E46 320d Touring - life with a high mileage car

[gjm 3193]

Nothing to report. Sorry.

Get in, turn key, start, drive... Buy RUCs, put fuel in, drive... Repeat...

Another service due in about 2500 miles or so. Just before Christmas, then.

[Allanw 1051]

Nothing to report. Sorry.

Get in, turn key, start, drive... Buy RUCs, put fuel in, drive... Repeat...

Another service due in about 2500 miles or so. Just before Christmas, then.

Sounds Boring... maybe it's time you did a manual conversion, or fitted a V8 etc.

[gjm 3193]

Sounds Boring... maybe it's time you did a manual conversion, or fitted a V8 etc.

Yeah, sorry about that. Maybe I'll do some radical stuff over Christmas. See if I can take something that's working anyway, and try to fix it.

[Allanw 1051]

Yeah, sorry about that. Maybe I'll do some radical stuff over Christmas. See if I can take something that's working anyway, and try to fix it.

HAha!

Sounds like something I would do. Oh wait - I'm doing that right now!

[gjm 3193]

Ordering up some bits'n'pieces for a seasonal service. Oil filters (I'm considering buying in bulk), trans filter and gasket, and considering another airfilter - it's been 12 months and nearly 40000 miles (60000km) since the last one. It won't hurt, and I want to get in and check exactly what was done when the swirl flaps were removed. At present, I don't know if they were blanked off - not blanking means a slight reduction in bottom end power, but that's all. Not removing the swirl flaps means bits of metal could be ingested by the turbo and inlet...

I'm hoping I'll have a shiny new turbo, proper de-cat downpipe and EGR bypass kit to fit, too. I can drop the exhaust before working on the tranny which will save the possibility of the burning ATF smell I had last time this was done.

I'll check the engine and gearbox mounts while I'm at it. Need to check if I have replaced the fuel filter.

[gjm 3193]

Sorry - still nothing to report. Get in, drive, stop... Y'know, like all good cars should.

I do have the turbo and all the other bits and pieces now. I had planned to do that work over Christmas, but NZ Post managed to take from December 14th to January 8th to transfer a vital item from Auckland airport to home. I had enquired about it and was categorically told it wasn't in the country. This information arrived in my inbox about 10 minutes after it was delivered...

In the meantime we've cleared 263000 miles. Something around 421000km.

[gjm 3193]

Quick note here to remind me to write up some more stuff about replacing the final stage, aka 'hedgehog', resistor.

Just passed 431000km.

[gjm 3193]

Another oil change.

A good run out over the long weekend saw a new 'best' for fuel economy - 700 miles (1120km) on less than 60 litres of fuel. That's very nearly 19km per litre, or a touch over 5 litres per 100km.

There's plenty of cars around that can better this, but we're happy.

[lord_jagganath 421]

Excellent running Graham, my CC struggles to get that mileage, but I suppose that is due to my heavy foot. When my father drives it, he cruises it at 3.9l/100.... don't know how he does it...

[Ahmedsinc 414]

Excellent running Graham, my CC struggles to get that mileage, but I suppose that is due to my heavy foot. When my father drives it, he cruises it at 3.9l/100.... don't know how he does it...

At how many l/100??

And here's me being pleased that the 5er is finally (just) under 11l/100.

Bring on the V12!!

[gjm 3193]

Right - time for a quick update.

Our car is now running on brand new Hankook 215/45-17 rubber, fitted to the ACS Type II rims. This may not last... The long version follows.

We'd be running around on the original 16" Style 45 rims wearing 205/55-16 Michelin rubber.

Alls well, but there had been a slight 'bumpiness' to the ride of late. Nothing significant or serious, and quite possibly could have been put down to road surface conditions. However, when collecting Miss M from school one day, a (rather attractive ) young lady came to the car, leant over in the way that only young ladies can, and said... "Your nearside rear tyre looks a little flat." D'oh.

Pulled over, looked, and the tyre was completely and utterly unusable. Torn ends of wire belt were showing. The tyre was visibly lumpy. I've never, ever seen anything so bad (on my cars). Frankly, I'm ashamed that it got to this state. I regularly check tyres and pressures. (I'll post some pics another time.)

So, on with the (spacesaver) spare and a very relaxed, 80km/h max, trip home.

Once home, I had the option of fitting the Style 73s with known knackered tyres.

or... Fit the ACS Type IIs (which were sold to another forum member, and awaiting collection) with good (6-7mm tread) tyres.

What would you do?

I went with option 2, the ACS rims.

