Quick Questions

[KwS 2425]

I pay less than $61 for a 6L concentrate of Nulon green coolant. $5/L at 50/50, or less if you mix it a different ratio (which lets face it. you dont NEED 50/50 in most of NZ anyway).

[B.M.W Ltd 950]

It's the inhibitor value that is more important than the freezing retardants. Hence the dilution ratio and in the later models the lubricating minerals for the electric water pumps

Edited August 31, 2018 by B.M.W Ltd

[M3AN 4016]

11 hours ago, Gaz said:

Unless you are paying $5 a litre for your coolant. Bmw stuff is like $25 for 1.5litres and then 50/50 mix it with water 

Yep, and I got it 40% off so that's $3 per litre mixed.

https://www.supercheapauto.co.nz/p/nulon-long-life-anti-freeze-anti-boil-concentrate---6-litre/384350.html?cgid=SCN01070601#segment=1&page=1

There's no doubt in my mind the BMW stuff is crazy expensive.

[Gaz 1060]

1 hour ago, M3AN said:

Yep, and I got it 40% off so that's $3 per litre mixed.

https://www.supercheapauto.co.nz/p/nulon-long-life-anti-freeze-anti-boil-concentrate---6-litre/384350.html?cgid=SCN01070601#segment=1&page=1

There's no doubt in my mind the BMW stuff is crazy expensive.

Anything is cheap with its on special so lets compare apples with apples; Bmw coolant $25 per 1.5litres, Nulon at $20 per 1.5litres. Certainly not 400% more expensive is it?

[M3AN 4016]

13 minutes ago, Gaz said:

Anything is cheap with its on special so lets compare apples with apples; Bmw coolant $25 per 1.5litres, Nulon at $20 per 1.5litres. Certainly not 400% more expensive is it?

Let me put it like this;

• I paid just over $115 for BMW coolant when I replaced the radiator on the M3 (full flush).
• I paid just under $40 to do the 328's radiator (full flush).
• I have a similar amount of both coolants left.

So yes, my experience was about 4 times the cost. Without the discount the difference is double but that's still significant and that was the point I was trying to make, contrary to the claims that they cost a similar amount. I didn't intend my "400%" to be a flashpoint, forgive me for that.

 

Edited August 31, 2018 by M3AN

[zero 1162]

4 hours ago, M3AN said:

Let me put it like this;

• I paid just over $115 for BMW coolant when I replaced the radiator on the M3 (full flush).
• I paid just under $40 to do the 328's radiator (full flush).
• I have a similar amount of both coolants left.

So yes, my experience was about 4 times the cost. Without the discount the difference is double but that's still significant and that was the point I was trying to make, contrary to the claims that they cost a similar amount. I didn't intend my "400%" to be a flashpoint, forgive me for that.

 

If you cant afford the proper coolant you cant afford a bmw.

Would you use cheap oil that doesnt meet BMW's spec too?

[aja540i 1906]

6 hours ago, zero said:

If you cant afford the proper coolant you cant afford a bmw.

Would you use cheap oil that doesnt meet BMW's spec too?

It's about protecting an investment, the less you invest in a car, the less you spend protecting it.

There is also no point spending a heap of money putting good oil / coolant / etc in a car with 100,000 + Km s on it and an unknown service history, good oil won't fix a worn out motor, good coolant won't repair damage to the engine cooling system.

If the car has a good continuous service history keep it up, if the engine or cooling system has been overhauled and is as new then protect that investment, otherwise use whatever fits your budget. (but don't put 91 in the gas tank, that stuff is just nasty!) 

[KwS 2425]

13 hours ago, zero said:

If you cant afford the proper coolant you cant afford a bmw.

Would you use cheap oil that doesnt meet BMW's spec too?

Stop acting like the sh*t BMW pedals is any better than anything else. Its not some magical elixir that will stop everything from blowing up anyway.

[eliongater 718]

Was test driving a 120d yesterday and it'll go down as my most eventful test drive to date...

• Hot oil smell whilst driving
• Low oil light flashed on for a second (flat ground) but quickly turned off
• After a some twisty uphill driving I pulled over and into a cloud of smoke coming from under the bonnet (burning oil smoke)
• "Lots of short trips to the shops"

Thoughts on what it could be? I know the sensible option is to run a mile, but what are people's thoughts on the cause of the smoke? It was coming from the exhaust side of the engine.

