Re: Making my '92 325i reliable

["Ron Buchalski" <rbuchals@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Doug,

BMW alternators are very reliable.  Just make sure that the vent tubing is 
intact, so the alternator receives sufficient air to stay cool.

If your alternator fails, you won't be able to charge your battery.  So, 
unless it's a major internal short (to short out the battery and discharge 
it), you should be able to drive a short distance to get it repaired.

BMW fuel pumps are also very reliable, provided you don't run your tank down 
to 'fumes'.  It uses fuel as a lubricant, so if the tank gets too low, and 
it runs dry (when you turn a fast corner), it will eventually wear out the 
pump.

Here are some known failure items:

Water pump: Catastrophic! Once you hit 60k miles, you're riding on borrowed 
time.  Your car probably has a pump with a plastic impeller, and these tend 
to crack and disintegrate.  Replacements had metal impellers, but BMW 
recently went to another type of plastic impeller.

Radiator: Catastrophic! The plastic gets brittle, and the upper hose fitting 
will snap off, resulting in major coolant loss.  With 100k miles, you're 
driving on borrowed time.

Thermostat cover: plastic, gets brittle.  When you change water pump and 
radiator, go ahead and replace the thermostat, and get an aluminum cover.  
They are available from aftermarket sources (BMP, others)

Rear Shock Mounts (RSM): these things deteriorate and end up causing 
rear-end clunks.  If they break totally, the top of the shock will pop up, 
and possibly damage something.  Replace them with the RSMs for the E46; 
they're a direct fit, much stronger, and cheap (less than $20 each)

Rear Control Arm Bushings: these wear out and cause the control arms to move 
in unnatural ways, making the rear of the car feel loose.

Automatic transmission: regular fluid changes are key.  If this hasn't 
happened through it's life, it's probably living in it's golden years now.

Electrical gremlins:  All BMWs have them.  Which ones appear, and when, is 
the variable.  Find a good electrical contact cleaner, such as:

http://www.caig.com/prod.htm

and apply it to electrical connectors that are carrying intermittent 
signals.

- -rb

>
>Date: Wed, 24 Apr 2002 06:29:00 -0400
>From: "Douglas M. Max" <DMax@domain.elided>
>Subject: Making my '92 325i reliable
>
>I just celebrated 100K with my car and family and am wondering what I
>should replace to help it make the next 100K?
>
>In particular, those things that might go without warning and stop my
>car...fuel pump, alternator haven't been replaced, for instance.  Are
>they going to break within 20K anyway?
>
>Are there other things that fellow '92 owners know are going to go wrong
>and catastrophically?  Give me the list, however long and expensive it
>is! And, if you're able to categorize the failure as catastrophic (like
>fuel pump) or a fixable nuisance (like alternator? I'm right that the
>car can drive and be jumped without an alternator working?).
>
>Cordially,
>
>Doug
>


_________________________________________________________________
Chat with friends online, try MSN Messenger: http://messenger.msn.com

------------------------------