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330Ci ZHP
Today is cooling system day! Prepping the patient…
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Started by mixing the coolant.
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50/50 mix, coolant and distilled water. I mark the containers for future reference.
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This $4 BBQ tray makes a awesome collection tray for this job.
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Disassembly begins…
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Removed air intake, airbox, and airflow meter
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Took off the drive belts, then the t-stat housing. The waterpump is front and center.
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Four bolts to remove the pump’s pulley, four nuts that retain the pump, then used two bolts from the t-stat to push the pump from the engine. Easy as pie.
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Old pump is original and in very good condition. This coincides with the maintenance records and the original owner was very good about flushing the system at regular intervals.
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No sludge or corrosion to be found! This is a fantastic sign.
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New pump has a metal impeller and fits in easily. I’m approaching the 1/2 way point 90 minutes in, time to take a break.
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I mis-read the weather forecast. It’s a lot warmer than I anticipated.
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I removed the radiator and mounting plate with the overflow bottle attached (left).
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Radiator was definitely reaching the end of its service life.
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New radiator waiting on the table.
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Hung the the new radiator, slotted in the mounting plate, attach the overflow bottle, bolt in the new t-stat housing assembly. Snap and lock in the lower hoses, install the lower air diverter. Heading into the final stretch.
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Back up top, install the new aluminum water pump pulley. I painted it black to prevent galvanic corrosion, nice 10mm bolts came with it. Swap out the idler and tensioner pulleys. They were definitely original, getting loud. Also reinstall new e-torx fillister bolt on the tensioner for insurance. Laced up the serpentine belt, then the AC belt.
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Button up the radiator on top, slide in the cooling fan assembly, plug in the relays and sensors.
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Chucked in the air box and AFM, pour in the coolant, bleed as I clean up the tools and ready the old coolant for recycling.
4 hours, including two breaks to cool off. Time to hit the showers!
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Look how easy that water pump was....jeees! Thanks for all the great photos. I was thinking maybe it was just cooler in Atlanta than here but nope, we're the same. I don't know how you do it in this heat. I have to do the lawn tomorrow and I'm dreading it.
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330Ci ZHP
Yeah, yesterday was our first 90+ degree day of the season. I was cognizant to take breaks when I was getting tired or frustrated.
A lot of the components these cars have a bad reputation for are pretty easy to replace. I think a lot of owners don’t want to DIY or they don’t like dealership repair bills. OE quality parts aren’t that expensive.
Today the dogs woke me earlier than I wanted because they were hungry. I got motivated to install the final part before it became too hot; the steering coupler.
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This little gizmo connects the steering shaft to the steering rack. It is oriented in a way where it can only go on one way, so it’s a bit hard to mess it up. Compared to the one I replaced on my e30, this one is a lot easier to replace.
Car went back up on the ramps, removed the splash shield and bracing from under the car and got to it fairly easy.
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Two e-torx bolts and some wiggling, it came apart. I cleaned the splines on the steering rack end, applied a dab of anti-seize, and installed the new one. A
Bit of blue loctite on the bolts, and it was done, about an hour from wheels up to wheels down.
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The old coupler had a *little* bit of play, but more laterally than axially. I wasn’t sure it was going to do much, but holy cow! The free play is gone and the steering feels very tight and responsive, super stoked!
Later that day, I also cleaned the air filter and box. It was pretty bad, loaded with years of pollen. I found an unused K&N recharge kit in storage, so I used that and it cleaned up great!
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Oiled up, not too heavy of a coating:
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Cleaned out the airbox, buttoned it up.
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Nice, as always! I was doing my research on E46-series parts last week, as I was bidding on a confiscated M3 that was in desperate need of service. Positively surprised at how affordable most of these parts were, with the exception of front rotors which were ridiculously expensive. Ended up losing that auction after all, as it went up to a non-sensible amount (could buy a good condition used M3 for the same money in the local market).
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330Ci ZHP
Absolutely. The parts are readily available and affordable. There are certain manufacturers of these parts I prefer over others, most of which were OEM suppliers.
Anything with an M badge here has increased dramatically over the last 10 years. Certain M-specific options can add to the repairs. For instance, the brakes you mention were probably the floating rotor design.
