1984 633CSi Rises again!

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songzunhuang
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Loose Ends Under hood and pinstripes

Post by songzunhuang »

On Sunday I finished up several loose ends under the hood.
First I had to finish up the washer system hoses and all the wiring for the hood light. A key trick is to make a wire snake to pull things through the holes in the hood. It was impossible to push it through.
I used a flexible wire, similar to a coat hanger.
I used a flexible wire, similar to a coat hanger.
Snaking Wire.png (1.15 MiB) Viewed 2917 times
After getting the everything through, I had to dig into old pictures to see how everything was supposed to be routed. I followed the original exactly. My check valves or the washer didn't fit right. I am going to have to return them to FCP Euro. I went ahead with the hoses and can always instal them later. I didn't see a need for okiter clamps for all the fittings. The hose went on SO tight. The underhood light was a challenge. It crumbled when I tried to install it! I had to rebuild it with epoxy making forms. No one has these in stock so another item for the wish list.

Then it was time for the foam. I gotta say, it was easy to install and fit exactly. I really like the self adhesive, it's like a big decal.
Installed and not going any where.
Installed and not going any where.
HoodFoam Done.png (4.75 MiB) Viewed 2917 times
Then I had to remove the white stripe and install the black stripe. I made a mistake taking off the old stripe with a box cutter blade. It scratched the car. I ended up wet sanding with 800, 1500, then 3000 grit before polishing and compounding before installing the stripe. That burned a lot of hours. Take my advice, use a single edge razor. It does a much cleaner job.
The striping tape was really nice and easy to apply. The stripes are on a clear protective sheet. After applying it to the car, you can remove the clear cover. Basically the clear makes it easy to apply and is less tacky than the stripe itself. Here I am applying the tape. Note the taper? You basically lift it up and reposition it. The stripes are removable for several days before the adhesive gets permanent.
Apply the stripe to car, remove protective cover.
Apply the stripe to car, remove protective cover.
Applying stripe.png (1.32 MiB) Viewed 2917 times
Finally the job was finished. It is so subtle that it was hard to get a picture. The body shop people told me that stripes sometimes echo the interior color so I thought it would be interesting. Also graphite with a black stripe matches Eleanor - car guys will know. :wink:
All done with the black stripe.
All done with the black stripe.
Stripe done.png (1.13 MiB) Viewed 2917 times
So I am near the end. I am looking at getting reproduction under hood stickers to make it all "newish". It's coming together.
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Song Huang
1984 633CSi
Last 7 of VIN: 6997383
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Re: 1984 633CSi Rises again!

Post by MrE »

Nice work Song. I'll bet you were kicking yourself with that box cutter and the brand new paint. But you successfully fixed it up, no harm done, and the black pinstripes look good - as does the foam kit.
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Re: Hood Foam Alternative - excellent!

Post by TimU »

songzunhuang wrote: Thu Sep 22, 2022 7:51 pm [...snip...]

Hood Foam 3.png

The website address is clear on the sticker in the last picture. Only drawback is that the delivery time was about 3 weeks from Germany. The company was super responsive and easy to deal with as well. I need to do some underhood work before I can install this, but I'll post my impressions when I do.
Thanks for the link - I've ordered some now too.

Congrats on getting it all (nearly) back together! It's looking great. =D>
04/1986 635csi Euro spec
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Re: 1984 633CSi Rises again!

Post by Jubilados »

Looks great!
Didn’t they clear over your old stripes on the door? You were still able to remove them?
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Re: 1984 633CSi Rises again!

Post by songzunhuang »

Jubilados wrote: Tue Sep 27, 2022 3:05 pm Looks great!
Didn’t they clear over your old stripes on the door? You were still able to remove them?
Yes they did clear over the old stripes, but they only painted to the doors. I still had to remove the rear quarter stripes.
As for the painted over stripes, I basically measured the stripe width and got the exact 1/16", 1/8", 1/8' widths and it covered the old stripes. Only in a few spots did a tiny bit peek through.

