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How to replace E30 OBC light and how to upgrade to an LED light bar
The on board computer (OBC) in an E30 uses two regular light bulbs wired in series on a removable circuit board to light up the display on the OBC. Because they are wired in series, if one light-bulb goes out both go out. The bulbs are not supposed to be replaceable as they are...
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BMW ETK part catalogue
There are many online based ETK systems like realoem and bmwfans.info for BMW parts and most work great, however none are as accurate and up to date as the ETK directly from BMW. Luckily BMW has their ETK available online with a general login. To access it just press the link below and enter the...
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E30/E36/E46 BMW control arm bushing specialty tools and tips
Supplementary Article for control arm bushing options: www.rtsauto.com/e30-control-arm-bushing-upgrades-also-applicable-to-e36-comprehensive-guide-on-control-arm-bushings/ Recently picked up a E30/E36/E46 control arm bushing specialty tool which made the job extremely easy as far as getting the finished bushing carrier with bushing onto the control arm shaft. This article only really applies to OEM rubber bushings as poly and solid bushings...
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Re-installing rear axles into hub the right way with the proper tool (E30, BMW, Porsche, etc.)
It is not always justifiable to spend the money on a specialty tool, however in the case of rear axles a little investment goes a long way. The problem with many german cars and particularly E30’s is that the tolerance between the hub splines and the axles splines is VERY small causing a...
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How to diagnose a bad wheel bearing everytime and how to change front wheel bearings on an E30.
Wheel bearings can be deceiving since they can often only be heard when the wheel is spinning in excess of 30mph; they produce a howling, growning, sometimes grinding sounds that increases frequency with speed. The problem: You drive around and around and try to figure which bearing it actually is, and thinking to yourself if...
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E30 Control arm bushing upgrades (also applicable to E36) – Comprehensive guide on Control arm bushings
Supplementary Article for specialty tools and bushing install: www.rtsauto.com/control-arm-bushing-specialty-tools-and-tips/ When talking about control arm bushings, there are two ways to “upgrade” and I use that word loosely because upgrade is relative. The first way is to add rigidity to the bushing to prevent deflection under steering and braking, the second being the positioning of...
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M60 swap eliminating EWS for 404 ECU/DME
One essential part of the M60B40 swap into an E30 or otherwise is to eliminate EWS if you got an engine from an EWS car. EWS is a security system meant to prevent your car from being stolen and subsequently started. The reason the 404 DME (0261200404) is used is because it does not...
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OEM fitting rubber E30 floormats from an E82
I had been looking for OEM esque rubber floormats for my E30 and after years of searching have come across something that truly looks OEM, and is OEM (except that these are made for an E82 by BMW). OEM BMW part number: Black – 51472239697 Grey – 51470439165 Beige – 51470439166 The best part...
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E30 boosterless brake bracket (booster delete) manual brakes for swap cars
Only a couple of years ago boosterless brake (manual brakes) setups were considered impractical because the available designs offered by vendors were single master cylinder brackets that protruded the MC into the engine bay. The problem was that one master cylinder cannot provide leg pedal pressure that is soft enough for daily driving, or...
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Wiring harness adapter guide for e30 M60 and OBD 1 M62 swap, pinout, and a cheap way of getting X20 and C101 connectors
Making a harness to adapt the X20 connector found on the M60 engine harness (and OBD 1 M62 swaps) to connect to the body C101 wiring harness is a major component of the M60/2 swap that people are usually unclear or have anxiety about. Unfortunately there are no main stream suppliers that make and...
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