BMW 320 coupe

[Ohdearme]

1 hour ago, NorthernMonkey said:

Just take it steady, fella...

Better to have a couple of hours kip in a service area and get back at 03.00 ?

This 100%

[DoctorRetro]

Home! Quick tally. 

Hours on the road: 22

Miles covered :1100

Fuel economy on return leg: 38mpg. (60 litres to 500 miles, feel free to check my maths) 

Autoshite legends encountered: 2

Big thanks to Saabnut and Supernaut for facilitating this. And especially to Saabnut for putting up with me talking for 10 hours non stop... 

 

Time I need to be at work: 7am Oh sh.... 

 

Goodnight. 

 

[barmatt]

Legendary collection! 

I bet you're asleep already.

[Pieman]

3 hours ago, TheDoctor said:

I preferred the Prodrive ones...

[Sir Snipes]

Yeah I know it isn't a coupé.

[Saabnut]

Glad you made it safe and sound, and the car did not disappoint.

Nice to have some company for part of the trip,  Catch up with you soon.

[DoctorRetro]

8 hours ago, barmatt said:

Legendary collection! 

I bet you're asleep already.

Wish I still was. Just going through the motions today. 

[DoctorRetro]

View from the office window... 

 

I've wanted one of these for a while, but was more jealous of Supernaut's base saloon one.

[DoctorRetro]

Forgot to mention, today's lunch was part of the deal with the BMW... 

[DoctorRetro]

The wonder of Instagram filters... 

[Lacquer Peel]

It's a good looking car.

[DoctorRetro]

My 'fleet' 

[Sir Snipes]

I do like an E36. I would really try one before they're all drifted to oblivion. Had an E30 318Touring in the past but it was a POS. 

Late 4 door iS probably my preferred spec. Couldn't GAF about 6 cylinders.

My G/F's old man has an e34 520i that's clean as a whistle other than some wear to the driver's seat bolster.  They spent nearly a thousand pound on a full set of Dunlop metrics for it a year or so ago. If I had know I would have found them some different wheels and saved them £500....

[fatharris]

Well done, mega miles there!

[DoctorRetro]

Been t-cutting today... 

[Matty]

Bloody hell that's come up well

[DoctorRetro]

That can't be good... 

[The Moog]

No it isn't. Did it just start making the noise? What's the oil like?

[smellypoo]

Bearings on something like an alternator or water pump?

 Belt tensioner?

[DoctorRetro]

Not sure, first time I'd revved it with the bonnet up. Oil was a little low, so topped it up. 

[DoctorRetro]

1 minute ago, smellypoo said:

Bearings on something like an alternator or water pump?

Sounded more like timing chain or rattly lifters to me. But I don't know. 

[smellypoo]

The rattles seemed to come about with a change in the speed the engine was running at, it could be rattly lifters or chain too I guess. If it's those, there's probably some damage going on internally.

[DoctorRetro]

E36 groups seem to suggest Vanos unit. 

[Pillock]

Check the obvious first, are there any loose plastic panels, loose brackets, old sockets dropped down onto the engine etc? MY BMW sounded like hell when I revved it at idle, it was the engine cover bouncing around.

Then if you're convinced it's internal rather than external, a long breaker bar between ear and suspect parts of the engine will help you pinpoint it.

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

Vanos unit is fucked. Good used one £40 and a Man with special tools to fit it. 

[DoctorRetro]

2 hours ago, The Reverend Bluejeans said:

Vanos unit is fucked. Good used one £40 and a Man with special tools to fit it. 

Meh. The 40 quid I can cope with, but I'm not used to paying people to do stuff to my cars if I can help it. 

Surely a semi-qualified monkey like me can figure it out? 

As a side point, car runs and idles fine, so is it a big worry? 

[Matty]

In theory no. Whilst possible, a malfunctioning vanos unit shouldn't cause engine damage. But it doesn't work right. So the engine isn't working right, so it's got to be worth doing. I'm sure the rev will put me right but there's not much that goes wrong with these so for that sort of money it's got to be worth getting it sorted