Windshield cowl

[BimmerWill]

Anyone found a decent buy for windshield cowl? Mine is in desperate need of replacement.

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[danewilson77]

Anyone found a decent buy for windshield cowl? Mine is in desperate need of replacement.

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I got my last one from ecs.

Check FCPeuro or AutohausAZ affiliates and lemme know what you find. Should you buy...please use the link.

Sent from Williamsburg, VA USA

[johnrando]

Got mine at ECS. Don't know if the price was that much better than the others.

[WOLFN8TR]

Got mine at ECS. Don't know if the price was that much better than the others.

Same here $50 shipped IIRC. Plus you can order some more cool stuff while your on there.

[Stu]

Dealer sells it for about $55. I see $27 in shipping for ECS for me D:

[BimmerWill]

I figured shipping would be ridiculous because of its size. Might just give the dealer a call on Monday and see how much they want for it there.

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[Stu]

Yeah...ECS has some really nasty shipping prices, probably some of the most expensive I've seen. I don't understand why. I love their layout and prices, but they always wreck me with shipping and it is a deterrent.

I can get a windshield for $8 shipping from a dealer in NH, yet a cowl costs $27 in shipping from ECSTuning.

[BimmerWill]

Yeah...ECS has some really nasty shipping prices, probably some of the most expensive I've seen. I don't understand why. I love their layout and prices, but they always wreck me with shipping and it is a deterrent.

I can get a windshield for $8 shipping from a dealer in NH, yet a cowl costs $27 in shipping from ECSTuning.

Yeah shipping with them is overpriced...fifteen bucks at least for anything.


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[Stu]

I got mine from tomkinsonbmw for $60 shipped. Seems to be the best one I can find. The dealer wanted $100! That's WAY above RealOEM!

[danewilson77]

I got mine from tomkinsonbmw for $60 shipped. Seems to be the best one I can find. The dealer wanted $100! That's WAY above RealOEM!

Do not ever use the prices at Realoem. I am dead to those. Very inaccurate.

Sent from Williamsburg, VA USA

[Stu]

Just got an email from tomkinsonbmw, apparently they needed to bump shipping up to $30.

Needless to say, I cancelled my order.

I ordered my cowl from KOPerformance. $63.28, free shipping.

https://www.koperformance.com/part-number/51-71-8-232-894/GENUINE-BMW

Can't find anything cheaper than this.

[BimmerWill]

Just got an email from tomkinsonbmw, apparently they needed to bump shipping up to $30.

Needless to say, I cancelled my order.

I ordered my cowl from KOPerformance. $63.28, free shipping.

https://www.koperformance.com/part-number/51-71-8-232-894/GENUINE-BMW

Can't find anything cheaper than this.

Awesome thanks for the heads up...ill put in an order tonight

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[BimmerWill]

Also does that fit any 3 series? I assume there shouldn't be any difference unless it were an m...im curious as to whether changes were made between pre-face and facelifted.

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[danewilson77]

Just got an email from tomkinsonbmw, apparently they needed to bump shipping up to $30.

Needless to say, I cancelled my order.

I ordered my cowl from KOPerformance. $63.28, free shipping.

https://www.koperformance.com/part-number/51-71-8-232-894/GENUINE-BMW

Can't find anything cheaper than this.


Awesome thanks for the heads up...ill put in an order tonight

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I have an account with KO. They seem to be a fically responsible choice.

[BimmerWill]

I have an account with KO. They seem to be a fically responsible choice.

Good deal...just wondering if that part # will fit my car

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[danewilson77]

I try to remember all of the cars on the forum. what are your specs?

[Stu]

Good deal...just wondering if that part # will fit my car

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From what I've seen, there is a difference between the sedan and coupe part.

Sedan is 51718208483.

https://www.koperformance.com/online_ordering/search_catalog.php?domains=www.koperformance.com&q=51718208483+&sa=Search+KO&sitesearch=www.koperformance.com&sitesearch=&client=pub-5830204589916877&forid=1&where_search=on&channel=3263279608&ie=ISO-8859-1&oe=ISO-8859-1&cof=GALT%3A%230066CC%3BGL%3A1%3BDIV%3A%23000000%3B VLC%3A006699%3BAH%3Acenter%3BBGC%3AFFFFFF%3BLBGC%3 AFFFFFF%3BALC%3A000066%3BLC%3A000066%3BT%3A000066% 3BGFNT%3A999999%3BGIMP%3A999999%3BLH%3A50%3BLW%3A5 69%3BL%3Ahttp%3A%2F%2Fwww.koperformance.com%2Fimag es%2FTopImage_569x50.jpg%3BS%3Ahttp%3A%2F%2Fwww.ko performance.com%3BFORID%3A1%3B&hl=en

[BimmerWill]

2001 330i (sedan)

[danewilson77]

2001 330i (sedan)

P/N 51718208483 (As homey said above)

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?model=AV53&mospid=47725&btnr=51_3267&hg=51&fg=20

http://www.koperformance.com/online_ordering/search_catalog.php?domains=www.koperformance.com&q=51718208483&sa=Search+KO&sitesearch=www.koperformance.com&sitesearch=&client=pub-5830204589916877&forid=1&where_search=on&channel=3263279608&ie=ISO-8859-1&oe=ISO-8859-1&cof=GALT%3A%230066CC%3BGL%3A1%3BDIV%3A%23000000%3B VLC%3A006699%3BAH%3Acenter%3BBGC%3AFFFFFF%3BLBGC%3 AFFFFFF%3BALC%3A000066%3BLC%3A000066%3BT%3A000066% 3BGFNT%3A999999%3BGIMP%3A999999%3BLH%3A50%3BLW%3A5 69%3BL%3Ahttp%3A%2F%2Fwww.koperformance.com%2Fimag es%2FTopImage_569x50.jpg%3BS%3Ahttp%3A%2F%2Fwww.ko performance.com%3BFORID%3A1%3B&hl=en

[BimmerWill]

Sweet thanks guys i'll get one ordered soon...how difficult are they to put on?

