kirkynut Posted September 27, 2019 Author Report Share Posted September 27, 2019 I got the front tyres replaced with the nearly new Avons I took off the Mrs 325i before we sold it. They've only had a month or so of being on the back of the 325i, so they're practically new. My 320i is now fully sorted! I did the first oil change on the Mrs Octavia VRS today and I must say that whilst it was not tricky, I prefer working on a BMW! Kirkynut momo 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momo Posted September 27, 2019 Report Share Posted September 27, 2019 1 hour ago, kirkynut said: I got the front tyres replaced with the nearly new Avons I took off the Mrs 325i before we sold it. They've only had a month or so of being on the back of the 325i, so they're practically new. My 320i is now fully sorted! I did the first oil change on the Mrs Octavia VRS today and I must say that whilst it was not tricky, I prefer working on a BMW! Kirkynut Brave man saying that.. 🤣 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kirkynut Posted September 27, 2019 Author Report Share Posted September 27, 2019 (edited) 23 minutes ago, momo said: Brave man saying that.. 🤣 I thought that as I typed it! The screen wash motor stopped working the other day. It was just a dirty connection. I got my test lamp out to check that there was current at the plug and put power directly to the motor to find it all was working! Cleaning the connection fixed it. These old cars are sent to try my skills and patience I think! Most people who want a brand new car go out and buy one. I buy old ones and then replace everything on them to make them new! Kirkynut Edited September 27, 2019 by kirkynut evokid and momo 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gaz-777 Posted October 20, 2019 Report Share Posted October 20, 2019 I’d rather spend money fixing older cars than pay a monthly finance figure on a new one! You learn a bit more along the way too! Did you replace your aux belt tensioner with a mechanical one? I rang bmw for a price but they asked if it was mechanical or hydraulic. I assume it’s the original mechanical one in mine. I know you said a genuine one wasn’t much more than another brand from eurocar parts. I've also got a sticking front o/s caliper, I’ve looked online for an ate caliper refurb kit but can’t seem to find any. Have you ever had to rebuild/refurbish an E46 caliper? Obviously I will do both sides if I can find a kit for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kirkynut Posted November 2, 2019 Author Report Share Posted November 2, 2019 On 20/10/2019 at 22:53, gaz-777 said: I’d rather spend money fixing older cars than pay a monthly finance figure on a new one! You learn a bit more along the way too! Did you replace your aux belt tensioner with a mechanical one? I rang bmw for a price but they asked if it was mechanical or hydraulic. I assume it’s the original mechanical one in mine. I know you said a genuine one wasn’t much more than another brand from eurocar parts. I've also got a sticking front o/s caliper, I’ve looked online for an ate caliper refurb kit but can’t seem to find any. Have you ever had to rebuild/refurbish an E46 caliper? Obviously I will do both sides if I can find a kit for it. I replaced the tensioner with a mechanical one, which the original one was. I've never rebuilt a brake caliper and would rather leave that to a professional. I'm sure I could do it but it's just one of those jobs that you can't afford to mess up. If you replace one caliper, replace both on that axle though. Kirkynut Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kirkynut Posted November 21, 2019 Author Report Share Posted November 21, 2019 Too much time has passed since my E46 commanded that I spent money on it. So today I've had to throw a new tyre on the front driver's side due to a cut in the side wall I found. Was this done in storage after I took them off the Mrs old 325i before selling it or have I upset someone as it was a clean thin slit? Either way, I wasn't trusting it and it's been replaced! Kirkynut Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoupEdin Posted November 22, 2019 Report Share Posted November 22, 2019 On 21/11/2019 at 10:39, kirkynut said: Too much time has passed since my E46 commanded that I spent money on it. So today I've had to throw a new tyre on the front driver's side due to a cut in the side wall I found. Was this done in storage after I took them off the Mrs old 325i before selling it or have I upset someone as it was a clean thin slit? Either way, I wasn't trusting it and it's been replaced! Kirkynut How much did they charge you to do this - my local wants ridiculous sums of money... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kirkynut Posted November 30, 2019 Author Report Share Posted November 30, 2019 (edited) On 22/11/2019 at 16:42, CoupEdin said: How much did they charge you to do this - my local wants ridiculous sums of money... For a new front tyre? £80 for an Avon ZV7 all in. I've been using Avons for a long time and they're a great balance between grip and longevity. Kirkynut Edited January 5, 2020 by kirkynut Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoupEdin Posted December 5, 2019 Report Share Posted December 5, 2019 On 30/11/2019 at 19:51, kirkynut said: For a new front tyre? £80 for an Avon ZV7 all in. I've been using Avons for a long time 8and they're a great balance between grip and longevity. Kirkynut I thought you'd swapped a tyre you had already Kirky. This is my problem I've got two sets of wheels and tyres and want to swap the Michelins on to my Style 32s. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kirkynut Posted December 16, 2019 Author Report Share Posted December 16, 2019 On 05/12/2019 at 15:40, CoupEdin said: I thought you'd swapped a tyre you had already Kirky. This is my problem I've got two sets of wheels and tyres and want to swap the Michelins on to my Style 32s. I did, it was one of those I found the damage on. So doubly annoying! Kirkynut Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kirkynut Posted December 29, 2019 Author Report Share Posted December 29, 2019 On 26/06/19 I replaced coilpack on cylinder 3 as it went down. On 23/12/19 as I hunted for a parking space at work the engine management light came on and it was running rough. I parked up and put the code reader on it and got P0303 staring back at me. Annoyed I was! I replaced it with a Bosch original, just like I'd get from BMW but without the BMW badge or price! Rather than get the replacement for the replacement from Eurocarparts again I went to GSF. Another £24 later and I've replaced it today. The Eurocarparts one had got hot and had signs of melting and overheating on the sides. We shall see how long this replacement lasts. Kirkynut Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momo Posted December 29, 2019 Report Share Posted December 29, 2019 Exchange it under warranty then have a spare laying around? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kirkynut Posted December 30, 2019 Author Report Share Posted December 30, 2019 On 29/12/2019 at 12:57, momo said: Exchange it under warranty then have a spare laying around? Yes, I shall ask as I have the receipt. There's a few causes of failed coilpacks though, so I shall have to see what they say. 6 months and 3k miles is a strange time frame. From what I've read, they can fail when there's high resistance but often only after a few weeks. To get one back from Eurocarparts to lob in the boot might be the best solution as even if that one is ok now, there's a reasonable chance another will call time at some point. Kirkynut momo 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kirkynut Posted January 5, 2020 Author Report Share Posted January 5, 2020 (edited) On Friday I took my boy to gymnastics about 6 miles away via an A road with 40,50 and 70 mph limits and as I accelerated hard from a set of traffic lights it went into limp home mode. We were nearly there, so I carried on and popped the code reader on it to get P0303 again. I turned it off and back on again and it ran fine, as long as I didn't rag it. Typical symptoms of a coilpack going bad! So why was it eating coilpacks on cylinder 3 I wondered? I've continued to use it gently and sparingly and this afternoon looked at it properly. The spark plug on cylinder 3 was only finger tight and there was a bit of oil on the sealing area of it. I cleaned it up, checked the gap and put it back in tight. I checked all the others were tight and nipped them up a little, put it all back together and it's now fine! I know that I did them all up tight when I changed the spark plugs earlier in the year but this was certainly loose. The threads are ok and it tightened up ok, so why it was loose is a mystery. Nonetheless, it runs fine and a good ragging has confirmed that it's fixed! No new coilpack needed or any money spending, which makes a change! How annoying though! Kirkynut Edited January 5, 2020 by kirkynut momo and berts 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kirkynut Posted January 23, 2020 Author Report Share Posted January 23, 2020 (edited) Well I spoke too soon in the post above. The next day it went into Limp Home mode every time I floored it, which I was doing more often to re-assure myself it was definitely fixed, just to establish it wasn't. So on 15th Jan I changed the spark plug on cylinder 3 and it's been fine since. I left the engine cover off until yesterday as it's a faff keep taking it off whilst trying to sort such an issue. My main job yesterday was fitting these though: They are these: https://rimmerbros.com/Item--i-17H4374 Just before Christmas I was on my way home with the Mrs from an evening out with the Mother in Law babysitting when a couple of miles from home a scraping noise started in what sounded like