Project: neglected E36

[Maengelito]

I like how you had enough sense to get the camera phone out to take pics of the ASC light while driving in hazardous weather, nice work!

I saw your FB update about having a sled and helmet mounted cam and all you needed was a 4x4 vehicle. I was in Richmond and if I didn't have to do stuff with the inlaws, I totally would've called and brought the Forester out. I hope you were able to find someone with awd.

[PDenbigh]

Jon, on the E36 I had for a while, I put in a new O2 sensor. I used a cheap mustang sensor and just attached one of the extra wires to ground. Worked like a charm!

Peter

[getfast]

Thanks! I'd try that, except a Bosch OEM direct replacement sensor will be here probably tomorrow. $57 shipped via Amazon of all places, who knew :twisted:

[getfast]

This is officially turning into the most expensive cheap car ever :lol:



Not pictured: other front lower control arm, new LCA bushings, Eibach swaybars/hardware/bushings/links, rest of the clutch job bits, etc. Plus the Konis/H&R's of course.

Hell, might as well do RTABs now too :thumbup:

[D_Eclipse9916]

Yay! Are you doing OEM RTABs with limiters? If you have the correct tool for preloading the bushing in its housing, I would really suggest that over anything especially for a daily. I gave in and went AKG 80As RTAB, I think its soft enough to allow proper articulation with a much stiffer suspension than stock, but allows ridiculously easy installation with no worry about preload. Plus its 90 bucks if I end up hating them and want to go back to OEM .


Youve got a nice start, is this going to be your beater but still get some star time in an autocross?

[getfast]

Haven't decided yet re: which RTABs. From what I recall, OEM rubber ones are more difficult to install than poly. That may end up being a Feb project with the swaybars and an oil change, it really all depends on how much lift time I can get.

This will just be a beater indefinitely. No sticky tires, no racey pads, etc. We'll see how long that lasts :lol:

[ViPER1313]

This will just be a beater indefinitely....

Beaters don't get fixed up. If it's able to move forward and not leave you stranded, it's running well enough. This car is definitely a project, not a beater.

[getfast]

LOL agreed, but this car is borderline undriveable for the average person as it sits. For instance it hops about a foot to one side or the other if you hit any significant road irregularity with the right side of the car at any sort of reasonable speed due to the worn-out suspension and chassis parts. And the clutch bearings make all sorts of noises (plus you can feel an odd vibration through the pedal.) The shifter is so worn-out that going from 2nd to 3rd feels like moving a spoon in a bowl of pudding. It has almost left me stranded at least a half-dozen times so far - having to wait and retry and twist the key a certain way due to some problem with the ignition switch and/or lock cylinder which I haven't had time to look at yet. It won't stop showing brake light circuit warnings. It has an intermittent right turn signal problem that's not the bulb. The windshield washer sprayer doesn't work. And so on. Coming from an E36 M3/4 that had zero problems (sold in April), and having a new VW on hand (bought in April), I can't live with all these crappy old car imperfections :lol:

Meanwhile I'm only upgrading to better stuff because it's cheaper than the closest stock equivalent (i.e. used Koni Sports are cheaper than new OEM Boges...)

[D_Eclipse9916]

Haven't decided yet re: which RTABs. From what I recall, OEM rubber ones are more difficult to install than poly. That may end up being a Feb project with the swaybars and an oil change, it really all depends on how much lift time I can get.

This will just be a beater indefinitely. No sticky tires, no racey pads, etc. We'll see how long that lasts :lol:

Yeah youd have to create not only the tool to get it in (or buy), and THEN you have to use the tool to pre-load it correctly. Im gambling, maybe wait on yours and see how mine turn out :lol:

[getfast]

Kimmelshue probably has the tool or knows a workaround. It was easy to install the poly ones on the M3/4 so maybe I'll just go that way and forget about it :dunno:

[REED]

Kimmelshue probably has the tool or knows a workaround. It was easy to install the poly ones on the M3/4 so maybe I'll just go that way and forget about it :dunno:

I actually might have the tool @ home if you want it, I'll poke around later and see

[getfast]

Installed these Konis/H&R's today. Car feels good, firm and a bit bouncy but not uncomfortable. May soften the fronts, we'll see. But it already feels about 10x better than it did before. The stuff we pulled off was original and totally shot.

Replaced all three brake light sockets & bulbs recently, BRAKE LIGHT CIRCUIT message still comes on intermittently despite all lights working, I think it needs a brake light switch like every other E36 will at some point in its life. Might handle that when it gets a new ignition switch soon, because it still has an occasional no-start that requires playing with the key for a while. It hasn't actually left me stranded yet, but almost has several times (5+ minutes worth of trying to get it to fire by trying different keys and start sequences...)

Fixed the right front turn signal issue, sorta. Someone didn't install the corner lens correctly - mounting tabs broken off - so the bulb & socket weren't seating correctly. I halfassed it back together but really need to find another lens to do it right instead of the current tape & zip-tie method.

