Het verhaal achter de motorrevisie van mijn E28 M5

[Fabian]

Raymond,

Weet dat dit bedrijf http://www.verotronics.nl/wat.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; printplaten etc. kan repareren. Maar als ik me niet vergis is er ook nog een bedrijf in de regio apeldoorn die ook zulke zaken repareert

Inderdaad, ook goede ervaringen mee. Veel laten repareren daar, ze zijn tot leuke dingen in staat.

[Casper]

Hoe is het ermee? Al kunnen ?

[Jurriuit]

Hoe is het ermee? Al kunnen ?

Ben ik ook wel benieuwd naar ja. Wacht al weken op updates in dit topic

[GTRene]

hij heeft vandaag nog gereden
hij is hem nog aan het inrijden, maar wat een plaatje zeg mooi hoor, kost wat maar dan heb je ook wat.

zag hem toevallig bij de dealer, dacht hey een e34 M5 is dus de E28, ahum
Raymond is bijna niet te missen met z'n 2 meter
was wel ff leuk, even kijkje onder de motorkap, motor ligt er als nieuw bij, maar ook het interieur e.d. mooi

[Tristan]

@Rene: Je bedoelt E28 M5.

[GTRene]

@Rene: Je bedoelt E28 M5.

ja ...erg he, kom er mee in de war...de E34 is dan de zwarte, dit was inderdaad de E28
maar mooi te zien bij de dealer waar normaal meestal nieuwere bolides staan
valt wel op dan

[raymondw]

The main focus for last week was to get the car back on the road. For this, I had to pass the Dutch APK, which is an annual safety inspection combined with an environmental test (emissions). The brakes were still an issue that was not addressed so we checked them last week and at the same time replaced the brake-oil. What’s left were some minor issues as the secure fitment of the battery, the operation of the headlight height aim control and some other points that were not addressed during the engine rebuild and engine reinstallation.

We started with the emissions test. It is not required for my E28 M5 to meet other requirements then CO; but by performing an emissions test according to the four-gas method that is mandatory for all cars from 1/1/1993, one can check the health of the cars ignition and fuel-injection systems. The following picture shows the test-setup with a Sun MGA1200 calibrated emissions analyzer.



At first, we measured the exhaust emissions with the idle, CO and basic-TB setting in the same positions as they were prior to the engine failure in June 2008. This allows a comparison with the exhaust-emissions test-results from April 2008 in order to proof that the injectors were the main culprits of the engine-defect.

To obtain sufficient data, I recorded the analyzer results every ten seconds for about five minutes in order to find the minimum and maximum values. The results were as follows.

CO: 2,16 – 2,31 (%)
CO2: 13.11 – 13,15 (%)
Hc: 245-258 (ppm)
Vol O2: 0,42 – 0,44
Lambda score: 0,942-0,948

Although the official emissions test-protocol only uses the CO value for determining a PASS or FAIL for a 1985 car, this parameter is not really that important from a technical point of view. Much more important is the ‘lambda’ score and ‘hc’ readings. If for instance the spray pattern from one or more of the injectors is not optimal or the ignition has even a slight defect, the ignition will be poor with as result that not all hydrocarbons (hc) will ignite upon ignition. This will also result in a very high lambda score; i.e. lean running condition that will eventually destroy your engine as happened to me on that sunny Sunday in June 2008.

The test results prove that the lambda score is typically 0,945 with a tolerance of +/-0,03. This indicates an engine that is running a tad rich. The ‘hc’ reading should not exceed 300ppm, which it does not, even at the raised CO-reading of 2,31%. All in all, these results verify the ASNU test results of the injector overhaul carried out by Prickartz consult in Linnich Germany.

Even though I would be perfectly happy running the engine in above setting at least throughout the break-in phase, it does not pass the official emissions test since these primarily rejects based on the CO reading that for a 1985 car without a catalytic converter should be no more then 1,5%. In order to obtain a healthy safety margin in case of a verification-check by the Dutch RDW, we set the CO to typically 1% and repeated the measurements.

CO: 0,95 – 1,04 (%)
CO2: 13.71 – 13,73 (%)
Hc: 220-221 (ppm)
Vol O2: 0,71 – 0,79
Lambda score: 0,993-1,001

The higher lambda score was expected, but sill is on the safe side from a lean running condition (lambda >> 1). The ‘hc’ reading also is about ten percent lower. To reflect back to June 2008, I compared these results with the emission test results from April 2008 that also was carried out at a CO of typically 1%. Based on these results, I ca safely say that the engine failed due to a lean running condition caused by faulty injectors and an incorrect operating ignition. The faulty injectors are what angers me specifically since these were overhauled by a local Bosch service station (whose name shall remain disclosed) not long before the engine failure occurred. The faulty ignition is something that occurred suddenly on the eight of June 2008.

