More details on the process, please.

My PF bushings arrive Monday, my new bolts won't get here until Wednesday, unfortunately, but that means I can run to HF tomorrow and snag the puller (part number?). This way I won't have to bug my buddy and use his press. Plus, I've got a 20% off HF coupon sitting on the counter waiting for an excuse to be used!

My Bilstein's, cabin filter, air filter, oil filter, oil, sway bar links, rear shock mounts, plugs, and other stuff arrived today! Going to get started tomorrow!

Item # 59326 is the 5 ton puller. If I had known how much pressure was required I would have gotten the 12 ton puller. It's only $15 more.

The pic shows the first push on the bushing with a steel block, once the bushing face was pushed flush to the control arm I put a large impact socket that measured 2.6 OD and used that to push the bushing thru.

To install the Powerflex bushing, I used a 1/2 X 7" bolt/nut/washers with my 1/2 drive metric oil filter canister socket on the bushing and a 3X3 3/4" steel plate clearance drilled for the 1/2 bolt on the control arm, I installed with the greased steel sleeves inside the bushing to help guide the bushing along the bolt.

Next job for the puller is removal of the rear subframe bushings and installing Powerflex Yellow sub-bushings.

Swapped the summer wheels/tires on today...just in time for snow on Monday. :yikes:

Also got a foam gun for car washing and tried it out for the first time today.

Some day I'll grow up (but not today).
http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i2...pss70doawn.jpg

Finished pictures after I got done playing around.
http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i2...psvhcqxarm.jpg

http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i2...psbdvny11u.jpg

http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i2...psh9hjg5ey.jpg

-Carter

MD...? Is that a Diplomatic plate?

yeap, dip plates... MD - Mission Diplomatico... there were also CD plates - Corpus Diplomatico...

Here is the same car in Moscow, Russia...

put on the set of style 74 wheels/tires I got for $200, look soo much better than the style 57 ones. yay!

http://honda-tech.com/picture.php?al...ictureid=98174

:iagree:

- RR Rear passenger ball joint
- RR cigarette lighter fuse
- since we experienced spring snow/freezing weather ( re-detailed some panels n glasses )
= foam wash (honey dew)
= clay ( nano skin ) // I threw away my outdated clay bar!
= cleaner ( stripping ) +
= glaze ( black light )
= sealant ( jet seal 101) // 12 hrs
= wax ( 50/50 )
= spray wax/sealant ( hybrid v7 )

**** ready for rainy season!


* will try Total Quartz 9000 Energy 5W40 on my next oil change

Cleaned, clayed & Opti-coated my summer wheels before putting them on.

Front pas Window regulator, windshield wiper pump (sound familiar to anyone?)

And took a chance on some ebay fitted floor mats. Actually are really nice. Just ordered a rear one from the same company. 3D maxpider kagu floor mats. We will see how they hold up. They fit really well.
http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a1...ps5cf9e2b3.jpg

Oh man this thread got exciting, havent checked in a while.

X5SND I did as well, opticiated my 87s!, pretty good i may touch it up a bit though. Dirt definitley comes of much easier now with the p washer. no need to actually wash them

Term. love the pics!

Also did some Gopnik stab your tire ahaha

Oh man this thread got exciting, havent checked in a while.

X5SND I did as well, opticiated my 87s!, pretty good i may touch it up a bit though. Dirt definitley comes of much easier now with the p washer. no need to actually wash them

Term. love the pics!

Also did some Gopnik stab your tire ahaha

I FINALLY replaced my oil filter housing gasket today. And the vanos "oil pipe" while I was at it as it appeared to "sweat" oil down close to the housing end.

The job wasn't as bad as I anticipated. Only that the PS reservoir was conveniently in the way most times. I'm glad I can now check this one off the list.

Next up my soon to be delivered new front skid plate and rear ball joints/intergal links R&R sometime this early summer.

I wanted to wait the 24 hours before I subjected them to the junk on the roads. I did pour some water onto the backside of the rear wheel barrel and it just ran right off!! Very impressive hydrophobic properties....miles better than any wax I've ever come across! Can't wait to see just how much easier dirt comes off the wheels now!

I'll be doing my entire X in the weeks to come with opticoat, but will have to set aside a weekend as I'll have to do compound it first!

X5SND - is this the stuff? I've never heard of it before. Sounds impressive

eShine Canada: Optimum Opti-Coat 2.0 Permanent Paint Coating

LVP, yep that's the stuff! Upon first glance it seems like expensive stuff (nearly $100 for 20cc's) but the stuff has awesome coverage. One syringe should be enough to do wheels & the X.

IMO this stuff is the practical alternative to applying a wax biannually to keep water heading up off a daily driven car....I just don't have time to do it anymore!

Phil at detailed domain would really be the guy to talk to here about this stuff as I'm sure he has a wealth of knowledge regarding it!

installed the aux cable that plugs into the harness right behind the navi screen

black grills

back right tire had a nail in it, I pluged her up

Just make sure you read the instructions closely and follow them exactly. Unforgiving coating.

I've used Cquartz with good results (in fact I have some waiting to go on the 2011 M3, 2nd time doing it in 3 years), but Opti II is the hot set up now.

Yesterday I put in new rear Bilstein sport (yellow) shocks and new shock mounts. Then I installed the CCV vents (I think that's what they are called on the N62). Finally, I put in power flex front sway bar bushings. Oddly, with nearly 89k miles the stock rear Bilstein (black) shocks still had some compression and rebound resistance. They were *not* toast like I thought they were from the way the X was handling cornering transitions.

Today, I pressed in the power flex tension strut bushings. First one pressed in fine. Second one was a major PITA. One hour later it finally went in with 2 screwdrivers pressing the 'lip' of the bushing, working around the edge to get it started. What a bummer after the first one went in so easily, with no assistance needed other than the press working.

I'll install the arms with new bolts on the bushing end tomorrow.

