New addition to the fleet

[Karl Grau]

How many HP is that bumper good for?

I'm not sure, but I'm guessing 15 HP. I chickened out at around 135mph today.


Seriously though, I was playing around with the diagnostic software since I had it hooked up to clear the Check Engine Light anyway.

Cluster check. https://youtu.be/0nOKtq1Um4k

[davintosh]

What software are you using?

[Karl Grau]

What software are you using?

PA Soft 1.4

[Karl Grau]

I added a 12 volt plug in the trunk.



Put a sticker on a window




And hooked up the fog lights in the new bumper.

[unt0uchable]

Just read this whole thread. Definitely subscribing, but I'm hoping it doesn't wind up making me want an e39 worse... Excellent work! Love the m-tech front end, good call Chris!

[wkohler]

You did see this, right?



I guess now, it does look like every other non-M5, though.

[unt0uchable]

Ha, I overlooked the humor. You know the saying, if you can't beat em, join em. [emoji38]

[Karl Grau]

The Chinese pirated BMW diagnostic software I bought was throwing codes 245 & 246 (secondary air system flow too low, cyl #1-3 and secondary air system flow too low, cyl# 4-6) so to the interwebs I went!

I started getting nervous the more I read.

Secondary Air Pump ~$300
Air Pump Valve ~$100
Electric Valve ~$45
Non-return Valve ~$35



I checked the vacuum at the Air Pump Valve and there wasn’t any (should 15 inches plus).



It turns out the vacuum hose was rotted at the nipple on the Electric Vacuum Control Valve. Woo Hoo! I'm getting off cheap, just new vacuum hose! BMW ran the hose against the engine to help with longevity.



Getting off cheap? Au contraire mon frère!

It turns out the Air Pump Valve has a bad diaphragm or something because it won't hold a vacuum which means it can't do what it's supposed to.

It could have been worse, I ordered all new vacuum hose and a new Air Pump Valve and gasket.

[vinceg101]

...so I'm looking for the TNT in that photo above...

[davintosh]

Yup; that valve right there is your problem. They break with great regularity, they're not cheap, but the good news is they're easy to replace.

[tig]

Is this it?

[Karl Grau]

...so I'm looking for the TNT in that photo above...

I decided that something needs to be done about the neighbor's Sunday morning leaf blowing.

[unt0uchable]

That's a big fuckin' bolt.

[Karl Grau]

That's a big fuckin' bolt.

It's all relative...
http://www.mye28.com/viewtopic.php?f=2& ... =#p1269967



On my car, part #3 is a piece of hard plastic that the rubber vacuum hoses connect to. It's different than the picture in that it's an 'L' shape and curves around the back of the head before transitioning to rubber hose.




The BMW part is $30.00, so instead I ordered 5mm copper tubing from McMaster-Carr and got two 3' pieces for less than half what the BMW part cost.
Luckily, they had the foresight to package the two pieces separately. Sure it doubled the shipping but at least the pipes weren't scratched on arrival.








My bender wasn't meant for tubing this small as you can see here. I going try a different method using some heat from a torch.

[davintosh]

Hey; I bet it was the same outfit that packed & shipped my order from Amazon last week.

For bending that tubing, I've used a trick for bending copper tubing that might work for your brass tubing too; plug one end, fill it up with water, and put it in the freezer long enough for the water to freeze solid, then slowly bend it over something with the same radius that you want on the tube. I've never tried it with brass, but I don't see why it wouldn't work, unless maybe your freezer isn't big enough to accommodate the pipe you're working with.

[Karl Grau]

For bending that tubing, I've used a trick for bending copper tubing that might work for your brass tubing too; plug one end, fill it up with water, and put it in the freezer long enough for the water to freeze solid, then slowly bend it over something with the same radius that you want on the tube.

My tubing is copper and I already used a torch to do it. I'm intrigued by your frozen water method though.



The torch worked much better than the bender.




New valve and copper tubing in. I’m going to go ahead and replace all the other vacuum hoses.



I had gotten used to the stock armrest and was using the phone slot for my sunglasses, but a Euro one with cubby came up on Ebay and I ended up Sniping it for $55.00, so what the hey…

[John in VA]

I had gotten used to the stock armrest and was using the phone slot for my sunglasses, but a Euro one with cubby came up on Ebay and I ended up Sniping it for $55.00, so what the hey…

Nice find - a bargain.

[ldsbeaker]

I've read that sand works well, too. I guess it depends on how big your freezer is...

For bending that tubing, I've used a trick for bending copper tubing that might work for your brass tubing too; plug one end, fill it up with water, and put it in the freezer long enough for the water to freeze solid, then slowly bend it over something with the same radius that you want on the tube.