The replacement of the brake fluid and the checklist for the APK-items went uneventful. Nothing was stuck and it was just a matter of pumping new oil through the system whilst at the same time draining the old oil at all the four calipers.



Since I cannot ask from an APK accredited official to falsify the CO test results, the APK was performed at a CO of typically 1%. It is suffice to say that #231 passed with flying and that once the official clear in the RDW database was given, we raised the CO to typically 2,31%.

[GTRene]

hey gaten in het hart deel van de remschijf?
volgens mij nog niet gezien
zal hem lichter maken en misschien voor koeling?

ik kan het helaas alemaal niet onthouden wat ze bij de APK zeggen over de Co e.d. feit is dat ik er elke keer nipt door kom
terwijl bijna al men sensoren een jaar of wat terug voor de zekerheid allemaal zijn vervangen, maja dat maakte geen verschil al liep de motor wel een klein tikkie beter, zal wel door het frisse spul komen.

maar zo te horen is jou auto ook oke en goed gekeurd :banaan:

[raymondw]

As part of a 1500km check, I measured the valve clearances and checked the allignment of the camshafts. The latter may seem superfluous for a 1500km engine but an allignment-check is the only method to check prematurely failing pars due too a production-fault. The allignment can be checked by placing the camshafts at TDC and measure the distance between the TDC marks on the harmonic balancer and the chain-cover.

Caution: Although this appears easy, be carefull when doing this yourself. Rotating the engine in the wrong direction increases the risk of valves hitting the pistons, so make sure you follow the correct procedure.



The TDC mark on the harmonic balancer matches the TDC mark on the chain-cover. The difference is negligent => Perfect



Upon assembly of the engine, I specified the use of a single size shim (3,80mm). The correct clearance has been adjusted by grinding the valve-stem. This method offers the highest accuracy within 0,01mm, allowing a nominal clearance of 0,30mm for all valves. However, with the valve seats being new, they need to settle which can cause a slight change of the clearance compared to the initial value.



The intake valves all measured 0,27mm to 0,28mm; Compared to the 0,30mm construction size, this a small change, but bear in mind that during the assembly of the head, no oil film was present underneath and above the shims. This explains the 0,02mm. With other words, the intake valves are all correct and stable within 0,01mm.

The exhaust valves are similar. Eight of the twelve exhaust valves are still at 0,30mm (with oil film). Three others are at 0,28mm whilst there is one at 0,33mm (cylinder #4). Coincidentaly, the same exhaust valve caused the engine failure in 2008. I don't have an explanation for that so I see this as a coincidence. Although reshimming three of the twelve exhaust valves is the correct corrective measure, the results are notjing to worry about so I have decided to measure the valve clearance again at 3000km in order to check their stability.

[raymondw]

Gents,

It has been a bit silent from my part in the recent two months, but #231 is going well. During the last month, I worked on a friends E34 M5 that needed some attention as well. Please check this thread to find out more.

As for #231: The trip meter is now standing at 2046km since the rebuild, 120km of which were driven on last Friday under high temperature conditions that exceeded the 35°C mark. These were driven on the autobahn as well as urban use. At some point, the temp gauge of the BC indicated a 40,5°C; but this was in a living area with a maximum speed of 30km/h were it is my habit not to exceed 20km/h.

In these conditions, the coolant temperature gauge indicated a slighlty higher then normal operating temperature; the AC fan trips off course, but that was expected. Once the driving speed exceeded the 30km/h mark, the needle returned to the normal level just before the center of the gauge. The viscous fan was needed all the time though.

I have revved #231 up to 5000RPM, but before I go higher, I want to replace the current oil that has been in the sump for the last 1250km first with a synthetic product. I have concidered Mobil 1 15W50, but as this is not a full-synthetic, I think I will rely on the good old Castrol TWS 10W60 even though I had some doubts for S38/M88 applications in the past. I will report about more specific checks later this week.

[G Kolkman]

Dus, na het lezen van het verhaal van Robert's E34 was het weer 3 kwartier later :banaan: .

[steve smith]

I think I will rely on the good old Castrol TWS 10W60

[GTRene]

mooi verhaal en foto's van ook een heel mooi exemplaar

http://www.pistonheads.com/doc.asp?c=161&i=22224

[raymondw]

It has been a while since the last update, but since then, I have mainly been busy with running in and finding issues. Shortly after measuring the valve-lash in May 2010, I also removed the spark plugs to check their color and deposits. This also is called reading the plugs, a procedure that can yield tremendous amount of information about the running condition of the individual cylinders.



During combustion, it is essential that the gas-temperature does not exceed 870 degrees Celcius as otherwise pre-ignition is possible. This can cause detonation with disastrous effect. Since we don’t have temperature sensors build into the spark-plugs, the only way to determine is a checking the tint of the plug insulators. When new, the insulators are perfectly whit, but when operating their tips change color depending on the quality of the combustion. For a perfect combustion (low amount of hydrocarbons left and good air to fuel ratio), the tip should color light-brown. The picture below shows the spark-plug of cylinder #1. The inspection of the other five plugs revealed that there is little variance in coloration so based on the evidence, the air to fuel ratio (AFR) is correct for the use that the engine has seen thus far.



