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Trip Chronicles - 5,000 miles Here We Come!
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85-325e



Joined: 30 Jun 2002
Posts: 4712
Location: Southampton, NY

PostPosted: Tue Jun 16, 2009 12:19 am    Post subject: Trip Chronicles - 5,000 miles Here We Come! Reply with quote

Hi All:

Well, either sometime this week, or at the beginning of the week next week, Shadow, Max and I are taking off for New York in the 325e! It's been 15 years since I've had the car down at sea level, and 15 years since all of my friends saw it, so this should be fun. I'm counting on Cosmo to perform perfectly the entire way.

Before I leave, I figured I had to do the timing belt. The one on there only had 3,000 miles on it, but I put it in 5 years ago, so the chronological time had come. I started it a few days ago, and did indeed remove the hood with the help of a friend. Now, I'll be honest... Cosmo has been a garage king, and hasn't seen much road time in the past few years, and NEVER when it was inclement. And when I did all the major work on the car 4-5 years ago, I cleaned everything... So this time, working on the engine was a very clean affair... no grease or spilled or dripping oil and road dirt to deal with.

I started the timing belt job, very confident. But, in the middle of it, I realized this hadn't started off correctly aligned at TDC, and I was panicing. I want to publically thank Dale for saving my butt last night... yes, I was on the right track, but he walked me through a few things that brought everything back correctly. Thanks Dale. BTW, that timing belt tip that he posted is actually VERY slick. As long as you clean the housing and the crankshaft hub a bit, they're VERY visible and very easy to align.

Today, I reassembled everything (a lot of it last night but the finishing stuff today). I had bought blue anti-freeze from CarQuest, but had a brain fart when I was there... he sold me a 1.5 litre bottle, to be mixed 50/50. it didn't occur to me, cause I was frazzled at the time, that it wouldn't be near enough to make what I needed... so tonight I got some Prestone 50/50 Phosphate and a bunch of other stuff free pre-mixed anti-freeze, filled the cooling system back up, and turned it over. Car sounds great and is humming like my Mom's first Singer sewing machine!

While I was there, I removed the air filter box and AFM, and replaced the voltage regulator on the alternator. I was going to do this trip two years ago, and things prevented me from doing it. At that time, I read a post from Quincy up here that warned about hte voltage regulator and how it could ruin your day. So, I had it around for two years. Well, Quincy was correct. While I still had some brushes left, they were VERY worn down, and this was a great preemptive move. So, thanks Quincy!

The car's still on the stands... I plan to replace the 2.93LSD I have in there now, with the 2.79LSD I kindly got from Wazzu, which came out of Dale's car! That'll bring the drive train back to original too.

I've been letting the oil drain out for the past two hours... want to get every little drip out. I have extra filters here, and the Castrol 10w-30, so that'll be fresh too, even though there's only 1400 miles or so on the oil that was in there.

Hopefully, on Wednesday, I'll have the alignment done as I've lifted the car for eons and it's slightly off... I want that steering wheel dead straight for the 6,000 mile trip!

I'll keep adding to this thread as I finish the car, and then throughout the trip. I'm expecting it to be a great drive and I can't wait to get Cosmo onto a nice, long, Interstate drive across the country. Plus, I get to try all of the little gizmos I installed over the years like the spare gas tank inside the spare wheel's well!

Oh, and for those that want to know about the Bosch Platinum+4 plugs... some say the electrodes burn off. Below is a picture of my six, not the greatest picture but you can see some detail, with about 6 years and 4,000 miles on them after cleaning them with my old Black & Decker Spark Plug Sand Blaster (NLA Wink) The electrodes are absolutely perfect:



So, stay tuned, more breaking news as it happens...
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Cosmo - 1985 BMW 325e, Single Owner, 265,000+ ORIGINAL miles and still going strong! But now on the East Coast and the salt air corrosion is eating my beautiful car alive... Sad



Last edited by 85-325e on Thu Jul 09, 2009 5:10 pm; edited 1 time in total
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kyshadetreebmw



Joined: 16 Apr 2003
Posts: 849
Location: Berea, Kentucky

PostPosted: Tue Jun 16, 2009 11:26 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

As far as having started the work without first taking it to TDC, it doesn't matter as long as you don't rotate anything. Correct? I have done several T-belts and a couple of them did not start at TDC. I know it is best to get to TDC as a control, but I just mention this so others don't freak out if they forget. Shocked

Oh yeah, Congrats on getting to take a road trip! Evil or Very Mad
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85-325e



Joined: 30 Jun 2002
Posts: 4712
Location: Southampton, NY

PostPosted: Tue Jun 16, 2009 11:58 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

You're right I think Ron, but I did rotate the crank. Actually, what happened was that I forgot to do the mark check before taking off the damper from the crank. When I realized it, I put the damper back on (old belt was still on), and rotated to TDC. The problem was that the index on the damper can actually fall into one of the screw holes, so the damper wasn't on properly when I rotated it. I should have just done the belt right then and there, but I was too freaked about it, so I asked for help. I'm pretty sure it's good. The engine sounds OK and no staggering noises that are worth mentioning. I am goig to take it for a drive before I take it out for the 6,000 miles though, just to be sure. That's why Dale's hub tip is so good. You don't need the damper on to find TDC...

