did this on my '02 M3 today. the only part that wasn't straightforward was pulling the wiring harness housing off, but i think i over did it (took the whole housing off rather than just the cover)... oops... i'm not great at following directions sometimes but it still was a quick install. car looks brand new!
great writeup, made it breeze!
matt
Awesome post dude.. Thank you! I didn't know it was named a Cowl. I'm going to replace mine this week.
Very informative and thorough. Great write up for me because this will need to be done on mine shortly.
Just did this, here's a tip for getting the wiper arms off:
If they don't come right off, and you're having no luck with the "just wiggle them" technique, press DOWN repeatedly on the wiper arm hinge, right where it hinges. The problem is that with it applying upward pressure, it's holding fast... by pressing DOWN on the hinging section (that part you can "fold upward" when cleaning the windshield), it releases that tension. By pressing down 5 or 6 times, it should allow the pressure nut thing to come loose (that's what she said).
GL, mine looks amazing again, it was a crumbling mess before today.
<3
no one mentioned cleaning off the windshield or using any spray or mild adhesive on the windshield. Is this necessary ??
Thanks guys just got my manual '01 325it and mine is in dire need of this, definitely will come in handy
Great directions! Piece of cake! Took me 30 minutes.
The original post is excellent and still relevant. I changed the windshield cover on my
2003 330i today and would like to pass on a few tips.
* Taking out the wiper arms could be tricky. I sprayed a little bit of wd-40 and tried
to wiggle them out, but that did not work. So I got a cheap battery terminal remover
tool from the neighborhood O'Reilly and that made things much easier.
* While you are changing the windshield cover you should consider changing a few other
plastic parts in the same area. The part numbers are:
Windshield Cover - 51718208483
Covering Left - 51718208479
Covering Right - 51718208480
Apron Cover Left - 51718232633
Apron Cover Right - 51718232633
* Also, some people suggest that removing the micro-filter and housing is not needed. It is true, but
removing them makes it easier. Also, it would give you a chance to vacuum that area really well
and clean up the accumulated dirt and grime.
* Be careful to position the wipers correctly when you are putting them back. Use the wiper
switch to bring the wiper bolt to resting position. Then insert the wipers and position them
in rest position, push the locking nut, and tighten the hex nut.
Happy DIY.
hey guys, just replaced my E46 cowl this weekend so i thought i'd record the process and post it on the interWebz!
15 minute job, easiest DIY to date
[youtube]q6JLerw719Y[/youtube]
- - - Updated - - -
hey guys, just replaced my E46 cowl this weekend so i thought i'd record the process and post it on the interWebz!
15 minute job, easiest DIY to date
My only deference to this DIY is the suggestion of using ArmorAll. Some years ago, at a shop, someone ran a test on it. We sprayed half a tire and left it outside in the sun. Six months later, the armorall side of the tire was all cracked and dry rotted. They may have improved their product since then. (YMMV), but I rely on Formula 303, which is used in the boating industry.
My wiper arms would not come off by shaking the arm nor by tapping with a screw driver and mallet as recommended in the videos. Had to delay the job until I got a decent wiper arm puller. By the time you need to replace the cowl, you can be sure the wipers are on tight by minor chemical reaction between the metals and the wiper puller is needed. These are not expensive and hassle free and it worked great and a lot cheaper than having the job done at a garage. When reinstalling the wipers, I found on line that the wiper position is 24 mm from the tip to the cowl seal for the right (passenger side) wiper and 44 mm for the left (drivers side) wiper. Cleaning out the dirt that had had collected under the old cowl was the biggest part of the job. While at cleaning, you may as well remove the flexible shields just below the ends of the windshield and get the dirt out from under there as well. I used the OEM cowl from BMW. Amazingly, it had only been manufactured 5 months before according to a sticker I found on it. Looks great.
My wiper arms would not come off by shaking the arm nor by tapping with a screw driver and mallet as recommended in the videos. Had to delay the job until I got a decent wiper arm puller. By the time you need to replace the cowl, you can be sure the wipers are on tight by minor chemical reaction between the metals and the wiper puller is needed. These are not expensive, hassle free, parts don't go flying and it worked great and a lot cheaper than having the job done at a garage. When reinstalling the wipers, I found on line that the wiper position is 24 mm from the tip to the cowl seal for the right (passenger side) wiper and 44 mm for the left (drivers side) wiper. Cleaning out the dirt that had had collected under the old cowl was the biggest part of the job. While at cleaning, you may as well remove the flexible shields just below the ends of the windshield and get the dirt out from under there as well. I used the OEM cowl from BMW. Everything is on the cowl, no need to buy clips, washers or grommets. Amazingly, it had only been manufactured 5 months before according to a sticker I found on it. Looks great.
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Great info. I retired recently and semi retired my 2000 323i, with 320,000 miles. She is mechanically sound and well maintained. Now, what to do with her?
The cowl needs to be replaced as well as the rubber seal around the windshield. And a headliner and paint job.
Maybe someone can advise: Does the windshield need to be removed to replace the rubber seal? Where to order the light tan headliner material?
Thanks.
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