9 Lives...

Well, that's what Brooklyn said. I'm starting to believe it, in regards to my 325e. I've been super busy, so I haven't done too much work on the cars. However, I've been having trouble with a flickering oil pressure light at idle that kept getting higher and higher until it was just about undrivable. So, I decided to pull the oil pump and replace it. This was the second time I've done this, but the first time, I had a lot of stuff taken apart, the oil pump was broken clean off, and the oil pan was busted, so it made things VERY easy... :(
Anyways, I found an oil pump locally for FREE, and it worked okay when removed, so it was worth a try. As ///Marine alluded, I was trying to get that oil pump finished in time to take it to Chapterfest, but it just wasn't meant to be. I got all the way to lowering the engine back on the subframe, and it just wouldn't line up. I screwed with it for about an hour (it was now 2 AM), then gave up. I had a business trip the next day, so it sat for a week until I came back and had time for it. Last night, I got it back together, it felt so good.
While I was in there, I installed the power steering delete plate on the steering rack, pulled the rest of the power steering lines and reservoir, pulled the ballasts and most of the wiring from the old HIDs, and pulled some more AC lines.
I'm really hoping to clean up the engine bay (not quite "shaved") when I do the engine swap.
I still have a flickering light at idle, but it's just at idle now, even when warm. Engine must be shot. Maybe I'll try a valve adjustment before I throw in the towel.
All of this is just elementary now, as I'll be getting the 535iA back on the road by week's end. Hopefully I can be in a position with other cars up that I can drop the engine out of the 325 by Thanksgiving.
I start leave this afternoon, I'll be trying to get the 535iA up the next couple days, get the Mini on the road, help ///Marine with the M6, and try to get my 535is up. We'll see!

As for today, I'm looking outside, and I see a Copper e30, and an e36 M3.
Life is good.

EDIT: ///Marine, I'm sorry we never got the family photo, maybe it will be a holiday card?