Another important parameter to check is the timing of the ignition. This can be checked by locating the position of the change in color on the ground-strap of the plug. For a good timing, the position of the timing-mark should be located around the middle of the ground strap. The following picture proves that cylinder #1 operates properly. The other spark-plugs show little variance in the position of their timing-marks as well



Deposits on the ground strap and the metal enclosure indicate the AFR at which the engine idles; with other words, the verification of the CO adjustment is done not only by measuring the lambda score, but also by reading the plug. Carbon deposits on the ground strap are fine for the M88/3 engine as the carbon monoxide (CO) at which the engine operates is 1,5% for which it is theoretically impossible to achieve a stoichiometric AFR where all the carbons react with two oxygen atoms (O2) to form green-house gas (CO2).



The AFR of the engine measured between 14,39 and 14,52. These results indicate a slightly rich AFR, which is confirmed by the idling patterns on the spark plugs. Although the AFR at idle is within specification, lack of a closed loop lambda regulation can result in lean operating conditions under load. As long as the operating AFR hasn’t been measured under load in a laboratory environment were worst-case circumstances can be simulated, it is wise to increase the safety margin by lowering the idling AFR.

Unlike the S38 that operates in closed-loop, this can be achieved by adjusting the CO-screw on the airflow meter (AFM). One word of warning though: Never ever try this to do on your driveway without an accurate emissions tester as you risk a lean running condition.

I have to admit that I adjusted the AFR well into the rich region (14,0). This is low enough to violate the emissions legislation, but not low enough to reduce engine performance caused by an incomplete combustion. Some may argue about my motivations, but as long as I haven’t proved that the engine is fully run-in, I won’t be able to test the engine in worst-case conditions under load, which is essential to achieve a safety margin that is needed to (1) meet the emissions limits and (2) still have enough margin from the lean operating range (AFR>14,7)

Throughout June and early July, I didn’t do much work on the E28 as I was occupied with a friend’s E34 M5 that needed major work. This project was originally planned for two weeks, but whilst inspecting the car, new issues were added so in the end, this project took five weeks to complete. Nevertheless, I treated #231 with a new windscreen-fluid reservoir. The old one just didn’t look so nice anymore and some of the Gaskets that seal the pumps were leaking.



Installing a new reservoir just takes half an hour, but it is so much worth the effort. It changes the appearance of the engine compartment to a higher level.



Between half June and half July, the ambient temperatures reached values between 28°C and 35°C. This allowed me to carry out a test of the cooling system. On two days, the average ambient temperature raised to above 35°C with the BC indicating 40,9°C in urban area. The engine performed flawlessly, but when idling for about five minutes, the coolant temperature gauge reached roughly 75% of the full scale, indicating roughly 110°C. Since the operating pressure of the cooling system is 1,4bar there still is a margin of 30°C left before the coolant reaches a gaseous state. The viscous fan was operating correctly, but with an AC-system, there also is an electric fan and that didn’t engage. I enabled the A/C (which is non-functional at the moment) and this engaged the auxiliary fan into the low speed mode. I then bridged the low-temp and high-temp thermostatic switches, both of which engaged their respective operating modes of the fan. The high-temp switch should engage at 99°C. With some tolerance and aging, I can imagine that this part didn’t trip, but the low-temp switch (91°C) should have worked which didn’t. As corrective measure, I bought both high-temp and low-temp switches new at the dealer, but have yet to find the time to replace them.

I had some discussion offline with a friend about the need for the auxiliary fan. He told me that even without the auxiliary fan, the cooling system should stay in a safe operating area. My defense was that this my be the case for cars without the A/C, but cars with the A/C have the condenser in front of the radiator increasing the resistance to airflow. I also added the argument that the auxiliary fan is a standard option in tropical areas and this was exact this condition under which this test was performed. I carried out another test at 25°C a few days later. The coolant temperature indicator reached a tad higher then the center, proving the correctness of my thesis that the high ambient temperature caused the temperature rise in the cooling system.

Later more!

[Niels]

Het koel probleempje herken ik wel van mijn ex Z3coupe. De zekering was door waardoor de fan niet bij regelde en de airco ook niet optimaal koelde. Tijdens gewone ritten merkte je er niks van totdat het zomer werd en er files onstonden op weg naar Italie.. Een lastige storing als je ook de kap niet nog eens open krijgt

[raymondw]

At 2113km, I drained the mineral oil and replaced it with Castrol TWS 10W60. Although I have applied the Castrol TWS 10W60 and its predecessor, the RS 10W60 for my E34 M5 for almost ten years; I considered the use of TWS for the M88/3. But in the end I could not find a suitable replacement with a lower viscosity so why change?