Here, there are a LOT of internet parts companies for BMWs; Pelican Parts, AutohausAZ, Bimmerworld, Turner Motorsports, FCPeuro, ECStuning, Rockauto, etc. I've been going through FCPeuro because their prices are competitive and they carry a warranty on all their parts (which is kind of insane...brake pads even. Yes, crazy). Using the last 7 digits on a BMWs VIN I can look up up the specifics of this particular car through realOEM.com. There are successive parts iterations and some of the online retailers do a better job of helping me package the parts I need than others because of this VIN system.
There are a ton of resources on the internet for repairs, diagnosis, information, etc., probably more so than Miatas. The marque just attracts a wider variety of ownership personalities, so that can be humorous/aggravating depending on your perspective.
I've also mentioned the differences in engineering philosophies. These are distinctly different between manufacturers or country, so getting a grasp on that is helpful for repairs and maintenance.
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That's some great stitching. Starting to look like a brand new car.
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It was done by a local company. A BMW enthusiast who rewrapped his own alcantara steering wheel and turned it into a business.
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330Ci ZHP
One month in and I am extremely pleased with this car. To be honest, I’m not used to starting off with a car this well-maintained. The e30 was nice, but this has been through fewer hands and was just looked after quite a bit better.
Everything I have done so far has been beneficial and positive towards enjoyment. The steering refresh really sharpened the response and it feels as precise as I was expecting. The refurbished steering wheel is the cherry on top. It’s thick and substantial, something I am not used to on previous cars, but really like!
I’m still in love with the effortless torque at speed. I’m still gradually exploring the limits of the chassis but am pleasantly surprised how lithe and composed it is when pushed, it is very balanced and predictable.
I look forward to sharing more updates! I am planning to do some bigger jobs as the weather cools, but I’m sure many smaller ones will be sprinkled in soon enough. :)
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That was truly a great find that makes subsequent restoration far easier. What's even more unique was that it happened during this window where every desirable car has shot up to unreasonable prices.
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330Ci ZHP
#detailsmatter
I ordered a few parts, just some stuff that most people don’t bother with.
First was a new cowl. Much like those on the Miata, these get sun-beaten and age out.
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I ordered this from BMW of San Francisco on Tuesday, it arrived today (Saturday) by USPS(!!?!?). The box is quite large, but light. I didn’t expect it for another 5 days so this was a pleasant surprise!
Pretty interesting engineering here, a bit clever and fairly easy to accomplish.
First I mark the wiper positions with tape.
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The disassembly was pretty easy after removing the wipers. The cowl snaps in. Good opportunity to clean under the old one.
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I was only expecting these two small bits:
A brass bleeder screw
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And this wheel hanger
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The screw replaces the plastic one on the cooling system that is prone to stripping.
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The tire hanger threads in where a wheel bolt goes so you can place the tire on it while installing the other bolts. Sounds silly and small, but these cars don’t use wheel studs. An 18x9 wheel with a 255/35-18 tire on it is a load to place on the hub AND line up the holes for the bolts. It tucks nicely in the tool kit.
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I already know who built the car though.
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330Ci ZHP
Took the car on its first road trip this weekend. I went to the mountains of North Carolina. We had no intention of joining the Miatas at the Gap festivities, but I still mixed it up with some unfortunate Miatas during our travels. To those Miata owners I came across on the roads there, I’m sorry (not sorry)…you are slow. ;)
This 99% stock car is a joy on these mountain drives. Torque to power up steep grades while rarely being in the wrong gear, precise turn-in, balanced chassis, and comfortable cabin. AC on, mostly between 4-6th gears, just a pleasant sport coupe.
We hit some RAIN coming across the Smoky Mountains National Park. Lightning, heavy downpours, tight and twisting roads, no problem. Though not the stickiest, the Pilot Sport all-seasons were very good. No signs of hydroplaning or washing out.
The only issue was the shutters on the xenon headlights don’t flip over to the high beam setting, but I found a fix and will address soon.
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BTW, if you are in that area with your SO or SWMBO, the Everett Hotel and Bistro in Bryson City is excellent. It’s a boutique-style hotel built in an old bank dating to 1905. Very attentive staff, very nice menu, lovely rooms. Better than the majority of hotels and resorts in that area, away from the PITA than happens around TotD and Robbinsville.