The driver's side front bushing is torn again...hence my clunk under abrupt braking. I'll save installing the front struts for next weekend when I can get an alignment done.

:iagree:

While OC2 is marketed as a "consumer" level product, I would place it towards the professional end of the spectrum, as in the event you do botch up he application, you're going to spend hours compounding it out...with a few choice words no doubt! :rofl:

http://i60.tinypic.com/29qehwn.jpg

http://i61.tinypic.com/2m6qtu0.jpg

http://i62.tinypic.com/zk4bk1.jpg

should be out this week finally....ugh..

thank goodness for this block from a 740 all the way from Texas

Jhay, when's it's back on the road we gotta do a coffee run! Impressive work that's quite the undertaking!

Got the tension struts installed today. All that is left is the front struts and an oil/filter change. I'll get that done next weekend.

UPDATE: Drove my wife to the airport this morning and I'm happy to say that there was no increase in noise, vibration, or harshness with the powerflex tension strut bushings. :thumbup:

http://mypartyshirt.com/media/catalo...o/fosho_4.jpeg

Saw pnoyako85's X5 while I was at MetLife stadium doing this:

Project36 First Autox - YouTube

Looked in the engine bay and saw coolant leaking from the temp sensor. Stifled some cuss words, stopped at partsource and then remembered it's Ishtard Sunday :P

New LCD display installed in the NAV unit. Service performed by germanaudiotech (found them on eBay). Since they are also in LA, I paid extra and had him come to the service in my driveway. Nice guy, and the new display looks terrific.

Italian tuneup run, followed by a 20 min Liquimoly flush, including a few minutes at 2000 RPM. Changed the oil, putting in Lubromoly 5w40. While I was letting it train, I re-secured heat shields that have been hanging down. They were corroded badly enough that they just slipped off the bolts. Will patch them up next week.

Also took the time to investigate what the idiots at MrLube (the last oil change) thought was a leak from the rear main seal. As I suspected, it looks like when the dealer replaced the VCG, his tech didn't bother to clean all the oil that was sitting in the skid plate and stiffening plate. Cleaned it up, driveway shows no new spots.
:thumbup:

While I was in there, I replaced the leaky coolant temp sensor. No more coolant drip. :)

Transfer Case Chain
 

Replaced the stretched Transfer Case Chain. No more skips when I really get on the gas (diesel)! What a relief. Everything we removed and everything inside the transfer case looked super healthy....

http://www.xoutpost.com/members/jwil...52-photo-3.jpg

Transfer Case Chain
 

Replaced the stretched Transfer Case Chain. No more skips when I really get on the gas (diesel)! What a relief. Everything we removed and everything inside the transfer case looked super healthy....

http://www.xoutpost.com/members/jwil...52-photo-3.jpg

Put in brand new locks on the hood, then discovered afterward that the cable for the passenger side lock apparently snapped...so I can't open my hood. Will fix w/the cuz later this week when we work on the rear hatch actuator install (broke that a month ago).

I'm leaning more and more toward basic maintenance, as I'm going to trade up for the diesel or the 4.6 in a year or so.

Put in brand new locks on the hood, then discovered afterward that the cable for the passenger side lock apparently snapped...so I can't open my hood. Will fix w/the cuz later this week when we work on the rear hatch actuator install (broke that a month ago).

I'm leaning more and more toward basic maintenance, as I'm going to trade up for the diesel or the 4.6 in a year or so.

finally fixed the leak in my passenger rear door. kept leaking in the rain. after having the panel off a couple times I got smart and left the panel off, closed the door, and ran water over it.

of all places, the lower panel screw hole was leaking. it would leak right down between the two rubber buffer pads and along the panel to the middle before dumping out over the top of the weatherstripping and onto the carpet. ok, shot some weatherstrip gasket goo in the hole and put the screw in and checked again with water.

NOW, because that screwhole was sealed, there were about 4 other small gasket seals around the panel. I pulled the barrier off and ripped it in several places. cussed a bit, collected myself and said screw it. I'll do what honda and toyota do to their cars. got a razor blade and scraped off all the factory goo. Then grabbed a can of trim adhesive and a big clear plastic trash bag (used to use for leaves). cut it flat, applied the trim adhesive all around the door frame and stuck the plastic on.

waited about 30 minutes for it to completely cure and retested. sure enough, no leaks. Also, it was kind of funny watching how the water dripped through the inside of the door. It would enter through the quarter window channel and land against the vapor barrier in large open area, then drip both on the inside/outside of the panel divider and then right over that bolt hole.

anyway, I just sorta stuck the original panel (assume it has sound deadening properties) on top of the plastic barrier and put the door panel back on after poking a hole in the plastic at the lower bolt and squirting some more goo in there.

tested it again after all was back together and it works just fine. In the future I dont have to deal with all that goo or tearing a barrier. just rip off the plastic and restick some more plastic when I'm done. I do this with all the mustangs/imports I work on and it holds just fine in all kinds of climates.

Finally was able to give the X its first hand wash of the season. Took two washes to get most of the dirt off, could do with another and then I need to tackle the interior. It was a long winter...:(

http://i1283.photobucket.com/albums/...psda33abd1.jpg

http://i1283.photobucket.com/albums/...psd300104e.jpg

replaced my front passenger window regulator/motor today and sealed it like my rear passenger door as well. also, while I was in there I used the two window glass retainer plastics I was saving for my driver side window rattle as I noticed they were bad.

window goes up/down faster than before and doesnt pop the fuse but its still not exactly the fastest in the world. I'm thinking some of the weatherstripping must be drying out and causing drag on the window glass itself. I'll leave that for another day though.