I have been told that many Dutch dealers terminated or did not extend the exclusivity contract with Castrol for some reason and may discontinue stocking Castrol products in the future. My dealer still stocks TWS so a healthy supply is guaranteed for the time being. After the oil-exchange, I drove about ten kilometers to pump around the oil and clear the ramp to make room for the E32 that is being prepared for late summer and autumn use.

A few days later, I started the #231 for the second time after which I heard a ticking sound coming from the cylinder head. It lasted for about one minute after which it disappeared. One normally would associate the sound with contaminated hydraulic valve-buckets, but since the M88/3 only has mechanical buckets, the cause of the sound must be related to a recent change. I consulted member BillieS38 who came up with a plausible theory that is hard to ignore.

During the oil-change, Castrol TWS that was poured into the engine has a much higher film-strength then the drained mineral running in oil from Eurol. However, remnants of the mineral oil that cannot be drained are mixed with the synthetic oil. This leads to a non-homogenous oil film between some components. The result is an adhesive force that is related to the difference of the film-strength of the two oils. After some time, the existing oil film is pushed away by the new oil after which adhesive force is negligible.

There are two locations were this is a concern. (1) The oil film between the valve-shim and the valve-bucket and; (2) the oil film between the valve bucket and the camshaft housing. Since the valve bucket and the valve-shim in the bucket can move freely within the valve clearance, the resulting force can cause the bucket and or the shim to move upwards against the cam lobe before the valve is being opened again. I realize that this theory will be difficult to prove, so I will look for industry experts to ask for their opinion.

During the third attempt two days later, this problem didn’t appear and #231 was idling smoothly directly from the start. I then added 158km to test the engine thoroughly. I have a nice route for this purposes that includes a part of the Oberhausen straight (A31) in Germany. This loop can be done in just one hour, but I extended the loop with a small detour over the B213 between Lingen and Nordhorn so it was about one-and a halve hour. Since I follow a strict protocol before lifting the full throttle constraints, I only applied part load up until 5000RPM, which equates to about 210km/h.

The E28 is a joy to drive. The suspension is tight and responsive and #231 feels very stable at speed. With its lower weight, it is more agile then my E34 M5, but the latter has a more neutral handling that makes it easier to drive. This is not so much a concern on long distance autobahn trips, but I suspect that it will be difficult to keep track with a well-driven E34S M5 on twisty roads.

With 2319km driven, I am closing in on completing the third phase. I checked the valve clearances last week and compared them with the results taken at 1514km. They have reached stability within 0,02mm, which is excellent.

The fuel consumption over the last 650km has been calculated at 15,6 liters for every 100km. This is a bit more then my E34 M5, but that car runs in closed loop with a lambda-probe.

[raymondw]

I checked the new and old 91C switches by partially emerging them in boiling water and both tripped within two seconds. The 99C switches cannot be checked by this method as their trip-temp is too close to the boiling temp of water. But given the test-results of the 91C switches, I don't doubt them anymore.

With other words, it appears that my radiator isn't 100% anymore and a new one is needed.

Edit: A new radiator is 315 Euro ex VAT and stocked at the factory in Munich. It takes a week to deliver.

[raymondw]

The new radiator arrived just in time for the sharknose meeting that I have attended today. Before I installed the new radiator, I compared it with the old one. Please check the following pictures.





Clearly visible is the difference in distance between two adjacent water galleries. With other words, the new radiator has more water galleries (45 versus 30) and thus has fifty percent more capacity then the old radiator. This explains the raised coolant temperature at high ambient temperatures.

I suspect that the radiator needed replacement in the past and that some mechanic actually ordered the radiator for a garden variety M30 version for some reason. Since I already drained the coolant system in the previous week, I only had to replace the radiator and reconnect the hoses.



Next to the radiator, the thermostatic switches were replaced as well. The rest of the work was straight forward so #231 was ready to attend the sharknose meeting in Wezepe (Holland) in time.

[Niels]

Bij de stap van mineraal naar vol syntheet wordt aanbevolen om tussentijds te spoelen met een (goedkopere) volsyntheet. Na jouw verhaal snap ik waarom Duidelijk en nauwkeurig verslag wederom

[FrankS]

Erg gaaf Raymond!

Hoop em een keer in het echt te mogen aanschouwen en bewonderen

[raymondw]

Introduction

During the sharknose meeting (August 2010), member’s ‘MartijnM5T’ en and Jeroen (member ‘bmwe21.net’) pointed me towards another driving tour organized by the BMW E21 community (http://www.bmwe21.net" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;) that was scheduled for the third weekend of September. This tour would be held for two consecutive days in the Belgian Ardennes in the vicinity of Neufchâteau close to the French border. During dinner that evening, Jeroen told me that this trip was open for other BMW’s of the same era as well.