• Turbo?
• Carbon build up causing excessive crank case pressure and forcing oil out
• Gasket failure(s)

[KwS 2425]

Valve cover gasket? Common on the petrol versions as engine tilts over to exhaust side meaning that's the low point of the head, not sure on diesel but presume the same. 

Turbo failure would be smoke from exhaust, not engine bay, unless exhaust is leaking badly. 

[eliongater 718]

@KwS Valve cover gasket would make sense. It could just be that or it could be excess crank case pressure (which in turn ruins the gasket) due to large carbon build ups from short trips?

[KwS 2425]

You'd need to do some research as to if crank case pressure is an issue. If it was that bad i would expect lots of leaks from lots of seals, so you would ideally want the engine completely degreased and washed down so you can see where its coming from. Its usually fairly obvious if its the valve cover gasket, as itll leak down the low side of the head and onto the exhaust, but no where else on the head.

[eliongater 718]

Passed on the 120d, suspect 50/50 on missing a bargain and dodging a bullet. 

 

Rough idea on how how much it’ll cost to get an e28 bonnet painted? (In none other than bronzit...)

[skidz 197]

$28 per can from Union Hardware...

[eliongater 718]

16 hours ago, skidz said:

$28 per can from Union Hardware...

Whilst I'm comfortable doing smaller pieces, I'm not sure I'll be able to achieve a finish comparable to a proper spray gun on an area as large and prominent as the bonnet. I have sprayed bits of doors and was mostly successful (as well as can be expected with new paint vs 30 years of fade). I feel that from a result vs time/effort view it's easier to pay someone to do it properly.

[KwS 2425]

The angel eyes on my E91 are being weird. Often neither side angel eyes work, but then sometimes both sides work fine. It looks like they have LEDs fitted, very white. Is there something in the control module that turns the lights off if it detects they are LED but resets later? There are no error codes on the dash or in idrive.

[Young Thrash Driver 1020]

What size SP socket is required to change the plugs on an E61 with N62 V8? Any other tips regarding getting the rearmost two plugs out?

[gjm 3258]

Broken E46 radiator cap. Well, not broken, but in two parts - the outer cap, and the pressure components. The cap unscrews from the expansion tank, leaving the pressure parts in the neck of the tank.

Any tips or tricks for getting the parts out of the tank neck, other than remove the empty cap, start the engine and wait for pressure to do the rest? 

[gjm 3258]

On 11/8/2018 at 6:37 AM, gjm said:

Broken E46 radiator cap. Well, not broken, but in two parts - the outer cap, and the pressure components. The cap unscrews from the expansion tank, leaving the pressure parts in the neck of the tank.

Any tips or tricks for getting the parts out of the tank neck, other than remove the empty cap, start the engine and wait for pressure to do the rest? 

No-one else had this happen?

I've had caps come apart at least twice now, although this is the first time it's been difficult to extract the pressure part from the tank.

[B.M.W Ltd 950]

You could try drilling into it, screw in a large PK screw / bolt, spray with silicon and try easing it out slowly. Have you got a photo of whats left inside the reservoir ?

[gjm 3258]

53 minutes ago, B.M.W Ltd said:

You could try drilling into it, screw in a large PK screw / bolt, spray with silicon and try easing it out slowly. Have you got a photo of whats left inside the reservoir ?

No photo but will sort one.

The top 'shell' - the threaded part - comes away on its own. Everything else stays in the neck of the reservoir. I can prise a flat cross-shaped part out of that out, and remove the spring, but that's not much help!

[B.M.W Ltd 950]

I've never seen one with the cap part missing 

[gjm 3258]

29 minutes ago, B.M.W Ltd said:

I've never seen one with the cap part missing 

Hopefully this shows the problem. 

[Eagle 1662]

As Glenn said you'd have to drill it and insert something. Id cut a slot all the way through then put piece of flat steel in the slot and turn it but much depends on what gear you have and how hard the cap was wound on 

[gjm 3258]

1 hour ago, Eagle said:

As Glenn said you'd have to drill it and insert something. Id cut a slot all the way through then put piece of flat steel in the slot and turn it but much depends on what gear you have and how hard the cap was wound on 

The cap unscrews without any problem - it's what is normally in the cap (and seals in the reservoir neck) which is pulling free.

My biggest concern is damaging the reservoir.