Been a busy month with the x repairing a bunch of things + finally some shots of my spyder's ;)
Still waiting to get my front suspension refresh kit II from the sponsor which I need badly as I'm wobbling pretty bad to the point were it scared my on the roads (probably have to park Max until I can fix him) :(

Waterpump w/ new aluminum pulley and fresh fluid
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-R...and+pulley.JPG

Got the check brake lining and needed new rear pads only to discover a big nail plus the one I already knew I had in there from a couple years ago. Luckily both nails didnt puncture all the way through!
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-F...il+In+Tire.JPG
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-B...ear+Brakes.JPG

And last but not least.. Lights!
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-4...dlights+In.JPG

Lights look nice. What did you do?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I learned the car beeps & the cluster reads release parking brake if the car is driven with it on.

It happened immediately when I moved 2 feet in a drive through forgetting it was on.

Pretty cool!

Your lights look great man, enjoy them and I hope the CCFL rings last a while, some report they burn out within a year.

Bath and "new" shoes :D

LOVE IT SAM!

LOVE IT SAM!

Installed the front Bilstein sport (yellow) struts, then took it in for an alignment. Drove home and put it back up on the lift and drained the oil. New oil and filter (Liquimoly 5w-40 'Hi-Tech' synthetic).

The Bilstein sports are much smoother than I thought they'd be.

The X5 is running super quiet with the new oil (first time using the 'Hi-Tech' formula).

garrett.fell, I replaced the original halogen headlights with some spyder headlights and I had to paint the housings black since the only ones available at the time I bought them were ugly chrome. I'll probably be selling the original headlights very soon.

RB, Thanks! I really like them. I worried a little bit when I first turned them on because the right side outer ring didnt light up as bright, turned out to be just a bad splice on the wire for that ring so I tightened it and it works fine now. I REALLY hope I can get more life out of them than just a year. I'm kinda keeping my hopes up thinking that since I added a switch inside to control when I can have them on or not they'll work longer by only having them on at night or on those very cloudy days.

Little bit of this;):

2014 V2.0 UPDATE STARTS HERE

Thanks bud :thumbup:

Today I cleaned this piece of inaccessible trim.

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/04/29/jeqe7y2e.jpg


Currently having a moment of "hey he looks better without ears". Maybe should remove both sides a join those of you hyper-milers.

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/04/29/apagugyz.jpg

Junkycosmos
2005 4.8is

replace the sideview mirrors with camera system

Side-view Mirror Replacement Cameras & Rear-view Cameras - Lattice Semiconductor

I am sorry, here i am again, with the cameras... i think i am going crazy at my work...

Term, I was thinking about you and those cameras. There is a cavern of an open space in the existing powerfold bracket. (About the size of a 540 electric motor). Was eyeing it for a barrel cam location.


At first I had tried to repair the powerfold motor and gears (set from eBay) that made a difference but the gearing was still loose and slipping. So onto plan B of swapping entire powerfold unit. Hardest part was removing and reinstalling the door panel. First test showed and the mirror would fold in and the bounce back out. Quick fix of metal lever on the micro switch in the bracket did the trick.

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/04/29/nynapu8e.jpg



For tonight Beast keeps his ears. Once again electric folding. And now with euro spec glass on both sides. Wow it really opens up the view. So much for hyper-miles, for now.

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/04/29/ugybery3.jpg

I need to replace mine too! They refuse to open and close. So I've fixed them with some gummy thing, open permanently.

Ordered a new water pump from Bavauto.

Heard a slight bearing rattle while at idle in garage over the weekend, went out today to a coolant stream down the driveway, removed undertray and can see the drips coming from the pump housing front seal area.

Guess I know what I'm doing this weekend. :(

Just got back from a "West Coast Spring Break" (12 days) with the family (Cali, Nevada and Arizona)...

All vehicles were plugged in to a Trickle Charger. Everything is in good running condition.

Hopefully my bimmers will behave the rest of 2014
* the only item on my list is oil & filter change before winter + battery check
* Fix passenger (outside folding mirror)

Original? That's damn good if so, as I recall you are close to 200k miles.

Not OE.

I replaced it at 105k miles over 3.5 years ago. At 180k now.

Well that speeds up my water pump schedule then, I'm at 72k but original at over 10 years old now.

Yeah, my OE lasted 7.5 yrs and 105k. The bearing failed at over 5k RPM, wrapped the belt up and broke the housing. Found chunks of aluminium and 5 bearing rollers sitting in the undertray upon removal.

My e30 did that 40 miles from Monterrey, Mx. Had if "fixed" at a roadside mechanic and limped into Monterrey at 2am took it to the dealer, who had never seen an e30 and sent me to their outsourced shop (which was very nice) and apparently had the same deal with every dealer in town. There were BMW, Benz, Audi, Ferrari, Jags etc. I waited a week before taking a bus home to Morelia instead of spending New Years 2005 in a hotel in Monterrey. Good times.

lol

Just testing out this new car. No big deal.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...B9B1B44B93.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...9374844B49.jpg

LOL @ no big deal.

FINALLY replaced the upper hatch actuator. Going to have to order a new rear emblem, though since the bungee cord that was holding it shut the last few weeks rubbed it raw.

Up next: Bowden cable, then it's on to the belts, pulleys, tensioners, water pump...

Speaking of the new emblem - look what cat dragged into my mailbox!!! :nanana:

Hotselling 4d led metal ABS car brand logo signs and names, View logo signs and names, DH Product Details from Guangzhou Dihuang Auto Parts Company Ltd. on Alibaba.com

Weekly clean up and check up/top off on fluids.

Must be real cool.

+1 :rofl:

Epic! I might get that :) Let us know how they hold up to wear. MY new front one already shows signs of wear after just 5 months :(

Lol!! I'll admit I'm not a huge fan of the new generation supercars and their hybrid gas/electric setups....but those exhausts up top on that thing negates that; especially when they're shootin out flames like an afterburner!

So how'd the thing drive?!?!?!?

Ho leee shiiiit!!!

Is that the new Toyota Celica?....













:p:

Hydraulic Steering Fluid Flush
 

I had noticed a vibration when turning the steering wheel from all the way to the left, back to the centre. Today we flushed the Hydraulic Steering Fluid and refilled it. What came out was brown and ugly. Seems to have fixed the problem.

Water pump is in and back on the road.

