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It's condensation, it's relatively normal as long as it is in small amounts. It may be a symptom of a clogged CCV if it is regularly occurring, or it might just be because of the cold temperatures and any recent short trips. I was worried when there was a little bit on the oil cap of my '04 330 after I purchased it, but I did some Googling, wiped it off, and it barely ever comes back for me. I typically drive somewhat aggressively and it's never really resurfaced as an issue on my car, I just assume the PO drove like a grandma. Guinness fucked around with this message at 06:00 on Jan 3, 2013 |
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Jan 3, 2013 05:56
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That sounds like a very plausible explanation, I had no knowledge of this system before now. I live in Minnesota, drive 15-20 minutes to and from work in stop and go traffic, and on cold starts there is always a faint, light gurgling sound similar to a what a few people describe when detailing their CCV failure symptoms. Pelican has a "cold climate" kit with the CCV and some insulated hoses for $161.25, not too bad. I've been feeling really guilty about letting some regular maintenance stuff get away from me and this is the perfect opportunity to tackle a few things: engine and transmission mounts, trans diff and power steering fluid, and a shifter refresh with the shift tower bushing, shift arm bushings, and the shift rod coupler. After that I think I'm down to waiting to have the extra money or for the catastrophic failure of my clutch or suspension, aside from a dozen nagging cosmetic things. Is there a prevalent opinion on manual transmission fluid, differential fluid, or power steering fluid? I've used some Swepco 201 in the past for the transmission and still have plenty leftover for another fluid swap, but I am starting to lean towards Redline MTL just based on anecdotal internet stuff. I used Royal Purple 75w140 gear oil in the differential and I am looking at Redline 75w90NS this time. This will be my first time touching the power steering fluid and I'm looking at Pentosin CHF 11S. Cellular Suicide fucked around with this message at 09:40 on Jan 3, 2013 |
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Jan 3, 2013 09:23
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I went back to the Pentosin MTF-LT-2 (from Pelican Parts $24) after using Swepco 201 for a few years. I found the Swepco just way too "notchy" and hard to shift when the car was cold in the winter (Northern Cal, 25-40 degrees winter low temps). It was perfect in the summer though.
Keyser_Soze fucked around with this message at 01:15 on Jan 4, 2013 |
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Jan 3, 2013 18:36
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Cellular Suicide posted:
Based on where you live, I would consider using Redline D4 ATF in your transmission. MTL is good if you live in a warmer climate, but in the temperatures you routinely see in Minnesota, MTL will make your transmission really notchy. I've run D4 in my car through two Alberta winters now without a complaint. In fact, my indie shop basically doesn't stock MTL anymore for that reason.
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Jan 3, 2013 21:16
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Cellular Suicide posted:I have this illusive slight yellow gunk that seems to randomly show up under my oil cap, in a 2003 330i. It happened again this afternoon, a couple weeks after I did a fresh oil+filter change with Mobil 1 0W-40 and put in a new valve cover gasket with some Hondabond in all the magical places. I had the same problem with my E36, and was told repeatedly that it was normal in cold weather. Eventually though, my PCV system failed and blew out my valve cover gasket, requiring a tow. So it probably is just your PCV system getting slightly clogged. Not an emergency or anything but I would get it taken care of before it damages anything. That was my E36, the E46 should be similar but perhaps not.
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Jan 4, 2013 00:24
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Hello BMW people. I'm thinking of buying my friend's immaculate '08 M3 Coupe, it's got about 15,000 miles on it, and he's selling it because he just bought a Tesla S Performance model and can't justify owning both. No existing issues at all that I'm aware of. I've known this guy for years and worked with him on many projects together (and will continue to do so), so I trust the car's quality. Are there any known nightmarish repair milestones to worry about on this car in the upcoming years/mile marks? Or anything else I should be wary of? (clearly I'm aware of the superior German adhesives already.) Thanks!
