Seen a wedge - need some advice
Discussion
Hello all,
Seen a wedge (350i) today that I am very interested in but have a few questions.
1. When driving at speed if you go over any bump, the front of the car tends to what best can be described as 'wobble'. It feels very loose.
2. I idled the car for quite a long time to check if the fans kick in ok (with the bonnet shut). The temperature went over 90 and stopped just before the red. I couldn't hear the fans coming on but did have to stay in the car and keep my foot slightly on the throttle as the idle is set too low at the moment so the car stalls. Should I be able to hear the fans come on when in the car? Also I noticed a small amount of 'steam' coming out from the far corner (drivers side) of the bonnet, Is this normal?
3. I noticed that on start up and when pulling away from idle, the car blows a small amount of blue smoke out (doesn't on acceleration). Could this be valve stems/oil seals? The car hasn't been serviced for a while but I have always thought that blue smoke may indicate engine wear of some sort.
Anyway apart from this it's spot on. If you guys could shed any light on the above it would be much appreciated!
Seen a wedge (350i) today that I am very interested in but have a few questions.
1. When driving at speed if you go over any bump, the front of the car tends to what best can be described as 'wobble'. It feels very loose.
2. I idled the car for quite a long time to check if the fans kick in ok (with the bonnet shut). The temperature went over 90 and stopped just before the red. I couldn't hear the fans coming on but did have to stay in the car and keep my foot slightly on the throttle as the idle is set too low at the moment so the car stalls. Should I be able to hear the fans come on when in the car? Also I noticed a small amount of 'steam' coming out from the far corner (drivers side) of the bonnet, Is this normal?
3. I noticed that on start up and when pulling away from idle, the car blows a small amount of blue smoke out (doesn't on acceleration). Could this be valve stems/oil seals? The car hasn't been serviced for a while but I have always thought that blue smoke may indicate engine wear of some sort.
Anyway apart from this it's spot on. If you guys could shed any light on the above it would be much appreciated!
I would expect the fans to kick in before 90 but how accurate is a gauge. Steam needs looking at. See where it is coming from. Lift the bonnet to see if the fans come on. You can check they are working buy shorting the otter switch in the rad. I say that shorting is OK but I have heard that some have power going to them? I know mine come on as they drop the ammeter a lot.
My car has always sat at 90'C and if in stopped in traffic the fan cuts in when reaching the red at 100'C. As said the ammeter drops and you should hear the fan.
This week I changed the rad and checked the fan operation and it didn't cut in. Hopefully traced and sorted down to the fan connector plug, a pin pushed back slightly when connecting together.
My car has been standing for around 18 months and I forgot how 'loose' it feels against modern stuff. Probably could benefit from new tyres and new suspension bushes. That'll be another time...
This week I changed the rad and checked the fan operation and it didn't cut in. Hopefully traced and sorted down to the fan connector plug, a pin pushed back slightly when connecting together.
My car has been standing for around 18 months and I forgot how 'loose' it feels against modern stuff. Probably could benefit from new tyres and new suspension bushes. That'll be another time...
If it's been sitting outside water can fill up the battery compartment area or under the expansion tank. Then when you put away it spills all over the manifold and you get a nice load of steam. Of course if this persists have it checked!
As for the fans it's cold right now so they'll probably only cut in after a run and then leaving it idle. The idle speed is easily adjusted (in fact I seem to do so every 3 weeks!)
Looseness could be all manner of things but the worst is a cracked chassis at the front. I had mine done on my old 350i and it involved sleeving two tubes with thicker tubing. The body didn't need lifting and it cost a few hundred quid, but that was maybe 6 years ago.
>> Edited by adam quantrill on Sunday 12th March 13:51
As for the fans it's cold right now so they'll probably only cut in after a run and then leaving it idle. The idle speed is easily adjusted (in fact I seem to do so every 3 weeks!)
Looseness could be all manner of things but the worst is a cracked chassis at the front. I had mine done on my old 350i and it involved sleeving two tubes with thicker tubing. The body didn't need lifting and it cost a few hundred quid, but that was maybe 6 years ago.
>> Edited by adam quantrill on Sunday 12th March 13:51
#1 Tyre pressure, steering UJs, bulkhead bearing/bush, suspension bushes, dampers. Nothing worth putting you off buying it, but good negotiation point.
