New guy from Mobile,AL! pics!!!

[bamaland]

damn you way up there haha. well hope i dont find anything horrible when i go to the shop tomorrow i know i need a ball joint thats a given lol

[TiCoup]

The clank when you go over bumps maybe the shock/strut mounts, the rears are a known issue.
For the body parts you could check with vinesauto.com your bama new/used BMW parts wonderland, they also have used parts search which is very handy. www.realoem.com/bmw/ is very good resource, it provides diagrams and parts numbers for the entire car.
Also www.e34.de/vin/ will give you a vin decode to tell you what engine and trans came in the car from the factory.
The oil change is easy just use bmw or oem filter because it is so small you need the best filtering, if you have a local filter you can use it the change just the filter later.
Good Luck! Keep us posted.
Dan

[bamaland]

thanks dan for the great answers.
well i know the rear passenger ball joint is bad being my rim leans inward on the top.
i'll find out tomorrow just how bad off the entire car is..

according to the vin decode, i have the m42 motor.(if its the original motor still.)

thanks for the other links also a big help.

[TiCoup]

The front suspension is similar to other E36's (brakes are different); the rear is similar to the old E30's and the Z3.

Here is a link to a rear suspension manual.
http://www.scribd.com/doc/7714572/BM...nual-Rear-Axle

I replaced the complete suspension this past summer using the stock sport replacements mostly , but did upgrade a few items like the rear top shock mounts to the Z4 mounts (33526779670) and reinforcement plate (51718413359). Meyle metal ball joint control arms with the M3 solid control arm bushings (31129069035). For the subframe I used the stock rubber bushings. I ordered the rear trailing arm tool from AKG Motorsport; for the large bushings I made a puller with a threaded rod and PVC end cap from Lowes and LOTS of heat to get it out (when they start popping it's ready) and lots of grease on those threads. While the rear diff is on the ground it's a good time to change the oil. The other items I ordered from BavAuto, Bimmer Specialist, Autohaus AZ, pelican parts and Tischer BMW is also a good resource, with prices. And of course RealOEM.

Mine is a 1998 318ti sport, cali with 120k and is a daily driver, so I did want to keep the stock feel, which is plenty sporty for the road imho. Most of the rubber was bad so I would also order any of the bits and pieces that you may need while your there (nothing worse than having to stop because of a couple dollar item).

This was a major project that took about two months to complete. I started at the rear and broke everything down into manageable weekend projects with a weekend off here and there.

Hope this helps, good luck
Dan

[TiCoup]

On most BMWs the wheels do lean in some.
The M42 engine is the correct engine for a 1995.
Dan

[bamaland]

well i have a good friend who works at the jaguar/bmw dealership service shop. he offered to lend me a hand, lift, and tools lol so it shouldnt take me but a day.. the problem is money for me. been laid off for 2 months and barely making it.. hell i just had to sell all my toys my new backflip phone. im just hoping i get this job at a local salvage yard so i can get on my feet again.

so as of right now the only thing i can really afford is changing 1 ball joint lol thats all.

and i still needs a front clip.. but yes i want to redo the entire suspension system, front clip, alum rad, new hoses, water pump, and thermostat, door panels, head liner, rear drivers side top seat.

i know all that alone is going to run me around $2000 or more easy most likely..

i dont care for stock suspension, when i do it, i was all metal ball joints, urethane bushings, and some upgraded lca's and struts.

like these: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/NEX-C...item4ceedc5a03

or these:http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Coilo...item27b1111e86

but there aint no telling what ill buy until i get the money saved up.. i just hope for now she wont brake down on me.

no the wheel definitely has some - camber to it.. i'd take a pic but since i dont have a phone with a camera anymore i cant

[bamaland]

ok so, for now i got a little cash in my pocket..
i plan to find and rob a parts car for the interior and exterior parts i need.

so far this is the list of things:

1) both window switches & trim pieces
2) upper rear drivers side leather seat
3) shift boot w/ knob & e-brake boot
4) both door panels
5) front bumper cover & support
6) drivers and passengers front fenders
7) passenger side headlight assy & corner light
8) hood
9) matching full size spare
10) a working radio.. lol
11) new suspension all the way around
12) new tires (even though 3 or 4 have under 3k on them)
13) windshield
14) front and rear pads, no rotors needed



now, i need any and all models and years of which i can rob the suspension off of without and mods needing to be done.

also which models and years can i get everything else off of?

just trying to get a big list of interchangeability going.


the suspension, front clip, and door panels are my priority.
mainly suspension and front end..

[the awakening]

Damn. 313k miles. I hope my car lasts to that! I hope you didn't pay too much for that thing =p.

[bamaland]

Originally Posted by the awakening

Damn. 313k miles. I hope my car lasts to that! I hope you didn't pay too much for that thing =p.

lol, $650.00 cash bought from a friend of mine at a dealership for trade in price haha.

well it's been very well taken care of drive train wise. the motor and transmission haven't given me any problems what so ever.

i plan to replace the lower and upper radiator hoses and do a tune up but other than that im not gonna touch the motor.

i took off the valve cover a few days ago to replace the gasket and the head on it looks brand new.. i mean like it was just put on there pure silver/grey no oil stains or anything!

but anyways im headin back to work. soon as i start fixing things ill post em up!