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Jan 4, 2013 01:31
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GentlemanofLeisure posted:As an aside, I asked for a Bentley manual for my car for Christmas and ended up receiving a Haynes Manual. What are the differences, and is the Haynes worth a drat? I checked out the Alternator Replacement and it seems to be the same as what I've managed to scour up online. All the alternator DIY's online are bad though, maybe I'll try to document mine fairly well and post it up. I'll just let you decide which is better.  I throw the Haynes in a map pocket when I go on trips so I have torque values and basic diagrams handy if needed, but I haven't actually used it for working on the car since getting the Bentley. It's just that much better. The alternator instructions in the Bentley are fine with one major exception. Later models use a hydraulic belt tensioner where the early ones were mechanical. The Bentley manual doesn't know about the hydraulic ones. Why this matters is that the bolt you'd turn to loosen the mechanical tensioner is in the same place as a mounting bolt on the hydraulic one. This mounting bolt is fairly weak, and turning it in the way indicated for loosening the old tensioner would be tightening this bolt. As you can probably guess, this meant I broke a bolt off in my block when I did my alternator. If you have a hydraulic tensioner you need a big hex wrench or a socket to hex adapter, pop the cover off the center of the tensioner pulley and stick the wrench in there. Attempting to "tighten" it will release the tension on the belt. Fortunately the bolt was so weak that it really didn't get stuck in the block and I was able to turn out the remnants with pliers, but still a major annoyance.
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Jan 4, 2013 03:51
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One of the great parts of hydraulic tensioners is when they get really worn out you can change belts without any tools. That's interesting, though. The bolts on mine are all right-hand or whatever you call normal bolts. e: Ohhh nevermind I see what you did. Yeah that's why I don't even bother with manuals.
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Jan 4, 2013 04:42
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I had the Bentley for my e30 and I didn't like it much. Didn't cover any of the iX specific stuff and I ran into problems trying to follow it religiously. Ended up using google to search the various forums for most of the work. Full colour pictures are a hell of a lot better than the lovely B&W photos from the Bentley or the factory manuals. For my e36s and e46 I always just used the internet. A laptop in the garage is a hell of a lot more useful.
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Jan 4, 2013 05:01
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I usually just use the internet to fix whatever I need to fix with my things. Books are nice, but there could have been something that changed since the book came out, or it doesn't explain something right, or someone just has a better method.
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Jan 4, 2013 05:15
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Cojawfee posted:or someone just has a better method. Also a good point. When I did the starter on my 330 I found 3 alternate methods to the "official" method of pulling the intake manifold (which is the worst and most time consuming method). Generally, if there's an easier way to do it and/or a way to avoid BMWs hardon for special tools someone will have done a writeup.
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Jan 4, 2013 05:20
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I just keep removing parts until the thing I want falls off of the car  Garage laptops really are the loving business though  I sent off my Blackstone sample today, it should make it there by Tuesday. So excited 
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Jan 4, 2013 05:23
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I started out replacing the struts on my 1995 E34 530i and (surprise, surprise) it turned into a near entire front suspension overhaul. I need to replace my lower control arms and Pelican Parts says that my car uses the more expensive aluminum arms. Am I fine using the steel arms from the other E34s? I would be using Lemfoerder arms either way.
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Jan 7, 2013 08:22
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FIRST TIME posted:I started out replacing the struts on my 1995 E34 530i and (surprise, surprise) it turned into a near entire front suspension overhaul. Cross reference the part number in Rock Auto. BMW used aluminum parts on V8 models to save weight. I don't see why you couldn't though.
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Jan 7, 2013 10:00
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Ether Frenzy posted:Hello BMW people. 15k miles is practically brand new. Check whether they've done Inspection I. If not, look into getting it done or doing it yourself. Also, introduce me to your friend 
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Jan 7, 2013 15:51
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Thanks! All the reliability reports I'd seen said this car was pretty rock solid, but it's nice to know there (probably) aren't any secret massive bills potentially lurking around the corner. I will find out about Inspection I. He bought the car, moved to Seattle 6 months later, realized he hated getting it wet/needing to wash it all the time, so he bought a Leaf to daily drive - fell in love with EV's, and then when he came back to California he ended up living 3 blocks from his office so has barely used it for the last year and a half.
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Jan 7, 2013 20:02
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The joys of buying an old cheap BMW continue...car has been starting fine, but when I got home from work today after I put the car into park the engine RPMs started going from 1k to 1500, back and forth. Putting the car into any gear but neutral and the RPMs drop down to just below 1k. Did my ICV just fail?