Following morning, I had to take Miss M into school. Mrs M was with us, so family in the car. And... That lumpy, bumpy feeling reared it's head again. Must be the road? But this is worse... Suspension issues? Driveshafts? Bearings?

It was bad enough that we stopped in Drury and visited a well-know tyre supplier there.

All 4 tyres were completely f*cked.

I'd bought the wheels in good faith, believing them to all be good. Looks like they were anything but, and that the previous owners had either parked them flat for a long period of time, or they had been run on very low pressure for a long time. In my opinion, unusable.

So, with no option, I bought 4 new 215/45-17s. Not a planned expense, but necessary. Essential.

Well, they look pretty and they ride well. But it left me with a problem - I had agreed a price for the ACS rims, with (I thought) good tyres and now had nearly 3x the sale value sunk into the wheels. And this is why I've not written this up sooner - I had to discuss the situation with my buyer first.

The saving grace in this is that I would so very, very much prefer to find myself in a situation where the tyres are bad than have a buyer come back to me later with that problem. A moral victory, if a complete financial failure.

My buyer has been a star. His 'these things happen attitude' made me feel a little better. I offered him a full refund of his deposit (goes without saying), or one of a selection of alternatives:

• A (reluctant on my part) suggestion he could pay more and get the rims as they are with brand new tyres (and receipt)
• I'll swap the tyres to the Style 73s, and sell the rims as a rim-only.
• The Style 73s, with the (in my opinion) tyres that should be changed
• Style 73s, rim only
• Or the original 16s - 3 good tyres, and one completely stuffed one.

In the meantime I asked the question of suitability of 215/45s on a 7" rim. I've run these before and felt ehy were a little vague in steering: 205/50s may have provided a better solution. However, the Hankook 215s on an 8" rim show a decided inward slope to the tyre shoulder, suggesting the Hankook design may suit a narrower rim.

So... Decision time. I'll get another 16" tyre to suit the original rims regardless, so we have a 'spare' set of wheels that can be used.

I think I sort the Style 73s, swap the tyres on to them, and move the ACS rims on. If I keep the ACS rims I'll want to restore them - not refurbish. They still have the AC Schnitzer logos on one spoke, something that will be lost (forever!) if the rims are refurbished. The logos are NLA, but I guess something could be sorted as a one-off.

This would return us to the (almost) Alpina-look Style 73s, which I confess I quite like.

But cleaning them is a b!tch!

(I know - no update on the hedgehog replacement. another time.)

[qube 3568]

I think the best thing to do is to keep the acs wheels with the new tyres youve bought. Its an extra expense to remove, then re fit the tyres onto the style 73s etc.

Your buyer will understand i think and usually, for me anyway, buying mags and tyres its usually only a good deal as a combo.

[Michael. 2312]

I would opt for the Style 73s, they're the most classy style and compliment the E46 touring shape.

[gjm 3193]

Excellent running Graham, my CC struggles to get that mileage, but I suppose that is due to my heavy foot. When my father drives it, he cruises it at 3.9l/100.... don't know how he does it...

Your Dad will be one of those people who manages to go downhill. Everywhere.

Edited April 16, 2015 by gjm

[gjm 3193]

I think the best thing to do is to keep the acs wheels with the new tyres youve bought. Its an extra expense to remove, then re fit the tyres onto the style 73s etc.

Your buyer will understand i think and usually, for me anyway, buying mags and tyres its usually only a good deal as a combo.

I would opt for the Style 73s, they're the most classy style and compliment the E46 touring shape.

I confess - I like the 73s. I feel they are classy. The ACS IIs are great, but perhaps just a teensy bit (and it is the teensiest tiniest bit) boy racer.

If the 73s were 8, or even 7.5 wide, with a touch more offset, then there would be absolutely no contest. That'd be something like a Style 160, then.

Except an 8x17 et34 may be getting a bit marginal and perhaps could rub, especially on the front? It's only 4mm different to the ACS rims, but it is more offset. (We've not had any issues at all with the ACS rims fitted.)

[gjm 3193]

444444km.

Seriously.

(276165 miles.)

[lord_jagganath 421]

Good luck in certain cultures.

[Breaker 980]

So, how many oil changes now Graham? Or do you prefer to lose count

[gjm 3193]

So, how many oil changes now Graham? Or do you prefer to lose count

Preferring to lose count isn't an issue - I've lost count! I could work it out based on regularity of fill-ups, number of miles to a tank, and number of miles between oil and filter changes...

Let's just say there is never more than 2 months between changes, and typically less. That's much more economical than at one point where it was barely a fortnight between changes...

