BMW 3 Series E30

since 1983-1994 release

Repair and operation of the car

What car you would not buy – be ready to carry out maintenance and repair works to return to it former молодось, to make attractive and individual, and also to adapt for practical operation not to distract then from the daily cares. We will divide similar works into several stages.

Do not trust the eyes

The first – estimate technical condition of the car: that for "animal" you drove under a window. Begin with the engine and a running gear: upon purchase you, probably, paid to a body much attention and were convinced that it is quite good. Rotten and worn-out it is difficult to give out for good how the seller tried. But many domestic knots quite often leave good impression only thanks to... modern auto chemical goods – then not any expert straight off operedelit that to what. For example, in mercilessly smoking and knocking motor filled in the complex of additives which is almost nullifying visible symptoms of wear. However, its action will be enough for 300–1000 km... In the cooling system leaking before sale there can be a lot of sealant or even mustard. There are drugs and for the "killed" accumulator. If from the transmission or a reducer oil leaked, there, present, filled in wonderful liquid and... no, oil will not cease to exude, but, even when it will flow out everything, you will not notice it – transfers will join still easily, and the reducer will not hoot (month two, before full death).

You think, all above-mentioned – a unique case? At all not. The car with such "set" can be bought according to the announcement and furthermore, on a car market. At the same time the body at it can be in rather good shape, and the salon – to be just magnificent... And so, that, having gone for the first time on such beauty to the country not to come back an electric train, it is better to carry out diagnostics of all knots in the first days.

Whether the motor is healthy

Let's begin with the engine. Its warming up, we fill in liquid for five-minute washing of the lubrication system. We merge oil, we remove the filter. Having established new (it is possible cheap), we fill in domestic flushing oil and half an hour we drive the motor on single turns. If the oil merged after that black, operation it is possible to repeat (without changing the filter) as packing is calculated on two times. The sound of the working motor has to remain same what was before your manipulations. If there was a knocking and a klatsaniye in a block head, then, having filled in engine oil (and having once again changed the filter, now for expensive import), go under the own steam to HUNDRED – to adjust valves and to tighten a chain. But if in the lower part of the engine the tractor sounds changing the intensity depending on turns are distributed – put rubbish. You stop the engine and, without filling in fresh oil, go on the tow to mechanics for survey of radical and connecting rods.

And your motor did not make any foreign sounds? Perfectly – then wash up it and, having dry wiped, go to a trial trip. In way fix any uncharacteristic sounds and noise going from under a cowl, and also (subjectively) power upon purchase. These indicators of "health" of the motor should not change in comparison with a trial trip upon purchase. Kilometers through hundred examine the engine – whether there is no oil leak. If is, then, perhaps, the hose of ventilation of a case is littered or, what is worse, it is necessary to change laying, epiploons. And suddenly in several days after washing from the muffler the blue smoke appeared? Prepare for replacement of oil scraper caps as you probably "washed up" antismoke additive... For check remove a hose of ventilation of a case – from it hardly noticeable smoke is admissible. If whitish smoke brings down clubs, and turns increased – oil scraper rings demand replacement. Measure a compression to estimate – to change only rings or to do boring of cylinders with audit of inserts, and also cranked and distributive shaft.

We wish that your motor did not show any of similar symptoms – then there are bases for confidence that it will not disturb the owner of 30-40 thousand kilometers, and even it is more.

With the cooling system arrive similarly lubricant: in a radiator of the heated-up engine fill in flushing liquid, and then, погоняв the motor, pour out all "wish-wash" without the rest. Then fill in clear water and, again having launched the motor, attentively watch a radiator, hoses, the heater crane. On water it is possible even to do a bit of traveling several days (in the summer, of course!) and, if level in a broad tank did not go down, to safely fill in "Antifreeze".

The system of ignition, most likely, should not give surprises: before sale by it, and also to the carburetor pay special attention. The car has to be started up from a half-turn and disperse quickly, without failures – differently who will buy it?! And therefore change candles, high-voltage wires and the air filter (in the author's opinion, it is better import) – if the former owner did not make it.

