1995 BMW 320i

[Tayne]

Call Scott Feaks at Premier Motors, he’s ex main dealer workshop manager and looks after my car.

[omegod]

I have a drivers side fog light blank you can have for a few sheckels , can't locate a pass side sadly 

[Supernaut]

I did about 60 or so miles today, just towards the end of that it started to feel a bit... flat when pulling away from a standstill.

 

It would sit at 2.5k rpm and not really accelerate very well until I mashed the throttle right down, then it would do a kickdown and fuck off. I just tightened the throttle cable and all is well once again.

 

 

I just worked out the MPG for the last tank as well. 27.8 mpg. Hurr. I suppose it's not too bad for a 23 year old straight 6 auto with 154k miles on it, which is mostly used for short journeys. I managed to average almost 32 mpg when I took it to Durham back in April!

[BavarianRetro]

... I wonder what a local auto transmission specialist would charge...

Not local, but the experts, Mackies in Glasgow, take £180 trade from me.

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

Still not got round to doing anything about the ATF in this.

 

Would 5L of Dexron III be fine? It seems to be what most sites suggest for the car. Also not mega expensive either.

 

 

I should probably do it soon. It's a bit hesitant to change up when first started up from cold, and sometimes the changes are a tiny bit harsher than they should be.

 

I've been doing some reading. Dexron III is fine. Suggested methods for changing vary. I've seen mention of disconnecting the lines into and out of the cooler and letting it suck up the new fluid while draining the old. However that apparently runs a risk of cavitation in the transmission if the pickup hose gets any air in it. Hmm. The other method I've seen is rather involved; jacking up the car in a way that it's totally level, then completely removing the sumps from the transmission, cleaning them out, reassembling, then pumping the new fluid in, running it up to temperature then checking the level.

 

I wonder what a local auto transmission specialist would charge...

 

 

Do it yourself, it's easy if you can get the car high enough and on level ground. Drain the box, drop the sump, new filter and gasket and then refill - Dexron III is fine on a 1994, synthetic didn't arrive until late 1995/early 1996. Fire out up, run it through PND a few times and let it idle for 10-15 mins to get it good and hot. With it still idling, remove the sump plug and pump more oil until it starts to dribble out, refit plug, job done. Dexron III is cheap enough from Comma and the old 5HP doesn't spit its tampon out if the level is very slightly out.

 

An oil change won't do anything but the filter will be like a chocolate cake by now. These have AGS (gearbox learns your driving style) so driving it hard for 40-50 miles will make it relearn and make for sharper gearshifts.

[Supernaut]

I've put an offer in on ebay for a pair of front fog light brackets...

 

I'm also giving serious thought to sorting out the blister just behind the driver's door and the rear arches. I may need a skim of filler on the blister. I've never used filler before, so I'll be asking my dad for a tutorial on it!

I'd rather get this stuff done before winter arrives and really starts to take its toll. Just sticking rust convertor on the rear arches hasn't helped all that much, they're starting to bubble through a tiny bit again. They probably need sealed up properly with paint etc.

 

Shopping list:

- filler

- primer

- can of Boston Green

- can of lacquer

 

The ATF fluid and filter change would also need done, I suppose. I can get Dexron III from motor factors, but the only place I can seemingly get the filter and gaskets from is the BMW dealer. They can get the parts, but they need to order them in. which can take a few days. I suppose I won't be doing the cosmetic repairs and the gearbox stuff all in the same weekend anyway.

[320touring]

Get all the stuff before you start.

 

Sand the damaged paint areas back.

 

Lob the car in the air and drain fluid/remove sump and filter

 

Apply filler to panels

 

Fit new filter and sump gasket.

 

Reattach sump and refill gearbox according to instructions.

 

Cup of tea to let the filler dry.

 

Sand sand sand

 

Prime

 

Paint

 

Swear

 

Sand

 

Clear coat

 

[Supernaut]

Offer accepted on the fog light brackets. £17.50

I almost bagged a pair for £15 a while back, but the seller noticed they were damaged before posting them, so I got a refund.

 

I noticed the rear pads were low when I was investigating the sticky left rear brake a few weeks back, so I could get some rear pads too.

 

 

This weekend can be front foglights and rear brake pads, after putting in an order at the BMW dealer for the transmission filter and gaskets then seeking advice about body filler etc.

Then next weekend (or another one after that) can be the paint correction / auto box service.

[Supernaut]

This morning I went to the local BMW dealership to lower the tone in the car park and order a gearbox filter and gasket set.

 

 

I was rather taken with the interior in this i3 in the showroom.

 

 

 

 

 

I also went past the post office and collected these:

 

 

Yes, a set of intact front foglight brackets!

[320touring]

Oooh, Dis Gon be gud!

[Supernaut]

Mr Coffees has very graciously allowed me the use of his driveway this afternoon to replace the rear pads and have a stab at the front fogs.

 

However, he's only just out of bed and needs to do some shopping. So it'll be later before anything happens. I'll load the tools and stuff into the car just now though.

 

 

We are also going to fettle a certain other E36.

[Supernaut]

Stuff got done today.

 

First, me and 17-Coffees went to the Inverurie branch of Halfords. They didn't have BMW Boston Green!

 

They had all sorts of other colours though:

 

 

I suggested he paint his Morris Minor in the AS livery.

 

Also, TERRORISTS!

 

 

 

Anyway, we never got round to bodywork related stuff today. The green 320i got to speak to its brother for a little while.

 

 

 

 

Then I replaced the rear brake pads and ripped its face off:

 

 

 

[Supernaut]

Winter wheels / tyres.

