Go to:
bagpipingandy.com web site and you can learn all about this guy and his kits. I should clarify it’s not a piston repair but it’s a new piston ring. If you’ve got that same error it’s probably your compressor. The kits sell on eBay and although Andy makes these in the UK he has a US distributor in Wisconsin. Update here you go:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/BMW-X5-E53-...oAAOxyaURThP5h






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That came OEM!?! Noice!!


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Yes it did.

https://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/sho...diagId=51_3772

(Grabs face with shock and excitement) I think I found another way to spend $$. Changing out the lame wood color for some style!!


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A far less expensive method is to wrap them. Saw a very nice carbon fiber look wrap job from an xo member.

Wind deflectors fitted,
Carbon roundels on front, rear, wheels and steering wheel,
12 LED number plate bulbs,
Pedal covers - still looking for a footrest.
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Down to Sebring Florida again for LMP3 testing and then down to Miami to measure out the chassis for the data system going into a Porsche GT2 RS Clubsport running Pikes Peak this year. Over 1500 miles round trip and the last 200 miles the CEL popped up.

Looks like P1620 Map Cooling Thermostat Control Circuit Signal High so I guess my thermostat has finished it's duty although the temps were nothing but perfect at 90C. The dealer thermostat has been in there maybe 3 years but I guess it has failed. :dunno:

Another stress for us was the check engine oil level warning coming on the moment I got to Miami. Checked the level on the dipstick and it was just at the bottom of the bulb at the end of the dipstick. I run LiquiMoly so I didn't want to blend in anything I could buy at the local auto parts store so kept the RPM down to 2300 RPM (65 MPH) and drove it home another 750 miles. It always alerted me when I shut the engine down but it got to the point where it was coming on as I drove. The entire drive home was a nail biter thinking I was damaging my engine.

Once I topped it off back home, it only took 1 quart. The entire 12 hours of driving worried for nothing. SMDH

Oh yeah, found this in the paddock. :thumbup: Guess I know where my next $200K is going

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

Glad to hear to made it safe. [emoji106]

Nice !!!


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Bottom of the bulb about 1.5 low that's equivalent of 3/4 qt low in a typical car gotta love 8 qt capacity in that regard. If the oil light never blinked while driving the "getting low" yellow light at shut down did it's job.

If your t-stat still regulates 90c it's no big deal that the "open more" function doesn't work if you aren't pushing it hard. Get OEM from Amazon or fcpeuro it's like $60 and don't even need to drain coolant to change it out (lose like 8 oz)

[emoji106][emoji106]

Good morning to all member.
After long time and big job i replace rear lights, rear air suspension and front seats from BMW F87 2018 (full electric and heated) and everything working perfect.:thumbup::flex:

I have those seats in my M2. However the X5 seats are more comfortable.

Replaced the fuel filter at 64k (what a pain in the butt getting those 12+ bolts off and the cover dropped. The filter took 10 mins
Replace fuel vapor vent switch but now need to go deeper into the pump area. Never park a x 5 for a long period with a full fuel tank.....

Coming soon, to a weekend near me....

https://i.ibb.co/Q9SYDn0/20210118-212521.jpg

Which brand of stainless braided brake hoses are those? Difficult to fit?

Only going to use 1 litre of lifeguard?

:thumbup: What are all the other little bits Wayne?

You have my pity. So far I have managed to avoid having to do that.

Attachment 79569

Not too bad a job. Hardest part is not taking a trans fluid bath while trying to carefully lower the 25lb mechatronics/valve body with one hand, laying on your back, and undoing the last few bolts. :D

Do the LCI diesels have some version of the ZF 6hp? Or are they using the 5hp? I see it has the serviceable filter and gasket so I'm guessing it's a metal trans pan.

Edit: Never mind, I see Lifeguard 6 is the fluid and the label on the trans pan.

So recognizing that ZF has their own recommendations for service intervals on the GA8HP as opposed to BMW's, I checked into a fluid , filter and pan change on the CEO's F32 at my friendly neighborhood dealer. Already armed with FCP Euro's ZF OEM kit price of $303 for fluid and parts, I figured a dealership total of :dunno: about $650 for the job.


Put your seatbelts on and brace for impact :scared: $1700 quoted :wow: They wanted $110 per liter for the fluid and $234 for the pan/filter. I'll be doing that one myself.


2002 X5 3.0 388,000 miles
2014 428i 74,400 miles


2004 325i sold at 123,600 miles
2001 325i sold at 66,000 miles


1970 Firebird Under restoration

Yikes on the $1400 labor charge.

Actually, the labor was the cheap part. They wanted about $1200 in parts and fluid.

I have the GM L480-E and honestly only took a couple of hours taking my time. But I only changed the filter and gasket. No real mess, I found myself getting oily hands on refill. One hand on the laptop watching EGS temp and one holding the pump and hose. It did get a little messy.

Not even. Going to put the old fluid back in... :p:

I figure I'll lose a little in the process and only had about 500ml of LG6 from my last fluid level check, so I grabbed another litre.

Surprisingly, the cost of LF6 have halved in the last 6 months - last one I bought was $65 - this one was $35 (from the same supplier). I should buy more now for when I do replace more fluid. :rolleyes:

But I want to try the old fluid back in there first, with new seals to get the pressures back to where they should be. I'll reset the adaptations too.

https://i.ibb.co/Q9SYDn0/20210118-212521.jpg

From top left, there is: -

Bridge seal (pump output to mechatronic)
Mechatronic Sleeve Seal
Four "jump' seals (connecting the mechatronic output to the clutch packs etc.)
ZF LifeGuard 6

Pan gasket and filter were pricey - over $60 each! :confused:

So a quick follow-up. I had saved the freeze frame and cleared the code when we got home. Popped back up in less than 2 minutes the next time I drove it. I checked my log book and the thermostat was purchased at the dealer just over 2 years ago. I thought it couldn't have failed so fast so I went out and pulled the intake center shroud to have a look at the thermostat wiring and connector.