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Jan 8, 2013 00:15
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So, my E39 is in the shop to get the xenon adjusters replaced. I have a free loaner F30 for the day tomorrow. 328xi. It's very nice, but feels slow in anything but sport mode (though coming from a 540i, I think that's to be expected). The transmission shifts too much (is it the 8-speed?) and the auto start/stop is neat the first few times but I think if it were my car, it'd slowly drive me insane. The shudder on startup and that brief hesitation are kind of annoying. Still, it handles really well, is superbly comfortable and I really like the interior compared to other newer BMWs. I'd consider one in the future, as long as it was the manual. Oh, and the F30 looks really great in Alpine White.
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Jan 8, 2013 00:43
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rscott posted:The joys of buying an old cheap BMW continue...car has been starting fine, but when I got home from work today after I put the car into park the engine RPMs started going from 1k to 1500, back and forth. Putting the car into any gear but neutral and the RPMs drop down to just below 1k. Did my ICV just fail? It could be that, but it could be a number of different things. On my '84 325e, I had a number of different stalling and idling issues that nothing fixed until I found that the O2 sensor wiring was screwy. When the O2 sensor was unplugged, the car would run wonderfully. Are you saying that you just clutch in, and put the car into a gear, and the RPMs stabilize without releasing the clutch pedal? You can try pulling the ICV and cleaning and inspecting it, and see what happens.
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Jan 8, 2013 01:23
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Well it's an auto so no clutch but yeah, as soon as I put it into D, the revs drop to ~900 and are rock steady. I'll try and get some video.
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Jan 8, 2013 01:27
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Yeah, that is putting load on the engine so I suppose it could be a number of different things. When I was having those issues, I was told to check MAF, ICV, coolant temp sensor, O2 sensor(shouldn't matter, but you can always just unplug and see what happens), throttle position sensor. The ICV is easy to get to and clean, so it wouldn't hurt to start there.
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Jan 8, 2013 01:30
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I went to go start it up again to take some video and it's idling perfectly fine at ~600 RPM, so maybe I can narrow it down a bit further if it only idles like that while the engine is fully warmed up? Looked at the expansion tank and it looks like it might be a little low but its dark out and its pretty hard for me to see exactly where the level is. There definitely is coolant in the expansion tank and no leaks as far as I can see. The coolant light has been coming on lately when its been fairly cold out but the temp gauge never goes beyond dead center so I figured the coolant level sensor was just flaking out since it goes away after I restart the car warm.
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Jan 8, 2013 01:54
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rscott posted:I went to go start it up again to take some video and it's idling perfectly fine at ~600 RPM, so maybe I can narrow it down a bit further if it only idles like that while the engine is fully warmed up? Looked at the expansion tank and it looks like it might be a little low but its dark out and its pretty hard for me to see exactly where the level is. There definitely is coolant in the expansion tank and no leaks as far as I can see. The coolant light has been coming on lately when its been fairly cold out but the temp gauge never goes beyond dead center so I figured the coolant level sensor was just flaking out since it goes away after I restart the car warm.
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Jan 8, 2013 02:51
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Kenshin posted:Sounds very similar to what my E36 M3 was doing last year. Turned out to be a bad MAF, but the MAF went bad because one of the hoses attached to it had a hole in it. Replaced both, kept running errands with it for two days, and within a week it was no longer having any issues. Were you also having the "check coolant" part of the problem?
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Jan 8, 2013 05:48
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televiper posted:Were you also having the "check coolant" part of the problem?
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Jan 8, 2013 08:53
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Kenshin posted:No, but the silly LCD panel below the climate controls always displays "check coolant levels" every time I turn my car off (even though my mechanic checks and fills all the fluids that need it every time I go in). Yeah, that's what I've been getting, lately, but not necessarily every shut-down. I replaced the coolant level sensor ~3k miles ago, but the problem has come back.
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Jan 8, 2013 14:18
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Drove it to work this morning (~15 miles, mostly highway), temperature needle never got above a hair past dead center, idled fine when I put it in park at work. 
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Jan 8, 2013 15:37
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It's an old BMW, that's kinda par for the course. Were you having issues with the temp gauge before?
