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Allanw

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Posts posted by Allanw

  1. Posted · Report reply

    On 4/11/2025 at 8:48 AM, ash-89 said:

    1. Check engine was on

     

    It wasn't actually a check engine light - it's the "check" light, for the warnings on the ceiling console. It flashes until you press the brake, or stays on if there is a bulb warning, coolant warning etc.

    OBD scanners don't work on them either - the later ones have the pacman connector that does a few more things, but most of the useful stuff it can do, can be done with a short piece of wire, or a paperclip 🤣

    • Like 1

  4. Posted · Report reply

    5 hours ago, aja540i said:

    i have seen those photos twice now and that is 2 times more than anyone should have to see that!!

    I bet you wish I HADN'T sent you those pics, right???

    JUST as I opened this thread; Solomon (my 14 YO) yelled out "OW, MY EYES" about a game... but good timing 😁

     

    • Haha 1

  6. Posted · Edited by Allanw · Report reply

    4 hours ago, Driftit said:

    Caravans and sh*t old motor homes.

    Why has this become popular again? I guess there is nothing like parking up a few meters from your neighbour and sharing stories of who was the bigger a**hole by holding up the most traffic the longest. 

    You forgot Wangers (Ranger Wankers).

    Pass everything in sight on the straights, then hold everybody up while struggling to negotiatiate corners and STILL endanger the oncoming traffic, spending half their time over the centre line.

     

    • Like 3

  8. Posted · Report reply

    13 hours ago, euroriffic said:

    didnt have a spare belt, so fitted the rear strut brace instead.

    That's totally logical 🤣...

    I stripped down my Touran engine to fit the thermostat, discovered it was the wrong part, so took the engine out and put a VR6 in there instead. Then couldn't drive it for a year while I finished it. 😁

    • Like 1
    • Haha 3

  9. Posted · Report reply

    Vanos seals, plus you'll probably find it's not really getting up to temp properly (remember the gauge is totally useless). Check the REAL coolant temp. They should heat up fairly quick, and stay there. Dunno if the X3's can still access the KTMP vis the dash, but you could do it on E39s' really easy. Otherwise check with a scan tool.

    The gauge will show Normal (straight up and down) from about 70C, but it's still not pulled all the cold-start enrichment at that point.

    • Like 1

  11. Posted · Report reply

    "Headway Horace"

    Did someone think "Horace" - it's got race in it, so sounds sporty??? Perfect for a tyre name...

    13 hours ago, Eagle said:

    All the other parts they have replaced are likely the cheapest they could find going by those.

    I dunno... it's got a "Plasma Booster" on the coil... 🤣

    • Haha 1

  13. Posted · Report reply

    Make sure they put mesh in the concrete! (some didn't up here!)
    Get recommendations from people about who they've used and check out the work.

    My extra garage (6 x 7.2, plus roof extension etc) was over $50k (although that included extras, and concreting my barn floor too), and it's Brilliant (Skyline Whangarei). One of the competitors wanted an extra $5K for mesh(!), and another $5k to put a half-assed lean to between the garage and house, instead of extending the roofline, like I have now.

    These guys integrated into the existing roofline perfectly, were super helpful and charged less. They actually made all the frames manually offsite after pouring the floor, so the roof is mm perfect. They were really into doing everything "right". Which was awesome.

    It's not tall enough for a hoist or anything, but it does have 3 phase power (it was only about 5 metres of cable required).

    20230614_164749.jpg

    • Like 2

  15. Posted · Report reply

    Yeah - and carefully check the wiring to the sensor - that -128 would normally be an open circuit default value, wouldn't it? Or maybe short to ground?

    The -20 outside won't help either - they use a number of temps to determine what it going on with the whole cooling system. It won't make the gauge peg or anything, but it does alter fan PWM calculations etc.

    • Like 1

  16. Posted · Report reply

    If I *had* to have an auto, 325i would be my only option.

    The autos are very old school... and kinda ruin the "fun" of an E30... but if needs must, they're still fun in other ways.

    325i can be a little bit hungry around town, but better cruising and performs OK. 318i isn't quick, but not too hungry.

    320i auto has the worst of both. Hungriest of the lot around town, and not quick. They do sound nicer than a 318i... and they sound like they're working hard a lot of the time, because they are 🤣

  18. Posted · Report reply

    If it was something exciting/collectable etc, low milage is like an extra long horn on your unicorn.

    On something super ordinary... I don't see the point.

    If it was a factory manual wagon, would make it 1000x more desirable than it is. Even just a 'vert would be 500x better.

    As it is, if I was in the market for a similar car, I'd probably pay a 20% premium, just for the unusualness... but I'd rather buy a 1 owner car with 120k, in good nick... which probably also gets a 20% premium over all the clapped out 328i's on the market at any given time.

    And to be fair... at least it isn't a 320i 😄

  20. Posted · Report reply

    My Mrs car has jumped up from $470ish to $590ish at AMI. I shopped around and the quote from AA (as a member) was $900! None of the online ones came in cheaper, so I just renewed it.

    More annoyingly... the house insurance is up $600 on last year!

  21. Posted · Report reply

    The hotter the engine runs, the more power it makes (to a point!) for the amount of fuel going in.

    The hotter the engine is, the less heat energy it can absorb from the combustion... so it helps economy by a tiny amount, and reduces emissions by a tiny amount.

    I changed our E39 525i (M54) to a fixed temp stat and did away with the Map-cooling. E39's didn't bring up a check engine light for no map-cooling, but did have a fault code (Which was dumb, because when the thermostat heater burnt out, they just ran really hot ALL the time!). The 6's didn't run *that* hot on the mechanical only anyway (98?), like the V8's did (108?).

    I didn't notice anything dramatic change as far as economy, but you want to make sure the new stat stays 100% closed until the engine is at operating temps, or it'll take longer to heat up and use way more fuel during the cold start enrichment phase.

    My first kit had a bleed hole drilled in the thermostat and it was stupid and unnecessary. I replaced it with a solid one and it was way better.

    Later cars may be a bit more complicated, but that unit looks like it still has a map-cooling heater anyway?

    • Like 2

  25. Posted · Report reply

    6 hours ago, Cement said:

    It's my personal mission to get out of the blocks hard and fast on green lights and simultaneously get on the horn for those dirt bag light runners 👮‍♂️👍

    I launch this POS at them:
    image.thumb.jpeg.f28b3681fa82d73bf2bcef4666e2d86d.jpeg

    OK... "Launch" might be a bit strong... but it sure scares people when it's converting petrol into noise and aimed directly at them 🤣

    • Haha 2
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