Mikan 173 Report post Posted November 26, 2017 After weeks of successfully ignoring the classified, I finally cracked and messaged @qube about the car. He was extremely patient with my questions, at first general, then specific, and finally random as it became increasingly clear that I was very keen on the car. I had a yarn on the phone with @EUROHO, whose enthusiasm for the car tipped me right over the edge. My father-in-law and I flew up from Vellington last weekend, and Kyu picked us up from the airport. We chatted with him and his dad in a supermarket carpark before shaking hands and promising to treat it right. They were both gentlemen, and it was a pleasure to meet them. We filled up at a motorway services on the southern motorway. I was impressed that when we got home the obc still promised 150km of good times in the tank. We stopped at Good Union in Cambridge on the way - a lovely church that has been converted into a great pub/restaurant. Apart from a leg stretch in Bulls, we knocked the drive out in one from there, and had a great drive, SH32 from Cambridge down to Turangi was a lot of fun. 8 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mikan 173 Report post Posted November 26, 2017 First impressions are extremely positive. I'm used to an e30, and I was a little worried about the step up in size to a 5er touring. Once I was in the drivers seat though, it was like an optical illusion, feeling astonishingly nimble and compact. The power of the 3l is a significant improvement for me, and the roadholding and handling are really pleasing. Picked up a nail through one of the rear tyres on the journey home, unfortunately it was too close to the sidewall to repair the hole. As the fronts were near their wear indicators, I went for a new set. Would have loved some RE003s like all the cool kids have at the moment, but the staggered 66s are apparently getting low on options. I'm sure the Falken FK453s will be far more than I need anyway, I'm always happy to have new tyres on a car. Other than that, I'm trying not to get to carried away with it for a bit. Had a huge win finding this old post, couldn't believe it was that simple! Stoked I don't have to dibble about with a band expander or whatever. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mikan 173 Report post Posted November 26, 2017 The car has definitely sung for its supper over the years, and has a rich tapestry of stone chips on the bonnet and windscreen (which were significantly added to by some prizewinner hammering through roadworks on SH32 last weekend). The paint has some water spot staining, which I'm not experienced/brave enough to tackle, but I had a go at the spotting on the windows today. Not sure how well the photo will show the difference, but the return is pleasing for the right combination of product and elbow grease (which I'm now all out of). 3 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
qube 3570 Report post Posted November 26, 2017 The joys of passing on a car to a fellow member! 5 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mikan 173 Report post Posted December 14, 2017 Arrived to the carpark after work yesterday to this terrifying sight. A surprising amount of interest and sympathy from people passing by (had the bonnet up) and had a sweet yarn to the towie about his M5 on the way to Auto 38 as the car dropped its remaining coolant over the bed of the truck. Massive thanks to @Jono51 for seeing to the car on such short notice this close to Christmas! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rubix 434 Report post Posted December 14, 2017 M54 life 1 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
qube 3570 Report post Posted December 14, 2017 Hey dude, let me know if you find out what caused it. If it was a failure of one of the parts that we replaced I am happy to claim warranty for you. 2 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mikan 173 Report post Posted December 14, 2017 (edited) Naw, the coolant expansion tank split, so a simple fix, and nothing to worry (or even be surprised) about. I'm just stoked it happened during a work day and not halfway up ngauranga gorge or over Christmas holidays or something. Thanks though Kyu Edited December 14, 2017 by Mikan 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
qube 3570 Report post Posted December 14, 2017 Surprised that was not replaced already.. maybe I did it on my old e39 sedan but not for the wagon.. buggar! there was nice blue BMW coolant in there too!! Anyway, keep in mind, all those parts we replaced have lifetime warranty as long as we can send it back to the supplier Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
adro 1083 Report post Posted April 30, 2018 any update on the oil pressure issue @Mikan? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mikan 173 Report post Posted May 1, 2018 Hey! Yeah. Sort of. I have been trying not to jinx things with an optimistic update, but it looks like the vanos seals sorted it out. Still took a while after they were replaced (a couple of commutes) for the light to stop flickering, and a few weeks after that to accept that it was truly gone, but I'm comfortable it is sweet now. Idles great too! Tempted to switch back to LL01 (heavier oil was one of the cheaper 'try this first' fixes) and see if that triggers it to get an idea of how marginal things still are with the engine. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Olaf 3314 Report post Posted May 1, 2018 Penrite HPR5 (5W40) meets LL01, and is effectively heavier than standard 5W30, if that's any help. Runs great in my M54. Have you changed out oil pressure sensor? 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mikan 173 Report post Posted May 1, 2018 Yup, went to cheapest-to-priciest down the trail of potential fixes. Vanos seals was very near the end, right next to 'source a low kms replacement engine'. Which I may also have done. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Olaf 3314 Report post Posted May 1, 2018 I'm thinking VANOS seals are on the near horizon for my e46/M54. One of these days I'll have someone who's done the change, drive mine. It's not throwing codes, though my impressions are that it's lower on torque than it used to be... Do you ever attend the Wellington BMW Car Club/Bimmersport events? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mikan 173 Report post Posted May 2, 2018 Card carrying, but yet to show up at one of the many appealing events. I'll make a real effort to get along to one soon and you can have a go and see what you think. I've found it hard to quantify that difference - it's clearly much better now, and certainly smoother, but because it took a few drives (Jon reckons up to about 500km) to settle in the change has been gradual enough as to not be stark. Those old seals were absolutely rooted though. Shrivelled, brittle, broken - a real feel-good replacement 2 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BozzaFC 300 Report post Posted December 3, 2018 On 5/2/2018 at 7:23 AM, Olaf said: I'm thinking VANOS seals are on the near horizon for my e46/M54. One of these days I'll have someone who's done the change, drive mine. It's not throwing codes, though my impressions are that it's lower on torque than it used to be... Do you ever attend the Wellington BMW Car Club/Bimmersport events? Have you had this done yet, @Olaf ? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BozzaFC 300 Report post Posted December 3, 2018 On 5/2/2018 at 9:04 PM, Mikan said: Card carrying, but yet to show up at one of the many appealing events. I'll make a real effort to get along to one soon and you can have a go and see what you think. I've found it hard to quantify that difference - it's clearly much better now, and certainly smoother, but because it took a few drives (Jon reckons up to about 500km) to settle in the change has been gradual enough as to not be stark. Those old seals were absolutely rooted though. Shrivelled, brittle, broken - a real feel-good replacement How are you finding it now with a few more kms on the clock, @Mikan ? I'd love to have a go in it/you have a go in mine to see if mine are due for replacing Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mikan 173 Report post Posted December 9, 2018 Hey @BozzaFC Nary a problem. Would have done 5 or 6 thousand k since. Planning to switch back to ll01 in the Big Summer Service but I'm not anticipating any troubles. You're welcome to try it out - maybe early in the new year we can tee something up? 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BozzaFC 300 Report post Posted December 10, 2018 Sounds like a plan. Cheers Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mikan 173 Report post Posted February 7, 2019 Pushed it over a quarter of million kms recently, which was a good result for an engine I thought might be on life support a year ago. It's toast now though, thermostat failed going through mount Vic tunnel and I could see my bank balance going down as the temp gauge went up and the warning messages started dinging. Pulled over as soon as I could, but game over (-heated with catastrophic results - confirmed by Jon at Auto38 yesterday). I have a very low kms m54b30 from Brent waiting in the wings, just need to commit to the expense of the swap. First instinct was to consider selling everything as a 'project' package, but having a night's perspective on things I think the only way forward is through it. TBC. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Eagle 1661 Report post Posted February 7, 2019 By failed do mean the actual t-stat got stuck closed or plastic housing\gasket ? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mikan 173 Report post Posted February 7, 2019 Great question. I assume it got stuck (can't confirm, haven't investigated myself and haven't got a detailed post mortem on Jon - have been talking pretty much solely about next steps). The warning I got was coolant temp, (rather than low coolant), and it overheated SO quickly which I guess indicates lack of circulation rather than volume of coolant? Pity - this thermostat was only about a year old. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
qube 3570 Report post Posted February 7, 2019 sorry to hear that! hope you can get it sorted without too much fuss 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Allanw 1071 Report post Posted February 7, 2019 @Mikan Bummer... Nah... it was heating up WAY before the gauge told you it was... the gauge reads "normal" from 75 through to 110 or 115 - then it shoots up pretty quick when the engine reaches about 125 or 130 and the gong happens... the gauge is a lying waste of time - although @Young Thrash Driver has my old E39 with the software re-calibrated, so it's a bit more realistic Also, if the thermostat is dodgy, it may not have opened FAR enough - the flat plate on the back is supposed to block the return port on the rear, and force all the hot coolant into the radiator, and the return into the engine, instead of mixing the two while recirculating coolant in the block as it usually would at "normal" temperatures. The water pump losing drive to the impeller will do it too, as there isn't enough coolant movement. This is exactly why I changed ours to a mechanical thermostat and re-calibrated the gauge - yours would have been getting hot for a little while before you saw it, then suddenly the gauges and gong go off when it's too late ? At least you have a replacement option Maybe you should install a new supercharger while you're in there... the old one probably wasn't working anyway 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Eagle 1661 Report post Posted February 7, 2019 25 minutes ago, Mikan said: Pity - this thermostat was only about a year old. Was it a genuine one? If so that's some bad luck. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
