Maytag: The Alpine '87 529i

[leadphut]

fuse is firmly held in position? sometimes those tabs need bending back into place.

small chance, but just a thought.

[Karl Grau]

http://www.mye28.com/viewtopic.php?f=3& ... =#p1174763

[tig]

http://www.mye28.com/viewtopic.php?f=3& ... =#p1174763

Yep.

I put the VM on the fuse and sure enough, nothing. Popped another switch in and it worked.

Cleaned the old switch with electronic cleaner, put it back in, and it now works.

Now, if I can just figure out how to get the damn brake light check light to stay out. I finally conquered that on Vlad, but have no idea how.

[wkohler]

Have a look in the check control box mounted to the tail panel.

[Tammer in Philly]

Doesn't this qualify as an Eye Candy thread by now? Of course, half of it could be in Tech Talk too.

I am impressed with your attention level to a daily driver. I disagree about the IS air dam, but I think they look dumb without the decklid spoiler to go with it.

[Stevo12]

^This. Honestly I get a kick out of reading Maytag's thread just as much as I do Vlad's, maybe even more so. I'm just waiting for the right M50/M52 to drop into Charlie's lap and boom, Maytag gets 535i-levels of power and eta-levels of economy and weight in a weekend. Perfectly cleaned and polished to boot!

[Hffvdbl]

What are you using for Electronics Cleaner?

[tig]

What are you using for Electronics Cleaner?

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000C ... =ceklog-20

[tig]

Have a look in the check control box mounted to the tail panel.

Called it:


However, two replacements do the same thing. I verified they didn't get fried upon installation. I also swapped out the overhead check panel with a spare and same problem:

Upon pushing brake pedal after starting car the brake check light goes out for about 1/2 a second and then comes back on.

I then read this and noticed there's another check relay in the third brake light assembly...


I pulled it apart and it looked ok, so I reassembled it, exasperated. Then I tested it again.

And now it's fine. I suspect the connector to the 3rd brake light was not attached firmly.

[tig]

CJ's home for spring break. Brought a hottie with him. Claims she's not a 'thing', but I can tell he's smitten.

He went to show her the Seattle sights in Julie's car so Julie needed to drive Maytag to the grocery store.

I get a text "Maytag won't start, I'm driving Vlad instead."

So today Maytag got a new battery; probably should have replaced it pro-actively since it had a 1/11 sticker on it.

I updated my service log, noting the mileage (210,491) and see that I last changed the oil over 5k miles ago. I had no idea I had driven this car that much. I feel bad for the poor thing. I keep kicking the new motor plan down the road, which means I'm going to have to just bite the bullet and put fresh oil in. I bought a can of Seafoam a while back and I'm curious to see what it does in this car. Maybe some evening this week... Or in a few months. We'll see.

[tig]

Yesterday I changed the oil, oil filter, and air filter. While in there I noticed the water/AC belt was cracking. I thought I replaced all 3 belts when I baselined/changed the timing belt, but I must not of. So I took care of that.

I also ran a can of Seafoam through before the oil change. I did half via the vacuum-suck method and the other half with the pour-it-in-the-crankcase method. Seems to run smoother and quieter, but not drastically so.

Finally, I pulled the snow tires/RXs off and put the Alpina's on. I love the RZs on Vlad right now, so until I get another set of wheels/tires Maytag's gonna be wearing a set of wheels that cost more than it did. ;-0

I think it looks darn nice. Drives nice too.






I even remembered to reset the service indicator.

[geordi]

Bout time Maytag gots some luv'in

[leadphut]

looks good.

[cddallara]

My car's tires cost more than it did.
Looks great, 5k+/- sounds about right for an oil change anyway.

[tig]

Well that was just about the way it normally goes...

Maytag's developed a fuel smell lately. Tonight after putting the new battery in Vlad I decided to investigate. I'd already poked around the engine bay and didn't see any obvious leaks, so I figured I'll put the car up on the lift while running and see if I could see anything. Maybe it was by the fuel pump or something.

Up she went. It's been a while, and I'm always super careful using the lift. So I double and triple checked the car was secured and nothing was in the way, etc...

As she reached the height I like something didn't feel right and I saw the garage door above the car move a little. Stop!

I immediately realized what it was. The fuc*ing antenna. Because the car was running. And the stereo was on. And I haven't installed an antenna cut-off switch in Maytag like I did in Vlad.


This is the third antenna mast I've broken or bent on this car. For crying out loud. I straightened it best I could but it doesn't retract on it's own any more. So I'm just unplugging the damn thing for now.

Meanwhile back to the fuel leak: Nothing leaking down below. Dry in all the right places.

So I lowered the car and poked around the engine bay a little, pulling a little on the fuel lines.

Snap!

Spray!

OH SHIT!

The tee from the cold start injector/fuel rail/fuel source snapped.

Fortunately I was somewhat prepared and not totally surprised, kept my cool, and shut the car off quickly.

Up to the auto parts store (which was thankfully still open) to get a new (brass this time) tee.