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[johnrando]

Very easy. You just take the wipers off, then unscrew a few screws, then lift the cowl off. You may need to pry underneath a little to help it. The best way is to mark where the wipers sit with blue tape before you remove, so that you can place them exactly where they sat before. They make take a little jiggling/prying underneath to get the wipers off too. Pretty sure there are DIY's out there. BTW, some people say to remove the cabin air filter but I don't think you have to. That's not a big deal either way though.

[Stu]

Hardest part is removing the wiper arms.

In my wiper linkage disassembly adventures, I've found there's no amount of yanking you can do to ruin it. It's an extremely simple system that is made of extremely strong parts (except for the spline the motor sits on, very heavy snow or ice can strip them, forcing you to retime the home position, which also is extremely easy to do).

Put the arms up and yank away. Ideally get a puller, your life will
be much easier, but a puller that fits on these cars is very hard to find locally.

Torque the wiper nut to 30Nm, strictly follow this. Any more and takin the wiper arm off again later will be a freaking nightmare, even with a puller. I learned this myself :(

[jjcools]

Perfect timing. I really need a new trim kit also!

[johnrando]

Hardest part is removing the wiper arms.

In my wiper linkage disassembly adventures, I've found there's no amount of yanking you can do to ruin it. It's an extremely simple system that is made of extremely strong parts (except for the spline the motor sits on, very heavy snow or ice can strip them, forcing you to retime the home position, which also is extremely easy to do).

Put the arms up and yank away. Ideally get a puller, your life will
be much easier, but a puller that fits on these cars is very hard to find locally.

Torque the wiper nut to 30Nm, strictly follow this. Any more and takin the wiper arm off again later will be a freaking nightmare, even with a puller. I learned this myself :(

Weren't you doing that at SIGFest IIRC? Yours were very hard to remove.

[Stu]

Weren't you doing that at SIGFest IIRC? Yours were very hard to remove.

I believe that was Kyle who was trying to do his cowl replacement. I might've tried but I don't remember honestly haha. Yeah, mine were really in there.

I eventually took it to the dealership and asked them for the specific windshield arm removal tool. They gave me a dumbfounded look and asked some shop people, who eventually came out with it. They even had a hard time with the tool alone. These are mega over-engineered wiper arms. The pressure nut that fits into the wiper arm is one of the worst designs.

[johnrando]

Oh yeah, that's right.

[rikdee]

wiper arm removal. Once the cap and retaining nut are removed, place a wash cloth or small towel beneath the hinged point on the wiper arm. Now simply press the hinged joint downward towards the windscreen in short, smooth, repetitive motions - the arm will slowly but surely release the wedge nut and fall off in your hand like magic. I've done this several times on different E46s.

[Stu]

wiper arm removal. Once the cap and retaining nut are removed, place a wash cloth or small towel beneath the hinged point on the wiper arm. Now simply press the hinged joint downward towards the windscreen in short, smooth, repetitive motions - the arm will slowly but surely release the wedge nut and fall off in your hand like magic. I've done this several times on different E46s.

+1, I can see this working perfectly. One of the reasons why it is in so tight is that the wiper arm sort of pushes the nut at an angle, especially if it is in the down position. If you reinstall it just a tiny bit and then try to take it off again, you'll notice that it feels really stuck in there until you maneuver the wiper arm to be perfectly perpendicular. Once you get it perpendicular to the wiper nut, it ends up coming off much more easily.

[328ioc]

Hmm good info in here I might need to order one soon too.

[BimmerWill]

Ill keep these tips in mind when I go to replace. Thanks for the help fellas

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[gammagoblin]

I need to do this soon, I drove a long while through some very intense rain and there was some minor seepage into the passenger footwell, on the upper left side of it. Noticed my cowl is all ragged and probably leaking water into the 'drug box' where it then gets into the cabin.

I'm not sure what all I need to replace. The cowl itself, but then there is a rubber seal? And possibly new clips?

[danewilson77]

I need to do this soon, I drove a long while through some very intense rain and there was some minor seepage into the passenger footwell, on the upper left side of it. Noticed my cowl is all ragged and probably leaking water into the 'drug box' where it then gets into the cabin.

I'm not sure what all I need to replace. The cowl itself, but then there is a rubber seal? And possibly new clips?

Just the cowl. Obtw...the cowl is not the source of your leak.

Sent from Williamsburg, VA USA

[gammagoblin]

Hmmm I'm not sure what it could be then. It's not the doors for sure.

[BimmerWill]

Hmmm I'm not sure what it could be then. It's not the doors for sure.

Could it have possibly come in through the cabin vents? Where the filter is has drains to prevent this from happening but you could see if they've gotten stopped up? Just a complete shot in the dark but maybe?

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[gammagoblin]

Car sat out in some good rain and had no leaks inside. When it leaked (and only a little) I was driving highway speed in some freaking hurricane rain. Tomorrow I will get a water bucket and play around with dumping it on different parts of the car.

BimmerWill thanks for the guess, I think no but I'm not sure, is there a vent in the footwell? Leak seemed to be pass footwell, upper left side, on the 'slope' portion of it.

[BimmerWill]

There are vents that run towards your feet. Not sure if they are forward enough though.

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