Introduction

[spyderg0d]

Maybe some know me here from elsewhere on the site. But IL probably be lurking or posting here now as well.
Today I bought a 05 x3 3.0. 270k for $1100.
The exterior and underside are almost mint besides scratches on the hood, the rear glass has some acid age rainbow and the black is worn from the side mirror bases.
It doesn't run, but turns over, (bad battery)
The hood latch cable is broke, the front grill was delicately pulled wrong but not broke or warped. The rims look horribly aged and flake paint but possibly salvageable.
The interior is very good minus the hatch plastic taken off so it could be opened (idk why when the key works?) The driver window smashed out.

Anywhoo,

I'm on my way to pick it up 25inutes from home. Tomorrow morning I will be diagnosing, making a part list, and getting the obvious things it needs that are already waiting for me at the local scrap yard. Pics to come.

[spyderg0d]

Got it home. First impression is alright. Main concern is that it barely cranks and the lights go very dim while attempting to crank. So either the motor is half toasted, or the starter is junk. That's first priority after figuring out how to pop the hood.

[vinyldude]

Nice to see you here.
Sounds like the car is at least promising, and with that price you can't go horribly wrong if the car has at least some favorable aspects to it.
There are some warning signs though that easily cause me to walk away and the hood release not working is one of them. It is often done on purpose to cover up something truly bad. Other seller shenanigans are to make it on purpose look like an easy fix (cut wire or harness, missing starter or battery, etc.) when in reality the engine is cratered.

Let us know how it turned out. These first ownership and repairs stories are always quite interesting.

[spyderg0d]

This mornings adventure, to see why it won't turn over/start.

I could unlatch the passenger side of the hood through the grille section. I had to saw zall the other pin unfortunately.
Found the cable end worn and broke. Not a big deal.
The engine looked as if it indeed has 270k miles.
The throttle boot wasn't attached. The cvv hose to the valve cover is non existent, the due cover was off, but everything seemed present and accounted for minus cardboard shoved to block the cowl/air duct hole.

I tried cranking the engine by hand and noticed it would turn counter clockwise and not clockwise without serious muscle. I pulled the coils and plugs and found the plugs weren't tightened all the way. (A tad of oil in the wells) While attempting to crank the car by hand I noticed the altinator was seized. After removing ac and serpentine belts the motor turned very smoothly.

[spyderg0d]

After cleaning the plugs, installing along with the coils, I changed the battery out. Apperently the charged one I put in last night had drained down to 11.5v.
It cranked and started right away. I quickly turned it off and checked for any leaks anywhere.

The vanos banjo bolt was loose and was leaking profusely. So I had to take it off, put the crush washers on right and tighten. I found no other drips or leaks.

After starting it, (no maf, no cvv hoses,no serpentine belt,) it lumpy idle/surges really bad for obvious reasons. I had to blow the driver tire up again, and after a few seconds of feathering the throttle it gained some power, enough to move.
I tested all the gears that I could in the 15 ft of driveway and it didn't seem to have any slipping, grinding or clicking noises from drive train.

So far it's looking like I made out very well. IL put my parts list below and list the repairs it will need besides.

Driver window (maybe regulator as well)
Hatch button or latch solenoid
Clips for trunk interior
Alternator
Hood latch cables and pin
Kidney grilles (cosmetically a grille as well)
Throttle boot
Cvv hoses or maybe more
Tires,
Rotors/pads

I noticed some wet at the bell housing and oil pan. So it will need either oil pan gaskets or a rear main seal or Trans shaft/converter seal or all.
The exhaust manifold flanges are rotted off the mod pipe half, and someone bubble gum welded the mid pipe to the headers, and a 3" section of pipe was also bubble gum welded in. So I will have to cut it out,, slip pipe it for now until I get to the oil leak job in the works to pull the headers and fit new flanges properly.

That's my list right now. I might be able to get the majority of my parts list tm.

- - - Updated - - -

20210122_085933.jpg

[vinyldude]

Sounds like a good purchase then, congrats! For the oil leaks, see carefully that it is not coming from the valve cover gasket or the oil filter housing gasket. Sometimes it looks like the oil pan is the culprit even when it is coming from above.
The oil pan gasket is guaranteed to leak with those miles though if it hasn't been replaced. It is a pain to replace, since the front differential and axles need to come off first.

[spyderg0d]

Sounds like a good purchase then, congrats! For the oil leaks, see carefully that it is not coming from the valve cover gasket or the oil filter housing gasket. Sometimes it looks like the oil pan is the culprit even when it is coming from above.
The oil pan gasket is guaranteed to leak with those miles though if it hasn't been replaced. It is a pain to replace, since the front differential and axles need to come off first.

I will end up putting new valve cover gaskets on sooner than later most likely along with intake gaskets and testing the disa and icv.