AC belt was worn and did not want to drive to Classic BMW in Plano for part, checked the Gates Belts online application chart, showed PN K050405. Went to auto parts store local and counter person looked it up to find the same PN. After getting the belt and installing (with tensoner adjusted full tension) it was loose. Drove to Classic BMW, got the 507-626 ContiBelt, works fine.

Compared the 2 belts and the ContiBelt is shorter then the Gates belt by 1/2".

Gates Corp gets a MAJOR FAIL for having an item application listed online and at the retail level that won't work! Hey Gates, get your head out.

I used ContiBelt when I did mine, never knew Gates was an OEM for that part.

drove a little past 2200rpm yaay! lol

Gates is an OE/OEM supplier for manufacturers other then BMW but show BMW fitment on their application charts. Tried to save 45 mins of driving (to Classic BMW) by going with Gates, the result was increased repair time and 2 trips to O'Rilley Auto (pick-up/return).

Went with Meyle 313 011 4300 pump, came in an original Meyle Products Germany box with a TINY Meyle "Made in PR of China" sticker on the box. When the hell did Meyle start having these made in China?

Would not have bought had I known it was made in China!

When I go to a repair shop to have something done, i ask them what part they are using... they are like, OEM or better... I am - OK, but who is the manufacturer, and what country it is made in? they are like, uh, don't know... so, they start calling around, and at the end of the day, the parts they are using are made in china, sold at UK prices... so, they offer me to use the OE part from a dealer, then I ask them if I can use my parts, and their labor...

in many instances this comes to a quick conclusion - they don't want to deal with my parts, as there is not enough mark up for them on the labor...

If the item is critical (hoses, belts, pumps, etc...) i would use OE or OEM or a reputable aftermarket (say, PowerFlex for the bushes)... if the item is not critical - I might try the chinese crap... just to hold the fort down...

Yeah, I'm pissed I paid for Meyle quality and have a PR of China pump. This is getting to the point where I will ONLY source my DIY pumps/belts/hoses/electrical parts thru an authorized BMW distributor. I will GLADLY pay an extra $50 for a made in Germany pump!

I like how repair shops will respond to the owner supplied parts question with "we don't want to mess with parts that don't fit", when most owners will supply parts of better quality then they use. They get a $50 made in China part and charge $200 more, pure profit and the pump will fail in about 2 yrs. More work for them!

Wow thats pretty bad, I assumed Meyle was a bit better than that and had no clue some of their parts are made in the People's Republic.

When it comes time to do my water pump I will stick to OE or the pricier but damn nice EMP Stewart pump.

they outsource many things now, even the car assembly - the X is made in the US, my wife's 335 (what is the new numbering? F80?) is made in South Africa... there are X5s made in Russia (albeit in Kaliningrad/Konnigsberg, on the border with EU)

I think the main reasons mechanics don't like using your parts is because they won't be able to honor any type of warranty on it. If they use their own part and it breaks, it is on them to fix it. If they use your part and it breaks, not due to installation, then you're still going back to them and complaining that they didn't fix the car correctly. It's a weird situation for them as a customer's part broke, but the customer is always right, so they are the ones that "broke" the part.

While i understand the warranty on the part and labor, I am yet to take full advantage of it - I had a part that broke on a car, the part was sourced and installed by a local Firestone... since they were very nice to me (and i had a lifetime alignment with them!) i went to them about the replacement of the part... I forgot they already fixed that problem once before, but it came up on their computer... they covered the part but not the labor, i paid for the labor...

You would think the fact that Bavauto has been in operation for over 40 yrs and is owned/run by a hardcore group of BMW owners they would not sell China produced parts. Or at a minimum, CLEARLY DEFINE WHAT ITEMS ARE MADE IN CHINA in their online discription!!! This is a dropped ball for BavAuto.

:iagree: You should know country of origin especially if that part is also made in Germany.

Major mfgs have learned hard lessons from chasing low cost labor rates around the world. They now have a viable formula to make the move successfully, most of the time, though the timeframe to get up and running with acceptable product is still very unpredictable.

Many own and/or operate the plant. Some decide a better option is to source from a 3rd. party. Whatever the route the product specs, performance and durability will be stringently monitored. Generally the goal is to transfer 100% of worldwide demand but not always in the beginning so they can hedge their bet.

I did a quick check. Meyle owns, operates or sources from 39 plants in China. They also have two sources in Africa which indicates where, they, like the more aggressive companies, see as the next lower cost location on the globe. I didn't look to see if Meyle still makes water pumps in Germany. With the number of parts they are making in China I wouldn't be surprised if they don't.

The responsible retailers should be looking out for their costomers and clearly stating country of origin. BavAuto company motto is "for enthusiasts, by enthusiasts", hardly the case here. I avoided the $50 cheaper URO pump when purchasing from them, solely because I don't put China parts on my vehicles.

I coded my DRL Off, Cold Monitoring Off on Fog Lights, Cold Monitoring Off on Low Beams, and Fog Lights stay on with High Beams. Very happy to be getting the hang of it :)

Dropped it off at the dealership to have the front windows checked out. The passenger side got 'stuck' in the down position, and seemed to be askew in the track and was making its way back up (ugh). Took it to a friend, after removing the door panel, we managed to get the window up, so I could at least secure it. The driver's side is making this mysterious loud 'thwack' like sound ... so to the dealership it goes to be properly inspected and repaired.

i'm trying not to view it as buying someone else's problem when I bought it used, although I fully know that those are the very reasons why I sell my vehicles when the time comes. Hahaha.

finally got around to putting H3C HID bulbs in my projector fogs (going to aim them now in a few minutes). edit: decided against HID's and put 55w halogen bulbs back in just so I get both HID and halogen spectrums. I also must have a piss poor quality HID igniter/ballast because I've always had slight flickering in the bulbs and that drives me nuts.


fixed my folding mirrors problem by cutting off the drivers limit switch (had 2 frayed wires going into limit switch) and splicing on another used one bought from a board member.

