jeffbebe 1559 Report post Posted August 11, 2015 No problems fortunately thanks to the angled entry... As long as I go slow! 2 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jeffbebe 1559 Report post Posted August 15, 2015 Bought some capacitors and pulled the GM. Opened it up and thought about having a go myself... Decided my shite soldering iron and sausage fingers are not up to the task! Luckily Josh (hybrid) has the gear and skillz (and generosity) to do it right!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jeffbebe 1559 Report post Posted August 26, 2015 (edited) Josh went and had a baby, fortunately another mate stepped in and the GM now has new capacitors and should be good for a few years. Still can't scan. Will have to start pulling modules until I find the culprit. Edited August 26, 2015 by jeffbebe Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jeffbebe 1559 Report post Posted September 20, 2015 (edited) Started dealing to the faded trim. Tried some Dulon sponge on trim paint for the roof trim but it was terrible. The original paint had bubbled on the side I butchered with the Dulon so took the opportunity to sand back to bare metal. Then etch primered and painted a gloss black enamel. Although I removed to sand it turned out to be far easier to mask off the rubber edges when in place. Also tackled the rubber-coated body trim with some SEM trim paint. Painted in place as these are hard to remove without bending and/or breaking and not easy to replace. What a difference! Will do window trim next weekend. Before After Edited September 20, 2015 by jeffbebe 5 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jeffbebe 1559 Report post Posted January 17, 2016 Since I'm waiting on a new AC compressor ex-US and it's too hot to drive the 8er without AC, I've embarked on a few long overdue jobs... Trans service and solenoid filter clean (to fix clunking gear changes) Sort rear springs (I went a shade too low) Clean/paint calipers Detail undercarriage ('detail' might be an exaggeration for a bit of cleaning) Paint window trim 6 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
_ethrty-Andy_ 2122 Report post Posted January 18, 2016 Thats unlike you to stick Colin Craig to the side of your car! thought you would have skipped that sheet of paper lol 2 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hotwire 352 Report post Posted January 18, 2016 ^^^^ Ha was just thinking the same myself! 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jeffbebe 1559 Report post Posted January 19, 2016 I sprayed him black to torment him. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jeffbebe 1559 Report post Posted February 7, 2016 A quick story about the lows and high (prices) of owning an 850i. As you may know the a/c compressor breathed its last breath just before Xmas on my 8er. A quick price check for a new one at BMW NZ led me quickly overseas and I picked up the correct listed part from Rockauto in the US for just US$159 (compared to over $1k in NZ!!). I thought I'd scored the deal of the year until the new compressor turned up a week ago. A quick test fit revealed that the new compressor alone was not going to work. What I'd fail to realise, and BMW did not tell me, is that the new compressor doesn't have an RPM sensor so it also requires a retro fit kit (effectively a little relay that overrides the overengineered rpm sensor lock down). I have since discovered the relay is twice the price of the freakin' compressor. WTF? Anyway, looks like I'm going to have to try and repair the old compressor which is likely to cost at least $500. B*gger. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Michael. 2312 Report post Posted February 7, 2016 How super frustrating. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jeffbebe 1559 Report post Posted February 8, 2016 And super expensive! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kulgan 1042 Report post Posted February 8, 2016 Oh bugger. Theres nothing worse than opening a long awaited package and discovering the part inside is not what you wanted. High to low in 0 secs. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jeffbebe 1559 Report post Posted February 9, 2016 It was the right part... I just didn't know you also need a small relay that costs twice the price as the frickin' compressor! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
allan 295 Report post Posted February 9, 2016 Bugger, what makes it so special apart from being a bmw part Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KwS 2372 Report post Posted February 9, 2016 cant salvage the rpm relay from the old compressor? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KwS 2372 Report post Posted February 9, 2016 looks like the rpm sensor can be bypassed? http://www.bimmerboard.com/forums/posts/885452/ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jeffbebe 1559 Report post Posted February 12, 2016 Bugger, what makes it so special apart from being a bmw part <_> Nothing. Just a crappy relay that probably costs less than $5 to manufacture. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jeffbebe 1559 Report post Posted February 12, 2016 looks like the rpm sensor can be bypassed? http://www.bimmerboard.com/forums/posts/885452/ I saw that but just couldn't find enough info to convince me it would work properly and since the compressor will also shut down the water pump if it thinks something's wrong, I didn't want to chance it. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
allan 295 Report post Posted February 12, 2016 What problem would it be to simply replace it with a common type relay?. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
M3AN 4015 Report post Posted February 13, 2016 ...and since the compressor will also shut down the water pump... Say wut? Doesn't seem very BMW. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KwS 2372 Report post Posted February 13, 2016 Seems very "euro" though... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jeffbebe 1559 Report post Posted February 13, 2016 What problem would it be to simply replace it with a common type relay?. No idea. I'm not very electronically minded so don't know exactly what it needs to do. As I understand it, the relay thingy is meant to bypass the lock sensor - which compares the compressor RPM to the engine RPM and disengages the compressor if they're out of kilter to prevent a seized compressor stopping the water pump. The new compressor doesn't have an RPM sensor, so without the little relay/control unit thingy, the compressor won't engage. Kind of all moot now as I've just paid to have the old compressor repaired instead... Anyone want to a buy a brand new Behr A/C compressor w/o RPM sensor! Say wut? Doesn't seem very BMW. To over engineer something and then create a very costly retrofit solution in later years? Seems totally BMW to me. Or were you being facetious... Can't tell without sarcasm emojis. Seems very "euro" though... Aye Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
M3AN 4015 Report post Posted February 14, 2016 To over engineer something and then create a very costly retrofit solution in later years? Seems totally BMW to me. Or were you being facetious... Can't tell without sarcasm emojis. Maybe I misunderstood. I thought you were saying that if the air-con compressor failed it shut down the main water pump (for the engine coolant). That would be more than stupid, especially since I assume the compressor is clutched which would make it not only stupid but also entirely unnecessary. Shutting down an essential component because a non-essential one had failed is not very German. No sarcasm, not emoji required. Please tell me I misunderstood! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jeffbebe 1559 Report post Posted February 14, 2016 Yep, I think I phrased badly in the earlier post. It's designed to disengage the compressor if the RPM is more than 20% out from engine to stop it f***ing the engine if the compressor seizes (and therefore stops the water pump working). 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
M3AN 4015 Report post Posted February 14, 2016 Got ya! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
