1984 633CSi Rises again!

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songzunhuang
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Re: 1984 633CSi Rises again!

Post by songzunhuang »

sansouci wrote: Sat Oct 23, 2021 3:04 am Song,
You may also want to refresh your engine, body and chassis ground straps.
Hmm, these are one of the things that I always check and can never find issue. Good news is that they are easy to check again.
I'll do some poking around and see what I should look for.
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1984 633CSi
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Re: 1984 633CSi Rises again!

Post by sansouci »

I should have known an engineer would be on top of it.
Sansouci
84 E24 633Csi Auto, Bronzit/PearlBeige 6997510
93 E32 740il M60 Auto, Alpenweis/Ultramarine
60 528i M30 5-speed Green/Beige (crushed)
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Re: 1984 633CSi Rises again!

Post by songzunhuang »

hornhospital wrote: Thu Oct 21, 2021 8:33 pm Wiggle it from the top and bottom or front and back? Or both? If both, wheel bearings. If top and bottom but not front and back, suspension bushings. If front and back but not top and bottom, tierod ends or steering box.
Ken, your advice is spot on. I put the car up this weekend and did what you said. I'm glad to report it's not my wheel bearing. After detecting that the issue was top to bottom. I crawled under and looked a little closer. Sure enough, I could see play in the tie rods. I found this kind of annoying as the tie rods were changed about 2 years ago. They should last longer than that!

So I hopped on to FCP looking for tie-rods. They have NONE! To my dismay, I found that the brand I usually look for, Meyle, looks to be backordered everywhere. BMW OEM was available for a ridiculous $200+ per side! Luckily I finally tracked down some Lemforders for about $58. I've got some weekend work coming. I'm hoping this will solve my vibration coming from the driver's front wheel.

Anyhow, thanks for the tip.
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Song Huang
1984 633CSi
Last 7 of VIN: 6997383
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Loose sideview mirror repair

Post by songzunhuang »

The past weeks I have noticed that my passenger door sideview mirror is flopping around. I can see it and hear it as I go over rough patches of road and also when I close the passenger door. It seemed like something is loose inside, but what?

After much searching, I came across the "Mirror Mangulation" thread and also a video on YouTube of someone using a hair dryer and a butter knife to break the glue holding the mirror onto the power adjustment base. Getting inside the mirror didn't look fun. Hey that never stopped me. I was just worried about breaking the mirror and having to buy a new one. So, here it goes.

As indicated, the mirror is glued onto the power adjustment frame. Luckily for me, I think the glue had gotten so brittle over time that heating it with a hair dryer and gentle prying eventually got it loose without breakage. One thing though, the rubber sheath protecting the power mirror motors was impossible ti keep intact. It ripped.

In the picture below, you can see how it looked when I was able to pry it slowly from the top. I put the knife blade in and heated the mirror with a hair dryer why gently twisting the knife at the point where I expected glue. You can see the 4 plastic protrusions (bottom one is a bit hidden by the rubber sheath) on the back of the mirror that was glued to the base. You can also see that part of the rubber sheath is still glued to the mirror.
Back of the mirror.
Back of the mirror.
Back of Mirror.png (1.21 MiB) Viewed 4045 times
After getting the mirror off, I could see that the white power mirror assembly was held onto the metal outer rearview mirror housing by 2 screws. I'm not sure how, but the white housing was very loose flopping around inside. It was odd as the screws didn't seem that loose. In the picture below you can see the white housing and one of the holes for mounting it onto the metal housing. I ended up having to add a washer to get the screws to hold the white housing securely. Also, the white housing had split a little and I re-glued that.
Not the best lighting, but you can see the goods.
Not the best lighting, but you can see the goods.
Inside Mirror.png (993.45 KiB) Viewed 4045 times
Ok, that's not the best picture but you can see the mounting point in the outside housing and the hole the screw goes through to mount the white case housing the power mirror motors. At the end of the day, I fastened it all back together and then re-glued the mirror using some black silicon adhesive. I checked it the next day and it seems secure. Time will tell how long it'll hold.
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Time to replace the motor mounts

Post by songzunhuang »

Many years back I asked about replacing the motor mounts in a different thread.
Well, this time I know they need replacing as I can see visible cracks. Details in thread here: viewtopic.php?f=2&t=29511&p=233553#p233553

