E39’s-different flavours & a ST Fiesta
Discussion
BH Surfex takes the award for making it shiny! Literally sprayed on, agitate with a brush and rinse off. Helps they made them properly mind!
Onto the fronts and bloody hell did the offside 21mm nylon nut that holds the strut all together put up a fight....
In the end, I refitted the entire strut back onto the car, bolted everything up and then tried again. I drilled a hole in an old jack handle and got the longest breaker bar I could find. Doing my best chest expander impression with the jack handle going one way and the breaker bar the other, it finally moved 1/4 turn..... Removed everything (again), spring compressed, and the nut came off by hand - you couldn't make it up! Did the same for the nearside. The front left damper made the rears look good, I could compress it with 2 fingers and it would just remain there, fubar'd :roll:
Ultimately, if Alpina had announced that new stock would have been available over the next few months I would have waited, having now seen the condition of all the dampers once removed I am glad I have bitten the bullet and gone ahead as very clearly safety could have been affected. I still need to get everything else buttoned back up before a proper road test can be conducted but a 5 minute round the block @ 20mph demonstrated a smooth and comfortable ride quality. Time will tell!
I still need to Surfex the front inner arches and treat but I had had enough by this point and stuck it back in the garage out of the way!
Onto the fronts and bloody hell did the offside 21mm nylon nut that holds the strut all together put up a fight....
In the end, I refitted the entire strut back onto the car, bolted everything up and then tried again. I drilled a hole in an old jack handle and got the longest breaker bar I could find. Doing my best chest expander impression with the jack handle going one way and the breaker bar the other, it finally moved 1/4 turn..... Removed everything (again), spring compressed, and the nut came off by hand - you couldn't make it up! Did the same for the nearside. The front left damper made the rears look good, I could compress it with 2 fingers and it would just remain there, fubar'd :roll:
Ultimately, if Alpina had announced that new stock would have been available over the next few months I would have waited, having now seen the condition of all the dampers once removed I am glad I have bitten the bullet and gone ahead as very clearly safety could have been affected. I still need to get everything else buttoned back up before a proper road test can be conducted but a 5 minute round the block @ 20mph demonstrated a smooth and comfortable ride quality. Time will tell!
I still need to Surfex the front inner arches and treat but I had had enough by this point and stuck it back in the garage out of the way!
Had to get a bit caveman Dan!
BH Dynax UC into all the inner arch areas and above subframe brake lines and other nooks and crannies. Will allow to settle for a few days before refitting the plastic arches.
Meanwhile, the faded grey/lilac parcel shelf has received some dark green textile paint and is coming back to life. As you can see, there is still a little grey showing through but one more light coat should complete. I don't want to go too far and have it looking like a snooker table, a little patina will help match the rest of the interior.
BH Dynax UC into all the inner arch areas and above subframe brake lines and other nooks and crannies. Will allow to settle for a few days before refitting the plastic arches.
Meanwhile, the faded grey/lilac parcel shelf has received some dark green textile paint and is coming back to life. As you can see, there is still a little grey showing through but one more light coat should complete. I don't want to go too far and have it looking like a snooker table, a little patina will help match the rest of the interior.
The reviews of the water based dye I bought said the fabric stayed soft to the touch which is why I went with it. Still a gamble though! I even thought about black boot polish or similar but really wanted to keep the OE dark green. First tub that arrived was advertised as 'dark green', it was more like luminous green so glad I tried it on the garage wall first!
Yes, a manual conversion on a 540i seems to really wake them up and I do wonder what the B10 would be like with a Spanish 'box. They offered it in the 3 series with more or less the same motor and look at the values of those!
Cheers
Yes, a manual conversion on a 540i seems to really wake them up and I do wonder what the B10 would be like with a Spanish 'box. They offered it in the 3 series with more or less the same motor and look at the values of those!
Cheers
Gearbox change done properly not cheap, but fixing the Alpina ones can be ££'s too...
Anyhoo, suspension thoughts;
Due to the condition of the original dampers, a genuine comparison isn't realistic so I can only give my thoughts on what I think it should feel like from articles read and experience in other vehicles that are properly damped. All the arms/bushings completed last year did good job of masking the worn dampers, but....
At slow speeds it is slightly firmer over drain covers and the like, once the pace increases it tracks arrow straight both under power and braking. Any lumps in the road are dealt with a single check. There is no secondary movement, no shimmy or wobble. There is a particularly testing piece of nsl country road that is reasonably surfaced but constantly undulating close to me. 3 weeks ago I had to back off (this was really the beginning of project dampers) from only a sensible & legal speed as the B10 was struggling to cope. To be fair, most cars struggle along that section, the TVR Cerbera used to try and take off and it's only been a Porsche Cayman & Fiesta ST that have dealt with it fully. Yesterday, the B10 went along the same stretch in both directions 20mph quicker with what felt like plenty in reserve. Turn in on tighter bends is far more responsive, the car instantly settling and even the steering (which as we all know isn't the best), more accurate with little in the way of correction needed.
In conclusion, slightly firmer but still plush, safer and better controlled. Worth the cost? Yup!
Anyhoo, suspension thoughts;
Due to the condition of the original dampers, a genuine comparison isn't realistic so I can only give my thoughts on what I think it should feel like from articles read and experience in other vehicles that are properly damped. All the arms/bushings completed last year did good job of masking the worn dampers, but....
