316 - 1977 - petroscf - Greece

[petroscf]

Yesterday's results:
The mechanic repaired the cracking locally.





I do hope this lasts some time, in the meantime I am looking for a NOS heating system, or for a used part in good condition
First impression was very good though: THE NASTY NOISE SEEMS TO HAVE VANISHED! AFTER 15++ YEARS!
Just had the chance to check this from garage to home, but I drove through parts where I have been used to listen to this, I it had just vanished. The car feeling now way smoother than before.

Also after yesterday my dash is 100% illuminated :






The plaquette came from Walloth&Nesch without any orange filter cover so we had to custom fit something, and the result is that it could be a bit darker or more red, but this is the easy part - we can always change the colour

[petroscf]

Can anyone tell if this is the BEHR or the SOFICA unit?







In order to know what I should be looking for

[petroscf]

Any help in this will be most appreciated

[petroscf]

It seems not many enter my build thread...
I guess, as I need an answer on this, I should post it in "Technical" section

[e-einundzwanzig]

Have you tried to find an inscription/type plate/sticker anything on the casing or on the motor itself?

Google also came up with a number of threads/pics on how to tell the two apart...

Good luck searching

[petroscf]

Thank you mate

I have a suspicion it is the Behr, if the catalogues (the sketches showing all parts) from BMW are absolutely exact, as there is a difference between the Sofica and the Behr, and mine seems to have a closer resemblance to the Behr sketch.
I have sent an email to W+N and hope for a helpful answer even though they don't have the part (only currently I hope)
Although the locally repaired system might go for many years without having any more problems, I would not like to leave it as is, but ideally I would find a nos one and store it for the future

[e-einundzwanzig]

First google result

[petroscf]

The cracking was found on the black box
We started opening/removing parts from the engine bay side, so we did not reach the heater itself
(although we might probably have to, as there is a heating issue as well, which may not have anything to do with the cracking.)
W+N were immediate in their reply, I must admit.
I have a suspicion it might be the Behr, because of a such resemblance, if you have a look at the following photos:







Of course this resemblance is depended on how exact these sketches are.

However, they (W+N) replied that they can't tell by the photo and that the brand sign can be seen on the black box from the inside (which means that at least the console if not the whole dash has to be removed)

[petroscf]

Anyway they don't have the parts (neither Sofica or Behr) at the moment

If they did, a couple of photos of the black boxes of both parts from their stock might give us the answer before starting to remove things again from the car

[uwbuurman]

I am sure that there are a couple of complete units available, used condition, here in the Netherlands.

So if you take out the center console, you must be able to see the marque. If you have that, it will be found over here and shipped, I think. Just place an add in the Dutch marktkraam topic.

[uwbuurman]

Here is mine, which is a Sofica

Then it was time for the heater. What a dirty part that was.



Full of little seeds and leafs.



Small parts cleaned.



The type of blower I have, Sofica. They used different types over the years.

[petroscf]

Wow! what a work done
Thanks for these pics, I have now one more clue to believe that mine is from Behr, as your pics verify my showings in these sketches
Even better of course if someone can also post a Behr unit

[petroscf]

Until the heater issue finds a solution,
I would appreciate opinions here : yes or no for the installation of an oil cooler, and which one?

It seems, at least on hot greek days (half a year lol) and after some spirited driving, or uphill etc., oil gets hot and oil pressure drops. Gauge indication for oil temp is normally around 73-75 degrees and idle pressure at this temperature 1.2-1.3 (bar? I am not sure about the unit) During spirited driving the pressure may climb up to 80 and even 90++ Then, the oil pressure at idle drops down to 0.9-0.8 which is not so good I guess? At least the indication starts blinking when it drops lower from 1.0
The good thing is that the oil bulb on the dash does not go on.
So I was thinking that maybe an oil cooler would help

[petroscf]

What is exactly the problem with Photobucket?

[uwbuurman]

Those basterds saw the news about ransomeware and decided that that must be a great businessmodel. So they made 3th party linking unavailable, unless customers pay 400 USD a year. So, since they have been around the provide you with the [img] link so you can upload the photos on their site and you put them on a forum or so. And when everyone has put their photos in forums, they kill the links.

For me it means after 8 years of membership and the uploading of some 3500 pics om different forums that all my work is gone. The pics are still on photobucket, but the links are broken. And wil not pay. Fcuk 'em.

But I am to freakin' stubborn to just roll over and die. I will upload my pics again and will repair the links on two forums and some 8 topics.

Oh and of course, I hope to see the day that photobucket goes belly up. Basterds.