But in order to keep all my maintenance items in this one thread, I am posting here as well.
It looks like everything is backordered unless I get the OEM BMW ($$) mounts.
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Transmission Selector Shaft Seal Replacement

Post by songzunhuang »

I came home after a several weeks vacation, I saw a pool of transmission fluid under the car. Jacked it up and checked multiple points including the hoses I had replaced and there were no signs that it was coming from anywhere above. So the only seal that hasn't been replaced is the selector shaft. The old seal was extremely brittle and I had heard all kinds of ways to remove it with varying degrees of success. This is how I did mine using a drywall screw. It was easy.

First, remove the 13mm nut holding the lever on the selector shaft. Nothing special here.
Removing the nut off the lever.
Removing the nut off the lever.
13mm ratchet.png (1.22 MiB) Viewed 3805 times
I tried to use a seal pick and a screwdriver, nut the seal was rock hard. So I found a long drywall screw. It was pretty easy to screw it in partway using a philips head screwdriver and then use a pair of pliers to lever it out.
Screw in old seal
Screw in old seal
Drywall screw.png (1.12 MiB) Viewed 3805 times
Here are the tools I used along with the old seal, which fell apart when I levered it out, alongside the new seal.
Tools used.
Tools used.
Tools needed.png (1.5 MiB) Viewed 3805 times
I used a 12mm socket to press the new seal back into the recess after I applied tranny fluid onto the seal liberally. It wasn't hard to seat. I just used my fingers to press it in firmly. Then, all there was left to so was to put it all back together, which is this last picture.
All done.
All done.
Done.png (1.1 MiB) Viewed 3805 times
I drove it about 21 miles afterwards and then checked it the next morning. All seems well for now but I'll keep an eye out in the next days.
Does anyone know where to get the rubber accordion boot that protects the cable? Mine is mostly gone.
Last edited by songzunhuang on Mon Jan 17, 2022 7:36 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: 1984 633CSi Rises again!

Post by rhanley 635csi89 »

Hi Song, I purchased BMW part 32732325866 and used it to replace the throttle cable rubber gattor (accordion boot) in my 1989 635, it appears it would work for your trans cable in question. Let us know the outcome. Roger
89 635CSiA (11/88 build)
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Re: 1984 633CSi Rises again!

Post by songzunhuang »

rhanley 635csi89 wrote: Mon Jan 17, 2022 1:30 am Hi Song, I purchased BMW part 32732325866 and used it to replace the throttle cable rubber gattor (accordion boot) in my 1989 635, it appears it would work for your trans cable in question. Let us know the outcome. Roger
Thanks Roger, I may get that one for my throttle and cruise control cables.
I spent way too much time looking into that rubber boot for the shifter and finally came across this.
https://www.ecstuning.com/b-genuine-bmw ... 161215314/

You'll notice that this has different diameters on the ends. I'll probably get both and see how it all goes.
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Supply Chain Problems are Real! Motor Mounts.

Post by songzunhuang »

In another thread, I have been lamenting the difficulty that I have encountered as I try to replace my motor mounts. There's evidence of cracking on the rubber and I am pretty sure my car's mounts are as old as the car. I figured a refresh couldn't hurt.
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=29511

I have ordered from five (5) different vendors, including BMW, and they have all cancelled my order a few days after I placed it. What's annoying is that most of them showed "in stock" when I ordered. I am now turning to eBay, which can be a bit hit or miss at times.

At this point, there's no hope for a "good deal". I'm up to $163 per mount from a eBayer that claims to have one (1) in stock. Yes, I ordered that too.

I see there's Hamburg Technic mounts available for about $50 each. I also have read plenty of bad reviews. So I am hesitant to give them a try, although it might be the only thing I can get my hands on.

My search continues...supply chain problems are real.
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Re: 1984 633CSi Rises again!

Post by Sbeaud »

Supply chain issues are indeed real. I ordered suspension parts from BMW in September - they showed up late December. One part actually showed up last week - but it was a bonus since it showed NLA!

Recommendation - if you're planning any work/repairs/updates order your parts early!

