<SPAN lang=EN-US style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US"><FONT face=Calibri><FONT size=3>First of all a bit an introduction of how I came to own my M5 and my motoring history until now.<?xml:namespace prefix = "o" ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com
I’ve always had a thing for all things motorized so after my fair share of mopeds and bikes there had to be a car when I got my license. Anytime I buy something it has to be something special and rare, not something which can be found on any corner. (I’ve always been this way, and it’s not something which I anticipate in the near future J ) <o></o>
So got my first car a red Porsche 924 from 1979, owned this for about one year then decided I needed something with more performance. I always wanted a Fiat Coupe turbo, so traded the 924 in on a sprint blue 20vt Fiat Coupe which suited my performance needs. Got the modding bug with this one and has been of the road for almost 4 years now I’m ashamed to admit, due to
(mod) parts not fitting properly and me losing interest in working on the car. Still own this one, and would like to get it back on the road.
<o></o>
Meanwhile I would be needing a daily driver, so I would not be limited by the distance to choose the companies at which I would be doing my internships. I gladly reclined the offered VW polo (1.1L 4 speed) as it would render my mom car less and decided I would buy myself another car. I had a couple of demands, older than 1985, plenty of them sold, pretty reliable and had to converted to lpg already. Until recently you didn’t have to pay road tax on a car older than 25 years in Holland and no lpg penalty on top of that. Up until then I never liked BMW’s but they seemed to suit my demands so went to look for a 1984 e30 320i with recent LPG installation and M-tech interior. Bought the thing drove around for about two years and 40k got to really like the brand. <o></o>
Completed my education and started working, soon after that I saw an ad for a relatively cheap M5 with low mileage and LPG installation which seemed like an oddball. The car sold a couple of days after that kicked myself for not having looked at it, but a week later the ad was up again which seemed strange. Decided on a whim to call the trader who was selling the car and went l to look at it just for the hell of it. (Shouldn’t have done that because I couldn’t resistJ)Was pleasantly surprised by the overall condition of the car, the quality of the LPG install and the trader offered me almost the same what I paid for my E30 almost two years and 40k ago. Researched the cars background a bit, called the previous traders who sold the car before they advised against it because of the LPG install. (This was actually the greatest appeal of the car as it would be my daily driver) Even found it featuring on the site below.<o></o>
http://www.youngtimerassociation.net/index.php/category/duurtest/<o></o>
So pulled the trigger and bought the thing despite a strange rumbling vibration at 60km/h and a noisy gearbox. <o></o>
Drove around a couple of weeks, about 2000 kilometers getting to know the car, ordered the tool for the valve adjustment and decided it was time for a tune up and thorough inspection. Valve clearances were all over the place. While the intake was fine, on the exhaust side some where as tight as 0.05 mm. Corrected this and decided to investigate what could have caused this, found that the valve lubrication system (fitted because of the lpg installation) wasn’t releasing the lubricant. Decided this was the cause and corrected it. <o></o>
While the car was on the lift at a friends place we spotted a large amount of oil coming from the bell housing wrongly diagnosed it as the rear crank seal. So the box had to come off, ordered the seal and decided to have the box overhauled since it had to come off anyway. Several people told me input bearing was noisy, I doubted this as when I listened to the box with a iron rod to my ear I could localize the sound to middle and it sounded like the teeth were off a bit? Listened to the experts and had the box disassembled then got the call the bearings where fine but the teeth showed damage and it made the most economical sense the look for a replacement one. Called Davidoli for a replacement box he had one, but I decided to take a gamble on a one more local to me which turned out to be a mistake. After fitting the box it was noisier than my old one and second gear wasn’t available, what a waste L. Called Davidoli again said I’ll take the box, a week later it was on my doorstep. Fitted it and presto no more noise and second was available. <o></o>
This left me with the strange rumbling vibration, upon replacing the gearbox I noticed the driveshaft had already been rebuild (new u joint and paint) so decided to ignore my hunch that the driveshaft was causing trouble. Surely if you rebuild it you properly balance it afterwards? Drove it around a month and after checking everything else and checking out fine all that was left was the driveshaft. Bought a second hand drive shaft from a breaker with worn out center bearing, replaced that since I already had the part. (Suspected this was the issue, but the one installed was brand new so didn’t bother replacing it)Fitted the replacement shaft went out for a test drive and presto rumbling vibration gone. <o></o>
Couple of uneventful months later, valve clearances needed checking upon adjustment I noticed rather nasty pitting on the lobes. Closed it all up and decided to do some research, found out on this forum that the recommended TWS oil wasn’t up to scratch any more. Bought a good used set of cams and fitted them along with the S50 tensioner and filled up with Mobil one 10w60. Have adjusted valves 3 times since then and no more pitting so I’m confident this has resolved the issue.<o></o>
So got my first car a red Porsche 924 from 1979, owned this for about one year then decided I needed something with more performance. I always wanted a Fiat Coupe turbo, so traded the 924 in on a sprint blue 20vt Fiat Coupe which suited my performance needs. Got the modding bug with this one and has been of the road for almost 4 years now I’m ashamed to admit, due to
(mod) parts not fitting properly and me losing interest in working on the car. Still own this one, and would like to get it back on the road.