[lysergicsurfer]

You mentioned your ebrake not working. This is very common on the e36 bmws, just dont think you need to buy new ebrake pads or anything. It is pretty simple to tighten it up, there are tons of DIY's on the Internet. There are two places that can be tightened, one the nuts on the cables directly under the ebrake handle. The other is a small screw under the rear brake rotors. It is hard to explain so search for DIY's with pictures. These ebrake systems are actually good, and they last a long time, but they can be nonexistent if not tightened and maintained. I could push my ti when I bought it with the ebrake all the way up, now it feels resistance at one click, and I cant pull it up any higher than 3 clicks, it is very tight. Everyone one of your problems are very simple fixes, I would try and get every of parts cars and if you look around you could end up spending very little. The m3 front bumper is 150 shipped, which is not bad. I have my old non-m front bumper cover(I got the DDM) which is just laying in my garage. I would let it go for 20$ plus shipping.. Just to make it worth the effort. I have a working alpine radio, it works but it doesn't acknowledge cds. I am not sure if it could be fixed, but I could send it for 10$ plus shipping. Passenger headlight but no corner light for 20$ plus shipping. Also there are no full size matching spares. The ti's only came with the 15 inch donut. If you want a bigger full size rim and tire you would have to keep it in the trunk. The donut works fine, I have driven on it a few times for a total of maybe 250 miles(I had no choice).

[bamaland]

Originally Posted by lysergicsurfer

You mentioned your ebrake not working. This is very common on the e36 bmws, just dont think you need to buy new ebrake pads or anything. It is pretty simple to tighten it up, there are tons of DIY's on the Internet. There are two places that can be tightened, one the nuts on the cables directly under the ebrake handle. The other is a small screw under the rear brake rotors. It is hard to explain so search for DIY's with pictures. These ebrake systems are actually good, and they last a long time, but they can be nonexistent if not tightened and maintained. I could push my ti when I bought it with the ebrake all the way up, now it feels resistance at one click, and I cant pull it up any higher than 3 clicks, it is very tight. Everyone one of your problems are very simple fixes, I would try and get every of parts cars and if you look around you could end up spending very little. The m3 front bumper is 150 shipped, which is not bad. I have my old non-m front bumper cover(I got the DDM) which is just laying in my garage. I would let it go for 20$ plus shipping.. Just to make it worth the effort. I have a working alpine radio, it works but it doesn't acknowledge cds. I am not sure if it could be fixed, but I could send it for 10$ plus shipping. Passenger headlight but no corner light for 20$ plus shipping. Also there are no full size matching spares. The ti's only came with the 15 inch donut. If you want a bigger full size rim and tire you would have to keep it in the trunk. The donut works fine, I have driven on it a few times for a total of maybe 250 miles(I had no choice).

yea, the e-brake systems are easy thats for sure, buts its the same for every car with a ebrake really..
i might be interested in the alpine unit as i have a 6-disc cd changer made by alpine and i know it works with all alpine units. so that would be a blessing lol.

yea i know im talking about a full size to sit in the trunk, my donut tire is there and brand new never used lol, but i dont like using them at all.

the only thing i keep in the trunk is my cheap stanley socket set and a floor jack.

the only subs i plan to put in there are infinity basslink's maybe one or two.
so ill have TONS of room lol.

im good on the other stuff as after shipping costs it'd cost more than what i can get now. i dont care about the paint color but i'd like to keep my green thing a solid color for now lol.


send me a pm with some pics and a model number on the alpine

[tiFreak]

Originally Posted by bamaland

1) both window switches & trim pieces switches can come from any E36, trim pieces are ti-specific
2) upper rear drivers side leather seat any E36, make sure don't get one from a sedan because they don't fold forward
3) shift boot w/ knob & e-brake boot knobs and e-brake boots are the same between all E36s, the shift boot has to be from a ti
4) both door panels have to be from a ti
5) front bumper cover & support any E36
6) drivers and passengers front fenders E36 sedan or ti, fenders made after 97 have a different style sidemarker with a different shaped hole though
7) passenger side headlight assy & corner light headlight can be from any E36, corner light has to be from a sedan or ti
8) hood

14) front and rear pads, no rotors needed front pads can come off any non-M E36, rear pads must be off a 4-cyl. E36 or Z3

hope that helps, left out some stuff I wasn't sure about

[xxxJohnBoyxxx]

How far are you all from Mobile airport?

I ask because I have a property right up the road from the airport...

John Smith

[bamaland]

Originally Posted by xxxJohnBoyxxx

How far are you all from Mobile airport?

I ask because I have a property right up the road from the airport...

John Smith

4 traffic lights(5min)

right off airport and cody on old shell rd.


tifreak, thanks man now to just find out about the hood lol..

didnt need to know about the brake pads though lol i buy those new lmao.


sucks with the few things being ti specific.. gonna be hard to find a ti in a salvage yard..

[tiFreak]

Originally Posted by bamaland

tifreak, thanks man now to just find out about the hood lol..

whoops, thought I filled that one out it has to be from a ti or a sedan