'86 360 GLE B200E suspension and dipstick queries
 

Had never looked before, and noticed that the dipstick tube on my car was just tied on with a cable tie :( Had this car for 9 months now.

Would this explain that I seem to be putting about a litre more oil in to fill it after an oil change than I expected to. (About 5.25 litres, according to my books it should be 4.5 litres including the filter)
Where should it screw in. There are two holes into which it could be. The one on the left or the right? I just dunno. HELP please.

I'm also struggling to find the cause of vague steering. It all feels pretty tight at town speeds, but get to 45-50 and the steering goes light and ponderous.

It failed its MOT last Jan due to among other things play in a steering arm, so I changed the rack for a recon one, which came with new track rod end balljoints on it.

Any thoughts on the cause of this steering vagueness? I had the wheel alignment checked and adjusted, all in spec apart from a slight difference in castor adjustment, which would account for the slight pull to the left. I tried to correct this by renewing the rubber bushes on the control arms. No difference. Any thoughts on this?

Lots of questions and a long post. I'm thinking top suspension mounts, bushes or main balljoints.

Thanks in advance

Andy

RE: '86 360 GLE B200E suspension and dipstick queries
 

It`s a long shot, but was whoever checked your alignment aware that the car was RWD. I have heard horror stories of some places toeing out the front wheels as if it was a FWD - most small cars are these days. RWD cars should generally be toed-in, in the case of the 360 4 +/- 1mm.

Can`t help with your dipstick problem I`m afraid - I had a trawl on the web looking for a picture of the engine but no joy. Find one in a scrapper and have a look?. Fill it with the correct amount of oil and then see which hole gives the right reading?

Will Plummer

RE: '86 360 GLE B200E suspension and dipstick queries
 

The track was set properly as the car was entered into a computer which gave the correct 'green' zone. I watched it being done, as I'm quite anal about these things.

The dipstick one is puzzling thanks for your help anyway.
Andy

RE: '86 360 GLE B200E suspension and dipstick queries
 

Steering vagueness can be caused by a number of things, but you have addressed a number already. Others;

Bent front crossmember. Can be caused by jacking, not usually as severe as you desribe. Not visibly detectable.

Bent lower steering swivel bal joint. Occours when hitting curb stones hard, sometimes missed when replacing other bits.

Bent stub, never seen this but its a possibilty.

Wheel bearings should be fine, the 360 tightening method works fine for me, I tend to err in the tight side.

Generally anything that might cause the geometry to be wrong. The alignment can 'fix' certain things, but the above things make the geometry wrong that cannot be fixed by adjustment.

Possibly even the rear axle maybe contributing. They usually toe in after a few years hard driving.

RE: '86 360 GLE B200E suspension and dipstick queries
 

Thanks for the reply and the ideas..

All the geometry was checked, camber, Castor, Hows yer father and all was well apart from the slight difference in castor.

You're dead right about the rear axle. It is a bit toe'd in, but it's only just out of the green zone, and the guy reckoned I wouldn't find a better rear axle in a car so old.

The steering swivel balljoint should be okay as it was replaced along with the steering rack.

The more I think, the more I'm thinking it could be balljoints/bushes. There is a little bit of play in one of the lower balljoints so will change that once I get working on the car which will be in the next couple of weeks.

I will certainly let you know how it all goes..

Thanks for your help

Andy

RE: '86 360 GLE B200E suspension and dipstick queries
 

The axle problem has bugged me for years, I did change one twice on a 340 which survived me driving it when I was around 20. Puddles had begin to be a problem with the car squirming when I when through them. The first one whas not much better, but then I found a gentle treated one in a breakers which was good for a while.

The reason I know is I drove a few borrowed new GLTs and GLEis from the dealer - wow, perfectly predictable, in fact my partners 323i seems a bit wobbly in comparision. My hard lived 360s were never as good as the new ones.

I have considered a cut a weld job.

BTW I meant the lower ball joint when I said the steering swivel, the top one is just a bearing. The top spring retainer plate can crack here on the bearing seat and cause all sorts of problems, especially more likely if you fit uprated shocks.. vagueness, severe pulling after full lock (fixed on applying the opposite lock). Its more likely on the strut designs (86 on I think), as its not as protected by the rubber bellows for the shock shaft, and tends to rust and weaken more.

RE: '86 360 GLE B200E suspension and dipstick queries
 

Thanks for the help Tony, will check out the balljoints, but I don't think the symptoms are as severe as you describe for the top mounts cracking, but I might well drop the strut anyway, particularly if I'm going to renew the suspension arm bushes, as I think I will do. Even if it doesn't need renewing immediately, its another fix saved for the future while I don't need to catch pneumonia whilst crawling around underneath it :)

I think you're the only one who spotted the axle thing. We've got a 340 with the rear offside wheel massively toe'd in, about 3 degrees, which I think is loads, but the car drives OK, so I've not opened that can of worms:)

Andy

PS:
Coo Why's the text font changed? Maybe Bob's been at the settings :)

Any thoughts on the dipstick thing?

RE: '86 360 GLE B200E suspension and dipstick queries
 

One side always bends in more because the anti-windup arm is attached to the other and takes some of the acceleration forces.


Don't know about the dipstick, my 940 has only one hole and my 360 lives at my sisters, but I try to check it the next time I'm down.

RE: '86 360 GLE B200E suspension and dipstick queries
 

Funny then that its the side WITH the anti wind-up arm that is toe'd in. We've had the car since new, and it did have a small rear end shunt many years ago.....

Strange.

No rush on the dipstick thing, frankly any hints would be appreciated.

Thanks

Andy

RE: '86 360 GLE B200E suspension and dipstick queries
 

I will be interested to know a cure for steering lightness over 60mph.

I always thought it was poor aerodynamics as these cars were designed in the 70 's without changes to improve this aspect.
Has any one found a front spoiler design ?

regards, Steve