Changed the oil and like a dummy broke the drain plug bolt.
But a quick trip to a local Pep Boys quickly solved that issue.
Put a few hundred highway miles running suspension parts down to the tuner’s place and picking up a painted race tail later in the day. So awesome on the highway
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I’m not addicted to that stuff, I just like the way it smells....
Set the controls for the heart of the sun
2003 M3CicM6 TiAg
2002 540iT Sport Vortech S/C 6MT LSD TiAg
2008 Audi A3 2.0T DSG (the daily beater)
2014 BMW X1 xDrive28i (wifemobile)
Former:
1985 MB Euro graymarket 300SL
1995.5 Audi S6 Avant (utility/winter billetturbobattlewagen)
Replaced a blown LF strut. It was a Bilstein HD at 48k miles/5 years - not sure if this is a typical life for an HD, but I'm not too happy 'bout it, since struts are a chore to change out. This was a true strut failure and not just worn. It sounded like the internal valve suddenly failed, as I was bouncing & bottoming out over anything remotely shaped like a speed bump. Plus, the tie-rod ball joint thread got somewhat dinged up during the removal process, so, had to run out and get an external chase tool at HF. And, the ball joint grease cover got torn - patched temporarily with a bicycle tube and zip-ties. Now I can look forward to R&Ring the other strut, too. just so they match.
Mission creep sux!!!!
Ed CT
1998 528i
5-Speed
Aspen Silver
Aubergine Leather
aren’t they lifetime warranties from Bilstein?
Set the controls for the heart of the sun
Valve covers powder coated!
Last edited by 01BMWs; 02-15-2019 at 01:53 AM.
'91 850i 6sp CB42360
'00 528iA sold
'01 740iA Msport sold
'01 540iA sold
'03 540iA M-sport II with e46 m3 SMG style steering wheel with working paddle shifters, ISC N1 coilover front, Bilstein B8/Eibach sport rear, 19" Avant Garde Anthracite M359, Hella euro spec headlights, M5 aftermarket (Umnitza) foldable mirrors (painted body color), M60 IM (custom painted body color 354), powder coated valve covers (@Finish Logic; Concord,CA), Dynavin N7, Bavsound speakers, Cerwin-Vega sub (in spare wheel hub), soundproofed doors, trunk, under rear seat, wheel wells
Installed my new/used Style 5's and new tires Before/After
I was worried about that very thing. 500 plus miles later everything looks perfect and dry. I would have preferred the "stock look" but my covers were butchered and a nice clean set of used non-vanos covers are hard to come by. I do like the wrinkle finish, a close second to the stock finish. I just wish someone made an aluminum version of these valve covers.
- - - Updated - - -
Beautiful Car, Nice Color! I don't think I have ever seen that color before.
1998 540A M62 Black/Black Style 37's Dynavin N6 (SOLD)
2003 M3CicM6 TiAg
2002 540iT Sport Vortech S/C 6MT LSD TiAg
2008 Audi A3 2.0T DSG (the daily beater)
2014 BMW X1 xDrive28i (wifemobile)
Former:
1985 MB Euro graymarket 300SL
1995.5 Audi S6 Avant (utility/winter billetturbobattlewagen)
Started the Face Lift process. Still have to do the back side properly losing the Depos. Next will be Hella's tail lights and new fresh air boxes and ducts. I'll have to get it outside for some better pictures.
1998 540A M62 Black/Black Style 37's Dynavin N6 (SOLD)
Current Garage Highlights
2003 525iT TiSilver
2002 M5 TiSilver
1998 528i KASCHMIRBEIGE METALLIC (301) (Goldie)
Former Garage Highlights
2005 X5 4.8is
2004 325iTs (2x)
1973 Pantera L
1971 Dodge Dart Swinger "Lite Package"
1970 Dodge Challenger T/A 340 Six Pack Alpine White
1970 Dodge Challenger T/A 340 Six Pack GoManGo Green
1969 Road Runner 383
1968 Barracuda Formula S 340 Sea Foam Green
nice...well finished wheels
Thanks for the comments.... but sadly, no, I have grey interior.... still not too bad though.
Finally got my new cluster and all is looking good, plus it has a warranty and has fixed pixels. The only issue is the gear indicator and the rev counter, it currently shows no revs and I get the TRANS PROG message and no listing of if it's in gear. Simple fix though, the guy who coded it set it wrong but it's getting sorted next week.
