That's assuming Takata had the foresight for this whole debacle to label anything properly.Quote:
Originally Posted by 704sw
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That's assuming Takata had the foresight for this whole debacle to label anything properly.Quote:
Originally Posted by 704sw
Quote:
Originally Posted by ZHPizza
Always wondered if there was a second recall. Since they started replacing airbags back when they didn't know what the problem was, I just assumed they were putting in brand new versions of the same part, which I imagine to be a colossal waste of time.
I'll have to check my new bag to make sure it's still not affected...
I have to say, in addition to the red seats the wheels and rear taillights are pretty kick-ass.
Dude the seats are still too much for me, but I checked out the connector on them and saw pins for heating, so if whoever recovered them took the time to reinstall the heating elements, then the red is here to stay. It's just too nice to get rid of.Quote:
Originally Posted by holyc0w
I agree that the wheels are a perfect fit and, while I have NEVER liked smoked signal lenses on ANY car, I'm digging them on this one. Just trying to find some bright ass LEDs to make up for the reduced light output.
I haven't gotten any work done on it since I'm chasing a transmission leak. Will hopefully have a solution for that soon and can start ordering other parts.
Throwing an update on here more for my project tracking than showing off some neat shit I did (because I haven't done any neat shit). This thing drives freaking awesome, but has a few issues that need to be addressed:
- The transmission is leaking. That sounds worse than it is...it's a very small leak. The previous owner had a shop replace the torque converter seal THREE TIMES and they thought for sure that they had gotten it right the third time...apparently they didn't. I spoke with them and they asked me to take it to someone local that really knew these transmissions and have my people call their people and figure this thing out. I spoke to a guy today that has expert level knowledge of these finicky ZF slushboxes and I'll be dropping the car off with him on Friday. Cautiously optimistic.
-- The remote locks are acting up. Working when they want to and generally making me look like an idiot, of course. I just did some research on the GM5 module and that sounds like the culprit. I'm more of a hammer and wrench guy than soldering iron and precision, so I'm thinking about sending it in to Scott at www.bmwgm5.com to replace the relays. I could conveniently do this while the car is at the transmission shop. But could this be related to...
-- It probably needs a new battery. Looks like it still has the original and it needs to be jumped if I sit in it with the radio on for a few minutes. The fiancee might kill me for getting her into a BMW money pit BUT I SWEAR IT'S A GOOD CAR.
-- It probably needs new shocks. I need to get my red car back on the road to compare the two, but it feels like it's crashing hard on bumps. I already bought one set of FSD's this year though...muh walletz...
-- The sunroof shade is off track. Like any good e46.
-- The headlights suck. Like...bad. I don't know how I used to drive my last ZHP without HIDs. I need to dig into a retrofit solution. Suggestions?
-- The seats are still bright red and unheated. Sigh.
Other than that, it's [so far] a great car. It's smooth as can be at 100mph without a hint of vibration and the steptronic is responsive enough to let me tear through traffic in a hurry. I really like this thing.
Sounds like a basket case and not worth the effort
Sell it to me
+1Quote:
Originally Posted by BMWCurves
You bought a lemon (just like Spenser with his crappy Estoril coupe). Sell this PoC right away and move on :)
didn't see this. and was wondering about updates...Quote:
Originally Posted by ZHPizza
- remote locks: yep, sounds like GM5. did you send it off yet? i've got a bum one here that i need to send off for repair.
- battery: original? dang, BMW should give you a new one for free and display the original in their museum for Longest Lived Stock Battery Ever. seriously though, replace that thing. :)
- shocks: try those bilstein B4s! i might order a set of the black Touring.
- sunroof shade: never had this issue. but i have had the sunroof glass and shade out a few times during headliner swaps, so i know it's a piece of cake to fix.
- headlights: i've got that TRS kit sitting here that i was gonna use in the tank. what bulb type are your low beams?
- seats: yeah. i'll get you the harness stuff soon. :)
any more updates? just drivin' and enjoyin'? :cheers
Oh man this thing...Quote:
Originally Posted by slater
- Locks: I've been emailing with Scott that runs the GM5 website. We're not sure yet if it's a GM5 issue or a K-bus or something else. He's good about not letting you send the module to him unless he's sure that it will solve your problems. For now, I have to get out of the car, unlock the doors, and then I can lock them. Clown nose and lock/unlock flashes have completely given up.
