suspenceful

First, family of 4, road trip to Door County was a success!
Need to work out a few bugs and find & fix a new slow leak in the rear air suspension.  
Bugs include: 
- Code IKE to S62 coolant temp.  Getting an engine light due to coolant temp mismatch. (Need to swap back in 540i cluster to get the NCS software to work then swap back M5 cluster.  Need all VIN numbers to match in the modules otherwise I can't code.)
- Look into fuel tank purge valve.  Getting a code from that not doing it's job for one reason or another. 
- Adjust headlights. 

As I continue to work on my BMWs, I find myself constantly adding things to the garage to optimize my work space. Since buying the house four years ago, I transformed the 750 sq/ft garage into my ultimate hangout space. In my mind, the only thing missing was a lift. Until I found out about the MaxJax lift system. I have no affiliation with MaxJax, but everything about this lift as been great so far and I want to share my experience.     I had a tough time finding a 2-post lift that would fit in my garage with 8 ft. 7 in. (105″) garage ceilings. All of the 2-post options I found had a minimum column height of 9 ft. or 10 ft., which wouldn’t fit without modifying the ceiling. I didn’t want a scissor lift or a 4-post lift. Then I found the the MaxJax, which has short, portable columns.   In its highest position, the hydraulic cylinders rise up to 89″ with a lift height of 45″ (or 48″ with 3″ adapters)! This allows plenty of clearance between the columns and the ceiling, while offering 4 ft. of working space under the car. The only limitation is the height of whatever vehicle goes on the lift.     Standard MaxJax Features Low ceiling height friendly Regular 110v electrical plug (no 220v required) 6,000 lb. lifting capacity Semi-portable lift columns Adjustable base-plate width 4″ minimum concrete required   Installation Guide & Video
The included installation guide is pretty comprehensive, but I made an in-depth video showing you how to install the lift in your home garage. I also demonstrate how to route the hoses off the ground to keep the mobile power cart out of the way.     4″ of good concrete is required to install this lift. I used the standard anchors that are included with the kit, but some people prefer the epoxy anchors instead. I mounted the columns 125″ apart from each other, measured from the inside edge. This width has allowed me to lift multiple vehicles with various jacking points.       This adjustable creeper is perfect for working under the MaxJax, since it doesn’t lift high enough for you to stand under it. This short oil drain tank comes in very handy when changing oil or other fluids. I’ve used these short tripod stands when doing suspension work or to help support the car. It is the perfect lift for the at-home DIYer.     I also have a more detailed write-up on my blog that explains the most efficient installation process, with links to all of the tools and accessories that you'll need. Read it here: https://my1series.com/2019/06/13/how-to-install-maxjax-lift-in-home-garage-review-mods/   I would love to hear your thoughts and comments!

Great garage, Jake! how friendly is that lift for very low cars? looks like driving onto boards may still be required for some

It almost sounds like it's not getting enough air. 
I think VF Engineering makes a centrifugal air pump that should help remedy this situation.....

Was nice bumping into you at WIR! Car looks and sounds great.

Could I have a bad master cylinder? Went to push the car out of the garage today and pressed the brake pedal to have no brakes. I bleed the brakes before I had attempted to do the slave cylinder. Pool of brake fluid started under the car, jacked it up in the road to confirm that it was indeed coming from the sale cylinder and not somewhere else.
I thought these systems were independent? 

Here it is before going on the trailer. Looks good on the bottle caps, can’t wait to get the other wheels on.

Not E30 content, but super stoked about this.
1984 Yamaha QT50.

The fiance and I made it out for a bit, met up with Jason and TJ, but apparently missed the rest of y'all (or didn't recognize you without your avatars floating above your heads).
 
Hopefully I'll own a BMW product by the next meet up!

Ahh crap! Picnic Eve catastrophe!
The E30 Gods are not well appeased
my friend (not an active poster here) got into an accident today, not his fault. Subaru driver in background was either playing Crossword Jam or reloading their vape while driving.

 

Solid or Whiteline rear subframe bushings are a common upgrade for these cars. I would do them while it's out. Doesn't increase NVH from what I've read, but really improves handling.

Last weekend my son turned 4 and for his birthday my mom got him a BMW Motorsport Teddy Bear which I've never seen before.  It's pretty cool!

Not a huge update, but I installed some LUX H8 LED angel eyes. Upgrading the angel eye bulbs are one of my favorite appearance modifications you can do for these cars. They’re relatively cheap, easy to install and greatly improve the look of any BMW.
I have the same set in my 135i and they've been holding up great for years. Very white, very bright, I wouldn't go with anything else. For anyone interested in the process, I wrote a step-by-step installation guide with more photos, etc.
Check out my blog post: https://bmw335i.com/2019/05/31/how-to-install-bmw-angel-eyes-stock-vs-led-comparison-335i-330i-328i/

FYI - the two top transmission bolts on the 135i are the PITA to get to as well. Lee used a combo of extensions and a impact with some juice to get them off. Mitch's setup looks similar.
You can see it during the timelapse part of my clutch install video.

Once I get a tune setup on this thing, I'll be able to monitor that info. But yeah, I'm sure the old stuff wasn't functioning up to par.

I appreciate the offer, but the car actually came with a JB4 that I'll be updating.

Had a tough time selling my X5 too, people that buy X cars don't usually care about their spec. Well-specd enthusiast cars aren't as sought after. They just want an SUV, otherwise they will get the X5M. That was my experience anyways, but with an X5 and at a higher price point.
Either way, GLWS!

Here's one from last month 
 

We all have those gappers. Just find a table and give it some taps lol

I'm (allowing my engine to breath air that is) cool finally! 
 
Surprisingly very little contact with anything, and the 135° coupler on the intake ended up being the saving grace of this whole attempt.
Grilles fit back on, so now when I come off the highway the engine wont be completely heat soaked! 
Wahoo! 

Here's one from last month 
 

Same location, two different lenses 








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Making home depot runs, commuting, took the kids for a hike.
Just doing car things and wringing it out when the time is right, like the Good Lord intended

Nice video!

Picked up a dozen tamales and some pastor meat for tacos at Abarrotes El Primo in Sun Prairie before heading up to the shop this morning. May have reached a new high water mark as far as shop cuisine is concerned.