In this picture I am removing the white stripe that the body shop put on and you can see the clearcoat over the old stripes.
Removing white stripes, old ones underneath.
Removing white stripes, old ones underneath.
Taping over stripes.png (1.17 MiB) Viewed 2874 times
It's kind of annoying to know it's there, but when covered, it give the stripes more depth. A casual observer wouldn't notice.
BTW - highly recommend these folks if you decide to do your own stripes. The stripes I got came in a 150' roll and it was only $21!
https://www.autorestylersinc.com/roll-p ... -c-97.html

The stuff was made of 3M vinyl and went on easy. There are so many colors to choose from too!
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Song Huang
1984 633CSi
Last 7 of VIN: 6997383
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Re: 1984 633CSi Rises again!

Post by songzunhuang »

MrE wrote: Tue Sep 27, 2022 8:29 am Nice work Song. I'll bet you were kicking yourself with that box cutter and the brand new paint. But you successfully fixed it up, no harm done, and the black pinstripes look good - as does the foam kit.
Yes, it turned my hour job into a half day job. I had to "rock" the box cutter blade to get the old stripe off and each "rocking' motion would catch the tip and leave a tiny scratch. I also had to take off one stripe at a time. When I finally switched to a regular single edge razor, I could easily attack two stripes simultaneously. So much faster.

Here's the polishing step using rubbing compound. I found you can easily hand polish if you finish with 3000 grit. Even perfectly smoothed, you can see the shadow where the old stripes were. I guess it had to do with the paint fade after all the years. The good news is that it gave me an easy line to follow with the new stripes.
Hand polishing compound.
Hand polishing compound.
Polishing.png (1.36 MiB) Viewed 2873 times
Turns out after all the polishing, I had to use alcohol to remove the residue before the new stripes. Just a lot of extra work.
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Song Huang
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Re: 1984 633CSi Rises again!

Post by Jubilados »

I see. I thought you meant they cleared over the new white stripes.
Totally bizarre they painted over the old pin stripes! :shock:
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All Lights Back to Normal, and a few other things

Post by songzunhuang »

Today I set out to figure out why my headlight behavior was so odd. As these things go, you get sidetracked by a bunch of other things that you notice while taking care of the main task. It never seems to be just what you plan.

Well to take care of things, I wanted to check the wiring but I also wanted to adjust the hinges on my hood. You see, I had noticed that when I have the hood open, the front edge actually contacts metal in a spot on the passenger side. So, the first order of business was to remove all of the passenger side headlight and grille. It was so nice to be able to remove the side marker light and grille. Before I had a stuck nut and was never able to remove the side market light to get the grille off entirely.
All the things I am trying to do.
All the things I am trying to do.
Headlight Out.png (1.3 MiB) Viewed 2798 times
Here we see one of the items that I was taking care of. First how to raise the hinge just 1/16" of an inch. I ended up using a ball joint separator with the adjusting nut pushing up on the hinge as I turned it. It worked very well. You can see the black mark I made of the original location of the hinge and how it's up about 1/16" from the bottom now. While I was doing this, I came across a single wire with a connector that was not connected to anything. Does anyone know what this is for?
With grille and headlight assembly out.
With grille and headlight assembly out.
Inside the Light.png (1.39 MiB) Viewed 2798 times
While I was checking the wiring I noticed something that wasn't normal. It seems a gap had appeared in my engine mount between the rubber and the metal frame. My accident must have made the engine surge forward and deformed the mount. This is really annoying because this was the OEM BMW mount that I paid a dear amount for. As I recall, it was new old stock and almost $140. Arg, I am going to have to replace that mount. I do have a spare that I got from Hamberg Technique. I guess I'll put it to use.
Deformed casing of the engine mount.
Deformed casing of the engine mount.
Bad mount.png (1.31 MiB) Viewed 2798 times
Oh, but what of the weird headlight behavior? That's what started all of this. Well, I checked all the fuses and discovered that #1 7.5A was blown. I replaced that and also checked #2, #13, #14. I pulled all the relays and removed some oxidation from the contact legs. Then I also noticed that one of the contacts of my new high beam headlights were bent badly and probably not making good contact. So I fixed the bend. So, in the end, it all worked! All my headlights are acting as they should once again. In the sequence photo below, you can see the normal headlights on, then with the fog lamps on, and finally with the high beams engaged! Hooray! Hopefully all my tinkering today will also take care of a power draw that seems to have killed my battery over the past week.
Headlight operation good!
Headlight operation good!
All Lights Good.png (1.54 MiB) Viewed 2798 times
So we move one more step closer to getting everything in order. I still have to deal with my window washers not mounting well in their holes in the hood and also the missing check valves, but these are not going to prevent me from driving the car to work tomorrow! It's good to get things back in order.
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Song Huang
1984 633CSi
Last 7 of VIN: 6997383
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Most Things are Nice Under the Hood

