The Alpina Project
Discussion
gress, some forwards, some backwards but onwards!!
My new clutch hose on and slave, rather said original clutch hose
Easy bleed on the brakes and clutch went ok no dramas. So Pedals back
My centre caps had no locks so i got a new kit, with 4 keys!!
Even the gearnob has needed a skilled hand! The plastic insert that hold it to the selector arm was missing. So i got an old knob from the scrappy and my old man machined it down to fit. I had an original for him to copy that had fallen off my new Alpina knob i bought for my E30.
refit the starter, can't see much? Tosser of a job the top bolt you can't see so its all feel. Or take the inlet manifold off - no thanks!
Exhaust time, these are beast heavy on an e34. The tailpipes are large and the bumper needs a bit of tickling to help
New oil and filter, found a bit of rubber from an old filter in there, not good. Also battery back on, coolant topped back up. Cranked engine over to build oil pressure up until the light goes out. Fuel pump fuse back in and broom!
Had an oil leak where i hadn't tightened one of the turbo oil feed nuts. Everything else seems ok leakwise or funny noises, heater bled up nicely
Off the axle stands numberplates on and moving under its own steam! Alas its not all plain sailing. The gearbox isn't happy. Theres a theme here, not sure what it is but it whines under load, selects gears ok. So i went for a little drive
So yes noise not going away. A f
king pain as its a grizzly job on the drive taking the box on off. I shall get on the phone tomorrow and ring the guy with my original box see if its anywhere near finished seeing as hes had it since May now. Still more jobs to do but its mobile so i can move it about the drive as i've got a wife whos demanding some DIY on the house now!
My new clutch hose on and slave, rather said original clutch hose
Easy bleed on the brakes and clutch went ok no dramas. So Pedals back
My centre caps had no locks so i got a new kit, with 4 keys!!
Even the gearnob has needed a skilled hand! The plastic insert that hold it to the selector arm was missing. So i got an old knob from the scrappy and my old man machined it down to fit. I had an original for him to copy that had fallen off my new Alpina knob i bought for my E30.
refit the starter, can't see much? Tosser of a job the top bolt you can't see so its all feel. Or take the inlet manifold off - no thanks!
Exhaust time, these are beast heavy on an e34. The tailpipes are large and the bumper needs a bit of tickling to help
New oil and filter, found a bit of rubber from an old filter in there, not good. Also battery back on, coolant topped back up. Cranked engine over to build oil pressure up until the light goes out. Fuel pump fuse back in and broom!
Had an oil leak where i hadn't tightened one of the turbo oil feed nuts. Everything else seems ok leakwise or funny noises, heater bled up nicely
Off the axle stands numberplates on and moving under its own steam! Alas its not all plain sailing. The gearbox isn't happy. Theres a theme here, not sure what it is but it whines under load, selects gears ok. So i went for a little drive
So yes noise not going away. A f
king pain as its a grizzly job on the drive taking the box on off. I shall get on the phone tomorrow and ring the guy with my original box see if its anywhere near finished seeing as hes had it since May now. Still more jobs to do but its mobile so i can move it about the drive as i've got a wife whos demanding some DIY on the house now!
People rejoice! The wait is over
I got this teaser picture last week, bar any hicups its ready to roll! Turns out there was one. it uses funny size oil seals, but we aren't surprised by this by one bit by now
Yesterday came so i fuelled the E30 up for the long trip about 180 miles each way. Give her a good run up the M1
You beauty, I'm glad i didn't grizzle too much but if you saw Neils workshop hes flat out and my gearbox wasn't very straight forwards. A fair few little parts replaced. I asked how did you get the rust out? He polished it all off by hand every part. So very laborious. I think hes undercharged me but he is happy its now as good as it can possibly be as nearly all of the gears etc can't be bought. He doesn't want another like that to sort out!
I learnt yesterday just because in this instance several cars use a Getrag 290 they aren't really similar inside. He had another 290 off an early 90s Jag and its almost completely different inside and hardly any parts interchange, The gears on this Bi turbo box are much bigger stronger as is the whole box really to deal with the torque
So if anyone fancys coming round to get the other gearbox out and this one in i'd like that! It will be 99% ready for an MOT now i hope
And for your gearbox needs Neil at All gears in Worksop. Hes got a facebook page. 6 speed BMW boxes? Hes the man to ask
I got this teaser picture last week, bar any hicups its ready to roll! Turns out there was one. it uses funny size oil seals, but we aren't surprised by this by one bit by now
Yesterday came so i fuelled the E30 up for the long trip about 180 miles each way. Give her a good run up the M1
You beauty, I'm glad i didn't grizzle too much but if you saw Neils workshop hes flat out and my gearbox wasn't very straight forwards. A fair few little parts replaced. I asked how did you get the rust out? He polished it all off by hand every part. So very laborious. I think hes undercharged me but he is happy its now as good as it can possibly be as nearly all of the gears etc can't be bought. He doesn't want another like that to sort out!
