Ratch's 318iS Resto is back!!!

[Royalratch]

It's part number 15 here but there is no way I can get it to fit even as Alex has it.

[Royalratch]

Just fired the car up and went for a spin - MOT tomorrow morning.

Being in the car, engine impressively smooth and quiet with that ambient metallic zing, the E30 interior smell and all new parts wherever my hands touch really have given me that time-warp feeling. Feels newer than when I picked it up 11 years ago with 50K on the clock. Makes all the cost and headache worthwhile. Just a 318iS but still a special awesome car that gets all the juices flowing!

[jaymos]

Just fired the car up and went for a spin - MOT tomorrow morning.

Being in the car, engine impressively smooth and quiet with that ambient metallic zing, the E30 interior smell and all new parts wherever my hands touch really have given me that time-warp feeling. Feels newer than when I picked it up 11 years ago with 50K on the clock. Makes all the cost and headache worthwhile. Just a 318iS but still a special awesome car that gets all the juices flowing!

well done ratch you got any pics of the finished product?

[Royalratch]

It's all finished except the interior which I need to collect but I don;t want to fit until the consoles are done too.

But I am so chuffed to have it back, I've been E30less basically for almost a year and before that I was in it every day, so now it's back and better than ever! Have some road trips planned to Wales and Isle of Man for epic photography with my mates E30 M3 for company!

[inlovewithRWD]

Just a 318iS

It's not just an iS...they are brilliant cars and I love mine!

And your's is an absolutely stunning example, even if you do have a warped sense of style when it comes to gear knobs...

[Royalratch]

Solid maple hand crafted by Bavaria's finest - what's not to love?

[Simon]

Nice car Ratch.

There's a few H*** EFC E30's on here now. My touring is H887 EFC.

[Royalratch]

I tried to sell it to Everton Fans on eBay years back as I was thinking of going private.

I came to my senses though.

[Alex]

Its also a completely different piece of trim

I think you will find it isnt

I'll think you will find it is

http://bmwfans.info/parts/catalog/E30/2 ... s_fixings/

items 1, 2 & 3, looks nothing like it

items 1, 2 & 3 are nothing to do with it

it goes next to the battery

[Royalratch]

Yeh but Alex did you read my reply? It's almost impossible to fit in there and there's no logical way it fits - can you post a close-up if you get a chance?

[Alex]

just read the thread properly, you should have gone to specsavers diddler



my 316i had it too, it will fit in there ratch its a pain to get in if you have thick amp wires

[Royalratch]

It's got a spike on one end that looks like it clips into a tab but there's nothing there. It;s not even shaped in a way that it fits the main loom cover???

[Alex]

is it the spike on the bottom, it goes into a little hole doesnt clip in or anything, just sits there

[magpie]

i've got one of these

[Royalratch]

Well, the blasted MOT didn't go too well. An alleged power steering fluid leak and the car idling 500rpm higher than normal (WTF!? is that a fail!?). These should be advisories in my book.

The power steering leak, as I suspected turned out to be a loose hose at the reservoir that had trickled down the hose and all over the subframe probably over the course of the past 10 years. I cleaned it up and re-secured it. I was tempted to fit my E36 rack but I'm waiting on some custom hoses from Dave_M3.

Cleaned up with degreaser and a stiff brush, hopefully this will be okay for retest. This was caked in black crud, you wouldn't believe how dirty it was looking at this and I didn't even spend that long on it.


Topped up fluid as it was low but it's never been changed to my knowledge, though there's never been any leaks on the floor and it's been parked up for almost a year.


Tired of lame jack-age, I grabbed one of these at Halfords, was like £35 from £70 and is the speed lift type and lifts a load more.


Mini ramps too



Makes such a difference working under the car and for some of the jobs I'm doing next.

Got my Alpina keys so put them to use!




Front arch is still crazy high - will be sorted by -35mm drop (front only).


The high idle I think is a vacuum leak as fuel/air, ICV and throttle cable are all perfect. Over for MOT retest on Sat then good to go I hope.

[bss325i]

Alpinas look good!

How did you get a key in the end?

[Royalratch]

Took wheel down to Barry Bros Security (no joke) in Paddington, top notch locksmiths. Young lad there picked the lock and hand made 2 x keys with no origin code (so by eye with lock disassembled) £32 all in! No doubt cheaper than a replacement from BMW / Alpina who didn't even bother to call back.

[bss325i]

Awesome!

[Alex]

the pinas really finish the outside of the car off

[Dave_M3]

Alpinas look sweet with the lazur blue!!!

Didn't know you wanted the hoses, will sort them out as soon as the bloody roads are drivable (or my mom stops being silly and lets me drive around!!!)

[Royalratch]

Cheers dude - PM'ed you but it seems only half my PM's go out!

[The_Diddler]

Looking nice, very nice

[e30topless]

looking good ratch , love the garage

is that a black headlining I spy, waiting to go in ?