[_ethrty-Andy_ 2122]

how do you clock up so much milage??????

[gjm 3193]

At one point I was doing a near 250 miles (not km) round trip for work. Add in any client visits and running around after a teenage girl at weekends, and 1500-1600 miles a week was sometimes underestimating things. (We topped 2100 miles one week. ) Nothing compared to a lorry driver, or even some sales reps, but enough.

Things have settled now... We fill up (probably) three times in a fortnight, so about 800-850 miles a week. Hoping that'll drop further fairly soon, perhaps to 500-600 miles a week.

Yay! I can look forward to oil and filter changes every 2-3 months! Most of the driving is up and down highways, rather than sitting in traffic for hours on end, so I don't mind stretching the interval a little. Never more than 6000 miles, though.

[coop 261]

Good innings.

What work has the engine done, head/gasket. Timing chain etc?

Gearbox original?

I've fitted the EGR delete to mine. No noticeable difference in power or economy like the pommy forums suggest. I've only done one open road run Wgtn-Akl via Napier and recorded my worst result open road of 6.2 l/100km. Not impressed. Although Napier - Taupo isn't economy friendly. Since fitting the EGR delete there is no smoke at all under full acceleration al the way to just under 200k. Who would think a dirty diesel would get to that.

Also removed my temporary swirl flap delete of self tapping screws & silicon/silastic, and fitted the proper blanking plates. In doing so dug out literally tablespoons of carbon/oily build up in the manifold.... Might have to look into an oil catch can.

[_ethrty-Andy_ 2122]

At one point I was doing a near 250 miles (not km) round trip for work. Add in any client visits and running around after a teenage girl at weekends, and 1500-1600 miles a week was sometimes underestimating things. (We topped 2100 miles one week. ) Nothing compared to a lorry driver, or even some sales reps, but enough.

Things have settled now... We fill up (probably) three times in a fortnight, so about 800-850 miles a week. Hoping that'll drop further fairly soon, perhaps to 500-600 miles a week.

Yay! I can look forward to oil and filter changes every 2-3 months! Most of the driving is up and down highways, rather than sitting in traffic for hours on end, so I don't mind stretching the interval a little. Never more than 6000 miles, though.

more like my van, do about 1000km a week so 2-3 months, seems a lot but yeah.

[gjm 3193]

Good innings.

What work has the engine done, head/gasket. Timing chain etc?

Gearbox original?

I've fitted the EGR delete to mine. No noticeable difference in power or economy like the pommy forums suggest. I've only done one open road run Wgtn-Akl via Napier and recorded my worst result open road of 6.2 l/100km. Not impressed. Although Napier - Taupo isn't economy friendly. Since fitting the EGR delete there is no smoke at all under full acceleration al the way to just under 200k. Who would think a dirty diesel would get to that.

Also removed my temporary swirl flap delete of self tapping screws & silicon/silastic, and fitted the proper blanking plates. In doing so dug out literally tablespoons of carbon/oily build up in the manifold.... Might have to look into an oil catch can.

All original at the moment, except the front downpipe which no longer has a cat in it. EGR bypassed with a golf tee (I have an Allard delete kit), and I plan a turbo swap at which point I'll also fit a 'proper' front downpipe.

Records show that at some point in the past the inlet manifold was removed and 'one' swirl flap was found to be missing. Or not found. If you see what I mean. (Massive, extensive service history.)

No idea if proper blanking plugs have been fitted, and it doesn't much matter - remove the swirl flaps and don't blank, and you can see a slight drop in bottom end. Given most of the driving we do is highway at 90+, bottom end isn't much of an issue. Might help clear some gunge build up, too, but that is another planned investigation.

Gearbox is original too. Fluid was changed less than 12 months ago but that means it needs doing again - I have everything (now) to do this, including a borrowed pump from a Very Nice Man. Just need a couple of hours to get under there and sort it.

Fluid was changed by a company in Hamilton (known for transmission work) but I was unimpressed by their work. The car reeked of burning ATF (probably from the exhaust) for two weeks after they did the work, and I had to tighten the sump bolts to fix a weep. They also used (imo) poorer quality fluid than I had asked for.

The good news was that while the fluid that came out was horribly overdue for replacement, there was no particulate matter.

[Olaf 3236]

Graham, great progress. Agreed, those style 73s look dead classy - especially they're now all cleaned up. I should've bought them from you when they were for sale! Still, wasn't in a position to then, or now even.

keep rackin' up those miles!

best regards from the windy city.