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Took the 323i to the track today. It's a cramped track, so I never got it out of second gear, but it was still a lot of fun. It was raining, so I could put the rear end out at will (and some times not so much at will)
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Jun 24, 2012 13:50
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Lowclock posted:Definitely need to lose that big sticker and dealer plate frame, but all 540's are awesome. Yeah that's one of the first things I want to do. It isn't even on straight! The dealer sticker seems like it'll be a pain to get off though... what's the best way to get it off without ruining the paint? (oh, I also don't have the emergency jack... I'll probably get a cheap one at Autozone for now but where could I find an actual E39 jack for cheap?)
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Jun 24, 2012 14:26
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Goo gone would work, but I don't know what that does to paint. You can always just use peanut butter. The oil loosens up the glue and then it gets covered in peanut butter to keep it from getting stuck back on. Then you just have to clean off peanut butter.
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Jun 24, 2012 15:45
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CornHolio posted:
You probably already tried this but on my E34, the CDs go into the cartridge with the bottom facing up. It took me several minutes of being really upset about none of my CDs being recognized before I figured it out.
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Jun 24, 2012 16:14
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Tried the brake re-bedding procedure I've read about a few places here on the 540i today. Apparently the oiling system wasn't a fan of all of the oil being in the front of the engine and tripped the idiot light and "OIL PRESSURE STOP" note on the dash display momentarily. Pretty sure that isn't a big deal. The good news, the re-bed worked amazingly and I don't think I'm going to be buying new rotors and pads this summer after all. In other BMW dash warning light fun times, I've finally finished testing/replacing and have ruled out everything except the ABS module itself which is somewhat disappointing. Guess I'll have to send the unit away to be repaired and slap a GPS on the dash for a week or two for a speedo. Although not directly BMW related, most of that diagnoses took place after an engine removal from a 3400 60 degree v6 removal from a Pontiac Transport van that nearly provided some content for the horrible mechanical failures thread.
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Jun 24, 2012 17:11
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Note to self: Don't trust previous owners to not be retarded. When I bought the e34 I was told that the wiper fluid doesn't work, and the passenger door doesn't lock. I figured the worst and ordered a door solenoid + washer fluid pump. Turns out someone unplugged the washer fluid pump (who knows why) and the passenger side door lock works fine once you do the central locking sync procedure. Worked in my favour because I got more money off the asking price, but now have to pay a restocking fee for parts. First and last time I ever trust someone's diagnosis.
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Jun 24, 2012 18:15
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I removed the clutch delay valve in the Z4 this morning and it is so much better!! It sounds obvious, but there's no delay now! You don't have to slip the clutch like crazy to get a smooth start or 1->2 shift. No more delay or wobbling and jerking, the car just works like I expect it to. Best 2 hours I've ever spent on a car. Rounded it out with a wash to complete the day 
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Jun 24, 2012 21:04
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ColdPie posted:I removed the clutch delay valve in the Z4 this morning and it is so much better!! It sounds obvious, but there's no delay now! You don't have to slip the clutch like crazy to get a smooth start or 1->2 shift. No more delay or wobbling and jerking, the car just works like I expect it to. Best 2 hours I've ever spent on a car. Rounded it out with a wash to complete the day I've been wanting to do this on my e46 for a while now, but  . If it makes that much of a difference, I might just have to get off my lazy bum and do it.
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Jun 24, 2012 21:21
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Well that explains a lot about my clutch feel. I had suspicions that it was related to my overzealous ASC, but this definitely sounds like the culprit. Why did it take you 2 hours though? It looks like not much more work than replacing the fluid.
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Jun 24, 2012 21:47
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Hadlock posted:Well that explains a lot about my clutch feel. I had suspicions that it was related to my overzealous ASC, but this definitely sounds like the culprit. Why did it take you 2 hours though? It looks like not much more work than replacing the fluid. I'm a noobie. Pretty much all I've done before this is change the oil on my Accord. This was the first time I'd jacked up the Z4 (jack didn't fit under, had to improvise some ramps out of 2x4s), first time I'd bled anything, etc. It's a super easy job, I'm just inexperienced.
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Jun 24, 2012 22:05
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Crustashio posted:Note to self: Don't trust previous owners to not be retarded. When I bought the e34 I was told that the wiper fluid doesn't work, and the passenger door doesn't lock. I figured the worst and ordered a door solenoid + washer fluid pump. This reminds me of my second E30 when the wipers would come on randomly. Turns out the wiring for the washer pump was grounding out on the shock tower and triggering the washer relay. Taped up the ends and was fine.