Considerations

However, I still had planned an Alps trip for the same weekend, but it wasn’t very well organized, as it is difficult to align the agendas of the three OC members and it is very difficult to attract enough interest amongst the E34 community. I told Jeroen that I would take the Ardennes trip into consideration and will give him my answer in the next week.

After weighing the facts, I realized that a full Alps trip such as the various E34 M5 Alps meetings maybe too much for the #231 at the moment. It’s not that I don’t have the confidence in the rebuild engine and the drive train; but I haven’t used #231 for a demanding trip ever before so I don’t know how well other systems such as suspension and brakes function in a stressful environment. A trip to the Ardennes would be more appropriate for testing the drive train and finding other issues without worrying about sustainability.

Friday

The gathering point for the meeting is Hotel Moulin les Simonis near Lofaret close to the border with France. From were I live, this is roughly 420km which can be completed in about four hours when traffic situation permit. But in congested Holland, things are not that easy, so I found myself caught in a twelve-kilometer long traffic jam between Arnhem and Nijmegen. This gave me the chance to test the new radiator and see if the fifty percent increase in cooling capacity makes any difference, which I found it did. With the new radiator, the coolant temperature gauge raises to no more then half of the full scale whereas this parameter raised to 60% under the same ambient conditions with the old radiator.

I took it rather easy with #231 and restricted myself to no more then +30km/h over the applicable speed limit. Higher speeds didn’t make sense, let alone wise given the applicable speed limits in Holland and Belgium. The trip went rather uneventful, other then two more traffic jams, one of which in Belgium on the E411 towards Arlon that caused a two-hour delay due to which it wasn’t before 10:00PM that we arrived in Laforet were Jeroen and some other members of the E21 community had already arrived. At our arrival, #231 had driven 2980km with the rebuild engine, well within phase IV (2500km until 5000km) of the running in scheme.

Apart from Jeroen, I didn’t knew anyone personally, other then seeing some of them during the shark noose meeting in August. With other words, I met a lot of new people, all of them serious enthusiasts. Most of the participants were Dutch, but Gerrit and family came from Brussels (Belgium) and Lars came from Oslo (Norway).

Saturday

Although this driving tour was open to non-E21 cars as well, I was only one of two non-E21’s. The other was a Belgium family with their E10 Bauer convertible. The rest of the E21’s were mostly 323i’s, one of which a very rare original Hartge version.



The day started as usual with such trips; prior to having breakfast, I first checked the fluids of #231. The oil was recently switched to Castrol TWS 10W60 and coolant completely refreshed after replacing the radiator, so I didn’t expect any signs of coolant loss or oil consumption. .



As it was really cold that morning (the BC2 indicated 2°C), starting the cars was rather nice experience. Like all the other attending cars, #231 doesn’t feature a catalytic converter and thus the smell of enriched exhaust-gasses could not be missed. Starting #231 went smoothly. It started at first crank and idled smoothly from the beginning.



Shortly after, we left our hotel in convoy and drove towards the official gathering point. At our arrival in Cugnon, the other participants who didn’t book the same hotel welcomed us. In total, we were with fourteen cars, twelve E21’s including three Bauer 323i convertibles, one rare Alpina B6 2.8 and the very rare Hartge 323i. The two non-E21 cars are a rare E10 Bauer convertible and my own E28 M5.



The tour was kicked of in the lounge of hotel des Roches were we all received the required route papers under the pleasure of a cup off coffee and a croissant. On paper, #231 appears to be the powerhouse of the meeting, but with Arnold’s E21 B6 2.8 and another E21 with the drive train from a BMW-Alpina B10 3.5 (E34), two more cars in the 200plus horsepower league attended as well, but with these trips, sheer horsepower doesn’t count alone. The gathering of similar minded people that share the same passion for cars that creates a unique atmosphere; this became already apparent on the square in front of hotel des Roches were the entire group kept talking about these cars, their history and their unique features. For instance, Lars was eager to learn about the serial number marking that Alpina puts on their cylinder heads.



In total the route for Saturday has a length of around 200km separated by three stops in between. Jeroen who took the lead set a high average speed already from the beginning, making it difficult to keep track with him for the entire group. Due to this, we missed one crucial route direction in the beginning due to which the entire group was separated into two groups in Bouillon. In the aftermath of this, we missed another crucial route direction within five minutes after leaving Bouillon. Since we could not find back the right trail, we decided to use the navigation to drive to the first stop at the banks of the Semois river at route de ‘Maka’.



Due to our navigation mistake, we took a fifteen-minute lead, allowing me to take some pictures of a few unique E21’s including Arnold’s outstanding E21 B6 that recently won the rightfully won the first price for best car at the shark nose meeting in Wezep.



The black E21 on the right belongs to the brother of a fellow m5board.com member, both of which I know well as they each own a 1995 E34 M5 Touring. That car has been fully restored a few years ago and only sees the daylight in good weather. Each and every detail on that car is correct with the Alpina rims as tasteful modification.