fixed my PDC sensor error by putting a zap strap/zip tie tightly around the connector and sensor as for some reason there is not enough pressure/clamping force holding it in and therefore the PDC system thought I had a dead sensor.
edit: turns out the sensor is dead again :( guess I'll need a new sensor

Picked up my ECS order. Has a lot of projects.
- Misc trims, clips, hose clamps, etc.
- Oil pan gasket (so i can drop pan at next oil change and look for any metal/plastic)
- Oil filters
- Coolant tank cap (mine was breaking down)
- Oil fill cap (leaking)
- Bumper side mount (snapped drivers side when removing)
- Rear wiper (it came bent :( )
- Headlight washer distribution piece (small piece, need to pull bumper to get to)
- Tons of brake fluid for the X5 and my track car
- Drilled/Slotted ECS rotors - they look sweet
- Pads
- Rear upper suspension arm/joint (This was the only part I ordered non-OE. The TRW was a quarter of the BMW part. I figure the BMW one won't likely last four times longer and I'll need something to do down the road anyways :) ).
- Rear sway links

Also have previous parts order to deal with:
- Install the OE hitch
- Fuel filter
- Transmission filter/fluid gasket
- Thrust bushings

By the looks of it I'll have the front and rear bumpers off, lots of stuff dropped from the bottom, and the four corners pulled apart. I'll take it off the road, rip it apart, get it all done and borrow my brother-in-law's winter beater. I should probably not show the completely dissected vehicle to my wife, seeing as it technically is supposed to be her car and we only had it 2 months. :)

Wish me luck….

Cheers.

Put the air tank back in and took the ol' girl for a boot round town. Felt good to drive it more than 30ft after 5 or so weeks of it sitting in the garage! New cars are nice, but the X just feels like home.

I probably should take some pics....

Refinished the steering wheel trim, as the original finish had worn through in places. Scuffed down with a scotch-brite pad and applied a few coats of plasti-dip. Looks basically original, cost basically nothing.

Same with the inside door handles - they had scratched and chipped the original surface coating which was strangely similar to plasti-dip. So off with the door trims, remove the handles, scuff and coat. Lovely!!!

Then a new set of tyres because the others were looking a little shabby. new set of 275/45R20's all-round (I have non-staggered copies of 168 rims which are black powdercoated).

This came today, my blade won't fit & none of the Autozonelike stores nearby have one that does.

What fits?
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...ps4ccc8f98.jpg

Finally got around to replacing the upper windshield gasket, after having picked it up at the stealer a few months back. Sure hope I never have to do that again. I think I'd much rather replace my OFHG with one hand tied behind my back... :bustingup

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

I put in a Bosch icon 18", fit just fine. Bought at Walmart...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

That E70 rear wiper didn't come with a blade?

Gary it wasn't that bad was it?

I actually found that wetting the channel and glass slightly with glass cleaner made it much easier to get the new piece in, you need a little bit of lubrication on the glass.

I was having a hell of a time installing it with the channel and with the strip being 100% dry, if you did it like that, God bless you sir! I got frustrated and sprayed some glass cleaner in the channel, top of glass and on the strip itself and it went in in about a minute. Glass cleaner dried in the sun and its been good to go ever since.

O2 sensor and subframe bushings are due to arrive today. Will pop in the 02 sensor if I have time, have to set up a day to hijack my cousin's lift to do the bushings. :)

I hope you have the special tool for them or plan on hacksaw jim dugganing those subframe bushings out

:iagree: IMO special tool is very close to a must have.

Agreed.

Using the sawzall/chisel method is no fun at all...

Rent/buy the special tools.

Yeah, will rent the tool if cuz doesn't have it. Don't get me wrong, Hacksaw Jim is one of my all time faves, but his methods were imprecise ;)

Do you know the #?

Bought from Mybimmerparts.com, didn't realize I needed to order the blade, went to every nearby store none had the one with the right connector.

Ordered from Mybimmerparts.com. Luckily, it has not rained in memory & most likely won't for months.

No "hacksaw jim" for me - but lots of fun this weekend: Install the tow hitch that has been sitting in the garage since December; oil change, installing the Fumoto drain valve [I plan to send in a Blackstone sample and use the high detergent Pennzoil Ultra & Lubro Moly additive]; polish the headlight covers with the 3M kit to remove a band of yellowing across the tops; and install the BMW OEM radio accessory 3.5mm plug [probably in the ashtray] so I can play tunes off the mp3 player. I'll eyeball the cv boots and all the suspension fittings while I'm on the creeper.

I've yet to see it done.....but I was at the Indy who's a BMW Master tech at the dealership before he branched on his own.

Anyhow he was telling me he cobbled up come parts and it takes only about 10 minutes per side...

I rented the kit myself. Def. took more than 10 minutes, even with the kit.

Going to be a rewarding busy weekend.

I may try to get my calipers painted, PS reservoir changed, and CCV done this weekend if I feel especially efficient, lmao!

May try--indicates you are giving yourself an out-good plan.

Trying to get my work-bench clear of "to-do" parts that I have bought but haven't installed yet, the calipers are a priority since I've had the kit a year and the epoxy can harden and I'd have to get a new reactor from G2, while its up on the jack-stands curing it wouldn't be a bad idea to get my CCV done as I just barely made it through winter with it.

Will update, my honey might be running errands on Saturday so I may finally have the time to get caught up.

Mine leaves me with a honey-do list that always grenades any optimistic plans I have.

Clockwork, nice way to tease us again with that pic of the 8'er in the background! lol:thumbup:

Got my 02 sensors, and the WRONG subframe bushings, lol. Will do the O2 sensor once the engine's cooled. ;)

No one knows a PN for the e70 rear wiper from anyone but BMW? freaking expensive from them.

BMW E70 x5 Rear Wiper Blade Premium Quality | eBay

Part number is in the auction

Thanks, still a heck of alot for a small blade, I have been paying under 15 for top of the line 22/24" Bosch, the 15" on my stock arm is a 12.xx Bosch.