I learnt yesterday just because in this instance several cars use a Getrag 290 they aren't really similar inside. He had another 290 off an early 90s Jag and its almost completely different inside and hardly any parts interchange, The gears on this Bi turbo box are much bigger stronger as is the whole box really to deal with the torque
So if anyone fancys coming round to get the other gearbox out and this one in i'd like that! It will be 99% ready for an MOT now i hope
And for your gearbox needs Neil at All gears in Worksop. Hes got a facebook page. 6 speed BMW boxes? Hes the man to ask
Well done, Simon! So good to see this coming to completion after all those years. I guess so much more is standard BMW on an Alpina these days- fairly typical list of parts swaps and upgrades, maybe the turbos are still more exotic, but nothing like the level of upgrades that went into the biturbo. Worrying for anyone looking to keep one on the road but as you’ve shown, there’s generally a specialist who can help even with the surprising stuff.
Good luck with getting the gearbox in safely.
Good luck with getting the gearbox in safely.
I suppose i could, but if you heard the noise/whine it makes when driving at low speed then its best not. I told Neil at the gearbox place about it he said it sounds like bearings but wouldn't recommend going far with it like that. I'll get it out and stick it on the shelf as a spare for now
Great thread, thanks for sharing.
Is retaining the iX four wheel drive a possibility? My gut feel is not even remotely possible, I seem to recall an iX bespoke sump/diff and doubt the transfer box could take the torque - but then I think I can see the front driveshafts still fitted in some of your most recent pictures.
Martin.
Is retaining the iX four wheel drive a possibility? My gut feel is not even remotely possible, I seem to recall an iX bespoke sump/diff and doubt the transfer box could take the torque - but then I think I can see the front driveshafts still fitted in some of your most recent pictures.
Martin.
Thanks alot, I'm a bit of a hardcore Alpina fan, apart from my van!
It my Alpina C2 2.7, i've had it 14 years was off the road for nearly 10. I restored it slowly, to the spec i wanted if i had been able to in 1988 walk in and order one. So its not 100% OE as it left the factory. Only the bodywork and engine machine work/mapping was done elsewhere. I just did the strip down, refit/assembly and sourcing all the parts! It a bit to much of a garage queen i don't use it as much as i should. They're never perfect or finished!
It my Alpina C2 2.7, i've had it 14 years was off the road for nearly 10. I restored it slowly, to the spec i wanted if i had been able to in 1988 walk in and order one. So its not 100% OE as it left the factory. Only the bodywork and engine machine work/mapping was done elsewhere. I just did the strip down, refit/assembly and sourcing all the parts! It a bit to much of a garage queen i don't use it as much as i should. They're never perfect or finished!
Merry Christmas All how ever yours planned out. Boris tier 4'd ma ass so being off work and no where to go what do you do?
Get E34ing a few jobs had built up to do and some house DIY forced a break and much happyness sanity for my wife. I needed the break as well a bit to renew the enthusiasm
First job was to get these gearboxes swapped, great job on axle stands
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Took me about 7 hours, it wouldn't come off the bloody thing. In the end i made this bodge puller which popped it off
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The pilot bearing had come out the back of the crank!
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My thesis is in my sheer excitement last time when i fitted this i cleaned up the splines so the clutch disc moved freely and for got about the end of the input shaft. The bearing didn't really want to fit it. This also explains my other faux pas when i fitted it and the box slid on nicely but for the last 10-15mm. This was it then, so i eased it on with the bolts. Which you shouldn't do. Silly boy
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Things should be easier with this one!!
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A shot of the pair as, well you won't see 2 of these next to each other for a while. Bloody things. So fill the new one with oil and move all the bits over to this box ready to fit
I fitted a new pilot bearing just in case, the old one felt fine. The advice of my car friends via whatsapp who know more than me suggested this. Again to stop excitement of just getting it all back together!
Worlds heaviest dual mass. I didn't weigh it but it must be getting on for 20kgs, its a beast. There was a reason why Alpina deliberately fitted it which i can't remember now. It might be to help save the gearbox
With a wiggle the new box just slid straight up, happy days so as you do on a rainy 23rd of December you crack on. I got it to the stage where crimbo eve i just needed to get the exhaust on. So prop shaft heat shields the rest all in place
Another boo boo, i fked the clutch slave. Again not thinking straight. The brakes needed a re bleed from originally as they felt like a bit of air was in them. So rather than do this job first with the gearbox on i tried it with the eazi bleed and the gearbox off. BANG! the pressure shot the rod out the clutch slave cylinder as it shares the hydraulic system with the brakes. Like all cars now.
