"What did you do to your E39 today V2.0."

[jp5Touring]

Redoing my headliner and pillars in automotive ultrasuede. Should I do a how to diy thread or are there enough of these already?

Do a thread. Whose ultrasuede are you using ? I have purchased a few samples haven't decided yet.

[dk500]

Do a thread. Whose ultrasuede are you using ? I have purchased a few samples haven't decided yet.

I am using yourautotrim.com impression automotive suede in black. It is $15/yard, and has relatively high ratings in terms of colorfastness and is flame retardant.

[dannyzabolotny]

I can't wait to do my touring's headliner and pillars in alcantara. That's pretty much my only option since black touring headliners are nearly impossible to find and there was never an OEM alcantara touring headliner like on the M5's. I have a friend locally who sells alcantara that's super close to the OEM BMW stuff so it'lll turn out rad whenever I get around to doing it. I should probably do the black interior swap first...

[dk500]

His website said he was out of it so I didn't use bimmerbreaker

[jp5Touring]

I am using yourautotrim.com impression automotive suede in black. It is $15/yard, and has relatively high ratings in terms of colorfastness and is flame retardant.

I have their sample and automotiveinteriors.com both are nice and appear to be from same supplier.

[Soeperman]

Just bought this 2001 530i Topaz Blue from a friend for about a month. Found some time to do the following

1. Old style 42 wheels were a bit busted so I bondo'd it, sanded, and plastidipped with graphite metallic.

2. Vinyl wrap pillars

3. Vinyl wrap interior trim

[nikh23]

Just bought this 2001 530i Topaz Blue from a friend for about a month. Found some time to do the following

1. Old style 42 wheels were a bit busted so I bondo'd it, sanded, and plastidipped with graphite metallic.

2. Vinyl wrap pillars

3. Vinyl wrap interior trim

Looks good. Any reason your wrapped the exterior trim rather than spray it? Mine are getting a bit faded and just thinking about durability in the wet weather


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[amancuso]

Just bought this 2001 530i Topaz Blue from a friend for about a month. Found some time to do the following

1. Old style 42 wheels were a bit busted so I bondo'd it, sanded, and plastidipped with graphite metallic.

2. Vinyl wrap pillars

3. Vinyl wrap interior trim

Good job!

[joekitch]

zionsville fan shroud arrived today

....does anyone happen to know if the shroud they sell should also include a coolant level float, and a coolant level sensor? It came with neither and i'm worried the stock e39 sensor won't work and i have no idea how to get a float in there

[computiNATEor]

zionsville fan shroud arrived today

....does anyone happen to know if the shroud they sell should also include a coolant level float, and a coolant level sensor? It came with neither and i'm worried the stock e39 sensor won't work and i have no idea how to get a float in there

I don't have many positive things to say about Zionsville... but you should be able to use an E36-era level sensor. There isn't a coolant level float. Just another of the reasons I didn't care for my Zionsville purchase.

[joekitch]

I don't have many positive things to say about Zionsville... but you should be able to use an E36-era level sensor. There isn't a coolant level float. Just another of the reasons I didn't care for my Zionsville purchase.

wait, no float? then what level do you fill to? and how do you tell?

[Thrifty S50]

Fan clutch replacement and coolant bleed on my touring. Fan clutch was stuck and sounded like a school bus..





Nice and quiet now

[TxDarth]

As I recall I did get a new level sensor with mine but I believe it was the same as the OEM one. Don't actually remember which one I used but it works.. They are float type rather than the older top style sensors. I believe I filled to the half way level in the tank..remember it will require several attempts to get there. I am now using Evans waterless coolant, no more under pressure problems, you can remove the cap at any time without problems.

[joekitch]

bah, might have to mod my own stick float in there, wanna get the level just right and be able to tell if there are slow leaks somewhere by seeing the float drop over a few days

trying desperately to get someone on the phone at zionsville. first attempt went to voicemail which i left a message for. After an hour i called again, got the receptionist who tried to hand me over to the dude what knows the stuff but apparently he's out at a car licensing office. gunna call back at noon and keep calling till i get the answer i need.
According to older posts on the subject, the sensor used is from the e36 and the part number is 61 31 8 360 855
At a dealer it's $104, a hundred and four dollars. The Uro version on amazon is $13 and the febi OEM version on fcp euro is $10. How the hell does bmw get away with these markups, this is nuts. Thank god amazon can do Saturday delivery for only an extra $10

edit: got one of em on the phone, they sent the coolant level sensor separately but i haven't gotten it yet for some reason. they offered to reimburse me for the sensor i just bought on amazon ($13), but if their sensor arrives today or tomorrow i'll probably just return the amazon one instead.
as for the float indicator, for their tank you just fill about an inch above the top of the coolant level sensor in the tank, its that little cylinder with a hole in the top visible in this image. Somewhat more annoying than filling using the float stick indicator but eh, not a big deal.

7483298690_dd8690c1ef_z.jpg


older forum posts (from like 2011) mentioned the threads for the coolant level sensor on their tanks don't seem to hold liquid well, but zions claims they've been through a number of design revisions since then and vacuum bench test their stuff so...we'll see

[computiNATEor]

wait, no float? then what level do you fill to? and how do you tell?

