Finishing School for a Fjord 3.0 CS / 100 projects to improve a Coupe / Countdown

[adawil2002]

Project 10: Rebuild the cooling system with more modern BMW Parts

While the car is down for the trans swap I removed the two core radiator and am replacing it with a copper three core. Additionally it will be converted to the later style viscous coupling / clutch and an 8 blade fan assy., which I believe is early E12/E24. The last part of this upgrade is key -adding the OEM plastic fan shroud. Fingers crossed tomorrow when the radiator drops in its not too close to the fan blades. I am still using the original pulley so the ID has to be opened up to mate to the later water pump flange.

The first photo is from mid-June 2011 from the PPI photos. Dirtiness aside everything was original, friction fan clutch, 2 exhaust valves were cracked & the head gasket was 2mm from failing.

2nd photo is after having the radiator triple cored in the same dimensions as the original. The friction cloth was replaced with a viscous clutch .The head was replaced by a 1986 head from a 5 or 7. Cindy drove Athena to Concord MA. On her way home on 95, the fan had unexpectedly loosened & wobbled into the radiator, folding the fins flat while sending red plastic shrapnel under the car. Cindy was able to take the nearest exit. The Flatbed $500 from Concord MA to Gardiner ME. The post-mortem was the fan locking clip was compromised & failed.

3rd photo is from 2016, engine bay was restored & now has a triple core radiator, viscous clutch & a black fan.

 

[paul cain]

The first photo is from mid-June 2011 from the PPI photos. Dirtiness aside everything was original, friction fan clutch, 2 exhaust valves were cracked & the head gasket was 2mm from failing.

2nd photo is after having the radiator triple cored in the same dimensions as the original. The friction cloth was replaced with a viscous clutch .The head was replaced by a 1986 head from a 5 or 7. Cindy drove Athena to Concord MA. On her way home on 95, the fan had unexpectedly loosened & wobbled into the radiator, folding the fins flat while sending red plastic shrapnel under the car. Cindy was able to take the nearest exit. The Flatbed $500 from Concord MA to Gardiner ME. The post-mortem was the fan locking clip was compromised & failed.

3rd photo is from 2016, engine bay was restored & now has a triple core radiator, viscous clutch & a black fan.

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Those are some compelling stories and images. Can you clarify what happened in image 2. The center of the red fan still appears to be attached to the viscous clutch assy.
Can you clarify as to what failed? Was it the four bolts holding the fan on to the clutch? I'd like to learn from your experience. Thanks for sharing.

 

[paul cain]

Around 1/2” difference in length?

New driveshaft is 20mm longer than the automatic driveshaft. (just over 3/4's of an inch)

 

[adawil2002]

Those are some compelling stories and images. Can you clarify what happened in image 2. The center of the red fan still appears to be attached to the viscous clutch assy.
Can you clarify as to what failed? Was it the four bolts holding the fan on to the clutch? I'd like to learn from your experience. Thanks for sharing.

The way the shop explained the catastrophic red fan failure in photo 2.
The fan had one center bolt & never should have never loosened. When the radiator was removed, the bolt had indeed backed out enough for it to wobble, the mechanic had not installed the wave washer & lock clip that looks like this ]. It shedded 3 blades then jamming another blade into lower radiator flange making the viscous clutch screech like seized bearing.

Since it was their error, they replaced the fan, viscous clutch & we split the cost of replacing the damaged radiator. I wasn't charged for removal & reassembly.

 

[paul cain]

Project 11: Restore the original Oil Filter Housing.
Tonights progress is the original oil filter housing compliments of CS Werk's sticker kit, Powercoating the canister exterior with REL 3020 and Vapor honing the filter housing.

Only 89 projects to go!

 

[paul cain]

Other Progress Tonight:
-New A/C condenser and fan assembled is in for good
-Steering column boot returned to its correct position. Steering joint torqued.
-Driveshaft installed
-Exhaust downpipe bracket modified and installed. I know it's upside down. What we have are downpipes fitted to an automatic and a longer overdrive transmission that was never originally fitted to the E9 Chassis, so, these parts have to be modified to work. The key is to make the modification as transparent as possible.

 

[wkohler]

Is it possible to use a shorter bolt for the clamp for the down pipes? One angry speedbump or forlorn driveway and I anticipate a problem.

 

[x_atlas0]

Project 8: Rebuild the Air Conditioning System

I've experienced @HBChris ('s) modified air conditioning system as was very impressed in it's ability generate cold air. It's a big improvement over the original system with that FisherPrice childs fan that the factory installed in front of the condenser.

