Supernaut's Cars - 323i / Spaceship

[Supernaut]

How 'bout some planes and stuff from the Fleet Arm air museum?

 

Something special. The first Concorde built in the UK. Full prototype spec. The interior had no airline-style chairs, and instead was mostly empty with a few desks of instruments instead.

[SiC]

On 6/7/2022 at 10:09 AM, Supernaut said:

We did consider it, but car meets are like shooting fish in a barrel.

Also... people. Ew. 🤣

 

We are going to the Haynes museum today, though.

 

I don't know if it's different in Scotland (due to less people), but you don't have to go and speak to people! Wandering around and having a nose is perfectly acceptable. Plus you're now in the South, you aren't expected to be sociable and friendly. 

Haynes meet is generally very civilised. Helps they charge a fiver for entry, so keeps those out that aren't willing to pay and limits numbers. 

[SiC]

Not sure your plans but atwell musem near Calne is another good one. 

[Supernaut]

Got home about 5 hours ago now.

I set trip B when we left Stirling last Saturday.

Aye, that'll do. The poor thing badly needs a wash but I'm knackered and a few drinks in now.

That was about 2 and a bit tanks' worth. I fill up at a quarter out of habit. Expensive! Not helped by diesel seemingly jumping up by 10p per litre between the 2nd and 3rd fills!

The first fill was in Stirling the day before leaving, then two down south. One on Sunday then another yesterday. Between Sunday and yesterday was the (at least) 10p per litre hike!

 

Hell, when we stopped at Tebay for lunch I noticed that both petrol and diesel were identically priced. 199.9 per litre. 🙃

[mullett471]

On 6/7/2022 at 6:50 PM, Supernaut said:

TANKS.

 

You're welcome 😁

[Supernaut]

I know people have mixed opinions on Avon tyres, but...

A full set of these all seasons were less than a year's road tax on the BMW, thanks to a discount code National Tyres are doing right now. 15% off a set of 4x Avons, Firestones or Michelins.

They were also significantly cheaper than a used set of 16" Honda alloys with used winter tyres on them. Honda wheels - and parts in general - seem to be made of gold dust with the prices people ask for them.

While the tyres previously on the car were perfectly adequate in tread depth terms, they were budgets from some brand I've already forgotten the name of. These are silent in comparison and, crucially, are all-season tyres complete with the mountain/snowflake symbol. Useful for visiting Aberdeenshire later in the year. Admittedly, the 323i did well up over Glen Shee back on Christmas Eve in several inches of snow on Uniroyal Rainsports... 🤣

 

The lad fitting the tyres said I should get some new locking wheel nuts, as mine are corroded and getting difficult to deal with.

Before:

After:

That was a couple of minutes with a flat blade screwdriver cleaning out the channel, then a good going over with a wire brush. There was surface corrosion on the outer circumference, causing them to be a bit sticky in the socket. Not any more. I also cleaned out the socket too.

Saved myself £25+, and that price is for a set of second hand ones on ebay that look worse than mine now do!

[Supernaut]

I popped along to Glamis Castle today for the Scottish Transport Extravaganza.

Some highlights:

I came back via the A94 then down Dunning Glen. The Civic has a surprising turn of speed if I keep it on boost and ignore the eco gauge. Dare I say it's basically as quick as the 323i...

[Supernaut]

That is a BMW radiator. That is water coming out of it.

I'm at home now after a taxi ride. The car is parked two villages away.

 

Old BMWs and dodgy cooling systems. What a classic combo.

 

I'm taking the civic to shitefest then!

[Supernaut]

Progress!

@Lacquer Peel came to visit yesterday, and we went to look at my stricken BMW.

First, we attempted to pour some water in the radiator:

 

Nah.

I then remembered I had an Autoaid membership.

Half an hour later a bored recovery driver with a 17.5 ton truck based just round the corner turned up. She said it was better than sitting in the office, and was quite complimentary on the car.

Said truck also had a blowing exhaust and went like fuck. It sounded hilarious, full-on turbo whistle, and LP was giving his van almost full-shoe just to keep up.

All-in, it was about an hour in total from calling Autoaid to parking the car outside the flat.

Even better, @jaypee had a brand new in box E36 radiator just sitting around and handed it to me when I saw him yesterday evening.

I still need to acquire some coolant. Technically I could fix it today and have it ready for shitefest tomorrow, but I'm still just going to take the Civic.

[sdkrc]

Thanks for the reminder to buy an autoaid membership 😎

[Supernaut]

New radiator installed yesterday, complete with the 4-pot (lower temperature) switch for the electric fan, with the help of @davidfowler2000, @juular and @Lacquer Peel

At least it isn't trying to cook itself now.

 

However, it's developed a fun* noise from underneath. It, seemingly at completely random intervals, makes a rather significant thump from about halfway along the car that I can feel through the floor. It first made a similar noise when I was rolling it backwards off the recovery truck with the engine off. I thought nothing of it, as I thought one of the blocks in the car park was loose. Hmm. Perhaps I can't ignore it now.

 

Confidence levels in this car are currently in negative figures. I can barely bring myself to drive it out of the car park.

[Lacquer Peel]

How many men to mend a BMW radiator? 

I hope the noise is nothing serious. 

[Back_For_More]

Iirc - I haven't been under the e46 for ages - these have a rubber vibration damper halfway along the prop. Could be shagged or a bolt out.... 

 

[Supernaut]

2 hours ago, Back_For_More said:

Iirc - I haven't been under the e46 for ages - these have a rubber vibration damper halfway along the prop. Could be shagged or a bolt out.... 

 

Yeah, the propshaft donut did occur to me... How much of a PITA are they to replace?

[Back_For_More]

57 minutes ago, Supernaut said:

Yeah, the propshaft donut did occur to me... How much of a PITA are they to replace?

Mine was 1 bolt had dropped out and 2nd was loose - bolted it back up and all good. 

Iirc it's mounted in a metal frame - haven't needed to swap 1 yet sorry. *kiss if doughnut death right there 

[Saabnut]

2 hours ago, Supernaut said:

Yeah, the propshaft donut did occur to me... How much of a PITA are they to replace?

Disclaimer - I know nothing about BMWs

Is that an E46? If so, I gained a complete propshaft for one with a Disco chassis I bought. It was going in the scrap pile, but if anyone wants it?

[Supernaut]

5 minutes ago, Saabnut said:

Disclaimer - I know nothing about BMWs

Is that an E46? If so, I gained a complete propshaft for one with a Disco chassis I bought. It was going in the scrap pile, but if anyone wants it?

Mine is an E36, unfortunately.

[Supernaut]

Action shot!

Thanks to @320touring, a gentleman and a scholar with far more experience of shite old BMWs than I have, I know what I need to order.

Handbrake mechanisms. The offside had completely eaten itself, pinging and clanging on each rotation of the wheels.

So for now it has no handbrake on the offside, however it's drivable without the catastrophic noises. Silly drum-in-disc handbrakes.

 

 

Fukt:

[320touring]

Was a pleasure to work on, and relieved that the noise was simple to diagnose😁

[Supernaut]

It appears to have a functioning cooling system again.

I had to refer to the arcane rituals for bleeding an M52 correctly, but got there in the end.

 

Most of the delay was my own head telling me not to drive it so I don't cook it. If I don't drive it, it can't overheat. Simple logic.

I also can't fix it if I don't drive it though.

It now only ejects liquid (rather than air) out of the bleed screw at the top of the radiator, and holds temperature even out on the open road while getting a bit of shoe.

 

My eyes will forever remain hyper-focussed on that little gauge to the right-hand side of the cluster though.