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Thread: Service gameplan for 100K mile manual M54 with virtually no records

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Feb 2018
    Location
    San Diego, CA
    Posts
    89
    My Cars
    2001 Z3 Coupe

    Service gameplan for 100K mile manual M54 with virtually no records

    Hi All,

    The PO said he had lots of records, but there was virtually nothing about service except he replaced the air intake hoses and rotors/pads recently. He said he did all the services himself and the most recent receipt is for a Mann oil filter from January 2017.

    I drove it through LA in horrible traffic for several hours at 80F with A/C on and the temp gauge never wavered from dead center the entire time. Removing the oil cap after driving it initially (engine had just started up and driven for 10 minutes or so) had a tiny puff of smoke like a cigarette being put out for about 2 seconds. It seems suitably strong and very similar to S52 coupes I've driven. This is meant to be purely a street car which I might take to a track day once every few years for giggles. But it's mostly just around town and a lot of highway driving. Let's call it a 95% highway car, 4.5% spirited driving, 0.5% track day.

    I took it to get it checked out at Firestone and they noted 0 leaks other than power steering high pressure hose and pump and recommended replacing both. Interesting that the hose costs more than the pump....

    I will be DIYing all of this and not relying on others (I've rebuilt a Fiat X1/9 transaxle and many 2-stroke engines so I know how to follow instructions, pay attention to torque values, and I have a panoply of tools). I just ordered jacking pads. I have a garage with sliding barn door style which opens to 68.5", which is the exact width of the car, so I can't get it in the garage so I'll be working in my driveway which is concrete and nearly level. I have 3 ton jack stands which don't extend very high.

    This should be a relatively simple fix, but I am wanting to do a bunch of preventative stuff for it and want to come up with a game plan on what to do "while I'm already there". I don't want to do a crazy amount of replacing, but I might as well replace the things that get old/hard/perish.

    There are no problems I see (except leaking steering), and at 100K miles do I go through the entire cooling system and replace with metal pump, expansion tank, hoses, and thermostat housing? I don't think Firestone checked the gravity of the coolant.

    I'm going to change the oil and spark plugs and air filter, but do I do replace valve cover gasket (not leaking), oil filter gasket, and refurb the VANOS?

    Do I replace the PCV?

    The engagement of the clutch is far from the floor, but the clutch feels good.
    Should I enter the world of replacing the engine and transmission mounts and clutch? That may be beyond my capabilities--an X1/9 transaxle is only maybe 70 pounds and that was difficult and I needed to use a comealong from the ceiling to get it back in place.

    The brake fluid is quite dark but only 10ppm copper. Do I replace brake hoses with stainless line while I'm there? The brakes/rotors are new but the rear calipers supposedly have corrosion on their outsides.

    Do I replace the transmission and differential fluids?

    There is a fair amount of corrosion at the front end, but nothing structural. There is too little toe on both rears and at the minimum spec value on front left. I have lifetime Firestone alignment, do I put in adjustable camber / toe plates to get it optimized?

    Thanks--I'm trying to do it logically and I've listed probably more than is necessary, but would like any opinions on whether it's overkill or just precisekill. Also, I have Premium AAA in case things go downhill rapidly....

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jul 2013
    Location
    Milwaukee, WI
    Posts
    83
    My Cars
    1998 BMW Z3 2.8
    Regardless of records or their lack, I recommend creating a baseline for service intervals with a used vehicle. Don't know when a regular service was last performed? Perform it. Change all fluids and filters including engine, transmission, and differential. Replace the oil, air, and fuel filter; flush the brake fluid and the radiator. Change the plugs. While you are doing these things, note the condition of the components: Brake lines cracking? Hoses? Belts? Plan to replace those wearable and aging components that are showing unsuitable wear and age. Original radiator hoses at 100,000 are about due for replacement, but why replace what may already have been serviced by the previous owner? Your inspection is paramount. If you need peace of mind when uncertain about a component's age and condition, replace it. Note that replacing a good and serviceable used OEM component with a new aftermarket component may not always be an improvement. Choose your parts at least as carefully as you chose your car.

    In regard to the valve cover and oil filter housing gaskets: What gain replacing gaskets that are not leaking? Replace them when they begin to fail, not because someday they may.

    How did you determine 10 ppm Cu in your brake fluid? https://www.thermofisher.com/us/en/h...-analysis.html?

    US-129

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Oct 2013
    Location
    Rock Hill, SC
    Posts
    785
    My Cars
    2000 BMW M Roadster
    Replacing the motor and transmission mounts is not that hard on these cars. You can support the engine from below using a floor jack and board under the oil pan.

