Hi All, My convertible has a domed 3rd brake light attached to the top of the trunk cover. The rubber gasket between the dome base and the metal cover has become smaller over the years. Rain water is definitely entering the dome assembly. Water collects in the tool tray. Sadly, I cannot buy just the gasket. I must buy the dome base with gasket which is about $120. Seems a bit steep to me for a
Forum: Technical Forum

QuoteEarendil QuoteKelly Is there a Portland E30 club? Want to start one? Cheers, Kelly I don't believe there is a Portland Specific one. I know there is at least two Northwest ones, centered around Spokane and Seattle. I really didn't realize how many BENN members were within spitting distance of Portland. That makes 3, 4 if I make a little hop-skip down the Gorge. Are there a
Forum: Technical Forum

Quoterkj Just a dry cloth to take the heavy stuff off and then a good cleaner (409 might work), but I use "super clean", its a great cleaner and cuts grease big time. WEAR GLOVES though... re-grease up the tray, and the hold down stud threads. Make sure the cable ends and the posts are good too (I know you know that but.. Rick Hi All, Well my initial grease application to the
Forum: Technical Forum

QuoteEarendil All that said, I suppose my question is, do any of you rent/have wives/have circumstances that don't allow you to work on your cars at the home? What do you do if so? Make friends with a guy/gal who does? Get buddy-buddy with a mechanic that doesn't mind you using his shop on weekends? What would you do if life forced you into a duplex that didn't even allow yo
Forum: Technical Forum

QuoteBob in Everett Often a battery will seep acid out the top if the covers are not tightly installed or poorly designed. This acid will wet the outside of the battery and corrode everything metal it touches. what you may have noticed when you washed the battery if you used any baking soda in the wash was a bubbling of the wash water as the acid was being neutralized by the soda. One word
Forum: Technical Forum

QuoteFerdinand Unfortunately as hydrogen is normally vented from the battery, it can also spit some acid from the vent. That 90-degree elbow really should have a rubber tube connected to the nozzle, routing any spilled acid down to drip safely onto the road and NOT onto any of the metal bodywork. My 325 has the battery located in the trunk. The rubber tube from the battery vent leads dow
Forum: Technical Forum

QuoteArcheo-peteriX [ The main idea of the grease on the tray is to prevent the battery discharge liquid and gases from coming in contact with the metal. The stuff made for the battery terminals is most likely a dielectric grease so may not be best for the tray. Go to your nearest Jiffy Lube or similar and take a small plastic container. Be charming and I'll bet one of the guys would be
Forum: Technical Forum

Quoterkj QuoteBob P 325is 88 Are we talking of always the same lamp - left one? If so, we can rule out the charging system. Are you sure that there isn,t an accumulation of water in the base of the lamp. Is the bulb broken when it goes out? It the lamp is broken, then that is a sign of water actually hitting the lamp causing the glass bulb to shatter. I had this happen to my LH headlite. Fo
Forum: Technical Forum

QuoteArcheo-peteriX If everything is normal, it's like the drip at the end of your nose after eating chilis Doesn't take a lot to produce big crust If you check the fluid level in the battery and it is low, then you will have an indication of how much is being lost. It's best to check the levels often; once every couple of months when crust is evident; and top it up id need
Forum: Technical Forum

QuoteArcheo-peteriX QuoteFerdinand QuoteKellyHow does the battery acid and plate minerals escape from the battery's plastic case? In your second photo, Battery Crud 2, look at the top surface of the battery that has the sticker saying "Danger/Poison". There are six round plugs with + shaped crosses on them. You can use a screwdriver to open or close those plugs to add acid to the
Forum: Technical Forum

QuoteArcheo-peteriX Hi Kelly, In the mean time, remove the battery, clean and scrap as much of the crud off then give it a nice bath with a slurry of baking soda. This will neutralize and disolve the remaining crud. When all is clean, cover the tray with a thin coating of grease; this will help to prevent further build up. Good luck Hi P, Cool. Thanks for the good advice. Do yo
Forum: Technical Forum

QuoteArcheo-peteriX The moisture inside the lens shouldn't cause any problems other than being annoying. Your picture of the bulb base indicates moisture is getting onto it from some place and maybe it's causing the short and too much current through the filament(s). You could try a little silicon grease around the rubber boot so that moisture can't seep in there. You should
Forum: Technical Forum

Hi All, Here is the good news!! Little Beemie passed California State Emissions testing last week. It is a major hurdle in every old car's life. I guess the extra-large catalytic converter installed 2 yrs ago is still functioning. My mechanic told me to warm the car fully before visiting the testing center. I arrived at the center around 5pm, and they close at 6pm. Naturally the techs
Forum: Technical Forum

Hi, Well the bad is not that bad really. Beemie burns out its H4 head light lamps (light bulbs) about every 4 t0 6 months. I carry spares in the glove box.(I have now gained some infamy amongst friends and family for whipping out an oil quart or new lamp as needed.) It has rained quite a bit in the last few weeks. My Hella H4 left headlight now has a few water droplets clinging to the insid
Forum: Technical Forum

