Convertiblau! My 1996 BMW 328iC

[Senor_Taylor]

Huh. That's pretty cool.

[Jake]

Huh. That's pretty cool.

It'll blow your mind if I can make the origami that is an electric folding roof work again.

[Senor_Taylor]

Me no understand "electric". Me Miata roof go up-down with hand power.

[D_Eclipse9916]

Don't worry as soon as you fix the electric issue, the elastic bands will be weak enough that youll end up doing it manually anyway.

Been there done that. I loved my convertible M3, it was an awesome daily driver even though mine was in rougher shape than yours (saying that conservatively). All the dynamics are still there just a couple extra lbs which you dont really feel and a little cowl shake but it feels way more solid than say a miata or even worse f-bodies.

[Jake]

Don't worry as soon as you fix the electric issue, the elastic bands will be weak enough that youll end up doing it manually anyway.

Been there done that. I loved my convertible M3, it was an awesome daily driver even though mine was in rougher shape than yours (saying that conservatively). All the dynamics are still there just a couple extra lbs which you dont really feel and a little cowl shake but it feels way more solid than say a miata or even worse f-bodies.

Heh, I just want the tonneau to latch all the way down. I have this vision of hitting a bump on the highway and having it raise up too far, getting caught by the wind and then *whee* off it goes.

I put about 30-35 miles on it last night on the GW Parkway and it seems to be the makings of a fantastic DD.

[Jake]

Some updates.

My buddy Austin came over last night to try and read the various computers in the car. He has "P.A.Soft" software and the adaptor to read from the 20-pin connector under the hood, which gives you more access to certain systems versus the OBD plug under the dash. That was a fascinating time. Things we learned...

• The DME (main ECU) had approximately one fuckload of codes stored, all surrounding the P1188 code the PO mentioned. Misfires, running lean, you name it. We cleared everything, since the PO gave me that list of what he tried to do for diagnosing P1188. I drove the car to work today, ran it through the entire rev range (kissed fuel cut, whee!) and no CEL yet. That was only ~8 miles of driving but the PO claimed the light would come back on in "under 10 miles of driving" so... we'll see.
  
• Couldn't connect to the ABS computer and thus couldn't tell which wheel speed sensor is bad. We tried on my M3 as well and had the same issue, so it's something wrong with Austin's software and not the car.
  
• Found some faults on the SRS (airbag) computer. This was a fun one... some fucker removed the bulb in the dash! Fault code for that - and when starting the car, I now notice the bulb doesn't ever do a self-test. The actual stored fault is for the passenger side occupancy sensor, which is common on these cars as they age. I guess I'll pop a bulb in it and get a new sensor.
  
• Tried diagnosing the top. The top motors would not start their re-sync process when we hooked everything back up. Austin is suspecting a bad switch (the one you press to raise/lower the roof) so he's going to nab another one for me and we'll go from there. Could be that or the top computer...

I started pulling some of the pimpy BSW speakers out of the M3, quickly learned that they were either in poor shape or wouldn't fit the convertible, and ordered new stuff on Amazon that will fit it.

Oh, and it kinda maybe needs brakes soon. RockAuto, here I come.

[SlimKlim]

[*]Found some faults on the SRS (airbag) computer. This was a fun one... some fucker removed the bulb in the dash! Fault code for that - and when starting the car, I now notice the bulb doesn't ever do a self-test. The actual stored fault is for the passenger side occupancy sensor, which is common on these cars as they age. I guess I'll pop a bulb in it and get a new sensor.

If you don't want to buy one you can get 2 resistors, a diode, solder them together, rip the guts out of the bad occ sensor and tap it into the wiring. http://bmw3series.johnavis.com/blog/780/...cy-sensor/

[Jake]

Hmm, I'll probably do that. It sounds cheaper and I'm pretty good with a soldering pen.

[PDenbigh]

Hmm, I'll probably do that. It sounds cheaper and I'm pretty good with a soldering pen.

Jake, I have one premade with the connector that was cheap and worked:

<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.ebay.com/itm/BMW-PASSENGER-SEAT-OCCUPANCY-BYPASS-MAT-SENSOR-AIRBAG-E46E36E38E53E31E39M3M5E34-/281180917156?hash=item4177b04da4">http://www.ebay.com/itm/BMW-PASSENGER-S ... 4177b04da4</a><!-- m -->

[Senor_Taylor]

Wow, you seem to have a friend for everything. You're like that guy from Pawn Stars. "I don't know much about mid 20's Ford headlight filaments, but I have a buddy that does. Mind hanging around for him to come by and check it out?"

[Jake]

Hmm, I'll probably do that. It sounds cheaper and I'm pretty good with a soldering pen.

Jake, I have one premade with the connector that was cheap and worked:

<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.ebay.com/itm/BMW-PASSENGER-SEAT-OCCUPANCY-BYPASS-MAT-SENSOR-AIRBAG-E46E36E38E53E31E39M3M5E34-/281180917156?hash=item4177b04da4">http://www.ebay.com/itm/BMW-PASSENGER-S ... 4177b04da4</a><!-- m -->

Ordered. Thanks, Pete! Always nice to have a plug-and-play solution and for $11, worth doing.

[Jake]

New rear speakers installed last night. Got new front kick panel speakers to go in this evening.

Brake pads/rotors are on their way from good ol' Rock Auto ($133 for all of it), and I have some resistors in the mail to correct all the FUBAR airbag system stuff.

My friend Kyle has different software that can read the ABS module, so we're going to try to read it on Sunday/Monday and figure out what's throwing the ABS/ASC lights. It should be able to tell us which wheel speed sensor is bad (if any) or if I need to fix something else. I think it's a WSS as the lights self-clear when I restart the car, and come on after random periods of driving, without me touching the brake pedal. Other symptoms seem to involve "when the driver applies the brakes, the lights come on" which is not my case.

