe a local industrial estate, then once it's fitted.... of for some driftin

[StuBeeDoo]

Try George Lambrou at Auto Bavaria.

Cheers Nick, I'll give him a bell later.

[StuBeeDoo]

Try George Lambrou at Auto Bavaria.

Cheers Nick, I'll give him a bell later.

I 'phoned him. Very helpful bloke! Ԛ£70+VAT to fit my diff. Only trouble is he can't do it for a week!! Obviously very popular!

[craigieeb]

do you want a hand mate? im free in the middle of the week and im pretty close to you

Thanks for that Craig, but I'm not free until the weekend.
I'm a bit dubious about having another go at home 'coz I haven't got any form of hardstanding (garage is full of stuff builders had to get out of house)
Was a bit iffy last time having the car on ramps and stands on gravel!! That may have been why I couldn't get two bolts undone - car was rocking and I got scared of pushing any harder!!! :surrender:

no worries mate,

if you get stuck just give me a shout and i'll see if i can spare a couple of hours on saturday

**edit**
infact i have a drive that you could use with lovley tarmac on it and not gravel

[StuBeeDoo]

a drive with lovely tarmac on it and not gravel

We gave up having a drive for a house with a brill view. Only thing is we're so exposed the bloody roof got blowed off!!

Thanks for the offer of Saturday Craig. I'm going to check the mounting bolts, and if they're not too tight now, I'll have another go. If it's still no-go, I'll let you know.

BTW chaps. I've looked on ETK and I can't see where the nut is located on the propshaft that I'll have to loosen to allow the prop to slide forward. Can someone explain in words of one syllable (sp?) please? :oops:

[StuBeeDoo]

I'd give you a hand if i was nearer

Aaawwwww!! Cheers Neil! BTW, I'm lovin' your new sig. 731 'head =
M20B20/B23 Massive =

[StuBeeDoo]

be brave stuart! if u dont have a car u like what have you got?

....... Of course, you're absloutely right. I don't normally give up so easily. I really want this done.
24 hours on and there's no takers on the 3.64 in the For Sale section.
.......... And the bush in the 4.27's well sh499ed, so I'd have to get that done anyway, which would mean having the car off the road yet again. ........ And having to buy yet another bush!

Soooo....... It looks like I'll be having another go.

Watch this space.....

[320Touring]

I'd give you a hand if i was nearer

Aaawwwww!! Cheers Neil! BTW, I'm lovin' your new sig. 731 'head =
M20B20/B23 Massive =

no probs mate! got any piccies of your 731 beastie and i'll make you a sig?

and just get the 3.64 fitted, cos i wanna see what yours is like before i do mine

[StuBeeDoo]

no probs mate! got any piccies of your 731 beastie and i'll make you a sig?

That'd be Neil! Thanks yet again.
The only pic I have at the moment is here: http://www.e30zone.co.uk/modules.php?na ... highlight=

[StuBeeDoo]

and just get the 3.64 fitted, cos i wanna see what yours is like before i do mine

I really want to get it done in the next week Neil. I've got a 600+ mile round trip to do and it'd be a good chance to check both the performance and the fuel consumption.

[StuBeeDoo]

Who believes in "3rd time lucky"?
I'm planning on going out later and having another go at it myself (on the gravel!).
Will report back later. Wish me luck?

[billgatese30]

good luck stu

hope it all works

[johnl320]

Simon13 is right ,it will fit . Now the bolts are loose the hard bit is done i changed my 4.10 to a 3.64 on my 320 about 2 months ago it does fit and like Simon says trolley jack and axle stands and you're sorted ,i did mine at the roadside in 3 hours . another pair of hands would have helpful though . don't sell it mate, do it
regards
john

[StuBeeDoo]

John. If you're still on here..... HELP!
How do you shorten the bloody prop??
Cheers
Stuart.

[StuBeeDoo]

How do you shorten the bloody prop??

UPDATE As of 21hr00 today, the small case 4.27 is out of the car. The muppet who had the car in his workshop on Monday needs
All he had to do was take the exhaust down and shorten the prop!!
He said he'd done this job before
As soon as I got under the car, I could see that the diff had been out. At least he was right about it coming out easier - I have to admit that I had my doubts as to whether he actually had removed the diff.
But, what a prize plonker! For no more than half an hours extra work, he could have done exactly what I wanted.
Is it any wonder the likes of me don't trust garages?
Hopefully, I'll be on the road with the 3.64 in place by tomorrow lunchtime (I'm not the worlds fastest worker!!)

[billgatese30]

well done stu........glafd to hear that you got it done.

well almost

good luck for tomorrow

[StuBeeDoo]

UPDATE Sunday morning, 09:15 (touch of BB there!) Things are going from bad to worse. I've been out since 06:30 trying unsuccessfully to split the exhaust. I've rounded all the nuts
I can't get the rubber rings off, so I'll have to cut them. I think I've split a front pipe, so I'll need a new exhaust system.
Car won't be back un the road today! Now I'll have to provide taxis all week and I'll not be going away next weekend.
Next time I think I know better than BMW, I'll sell the car and learn to live with some modern sh1te!

Have you ever had the feeling that you shouldn't have started a job!!!