Wiring looked fine, no exposed or cut wires. Disconnected the thermostat connector and looked at the terminals. They looked spread to the point that no way it could make contact on the pins of the thermostat housing. I tightened the gap on the terminals by gently prying them inward with a small pick and reinstalled the connector. No CEL in 3 days.

Not claiming victory yet but time will tell. After 17 years, one cannot expect the integrity of the factory loom and connectors to not be compromised with age and heat. Fingers crossed...

Fingers crossed for you OB.

At least you have experience with auto wiring and harnesses. I'm 100% I would have thrown a thermostat at it only to later discover the compromised pins. 100% ;)

Yes! Because a new wire harness is not going to be gentle on the wallet. Trust me!!

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

1. Replace Alternator (which was just replaced in July)
2. Removed left front CV axle
3. Removed left front bearing
4. Installed new bearing
5. Installed new CV axle
6. Installed hub
7. New front rotors
8. New front brake pads
9. Test drive
10. New alternator fails
11. limp home with trans failsafe
12. Stop and restart car an hour later to hopefully reset trans because driving up a steep driveway in 4th gear is horrible
13. Success: car in garage
14. Exchange 20 minute old Alternator: swap back from Bosch which failed twice in six months back to Valeo which lasted 20 years
15. Test drive to wear in brakes and test new new alternator. Success
16. Reinstall rearview mirror which I knocked off with my head a month ago
17. Reset SES light set from me starting to test alternator while MAF wasn't plugged in.

Oh and not exactly car related but sorta: since my car "barfs" all my beautiful red power tools while working they were overdue for a cleaning.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...93d66d4b2b.jpg

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...d7f6e3f6af.jpg

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...9c68964e38.jpg

Before, after and how. That stuff is incredible. I used a stiff paintbrush to scrub and paper towels to wipe off the grease.

I spent less than a minute. I love this stuff.

This is exactly what xo is for.

I did similar when hooking up my new, new alternator. Noticed the pin sockets were not very tight so exactly like @Overboost described, I pushed the pin socket contacts toward the middle to reset the spring life.

Not doing any work outside at the moment... too cold here in Connecticut. Thinking back on warmer days this summer, enjoy

https://youtu.be/Rn6fEjPcXzk

Installed new 6k lights, igniters and waiting on new HiD driving lights.[emoji106]

Then on the way home from work hit a steering wheel adjuster so picked up new struts for later this week. [emoji2959]https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...e13c61af8f.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...b6e1555b61.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...b7d5dbed93.jpg

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What brand are those struts your purchased?

Blau struts.

We'll see if they hold up to the daily episodes of The Dukes of Hamas over here....[emoji849]

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:bustingup:bustingup:bustingup

EOD, your whit is an American treasure.

BTW, what was the "steering wheel adjuster" you hit in order to require new struts? Blow a seal?

Could have been an expansion joint if he accidentally stuck car in Zamboni mode

I hit a section of highway that had just had scarification done and dropped 4" and then raised about 2" where they stopped 25' later at 90kph.[emoji2959] I then got crazy wheel hop on any bump larger than a tic-tac at speed or hard acceleration.

Just to clarify....

I didn't blow a seal, I just ate ice cream....[emoji1787]

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C'mon Andrew, I still catch hell over that from the wife. Not that I'd say anything to her since I enjoy food, sex and know better than to piss off the ginsu chef she seems to be!! [emoji28][emoji28]

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One of my best buds thought he toasted a rod bearing for months. Then he figured out he had a loose spark plug.

"Thought a loose spark plug was a blown rod bearing" is going on his grave stone.

"Here lies Zamboni EOD" bwahhaa

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...b9612a2054.jpg

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Nice to see someone else enjoys a good penguin joke from time to time.

The joke has a little more "flavour" when you live right next to both penguins and seals!!! :rofl:

"You said that?"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5LGEiIL1__s

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

Wife teases me constantly about being overweight. Stop eating snacks etc.

I pulled out the scale and calendar and do some relative math;

I weigh just about 10# more than when we got married or 0.714#/yr

She weighs about 35# more or 2.5#/yr. (I do the math dramatically on a calculator of course).

I get to sleep on a couch for a few days

Worth it.

(Also I get away with it about once per two years so I have to play that card carefully but the ratio is approximately 100:1 so I definitely think it's fair)

My wife said that when we got married that I was thin.

I said so what? When we got married she was young....

On another note I now have a guy for jewelry purchases [emoji28]

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:rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

I'll have to use that one.

Fortunately I have a brother that sells jewelry.

If it all goes south, I know an undertaker... :bustingup

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.



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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.

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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

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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.

DID you replace the entire mechanism? Or just the glass part?

I have ome issues with the rear part of the panorama which doesnt seem to want to close anymore. Is there an emergency alen key insert on the motor to close the rear glass?

I've read that people will convert to only the front glass moving you should look into that


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I replaced the whole cassette because I got it from the junkyard for $70. The cost for rebuilding is $200 and I needed the shade panels also aaaaaaannd needed to replace the seal around the sunroof so, I just decided to rip the whole thing out. Easier for me. Plus when it comes time to sell, the truck will be as functional and fully loaded as possible.



There is. If you have the stock tool kit, it's in there or you just need to get a hex key/allen wrench, 4mm in size.

It's a pretty easy conversion too. You cut a couple tabs off of the mechanism in the back and the roof will function except the rear part which is what commonly fails.

@andrewwynn

Nice, I may need to borrow this idea. While the e53 is down I'm planning on replacing the front driver side axle, been driving on a bad boot for too long. And do a while I'm in there front suspension overhaul with all new arms/ends.

The wife is still giving me the same look on a daily basis. But she doesn't say much since I keep her e90 (that I'm currently driving) and f15 35d running flawlessly.

Happy Birthday Mr. Wynn!

