Happy Face

I've come to the realization that my Weber 32/36 could do with a rebuild. I have no idea what its history is and the engine is running way too rich....

I've seen CD's and others Weber prescription and the recommendation for going to Pierce Manifolds to get the repair kit and gasket set. My carb is a DGAV 33B1. It appears to be an electric choke type (yes, I only receently found out that there were different kinds of chokes!).

Anyway, I understand that the rebuild is straightforward. I will also be getting the following, using the CD prescription:

Float Level 40mm

PRIMARY

idle 60

main 140

air correction 145

SECONDARY

idle 55

main 170

air correction 175

I tried calling Pierce but they are out (Presidents Day?). They have an online ordering system but I thought it would be better to talk to someone on the phone in case I bungled the order.

Anything I'm missing here?

thanks

(technically-challenged hack wanna-be 'O2 mechanic)

As the others have said, if you replaced all the wearable rubber and bushings it will come together well. One more thing that DOES make a difference is that round foam pad. It needs to go UNDER the trans tunnel, not on top. By putting it under, it snugs up the linkage assembly tight against the sheet metal (the tunnel) and takes away any remaining sloppiness.

I had a repair shop install a tranny for me a few weeks ago and when the put the linkage back on, they put the foam pad on top (inside the car) where it does no good. I put it back under and it and it made a big difference.

Bill

Since you had a successful install, did you actually drill a hole in your old distributor cap per the Crane instructions, and use a timing light to spot the rotor? They suggest that you drill a large hole, use the timing light to make sure the rotor is timed correctly, and then go and by a new distributor cap to replace the one you drilled a hole in.

Is this really necessary?

I'm about to install a Crane XR700. I also will be putting in a new Bosche RED coil.

the Red coil says on its label that it has 1.8 ohms of resistance.

The instructions that come with the Crane unit are unclear to me as to whether I need to bypass, or use the existing ballast resistor, or get some other model ballast resistor. There is already one on the car (its in its original OEM setup). I take it that the ballast resistor is that ceramic box located on the sheet metal, right next to the existing coil.

thanks

Patrick

No, I picked up my car from Matt a few weeks ago. I know he has another Verona O2 hanging around the shop. It looks a lot better than mine!

Killer interior!!

mine definately looked like this....although they also smelled of gas...

but that might have been from all the failed attempts at getting car started...

the possibility of a carb issue seems probable here.....oh boy

ok, I changed the plug wires to some nice, heavy-duty red ones I got through Ireland. Had to take the 'tips' off the plugs as the new wires are set up to lock onto the threads on top of the plugs.

I did not regap the plugs because it was my understanding that they were pregapped at 0.030, which I was told was about right. I could remove the plugs again and regap to 0.025.

In any case, after replacing the spark plug wires, the car is running much better. It still has a hard time idling, but will after 5 minutes or so at 2000 rpm...then it settles down and will idle (not as smooths as I would like).

I had bought the new plugs and wires as part of my plan to install a Crane ignition system. I just decided to jump the gun a bit today and put on the new plugs, hoping it might help.

Recently my car has been running and idling rough. Since I've never changed the plugs I decided it might be a good time and I bought some NGK plugs. When I removed the old plugs they were very dirty, carbon-covered, very bad looking. I figured well, that's the problem, these plugs have had it. So I put my new clean and shiney plugs in, attempted to start the car (It did not want to start), and managed to get it to run after several tries. It sounded like one or more cylinders were missing so I pulled one of my new plugs back out and low and behold its as dirty as the old plugs were! They had only been in there 5 minutes!

So, now the car runs very rough, I'm sure its missing (although I rechecked all the plugs to be sure they were in all the way), and the new plugs are as ugly and dirty as the old ones.

For the hack mechanic, what's the problem here?

I've done all the work there is to be done with my shifter (that I know of). Its main problem WAS sloppiness. All the wear parts and been replaced and it has a nice new BMW shift lever to proclaim its refurbishment. It is now as tight as i think it can be (short of putting in a completely new short-shifter).

The problem is that the entire tower turns/twists still in my palm. Is there a way to keep the tower from rotating? The shift knob itself is screwed down tight so that isn't the issue. Its the tower itself that is rotating.

ok great, it seems that Aardvark and Al have the same product for the same price.... that solves that issue

any ideas how I can raise the seat some?

Ok, I finally got around to installing some old 320 Recaro seats in my 'O2. You learn as you go......the webbing things down under are shot. I know I've seen these for sale somewhere. The result is that I am sunk down low in the seat...way too low

can anyone tell me where a good place is to find these?

also, any recommendations on raising the driver seat up a bit?

thanks

at bav auto there are two kinds of plugs available for the 'O2. One without resistance and one with.

