What did you do for your ZHP/ BMW / MINI today? #2

[kakashi169]

Replaced disa valve
Replaced the old upper intake boot with new OEM upper intake boot
Upgraded to Mely's control arms
Installed new inner tire rod
Changed the oil gasket
Oil change
Welded the OEM BMW Performance Exhaust

[BCS_ZHP]

No problem, anytime Adolfo. If I hadn't been yakking so much we probably could have done it in under an hour. The bier is chilling right now, hope to enjoy one a little later.

So after you left, drilled out the stripped out bolt on Preston's AFE CAI cover, broke off a bit in there which stymied progress momentarily, then cut a slot in the bolt head, pounded a regular screwdriver in there tightly and was able to get it out. Followed that up with fixing the rear bumper on my wife's car, someone hit her car today and popped the corner of the bumper out of its retaining clip. Then messed with her positive battery connection under the hood to make that more aesthetically pleasing. Preston arrived home from college and was hell bent about replacing the lower grille on the front, Jon Estrella had given him an extra lower grille and he painted it last time he was home. Learned the hard way that the lower grille for a coupe is different than the sedan one that Jon had given him. A quickie paint job on his original faded lower grille for the coupe and then reinstalled everything. Also, on a coupe the front bumper does have to come out to replace this lower grille, tried David's "push hard" method and got the lower grille free but there was no way to snake it out of there. And the one thing I wanted to get done today, install new ceramic pads on the X5, well the pads are sitting next to me on the counter, there's always tomorrow.

And the main garage door opener decided to crap itself today. I messed with it for almost an hour, baffled and tired so will look at it again tomorrow.

Biggest news today, initiated the process to get us some more ZHPMafia.com stickers. I found one sticker a couple of weeks ago, asked Marcus & Dane if I could reproduce it for the upcoming May reunion. So the plan is to get one of each color (brushed aluminum, black, white, red) for a QA check by Family leadership. Once approved, I'm ordering 100 of each color, so 50 pair of each. It's $50 per 100, so they will be available for $1.00 a pair at the meet. Reunion attendees get first preference, if any stickers remain after the meet then I'll put them up here on the site for others to procure.

[Stu]

Replaced disa valve
Replaced the old upper intake boot with new OEM upper intake boot
Upgraded to Mely's control arms
Installed new inner tire rod
Changed the oil gasket
Oil change
Welded the OEM BMW Performance Exhaust

Wow you had quite the day!!

[kakashi169]

Wow you had quite the day!!

Ya, the car runs so well now especially with the new exhaust.

[LivesNearCostco]

Yes, bravo on getting all that done!

Ya, the car runs so well now especially with the new exhaust.

Reported earlier on guibo and CSB. Forgot to mention the other work.

• Last week, bled the brakes and lubricated Bimmerworld guide pins, which were almost seized with dried up (or missing) grease. Waited too long on that maintenance.
• Put one push pin and 3 screws into rear bumper cover to hold it snug to rear bumper. Been rattling around on left side since before I bought the car, but it moves no more. Had to remove water deflector and parts of rear wheelwell liners to see how it attaches. In the process I finally found the charcoal canister, which was bigger than I expected.
• Glued right mirror cover. Saw ding 2 weeks ago, tried to pop it off and broke the interior clips. Removed glass and glued it down with 3 dabs of hot melt glue. (Now, who dinged my mirror cover?)
• Drilled and filled rim crack with 5-minute epoxy. Costco dismounted tire for free but wouldn't remount because tire starting to cord on inside edge. Today paid another tire shop to mount it backwards so I can wear the other edge.

Now just need 2 new front tires. Considering Bridgestone RE-760 (for the 3rd time), RE-11, Pilot SuperSport, and even Michelin PS all-seasons. Was reading the summer tire thread.

[JupiterBMW]

No problem, anytime Adolfo. If I hadn't been yakking so much we probably could have done it in under an hour. The bier is chilling right now, hope to enjoy one a little later.

