What did you do to your other car(s) today?

[Mike W.]

Solved the KJet issue on my E21! It was the fuel relay.

IIRC there were at least 2 different FP relays depending on the year, and they tended to be problematic. I had to replace at least one and it seems they were rare in the yards when the cars were common there, they got harvested quickly. Glad you got it figured out though!

[vinceg101]

Two weekends ago it was the E39 530i:


Valve Cover & Gasket replacement.
I noticed that wonderful acrid smell of burning oil come wafting into the car and saw the smoke rising up from under the hood every time I stopped at a traffic light (not to mention some pretty concerned looks from the folks next to me).
Pulled the Coils & Plugs and found the spark plug wells for cylinders 1 & 2 kind of full of oil also:


At 185+K miles, it was time again for a new gasket and this time I hedged my bets and replaced the plastic Valve Cover also.

Tomorrow is the Cooling System...

[SPF2006]

We have been noticing a sporadic loss of power on my wife's E46, happens around 2K RPM and it is starting to get worse. Finally set lean codes for both banks and triggered a CEL the other week. Doing some diagnostics and today swapped the the known-working MAF from the X3 onto the car, cleared the codes and test drove. If they come back I will hunt for vacuum leaks and start checking actual fuel delivery.

[Karl Grau]

Removed the tint from the front door windows. I can now see through them.

[1st 5er]

Topped off ElJeepo's fluids and drove that bish to Fredneck Acres.

[Mike W.]

Oil and filter for the Datsun. 5K on the oil change, I'd already put 2+ quarts in and you could barely see it on the end of the dipstick. Put in the magic stuff (Liqui-Moly 5-40, LL-01) I've been using in the 02 touring that cut it's consumption from 2 quarts a change down to nothing. Crossing my fingers although they are apparently known to be heavy drinkers.

[SPF2006]

Oil and filter for the Datsun. 5K on the oil change, I'd already put 2+ quarts in and you could barely see it on the end of the dipstick. Put in the magic stuff (Liqui-Moly 5-40, LL-01) I've been using in the 02 touring that cut it's consumption from 2 quarts a change down to nothing. Crossing my fingers although they are apparently known to be heavy drinkers.

Precisely the problem on the X3 (and that's after dealing with a bunch of leaky seals). Using LiquiMoly at next oil change and will see if it makes any appreciable difference.

[davintosh]

Got a random act of custom body work done to the Lexus at some parking lot in Omaha this weekend, and started in with the insurance company wrangling today.

[Mike W.]

Oil and filter for the Datsun. 5K on the oil change, I'd already put 2+ quarts in and you could barely see it on the end of the dipstick. Put in the magic stuff (Liqui-Moly 5-40, LL-01) I've been using in the 02 touring that cut it's consumption from 2 quarts a change down to nothing. Crossing my fingers although they are apparently known to be heavy drinkers.

Precisely the problem on the X3 (and that's after dealing with a bunch of leaky seals). Using LiquiMoly at next oil change and will see if it makes any appreciable difference.

It worked wonders on mine. I first used some Liqui Moly 5-40 LL-98 and that didn't seem to make much difference. Next I used the LL-01 and that's when the change happened. I don't know if it took a change to free up rings or if the LL01 was the critical factor, but I've got 5K on the current change and the dipstick is down maybe an eighth of an inch from full. First time any engine oil I've used has made any noticeable difference on anything I've owned.

[jca]

Bit of diy body work on my 84 325e. Car has good mechanicals and interior, but the paint was shot when I bought it. Have lost count of the number and shades of rattle can silver I've used to make it more presentable.

[Karl Grau]

Still plugging away at removing the clear bra. It is without doubt the most PITA, tedious job I've ever undertaken. I would say 90% comes off in dime sized pieces and if I get a few quarter sized pieces once in a while, it's cause for celebration.






My guesstimate is that I've only removed around 20% but progress IS progress.

[gadget73]

Sounds like tedious misery.

Oil change and hopefully the power steering leak on the Continental fixed. The one piece of return line that had not been changed is now gone.

[doug]

Finally finished fixing three of the window regulators on my e34 525i, and replaced the thermostat (which had fallen apart). Two had bad guides, and one had a stripped gear, which I could only find a replacement for from one ebay seller in Germany -- maybe I should buy another just in case. Now just gotta replace the AC compressor and it will be good as new, more or less. Also, used some Sylvania UV protection stuff on the headlights on both e39s and my Tacoma. They usually look great after sanding and polishing, but now hopefully they'll stay that way for a while.

[SeattleGuy]

I drove it sloshed some gas around before it started separating and such.... and thought about washing it. I will be ordering two car covers next week. A wise thing to do in Seattle winter.

[jhh925]

Got it rear-ended. Frick. This is the 2012 X5. We bought it to serve a number of specific purposes, including giving us AWD capability for two or three trips up to the snow every year. So, of course, I'd just ordered a new set of tires and got rear-ended five days before we were supposed to head up to Tahoe.

[Mike W.]