Scott Beaudry
1988 M6
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Motor Mounts - Rolling the Dice

Post by songzunhuang »

So after placing 6 orders over 3 weeks, I finally found one vendor who delivered on a "new old stock" original BMW motor mount for my car. It was a dear price at $163 for one mount. Since I needed 2 mounts, I decided to grab what I could before everyone ran out. All I could find was a Hamburg Technic brand for around $107 for a pair from an outfit in New York. I thought I would share my observations on these two mounts before I install them on my car.

First, here is the packaging that each unit came in. The BMW one appears to be re-packaged in a simple plastic bag. The HT was actually very nicely packaged. Maybe they have upped their game?
Packaging
Packaging
Mount1.png (806.77 KiB) Viewed 3449 times
Here you can see the mounts side by side. I noticed that the steel encasing the rubber seems to be of equal thickness. The rubber in the BMW mount is much harder to the touch. Also note that the triangle shape of the hole in the BMW mount seems more pronounced, a bit larger. The HT mount looks like it's got thicker rubber. Note the triangle molded into the rubber seems bigger at the top. Also note the word "Germany" is molded into the HT mount. Not sure if that is where it was actually made or just a word molded in the rubber. Also the BMW mount was covered in a very sticky coating. I tried to scrub some of it off, but there's still some there.
Bottom
Bottom
Mount2.png (716.06 KiB) Viewed 3449 times
Up top, they both have a metal plate where the mount arms rest. The HT mount is painted whereas the BMW mount is machined. The BMW looks nicer in its finish. I also noticed that the HT screws are fully threaded and the BMW ones do not go all the way down the shaft.
Topview
Topview
Mount3.png (716.9 KiB) Viewed 3449 times
Finally the bottom. In this picture the HT mount is on the right and the BMW mount is on the left. Two things I noticed. The HT mount's bottom screw is slightly longer than the BMW. Also, the locating notch is noticeably wider than the OEM BMW. I guess I'll learn when I install these if this makes a difference.
Side view
Side view
Mount4.png (614.76 KiB) Viewed 3449 times
Upon first inspection, the HT mount doesn't look horrible. I am going to mount the BMW version on the exhaust side and the HT version on the other side. I figured there's more heat cycling on the exhaust side so a firmer / tougher rubber may last longer? For all I know, the BMW mount may have been old stock sitting for a long time and the rubber got a bit hardened. In any case, this was all I could get after weeks of effort. We shall see how it all hold up. As usual, I'll report back a few years from now... I also have a spare HT mount in case they don't last as long.
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Re: 1984 633CSi Rises again!

Post by Slownrusty »

@songzunhuang - thanks for sharing and providing that comparison. The E28 owners did not have many positive things to say about Hamburg Technic, so it will be interesting to see how it stacks up over the years.

Please keep us posted.

Cheers.
Yasin
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New Motor Mounts Installed

Post by songzunhuang »

Well, changing the motor mounts in an e24 is simplicity itself! From start to finish, it was less than 1 hour job and I was going slow and taking lots of pictures. Here's a few observations from my experience.

I jacked up the front of the car and supported each side. I also used piece of hardwood (IPE) under the oil pan to support the engine. I just lifted it enough to easily get under the car. You can see that the wheels are still on the ground.
The setup for the work.
The setup for the work.
EngineMount1.png (1.36 MiB) Viewed 3389 times
After removing all the 17mm nuts (with a washer on each one), I jacked up the engine about 4 inches. That was probably too much. The mounts were easy to removed by pushing up and pulling out. The bolt on the bottom are much shorter and easy to lift and get clear.
Here's the passenger side:
Condition of the old mounts.
Condition of the old mounts.
EngineMount2.png (1.09 MiB) Viewed 3389 times
The driver's side was also really easy to get to as well. There wasn't anything different in the process. I used the Hamburg Tech mount on this side. The wider locating tab was inconsequential. The slots for these are big. There was no issues at all.
Driver side.
Driver side.
EngineMount3.png (919.57 KiB) Viewed 3389 times
Here are the old mounts. There were a lot of cracks and the metal cradles are cracked all the way through. Yes, it was way overdue for replacement.
Passenger side.
Passenger side.
EngineMount4.png (1.56 MiB) Viewed 3389 times
After the replacement, I started and car and rev'd it a bit to see if I could tell the difference. Yes, it felt smoother. I had guests arriving and needed to help out, so I didn't go test drive it yet. I'll get to do that later and report back. Just know that if you have to replace your mount, it's easy.
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Stalling from stoplight.

