What did you do for your ZHP/ BMW / MINI today? #2

[t.er]

I'll chime in. Avoid the chepo sensors. The replacement is kinda pita due to the location of them so doing them twice is not fun. Just replace the one that is throwing the code.

In regards to the a/c compressor, I just got done rebuilding one due to the bearing going bad and the seal in the front leaking.

Ooooh. Got more info on the compressor rebuild? I wonder if I can salvage mine. It's seized and leaky.

AC belt is off my car and I only drive it once a week or once every other week, so not time sensitive and could be a fun project

[Rovert]

Let me know if you got the same. Seems like one of the pressure sensors in the master cylinder has gone bad.

Hey all! It?s been a long time. LOL. Hope all are awesome. Your pressure sensor might just be a bad connection. My M3 through that long long time ago. I got down into the bin and disconnect/reconnect all the sensors as well as the main DSC ECU. Made sure it was clean. Then I hit the pressure sensors lightly with a hammer for good keeping. After putting it back together the car never once complained.

[Galapolis]

I would always go for original sensors as well.

Haven't shared any updates in a while. The car is doing well, started right up after a 5 month winter break (first one in its life being a southern car from the US). I was surprised that the gas was still good after all that time.

I barely drive it here so I hadn't done anything to it in almost a year (apart from getting it ready for T?V). I drive maybe once a week, at most. A couple weeks ago I decided to finally install the Achilles oil pump. A local guy from the German forums owns a shop and gave me a good price on the install. He said he can remove the oil pan in 45 minutes so I took him up on that. Also had a new oil pickup tube and oil pan gasket installed at the same time.

Soon after, the expansion tank started cracking. I was somewhat surprised given that I rock the 1.2 bar cap, but maybe a slow crack instead of an explosion is what I was able to get out of it. Either way I had to also replace the heater pipes before I could bleed the system, so the small expansion tank job became a weeks long manifold removal and "while I'm in there" project.

Some of the things I did:
- Cleaned the block, engine bay, and underside of the engine/tray/subframe
- Ultrasonic cleaning of the manifold
- New heater pipes and rubber hoses
- New vacuum lines
- New vacuum caps and added a cap for the exhaust valve since I have a ZHP exhaust now
- New suction pump and hoses
- New gaskets and o-rings where needed



All the vacuum caps were split and the exhaust valve vacuum line was ruptured, so I must have been driving around with vacuum leaks for years because holy smokes this thing pulls past 4.5k now like never before.

Pulling off the manifold was NOT fun, I'm actually glad I did the CCV with the manifold on back when I had to replace it. And as a bonus I also added the M3 fuel baffle.



Doing all this work on the car again was kind of fun? But didn't really hit the same as during the old college days. Is that what getting old is? Honestly for my next car I'd rather just have something that needs no mods and only requires minimal maintenance.

[t.er]

Hey all! It?s been a long time. LOL. Hope all are awesome. Your pressure sensor might just be a bad connection. My M3 through that long long time ago. I got down into the bin and disconnect/reconnect all the sensors as well as the main DSC ECU. Made sure it was clean. Then I hit the pressure sensors lightly with a hammer for good keeping. After putting it back together the car never once complained.

Lol Trevor, why am I not surprised to see this comment from you nice Clarkson method, btw!

Haven't shared any updates in a while. The car is doing well, started right up after a 5 month winter break (first one in its life being a southern car from the US). I was surprised that the gas was still good after all that time.

Doing all this work on the car again was kind of fun? But didn't really hit the same as during the old college days. Is that what getting old is? Honestly for my next car I'd rather just have something that needs no mods and only requires minimal maintenance.

Good to hear from you as well and I echo that sentiment, I've only done 5k km since Jan 2023. For me, it's just shifting hobbies - motorcycles are just a lot more fun/$ and I have two of them. 154 hp in 434 lbs and costing only $6k (all in, after my rebuild)... It's a hoot and a supercar doesn't even come close to the thrill, much less my E46.

Don't get me wrong, I still love my car. It's a bit sad but it's essentially a glorified grocery/gas getter and road bicycle hauler. I won't sell it but if, god forbid something happens to it... Hagerty cuts me a cheque for an agreed value that I have deemed worth the sentimental value I have in it. I go out and get a Lexus GS300/GS430. A bit boring, but RWD so not a glorified Camry, plus 2JZ engine or a cool-ish V8. Very comfy, can be had for decently cheap, doesn't require much of my attention, and a car I won't care enough about to require keeping it in the garage, which opens the space for more bikes and I won't need to do garage Tetris.

This was yesterday during my monthly big grocery/gas run:

[BMWCurves]

Took her for a nice shake down on my usual fun route since she hasn't been driven since April. Sun was shining, temperature was perfect, she ran beautifully. Brought me great joy to be driving again, if just for a few days

[san]

Removed the original wheel/tire spare and put a front 135 wheel/tire in its place. The boot floor doesn?t sit flush and is obviously much heavier but worth it (to me).


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[BADCLOWN]

Removed the original wheel/tire spare and put a front 135 wheel/tire in its place. The boot floor doesn?t sit flush and is obviously much heavier but worth it (to me).


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I wish the OE wheels weren’t as heavy and sat flush. I have to bring a full size OE spare on any trips due to the brake size in the fronts. It’s annoying

[PdZHP]

I've replaced the 16" spare donut with a 17" one. This clears the brakes and minimizes the weight in the trunk with room for other supplies.

[san]

I wish the OE wheels weren?t as heavy and sat flush. I have to bring a full size OE spare on any trips due to the brake size in the fronts. It?s annoying

Yup and the stock front being a 8? and 225, it?s as thin/narrow as it?s going to get.


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[san]

I've replaced the 16" spare donut with a 17" one. This clears the brakes and minimizes the weight in the trunk with room for other supplies.

I use 17? apex wheels with 245 width so that will sit even less flush than the stock front.


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