Thanks JMC for your compliment.
And a belated thanks to Paul L and Patrick who I forgot to thank on my last update.
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I had expected to be writing an update on the installation of the engine loom but after a quick trial fit it soon became clear that I needed to fit the gearbox cover first.
So, I need finish off all the bits under the tunnel.
The e36 clutch is notoriously difficult to bleed so I've bench primed the slave cylinder with DOT 4 fluid before fitting in a hope that will make it easier.
I then moved on to refurbishing the gear shifter. Whilst I had trial fitted it before, I had not refurbished any of the worn bushes. The parts are very reasonable prices so I ordered these up....
Gear selector refurb parts by
Sabrebuilder, on Flickr
When I ordered the parts I forgot that I chose a gear selector from a 318 car as this was the right length for the Sabre. The black bush is for a 328 which is oval whereas the bush on the 318 selector rod the bush is round. The correct part has now been ordered.
The gear stick sits in a plastic saddle. According to the workshop manual, to remove it you need a special tool to rotate it by a quarter turn anti-clockwise but I found a few taps on a small drift on one of the indents had it rotated and removed in a jiffy.
Gear stick saddle by
Sabrebuilder, on Flickr
Cleaned up and the new saddle fitted. To refit you just push it in until two tabs click into place. No special tools needed nor the need to rotate it.
Gear stick saddle by
Sabrebuilder, on Flickr
The rod joint (as BMW call it) is held on by a dowel pin through the gearbox shaft and the pin is held in place with a spring lock ring. Inside the joint there is a plastic foam pad that acts like a buffer. I'm glad I changed this part as my foam pad had almost disintegrated into a mush of oil and plastic particles. Interestingly, the old joint was made of heavy steel and the new one is a light anodised alloy.
Gearshift rod joint by
Sabrebuilder, on Flickr
The final bush at the end of the shifter will be fitted once it arrives.
I'm now working on designing and making a bracket to hold the speedo sensor which will pick up the output shaft of the gearbox, so more on that in the next update.....
....peter