Made a short little video of how smooth the engine is running.

https://youtu.be/jtZ9nZaV81s

Why thank you [emoji3]

Wynn is my middle name but 'Mr. Rouse' is my dad's name so I like Mr. Wynn just fine.

I use andrewwynn as my username wherever I beat the one or two people out of 7 billion that want to use that fairly rare moniker.

awr is also quite rare but many forums don't allow 3-digits though I did have awr@yahoo for a decade until they munched my password and I was too early of adopter they didn't have a working recover scheme. That still makes me sad.

There is an Andrew Wynn somewhere in Australia as I've bumped into that user on some forum

I almost never don't use my middle name and in some cases I'll make my First Name "Andrew Wynn" as a workaround.

W is three syllables so my initial is as long as the rest of my name to say. It's 66% less to say the name so I never use my middle initial.

Only English letter not one syllable go figure. (unless you count 2 for whyand )


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Shes purrrr-ing... [emoji106]

Seat control module replacement
 

Today I ordered a drivers side seat control module. Memory and steering wheel adjustment went all bonkers. The steering wheel and seats move about 1mm each time a button is used or the steering column switch is moved. Module should fix it all back up again. LOL.

The hood Latch is Broken due to the Wire being Rusty.

Made a short VIDEO on how to Drive with this inconvenient problem and not having to take off the wheel to open the hood from the under the Arch



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3eFqzI44nCM&list=PL-refmJn-ILcQj-7vNv7idOFuIOkYRSfS&index=62&ab_channel=TUNEX

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3eFq..._channel=TUNEX

That is a good feeling to get it running like that. Similarly, I just dropped my dad off for a Dr. Appoint about an hour drive and when I parked I left the car running because it's 12f=-11c outside and the idle was so smooth I thought the engine stalled.

Thanks! I'll be changing the oil every 3-5k to keep the rare 4.6 in good health! 0w40 is cheap enough!

Cheaper than a TUB46 in any case.

UGH!! Mine got rear ended. In my driveway. Someone turning around mixed up gas and brake, hit the X5 and moved it about 4'. Their front was mangled, air bags went off - a write-off.

The X5 - bumper cracked, two middle PDC sensors knocked out, tailgate dented. Thankfully the exhaust was undamaged (my 4.4 has the 4.8 bumper and exhaust). Insurance estimate puts it over their limit and they want to write it off. Not happening. I'll wade through the insurance appraisal nonsense, get the value raised and see what I can get to get it repaired. So silly - this thing is mechanically in great shape, tight, rides and sounds awesome.

Sorry to hear the bad news LVP. That is my worst fear on both of my aging BMW's. Both are immaculate and 2 of the nicest E46 and E53 out there but insurance thinks they are worth low blue book.

I think when I converted the front and rear 4.8iS bumpers and flares it exceeded the value of my X5 by 100%.

I share the same problem as well, Boost. I am looking to add an additional policy for $30,000, for total loss. That will cover most of the upgrades. It’s a type of policy for classic cars.

Let me know what that premium is for you Happy. I might consider it if it is cost effective. :thumbup:

Sure thing Boost. Here in Houston, with the way the motorist in my area behave now a days, I cringe a bit every time I take ole girl out.

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

I only usually post in e53 but I made a thread in a more logical place in the lounge that my e53 pals may never see so go check it out:

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...cbfcf5fd93.jpg

Teaser photo.

Non Sequitur: BMW cool things
https://r.tapatalk.com/shareLink/top...ink_source=app

I tend to avoid that "Lounge" subforum. I find too many mentally challenged individuals over there.

Sorry to hear about your luck.

I have personally used streetsvilleauto.com several times for appraisals. He will give you a fair appraisal of your vehicle and not that bullshit offer the insurance company will try to give you.

Sometimes the insurance company will let you buy back your vehicle and cut you a check so I would investigate that option, get your X back and fix it yourself. :thumbup:

Used bumpers are relatively easy to find, tailgates are available all day long on Kijiji or the pic n pull yards and I have used PDC sensors if you need or you can buy them off Amazon for about $20 a piece if I remember correctly.

I don't know the DOT laws in Canada but the problem here in the states is once the insurance totals a car you buy it back, you end up with a salvage certificate instead of a clean title. Resale is virtually nothing.

Not sure that matters on a 20 year old BMW but still... I would need $10K to walk away from my X5. Or my E46 for that matter.

What the hell could any of us get that is this fun to drive for the $3K insurance would want to give us.

Hahaha... You definitely want to avoid the “political forum” then. I think we may be having group therapy in our own personal asylum over there. LoL..

I would be so frustrated if I had to salvage my E53!

I had a situation one time where a teenage girl nearly killed my family and I. My car was destroyed. Fully customized. The Insurance agency wanted to pay out $5200. I told them 10 grand, or no deal. They put up a fight, took awhile to settle. But, I finally got my money. So believe me, I know how difficult it is to deal with insurance firms.

I definitely believe the risk of operating a motor vehicle has skyrocketed. People on their phones, running red lights, road rage, you name it.

I would definitely not accept low blue book for my E53.

Yeah, that sucks!

I got the appraisal details and they are way off. They used 6-cyl comparisons, plus I've optioned mine up, it's in stellar mechanical condition and I have receipts for the last year's maintenance. I'm going to insist they call my mechanic as a character witness :)

But, I'll end up taking their money and keeping it, the question is what number will we settle on.

I got the shop estimate and they overdid it too. Says it needs the rear bar and 4 sensors (about $1500 right there). The estimate all in was $5400. I'll plug in and test the sensors, the bar for sure isn't needed (I have the massive BMW hitch bar there installed).

I'll look around a few yards and the BMW dismantler up here for an exact colour tailgate. The bumper crack is right in the black unpainted area, so it might be ok if I get the pieces aligned. The bumper and tailgate will still need paint though.