Hi All, Here is the ugly portion of today's postings. Maybe 9 months ago, The Bro and I slid a Battery Mat (yellow with red printing of batteries) from BavAuto Part #BM812 under my battery. When I last looked under the hood maybe in Oct., the mat looked normal. it had collected a little dirt dulling the yellow color a bit - no big deal. Yesterday while changing the headlight, I noticed th
Forum: Technical Forum

QuoteMichiel 318iS It's been said before and it'll be said many times again: this place ROCKS! More importantly, it ROLLS! Oh little Beemie! How do I love thee Beemie! Kelly
Forum: Technical Forum

QuoteArcheo-peteriX The worst part of this job is that I find myself turning my brain off all day and just concentrating on the task at hand. When I do sanding for three or four days straight, this can't be good for the grey matter I have to get out of this and into something more cerebral or I'm going to be senile(more senile) long before I get into old age I've been inves
Forum: Community Forum

QuoteArcheo-peteriX Hope you had a good one Ferd. How many is it now...39 and holding? Yes, Happy Happy! ;-) Kelly
Forum: Community Forum

QuoteEarendil An article on the Northwest (US) E30 picnic was just run in the November issue of Performance BMW, a European mag. On page 2 is a great shot of daniel's E30. And his paint job doesn't look half bad from that angle Here is a link to a pdf version of the article: Upon further looking, the corner of his car shows up on the 3rd page as well. For those that don&
Forum: Community Forum

QuoteArcheo-peteriX Quoterkj QuoteArcheo-peteriX Quoterkj So, this is; Mountain bike trials, also known as observed trials is a discipline of mountain biking in which the rider attempts to pass through an obstacle course without setting foot to ground. A new one on me, beautiful to watch i think I wonder why they call it that? None of the bikes we see in these contests even remotely res
Forum: Community Forum

Quoterkj Nice score at the carwash, he sounds like a neat guy- take care though Hi, Sorry I did not clarify - I was recommending our web site rather than flirting. Thanks for the concern. Yes, I will be cautious with any carwash pickups. Has not happened yet. My best carwash joke ever - A woman pulled up beside me and asked me if the vacuum (before the wash stalls) worked. I said that
Forum: Community Forum

Hi All, I hope all is well. At my office, we have been super busy. I'm so glad that Peter has a new job with new challenges. After about a month's worth of dirt accumulation, last Sunday I managed to stop at the car wash - the DIY wash with stalls and water/soap wands.In San Francisco, residents are discouraged from washing cars at home; the storm water drains dump into the bay an
Forum: Community Forum

QuoteArcheo-peteriX it is income and I'm learning a new profession The truck isn't a job requirement; it would just be a convenience. Right now, the iX does most of the hauling I want to do but it would be nice to be able to just throw stuff in the back instead of having to set up my roof racks each time I want to carry something that won't fit in the trunk(boot). Peter, Oh
Forum: Community Forum

Hi All, On Sunday, I heard a piece on National Public Radio's All Things Considered show about a new book titled Shop Class as Soulcraft By Matthew Crawford. I thought you might be interested. To listen, you need to click on the Listen Now button words in blue. The grey box below the Listen Now is an excerpt from the book. NPR Radio - interview with Matthew Crawford Enjoy, Kelly
Forum: Community Forum

Yes, Happy 4th to All. This year, I'm staying home. It's been a busy day. Be well, Kelly ;-)
Forum: Community Forum

QuoteArcheo-peteriX QuoteFerdinand QuoteArcheo-peteriXThe oil pressure sensor is just a switch. With the plug at the sensor unplugged and the ignition on, the bulb should light up. short the terminals on the plug and the light should go out. If this is what happens then the sensor may be toast. If not then the bulb or the wiring to the cluster is the problem. It's the other way around. With
Forum: Technical Forum

Hi All especially Ferd (because he clued me into the oil pressure light), So I start up Beemie last week, strangely we were heading to the mechs for coolant hose replacements, and guess what? The oil pressure light ("I Dream of Jeannie" oil lamp indicator light) did not illuminate. I checked oil level which was fine. I drove to mechs and asked them to check the light in addition to t
Forum: Technical Forum

Quoterkj Well Daniel, you're a kid (don't take that the wrong way) and writing on your car is okay, me, I'll take faded anyday. Have fun Humm, the ultimate driving canvas ehy? Regardless of your aesthetic. I recently saw a champaign e30 convertible which most likely had been very recently repainted. Looked really super from a distance. Maybe the new paint was slightly
Forum: Community Forum

QuoteEarendil Bonus: No one is going to bother a guy who's working on his car in a shower cap, nor will they take his beer when he's not looking Please send pictures of the shower cap and goggle combo! For a look with more swagger, perhaps an 1930's aviator's tight fitting leather skull cap and round goggles? I'd avoid the long white scarf for many reasons. I fully s
Forum: Technical Forum

Quotejaffar i desperately need to buy something and i can't seem to find it anywhere. it's the air duct from a helmet like this one: the local dealer is not even answering my phone any more - i ordered it for 5 months and the first 3 he kept tellimg me that it would come in 2 weeks. help ! Sorry, can't help with the duct. I say buy the skull stickers too. The ONLY way to p
Forum: Community Forum