Well since you prob only need to change it every few years it's not that bad. I have over 2 years on my current set of Bosch icons and they are going strong

pulled insurance off the x5 and went to put it back on, all my insurance company would allow me was pl/pd if I wanted comp on it I would have to get it resafetied again, so took it in and got it safetied today cost 84.00 and no parts needed yeah :)

Yup, I got the oem, most I have ever paid for a wiper blade, better last a good long time.

Spring cleaning once again Third time in 8 days
Wash (horizonal surfaces Waxed), interior detailed, under hood detailed, wheel wells cleaned and Armor All. Switched over to summer mats.

Now, how the hell do you get all the Oak pollen to stop from falling? (besides moving to the SW-Arizonia, NV, etc). The yellow on top of LeMans blue is killing me.
Getting ready to chain saw all those shade trees in the backyard. :bustingup

You'll love the yellow palo verde pollen out here then...

We've got more pollen and dust than you can imagine.

My plans are to leave the X5 alone in 'peace' instead of 'pieces' this weekend. She needs her beauty sleep. :cool:

Settled her down a bit with BCR coilovers
 

Beautiful job, did you code off the SLS message?

Beats me...chassis shop did the work
 

What message is this? It did not have air suspension if that is what you are talking about.

That is what i'm talking about, lucky guy. If I had coil springs on all 4 corners I would have put coilovers on as well!

Need more low :nanana:

At 137k miles I have changed the transfer case fluid, both differentials fluid, and the cabin filter. And the spark plugs with some new Bosch plugs with the Anti Seize.

The other plugs were done at 100k miles but my mechanic had a hard time getting the number 5 plug out. He had to spray penetrant in there over a two week period while trying to work it out. I thought I was going to have it stripped.

VGC , rebuilt DISA, rebuilt Vanos and lower transmission lines are next.

Please put the year and engine size in your signature. That way I won't have to ask what it is as if you have an xdrive (2004+) X5, you need to reset the transfer case adaptations.

Will do . I have a 2001 3.0 x5. Old school transfer case. And kind glad I don't have to deal with pricey magic fluid and resetting things.

Painted my calipers with G2 paint after sitting for a year on it lol.
http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/05/19/u5y8uvuz.jpg

Bad news is that my caliper pistons are starting to show some hella rust buildup, I fear they are on borrowed time. I emailed a local powdercoater as I'm sure I will do the 4 calipers at once within the next year. At the same time I'll get Stoptech stainless lines and bleed the system as well, I don't trust rubber as it ages over 10 years.

However, if his prices are really high to be honest I would be more than happy doing the 4 new ones on my workbench with another kit of G2 black paint, it really is awesome stuff!

Drove it 300 miles pulling a 6 x 12 U-Haul trailer. It did pretty well considering... Still managed to average just under 14 mpg; not terrible I guess.

Saturday was 350 miles round trip north and back. Averaged nearly 19mpg. Really Likud the new summer shoes ( Bridgestone dueler hp sports).

Sunday Beast and I picked up some wood. Nearly 30 2x6 at 12 footers fit decently. Guys at the lumber yard laughed when I pulled in but where taking pictures when I left.


http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/05/20/ymy6y6uh.jpg

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/05/20/avy4yqy2.jpg


Junkycosmos
2005 4.8is

I too love my Bridgestone Dueler HP Sport All Seasons on the winter 18's. The sports are what I'm looking at for my 19's.

Nice lumber truck!

Prepping it for a nice long road trip; 11 days away, driving 1,500 miles each way, South Dakota to North Carolina. We're heading out tomorrow morning; I'm hoping for zero mechanical excitement. Boring is good. :)

Picking this up tomorrow for 100.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...ps7f66de19.jpg

^^^^ sick find!!!!

CL ftw!

:D

In last few days
- OE hitch
- fuel filter
- transmission filter, fluid, gasket
- pads, rotors, fluid flush
- upper rear front arms
- rear sway links
- left thrust bushing (right getting done by someone else..)
- steering fluid flush (what I could)
- pulled all under panels to check for rust, leaks, whatever
- hood sensor

Still a few things to wrap up by end of week and it should be baselined nicely.

Fixed tail lights, prepping for belt/pulley refresh
 

With some help from my cousin's buddy, the tail light hackjob has been corrected. Now I'm waiting for my new waterpump, belts, pulleys tensioners etc to come. Got one pulley that's got some give, and finally figured out the noise on startup is the belts, so just going to do all the pulleys FPOM.

:thumbup:

Hoping to get around to the rear subframe bushings soon, too :P

Got the wheel!

E39 m5/m3 steering wheel

That is the link but here is a screen shot for when he pulls the listing.

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...psb007f120.png

He was driving this killer M5
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...ps61e009df.jpg

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...psc446afcc.jpg

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...ps4deba1e4.jpg

Yeah, baby!

I'm stoked!

Nice wheel.

Mines in at the dealer getting some coding done:

-Deactivate selecting unlocking
-Activate lock at X speed
-Activate visual indicator unlock

One of these days I'll get around to buying some coding software and cable.....one day....

Installed new Arnott rear air coils yesterday. Original right rear coil blew out 5 days ago. It took about 3 hours, mostly because I have the rear cargo tray, which is a PITA to remove. Now it is back to normal ride height, and seems to ride better than before.

Damn!

I coulda had that!

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...ps7920bcdc.jpg

Nope, I'm gud!

lol

Steering wheel looks great!

I am really happy with it, I almost pulled the trigger several times on eBay.de for similar for well over 300 shipped. To pick it up under a 40 mi round trip away for 100 makes teh cheapskate in my sooo happy!

lol

Thanks!

Congrats and your hard work searching paid off. When I found a full set of mint Titan Silver interior trims for $210 shipped off German ebay I was ecstatic to win it, almost paid double that or more on this side of the pond.