 

I have some 205/50/17 winter tyres, but they're on Ford Mondeo wheels right now. I'm looking at 17" BMW wheels and people are asking £stupid for them. Anybody got any scabby 17" BMW wheels without tyres?

 

Or am I better off putting the Mondeo wheels up for sale and just stating that I'd also be interested in a swap for any 15-17" BMW wheels with winter tyres on them?

[stonedagain]

Does you local Halfrauds not mix the paint colour you require & put it in an aerosol?

[Supernaut]

Yeah, they do. The branch we were at wasn't my local one. There's a big branch a mile from me that I used to work in years ago (and it turns out the late Davenumbers worked there a few years before I did) and they have a much better selection of paint.

 

 

The branch me and 17-Coffees were at was a smaller one that was just a convenient meeting point for us.

[cobblers]

The stuff off the shelf in Halfords is borderline unusable, just garbage. deffo get a custom mix can. Ebay does them cheaper than Halfords too.

[Supernaut]

The stuff off the shelf in Halfords is borderline unusable, just garbage. deffo get a custom mix can. Ebay does them cheaper than Halfords too.

Now that's news to me. The general consensus from lots of other people has been that Halfords generally do a pretty good colour match off the shelf. I've never had any problems with it before.

 

Did you just get a bad batch, perchance?

[Tickman]

The Picasso sills I did the owner got a can mixed up locally and it went on brilliantly. It was £10 cash too.

Find a paint place and see what they can do.

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

Now that's news to me. The general consensus from lots of other people has been that Halfords generally do a pretty good colour match off the shelf. I've never had any problems with it before.

 

Did you just get a bad batch, perchance?

 

 

It's not as good as it used to be. It's piss thin - use some solid dark green as a base coat and you'll be okay. 

[stonedagain]

I've also bought touch up paint aerosols from main stealers in the past, (VW, BMW & Vauxhall) Not cheap, but a can of lacquer included, excellent colour match if the paint on the car is original.

[Supernaut]

Today, my opponent was this.

 

 

It got sanded.

 

 

It got some filler.

 

 

I then put some filler in the little hole in the engine bay too.

 

 

Back to the side. Some more sanding.

 

 

Then some knifing putty.

 

 

Then some Halfords generic dark green on the spot of filler in the engine bay.

 

 

Then some more knifing putty, sanding, and some masking too.

 

 

Primer!

 

 

Generic dark green!

 

 

A cat!

 

 

Some Boston green!

 

 

A dog!

 

 

A hungry Shetland pony!

 

 

Then some lacquer and peeling the masking off!

 

 

It's not a perfect colour match, but it's pretty close. It's also kind of... flat. Although am I right in thinking I can leave the lacquer to cure for a few days then polish it up with some t-cut or similar?

 

I also found out that the interior lights on this car do indeed work when the door is opened. I just needed to have the switch at the correct setting.

[Guest Hooli]

Nice animal content, would read again.

[Supernaut]

Nice animal content, would read again.

[Supernaut]

Yesterday evening I noticed the headlight switch did not illuminate. This simply untenable state of affairs could not be allowed to continue, thus:

 

 

The Haynes instructions were to undo the lower panel, as can be seen, then pull the dial off. That there is a 22mm plastic retaining nut. Once the nut was undone, the whole switch assembly could be pulled out from behind, then down and out where the lower panel is loose.

 

These were the remains of the old bulb.

 

 

 

Once it got dark, I proved my work a success.

 

[Supernaut]

Well, bugger.

 

 

It seems it has run out of electricity through the strenuous process of being parked up for a week. The battery did slosh a little bit when I was carrying it inside to charge it. I also wonder if fixing the light in the headlight switch has done something. It seems to stay lit the entire time the car is running, but I haven't thought to check if it stays lit all the time or not.

[Supernaut]

Got some juice in the battery and it runs again!

 

I went past the local motor factors to ask about solar-powered trickle chargers and they said they don't sell them because the ones they used to have were about as much use as a chocolate fireguard.

 

However, they offered to test the battery. It showed 48% health. It's labelled at 680CCA but it only showed 500CCA on the tester. They suggested putting it on a mains charger for a whole day to see if that reconditions it, but a new battery may be needed. It seems to crank over fine now since I charged it, but maybe tomorrow afternoon I'll put it back on the charger for a good few hours.

 

 

EDIT: Euro Car Parts have a sale (as usual) and I've managed to reserve a Lion battery for £44.54. The branch near me is even open on a Sunday, from 10am-4pm.

[Stebob]

If it’s any consolation I changed the bulb in my headlight switch years ago and just like yours once the ignition is on so is the switch illumination so I would surmise that it’s probably normal, I’d imagine it’d be a German chain of thought where if you were going in to a tunnel say that it would allow you to see the position and location of the switch to put the lights on!

 

Steve

[Supernaut]

Yeah, it wasn't that. It's a much simpler explanation; the battery is just goosed.

 

I did check that switch though. It's only on with the ignition. I think the spring / summer has been kind to the battery, but the dropping temperatures are showing its weakness again. When I first got it in January, it would lose charge very quickly while sat on 17-Coffees' driveway.

[Stebob]

Yeah, it wasn't that. It's a much simpler explanation; the battery is just goosed.I did check that switch though. It's only on with the ignition. I think the spring / summer has been kind to the battery, but the dropping temperatures are showing its weakness again. When I first got it in January, it would lose charge very quickly while sat on 17-Coffees' driveway.

In fairness mine doesn’t get used much these days, I tend to just disconnect mine in the boot then hook it back up when it’s time to come out, seems to keep the battery in good health, think it helps that the battery’s are in the boot!

 

Steve

[Supernaut]

New battery now fitted. The car in general feels more lively. Even the central locking seems to have more energy about it.

 

It was definitely needed, I think.