Advice required for my new car please!

[Jazzi]

Good evening all!

I bought my car about 2 months ago in an eBay auction. It's a UK 1992 5-gear 520SE, Brilliant Red, with all the usual SE gear (electric sunroof, electric windows front and back, throwing star alloys, etc etc), and 150k on the clock. I paid 510GBP for it (about $910). It seems to have been well looked after, and came with a full service history and a big pile of receipts for work done to it in the past.

The car was lovely to drive for the first couple of weeks, but since then it's developed a few issues (the previous owner left it parked and undriven in a field for almost a year), and I'm hoping that you guys can suggest some causes? I have the following issues:

1. When the fuel gauge falls below the first quarter mark, there is quite a strong fuel smell in the cabin (although this doesn't seem to be coming through the vents). The same smell is present if I've recently bumped the car up or down a kerb.

2. Some of the segments aren't lighting on the LCD panel. I can still make out the odometer reading just about, but it would be nice to sort it!

3. The idle seems to be a bit rough, and the engine almost sounds like it's going to cut out when the car's standing still - although it tries for a while to auto-recover. Idle is about 600-700. If I rev and then leave it the power seems to drop off quite quickly.

4. Accelleration is noisy - particularly when in a low gear. It's a kind of high pitched rattling noise, but I've eliminated the exhaust at the local Kwik Fit (local exhaust place with ramps). This has replaced the nice deep rumble from when I first got the car.

5. Changing gear (especially from 1st to 2nd, or 2nd to 3rd) is not as smooth as it was at first. Pulling away from standing in 1st is also messy.

6. The front suspension is not as smooth as it was, and driving over bumpy road surfaces results in lots of 'chonking' noises from under the bonnet.

7. The stick-on inside door carpet has come away from the door card in the back. I've tried everything from carpet tape to superglue, and nothing seems to hold it for longer than a day! Anyone solved this?

That's it! Sorry for dumping such a long list here, but I really love the car and I really want to get it running properly again! Hopefully some of you will know the answers... The car is certainly still drivable - but I don't want a little issue to become something more important!

I look forward to being a useful board member in the future, and returning the favour to somebody else!

All the best,

Jazzi (Paul):D

[ThoreauHD]

http://www.racingking.net/Parts/PartDetails.asp?ProductID=43

You could start with something like this. I can't find your model car in the US, but you aren't in the US so I guess that would be why. Also, replace the transmission fluid/filter/seals. That plus regular maintenance like listed above is the first step.

Let's see if we can keep your car from catching fire before worrying about the lights and capacitors. I'm glad you aren't a student. This will take some work.

[Jazzi]

http://www.racingking.net/Parts/PartDetails.asp?ProductID=43

You could start with something like this. I can't find your model car in the US, but you aren't in the US so I guess that would be why. Also, replace the transmission fluid/filter/seals. That plus regular maintenance like listed above is the first step.

Let's see if we can keep your car from catching fire before worrying about the lights and capacitors. I'm glad you aren't a student. This will take some work.

Thanks for the reply. I just need to find someone in the UK selling those kits...

You'll probably find my model listed as a 520i for the US. If not, then a US 525i seems to be the closest to the UK 520.

Keeping my car from catching fire sounds excellent - although that bit of carpet is a real nuisance... :P

Jazzi

[shogun]

1. I would change all fuel hoses
2. Replace the bulbs in the cluster
3. clean the idle control valve, also change all rubber parts in the intake system.
5. change as first the gear oil and the filter
6. clonking, see on my website below and go to the link to Bruno, he has the suspention parts listed.
7. That is shown in archives here how to repair. Use the search on top.

[Jazzi]

1. I would change all fuel hoses
2. Replace the bulbs in the cluster
3. clean the idle control valve, also change all rubber parts in the intake system.
5. change as first the gear oil and the filter
6. clonking, see on my website below and go to the link to Bruno, he has the suspention parts listed.
7. That is shown in archives here how to repair. Use the search on top.

Can't find the link to Bruno... Could you post a direct URL?

Carpet: did another search, and still can't find anything relevant! Can anyone recommend a particular thread?

Is this noisy accelleration likely to be down to filters of some sort too?

Thanks again!

Jazz

[joshua43214]

First off, excuse my ignorance of british models. Your 5 speed is a manual correct? If so, no filter kit to replace. Not sure if the euro models ever got the 5speed auto outside of the v8's like USA models. could you please provide a better description than " messy" for the transmission.

Take the problems one at a time in priority.

Start with the fuel smell, I woulnd't do anything until I located the source of your leak. Check the hoses around the fuel filter, they go bad and leak commonly.

Next, check the front suspension, there are many things that can cause your symptoms, but it wouldnt surprise me that you need the entire "kit". read my post here http://www.bimmer.info/forum/showthread.php?p=145297#post145297 for detailed instructions on checking the front end.

Any number of things could cause the noise on accelleration, I would verify that the driveshaft and it carrier bearing are ok, then check the 1/2 shafts.

Take care of the safety issues first, 3 of the things you have listed are potential safety concerns, I would worry about that before trim and cluster lighting.

Unfortunately letting a car sit for a year is horrible abuse, they get what is called "lot rot". basicaly things start to disolve and when you start driving it, parts that had moisture creep in begin to fail and rubber parts start to leak. Never buy a car from ebay without having a very thurough check out from a qualified person. I have seen the worst horror stories from ebay, every thing from cars that went swimming to one car that was actualy 2 cars welded together behind the B pillar.

Take it one step at a time starting with the important things, post questions as needed. Try not to flood a post with questions about multiple problems, folks just decide its too much and back off. It might be worth taking it to a bmw shop for a comeplete check over, then you will have a list of atleast the important things, make sure you tell them that it sat for a year.

[Jazzi]

Your 5 speed is a manual correct? If so, no filter kit to replace. could you please provide a better description than " messy" for the transmission.

Yes - it's a 5-speed manual. Pulling away in first isn't as smooth as I would expect it to be. I really have to release the clutch and down the gas very slowly - otherwise the car jumps and jerks all over the place!


Unfortunately letting a car sit for a year is horrible abuse, they get what is called "lot rot". basicaly things start to disolve and when you start driving it, parts that had moisture creep in begin to fail and rubber parts start to leak.

Couldn't agree more. I'd like to thump the previous owner for letting such a beautiful piece of motoring history get into the state it's in...

Thanks for the rest of your reply too! I'm starting to see that there's not going to be any small fixes. I just hope it doesn't turn out too costly - I'm not a student, but I do have a wife and three kids to support with my single salary! I just can't imagine ever going back to the likes of a Proton Compact (not sure if you get them in the US, but they're Malaysian and based on the Mitsubishi Colt Lancer).

Thanks again!

Jazzi