Post by songzunhuang »

Another annoying behavior has cropped up. Three times this week the car would die as I accelerate from a stoplight. Each time if I wait and crank a few times, it would restart and act normal for a while.

I’ve checked and changed relays, verified good grounds, checked the throttle position sensor adjustment, and just this weekend I rebuilt the internals of the AFM. The internals looked fine but I cleaned it all up and did a bit of an upgrade for good measure. The upgrade addition is the soldering of a wire to the arm and spring loaded contact to the arm. I saw this on a YouTube video from a guy who did it on his 1984 733, same basic engine setup.

Inside of the AFM after some cleanup and an added yellow wire soldered for good measure.
AFM cleanup and improvement?
AFM cleanup and improvement?
AFM Rebuild.png (883.71 KiB) Viewed 3086 times
After this exercise, I drove the car on the freeway and after I pulled off to a stop light, it promptly died on acceleration. ](*,)
As usual, a few cranks and wiggling of fuses and the car started again and got me home

So I am reaching out to the wisdom of the forum. What do you think is causing this intermittent stall? Could it be the fuel pump? That’s something I’ve never changed out.
Last edited by songzunhuang on Wed Feb 23, 2022 12:58 am, edited 2 times in total.
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Re: 1984 633CSi Rises again!

Post by hornhospital »

Fuel pump stutter was my first thought. Either intermittent connection or the pump is on the way out. I'm leaning toward intermittent connection, since it seems to happen when the chassis is stressed on acceleration.
Ken Kanne
'84 633CSi "Sylvia"; '85 635CSi "Katja";'85 325e "Hazel Ann"; '95 M3 "Ashlyn"
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Re: 1984 633CSi Rises again!

Post by songzunhuang »

hornhospital wrote: Mon Feb 21, 2022 8:46 pm Fuel pump stutter was my first thought. Either intermittent connection or the pump is on the way out. I'm leaning toward intermittent connection, since it seems to happen when the chassis is stressed on acceleration.
Thanks for the input. I went ahead and ordered a new Bosch fuel pump and a fuel filter for good measure. I changed the filter back in 2017, but have never changed the pump. I remember my pump used to have an audible buzz when I first got the car and that eventually went away. I’ve already changed the pressure regulator so that isn’t a likely culprit.

If it is an intermittent connection, that going to be a serious pain in the butt to remedy. I hope the pump and filter help. Fingers crossed that’s it’s a slowly dying fuel pump.
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New Fuel Pump and Filter

Post by songzunhuang »

In my continuing efforts to resolve an intermittent stall and rough running when coming off idle, I decided to change out my fuel pump and filter. Here's a quick overview of the process. Luckily it's pretty easy to get to from under the car.

Here's the old units that need to be replaced.
Old units under the passenger side.
Old units under the passenger side.
Old units.png (788.77 KiB) Viewed 3014 times
First order of business was to pinch off the fuel lines to prevent gas from getting everywhere.
We don't want gas everywhere
We don't want gas everywhere
Hose pinched.png (730.08 KiB) Viewed 3014 times
Here's the new unit, I'll have to move the rubber ring from the old pump to the new one. I realized too late that the Bosch fuel pump had a limited lifetime warranty! Oh well, at least I've got peace of mind.
New vs old pump.
New vs old pump.
Neww Pump.png (1.41 MiB) Viewed 3014 times
Here it is all done. I change a fuel line while I was at it. I've written the date of the installation for future reference.
All snug and secure.
All snug and secure.
Job done.png (1.28 MiB) Viewed 3014 times
So, did it fix the issue? Nope. I went to pickup some dinner and the car died on the the way. Same thing, rough idling followed by a stall on acceleration. Crank it a few times, and it comes back again. I am bummed.
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1984 633CSi
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Reflowing the ECU and much more

Post by songzunhuang »

Today I systematically checked several systems in an attempt to rid my car of the rough idle and stall. A lot was checked and done, but time will tell if this fixes the issue. So what was done?

