What did you do to / for your E53 today??

[Joshdub]

I would gladly pay $30. All of my local dealers were around $70, including mini.

The switch isn't a typical plunger which is weird. It's an adjustable plastic piece that senses the metal pedal arm. Super easy to knock out of adjustment if not careful.

[srmmmm]

Oil change and washer fluid refill. Time to get ready for the Labor Day Weekend trip to the lake

2002 X5 3.0 307,800 miles
2014 428i 21,200 miles

2004 325i sold at 123,600 miles
2001 325i sold at 66,000 miles

1970 Firebird - Under restoration

[Scott ZHP]

Update: clunk in front end is resolved. It was due for state inspection, so I asked the dealer tech to roadtest it. He immediately confirmed the noise. He put it up on the alignment rack and checked/retorqued all suspension, subframe and subframe fasteners for 1/2hr labor. Pass side control arm had worked a bit loose. Noise gone and double joint (which I suspected initially) is fine.

Rookie mistake on my part I guess. An alignment rack makes access easy with the suspension preloaded. At least it's sorted and noise free.

[bcredliner]

Originally Posted by Scott ZHP

Update: clunk in front end is resolved. It was due for state inspection, so I asked the dealer tech to roadtest it. He immediately confirmed the noise. He put it up on the alignment rack and checked/retorqued all suspension, subframe and subframe fasteners for 1/2hr labor. Pass side control arm had worked a bit loose. Noise gone and double joint (which I suspected initially) is fine.

Rookie mistake on my part I guess. An alignment rack makes access easy with the suspension preloaded. At least it's sorted and noise free.

Goes with DIY, rookie or not. Another one is finding a bolt or screw on the floor when you complete a project and having no idea where it belongs.

[Scott ZHP]

Originally Posted by bcredliner

Goes with DIY, rookie or not. Another one is finding a bolt or screw on the floor when you complete a project and having no idea where it belongs.

I actually looked up every torque value, wrote it down, and marked each bolt/nut with a Sharpie to make sure I had tightened them all... new locking nuts too. Maybe I need a new torque wrench, lol.

As far as mystery hardware goes ... I use Ziplock bags. I took most of my Spitfire apart about 6 years ago for restoration and I'm slowly re-assembling it. I have a couple hundred Ziplock bags all labeled with what the hardware is inside and where it goes. Probably overkill for one or two day duration DIY jobs.

[bcredliner]

I use a similar process when I do the big projects.

[X53Jay4.8is]

Originally Posted by Scott ZHP

I actually looked up every torque value, wrote it down, and marked each bolt/nut with a Sharpie to make sure I had tightened them all... new locking nuts too. Maybe I need a new torque wrench, lol.

As far as mystery hardware goes ... I use Ziplock bags. I took most of my Spitfire apart about 6 years ago for restoration and I'm slowly re-assembling it. I have a couple hundred Ziplock bags all labeled with what the hardware is inside and where it goes. Probably overkill for one or two day duration DIY jobs.

Hey there is no substitute for great strategy in the organization of parts as you dismantle or repair a vehicle.

[Ricky Bobby]

Originally Posted by Scott ZHP

Update: clunk in front end is resolved. It was due for state inspection, so I asked the dealer tech to roadtest it. He immediately confirmed the noise. He put it up on the alignment rack and checked/retorqued all suspension, subframe and subframe fasteners for 1/2hr labor. Pass side control arm had worked a bit loose. Noise gone and double joint (which I suspected initially) is fine.

Rookie mistake on my part I guess. An alignment rack makes access easy with the suspension preloaded. At least it's sorted and noise free.

Thats not a bad price for peace of mind and an easy fix!

[Scott ZHP]

Originally Posted by Ricky Bobby

Thats not a bad price for peace of mind and an easy fix!

I thought so too. Wife didn't want to drive it until noise was resolved; don't really blame her. Now I get to do control arms and control arm bushings on my E46; let's hope I don't eff that up.

[crystalworks]

Originally Posted by Scott ZHP

Update: clunk in front end is resolved. It was due for state inspection, so I asked the dealer tech to roadtest it. He immediately confirmed the noise. He put it up on the alignment rack and checked/retorqued all suspension, subframe and subframe fasteners for 1/2hr labor. Pass side control arm had worked a bit loose. Noise gone and double joint (which I suspected initially) is fine.

Rookie mistake on my part I guess. An alignment rack makes access easy with the suspension preloaded. At least it's sorted and noise free.

I'll have to check mine. Has developed a clunk when going from reverse to forward and vice versa. I did the bushings, ball joints, and tie rods only this spring. I suppose it could be the rear arms now as I didn't replace those. Will have a good poke around with the X5 on ramps so the suspension is loaded (everything was torqued with suspension loaded).

Proper procedure is to retorque everything after road testing... lol but I never do unless there is a noise.