Jacko

Not too many skills, need more. Watched some youtube, read the manual, did it. Im still working out how Im going to get the gearbox out without dropping it on myself... I have PTSD of dropping my old SC Levins gearbox on my groin.

I got the whole shibang, peirburg oem pump, down to the ali bolts and bmw coolants for like $500 from ECS in a kit. Youd be crazy to just change the thermostat, its nearly the same amount of work as changing the pump as well.

Day 4. Bush is a four letter word. So many bushes, takes ages, way worse than subframe bushes. The trailing arm ones in the hub are a bastard, for some reason the ali external clamshell is really soft (brake heat?) And likes to swag its ass all over the place. Peening it all back in and swearing solves it. All the bushes done though. Its downhill from here. Time for a beer.

They took 2 weeks for my stuff a few weeks ago, and there is no hurrying it up. If you sign up for the notifications on the website you can pay the bill online, and save having to wait for the snail mail bill...

Im no N46 expert, but, It is supposed to be positive pressure (pistons going up and down, blow by etc). There is PCV/CCV valve which regulates the pressure and dumps gases back into the intake. The vacuum pump provides vacuum for the brake booster etc. Probably totally unrelated.

Day 3... Swaybars are a @*!# BMW must start with the swaybar and build car around it. Eventually discovered best way is to drop both front subframe bolts and play some sort of chinese finger puzzle. For those that want to know - Stock MS rear is 14mm, B1 is 15mm, stock MS front is 23.5mm, B1 is 28mm The GST (Kommen) subframe bush tool is the business, really nice quality and makes it an easy job. Didnt even have to swear. Butchery of the schwaben bush kit makes for easy install of the crush tubes. Pretty sure could do a cars subframe bushes in an easy half day from go to woah. Found some waterbased degreaser (supercheap), can stick it in foam gun. Works mint. All the rear end arm bushings tomorrow, needs more blue PU.

Day 2... Progress. More waterblasting under the car while on a creeper, its messy, got totally covered in crap. Took some creativity with the diff bushes to get them out, particularly the rear one as its pretty large. Ended up using bits of the subframe and CAB bushing tools to get something that fitted. Came out and went in easy otherwise. Shocks out, very tired but still working, bump stops and lower mounts are totally shot. Curiously rear diff mount is shagged, fronts look fine. Drive shaft guibos have some cracking, center bearing feels pretty rattly. Pretty minor for the number of ks on it, and luckily nothing havent ordered parts for already. Subframe bushes and all the rear suspension arm bushes tomorrow, and likely new shocks, springs, and sway bar in.

The fogged up headlight just screams emasculate AF.

Yes.. he is very helpful, particularly when hes trying to lick your ear you while trying to wrestle the driveshaft out....

Dont forget ECS Tuning, found them way better than Schmeidman, quicker shipping and usually cheaper. Customer service is kick ass as well.

Apparently mine has come off Anyone got one handy?

Day 1 (well 4 hours) progress... Discovered what looks to be the gearbox input shaft seal leaking, good thing some clever bastard ordered full set of box seals! Lucky... All comes apart pretty simply so far, helper dog is lots of help. Unbolt things, clean them up, unbolt next thing, rinse and repeat. Diff out and then off to the Kayne Barrie to install the quaife tomorrow, will probably start stripping the rear suspension and installing the poly bushes as well.

Some sort of government medical place, wasn't the norm... (which involves much more kerb/footpath/touching)

2.5 hours flight away from NZ, in Noumea (New Caledonia)... Tiny little island in the Pacific and have seen : M6s, a clownshoe, a 911 GT2, e46 and e9x M3s.. and an E30. Surprisingly most in decent condition... Most people here seem to drive by touch, its a sea of smashed up euros, lots of late model Renault and Citroen held together with duct tape and rust. Must cost a bomb to import all this french crap to the otherside of the world in LHD.

Anyone come across a "sticky shift" in an e9x? The 330 occasionally wants to get stuck in 2nd/3rd when slowly accelerating, and wont kick down, itll bog the engine to the point of nearly stalling. Its intermittent, and being more forceful with the go pedal solves it, just annoying when creeping in traffic. No fault codes are logged.

Some generic ebay one that about 5 other companies rebrand and charge more for! Was like $30, works mint, hooks up to the nilfisk water blaster.

Generic "heavy duty" car wash from super cheap, foam gun, Luxio wheel cleaner stuff (like dragons breath) and a water blaster. Was surprised how well it cleaned up too. Even BMW stickers are LL04 rated...

It begins, turning 236k of road grime into something resembling chocolate milkshake.

Wait.... Top Gear is no longer shite?!

As per original listing, got way more interest than I expected and have no idea what its worth so Tardme is the best option I wont be in the country next week Mon-Fri so auction ends Friday. https://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing.aspx?id=1578242019

For anyone interested - BMW 130i's, all years = 32 Sold new... Rarer than 1Ms 15 Manuals/17 Autos

Scratch that, 2 of the 3 boxes made it through... the third one got caught .. All of them have invoices for the total value

11 years later, it finally gets what it should have had out of the box

Getting 4.5kNZD of suspension through customs, and not paying a cent... Couriers ineptitude has bonuses I guess

Looking through the workshop manual replacing the rear crank seal is an involved process! I cant find the loctite product anywhere Injector (2) contains the sealing compound Loctite, manufacturer's number 128357. Bottle (3) contains the primer Loctite, manufacturer's number 171000. Any ideas on an equivalent?