| Steinbauer Project! Mike's BMW 633 CSi |
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August 2010: Once again (or still?) I was looking for a BMW 635CSi for Mike when I found this 1984
BMW 633CSi on Craigslist in Tulsa Oklahoma. Since Rick lived down there he checked it out for us,
reported back to us that it is not running at the moment but he could get it going for Mike.
So we gave the green light for Rick to fetch the car for us. The previous owner, an Indian Lady
originally advertised it for $700. Rick talked to her and won her over with the idea that she should sell
it for $633.
14 Aug 10: In the meantime, Mike and I were getting ready for a road trip to Tulsa to see Rick and get
the car. Rick worked on the car for a while and got it running. It ran rough but it ran. Someone
switched some relays around and that stopped the car from running.
17 Aug 10: Mike and I were heading back towards Colorado even though the car was not going any
faster than 60 Mph. We thought that the engine has all sorts of gunk in it and we would work that out
over the next 800 miles.
Well, guess again. The car started to get slower and slower and also started to die. We thought at
first that it must be the fuel filter and stopped on the way to buy one in Wichita, KS. As we were out
there in the hot sun, the manager of this taco place brought us ice water.
Unfortunately the fuel filter was not the problem and out trip of misery continued. We also tried to get
a fuel pump but (luck would have it) nobody in town had one. The car got slower and slower and
started to die in 20 minute intervals and also started to get pretty hot. I kept switching out the fuel
pump relay and every time the car would start up again and go for another 10 -15 minutes at now 40
mph. I think we made it up to McPherson when the car would not go faster than 20 mph and would die
in 5 minute intervals with a 20 minute wait til we could get going again.
At this time I called Kris and asked for help while we are still on the phone with Rick also asking for
help. Rick posting on the Bimmer Forum and Kris was trying to find someone from Church. Did not
even take 10 minutes when Norma Lee from Church contacted Kris to offer the use of her truck. We
did not get much help through the Bimmer Forum since everyone was still too far away. I decided to
tow Mike for the next 60 miles to Salina, KS where Kris made Hotel reservations for us. We made it
there, checked in and fiddled a little more with the car but no luck!
18 Aug 10: Norma Lee, Kris, and Emily (Norma Lee's daughter) head out for KS where I reserved a
car dolly at U-haul. We met and the trip back to CO went a lot faster now with the car in tow.
BMW 633CSi on Craigslist in Tulsa Oklahoma. Since Rick lived down there he checked it out for us,
reported back to us that it is not running at the moment but he could get it going for Mike.
So we gave the green light for Rick to fetch the car for us. The previous owner, an Indian Lady
originally advertised it for $700. Rick talked to her and won her over with the idea that she should sell
it for $633.
14 Aug 10: In the meantime, Mike and I were getting ready for a road trip to Tulsa to see Rick and get
the car. Rick worked on the car for a while and got it running. It ran rough but it ran. Someone
switched some relays around and that stopped the car from running.
17 Aug 10: Mike and I were heading back towards Colorado even though the car was not going any
faster than 60 Mph. We thought that the engine has all sorts of gunk in it and we would work that out
over the next 800 miles.
Well, guess again. The car started to get slower and slower and also started to die. We thought at
first that it must be the fuel filter and stopped on the way to buy one in Wichita, KS. As we were out
there in the hot sun, the manager of this taco place brought us ice water.
Unfortunately the fuel filter was not the problem and out trip of misery continued. We also tried to get
a fuel pump but (luck would have it) nobody in town had one. The car got slower and slower and
started to die in 20 minute intervals and also started to get pretty hot. I kept switching out the fuel
pump relay and every time the car would start up again and go for another 10 -15 minutes at now 40
mph. I think we made it up to McPherson when the car would not go faster than 20 mph and would die
in 5 minute intervals with a 20 minute wait til we could get going again.
At this time I called Kris and asked for help while we are still on the phone with Rick also asking for
help. Rick posting on the Bimmer Forum and Kris was trying to find someone from Church. Did not
even take 10 minutes when Norma Lee from Church contacted Kris to offer the use of her truck. We
did not get much help through the Bimmer Forum since everyone was still too far away. I decided to
tow Mike for the next 60 miles to Salina, KS where Kris made Hotel reservations for us. We made it
there, checked in and fiddled a little more with the car but no luck!
18 Aug 10: Norma Lee, Kris, and Emily (Norma Lee's daughter) head out for KS where I reserved a
car dolly at U-haul. We met and the trip back to CO went a lot faster now with the car in tow.
| 1984: A white BMW 633 CSi rolls of the assembly line in Bavaria, Germany and gets shipped to the USA. 31 May 1984: This car is sold at the Otto's BMW Dealership at 1275 Wilmington Pike, West Chester, PA 19382. A lot of things happened in between until August 2010. |
Somewhere on the way
where we encountered
a Twilight Zone Shell
station. It still had a car
parked at the pump but
it was abandoned
where we encountered
a Twilight Zone Shell
station. It still had a car
parked at the pump but
it was abandoned
In Tulsa sitting
next to Rick's
Truck.
next to Rick's
Truck.
Near McPherson, KS
on the way getting fuel
on the way getting fuel
Resting overnight in
Salina, KS
Salina, KS
The next morning we
continued the trip a lot
faster!
continued the trip a lot
faster!
The girls were concerned
since this guy was
following very close all
the way home to CO
since this guy was
following very close all
the way home to CO
Once we got home we pushed the cat into the garage and called it a night.
Over the next few days we were trying to find out what stops that car from running. After checking almost
everything there is to check, we narrowed it down to either the ECU (Electronic Control Unit) or the
exhaust being clogged.
Mike dropped the Catalytic Converter by the output flange and sure enough, the car started!