Electric equipment is least of all subject to wear, and so, and to "experiments" of the seller. Your task – to check serviceability of all lighting fixtures, it is obligatory to change "bugs" for regular safety locks moreover to check tension in onboard network (13,6-14,5 B).

To brakes – attention special

We pass to the brake system. For the sake of its serviceability you should not spare expense as (along with steering) – sacred: your life and safety of others depends on serviceability of brakes. Having removed traffic jams, glance in tanks of hydraulic actuators of brakes and coupling (if its drive not hummock) – through liquid the tank bottom has to be looked through. Its dark brown color indicates the need of immediate replacement, and happens that with the old polluted liquid of a brake leak, and after good washing of system and filling fresh the leak stops. Further, having serially removed wheels and brake drums (behind), examine brake shoes which wear has to be uniform and not exceed a half admissible, otherwise blocks replace. Then check action of brakes on the desert highway, watching that when braking any intensity did not take away the car aside, and also after sharp braking from the speed of 40-60 km/h all four wheels were blocked, having left a black and uniform mark on asphalt (it, naturally, does not concern cars with ABS). And, at last, regularly control liquid level in tanks which has to remain constant, and you keep a small bottle of "tormozukha" in a luggage carrier.

Further the viewing hole or a platform is required. Having warmed up the car, replace oil in the transmission and the back bridge. Then study knots of a running gear, paying attention to integrity of boots of steering drafts, spherical support, CV JOINTS. Ask the assistant to rotate vigorously a wheel on a small corner and check a side play in joints of a steering trapeze. At a big side play replace drafts – it is simple and inexpensive, and it is difficult to overestimate a role of a serviceable trapeze in safety and stability of management! More you under car have nothing to do.

"But allow, – the reader will exclaim, – and if I see holes in the bottom, the burst levers, the burned-through muffler, the longeron which departed from a body..." Well, excuse! I meant that the bottom of this car you saw the second, but not for the first time. That is the car upon purchase was examined and investigated carefully (though, maybe, and in an amateurish way), but not just sat down in salon and hit on hands. In a word, it was necessary to look earlier!

Do not feel sorry for shampoo

Now we will start the second stage which purpose – to give to your "swallow" individual shape, and also to try "to erase" from memory of the car (and yours too) memories that to you already used it. In the clear afternoon carefully wash up it outside car shampoo, in hard-to-reach spots using the soaped brush-fleyts. If the chromeplated details grew dull or on them rusty spots, it does not matter acted. Plentifully rub the struck places with gruel from baking soda by means of a toothbrush. It is a little labor-consuming, but result excellent! It is quite good to change the faded lenses of back lamps and front position lamps; there are kopeks, and the effect is available. (For certain rusty) put on plastic caps rims. In conclusion rub a body to polishes and you pass into salon.

You sit down on a back seat with a water bucket, laundry soap, a rag and a small brush for shaving or a brush. Then soap a back part of a ceiling a small brush and, having waited a little, collect soap by strongly wrung out rag. After repetition of the procedure move forward and do the same with other part of a ceiling. Perform similar operation with an upholstery of doors.

From within wipe glasses with liquid for washing of windows. It is better to throw out old covers of seats, as a last resort – it is good to wash and to pull densely anew. On the back shelf (in sedans) lay a piece of a carpet under color of covers and put the first-aid kit, previously having touched its contents. Wipe the dashboard ("Torpedo") and a wheel with the switch with alcohol and rub with a sponge-polirolem "555". Having removed rubber rugs (they need to be washed up separately), carefully vacuum a synthetic carpet, ideally – the washing vacuum cleaner. If in salon smoked, and you do not gather, hang up an air freshener. If necessary establish new rear-view mirrors – two side and, the magnifying size, – in salon. Bring order to a luggage carrier and... happy journey!