- Speed sensor and Crank Position sensor checked for proper resistance. 940-950 ohms. They passed.
- Idle air controller function verified. It all worked as expected.
- Distributor cap and rotor checked for any signs of moisture. Nothing was present.
- Throttle position sensor tested. Found that of idle microswitch works fine, but wide open throttle did not. New one ordered.
- Reinstalled my spare Programa Idle Control Unit. This was originally on the car when I got it.
- Reflowed the ECU in case any cold joints were present. This took almost 3 hours! There are a lot of solder points.

So here's the Programa unit installed and the Motronic ECU in the background. These are all accessed through the glove compartment. I rewrapped the wires in Tesa tape and also checked all electrical connections.
Installing the new old unit.
Installing the new old unit.
Programa.png (877.49 KiB) Viewed 3012 times
Here's the Motronic ECU opened up. This is only one side of the solder joints. There's a lot more on the other side. I reflowed and refreshed all the joints. I don't think I missed any.
Here's the guts of the ECU.
Here's the guts of the ECU.
Motronic ECU.png (1003.8 KiB) Viewed 3012 times
A magnifying glass is helpful to check all the work. It's a tedious process.
You need the magnifying glass to see joint integrity.
You need the magnifying glass to see joint integrity.
Magnifying the board.png (1.61 MiB) Viewed 3012 times
After all this, I drove the car about 9 miles. Luckily, it did not die or run rough. I ran a few errands and took the car on side roads, freeways and in and out of parking lots. No issues. It was a nice day at about 68-70 degrees so this isn't definitive, but we'll see in the upcoming days. Fingers crossed. One thing I did was adjust the IAC to idle closer to 1000 rpm. I know this is a bit high, but I've been having this weird thing where I had to blip the idle when I start the car in order to get the battery charge light to go off. By adjusting the idle up a bit, the light goes off. Yea, a temp fix, but I am chasing bigger issues.

Meanwhile, I ordered a new throttle position switch and a new fan shroud for good measure. I noticed mine was a bit mis-shaped.

===< Update after several hundred miles of driving - March 26, 2022 >===
Well, I am cautiously optimistic that the solder joints must have been my issue. I've put several hundred miles on the car over the past weeks and I have not experienced that rough idle and stumble on acceleration. More importantly, the car has never stalled on me. I keep driving with a little paranoia, but so far it has been unfounded.

In retrospect, there was one solder joint that seem iffy. It was one of the 3 large spots in the lower left of the picture where I had magnifier over the board. In my research, I read that those 3 legs may be a transistor that gets rather hot. You'll see them with a tan circle around them where the PC board shows through and a little curve of wire off the legs. I noticed that one of them had a joint with very little solder. Of course I added some solder to ensure a good connection. Fingers crossed things continue to be good.
Last edited by songzunhuang on Sun Mar 27, 2022 5:53 am, edited 2 times in total.
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Re: 1984 633CSi Rises again!

Post by KINGJOHN808 »

Wow! Definitely following this post. I recently changed all the vaccuum lines, spark plug wires, spark plugs, cap and rotor. No air leaks anywhere but car would run rough at best. Still couldn’t figure out why until I changed the fuel filter. Car fired right up, smoother (not perfect) idle but I feel that the fuel filter and probably really old gas and trash in the tank to be part of the issue.

Car is currently on Jack stands while I wait for front and rear suspension parts. Hope to get everything here and get it back on the ground within the next 30 days or so (depending on parts availability).

Aloha!
Ewa Kai, Hawai’i
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Re: 1984 633CSi Rises again!

Post by zinnocoupe »

Song, Great to read your progress on the car. Amazing how much you've done to it. Also very impressed with your solder reflow work. I feel like you must have solved this. Fingers crossed for you. I'm interested in your mention of the IAC and adjusting it to idle higher? I didn't know ( or forgot ) this was possible. How exactly do you do this? I thought the Idle was pretty much set by the ECU on these cars. I got to admit I haven't done much with my e24 lately. Last few years I've been working on a 77 530i now a Pcar 944. ( sacrilege I know!). Again nice work Song
Image
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1979 Euro 635ci no longer a basketcase, just a running rust bucket!
1977 530i Partially restored and running now!
1987 635csi 60K KM Garage Queen
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Re: 1984 633CSi Rises again!

