adam525i said:What brand of Vanos solenoid did you buy? It seems they worked well so I'm curious as there are lots of options and varrying opinions on the quality of aftermarket units. Thanks!
Pierberg solenoids
adam525i said:What brand of Vanos solenoid did you buy? It seems they worked well so I'm curious as there are lots of options and varrying opinions on the quality of aftermarket units. Thanks!
Pierberg solenoids
02Pilot said:Pete. (l33t FS) said:The 128i that I serviced last month (SUCH a nice car to drive compared to a 3er) had staggered sizes from the factory, but somewhere along the line got rear tires at all four corners but still the staggered wheels. The 225s on the 7" wheels didn't look right.
I run 215s in the front and 235s in the rear (car is lowered ~1").
THAT is the photo that convinced me to pick up a nearly perfect set of Style 207 m-sport wheels from @dyintorace T during my fly-n-drive. Unless my FBM ADD kicks in - they will be going on mine this summer after I wear out the current tires.
2 kids in college + fear of the water pump and AC problems has me moving very deliberately on fun purchases.
In reply to OHSCrifle :
Happy to enable. I like the wheels, but they are a bit of a trade-off; they are heavy, and tough to clean, but they seem fairly indestructible, and they look nice. I've toyed with the idea of lighter wheels more than once, but it seems like every time I get vaguely serious, something else comes up that demands my attention (and money).
The water pump is totally DIYable - I did mine proactively when I bought the car at 100k miles. It's a pain, but it's mostly about access. Just be glad you don't have a 135i - the access is considerably worse with the turbo(s), I'm told. If it is the evaporator, well, mine didn't seem to get worse over the few years I pretended it wasn't really a problem, so you can try getting away with periodic refills, but I decided I was done screwing around and bit the bullet...eventually.
In reply to OHSCrifle :
A couple years back, my 128i wouldn't hold an AC charge. I thought for sure it was an evaporator based on the fears of the Internet. I took it to my local indie shop and they searched for leaks... I was prepared for the worst... the evaporator was fine, it was just leaky Schrader valves, which were replaced with ease. Nearly two years later, the car still blows cold AC. I'm currently at 139k miles. Might just be your Schrader valves (fingers crossed!).
I didn't realize you haven't changed out the water pump yet. I replaced mine two years ago as preventative maintenance. It's been a while, but I don't remember it being a terrible job. Some of the hose clamps in that area are a bit annoying to line up in a fairly tight area, but it honestly wasn't that bad and if my memory serves me correctly, I think it only took me about ~3 hours or so for the water pump itself (maybe less?) on jack stands. In terms of difficulty, on a scale of 1 to 10, I would rate that job a 5. Looking back at my old posts, I did a bunch of other work at the same time- new thermostat, new air filter, new cabin air filter, new serpentine belt & pulleys and new larger CSF radiator, with the whole job only taking 5-6 hours for everything.
If it were me and money isn't too tight, I would just replace it for peace of mind. Although my answer is typically replace everything for peace of mind, so maybe ignore my OCD madness.
In reply to roninsoldier83 :
Your OCD madness is contagious.
I was about to do the water pump and T-stat preventatively.. until the AC started huffing lukewarm air. So for now I analyze and wait.
Conversion to m-sport spec update: Seats. Check. Suspension. Check. @dyintorace's old Style M207 wheels (with Indy 500's). Check.
Does anyone know a good setup for mixing m rear shocks with non m front struts? The e91 is due for a suspension refresh, i plan on installing the m front control arms & tension struts but don't want to source the knuckles & brakes. In the rear I would like to use the m rear shocks for the better lower mount. There are not alot of shock/strut combos available for that combination, bilstein b6 looks like the best choice for stock sport springs. Just not sure how the non m sport spring rate is vs the m spring rate.
In reply to Caperix :
Contact Chris at www.strutmonkey.com and he will build you a pre-assembled kit with any combination you wish.
02Pilot said:In reply to OHSCrifle :
Happy to enable. I like the wheels, but they are a bit of a trade-off; they are heavy, and tough to clean, but they seem fairly indestructible, and they look nice.
👍🏼 Definitely heavy. Didn't realize it until Costco didn't listen and removed my old tires from the previous wheels (they did it to get the TPM sensors). When I pulled the old wheels back out they were noticeably lighter. Surprising. Regardless I like the look and the new shoes feel great. Tipped the guys who stayed late to re mount the old tires so I'd have some spares until I (hopefully) sell them.
OHSCrifle said:Conversion to m-sport spec update: Seats. Check. Suspension. Check. @dyintorace's old Style M207 wheels (with Indy 500's). Check.
***Not sure I recommend copying my method. Buying a used sport package equipped BMW costs a premium up front (especially for a manual which I have mixed feelings about given the use case) but I'm so far upside down on the cost vs (resale) value curve that it isn't funny. But I do get to drive and enjoy it despite the river of expense. It's still been way less than 1/3 the money of a new Camry.
Fears: AC seems weak, water pump has got to be imminent. But that's about all!
Created a separate topic about the GM 6L45 auto trans. Leaving a link here so I can find it later on (along with links to parts being discussed).
Dropped the car off tonight to have the AC checked out in the morning. Outside temperature air blowing at slightly higher velocity = sweaty owner. The car is already on its 3rd condenser (according to the Carfax) but the windshield isn't greasy inside... so hopefully it'll only need some new schrader valves and a refrigerant recharge. Wish me luck.
In reply to OHSCrifle :
Good luck! At least the new wheels look amazing!
In reply to dyintorace :
I do like the look
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