These are the key components in the upgrade: the new condenser and a proper curved blade fan that moves a substantial amount of air and is quieter that the original. The OEM Bosch axial was rebuild last year and was a left over from the Porsche 928 restoration project. Its the same part no. as used on BMW's.

Howdy Paul. What are the new part numbers for the condenser and fan? I couldn't see them on the parts.

 

[paul cain]

Howdy Paul. What are the new part numbers for the condenser and fan? I couldn't see them on the parts.

The condenser part no. is 54-1620 and the fan assy. is 790-2017. Both were purchased from https://nostalgicac.com/

 

[HB Chris]

And you will want a resistor as the fan spins so fast it is loud even with the better curved blades

 

[paul cain]

Project 12: Install Petri steering wheel

Like on Patrica Mayer's car, this wheel has a thicker rim as a result of adding 2mm thick closed cell foam tap around the perimeter, then wrapping in leather. The steering wheel hub is a Momo hub that has been redrilled in the pattern of the unique Petri spoke positions, then tapped.

 

[paul cain]

Project 13: Restore the lower sills. The car came with new sills however the lower rubber/stainless molding was in poor condition. W&N now sells this set of lower moldings. This is a redesign on the original as they have molded in Rivet nuts into the back side of the trim. Instead of the original snap in place fasteners, you simply screw in each of the positions (9) with the shallow screws provided along the entire length. Much faster and more secure than the old system as the "T" bolts on the extreme ends had to be fabricated. W&N retooled this part with only one part no. so they are not 'handed'. Not perfectly original, but close.

Here is the finished product:

 

[paul cain]

Project 8 Rebuild the A/C system. Installed the rebuilt compressor, new condenser, new dryer, new fan and new hoses. Tested the system and found one crushed green O-ring. Easy fix.

Then the temperature probe/switch assy in the center console was discovered with no probe. A mad dash Mesa Performance and an E21 switch was an easy retrofit saved the day. Cold A/C now. Project 8 -done.

 

[paul cain]

Project 11: Lite rebuild of the rear suspension. The PO's body shop did a stellar job on the body work on this car. Including new stoneguard and brushable seam sealer on the entire lower floor pans, brackets and seams. They then applied based and clear coat Fjord on the entire undercarriage. Great protection, but not the correct color as it came from BMW. In this Phase we will correct this issue along with new hardware, new bushings, etc.

 

[paul cain]

Project 11 rebuild of the rear suspension - (Cont.) W&N sells the new subframe mounts. Both are black and for the right side. Originally these were 'handed' with right and left side versions, with one side being grey and the other being black. Last two days were finishing out the application of the satin grey undercoating on the back half of the floor pans. Images show the tank hardware just before the new gas tank gets re-installed.

Last photo is the prior owner's mechanic using hardware store bolts (butter bolts) in a safety critical application -holding the bottom of the strut assembly to the steering arm. The bolt sitting just above is the original, a correct Grade 10 hardware with a safety wire feature. All six will get replaced.

 

[jmackro]

W&N sells the new subframe mounts. Both are black and for the right side. Originally these were 'handed' with right and left side versions, with one side being grey and the other being black.

I certainly hope you intend to re-paint one of the subframe mounts grey to put things right. Incorrectly colored subframe mounts just drive me up the wall!

 

[paul cain]

@jmackro well of course. Here is yesterday's effort with subframe. Patricia Mayer's car had the original subframe mounts and this is the white inspection dot that was on the face of both.

 

[paul cain]

Things were going swimmingly with the differential resealing and assembly. The prior owner had assembled the half shafts to the diff flanges with no washers. I had a full set of these OEM washers (12) but they would not fit the rebuilt and later style CV boot flanges. These later style flanges are the generic Porsche style with a dimpled face that won't allow the original BMW washers to sit flat. So, here is a pic of the newer style double washer. This was the show stopper tonight.

 

[paul cain]

Fuel tank had been replaced by the PO during his restoration. It just needed a cleaning and 2 coats of epoxy satin black paint and a new gasket.

Project 12 is to repaint the entire undercarriage. This grey undercarriage paint is the same custom color match that was used on Patricia Mayer's project. It is intended to match the same shade of grey as the original Wurth Stoneguard. This is another catalyzed product that dries over 12 hours and gives a very durable surface.

 

[paul cain]

Project 13 is to replace all of the soft lines (6) on the car. They looked 'ok' but at disassembly they were extremely stiff. W&N sells the set as a six pack. New gold zinc mounting clips.