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Jun 24, 2012 22:36
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Alright, got the dealer sticker off (it came off easier than I thought) and replaced the third tail light bulb. Now onto ordering filters and replacement cupholders! The CDs in my changer are loaded correctly, that isn't the problem. There is a blue connector not connected to anything in the trunk, could that be the issue? Also did E39s have the clutch delay valve? I'm finding it difficult to shift smoothly in first and second and I figured maybe it was because I wasn't used to the car, but I suppose it could also be that if my car is so equipped. Crustashio posted:Are those 16s? They look like style 32s, but that definitely isn't the 5-series offset. They are 16s. I don't know anything else about them. CornHolio fucked around with this message at 23:33 on Jun 24, 2012 |
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Jun 24, 2012 22:58
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Cojawfee posted:Goo gone would work, but I don't know what that does to paint. You can always just use peanut butter. The oil loosens up the glue and then it gets covered in peanut butter to keep it from getting stuck back on. Then you just have to clean off peanut butter.
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Jun 24, 2012 23:42
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CornHolio posted:Also did E39s have the clutch delay valve? I'm finding it difficult to shift smoothly in first and second and I figured maybe it was because I wasn't used to the car, but I suppose it could also be that if my car is so equipped. My E39 is the hardest manual transmission I've ever had to drive, and my daily driver in high school was a 1983 4wd manual clutch F350. The MTX on my Neon, Jetta and MR2 never had any problems like these, nor any of the cars my friends let me drive. From what I've read, yes all the E39s save the M5 had this hydraulic restrictor installed. If you can't resolve the cd changed problem, let me know and i'll take some pics of mine. Very likely someone had a Dice ipod adapter (or similar) wired in, and took it out without putting everything back together properly.
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Jun 25, 2012 01:53
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Can the CDV simply be removed from an e46, or do you need to order and install a modified valve in its place?
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Jun 25, 2012 02:37
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The Third Man posted:Can the CDV simply be removed from an e46, or do you need to order and install a modified valve in its place? You can just remove it and connect the hose directly. See: http://www.bimmerforums.co.uk/forum/f91/e46-clutch-delay-valve-cdv-removal-t29266/
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Jun 25, 2012 02:40
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That would be a day one mod for me. Just like CAGS on Chevys
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Jun 25, 2012 03:06
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I never did check if the CDV was deleted on my e46. I have more issues trying to revmatch with the DBW than I do with the clutch pedal. I'd say a clutch stop is #2 in bang for buck mods on every BMW I've owned. Getting rid of that dead zone makes shifting feel so much better, especially on older BMWs with much longer throws.
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Jun 25, 2012 03:57
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CornHolio posted:E39 replacement cupholders! Just break them before you put them back in. Will save you some trouble. Seriously these have to be the worst designed cup holders in the world. But the E34 has just a tray. Anyways, enjoy your car. Even with my E60 as my DD, I still miss my E39.
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Jun 25, 2012 07:34
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Stardotstar posted:Curious as to how much money you have in it total. Also, are those LM reps from that place in Federal Way that spams craigslist? I'm curious about how those hold up, as I've been considering a set of 18" and I did a precision MS paint-shop on them to see if they'd look good on my wagon, and I think I like it. Im pretty sure I have put 5k+ into it by now. As for the LM reps; I have no idea, I picked them up from a friend of a friend. Just for reference they are 19x8 +17 with 225/35/19s front and 19x9 +25 with 245/35/19 rear took some doing to make them fit. I have a fender roller but they have a tendency to bulge out bmw fenders if you get aggressive, so I got old school. Magazines and a heat gun did the trick.  Finished product    and my whole herd just for fun  Does anyone know what a good asking price for a 97 m3 motor and trans swap would be? I really havent looked other than ebay.
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Jun 25, 2012 08:26
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So yesterday I tried using a clay bar on my paint for the first time. Wow, how did I not learn about their awesomeness sooner? My only question is this: I really had to put some elbow grease on the random yellowish spots that look like pin sized rust, is unever force going to make my paint look weird eventually? There were other spots where I didn't need to apply much force at all.
