[CobraMarty]

So I bought the new water pump and thermostat and dropped it off at the shop to do the yearly inspection and emissions and wp/t work and change the oil.

Got a call that 3 of the aluminum bolts holding the passenger motor mount bracket to the engine block had broke and the 4th was loose and bent and the engine was moving a bit. Can't use steel bolts so I ran to BMW to pick up the new pack of 4 alumn bolts, $29 later for 4 bolts.

Hopefully will get it back tomorrow.

And I have been chasing a clunk/noise in the front end for months. Checked it before on the lift and found nothing. Run it until it gets worse and can find it. Now it can be reproduced with just bouncing the front fenders.
Tracked it down to the UUC HD front sway bar links. Oh yeah, had to buy them because the stock links will fail with the heavier sway bar. The UUC links failed. On both the bottom heim that threads into the hex shaft, pulled the threads right out. The shafts are SS and not the strongest for threads. Either the hole was drilled too big and then the threads were cut into the shaft/link or just the stainless steel is not strong enough with threads.

I called UUC and they said they never had this issue before. I asked if they would warranty them and they wanted me to send them my links to let them inspect them. I then just said let me buy a new set of HD links and they told me to just weld the heims to the shaft. OK, MIG welded the heims to the shaft. On 1, the teflon internals probably got a bit too hot and leaked slightly. I am sure they won't last long but the noise is gone.
I forgot how nice it is to drive with no clunking going on in the front end.

When these fail, I will probably build my own set with slightly larger heims use steel shaft. Sway bar works great again.