#2 I can hardly tell when the fan comes on on mine due to the glorious noise
Mine hovers around the 90 area and will happily sit in traffic all day. If you open the drivers door and reach your hand as far under the door sill as you can then you should feel a surprisingly hot and strong air flow when the fan kicks in. Try and find where the "steam" comes from. Could be old hoses or could be rad, swan neck filler, etc.. "steam...Is this normal?" When I blew a top hose I had huge volumes of steam pouring from the left hand light pod. Only 1/4 mile from home so limped it back and popped to Halfords for a universal temporary fix jobby. Needless to say it's still there
#3 I'll bow out of this one and let the engine experts step in, but my 2p is it might be OK if this was the first time the engine has run for a long time but if you go back and see it again and still see smoke then you need to "bid him in the nuts" as it could need big engine work.
Just another thought, cracked chassis has been mentioned and could be a cause for #1 I've not come across this yet but I haven't looked that hard either, worth checking out as probably expensive to fix as it may involve lifting the body.
Some time after I bought mine I discovered the outriggers were in need of some attention. This is often quoted as a check when buying. Had I known about this at the time I would have not bought the car. But as it turns out, not too bad a job to do (on a 350)if you have access to welding equipment. Useful as a negotiation point but it wouldn't stop me buying one now. For that matter no single flaw would stop me as they are all cheap to fix with the possible exception of paint and engine/transmission work. Go into ownership with your eyes open and expect to have to deal with the odd surprise but be assured that most of it is cheap to fix.
#2 I can hardly tell when the fan comes on on mine due to the glorious noise
Mine hovers around the 90 area and will happily sit in traffic all day. If you open the drivers door and reach your hand as far under the door sill as you can then you should feel a surprisingly hot and strong air flow when the fan kicks in. Try and find where the "steam" comes from. Could be old hoses or could be rad, swan neck filler, etc.. "steam...Is this normal?" When I blew a top hose I had huge volumes of steam pouring from the left hand light pod. Only 1/4 mile from home so limped it back and popped to Halfords for a universal temporary fix jobby. Needless to say it's still there #3 I'll bow out of this one and let the engine experts step in, but my 2p is it might be OK if this was the first time the engine has run for a long time but if you go back and see it again and still see smoke then you need to "bid him in the nuts" as it could need big engine work.
Just another thought, cracked chassis has been mentioned and could be a cause for #1 I've not come across this yet but I haven't looked that hard either, worth checking out as probably expensive to fix as it may involve lifting the body.
Some time after I bought mine I discovered the outriggers were in need of some attention. This is often quoted as a check when buying. Had I known about this at the time I would have not bought the car. But as it turns out, not too bad a job to do (on a 350)if you have access to welding equipment. Useful as a negotiation point but it wouldn't stop me buying one now. For that matter no single flaw would stop me as they are all cheap to fix with the possible exception of paint and engine/transmission work. Go into ownership with your eyes open and expect to have to deal with the odd surprise but be assured that most of it is cheap to fix.
jmorgan said:
I would expect the fans to kick in before 90 but how accurate is a gauge. Steam needs looking at. See where it is coming from.
I would hope not as the ideal running temp is thought to be about 92. Fans usually kick in at 95 to 100 and bring temp down to 90.
mark387mw said:
My car has always sat at 90'C and if in stopped in traffic the fan cuts in when reaching the red at 100'C.
Sounds normal.
>> Edited by JR on Sunday 12th March 09:24
JR said:
I would expect the fans to kick in before 90 but how accurate is a gauge. Steam needs looking at. See where it is coming from.
I would hope not as the ideal running temp is thought to be about 92. Fans usually kick in at 95 to 100 and bring temp down to 90.mark387mw said:
My car has always sat at 90'C and if in stopped in traffic the fan cuts in when reaching the red at 100'C.
Sounds normal.
>> Edited by JR on Sunday 12th March 09:24
Should have added my otter is (was as it is now removed) around 80 degrees. Think it was 83.
>> Edited by jmorgan on Sunday 12th March 11:09
jmorgan said:
Have to say my set up is slightly different and have been advised that if the needle heads north of 92 and doesn't stop, stop the car. But that's my setup.
That sounds a little odd but as you say if you have a different set up... Remember also that the gauges are not the most reliable in the world, lol, 92 for you may mean 99+!
Think I alluded to the accuracy of gauges in my first post on this thread. Slapped a few tell tales on my motor for backup.
Anyhow, if I am talking bollox then I apologise. My previous never run close to a 100 and the gauge would indicate 90 odd, fans coming in around 85. Currant the same and after the rebuild I keep it down on advice.
Anyhow, if I am talking bollox then I apologise. My previous never run close to a 100 and the gauge would indicate 90 odd, fans coming in around 85. Currant the same and after the rebuild I keep it down on advice.
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