engine and drivetrain Help!- (formerly mystery hose update)

[lobf]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v42/lotsofblackflags/1209081219.jpg

It looks like the mystery hose should be attached to one end on this thing- What is it?

Also- I was almost done installing my 320i radiator when I realized that one of the fan blades was touching the bottom tank of it. It should fit in-between the tanks where the grill doesn't extend so far towards the engine. I thought I could get rid of the transmission fluid connections and mount points on the bottom and even it out, but the most I could take off is only about 1/4 of what I need to take off. It's like I need holes in what the radiator sits on so it sits lower. Has anyone else ever had this problem?

Edit- I thought I was posting this as a reply to my old topic. I don't know how I made a whole new topic. Oops.

[Guest Anonymous]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v42/lotsofblackflags/1209081219.jpg

It looks like the mystery hose should be attached to one end on this thing- What is it?

Its obviously the air pump connection- notice the air injection nozzles at the exhaust manifold. If your pump is hooked up or functioning, there would be air pressure at the hose.

Your radiator is common. First, make sure your motor mounts and tranny mount are all good and not permitting the engine to move to far forward. Next, I would want to make sure the fan isn't futzed, since you are stating only one blade is making contact. If this is the case, cut the fan blades (all of them) evenly. The archives discuss this many times. There are typically tabs on the bottom of the aluminum/plastic radiators that can be removed. The automatic versions with the integral but separate trans cooling tank at the bottom, it may be different, but if you are not using it as a trans fluid conduit, it is unnecessary.

hth

[lobf]

I saw the tabs down there, but they aren't making enough space to fix the problem by removing them. My mechanic (Dave @Summit Auto in Marina Del Rey, Los Angeles- awesome dude) recommended putting a thick washer in the tranny mount, but I don't know where that is or how big of a job it is. (Like I said in my other topic, I'm really green mechanically)

I'm considering giving up and having him fix it. As much fun as it is learning by experience, I need my car for work. It probably wouldn't be too expensive of a job, but then I don't have to worry about breaking something else, or wasting time on something that isn't the problem.

Can anyone give me a picture of a transmission mount and/or tell me how serious of a job it is to adjust it?

[Guest Anonymous]

There really is no substitute for hands on experience although a little guidance can go a long way. Obviously you can ask questions. Have you looked at this link? http://www.bayarea02.com/techtips/arne_tectip1.html

As far as the transmission mount, the shim idea seems like a poor substitute for a new larger (320i or bavaria e3) bigger mount. If you do not know where it is or what it looks like, asking is good, but self help may be equally good. Consider looking the parts up on realoem. Take a close look at number 18 to get an idea.

If this is your daily driver, you better grasp the notion of working on your own car pretty quickly or move in with your mechanic. You are driving a 30+ year old car that needs TLC if you want to be able to depend upon it.

[Guest Anonymous]

Number 18: http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?model=2214&mospid=47140&btnr=23_0767&hg=23&fg=15

attached to number 10 here: http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?model=2214&mospid=47140&btnr=23_0768&hg=23&fg=05

A Haynes manual would be a good thing for you to acquire, if you have not already done so.

[lobf]

There really is no substitute for hands on experience although a little guidance can go a long way. Obviously you can ask questions. Have you looked at this link? http://www.bayarea02.com/techtips/arne_tectip1.html

I had been using that link throughout my install.

As far as the transmission mount, the shim idea seems like a poor substitute for a new larger (320i or bavaria e3) bigger mount. If you do not know where it is or what it looks like, asking is good, but self help may be equally good. Consider looking the parts up on realoem. Take a close look at number 18 to get an idea.

If this is your daily driver, you better grasp the notion of working on your own car pretty quickly or move in with your mechanic. You are driving a 30+ year old car that needs TLC if you want to be able to depend upon it.

Heh, well I'm trying to learn as much as I can. As long as the problem was just the radiator I was okay with fixing it myself. I have to work, though, and I didn't want to start chasing different problems when I knew I could get it taken care of quickly by someone who knew more than me. I mean, it's been out of commission for over a week now.

Anyways, my mechanic took a look and couldn't figure out why my engine sat so far forward. Now my options are re-core my old one ($$$!) or use my electric fan if it's still working. I'll keep you all posted.

Number 18: http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?model=2214&mospid=47140&btnr=23_0767&hg=23&fg=15

attached to number 10 here: http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?model=2214&mospid=47140&btnr=23_0768&hg=23&fg=05

A Haynes manual would be a good thing for you to acquire, if you have not already done so.

Thank you very much for showing me that. I do have a Haynes manual, I just didn't know where to look.

[lobf]

Weird, I replied to this and it didn't bump it to the top...

[Guest Anonymous]

Weird, I replied to this and it didn't bump it to the top...

The listed links should be used as a guide only. The radiator installation is a good start, but there are any number of ways to accomplish this. I did two of them much differently, but I can't say my methods are more right than anyone else's. As far as the engine being too far forward, it is possible that the engine is sitting in its normal position but that your radiator is not tight against the forward bulkhead. It is also possible that the radiator is thicker than the stock radiator it replaced. I was not kidding about cutting down the fan blades, since I have done it, when necessary and without any negative consequences. Search the archives and you can read other's posts on the subject. There are many.

As long as your questions are sincere and demonstrate a real interest to learn, please continue to ask them and someone on this board will try to respond honestly. You have to keep an open mind and an iron constitution if some of the responses seem harsh and inconsiderate because all too often a few self absorbed experts suffer from an acute attention deficit.

A basic automotive class would be a good idea as would grabbing all the basic auto primers you can find in the local library or newsstand. Equally time consuming but worthy of at least one read is the collective knowledge found in the archives. Start at the beginning and see how many questions you never thought of asking get answered. It is a shame that so many of the subject titles have so little to do with the posts but so be it.

Mistakes happen, profit from them and Good luck!