If the smoke gets drawn into the vacuum system you might have a hard time seeing it. Are you planning to put the smoke inside and pressurize the system with smoke?
Forum: Technical Forum

The scaling on the multimeter should be in Amps or Milliamperes. The scale change from two to 20 would also likely change the resistance of the circuit a little so if one had a current draw of a few milliamps, the resistance of the meter itself could change the current draw and the calibration accuracy. A current draw of 30 to 50 milliamps would not be a surprise. a half amp would be unusual.
Forum: Car Talk

Makes me wish my cabrio had X drive.
Forum: Car Talk

Wow, that will be a game changer. Makes my lil' o'l E-30 seem like a gas guzzler.
Forum: Car Talk

The newer BMWs are awsome cars but the E-30 is just so nimble that I prefer driving it to the 740 except for the road trips the full length of the I-5 like I did last weekend. Two days of driving all day. Was glad to get into the E-30 to get to work on Monday though.
Forum: Community Forum

I drove one of those when it was new once. It belonged to a friend. had three duces and three on the tree.
Forum: Community Forum

it looks like it must be a 1991 model year.
Forum: Technical Forum

There was a brand of aero engine called Franklin that had the cylinders rotate with the propellers. Must have been a challenge to balance it though.
Forum: Car Talk

Oh, yeah, I forgot about the retainer screw, Probably stripped out the hex head too. Just drill out the head and it will fall off. Then the rest of the scew can be removed...or not. The disk still may not come off easily. I put a gear puller on mine and torqued it till I thought it might bend. Decided to let it stay there a while longer while I thought about how to get another angle on gett
Forum: Technical Forum

I'd be careful with that heat. Could damage the bearings. These bearings are sealed and the grease could be damaged with too much heat as well as the bearing races. Anything over 300 deg F will start to soften the bearings but the grease will start giving up long before that. Also a large hammer could cause the bearings to get dents in the races from the balls. This will cause the b
Forum: Technical Forum

There is a hole in the spindle for each lug bolt which will provide access to the adjustment mechanism with screw driver to loosen the shoes. This might be helpful. I have been trying to get mine off too as they are getting worn. After I discovered the parking brake adjustment and got them tightened up. I don't mind them being worn so much.
Forum: Technical Forum

The virtual rally apparently is done with maps by answering questions online although in years past it must have been done by mail. with google street view it might be easier now. It might be fun on winter evenings to set down with some maps and give it some thought. I enjoy a road trip and planning it is a good part of the fun. Actually taking the drive of the virtual route might be interes
Forum: Community Forum

One other possibility would be that the clutch disk is stuck to the pressure plate or flywheel and could be forced loose by putting the transmission in 5th gear and depressing the clutch pedal before attempting to start the engine. You could also keep a foot on the brake while you do this. The torque from the starter might break loose the stuck plate.
Forum: Technical Forum

You should check the fluid in the brake fluid reservoir and perhaps bleed the clutch slave cylinder of any air. It may have leaked while it was parked. Might have to replace the seals in the slave cylinder. Could be the slave cylinder is corroded and needs to be replaced due to collection of water inside while parked.
Forum: Technical Forum

I do not know for sure if the 84 is the same as later years. There are some good wheels out there for not a lot of money.
Forum: Technical Forum

The relays are the same.
Forum: Technical Forum

Making an ice tire might be a good use of a not quite worn out street tire. At least for a single use. I have some "spares" that might work well. Just need a venue locally but that is not likely here as it is not cold enough.
Forum: Car Talk

These machines rely on force measuring devices like strain gages that occasionally need to be calibrated.
Forum: Car Talk

My first guess would be fuel pump being intermittent. Try listening for it to run for a second just as the ingnition switch is turned on and before the starter is engaged. Also could be water in the fuel. It will condense in the tank if the car is stored with a partial tank and is subject to large temperature swings in moist air.
Forum: Technical Forum

Those are really good observations. My little toy has no guidance except mine and all those problems you mentioned. I have to wait for a low wind, almost still condition to fly as it does not have a lot of speed to be able to deal with the wind. Definityl have to take off quickly as it does want to tip over if I try to lift off slowly.
Forum: Community Forum

Has anyone tried the virtual rally by that name? It was written about in one chapter of Ken Jennings' book "Maphead."
Forum: Community Forum

So, that is four in the family? Quite a stable of bimmers.
Forum: Car Talk

The Stant company did not even respond to my e-mailed complaint to their website.
Forum: Technical Forum

That is very cool.
Forum: Community Forum

Was that you and someone else standing near one end of the bridge? That "toy" has quite a range. No wonder people are concerned about privacy issues with government owned drones.
Forum: Community Forum

I think the cheaper the remote control helicopter is the more difficult it is to fly. I am getting better with it though. It just takes too long to charge up the battery between flights though.
Forum: Community Forum

I am learing to fly a remote control toy helicopter and help the grand children fly theirs too. Good thing I got one too. They are too much fun for just children to have by themselves.
Forum: Community Forum

Merry Christmas to you too. Had a very slippery drive to work today in the first snow we have had in two years. Pretty though.
Forum: Community Forum

Since I have two of the similar car, I can say without equivocation that the E-30 is the chariot of the gods. You will have no regrets.
Forum: Car Talk

Sounds like quite a project. I have two E-30 convertibles but not a slim bumper style like yours. If you can make it as nice as you describe, it will be fantastic but would be willing to drive it? I find that I rarely drive my "nice" one because I don't want to get it dirty. The one with the most mileage is what I drive every day. I hope I can continue driving it until I canno
Forum: Registry