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Jun 25, 2012 11:36
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BrokenKnucklez posted:Just break them before you put them back in. Will save you some trouble. Seriously these have to be the worst designed cup holders in the world. But the E34 has just a tray. Yeah they seem pretty flimsy. I just need something to put my can of mountain dew in in the morning.  I saw the flip-open dealie that goes in the center console but it's $80. Not worth it to me.Hadlock posted:If you can't resolve the cd changed problem, let me know and i'll take some pics of mine. Very likely someone had a Dice ipod adapter (or similar) wired in, and took it out without putting everything back together properly. That's actually what I intend to do anyway, pretty soon. Still doing research on that.
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Jun 25, 2012 13:09
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Dantu posted:So yesterday I tried using a clay bar on my paint for the first time. Wow, how did I not learn about their awesomeness sooner? My only question is this: I really had to put some elbow grease on the random yellowish spots that look like pin sized rust, is unever force going to make my paint look weird eventually? There were other spots where I didn't need to apply much force at all. It shouldn't do anything besides dragging particles across your paint. All clay barring does is grab tiny particles out of your clear coat/paint and leave it deposited in the clay. I wouldn't apply all that much force just because your pressing down hard with a clay bar that is filled with particles that were just in your paint. I always just spray the lubricant, wipe the bar over it a few times and move on.
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Jun 25, 2012 14:02
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Any fellow E39 540i goons notice this strange temperature gauge behaviour: For the last 5000KM, it sits dead centre after the car warms up, no problems. On my (5 hr) commute to work yesterday I noticed it creep up towards the first line (2 oclock or so) but not reach it, then after a minute or two, head back for centre. It would happen again, it could be 5 minutes later, or it could be 3 hours later. You can be sure I was watching it like a hawk, thankfully it never did overheat. I'm worried the gauge is indicating something is screwed up though. From my research it's more than likely the thermostat (which is $100.) The fan clutch was replaced 30 days ago, I doubt it's that. There are no leaks in the system, no air. Reason I'm posting is, I want to narrow it down as much as possible before I order poo poo I don't need (Although throwing parts at the problem seems to be a common approach on bimmerforums). I'm completely inexperienced at diagnosing cooling system issues but understand the basics of how it works. Anything I can try / test, or look at to determine if the thermostat is truly the culprit?
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Jun 25, 2012 17:56
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power posted:There are no leaks in the system, no air. Just take your thermostat and drop it into water and turn on the heat. Should open up around 180 or so. Obviously monitor the water you are boilings temp.
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Jun 25, 2012 18:08
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power posted:Any fellow E39 540i goons notice this strange temperature gauge behaviour: When was it creeping up? Any certain conditions that caused it? The needle should stay dead center and not move once the car is warmed up so something is not working correctly. If there is no air in the system, thermostat would be my best guess. What are the miles/age of the car? Any prior cooling system maintenance been done? I know you mentioned not just throwing parts at the car, but when it comes to the cooling system on the E39's (especially the v8's) it really is preventative maintenance. My water pump started weeping around 140k, I did my thermostat then as well since it is basically the same job. The car also blew the OEM upper radiator hose, and two OEM style radiators before I went zionsville. I think at this point, I've replaced everything. If you haven't had to yet, you soon will. That is why you hear a lot of people saying to just do it all in one shot. The good news is, once you sort out the cooling system there isn't a lot else to fret on the car.
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Jun 25, 2012 18:09
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Stick posted:When was it creeping up? Any certain conditions that caused it? The needle should stay dead center and not move once the car is warmed up so something is not working correctly. If there is no air in the system, thermostat would be my best guess. It was creeping up on the highway at anywhere from 110-140 KM/hr. Cruising conditions. Giving it some throttle didn't change the behaviour at all or did letting off. Outside temp was about 65-75 degrees. Car has 220000 KMS and is a '99. Water pump has been replaced within last 10000 KMS. Thermostat has never been replaced to my knowledge. Fan Viscous Clutch replaced a month ago. No bulging hoses, expansion tank is in good condition and coolant level is perfect. No signs of any leaking, but Rad and upper/lower hose are almost certainly original. I was well aware of potential cooling system gremlins with this car/engine combo when I bought it. I know the PO looked after it quite well (he's a friend of mine) and had at least started the replacement of things as they went. I am however surprised he didn't replace the thermostat when he did the water pump last fall. He's a hell of a guy though, so he's actually footing the bill for the majority of the issues I've had with it since I bought it a month ago from him, including a new ABS module, and a control arm. About the throwing parts comment - you're right about that. I should just pre-emptively replace everything but the new pump and fan/clutch, especially given how much I depend on this car (I work almost 6 hours from home, and make that trip twice a week). Edit*** The problem hasn't reappeared at all today, I did discover the electric fan is definitely not working (it is supposed to turn on if you turn on the AC). Ordered a new thermostat, ill throw it in on the weekend and try to figure out if the fan issue is the typical resistor failure or not. power fucked around with this message at 22:38 on Jun 25, 2012 |
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Jun 25, 2012 18:27
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Oh man, since I work for the company that makes Rola roof racks, I can get a locking roof rack for $126. Retail price is $400. I may have to spring for one of those once I get my maintenance stuff worked through.