[Royalratch]

Yeah, used to be a cream headlining but Black will finish it off nicely, it'll be all business inside with a motor panel where the visors are - updates the interior a bit I think.

Just straightening it out. It's in very good nick after a steam clean but the panel insert is no good. Will be fitted professionally when I can get the bloody MOT sorted and can drive up to CE Moore in Park Royal.

Would have a bash myself but the sunroof is not all bolted in properly as it has to come out for this so I'm not touching it.

[pacerpete]

Nice 356 !

[Royalratch]

What about the 318iS Pete, you insensitive brute.

[rh306]

Yeah, used to be a cream headlining but Black will finish it off nicely, all business inside with a motor panel where the visors are - updates the interior a bit I think.

Just straightening it out. It's in very good nick after a steam clean but the panel insert is no good. Will be fitted professionally when I can get the bloody MOT sorted and can drive upto CE Moore in Park Royal.

Would have a bash myself but the sunroof is not all bolted in properly as it has to come out for this so I'm not touching it.

I work literally round the corner from CE Moore, will keep an eye out for it. They've had some interesting cars in there recently, DB6 Volante, BMW Z8, Zagato Bristol, Lorinser Merc SL etc.

[Royalratch]

I'll be in good company then!

[Ollie_bwoii]

Nice 356 !

Is it an A, B or a C coupe? Looks very nice.

Oh yeh the IS is nice as well. Lovely alpina's.

[Royalratch]

E36 rack arrived yesterday - £20 with UJ joints and tie-rods. I know there's no way of knowing for sure what state it's in or the mileage but on first inspection it's pretty damn clean, there are no leaks anywhere and the fluid is a nice reddish colour still which at least tells me something about it's history. Steering damper is like new too.




Can't wait to see the difference this and M3 eccentric bushes make.

[Royalratch]

So started with removing the front subframe, ARB, wishbones and steering assembly to put the E36 rack in and this little lot:




Most bits came off with nothing more than some WD40 and a wrench, only needed to use a ball-joint separator on one side.



I've done TCA bushes and arms about 3 or 4 times now just on stands but I don't remember having as little access/clearance as on this car. So a little improvisation. This 'route' puts the 21mm socket onto the main bush arm, then loops over the subframe where I can spin it off with ease. For replacing, I'll use a super long extension from above the engine bay as I'm not sure using a torque wrench with this many bits is a good idea. Also ordered a hi-end cordless Impact Wrench for this kind of thing and for when I do the the damper set-up.


Access like so.


Came off very easily - probably because it was torqued properly and not done by a gorilla as is most cases.

Those arms were last replaced by a BMW dealer in Munich no less - about 6 years ago. They are still perfect with no split joints.

Old bush - the top node of the rubber had totally separated - though on the car it looks very healthy.


Nice bit of screwed thread on one of the arms as it came off.


This droplink is still fresh, as are the main ARB bushes.



So new eccentric bushes in (Cooks Ferry pressed them in for free whilst I was picking up some other bits - good chaps).


Now to get the old rack out before any of that stuff goes back in. Lots of methods to do this on the Zone, I reckon supporting the sump (with a jack pad or wood) and then removing the subframe is best as you have more room to work with and you can test route the new hoses whilst there. Good time to do engine mounts as you need to unbolt these too - mine have less than 500 miles on them.


Subframe off - in great cosmetic condition.


Other side caked in Power Steering sludge from the trickle leak over the years.


Soak in degreaser



After a good scrub and wipe down - look great. It's at points like this you think, I'll get it powder coated but I had to start drawing a line otherwise this 'resto' would never be done. The interior will be filled with WD40 to remove any moisture and then waxoiled before going back in.


Last annoying bolt to remove the rack - Power steering lines held in by tiny 7mm bushed bolt - bushes used everywhere on E30s! Probably why they feel so solid.


Rack off and lined up against the E36 rack. Now is the time to get the new rack roughly centred (steering wheel was locked at centre) with the old rack as a guide.


You can see the E36 track is slightly shorter here...?


You can also see the port differences here which necessitate custom hoses or home-bent ones.


New complete Tie-Rod assemblies to go on - different again to E36.


Would like to keep the E36 column because the damper and heat-shield are in excellent condition but it seems you must use the E30 one.


And this is why you need spacers for E36 rack - the mounting brackets are a lot shallower than the E30 ones - needs spacers either side to fit the subframe recess - need to play around with above and below combinations for best tie-rod line.



So now just need to get my custom hoses and can put it all back. Will go back with all new fasteners and all parts cleaned so won't take long.

[Royalratch]

Tie-rods want to stay on the E36 rack...

[Theo]

You could just use the e36 ones, I prefer the design of them anyway.

[Dave_M3]

Yeah, E36 rods are much better. Did the spacers arrive yet Ratch?

[Royalratch]

Not yet Dave, send me a PayPal ID and I'll sort you right away.

No problem using the E36 ones except I have brand new E30 ones I bought ages ago and want to use them. Got them off now so it's all good!