So i had this old new genuine slave from my old 6 speed M5 i never fitted to it, but the thread on it is bigger on the slave housing. So i had to make a custom little pipe with a normal M10 thread one end and M12 on the other and just see how it works feels to the 535i one
exhaust back on, and a re bleed of the brakes. I got a fair bit of air out of brakes and new clutch slave and fire her up
wowsers, gearbox is ultra quiet it didn't want to select reverse at first. Which had me very worried and pissed. Then a bit of working the box around the gate on axle stands with the engine running going through the forward gears seemed to get it all going.
The brakes now feel spot on and strong and the box is dead quiet so thats transformed the car now, very excited. It drives very well now i must say. It needs a plate welding on the front passenger floor pan and its ready for an MOT. So fairy desperate for this now but i can't weld and Boris has tier 4'd my area before crimbo so we shall see
There's been more to crack on with as there always is but even i can see the light at the end of the tunnel now. A big set of 11's to laid up the road soon!
Get E34ing a few jobs had built up to do and some house DIY forced a break and much happyness sanity for my wife. I needed the break as well a bit to renew the enthusiasm
First job was to get these gearboxes swapped, great job on axle stands
Took me about 7 hours, it wouldn't come off the bloody thing. In the end i made this bodge puller which popped it off
The pilot bearing had come out the back of the crank!
My thesis is in my sheer excitement last time when i fitted this i cleaned up the splines so the clutch disc moved freely and for got about the end of the input shaft. The bearing didn't really want to fit it. This also explains my other faux pas when i fitted it and the box slid on nicely but for the last 10-15mm. This was it then, so i eased it on with the bolts. Which you shouldn't do. Silly boy
Things should be easier with this one!!
A shot of the pair as, well you won't see 2 of these next to each other for a while. Bloody things. So fill the new one with oil and move all the bits over to this box ready to fit
I fitted a new pilot bearing just in case, the old one felt fine. The advice of my car friends via whatsapp who know more than me suggested this. Again to stop excitement of just getting it all back together!
Worlds heaviest dual mass. I didn't weigh it but it must be getting on for 20kgs, its a beast. There was a reason why Alpina deliberately fitted it which i can't remember now. It might be to help save the gearbox
With a wiggle the new box just slid straight up, happy days so as you do on a rainy 23rd of December you crack on. I got it to the stage where crimbo eve i just needed to get the exhaust on. So prop shaft heat shields the rest all in place
Another boo boo, i f
ked the clutch slave. Again not thinking straight. The brakes needed a re bleed from originally as they felt like a bit of air was in them. So rather than do this job first with the gearbox on i tried it with the eazi bleed and the gearbox off. BANG! the pressure shot the rod out the clutch slave cylinder as it shares the hydraulic system with the brakes. Like all cars now.So i had this old new genuine slave from my old 6 speed M5 i never fitted to it, but the thread on it is bigger on the slave housing. So i had to make a custom little pipe with a normal M10 thread one end and M12 on the other and just see how it works feels to the 535i one
exhaust back on, and a re bleed of the brakes. I got a fair bit of air out of brakes and new clutch slave and fire her up
wowsers, gearbox is ultra quiet it didn't want to select reverse at first. Which had me very worried and pissed. Then a bit of working the box around the gate on axle stands with the engine running going through the forward gears seemed to get it all going.
The brakes now feel spot on and strong and the box is dead quiet so thats transformed the car now, very excited. It drives very well now i must say. It needs a plate welding on the front passenger floor pan and its ready for an MOT. So fairy desperate for this now but i can't weld and Boris has tier 4'd my area before crimbo so we shall see
There's been more to crack on with as there always is but even i can see the light at the end of the tunnel now. A big set of 11's to laid up the road soon!
Sodding tier 4. Same thing happened here. I used Lockdown 2.0 to fit a new starter and crankcase breathers to my E91.
Nice the box is back on and it's so close to having an MOT. Hopefully it can be welded up soon and be tested.
That's a right monster of a flywheel. I'm sure it's to protect the box, too. I had a Golf GTi that had the Dual mass swapped for a single mass and the box didn't like it in the end.
Nice the box is back on and it's so close to having an MOT. Hopefully it can be welded up soon and be tested.
That's a right monster of a flywheel. I'm sure it's to protect the box, too. I had a Golf GTi that had the Dual mass swapped for a single mass and the box didn't like it in the end.
Wow, new to this thread and it looks like I joined it just at the right time :haha:
Very happy to see that you took over this project and have it tantalising close to road legal!
You have the perfect retro wagon in your possession
Really looking forward to hearing you ace stick a fresh ticket on it.