At slow speeds it is slightly firmer over drain covers and the like, once the pace increases it tracks arrow straight both under power and braking. Any lumps in the road are dealt with a single check. There is no secondary movement, no shimmy or wobble. There is a particularly testing piece of nsl country road that is reasonably surfaced but constantly undulating close to me. 3 weeks ago I had to back off (this was really the beginning of project dampers) from only a sensible & legal speed as the B10 was struggling to cope. To be fair, most cars struggle along that section, the TVR Cerbera used to try and take off and it's only been a Porsche Cayman & Fiesta ST that have dealt with it fully. Yesterday, the B10 went along the same stretch in both directions 20mph quicker with what felt like plenty in reserve. Turn in on tighter bends is far more responsive, the car instantly settling and even the steering (which as we all know isn't the best), more accurate with little in the way of correction needed.
In conclusion, slightly firmer but still plush, safer and better controlled. Worth the cost? Yup!
That was the 525i touring and the b10 both done and as you say, the drive is transformed. The new MAF I put on the touring continues to make a huge difference too. Might try and squeeze in a coolant/water pump change before dragging the ‘van back to the Highlands.
Got the benefit of getting that CoC from BMW late last year. Into a Lez zone a couple of days back felt nicely twos up to the muppet brigade!
Got the benefit of getting that CoC from BMW late last year. Into a Lez zone a couple of days back felt nicely twos up to the muppet brigade!
Persuaded the Indy that he really would like to do the water pump job for me, mainly because I can't be arsed! Some jobs on cars I enjoy doing, others meh....
So! A job I'd promised myself I would do is shampooing the carpets/mats in the B10. It was more freshen up rather than anything manky looking. Pre washing, the carpets are all really good for 26 years old,
Mr Vax got stuck in driver's side and brought the pile back up
passenger side
So! A job I'd promised myself I would do is shampooing the carpets/mats in the B10. It was more freshen up rather than anything manky looking. Pre washing, the carpets are all really good for 26 years old,
Mr Vax got stuck in driver's side and brought the pile back up
passenger side
Edited by stickylabels on Saturday 15th June 09:04
Agree on the mats Dan. I bought eBay specials for the Touring a year or so back and they were hopeless. Replaced with genuine BMW ones late last year and although not quite the quality of the 22 year old originals they are night and day better than anything else I can find.
Can't believe how few 340i Tourings are for sale on the trader though........
After some deliberation, I have decided that I rather like the Simota carbon intake, still subtle as an Alpina should be but with a little extra edge. It was time for the un Alpina -like zip ties that were keeping the Simota in place to be replaced with something slightly better. I fashioned up a bracket (drilled for lightness.... :lol: ), sprayed with black engine enamel and topped with some silicone hose. I even used the original fixing on the offside wing to secure. I'm sure there are better out there, but this was 'free' from bits n bobs I had lying around. Will do for now.
Can't believe how few 340i Tourings are for sale on the trader though........
After some deliberation, I have decided that I rather like the Simota carbon intake, still subtle as an Alpina should be but with a little extra edge. It was time for the un Alpina -like zip ties that were keeping the Simota in place to be replaced with something slightly better. I fashioned up a bracket (drilled for lightness.... :lol: ), sprayed with black engine enamel and topped with some silicone hose. I even used the original fixing on the offside wing to secure. I'm sure there are better out there, but this was 'free' from bits n bobs I had lying around. Will do for now.
Sometimes it's the small things that make the difference. Crappy led bulbs everywhere in the interior, flickering away with the blue light effect. Been annoying me since I bought it! A box of proper old bullet style bulbs giving the warm glow much more in keeping with a car 26 years old!
A run out into leafy Perthshire this afternoon, dire straits on the cd player, carpets smelling lovely and fresh and the a/c blowing cold. The new dampers are proving spot on, the B10 much more chuckable into corners now, undulations kept in check and simply more fun in a still very comfy manner. 
Well Sod's Law and all that. The touring got a new fuel filter, water pump, idler pulley, thermostat & viscous fan coupling with new coolant. That's all lovely. What isn't is the HVAC controller going awol. No lights on the console at all, fan running constantly and draining the battery....
So, all the under bonnet connectors checked to discount any link to the work done. All seemed fine. Fuses in glove box fuse box all ok, the big (No. 76) fuse checked (fine too) but removed so I can lock the thing and not drain the battery. I have ordered an FSU (Hedgehog) but I'm not convinced with that one but it's cheaper than a replacement HVAC controller so we shall see!
So, all the under bonnet connectors checked to discount any link to the work done. All seemed fine. Fuses in glove box fuse box all ok, the big (No. 76) fuse checked (fine too) but removed so I can lock the thing and not drain the battery. I have ordered an FSU (Hedgehog) but I'm not convinced with that one but it's cheaper than a replacement HVAC controller so we shall see!
That's the good hand, you should see the other one.....Dismantled the HVAC unit, cleaned but made no difference. Nicked the older style one out of the B10 and it all sprang into life. Bit of a relief really as if that hadn't worked I was stumped! Replaced that one back into the Alpina and ordered a 2nd hand unit of the 'bay for the touring.
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