Buying and rescuing an X5

ZAX5 · #1 01-18-2017, 01:59 PM

Hi,
So in a moment of compasion for a neglected x5 I made an offer to the second hand car sales chap.

The price shown was about R80k. That is about 5700 USD.
I made an offer of 2100 USD and he accepted.
It had been standing there for about eight months.

I took it for a test drive before I made the offer.

I used a heavy right foot to see if the gearbox was fine.
It went well, and my dad really enjoyed the drive.

So a little more details on the car.

It is a build year 2003/09/11
V8 M62TU motor.
V8 4.4

So seems to one of the last V8 4.4s to be built.

There was a slight miss in one cylinder
And slight un even idle
The chain didnt rattle when starting the car

ZAX5 · #2 01-18-2017, 02:03 PM

I found a truck company that would ship the x5 for about 100 USD for a 1000km trip.

It arrived and was the first time I got to really look at the x5

It started and the uneven idle was making me wonder what I had bought.

Ah well, it was a fun buy.

Used it that same day to ferry the girls to a party.
I went well and was lovely to drive.

Even if the aircon didnt work.

Got it home and then decided to have a better look.

At least it drove and stopped.

ZAX5 · #3 01-18-2017, 02:06 PM

So drove it around for a while and listened to the rattles and squeaks.

The wheel alignment was out and it squidged all over the road.

Had that fixed right away.

The PO had spilt paint all over the back spare wheel area and hadnt cleaned it up.

It peeled off quit well.

ZAX5 · #4 01-18-2017, 02:23 PM

So after a few enjoyable trips around the area decided I really liked the x5

Lots of space
Goes wel, even on seven cylinders.

As we turn off the main road the car cuts out.
Cranks but wont catch.

Soooooo, what now
Luckily the neighbour was passing and he towed the car up the hill.

Parked it on the lawn and used the other cars while I decided what to do.

And here is where the fun of forums came into play.

Searched and read more about the trucks.

And startes to look for a software I could download and use.

Finaly got INPA
Bought the cable and installed in on a spare laptop
Wow was that fun.
And finaly after many deletes and installs the software worked.

Plugged it into the truck and fault popped up as CPS not working.
So get under the truck found the CPS, and it had cracked and broken the connection.
I wont tell why this happened, that is another story all together.

Fixed the CPS and it started.
Yeah, first fix and wasnt so difficult.

dannyzabolotny · #5 01-18-2017, 02:40 PM

Sounds like you've been settling into the X5 lifestyle pretty well. Look at you, already diagnosing issues with INPA. It was smart of you to set that up, even if it was a hassle. You'll save a lot of time in the future.

As for your misfire, check the ignition coils. I was having a periodic misfire on cylinder 8 so I replaced the ignition coil with a used one which solved the problem completely.

ZAX5 · #6 01-18-2017, 03:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dannyzabolotny

Sounds like you've been settling into the X5 lifestyle pretty well. Look at you, already diagnosing issues with INPA. It was smart of you to set that up, even if it was a hassle. You'll save a lot of time in the future.

As for your misfire, check the ignition coils. I was having a periodic misfire on cylinder 8 so I replaced the ignition coil with a used one which solved the problem completely.

Hi,
Was the first new part I bought for the car.
Coil pack sortes out the mis fire.

It is a fun car so far

upallnight · #7 01-18-2017, 03:00 PM

Wow, the manual and 4.6 and 4.8 owners on this side of the pond will be so jealous. A V8 X5 E53 with a stick.

Another wow, another fellow Lotus owner, put a Lotus badge on the X, Lotus Of Trouble Usually Serious. LOL

OrangeFurious · #8 01-18-2017, 03:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by upallnight

Wow, the manual and 4.6 and 4.8 owners on this side of the pond will be so jealous. A V8 X5 E53 with a stick.

Another wow, another fellow Lotus owner, put a Lotus badge on the X, Lotus Of Trouble Usually Serious. LOL

I was thinking the same thing. Also digging the sports seats.

Great find, ZAX5 and welcome to the forum.

ZAX5 · #9 01-29-2017, 12:26 AM

Order new gaskets for the inlet manifold.
The four inlet gaskets
The throttle gasket and the CCV gasket, the one in the back
They arrived on Friday

I soldered the wires together on the knock sensor, installed it and seems to be working now.

Added new pipes for the CCV system as the original ones had been squashed.

Installed all the new gaskets, and the inlet manifold.

Checked all the connections, and then started it.

Well, it cranked, carried on for a little, stuttered and then finaly caught. Yeah, it lives again.

And as with all good mechanics, there was only one spare bolt

It runs well now, but I suspect a lifter is faulty, has a slight uneven idle on one cylinder,
Will check all the spark plugs today, and see how they all look.

Second hand car sales place gave me the slips of the work that he had done.
One of which was to replace all the spark plugs.
The other was to replace the oil, which wasnt done. The filter was sort of squished, showing it was blocked from not being changed.
The new oil looks a lot cleaner. And is still clean after driving.

I need to get a matching rim, as the spare is on the back left,
It was so,d without one of the rims.

I found a scrap car shop. They have annidentical X5, it was scrapped as the PO didnt want to buy a new alternator, as it cost to much, so scrapped the car.

Next is ti replace the filter in the gearbox, that should be fun....

williamx5 · #10 01-19-2017, 02:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by upallnight

Wow, the manual and 4.6 and 4.8 owners on this side of the pond will be so jealous. A V8 X5 E53 with a stick.

Another wow, another fellow Lotus owner, put a Lotus badge on the X, Lotus Of Trouble Usually Serious. LOL

I thought the same thing at first... AN ACTUAL 4.4L MANUAL!? Then I got to looking at the shifter... The manual shifter doesn't have plastic in the boot area at all... It's all leather boot in the big open area around the wood trim... And the shifter indications would be facing the driver on the right... DANG IT!!!

Oh well!! Still a super nice find!! Just a hair less than I got for mine in driving condition!!! I had to tow mine home... Let me know if you want that part... Depending on shipping cost, of course... You might be able to get one there cheaper than it would be to send you mine...

Cheers!!