Anyone need any parts? :(

[BM-BOY]

I think it is time to retire my baby:(

Some of you may be aware of a little problem I had with power steering fluid leaking out. Well I finally took it to a garage who has told me all the self levelling pipes under the rear of the car have corroded, and that is where the fluid has been leaking from.
They recon I am looking at about 10hrs labour, plus parts...
I didn't pay a lot for the car, and I don't see the point in paying more to fix it, so I think it is time to downgrade...
Since the old girl aint gonna be worth much, I thought it best to part her out... What do you guys recon? Should I fix and keep her, or chop her up??(I quite fancy an e30 325i)...

[DanDombrowski]

Um, I don't know anything about the self leveling, but how beefy are the guns? I'd consider driving it without PS, at least for awhile until I found a new car I liked.

[DanDombrowski]

And yes, I do need parts, lots of them. If you decide to part it out, I'll email you the list.

[brodee]

Why not just get the kit to eliminate the LAD, think it was around $250?

[Anthony (M5 in Calgary)]

Why not just get the kit to eliminate the LAD, think it was around $250?

Or even just pick up a pair of used rear shock/spring assemblies from a boneyard.

Loop back the SLS feed/return pipes in the engine bay using a length of brake flex hose at joint 7 in link below (should be typical for your car). Don't block the pump output though, you'll kill it fast.

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?model=HD93&mospid=47412&btnr=33_0426&hg=33&fg=50

[Jon K]

Or even just pick up a pair of used rear shock/spring assemblies from a boneyard.

Loop back the SLS feed/return pipes in the engine bay using a length of brake flex hose at joint 7 in link below (should be typical for your car). Don't block the pump output though, you'll kill it fast.

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?model=HD93&mospid=47412&btnr=33_0426&hg=33&fg=50


I have an entire set of coil springs and used struts...

[Qube]

Does the engine run? Yes? Don't give up just yet! I'm sure we'll help you out. Source around for enthusiasts in your area as well.

[NovceGuru]

That car only has 1/2 the miles on it required to retire :)

[Jay 535i]

I want your transmission, but do you have a payment plan? ;)

[e34lover]

I busted my sweetheart (1994 530i) right front fender and turn signal. Can I ask for a transplant from your car?

Please let me know if you decide to donate her parts.

Thanks,
Arul

[NY535iManual]

How can you tell if your car has self levelling? I have an 89 535 manual...

[Scott H]

close up the self levelling lines and dump the system. Find some rear shocks second hand. A guy in the UK who has been selling stuff on ebay may be able to help....his ebay username is "automotive-cc" and is e-mail is charles.collins711@btinternet.com

[Kalevera]

You guys are forgetting that this car is in uh...where are you again, boy? eastern Europe somewhere?

Anyway, if it were mine, I'd bend my own lines. There are a few of them, and chances are they're all nasty.

Get a pipe bender, a bubble flare tool, a pipe cutting tool, and buy the OEM lines straight from the dealer (not that much money -- probably less than $50 in parts). It'll take you a few days if you've never worked on the car before, most of which will be engineering how to remove the rusted old parts and junctions. Practice bending technique on the old lines you pull out before starting on the new ones. It won't look pretty, but it'll be useable for at least another 10 years. You'll want the bubble flair and cutting tool in case something gets crimped. On the small phillips screws that hold the line carriers in place on the bottom of the car: you'll be lucky to get them out, so don't sweat it if you have to break them.

Alternatively, if the rust is localized to one portion of the lines (unlikely), you can just cut out the old section and make a new section, adding junctions to keep it all together.

But I wouldn't get rid of the LAD, and I wouldn't get rid of the car. Dents, bad lines or otherwise. These are all typical problems, and junking a perfectly good car for them only furthers the ridiculousness of our consumption crazed society.

EDIT: the other thing is, I can practically guarantee that any E30 in a similar price range will be in much worse shape and will probably need similar types of work (brake lines) in the near future.

best, whit

[Scott H]

But if the lines are that bad, I'd assume the rear shocks/accumulators/pressure switch, etc are already, or on the verge of toast. By putting in non LAD shocks/spring now, and eliminating the LAD gadgetry, he's heading off another potential money pit in the future.

It's also easier to loop the system than it is to repair because if a novice makes a mistake flaring the line, there is no pressure build up behind the joint and less likely a leak.

Just my $0.02


You guys are forgetting that this car is in uh...where are you again, boy? eastern Europe somewhere?

Anyway, if it were mine, I'd bend my own lines. There are a few of them, and chances are they're all nasty.

But I wouldn't get rid of the LAD, and I wouldn't get rid of the car. Dents, bad lines or otherwise. These are all typical problems, and junking a perfectly good car for them only furthers the ridiculousness of our consumption crazed society.

best, whit

[Kalevera]

Different type of power steering reservoir; uses CHF versus ATF; existence of pressure reservoirs and hydraulic lines at the rear shocks.

If you have a US spec 535, I can practically guarantee that the car doesn't have it.

best, whit

[Scott H]

I personally eliminated it in the 525iT that I just converted to 535iT. I used the single stage M30 pump with CHF 11S fluid and closed off the return line in the reservoir from the LAD system. You can use CHF on the ATF pump....not the other way around, and you obviously can't mix n match types (ATF, 7.1, 11S)

It was properly eliminated for the Dinan setup on my M5 before I purchased the car.

I worked on the ATF based unit on the 535 I had for 4 years.


Different type of power steering reservoir; uses CHF versus ATF; existence of pressure reservoirs and hydraulic lines at the rear shocks.

If you have a US spec 535, I can practically guarantee that the car doesn't have it.

best, whit

[Rory535i]

You guys are forgetting that this car is in uh...where are you again, boy? eastern Europe somewhere?


uk i think

[Gayle]

Youre the guy that ukm5 was dogging about how little you paid for your car so it must be a POS--right? Please don't confuse what you paid for your car and its value. I agree with whoever said that another car for the same price would be in worse shape. Even if you fancy an e30, it probably makes sense to keep the e34 running until you find the right e30.

[BM-BOY]

Hello! Yeah, that's me! I'm starting to think ukM5 was right!! Unfortunately, it isn't just the LAD that needs sorting - I got the 55mph shimmy now, plus all the other little "quirks" such as LKM problem, and faulty instrument cluster...

I know that to most of you, these are relatively minor problems, but my financial situation is pretty dire, and have very little time/tools/skills to rectify them.

I would LOVE to keep my car, but I need a vehicle to get to work, and the only way I can fund a new car, is by selling this one:(. I don't know how much I could get for the car as a whole, but I am thinking I could probably get more selling the seats/engine etc...