I'll get there, it's just a pita and a slap in the face when you've spoiled a car to keep it in great shape. I haven't had a chance to go through the re-approaisal process. I'll keep you posted. In the meantime I hunt for parts....

Your best bet is to collect real market data and hit the insurance with it. I've had to do that in the past to up the payout on one vehicle and get diminished value on another. The hardest part is documenting the differences between the mint ones and the buckets in the market.

NO joke. Mine is my daily so I try to drive not during rush hour.

No joke. I need to turn off subscriptions from those threads. I keep getting them in my email and some posts suck me back in. Said I was going to take a couple month break from the mad house. :dunno:

Sorry to hear LVP. Definitely a hazard/worry when driving older BMW's that are maintained the way folks on this forum tend to do so. Some years just our maintenance costs are the same (or more) as what the insurance wants to give us for the vehicle. Yours is a worst case scenario in that you weren't even on the road, but parked in your driveway.

Happy, keep us updated on what you find out regarding the supplemental insurance. I seem to remember someone mentioning on another forum an "agreed value" insurance rate through most insurance companies. Is that a thing? You pay your premium based one what you agree with the insurance company will pay out in the event of a total. I've never looked into it, but recall it being an option.

I have to look into that. New insurance has "replacement" coverage they need similar for well maintained older cars

I have had an agreed value policy on collector cars in the past. An agreed value policy assures you will get what the agreed on value is based on what the insurance company will accept. There are also stated value policies but they do not assure you will get the value you place on the vehicle. They will pay the cash value of the vehicle at the time of the incident. Both run up the cost of insurance cost quickly.

Most standard policies for vehicles that are only a few years old state repairs can be with used parts or non OE parts equal to the condition of the part being replaced. In that case get an estimate from a shop that won't use either and ask the shop and the insurance company adjuster to get together. They usually have a good relationship and will often work it out to your satisfaction.

It can help if you have fairly current pictures of the vehicle to show the condition prior to the incident.

You can find an X5 around these parts selling in the 3k range fairly regularly. How do you think I got here :D

I'm not sure how it all works with the title being salvage or rebuilt or whatever we have here in Canada, but like you said we're talking about a vehicle that has little value in the insurance world and not that much interest in the real world. This would be a scenario where you want your car back because the insurance wouldn't agree on the higher value so you're either getting very little, or very little AND your car back.

You better stop that kind of talk before the insurance companies get any more ideas :D

My insurance has gone up 30% in the last year so I called to complain as to why my rates keep going on and the value of my car keeps going down and got everyone's favorite excuse "Covid"

"right, so we're on quarantine and nobody is driving anywhere"

"Well sir we regularly reevaluate risk blah blah blah" translated to english that means since we have mandatory insurance here in Ontario, we can charge whatever we want and the gov is in on it with us"

Commie Canada is riiiiiight around the corner people...

State Farm insurance gave me a rebate because of COVID. No one is driving here as much so our insurance companies gave us a break.

Same here. I'm with USAA and they keep giving me money back. Makes sense - with so many people staying at home, there has been a substantial drop in all insurance claims. When they first started doing it, in spring 2020, I thought they were tyring to do their own economic stimulus program.

Separate from the car insurance, I got a voicemail from them out of the blue last summer - "we've audited your homeowner's claim from ... determined we neglected to ... so you'll be getting $2,xxx direct deposited to your USAA bank account ... no need to do anything. Thanks for your service." It's like they were on a mission to figure out ways to give us $$.

Really. :thumbup:

Same here, 25% reduction from SF.

This year house went up and cars went up. We are just out of sync as always on the east coast.

:( Thanks for rubbing it in everybody

This is one of the many "perks" of living in Ontario. Our insurance industry is out of control in this country and rates can vary wildly.

For example to insure a car in Quebec it costs on average about $600-800 A YEAR!!!

I have a "5 star rating" (whatever that's good for) and I'm currently paying $209 a month. 2 years ago I was paying $129.

Realistically nothing has changed other than my cars are worth about as much as a half lit cigarette and I'm barely driving.

Same here. We got a rebate on our car insurance last year.

Not much discount for commercial auto insurance, unfortunately.

We got a rebate but that was one time. You can be assured that whatever discount the company got we only got a part of that.

I feel for you brother. I get up there once or twice a year to run Mosport and the fees on the 407 hurt. Holy crap, is was nearly a hundred bucks US for running back and forth from CN Tower to Bowmanville and back for 3 days.

Don't get me started on Trudeau...

Ya, that 407 is a treat :). Tax-payers built it, government sold it to a foreign company for pennies on the dollar and we get hefty fees now to use it. But, it's still a nice road for trailering to Mosport, so I take it too.

AAA did the same. And I live in "commie" California.

I heard that!

I replaced a dead chemical cooling pump, with a new one. The system is again operational.

Changed the supercharger oil.

Everything is operational and up to date. I’ve been waiting 8 months to get ole’ girl back. More than half of 2020 I was without her. I am ready to ride!

@happy: that's awesome.

I'm hoping that I can scrape up enough to get a new daily driver so I can play with FI on one of my M54s.

There are new electric turbos that are pretty awesome for first generation I would be more than thrilled if I can get 25% boost in HP without having to change to a different car.

On the other hand, if I can find a 4.6 that somebody JUST blew the chain guides I could pick that up and for $1200 and a week I can have it up and running for a steal.

I've decided to go all in and placed an order for all of the timing service bits and GAS timing tools so shortly (in the next month or so) I will have new:
- Timing chains, guides, tensioners, and associated seals
- Front suspension arms and tie-rods
- Front CV axles
- Cooling piping/hoses
- Griptech pulley for the SC
- Headlights (old ones were so badly beaten that they barely produced light)
- Maybe Michelin Pilot Sport AS4s if the mood strikes, and the wife agrees.

If I recall your E53 is automatic? FI is probably doable, but in my opinion someone with your skill set, would probably be better off with a 4.6.

