Sigh! My wife often complains about all the car parts taking up our limited storage space. However, I have set the ground rules - car parts take priority over everything else! :)
I wish I could keep all my parts but I am already taking up my share. I used to be a carpenter and work as an independent contractor / handy man so I have a lot of word working tools and power tools. Since I know have a new career, and a new hobby / part time job maintaining the BMW, i have started to pick up a whole new tool set. My mechanic's tools has at least tripled since I bought the BMW in late Feb.
I'll have to post a picture of just the tools I have bought. That is one part of the accident story I havent talked much about. I've picked up around $500 dollars of new tools and equipment :biggrin
I think something is still up the ZHP. I drove today for about an hour and then parked for about an hour. I then got in the car, started it, and let it idle while I loaded some things in the trunk. Got in the driver's seat and sent a text and was starting up the nav on the phone when the idle dropped and the battery light came on for a second.
Light went off and I revved the car up to 1,500rpms while setting up the nav. My idle hasn't been the smoothest and the DISA valve is not helping. It was unplugged up until the battery incident. replugged it for a few days, and unplugged it for the 2.5 hour drive to Santa Barbara today.
Going to do a little tear down tomorrow to ensure the alternator connections are snug and that there is no vacuum leak on the intake side of things. Going to smoke test the car to see if anything occurs.
I forgot to pack my new parts from this week so no maintenance this weekend.
Not many updates at the moment, for my car anyways. GFs car will be getting a new air filter & an oil change this upcoming weekend. I bought her a Green Filter. never heard of this company before but this filter is all the rave on the ST forums.
http://www.greenfilterusa.com/store/7158
I have been getting a surprising amount of people coming to me for help with their cars, and of course I do not mind helping where and how I can. My coworker's 2000 328ci 's expansion tank blew up while he was parking today, so I will be replacing it for him in the parking lot at work. He has an AT, so hopefully I can get the mechanical fan off.
I've recently had a few peeps from e46f come to me for advice on dealing with insurance companies after accidents. BMWCurves sent one of them my way. If you guys know anyone who has been in a front end accident with their e46, I can def help out with how much you could be looking at to fix the car. I am by no means an insurance guru, but I can help you navigate the ridiculousness that is called insurance.
plans for this week. Fuel filter and a tear down / smoke test of the intake manifold in hopes of eliminating my lean codes. Hood goes on Friday and if I can't find a decent used one, Im getting one form the dealer. I do have access to a massive Sand Blast Room, so color does not matter, but I am having trouble finding one that is not bent or damaged or dented.
Other news, I started a garden! Put up some post with fencing and built a door. Started to build supports for a netting canopy. No critters are getting at my veggies. Another weekend hobby.
Fetching lumber in the ST. Pop the sunroof and bam, 8ft. 2x4s fit no problem.
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Post and chicken wire up. There are a lot of squirrels and gophers in the near by field. The chicken wire goes 18" underground as well.
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Started constructing a support system for overhead netting. Should keep birds and squirrels out. I've since added cross members across the top of the posts for added support.
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Good stuff all around! I'm surprised you haven't been able to find a hood locally on Craigslist or something. Usually there's a junkyard or something nearby. And yeah, the guy who contacted you seems to have had a rough going with his Imola ZHP and contacted me on reddit, you were the first person that came to mind who's dealt with insurance recently.
Gardens are awesome. Nothing like fresh produce you grew yourself
Yeah i'm surprised too. There were a ton of hoods when I was selling like 2-3 of them. Although mines did sell within a few hours of posting them on CL so I guess I would keep a lookout on them everyday. But if the dents aren't that bad, I would just have your body shop fix them as they are painting it. You should be able to just send them a picture of the damage before you buy the hood to get a quote
Shame about the accident but great job on putting it back together!
If you need any help let me know. I have PA Soft and INPA on my laptop.
I've been finding a bunch on craiglist, but they are in terrible condition for the most part. The good hoods sell right away. Every time a parts car comes up on the market, it normally has pictures of the car with no hood :(
For instance https://inlandempire.craigslist.org/pts/5804520634.html
pretty sure that hood was in a fire or something and they want over $300!
I have a few inquiries out at the moment. hoping to make something happen this week. I just order new PPE (personal protective equipment) for our Abrasive blasting operations and really want to try it out. Positive pressure abrasive blast helmets from 3M, really nice units. One f the guys said he would show me how to operate the equipment, so I could sand blast a hood anytime after 7PM once I am the only manager on-site.
Dude, nothing beats fresh veggies, except fresh steak, but I can't grow a cow. I realized that my one of my highest monthly expenses was fresh veggies from a farm that is about 2 miles from my house and on the way home. I would drop anywhere from 50 to 75 dollars to get food for the weekend that would then be left overs for the work week. Figured the garden plot was free and there is a shed full of free tools to use, so why not.
So far about ~$200 into the garden. Building materials, compost and other soil amending products, and seeds. Little investment up front as there will be some more funds spent, but should pay off in the long run. Anything to help the car budget grow. I feel the mod bug setting in and I still have some maintenance to finish first