XCRN : 1995 BMW 525i

[XCRN]

Just comparing the 2 different phone cameras.

Android Galaxy 3 (Old)




Iphone 5S (New)




First time I had the cover off in awhile. Was just showing my friend the car, he is actually going to help me with a lot of paint work since he has been doing it for years. We might even tow it to his place this winter vacation to yank the engine out since he has a readily available and better place to do it.

[XCRN]

Today I got it to move on it's own power for 10 whole feet! And cleaned up before I head back to Kirkland for a month to see family and friends.




I think the transmission in there might still be useable, with just a fluid change. It use to sound like pennies in a jar in second gear but was quiet today when I put it into the "2" position. I also have the coolant back to a regular level all of the sudden. Is the cold weather fixing my car? Either way when tax time comes around, I will use that to get brakes refreshed (desperately needed) and try a transmission fluid change.

[XCRN]

I found a great deal for Brembo rotors for under $20 each for the fronts. Ordered the 2 since I need to do a full brake job, and will probably order the rears later, still deciding whether to get the 540i calipers with rear vented rotors or stick with the solid rears. Though I might be close to getting it drivable as an auto, the brakes are in horrendous condition and need to be done before I start driving it. Just as a reminder here is a picture that represents all 4 corners.




When I get back from Seattle in mid January I will be taking off all of the calipers, throwing them in an electrolysis bucket and getting new seals, also new rotors, pads, and since it is my birthday on the 27th this month hopefully stainless steel brake lines. Then an ATF change and oil change and off I go hopefully.

[XCRN]

I travel 2000 miles to visit the Seattle area junkyards that always seem to have 10 BMWs each and the week I get here they are all gone. So I did not fet my rear headrests or rear reading lights or other cool 7 series stuff. What an absolute dissapointment and waste of gas. They need to update their inventories better since they still say thoes cars are there. And to make matters worse I had a golf ball sized cyst on the back of my neck and had to go to the ER to drain it. It was deeper than what they typicaly encounter so there is a big hole on the back of my neck. So I get to spend the rest of my vacation on prescription pain killers, whoo!

But I am about to order the rest of the brake parts needed. New rotors, pads, caliper seals, bushings. Now all I need are stainless steel lines and the brakes will be perfect.

[Jarrett]

So...........




Did you video the cyst being drained?

[XCRN]

No I wish, it was a spontaneous visit at 2 in the morning so I drove my self. Apparently it was Tosh.0 worthy material.

[XCRN]

Ordered a bunch of stuff for the brakes. So I already got front Brembo rotors a few weeks ago and they have arrived. This round of purchases is thanks to a mixture of birthday money and selling an Accord rear disc conversion I had. So I ordered Stoptech SS brake lines, rear rotors and pads, new seals for all calipers, new bushings, and new rattle clips. I have quite a bit of work ahead of me when I get back from vacation. And hopefully after that get the ATF changed in an attempt to make it drivable.

[XCRN]

Back in Ohio. Wish I could say my vacation in Seattle was good, but between the golf ball abscess and an acidic burn in my throat from the antibiotics I took that did no go all the way down, it kind of sucked. And I still need to get the packing in the hole in my neck changed still so I need to find a GP here to carry on the treatments.

Anyways I get home to find this. Merry Christmas/Birthday to me




Was not thrilled about the packaging of the Brembo rotors, but they looked fine inside the box.




For the rear I got Centric C-TEK rotors. I will also be painting the top hats and the edges on all 4 rotors just for rust protection. Probably black since I will have the paint for the calipers.




I was shocked at the size of the brake pads, the rears are the size of a CB Accords front pads.






Also got some stuff to rebuild the calipers.






And of course I cannot forget the best part, Stoptech stainless steel brake lines.





So I have some work to get done and it is really cold out. At least I brought my thick pleather jacket from WA with me so I can get dirty and stay warm too. I also ordered a transmission filter and pan gasket so I might be able to get this driving correctly as an auto.

[XCRN]

I got more parts today. So when I was back in Seattle I made sure to go junkyard hunting since the 3 local places seem to always have about 10 BMWs each and I wanted to get the rear head rests. But as it turns out, all of the BMWs I could have used something from were crushed the week before I landed. I was as you would expect annoyed with that on top of what has happened during that trip. But luckily enough, a junkyard here in Dayton OH just got a lot of BMWs and I was able to get my rear head rests plus more.