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Jun 25, 2012 18:32
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A few months back my 1993 525i Touring decided to start making a lovely thumping sound while under acceleration. It took me a week and a half to get a replacement from Febi and for that time I babied the car to and from work. The thumping did get progressively worse until it eventually started making the noise even under the mildest acceleration from stop. A friend and I swapped out the bearing (the housing had completely failed and the rubber boot was all but a distant memory) with the Febi replacement and all was well for about a week and then I started to hear a humming sound from the back end that would increase and decrease in pitch as the car accelerated and decelerated. Shortly thereafter the thumping sound returned and I had to pull my wagon off of road duty. I'm finally getting some time to get the car on the lift, and I want to know what you guys recommend looking into replacing / inspecting before I give up and pay large sums of money to a local European auto specialist. We had inspected my giubo while the drive shaft was out and it only had minor symptoms of being worn (I believe the previous owner replaced it when they performed the manual conversion) so that doesn't seem like a good source for the thumping noise. My limited experience is telling me my differential is about to fail but after speaking with some people who are more familiar with BMWs at the local E30 Picnic, I was told that we my drive line may be out of balance due to a whole host of reasons that are at my limit of understanding. Before I get the car on the lift again, what parts should I preemptively order, and while we have the back end torn apart what should I look for? Is having the drive line rebalanced a good option? Notes about the car M50B20 W/ VANOS ZF 5spd Manual 3.23 LSD 174,xxx miles when parked H&R Suspension Planned Work for the Next Month Replace old bushings in subframe and differential Complete SLS delete by replacing the power steering pump Reinstall Air Conditioning 
wheres my beer fucked around with this message at 21:25 on Jun 25, 2012 |
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Jun 25, 2012 21:23
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Might as well do the trailing arm bushings and those little pitman arm/torque rod whatever things while you're back there.
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Jun 25, 2012 22:41
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Oh goddammit. I just noticed my full-size spare is a 17" wheel. The wheels on the car are 16". 
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Jun 25, 2012 23:02
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Rolling diameter might be close enough that it wouldn't matter
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Jun 25, 2012 23:05
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BraveUlysses posted:Rolling diameter might be close enough that it wouldn't matter hmm. These are the wheels on the car right now, which by my crude estimating (nothing more than a tape measure) are about 25.5" rolling diameter on a 16" wheel. (225/55R16)  This is my spare, which measures 24.5" on a 17" wheel. (235/45ZR17)  Should I be concerned? CornHolio fucked around with this message at 23:25 on Jun 25, 2012 |
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Jun 25, 2012 23:21
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Well I don't think the ones on the car are OEM BMW. They have no stampings like the one in your trunk. Not sure why someone would replace their wheels with once inch smaller replicas. I'm betting it was traded in with really bad rash or deformed wheels and the dealer went for the cheapest way to make it look stock.
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Jun 25, 2012 23:31
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Terrible knockoffs.
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Jun 25, 2012 23:32
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BlackMK4 posted:Terrible knockoffs. Was trying to break it a bit more softly.
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Jun 25, 2012 23:34
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eh, that's fine by me, I just want to know if I should replace my spare with a terrible knockoff as well.
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Jun 26, 2012 00:06
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CornHolio posted:eh, that's fine by me, I just want to know if I should replace my spare with a terrible knockoff as well. You may only find them for sale in a set of 4... so you actually might be better off scouring CL for a set of OEM BMW Style 32s. Probably come out cheaper.
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Jun 26, 2012 00:31
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Especially since those are the 16s, OEM ones with tires should be stupid cheap.
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Jun 26, 2012 00:40
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Best thing about people who spends ridiculous amounts of money on rimzzz is the huge assortment of OEM take-offs on craigslist, forums, ebay, etc. BMW has made a ton of really nice OEM wheels throughout the years, and they can typically be had for a fraction of the cost of new wheels, usually with decent tires on them.
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Jun 26, 2012 01:29
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