Austin also found a nicer steering wheel for me, on the cheap, so it's going to get the newer (98.5-99) three-spoke "M" wheel, like dis:



I've been reading a LOT about the convertible top, and while I do still want to fix it, I want to figure out how to manually latch the tonneau cover when the top is lowered. My roommate, his girlfriend and I discovered last night that the tonneau becomes a surprise air brake at 90 mph. Oops. It does look like I can drill a hole in the one latch (that you can access from the trunk) and just manually pull the latch closed, then shove a T-hook or rod in there to keep it latched shut.

[EclipseTurbno93]

Man, this thing is super cool.. Welcome back to convertible land :thumbup:

Hope to see this thing sometime this semester!! :mrgreen:

[Jake]

Man, this thing is super cool.. Welcome back to convertible land :thumbup:

Hope to see this thing sometime this semester!! :mrgreen:

Ohh you will, don't you worry

So, some updates.

Suspension Follies
I was driving home from seeing a few friends last Friday night around 11 PM. Traveling on the Baltimore-Washington Parkway and naturally, right near Anacostia, hit some expansion joints and started hearing this awful rubbing noise whenever the left rear corner got loaded up. Because I was near Anacostia, I elected to finish my drive home veeeeery carefully instead of stopping to check things out. The more I drove, the more it felt like I was driving on the spring. Very bouncy.

Well, I was driving on the spring. The dad/son duo who sold me the car put new rear shocks on it a few weeks ago. They also replaced the rear shock mounts, which are prone to failure. Great! Except... they didn't re-install the washers that keep the rubber from ripping out of the metal mount.

Mine looked like this, except the shock had tucked itself nicely into the inner fender.



I temporarily fixed the one shock mount but was nervous about the other one... so, between needing new RSMs and the front struts being original, I decided to buy Mike D'abreu's used suspension because #fuckit, this thing handles like a Buick right now.



I removed the rear stuff last night, and the other shock fell out of its mounts as soon as I unbolted it from the hub. Thrilling.

Got the new goodies installed in the rear last night - Bilstein shocks and H&R Sport springs. Easy rear install.

Attempted front install last night as well, but a few of the studs that stick out of the upper strut mount/spring perch broke off, which means I need new mounts. Fack. I'm currently trying to figure out if I can use my stock upper mounts - the potential issue would be in the H&R spring diameter. It seems like the H&R's require a 1995 M3 spring perch, as the 96-99 M3 spring perch is smaller in diameter, and thus the springs won't fit safely. The 1995 M3 and all non-M E36's share the same diameter of spring perch.

In theory, then, I'm good. Going to rent a spring compressor tonight and try it out.

Brakes
Rock Auto shipped me front and rear rotors and pads. The rear stuff doesn't fit at all. Pads are the wrong shape, rotors are not large enough to fit over the hubs. Argh. Didn't try the fronts yet because of above suspension BS last night.

Airbag System!
Gotta fix the explode-y things in the dash. I got my occupancy sensor "simulator" (thanks again, Pete!) and some resistors to shove in the seatbelt buckles. That should make the SRS computer behave. Then I have to install the dash light which I plan to pull from the M3.

Convertible Tonneau Cover
I found a guy on Bimmerfest who wrote up how to wire in a separate switch for just the tonneau motor. I got a double throw, double pole switch that should allow me to run the motor both ways by reversing polarity, thus latching and unlatching the tonneau cover. This is a project for a lazy Sunday morning as all of ^^ that is more important right now.

Doin' werk!

[Jake]

Suspension is all swapped! I called H&R and gave the nice lady the part number form the front springs. She told me their original fitment was for a 1992-1999 325i/328i, which meant I could use my stock top hats to replace the busted ones. Yay.

Rented a spring compressor from AutoZone and did some work. I still swear by my electric impact being the best Christmas gift I've ever received. It made really quick work of swapping top hats and brought back memories of working on David L's WRX (or STI? Dunno which) in Pheasant Run, compressing springs with a rented compressor and hand tools. How far we've come.

Also did the front brakes as all of those parts were the correct fitment. Still need to bug RockAuto about things being wrong for the rear. Probably do that today.

Gratuitous "drop it drop it low" pic from dinner last night:

[SlimKlim]

Get that rear fender off the taire.

http://www.turnermotorsport.com/p-4213-r...-15mm.aspx

[Kaan]

not enough stance.

[JPolen01]

not enough stance.

Front needs some work. Come on, Jake

[Jake]

not enough stance.

Front needs some work. Come on, Jake

Sorry, I forgot, if it doesn't look broken and useless, it's not low enough.

[Jake]

Some updates!

Leatheriqued the seats. They really needed it - they were dry and as it turned out, really dirty from 19 years of no roof on the car. Go figure. So, they aren't perfect but came out a lot better than they were:



Also did what may be the most domestic thing I've ever done, and sewed the back window back into the top. Had to navigate the scary aisles of Jo-Ann Fabrics to find both needles AND navy blue thread. I bought the "heavy duty" stuff and hope it holds up. It's been a few weeks and it has so far.

I only poked my thumb a few times and didn't draw blood, and I sewed the window in a relatively straight line. I'll consider that a success.



Took the car down to JMU for the first MM meeting/Kline's adventure and put 285 miles on it on Wednesday evening. It returned ~29 mpg with the cruise set at 75 mph and rode well. Going to take it to the Outer Banks next week.

I need to wire in a switch for the tonneau cover motor, so I can latch it down. The fact that it can (and does) randomly fly up while driving on the highway isn't really cute anymore. Got the switch at home now (double pole, double throw) and may start that project tonight.