We picnicked for an hour or so before commencing with the next part towards the lunch location. We stopped one more time at the ESA satellite park to regroup and to take some pictures. On the following picture, my father stands next to #231. He is along time car enthusiast who already made such trips in the late 1960’s and early 1970’s, back then with amongst others a 2000tii and an Opel Commodore GS/E.



At roughly 13:45PM, we arrived at tavern Le Renard in Halma for Lunch. This was perfectly prepared by the organization committee and the Dutch-speaking owners of the establishment. Thanks to the preordering a few days in advance (choice between four menu’s), everything went to our full satisfaction.



After the stop we resumed driving towards Neufchâteau, but not before visiting Gerrits’s fellow member of the Belgium classic car club (Krak) from whom we borrowed the route for today. During our visit, we were welcomed with coffee, cakes, soft drinks etc and we had a good time discussing about cars and looking at some true Italian classics such as the Fiat Topolino and the Fiat 124 convertible.





After saying goodbye we left for the last stretch towards Neufchâteau, the official end of the meeting.





After enjoying dinner in Bertrix, we drove back to the hotel (36km) were we arrived at around 10:00PM were we stayed in the lounge well beyond midnight; this much to the dislike of the female owner of the hotel who had already closed everything before our return.



Sunday

Although we intended to take part at the Sunday roundtrip as well, we didn’t do so as the starting point was 63km from the hotel and the language barrier (French speaking Belgian nationals don’t speak another language, not even English) caused a significant delay when completing the payments at the hotel. We joined the remaining group towards the gathering point in Straimont were we said our goodbyes and thanks before leaving. As my father was driving, I used the opportunity to shoot some unique pictures of a few unique cars.



Arnold’s excellent and fully restored Alpina B6 2.8



On the N95 towards Bertrix, our Norwegian friend Lars passed us allowing me to shoot a unique picture of a three high-powered E21’s.



The following picture shows Jeroen and girlfriend in their lovely low mileage E21 Bauer 323i.



The E10 bauer convertible; Although he did participate for the full two days, he drove separate from the group and left a few minutes in advance as otherwise it was impossible for him to keep track with the faster driven E21’s



The following picture shows Gerrit and family and their Hartge 323i followed by Arnod, his son and a friend in Arnolds B6 2.8



A picture of the group near the village of Straimont . Some people had already left in Neufchâteau the day before and some others already left us in Laforet so the group isn’t complete on this picture.



Experiences with #231

It is my experiences that with my E34S M5 3.6, the transition between second and third gear is too large. In many situations, the engine speed in third gear is too low whereas shifting back to second results in a high engine speed with too less distance from redline to benefit from. With the E28S M5, there is no such thing. It weighs much less then the E34S M5 5sp that needed a higher diff ratio (3.91 vs. 3.73) to compensate for its increased weight.

In any situation, even on steeper hills, there is ample torque available to stay in third gear, even on steep inclines. #231 responds to throttle commands instantaneously, responding in an immediate and linear increase of momentum. There is no need to rev it to 6000RPM at all unless one really wants too.

Throughout the weekend, the drive train performed flawlessly during the 1256km that were added. On the way towards the Ardennes, #231 needed roughly 12ltr/100km. In the Ardennes, this raised to 15,6ltr/100km and on the home trip, I managed to stay on the green side (9,3ltr/100km). These figures were calculated from the delivered fuel volumes at every refueling stop and thus might be seen as the true fuel consumption. I doubt that the upcoming F10S M5 can do better, despite the manufacturers claim that it has a reduced CO2 emission compared to its E60S M5 predecessor.

Oil use and coolant loss were not measurable, thus negligible. Even the coolant temperature didn’t raise to more then halve of the full scale, even in the two long traffic jams that we got stuck in; twelve kilometers between Arnhem and Nijmegen and roughly six kilometers somewhere on the E411 in Belgium, of which around halve on a incline. On that same spot, another participant reported a coolant temperature rise to more then three-quarters of the full scale.

Although the E28S M5 is more nimble and agile then the E34S M5, it cannot be driven as precise or as fast as the E34S M5. The difference in suspension-technology and more importantly the stiffness of the body are the cause of that. Let me say that I can enjoy both cars. I would describe my E34S M5 as the more refined car; cruiser first and sports car second. The E28S M5 just is the other way around without showing its dr. Jackal character. This became clear near Liege when some moron in an Alfa 156 deemed it necessary to stick to my rear bumper within less then one meter at 140km/h. One blip on the throttle and it was like seven-mile steps. He would not have been too amused as he had a female companion, probably his girlfriend.

The only problem that I encountered is suspension related. In the weeks before the tour, I had balanced the front wheels. This eliminated the vibration under normal driving conditions between 80km/h and 100km/h, but under braking between 100km/and 70km/h a shimmy developed that became more serious throughout the weekend. This was not really a problem for the Ardennes, but in the Alps this is a big no-no as breaking sessions on the passes are more intense and last longer. #231 probably needs a set of new lower control arms to solve this issue.

