Wow - seems like 1/2 the car had to come apart to swap out coolant hoses and bits. Looks like I was just in time - the old plastic bits came apart in my hands. Now to put it back together. Also freshened up the PS hoses/reservoir while I was in there. Naturally one of the copper starter lugs snapped off - I think there's enough left to save it. Crossing fingers I can get it back together and working tomorrow.
I'm with ya.
Everything I fix on my E36M3 is a PITA to remove and just about as bad to install.
I've had my e36 M3 apart in about every way and the stupidest, hardest thing I think I've done is re-installing the the metal bracket from the dipstick tube to the bottom of the intake manifold. Once I loosened all the manifold bolts it got easier, but it was just ridiculous.
The whole M50 on an S52 manifold gig was harder than it should have been.
And rear wheel bearings? Sweet jeebus that made me older.
The staggering thing is stuff like the dipstick tube needs to come out for clear access to the starter terminals - which is its own annoyance they need to come off for coolant hoses - things did get easier once I committed to pulling enough stuff off to reach bits. All went back together today, but looks like I've got a fuel leak and no start. I'm suspecting the injector o-rings - since a couple came loose pulling the fuel rail out. I should be faster for the next round since it usually takes me a few tries to get the hand of a different car.
once you figure out the logic of a car.. things usually get easier
Shrug. I did the cooling system on mine last winter, it wasn't that bad. I also dropped the pan to safety wire the oil pump nut, which entailed disconnecting the steering shaft. Getting THAT back together was quite a fun job.
The E36 I had was a cakewalk to work on compared the aurora.
I guess I'm just used to to it or have learned all the little tricks by now - I found working on my Chevy truck, old Tundra or wife's old Passat to be much more irritating.
I find the E36 cars to be really easy to work on for almost every job except heater core replacement.
I never had an issue working on my ti... granted though, I have a foot of room between the front of the engine and the radiator.. so that helps
mad_machine wrote: once you figure out the logic of a car.. things usually get easier
+1. I swore up a storm when I tore apart the M3 many years ago ('04?), but it was also one the first modern cars I'd done extensive work on. It probably wouldn't bother me so much now.
In the end, most cars have strange quirks that give you "WTF?" moments. Like having to remove the skid plate and track arm on my '86 Toyota 4x4 pick-up in order to fish the starter out of the engine bay. Intake manifold above; differential and driveshaft below; so out the front was the easiest way.
One thing that helped for me with the E36 was having excellent online support in the form of writeups for the various common jobs. Bimmerforums was a great resource for this. When I did my cooling sytstem, I just printed out one of the step-by-steps and followed it, with the Bentley manual around for reference when needed. Like I said, it wans't that bad.
It really hasn't been that much of an ordeal, just time consuming - the electrical connectors are pretty much idiot proof and everything has a logic/sequence to it - once I pulled enough stuff off. It was just involved - my lighting sucks. I probably spent equal time wrenching and looking for the wrench I just laid down.
Yes, I did have three major advantages, a nice, well-lit shop to work in, plenty of tools accumulated over a long period of years, and time, since I did it while the car was down for the winter, I didn't have to hurry. That last one was probably the most important.
Tom_Spangler wrote: Yes, I did have three major advantages, a nice, well-lit shop to work in, plenty of tools accumulated over a long period of years, and time, since I did it while the car was down for the winter, I didn't have to hurry. That last one was probably the most important.
Quite true. I have 4x the tools and experience now than when I first cracked open the M3 since SWMBO is too cheap and untrusting to take cars to a mechanic.
Tom_Spangler wrote: One thing that helped for me with the E36 was having excellent online support in the form of writeups for the various common jobs. Bimmerforums was a great resource for this. When I did my cooling sytstem, I just printed out one of the step-by-steps and followed it, with the Bentley manual around for reference when needed. Like I said, it wans't that bad.
it's a shame I gave up on Bimmerforums.. the noise to signal ratio got too high for me
mad_machine wrote:Tom_Spangler wrote: One thing that helped for me with the E36 was having excellent online support in the form of writeups for the various common jobs. Bimmerforums was a great resource for this. When I did my cooling sytstem, I just printed out one of the step-by-steps and followed it, with the Bentley manual around for reference when needed. Like I said, it wans't that bad.it's a shame I gave up on Bimmerforums.. the noise to signal ratio got too high for me
It is quite bad, but if you stick to their FAQ and how-to threads, there is a lot of good technical info in there.
mad_machine wrote: once you figure out the logic of a car.. things usually get easier
I think the logic of an E36 goes something like this...
"Attach something very tightly with an odd sized bolt/nut (7mm allen or 16mm come to mind) then attach something else very tightly directly in front of the previous connector. Repeat until car is complete."
German engineers are bastards. I'd love to drive a newer M3 or M5 but I won't work on one.
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