<o></o>
Meanwhile I would be needing a daily driver, so I would not be limited by the distance to choose the companies at which I would be doing my internships. I gladly reclined the offered VW polo (1.1L 4 speed) as it would render my mom car less and decided I would buy myself another car. I had a couple of demands, older than 1985, plenty of them sold, pretty reliable and had to converted to lpg already. Until recently you didn’t have to pay road tax on a car older than 25 years in Holland and no lpg penalty on top of that. Up until then I never liked BMW’s but they seemed to suit my demands so went to look for a 1984 e30 320i with recent LPG installation and M-tech interior. Bought the thing drove around for about two years and 40k got to really like the brand. <o></o>
Completed my education and started working, soon after that I saw an ad for a relatively cheap M5 with low mileage and LPG installation which seemed like an oddball. The car sold a couple of days after that kicked myself for not having looked at it, but a week later the ad was up again which seemed strange. Decided on a whim to call the trader who was selling the car and went l to look at it just for the hell of it. (Shouldn’t have done that because I couldn’t resistJ)Was pleasantly surprised by the overall condition of the car, the quality of the LPG install and the trader offered me almost the same what I paid for my E30 almost two years and 40k ago. Researched the cars background a bit, called the previous traders who sold the car before they advised against it because of the LPG install. (This was actually the greatest appeal of the car as it would be my daily driver) Even found it featuring on the site below.<o></o>
http://www.youngtimerassociation.net/index.php/category/duurtest/<o></o>
So pulled the trigger and bought the thing despite a strange rumbling vibration at 60km/h and a noisy gearbox. <o></o>
Drove around a couple of weeks, about 2000 kilometers getting to know the car, ordered the tool for the valve adjustment and decided it was time for a tune up and thorough inspection. Valve clearances were all over the place. While the intake was fine, on the exhaust side some where as tight as 0.05 mm. Corrected this and decided to investigate what could have caused this, found that the valve lubrication system (fitted because of the lpg installation) wasn’t releasing the lubricant. Decided this was the cause and corrected it. <o></o>
While the car was on the lift at a friends place we spotted a large amount of oil coming from the bell housing wrongly diagnosed it as the rear crank seal. So the box had to come off, ordered the seal and decided to have the box overhauled since it had to come off anyway. Several people told me input bearing was noisy, I doubted this as when I listened to the box with a iron rod to my ear I could localize the sound to middle and it sounded like the teeth were off a bit? Listened to the experts and had the box disassembled then got the call the bearings where fine but the teeth showed damage and it made the most economical sense the look for a replacement one. Called Davidoli for a replacement box he had one, but I decided to take a gamble on a one more local to me which turned out to be a mistake. After fitting the box it was noisier than my old one and second gear wasn’t available, what a waste L. Called Davidoli again said I’ll take the box, a week later it was on my doorstep. Fitted it and presto no more noise and second was available. <o></o>
This left me with the strange rumbling vibration, upon replacing the gearbox I noticed the driveshaft had already been rebuild (new u joint and paint) so decided to ignore my hunch that the driveshaft was causing trouble. Surely if you rebuild it you properly balance it afterwards? Drove it around a month and after checking everything else and checking out fine all that was left was the driveshaft. Bought a second hand drive shaft from a breaker with worn out center bearing, replaced that since I already had the part. (Suspected this was the issue, but the one installed was brand new so didn’t bother replacing it)Fitted the replacement shaft went out for a test drive and presto rumbling vibration gone. <o></o>
Couple of uneventful months later, valve clearances needed checking upon adjustment I noticed rather nasty pitting on the lobes. Closed it all up and decided to do some research, found out on this forum that the recommended TWS oil wasn’t up to scratch any more. Bought a good used set of cams and fitted them along with the S50 tensioner and filled up with Mobil one 10w60. Have adjusted valves 3 times since then and no more pitting so I’m confident this has resolved the issue.<o></o>