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Need more lows E38

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  • Need more lows E38

    Just before Christmas I decided to part company with my Nissan Skyline and purchase something a bit more practical and less anti social. It was a hard decision, but I'd had my eye on a new project and something fresh to play with.

    The Skyline waited for its new owner to collect to make space for the E38 735i.

    A deal was struck and I went to pick up the 7er from the old boy that had owned it for the last 12 years.
    It was in pretty straight shape with only a few small rear bumper scuffs and the odd stone chip on the front end.

    I set off on the 2 hour journey home, 10 minutes in, cruise at 70mph, Disaster!!!
    Burning smell, battery light, whining noise and smoke.
    Yep, you guessed it, water cooled alternator had seized up, awesome.
    Luckily it was a new unit with only 1k on it so got sorted at no cost to myself.

    Finally got it home a week later after a new alternator, belt and coolant.

    Gave it a clean, oil service, brake fluid and front pads. Bed the pads in and took a snap.



    Plate transfer came back so on it went



    About 100mls later, on comes the engine light.
    Bank 1 lean mixture.
    I suspected an air leak so ordered gaskets and CCV.
    Replaced the perished vac pipes, and started to take off the old CCV.

    That is where the fun started, someone had changed it in the past (2005 date stamp on old CCV) and stripped the bottom two screws. Oh balls.
    So off came the manifold, and on went the new CCV and manifold gaskets.





    Ran perfect for the next 300mls then sod all power, wouldn't rev over 2k.
    Adaptive and multiplicative air mass faults logged.
    Disconnected the MAF and power came back, so bought a new Bosch unit, fixed again lol.

    Then it was time for some new wheels.

    Style 95's are nice, but I wanted something a little bit different to the norm.
    So I found (after a lot of searching) a set of Style 231's. They are the E65 optional 19".
    9x19 et24 front and 10x19 et24 rear.
    Bought some 235/35r19 and 265/30r19 tyres. Fitted them along with 20mm front and 15mm rear spacers.
    Ignore the ride height, it's comical.





    Ride height was of prior importance now.

    I ordered some FK Highsports, 8 weeks later still no delivery date due to back order at FK.
    Order cancelled.

    I ordered some BC Racing coilovers after looking at a few E38's online.



    Got them fitted and I'm not happy. They are not even low at the front.

    Check out the arch gap when fully wound down.



    The rear is fine, it was slammed but wound it up as it looked daft with the front so high.





    This is where it currently stands, trying to figure out what the hell to do with the front now.
    Last edited by Matt_Slater; 03-31-2015, 04:56 PM.

  • #2
    Love e38's! Just dont think they love me! Borrowed my old mans 740i sport for a week and the first to fourth gear clutches were shagged -.- Gorgeous cars. Always told myself I'd get one sometime, and who knows, maybe next year's that year! I'm only 4-5 hours north of you and this beauty mate, keep the awesome work up, and contact the coilover dealer and see if they'll send out shorter coilovers as you're not happy!
    I am a party pooper. I poop at parties.

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    • #3
      Tried that, they want another £93 per damper.

      It will only give another 20mm, it needs much more lol.

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      • #4
        Originally posted by Matt_Slater View Post
        Tried that, they want another £93 per damper.

        It will only give another 20mm, it needs much more lol.
        PFFT! Just ask for a refund and say you'll take your business elsewhere. If they work in true business fashion they'll find some way to keep your money that will benefit you
        I am a party pooper. I poop at parties.

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        • #5
          20mm shorter dampers ordered at a reduced rate.

          Just have to wait 10 days for them to be in stock now.

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          • #6
            Took some pics on the way home from work today. Wave heights too high so got stood down.











            Last edited by Matt_Slater; 04-11-2015, 07:39 AM.

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            • #7
              It's a bit lower now

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              • #8
                Looking good!

                '87 Porsche 944 S | Ex-E36 Touring (2009 - 2016) | Daily: '02 Chrysler Sebring

                www.bastienbochmann.de | Tief & Breit

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                • #9
                  Looks awesome!
                  SAAB 900 T16s

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                  • #10
                    looking good. I've been waiting for an update
                    i'm doing e38 myself (I put coilovers to the front today, tomorrow I'm doing the back), so it's nice to see some others
                    I like the wheels. They're not popular like styling 95 (so it's nice to see something more original), but still they fit the body very well.

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                    • #11
                      This 7 series is just plain beautiful. I want to see where you are headin'. Subbed!
                      Originally posted by getamongst-it

                      Lower your expectations, you'll be much happier.
                      Oh, and your car too.

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                      • #12
                        Not bad, definitely needs more low though. Sits like my H&R's...

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                        • #13
                          Cheers guys,

                          These BC coilovers seem to be nothing but trouble for me. The NSF and NSR both knocked,
                          Now with the shorter dampers on the front, there's no knocking but it makes a creak/cracking noise when braking. Everything is tight and free from play.

                          I'm not sure how I can get away with lowering the front more?
                          The front under shields are about 1-1.5 inch of the ground and catch a lot,
                          Maybe running the Style 231's on a taller tyre might give a touch more ground clearance?

                          The rear will be coming down a bit more tomorrow if I have a spare few minutes.

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            You know what. After I'd put my front coilovers with camber plates on mine, I noticed that knocks while driving became much audible. I reckon it's because of the stiffer suspension itself plus camber plates (I can see BCs have them too) have no rubber element as stock top mounts do to absorb some of the vibration...maybe that's why you can hear the knocking that you couldn't hear before.
                            The other idea is related with cracking noise while braking. I got the same thing and it's caused by loose pins holding the disc pads. But I've got those bigger Msport brembo 4 piston calipers, so If you have your regular brakes it probably won't apply.
                            In my opinion, present height and fitment is good enough. Limousines like 7er shouldn't be stupidly slammed to the ground. And if you lower the back now it'll look like a motorboat...now the gap between the tyres and fenders are roughly even between front and back and for me that gives the best look

                            BTW. I'm gonna be running on LowTec coils plus e36 camber plates with small mods to fit e38 shocks...nothing major. No suspicious sounds so far (apart from making those that were there before bit more noticeable )

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                            • #15
                              Hi bud,

                              The fronts don't knock now with the new shorter dampers, and the cracking noise has only just started, the Brembos have new pads in and didn't crack/twang previously.
                              It's odd, my E39 did it occasionally too.

                              I think the back needs to come down about 5-10mm, it sits a touch higher on level ground, my drive isn't perfectly flat where the 7 is sat.
                              The front tyre is just and so tucked and the rear is level with the arch.

                              I might change the rear 15mm spacers for the 20mm from the fronts and get a 25mm for the front to just push the wheels out 5mm all round so it's perfectly flush.

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