[Erik]

Hi guys.

As you know I have had some problems with the B7. I was planned to drive to Germany on Tuesday morning and put the car into the workshop in Wednesday. But becase the car started to behave even more strange on Monday I decided to take off imidiatly to have a bit more time to drive down if everthing went wrong, I had to drive all the way since the car did not always want to start after it had been stoped.

So at 13.00 on Monday I left, with full tank of petrol and 1700 km to go. oohhh: I had to drive carefully, but still fast.

First fuel stop came after Copenhagen 19.00. and app 690 km, I filled up 82 ltr of fuel and was extremly nervous when I tried to start the car.
Fuel consumption app 12,5 ltr/100 km.
Luckily it started. :1:

The ferry left for Germany at 21.00 and I was there 20.30. I was again nerveous that after 30 minutes of break the car would not start.
For some reasson the car had decided to start and I got on the ferry.

At 23.00 I entered Germany in Rostock. I had originally dedided to drive 2-3 hours and then stop for some sleep.
The traffic was light and since I was driving app 170-180 kmh I was eating up km very fast.
At 01.50 I had to have more fuel, 77 ltr was filled after 550 km :cool2: average fuelconsumption this time was 14ltr/100 km. Not bad considering the average speed was close to 150 kph.

When I noticed the 400 km left for Muchen I decided to try to go all the way.

I arived in Munchen at app 04.30 in the morning, tried to get some sleep in the car and waited for the Workshop to open.
To put it mildly, he was supprised when he woke up and found the B7 parked outside his garage.

Anyway he started to work on the car imidiatly and changed
-all 6 fuel injectors, they was leacking. The fuel pressure was only keept for a few minuts, normaly it should hold for 24 hours.
- Sparkplugs
- Cleaning indicators and switches, pluss a lot of other things.
- Adjusting valves.
-

So when we was going to start the car after all of this, did not start.

We spend several hours without any luck, we think or fear that is must be the motronic box, and that is an ALPINA part.

If anyone in Munchen have an ALPINA B7/1, and can help it would be very nice if I could try to borrow the motronic part to see if my car would start.

PM me if possible.

It is not tempting to buy this part without beeing 110% sure that it would help...

 

[Maggo]

Nice car. :7:

Perhaps you can call Alpina. They are about 150km from Munich.

They are always very friendly and the keep up the tradidion.
Perhaps they have some tips fo you

 

[Erik]

Nice car. :7:

Perhaps you can call Alpina. They are about 150km from Munich.

They are always very friendly and the keep up the tradidion.
Perhaps they have some tips fo you

Hi

I know that, and we probably will have to call them. The down side is that this part is probably extremly expensive.

The car was also brought to a BMW/ALPINA shop in Munchen since we did not have any possibilities to check if the motronic box was broken or not at the other shop.

They will check on Tuesday.

 

[Maggo]

Hi

I know that, and we probably will have to call them. The down side is that this part is probably extremly expensive.

The car was also brought to a BMW/ALPINA shop in Munchen since we did not have any possibilities to check if the motronic box was broken or not at the other shop.

They will check on Tuesday.

Try http://www.alpina-gemeinschaft.de/forum/Default.asp
Thats an Alpina Club in Germany/Switzerland
Not much people, but much knowledge :M5thumbs:

 

[Erik]

Try http://www.alpina-gemeinschaft.de/forum/Default.asp
Thats an Alpina Club in Germany/Switzerland
Not much people, but much knowledge :M5thumbs:

Good idea. I tried to register but it did not work. After hitting the AGREE button nothing happend.

 

[Gustav]

Nice to hear your doing this road trip,. Alpina Motronic box sounds expensive hope you can get this fixed without changing that.

 

[Maggo]

Good idea. I tried to register but it did not work. After hitting the AGREE button nothing happend.

 

[jimmy01]

My B10 had its ECU swapped out in 1994 at a cost or £1150 GBP!!
so make sure your sitting down when you ask! good luck.

 

[Erik]

After a lot of searching for the problem, the engine is now running like hell again.

It was several problems 1 big and several other small ones.

In addition to this the front discs was replaced and also the front schocks.

The main problems was a bad "weld" in the motronic box. The wires to the plugs was not good and we also changed the plastic part in the end of the wires ( mounted on the front of the engine, have no clue what the name is in English. Old cars had a rotating thing inside, distributor ??)

We have just gotten the info from the mechanic after the first test drive after every problems has been solved, and the report was promissing.

He had an encounter with an E39 M5 and the B7 came out victorieous......

Any M5 owners from the Munich are that was involved in that ?

I have no idea on the speed or the type of "race" this was, but anyway the B7 did well for an old car.

Cant wait to get it back, it will be picked up tomorrow and driven back home by the "boss" :M5rev:

I am actually wondering about taking the B7 to the 1/4 track for the fun of it, and to see what it will run..... Anyone has any numbers on a B7 on such a track ?

 

[Gustav]

Wow, the B7 Turbo is an amzing performaer considering it's age!

 

[Erik]

Wow, the B7 Turbo is an amzing performaer considering it's age!

Bad news, I have just gotten a status report on the B7. The engine is still not running 100%.

This was noticed just after entering the highway on the way home......