I would have purchased a V8 powered E53, but I am a manual junkie. LoL... (Although as I’ve gotten older, gained a lot more respect for an auto.) Bummer, no manual V8s were manufactured. I wouldn’t have thought twice. Mods for me on a V8 would have been; cold air intake, headers, exhaust, and a tune. Simple and effective.

The supercharger has been fun, but the maintenance has been brutal! For instance, this last stint in the garage was insane! To change my OFHG... Ahhh... Required pulling the entire supercharger kit. Sooo... It was one of those while the kit is out moments. OFHG, alternator, starter, all new gaskets for the intake manifold, all new vacuum lines, power steering reservoir, entire cooling system, and whatever else is on that side of the engine.

Not to mention, the rod bearings, vanos upgrade, MAF, and DISA that I had to do recently as well. When you add all of the above to the drivetrain upgrades/refresh that I did when the flywheel failed, it has been a journey to say the least.

I just had to have the manual. LoL... Would I own this vehicle in auto, yes. They are fantastic machines! But IMHO, V8, filter, headers, exhaust, and a tune. If I had a do over. I think I’ve said it before but, out of 10 years of ownership, 2-2 1/2 years of that time the beast has been out of commission.

She’s at 96,000 on the clock and nearly 20 years old (02/2002 the last month they were made at that plant). But when I ask myself what other suv/sav can I drive, that will perform like an E53? Nothing comes to mind. And the few that do, I cannot afford.

I would cheat on her though, with a 2002 Ferrari CS.

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

Bidding farewell to y’all. The beast found a new home. Moving on to F15 and hope it will be as fun.
Build: 2006-03-28
Model: 4.8iS
Mileage: 111,xxx

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...63ae7a0c61.jpg

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

Fine specimen! Best of luck on your new endeavor.

You know, you can still come around even though you're not part of the cool club :D

Best of luck to you and the new ride. Hope your previous steed went to a good home.

We recently picked up an F15 as well, diesel version though. Not as engaging as the E53, but holy hell does it feel like a future car in terms of comfort and technology.

Same here, wife's DD is a 35d F15. Absolutely awesome family hauler.

Good luck!

My persistence paid off. The vehicle value was bumped to an amount just slightly over the repair estimate (but no where near where it should be in my opinion :) ). I'll deal with the repair in the coming weeks or closer to spring.

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

Awesome! [emoji106]

Glad you were able to get them to budge.

Awesome news!!

I would have been standing next to a burning X5 yelling for someone to save my Picasso collection as the adjuster pulled up...[emoji2958]

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Good Job!

Good news. Insurance companies are crooks. Happy to take your money but very scrutinizing and miserly when it comes to paying out. :rolleyes:

Agreed. And I would not have done it without Apple CarPlay integration. Just like my first 2003 E53, this one going to family and a car enthusiast. So I get to see my babies once in a while.

I replaced it with a new model :bustingup


2016 X5 x35i 59,400 miles
2014 428i 75,000 miles



2002 X5 3.0 sold at 388,801 miles :D
2004 325i sold at 123,600 miles
2001 325i sold at 66,000 miles


1970 Firebird Under restoration - Hopefully new dash cover comes soon

Dropped Red off at the detailer for paint correction and ceramic coating. Can't wait to see her all shined up. Been a long time since she was fully detailed.

I really should do the same. Just don't know enough about it to ask the right questions to find the right detailer. :dunno:

I'd rather goto a good known detail shop vs the dealer. I plan to take mine to chicago auto pros in the spring / summer for my imola. Check out their youtube videos. They do amazing work!

Agreed. But who would get a detail at a dealer?

OB, honestly it's a very expensive car wash. You can get 90% of the results with a polish and wax session. But that won't last nearly as long and aren't nearly as resistant to contaminants. A ceramic coated car looks like a freshly polished and waxed car for at least a year if you wash it using normal care (don't introduce swirls and such).

That said, my back can't take a weekend of paint correction, polishing, and washing anymore. So I'm happy to pay my detailer what he charges for the service (half what most do). He's very detail oriented and gives me good "feels" (important to us car guys if we're leaving our toys). Wish you were closer, he'd take care of you.

Yeah, 4 days last year detailing mine in the driveway and it came out great but somehow I think it could be better by someone that has paint knowledge. I'm just a track junkie doing my best at what I think looks good but I would gladly pay for professional results.

And you're right. I found no matter how much time I spent with a DA/polisher, I can't get the same results as a pro. As with anything else, experience, and technique that pros bring to the table is almost always better than a hobbyist. Not always obviously, some very talented enthusiasts out there. But I'm not one of them. :D

My problem is I don't have the time and I don't know of anyone in the area I trust, as you say, to take care of my car(s).


The time factor plays a big part. My car is always the last to get the attention it needs while I'm keeping everyone else's on the road. I think my X5 got washed a total of 2 times last year.

For some reason I read it that you dropped red off at the dealer for a detail. Woops!

If I wasn’t such a horsepower junkie, maybe I could follow suit. Ole girl needs a real bath, 911!

This is definitely another reason.

Dropped the valve covers off at the powder coater (the only one I could find in Houston that has any experience with magnesium and would actually take on the job). Going to give the blacked out beast a little color under the hood.

I dropped my E53 off today in the Heights. Thread coming soon! (Hopefully)

If I can get the time together I too intend to put together a comprehensive thread of everything I've done since taking delivery a year ago.

Color me excited... :D

Classic trifecta of warning lights came yesterday. Codes on DSC showed VTG internal failure. When transfer case servo was activated with diagnostics there was a nasty chunking sound at the end of the motion range. Today tackled the problem and crawled under the vehicle. Servo removed and taken apart revealed the suspect worn plastic gear. (Exactly like on the sample picture from internet.) Turned the gear 180 degrees and problem solved for now. Remains to be seen if I eventually have to get the repair set including a new gear from BMW.

https://www.bimmerfest.com/attachmen...27-jpg.535021/

Pay $10 and get a carbon fiber reinforced gear. Changed mine out and it works fine. Probably never have to touch it again since the first one lasted over 250,000 miles.

