Has anything come loose yet?

[Trueoo7]

Hey Boudy,
In your experience with these cars, have you seen anything that after a few hundred miles or may have to be rechecked for tightness. Nothing that I know of has come loose yet but I was wondering if you have seen or heard of any part or parts that we may have to watch out for.

Thanks
Trueoo7

[Boudy]

At 300 miles, you should go over the entire car and tighten EVERY bolt you can find. It takes several hours, but has to be done. You will find many things loose, from intake bolts to lug nuts.

Boudy

[ItBites]

Lugnuts should NEVER loosen if properly torqued and the studs are installed correctly and the hub/wheel surfaces are wiped clean during assembly.

You'd better worry if your lugnuts ever loosen up about the construction of the car.

You still might want to check them, but if they are loose, be concerned about the installation of the studs and when they will loosen again!

[Tony Radford]

Definitely check the exhaust manifold bolts. When they get loose, you lose exhaust gaskets - and that sux!

[CSCHWER]

Just finished going over mine and found the bolts/nuts holding the door latch straps on the handle were loose. These go thru the leather so it's logical they might be loose. I used red locktite on the nuts.
I also tightened the door hinge bolts.

Chet

[Ron61]

True,

It is a good idea to check all of your bolts after driving the car for a while and especiallly if you drive it hard. If you have aluminum heads and intake, check the torque on the intake bolts every so often. I always put mine up on the ramps and check everything after a long drive. It only takes a little while and is worth finding if anything has started to work loose versus finding it out while driving. Header and exhaust bolts are especially prone to working loose. I have never had a lug nut loose but still check them.

Ron

[Boudy]

Just how many guys you know checked the lug nuts when they took delivery of a brand new car? We deliver 320 lug nuts per month and I can't personally stand here and tell you that every single one of them was torqued to spec.

So just check the darn things after you put some miles on the car. It's a lot easier to tighten a lug nut than to replace a broken stud due to a loose one.

Boudy

[uncltodd]

If I knew the answer, I wouldn't ask.

How much of the BDR is built Metric and how much is (Ha) English?

I still have all my 70's-vintage Craftsman tools, but I have zip Metric. Never needed them.

Do I need to go buy a set of Metric sockets and end wrenches?

With BMW suspension, that has to be Metric. How about the "assorted" nuts and bolts on the car?

The Ford crate engine I can handle.

Thanks, guys. It looks like #139 is mine if someone in Southlake, TX will call me.

"Eagles may soar, but weasels don't get sucked into jet engines."

[Rogers]

Uncle T.......yes you do need a set of metrics. Open/boxed end, 1/4 inch sockets and full set of metric allens. You are correct on the metric BMW items. Remember....some items on your Ford engine will be metric also. Might as well get a torque wrench also!

[Dennis Kelley]

Door strikers losened up some, but I've only drove the car 2.3 miles. Its very cold here

[CowtownCobra]

700 miles and I found everything could use another grunt or two. You need to keep a close eye on everything

[bullseyeprec]

at 400 miles I only found the passenger side door striker loose. Everything else seems tight. Will lok more miles this summer, Its BRRRRRRR right now.

[SkipB]

I just did my 500 mile check at California Cobra. Armond's guys checked over the whole car and found very few loose nuts/bolts. It does take awhile, so be patient. I will do my own from now on and don't anticipate too many problems. I had the driver's door adjusted, the trunk and hood cinched down, and that was about all that I found before the checkup. For you California guys, the first check is free at Calif. Cobra. Oil/filter, tune up, complete check out and even a complete cleaning underneath and on top!

Its' pretty cold here too. I drove home last night and actually had to zip up my light weight jacket. It got way down to about 50! Sorry, I just couldn't help myself! Only hit about 67 today, but the weekend looks better.

[Dominik]

...bolts coming loose?

dom

[wilf leek]

I find that the nut that holds the steering wheel is usually pretty loose.

Seriously - check EVERYTHING.