I don't think that was the leak. We'll see driving it some more.

If it wasn't that, what else could it be? I seriously doubt the fuel tank has any holes in it; no rust on this car.

[1st 5er]

Vent hoses in the rear?

[wkohler]

Vent hoses in the rear?

Ding ding ding.

Don't forget the hose from the vapor canister to the tube and from the tube to the charcoal canister up front. Dew them all.

[tig]

You mean the three that go to the grey plastic box in the trunk? I replaced them with all new and new clamps last year. No smell of gas in trunk.

[wkohler]

There are more.

[Mike W.]

There are more.

Yep, there's a total of 4 back there. 2, 8MM and 2, 6MM. I've had to do them on soooo many cars.

[tig]

There are more.

Yep, there's a total of 4 back there. 2, 8MM and 2, 6MM. I've had to do them on soooo many cars.

I meant 4 . They all were replaced.

There's no smell of fuel in the trunk.

[wkohler]

If you read my post, you will find out there are more.

Also, IIRC, you have the fuel cooler on this thing, so make sure all of those hoses are good and that the clamps haven't loosened up.

[tig]

If you read my post, you will find out there are more.

Also, IIRC, you have the fuel cooler on this thing, so make sure all of those hoses are good and that the clamps haven't loosened up.

I count 4:



(I did check the fuel cooler lines & connect points).

(And I did check ALL the other lines in the engine bay, including the two to the charcoal canister).

I probably just need to replace everything up front. Might motivate me to finally get the e2i engine done and installed.

[wkohler]

Vent hoses in the rear?

Ding ding ding.

Don't forget the hose from the vapor canister to the tube and from the tube to the charcoal canister up front. Dew them all.

[tig]

Today I cleaned the beige carpet I had pulled from the Turbo car. It was disgusting.

Before:


Now, it's almost serviceable. I only spent about 45 minutes on it. I'm sure another cleaning with a little more aggressive stain remover will get most of that rust colored crap out. I have decided to keep it and put it in Maytag someday.

[KrautnotRice]

A friend recently turned me on to "Wipe New". It worked great on his E30, so I figured I'd give it a try. It supposedly really holds up well. It certainly goes on good and looks great initially. We'll see how long it lasts; I'll report back.

Hi cek,
Sorry if I missed it, but I was wondering how the Wipe New held up now that it's a year later?
Also, I saw you switched from a S3.46 to a S3.25 diff, how do you like it? Which do you think suits the eta better?
Thanks!

[tig]

Hi cek,
Sorry if I missed it, but I was wondering how the Wipe New held up now that it's a year later?
Also, I saw you switched from a S3.46 to a S3.25 diff, how do you like it? Which do you think suits the eta better?
Thanks!

The Wipe New held up well. It's time to do it again. I'm still reticent to use it on the Porsche, but for this car it seems great.

The 3.25 is better, for how i drive the car anyway. I spend about half my commute on the freeway and the 3.46 was just too buzzy. The motor has plenty of torque to deal with the higher ratio when putzing around town.

Once I move to the higher-revving e2i motor I may change my stance, but for now, all the work I put into refurbishing the 3.25 was worth it.

[tig]

Maytag's suspension is shot. I've deferred everything except the dogbones and it's clear all the rubber bits including the UCABs and subframe bushings are done, done, done. It all seemed to go south pretty quickly, pretty recently. Never had any shimmy before. Only slight 'oh-shit-the-rear-end-is-floating' from the subframe bushings. But recently the car actually feels almost unsafe.

I also have been itching to play with some coil-overs; just so I'd know what they were all about. I bought a lightly used set of BC Racing off a member a while back and they've been sitting.

I had the old subframe from Vlad (it was replaced by one I bought from spen) and another off the turbo car part out. I put IE adjustable (posilock) camber/toe kits on both, just as I did on the one that went on Vlad. One is for Maytag and the other for the Blue car project.

Over the past months I've removed all the bushings and bearings from these and the TAa whenever I had wrench time. Last weekend I got one of the sub-frame bushings out, and Saturday I got the other one out. Much easier the second time. Much harder the first time. Much. What a PITA.



I've ordered Moosehead UCABS, E31 LCAs, and all the other necessary replacement bits for Maytag (i had a fair number of parts already for the Blue car).

Is soon as all this stuff comes back from the powder coater, i'll be diving in...


(The second set of TAs are for the blue car...yes, that project is moving forward...slowly).

[tig]

I am pumped up. Pumped up, I say!

Yesterday the Mooshead UCAs showed up.

And I Just heard from the powder coater that everything's done and I can pick up tomorrow morning. This means, with my wifey being out of town, I have the whole weekend to wrench!

Maytag's going under the knife. Wish her/him well.

[tig]

Here we go...

Getting everything organized before surgery.



Not shown are new bearings (remembered them after I took the photo) and brakes (on car).

Before...


You can see how worn the TA bushings are:


Starting at rear. Plan is to complete it first then move to front.