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Jan 8, 2013 16:03
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Not really, I was just trying to rule out a faulty coolant temperature sensor causing the issue, and of course being a frequent reader of this thread I am paranoid about the coolant system taking a dump.
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Jan 8, 2013 16:06
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With M20 powered cars, I'm always a lot more paranoid about the timing belt breaking 
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Jan 8, 2013 16:16
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Luckily e30 timing belts are pretty easy and cheap to have done. I think mine cost me 300 P+L to get done. I think something is wrong with my brain, I've been lusting after a 318ti lately. I want the practicality of a hatchback but also rwd. And I'll have a full m52 drive train + sport seats from my 328 after this winter...
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Jan 8, 2013 16:37
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Well I know the timing belt was done 4-26-2010 by the sticker in the engine bay so I'm not too worried about that at least.
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Jan 8, 2013 16:55
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Since it started getting cold here, my temperature indicator has never really moved past the first hash mark on the gauge(33%ish?), and my normal commute is 30-40 minutes. Shouldn't it be about up to temperature by then? Is it time for a new thermostat?
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Jan 8, 2013 18:16
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GentlemanofLeisure posted:Turns out my warranty is good until 12/2016 or 100,000 miles whichever comes first so the car's going to the dealership. They also replaced the thermostat housing and thermostat and the oil filter housing gasket - both under my extended warranty. Next up: New brake pads! Anyone got any recommendation? I don't track the car or auto-x or anything, and I'd like something that makes a bit less dust than the factory pads.
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Jan 8, 2013 18:21
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Getting a "Right Rear Turn Signal Malfunction" warning on my E90 335xi... Called the dealer and they said my car is not listed for recall even though there is a service bulletin for it:quote:Vehicle: 2009 BMW 3 Series Now I probably have to go through some lengthy runaround between BMW NA and my dealer to get warranty coverage. It's probably easier to crack open the housing and touch up the solder like a few people are doing.
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Jan 8, 2013 18:48
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The Third Man posted:Since it started getting cold here, my temperature indicator has never really moved past the first hash mark on the gauge(33%ish?), and my normal commute is 30-40 minutes. Shouldn't it be about up to temperature by then? Is it time for a new thermostat? Last car I had that behaved like that (2.3L Mustang), I pulled it open and found the thermostat in 6 separate pieces. Still don't know how that happened. The car would also overheat if left to idle in one spot long enough, since the coolant flow wasn't being restricted at any point in the system long enough to dump the heat. The airflow provided by the fans wasn't enough to compensate.
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Jan 9, 2013 01:47
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So apart from the fact that it will likely bankrupt me with running costs, is there any reason why I shouldn't be looking at a 6MT E63 M6 as my next daily driver? Don't get me wrong, I love my E46; I just have an irrational love of the E63, and they're starting to get cheap enough that I wouldn't feel like a lunatic buying one.
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Jan 10, 2013 03:26
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I have been looking at E28s and I want someone to tell me if this is worth it or if I'm crazy: http://www.mye28.com/viewtopic.php?t=111281 It doesn't seem to far out of the ball park if he lets it go for like 3250, but I have only been looking for a couple of months and haven't seen that many come and go. My goal with an E28 is just an occasional driver and something to work on in my spare time. 3 grand is about my budget. I don't want to spend a lot more and get something perfect, but I don't want to spend so little that I start with pure garbage.
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Jan 10, 2013 04:22
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Mah_Freend_Amee posted:I have been looking at E28s and I want someone to tell me if this is worth it or if I'm crazy: Do you specifically want an iS? A lot of issues for a ~3k e28. A similar shape 535i should be ~2k, they really aren't sought after cars like e30s. If I remember right the only differences are seats and steering wheel. I think LSD and bigger front swaybar were options.
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Jan 10, 2013 04:37
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Crustashio posted:Do you specifically want an iS? A lot of issues for a ~3k e28. A similar shape 535i should be ~2k, they really aren't sought after cars like e30s. If I remember right the only differences are seats and steering wheel. I think LSD and bigger front swaybar were options. The front air dam and rear spoiler are on the iS vs the i. I greatly prefer the looks with those, but I guess I could buy a 535i and add them.
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Jan 10, 2013 04:53
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