Re: just bought a 83 bmw 528e and it has a few problems

[Michael M Ahern <mahern@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi.  I am new to your list.  I have been working on 60s fords for the past
few years and I guess I haven't been working hard enough, because my wife 
said, "Let's get a car that runs!"  So we are selling the 62 Falcon and
bought a 83 bmw 528e.  Time will tell whether this made any sense.

We have a few problems right off the bat.

Problem #1  The electric windows don't go up and down and the backup
lights don't work.  The a/c doesn't work either and we need some kind of
cooling in New Orleans in the summer.

Looking in my CHilton's manual which came with the car, (and knowing that
I will be trying to get a Bentley manual asap), I saw that what they have
listed as fuse #6, which is a black rectangular box with about 8 pins in
it, id a fuse for the backup lights and for the power windows.  This is a
suspect for what is causing the windows to not work.  

Question #1 Anyone know the
cheapest way to get another black box, and to possibly jumper wires just
for a minute so we could roll the windows down while we drive around
looking for this part?

Q#2  is there a way to change the power windows over to manual crank
windows and has anyone done this?

Problem #2 After driving the car for an hour there is a small coolant leak
and hiss coming from the front of the car where all the cooling hoses
connect to what would be a thermostat housing on a ford.  Is there a
reason why these fine crafted peices of german engineering cannot have
radiator stopleak put in them?  I am going to find the leak soon anyway,
but I'd hate to run out of fluid in the mean time.
 
Q#3  Does anyone make an aftermarket intake manifold so I could put a carb
on this car if I get too
many problems with the fuel injection?  Has anyone out there done that?
It is I believe a straight 6, 2.7 liters.

Thanks for your help.

Mike Ahern
mahern@domain.elided

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