Blue Zoo - Olaf's LCI e46 325i Touring

[Olaf 3236]

Date: 22 Nov 2023

Distance: 208,921 kms

1. Rack boots & Oil Service

Replaced both rack boots with Febi kits (32131096910).  A shitty job made easier on a rack, somewhat easier when the Repco balljoint splitter is used.  Oil service (because why not, and largely short running since January) with a Mann Oil Filter (11427512300) and Penrite HPR 5 (5W-40 Synthetic).  My thanks to @Autoglym for working through the job with me.  Thanks also to Jon for the "More(y) Orange than Donald Trump super-sticky grease recommendation.  Brilliant stuff.

Fig 1:  A Nice Rack, yesterday

 

 

2. WoF re-check and WoF

Secured WoF for the next 12 months.  Now it needs a bloody good clean.  

Edited November 23, 2023 by Olaf
foty's

[Olaf 3236]

Date: 30 Nov 2023

Distance: 208,yyy kms

1. Wheel Alignment

Got in for a wheel alignment, bonus where times are getting busy as Xmas creeps up on us.  A near zero-toe alignment (around -0.6 each wheel) front and rear, it’s a dream to drive.  Flows beautifully through the curves, easy to bring off-centre… suits my driving style.  Ahhhhh.

2. Photo in traffic cost $150

hmmmm.  On my way home from the alignment, more traffic disruption in Welly.  Stopped in the traffic buildup, I thought I’d document the scene, with our Police managing a difficult situation where what looked like a gang member had abandoned their car at a traffic light.  Summoned to the side of the road by the officers, I was ticketed $150 for “using a phone”.  To my mind I was using a camera - I put the car into park before using it.  Oh well lesson learned, avoid contributing to the consolidated fund - and Police quotas - at all costs.  Wearing my seatbelt, car warranted, registered, insured, well-maintained.  A discussion and a warning would have been more appropriate; we had a most cordial exchange nonetheless.

[freaknout 47]

Bahhh!

That's a bit harsh.

[Olaf 3236]

Date: 11-13 Dec 2023

Distance: 209359 kms  

1. Headlamp Lens Replacement

My lenses were looking pretty average.  I scored some from @Autoglym ex pick-a-part (thanks man!) with very nice lenses.  I cleaned them up and got new seals.  Jon did the rest - made one great out of two, where wiring was aging or plastic fatigued from years in the sun.

Fig 1: at 21.5 years old and a number of polishes/restoration wipes, better to replace.  Surprisingly still passing VTNZ WoF.  Impaired vision, IMHO.

Fig 2:  21.5 year old Xenon choke wiring.  Beware!

Fig 3:  After.  Much better night vision.

Oooh as I said vision, twice... how about a musical interlude?

 

2. Brakes

New flexi-hoses front and rear.  Front calipers sandblasted and painted, new pistons, seals, slider pins, boots.  Full brake fluid flush.  The old pistons were pitted.  It's stopping much more nicely now, I think more of the stopping was acheived from the back!

Fig 4:  a dirty ol' front e46 325i caliper

 

Fig 5: Sandblasted, painted, ready to re-kit with new pistons and seals.

 

3.  Diff

Diff service.  Turns out the diff is a little tired (crownwheel and pinion) so looking for replacement 3.46 e46 medium case.  Cleaned, replaced output seals (pinion seal okay), reassembled with new drain/fill plugs, BMW sealant, and Diff Oil. New main bush.  Remember folks, you'll want front header-to-exhaust manifold gaskets (2), four exhaust bolts, and four exhaust nuts for this job, as you need to drop the exhaust.

Fig 6: Genuine BMW rear cover sealant, Input and output seals, Diff Mount Bushing, Fill and Drain plugs, Exhaust Bolt, Nuts, Gaskets.

 

Fig 7:  Before

Fig 8: "Good Bush"

 

Fig 9: Ahh, on it's way back together.

Jon also drilled out a broken bolt, helicoiled and found a replacement bolt for Diff Heatshield.

4. Transmission Oil Pan Bolt

Replaced a quick fix bolt with a genuine ZF bolt, so now all ship-shape and Bristol fashion.  During Trans service back in January, we’d spotted a couple of dodgy ones left behind by a previous Te Aro workshop that will not be named… 

Exceptional Service at Begley Motor Works, Marton.  Service photo credits:  Jon Begley (many thanks for the re-use mate).

We've had this e46 11 years 9 months, and she's humming.  I have a list of items for preventative maintenance that we'll tackle in the new year.

Looking at the diff photos, it's time I spent a little time beneath it with PPE, wire brush, rust converter and epoxy rust-seal paint, before those scabs of surface rust around the subframe get out of hand.

 

Edited December 15, 2023 by Olaf
Mooo, Photos, Formatting, Vidjo

[Olaf 3236]

Next items list:

• Replacement diff (e46 medium case) 3.46 (including the two small bushes, input and output seals, fill and drain bungs, oil, rear cover sealant)
• Replacement starter motor
• PCV system service (it's been a good 9 years or so since last done - do it while the starter motor is replaced
• Accessory drive service (pulleys, tensioners, serp belts)
• ARB bushes front and rear, rear shells (they're rusting)
• Endlinks front and rear
• Clean and rust paint the surface rust on rear subframe
• Replacement rear muffler, including hardware
• new sunroof seal
• new speakers in front
• Maybe install that Msport steering wheel with the stereo integration - need post-Takata airbag.

keeping it well-maintained.

