Beemerlad's M52 Chromie

[Andyboy]

Cooling system is best filled up SLOWLY via the rad top hose. I.e take the hose off the rad and fill it through there. That will fill the engine. As soon as you see coolant at the base of the pipe you should also start to see it dribble from the rad top elbow. By the time this happens the engine and rad are full. Very often it won't even need bleeding.

[E30BeemerLad]

Thanks Andy, I'm pretty sure that's what I did on the M50, but I was starting with a block that was bone dry.

Well tonight I have bolted the prop, fitted the terminals to the reversing light switch (but they still don't work) - not an MOT failure is it?

Fitted the 320 gear selector rod I picked up from the stealers, gearstick sits bang in the middle and all gears can be obtained. Fitted the fan switch to the side of the rad.

My only final snag is the PAS pipes coming from the E30 rack do not want to connect to the M52 power steering pump, the bolt that goes through the union and into the pump is much bigger on the M52 pump So I can't connect the E30 pipe to the pump as the bolt is too big to fit through the union.

They fitted no bother with the pump that was on the M50, so my solution here is to either get a M50 pump or get a custom hose made up, which must be a right fanny on of having to take the rack back off and the hard pipes etc and I really don't fancy that.

I haven't plumbed in the rad yet incase that needs to come back out for access to get the PAS pump off.

I did give it another quick start up tonight now the exhaust system is all connected up, sounds sweet as a nut.

Still no progress with getting the doors to open though and this is beginning to worry me.

[Dezzy]

Nice one lee if your stuck for an m50 powersteering pump I have one that will get you away. I will need it replacing but will get it mot'd won't it

[DanThe]

M50 pump wont fit on your M52. You will have to have a pipe made unless you can bodge the E36 hose on, rad can go on though, plenty of room to get at the PAS pump

[E30BeemerLad]

I thought I was being a smart arse and instead of removing the complete pipe assembly off the E36 rack, I thought I could get away with cutting the E36 rubber pipe off with the intention of joining E30 pipe to E36 pipe by sleeving some copper pipe down the middle and using some jubilee clips but that ain't going to work.

Damn it! I wonder where I need to go locally to get a pipe sorted out. What do I do Dan? Take the complete pipe off the E30 rack and then ask them to fit the E36 union to the end?

[E30BeemerLad]

By the way, thanks for the offer of the pump Dezzy

[Dezzy]

In that case I can keep my pump eh. You might have to join the pipes though lee cos the res is in a stupid place on the 36 isn't it? May as well fit the rack of the 36 at the same time eh?

Forget most of that too slow

[DanThe]

If you have somewhere like pirtek nearby they will have the unions in stock, all you need to do is give them measurements between bends, hard line, flexi, unions etc

I had mine made up by pirtek and it cost £40, mine is routed behind the crossmember to the passenger side and then a straight bit to the pump

[Dezzy]

What about a welding place tig welding the e36 end on the e30 hard line? Is that an option

[DanThe]

Some pics

[E30BeemerLad]

If you have somewhere like pirtek nearby they will have the unions in stock, all you need to do is give them measurements between bends, hard line, flexi, unions etc

I had mine made up by pirtek and it cost £40, mine is routed behind the crossmember to the passenger side and then a straight bit to the pump

I have a Pirtek 2.5 miles from me

So do I need them to make up the complete setup from the rack all the way to the pump, hard pipes, unions at each end etc or do I take my crusty hard pipe off and take that to them and get them to add a fresh rubber pipe with correct union?

Do they do this stuff while you wait normally?

I'm getting impatient now the turd is as good as finished

[DanThe]

Just have a whole new pipe made, its worth it as it will be a long time before it starts leaking, give them a ring and if they are not too busy they will do it while you wait

[E30BeemerLad]

Well I may aswell take my hard pipe down to them so they have a good template to work from, it's going to be coming off anyway. So I guess I'll be removing the rack once more, grrrr.

[E30BeemerLad]

Well the E36 has gone to the scrapyard in the sky, so one less turd ont the driveway.

But get this, I went out to the car this morning, after leaving it with a battery connected all night and the damn central locking worked!!! All the doors open, hurrraaahhh!

Got the steering rack off and removed the complete pipe, took this down to the local Pirtek and the lazy cnooots are closed, even though it said they are open on saturdays until 12.30.

So I have bought a super drill bit and am going to try and take the extra mm of meat out of the union on the E30 hose, put some new copper washers on either side and see how it works. Worst case scenario is it won' work and I'll be back to Pirtek on Tuesday, but if not, my god this mo-fo will actually be finished and ready for an MOT. Shock horror!! I didn't think I'd see the day, well not as a married man anyway

[Dezzy]

Nice one mate. Weird about the central locking eh. Fixes it's self now maybe it thinks that's the only way it's going to get back on the road

[E30BeemerLad]

Yeah, I think it is sick of the cats using it as a climbing frame and pishing up against it all the time

[djk]

You didn't find a load of frightening corrosion in the doorshuts then - the way this project has been going, I thought the car would find some way of snatching defeat from the jaws of victory!

[eta]

You must have a patient wife Beemerlad.

[daimlerman]

You must have a patient wife Beemerlad.

She's just happy he's out playing with the car instead of pestering her...
Nearly there,it's the last details that take the time.
Bet the doorlocks just needed a fully charged battery.

[E30BeemerLad]

Well the car has moved under it's own steam today.