Which one?

thanks

well, it hasn't had a real tune-up since I drove it home from Vegas three years ago so this is good advice....

as a follow up.....a few months back I bought the Crane XR700, a Red coil, and some heavy-duty spark plug wires, all from Ireland Eng.

This would as good of a time as any to do the EI install....

question though....which plugs do I get for this new setup and (which gap also), and...do I need to add a ballast resistor? While I'm at it, should I replace anything else to ensure a trouble-free setup (electric/timing related)?

thanks

ok, I'm no mechanic....but now that I've had this car for a few years I'm coming to the realization that my motor vibrates (shakes) too much.

I know its an old car but it should run smoother than this.

It shakes so much that when its at idle, the sheet metal on the car rattles.

This may be a fact of life in an old car but something tells me there should be a way to smooth this motor out so it idles smooth and constant.

Where do I start?

turns out the problem was a misaligned drive shaft. I got under there today and realigned the drive shaft and reattached the center bearing bracket. It was twisted/cockeyed. While I was at it I put the foam pad for the shifter back under the tranmission tunnel instead of up top (inside the car) where they had it. That helped to take some of the sloppiness out of the shifter. I had to take the drive shaft off to do it. While there I inspected the guibo and it looked fine.

Took the car around the block for a spin and the vibration is much reduced, but not entirely gone. I think the center bearing might need to be replaced. I'm regretting that particular exercise.

thanks for the helpful suggestions

thanks for the responses

with all the tranny, diff work that went on, there's a good chance that the guibo and center bearing took some abuse (on drive shaft, off drive shaft, etc..)

As I think about this, the center bearing could be the culprit..... oh boy, what fun

my 72 'O2 has just had its tranny (4-speed) and diff replaced. I had it done at a local bimmer shop.

On the way home there was a new, scary vibration coming out of the drivetrain. It may be something that folks here have experienced.

basically it goes like this....when you are accelerating, and the car is feeling 'momentum' going forward, there is no noise, but when you let off a little on the gas, and you can feel the car's forward momentum lag a bit, there is a intense vibration or buzz (for lack of a better description) coming out from under the car. Again, when you press the accelerator, it seems to go away, when the car coasts or you let off on the forward motion, the buzz/vibration comes back. It seems to be coming from underneath, from the tranny/driveshaft/diff area.

Any ideas?

thanks

saw this advertized on ebay

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/BMW-2002-2002-TII-320I-Exhaust-Header_W0QQitemZ8032257780QQcategoryZ33631QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

for a stock 'O2, what benefit does it bring over a stock header?

thanks

I'm considering doing the same to my car but I've gotten a few quotes on a full paint resto and it exceeds $3000. Can you tell me what you are expecting to dish out and if there is a way to get a quality paint job for a bit less dollars?

I ran my white M-roadster here in houston for 3 years or so. That was a fun car but awfully tail-happy. I never did run it in SA but if I can get this car set up as a reliable autox'er (meaning no parts fall off - as someone has already cautioned me), I'll run it in SA and DFW if I can. I did drive at the 'O3 Octoberfest in Austin. That was a great course!

thanks Steve

I've got the 710's on my MINI now and they are sweet. I didn't realize they had a size for the 'O2. Do you think wheel diameter makes any difference for acceleration on the 'O2 (given the stock 4-speed)? Are you on 13's?

I should have qualified my remarks....

I'm not a novice autocrosser. this is my 7th year of autocrossing and have used R-comps on my M-roadster, M3 and currently my MINI Cooper.

that being said, there is always more to learn. I'm interested in which r-comps work best on the 'O2. And, it could be that it would be advisable to get used to this particular car in autox mode on street tires first, and then go to sticky rubber.

The car isn't a daily driver and will be used primarily, but not exclusively for autox.

I'm in the process of getting Happy Face ready for her first autox in jan. I'm starting her off pretty much in stock form, just to get a feel for her as a stock car. I may however put on a strut bar, and possibly add sways as well, if I have enough time before first event.

I'd like to shod her though with some R-compound tires. Any suggestions or preferences for tire/wheel setup, without blowing the bank account?

thanks

dave in houston

I know there's a ton of material in the archives on camber....

but what I would like some advice with is a good and inexpensive approach to getting as much negative camber as I can, given the basic stock setup on my car. The car is used for weekend driving and BMW club autocrossing.

I know there are KMACs and other adjustable plates, and I have seen Ireland's 'fixed' camber plates (but these only get about 5/8 degree). I also read somewhere that there are issues with the KMAC plates.

I've been down the adjustable camber plates road before (E36 M3) and I recall issues with caster and alignment, etc.....

I have stock shocks and springs on the car now.

thanks