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Theotherotter wrote: Thu May 07, 2026 3:18 pm This kind of thing is eventually going to inspire me to DIY an effective AC system for my Fiat one day.

Wow, now that's ambitious!

Re: the last one, I mean the felt-like piece that goes around the perimeter of the window opening (not the wiper gasket at the base of the window) What's the best option for a replacement for this? The front right window has a piece that is loose and flaps in the wind.


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I have not done it, but back when B34 swaps were in vogue I recall using an E21 booster was popular as it gave the required clearance. B34 and B35 intakes are very similar in shape, but I don't know if they are identical or not, aside from the intake port shape. But search a bit, like I said I have ...

Theotherotter wrote: Thu Apr 09, 2026 12:44 pm
The power windows are pretty slow

IIRC 79's got upgraded motors in front which were faster, but expect 530s and rears to be slow. My guess would be the tracks need cleaning and regreasing.

That's low by the numbers, but fairly even is good. I wouldn't put too much stock in it. The white smoke is more troubling, but any chance it was still cold?

Rings typically just don't wear out. They can use a prodigious amount of oil from bad valve guide seals though.

IMO the E12 was about the last of the good Haynes manuals. Bavaria was good, E21 was good, E12 was good, E28 was lousy.

If it's fed from the relief relay, that one is in the fusebox.

They are in the Haynes manual, which unlike later ones is really an excellent resource. While I think it's out of print I strongly suggest you pick up a copy off ebay, there's several out there now. https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=haynes+bmw+530i+528i+manual&_sacat=0&_from=R40&_trksid=m570 ...

I am working my way through rebuilding my brake calipers on my 79 528i. Almost all pistons were frozen. I have removed them from the calipers with the help of a diesel injector pop tester. As I am trying to get them cleaned up I have a couple of questions for those of you with more experience;

A ...

Wow, looks like an interesting and ambitious project. Question though, what happened to the M10? It's a pretty rugged engine, though I can see why the M54 swap.

That's the gulp valve. It prevents backfiring on deacceleration. I suspect 530's didn't have coasting fuel cut off which 528i's did. 528i's cut fuel off above ~1300 RPM with the throttle closed.

I'm reading this gasket goes on dry. The one I spent an hour and half a can of brake cleaner removing certainly didn't.




Don't bet it it not having gone on dry, some of those gaskets have a coating on them from new, such as intake manifold and are an absolute bear to get off.

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Don't recall it being a problem, though it's been a few since I've done one, like a decade or more. Trying to visualize it, can you get a socket on it with a U joint from above? It shouldn't be terribly tight, but you might be in rust country where the equation changes a bit. Anyway you can get a ...

Originally 530s had a points and condenser distributor, so no pulse generator in it if it's the original body. Later 528i's used electronic ignition.

The Pertronix conversion has a pretty good reputation, but nothing's perfect either. Maybe check their website or give them a call about ...

Sounds like a dist issue, timing won't affect injector firing. Assuming you have the original points and condenser, I'd throw a new set of points and condenser at it. If the points or the contact block are worn it will affect timing and if the points are bad enough it could even prevent electrical ...

I'm still thinking, well, maybe guessing, it's the ECU not seeing ignition pulsing. So maybe ohm things out between the dist and the ECU plug.