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Thread: Kouks e34 complete rebuild

  1. #1
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    Kouks e34 complete rebuild

    After sitting in the garage for nearly two years, it is time to rebuild the old girl.

    I'm the original owner, purchased in Germany at the Frankfurt military car sales in late 1994. When it was delivered to me in Houston in Jan 1995, my wife told me she was pregnant. Our first daughter grew up and got her license in this car. Then she overheated it and blew the head gasket. After I bought her a 97 e36 vert, the e34 sat in the garage. Now daughter #2 is about to drive so time to bring the old girl back to life.

    This will be a long term project in several stages:

    1. Rebuild top of the engine and get the entire drivetrain working right. The trans rear seal is leaking bad and so is the right rear axle.
    2. New seats and window motors/regulators
    3. Suspension and wheels
    4. Paint or vinyl wrap, the hood, roof and upper portion of trunk are shot. Amazingly the paint on the side of the car not in direct sunlight is in great shape.

    Hopefully I won't find the cylinder head in such a bad shape as to need a new engine.

    Here she is, ain't she a beaut?



    My idea is to get her to look similar in styling to my e38. Open to ideas as I move along. Some great cars in the forum here.
    Last edited by kouks; 04-16-2015 at 03:51 PM.

    02 e39 540i Sport (Son), 01 DINAN 7 (Me), 12 e70 X5 x35i (Mrs), 95 e34 525i (Daughter 2), 01 e46 325Ci vert (Daughter 1)

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    since it over heated I bet it's a 525i.

    Great to see another e38/E34 owner here
    As for styling like the e38 the closest thing to do is throwing mpars on it but could get the volvo lip and paint it the same color. To march your e38 with the alpina lip.
    2016 640i Coupe'
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    1999 740iL: Sold
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    Too bad you're on the wrong coast Kouks.

    Or maybe I am?

    Go ahead and bite. Plenty for everyone.

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    Day 1, in only two hours removed exhaust manifolds, drained coolant from block and removed water pump and stat. Heck in the M62 on the e38 it took me all day to get the manifolds off. I'm liking this M50 and all the room under the hood.

    Quote Originally Posted by E38740iMD View Post
    since it over heated I bet it's a 525i.

    Great to see another e38/E34 owner here
    As for styling like the e38 the closest thing to do is throwing mpars on it but could get the volvo lip and paint it the same color. To march your e38 with the alpina lip.
    Yes, its an M50 525i...Thanks for the Volvo lip idea, saw some old threads and looked pretty good

    - - - Updated - - -

    Quote Originally Posted by Binjammin View Post
    Too bad you're on the wrong coast Kouks.

    Or maybe I am?
    Thanks for the offer Ben, fly on over, its nearly 80F in Cali
    Last edited by kouks; 04-16-2015 at 03:57 PM.

    02 e39 540i Sport (Son), 01 DINAN 7 (Me), 12 e70 X5 x35i (Mrs), 95 e34 525i (Daughter 2), 01 e46 325Ci vert (Daughter 1)

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    Quote Originally Posted by kouks View Post
    Thanks for the offer Ben, fly on over, its nearly 80F in Cali
    Welcome. How long will the flight take in that ^ plane?
    demet

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    Quote Originally Posted by demetk View Post
    Welcome. How long will the flight take in that ^ plane?
    Well, the SR71 holds the record for LA to DC at 63 or 64 minutes, and it's still the fastest plane on record. If you figure that it flew at ~2200mph, it would be about an hour and 10 or 12 minutes Boston to LA...

    Go ahead and bite. Plenty for everyone.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Binjammin View Post
    Well, the SR71 holds the record for LA to DC at 63 or 64 minutes, and it's still the fastest plane on record. If you figure that it flew at ~2200mph, it would be about an hour and 10 or 12 minutes Boston to LA...
    Wow. How would one go about booking a flight on one?
    demet

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    Quote Originally Posted by E38740iMD View Post
    since it over heated I bet it's a 525i.
    I'm curious. Why?

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    Quote Originally Posted by Binjammin View Post
    Too bad you're on the wrong coast Kouks.