the rear offside wheel at wheel speed. I immediately suspected the handbrake mechanism and I was right. I thought I'd changed all of the regular E46 problem parts, seemingly not as I did not know that the holes in the rear brake back plates that the pins go through and twist to lock the handbrake shoes in place rust. This causes the pins to be able to come through the enlarged hole. Bimmerforums came up with these washers as a solution. They need a little fettling for the pin to go through the hole but other than that they're a neat and cheap solution. So now it really runs great and I have a working and nicely adjusted handbrake again. I might have to sell this soon though as money is tighter and I might have to run my modified Jimny as a daily. So if anyone wants to make me an offer on this 320i with more new parts on than the shelves in the dealer's, feel free! Kirkynut Edited January 26, 2020 by kirkynut Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kirkynut Posted February 23, 2020 Author Report Share Posted February 23, 2020 I sold this last weekend. I'm using my heavily modified Suzuki Jimny as my daily now. I might have another E46 in the future but for now this is a money saving exercise and to be honest, I'm quiet happy knocking about town in the Jimjam. I can park it in a car park and not care about parking dings. If someone wants to open their door against my 3mm thick tube rock sliders, they can with my blessing! Something tells me they won't do it intentionally though! My boy is happy having Daddy's Tractor to ride in more often too. It's been emotional but I have left the E46 fold. See you when you're older! Kirkynut gaz-777 and momo 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momo Posted February 23, 2020 Report Share Posted February 23, 2020 Shame, but understandable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gaz-777 Posted February 23, 2020 Report Share Posted February 23, 2020 Happy JimJam motoring Buddy 😉 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kirkynut Posted February 23, 2020 Author Report Share Posted February 23, 2020 Cheers chaps! Kirkynut Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kirkynut Posted June 8, 2021 Author Report Share Posted June 8, 2021 I've had reports that the people I sold my 320i to have turned it grey! The chap who's seen it isn't a car guy so I don't know if it's been painted or wrapped. It sounds like it's the fashionable Audi grey that's been on the show scene for a bit. If I get to go over where it lives I'll grab a photo and post it on here for posterity's sake. Kirkynut Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
incredirog Posted June 9, 2021 Report Share Posted June 9, 2021 shiny primer seems to suit most cars I’ve seen it on momo 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gaz-777 Posted August 22, 2021 Report Share Posted August 22, 2021 On 23/01/2020 at 23:07, kirkynut said: Well I spoke too soon in the post above. The next day it went into Limp Home mode every time I floored it, which I was doing more often to re-assure myself it was definitely fixed, just to establish it wasn't. So on 15th Jan I changed the spark plug on cylinder 3 and it's been fine since. I left the engine cover off until yesterday as it's a faff keep taking it off whilst trying to sort such an issue. My main job yesterday was fitting these though: They are these: https://rimmerbros.com/Item--i-17H4374 Just before Christmas I was on my way home with the Mrs from an evening out with the Mother in Law babysitting when a couple of miles from home a scraping noise started in what sounded like the rear offside wheel at wheel speed. I immediately suspected the handbrake mechanism and I was right. I thought I'd changed all of the regular E46 problem parts, seemingly not as I did not know that the holes in the rear brake back plates that the pins go through and twist to lock the handbrake shoes in place rust. This causes the pins to be able to come through the enlarged hole. Bimmerforums came up with these washers as a solution. They need a little fettling for the pin to go through the hole but other than that they're a neat and cheap solution. So now it really runs great and I have a working and nicely adjusted handbrake again. I might have to sell this soon though as money is tighter and I might have to run my modified Jimny as a daily. So if anyone wants to make me an offer on this 320i with more new parts on than the shelves in the dealer's, feel free! Kirkynut I had the same issue with the pins coming through a rusty back plate on the drivers side. The handbrake wouldn’t release after being parked up and therefore had to use the gearbox as a parking brake for a short period of time. I ended up making some cups myself when I change the shoes, pins and springs. but these are perfect. Good to know if the other side does the same 👍🏻 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
