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#lovethebiggrilles

Two weeks or so ago I pulled out of my garage and left a small pool of coolant, kept an eye on vitals as I drove the short trip to work. Left another small pool in my parking spot at work and got a low coolant warning as I pulled into the driveway at home. For various reasons I've not driven, or been able to work on the car since then. Pulled bits and pieces off today to have a look and was initially pleased to find it was only the upper radiator hose, but then I saw that BMW have made it far more complicated as a single part than it needs to be. 🙄 I read they're a crap design from various forum posts here and elsewhere. At least they're readily available in NZ.

After having a rattle in the front of the F01 since I put a CarPlay module in, decided enough was enough and it needed to be found. Pulled the front dash apart, tied up the module etc. still there. After some assistance from the boss driving so I could diagnose and find the rattle, this took the steps of you drive I’ll pull the car apart while where going. Determined it was the lower trim under the glovebox which had a metal clip that pushes up, but being previously removed it was bent and not tight enough have a small resonance. Job done, serene 7 back, now I do need to change out those run flats.

I have a full load of cooling system hoses (and a new rad) sitting here if you want one fast (I just ordered Realoem.com...), just replace it with the ordered one when it arrives.

Yeah, I don't know the provenance of my cooling system either. This will be a quick fix but I think I'll start working out the parts list for a full overhaul come next summer. Although I'll keep the radiator, it still looks mint on both faces and around the joints.

Good early spotting. Makes me wary of my cooling system. Whole lot is still the original.

So finally, after a long weekend on Waiheke, the crap weather, and recovering from covid, I finally got a chance to search for my two week old coolant leak in the 130i and fortunately it's an easy enough fix. Of course without the poor BMW design and engineering it wouldn't have failed in the first place...

Style 32's came on E38 as well and will have better offset and widths for an E39. Most people run style 32s in that fitment due to extra lip and more aggressive offset so shouldn't be too hard to find - 18x8 ET20 and 18x9 ET24. 18 is probably a better size for E39, you will still have plenty of sidewall. http://www.bmwstylewheels.com/bmw/32

Had another crack at splitting the turbo and managed it, everything looks ok but very dirty and a bit rusty, so gave it all a good clean and will give the hot side a coat of paint and it can go back in once gaskets and seals arrive. One of the little rollers that holds the ring for the vanes did a runner on me but I managed to track it down!!

Don't lose the nut of that back bolt on the intake manifold... you could spend AGES looking for it 😉🤣 Maybe you should just LS swap it... The M57 can go in "someones" Land Rover...

Just finished the route past Kaiaua fisheries (no I didn't stop for fish and chips). Drive was somewhat ruined being stuck behind a camper van and horse carrier most of the time. At least the camper van driver was nice enough to let me pass when the opportunity presented itself.

Had a bit of a moment when one of the air spring couplers popped off and dropped the car about 60mm while I was under it! I like to think I shat myself with dignity!! 😀 Replacement clip found in a box of bits, fitted and coupler replaced, seems all good now so back under I go.....

Came close to widening the garage door whilst almost wrecking the sedan today. Tried to drive the front onto the ramps to give it a quick check-over before going for WoF on Thursday. Decided to chuck some planks under the rear wheels as well to make it a bit easier to slide the jack in. Stupidly, put the planks long ways along the car, so when the wheels hit them, they jumped up and got wedged between the wheels and the backs of the side skirts. Stupidly, tried to get out of the situation by giving it a bit more gas. Even more stupidly, did it with the left foot whilst being halfway out the car to see how far up the ramps I was. So of course the car lurched forward, overshot the ramps and ended up with the nose inside the garage. Luckily, through a combination of hitting the brakes a split second later and by then being beached on top of the ramps, managed to stop just in time before breaking my shin in half. Just a wee dent on the driver's door from hitting the frame and a wee bruise to show for it. Got out only to realise what a lucky bastard I am. Could have been absolute disaster had the wheels been facing even a fraction more to the right. Barely 5mm between the door frame and the fender. Just absolute stupidity on my part all around. Lesson learned with just some minor damage and a wee fright. The paint marks on the door hand polished out quite easily and the door itself was already a bit banged up since before I got the car so an extra wee dent doesn't detract much from the aesthetics anyway. On a positive note, switched out the faulty, crusty old washer pump so she should be all set for WoF. Winning.