I put together the majority of the trunk pieces just now. Many broken clips. It looks as though the trunk switch shorted and burned up at the plug. So that is added on tomorrow's junkyard run part list along with license plate light panel.

I found the heater blower motor was most likely replaced or being trouble shooter when whatever happened that left the car in disarray as it was left open and the cowl parts in the cabin. Put the most of the cowl back together shy of some torx bolts that are missing because I'm not concerned with a blower motor at the moment.

I did have trouble fitting one of the sliders that lay on the trunk back in proper space. And discovered I am missing the panel that covers the battery and whatever may attach to the sliding hooks. IL be cleaning the interior in a bit and taking some pics for the thread so this isn't just an essay.

- - - Updated - - -

Also, it currently only has the valet key to start as the hard key is broke in half and missing a chip. I think that will be the most difficult or expensive piece of the entire restoration to acquire.

[spyderg0d]

20210122_085851.jpg20210122_085858.jpg20210122_085910.jpg20210122_085914.jpg

- - - Updated - - -

Those are before cleaning and work ofcoarse.

[spyderg0d]

Cleaning the inside of the car during this cold snowstorm.. my ass hits the passenger window switch.. the window rolls down all the way and won't go up...

Switched the rear switch to the front and it went up. Looks like I need both fron window switch assemblies.

Also my battery drain is most likely the hatch lights that do not go off.

Man, I have high expectations for that x3 at the junkyard tomorrow.

[spyderg0d]

Discoveries.
My model x3 has a single intake boot, not the conjoined 2 piece version like e46 cars, nor the snorkel like boot that mounts to a horizontal airbox.

My passenger front window switch has 1 switch in it, but is a massive plastic trim piece compared to other x3 that have a basic little switch that's the same as the rear window switches.
My x3 has different kidney grilles than others (maybe it's pre face-lift cs facelift?)
I haven't figured how to get the trunk hatch lights to go off.

[vinyldude]

Great progress. I think the trunk hatch lights get turned on/off based on an electrical switch in the locking mechanism. My X3 has a bit of a problem that the lights are left on occasionally when the trunk is closed. One has to monitor carefully every time to ensure the lights are off and if not, open/close the trunk one more time has fixed the issue so far.
If your lights are turned on permanently, it is probably some issue with the switch or its wiring. When the door is opened and closed enough of times, the wires break at the door joint.

[spyderg0d]

Items acquired from yard.
Driver window and switch
Alternator
Hatch switch assembly and shock
Hatch wiper arm
Hood pins

Ebay items.
Valve Caver gasket set
Intake boot
Cvv system
Hood cables
Plastic clips

[Sleepyhead97]

The things you find. You still workin at the jink yard? Gotts be the swotch for the light right? Stuck? I would take the bulb out and call it good

[dukedkt442]

Be careful with the ebay stuff; low quality gaskets have been known to leak within days. I discovered that with failed heat exchanger and OFHG gaskets on mine within a month.

When the rear hatch switch (part of the license plate light bar) shorts internally and fails, it auto-releases the hatch turning the interior lights on. I found that out at around 100k miles. When the doors are opened in the rain, or especially with snow on the car, snow falls onto the armrests and onto the switches; the resulting water damage makes them start doing weird things, like not working, or even worse, opening/closing windows when not commanded by the operator.

The LCI cars started in 2007, which was far more than just a facelift. IIRC, different packages had slightly different front fascias on the 2003-2006 cars.

You mentioned being familiar with the E46, so then you know the achilles heel that is the expansion tank. Same high rate of failures and possibly resultant warped heads applies to this chassis.

A heckuva project, you've got more motivation than I currently do!

[spyderg0d]

The things you find. You still workin at the jink yard? Gotts be the swotch for the light right? Stuck? I would take the bulb out and call it good

Good idea. No I haven't worked at the junk yard in years now, but they still wish I did and I think are going to try to recruit me back in spring time.

- - - Updated - - -

Be careful with the ebay stuff; low quality gaskets have been known to leak within days. I discovered that with failed heat exchanger and OFHG gaskets on mine within a month.

When the rear hatch switch (part of the license plate light bar) shorts internally and fails, it auto-releases the hatch turning the interior lights on. I found that out at around 100k miles. When the doors are opened in the rain, or especially with snow on the car, snow falls onto the armrests and onto the switches; the resulting water damage makes them start doing weird things, like not working, or even worse, opening/closing windows when not commanded by the operator.

The LCI cars started in 2007, which was far more than just a facelift. IIRC, different packages had slightly different front fascias on the 2003-2006 cars.

You mentioned being familiar with the E46, so then you know the achilles heel that is the expansion tank. Same high rate of failures and possibly resultant warped heads applies to this chassis.

A heckuva project, you've got more motivation than I currently do!

