Car blog time. I picked up a 2002 530i with 65k miles and sport and premium package about 3 weeks ago for an amazing price. I knew it needed work, but it's about up to almost new. I did my research about problem areas before I went and was able to knock off signifigant money off his already low price. The title came in the mail on Friday.

I've found I really enjoy working on this car...a good thing.

Done:
-Changed the oil, filter, lubed
-Installed new power steering hoses
-New center splash guard (was missing) and new brake cooling ducts
-Replaced windshield gasket
-Replaced wiper blades (6 dollas)
-Stained the purple rear dash back to black
-New factory floor mats (30 dollas, big improvement)
-1 new headlight (ouch $). The auto level mechanism was broken, lens was faded and housing cracked, the other headlight was new.
-Realigned headlights on a empty highway. My garage door wasn't cutting it for a reference.
-2 new Kumho Ecsta ATS for the front (cheapo)

To be done:
-New coolant hoses, pump, thermostat, reservoir on the way. Hopefully will be here by Thursday. I picked up BMW spec coolant at the dealership on Saturday. They charge outrageous prices, btw.
-Get the ABS Contrul Unit rebuilt by this company in Indiana for $300. I'll box it up tonight and ship it when I get home. The car should be driveable, but I'll just let it sit for the week or so it's gone.
-Need to fix the passenger side power seat recline, one of the cables is loose. I found some write ups online
-Find a good price on a MID replacement (display) in the center console. It's missing pixels, but the dash one isn't at least
-figure out what's wrong with the parking sensors
-maybe get a DICE ipod adapter


Anybody else with new projects?

9/22/2009 11:55:35 AM

First, but I've already got my [blog] thread. If/when I put suspesion on the MX3, I'll [blog] it here.



[Edited on September 22, 2009 at 12:06 PM. Reason : .]

9/22/2009 12:05:18 PM

neglected it

9/22/2009 12:10:01 PM

i put a new thermostat in the durrkota in the parking lot at my apt complex hungover as fuck a couple weekends ago. almost puked in the intake

and i put it on stands a couple weeks ago and pulled the front wheels trying to figure out wtf this popping sound when i accelerate/brake/turn is. i think i need new CVs. rotated the tires while it was up.

9/22/2009 2:12:25 PM

attempted to replace the dead illumination bulbs behind my instrument cluster with LED ones

now none of the backlighting bulbs work, though the opera lights and signal lights (turn, high beams, etc.) all work

9/22/2009 2:18:17 PM

just bought new pads/rotors for the town car!!!!1

9/22/2009 2:39:41 PM

put racing pads on the S2000 and flushed the brake fluid 2 weeks ago. And returned the pads to OEM last week

When I stop feeling lazy I have to replace a bolt on the alternator mount for the Integra. I have no idea how 1 of 2 bolts fell out (thanks to Quinn for locating the problem, lol) but without that second bolt it squeals like a banshee

9/22/2009 3:22:57 PM

^

Odd thing is my lower bolt is MIA as of yesterday. I think we have a bandit on the prowl!

9/22/2009 3:27:37 PM

I wouldn't doubt it with these damn things costing $7-8 a piece

9/22/2009 3:29:09 PM

is it a special bolt? i have a bunch of spare hardware, if you have the bolt size.

9/22/2009 5:20:25 PM

Upgraded the ignition on the Rustang with some MSD components, adjusted the timing.

9/22/2009 5:44:40 PM

^^thanks man, but I bought the bolt (and nut) over a month ago, lol.

9/22/2009 6:18:01 PM

replaced both the clutch master and slave cylinders on the rx-7. so now it's a mobile POS again instead of a stationary one. the clutch switch is messed up so it makes an annoying noise, and the cruise control works when it feels like it

9/22/2009 7:33:23 PM

- Ordered an teensie-weensie 2" lift and shocks
- About to buy a new fancy radio, because the old fancy one no longer turns on

matt what the hell was wrong with the G35?

9/22/2009 8:22:04 PM

I registered it in Virginia and am looking at fixing the front brakes because I'm PRETTY sure the dealership fucked up the install and is too fucking stupid to fix it (considering I took noisy, clunking brakes to them under warranty and they just said "LOL THEY'RE FINE").