So after you left, drilled out the stripped out bolt on Preston's AFE CAI cover, broke off a bit in there which stymied progress momentarily, then cut a slot in the bolt head, pounded a regular screwdriver in there tightly and was able to get it out. Followed that up with fixing the rear bumper on my wife's car, someone hit her car today and popped the corner of the bumper out of its retaining clip. Then messed with her positive battery connection under the hood to make that more aesthetically pleasing. Preston arrived home from college and was hell bent about replacing the lower grille on the front, Jon Estrella had given him an extra lower grille and he painted it last time he was home. Learned the hard way that the lower grille for a coupe is different than the sedan one that Jon had given him. A quickie paint job on his original faded lower grille for the coupe and then reinstalled everything. Also, on a coupe the front bumper does have to come out to replace this lower grille, tried David's "push hard" method and got the lower grille free but there was no way to snake it out of there. And the one thing I wanted to get done today, install new ceramic pads on the X5, well the pads are sitting next to me on the counter, there's always tomorrow.

And the main garage door opener decided to crap itself today. I messed with it for almost an hour, baffled and tired so will look at it again tomorrow.

Biggest news today, initiated the process to get us some more ZHPMafia.com stickers. I found one sticker a couple of weeks ago, asked Marcus & Dane if I could reproduce it for the upcoming May reunion. So the plan is to get one of each color (brushed aluminum, black, white, red) for a QA check by Family leadership. Once approved, I'm ordering 100 of each color, so 50 pair of each. It's $50 per 100, so they will be available for $1.00 a pair at the meet. Reunion attendees get first preference, if any stickers remain after the meet then I'll put them up here on the site for others to procure.

You sir, are awesome on all accounts...

[330i ZHP]

I have had some good (internet) friends in Belguim and Germany procure some EU only parts/wire harnesses for the X5

I am modifying the OEM BMW x5 trailer hitch so that the receiver points straight down instead of out the back (horizontal with the ground) so that I do not have to cut a 12" x 8" hole in the diffuser/bumper (one piece) and I will be more inclined to go ahead and get a CF diffuser.

this is what BMW wants me to do to the bumper




This is my progress (I got the idea from my BMW/Westfalia E46 M3 hitch system that hides completely behind the bumper and mounts to the "frame" rails instead of the thin body panel that is the spare tire well)

[330i ZHP]

here is an examply for an SRT8



then insert this into the receiver to bring the receiver out in the proper horizontal position





the end goal is the the hitch system to still be able to handle the class III specs - and haul car trailer with wagon

[niart906]

Finished detailing the M3 last night. I'll have to take some completed pics today when I wash it to get all the compounding dust out of the edges. Plus, it got nice and dusty on the drive home from my buddy's...

Our Procedure:
-Foam Gun Wash
-Iron-X Wheels
-Clay Bar
-Meg. 105
-Meg. 205
-Wolfgangs Ultimate Sealant 3.0
-Carnuba Wax





















I should have some better pics in the sunlight today. I was pretty beat by the time we finished. We started at 4, and finished after 2am!!

[Ryans323i]

Ryan,
The 330/325 exhaust is different than the 323/328 exhaust. The angle where the exhaust mounts to the outlet end of the exhaust manifold manifold is different between the '99/00 cars and '01/06. You could make it work but would need to cut off the front end of your exhaust connection and have it welded to the front end of Rob's. Most likely would have to cut the front few inches of Rob's exhaust off, mount it to you car, then have someone determine how much of your exhaust needs to be cut off & welded on to make it all fit correctly.

Sounds like some trouble to do this but the result will be worth it. On the 323, the stock exhaust is too restrictive with the stock single piping, the dual pipingZHP exhaust will free it up and move your back pressure convergence point backwards. Moving that convergence point backwards moves the first heat concentration point backwards. And moving the heat away from the engine helps createmore power, you should notice a difference. Good luck with it.

Thanks for all the info, Bruce. Seems like work, and I'm nervous about cutting my end of the exhaust, but it would set me up for aftermarket 330 exhausts in the future. Def going to have to talk with Kyle about this.

I thought there was something like that... Thanks for the detailed info... Ry, you still have 1st dibs if you still want it

Thanks Rob. I'm keeping dibs until I make a decision.

Bruce beat me to the response.

the best way to make it work is to leave the 323 exhaust attached to the downpipes/manifold/cats...then cut the first section pipes before any additional cats or resonators...then cut the zhp exhaust in the same location - install loosely the zhp complete system and then make enough spot welds to hold everything together - then drop the newly attached exhaust system and properly weld all the way around both pipes to close the seams...I have been able to weld the seams completely with the system still on the car...but some folks are leary of this process

Love all the info. Thanks. My father in-law can weld, so this may be a go.

Looks great. Are you going to let me feel your knob too?