E38 bonnet adjustment
E38 bonnet adjustment
This one is driving me mad....
The front corners of the bonnet on my B12 are out of whack: it is sitting high on the passengers side, and low on the drivers side. Only a few mm in it, but it looks shonky. It started doing this a month or so back. Rear corners of bonnet are fine
Right now I've got all the rubber bonnet stops off the car, I've removed the passengers side air intake and maf, I've taken the bumper off, and removed the kidney grills. No change, still sits wonky at the front edge. Can't see what's causing this
I'm looking at the bonnet alignment relative to the wing, the top of the headlight, and the top of the bumper (well, not now I've taken it off the car). The fact that the bumper, the wings and the headlights look correct relative to one another I think tells me those body parts are located fine, and it's the bonnet that's out of whack.
Any tips? I'm guessing the bonnet alignment will be similar on E36 and E39?? Not sure
Ah yes, I also tried shimming the bonnet catch on the drivers side to pull the bonnet down a bit, made no difference I could see
Arghhhhhh
The front corners of the bonnet on my B12 are out of whack: it is sitting high on the passengers side, and low on the drivers side. Only a few mm in it, but it looks shonky. It started doing this a month or so back. Rear corners of bonnet are fine
Right now I've got all the rubber bonnet stops off the car, I've removed the passengers side air intake and maf, I've taken the bumper off, and removed the kidney grills. No change, still sits wonky at the front edge. Can't see what's causing this
I'm looking at the bonnet alignment relative to the wing, the top of the headlight, and the top of the bumper (well, not now I've taken it off the car). The fact that the bumper, the wings and the headlights look correct relative to one another I think tells me those body parts are located fine, and it's the bonnet that's out of whack.
Any tips? I'm guessing the bonnet alignment will be similar on E36 and E39?? Not sure
Ah yes, I also tried shimming the bonnet catch on the drivers side to pull the bonnet down a bit, made no difference I could see
Arghhhhhh
1998 B12 5.7 ekat
1972 3.0 CSL
2002 B10 V8S Touring (sold)
1981 635CSi (sold)
1972 3.0 CSL
2002 B10 V8S Touring (sold)
1981 635CSi (sold)
Hi Kevin, yes I have the Bentley, but even with the drivers side bump stop fully up, and the passengers side one off the car entirely, it's still not flush with the passengers wing, 1-2mm too high.
Not sure how you'd warp a bonnet, certainly nothing's fallen on it, no one has sat on it. It has been parked outside in a heat wave for a week on hols in Suffolk, hot hot hot, but surely not hot enough to warp a steel body panel
More work required. I'm going to fettle the bonnet, bumper and wheel arch liner fit, and some of the under body plastics look loose at present. Time to stick it on stands
Thanks both, wish me luck
Not sure how you'd warp a bonnet, certainly nothing's fallen on it, no one has sat on it. It has been parked outside in a heat wave for a week on hols in Suffolk, hot hot hot, but surely not hot enough to warp a steel body panel
More work required. I'm going to fettle the bonnet, bumper and wheel arch liner fit, and some of the under body plastics look loose at present. Time to stick it on stands
Thanks both, wish me luck
1998 B12 5.7 ekat
1972 3.0 CSL
2002 B10 V8S Touring (sold)
1981 635CSi (sold)
1972 3.0 CSL
2002 B10 V8S Touring (sold)
1981 635CSi (sold)
I've shimmed the passengers side catch, so it pulls the bonnet lower, ie holds the loop attached to the bonnet slightly lower. Can't say it made much difference....
Do you know if the catch or the bonnet loop are adjustable? Bentley does not say
Do you know if the catch or the bonnet loop are adjustable? Bentley does not say
1998 B12 5.7 ekat
1972 3.0 CSL
2002 B10 V8S Touring (sold)
1981 635CSi (sold)
1972 3.0 CSL
2002 B10 V8S Touring (sold)
1981 635CSi (sold)
- greenelekta
- ALPINA
- Posts: 1233
- Joined: Fri Apr 27, 2012 9:36 am
I don't know about the e38 but on other models the loops screw up/down for adjustment and use a lock nut to keep in placeDrew wrote:I've shimmed the passengers side catch, so it pulls the bonnet lower, ie holds the loop attached to the bonnet slightly lower. Can't say it made much difference....
Do you know if the catch or the bonnet loop are adjustable? Bentley does not say
E39 B10 V8S Touring Brass Metallic
Z3 M Coupe Dakar Yellow
Z4 Monaco Blue
SLK55 AMG Silver
Maserati Gransport Alfieri Grigio
Z3 M Coupe Dakar Yellow
Z4 Monaco Blue
SLK55 AMG Silver
Maserati Gransport Alfieri Grigio
Go back to basics. Take the bonnet catches off and remove the bump stops. I can't remember but if there are rubber seals running down the wings and at the back and front of where the bonnet sits remove these too. Then see how the bonnet sits and replace one item as process of elimination.
B3 E46 no.265
- greenelekta
- ALPINA
- Posts: 1233
- Joined: Fri Apr 27, 2012 9:36 am
Drew wrote:Thanks, I'll do all of that, I'll have a look at moving the loops, couldn't see how this was adjusted. I still have my E39 Bentley, so can compare and contrast
(Wish I still had a B10 too....)
E39 is a different set up, no loops
E39 B10 V8S Touring Brass Metallic
Z3 M Coupe Dakar Yellow
Z4 Monaco Blue
SLK55 AMG Silver
Maserati Gransport Alfieri Grigio
Z3 M Coupe Dakar Yellow
Z4 Monaco Blue
SLK55 AMG Silver
Maserati Gransport Alfieri Grigio
Well I feel a bit thick
Having taken just about everything off the car, turns out the passengers side catch is duff. It's not locking when the loop on the bonnet hits the catch jaw bit. Really should have spotted that one before now
Doesn't look to be repairable, so need a replacement... anyone breaking an E38 out there?
Thanks all
Having taken just about everything off the car, turns out the passengers side catch is duff. It's not locking when the loop on the bonnet hits the catch jaw bit. Really should have spotted that one before now
Doesn't look to be repairable, so need a replacement... anyone breaking an E38 out there?
Thanks all
1998 B12 5.7 ekat
1972 3.0 CSL
2002 B10 V8S Touring (sold)
1981 635CSi (sold)
1972 3.0 CSL
2002 B10 V8S Touring (sold)
1981 635CSi (sold)
Call me a sentimental old fool, but I find it sad when I see a nice car being broken and scavenged at a breakers. Certainly applies to the E38 which to my eye is a rather graceful car. Yes I know it's a lump of metal and plastic, but you get my drift right?
I'll get my coat...
I'll get my coat...
2019 G31 B5 Biturbo No.299
2012 F10 D5 Biturbo No.13
1993 Mercedes 190E 2.6 Sportline spec
1991 Mk1 Golf GTI Sportline cabriolet
2012 F10 D5 Biturbo No.13
1993 Mercedes 190E 2.6 Sportline spec
1991 Mk1 Golf GTI Sportline cabriolet