New to me 1983 320i

[Jim530]

Hey guys, sold my e34 and decided to pick up a black manual 320i. From California so very little rust, pretty crazy for living in Michigan. Have some questions about it that I can't quite find

Is there anyway to get to the engine side drum brake adjustment bolt with a socket? Wrench just keeps slipping off, very tough to move.

Also, what size bolt is the bolt that holds the drum to the rear hub? There wasn't one on either side and would like to put on back just in case.

Thanks guys

[SilverPuddle]

Welcome aboard...when you get some time please post some pictures.

I think you will have to use an open end wrench to adjust the drum brake. If the bolt is rounded, then you might check that out. If it is rounded, then you might use channel locks or vice grips. Also, you might lubed the bolt and it finally move more freely.

Also, you need to get to know this site: http://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/part...2-E21-BMW-320i

[epmedia]

Welcome to the maddness, Jim.

I remember bending and possibly grinding a spare wrench to fit on those drum brake adjusters.
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And yes, definitely use the realoem.com. Pick your car and then BOOKMARK it (saves time).

Realoem mentions 2 different styles and part numbers for the hardware you seek, it's under:
Rear Axle > Wheel bearing.

If a part for your car is NLA, realoem will mention it. I like to google the part numbers when I need a part, pics, or check availability and prices.
*realoem does not sell parts, the prices listed are very old msrp's (ie: irrelevant).

[mxl556]

BMW factory 17/19mm combination wrench works OK for drum brake adjustments. Or you can get 17/19mm offset wrench.
You do not need to unscrew the large (36MM?) nut in the center unless you are replacing wheel bearings! Loosen up handbrake adjustment/rear shoes adjusters and you should have no problem removing the drum.

Max

[cgifool]

If the adjusters are frozen (and they often are) remove the brake hardware and heat those suckers up with a torch and try to wiggle it with the vice grips. Spray some pb blaster or kroil and wiggle some more. Repeat as necessary.

I don't believe the adjusters are replaceable separately from the backing plate.

[Jim530]

They are stuck good. Stopped before I rounded too much off. Gonna try some heat, if that doesn't work, I'll just get new backing plates for both sides. Good to know I don't have to take off the wheel bearing and the giant nut, read that it can be a pain. I'll give it another shot when it stops raining out. Thanks guys.

At least it is at a point to move the car now, the old drum was frozen to the shoe, that was fun to load and unload the car.

[epmedia]

They are stuck good. Stopped before I rounded too much off. Gonna try some heat, if that doesn't work, I'll just get new backing plates for both sides. Good to know I don't have to take off the wheel bearing and the giant nut, read that it can be a pain. I'll give it another shot when it stops raining out. Thanks guys.

At least it is at a point to move the car now, the old drum was frozen to the shoe, that was fun to load and unload the car.

To replace a backing plate, you do have to remove the axle nut and hub.

Don't bother with heat, you'll screw something up. If you have to, fabricate a tool, remove the brake pads and use your penetrant, etc.

Look at the picture here, there's a lot of meat to work with on those adjusters. I forget, but there may also be some flats on them, for a wrench

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/show...diagId=34_0056

Are the pads seized to the drums?

[Jim530]

Shucks, I thought I would have to remove the hub but mxl gave me some hope. I've been spraying a combination of different things on the adjustment bolts for about a week now.

Tha pads were seized to the drum but finally got them off and new shoes and drums came in the mail. Everything is good to go except the front adjustment screws on both sides.

[Jim530]

So I finally got one side kind of fixed. Here's how I did it.

Got a socket and ratchet and a cheater bar to fit underneith the hub and broke the four nuts loose holding the backing plate on. After struggling to get the socket and wrench off since it's a tight fit, undid the nuts with an open ended wrench. The BMW 17/19mm wrench that comes in the tool box is bent at the 17mm side, assuming for the brakes and it works fantastic.

Then after all four nuts are off, wrestle to brake the backing plate off the hub/axle area if it's seized to it like mine. It's only held on by the four nuts.

Flip the backing plate 180 degrees, the brake cylinder will be on the bottom now. Bolt it in upside down, then you can get a socket on the adjustment bolt you weren't able to before. I just kept turning it and spraying pb blaster on it so an open ended wrench will be able to turn it when it's back to normal.

It was a little bit of work but better than having to take the axle nut off and hub to replace the whole thing. Probably will later on depending on the motor and everything else goes with it. Waiting on my fcp order

[epmedia]

awesome

[SilverPuddle]

Dude...I can tell that you are a BMW guy. Nice work!

So...where are those pictures?

[Jim530]

Ha and I always thought I was a Volvo guy. Something about these old bmws got me some way.

I'll get some pics when I figure out how to upload with my phone lol she ain't too pretty though. Working on that but the paint is just rough. I think someone could fix it but not sure if that person is me

[Jim530]

https://m.imgur.com/gallery/b7DdY

Here's some pics, hopefully this works. Cleaned up half the hood since the pictures. I think the whole car will clean up quite nice. Doing everything else to the car first is my main concern.