My tubing is copper and I already used a torch to do it. I'm intrigued by your frozen water method though.



The torch worked much better than the bender.




New valve and copper tubing in. I’m going to go ahead and replace all the other vacuum hoses.



I had gotten used to the stock armrest and was using the phone slot for my sunglasses, but a Euro one with cubby came up on Ebay and I ended up Sniping it for $55.00, so what the hey…

[davintosh]

I've read that sand works well, too. I guess it depends on how big your freezer is...

I've heard that about sand too, but haven't tried it. As for the size of the freezer, timing also matters; last time I used that trick was in the dead of winter, and I just stuck the 10' pipe outside in a snowbank for a while.

For plumbing jobs, you can get heavy springs that slide down inside the copper pipe that will help it hold its shape when bending.

The torch worked much better than the bender.

Yeah, but now your copper is all black & sooty. I hope you cleaned that thing up before installing it.

[T_C_D]

Chaz,

You are loving and rebuilding this e39 like it was an e28/e24/e23/e30. I am confused.

[Karl Grau]

Chaz,

You are loving and rebuilding this e39 like it was an e28/e24/e23/e30. I am confused.

I’m just bringing it up to snuff mechanically with a few ‘fun’ things thrown in.

For plumbing jobs, you can get heavy springs that slide down inside the copper pipe that will help it hold its shape when bending.

I've seen the springs that slide over the outside of the pipe. I don't know how you would remove the spring from the inside if it was at the bend.

Yeah, but now your copper is all black & sooty. I hope you cleaned that thing up before installing it.

It’s not black and sooty, the heat annealed the copper. It’s purple and blue.

BTW, here’s the BMW plastic straw piece that the copper replaced. Lots of heat warpage.




I finally found the microphone that I modified to work with the existing wiring.



Now my phone works hands free via Bluetooth with all the stock BMW
steering wheel controls.





I’ve been using the Euro wide angle door mirrors for years on the other cars and don’t really think they do much of anything but I had a NOS e34/e39 version in the parts bin so I put it on anyway.

[davintosh]

For plumbing jobs, you can get heavy springs that slide down inside the copper pipe that will help it hold its shape when bending.

I've seen the springs that slide over the outside of the pipe. I don't know how you would remove the spring from the inside if it was at the bend.

Hmmm... The ones I've used (and watched my dad use) always went inside, and worked like this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eFr3jS6yKKE

Never had a problem taking them out unless the inside of the radius got kinked a little, but then you'd just twist the spring out.

Now that you mention the external springs, I do remember seeing some cheap sets of springs in the Menards plumbing aisle that had kind of a funnel on one end; I suppose those are for use on the outside.

[tig]

I'm bumping this because Charlie > Michael.

[wkohler]

I’ve been using the Euro wide angle door mirrors for years on the other cars and don’t really think they do much of anything but I had a NOS e34/e39 version in the parts bin so I put it on anyway.

I don't want to tell you how to do your job, but that looks like it's installed backwards.

[Justin_FL]

Hehe, I noticed the mirror too but didn't say anything. The Euro wide angle mirror was a nice upgrade on the E39 for me, due to my seating position with the seat slid all the way back. With the stock, flat US mirror, the driver's mirror was useless as the motor doesn't have enough travel to let me see much beyond the side of the car.

I suppose the small aspheric wide angle section at the end isn't really all that helpful to me (mine just shows the inside of the black plastic mirror housing trim). The convex area is what helps the most, so I could have just used a passenger side US mirror or the stock Euro mirror without the warning text. I don't think there was a price difference back then, seems like they were about $30 for the heated variety. I'm sure they cost double now.

[Karl Grau]

I don't want to tell you how to do your job, but that looks like it's installed backwards.

Okay, I changed it but I still think my way works better.

[kzolee]

Epic.

[Karl Grau]

Okay, I think I've figured it out.

[Karl Grau]

So the brake pad wear indicator came on last weekend so it looks like I'm doing brakes (or breaks as they say on Craigslist) this weekend. I already had front pads so I bought rears and new F&R wear sensors. I've never used any after market brake lines before but I got a 'deal' so I'm going try them on this car. I also bought caliper paint and of course was going for bright red to compliment the M5 bumper and Angel Eyes when a voice (that sounded like Chris Kohler) told me to go with silver instead.

[Karl Grau]

I need a 11mm flare wrench that isn't a cheap Chinese POS and I had a torn boot on a sway bar link so I ordered replacements for both sides. Prepping the calipers for paint is making me think of a famous restaurant in Paris.

I like dusty pads because I love stopping.

FWIW, the dusty Jurids have a lower rating than the Abracadabra replacements.

Soooo, the weekend brake job is going to drag out to at least Tuesday or Wednesday.