I guess you could also count the license plate bracket I installed on the front of the car that looks awkward as hell because I didn't have an OEM bracket. That was an amusing twenty minute diversion. The license plate isn't crooked now either, so I don't look completely fucking retarded! *thumbsup*

[Edited on September 22, 2009 at 8:49 PM. Reason : Oh yeah, totally badass mall cruiser: 2wd 2000 Jeep Cherokee]

9/22/2009 8:48:24 PM

Installed and balanced a new Dunlop K70 front tire/tube on the bike. Unfortunately my spokes are rusted in place so I couldn't do very much truing. The side runout is a bit more than I like, but they're all tight and it's not worth re-lacing the wheel...yet. The handling is noticeably better since going back to a stock 3.5" tire vs the oversize 110/90 cheng shin that was on it. This old fashioned tube type tire was definitely easier to mount than the last modern tire I tried.

I've rejetted the carbs about 4 times now and am finally closing in on what I want. The plugs are light tan...a bit too light...but the main and pilot jets are plenty rich. I'm still playing with needle settings but that's a pain in the ass on these old Mikunis...involves snap rings in a hole that no snap ring pliers were meant to go...45 minutes to pull the carbs apart each time. At this point I think I should be looking into needles with a more aggressive taper. I've found a guy that actually makes custom needles to correct for the right cylinder on this bike running 20 degrees hotter than the left, or so he claims.

I had no idea how much the mixture influenced cylinder temps. I've dropped 30 degrees in identical conditions entirely because of more gasoline. Still running 270F on a hot day in traffic though...if I thought an oil cooler would help I would add one.

I readjusted the cam chain tensioner slightly, which then threw off my valve lash and timing. While resetting timing I pulled the advance rod from the camshaft and lubed everything, then really fubared my points adjustments and had to gap them and start from scratch. They're now the closest I've had them yet(points ignitions are always a poor average, especially when you're dealing with multiple sets.

On the plus side, after tuning the bike by ear and feel, I borrowed some mercury sticks to check the synch. I was within 1/10 of an inch of correct. I didn't even bother to touch the screw...you can't mess with perfection!

I recently ditched the giant stock 70's gauge cans(for that oldschool motorbike look..ha) and replaced the speedo with one of those little bicycle speedos from walmart. I've got the little LCD screen hidden behind the brake reservoir, and a neodynium magnet on the brake rotor. The instructions that came with it were rubbish(they didn't even have the magnet orientation correct for a reed switch), but since I've mounted it my way it's been working great for weeks now. I hit 90 the other day on it, which is way too fast for this old POS anyway.

I recently regeared the bike to handle freeway speeds, but I've since discovered that they make a replacement 5th gear with a proper overdrive. I definitely miss that tree climbing dirtbike torque it used to have in 1st, so I may swap that out come this winter.

[Edited on September 22, 2009 at 9:27 PM. Reason : .]

9/22/2009 9:14:48 PM

Just bought a car

9/22/2009 9:16:51 PM

couple hundred worth of maintenance items in the basement, civic
new, shitty, tires on the civic

nothing on the lung but neglect

9/22/2009 9:30:07 PM

Hooked up the stereo on my boat Saturday:
- Sony CD player in the glove box. Wired remote on the dash. Wireless remote too, but not sure how effective it will be. Glove box door is smoke colored plexiglass, so it might work.
- 5-Channel Kicker Amp running:
- Four Sony marine speakers...5 1/4"
- Two Liquid Audio tower speakers
- Kicker Solo-baric 12" subwoofer
She bangin' now.

Also fixed the depth finder.

9/22/2009 10:44:06 PM

Our depth finder broke last weekend in choppy water. I can't imagine why a cathode ray tube wouldn't like constant slamming abuse.

9/22/2009 11:27:47 PM

I just ordered a new motor.. $1900 + labor

9/22/2009 11:42:49 PM

who gets to keep the old one

9/22/2009 11:50:04 PM

^^ sucks ballocks mayne!

New ECM, new starter, new spark plugs and wires, new fuel pump, new coils for rear suspension, new wiper blades and rainx

Shits running top notch mother lickers! 240,000 miles strong...mother lickers!

[Edited on September 22, 2009 at 11:51 PM. Reason : ^]

9/22/2009 11:51:17 PM

got it dirty, cleaned it up, got it dirty again, etc...

bought some 1 ton brake parts and stainless steel braided brake lines

driven the fuck out of it.