- Battery: I found a date code on the negative terminal that showed it was from 2009, so not original, but not exactly new either. I swapped it for the battery in the red car and have it on the charger at home right now. It's not serviceable (sealed) and I don't think it's going to hold a charge, but it's worth a shot.
- Shocks: I'm seeing conflicting info on the B4s...some say they're actually 10% stiffer than stock...some have had their ride height go up 10+mm after install.....you buy them first.
I'll have to get back to you on the other stuff. Right now, I'm working on getting it into the transmission shop while chasing these electrical gremlins and a rattle in the rear hatch.
Oh and I worked on the red car for like 3 hours the other day. If I can squeeze in 3 more hours next month, then I should have it back on the road by 2023!
weird. swap GM5 from coupe to test?Quote:
Originally Posted by ZHPizza
i hear you on the red car.....................
Replace that battery. I had an original factory battery that I replaced last year (11+ years old). It worked fine, held a charge, etc., but it was causing weird issues with my speaker system. I swapped it for a new Duralast battery and my speaker problems went away.
BMW's electricals are quite finicky when it comes to proper power. Start there.
The more I read about it, the more I don't think it's a GM5 issue. I think that you have to re-code a swapped GM5 too. I dunno...don't want to tear up anything that I don't have to.Quote:
Originally Posted by slater
I swapped in the battery from my red car and the lock/unlock lights still aren't working (tried re-coding them too). I ran the codes and am currently showing two active errors with the ZKE:Quote:
Originally Posted by BMWCurves
07[007] Anti-theft alarm system: Siren, Radio interior protection, Tilt alarm sensor or Wire STDWA Short circuit
90[144] Battery Voltage: Open circuit
I'm hot on the trail of this electrical gremlin, but it'll have to wait. Just got a call to drop the car off at the transmission shop tonight so that my dude can pull the tranny and tear it down.
1like = 1prayer4wagon
Updating my list as I've gotten some work done on the whip.
- The transmission is still leaking. Ugh. I left the car with a local guy that is very, very experienced with these transmissions. He pulled it out, redid the pump seal, the pump bushing, some of the front clutches, and several other tidbits. He was very confident that everything was done right and this transmission was good to go...$1200 later...I got the owner of the shop in Texas on the phone (who had already done the seal three times for the previous owner) and he paid for the work right then and there, no questions asked. Great dude. http://bertiniseuropean.com for anyone looking for a shop in the Houston area.
...So all is well and good? Nah. Pulled the wagon into the garage last night and saw a small puddle of tranny fluid...here we go...
-- The remote locks are still acting up. It's not the GM5...I don't think it's the K-bus...I really don't know what it is. Sometimes the locks work great and the lights flash with them and all is well...sometimes they need some coercion and the lights don't flash...I'll just have to keep digging...
-- It got a new[ish] battery. I threw the battery from my red car in it and it's been working great ever since. Pulled out the 8-year-old BMW battery, put it on a charger for a few days, threw it in the red car and it read 10.8V...is dead. So, ordered this bad boy for $150 shipped. Hoping it actually gets here. For the time being, I pulled the battery out of the Jetta and used it in the red car...12 volts is 12 volts baby! Struggles to start the 3.0L six, but runs like a champ!
-- It probably needs new shocks. I don't care. It rides good enough and I've got other stuff to worry about.
-- The sunroof shade is still off track. I was hoping it would get better with rest.
-- The headlights suck. Needs HIDs. Suggestions? *don't drive at night outside of the city* Ok, that works!
-- The seats are still bright red and HEATED. I hulked the passenger seat over to my red car yesterday, hooked up the connector, and let it idle with the seat heaters on. It probably took 30 minutes of jumping between cars to figure out if the heat was working (tough to tell in 85 degrees ambient), but I'm 95% certain I felt some genuine butt toasting. Now to get the seat heater wiring from Peterman (or a scrap yard). Totes back-burnering this project until it cools off though.
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...be6ee906a5.jpg
Ah HA! So they do have heating elements installed...
So you're keeping the red seats, right??
:beggingQuote:
Originally Posted by az3579
I...I think I have to...Quote:
Originally Posted by az3579
I have a brother that works in high-end interior restorations and he went through and checked them out one night. He thinks that it's actually Corvette red. They're really, really well done with fresh leather on the seating areas and vinyl on the sides -- the only way he could tell the difference was in flexing the materials and watching how the grain reacts. That's how nice these things are. And comfortable...it's like...like being held by a cloud. And now that I know they're heated...
