What e9 tasks/project intimidate you?

Markos

Markos

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Hi Folks,

This site has a mixed bag of technical people. I’m curious to know what technical feats intimidate you, or perhaps simply make you groan. Feel free to respond with a link to a good write up that addresses any fears.

Here are mine:

* Not necessarily intimidated but I have never replaced suspension bushings.

* I’m scared to shim a diff, and I don’t have the proper tools

* I’ve never done a bottom-end on a motor. I’m also not overtly intimidated but at the same time I kind of just want to throw my running motor back in the car - which is a recipe for a long tow home and scratched paint.

* I hate diagnosing electrical problems and I am not particularly good at it

* Based on my drywall skills I am downright scared to do any finish work with body filler. I do want to try my hand with lead filler though.

* I am scared to take my e9 apart out of fear that I will never put it back together. :D
 
My passenger door window mechanism decided to give a loud "clunk" the other day when I was winding it up, so now it wont close and the window is tilted forward.
I've not opened it up to check what's wrong yet, but this is giving me more grief than I expected, since I slowly start to remember how much work it was involved to get them right the first time. So:

* Fiddling with door windows.

* Installing the ducktail spoiler. It involves some glass fiber work, and that is one of those things I just want to run away from.
 
Good ones @Gransin. For me, ignorance is bliss on the doors. I have done it with other cars but the doors had pillars to keep the window aligned on the way up. The e9 sounds like a nightmare.
 
For me there are a few things i really won't dive into as i think its better to hire a professional to get the results i want to achieve.
- painting / body work is one of those
- major engine work is another
- tranny / diff work
- install windshields

there are those thing i choose not to do again
- compress springs on struts
- suspension work with bushings needing a press

there are plenty of things that are a PITA but since there isn't an expert in my area (somebody who has done it a lot), i will dive in ... it will take longer but we will see

happy to work on trim and do interior work / general work
 
Not really a big project but I remember being scared to death when I was mounting my new hood support, the tension bar seemed like a cocked loaded gun waiting to fire and get one of my fingers or (worse) my paint.

Can't believe that was seven years ago...

Thanks for the help deQuincey-Hood Support

I love this board! This last spring and early summer, I've spent quite a bit of time under the hood of my coupe getting ready for local shows and the long trip to Oktoberfest. Maybe too much time! Last week, as I was closing the hood, I heard huge pop! It didn't sound good. As l looked in...
e9coupe.com e9coupe.com
 
Gransin said:
My passenger door window mechanism decided to give a loud "clunk" the other day when I was winding it up, so now it wont close and the window is tilted forward.
Click to expand...
The E-circlip popped off of the regulator post that fits into the window slide assembly. I'm sure you'll find it on the bottom inside the door. I believe they are 10mm. Better to replace it, as they get weakened and will pop off again.
1585089519844.png


It slips onto the regulator arm post from the rear.
1585090943676.png


This is a good opportunity to clean and re-grease your vertical tracks for smoother operation!

1585089971202.png


The one gotcha for me on the E9 door was not knowing there was a mounting screw on the underside of the chromed plastic cap of the armrest. Cracked one before I figured that out. Fortunately W&N supplies replacements.

1585090583416.png


I'm with rporsche on the big stuff. I would love to tackle those jobs, but I don't have the space, a lift, and some of the specialized tools (or knowledge) needed for those jobs.
 
Torsion springs scare the crap out of me. I had a guy come out to do my garage door spring. I mounted the door, but didn’t want to lose an eye! :D

vince said:
Not really a big project but I remember being scared to death when I was mounting my new hood support, the tension bar seemed like a cocked loaded gun waiting to fire and get one of my fingers or (worse) my paint.

Can't believe that was seven years ago...

Thanks for the help deQuincey-Hood Support

I love this board! This last spring and early summer, I've spent quite a bit of time under the hood of my coupe getting ready for local shows and the long trip to Oktoberfest. Maybe too much time! Last week, as I was closing the hood, I heard huge pop! It didn't sound good. As l looked in...
e9coupe.com e9coupe.com
Click to expand...
 
For me it’s adjusting the valves. I’ve done trans/engine swaps, brake caliper rebuilds etc. but it’s fine tuning stuff that bother me. I’d say dual carb adjustments too but my car has L-Jet injection.

Funny that Markos started this thread today. This morning I decided to tackle adjusting the valves on my recently acquired 2002 as part of a full tune up. Did a lot of research and thought I was ready. Sadly one of the concentric nuts would not tighten. Turns out the bolt threads are striped. Ordered 2 new ones from FCP since they’re only in CT in hopes that I’ll have them by the weekend. The other seven tightened just fine. So tune up is now on hold until the valve adjustment can be completed.
 
