My front cv axle boot repair kit from FCP arrived today, as did the EBay tool that grabs the threads and pulls the axle back through the hub/carrier. This is a job that requires a lot of procrastination for me, so to make myself feel better I put the injector harness clips back on. I only could find 7 of them so I left cylinder 1 off since it’s easier to get to. I’ll see if eBay has a source for these little wire ass-pain generators.

The car ran fine for years with them on backwards, and not at all for the past several months, but I feel better with them on. I pulled the coil covers and disconnected the coils to get just enough slack in the harness so I could work it off and get the clips on without drama.

I fixed the sunroof yesterday. Everything looks pretty good. Getting the rear glass in was a little tricky. Cranking it by hand in the car everything looks good. Everything goes back and forward perfectly nicely. I'm kind of surprised.

I need to make some small alignment tweaks to the glass before trying the power motor. Honestly I don't even really want to try it. At this point I'm content to pull the fuse and ppf it but I suppose I have to see if it works. I'm pretty sure it will. I also have to update the software on the sunroof module first. The new seal is a little bigger so the software to open and close it has to be different.

I was finally able to drive it above 40 miles an hour. No wind noise. I have to spray a little water on top and leak test too, but I think it will be good.

It drove pretty well on the highway. I even wound out third gear on the entrance ramp to redline, it runs pretty good. Finally, this thing's been sitting in the garage since the day it showed up like a paperweight for exactly 2 months. Winter is about over. Whatever .. next winter it will be a great daily driver.

Next I'm going to drop the headliner off to get redone. The black interior pieces I picked up a couple of them are a little Sun faded almost like a dark blue, so I'm going to attempt to use the fabric dye stuff on those. Then I have to fix the oil leak(s) ..

The sunroof works perfectly and is totally sealed. It's been out in the rain all day, totally dry in the cabin.

I like the vent feature I'm going to keep using it and maintain it.

I flushed all the disgusting green coolant out. Now I have 6 gallons of green/dilute green jugs to get rid of.

I sucked the power steering fluid out for fresh atf. Took about 8 times but looks good. Oil and filter change. Rear diff fluid and mtf change. Bled the brakes and clutch. Much better, as always. Front diff was done last month with the axles. T case was done recently, apparently, so that's all the fluids. This thing runs and drives really good. Did I mention no water ingress.

Next is the oil leaks. Which is definitely the oil pan gasket, passenger side axle bracket o-ring, and rear main seal. I might just remove the engine for all that, and do the mounts etc. Then some minor paint and body work and this thing is mint.

I went to Costco to get another battery for my X after this one going completely dead and not taking any charger from either the alternator or the trickle charger. The Costco clerk said since it was only a 30-month old AGM battery they'd give me a full refund ($175). Since they didn't have another AGM I just got a normal battery and came home with $55 in my pocket and a brand new battery. Not a half bad deal!


I have a new Bosch starter from FCP I'm putting in tomorrow and hopefully will have it running by close of business. I was sad to see that even though the Bosch is brand new and "OE" it is made in China. Hopefully it won't fail in two years flat like the Bosch alternator I bought and replaced last year.

Bosch sold its "rotating" automotive businesses to a group of Chinese investors several years ago. The Bosch name remains.

I guess I thought that was just the reman stuff. What a bummer.

I sat looking at mine through the Honda Civic windscreen as its stuck in trans failsafe mode (see other thread)..

I got the new Bosch starter in with great help from old threads on this forum. Got the new battery in, put everything back together, and then I remembered I had a pigtail connector for my trickle charger in the bottom of the tool box, that came with it when I bought it years ago. I always use it with the clamp-on terminals that also came with it. But this one I bolted up to the jump terminal in the engine bay and left hanging by the windshield wiper. It has a cover so it will stay dry, and a fuse in case it shorts on something. So that will help me to keep it on the trickle charger when I am not driving it for 2-3 weeks at a time, like I have been lately, and maybe avoid trashing more batteries.

Somebody confirm what I'm thinking: when replacing the starter yesterday I pulled the DISA valve off, which I rebuilt a couple years ago with a GAS kit. However I noticed that when I turn the valve by hand, it doesn't return automatically. This means the diaphragm is bad, right? It looks like VANOS-BMW sells the diaphragm separately. Should have just got their kit to begin with instead of the GAS kit since it doesn't come with the GAS kit.

The diaphragm opens the spring closes. To test it you can suck on the vacuum tube to open and it should swing back shut all itself.


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