Firstfives.org

Mike, Here are the symptoms: Car eventually gets hot when idling or in heavy stop/go traffic. I've never let it boil over. Revving the engine cools it down. Once it's hot, driving it in a lower gear, so the RPMs are higher, will cool it down faster and keep it at a lower temp. Temp is fine driving o...

Mike, Thank you for the great info, as always. One of my usual online parts sources (maybe AutohausAZ) has a Graf water pump. I'll verify that it has a metal impeller. I took the radiator to a local shop at lunch. After describing the symptoms, the owner was almost sure the problem is not the radiat...

I've been having a cooling problem since buying my E12 in 2016. It doesn't overheat quickly, but eventually does. I realized the aux cooling fan does not coming on when the temp gets high, but it does come on with the A/C. Replaced the temp switch and that didn't fix it. Jumped the switch leads and ...

Only tip on a spring compressor would be, don't crank them down any more than you need to. Upper strut mounts, yeah they got expensive, yowzer. I do see them significantly cheaper, but still no bargain. I have ordered from them before and was happy with the purchase. http://old.schmiedmann.com/disp...

I wasn't able to find the end cap. As the cap has a pin that runs through it. I ended up purchasing new wiper arms for both sides(L&R). I found the right side at Schmiedmann.com for 36.00 as the part # changed to 61 61 1 370 020. I had purchased the left side at ECS tuning part #61611370025 for 35....

I'm replacing the rubber damper rings on my 530i wiper arm shafts, which means I need to remove the wiper arms. I notice that one of the end caps (covering the shaft) is cracked, and I'll probably crack the other one taking it off. I would like to replace them, but the RealOEM diagram does not show ...

Mine was also leaking when I put in more than 6-8 gallons. No rust anywhere on the bottom of the car, but the filler neck had rusted where it meets the tank.

Just finished this same project on my '77. It was actually easier than I anticipated. I tilted the tank forward and then just wiggled it out without a problem. One thing that helped on the reinstall was using a floor jack, old riding lawnmower tires and blocks of wood to elevate the tank into place ...

I updated my A/C in 2006 to R134a. Everything outside the firewall was replaced; nothing under the dash was touched. On the compressor, BMP at the time sold a compressor kit for M30 engines - it included a custom aluminum bracket and a Seltec compressor, IIRC. I installed an increased capacity Al c...

I don't like the wing cell compressors in 84 and newer cars, they're rough, noisy and always seem to leak at the compressor seal. But with either compressor, they're not the limiting factor with 134a, the condenser is. Agree on all counts, which is why I’d like to use a newer style compressor when ...

The bosses in the block where the a/c compressor bracket mounts are the same throughout the years on the m30; its the bracket itself that has changed. What this means is all you have to do to use a later style compressor is use the later brackets, meaning almost anything with an m30 after ‘82 or so...

I've been reading the Hack Mechanic's series in the weekly Roundel about adding A/C to an early E24 and it got me thinking that I should start planning ahead for my E12. One of my E30s needs a new compressor and the adapter brackets to use a Sanden compressor on the M20 are NLA. In the Roundel serie...

Duh! It was user error as I suspected. The small end of the hose clamp that's under the worm gear was hanging up on the hose and preventing it from rotating all the way. Once I got it rotated as far as possible, the cover would fit. Car is finally back on the road. Took first drive since June. Aweso...

I was referring to the worm gear oriented on the low side, opposite of the cover. Have you measured the height of the fittings on the old tank vs. the new one? I guess you could shim where the tank bolts to the frame with a thick washer if it's off by just a few millimeters. Now I understand! Thank...

I know this is a simple suggestion, but have you rotated the engagement side of the clamp to the low side? Are you installing the cover upside down? Thank you. No offense taken! When you're knee-deep in a problem, sometimes it's hard to see the big picture and simple things get missed. I'm definite...