Got it rear-ended. Frick. This is the 2012 X5. We bought it to serve a number of specific purposes, including giving us AWD capability for two or three trips up to the snow every year. So, of course, I'd just ordered a new set of tires and got rear-ended five days before we were supposed to head up to Tahoe.

Grrrr. How bad? Still driveable with the hatch still working or just caved in? We took a trip up to Reno years ago in the first E39 with the rear bumper cover held on with a bungee cord. Took forever dicking around with insurance and I didn't want to do anything while it was pending, but did want to use the car. A little tobacco road like, but it worked as an interim measure.

[e28Sean]

Added a bit of bling. Swapped the battery cover on the AMG's key from the default blank one to an AMG-crested one.

[Mike W.]

Swapped out the radiator on the Granddaughters Ford Escape. What a job, I'd rather do a head on an M30 car, including lapping in the valves and replacing the seals.

Had to pull the front bumper cover among other things, the radiator and fans are tucked in there pretty tight, and the damned spring band hose clamps cost me 2 or 3 more hours total than if they'd had screw type. The 5 I had decent access to were no big deal, one was difficult and 2 were an unholy bitch due to lack of working room. Flushing out the cooling system was no easy feat, the A/T cooler inside the radiator had failed, but only allowing ATF into the coolant, not coolant into the tranny, which was a very good thing. I probably had 13-15 hours into it total. It was a big mess though with oil and water mixed together and spread out some. A second time would surely be quicker, but still not fast, dealer wanted over a grand to do it, including a new radiator and I've got to say that wasn't a rip off price. However the dealer also wanted $200 plus for a new oil drain pan since they'd stripped the threads on the drain plug hole. Apparently the $5.50 oversize drain plug I bought at the local chain auto parts store wasn't in their vocabulary, nor apparently was an Helicoil.

Overall it wasn't bad to work on, excepting the aforementioned hose clamps. More work to replace a radiator than I've ever done before, but as I keep reminding myself, they build cars to make money, not to be easily and efficiently worked on years later.

[winmag4582001]

My son brought over his 2015 X5 50i that he just picked up in Albuquerque NM. He was looking at one here in Denver at a dealership that had 4 owners, 50k miles and accidents, he drove down to NM and bought a newer one, one owner, 30k miles, no accidents and it was over $10k cheaper than what he was looking at here. I have no clue how dealers sell vehicles in Denver, way overpriced!
But the X5 is seriously badazz! The v8tt is crazy fast. My son has a slight passion for BMW's. LOL

[url=https://flic.kr/p/2cmS4w2][img]htt ... .jpg[/img]x5 by https://www.flickr.com/photos/166688426@N06/

[SPF2006]

Picked up a pretty solid 1995 740i for daily use, since I am clocking in more miles these days. Sailed through state inspection and pretty much good to go as-is.

Meantime:

Swapped out the radiator on the Granddaughters Ford Escape. What a job, I'd rather do a head on an M30 car, including lapping in the valves and replacing the seals...I probably had 13-15 hours into it total..A second time would surely be quicker, but still not fast, dealer wanted over a grand to do it, including a new radiator and I've got to say that wasn't a rip off price.

[Mike W.]

After the Escape radiator mundane can be good.

A basic mundane oil change on the wife's E39 touring. It was down a quart this time on a 5K change, but that's a ton better than before I started using Liqui Moly. Never seen an oil of the same viscosity have a dramatic impact on consumption before. In a good way.

[davintosh]

When I bought the Herky Bird eight months ago it had this hideous seat cover on the driver's seat. It was covering a bottom seat cushion that had seen way too many miles (about 200,000) with what was likely an overweight butt on it, and that same butt sliding in & out across the edge of the seat far too many times, all of which combined to leave a hole on the edge and foam padding that had lost all its life, and then some.

One nice feature of these Ford trucks is that the bottom of the seat attaches to the frame with four studs. I discovered another nice feature; both sides of the 40/20/40 seats have the same bolt pattern; while they're not exactly interchangeable, that opens up some possibilities... I was able to find a passenger seat bottom at the self-serve yard for about $20 that appeared to have been used very, very little.. And it was pretty close to the same color

I finally got around to putting it in on Monday. The thing slid in & bolted up nicely, and makes it feel like a new truck. Amazing how a refresh on one little part can make such a huge difference!

[marek]

All wear items in the steering linkage and well as control arms and thrust arms on the E39 M5. Man do I love working on CA cars. Nothing seized rusted, and comes apart like it does on new cars.

[Mike W.]

All wear items in the steering linkage and well as control arms and thrust arms on the E39 M5. Man do I love working on CA cars. Nothing seized rusted, and comes apart like it does on new cars.

Except they're still dirty on the underside, the paint is shot and the seats are trashed.

[marek]

All wear items in the steering linkage and well as control arms and thrust arms on the E39 M5. Man do I love working on CA cars. Nothing seized rusted, and comes apart like it does on new cars.

Except they're still dirty on the underside, the paint is shot and the seats are trashed.

Neither the paint nor the interior is trashed on any of my cars. As for dirt I'll take than any day over dirty AND welded with rust bolts and nuts, where every DIY job is likely to turn into a multi-day ordeal unless you happen to have an oxy acetylene torch.