    Or maybe I am?
    You're on the right coast Bin. Kouks needs a longitudinal adjudtment. Lol. Good to see you on this side of the forum Kouks. Rare it is that you are the first owner





    Some Places remain unknown because no one has ventured forth. Others remain so because no one has ever come back......

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    Quote Originally Posted by demetk View Post
    Wow. How would one go about booking a flight on one?
    Go back in time and become the best of the best of the best pilots, so when the plane is created you get sheepdipped by the CIA to fly it, or wait a couple years and fly it for the Air Force. There were only like 80-something people that ever flew them, and the program was canceled in 1990. Needless to say, it's a very select group that ever flew that plane. If there were an imagination wish list of impossible things I could wish for to be possible, flying the sr71 would be high on that list.

    Go ahead and bite. Plenty for everyone.

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    I know this is unrelated but I saw a documentary on the SR71 some time ago and I still can't believe such a thing was made so long ago. Like the lengths they had to go to and the ambition, with a lot of things back then actually. Looks incredibility badass too.
    Last edited by The Night Rider; 04-16-2015 at 08:13 PM.

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    Quote Originally Posted by The Night Rider View Post
    I know this is unrelated but I saw a documentary on the SR71 some time ago and I still can't believe such a thing was made so long ago. Like the lengths they had to go to and the ambition, with a lot of things back then actually. Looks incredibility badass too.
    Nick sent me a copy of Skunk Works, by Ben Rich, as a Christmas present. If you're into stuff like that, you REALLY want to read that book.

    Go ahead and bite. Plenty for everyone.

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    I met some of the original SR test pilots and there were amazing stories. The jet was designed and flown in less than a year. Today, the F-22 has been in testing for 10 yrs and is barely operational.

    Meanwhile, back at the ranch...kouks wife came up with a honey do list for the day so back at it tomorrow.

    After the exhaust manifolds were removed I saw what appears to be years of coolant and/or oil residue between the 5/6 cylinders at the gasket and below. Maybe the gasket cracked on the external side first then the crack went to the cylinders. After draining the coolant there was a little bit of fuel or maybe oil residue floating in the coolant but nothing of significance. Won't know until I pull the head. Hopefully it's not a crack in the block.
    Last edited by kouks; 04-16-2015 at 11:26 PM.

    02 e39 540i Sport (Son), 01 DINAN 7 (Me), 12 e70 X5 x35i (Mrs), 95 e34 525i (Daughter 2), 01 e46 325Ci vert (Daughter 1)

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    Quote Originally Posted by kouks View Post
    I met some of the original SR test pilots and there were amazing stories. The jet was designed and flown in less than a year. Today, the F-22 has been in testing for 10 yrs and is barely operational.

    Meanwhile, back at the ranch...kouks wife came up with a honey do list for the day so back at it tomorrow.
    I've heard lots and lots of stories about the sr, in all aspects of the plane, from development to flying to repair... not a single one of them is anything less than amazing. Like for instance it was originally called the RS71, but when LBJ announced it he called it the SR, so rather than contradict the president they changed every single document to reflect the name. It was like tens of thousands of documents.

    Go ahead and bite. Plenty for everyone.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Binjammin View Post
    I've heard lots and lots of stories about the sr, in all aspects of the plane, from development to flying to repair... not a single one of them is anything less than amazing. Like for instance it was originally called the RS71, but when LBJ announced it he called it the SR, so rather than contradict the president they changed every single document to reflect the name. It was like tens of thousands of documents.
    That must be how to tell if a person is the true boss.

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    Bill! Hiya - nice to see this happening. Aesthetically, you can also update the car with E38 M-Pars which bolt right up to the E34. Gonna start looking around for a "parts" car E34 for ya.

    Maybe one of these days I can come wrench with ya in da desert when I am in So. Cal. Subscribed - looking forward to your updates.



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    Quote Originally Posted by The Night Rider View Post
    That must be how to tell if a person is the true boss.
    President of the United States? Yeah, I'd say that qualifies. LBJ is Lyndon Baines Johnson. He inherited the job from JFK.

    Go ahead and bite. Plenty for everyone.

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    JFK??

    Seriously though that is embarrassing, shows my general knowledge about US history/politics.