9/23/2009 12:01:22 AM

Rebuilt the transmission in my 306 Lincoln TC, well I watched and learned as my buddy from Georgia did it Also added front and rear sway bars off an older police crown victoria. Tuned the TPS, fixed vacuum leaks, changed the fuel filter, adjusted the timing and idle, and fixed the broken power antenna (thanks LKQ)

Finished partial rebuild of my 91 Spirit 3.0L, replacing just about everything but the bottom end, with all new gaskets

Finished the timing belt, waterpump, crank & cam seal, lifter rebuild, vacuum line replacement, idle and timing, hoses, blah blah, on my POS 1985 300ZX, just in time to sell it before school started.

9/23/2009 3:19:01 AM

I need to replace the CV's on the MX3. >_< Is this a pain in the ass bolt-on thing or is there more to it than r&r? The interwebz is not helping. Google failed me

9/25/2009 9:44:16 AM

Man you've spent a ton of money on that thing (not that boots are expensive, but still).

9/25/2009 10:32:07 AM

not really... but okay. I've thrown a stupid amount at the Porsche, not the mx3.

9/25/2009 10:35:55 AM

built a boost leak detector and cant even get it to hold 3psi. makes 15psi while driving. no wonder it sounded off...............

compressor housing o-ring seems to be destroyed. guess I will take it apart today.

9/25/2009 10:40:17 AM

sold one today if that counts. i'll dump all that money into the other one

9/26/2009 1:03:46 AM

i blew up my motor

9/26/2009 1:22:53 AM

Let it sit for almost two weeks.

9/26/2009 2:00:04 AM

started one, started and moved the other, put tint on the back two windows of the other. other one is neglected behind the garage. other one is neglected in the garage

missed a set of carbs on ebay for the bike today, they went for 90 shipped dammit.

scooter is laying in pieces waiting to be put together

9/26/2009 2:09:48 AM

S2000: replaced leaky vacuum line that was causing a CEL; oil & filter change about a month ago.

Ram: zxappeal and I changed a tie-rod end and recharged AC. also replaced serpentine belt. did oil/filter change about a month ago.

'66 Chevy pickup: zxappeal and I pulled engine and trans, tore down engine, took to machine shop. been researching stuff, and am about to order a bunch of parts.

SV650: added some bar-end mirrors and replaced a broken front brake lever. Adjusted brake/clutch cables. oil/filter change about a month ago.

GP1300R: dealer adjusted idle, purged air from fuel system after buddy flipped it over, adjusted a bunch of other stuff.

[Edited on September 26, 2009 at 2:56 AM. Reason : ]

9/26/2009 2:56:09 AM

lookin for some older audi fog lights for the car. anyone know where I can get some factory units for an mk2

9/26/2009 9:23:37 AM

^^^ Dammit matt! 90 bucks shipped? I am going to be over tomorrow to put a new crank in that Zuma tomorrow we can start on the Benelli if you wish?!

[Edited on September 26, 2009 at 10:34 PM. Reason : .]

9/26/2009 10:31:10 PM

changed the clutch disc, pressure plate and release bearing in the subie, finally

10/1/2009 12:44:18 AM

gonna do an axle and i gotta find out why the door wont open. yes , its unlocked. hope i dont have to cut the handle off

10/1/2009 1:08:59 AM

4runner: removed front bumper! :woot:

rear strut/spring swap in the civic tonight, new exhaust hangers, and new front pads (if needed)

10/1/2009 8:23:16 AM

Well I'm thinking about replacing the "lifetime" transmission fluid this weekend. Picking up a gasket at lunch.

10/2/2009 10:56:28 AM

burnt my starter up.

10/2/2009 11:54:42 AM

I rear ended a van. Anyone want to find me a cheap price on a bumper for a 2005 Mazda RX-8? Must include valance package as well.

10/2/2009 1:21:02 PM

Mazdaspeed that shit, sir.

10/2/2009 3:12:35 PM

I wish I had the money to do that .

10/2/2009 6:19:22 PM

order it from keystone and it shouldnt be that much

10/2/2009 7:05:05 PM

drove it

10/16/2009 12:50:35 PM

inner and outer tie rods

painted the cage

10/21/2009 12:06:48 AM

Brakes and gas

10/21/2009 12:29:16 AM

you left out match

10/21/2009 8:53:36 PM

cursed at it

[Edited on October 21, 2009 at 11:56 PM. Reason : r]

10/21/2009 11:56:11 PM