I make sure to use the same buyers on ebay that I've had previously positive parts and gaskets from. Usually not the cheapest, but far from the most expensive.

[spyderg0d]

Today I removed the driver door panel, cleared out what broken glass I could, installed the new window. Switched the driver window switch assembly and the regulator works just fine. The junkyard switch works, but sticks a bit on a few buttons, some cleaning and it should be mint.

A large snowstorm came in and had to call it quits. But I got around to pushing all the snow off of it,. The sunroofs are up and open in whatever position it is where the rearbof the glass is an inch or so off the roof.
I removed the sunroof switch plate, and did notice when I hit the button forward the motor clicks for just a second.

So I'm unsure if they are froze or something is broke and jammed on the track. The inner sunroof panels are closed completely, so it's not easy to see the tracks.
Is there a way to manually close the sunroof without damaging anything?

[spyderg0d]

Attempted to reset sunroof. No response from the system. Maybe the switch? I have to find a pin out of the switch to try resetting with a couple needles or pins.

[spyderg0d]

Cvv system and intake boot showed up in the mail today. My intake gaskets won't be in until next week it looks like unfortunately.

[Sleepyhead97]

Today I removed the driver door panel, cleared out what broken glass I could, installed the new window. Switched the driver window switch assembly and the regulator works just fine. The junkyard switch works, but sticks a bit on a few buttons, some cleaning and it should be mint.

A large snowstorm came in and had to call it quits. But I got around to pushing all the snow off of it,. The sunroofs are up and open in whatever position it is where the rearbof the glass is an inch or so off the roof.
I removed the sunroof switch plate, and did notice when I hit the button forward the motor clicks for just a second.

So I'm unsure if they are froze or something is broke and jammed on the track. The inner sunroof panels are closed completely, so it's not easy to see the tracks.
Is there a way to manually close the sunroof without damaging anything?

Sun roof? So the motor doesn't have a allen wrench plug that you turn to move the motor? If not then ...the e34 does

[spyderg0d]

Sun roof? So the motor doesn't have a allen wrench plug that you turn to move the motor? If not then ...the e34 does

It didn't look like it does. Maybe it's stripped out or a bad replacement motor assembly?
I will look into that more. I did own a e36 vert for alot of years, but it was always easy to pop the motors and manually use if any issues came up. Never messed with full auto tops or sunroofs. Wifes e46 has never had a sunroof problem and the new e36 had the entire assbly removed for weight savings.

[spyderg0d]

I researched a bit and found I have a "panoramic" sunroof. Apperently the tracks do stick, and it involves pushing the tracks in and then manually closing the glass. I can't seem to find a video anywhere of the process tho.

[spyderg0d]

Found a video. Saweeet

[spyderg0d]

Had to break the inside panels off in order to access the glass panel sliders.
The pin on the sunroof motor was stripped, so I had to remove the motor to try and tap the sliders into place.

They were froze with a grease slime substance that was pretty difficult to thaw with a heat gun and compressed air that took about an hour.
I ended up having the loosen the glass panels and reset them to sit flush and seal properly.

Now comes the dilemma to repair everything I broke for the interior sunroof panels. Hopefully I can just replace the entire card as a unit for ease when spring comes. If the sunroof doesn't work my wife will throw a pissy fit and act like the entire car is useless.

[spyderg0d]

I got the wrong alternator apperently as the one n the car has its own idler pulley, and a round plug, while the other style is no pulley and a square plug. Annoying..

Also, someone had been through this engine before. The bottom intake bolt was gone, and the doubled top intake bolts were missing. I noticed the throttle body gasket was still squishy along in the intake gaskets slightly bendable.

New cvv system went in perfect. However I received the wrong intake boot as it was the smaller 2.5l diameter.
I also noticed a oil filter housing bolt was loose... I assume it had a new gasket put in before it was parked in 2020 as it doesn't leak, so I just tightened the bolt up and made sure it didn't leak for sure.
New altinator comes tomorrow, waiting for proper intake boot. Then atleast it should run proper.

[spyderg0d]

Installed intake boot, new alternator, valve cover gaskets and grommets. Tightened that oil housing bolt.

After a few minutes it found idle alright. I had to clear codes twice before codes subsided and it ran really smooth with the exception of the aux fan code. Not a single sensor had a code which was amazing. The engine did smoke a bit at first until it mapped out right but there's no mixing of fluid and it doesn't seem to be eating coolant. It did start to overheated after about 10 minutes at idle from the lack of working fan. I should trouble shoot that tm when I install new hood latch cables. Also, no oil drips, no coolant drips!

New repairs added to list.

The blower motor doesn't come on at all. (Blower motor replace)
The abs Trifecta lights are on. (Not really worried as it's most likely a wheel speed sensor)
The cluster says all the doors are open (no effing clue what's up with that).
Exhaust leak at bubblegum welds.
Figure out battery drain.