1st Long Trip in Z3 - Getting Ready

[cushjbc]

Changed the differential fluid today - refuse oil was dark brown and flowed out like water. As many here have witnessed, I had to drop the spare tire and tray to access the fill plug. I used oil from BMW (07 51 2 293 972). I elected to make a direct pour from the trunk area using a tube inserted into the fill hole. As for the spare, I cleaned up the entire assembly and pumped the pressure up to spec - the pressure line from the tray to the spare was intact. I pumped up the spare to 60 psi and moved on the the next project.

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i also changed the engine coolant; was surprised how clear the old fluid was. In my other projects, I had to use citric acid to clean out the 40+ year old gunge. My experience today was a nice surprise. Bleeding the coolant system was not a problem - keeping the old fluid from making a mess was not as I had hoped - could not funnel the engine block fluid. Luckily, I had a big sheet of plastic laid out to catch the spill.

Used my new ESCO jackstands and jack point adapters today. Money well spent in my opinion.

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[cushjbc]

As beneficial as the Ireland s/f bushes are, they are not at all like the straightforward job of changing all the rubber in the front end. Make sure you read up on the latest tactics to getting the originals removed__putting the new urethane ones in is EASY__and decide if you've left yourself the time it takes.

You were spot on with this advice - finished the job today after a struggle from pulling the center out of the right side bushing. I fabbed up a pulling disc and the rest was easy.

The process is described here:

https://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/s...r-cheap!/page6

The car drives nice still so I don't think I gooned it. Can't really tell the difference yet, prolly need some more miles to notice a change. I will recheck the torque on those 22mm bushing nuts before our trip.

Next is new front brake rotors and pads. If I have time, I will flush and replace the power steering fluid. Temp gauge is trending a little cooler since the coolant flush. It was warm last week in ABQ but even in city traffic, I've never seen the temp gauge go above mid sweep which I presume is the thermostat temperature. Still running a fan delete; have not decided whether or not I will make the trip without the viscous fan. My concern is oil temp as some have posted on this forum.

[cushjbc]

Installed new front rotors and pads this morning.

Front Brakes (1).jpg Front Brakes (2).jpg Front Brakes (3).jpg

I've got to study the method for bleeding out old fluid without causing a fault in DSC - found a thread on the topic on this forum:

https://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/s...d-DIY-with-DSC

I also found a YouTube topic that uses INPA to manage the bleed (it's on an E46 so I don't know if INPA has this feature for our cars):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZOPhh7dAbHA

When I finish with the brakes, the last thing I want to do before our trip is flush the power steering system and install a new PS reservoir/filter.

[saneesh8]

Seems all fluids are replaced, new brakes, cooling system components are new.

All set..

[cushjbc]

I bled my brakes yesterday. The old fluid was very dark. I attempted to use INPA but did not find the "functional jobs" routine I was looking for in the YouTube video referenced in post #28. I did find the Mk60 routines described in this video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uKk0uc0Dnf4

This procedure was interesting to learn but slow in practice.

I opted to revert to the method described in this post:

https://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/s...0#post21073530

My wife was in the car, I was on the right rear bleed screw and after many stops/starts of the engine we decided to try a modification:

1. Start the engine
2. Open the bleed screw
3. Push the brake pedal
4. Close the bleed screw
5. Release the brake pedal
6. Repeat steps 2 thru 5 until new fluid is apparent (engine still running)
7. Shut down engine to reset DSC

This modified procedure worked fine. The DSC error light (car with a counter clockwise curved arrow around it) illuminated every time the brake pedal was pressed initially with the bleed open (step 3). The light stayed illuminated as we continued the bleed (repeat of steps 2 thru 5). The DSC reset successfully after step 7 as we proceeded through each brake (RR, LR, RF, LF). The reason I was willing to modify steps (avoiding repeated engine starts) was because I had INPA running and I knew I could reset the DSC if something went wrong.

I checked DSC errors with INPA at the end - there were none. I drove the car afterwards; brakes performed well and pedal feel is normal.

P.S. Bleed screws on my car were 7mm on the rear, 9mm on the front; OE calipers (ATE). Front brakes produced alot more fluid with each pedal press. Rear brakes took a long time to bleed clear fluid, fronts were quick to bleed.

[z3forlife]

Did your abs solenoids pulse while the bleeder was open ? I’ve heard INPA can pulse them during bleeding but haven’t used it for that yet.

[BimmerBreaker]

To clarify - INPA can only pulse the ABS module to allow it to be bled, but it can not bleed the system this way

Buy a motiv bleeder. They are so worth the money its not even funny

[z3forlife]

Calling Dr Abel

[cushjbc]

Did your abs solenoids pulse while the bleeder was open ? I’ve heard INPA can pulse them during bleeding but haven’t used it for that yet.

Have a look at the YouTube video in post #30 - this is exactly what I saw when I used INPA on my '02 Z3 3.0i. I did get fluid out of the RR brake with the bleed open, the brake pedal pressed (approximately 80%) and the F3 button pressed to command the ABS/DSC? pump. It was slow and cumbersome so I did not continue with this on the other brakes.

To clarify - INPA can only pulse the ABS module to allow it to be bled, but it can not bleed the system this way

This is correct from my experience with INPA on my car, however INPA does have a brake bleed routine for E46 and maybe other newer models evident in the YouTube video in post #28.