Post by songzunhuang »

Oh, I had to include one more observation for completeness.
I appears that my fan clutch is bent. As I was running the car today, I notice that there's a wobble at idle. Just like my power steering pulley, the clutch fan took some of the impact when the radiator bent around it in the accident. So a new clutch fan is on order. I need everything smooth!

As I was closing up for the evening, I took this photo of the bottom part of my hood with the foam in place, washer hoses installed and most things operating like they should. It's nice to be almost back with a nicer paint job and black stripes!
Almost back to 100%
Almost back to 100%
GoodUnderHood.png (2.78 MiB) Viewed 2797 times
After the accident, I vowed to make it better than it was. I am almost there. \:D/
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Song Huang
1984 633CSi
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Re: 1984 633CSi Rises again!

Post by TimU »

Nice work :)
If you want to go down a rabbit hole to make it factory perfect, you're missing the under-bonnet water deflector that attaches to the hood grilles.

viewtopic.php?t=32540
04/1986 635csi Euro spec
Australian Delivered, RHD
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Re: 1984 633CSi Rises again!

Post by songzunhuang »

TimU wrote: Tue Oct 04, 2022 12:09 am Nice work :)
If you want to go down a rabbit hole to make it factory perfect, you're missing the under-bonnet water deflector that attaches to the hood grilles.

viewtopic.php?t=32540
Hmm, I have never seen these. Interesting, but I am in California where we are in a record number of years of drought. These look like something you would need if it rained. LOL.

I think my next rabbit hole may have to do with improving the interior, or maybe a manual swap. I have to wait a while as I have exhausted the unplanned budget with this repair.
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Song Huang
1984 633CSi
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"Important" Details for the Shark!

Post by songzunhuang »

Ok, sometimes there are tiny things that we need to do to our cars to make them right.
I got one of these in the mail for only $9 + $3 shipping ($12 for a sticker!)
New BMW sticker
New BMW sticker
Sticker.png (459.69 KiB) Viewed 2707 times
I put that in the proper spot under my hood, along with a sticker indicating that I have switched to R134a freon with all the relevant details.
So now, the underside of my car is a little bit more complete.
Installed stickers in the car.
Installed stickers in the car.
Sticker On.png (2.15 MiB) Viewed 2707 times
Sometimes the "Important" little things just make things better. OK, that's my big update for today. :D
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Song Huang
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Re: 1984 633CSi Rises again!

Post by Jubilados »

Looks awesome.
This is one of the all time great aE24 threads! \:D/
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Why can't I get the right part?

Post by songzunhuang »

So I noticed that my fan clutch was slightly bent. I decided to get a new fan clutch. Easy right?
Well, I have now ordered and sent back 4 clutches from 4 different vendors. What's the problem? Everything they send me is much thicker than my current clutch and I can't install them without removing my radiator.

It's especially annoying because after getting the first 2 and realizing the challenge, I started writing to the merchant before ordering to verify the type and measurement of the clutch. They show the one I want on their website and their sales people tell me that I'll get exactly what's displayed, but then guess what? They send me the wrong one.

Here's the picture I sent them to illustrate:
This is not what you show.
This is not what you show.
Wrong Fan Clutch.png (1.93 MiB) Viewed 2591 times
The big problem is the thickness of these units. Mine is about 1-7/8" thick so I can squeeze it into the slot between the radiator and the water pump. It's a VERY tight fit and scrapes the radiator slightly. Now, what they are sending me is over 2 1/8" thick. It's over 1/4" thicker. I will basically have to remove the radiator to install.
This it way too wide.
This it way too wide.
Too Wide.png (1.52 MiB) Viewed 2591 times
I've loosened the fan blade mounting bolts, I've even cut down the internal metal tubes of the radiator mount to gain a little more clearance. It still won't work.