But they're just hideously red...I mean...I freaking hate the color. The black/red door panels are the worst. Looks like it belongs inside a vegas limo or some shit.
Good problem to have, that's for sure.
It's always entertaining reading your updates. :biggrin
Ah I forgot that I finally chased down the one thing that was driving me crazy about this car too!
There was an awful rattle coming from the rear whenever I went over a bump. Like...something is loose and clanging around and I'm going to lose my mind kind of rattle. This has to stop.
1. I dug everything out of the spare area, tightened down the jack, tools, etc. Still getting the rattle. :scratchinghead
2. I had the fiancee drive it one [stormy] night while I crawled around the cargo area searching for the rattle...it's coming from the lift gate...I'm pressing on the plastic pieces and it's just rattling away laughing at my puny mortal attempts to stop it...if I can just *we hydroplane a bit in a deep puddle* :eek I'll return to my seat now.
3. Ok so I know it's something with the gate...maybe it's this big carpeted panel, it's kind of loose...I'll pull it off and see *breaks two tabs on the panel* :facepalm
4. It wasn't the panel, but driving around with it removed really upped the volume on the rattle. The rattle is somewhere inside of the lift gate...THE FILES ARE IN THE COMPUTER!!! :blink
5. I start tearing into the lift gate and find a new suspect: The backup camera and Depo tail light wiring that the previous owner installed. It's loose and could be slapping around on the sheet metal. Unlikely to be the source, but it's a mess and while I'm in here I can try out my new wire loom tape!
Before:
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...ef563b58fb.jpg
After (I really like this tape):
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...2df863601e.jpg
6. Feeling good, I slam the gate closed and HEAR THE EFFING RATTLE. I poke around a bit, prying and pulling, and find that the license plate holder cantilevers out at the bottom and kind of slaps the sheet metal with the plastic edge. I remove it, see that the foam pads that are supposed to contact the car are matted down after 17 years, add some foam furniture pads to build it up, cover it with my awesome felt wire loom tape, and reinstall. The plate holder sits tight against the car, no more wobbles. :thumbsup
7. I give the plate holder a hard test shake and HEAR THE EFFING RATTLE AGAIN. Grab the lift gate handle and violently slam it back and forth, recreating the clunking noise. Son..of..beech. It was under my nose the whole time. Pop open the lift gate, grab a torx bit, and after a few iterations I move the striker a few mm out so that it latches the gate tight nice and tight when I close it. :fistpump
So all that to say, if any of the other two dudes on this site with tourings hear a rattle from the rear, check your lift gate latch first.
I earned these. :drunk
You chased that rattle with some mad dedication! Mad props and glad that you figured it out!!
That which we obtain too easily, we esteem too lightly.
dude... that SUCKS about the trans. new seals and still leaking... makes me think something is bent. but it shifts smoothly?Quote:
Originally Posted by ZHPizza
headlights - i got ya covered. that TRS kit i have here that i'm not using is H4/H7 compatible - you just need a harness adapter for the H7 bulbs (i bought one for H4 bulbs). i think it's $25.
seats... great that they're heated. and great that they're comfy. maybe you just need some black door panels and call it a day? i'll get you that harness by september.
oh man... i laughed so hard at this. forgot all about that one. :)Quote:
Originally Posted by ZHPizza
nice, that is a great find! no clunks yet there for my two longroofs, but i will file that one away! :cheersQuote:
Originally Posted by ZHPizza
If you're going to swap anything, do it right and every everything. It will not look right with all-black door panels.Quote:
Originally Posted by slater
u flirtin bro?Quote:
Originally Posted by Sreten
jk thx dude
It was just a lucky trail of clues, really. "Ooh! Piece of candy!" but more like "Ooh! Loose rattley bit!"Quote:
Originally Posted by anandoc
Should I write this one the breaker bar the next time you need to use it on a fastener underneath your blue car?Quote:
Originally Posted by 704sw
Trans shifts great. Smooth as butter in D and responsive in manual mode.Quote:
Originally Posted by slater
I hate to swap them out since the door panels are in great shape, but I'm leaning that way too. It's just too much red.
