Rear Crossmember.

[oldcarman]

Hi Flux, don't worry about patience wearing thin. Everyone is here for the same reason, love of the Z and to make sure they survive to run another day. There's not one of us here that knows everything and we all can learn from your experience. Hang in there and hopefully you'll soon be back out cruisin' JIM

 

[zedonist]

Sorry Flux, written word does not convey the context sometimes. Not being prissy, I just wanted to point out that you won't solve this based on opinion, and that some sort of measurement needs to be done and comparison to a specification. The off set bushes are only for positive toe and up to a certain amount at that. It may be that you fit this category, get your dad to review the alignment data against the spec I put up.

But if it turns out to be accident damage then you need to look at a few more areas than the cross member, as if it has bent in the middle it will have shifted the rear diff mount, and all this plus others will need aligning.

In the uk if a guy has sold an accident damaged repaired car and not declared it, then he is open to prosecution. It may be the same where you are, and you can get your money back.

Good luck, fingers crossed its bushes.

 

[FluxMorz]

Will try and get back under it for some more close inspection hopefully Sunday. Report back then.

 

[t-tony]

Good luck mate. If you do some measuring, you don't need to be to critical at this stage you can use a steel tape measure or even some callipers just to compare distances from one side of the car to the other. It's not rocket science but it may show you if something is out of alignment.. Keep us posted and don't feel like you're on your own. You NEVER are on this forum, someone will have your back.

 

[FluxMorz]

A little news. My friend and a fellow (far more knowledgable) BMW enthusiast checked out my problems today and feels that the problem is in weak springs and 'pinched', worn inner and outer eccentric bushings holding the rear trailing arms. He seems quite confident about this and feels its easy enough for us to do, so this seems to be as good a starting point as any.

Does anybody else have any thoughts on this diagnosis?

 

[FluxMorz]

Looks like I'll be buying the parts asap. Thanks for the help guys. Once its all done I'll let everyone know how it goes Then I'll go for a nice cruise and take a couple celebratory pics!

 

[oldcarman]

Looks like I'll be buying the parts asap. Thanks for the help guys. Once its all done I'll let everyone know how it goes Then I'll go for a nice cruise and take a couple celebratory pics!

Hey Flux, never mind celebrating, I ordered that pizza weeks ago and if it's not here in 30 days or less I get it free, right?? Glad to hear it looks like you're on the right track finally!! Enjoy that ride, JIM

 

[FluxMorz]

@oldcarman this isn't pizza hut, if you didn't receive your pizza, maybe you specified the wrong address? I've been to a few wrong places lately - It wasn't you who kicked in our door the other night was it?

Just almost at the point of ordering new parts now, wondering what polyurethane bushings are like? Is the rise particularly harder than normal, or not?

 

[Cooper]

I will try to find a great article regarding the poly bushes, there are two types and the article describes which bushes to use and where or where not to exchange them. They guy who wrote it is very knowledgable. I shall send you the link through gmail.

 

[FluxMorz]

Legend! Thanks.

 

[FluxMorz]

So, I had my friend take my car over the weekend just past, and with new standard bushes, new brake pads, rotors, sensor, and springs got under the car and 16.5 hours later (including a full service) it is done. It is (so far) a zillion time better than it was and there is now only a little toe in on the right rear tire that (at least when compared to before) seems completely negligible. My friend says it may be something to do with a rubber pad or something on the cross member itself or something. I can't remember his exact words.

He has said it just needs a new air filter because it runs far too cold; never more than a couple millimeters out of the 'blue' on the engine heat gauge and some new rear shocks because mine are a bit stuffed.

Outcome seems more than satisfactory! And all inclusive (tyres, parts, service, time) the whole process has probably cost me $850 give or take. As opposed to $3300 or whatever it would have been all up including tyres for what the suspension 'specialist's' diagnosis.

 

[vintage42]

... had my friend take my car over the weekend... He has said it just needs a new air filter because it runs far too cold; never more than a couple millimeters out of the 'blue' on the engine heat gauge....

That's an unusual conclusion. I would have suspected the thermostat.

 

[oldcarman]

Thanks Flux, this makes so much more sense than the initial diagnosis!! Get out and drive the wheels off it! I am! Finally!!

 

[GazHyde]

That's an unusual conclusion. I would have suspected the thermostat.

Yup, sounds like a thermostat issue to me...

 

[Brian H]

+1 on the thermostat being stuck open, the needle should sit bang it the middle. I would change this ASAP, the car will probably be running rich due to this.

 

[FluxMorz]

@vintage42 I'll ask him again and see what he says. As I've said, all of this stuff is a fair bit above my head generally.

@oldcarman I have been driving the heck out of it even with the issues haha, and now the weather has been nicer lately its been wonderful to get the top down again!

 

[FluxMorz]

Ah thanks guys, didn't see the extra responses there!

 

[GazHyde]

With all the excitement of trying to re-diagnose another fault I forgot to ask how she drives now she is 'straight' again?

 

[FluxMorz]

Update on my car, and sorry for not being active.

The Rear axel carrier is truly stuffed. The fixes I had applied didn't work and it's ended up back way out of spec again. My reading up has suggested that the part is indeed a lot softer than it should be and I've seen some other people on other sites with similar problems. My father also said he discovered my drivers door was initially a different color when he was fixing my rear view mirror which suggests an unrecorded smash again. So that explains that. I'm heading out to check out a couple of replacement options this week. Finally.

 

[oldcarman]

Thanks for the update @FluxMorz, I was wondering the other day where you'd gotten to! Thought maybe you had cut your loses and sold up but glad you're back!! JIM