So I have been looking for the style of fan clutch exactly like the one I have. Despite me asking very specifically before ordering and seeing the exact one I want pictured on their website, I keep getting the wrong thing. It is so annoying! I've tried Pelican Parts, Carparts.com, eBay sellers, and they have all failed. I just wish they would send me the right part. So buyer beware!

OK, I feel better now after this rant. The search continues.
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Song Huang
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Re: 1984 633CSi Rises again!

Post by 87Shark »

Try eeuro parts. I've ordered from them before and gotten the correct parts and when they made a mistake, they made it right. Just another source. No affilation with them.
'87 L6, Arctic White
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Re: 1984 633CSi Rises again!

Post by TimU »

Song, you can install the thicker fan clutch without removing the whole radiator.

Remove the rubber bushings of the radiator mount and it will allow you to push the radiator body forward to give you enough clearance for the fan hub.
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04/1986 635csi Euro spec
Australian Delivered, RHD
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Re: 1984 633CSi Rises again!

Post by songzunhuang »

TimU wrote: Sat Oct 15, 2022 6:07 pm Song, you can install the thicker fan clutch without removing the whole radiator.

Remove the rubber bushings of the radiator mount and it will allow you to push the radiator body forward to give you enough clearance for the fan hub.
Tim, I have already tried that! I had to actually cut down the metal inserts so that my radiator would stay tight against the radiator mount and the fan wouldn't contact the radiator. Something changed after my accident repair.

Today I was fixing a few things and I think I figured out what it was...read the next post for more.
Thanks for your tips!
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Song Huang
1984 633CSi
Last 7 of VIN: 6997383
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Bent Motor Mount Replacement

Post by songzunhuang »

So I realized that my bent motor mount has caused all kinds of issues, especially with my radiator fan clutch clearance. I noticed a large crack between the rubber of the motor mount and the metal cradle the rubber is mounted in. So I replaced it today. First I jacked up the car and supported the oil pan with my jack and a piece of IPE wood.
Easy access to passenger side mount.
Easy access to passenger side mount.
Remove Mount.png (1.24 MiB) Viewed 2554 times
It was easy to get it off since there's all kinds of working space around it. When I got the old engine mount off, I see that it is very deformed. In fact, you can see the bolt alignment are about 1/4" off.
My mount must be 1/4" off.
My mount must be 1/4" off.
Bent Mount.png (1.05 MiB) Viewed 2554 times
I realized that this is probably why I have no clearance between my fan clutch and radiator! Everything is pushed forward about 1/4"
Before I put in the new mount, I took a quick side by side. You can see the large gap due to how badly deformed the OEM BMW version is on the right.
My spare engine mount and the bent OEM version.
My spare engine mount and the bent OEM version.
New and old.png (1.28 MiB) Viewed 2554 times
Sure enough, after I installed the new mount, I saw that the gap between my radiator and the radiator fan had increased!
Too bad I sent every single one of those fan clutches back. I ordered another, but it'll be next week before it arrives. So I tried to put in my old Sachs version, but then I realized that it's viscous coupling had completely failed. So I had put my bent Meyle back in in the meantime. On to the next project.
Last edited by songzunhuang on Sun Oct 16, 2022 3:39 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Song Huang
1984 633CSi
Last 7 of VIN: 6997383
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Adjusting a drooping door

Post by songzunhuang »

So I've been having to slam my driver door pretty hard to get the door to close completely. One of the Big Coupe members mentioned that he saw in a picture that my door was dropping. So, I looked for a way to fix it. First, I opened the door and supported it with my trusty floor jack. Then I took off the door card and handle to get to the six (6) bolts that hold the door to the hinge.
Here's the setup to adjust the door.
Here's the setup to adjust the door.
Door Bolts.png (1.44 MiB) Viewed 2552 times
It turns out that an offset wrench is the perfect tool to get to the inside bolt. You can't get a straight shot with a ratchet.
Finally a perfect use for this wrench.
Finally a perfect use for this wrench.
Offfset Wrench.png (1.36 MiB) Viewed 2552 times
Of course, something always has to go wrong with every project. My interior door handle literally shattered. There was no way for me to get a replacement today and I can't open the door from the inside without a handle, so out came the trusty JB Weld. This set me back an hour or so.
Broken and repairing the door handle.
Broken and repairing the door handle.
Door Handle Broke.png (1.1 MiB) Viewed 2552 times
After getting the door handle back on, I finally got everything back together. The door droop is gone, in fact I think I went up a little too much. It looks to be about 1/16" high. However, the doors shut easily now with just a gentle pull. I like that action. So I'm leaving it alone. But I am also noticing that my newly applied stripes are not lined up. Sheesh - one thing leads to another.
Door adjustment done.
Door adjustment done.
Door Done.png (1.05 MiB) Viewed 2552 times
So after this, I drove the car around and realized the door adjustment created a gap between the door seal and the window. So I got some neoprene tape and placed it behind the door seal to close the gap. It seems to be working so far. As usual, we shall see.
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Song Huang
1984 633CSi
Last 7 of VIN: 6997383
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Instrument Cluster Work

