back in the game.. 316 1.8 weber conversion

[318isPMK]

had the battery that came out charged up so was able to take it for a spin. Going to try and souce an OE filter would a dealer have one if I called them do you think?

As for the multimeter.

Do I just connect it to each side of each fuse and see if one figure is greater than the rest?

[Speedtouch]

A BMW dealer should have one.

See this You Tube guide for how to use the multimeter to check current drain:

[318isPMK]

good vid easier to follow than the one I found

[318isPMK]

Okay 2 things were made apparent tonight the first is I have no idea how to use a multimeter and my boot carpet is wet at the bottom where the storage spaces are.

I know the aerial grommet is missing does that mean the bottom of my boot is swimming?

I presumed there would be a drainage hole of something but both cubby holes are sodden.

Help

[Speedtouch]

See this for a tutorial on the basic use of multimeters:



The aerial should indeed have a grommet to prevent water ingress. Also check the gaskets on the tail-light lenses are water-tight, as well as the bootlid seal itself.

Use a sponge to dry out the cubby holes before any rust gets a chance to take hold.

[318isPMK]

will do all that tomorrow cheers

[318isPMK]

Now dry, been out and about driving really well.

Glovebox bulb removed and a few loose wires found behind the stereo and the non functioning Aerial removed the hole plugged.

Thanks Pete, Curr and JBH for the help.

Can I ask... do All E30 have a hole in the bottom of the Driverside of the boot, where the tidies go.

Jobs for tomorrow... Oil and filter change. Hope the aerial is here soon. Alpine head unit going in soon too. Still no rust found under carpets 2 handfulls of the stuff in the Sunroof though

[Cloggy Saint]

Can I ask... do All E30 have a hole in the bottom of the Driverside of the boot, where the tidies go.

Sounds like an after-market drainage system.

[318isPMK]

Its a sizeable one though like a golfball sized one approximately

[Brianmoooore]

Glovebox bulb removed

Put it back, before you start blowing fuses. Who told you to take that out?

Can I ask... do All E30 have a hole in the bottom of the Driverside of the boot, where the tidies go.

Shouldn't be any holes in the bottom of either side pocket. Both should be water tight.

[318isPMK]

Guy on here took it out.

I didbt know any differently. The bulbs gone will it make any difference if it's out?

[Brianmoooore]

It's OK if the bulb has blown, but there must be a bulb fitted. If not, the bulb holder is likely to short circuit.

[318isPMK]

Sht!

Is that only if I open the box and activate the light.... or should I drive the 20 minutes over to it and sort it now

[Brianmoooore]

This isn't the iS now is it? On that, the light was only 'live' with the ignition on (1), and would blow fuse #4. On cars up to around '88, IIRC, the light is 'live' at all times, and it's fuse #21 that pops.
No need to fix it tonight - the worst that'll happen is that the fuse blows. It won't drain the battery.

[318isPMK]

Nope that's away it's a poverty 316i now.

[Nobby_N]

Sht!

Is that only if I open the box and activate the light.... or should I drive the 20 minutes over to it and sort it now

LOL

[318isPMK]

I said bulb removed I meant the who thing was disconnected. Hope that make sense JBH seems to know his stuff let me know if I should do anything.

[shedrool83]

If the bulb holder isnt there/missing make sure you tape up the spade connector that went to it.

[318isPMK]

That's done

[pacerpete]

Did it catch fire and burn to the ground overnight ?

[318isPMK]

Engine route to check ;)

[318isPMK]

That was en route btw!

Changed oil and filter and plugs today. Immediate improvement in starting. Two of the plugs were knackered and the oil was black black!

Changed the grill got a replacement bit of door trim under the window. Tried again to rebond the side skirt.

Battery seems to be holding and it's driving really well. Still a bit flat in low rev range but just compensating with a bit more grunt when pulling off. I'm getting there

[Speedtouch]

Good to hear that, fella.

I gather that with alot of twin Weber setups, they are a bit flat in the lower parts of the rev range, as they are really designed for race/rally applications, where you are flat out alot of the time.

You may be able to improve that by fitting longer intake trumpets, to improve the air speed (venturi effect).

[318isPMK]

I'll Google it

[Speedtouch]

Wikipedia gives a low-down on it:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Velocity_stack

This is also a useful source of info:
http://cnx.org/content/m37431/latest/

[318isPMK]

Would the rear light Gaskets be known as anything else I cant find them on ebay.

Thanks

[Jimbob]

Buy them from BMW.

[318isPMK]

Okay cheers

[pacerpete]

@ nigh on 50 sheets the pair, I would be trying vaseline/ grease / waxoil first .

[Brianmoooore]

Of all the E30s I've investigated for goldfish storage facilities in the boot, I've yet to find rear light gaskets as the cause, except for when the nuts were loose, or as a result of badly repaired damage to the area the lights fit into.
Use talcum powder to find where the water is getting in before you try to repair something that may have nothing wrong with it.

[318isPMK]

Thanks Brian another gem!

[Sanchez]

im with Brian.

Plenty more places for water to run into the car and top up the fish tanks either side.

They are the lowest points and will gather water if it runs in anywhere.

[magpie]

does your car point forward on a downward slope when parked up ?

[318isPMK]

Yes

[magpie]

then the rear corners below the rear screen fill up through the lack of gravity and level ground and the water gets in through the boot seal also rear light seals are a common fault but the most costly will be rotten rear arches that only leak when driven in the wet.

tip for today is to remove all the boot carpets and sponge/dry out the insides then sprinkle all over with talc [old spice] close the boot and add a running hose pipe over the roof then check for slug trails .

you can adjust your bootlid latch to shut tighter after checking the seal isn't split.