Next up I'll be blacking out the window trim but then again chrome window trim is popular again, so I'm conflicted on if I black it out.
I parked near a 2017 540i and spoke to the owner in passing. I told him how much I enjoyed my 540 with the V-8 and manual gear box. As he was getting into his car he said, "I had an older 528i. It was nice but I love the power from this V-6."
A V-6! Has BMW ever made a V-6? I wanted to go back and educate him a bit, but he'd already closed his door. His car has a 3.0 I-6 and his old one probably did too. But his new one has a turbo.
A month ago I parked near a nice looking Audi (I forget which model) and the owner talked at length about how much kick it had when it goes "on boost." He opened the hood and it was an NA engine. I didn't have the heart to tell him his car didn't have a turbo.
On the other hand, I can't rent a car without looking under the hood to see what it has and how it's configured.
It's sad when people think they understand their cars, but don't. Especially nicer cars like those.
Last edited by R Shaffner; 02-16-2019 at 08:19 AM.
I hear ya Shaffner....
LOL. An often repeated line. I've heard it too although not exclusively in re: BMW's.... Non-car people just grab terms willy-nilly, I doubt they understand that the "V" part means something. "Its a 6 right? So you say V6!"
Actually it probably did.? Unless it was pre 2010's basically? Are you sure it wasn't not-visible? Audi tucks those things in so tight they are hard as hell to spot even if you know they are there. Essentially everything Audi puts in cars now is F/I. Far and away (for USA at any rate) they just stuff variations of the same basic 2 motors in everything. The I4 2.0T is in everything. Then the supercharged V6 3.0T is the upgrade (nice motor BTW). Then 4.0T turbo V8 exists in the rarity top end S/RS models. Of course any diesels are TDI's. Exception is the R8 which is N/A, and some rare cars like RS5 got the R8 V8 but you'd prob have said if it was something that notable. Gotta go back to like before 2010 to find a lot of the N/A V6's, which indeed they used to put in everything, or, the N/A V8's they stuck in some of the top end cars. OK prob overseas market I'm sure they have some N/A motors they toss in cars, but over here they're virtually all F/I.
But back to his comment: seldom on any factory Audi do you "feel the boost" at all - going back to the 1990's they've pretty much designed the OE engine feel to mask any signs of the turbo. Only when chipped / modded can you detect the boost coming on/off.
2003 M3CicM6 TiAg
2002 540iT Sport Vortech S/C 6MT LSD TiAg
2008 Audi A3 2.0T DSG (the daily beater)
2014 BMW X1 xDrive28i (wifemobile)
Former:
1985 MB Euro graymarket 300SL
1995.5 Audi S6 Avant (utility/winter billetturbobattlewagen)
I ran over something.
52047680_354191105432277_1106533890715025408_n.jpg
52047628_1291962957633036_2788878683706753024_n.jpg
Luckily I was planning on replacing tires pretty soon anyway.
The weirdest thing about that specific wheel is all the damage it has sustained over its short life. I bought a set of style 66 rims brand new about 2 years ago. Within the first week, I slid into a curb and got a little rash. The wheels were rotated since. So a few months ago I took a corner too close and nailed a pothole with that same rim. Then this last weekend, I get a piece of metal stuck in the tire. All my other wheels are good. It's just that one wheel that has all the bad luck.
I have a friend checking my m-pars for roundness today, so if that goes well, I'll be putting them back on the car. He gets tires at 5% over cost, so I'm thinking of going with the Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3+
2003 540i/6
That was the Gypsy curse wheel Andy. Get it off the car before it does some real damage!
I just whacked AS3+ on the X1, they are pretty great. Surprisingly nice ride and great handling, pretty good in snow even... Huge upgrade over the run-craps that were on that car before.
Lotta guys here like 'em too. Think you'll be pleased.
2003 M3CicM6 TiAg
2002 540iT Sport Vortech S/C 6MT LSD TiAg
2008 Audi A3 2.0T DSG (the daily beater)
2014 BMW X1 xDrive28i (wifemobile)
Former:
1985 MB Euro graymarket 300SL
1995.5 Audi S6 Avant (utility/winter billetturbobattlewagen)
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