Obvious from my pleas for help........electrical but this is partly due to the fact that my car seems to follow a bit of 72 and a bit of 73. At least we can only blow a fuse c/w my current BMW that changing the battery led to melt down of the foot well module and complete reprogramming of the car.

I was told to never screw with the door hinges on a BMW.
I am being tortured as we speak with window alignment.
That torsion bar for the hood, once a lifetime is enough.
Rebuilding the steering box, I opened one once, I now prefer to repair a swiss watch . I got it back together but geeze.
Never rebuilt an engine nor transmission.
 
After 4 years I look back and the doors and their proper fitment is the single biggest problem I have. Still working on them.
I built an engine, I installed E28 window motors and relays, I did the AC, moved the battery to the trunk. Replaced the brake booster with a Hydro Boost system. Rewired major components (with help from Don), got triple 45 Webers to run pretty good (help from Steve) but the doors and windows are still haunting me.
What I have finally determined is that the opening for the door is too small. Yikes you say!
All the pieces in the rockers on both sides of the car were replaced. Even though the metal shop welded up the body with cross framing and only did one side at a time I think they are just a little to high along the door opening area. Take the rubber molding out and the door closes fine. Currently grinding the lips where the rubber molding attaches down, and found a different rubber molding from Steele Rubber products that is not so thick and tall. Working on this now.

UPDATE- 3/28/20 I ground down the lip that is formed by the three pieces of the rockers. The lip that the rubber molding runs along at the bottom of the door opening.
This lip is what I suspected was too high making the overall door opening too small.
It took a while and had to do a bunch of masking to keep the dirt out but finally removed at least 3/16 of metal along that edge. Using rubber molding from Steele Rubber products that is very similar to the original but not quite as big and also not as stiff. Installed that, still using original along the door hinge edge and the door latch edge.
Stepped back and closed the door. Hooray it closed without slamming and is fitting pretty good. Out a little at the bottom below the door handle.
Maybe a little more adjustment and will be good.
 
Last edited:
m5bb said:
After 4 years I look back and the doors and their proper fitment is the single biggest problem I have. Still working on them.
I built an engine, I installed E28 window motors and relays, I did the AC, moved the battery to the trunk. Replaced the brake booster with a Hydro Boost system. Rewired major components (with help from Don), got triple 45 Webers to run pretty good (help from Steve) but the doors and windows are still haunting me.
What I have finally determined is that the opening for the door is too small. Yikes you say!
All the pieces in the rockers on both sides of the car were replaced. Even though the metal shop welded up the body with cross framing and only did one side at a time I think they are just a little to high along the door opening area. Take the rubber molding out and the door closes fine. Currently grinding the lips where the rubber molding attaches down, and found a different rubber molding from Steele Rubber products that is not so thick and tall. Working on this now.
Click to expand...

Next time (if it ever happens) I'm at the final stage of bodywork and want to get all the gaps and doors to sit right, I'll install the rubber + suspension + wheels + the engine and add some weights inside the car and maybe even the windshields. Seems pretty much impossible to get the gaps right any other way with our coupes since it will flex/stretch and move even if you have the empty shell sitting on the front and rear suspension attachment points while you're doing the gaps.
At least this is my experience. Sorry for OT.
 
Adjusting valves, have a beautiful old Heyco feeler gauge too.
Chasing oil leaks.
Anything with hand winding the electric windows.
Changing oil, what a pain with bolt through canister.
Adjusting hood & trunk gaps.
 
Anything with large amounts of potential energy. I just used a puller to get tie rods off my 911, and those moments when you are cranking the puller and waiting for the "pop". Ughh...!
 
I'm intimidated by that first Spring startup. Not because I worry if the car will start. I just hate the mouse house dirt and debris that flies out of the AC vent.[emoji193]
 
I have a finite set of skills compounded with ADD so if I can’t get it done in 30 minutes, ...hey something shiny! What’s that?

I have leaks coming from my timing cover gaskets. Ain’t no way I’ll try those myself.

Show me how to do something once and I’ll nail it every time but I prefer to have someone looking over my shoulder when I try something complicated the first time.

And I always have extra parts when done. Never fails.

More seriously, scrapping old underhood foam, removing old window tint, reinstalling the hood torsion bar, adjusting gaps on the hood (!) are all patience testers.
 
I have already done just about everything on the CS myself. I paid Metric Mechanic to rebuild the 4-speed when 528i 5-speed donor cars were new. The diff works OK, and I know enough to leave it alone. The only task that I would never attempt is sewing seat covers and door panels together out of hides. I could replace them, but have no experience or tools making them.
 
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