Post by songzunhuang »

Today, we take care of a few items that have been bothering me. My fuel gauge never reads "Full" even when I fill up the car. Earlier in my ownership, I was having fuel gauge issues and I manually adjusted the needle and it's never been right ever since. So I've noticed that I need to push the needle about 1/8" so that it'll be at "F" when I fill it up.

The second thing was that there was some debris in my cluster and some kind of residue on the inside of the lens. I wanted to clean it out so that I'll be crystal clear. So it begins.

It's been a while since I disassembled my cluster, but it's like riding a bicycle, it just comes back to you once you start.
Cluster out again!
Cluster out again!
ClusterOut.png (1.39 MiB) Viewed 2515 times
While taking the cluster out, the leads for the fog lamp were extremely tight and hard to get off. Not only that, there was no room to work behind the cluster and the leads were very tight. They were bound to fail so I decided to create some longer leads to give me some working room and lessen the tension. Here you can see the blue cover of the new leads with male blades. I gave myself about 3" more wire.
I need more clearance and leeway.
I need more clearance and leeway.
ExtendLeads.png (1.38 MiB) Viewed 2515 times
With that out of the way, it was time to tend to the instrument cluster lens and also the fuel gauge needle. On the lens I used some dish soap and water, rinsed it well and then dried it really well. As for the fuel gauge I just rotated the needle clockwise until I met resistance and then rotated it another 1/'8".
Getting my gauge back on track.
Getting my gauge back on track.
FuelGuageAdjust.png (1.38 MiB) Viewed 2515 times
Of course something always goes wrong. My headlight fuses blew while I was doing all this and I had to remove the cluster a second time and find a wire that had its insulation scraped off. I rewrapped many of the wires behind the cluster as the tesa tape was disintegrating. After all this, I filled up the tank and the gauge was on "F". Finally at about 8pm I went for a night drive and all was well.
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Song Huang
1984 633CSi
Last 7 of VIN: 6997383
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Finally the Right Parts

Post by songzunhuang »

Well, the 5th time is a charm! I finally received the right fan clutch that matches what the online store showed in their picture. Hooray for Parts Geek for coming through for me! I also got a replacement interior door handle to replace my broken one with the janky fix.

I am delighted that this job doesn't need a lot of tools. This is all that was required.
Only a few tools needed.
Only a few tools needed.
Tools for the job.png (1.48 MiB) Viewed 2403 times
Finally the right fan clutch. These have manufacture dates of 2019 and 2020. It appears that they changed to the square bar version and a thicker version in the recent past. Can't tell in this picture, but the one on the right is bent.
Finally, a spiral bi-metal spring.
Finally, a spiral bi-metal spring.
The correct clutch fan.png (1.53 MiB) Viewed 2403 times
Installing the fan clutch was simplicity itself. With the right one, it slipped right in.
I also got a new aftermarket interior door handle. Functionally it worked great. However, the black color of the plastic seems a bit lighter. Oh well, it works just as well.
New interior handle.
New interior handle.
Interior handle.png (1.55 MiB) Viewed 2403 times
So now everything seems good again. Oddly, my engine seems to idle smoother. This is such a nice development after years of fighting a rough idle.
While under the car, I noticed that one of my tranny fluid hoses seems damp. Sigh, I need to figure out which one it is this weekend. I can't seem to locate it in Real OEM. The next task.
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Song Huang
1984 633CSi
Last 7 of VIN: 6997383
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Re: 1984 633CSi Rises again!