Meanwhile the mileage keeps getting shittier, 19.4 on the last tank. CEL has been on (again) for oxygen sensor for at least a week.

So tomorrow night on a lift: LCA's/bushings, O2 sensor, shifter rebuild/upgrade, and... clutch kit. :wink:

Next week or whenever: brake light switch, ignition switch.

February: swaybars, RTABs, oil change.

Planning to put a crapload of miles on this car in 2011 now that I have all this money in it :lol:

[getfast]

So tomorrow night on a lift: LCA's/bushings, O2 sensor, shifter rebuild/upgrade, and... clutch kit. :wink:

Done and back on the road! Everything went ok, no big surprises, just some rusty circa-1995-in-Germany bolts to deal with of course. The clutch noises are finally gone, disc and pp were worn (but not worn out)... release bearing, fork, pivot pin and spring clip were all pretty wasted. Rear main seal was fine, as it turns out the oil on the bottom and sides of the transmission was leftover from the former valve cover gasket leak.

Installed a Z3 short shifter with the usual other bits (weighted selector rod, new cup, new carrier bushings/washers/clips, etc) while we were in there, which feels great - short direct throws but not too notchy. Also mounted up some 328 wheels with fresher Michelins to get me through the winter. Also new trans mounts - stock rubber ones. And some delicious Mobil 1 in the gearbox. The CEL went out about 3 minutes into the test drive thanks to the new O2 sensor, so hopefully the mileage will soon improve. All in all, the car feels GREAT now, compared to before. Filthy pic:



I'll clean her up and take some better ones as soon as the weather lets me. It's less than an inch lower than before, I notice it but other people probably don't.

Did see a few things I want to address. Guibo is starting to crack, the a/c idler pulley needs replacing, there is a very minor weep from the lower radiator hose, etc. And there's a minor roar at speed from the rear end that is getting louder over time, it's either diff or wheel bearing (not tire noise as I first suspected.) I'll deal with all that next month or whenever when we do the swaybars and RTABs and an oil change, the more pressing stuff right now is the brake light switch and ignition switch, to be handled in the next week or two.

Car will soon be ready for just about anything. Contemplating taking it to Daytona for the Rolex 24 in a few weeks... or taking the 45+ mpg TDI, or just taking a rental car :lol:

[D_Eclipse9916]

lol whoever grabs this a spec 3 donor car is going to be damn happy whenever you get rid of it.. (or *cough* spec 3 for Felton?)

[getfast]

Picture in daylight sorta...



It is indeed a bit lower than stock now, and the 328 wheels don't look horrible imho :thumbup:

[Jake]

I like those wheels a lot more than the stockers. The other good E36 ones (IMO) are the 328 Sport wheels... five double spokes. The bottlecap look dates the car easily.

[getfast]

Nothing to add other than... I put more than 300 miles on the E36 this weekend and it performed flawlessly. It also averaged 28.2mpg on the way home without being driven gently, I could get it over 30 with the right conditions. Starting to sorta like this car :lol:

[getfast]

400+ miles now in the last few days (and 1800+ miles since purchase) and the car is working fine. Cobetto drove it yesterday and said it felt "pretty good" :lol:

Cobetto also thinks the roaring noise from the back of the car is a wheel bearing. So I'll probably handle that in Feb/Mar when it gets the swaybars and an oil change and RTABs and whatever else. I can borrow the special BMW tool which supposedly makes the job much easier.

Random no-start concern has pretty much disappeared since I took the key off a heavy keychain and use it by itself. I'll probably play that one by ear instead of throwing an $80 ignition switch at the problem anytime soon. Haven't seen the "BRAKE LIGHT CIRCUIT" message despite all lights working fine... in several days, guess I should order a brake light switch to have around for when the message comes back. Intermittent problems are annoying :finger:

[PDenbigh]

Nice! Your MPG increase is good to know.

FYI, I did a front wheel bearing on the E36 I had for a while w/o any special tools (except my IR "thundergun" and a cheap Tractor Supply socket) and it worked fine.

[getfast]

Yea the mpg increase is definitely noticeable, engine seems to run smoother too? It turned in that 28.2 from south Baltimore to Richmond with the cruise set at 79 and more than a few full throttle passes and a 2-mile backup in noVA which was all first and second gear for half an hour. If I stuck the cruise at 70 and didn't have the usual traffic to deal with, I'm sure the car would do 30+ all day long. But I usually reserve that calmness for the TDI, which will easily do 46+ mpg when driven in such a way :thumbup:

I remember fronts being way easier than rears, at least on my E30. Fronts were whole hubs, rears were an insert or press type deal from what I recall. Guess I'll find out soon enough.

Oh speaking of cruise set at 79, according to iphone GPS this car reads ~3mph optimistic at highway speeds. Good to know.