Edited December 21, 2023 by Olaf
added two items

[Olaf 3236]

Date: 23 Feb 2024

Distance: 210,335 kms

1. Flat tyre

Hmmmm.  Drove the car Weds night, it was pulling to the left and seemed a bit dead.  Checked pressures… 3psi down on both fronts, right rear down 3psi, left rear down to 13psi (!).  Gark in the rim and a corresponding gark in sidewall - thankfully not deep.

Dropped into my trusty tyre guy this morning.  Nail found,  Tyre demounted, repair effected, remounted and tested, wheel reinstalled.  Job’s a good ‘un

 

2. Rego

Ordered another 12 months rego.  $106.

Edited February 23 by Olaf
Formatting, added section 2

[Olaf 3236]

Date: 20-?? Apr 2024

Distance: 211,112 kms

1. A whole lot of servicing getting done...

We've owned this car 12 years now, so she's getting a bit of a birthday - second time round on stuff we did years back, and more.  Starter Motor (the original one was starting to click so a precautionary replacement before it leaves my better half stranded), PCV Service (again), New accessory drive belts, pulleys, tensioners (again), A new rear muffler (ANSA Exhsaust pattern part) and mounts, and more.  It should be feeling great when I get it back.  Nothing like starting with a palindrome mileage eh?

[Vass 702]

What starter brand did you go with? Just went down the rabbit hole trying to figure out the best option nowadays. Didn't want to go with Bosch as their new units seem to have switched to 1.1kW from the 1.4kW that the originals came as for some weird reason. Chatter online seems to lean towards rebuilding an original rather than going with anything aftermarket... 

[Eagle 1520]

Never replaced a BMW starter motor in my life. All the cars ive ever owned look to have the original units in them. Id trust used OE starter over aftermarket.

[Olaf 3236]

10 hours ago, Vass said:

What starter brand did you go with? Just went down the rabbit hole trying to figure out the best option nowadays. Didn't want to go with Bosch as their new units seem to have switched to 1.1kW from the 1.4kW that the originals came as for some weird reason. Chatter online seems to lean towards rebuilding an original rather than going with anything aftermarket... 

I bought a VEMO remanufactured Bosch from Rockauto.  No pesky core charge (FCP).  I'm sure it'll be good enough, factory rebuilt.
Edit: oh wow thanks for the link to your thread.  Mine's a 12412354709 - those effite M54B25 donks just don't need the extra muscle the B30 requires 😉   I can only suggest you keep it simple mate, we all here are guilty at times of over-analysis slowing us down whilst we enjoy the research rather than the fruits of our labours.

 

39 minutes ago, Eagle said:

Never replaced a BMW starter motor in my life. All the cars ive ever owned look to have the original units in them. Id trust used OE starter over aftermarket.

You're lucky.  I had to replace starter motor in a Mitsubishi Sigma with 220k kms on it (things had changed - five years earlier I'd have bought a new solenoid and brushes, and put it back in - in 1997 chinese units were on the shelf and cheap.  I replaced one on a Maxima with about 170k kms... a common failure according to many taxi drivers I spoke with (the A32 and A33 was the alternative cab de jour from the questionable reliability of the falcodore of the time).  It's the first time I've done it in a BMW - it's the car my wife drives, given it was making noises it gets replaced before it leaves her stranded.  Can't see the point in wasting time with a used unit that might fail soon after install - for the effort (cost) of the work.  YMMV.

Edited Friday at 08:18 PM by Olaf

[Eagle 1520]

Fair enough, if have to pay someone to install it probably makes more sense. I always inspect them and replace the brushes etc if needed. Remanufactured\rebuilt is such a broad term that you dont really know what you are truly getting for your money, same with alternators.

[Vass 702]

11 hours ago, Olaf said:

I bought a VEMO remanufactured Bosch from Rockauto.  No pesky core charge (FCP).  I'm sure it'll be good enough, factory rebuilt.

Interesting, didn't see that as an option on there when searching by part number. Oh well. 

I've ordered a Hella unit, will see how it goes. Not too fussed with replacement as I've figured out a way to get to it from underneath without having to take the intake out so not that much of a hassle.

Before ordering it I called up BM Parts to see what they stock locally, got offered the same Hella unit for $420+GST. From Spareto it's €76+30 shipping so all up $480 vs $190. Bonkers how we're getting shafted over here left & right

[Olaf 3236]

I dunno about shafted, try and run a business without adding the cost of your money tied up in stock on the shelf, pay GST and taxes, wages, KiwiSaver,. advertising, insurances, lease costs etc.

[Vass 702]

If there's a market for it then all power to them I guess. Personally, I find it hard to "support local" knowing that there was zero value added to the original product by the entity taking your money when you can get the exact thing from elsewhere for 1/3 of the price. I'd rather support businesses that, you know, do something. 

[Olaf 3236]

Consider then the plight of a business doing repair work on a customer car.  They need to pay for the overhead of a secure storage area or more lifts than they need, if a customer's car has to wait for discount parts from abroad.  It's more efficient for the repair shop to be able to source locally, and they'll pay the overhead to a local supplier that does something (next-day supply, warranty coverage etc) because it gets the customer's car off of his hoist/out of their workshop quickly.  

We're a tiny market; until we have scale nothing will compete with being able to source from a large market on $ terms.