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Sam

What Have You Done To Your Car Today? Volume 2

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Nice bit of preventative maintenance there Foe. One thing I always do is to put some graphite powder into the ignition lock, you can even use pencil lead scraped onto the key and worked into the lock a few times.

In my mind I'd rather do this once a year than ever have the hassle of replacing an ignition barrel.

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1 hour ago, Tim-Ci said:

Nice bit of preventative maintenance there Foe. One thing I always do is to put some graphite powder into the ignition lock, you can even use pencil lead scraped onto the key and worked into the lock a few times.

In my mind I'd rather do this once a year than ever have the hassle of replacing an ignition barrel.

A good point! Will do this on the weekend, weather permitting.

Also going to tackle replacing the gearbox and diff oil.

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The hose to the expansion tank that connects to the plastic stub pipe on the block popped off. Not sure why, guessing it's due to the precautionary PTFE tape I added. 

Very easy fix. I pushed it back on, took it for a spin, booted it off a roundabout (not realising a police car was now behind me!) and it popped off again. 

So i pulled over, had another look, remembered adding the PTFE tape as a precaution when I swapped that pipe along with the radiator, and assumed it was responsible for the pipe not fitting. I pulled the tape off, pushed it back together (it seemed to seat much better than before), refilled it, bleed it in a lay-by and hooned it on/off a dual carriageway a few times, and it's held since. 

Fingers crossed it'll hold. I just need to drain the water a bit and add some antifreeze as it's just tape water now. 

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Ah, ok. I find talcum powder can be useful for tracking leaks, although not ideal in that part of the engine bay. 

Maybe wipe it clean, run with a different coloured screen wash for a few weeks, and then see what colour leak you're left with? That would be my lazy person's diagnostics!

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^ Doesn't sound like a bad plan.

When my washer pump started leaking the puddle was towards the centre, slightly to the left. A common fault apparently. If I ran my finger around the bottom of the black washer pump clipped onto the washer bottle, it was wet. The headlamp washer jet connections have also been known to leak, and there's also a pump for them on the reservoir as well as the windscreen washer jet one which could go bad and leak I guess.

On the M54 engine you've got the water pump, thermostat and the hose connections with the integrated clips on them all in close proximity. I'd be having a feel around those parts for any moisture. Also, the filler neck of the radiator is quite narrow, so if you're losing any more than the tiniest amount of coolant, you will be able to see the level dropping by looking how far down the coolant sits in the hole. At least you've got a low coolant level sensor (assuming it works, mine didn't when I bought the car, the light never came on). Always check the coolant with a cold (or luke warm) engine as it will expand when hot (and there's the risk of pressurised coolant exiting rather quickly all over the place if you remove the cap when hot).

The radiators can go bad over time, usually they bend at the bottom. This could cause a rupture I guess. I'd expect to see some moisture underneath the radiator on the plastic panelling if that's the case - bottom of the bumper or on the undertray.

Edited by Tim-Ci
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Stripped some more of it for parts. Found that it had the faster 067 steering rack fitted 😃 didn't know that they came on 330ds - thought it was just 320tds and clubs ports. 

As tempting as it is to sell it, it'll be staying as a spare for the e30 (it's a great plug and play upgrade over the standard e30 rack) for when the inevitable price increase happens as supply of e46 twindles. 

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Bought it a Miller WAR chip so I can now write, flash, and swap on the fly, the maps on my e30. Should be good fun!

 

https://www.millerperformancecars.com/store/war-chip/best-bmw-chip-miller-w-a-r-chip-detail

 

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10 minutes ago, TriggerFish said:

Bought it a Miller WAR chip so I can now write, flash, and swap on the fly, the maps on my e30. Should be good fun!

 

https://www.millerperformancecars.com/store/war-chip/best-bmw-chip-miller-w-a-r-chip-detail

 

If only I was clever!! And it would help if i had kept one of the 4 E30's I've had over the past 14 years or so. Doh!! You'll have fun with that, Joe!

In other news, I bought a clock. An expensive clock. But not car related :) 

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There's some learning going to be needed I'm sure. But yeah, should be fun. Looking forward to creating a 'popping on overrun' version of the map too :D oh to be young!

I love clocks and watches. We need photos! This Nixie tube (old Soviet predecessor to the LCD numeral display) one is my current thing. Just waiting to move house so I've got somewhere to put it. It's just sat around doing nothing at the moment. 

20170111_230228.jpg

20170111_230242.jpg

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23 minutes ago, TriggerFish said:

There's some learning going to be needed I'm sure. But yeah, should be fun. Looking forward to creating a 'popping on overrun' version of the map too :D oh to be young!

I love clocks and watches. We need photos! This Nixie tube (old Soviet predecessor to the LCD numeral display) one is my current thing. Just waiting to move house so I've got somewhere to put it. It's just sat around doing nothing at the moment. 

20170111_230228.jpg

20170111_230242.jpg

I love that! I've got a few nice watches that I alternate wearing but i've lusted after this particular clock for a very long time and finally bought it for myself as a late christmas present. It's the original Swiss Railway clock face design, by the original company, Mondaine. I got it a bit cheaper than this eBay listing as I bought it direct from a retailer in Switzerland but I cannot wait for it to come - it's going to be my main pub clock when I open for business in March. I like old and new, so wanted a brand new one of these.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Mondaine-A995-CLOCK-16SBB-Analog-Quartz-Wall-CLOCK-/112226780849?hash=item1a213cc6b1:g:1KgAAOSw44BYRUPf

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22 minutes ago, RMJ said:

Well not exactly today but over the past week (ish)

BBK F & R

10mm & 15mm Hubcentric spacers & bolts :)

 

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Nice, how does it stop?? Much better?

You may have read in my touring post that once all the preventative stuff has been done to mine the guys are putting a stage 1 map on it also! I must stop spending money!!

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It stops on a 5 pence piece rather that a penny 🙂, very happy with them mate so should be all set for this years track days.

I did see that mate yeah! It is hard, I appreciate what you mean!. Have you booked it in for the map just yet? I did a map on my old 184 and it went well! Better on fuel too so you can use that fact as another reason to go ahead if you haven't already!?

 

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It stops on a 5 pence piece rather that a penny [emoji846], very happy with them mate so should be all set for this years track days.

I did see that mate yeah! It is hard, I appreciate what you mean!. Have you booked it in for the map just yet? I did a map on my old 184 and it went well! Better on fuel too so you can use that fact as another reason to go ahead if you haven't already!?

 

Have you got any links to share for the brakes.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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