Further adventures of E36 3.2 Convertible #77
-
- ALP
- Posts: 184
- Joined: Wed Oct 10, 2007 8:27 pm
- Location: Falmouth, Cornwall
Further adventures of E36 3.2 Convertible #77
This thread picks up where this one left off...
viewtopic.php?f=4&t=24461
A head gasket DIY that escalated significantly but all worked out alright in the end - saved you a read
This is my car, back on the road and in very intermittent use down in Cornwall. In this thread I'll put up pictures and words about random stuff that I do to and with the car - I've no idea why really; I like reading about that kind of stuff, seems like other people do to!
First on my list was sorting out the convertible hood, which had been broken since I got it. Prior to the head gasket going I'd made a lot of inroads into fixing it; I'd fitted a replacement tonneau cover motor (actuating arm was bent because someone had forced it) and cover pivot mechanism (also bent, same reason I expect). I'd also worked out that although it was motoring OK, the microswitches in the main hood motor weren't working, which was stopping the open/close cycle from completing. I'd got a replacement main motor as well, but couldn't fit it because of a stuck bolt - bolt in question being the one that holds the operating arm onto the motor. I'd got as far as shearing off a bolt extractor and then the head gasket went...
Before I got busy with the broken easy-out, I also needed to mend some very fiddly bits called either 'bat wings' or 'dog ears' which help pull the inner headlining tight and into the right shape. These were both snapped and the headlining had become detached.
I used a piece from a Fairy laundry detergent bottle that was just the right flexibility to fit this side! Along with a load of epoxy and cable ties to reinforce the string attachment points.
This bit needed to be a bit stronger so a thicker piece of trash plastic stepped up to its new role.
In place now with the headlining being glued on with flexible fabric glue.
All done. Headlining not tight yet because the main roof motor was still bust at this time.
viewtopic.php?f=4&t=24461
A head gasket DIY that escalated significantly but all worked out alright in the end - saved you a read
This is my car, back on the road and in very intermittent use down in Cornwall. In this thread I'll put up pictures and words about random stuff that I do to and with the car - I've no idea why really; I like reading about that kind of stuff, seems like other people do to!
First on my list was sorting out the convertible hood, which had been broken since I got it. Prior to the head gasket going I'd made a lot of inroads into fixing it; I'd fitted a replacement tonneau cover motor (actuating arm was bent because someone had forced it) and cover pivot mechanism (also bent, same reason I expect). I'd also worked out that although it was motoring OK, the microswitches in the main hood motor weren't working, which was stopping the open/close cycle from completing. I'd got a replacement main motor as well, but couldn't fit it because of a stuck bolt - bolt in question being the one that holds the operating arm onto the motor. I'd got as far as shearing off a bolt extractor and then the head gasket went...
Before I got busy with the broken easy-out, I also needed to mend some very fiddly bits called either 'bat wings' or 'dog ears' which help pull the inner headlining tight and into the right shape. These were both snapped and the headlining had become detached.
I used a piece from a Fairy laundry detergent bottle that was just the right flexibility to fit this side! Along with a load of epoxy and cable ties to reinforce the string attachment points.
This bit needed to be a bit stronger so a thicker piece of trash plastic stepped up to its new role.
In place now with the headlining being glued on with flexible fabric glue.
All done. Headlining not tight yet because the main roof motor was still bust at this time.
2000 Alpina B10 3.3 Touring 26 - Sold 2008 and scrapped
2002 Alpina B3 3.3 Touring 113 - Sold 2011 and still going strong I believe
1999 Alpina B3 3.2 Convertible 77
2002 Alpina B3 3.3 Touring 113 - Sold 2011 and still going strong I believe
1999 Alpina B3 3.2 Convertible 77
-
- ALP
- Posts: 184
- Joined: Wed Oct 10, 2007 8:27 pm
- Location: Falmouth, Cornwall
Re: Further adventures of E36 3.2 Convertible #77
Broken easy out day! I can tell you that it is not easy to get an easy out out if the easy out doesn't want out... Hardened steel wasn't going to be drilled, and some solid whacks with a cold chisel made no difference.
Angle grinder time
The scene of the crime.
Butchery in progress.
It finally throws in the towel.
Once that was out it was very simple to fit the replacement motor and connect up all the arms and cables. And it worked first time! I honestly did a whoop
I can't be dealing with uploading videos or anything - but here's a screen cap of me expecting it to fail during its first automatic fold cycle.
To celebrate I went out to a local car meet to drink coffee and geek out. It didn't even rain to make me prove that the hood would work! It did throw an ASC light at me, but that was swiftly fixed by putting a bit more tension on the ASC throttle body cable - phew!
Angle grinder time
The scene of the crime.
Butchery in progress.
It finally throws in the towel.
Once that was out it was very simple to fit the replacement motor and connect up all the arms and cables. And it worked first time! I honestly did a whoop
I can't be dealing with uploading videos or anything - but here's a screen cap of me expecting it to fail during its first automatic fold cycle.