    All the advice and DIYs on this forum are great, but I would still recommend buying the Bentley Repair manual for the car. You can also get a CD with the BMW shop manual from ebay.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Sep 2015
    Location
    Chicago
    Posts
    116
    My Cars
    2000 Z3 M Coupe
    The clutch hose on my (S52) Z3MC was hard and leaking at 60k miles. Might want to do that one.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    Arida Zona
    Posts
    30,108
    My Cars
    z3
    Spark plugs
    VCG
    Intake boot
    DISA rebuild
    Full CCV (unit and all the hoses - 4 iirc)
    Cooling system - complete, unless shows signs of having been replaced
    Brake fluid flush, inspect pads

    Inspect engine/trans mounts, depending on how the previous owner drove, they may be fine, or may be totally shot

    Going into my TENTH YEAR of providing high quality reproduction BMW fabrics!

    PRICE CUT on ALL FABRICS
    Offering the best prices on the best quality reproduction fabrics!

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Feb 2018
    Location
    San Diego, CA
    Posts
    89
    My Cars
    2001 Z3 Coupe
    OK, recommendations on $1000ish parts buy? Turner Motorsports? RockAuto? Other?

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Oct 2013
    Location
    Rock Hill, SC
    Posts
    785
    My Cars
    2000 BMW M Roadster
    I would steer clear of Rock Auto for this car unless you confirm the part numbers on the realoem.com

    I usually get parts for ECS/Turner or FCP Euro.

    You may want to do a full suspension refresh if none of it has been replaced (bushings, balljoints, tie rods, etc...)

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Location
    somers,ny
    Posts
    4,040
    I mix and match my sources for parts


    but this is a good start, as stated

    "usually get parts for ECS/Turner or FCP Euro".

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    Arida Zona
    Posts
    30,108
    My Cars
    z3
    Everything for cars I plan on keeping I have started buying from FCP Euro. They have a lifetime warranty. Why buy from anyone else?

    Going into my TENTH YEAR of providing high quality reproduction BMW fabrics!

    PRICE CUT on ALL FABRICS
    Offering the best prices on the best quality reproduction fabrics!

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Oct 2013
    Location
    Rock Hill, SC
    Posts
    785
    My Cars
    2000 BMW M Roadster
    If you need a part immediately a lot of BMW dealers will do a 20% discount for BMWCCA members. On a few occasions when buying an expensive part this has worked out cheaper than FPC or ECS and you get the part within a day. Plus, you get a cool BMWCCA sticker for your car and possibly access to local events if the local chapter is active.

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Feb 2018
    Location
    San Diego, CA
    Posts
    89
    My Cars
    2001 Z3 Coupe
    In addition to the above recommendations, I think I may also use Pelican Parts for some of it as a reward for them having the detailed how-to sections on their website.

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Feb 2018
    Location
    San Diego, CA
    Posts
    89
    My Cars
    2001 Z3 Coupe
    Under the hood except for an intake hose--everything is as delivered in 2001, even with original spark plugs. Control bushings, rotors, pads are likely the only other new things under the car. It must have been around water for quite a while because there's a fair amount of surface corrosion on all the bolts and nuts and the exposed aluminum. I already flushed with new brake fluid and all the hoses look old but aren't damaged in any way. I bought the Bentley manual.

    I didn't notice it outdoors, but inside a garage there's just a tiny amount of oil smell at the front of the engine, and there a tiny wafting of glycol, too. Very subtle, but there. Still, 0 leaks (other than power steering which is on hose but doesn't drip on ground as far as I know)

    I'm doing the valve cover gasket (no external leaks and nothing on the heat shield but a tiny amount near spark plugs on inside) and spark plugs, as getting off the original gasket is time consuming dummy work I can do. The reason I want to is to make sure this isn't the source of the smell.

    Let me rephrase my original question:
    Among the things ya'll have done, which among these are a miserable pain and worth having someone else do who has more experience/super-specialized tools: (this is my guess for easiest to most difficult)
    Manual diff oil
    DISA
    New fuel filter
    Trans mounts
    New steering hoses and pump
    Engine mounts
    New oil filter housing
    VANOS
    PCV
    Entire cooling system with new pump, hoses (not heater hose), rad, new pump housing, new expansion tank, tensioners, belts, thermostat and housing and various little hoses. (BTW, he's of the opinion that stock Valeo is fine, as are new REIN composite water pumps--discuss if you disagree vehemently)

    He estimates about 7 hours for all of this at his rate.

    Which from the above should I definitely do myself? I do lots of DIY, but this is my first BMW. I enjoy DIY when bolt/nuts come off without shearing off and having other minor catastrophes. And I don't like paying people for things I can do myself within reason of being uncomfortable under a car for hours at a time on a creeper. I have 3 ton jack stands and pads and will have 2 x 6tons coming which extend to 24" high, so I will have more nose-room underneath the car.

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