Post by songzunhuang »

zinnocoupe wrote: Fri Mar 11, 2022 5:22 pm Song, Great to read your progress on the car. Amazing how much you've done to it. Also very impressed with your solder reflow work. I feel like you must have solved this. Fingers crossed for you. I'm interested in your mention of the IAC and adjusting it to idle higher? I didn't know ( or forgot ) this was possible. How exactly do you do this? I thought the Idle was pretty much set by the ECU on these cars. I got to admit I haven't done much with my e24 lately. Last few years I've been working on a 77 530i now a Pcar 944. ( sacrilege I know!). Again nice work Song
Thank you. You know, it's been over a week now and I've put about 110 miles on the car and ran all kinds of errands as well as my regular commute. So far, so good. There's been no stall so far and not even a stumbling idle. I am cautiously optimistic.

There's a screw on the IAC, you can use it to allow more or less air at idle and it changes the speed. It's kind of a bypass.

Also today, my new idle position sensor showed up as well as my OEM fan shroud. I quickly tested the position sensor to make sure that the microswitch at idle and the WOT are working as designed. Unlike my old Bosch unit it, checked out, so I installed it and quickly started the car and let it idle a while. I didn't have time to tackle the shroud yet.
Idle position sensor from FACET.
Idle position sensor from FACET.
Idle positiion sensor..png (1.33 MiB) Viewed 2877 times
The part was from Facet, which looks like it's made in Italy. It was $55 compared to the almost $300 they wanted for a Bosch OEM BMW part. It's not a super complicated part, so perhaps it'll work just fine. Besides, the BMW parts were all backordered. The shroud was a BMW part and it set me back about $85. These days with all the supply chain issues, I figured I should order stuff way before I need them.

Oh, about the Pcars. I've had 4 air cooled ones (912, 911SC, 930 slantnose, 930 Turbo Cab). I wish I had kept them.
I once looked at a 944S2, I thought it was a pretty cool ride, but it wasn't the right car for what I needed a the time.
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New Radiator Fan Shroud

Post by songzunhuang »

So a while back the upper driver side mount on my radiator shroud broke and it was swinging about causing little noises as it contacted belts and pulleys. I could have just secured it with a large washer, but then I noticed that my shroud was curved and allowed a lot of air to go around the shroud and the radiator. Well, we can't have that! Time for a new shroud.

First, here's what I was dealing with, The mounting point in plastic had broken. As mentioned earlier, I could have just used a large washer to secure it, and I did just that as I waited from my new OEM shroud to arrive.
Mounting point is broken.
Mounting point is broken.
Broke mount.png (1.23 MiB) Viewed 2799 times
When the new one came, I removed the old and got a side by side. Yup, it's the right part.
Old original vs nice new unit.
Old original vs nice new unit.
Old vs. New.png (831.28 KiB) Viewed 2799 times
One thing I mentioned is that my old one, (original oem?) was curved and allowing air to escape through the sides of the radiator. Not a big deal, but slightly less efficient than intended. You can see below how the old one (left) is curved in the photo below.
Old one on left is bent.
Old one on left is bent.
Old is bent.png (1.02 MiB) Viewed 2799 times
So replacement was fairly easy., I had to remove the cooling fan and then it was just two screws to remove the old shroud. The new one is taller since it isn't bent, and now the sides of the radiator and shroud doesn't have a big gap.
New shroud in place.
New shroud in place.
New shroud.png (1.48 MiB) Viewed 2799 times
I wanted to document the update for this ongoing project "Daily driver". It seems parts are getting harder and harder to locate, so now I am just proactively replacing worn things if I can find the parts.
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Song Huang
1984 633CSi
Last 7 of VIN: 6997383
songzunhuang
Platinum Member
Platinum Member
Posts: 1224
Joined: Fri Aug 14, 2015 10:04 am
Location: Silicon Valley, CA
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Replacing & Upgrading My Lower Control Arms

Post by songzunhuang »

My Meyle M6 lower control arms arrived Friday, just in time for a Saturday install. I had all the right tools so it wasn't a hard job, but tedious as I had to make 2 runs to the store. One for a 22mm socket, which is the size of the ball joint nuts on the control arms; and a second run when I broke the bolt that fastens the control arm to the chassis. I got my torque specs mixed up - stupid mistake.