Thanks, plus I got an upclose look at a V10 M5!

:P

The garage du MINIz_guy is in full swing. My 318 is in for some cosmetic work, so it will be up on stands for a few days. The X5 came in for a much needed coolant flush with whatever I had lying around. I used Zerex G-05 this time since it was the biggest quantity I had available.

http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m...1400870723.jpg

http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m...1400870726.jpg

Nice. Might I impose for a closeup of your BMWCCA logo? I have one like it & thought about installing it like you did.

Thanks

Erm... an old one but it shows it well.

http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m.../X5Snow004.jpg

Thanks. I might install mine.

I pulled my NGK iridiums with about 10K miles on them. They looked pretty gross. White 'frosting' with a little ?green? Almost looked mouldy....

threw in some unused OEM 4 prongers I had from before. We'll see how she goes

also did an oil change with some of the 5/40 penzoil eurotrash synthetic that is LL01. Its also Ferrari spec....take that M1 and Porsche..... FERRARI (fast and furious voice)

I think you only have to do the reset if you get the warning to change your fluid. otherwise I think after a few miles its relearned.

I could have sworn I read that somewhere....

that said, I changed mine in the fall, didnt have a warning, didnt reset didnt have any problems all winter.

Sprayed the tires down with some tire cleaner/gloss... looking black and slick again!

Oil and filter change with Rotella T6 and a Hengst filter.

Completed my air suspension conversion swap .Best thing I've done to it since we bought it .Couldn't be happier w/ the ride feels like a new X :thumbup:

What suspension do you have now?

Bilstein HD w/ B&G springs .

Do you have a parts list needed for the conversion?

Yes I do at work at the moment.Truck is filthy but this is how it sits

Replaced the SRS module under the center console with a $35 SRS module from eBay. So instead of spending $1500 plus labor at the dealer to get the airbag light to go off. A hour worth of work and I was done.

There was no coding involved on a used unit ?

Plug and play, although when I read the EPROM it noted the module as an E39.

That's a great saving for an hour of work! Good to know

First put your car in your signature. What did you dislike about the other setup?

Looks stock, I like. This is my plan when my air suspension starts giving me issues.


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2004 4.8is EHC2 went to coil spring suspension .In the last year suspension rebuild on pump all new level links on controls arms and both front struts 2months ago from Arnott .After at that suspension still felt loose and every two week inactive light came on.So I decided to eliminate a headache . Best mod on this X so far

[QUOTE=itscoo2pyopants;995883]Looks stock, I like. This is my plan when my air suspension starts giving me issues.
It does sit a lot lower than stock .Pics don't show its stance to good

I see that Tom hook you up pretty good there :thumbup: I even text him for you :D

Any extra parts laying around, feel free to send them my way :D

He did help me decide on what springs to use .I always planned on using Bilsteins just spring option was questionable .After I remove to suspension light I plan on moving these parts as I need to offset the cost of this conversion

Trans.Failsafe.Prog.
Recently had a Trans.Failsafe.Prog. alert at 94,567 miles
Changed battery, which was weak, checked Alternator. Still got sporadic alerts. Had transmission checked, full of metal and burned fluid etc.
Rebuilt will cost $3,750 installed by transmission shop.
Still love the 2005 BMW X5 3.0.

what was the code readout for the Trans failsafe? did you check the tranny personally or did you have a shop check it for you? did they read the BMW-specific codes that set off the alert in the dash?

what were the symptoms BEFORE you got the alert??

It has been reported that some shops used metal shavings to show owners that their engine/tranny fluids were contaminated in order to upsell repairs... not saying that this is your case, but with the electronic reporting on the dash i'd like to know what the code was stored in the computer...

The code was "P0733", checked by my Indy. As I said changed battery and checked alternator. I then took to a transmission shop that I have used before and has an excellent reputation.
No real symptoms, I felt slight slippage between 2nd and 3rd.

I would try replacing the ATF if it is burnt.

P0733 BMW Gear 3 Incorrect ratio OBDII Engine Light Trouble Code | Engine-Codes.com

I would agree with changing the fluid, but am I asking for future trouble if the are fillings in the fluid?

Changing the fluid should take care of most of that and if the 2-3 issue improves that will give you some indication that it is fluid related. If there is no change or the code pops back up after the fluid is changed then it is most likely not fluid related.

You could also flush the fluid a second time or drain the new fluid and check for filings and if OK put it back in.

Thanks. I'll give the fluid change a try.


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If it's a mechanical problem such as a torn oil ring changing the fluid will not cause any problem down the line.

Do you plan on draining and filling or drain replace filter and fill?

Follow the correct procedure for filling the trans, and watch the temp.

Picked up a set of tan comfort seats from a recycler in Sacramento along my 3500 mile road trip. Now time to give them a little tlc and get them installed!

Hi guys new to the forum. My first post.
Today I fitted some headrest DVD players to my semi newly acquired 3.0d sport. Pretty pleased so far. http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/05/28/qyqe2uja.jpghttp://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/05/28/6e8ujy9a.jpghttp://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/05/28/etugeqas.jpghttp://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/05/28/6y4uhu4a.jpg
Waiting on the leads to get stereo sound in the cabin rather than the poo mono from the jack in the rear console.

I've also updated the firmware on the nav and treated it to an up-to date map disk.
Still having what sounds like a common problem with the Bluetooth volume being too low on my iPhone 4S. That's a work in progress though.


Insight electrical ltd. &. Bristol soundsystem hire

Welcome! Nice work!

I will replace the filter and fill, leave it to the Transmission house. He offered that as an option to replacing the transmission. And suggested it as an option if I wasn't going to keep the X.

Replaced the stock transmission and E brake boots with Alcantara boots with the M stitching to match steering wheel.

Brian, looking good!!!!!

Nice. Where did they come from?

See following link: Custom Alcantara Shift Boot and Handbrake Boot Set For E53 - BMW X5 SAV - 2000-2006 From bimmian.com

Thanks. I am all thumbs when it comes to gluing things like that. I'd end up with glue everywhere.

