bmwe21.net forums

extra stopping power .. always good .. keep the updates coming

By reading the specs section in the E21.net, I saw only one type of dogleg gearbox (concerning ratio)
Was there only one type? Ratio both for M20 and for M10 boxes was exactly the same? Or are there any differences?

Should have updated here some time ago, better late than never though
Yes I have taken the car from the mechanic and I was asked to do about 1000km in mild speeds, not pushing the engine extremely, time interval which I am currently trying to complete, in order to go again, for oil change and final (?) settings.
My impressions so far? Well, first of all, car's NOISY! Now I realize that my good ol' 1.6 was a so quiet car!..
Heavy engine sound when accelerating (I guess the weber inlets?), and also some humming noises from the diff and I'm afraid some more from the gears? I really need to find some solutions with this noise, I want the car quieter than that.
Engine noise is real music when you want to hear it, but sometimes you want to close windows and travel a bit quieter..
Car is now much quicker than before, but thirsty! Hope thirstiness changes a bit after final settings.
Quick rack is much better and not very much stiffer than before
Some difficulties when starting cold, I hope this is due to the thick oil we have at the moment, and that it'll change with a bit thinner oil
Also haven't yet fitted the wilwoods, as, by the time the pads arrived to Greece, the car was already out of the garage, so this is also something that will be done next.

Very cool Petro. I am following with interest.

Any problems with the rear disc brakes conversion or did everything just bolt on? Would be great with some more detail as I will be doing the same soon.

Also interesting to hear about noise and how you go about adjusting it.

The rear disc brakes were almost done from zero, as I did have the calipers and rear trailing arms (from 6 cyl model I guess) from Nas, but these were the only used parts of my set. They were rather rusty so they needed a good sandblasting and repainting.
All the rest of the parts were ordered new by BMW. Even the dust plates (the ones from the inside part behind the rear discs) have the sticker (still clean, so it can be read) "BMW Mobile Tradition"



I really don't know if the noises from diff and gearbox can be solved..
about the engine, well, in my place probably most people would like the sound, as it's very "racing"
However, I think that air filters are needed, as I like to use the car on short 2-3 day roadtrips nad sometimes it needs to be a bit quieter.
However, I will wait for some km, as I think that each time I start the car engine sound gets a bit better/sweeter. Or I get used to it

Yesterday left the car to the mechanic for its first oil change, webers final (?) setting etc.

Also he fitted wilwood front calipers, and an exhaust manifold (hand made-copy of an Alpina one) was ordered.
haven't yet taken the car, I guess he'l finish today.

We also replaced the 316 distributor by a 2002tii one (the hot spark electronic ignition was taken from the old distributor and fitted in the new one) -he said that this one has a centrifugal avance and more aggressive, it's better for this engine ?I am not sure I understand very well what it does exactly. If somebody can help I would appreciate it.

Exhaust fitted
Car much better overall
Will post pics soon
I have a question, though
I am afraid my dogleg box is quite heavy in sound. I don't think it's whining. I just think it's normal, as there's a bit of humming sound with all gears-and it can be heard inside the car with windows up
Does anyone have experience with both types of 5speed gear boxes?
It would be helpful to know if this is normal or not, to start with
My eco 5speed was very quiet

To bad about that box...

are you sure it is sound from gearbox?
diff can be loud also...

I am not so sure.
Also, I am not sure it is a gearbox "proble", so this is why I am asking if people have experience with sport boxes, and if these are somehow noisy from factory.
I may try and make a video with sound, if I have any success in doing it, then I will try to post it here.

2500 km and second oil change, past Wednesday

Actions taken:

1. Well, oil change. Liqui Moly 20W 50 was selected by the mechanic again, as was the first oil we put, before all issues described already in this or other threads. (For the oil change at 1000 km Elf 15W-50 was selected)

2. Fuel pump replacement. It seems that the other one was guilty for these oil issues. Again from 6 cylinder engine, according to my mechanic. If this oil problem happens again, and if the pump is found guilty again, we will go for an electric pump.

3. Valve adjustment.

Remarks:

1. Yesterday, at a cold start (more than 24 hrs sleeping), for the first time this engine took at first key turn. Up to now I have been used in more than 3 key turns. Again sayin this with some reservation, as I did not have the chance to try it again and again, so I am keeping my fingers crossed that this did not happen by chance.

2. Huge different in low-end torque, the car pulls nice and smooth from 1100 rpm! It's a remark with some reservation, as I only drove very few km in traffic-however the difference was noticeable. Should I guess that responsible for this difference is action no. 3 ??

Mihajlo wrote:are you sure it is sound from gearbox?
diff can be loud also...

I am recently thinking Mihajlo you may be right:
It probably is a transmission noise, but lately I noticed that it should be coming from somewhere after gearbox, because, when I change +/- gear, noise frequency remains unchanged, it just stops for one second(or so: during shifting time when the gas pedal is not pressed) and then it continues exactly the same, even though engine rpm have fallen a bit(or risen, depending on gear change)
Now, trying to describe that noise,it is a constant noise a bit like when a car moves in reverse gear. It is not that bad, but it can be heard-especially in 4th and 5th gears, but also with the others (engine noise covers it more when km/h are low and rpm are high)
Its frequency goes up with speed
So I am pretty sure it's coming from the diff but I am not so sure it is a bad noise or it means that diff has an issue
So I wonder whether in general lsd diffs are from construction a bit noisier than open ones
Or should it be quiet?

Air filters or No (Engine at the moment has open webers with "trumpets" or whatever are these funnels called) ??
Opinions, advice etc. welcome

Thanks in advance

Another thing that bothers me at the moment is that whenever I open the hood, I always find a lot of oil spilt all around...
Although I don't see anymore any significant oil consumption, and the piston rings were replaced, I still have some (ok, reduced but still existent) blow by oil fumes and some oil can be seen spilt near the oil fumes filter as well as around the fuel pump (for example on the insulating foam under the hood)
Anyway after piston rings replacement I was due to do 1000 km and have oil changed and valves set. These 1000 km are about to be over these days, so I will be doing these soon and hopefully we 'll have (?) some answers/solutions to these hot issues

petroscf wrote:...Although I don't see anymore any significant oil consumption,

Sorry for using wrong term
I do not thing I should have used the term "consumption" - as the oil is not actually consumed by the engine, but it is spilled all around due to excesive pcv or what that's called.

It still seems to have a (less than before but still) considerable amount of fumes. However, as the oil level, seems to have remained on the same position for the last 500 km, the idea is to give the engine some more time (checking the level from time to time) as it may need it for the blow by to decrease. (Friend with exactly the same engine, done by the same mechanic a couple of months before mine, claims not to have any issues)

The other issue is that the fuel pump (second mechanical fuel pump in 4-5 months, and the first was totally new, (this one is used) seem to have the same problems on my engine, letting some oil -or is this fuel?- get spilt all around (can be easily seen on the hood insulation foam)

So the decision was taken, and an electric fuel pump will be ordered. Any suggestions on make/model?