Anyhow, I jacked up the front of the car and removed both wheels. Removal would start with the 3 steering arm to shock cartridge bolts and then pop off the balljoints using my balljoint tool. It all worked a charm.
Car jacked up and ready to go.
Car jacked up and ready to go.
Work Begins.png (1.6 MiB) Viewed 2717 times
Here, you can see the bolt I snapped. I got the upper thrust arm bolt (torque to 96 ft/lbs) mixed up with the lower control arm (torque to 57 ft/lbs). That was a stupid mistake. Also in this shot, you can see that the old ball joints were compromised, although they didn't seem to have any play. They were plenty dirty. I also replaced the upper control arm rubber boot with an upgraded red polyurethane one. This will prove to be a total waste of money as I am replacing the whole arm in a week. :-?
Collection of things dealt with.
Collection of things dealt with.
Old and New parts.png (1.12 MiB) Viewed 2717 times
Here's one of the new control arms installed. I upgraded from the steel version to the aluminum one, listed as a M6 part. I just like the way it looks. 8) . I also noticed that my driver side lower control arm bushing was damaged. The bushing's metal center shaft was noticeably separated from the rubber. I am hoping that this was the reason I was getting a vibration around 55-60mph at times.

I was a bit bothered that my replacement bolt was not the gold colored finish as the original, but it was the right 8.8 rating. I couldn't find the right gold finish at the stores I checked. Also, the bolts get all covered in dirty stuff and will end up just looking black, so I think it'll be ok.
All done with new bolt.
All done with new bolt.
Complete Arm Install.png (1.41 MiB) Viewed 2717 times
Here's the complete job from under the car. One thing I discovered is that the final tightening of the control arm end with bushings must be done with the car suspension loaded. The rubber bushing is designed to flex up and down a certain amount. If you tighten while the suspension is unloaded, dropping the car will twist the rubber around the steel shaft in the bushings and then regular road bumps will push it beyond the specs. The metal shaft in the bushing is fused to the rubber and when you tighten it, it does not turn with the suspension deflection.
Both arms installed.
Both arms installed.
Shot from below.png (868.24 KiB) Viewed 2717 times
So, in this process, I discovered that while my upper control arm ball joints seem to be OK, the bushings are very loose. I also discovered it's VERY difficult to find these upper control arms! I looked everywhere and couldn't find a set of Lemforder or Meyle from all my regular online shops (FCP Euro, AutoHauzAZ, Turner Motorsports, Pelican Parts, RockAuto, and Partsgeek). Once again, parts are getting hard to find. I ended up giving 1A Auto a try. They have a brand called TRQ that has a limited lifetime warranty. Ok, those on on the way now.

I did take the car out for a drive afterwards and it seems better, but it's hard to tell with one drive. Also, I noticed my alignment is messed up now. The wheel is slightly left when going straight. Sigh, I'll live with it until after I replace the upper control arms next week. Then it'll be time for an alignment. The adventure continues...
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Song Huang
1984 633CSi
Last 7 of VIN: 6997383
songzunhuang
Platinum Member
Platinum Member
Posts: 1224
Joined: Fri Aug 14, 2015 10:04 am
Location: Silicon Valley, CA
Contact:

Re: 1984 633CSi Rises again!

Post by songzunhuang »

KINGJOHN808 wrote: Fri Mar 11, 2022 7:51 am Wow! Definitely following this post. I recently changed all the vaccuum lines, spark plug wires, spark plugs, cap and rotor. No air leaks anywhere but car would run rough at best. Still couldn’t figure out why until I changed the fuel filter. Car fired right up, smoother (not perfect) idle but I feel that the fuel filter and probably really old gas and trash in the tank to be part of the issue.

Car is currently on Jack stands while I wait for front and rear suspension parts. Hope to get everything here and get it back on the ground within the next 30 days or so (depending on parts availability).

Aloha!
Hello and thanks for chiming into my project thread. Sounds to me like you are going like gang busters. I remember those days when I first got my shark (same year as yours!) and the excitement to get it going. It's been over 50,000 miles and it's still going strong despite the hiccups here and there. When I get frustrated, I just tell myself that it's a learning opportunity. I've learned so much about this car in the past 7 years of ownership.