I was concerned about that also but with a glue gun it was very easy. All of the process was very easy.

Bryan I just noticed your Auto shifter is flipped 180 degrees, I think I know why but why did you do it?

Only because I wasn't paying attention when I put it back on.

Do you have the appropriate license to have all that carbon fiber in the interior? Nice!:thumbup:

Therefore, it must be true!

Reset after every fluid change. I could have sworn Killcrap (the dealer tech who used to be on here) said that...

Regardless, my Romulan, errrr, Romanian bootlegged bmw software told me to do it, so I did.

I changed all trim and console over to CF several years ago. Purchased in UK, one of the last sets they made. Thanks.

I flushed the brake system for the first time since I've owned it - which is about 3-years now. Who-knows when it was done before? Maybe never, but I hope not.

The fluid was a little dark and cloudy but not as bad as I thought it'd be.

I may do the rear diff this afternoon, replacing whatever is in there now with liqui-moly. I picked up 3 bottles on eBay for $50 shipped. That seems to be the best deal I could find.


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detailled inside and out, next catch can project to delete ccv.

Oooh, catch can ftw.

Dropped her off at the cousin's shop to get the belts, pulleys, tensioners and water pump done. Was going to do it myself, but this apparent concussion is cramping my style.

Up next estimate for bumper replacement and work on rear suspension :P

Our first long road trip in the e53 didn't go well. Headed out last Wed. for North Carolina, and only made it as far as Kentucky. On Thursday afternoon it started sputtering & lost power just as we approached Winchester, KY. Had enough to get us off the highway, and I shut it down. I looked under the hood then tried starting it again; started and ran fine for a few minutes then died again.

Before that it had run flawlessly for ~1,000 miles, other than a little hiccup the first day, just before the SES light came on. I had few tools and no Bentley manual, and my family riding with me weren't up for a drawn out diagnostic session, so I called around and found an Indy shop that would look at it, but it was already 4:30, the next day was Friday on a holiday weekend, so we ended up renting a Hyundai to finish the trip.

The shop found time to look at it on Friday and gave me a call; several codes came up pointing to a faulty coil pack, an intake leak, and a stuck open thermostat. None of that sounded like it should cause it to sputter & lose power so I asked about that and was told it could. I gave the ok to replace the parts, but spent the next week worrying about the drive home after picking it up.

They gave me a call on Wed. to tell me that it was ready to go. Over the weekend I talked with some others about it, and they had the same thoughts as me, and a couple of them suggested a few other things to check, including the fuel pump; I mentioned that to the shop over the phone but they were pretty convinced they had it licked.

We planned to head back to pick it up on Friday; I called again on Thursday to make sure it was ready; yup, they had driven it several times and all was well. So we finished the drive there on Friday, and got to the shop around noon to find it in the shop with the hood up and them standing around scratching heads. The head mechanic had taken it to Lexington for some parts, and it showed the same symptoms for him; sputtered & lost power, but hadn't thrown any codes. I asked again if they had checked the fuel pump, and he said they were checking pressure right then. We left to get some lunch and they kept working. I got a call about a half hour later; it was the fuel pump and the fuel level sender. The parts were available locally, but it would be a few hours. They got everything buttoned up before closing time and in time for us to get the rental car back.

Now we're about two hours from home, and it is running smoothly. The SES light came on about two hours after we started yesterday, but I'm not too concerned about it, for the moment. I'll worry about that when we get home.

The repair bill was steep (about $1,500) but there wasn't much else we could do. The misdiagnosis and all is a bit of a bother, and I have a really hard time swallowing the marked up parts prices, but... I don't know if I could've anticipated that failure. We usually fill the tank when it gets down to a half tank, and that was the first time we'd taken it more than two hours out. The original pump had ~175,000 miles on it and was already weak. On a trip I tend to stretch a tank a little further and had been filling at 1/4 tank on the trip. The level sender had been sticking and telling me there was more fuel in the tank than was really there, so the pump didn't have much fuel to keep it cool, which hastened its demise.

Sorry to hear about that Dave but honestly at 175k it was on borrowed time I'm afraid.

Misfire codes could be plugs as well have you done them recently? I assume you did the fuel filter itself as well or is it oroginslv

Anytime you have a misfire and the DME detects the misfire, it will perform a fuel shut of that cylinder to prevent destroying the converters. If you had sputtering that mean the engine is not receiving fuel and the DME will diagnose that as a misfire and begin the process of fuel cutoff. Shutting the engine clear the misfire count and the DME will begin counting the misfire again until it reach the predetermine number for fuel cutoff.

This is one reason why I rent a car when we take a road trip greater then a couple of hundred miles. If the car breaks down, I'll just call the rental agency to tell them where their cars is and ask when they can get me another car.

Sorry for the costly trip davintosh. I echo upallnight comments. A rental is always safer especially at 175k. Also you pass on the risks to the rental agency

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Picked up my X5 from the body shop

My out of pocket - Not a single cent!

Price Tag :
E53 Body Repairs Photos by lhordmclain | Photobucket

The shop replaced the filter/FPR unit along with the pump/sender unit and the left-side sender. I didn't realize until now that there are two senders in the X5's tank.

That's good info; thanks!

Actually, my original plan was to take my '88 e32 735i/5-speed, but my wife wasn't comfortable with the idea of taking "the old car" on a 3,000 mile trip. I guess she forgot about the 2,000 mile trip we took that car on last summer; it performed flawlessly except for a tire problem. For me, I was far more confident that the 735i would make the trip without incident, and if anything were to go wrong I'd be able to fix it on my own. And to think I paid more for the repair on the X5 this week than I paid to acquire that 735i four years ago. ;)

The rental car turned out to be ok, but part of the reason for the trip was to go to the Vintage at the Vinyards show in Winston-Salem, NC. True, the X5 wouldn't have been part of the show, but driving there without a BMW just wasn't the same.