We're all "DIY'rs" here how had can it be?

Power Cleaned the Carpets with Water Vacuum and some Chems
 

Cleaned the Carpets from being soaked due to the leakege in the panoramic SUnroof

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jjjbku2ys3U

Something that wasnt very pleasant to spot but good thing that Ive spotted it before the Rust and the mold would of gotten to the X5 - Especially with having those THICK Expensive carpets In iT

I just found and bought the last available Under Ride protection from New Zealand.... took me weeks of searching to find, will probable take forever to get here, thanks covid.

https://v1vehicleparts.co.nz/product...0331951120455#

$1100 USD

so excited!! i know this is the holy grail of all E53 mods.

Here's how bad/good/fun/wife's pissed (because I said the car would be great and very reliable when I handed over $10k cash for it):

2 weeks ago on the way to work turning onto the feeder I goose it and throw the SC belt which takes both accessory belts with it. I limp home while producing a nice coolant steam trail.

I jump in the e90, go to work, come home in the evening and start the teardown.

While removing the PS headlight I destroy the xenon cover and mounting bracket (effing wonderful, done this at least 10 times before without issues). All three belts have been chewed and spun around the crank tike saltwater taffy. Shreds of rubber and fiber is all that remains and it's everywhere. Remove charge pipe and rad fan shroud to get a better look at the hoses. Lower rad hose, and trans thermostat coolant feed lines gat chewed in the process, there's the source of the steam.

Good thing, I thought the radiator or some other pricier parts got damaged.

Proceed to remove the hoses and notice a trail of oil coming from the Vanos solenoid gasket, I['m ecstatic, there's that pesky little leak I've been looking for, easy peasy. I recently changed these along with a number of other gaskets. I got to tighten the bottom bolt and it's hand tight, now I know I tightened it better. Keep tightening, still hand tight, keep tightening, you get the idea. Looks like someone stripped out the thread, great.

So out come the rest of the SC Plumbing, the SC, SC brackets, coils, valve cover, chain tensioner, and lower timing cover.

Now waiting on parts to arrive from all corners of the internet.

Wife keeps giving me the "You are an absolute dumbass" look.


Worth it. . .

Finally got sick of the non-functional PDC so removed front bumper (again) and replaced centre/left PDC sensor. Sorted. :thumbup:

Will clear fault code from PDC system at next service (soon) - not dragging out the laptop for such a minor task. :yawn:

@nolimite39

Awesome made my day.

I have a great post about to make in a new thread how to beat an axle out without damage that is completely rusted to the hub.

I made a special tool out of the center of a rotor to use as a plate to push between the rotor and axle with my 31 ton bearing press jig.

Spoiler alert: the center of a rotor cannot handle over about 12-15T

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...052c28028e.jpg

That was both fortunate and unfortunate.

Unfortunate because I broke my new tool that took 15 minutes of angle grinding to make on the very first use.

Fortunate because the pieces turned out to be spot on perfect to use to help pull off the hub once I finally got the axle to move.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...a30db0fd4e.jpg

Here's the jig with (5) M12-1.5x70 bolts into the hub and a very special 10" Milwaukee adjustable wrench that not only miraculously opens to 1.5" to fit the nut, not even 12" normally will fit but magically fit around the lug bolt substitutes.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...e60bc2cef3.jpg

The bolt had to go in last and between the screw of the adjustment jaw and the handle! About 3mm to spare.

I agree. That's why I got the foxwell.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Fitted the rest of the LEDs I bought for it, front footwell, rear footwell, vanity lights and upper tailgate with a couple of LED strips thrown in for good measure.

Fitted the logo puddle lights to the rear doors so now have them on all 4.

New carbon center caps for the wheels to match the rest so all now replaced with carbon, as you can wee the originals were shot.

Finally washed it after a few weeks, it was filthy.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...7c5db93445.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...4cc4f426ac.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...9da52ab72c.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...93b9e82301.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...788e4a24a2.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...86823b0df3.jpg

Sent from my BLA-L09 using Tapatalk

So this is why I hate the roads over here!!

Less than 8 months and I just had to find a new "adjuster" to hit.[emoji2959]https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...9c4cb693e5.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...9241092330.jpg

Sent from my SM-A730F using Tapatalk

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

If you plan on replacing your panoramic sunroof, make sure to have help. It's not as hard of a job as one would think. The hard part is putting the truck back together and having random screws left.