William's 330Ci ZHP Maintenance and Project Thread

[johnrando]

Looking forward to pics.

[BMWCurves]

So after my fiasco with the passenger seat and its side bolster adjustment not working (you can read about it here), I went ahead and ordered the following from FCPEuro:

• MANN oil filter (includes large housing o-ring and washer) - 11427512300
• Smaller o-rings for oil housing (2x) - 11427549573
• Trim pin (2x) - 51458266808
• Passenger seat side bolster adjustment switch - 52102695396

Hopefully they'll arrive soon so I can plug in the new switch and sort out what exactly is going on with the release function in the passenger side bolsters. I needed the parts for an oil change since the car will be due in a couple of months. The trim pins are for the two broken ones on the Brushed Aluminum Shadow trim. I don't think I'll try and epoxy them, but I'll sell the pins with them for the next owner.

My next step is to locate a good upholstery person/company that can detail the rear seats from the M3 interior I purchased, and figure out how much it will cost me.

[fredo]

I see, that's why yesterday you had the pin number handy.

[BMWCurves]

Yup, I need to get the trim prepped for sale!

[BMWCurves]

For a while now, my driver's side tail light has dim LED in the middle of the blinker cluster so I wanted to fix it. When I first discovered the problem I remember searching if I could repair it myself. I found a DIY on E46Fanatics.com (link: http://www.e46fanatics.com/forum/sho...d.php?t=880623), but at the time I was preoccupied with other things so I let it sit on the back burner for a while. Recently a member here posted a ZHP coupe being parted out on Craigslist and I jumped at the opportunity to just replace my whole tail light. The seller wanted to keep the two tail lights together so we settled on a price and they were mine.

Today I received in the mail my set of used LED tail lights! The car was a 330Ci ZHP w/ Sparkling Graphite Metallic on Alcantara with a production date of 10/25/2004 (VIN: WBAD53455PL15929). The part numbers for the tail lights are 63216920699 (left) and 63216920700 (right).

The tail lights look to be in great condition, I'm very pleased. I went ahead and installed it, steps, description, and photos below.

How my tail light looked before. Note the dimmer LED in the middle row, third from the left:


I unpackaged the driver's side tail light and it looks great


1. Open up the trunk and locate the tail light cover. Remove the cover by pinching in the release tab.


2. Locate the three brass-colored 10mm nuts that need to be removed from each "corner" of the tail light. You have to pull back some of the carpeting to get at the last one in the lower "corner."


You can see the aforementioned 10mm nuts on the new unit


3. Once the 10mm nuts are removed, be sure to remove the wiring harness by pushing on the release tabs on either end of the harness and pulling outward.


4. Remove the headlight by gently rocking it back and forth as you pull rearward. Inspect the housing area. Look at how filthy it is. I gave it a quick wipe down before I installed the replacement tail light.



5. Compare the two units. Both seem to be in good shape. Wait...what's that there in the replacement tail light?


Motherfucker it's a tiny dead spider.


I decided I would try and remove the spider, so I flipped the tail light over and removed the four (4) T10 screws. However it didn't seem like it wanted to separate from the tail light so I consulted the DIY LED repair guide linked above. Turns out you have to dremel the housing apart. I wasn't in the mood to try and attempt that, so I said screw it, I'll just ignore it.

I also noticed that my tail light lacked a foam gasket that the replacement tail light had. Turns out it was stuck/glued to the body of the car. I carefully peeled it away from the body of the car and placed it on my old housing. The gasket below (part no. 63218383898).


6. Install the replacement tail light with the gasket, carefully fitting each bolt stud into the body correctly. Screw down each 10mm nut so it is "tight." I was wary of doing it too tightly since the tail light is plastic, but I did it until my socket wrench met a little resistance and was tighter than finger tight. Put the trunk carpet back into place and reinstall the tail light cover.


7. Take pride in your handiwork.

[BMWCurves]

And now that I'm all excited I noticed that despite the tail light sitting flush on the exterior, the rubber seal on the inside by the trunk doesn't sit flush. How big of an issue do you think it is? Here's a photo, although it's hard to see in the picture:

[fw_fw]

And now that I'm all excited I noticed that despite the tail light sitting flush on the exterior, the rubber seal on the inside by the trunk doesn't sit flush. How big of an issue do you think it is? Here's a photo, although it's hard to see in the picture:

I'd want it flush as you can make it, otherwise all that water that comes down that way will find a way into those replacement taillights.....

[Sockethead]

When mine leaked, it didn't go into the taillight... it filled the spare tire well full of water

[330i Lover]

For a while now, my driver's side tail light has dim LED in the middle of the blinker cluster so I wanted to fix it. When I first discovered the problem I remember searching if I could repair it myself. I found a DIY on E46Fanatics.com (link: http://www.e46fanatics.com/forum/sho...d.php?t=880623), but at the time I was preoccupied with other things so I let it sit on the back burner for a while. Recently a member here posted a ZHP coupe being parted out on Craigslist and I jumped at the opportunity to just replace my whole tail light. The seller wanted to keep the two tail lights together so we settled on a price and they were mine.

Today I received in the mail my set of used LED tail lights! The car was a 330Ci ZHP w/ Sparkling Graphite Metallic on Alcantara with a production date of 10/25/2004 (VIN: WBAD53455PL15929). The part numbers for the tail lights are 63216920699 (left) and 63216920700 (right).

The tail lights look to be in great condition, I'm very pleased. I went ahead and installed it, steps, description, and photos below.

How my tail light looked before. Note the dimmer LED in the middle row, third from the left:


I unpackaged the driver's side tail light and it looks great


1. Open up the trunk and locate the tail light cover. Remove the cover by pinching in the release tab.


2. Locate the three brass-colored 10mm nuts that need to be removed from each "corner" of the tail light. You have to pull back some of the carpeting to get at the last one in the lower "corner."


You can see the aforementioned 10mm nuts on the new unit


3. Once the 10mm nuts are removed, be sure to remove the wiring harness by pushing on the release tabs on either end of the harness and pulling outward.


4. Remove the headlight by gently rocking it back and forth as you pull rearward. Inspect the housing area. Look at how filthy it is. I gave it a quick wipe down before I installed the replacement tail light.



5. Compare the two units. Both seem to be in good shape. Wait...what's that there in the replacement tail light?


Motherfucker it's a tiny dead spider.


I decided I would try and remove the spider, so I flipped the tail light over and removed the four (4) T10 screws. However it didn't seem like it wanted to separate from the tail light so I consulted the DIY LED repair guide linked above. Turns out you have to dremel the housing apart. I wasn't in the mood to try and attempt that, so I said screw it, I'll just ignore it.

I also noticed that my tail light lacked a foam gasket that the replacement tail light had. Turns out it was stuck/glued to the body of the car. I carefully peeled it away from the body of the car and placed it on my old housing. The gasket below (part no. 63218383898).


6. Install the replacement tail light with the gasket, carefully fitting each bolt stud into the body correctly. Screw down each 10mm nut so it is "tight." I was wary of doing it too tightly since the tail light is plastic, but I did it until my socket wrench met a little resistance and was tighter than finger tight. Put the trunk carpet back into place and reinstall the tail light cover.


7. Take pride in your handiwork.

Nice write up. That spider has seen better days!

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk

[danewilson77]

Good work.

Sent from an S6 Edge