Very well done!
Very happy to see that you took over this project and have it tantalising close to road legal!
You have the perfect retro wagon in your possession
Really looking forward to hearing you ace stick a fresh ticket on it.
Very well done!
I do love an old BMW though. May your MOT come with ease and much fun be had afterwards 
Thanks alot! Its bloody torture if i'm honest as i just want to go for a drive in it over a few miles
So i had a play with the sunroofs as they didn't work and i'm always curious. Plus i knew one or two of the sunroof drains were blocked as i've been fighting leaks inside for a bit now
Its bugged me that the sun roofs are dead and this is normally for good reason as the twin e34 sunroofs have a notorious reputation! the switch was un plugged so naturally i plugged it in and things started to move make noises
Wow it all seemed to work go, the roofs move in sequence if a little slowly. Strange i thought why was it unplugged?
As suspected 1 front 1 rear, so i've given them all a poke rinse out. Old TV aerial wire is the perfect size for this job. Then i thought i'll take the motors off and get some new grease in there see if that helps. Which i did a few times as you can only access the worm drives by taking the motors off. then wind it all back and forwards and keep repeating throughout the cylce. Grease the runners
Well it just got to here and it was stuck, the front motor seemed tired so i thought i'll strip it see if it needs some new grease. Bad idea, they aren't really made to come apart - well they do but you can't get them back together. I can't anyhow. Then i tried to pull it down manually and it just won't go. Its took 2 days and then new brain wave was try the rear motor see if that pulls it down, and voila it has!
We had that storm last night and i'm pleased to say my rain buckets were empty! So probably best to leave the roofs for now, well get a new motor and play again!
Another e34 touring weak point the wiring snapping. Amazingly none of the wires had broken, but a few had started. Owners of E61s and E39 tourings will know about this also! It started on these lol
my shock dust covers finally came from Bilstein only a 6 month wait and i've got a set of H&R springs, these are for M5s and lower a touch over M5 ride height. The S38 in M5s is also a boat anchor like this engine so i reckon they will work well with this
be glad for newer cars and their pollen filters! Bit of a saga on an e34 only about the glove box and 5 bits of trim to remove. RHD cars must be the stuff of nightmares!
then a tip off from a friend and a lucky find on ebay! Some M mirrors i fancied. I got them off a guy locally who was a total car nut with many cars, his favourite seemed to be his e34 M5 touring 6 speed. A man of similar taste! Anyhow they were supposed to be Avus blue but they aint
building them up was a bit fiddly
A bit of before and after. I'm not sure, i'll get the other one on and see.
So i had a play with the sunroofs as they didn't work and i'm always curious. Plus i knew one or two of the sunroof drains were blocked as i've been fighting leaks inside for a bit now
Its bugged me that the sun roofs are dead and this is normally for good reason as the twin e34 sunroofs have a notorious reputation! the switch was un plugged so naturally i plugged it in and things started to move make noises
Wow it all seemed to work go, the roofs move in sequence if a little slowly. Strange i thought why was it unplugged?
As suspected 1 front 1 rear, so i've given them all a poke rinse out. Old TV aerial wire is the perfect size for this job. Then i thought i'll take the motors off and get some new grease in there see if that helps. Which i did a few times as you can only access the worm drives by taking the motors off. then wind it all back and forwards and keep repeating throughout the cylce. Grease the runners
Well it just got to here and it was stuck, the front motor seemed tired so i thought i'll strip it see if it needs some new grease. Bad idea, they aren't really made to come apart - well they do but you can't get them back together. I can't anyhow. Then i tried to pull it down manually and it just won't go. Its took 2 days and then new brain wave was try the rear motor see if that pulls it down, and voila it has!
We had that storm last night and i'm pleased to say my rain buckets were empty! So probably best to leave the roofs for now, well get a new motor and play again!
Another e34 touring weak point the wiring snapping. Amazingly none of the wires had broken, but a few had started. Owners of E61s and E39 tourings will know about this also! It started on these lol
my shock dust covers finally came from Bilstein only a 6 month wait and i've got a set of H&R springs, these are for M5s and lower a touch over M5 ride height. The S38 in M5s is also a boat anchor like this engine so i reckon they will work well with this
be glad for newer cars and their pollen filters! Bit of a saga on an e34 only about the glove box and 5 bits of trim to remove. RHD cars must be the stuff of nightmares!
then a tip off from a friend and a lucky find on ebay! Some M mirrors i fancied. I got them off a guy locally who was a total car nut with many cars, his favourite seemed to be his e34 M5 touring 6 speed. A man of similar taste! Anyhow they were supposed to be Avus blue but they aint
building them up was a bit fiddly
A bit of before and after. I'm not sure, i'll get the other one on and see.
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