To celebrate I went out to a local car meet to drink coffee and geek out. It didn't even rain to make me prove that the hood would work! It did throw an ASC light at me, but that was swiftly fixed by putting a bit more tension on the ASC throttle body cable - phew!
2000 Alpina B10 3.3 Touring 26 - Sold 2008 and scrapped
2002 Alpina B3 3.3 Touring 113 - Sold 2011 and still going strong I believe
1999 Alpina B3 3.2 Convertible 77
2002 Alpina B3 3.3 Touring 113 - Sold 2011 and still going strong I believe
1999 Alpina B3 3.2 Convertible 77
-
- ALPI
- Posts: 456
- Joined: Mon Oct 14, 2019 11:58 pm
Re: Further adventures of E36 3.2 Convertible #77
I'm one of those that enjoys this sort of thread. Great work and keep them coming
Alpina B5 E61 2005 Touring #007 Special Toy Malachite Green with Caramel Merino Leather. Quaife LSD upgrade
Volvo XC90 D5 2011 Daily
KTM 990SMT 2013 Summer Toy
Suzuki GSX1300R Hayabusa 2002 Summer Toy
Kawasaki ZXR750 1993 Summer Toy
Kawasaki ZX6R 1999 Summer Toy
BMW X5 F15 2014 30d M Sport Daily for the other half
Volvo XC90 D5 2011 Daily
KTM 990SMT 2013 Summer Toy
Suzuki GSX1300R Hayabusa 2002 Summer Toy
Kawasaki ZXR750 1993 Summer Toy
Kawasaki ZX6R 1999 Summer Toy
BMW X5 F15 2014 30d M Sport Daily for the other half
-
- ALPINA
- Posts: 1225
- Joined: Fri Sep 11, 2020 3:40 pm
- Location: Shropshire
Re: Further adventures of E36 3.2 Convertible #77
Same here. Thanks for taking the time to document the work and share it. I do love an E36 Alpina too.
Paul
2013 F11 B5 BiTurbo Touring #135 - Alpina Blue
2017 F33 B4S BiTurbo Cabrio #235 - Tanzanite Blue
2013 F11 B5 BiTurbo Touring #135 - Alpina Blue
2017 F33 B4S BiTurbo Cabrio #235 - Tanzanite Blue
Re: Further adventures of E36 3.2 Convertible #77
Great work on the hood, looks like rather an involved job. Must feel great to be getting it all done after the dramas of the engine.
Currently:
1992 Alpina B2.5 #026, Lagoon Green with Parchment Cloth
Previously:
2013 BMW M135i 3dr, Mineral Grey with Red Leather
2001 Alpina B3 3.3 Coupe #170, Orient Blue with Grey Leather
2006 Z4MC, Silver Grey with Red Leather
2001 E46 330i Sport, Silver with Red Leather
1997 E36 323i SE Touring, Calypso Red with Grey Cloth
1992 Alpina B2.5 #026, Lagoon Green with Parchment Cloth
Previously:
2013 BMW M135i 3dr, Mineral Grey with Red Leather
2001 Alpina B3 3.3 Coupe #170, Orient Blue with Grey Leather
2006 Z4MC, Silver Grey with Red Leather
2001 E46 330i Sport, Silver with Red Leather
1997 E36 323i SE Touring, Calypso Red with Grey Cloth
-
- ALP
- Posts: 184
- Joined: Wed Oct 10, 2007 8:27 pm
- Location: Falmouth, Cornwall
Re: Further adventures of E36 3.2 Convertible #77
I had been putting up with a slow but steady coolant leak from somewhere under the inlet manifold since the engine had been put back in at the start of the summer, and decided to get it sorted. I'd already established by peering down between the branches of the inlet that the leak had to be coming from the hard coolant pipe that runs along the side of the block down there. I was hoping it was a dodgy connection to a hose but figured worst case it could be a cracked pipe, maybe damaged whilst the engine was re-installed...
So I whipped off the inlet manifold - third time of doing that now so quite a quick job for me now!
Once it was off I could feel that the drip was indeed coming from where the heater matrix return hose is clamped onto the hard pipe. Once coolant was drained out and the hose was off it was pretty obvious that the jubilee used was just too big for the hose diameter... Frustrating but a very easy fix.
As one seems to do with these kind of things, I thought that whilst I was in there with the manifold off, I might as well take a look at the starter motor, as it had been making the classic horrible grinding noise when turning the key every so often. It's near impossible (certainly without a lift) to get the starter off an E36 without removing the inlet manifold, so it seemed like the sensible thing to do! One thing always leads to another...
Red shows the hard pipe where the return hose was dripping. Orange shows the solenoid which is attached to the starter that is below it. Blue shows the heater supply pipe from the head that I split when clumsily accessing the starter bolts... Grr.
Those starter bolts are a right pain! E12 head on them, which faces the rear of the car as bolted through the tranmission bell housing from back to front. The only way I could get to them was to construct a ridiculous length of socket extension, using every single 3/8ths piece that I had! They also required a lot of to and fro from above to below the car to try and get socket and extensions all lined up around the side of the transmission...
