1995 BMW 320i

[paulplom]

Great driving road.

I think I mentioned before I used to have a 94 520i 24v auto, had it 10 years and went hillwalking all over Scotland with it.

Would you not have been better off driving it?

I've got visions of you dragging it up a fen on a rope.

[Richard]

You wouldn't get up there mow - they've just closed the snow gates.

 

They shut the Cairn o' Mount snow gates when there's a light frost, and I've yet to find a traffic news service that tells you when they do. I don't know how they managed to be open the day I took my snow picture, the padlock guy must have been off sick.

[Supernaut]

This car is very easy to service.

 

Sump plug access is simple, no undertray to get in the way.

 

The oil filter is at the top front of the engine, and you just lift off the cap and replace the filter element.

 

The air filter has 2 clips holding it in. You press the clips with your fingers, then slide out the whole 'cassette' type thing, swap out the filter, and slide it all back in place.

 

The only minor, tiny tiny issue is the oil filler cap at the back of the engine means leaning in over the O/S wing and inevitably dribbling a bit of oil. Not on the exhaust side of the engine though, so it's all good.

 

Essentially, it is now serviced with fresh oil and filters.

 

 

 

 

 

Anyway. Remember the cracked window regulator?

 

 

Nasty.

 

I have another one that I used the motor from last year. Turns out it had a crack developing in a different place.

 

 

We decided to repair the one already in the car, because it's riveted in, and fuck trying to get all of them out!

 

Notice the rivet below which is cut. It had worked itself loose and wasn't doing anything. We deduced that this had then transferred load onto the rivet above, causing the whole thing to crack.

 

 

Said rivet was removed and replaced with a nut and bolt put in very very tight.

 

Before tightening that nut and bolt, though. The regulator had to be forced back into shape...

 

 

Then, using another nut and bolt, a self-tapping screw, and a bracket from what we think was an old wardrobe...

 

 

Ta-da! A repair panel. It's not perfect, the crack isn't fully closed, but the window is sealing a bit tighter now. However, it still clunks when I close the door. I reckon that's probably because the last two teeth on the mechanism are very badly worn down. Thus it jumps a tooth when it tightens the window up against the door seal.

Hell, it's noticeably quieter though. Drove it 30 miles home with no wind noise coming from the the window area. The door card on the driver's door is fitted better now than it has been in months! No rattling from it now, either!

[320touring]

Seems a good repair - smart!

[Vince70]

Even the BMW service manual states that the rivets need drilling out and bolts used in there place when renewing the regulator so it can only count as half a bodge I’m afraid lol.

It’s great to see you keeping this old girl alive.

[Supernaut]

Drilled out?

 

You'd be lucky. The fuckers were made of pretty hard steel! Tried punching out the middle of them and just bent the punch. The drill achieved nothing. Resorted to cutting slots in the head with an angle grinder then chiselling it to bits.

[Vince70]

I did get mine drilled out but it took about 20 minutes and used a good drill bit.

I had to drill it out at low speed as the bit would just heat up.