Over the next few days we were trying to find out what stops that car from running. After checking almost
everything there is to check, we narrowed it down to either the ECU (Electronic Control Unit) or the
exhaust being clogged.
Mike dropped the Catalytic Converter by the output flange and sure enough, the car started!
Here is Mike driving down and then back up on the drive way with a very loud
car. At least now we knew what the problem was (at least so we thought at this
point. We will find out later what really caused the problem.
car. At least now we knew what the problem was (at least so we thought at this
point. We will find out later what really caused the problem.
Ordering parts and replacing them has begun. At this point we replaced:
- The entire exhaust system
- Distributor Cap and Rotor
The ran but still not the way it should. Mike was tortured by "Whitey" (That is what we named the car until
Mike would come up with a name) until May 2011. At that time the catalytic converter developed a hole at
the flex piece and flames were shooting out by that piece. In short, this was the straw that broke the
camel's back and Mike had enough. Mike wanted to sell the car and I knew that he would not be able to
sell that car for what it is worth so I bought it from him.
- The entire exhaust system
- Distributor Cap and Rotor
The ran but still not the way it should. Mike was tortured by "Whitey" (That is what we named the car until
Mike would come up with a name) until May 2011. At that time the catalytic converter developed a hole at
the flex piece and flames were shooting out by that piece. In short, this was the straw that broke the
camel's back and Mike had enough. Mike wanted to sell the car and I knew that he would not be able to
sell that car for what it is worth so I bought it from him.
This is what the injectors looked like when I got them back. I installed them
right away but have not tried them out yet
right away but have not tried them out yet
I then contacted the Vendor where we bought the catalytic converter and they told me to send the defective
piece back and in the meantime I had to buy the replacement piece. I fixed the burned cables and
replaced the catalytic converter and the car ran very crappy (but it ran). My next thought was that the fuel
injectors were dirty and I was right. I took them out and sent them to Witch Hunter for evaluation and a
good cleaning.
piece back and in the meantime I had to buy the replacement piece. I fixed the burned cables and
replaced the catalytic converter and the car ran very crappy (but it ran). My next thought was that the fuel
injectors were dirty and I was right. I took them out and sent them to Witch Hunter for evaluation and a
good cleaning.
This right here is
the piece that
developed the
hole. You van still
see the burned
parts.
the piece that
developed the
hole. You van still
see the burned
parts.
On the upper part are the
cables I fixed.
cables I fixed.
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Owner history: (Courtesy of Nathan, owner #3)
1. An Airline pilot in AZ. bought the car new off the lot in 1983, paid for with cash.
2. The Airline pilot's neighbor's brother. While visiting his brother in AZ, he noticed the car
several times and always admired it. One day, he asked the owner and his wife to let him know if
they were ever going to sell., he would buy it from them. After the pilot passed away, he got a
phone call from his brother. He flew to AZ, picked it up and brought it to TX.
3. Nathan saw the car sitting at an electrical parts business just outside the main gate of Lockheed
Martin in Fort Worth. Saw it a few times a week for a while, because it was on the way to Subway
where he would eat lunch. One day, a "for sale" sign appeared in the windshield. He was shaking
when that happened. The body was in near-perfect shape. He sat across the street in his old
Volvo and had a coronary fretting about it. After about 20 minutes, he walked across the street,
peeked in the window, and saw that it was a manual with a near-perfect interior. Had a coronary
again, and decided he couldn't afford it (had no idea what the price was). After a few days, he
finally got up the nerve to go inside and ask about the car. Test drove it, and it didn't matter what
the price was - it was Nirvana and he had to have it. Couple years later, ran into a rough patch
and needed the money, so he sold it. Rough patch was much shorter than he thought it would be,
but the car was gone. Sold to a nice fellow in Oklahoma who understood these cars and was a
frequent poster to the roadfly.com BMW Forum. I wasn't going to sell it to just anyone, after all!
4. "Oklahoma BMW Roadfly Guy"
5. Some other guy in Oklahoma
6. Lady native American who works for owner #5. She did not get to enjoy driving this car
since it already had issues. To make matters worse, some of the relays were switched
1. An Airline pilot in AZ. bought the car new off the lot in 1983, paid for with cash.
2. The Airline pilot's neighbor's brother. While visiting his brother in AZ, he noticed the car
several times and always admired it. One day, he asked the owner and his wife to let him know if
they were ever going to sell., he would buy it from them. After the pilot passed away, he got a
phone call from his brother. He flew to AZ, picked it up and brought it to TX.
3. Nathan saw the car sitting at an electrical parts business just outside the main gate of Lockheed
Martin in Fort Worth. Saw it a few times a week for a while, because it was on the way to Subway
where he would eat lunch. One day, a "for sale" sign appeared in the windshield. He was shaking
when that happened. The body was in near-perfect shape. He sat across the street in his old
Volvo and had a coronary fretting about it. After about 20 minutes, he walked across the street,
peeked in the window, and saw that it was a manual with a near-perfect interior. Had a coronary
again, and decided he couldn't afford it (had no idea what the price was). After a few days, he
finally got up the nerve to go inside and ask about the car. Test drove it, and it didn't matter what
the price was - it was Nirvana and he had to have it. Couple years later, ran into a rough patch
and needed the money, so he sold it. Rough patch was much shorter than he thought it would be,
but the car was gone. Sold to a nice fellow in Oklahoma who understood these cars and was a
frequent poster to the roadfly.com BMW Forum. I wasn't going to sell it to just anyone, after all!
4. "Oklahoma BMW Roadfly Guy"
5. Some other guy in Oklahoma
6. Lady native American who works for owner #5. She did not get to enjoy driving this car
since it already had issues. To make matters worse, some of the relays were switched