Got the rear headrests that match the seat color and there was some pristine black ones too and I might go back and get those to flip and sell them. I believe someone is selling them $100 plus shipping and I spent $20 today at the junkyard. But all I needed were these and they are a bit dirty since before I got these I wanted to play Highlander with an axle and got grease all over my hand. Not my brightest idea.




Also got another cool E32 bonus, rear reading lights so the passengers in the back do not need to turn on the front lights for their own lighting.




What might take some time to do but would be great to have is the rear cigarette lighter so passengers may charge phones. Lighting up cigarettes in my car will result in being beaten with a hammer




And I also got this in the mail today when I got back from JY hunting. An auto transmission filter and gasket for $15 shipped!

[XCRN]

Got the head rests and rear reading lights on. Still need to figure out the rear power outlet.

Defiantly one of the cooler things I have done to the car so far. It was a simple process for a very handy and cool retrofit.

Just cut.



Insert.



And plop the seat back in. Simple




I got to replacing these bland and cheap looking lights.



With these awesome luxurious lights.



Just had to splice 4 wires of the new plug which sucked since I only had a box cutter to remove the insulation but it did it's job well enough for now. When it gets warmer I will actually solder the wires together but it is 10 degrees out so I am not going to be all that thorough. Not sure if they work since the battery is dead and I do not want to have the engine on with low oil and a very cold start. I want to get more 7 Series goodies like an arm rest with a container, rear sun shade, and if possible swapping out the interior door handles with the containers.

[XCRN]

Got my electrolysis tub setup except the PVC pipe up top is going to turn into a 2' long piece of rebar. The pipe was from another idea that did not work out since Home Depot at the time was out of 2' long rebar. There are 6 anodes that are foot long rebar and are tied to each other with some 18 AWG hook up wire. For the mixture I will be using Borax Washing Soda. Hopefully tomorrow I can get that 2' rebar and Saturday is supposedly going to be in the low 40s so I will hope to remove the calipers then.

[cb9love]

the electrolysis tub set up looks good, i may have too make one just too have around to throw parts in.
Your progress on your project is looking nice as well, you should be ready to cruise by spring.

[XCRN]

the electrolysis tub set up looks good, i may have too make one just too have around to throw parts in.
Your progress on your project is looking nice as well, you should be ready to cruise by spring.

And the setup is working good too though a bit too small. I could not get the brackets in without risking touching the rebar around the bucket. I sure do hope that it gets going spring time, but when brakes are done I would be more willing to take the car on to the street to get a better idea as to what the issue is.

Anyways here is some of today's high points.



And here is what the front looks like. The area on the rotors where the pads met was just a small valley like this [ Not good.




And the front calipers before their bath.




And here is how they will sit overnight.




Though today was not all smooth sailing. I had an issue with the front passenger brake line. The flare wrench rounded the hard line nut. The other side went just fine since I doused it with Liquid Wrench. I guess now I know better. I still need to figure out how to remove it, but I got a propane torch and will try again tomorrow. And tomorrow the rears will be removed.

[XCRN]

The fronts are starting to come out nicely. Did not quite finish them since I cannot find my wire wheel for the dremmel to get into the tight spaces but the wire wheel on the drill got it a good start. I also had both front brackets in the tub while I removed the rear calipers, I still need to scrub those.

As you can tell I put more work into the left one in the second picture, well I was tired so shut up.




And again like usual, there were hiccups throughout the process. The driver rear caliper gave me some issues with coming out. To start off the exhaust was in the way and I only had one of those cheap swivel joints and the impact wrench at 100psi kind of blew it up. So I bit the bullet and got an impact swivel joint and got the upper bolt out, the bottom was not too bad. Now after the bolts were out, getting the caliper was the next issue. The piston was not receding into the calipers and with the rotor like [ caused some issues removing it, but it got out. So this caliper is so seized up it is beyond what I can repair at this point in time. It will need the piston to be machined and the bore to be honed, it would just be cheaper to get one from a junkyard and rebuild that one. The previous owner really let this one go.

This is how the caliper came out.



Here is what the brake pads from this caliper looked like, one didn't even have any material at all!



But the passenger side came out fine.




I just love my rear head rests, so simple but so cool!



Anyways that was all of my day today and tonight I have the one rear caliper and both rear brackets in the bath and will sit overnight.

[H311RA151N]

Still looking damn good! And those pads were shot, that's crazy.