Exactly. You don't.

bah, might have to mod my own stick float in there, wanna get the level just right and be able to tell if there are slow leaks somewhere by seeing the float drop over a few days

trying desperately to get someone on the phone at zionsville. first attempt went to voicemail which i left a message for. After an hour i called again, got the receptionist who tried to hand me over to the dude what knows the stuff but apparently he's out at a car licensing office. gunna call back at noon and keep calling till i get the answer i need.
According to older posts on the subject, the sensor used is from the e36 and the part number is 61 31 8 360 855
At a dealer it's $104, a hundred and four dollars. The Uro version on amazon is $13 and the febi OEM version on fcp euro is $10. How the hell does bmw get away with these markups, this is nuts. Thank god amazon can do Saturday delivery for only an extra $10

edit: got one of em on the phone, they sent the coolant level sensor separately but i haven't gotten it yet for some reason. they offered to reimburse me for the sensor i just bought on amazon ($13), but if their sensor arrives today or tomorrow i'll probably just return the amazon one instead.
as for the float indicator, for their tank you just fill about an inch above the top of the coolant level sensor in the tank, its that little cylinder with a hole in the top visible in this image

older forum posts (from like 2011) mentioned the threads for the coolant level sensor on their tanks don't seem to hold liquid well, but zions claims they've been through a number of design revisions since then and vacuum bench test their stuff so...we'll see

It took three weeks to be able to get ahold of them for me. Best of luck.

[DustenA]

It's warm enough to use my ac. Guess what doesn't work. Also, I think my valley pan gasket is leaking

[StRaNgEdAyS]

It's warm enough to use my ac. Guess what doesn't work. Also, I think my valley pan gasket is leaking

I feel that pain... My aux fan stopped working in 42°C while driving, the first knew about it was when the A/C system vented the gas when I was sitting in traffic. At first I thought I'd had a cooling system failure.
I'm starting to smell oil burning off the exhaust when stationary too, I suspect at the very least my rocker cover gaskets if not my valley cover as well.

Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk

[DustenA]

I feel that pain... My aux fan stopped working in 42°C while driving, the first knew about it was when the A/C system vented the gas when I was sitting in traffic. At first I thought I'd had a cooling system failure.
I'm starting to smell oil burning off the exhaust when stationary too, I suspect at the very least my rocker cover gaskets if not my valley cover as well.

Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk

I'm getting coolant dripping off the bell housing. Supposedly this was fixed when I bought the car

[StRaNgEdAyS]

I'm getting coolant dripping off the bell housing. Supposedly this was fixed when I bought the car

Knowing what PO has done so far, 'fixed' probably equates to smearing enough silicone back there to stop the leak for long enough to sell the car...
I have to say I admire your dedication to restoring the vehicle to reliable, functional condition.


Absinthe makes the tart grow fonder

[DustenA]

Knowing what PO has done so far, 'fixed' probably equates to smearing enough silicone back there to stop the leak for long enough to sell the car...
I have to say I admire your dedication to restoring the vehicle to reliable, functional condition.


Absinthe makes the tart grow fonder

I don't want to admit I was wrong to my wife and sell it lol.

[StRaNgEdAyS]

I don't want to admit I was wrong to my wife and sell it lol.

Good man!
My partner tells me mine is a money pit all the time lol...
I tell her it'll either this, or a motorcycle, or an aircraft.
At least she's a bit of a petrol head too, so she can appreciate it.


Absinthe makes the tart grow fonder

[RuskiE39]

Sold the 530 today sad day, but now I have extra funds for guides and other things for the 540

[dannyzabolotny]

Sold the 530 today sad day, but now I have extra funds for guides and other things for the 540

Did it go to a forum member?

[gmak]

Finished up basic undercarriage maintenance, neutralizing any small rust spots at weld seams and then covering with Por-15. Then I used rubberized asphalt to add another layer to what BMW already has there. Next I'm thinking of trying the ceramic coating again on the exhaust. I'll have to do a better job of cleaning it this time around since the ceramic paint became splotchy and didn't't take the last time around. This is on the 528i that I'm going to give to my daughter next year.

[HoZy]

Threatened to strip it for parts in hopes it'd get its shit together.

I do routine checks on her, once every 2months. I put it on stands, check it all out, scan codes etc

It's been 1 month since my last routine check & all hell has started breaking loose.

Appears my steering box has developed a leak/weep. Very minor, enough to piss me off.

Having transmission issues, shifting perfectly, no slipping, lag or anything however intermittent grind under load 1st gear felt through transmission tunnel, can replicate stalling the car up with foot on brake. If put into neutral & rev then back to gear it's gone and can be driven like you stole it. (Booked to be looked at by a ZF Specialist locally, scared of results)

DME keeps logging misfire & fuel cut 1,2,3,4. But there is no misfire felt/heard anywhere in the rev range driven gentle or hard or on idle. She is as smooth as ever.

Stupid car, 6years of basic & preventative maintenance and now it wants me to turn it into scrap.

What makes all of this worse, I'm in the middle of a custom facelift headlight build with Morimoto D2S4.0, lcm iv, RGBW angels etc & a Big brake kit.