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

[andrewwynn]

Can you only not lock with key remote? Or not from cereal lock or key in the door?


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[LVR]

Originally Posted by andrewwynn

Can you only not lock with key remote? Or not from cereal lock or key in the door?

The central locking works normally from the internal button, the key operates the central locking at the door, it just won't operate from the remote key.

I've done all the methods on here in the forum about re pairing the key with so many presses etc and had the key charging on an induction charger overnight... no joy....

Only clue I have so far is that through ISTA I can see that there is no communication/power to the antennae module in the rear. There's no power to the CD player either yet all the fuses are fine so it's wabbit hunting time again...

[andrewwynn]

Key fob talks via the antenna amp in the rear hatch so power needs to get there. Not uncommon for the wires to break in the tube from body to hatch by the right hinge.

[wpoll]

Originally Posted by wpoll

Brake fluid flush and reset the fluid age counter on the SIA. The clock indicator on the SIA pops up every 716 days, like clockwork. Because, well, it IS clockwork. :-)

So when I was putting the windscreen scuttle back in after flushing the brake fluid, I spotted that the hood (bonnet) switch was disconnected. Thinking I had probably undone this myself at some point (although not remembering having done so), I plugged it back in and hoped it wasn't pulled by a PO because the switch was faulty and trigger the alarm.

Two days later, I get my answer. The sodding thing went off three times today in the car park at work...

I pulled the switch and disassembled it, cleaned all the contacts and sliding parts (of which there are FAR too many for this simple switch function!) and put it back in.

So far so good. But I'm sleeping with the key-fob on my bedside table!

[Vanguard]

Finished changing out the front subframe due to corrosion. Looks like I need to her re-aligned this week now.

[andrewwynn]

Originally Posted by wpoll

pulled the switch and disassembled it, cleaned all the contacts and sliding parts (of which there are FAR too many for this simple switch function!) and put it back in.

It's a very common thing to design in redundancy, use a DPST switch wired in parallel for example.

[andrewwynn]

Originally Posted by Vanguard

Finished changing out the front subframe due to corrosion. Looks like I need to her re-aligned this week now.

You can do a very close alignment with a tight string wrapped around front and back tires with a 1/16" spacer on the front bulge of each tire (tape to rear tires, string will hold it in the front)





If the widest points of tire sidewall are close to 24" 1/16" for the spacer front and back are almost dead center of the 0.15° toe in spec front and back.

[Vanguard]

Thanks! I'll take a look at this tonight.

I still have to change out the tie rod ends, because I was stupid and used a pickle fork, instead of getting the correct tool from the basement...

[Overboost]

I would 4 jack stands placed exactly on the corners of the car. The measure the distance from the axle tips to the string front and rear and make them the same. This will build a virtual box around the car. The measure the leading and trailing edge of the wheels to get the correct toe measurements.

DIY Wheel Alignment It’s Easier Than You Think! | Speed Academy

[andrewwynn]

It's a great theoretical method but it's a lot harder to take measurements in the range of 1/32 to 1/64 that matter in toe alignment than detecting a deflection in a straight string which you can easily tell when the string goes from touching to bending. It's quite easy to get within 0.05° angle using a string.

I was originally going to use a laser with a magnet to send a dot to the garage door and measure the distance between them left and right until I discovered the string method that road racers do to set up their toe

The problem with only referencing the other wheels/tires is that you can end up with a perfect alignment that is "crabbing" down the road. Unless something is broken or damaged from an accident, I doubt that will happen. Also it will keep the tires from destruction even if the car goes down the road at a slight angle from straight.