Post by Slownrusty »

Lovely work!!
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Re: 1984 633CSi Rises again!

Post by songzunhuang »

Slownrusty wrote: Fri Oct 28, 2022 1:17 pm Lovely work!!
Thanks, the car has been treating me well lately. I treasure these moments in time when things are just working and I can actually rely on this car as a daily driver.
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Song Huang
1984 633CSi
Last 7 of VIN: 6997383
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Destroyed Transmission Mount and some cool bits

Post by songzunhuang »

Today I decided it was time to change my oil. It had been 5,436 miles since my last oil change and I also wanted to track down a slow leak of transmission fluid that is causing a mess under my car. The oil change part was simple. I just took my time and enjoyed the zen of watching oil drip.

While under the car, I wiped the tranny fluid and realized that the short hose I replaced all those months back probably needed tightening up. Now that is a more difficult than it sounds. It's way up in there and I bought a long reach 22mm wrench to even be able to reach the fitting. Even then you can barely get on the bolt and tighten it. This top fitting was a banjo bolt originally, but that has been discontinued and now you have an adapter for the new hose. It's not as good if you ask me. Anyhow, I tightened it the best I could.

While I was under the car, I noticed that my passenger side transmission mount was completely destroyed! You can see that so much of the rubber is missing that there's a gap between the top nut and where the rubber starts!
This mount has seen better days.
This mount has seen better days.
Destroyed Tranny Mount.png (1.25 MiB) Viewed 2126 times
So I hopped over to FCP Euro and ordered up 2 new ones. The replacement doesn't look too hard, but it'll be for another day. I am hoping that this destroyed mount may be responsible for the shutter that I feel every once in a while while accelerating. I hear it may be my driveshaft, but I inspected that closely and it seems really solid.

While looking for the mounts, I somehow wandered into Etsy and saw a few interesting items.
The first is a fix kit for the white flashlight. I have the flashlight but it's never worked. Hmm, this may be the ticket!
White flashlight fix kit.
White flashlight fix kit.
Flashlight Fix.png (142.44 KiB) Viewed 2126 times
This got me wondering what else this vendor (in Poland) might have. After browsing around, I order some stickers for the power steering reservoir / brake bomb. I've never had these stickers and thought I may as well get them while available.
Steering fluid reservoir.
Steering fluid reservoir.
Three Stickers.png (148.39 KiB) Viewed 2126 times
I had to pay an extra $10 for each item for shipping. I hope they get here OK.

Finally, I tightened up and re-bent a few exhaust shields that I have heard rattling at idle. A few screws were loose and the shield was bent and contacting the exhaust making a rattling noise. That's gone now.
Last edited by songzunhuang on Wed Nov 30, 2022 1:45 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Song Huang
1984 633CSi
Last 7 of VIN: 6997383
songzunhuang
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My Headlights are Driving me Crazy

Post by songzunhuang »

My headlights have started acting completely batty. Here's the situation.
I've checked all my fuses and they are good.

When I turn on my low beam headlight with the switch in the dash, I can hear the headlight relay click. Yet, I have no low beam headlights. The side marker and rear lights are on.

If I turn on the high beam, no matter if it's pushing it forward or pulling it back, I can hear the high beam relay click. This is when the low beams come on and the high beams never come one. It makes no sense!

When I have my high beams on, in order to use my low beams, I can also turn on my fog lights and them come on as expected with the low beams.
If I turn my high beams off, everything turns off again.

So now I have to drive in the evenings with my high beams turned on in order to have low beams. What is going on?
Has anyone every encountered this before?

===< update on 11/29 >===
I went and doubled checked my fuses (1, 2, 13, 14) again and it turns out there was a bad one (1), even though it appeared fine visually! So I got tired of this and replaced any suspect fuses with new ones, testing the new ones with a multi-meter before installation. So how goes it?

Well, when I pull on the headlights, I can hear the relay click, but no low beam. Now I am back to the wonky behavior where the low beams only work when I have high beam on. At this point, I am suspecting the headlight switch.
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Song Huang
1984 633CSi
Last 7 of VIN: 6997383
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