The parts availability issue is starting to get more dire. I have noticed that the choices I had before are no longer there. It seems I get whatever I can get and can't be too picky about the brand.

Are you in Hawaii? My family was in Kauai for an extended vacation at the beginning of this year. Such a beautiful place.
Best of luck getting your car going and let me know if I can help. Goodness knows I've been through just about every part of this car!
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Song Huang
1984 633CSi
Last 7 of VIN: 6997383
KINGJOHN808
Posts: 127
Joined: Sat Feb 16, 2019 2:27 am
Location: Ewa Kai

Re: 1984 633CSi Rises again!

Post by KINGJOHN808 »

songzunhuang wrote: Sun Mar 27, 2022 5:36 am
KINGJOHN808 wrote: Fri Mar 11, 2022 7:51 am Wow! Definitely following this post. I recently changed all the vaccuum lines, spark plug wires, spark plugs, cap and rotor. No air leaks anywhere but car would run rough at best. Still couldn’t figure out why until I changed the fuel filter. Car fired right up, smoother (not perfect) idle but I feel that the fuel filter and probably really old gas and trash in the tank to be part of the issue.

Car is currently on Jack stands while I wait for front and rear suspension parts. Hope to get everything here and get it back on the ground within the next 30 days or so (depending on parts availability).

Aloha!
Hello and thanks for chiming into my project thread. Sounds to me like you are going like gang busters. I remember those days when I first got my shark (same year as yours!) and the excitement to get it going. It's been over 50,000 miles and it's still going strong despite the hiccups here and there. When I get frustrated, I just tell myself that it's a learning opportunity. I've learned so much about this car in the past 7 years of ownership.

The parts availability issue is starting to get more dire. I have noticed that the choices I had before are no longer there. It seems I get whatever I can get and can't be too picky about the brand.

Are you in Hawaii? My family was in Kauai for an extended vacation at the beginning of this year. Such a beautiful place.
Best of luck getting your car going and let me know if I can help. Goodness knows I've been through just about every part of this car!
Aloha Song. Kauai is definitely a beautiful place. Nice and laid back. Living in Hawaii all my adult life. Originally from Los Angeles but the military life brought me here back in the 80s. You know the story “boy comes to Hawaii, boy meets girl, boy gets married, has kids and then never leaves!” 🤣

Following your build as to be honest, it’s the only thing keeping me going. I’ve since sold all my other “toys” as this was the car I drove as a teenager, so this one is for lack of a better word “priceless”. I’ve owned several German cars but this one both fascinates and infuriates me at the same time. 🤣. Parts are definitely getting hard to find. I bought a parts car a few years ago, removed a few misc pieces here and there, then junked it. Had I had the in sight to know then what I know now, would have completely stripped it down to just a shell.

My later issue is the OBC. I changed the fuse and soldered on a big tail with fuse holder so if I have another issue with the fuse blowing, it’s way easier just to pop it out and change it. It seems to be functioning, however the light (buttons do not light up). Checked the bulb and it appears fine so not sure why it’s not on. Even when I turn the dash lights on and off, only the display works, but the buttons do not.

Will be changing out struts, springs, motor mounts, trans/diff mounts shortly. Also, brakes (rotors, pads and adding steel braided brake lines). The A/C looks to be an ongoing project as I have already had my original compressor rebuilt, all new lines brought in from Germany. Was going to change the evaporator and condenser until I saw the price. “OUCH”! Talk about sticker shock. 🤣. Think I’ll just clean both of the original units out, replace the drier and the (other unit attached to the evaporator….can’t think of the name right now), change all the orings and have it charged with R134 (compressor built to allow that gas in lieu of R12)

Hope to have it back on the road by next year. Turned the plates in a few years back so not get get charged back taxes. Registration here in Hawaii is a rip off. Car is almost 40 years old and the registration is going to cost $460.00

Please continue to post everything that you are doing and I will continue to follow. Have a great weekend.

Aloha’z.
Ewa Kai, Hawai’i
1984 633CSi
1983 633CSi (wreckers)

“Aloha and have a great day!”
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