I drilled out the union on the pas pipe and it's fitted upto the M52 pump and ain't leaking yet. The cooling system took an age of adding more water bit by bit before there was any heat at the vents. No leaks there either and no oil leaks, so all good so far.

Tomorrow is refit interior properly and final finishing off jobs and general checkover for an MOT.

I locked the doors tonight and then tried to open again and the other 3 stayed locked, grrr. Tried locking & unlocking and still no joy. Went back to it about an hour later and they all locked & unlocked. Truly wierd.

Everett turned up today to collect some bits and enticed me to go on a scrapyard dig, as there was a brilliant red touring being fragged, but the doors were worse than mine. But the trip did yield a very tidy rainbow trim front seat for the wife's valver. Couple of E30's there, all 4 pots and nowt worth raping. £7.50 + VAT for the seat was a steal.

And yes, my wife is fantastic.

[bodger]

Well the car has moved under it's own steam today.

I drilled out the union on the pas pipe and it's fitted upto the M52 pump and ain't leaking yet. The cooling system took an age of adding more water bit by bit before there was any heat at the vents. No leaks there either and no oil leaks, so all good so far.

Tomorrow is refit interior properly and final finishing off jobs and general checkover for an MOT.

I locked the doors tonight and then tried to open again and the other 3 stayed locked, grrr. Tried locking & unlocking and still no joy. Went back to it about an hour later and they all locked & unlocked. Truly wierd.

Everett turned up today to collect some bits and enticed me to go on a scrapyard dig, as there was a brilliant red touring being fragged, but the doors were worse than mine. But the trip did yield a very tidy rainbow trim front seat for the wife's valver. Couple of E30's there, all 4 pots and nowt worth raping. £7.50 + VAT for the seat was a steal.

And yes, my wife is fantastic.

sorry for the o/t beemerlad but did the brilliant red touring have good front wings?

[daimlerman]

Strange about the locks.My touring has one rear door playing up in a similar fashion,sometimes it locks,sometimes it does not.I think(?) it is a poor connection in the door, but at home that side is hard against the house wall and when I use it for work I leave that side hard against an armco barrier so it's only Calamity who has to lock it manualy so it's a long way down the 'to do' list!
Best of luck with the MoT and VIC check,looking forward to seeing this on the 25th Sept...

[E30BeemerLad]

sorry for the o/t beemerlad but did the brilliant red touring have good front wings?

Can't remember mate, I really didn't look at them enough. They were quite faded, but not sure on the rot situation

[Dezzy]

My locks are exactly the same sometimes they work sometime some do some don't. Just addedtp a long list of flustrating electrical faults I can't sort out. Grrrrr

[Andyboy]

The wings were okayish I think, but had been painted with a hoover. Not really worth bothering with.

[E30BeemerLad]

Well today involved sorting the interior out a bit, now I have the luxury of 4 opening doors. It's starting to resemble more of a car now.

Also the excitement of the car being parked in a different part of the driveway warranted a pic. Anyway, here's the engine room dept at the moment


Then I set about the interior, first of all fitting the 6 pot coding plud to the instrument cluster so the rev counter now tells me what is actually going on. Also fitted a tech1 steering wheel I've had laying around, replaced the SE style 3 spoke wheel. Also took the bucket seats out and gave the carpet a quick hoover


I then dyed the rear seats and bit of carpet that goes underneath them, so the black theme continues


Rain then stopped play and I chucked the front seats back in and retired

Went to the end of the road and back, there is a clunking coming from the front suspension when turning from lock to lock. Not sure what that is as everything is new apart from top mounts. Maybe I have not tightened the collar nuts enough on the struts and the inserts are moving. Going to have to investigate that pre-MOT. Also seemed to be quite steamy out of the exhaust, hope this is just condensation!
Must fit that bonnet

[E30BeemerLad]

Oh and Steve (e30topless) came over for a natter and to see what was going on. Omi swung by also with the 3.9:1 LSD, but won't be fitting that for a bit and may get the old man to overhaul it with new clutch packs and sort it for 40% lockup.

[ImysE30]

Looking good Lee, that engine bay looks awesome

You going to change the colour of the car?

[Dezzy]

Looking good my man. What cost is involved in getting 40% lockup mate. I would be interested in doing this when I change the ratio to 2.93 for the zf box

[E30BeemerLad]

Looking good Lee, that engine bay looks awesome

You going to change the colour of the car?

Still very seriously considering the Malrboro theme

Looking good my man. What cost is involved in getting 40% lockup mate. I would be interested in doing this when I change the ratio to 2.93 for the zf box

Probably about £100 labour for my old man and about £80 for the clutch packs. Also, seal kit etc, not sure on the cost of these as you'd be mad not to whilst it is in bits.

[Dezzy]

Yeh I am going to do work myself as have a a few diffs in bits and are easy to work on. Seal kit would be dealer only? Where are the clutch kits available from. Cheers lee

[ImysE30]

Looking good Lee, that engine bay looks awesome

You going to change the colour of the car?

Still very seriously considering the Malrboro theme

I think it would look great, finish it off nicely

[E30BeemerLad]

I think the clutch packs may be dealer only too, or I wouldn't know where else to get them, but the old man may do

[e30topless]

some great progress lee, was good to catch up

I still can't believe how well it sounds

it's got me wondering about building an M52 sleeper...

[DanThe]

It moves!