[Jim530]

Well I've decided to try and start it after replacing plugs, wires, cap, rotor and some other things.

It will start for about a second, die. Start it again for about a second then it will die again. It won't start again until you let it sit for about five minutes. I'm assuming I will have to clean the fuel system and the intake out. Probably massive vacuum leaks looking at some of the hoses. My plan of attack is to just take apart the intake and related parts and give a good clean and replace hoses as needed. Also will look into the fuel system and see what that looks like when I can get a better look.

[Thecatmilton]

https://m.imgur.com/gallery/b7DdY

Here's some pics, hopefully this works. Cleaned up half the hood since the pictures. I think the whole car will clean up quite nice. Doing everything else to the car first is my main concern.

Go buy the harbor freight dual action polisher, some cutting & polishing pads, a clay bar, and some meguiars ultimate compound. Wash the car real well, clay bar it, and then hit the whole thing with the different pads and meguiars compound.

The benefit of using a Dual Action polisher is that it is really hard to mess up or burn through the paint. If you use a rotary polisher and hold it wrong or in the wrong place for too long you can do damage fast. It is very hard to do this with a Dual Action polisher, if not nearly impossible.

If you feel up to it, take the Harbor Freight Dual Action polisher apart and pack its little gear box full of high quality grease. It quieted mine down a lot and I'm sure that is the reason it still works fine 3 years after I bought it. I also greased the $11 harbor freight angle grinder and that made it a decent little tool.

Here is a How To link : https://www.custompcguide.net/10-ste...t-da-polisher/

Harbor Freight Coupons : http://www.hfqpdb.com

[Jim530]

Well I stalled on my project for a minute but I got it pulled into the garage and started doing some engine work now.
My plan for now is to pull everything off the intake side and get it cleaned. Incredibly nasty, probably the worst car I've worked on grime wise. Any ideas why this is so bad?

IMG_2804.jpg

Also need help to remove the lower part of K-Jet. Seems like there's a bolt on the motor mount that it goes through but I just cant get it
.IMG_2806.jpg

Hope to get the WUR and starter out soon and get it hosed down.
Is there a complete set of vacuum hoses for this thing? Everything is rotted away.

Hope to drive it come spring time

[cgifool]

Wow, that's bad! Maybe blow-by oil from the PCV hose leaking out a cracked suction hood for a long time?

Maybe you'll get lucky and discover all that oily dirt has protected everything from all corrosion

[Jim530]

PCV is my only thought as well. I haven’t looked into on how they work but I’ll propbably do some sort of catch can in the future.

Funny you say about the corrosion, I haven’t had a hard time taking anything off and it was stored outside for 3-10 years lol

[Thecatmilton]

Funny you say about the corrosion, I haven’t had a hard time taking anything off and it was stored outside for 3-10 years lol

I had a 320i from canada and my current one is from houston. I haven't had any issues with rusty bolts or anything being seized besides the idle and mixture screws on the K-jet stuff. I recently replaced my exhaust manifold and I was able to remove all the nuts without any issues which really surprised me based upon how bad they looked.

[Jim530]

Well I was able to work on it after a long cold winter. Removed the AC from the engine bay. Will keep removing it from the dash as I go. Got a new radiator and all new oem coolant and pcv hoses.
With a new Chinese Spectra brand radiator, should I use BMW coolant or just keep the green that's been in the engine for who knows how long.
Hoping to have this thing running by spring and probably redo the front brakes this summer.

[cgifool]

Removing the a/c forever, or just to fix?

[tlapham]

Well I was able to work on it after a long cold winter. Removed the AC from the engine bay. Will keep removing it from the dash as I go. Got a new radiator and all new oem coolant and pcv hoses.
With a new Chinese Spectra brand radiator, should I use BMW coolant or just keep the green that's been in the engine for who knows how long.
Hoping to have this thing running by spring and probably redo the front brakes this summer.

Normal green antifreeze will do just fine. only reason to use anything else is because of newer cars coolant o-rings.

[Jim530]

Ac is gone forever. Project car in Michigan makes it not exactly a concern.

Figured as much for coolant, thanks for the confirmation.

Cleaned up the engine even more last night, now I can start on some gasket work and replacing the water pump and some other key items. Sure l be asking for hose diagrams here soon because I can't remember and now it seems there's more than before.

[Jim530]

Looking for a replacement gasket for 13-51-1-262-077. It is the gasket for the two halves of the air volume sensor, that part that holds the fuel distributor and the pressure plate thing. Seems like it's nla.will I have to use rtv?

Also, will a starter from an m3 e36 bolt on? Found one local but can't find out if they will bolt on or not.

[Jim530]

FB_IMG_1526859148816.jpg

Well I got everything back on the engine. Got some questions about wiring. Where does this brown wire on the engine harness go?

Also, on the starter, does two wires attach to the main stud? A red wire from the harness and the big wire from the battery?