If you have ever tried to find anti theft options for your car you probably know that you basically have two options: One time payment transmitter based systems such as Lojack – old style system, pre GPS and pre modern cellular network technology. These systems depend on the supplier to hide a transmitter in...
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What do stone chip rust spots, industrial fallout in your paint and brake dust have in common? Iron. In the last 10 years there has been an introduction of Thioglycolic acid or “Fallout removers” introduced in the automotive market. The existence and use of Thioglycolic acid isn’t new; foundries used it as far back...
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Recharging your own Air conditioning system is one of those things that seems difficult, but really is rather simple as long as you have all the correct tools and follow the correct steps. I will as in depth as I can describe how to properly pull a vacuum on your car, how to check...
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The auxiliary fan resistor is in need of replacement when the auxiliary fan does not operate at low speed. The aux fan should activate: When the AC is on (by way of selecting the AC button in the interior) When the radiator coolant temperature sensor reaches sufficient temperature to trigger the aux fan To...
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There is a lot of misinformation and misconceptions with rust proofing / under coating/ rust prevention; for which I hope to provide some clarity and direction. First, remember that rust is like an iceberg, you only see 10% of it. Moisture normally gets trapped for the longest duration of time in the places that...
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Hearing the Getrag rattle for the first time can be unsettling. This rattle is a common sound produced by Getrag transmissions, especially the 5-speed models found in E30s, BMWs, and GMs, when the car is in neutral and the clutch is not engaged. The rattle disappears when the clutch pedal is pressed or the...
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Although there are a multitude of reasons why your central locking may not be working (Microswitches, actuators, fuses, previous owners attempts) there are two major flaws in the design of the E30 central locking system that often fail and contribute to 80%+ of the central locking problems people experience. The first is the internal...
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The on board computer (OBC) in an E30 uses two regular light bulbs wired in series on a removable circuit board to light up the display on the OBC. Because they are wired in series, if one light-bulb goes out both go out. The bulbs are not supposed to be replaceable as they are...
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Supplementary Article for control arm bushing options: https://www.rtsauto.com/e30-control-arm-bushing-upgrades-also-applicable-to-e36-comprehensive-guide-on-control-arm-bushings/   Recently picked up a E30/E36/E46 control arm bushing specialty tool which made the job extremely easy as far as getting the finished bushing carrier with bushing onto the control arm shaft. This article only really applies to OEM rubber bushings as poly and solid bushings...
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It is not always justifiable to spend the money on a specialty tool, however in the case of rear axles a little investment goes a long way.   The problem with many german cars and particularly E30’s is that the tolerance between the hub splines and the axles splines is VERY small causing a...
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