Cyl #1 is not running well. In idlee it is not running at all, and when just driving and keeping the peace it is not running 100% either. One can feel the engine not running smoothly. when giving some throttle it is not noticable, but it is probably not 100% then either.

Fuc¤#"ng irritation.........all this work and still not perfect.

I am wondering if we can have any debris in the fuel lines. The fuel injectors are changed but still it could be something there.

Anyone got any advice...

 

[kees]

Cyl #1 is not running well. In idlee it is not running at all, and when just driving and keeping the peace it is not running 100% either. One can feel the engine not running smoothly. when giving some throttle it is not noticable, but it is probably not 100% then either.

Change the injector and sparkplug from cilinder #1 to another cilinder and see if the problem remains at cilinder #1.

While changing sparkplugs, compare the burn color of the sparkplug tip. If the sparkplug from cilinder #1 is much darker you may have some oil issues there. If it's much lighter then you have some kind of fueling or ignition issue.

If the issue remains at cilinder #1 after switching injector and sparkplug, then switch ignition cables with another cilinder - or if not possible then borrow one from another car. If it remains then perform a compression and leakdown test (most garages will have the equipment you can borrow).

Also check the distributor cap - take it off the car and check the inside of it for cracks and other damage. Even new caps can crack. If possible trade it with an older one you still have lying around.

Hope this helps.

 

[Erik]

Update on our B7 problems.

It seems that the engine is sucking "false air" on cyl #1. We are going to change all the gaskets and hoses and see if that helps.

 

[kees]

Update on our B7 problems.

It seems that the engine is sucking "false air" on cyl #1. We are going to change all the gaskets and hoses and see if that helps.

Excellent. Good to see your mechanic has a handle on things.

 

[Andy G]

the problem with the motronic ECU that your mechanic soled by soldering the item is a known problem with the Motronic ECU's in e28's/e23's etc, so interesting to see that your car suffered the same problem.

Hope it get sorted now Erik.

AG

 

[Erik]

It looks like it helped to change of the gaskets and hoses connected to the airintake "box"..

According to reports it now runs smoothly on idle, will drive it tomorrow and check for my selves.

I will also drive it on a dyno to get a diagnose on how it runs under max load.

One of the gaskets was extremly expensive, the price was aparantly app 250 Euro. Does that sound right ?


Will check the partnumber and report back.

 

[Erik]

So the car is now back, it drives ok, NO obvious problems. One of the gaskets on the intake was blown right thrue......

But I have one concern. The exhoust was broken, more specifically the rear silencer was corroded, it made one hell of a nice sound but had to be changed.

The B7 exhoust is extremly expensive, so the rear siliencer for an M635 csi was installed.
The diameter on the tubes leading into the silencer are thinner and I guess the pressure inside the silencer is also different.

How much power do you belive we loose on that and or is it other issues we could get useing this silencer.

I was not my choice and I am not sure I approve.

 

[Sherlock]

Eric,

I replaced the rear silencer of my B7 two weeks ago. The previous one (original Alpina) was , like yours, corroded, and the inside was apparently obstructing the gas (at least that's what I found after I got the new one..)

I ordered the genuine piece at Alpina, at the cost is € 850, for a full inox part, two pipes chromed, and the tube protected with a black substance.
I did not found it too expensive, as aftermarkets makers of inox exhaust ask € 1000 for 6 serie parts.

Pic of the new exhaust here: http://www.streamload.com/alpb3s/echap.JPG

 

[Erik]

Eric,

I replaced the rear silencer of my B7 two weeks ago. The previous one (original Alpina) was , like yours, corroded, and the inside was apparently obstructing the gas (at least that's what I found after I got the new one..)

I ordered the genuine piece at Alpina, at the cost is € 850, for a full inox part, two pipes chromed, and the tube protected with a black substance.
I did not found it too expensive, as aftermarkets makers of inox exhaust ask € 1000 for 6 serie parts.

Pic of the new exhaust here: http://www.streamload.com/alpb3s/echap.JPG

I sure looks nice with the chromed rear end. Our exhoust had a bit more colour to it, almost like a copper like colour, maybe because of its age but it was very shiny when cleaned.

Do you have a partno of you exhoust, I would guess it is different from the one I need.

 

[bendeco]

I sure looks nice with the chromed rear end. Our exhoust had a bit more colour to it, almost like a copper like colour, maybe because of its age but it was very shiny when cleaned.

Do you have a partno of you exhoust, I would guess it is different from the one I need.

Erik - I've been told by KSK here in the US that the rear portion of the exhaust for my B7/1 is no longer available. Please let me know if you find that to be incorrect. I was told that the front portion (from the turbo to the "Y" pipe) is available - for US $2600! Man, I could have one handmade for that price!

So, after doing a little investigation, it appears that the rear portion on the Alpina is virtually identical to the Euro M635 exhaust. I am presently looking at the sport exhaust for the M635 from Larini Systems in Great Britain. It will probably take a little cutting, fitting and welding, but 950 Euros (or thereabouts) for a beautifully manufactured, polished stainless steel exhaust seems a bargain in comparison to the alternative. Anyway, you can check them out at www.larinisystems.com. Let us know how it turns out. Good luck!