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'88 E30


KaiserRolls

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Well. It's definitely the drivers side axle. It blew up to the point of separating the cv boot and spewing grease everywhere. d2abf455270c7e97afc4d6f319745917.jpg

Pic kinda sucks, but there are broken parts everywhere inside the rubber boot.

I'm not sure if it was so much "sticky tires and more hp" I think that definitely helped break it - but these things have 240k on them & lots of hard launches from autox.

Car has LSD, jacked it up from diff, in gear and this was the result (the axle was not moving) hopefully the video posted

https://vimeo.com/187926931

Dickered indeed

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  • 2 weeks later...

So I haven't touched the axle at all because I suck, but I started cleaning up the power steering stuff I'll be installing. 9bca9652169c12c92a2bec40c6682310.jpg

a1b54d18dee22c70ad893fe2ec307625.jpg ended up being a LUK pump, so I'm thinking it was maybe replaced on the parts car I got if from at one point? (Thought they were all ZF, I could be mistaken)

Other than the 4 inches of grime I scrapped off, the pump is in pretty good shape, just need to order some new lines and then wait for it to leak 5 minutes after installing.

It'll be interesting to see if my current de-powered rack will leak.

Besides fixing the axle never, this winter I want to put a Stewart water pump in and replace the "new last year" $49 graff. I also may go to a lower thermostat as opposed to the 92c I currently have in the car for science purposes.

Also want to install an actual temp gauge as opposed to the stupid e30 gauge that varies by how hard I hit the dash. (Open to recommendations here)

I'll probably end up using the port on the head where the coolant for the throttle body goes as I already have this looped.

Either way this winter should be decent because it's all little piddly shit

Also if anyone wants a rack you can have it, or I'll just make an ATF soaked lamp out of it

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Pull the cluster and tighten the nut on the back of the temp gauge. Not a real gauge like you want but it will improve the reading in the meantime.

Your carnage got me thinking of adding to my spares. Ive been talking to a r3v seller parting a set of axles from his car. Waiting for pics but what I know so far is that they are 200k originals with torn boots on the passenger and worn but not torn on the drivers. Splines supposedly in good shape. We'll see.

Best route from assorted forum chatter seems to be either rebuild the factory axles if the boots are shot (cheap but time and a mess of a job) or pick up GKN Loebro axles (substitute money for time in the high $200s per axle), and avoid the cheaper cardone reman and esp the dirt cheap AZ AAP axles. Anyone have any experience here?

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Pull the cluster and tighten the nut on the back of the temp gauge. Not a real gauge like you want but it will improve the reading in the meantime.

Your carnage got me thinking of adding to my spares. Ive been talking to a r3v seller parting a set of axles from his car. Waiting for pics but what I know so far is that they are 200k originals with torn boots on the passenger and worn but not torn on the drivers. Splines supposedly in good shape. We'll see.

Best route from assorted forum chatter seems to be either rebuild the factory axles if the boots are shot (cheap but time and a mess of a job) or pick up GKN Loebro axles (substitute money for time in the high $200s per axle), and avoid the cheaper cardone reman and esp the dirt cheap AZ AAP axles. Anyone have any experience here?

As far as the nut goes on the cluster, part of me just wants to replace the OEM gauge with an aftermarket temp gauge such as this

82164ecf3f5858447a2bd3258b7712fa.jpg

As far as GKN blunttech has them at $259 each.

It also seems as though reman is hit or miss, but usually miss.

Honestly with these lasting 240k miles, I wouldn't hesitate to put one in from a parts car. They are easy enough to replace (albeit annoying)

Once I get the motivation back, I am quite interested to see the carnage & will share pics

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Ok. So after work I found some motivation. All in all it took like an hour and a half. So.

Step1:

Beat the axle lock plate off, then removed the axle nut.

Step2:

Jacked the car up

Step3:

Removed exhaust

Step 4:

Forgot that I needed a way to stop the axles from turning.

Step4.5:

71e207122db34ca743275bc558435e4d.jpg

b62d19d1911792de66da214fbfd0d23d.jpg

Step5:

3/8 ratchet was not enough leverage to remove the axle bolts

Step6:

Grabbed breaker bar with 1/2-3/8

Step7:

Driveshaft was still spinning a bit while trying to loosen

Step 8:

Put in gear

Step8.5:

Added 18mm wrench on flex disc

85097bc3e8b70531f807c073a3df9a71.jpg

Step9:

Yes my exhaust was safety wired up

Step9.5:

Don't judge me

Step10:

Remove every axle bolt

Step 11:

Slide axle out

Step12:

Carnage

2c6236ef289ef9540503d753a75f4143.jpg

It blew the boot and the clamp off

0c550ec358f949b4577496cb3ea0a35e.jpg7535a53023b78d24bf5a30a4f1a94ffe.jpg3c983e964f6049bae86e493bd14bfb6b.jpg5b4052c5f4c16fb2ded5b6b2328c8eb4.jpg

I was literally able to pull this apart one handed

9af9aef9b0b13372a3c5dc149735ce0a.jpg

ec2c0f48cd4b17da1f60ec42420f2e24.jpg

^ballz

1dbca5c8c4727f91de6e2928175c63ac.jpg

^hopes and dreams

6a3306aa2e0cb2f38cb9fb10049d8c08.jpg

It literally deformed from the carnage

17f79648feb16cc92f7a594f4de8fcf5.jpg1e4f832c83ca7ff36f1402c9f898743c.jpg0dbad95caf12f7987fde7a584e82d0ad.jpgffe1fd45c738108e9bed10630268e597.jpg

(Ignore the fibery stuff, from a rag)

Step13:

Anybody have a spare axle?

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  • 3 weeks later...

Lowered the car off jack stands today. Then folded the mirrors in. It's stored. I've given up on finding 4x100 wheels in 15" for slapping some spare tires on for storing. I'll probably just end up putting it back on jackstands. Brooke's Miata is taking over the garage this winter for the turbo stuff. We almost have the motor out of it. I would rather own a broken e30 than a running Miata. I figured out the reason they last 250k miles with minimal maintenance is because when you do have to work on them there is zero, fuggin, room and the thing was put together so ass backwards you'd need 3.7 arms, 32 fingers and 120 vacuum fittings to do anything to it (it's not that bad, i just enjoying ranting)

In all seriousness if I can get the axles taken care of, possible source a 3.25 LSD, get an actual water temp gauge, change the t stat/waterpump, add power steering this winter I'll be happy.

If I end up liking miatas after this winter , ban the shit out of me.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Haven't touched the axles as the Miata is suffocating the garage right now. But I slapped on a wheel I picked up from Dan. I really like the smaller size and the way it sits a tad closer to the driver

8544dc75fea5319172b272aca5a866c0.jpg

Size comparison to stock for those interested (no idea what mm the sparco wheel is)

aae709741c2c9727970055136ac7bfb7.jpg

Might eventually get a center horn button, even though I don't have a horn

What a comprehensive review

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