This will be my first trip other than to a funeral in 6 years! Can't wait to go! Diff goes in tomorrow... Then I'm going to go over a checklist to see if, while I have it up, I need to do anything else to the car, but it looks VERY clean.

This time, for the first time, I used water wetter when I filled up the rad again.

Thanks Ron! I'll keep everyone posted on how I'm doing. I won't leave until Monday or Tuesday of next week... I've got tickets to Clapton & Winwood at the Pepsi Center in Denver Father's Day evening. I'll go to that, then come back up, get ready, and go!
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Cosmo - 1985 BMW 325e, Single Owner, 265,000+ ORIGINAL miles and still going strong! But now on the East Coast and the salt air corrosion is eating my beautiful car alive... Sad

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85-325e



Joined: 30 Jun 2002
Posts: 4712
Location: Southampton, NY

PostPosted: Wed Jun 17, 2009 3:33 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

OK, so everything looks and sounds good. I changed the oil & filter, the 2.79LSD is in (thanks Nick and Dale... it's great!), the timing belt is done and the voltage regulator is done. Hood's back on.

Took it out for a spin... 28 fast miles, the first 1/2 downhill, and the second half uphill, and I got 31.5 MPG according to the OBC; the air conditioning was on as well. So I'm pretty content. the first 3/4 of the trip is mostly flat or downhill... I'm going to the Long Island coast, at sea level, but I'm starting out at 8,500'!

BTW, the aircon rocks... I redid all of that 4 years ago, and it was ice cold in the car! The dogs appreciate that a lot... I don't care that much, but I suppose when I get down to Iowa, Illinois and all further East, I will indeed appreciate it.

I'm going to check everything else before I cruise on Monday or Tuesday. Need to check the spare, see if the accessory gas tank works, Rain-X the windows etc.

I'm taking the Northern I-80 going East, and probably I-70 coming back West.
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Cosmo - 1985 BMW 325e, Single Owner, 265,000+ ORIGINAL miles and still going strong! But now on the East Coast and the salt air corrosion is eating my beautiful car alive... Sad

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85-325e



Joined: 30 Jun 2002
Posts: 4712
Location: Southampton, NY

PostPosted: Wed Jun 17, 2009 5:09 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

OK, the engine's clean, everything's back together, and now I just have some interior cleaning and a few tiny odds and ends to go.

BTW, I took the first test drive without the factory hood baffle, just to hear things. I buttoned it all up, put the baffle back, and took a second test drive. It's surprising how much of a sound difference that sound baffle on the underside of the hood makes... night and day in terms of noise when cruising.

Here's the engine:




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Cosmo - 1985 BMW 325e, Single Owner, 265,000+ ORIGINAL miles and still going strong! But now on the East Coast and the salt air corrosion is eating my beautiful car alive... Sad

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idanity



Joined: 21 May 2005
Posts: 3097
Location: N.W.U.S.A.

PostPosted: Sun Jun 21, 2009 8:57 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

nice...you brought your puppies ?
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85-325e



Joined: 30 Jun 2002
Posts: 4712
Location: Southampton, NY

PostPosted: Sun Jun 21, 2009 10:16 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Haven't left yet Idanity. Am leaving on Tuesday morning, Wednesday morning at the latest. Yes, of course I'm taking the puppies... that's the reason I'm driving. Plus, they LOVE a road trip, especially in the Bimmer!

Normally, the 110 pound Shepherd sleeps in the back seat and the lab curls up on the front seat, but on a long drive, they switch after every time we stop to eat or pee, and it's hysterical to see the Shepherd sit in the front. He's too big for the seat, so he puts his butt in the seat, his front feet on the floor, and falls asleep with his head on the dash!
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Cosmo - 1985 BMW 325e, Single Owner, 265,000+ ORIGINAL miles and still going strong! But now on the East Coast and the salt air corrosion is eating my beautiful car alive... Sad

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85-325e



Joined: 30 Jun 2002
Posts: 4712
Location: Southampton, NY

PostPosted: Sun Jun 21, 2009 2:39 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

BTW, I plan to make the trip there, 2,000 miles direct, with limited rest and food stops. It should be a great cleanout-drive for the car and should take 29 hours or so.

