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Interesting Stuff

E30 and other older BMW VIN decoding information

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February 15, 2024

If you ever wondered how the E30 VIN number decodes, below are the instructions directly from BMW. What you wont find anywhere else is the 11th digit manufacturing plant information for cars old enough to start with a number instead of a letter. Here it is: Dingolfing – 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,9, B, D Munich – 8,...
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Diagnosing Bad Wheel Bearing Side-to-Side Play

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February 14, 2024

Here’s how to diagnose a bad wheel bearing by checking for side-to-side play, which can help isolate the issue from other suspension components like tie rods, control arms or strut mounts. Diagnose a Bad Wheel Bearing: Inspect for Play: Check the wheel for side-to-side play by rocking it at the 3 and 9 o’clock...
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Comprehensive Guide to Checking Your Car’s Charging System

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February 14, 2024

Maintaining the charging system is vital for any vehicle’s reliability. This streamlined guide covers the essential steps for a thorough evaluation.   Required Tools: Multimeter with DC voltage, min/max, and AC modes Alligator clips Battery Voltage Check: Switch the multimeter to DC voltage mode. Attach the red lead to the positive terminal and the...
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Replace your AC refrigerant low side and high side valve cores without leaking out refrigerant

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January 17, 2024

After 30+ years the tiny seals in the E30 AC system should be changed; its one of the most common leak points and often missed because any manifold measurements are taken with the valves in use. Nearly all Schrader valve cores, like the ones found on the E30 R12 lines are replaceable. As not...
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Best possible hoses for E30 Power Steering Reservoir Lines

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January 9, 2024

On many pre-1988 E30s, the lines that originate from and lead to the reservoir (low pressure) terminate in banjo connections that consist of a hose and a band clamp. The two lines are: 16X22MM 32411131545 12X18MM 32411131524 The hoses adhere to a DIN standard that is NBR/CR: NBR inner, single textile reinforcement, CR outer...
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Torque Screwdriver for worm gear hose clamps

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January 7, 2024

If you own a pre-OBD 2 BMW, especially an E30, there are three indispensable tools: a smoke machine for finding vacuum leaks, a radiator pressure tester for coolant leaks, and the focus of this post, a torque screwdriver for worm gear hose clamps. Older BMWs are from a generation that predates the use of...
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Alpine CM5905 CM5907 and CM5908 Radio Cassette Belt

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December 29, 2023

There really is no need to be paying $12+ bucks for a cassette drive belt. Most forsale just take advantage of the fact that they know the belt length and width, you don’t and for that you end up paying exponentially more. All you need to know is that the drive belt is a...
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Why coolant has a lifespan and how to test it

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December 25, 2023

You’ve likely read in the owner’s manual or heard about the specific time (X years) and mileage (Y miles) recommendations for changing your vehicle’s coolant. But have you ever wondered why? The primary, yet often overlooked reason, is electrolysis. In the galvanic series, aluminum is more anodic compared to steel. This means aluminum will...
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Alpine CM5905 and CM5907 Radio replacement switches

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November 30, 2023

Many people who restore old Alpine radios just keep taking switches from other radios; but in general, to get the best longevity, new switches should be used. The E-SWITCH TL6275BA2PQRG can be used with the use of custom 3D printed caps. To make the switch work, you will need to 3D print this cap...
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OBD1 E30 Diagnostics demystified

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November 24, 2023

Every wondered if you could connect an OBD scanner and get useful data out of the E30? Most forum posts will say you can only get codes, but that’s just simply not true. Snap on Ultra with a BM-1B Adapter (EAA0355L74A) and DA-5 OBD 1 adapter cable (EAX0068L01A). A little older, and less expensive...
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