I have a spare actuator motor from e90. Is it compatible? It has a metal gear.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...ece5429ee0.jpg

Pulled car out of the garage, parked for about an hour and come back to a very odd scene of the rest window "inverse" cleared.

What crazy physics caused this?

Snow rainbow! You must be blessed!

Sunroof fun
 

Sunroof is in. Letting the truck sit in the rain to see if the sunroof leaks annnnd one of the rear drain hoses said, ya, I'll pee in your truck for you. Grr!! So, which website is selling these hoses?


BMWparts.com is selling the front hoses for $40 more than I care to spend and the rear hoses are discontinued. I can't seem to find the correct wording for other sites and was wondering if one of you fine Gents knew of another shop? Just like you, I'll pay the $$ but if we don't have to..... ya know.



OR do you have a super sweet trick you'd like to share?


Hose clamp, zip tie, electrical tape, silicone, the power of Christ compels it?(just trying to be funny for those this may offend, the Man upstairs does have a sense of humor)

From memory, a few years ago ...

When I first got my x5, it had a leaking sunroof drain issue. I accessed it by pulling down the headliner a little (following careful instructions probably found on here).

The basic problem (I remember this part) was that the hoses that run between the headliner and the roof must be made of a material that shrinks over the many years of baking heat up there. So the (vinyl?) hose just shrunk, shortened, and pulled itself out of the plastic barb on the sunroof corners. There may be a rubber connector that interfaces between the hose and the barb, but whatever it takes, solution will be obvious if you have the same problem. That meant the water would drain onto the headliner, but it just followed that along where the hose routed anyway, ending up in the rear well.

My solution, that I think I did on both rear corners even though only one had popped off at that point, was to just add some extra length of hose so it was long enough and could be reconnected to the sunroof outlets. Just a few inches, like 3-4 was plenty. No need to replace the whole hose, just need to make it a little longer.

So I just used whatever size hose best made things work, which I already had in my garage. I may have used some shoe goo, clear RTV, hose clamps, zip ties for structural support, or whatever else it took. Nothing too complicated. Just whatever was needed to add a few inches and make it not likely to pull out if it shrunk any further (not expected).

Have not needed to revisit anything there in 6+ years so far.

That’s exactly why I got myself an iRacing rig!

Got the truck back yesterday afternoon.

Attachment 79675

Attachment 79676

Looking good!

Attachment 79677

And because it's an E53, the truck sensed my euphoria on the drive home and quickly brought me back down to earth. :confused:

Attachment 79678

Safely back in the garage with it's fresh code for a failing electronic thermostat. I have the parts on the shelf for a full cooling system refresh but am waiting to pick up a Xover tube. Can't decide if I want to go all out and just do an OE style (give me a chance to do the timing cover gaskets) or one of the "cheater" tubes.

That looks outstanding! How much did the paint correction and ceramic coating run you? I need to do this as soon as it warms up here. Was the detailer able to bring the pillars back to life as well?

Thanks! Yes, Jessie does a great job. Cost is very reasonable. I think it was around $500. I don't know for sure on this one because he gave me a discount. When he did my wife's X5 it was $600 for interior/exterior detail, paint correction, and ceramic coating.

No, the shadowline requires de-oxidization. I told him not to coat the trim as I would be working on it. Bar keepers soap mixed into a quick detailer solution works well. But makes a mess. Will have to tape the truck off when I tackle it. Soon though. Will post a thread and maybe make a video of doing it.

That is a great price! I'm coming to Texas! Do you know what coating he used?

Few vehicles have ever turned me green with envy, mind you my uncle switches Bentleys every few years and non of his have made be desire what another man has more than your X5. Kudos sir, that thing is the absolutest of tits!

Looks great!!

Yeah, ReD is looking mighty fine!

I am in almost one month since mine threw the same code. I tightened those terminals in the connector and it hasn't come back since. Might buy you a little time before tackling the timing cover gaskets and cooling system refresh at the same time. :dunno:

Red looks brand new. Fantastic :thumbup:

Once I get the bumper repaired (might wait to spring) mine needs a good detailing and exterior treatment. Going to do some research. Anyone in the Niagara region have good recommendations?

Cquartz UK 3.0 is what he used on ours. Don't quote me on price for a particular vehicle, but he is by far the most reasonable I've found while still caring about the work he turns out. He's done our x5's, my dad's 535d, and my mom's Infiniti qx70.

Many thanks. For something that isn't worth much money, it feels special to me. Especially with the work that has gone into it. And I do appreciate that enthusiasts usually share that sentiment.

Thanks fellas. She's never looked this good in my ownership. Ceramic coating just adds a depth to the paint that is hard to achieve any other way. And I've certainly never paint corrected it to this level. Beyond my skill.

I'll check out that terminal OB. Thanks for the reminder.

CW - Cquartz UK 3.0 is what I used on mine - it's pretty good to work with if you are looking at doing it yourself, for touch-ups etc.

Today I finally tackled my ZF 6HP26X transmission service - changed out a bunch'o'seals (here's the old stuff...).

https://i.ibb.co/K9ycDcv/20210207-114542.jpg

Had a bit of trouble with the bridge seal - I found the new one wouldn't sit correctly in the transmission body. Crawling out from under the car, I found the new seal had an extra key or tab on it that prevented it being fitted correctly...

https://i.ibb.co/D7rM5mC/20210207-092441.jpg

In the end I used an X-Acto knife to cut the tab away - it then fitted fine. It was certainly the correct part - it is a genuine ZF part and has 6HP26/28/32/34 stamped on it.

Transmission (still) working smoothly - although the 2-1 slam is very pronounced. I've reset the adaptations and tomorrow I'll find a decent section of road and run through the adaptation procedure.