The TRS kit sounds dope. I started looking into OE HIDs w/ autoleveling, but it looks way too complicated just to get the leveling feature. Would be nice when the thing is loaded down though.
I'll be up there again by November for beers and parts!
Finally hittem em wit da great successQuote:
Originally Posted by BMWCurves
nah... it'd look way better.Quote:
Originally Posted by az3579
so where exactly is the fluid leaking from?Quote:
Originally Posted by ZHPizza
is the car prepped for autoleveling? do you have the plugs at the FR and RR suspension for the sensors?
sounds good on the beers! :cheers
Now I want to etch that on my largest breaker bar...Quote:
Originally Posted by ZHPizza
Those who would give up red door panels, to retain red seats, deserve neither red door panels nor red seats.Quote:
Originally Posted by ZHPizza
just kidding :D
You really gotta see 'em in person to understand his comments. They're very, um, let's just say "vibrant." Much more so than pictures can do justice.Quote:
Originally Posted by holyc0w
Updating this thread per request from @t.er
The wife has been working from home for a year, so this car has barely been driven. I was going to go through it to check for any questionable bits before our one road trip of 2020, but then my new company delivered a new Nissan Rogue to my house so this thing went right back into the garage.
I had the Rogue the other day so she took this to class and called on the way to say "it sounded like there was gravel in the engine and now the red battery light is on." Got her to pull over just as the temp needle hit red [emoji51]
I knew exactly what it was because I had the airbag recall done at the dealership the day before and they called to say the belts were looking worn and I was all ahhh I'll get to it sometime no biggie.
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...90011fd832.jpg
Luckily I pay the $6/month for roadside assistance on this car through Geico, so we flatbeded it back to the house and dumped it right into the garage.
I'm digging into the carnage now and thought I'd bring y'all along for the ride. Any and all guesses as to what is broken are welcome. Here's the clues I have so far:
- Coolant is full
- Power steering fluid is full
- Nothing leaking out of the bottom
- Belt is shredded and wrapped around the fan
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...71a1cd0efd.jpg
- The fan is uhh crooked
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...657c68298e.jpg
- Looks like something sprayed allover the place, but again fluid levels are fine
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...3f8d2354c5.jpg
:hi
That brown spray is odd. Just thinking out loud here, perhaps the belt got pulled into the fan blades, which damaged the fan clutch, and in turn caused it to spray out the wax?
Looks like a good opportunity for an e-fan conversion :drevil
Yep, definitely swapping to the electric fan because why not. There's a ton of play in the water pump so I'm thinking it was spraying everywhere as the shit went down, but didn't leak out much from the expansion tank.Quote:
Originally Posted by t.er
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...0f419a0ab0.jpg
Went to remove the AC belt and it's just gone lol
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...30b9165105.jpg
S54 swap when
welltheresyourproblem.jpeg
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...ce777f2eee.jpg
lol holy shit, I thought the fan clutch would go before bending the water pump shaft
I think it was the water pump bearings that went first and ended up destroying the belt, not the other way around. That bit to the right is a needle roller that fell out of the front bearing when I removed it. Original BMW part and I believe only a few years old.
Wow
Sent from my SM-G988U using Tapatalk
I completely missed the update to this thread. I am so sorry.
https://i.imgur.com/NmztkSu.gif
I’ve seen worse, but not many. I am convinced hanging that fan clutch off the water pump wears put the bearings a LOT faster than electric fan cars. In the last 15 years I have seen way more failures way more often on auto cars for this reason.
On my last 330 sedan I swapped the fan clutch to an electric fan (car was auto) and it was a noticeable improvement in acceleration. I’ve been told someone did a dyno run and the gain is around 7hp. My car never ran hot, even in the Alabama heat. I also deleted my aux fan to help airflow to the radiator. Hope that helps.
I agree 100% on the fan putting too much axial load on the bearings. I was reading that BMW went with the engine driven fan on the autos because it fails on (clutch locks) whereas the electric fan fails off and there is more overheat damage that can occur on the autos.
IDGAF tho I'm not putting this piece of shit back in there. Gonna cruise the local yards for a manual so I can snag that electric fan and toss the pusher too.
If you dont find one let me know, I’ll check my local yard for you. I know the owner so I can usually get smoking deals.Quote:
Originally Posted by ZHPizza