With the fifty percent capacity increase of the coolant system, the engine bay of #231 stays much cooler as well. The produced heat is similar like my E34 M5. Plastic and rubber parts such as wiring insulation will be delighted. The new radiator turned out to be a very wise investment.



Conclusion

We had a very nice weekend with the E21 community and I would like to thank everyone whp participated for their hospitality. After all, I was the one with the strange duck in the group.

More pictures and stories (Dutch) can be found here

[Niels]

Errug gaaf Die B6 en Hartge:

Is daar nog meer info van of valt dat wel te vinden op het E21 forum?

[raymondw]

Errug gaaf Die B6 en Hartge:

Is daar nog meer info van of valt dat wel te vinden op het E21 forum?

Die E28 is vrij recent volledig gerestaureerd; daarover bestaat op het E21 forum een uitvoerig draadje. Van die Hartge weet ik wat minder, anders dan dat het een origineel exemplaar is die nog steeds in de staat is zoals door Hartge geleverd.

[raymondw]

With the recent trip to the Ardennes, 1296km were added to the rebuild engine of #231. All regular checks like oil and coolant and valve-clearances indicated that the engine is functioning to my expectations, but final proof can only be given with a compression test so I made an appointment with engine rebuilder “Twentse Motoren Revisie” in Almelo for Friday morning the first of October.

Since for a compression test, the spark plugs need to be removed as well, also the spark plug image could be checked to verify that the enrichment of the A/F mixture in May of this year at 1514km, did increase the margin against a lean running engine condition under high load conditions (see a previous contribution in this thread).

Upon arrival at TMR’s workshop, we allowed the engine to cool down before performing the actual test. Unfortunately they don’t have a fully calibrated compression tester, so the measurement results may not be seen as absolute values.



The test was carried out in accordance with the procedure that can be found in the M88/3 engine description. This document can be found on the World Wide Web with some searching.



I actually carried out the test myself with the shop owner witnessing the test. This was important for me as when something was wrong (which I did not expect) he was present to see that first hand. In that respect, the lack of a traceable calibration of the equipment that was used is not relevant. The rejection criterion are:

1: The variance between the individual cylinders compression is such that individual cylinders achieve lower-and higher pressures then the criteria (10-12bar)

2: A compression significantly lower or higher then the criteria. With a 1,5bar accuracy margin (±5% of full scale assumed), this would be anything more then 13,5bar or less then 8,5bar. If this would be the case, a second test is required with other test-equipment to determine the accuracy. This would also be the case for any result between 8,5bar and 10bar.



The actual results were recorded after two measurements to verify their reproducibility with the same test equipment.

Cylinder #1: 12,0bar
Cylinder #2: 12,2bar
Cylinder #3: 12,5bar
Cylinder #4: 12,5bar
Cylinder #5: 12,8bar
Cylinder #6: 12,5bar

Although the difference between the results appear to be large, they only differ between –4% to +2,4% from their median. This is not bad for a test that is just indicative. Since all the results are on the high side, but still within the assumed accuracy of the test equipment by quite some margin, the results can be used to determine the health of the rebuild engine after 3862km.

Based on the results and their analysis, there is no reason to assume that the engine shows a hidden defect that may be the cause of a material defect or human error during its assembly.

During the first spark plug image check, the conclusion was drawn that cylinders #2 and #5 were running a tad to lean, hence why the AFR was lowered from 14,7 (AFRstoich) to 14,0. With this setup, 2348km were added and the spark plug image rechecked.



The spark plugs are placed in sequence, cylinder #1 left and cylinder #6 to the right. The picture clearly shows that all spark plugs have an identical image. An idle that is a tad too rich, but with all six insulators showing a nice brown tint, the combustion is not far from the optimum under load. It could be a tad richer if high engine stress is required (e.g Nordschleife and Alps usage at a large WOT percentage), but given the expected use of #231, there is no reason to readjust.

Also visible is the complete lack of oil fouling. This confirms the outcome of the regular oil-dip stick inspections that indicate that the oil consumption of #231 is negligible.

With these two tests, it is possible to make a preliminary conclusion that the engine is functioning correctly and is in perfect health. The following steps will be adjusting the valves followed by a throttle body synchronization and an under pressure synchronization before the WOT restrictions can be lifted. The specifications shall be confirmed on a dyno-jet.

To be continued!

[raymondw]

Het volgende stukje hoort eigenlijk niet in de werkplaats meer thuis, maar is wel een mooie aanvulling op het project en legt daarmee een koppeling naar de motivatie om al dit werk te doen.

================

On the first full weekend of November, another 570km were added to #231 for a meeting with fellow board members with E39 and E34 M5’s, the most of who also participated in the international M5 meeting of May 2010 on the Nurburgring in Germany.