All-in-all, not a tough job but backbreaking without a lift. And it's messy - Lifeguard 6 fluid everywhere! :rolleyes:

Did you have any symptoms with that code?

No symptoms, engine sat perfect at 95C. The code was P1620. The only issue was the CEL.

Darn. My x is showing symptoms of t-stat not closing completely. I figured it would be the opposite problem of loose wire but i can't find a local replacement of my tstat and with temps -9f right now my car is "grounded"

Got a flat today in the RR and couldn't find any punctures so I made it into a little Mohammed and Papa shop.
The leak was at the bead on the inside and after they dismounted the tire, we found the issue.....

They did a temporary fix with a super glue type mixed with powdered aluminum. [emoji44]

It freaking worked!?!?!?!?
I'm now waiting on a new rim and tire while trying to figure out how to hide the beer keg sized object [emoji1696][emoji1696]

This is the 2nd set of rims I will have cracked in 2 years. (Don't tell the wife!!)https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...6101701010.jpg

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Mine is doing the same. Sits right at 199f according to ibus on the dash. No other symptoms. Will check out that harness pinning.

No one welds rims up over there?

There is one place but for some odd reason they're always busy....[emoji1787]

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JB Weld will seal a crack but on the edge like that you'd need a weld for a permanent fix for strength.

Maybe convert the wheel into a spare get it into the long queue at the place

I have no problems running welded rims.
I think all 4 are welded on my E36M3, some have 2, but I live in Michigan, your roads are MUCH better

I wouldn't do anything other than have it professionally repaired.

I agree but the last set I killed actually pushed the "spokes" in and knocked a hand sized section loose between the beads[emoji53] so I do worry about welds done in shall we say less than professional locations....

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So after driving out to the location where I was going to reset the adaptations (again) and then perform the ZF prescribed adaptation routine, I was so impressed with the transmission's shift operation that I decided not to do it. :rolleyes:

Each time I drive the car, the shift operation improves and it's now operating near perfectly! :thumbup:

I understand the need for the ZF adaptation routine, if you are a service provider working on a customers car and need to return the vehicle to the customer with the adaptation routine completed - but for us DIY-types, I'd suggest it's not actually required - just drive it normally and it'll sort itself, over time. And not much time, either.

I'm very happy to have done this simple (sic) service routine! ;)

Hi Wayne , travis here from down in invercargill.

What's this transmission reset you speak of..??

Is it the one where you turn the key on, press down the accelerator for 30 sec..??

Or is it something else..??...I occasionally have a hard shift between 1st and 2nd.

Cheers

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Hey Travis,

OK - firstly, the "press the accelerator down for 30secs" thing is an urban myth - it does nothing, or at best forces the transmission into one of the more aggressive shift patterns, which tend to mask the 2-1 slam. This makes you think it did something - but it really didn't. :rolleyes:

The control module (EGS) on the ZF 6HP26X transmission can "learn" to shift cleanly as the transmission ages and wears. This process is called "adaptation".

These adaptations can be cleared from the EGS via suitable BMW software or hardware scanners - INPA, ISTA-D, DIS, BMW-Scanner, Foxwell etc.

Clearing of these adaptations needs to be done if you perform any maint. on the transmission that will change the shift performance. And a simple fluid/filter change is not such a process - normally.

I've just changed the internal seals that connect the mechatronic body to the transmission's fluid pump and clutches etc. This will change the fluid pressures being applied to the clutches, changing the shift performance, so an adaptation clear is called for. This then allows the EGS to "learn" the new shift pressures etc.

Simply clearing the adaptations won't fix anything - the transmission will re-adjust itself back to the old behavior pretty quickly (since nothing has changed) and in fact it will likely perform poorly until it does so.

If your transmission has a 2-1 slam (and it seems they mostly do eventually) then it needs proper maint. I wish it wasn't so but there's no getting around that. That maint. might be simple or it might be more involved (and costly) so proper diagnosis is also important.

I figured $350 to replace the seals (which at 250,000km and 16 years were going to be in need of replacing) was worth it as part of my "diagnosis".

So far, it seems to have worked out well.... ;)

About a month ago the red brake indicator appeared along with the CHECK BRAKE LININGS on the display.

Replaced front and rear pads and front and rear sensors. The display message is no more though the red brake indicator is still illuminated.

When should I expect the red brake indicator to extinguish?

TIA

I think you just need to turn the ignition on for a minute or 2 and it should turn the light off...

Thanks!

I've been bedding in the pads so tomorrow I'll see how it looks.

Thanks again

Check your brake fluid level as well

That's interesting that the message not the light would change but you do need to do the reset procedure mentioned above after changing brakes and as @ob mentioned if BRAKE is red the other reason for that is either fluid low or hand brake engaged. (though when I had fluid low I also got trifecta)

I took my E53, along with the kids to gets some burgers.

And, to burn off as much of the gasoline content that remains in the tank. ;)

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...5247029282.jpg

Sunroof install
 

Trying to fix the drain tubes for the sunroof and keep them from leaking. So, I silicone'd them, and put a zip tie on them! Now I wait to dump water in/on the sunroof to see if the problem is solved.


Rebuilding the X5 is taking a while. Ya, I could buy new, but why when the junkyard provides so many useful and functional parts!

I put air in my tires.

Just a friendly reminder about the little things.

I did too! It’s hella cold outside right now!

I also put air in my tire but it cost me almost $174 USD for welding..... [emoji2959]

I recommend dismounting, cleaning and inspecting your rims annually if you're running low pro and more often if you have steering wheel adjusters (potholes, open sewers or a cousin of the Grand Canyon)https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...82ae92c5e4.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...80d0730df0.jpg

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EOD-your posts are great but the pics are always HUGE and are very difficult to view. Any way to scale them down to fit on a normal screen??

