1886 BMW 735i restoration

[rkillion76]

Hello:

I just bought a 1986 BMW 735i for my son. He and I plan to restore the car. I am very new and not very experienced at this. I was wondering if anyone can provide me with some direction?

1) I need to find an owners manual for this car and/or something that can help me identify parts of the engine (especially hoses - see below.)

2) A long hose connected to the power steering reservoir and going underneath the engine block broke. I am trying to find out exactly what part to order to replace this hose. I've been to many sites that sell parts for this car, but I don't see a picture of the long hose and the fittings within the parts they sell under the "steering" section. I know its not the P/S hose from the power steeting pump to the pressure regualtor. I had an auto store order for me a P/S hose - pressure side that looks a little like what I need to replace it, but it wasn't long enough and didn't have the right fittings. (I think the auto store ordered a P/S hose from the pressure accumulator to steering box.) The only other item I see available is a P/S hose - reservoir to steering pump. But the hose I need has fitting on each end, is about 4ft long, has two couplings about 1 ft a part from each other, and one end is contected to the P/S reservoir. I've talked to a couple local dealers, but they seem a little uneasy providing me with information on a car more than ten years old.

Any advice, direction, or useful websites would be greatly helpful.

Thanks so much.

rkillion76

[jeff '84 733i]

I think you'll come to love your e23 as much as I love mine. It is a great car that with good maintenance will last over 300k miles. The HVAC is balky but with patience, DIY fixable. The instrument cluster has a lot of little problems, but for the most part is also DIY repairable.

Here is the overall checklist I like to give people:

http://bimmer.roadfly.org/e23/messag...w11/25654.html

It is for the e28 (5-series) but ports over well for the e23. Here is another link with a LOT of information:

http://www.e38.org/e23/

Also, and this is really important, become a member of the e23 forum on roadfly.org. There is so much information there from an excellent, friendly, group of e23 enthusiasts who will share their knowledge with you freely.

[jeff '84 733i]

Here is a part that sound like the one you described. Look on ebay. Do a search for BMW e23 and you will see lots of parts for our cars there. Here's the url for the PS hose:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...tem=2454432313

[tdavison]

Get parts cd rom from Bavarian autosport.