Either you have a bunch of broken door clips. The little round white ones... I buy them in bulk on Amazon because of all the Bimmers I own and work on. Always replace 2 or 3 when I do a door.

Or, and this is just as common, your plastic mounts for those tabs are loose or separated from the door card itself. Super common on E36, E39, E53, and E83 chassis. Probably others too, but those are the ones I've repaired. Have a look at this video I made.

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

Words of truth CW..! Yep, cranking up the tunes is indeed the solution. Funny fun fact.. My wearable device notified me the other day that, the ambient sound while driving OLe’GiRL is possibly elevated. LoL.. :lmao:


E53 RiPPeR
XOuTPoST jUNkiE
ReVELaTiON 22:21

Excellent video! I've worked my way through about half of the little plastic mounts over the past year or so. I still have several that haven't failed yet when pulling the panel off, but I have two-part epoxy standing by whenever I do need to pull the panel as I just expect one or two of them will come off each time.

It took me some trial and error, but I've found that JB Weld Plastic Bonder (light brown syringe) works best over time for me.

Went for a short drive across town, if 56 miles is a short drive. Using new toys, running data was collected. I was surprised to see running temps down to 174F. Cool morning but not cold. Rush hour traffic temp was 204 solid. Most running temps for a cool morning were 185-188 F. The Hella thermostat works great. Fuel trims are near 0 when added up. Bank 2 is slightly higher than bank one. All data looks normal to me. I would like to see colder air intake values though.

onboard data display(s)
 

I've got similar data on my display, also, as I'm always wanting to know if my 21+ year-old M54 is feeling well, and not relying on the BMW dashboard alone, for that info. I don't have the high cluster nor a MID installed, so the aftermarket data helpers are my only way to get it.

Your running data is quite similar to mine: temperature, fuel trims all OK (though my fuel trims never stay totally zeroed out...bank 2 is usually higher, too). I don't think I'd ever trust running on the BMW-furnished dashboard data ever again, so I'm looking to expand my info gathering capabilities further.

At present, I see that you're using Torque Pro (or similar app) for data display while driving. Is it the same Samsung 10.5" tablet you discussed in another thread https://xoutpost.com/bmw-sav-forums/...e-options.html? or is it on a laptop (bottom of your photo shows a computer taskbar (I think)?
Attachment 83054 my 8" tablet's display is on the left


You've got similar dials on your single, larger, screen, that I have to use 3-4 screens to fully display, and both of us choose some extra info that isn't as important as well (I also use my main screen to check on altitude and direction...helps me on backroads in unfamiliar hill country, near my home; Google Maps on another screen, too). The main data I want to observe are always there: MAF, fuel trims, coolant temperature, vacuum (old-school tuning and driving aid), with other sensor data out of constant sight, since I might do "distracted driving" while looking at too much at a time.

I'm OK using my tablet as a data center, as it is within easy sight & reach, but I'm currently trying to find or fabricate a mount for my 13.3" Windows 11 laptop, so I could do the same as with my tablet. I've got INPA, OBDWiz (the Windows version of OBDLink Android app, and quite similar to Torque Pro), and Google Maps installed on the laptop, and I think it'd be better while driving...better, more detailed info, better mapping (the laptop is capable of online maps, whereas the tablet is offline on the road). And, the tablet obscures my radio display and controls.

I wonder if the insulating double glazing glass would quiet things down?!?! I know Prop did this glass but can't remember if he said it was worth it.

New fan shroud
 

And a new transmission cooler coolant hose (runs across the bottom of the radiator) as well as the transmission thermostat I had never thought about changing the latter until I looked into replacing the hose.

Decided to do an oil and filter change while it was apart. A bit short interval this time about 2.5k but I plan a long drive next week....

I have been experience a really nasty creaking sound which I have diagnosed as the passenger side inner tie rod. There is no play but just a loud creaking sound when I move the wheel left and right from the center. It could be the rack itself but here's hoping.....in any case it will have to wait until I get back from the upcoming trip.

X5, can you please share what app that is? Would like to get it. Also, any info on your Hella tstat. Do you have any codes/warnings using lower temp stat? Doing this very soon on my 4.6 and want to do it correctly. Thanks!

I didn't notice any difference in noise- except an *increase* from lt passenger window. I think the install on the fixed window sucks. Hands down my least favorite mod. NOTHING like the E39 and E38.

I drove another 500 miles yesterday without any unstable idle issues at all. Maybe the problem was really solved by just removing and cleaning out the ICV?



I did see that i had "fuel trim exceeded" codes again on the Foxwell, but they were just the "shadow" codes which did not illuminate the check engine light on the dash. Like I said before, the last two times I took this trip in the past 6 months, those codes tripped the CEL on the dash multiple times on each trip.



I did get a couple of CELs for evap system leaks, but who cares about those. (I don't have smog in my area.) Other than that, a very smooth road trip where I got about 20-21 mpg in California driving to stay alive among the murderous maniacs which inhabit every single one of the roadways there.