I only use my phone and the Tapatalk app with its own photo uploader. I think it gets changed if you're using a computer though. [emoji848]

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

When posting pics with Tapatalk it asks to resize and I always resize it medium size. The caveat; it doesn't ask when you upload multiple pics at once (moron programmers are the bane of my existence being in IT and bug solving is a primary job of mine). Spent hours the other day squashing a bug where when after un-pair and re-pair an Apple (  ) watch, the Apple pay on the PHONE broke and it wouldn't let you add cards back in until you set the location to "not" the USA and back to the USA.

I swear programmers never use their own programs!

I'm one of those moron programmers:bustingup. We typically test the golden path and so do not exhaust the permutations of usage possible in the real world (like what you ran into with the Iwatch), thus the need for a professional tester :D.

My complaint is with the obvious basic things that are missing for example the first 12-15 iterations of apple maps didn't include a distance scale; you could be looking at 2/3 of a state and it might look identical to a neighborhood!

I was a professional tester, reported that bug in version 1.0 possibly beta and it was in iOS 9 or so when maps finally gained a scale for distance!

I gave up bug reporting because they were never heeded. Complete waste of my time. I will bitch about the bugs especially when they are so blatenly obvious there is no excuse like a big fucking duh of iPhone ringing at 3am when do not disturb is on just because I happen to unlock the phone to check for weather is something while I happen to be up.

3 or so iOS revisions they finally add the option to stay silent when unlocked but it's NOT the default.

There are literally dozens of current examples that seem to mate with that the programmers don't actually use the programs they make in general because the people that use the programs are very often hobbled by the "upgrades". It's the number one complaint of my clients and it's really *every single time* there is a major software upgrade.

[/Tangent]

Took my 3.0i out for a blizzard drive!

Video here: https://youtu.be/5CFdYNxKsK4

Love our X in the snow too. It's a little more sketchy on 275/315 extreme contact DWS06 Conti tires but still solid. I leave the E46 in the garage, it's a nightmare and white knuckle event in those conditions.

I'm eyeing the Fleet Farm 5-gallon pail of Shell Rotella T6 that is on sale for $80 with a $40 mail-in rebate up here in Appleton, WI :thumbup:

https://www.fleetfarm.com/images/pro...304208/l/1.jpg

https://www.fleetfarm.com/detail/she...t=rotella%20t6

After rebate that's $2/Quart :wow: :wow: :wow:

Get you some of that!

Mike

I wore out my 255s so I have the 235 winters on and the timing couldn't be better.

In Chicago right now and the side streets were never plowed from the last 9-10" So it's ice ruts but I have no problem even driving up out of the rut if I want.

I got wifes X5 stuck beyond words l from the previous storm though: o didn't realize the pile of snow in the alley wasn't just a drift but was where people shoveled their 4 car parking pad into the alley and a tall pickup truck mowed it flat down to about 14".

Well that worked really well to lift the body of wife's X5 a couple inches off the springs so no weight on the tires and spinning all four.

Two and then four and finally six college kids came to help push but didn't move an Inch.

Shoveling didn't help because three tires were already not holding their weight, shoveling under the tires made it worse.

By some miracle I had my rescue pulley in my wife's car.

Hooked that up to a power pole 30' away with my tow rope and a couple down straps to reach the car.

5-7 solid tugs on the 4:1 pulley system and the car starts moving.

Until the 1200# (2000+ burst) tiedown snapped!

Poor volunteers fell at cartoon speeds.

Got a stronger (3000# burst) tiedown strap and then it was short work to pull the car back about 10' where the rears had enough weight back on them to self propel.

With the 235s I've driven through 15' of fresh snow plowing the top 5", I've driven through 10" of fluffy snow cross-country and through 6" of wet snowball packing snow also cross country (actually that may have been on the 255s).

Capable no doubt.

We in chicago are expecting 8-12 more inches as well in sub zero temperatures. It feels more like Wisconsin this february.

Front differential oil change.

Any sign of wear eg metal in old oil? Wife's X has some signs of possible front dif wear and I have to change that oil to hopefully rule that out.

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

I'm in Chicago was going to head home (Wisconsin) tomorrow but more likely I'll have to wait until Tuesday. My last drive home from Chicago while snowing was un fun. Including having a semi push me into the emergency lane with the spray from its drive wheels

I took a magnet moved it all through collected oil in the pan. I came up with some very small flecks of metal. Nothing I wouldn’t expect coming out of a differential with 250,000 miles on it. It was such a tiny amount that I’m not worried.

New to me wheels!
 

Replaced the stock wheels with a set of E70 Style 214 wheels and tires. Now it's time for a brake upgrade...

Did you use hubcentric rings to make up for the different bore size?

I buy the hub centric rings from discount tire direct or DirectPerformance.com
, changing from 74.1cm to 72.56cm

last purchase was 6/2011 and I bought 2 sets for $20

Battery Indicator
 

I installed a CTEK Panel indicator (1.5m cable with 8mm eyelets), hooked up to the under bonnet terminals with the panel installed in the bumper.
Temporary fixing with a cable tie to one of the bumper fins.
At the weekend i’ll probably pull the headlight out and run the cables behind that for a stealth finish and secure the panel with weatherproof adhesive tape also.
Decent - allows me to hook up to CTEK MXS 5.0 without going under the bonnet & easier disconnect too (plug & play, happy days).
Nice little display to show battery health that flashes to same rhythm almost to the alarm light under the rear view mirror.
Tried to upload a photo but can’t figure out how to reduce file size on an iPhone

Ah... figured out how to size photo. Here it is .

I did passenger door handle carrier, brake discs, pads and sensors all round, 2 new air bags on rear and stripped the boot ready to sort out upper tailgate loom and feed a 6m extension for the stereo, tomorrow is full service, egr clean/replacement, glow plugs and module, swirl flap delete and coolant level sensor, previous owner was a tool and left this one to rot

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

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...b47956ea27.jpg

I love driving in this stuff. This was after about 13" of snow fell