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    Quote Originally Posted by The Night Rider View Post
    JFK??

    Seriously though that is embarrassing, shows my general knowledge about US history/politics.
    It's ok, I don't know much about Aussie politics. Have any of your leaders been assassinated in the past couple hundred years? JFK was shot in the head in texas in 1963. He was pretty well known.

    Go ahead and bite. Plenty for everyone.

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    Lol was just kidding of course I know JFK. Also I am extremely offended about being thought of as an Aussie, I am from New Zealand damn it!

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    Quote Originally Posted by Steve547i View Post
    I'm curious. Why?
    Well the I see tons of M50 and m30 overheating threads on this board. Since he has a 95 I better on a m50 overheating. The m60 I don't see overheating that much plus I hear the m60 half that self bleeding system or some thing?



    The volvo lip is awesome

    Here is mine. Easy to install

    2016 640i Coupe'
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    Quote Originally Posted by AquilaBMW View Post
    Bill! Hiya - nice to see this happening. Aesthetically, you can also update the car with E38 M-Pars which bolt right up to the E34. Gonna start looking around for a "parts" car E34 for ya. Maybe one of these days I can come wrench with ya in da desert when I am in So. Cal. Subscribed - looking forward to your updates.
    Thanks dude, really need seats, every one is torn up. New exhaust system would be good too. Not opposed to a complete black interior or maybe a black and tan (parchment) interior.Not too much an expert on the e34, what year groups are the correct seats, if you know. Will power seats work in all year groups? Sport seats?

    Calypso Red with Parchment interior.
    Last edited by kouks; 04-17-2015 at 01:13 AM.

    02 e39 540i Sport (Son), 01 DINAN 7 (Me), 12 e70 X5 x35i (Mrs), 95 e34 525i (Daughter 2), 01 e46 325Ci vert (Daughter 1)

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    Quote Originally Posted by E38740iMD View Post
    Well the I see tons of M50 and m30 overheating threads on this board. Since he has a 95 I better on a m50 overheating. The m60 I don't see overheating that much plus I hear the m60 half that self bleeding system or some thing? The volvo lip is awesome Here is mine. Easy to install
    Love the color. Since mine is Calypso I'm thinking of repainting as Royal Red since that won't be too far off for the engine bay and door card color.

    02 e39 540i Sport (Son), 01 DINAN 7 (Me), 12 e70 X5 x35i (Mrs), 95 e34 525i (Daughter 2), 01 e46 325Ci vert (Daughter 1)

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    Quote Originally Posted by The Night Rider View Post
    Lol was just kidding of course I know JFK. Also I am extremely offended about being thought of as an Aussie, I am from New Zealand damn it!
    Oh, so you're like Australia's Canada?



    Quote Originally Posted by E38740iMD View Post
    Well the I see tons of M50 and m30 overheating threads on this board. Since he has a 95 I better on a m50 overheating. The m60 I don't see overheating that much plus I hear the m60 half that self bleeding system or some thing?



    The volvo lip is awesome

    Here is mine. Easy to install

    Don't read too much into that "self bleeding". Yes, it will purge any air in the system to the coolant reservoir, but that doesn't mean it will go to Autozone and buy coolant and top it off for you. If you have air, that means you've either just worked on it, or you have a leak. If you leave it alone, eventually you will have created a self bleeding cooling system that purges itself of coolant and dies. You also still need to bleed it with the heat on full and blower turned all the way up.

    Go ahead and bite. Plenty for everyone.

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    Day 2: throttle body assembly

    Moving slow. Probably get the head off in next 3 days.

    Found what appears to be an oil/fuel mixture goo in the bottom of the intake boot (after the MAF) and around both throttle valves. Also slightly oily in the bottom of the intake manifold. Common failures in the M50?

    Also the Bentley manual and the wrench site on Pelican Parts say I need a special tool torx fitting to pull the head bolts. Do the standard torx from autozone not work?

    02 e39 540i Sport (Son), 01 DINAN 7 (Me), 12 e70 X5 x35i (Mrs), 95 e34 525i (Daughter 2), 01 e46 325Ci vert (Daughter 1)

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