Bottom line - I will be using steps 1-7 in post #30 to bleed brakes on my car in the future.

[cushjbc]

Started my road trip Sunday. Stopped in Dodge City, KS first night (roughly 460 miles) - woke up Monday morning to heavy rain and tornado threats to the south so we pressed early for a short drive to Manhattan, KS (230 miles). Rain has not stopped but my hotel has covered parking so the Z3 is dry at the moment. Planning another short trip to St Louis today (370 miles). Looking closely at radar images to the south to time our exit.

Several months ago, I tightened the latch hooks at the front of the soft top. My windshield seal must be worn because I'm getting wind noise again above 75mph. I bought a multi-allen wrench tool yesterday to adjust the hooks again - no luck as I am at the end of the threads. I cut two little pieces of a beer coaster to wedge into the facing points of the hooks as a temporary measure to keep noise down for the rest of the trip. That is working but I will likely be doing some work on the soft top this summer. Several hours in rain yesterday produced two dripping leaks about 2/3 of the way aft on both window seals; not bad but we have more rain to deal with today.

I decided to make this trip without the viscous fan - engine is running great. Sunday it never rose above the thermostat temp, yesterday it was running very cool due to rain and cooler ambient temps. I'm enjoying a significant power increase since leaving the Rocky Mountains (6000' at home; 1000' in eastern KS).

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I have more pictures but this is the only shot I have access to at the moment - a very wet roadster in front of my old school.

Really enjoying this road trip in spite of the rain . . .

[s8ilver]

I'm enjoying a significant power increase since leaving the Rocky Mountains (6000' at home; 1000' in eastern KS).

Looks like a great trip. Enjoy yourself, and hopefully you can get the top down soon. It's snowing here, ha.

I can relate! Picked my car up in CA and it was a beast. Got to the top of Vail Pass coming home and was saddened by what 10,600 ft. of elevation change did to my power.

[saneesh8]

What is the average mpg on the trip? Guess >25 ??

[z3forlife]

Be careful out there it’s raining like mad along I-70. Too cool for the most part for tornadoes so far here.

[cushjbc]

What is the average mpg on the trip? Guess >25 ??

26.6 mpg and I'm cruising at 80+ on the interstate with momentary blasts to 90+ when trucks finish using the left lane for a slow pass. On board computer claims 32.4 mpg; need to see about recoding that . . . found a thread here that addresses it.

Be careful out there it’s raining like mad along I-70.

Dodge City to Manhattan was wet, wet, wet. Topeka to Columbia, MO was also a challenge. We are in St. Louis now with the Z3 tucked into the parking garage at the Hyatt Regency by the Arch. Will goof off today and finish the trip with a short blast to Louisville this afternoon. I have lots of experience looking at weather hazards (35 years in aviation). I stayed north of the really bad stuff going on in the Mid West this week. Timed a punch through a front that hammered St. Louis last night. Will lag that same front into KY later today.

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The weather was bad but it did not lay down the arch and trees like my picture suggests.

[amancuso]

Glad you're enjoying the trip. Done some runs from New Jersey to Chicago and St. Louis, also last year we went to Branson, MO and Eureka Springs, AR. Good times.

[JeffyD]

Ha, fun times. I’ve driven my coupes across the continent a few times now. The last one wound up having me facing a semi truck going about 80mph toward me after a sudden blizzard clogged my barely existent summer tire tread somewhere out in Wyoming. That was a jostle.

Glad to see the cars are being driven, and enjoy.

[cushjbc]

Got to Louisville safely one week ago . . . I've been busy with work since then. My wife and I had a lot of fun on the trip - need to dry out in more ways than one. The car did great. I watched the temperature closely since I decided to make the trip without the viscous fan; never had a problem. I visited one of two local BMW dealerships this week to grab a new trunk emblem. I also bought some car care supplies to keep things clean while I'm here. My engine seems to have burned some oil on the trip, roughly a quart. I inspected the engine bay for leaks but have not been able to look at the oil pan area. I may go to Fort Knox this weekend to visit the auto hobby shop and use a lift.

I'm really enjoying this car at lower altitudes - much more power than I'm used to at home. Anyway, I got her all cleaned up with a shady parking spot at my extended stay hotel.

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[saneesh8]

How many miles you drive so far? in this trip..

Are you using any fuel system cleaner like Techron in this trip? If not, try to use one bottle. Long drives are best to use them. I always use them on long drives on my Odyssey.

Also, if never did before, use Auto RX oil additive. I tried it with great success on 3 vehicles (VW Turbo, Z and Odyssey). It is a very slow cleaner and takes like 4K-5K to clean. There are faster alternatives, but this one seems easy on engine.

[cushjbc]

Saneesh8,

Thanks for the tips - I've been a Chevron guy for 30+ years but have not found a station in Louisville; will have to resort to techron bottles.

[Vintage42]

... I've been a Chevron guy for 30+ years but have not found a station in Louisville; will have to resort to techron bottles.

Chevron left the Louisville market years ago. I changed to Shell, and now to Costco which is also Top Tier but 30 cents cheaper. I put a bottle of Techron in before the annual 2500-mile oil changes.
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