[StuBeeDoo]

FINAL UPDATE Finished diff job at 17hr45 Sunday. What a b1tch!
Now I have to get the car to the exhaust place tomorrow to get that sorted.
Dudes.... Do me a favour please. Next time I have an idea like this TALK ME OUT OF IT!
At least the car will only be off the road tomorrow and not all week as I had feared.
Thanks for all your support with this one. All I hope now is that the effort has the desired effect.
Cheers all
Stuart.

[320Touring]

FINAL UPDATE Finished diff job at 17hr45 Sunday. What a b1tch!
Now I have to get the car to the exhaust place tomorrow to get that sorted.
Dudes.... Do me a favour please. Next time I have an idea like this TALK ME OUT OF IT!
At least the car will only be off the road tomorrow and not all week as I had feared.
Thanks for all your support with this one. All I hope now is that the effort has the desired effect.
Cheers all
Stuart.

glad the diff got done-nice one

as for the 'zorst-get a 6 branch off of m5pilot and a zone chip plus your bbtb and go flying

[billgatese30]

well done stu, glad to hear that you got it sorted in the end.

does this mean that you are coming on wednesday?

[StuBeeDoo]

as for the 'zorst-get a 6 branch off of m5pilot

I have to say, I'm tempted!

and a zone chip

I will be getting one!:drive::bmw:

[320Touring]

as for the 'zorst-get a 6 branch off of m5pilot

I have to say, I'm tempted!

and a zone chip

I will be getting one!:drive::bmw:

its like a Ԛ£300 saving he's offering!!! as for the zone chip i really should order one....gotta earn the pennies

[StuBeeDoo]

well done stu, glad to hear that you got it sorted in the end.

does this mean that you are coming on wednesday?

Aye, I'll be there Chris. Doubt the car will be clean though. Wor Lass might put in an appearance too.
How did Corbridge go off??

[billgatese30]

went well.

just sorting the pics out as we speak

[StuBeeDoo]

Was a bit iffy last time having the car on ramps and stands on gravel!! That may have been why I couldn't get two bolts undone - car was rocking and I got scared of pushing any harder!!! :surrender:

I had it sorted this time, still on the rough stuff, but I borrowed some scaffold planks my builders left lying 'round!!

[StuBeeDoo]

On a slightly lighter note....
The lad who said he couldn't fit the large case diff lives just up the road from me. On Sunday, while I was doing the job, he stopped as he drove past. I couldn't help laughing when he asked if I'd got the right diff now and I replied;- "I had the right diff all along and it's in there now!"

I've been out in the car today, after the exhaust got fixed, and my "ass dyno" tells me that although the acceleration feels slower, there's really not all that much in it. I still think a 3.73 would have been better but I'm fairly confident that I'll be able to live with it as it is, especially when I get the 325i TB and a suitable chip fitted.

[Gwynleym10]

Good man

"I had the right diff all along and it's in there now!" Tee Hee

That is True satisfaction, being the one who is right! Especailly when he is a so-called "professional"

[Brianmoooore]

I couldn't help laughing when he asked if I'd got the right diff

Laugh? I think I would have inserted a driveshaft where the sun don't shine!

[320Touring]

I couldn't help laughing when he asked if I'd got the right diff

Laugh? I think I would have inserted a driveshaft where the sun don't shine!

i'd have to agree with brian on this one-Sh!ts like that make me so angry

[StuBeeDoo]

...... And now for the result (or the first part of it!).
Round the doors, I've gained about 1mpg. Didn't really expect much on that sort of use.
1st long run on the autobahn. 329 miles at average speed of 72mph, I got 31.86mpg. With the 4.27 if I had driven at that sort of speed, I wouldn't have expected to get much over 27mpg. Usually on this trip I avearge 66mph and get about 30.5-31mpg.
I have to say that driving at that sort of speed (4.5hrs in the drivers seat without stopping) for so long is now a lot more relaxed.
Another long run tomorrow, results to follow.

[johnono]

well done stu! time for cross country?

[johnl320]

Nice one mate, did you get down to god's country in the end?
regards
john

[StuBeeDoo]

Nice one mate, did you get down to god's country in the end?
regards
john

Yep, I got there and did my grandsonly(!!) duty.
Picked-up my new cylinder head and inlet manifold on the way back........ Bring on the 325i throttle body mod!
Actually, I did have a bit of a self-induced cock-up. I noticed on the way that the rear window was getting dirty. Rather unusual as it wasn't raining.... When I got there, the back of the car was plastered in oil. I jacked-up the car and there was oil coming out from around the speedo sensor. When I pulled it out, what didn't I find?? When I'd swapped the sensors, I left the bloody o-ring off!!! :pff: What a Ever tried getting o-rings in Andover early on Sunday morning??

[StuBeeDoo]

The result, part two - the return....
300.3 miles, average speed 65mph. 32.06mpg.
Slightly less than I had hoped, but we did have all the windows and the sunroof open. A couple of times the viscious fan cut in which wouldn't have helped either. .........And I didn't have to try - with the 4.27 it was hard work getting anything over 30mpg on any trip.
My conclusion??? Worth doing and I think even for all the aggro, I'd do it again.
Stuart.

[johnono]

stu, u got grandkids!!

p.s congrats on the diff dude!