So here's it with the starter removed - the empty bolt holes for the starter are those that line up with the flywheel's circumference in the picture.
The starter and solenoid work fine in isolation direct from the battery, so I think that the solenoid is probably a bit sticky which is causing an intermittent grinding but starting fine most of the time. A new solenoid is only £20, so that and a new hose to replace the split one, and of course a new jubilee clip of the correct diameter range (28 - 33mm fact fans!), are currently on their way to me.
With the battery disconnected to work on the starter, I've not tried to diagnose my non-functioning heater blower yet, but that's next on the list. Google says the Final Stage Resistor is the most likely culprit after a cursory check of fuses and relays.
So I whipped off the inlet manifold - third time of doing that now so quite a quick job for me now!
Once it was off I could feel that the drip was indeed coming from where the heater matrix return hose is clamped onto the hard pipe. Once coolant was drained out and the hose was off it was pretty obvious that the jubilee used was just too big for the hose diameter... Frustrating but a very easy fix.
As one seems to do with these kind of things, I thought that whilst I was in there with the manifold off, I might as well take a look at the starter motor, as it had been making the classic horrible grinding noise when turning the key every so often. It's near impossible (certainly without a lift) to get the starter off an E36 without removing the inlet manifold, so it seemed like the sensible thing to do! One thing always leads to another...
Red shows the hard pipe where the return hose was dripping. Orange shows the solenoid which is attached to the starter that is below it. Blue shows the heater supply pipe from the head that I split when clumsily accessing the starter bolts... Grr.
Those starter bolts are a right pain! E12 head on them, which faces the rear of the car as bolted through the tranmission bell housing from back to front. The only way I could get to them was to construct a ridiculous length of socket extension, using every single 3/8ths piece that I had! They also required a lot of to and fro from above to below the car to try and get socket and extensions all lined up around the side of the transmission...
So here's it with the starter removed - the empty bolt holes for the starter are those that line up with the flywheel's circumference in the picture.
The starter and solenoid work fine in isolation direct from the battery, so I think that the solenoid is probably a bit sticky which is causing an intermittent grinding but starting fine most of the time. A new solenoid is only £20, so that and a new hose to replace the split one, and of course a new jubilee clip of the correct diameter range (28 - 33mm fact fans!), are currently on their way to me.
With the battery disconnected to work on the starter, I've not tried to diagnose my non-functioning heater blower yet, but that's next on the list. Google says the Final Stage Resistor is the most likely culprit after a cursory check of fuses and relays.
2000 Alpina B10 3.3 Touring 26 - Sold 2008 and scrapped
2002 Alpina B3 3.3 Touring 113 - Sold 2011 and still going strong I believe
1999 Alpina B3 3.2 Convertible 77
2002 Alpina B3 3.3 Touring 113 - Sold 2011 and still going strong I believe
1999 Alpina B3 3.2 Convertible 77
Re: Further adventures of E36 3.2 Convertible #77
nice work, the heater blower will be the "hedgehog" a very common e36 fault! you get to it glove box side. I think you need to remove the glovebox to get to it. Its not a bad swap. how is your cabin filter while you are grovelling?! Thats worse job!
Re: Further adventures of E36 3.2 Convertible #77
I remember having to change the hedgehog on the B8 too, annoying common fault.
D5 F11 Touring #107
B8 Touring #21 SOLD - but regretted
B8 Touring #21 SOLD - but regretted
Re: Further adventures of E36 3.2 Convertible #77
Great to see further progress on this Rich and well done on that starter motor, it looks like a nightmare of a job.
Your non functioning blower motor might not be just your hedgehog because as you may recall I had both a knackered blower motor and a failed blower resistor. If your fan works on speed four then it's the resistor but if it doesn't work at all your fan is more than likely toast.
Good luck with it whichever it turns out to be.
Your non functioning blower motor might not be just your hedgehog because as you may recall I had both a knackered blower motor and a failed blower resistor. If your fan works on speed four then it's the resistor but if it doesn't work at all your fan is more than likely toast.
Good luck with it whichever it turns out to be.
Currently:
1992 Alpina B2.5 #026, Lagoon Green with Parchment Cloth
Previously:
2013 BMW M135i 3dr, Mineral Grey with Red Leather
2001 Alpina B3 3.3 Coupe #170, Orient Blue with Grey Leather
2006 Z4MC, Silver Grey with Red Leather
2001 E46 330i Sport, Silver with Red Leather
1997 E36 323i SE Touring, Calypso Red with Grey Cloth
1992 Alpina B2.5 #026, Lagoon Green with Parchment Cloth
Previously:
2013 BMW M135i 3dr, Mineral Grey with Red Leather
2001 Alpina B3 3.3 Coupe #170, Orient Blue with Grey Leather
2006 Z4MC, Silver Grey with Red Leather
2001 E46 330i Sport, Silver with Red Leather
1997 E36 323i SE Touring, Calypso Red with Grey Cloth