At every or every other gas stop, I'll throw in some injector cleaner too.
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Cosmo - 1985 BMW 325e, Single Owner, 265,000+ ORIGINAL miles and still going strong! But now on the East Coast and the salt air corrosion is eating my beautiful car alive... Sad

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85-325e



Joined: 30 Jun 2002
Posts: 4712
Location: Southampton, NY

PostPosted: Sun Jun 21, 2009 3:39 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

OK! I finally tested, for the first time since I got it 5 years ago, the spare gas tank I got for the spare tire in the trunk. Yippee! It holds gas, doesn't leak a drop! While it's unlikely that I'll need this spare tank, on a long trip like this, with many miles between stations, and lots of nighttime driving, this could come in handy! This is a 6 litre tank, the only one that will fit in the 14" wheel!


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Cosmo - 1985 BMW 325e, Single Owner, 265,000+ ORIGINAL miles and still going strong! But now on the East Coast and the salt air corrosion is eating my beautiful car alive... Sad

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85-325e



Joined: 30 Jun 2002
Posts: 4712
Location: Southampton, NY

PostPosted: Mon Jun 22, 2009 3:07 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

OK, almost ready. Went to the Eric Clapton/Steve Winwood concert at the Pepsi Center in Denver tonight. Pretty decent concert overall... they played for 2 whole hours, mostly rock, two acoustic songs... Now, I have a day or two to get ready...


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Cosmo - 1985 BMW 325e, Single Owner, 265,000+ ORIGINAL miles and still going strong! But now on the East Coast and the salt air corrosion is eating my beautiful car alive... Sad

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dale



Joined: 22 Aug 1999
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Location: Seattle, WA USA

PostPosted: Tue Jun 23, 2009 1:38 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I forgot to mention when we talked last week that I'm going to be in Manhattan this Thursday through next Tuesday. Just sent you an email with more details.
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85-325e



Joined: 30 Jun 2002
Posts: 4712
Location: Southampton, NY

PostPosted: Tue Jun 23, 2009 8:47 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Just sent you an email back. Great timing! Let's get together in the Big Apple Dale!
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Cosmo - 1985 BMW 325e, Single Owner, 265,000+ ORIGINAL miles and still going strong! But now on the East Coast and the salt air corrosion is eating my beautiful car alive... Sad

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85-325e



Joined: 30 Jun 2002
Posts: 4712
Location: Southampton, NY

PostPosted: Tue Jun 23, 2009 9:53 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Leaving Thursday morning at 9:00 AM... Should put me in the Hamptons by the afternoon on Friday! If I'm lucky, I'll miss all the rush hour traffic everywhere, and get to the Hamptons before the Friday afternoon mass exodus from Manhattan to the Hamptons, which causes SO much traffic that it turns a two hour trip into a 5 hour trip!
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Cosmo - 1985 BMW 325e, Single Owner, 265,000+ ORIGINAL miles and still going strong! But now on the East Coast and the salt air corrosion is eating my beautiful car alive... Sad

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greenie



Joined: 02 Nov 2002
Posts: 420
Location: los angeles

PostPosted: Wed Jun 24, 2009 11:11 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Have a great trip! I've been across the country a couple of times in my trusty 91 318IC and the longer you drive the better the car runs. At least mine does. Cooks out ALL the cobwebs and crud in the crankcase. By the way, in the midwest, due to all the racetracks I guess, you can find 103 octane unleaded racing fuel, at the pump. I also found some 106 octane leaded racing fuel at a Texaco station but didn't want to destroy my cat. And I know, extra octane isn't supposed to do any good, but I figured it would have less junk in it. Are you going to take 80? A lot of big rigs nose to tail nascar style at night on 80.

Steve
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85-325e



Joined: 30 Jun 2002
Posts: 4712
Location: Southampton, NY

PostPosted: Wed Jun 24, 2009 11:32 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hi Steve...

Thanks! Yes, I'm going to take I-80 back to New York, and I-70 back to Colorado, unless I see some very bad weather along the way before I leave on the Weather Channel.

I'm going to stick with standard Premium gas along the way, but I'm going to try to keep very good track of miles, gallons etc, to see how accurate the OBC actually is.

I've done this trip several times, just never in the Bimmer. But it should be a great trip. The car's really ready, and I need to get away from here; plus, I've got a lot of fun things lined up when I get back so it should be at least interesting!

24 hours and I'm outta here!!!
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Cosmo - 1985 BMW 325e, Single Owner, 265,000+ ORIGINAL miles and still going strong! But now on the East Coast and the salt air corrosion is eating my beautiful car alive... Sad

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