The reason why E39 and E34 M5 owners in North Western Europe are combining their meetings more often is caused by a shared enthusiasm of BMW’s finest products whilst sharing the same ideas about driving fun.

The reason that I didn’t mention the E28 M5 is the fact that it is very rare due to its historical value and as such is regarded as ‘classic car’. This is not the case for the later versions that may be classified as a ‘youngtimer’ (E34 M5) and ‘newtimer’ (E39 M5). In that respect, the E34 and E39 owners share more then they differ. As I also own (an E34 M5, I am consistently balancing between both worlds, hence why I also attend events that are not primarily aimed at the sharknose era of BMW (Paul Bracq).

The idea behind the November 2007 meeting was rather simple. A simple get together to close the 2010 season and to strengthen the network. The location was set to be the ‘Moeder de Gans’ restaurant in Teuven (Belgium), in the close vicinity of Maastricht and Aachen (Germany). This is a popular establishment and as such, requires advance booking. Members ‘Tiauguinho’ and ‘Martijn M5T’ planned and organized this meeting. More information and pictures can be found here.

Since this meeting was so late in the season, I doubted about using #231, but the weather forecast was just good enough (depressions moving to the south with clearing weather in the north) to use her for this meet. Although I could have driven over Germany, the shortest route would be roughly 310km before reaching the south of Limburg. This is 60km more then the shortest route over Arnhem (A50) and Venlo (A73). This is too much to benefit from the speed-unrestricted A31 between Ochtrup and Bottrop.

The journey towards Teuven didn’t go entirely uneventful as shortly after entering highway A1, some sort of Seat appeared in my rearview mirror; normally no big deal, but as I was driving 30km/h over the limit and was passing slower traffic, I didn’t feel the need to let him pass. This annoyed him and he flashed his lights; this triggered the devil inside me so I decided to play the game. At some point shortly before Deventer, there was a gap of a few hundred meters that I could have used. I consistently delayed my move to the right for a second; since the Seat driver was very inpatient, he moved to the right in a futile attempt to pass on the right. By doing so, he entered my carefully planned trap.

To avoid stressing the engine, I already had shifted back from fifth to forth gear shortly before that. I waited for his nose to come in front of #231’s nose and floored it. The rear-of #231 went down, its Michelin Pilot Sports seeking and finding grip and the fresh M88/3 created an exhaust-tone that must have been rather intimidating. Needless to say that the Seat didn’t have any chance and #231 created a healthy gap in seconds. He tried again one more time, but then gave up. Needless to say that he was not amused.

We arrived in Teuven at around 0.45PM and most of the crowd had already arrived. Apart from the seven E39 M5’s, there were two E34 M5’s (one 1995 touring and one very late 3.6 limousine from 1992), one E28 M5 (mine), one Alpina B8 4.6 touring (from member ‘chrislux’), one E24 M635CSI from member ‘Frits’ and last but not least member ‘Kleintje’ with his daily E23 732i.



We all know that BMW Classic is perfectly able to get all M5 generations, but what are the chances that you see three M5 generations in the wild in a single moment. This is a very rare occasion indeed.



After finishing lunch and the usual petrol talk, we left restaurant ‘Moeder the Gans’ in a large convoy for a small drive through the countryside in Belgium and the Netherlands.



The organizers of the driving tour took the lead and maintained a healthy pace that allowed the large group to stay in one convoy. Granted, at some points, the group got separated, but it was never difficult to keep track with the front group. During the drive, we stopped for a few times to take pictures and talk about the cars.



We closed the meeting with a hot cup of chocolade in the Vijlenerbos. Since there was no place for such a large group inside the establishment, we had to resort to the terrace outside forcing us to endure the chilly conditions after sundown.



During the various petrol talks, the drivers of the E39’s admitted that they had floored it on some occasions. Some of them redlined it into the rev limiter that could be heard from time to time. From a pure performance perspective they are impossible to beat. I didn’t pursue that for my E28 M5, nor did Robert pursue that for his E34 M5 as well. We had to endure the pain of maintaining these classic M5’s more then once whereas many of the E39 M5 drivers are in a different phase of their lives and most likely didn’t have to experience the hardship of owning these cars (yet). However, we all shared the essence of owning one of these cars, driving throughout the splendor of a lovely countryside and sharing experiences.

One thing is for certain; despite the differences between the first three M5 generations, they share more then we might think. By maintaining these contacts and sharing our experiences we not only can enjoy ownership of these cars, but also motivate and help each other with the upkeep of these cars.

The drivetrain of #231 performed flawlessly and with a modest 11ltr/100km, the fuel consumption was rather pleasant as well. At the end of the day, the trip-meter indicated 4562km since the rebuild. With other words, I am close on finishing 438km before completing the running-in phase. With winter approaching soon, it is time for #231's winter-sleep during which she will be prepared for the 2011 season.