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Ok people time to help (laugh at) sad_old_man?

Specific discussion about the E89 2009 Z4 (sDrive35is, sDrive35i, sDrive30i, sDrive23i)
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ronk
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Post by ronk » Fri Jul 21, 2017 3:32 pm

So no service pack with the car?

I think the brake fluid is done at year 3 and then every two years afterwards.
You don't stop playing when you get old - You get old when you stop playing!
So I bought a 35is with all the toys to play with. :thumbsup:

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Post by DMC63 » Fri Jul 21, 2017 4:32 pm

MJJamieson wrote: Thu Jul 20, 2017 9:04 pm Brake fluid is hydroscopic and absorbs water so need changing every 2 year regardless of mileage, to remove the badge use tooth floss to slice through the adhesive backing.
Hygroscopic is the ability of a material liquid or gas to absorb water. :)

A hydroscope is a device, similar to a telescope built for observing things underwater :?
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Ok people time to help (laugh at) sad_old_man?

Post by sad_old_man » Fri Jul 21, 2017 5:03 pm

DMC63 wrote: Fri Jul 21, 2017 4:32 pm
MJJamieson wrote: Thu Jul 20, 2017 9:04 pm Brake fluid is hydroscopic and absorbs water so need changing every 2 year regardless of mileage, to remove the badge use tooth floss to slice through the adhesive backing.
Hygroscopic is the ability of a material liquid or gas to absorb water. :)

A hydroscope is a device, similar to a telescope built for observing things underwater :?
Can it go underwater then? :headbang: :headbang: :P

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Post by Zoomer » Fri Jul 21, 2017 5:20 pm

I have always wondered why brake fluid absorbs water, how in a sealed system it absorbs it, and would I want to pay BMW to do this when a local reputable garage can do it much cheaper and just as well.
Sterling Grey 3.0i E85 Black Heated Leather M sports seats , 224's ,Sat Nav, Bluetooth, Xenons, PDC, Gaptech ,Cruise and a nice warm garage. NOW GONE
Silver 3.0i Z4 NOW GONE

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Post by bob4333 » Fri Jul 21, 2017 5:21 pm

sad_old_man wrote: Fri Jul 21, 2017 3:14 pm

You got it in one............. £118.65 to be precise!
Ouch! :o

Now I'm not suggesting you do this (I wouldn't with a car of your pedigree and age) but Halfords Autocentre are currently charging £37.

Maybe time to strike up a relationship with your local indy.

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Post by Garvin » Fri Jul 21, 2017 6:50 pm

Brake fluid needs to be an incompressible fluid with high boiling point but inexpensive. Most (DOT 3, 4 & 5.1) are glycol based, with one (DOT 5) being silicon based. Glycol based fluids are, unfortunately, hygroscopic whilst silicon based fluid are not but the latter is more compressible. The problem with water absorbed by the hygroscopic fluids is two fold:

Firstly, the water reduces the boiling point of the fluid quite significantly which can lead to gas bubbles in the system and gas is very compressible so a spongy or long brake pedal can result under heavy use. Most brake master cylinder reservoirs are not air tight so air constantly circulates through the reservoir and the hygroscopic fluid continually 'sucks' moisture from it.

Secondly, the mositure content results in accelerated corrosion of the brake pipes and calipers from the inside out. As an example, my eldest lad's first car was acquired when it was some ten years old and the brakes needed a good overhaul. When bleeding the brakes after replacing discs, pads, shoes and all rubber seals the fluid that came out looked like evil pond water - it was almost black. It obviously had not been changed in its life and the effect of corrosion was clearly evident.

Also, only use the correct specification of brake fluid as defined for the system. Brake fluid itself can be very corrosive for rubber seals etc. and the system components are designed for the fluid used. Using a different spec fluid can lead to incompatibility with system components and failure of seals.

This is a very long winded way of saying that regular changing of the brake fluid is a good idea. For normal road use I would not recommend longer periods than every three years.
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Post by mcbutler » Sun Jul 23, 2017 10:14 am

sad_old_man wrote: Thu Jul 20, 2017 9:07 pm
MJJamieson wrote: Thu Jul 20, 2017 9:04 pm Brake fluid is hydroscopic and absorbs water so need changing every 2 year regardless of mileage, to remove the badge use tooth floss to slice through the adhesive backing.
Thanks for the help but what about the residual bits of adhesive tape stuck to the car?
Should come away with gentle heat (low setting) from a hairdryer. You can specify de-badging when you buy a new vehicle. I know that Mercedes and Audi use the hairdryer method to de-badge cars.
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Post by srhutch » Sun Jul 23, 2017 10:17 am

sad_old_man wrote: Fri Jul 21, 2017 3:14 pm
srhutch wrote: Fri Jul 21, 2017 6:46 am Please tell me the dealer isn't going to charge you for the brake fluid change. If you have only just bought the car it should have been done. Unless it has a service pack and then they tend to wait until it really is due.
You got it in one............. £118.65 to be precise!
How long have yo owned the car exactly?
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Post by TONYMOR » Tue Jul 25, 2017 12:00 pm

This is why I prefer an indi every time .

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Post by ronk » Tue Jul 25, 2017 9:20 pm

TONYMOR wrote: Tue Jul 25, 2017 12:00 pm This is why I prefer an indi every time .
I don't think the BMW warranty people like them - I seem to remember they had a clause in the agreement which didn't allow independents ?
You don't stop playing when you get old - You get old when you stop playing!
So I bought a 35is with all the toys to play with. :thumbsup:

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Post by cj10jeeper » Tue Jul 25, 2017 9:41 pm

ronk wrote: Thu Jul 20, 2017 11:32 pm
sad_old_man wrote: Thu Jul 20, 2017 9:00 pm
3. Please tell me how to remove the smile from my face which mysteriously appears every time I drive my Z4?
The magistrate can do that for you! (With a fee of course)

It's oh so easy to push on in the 35is and be lulled into three figures !
and if you prefer not to do it at high speed, just graze a rim, walk back and see a ding is now in your door since parking, or gently bump into back end of a truck or wave to your wife as she drives off in it shopping. Any of those or similar will do the trick
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Post by ronk » Tue Jul 25, 2017 9:47 pm

cj10jeeper wrote: Tue Jul 25, 2017 9:41 pm
ronk wrote: Thu Jul 20, 2017 11:32 pm
sad_old_man wrote: Thu Jul 20, 2017 9:00 pm
3. Please tell me how to remove the smile from my face which mysteriously appears every time I drive my Z4?
The magistrate can do that for you! (With a fee of course)

It's oh so easy to push on in the 35is and be lulled into three figures !
and if you prefer not to do it at high speed, just graze a rim, walk back and see a ding is now in your door since parking, or gently bump into back end of a truck or wave to your wife as she drives off in it shopping. Any of those or similar will do the trick
I know!
I nudged the garage door the other day after ignoring the beeps and grazed the front spoiler in two places - not badly - but bad enough !
You don't stop playing when you get old - You get old when you stop playing!
So I bought a 35is with all the toys to play with. :thumbsup:

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Post by andyfanshawe » Tue Jul 25, 2017 9:50 pm

£118 for a brake fluid change??????? In my humble garage, its about 30 to 40 quid. Depending on time taken.

Gonna put my prices up...lol!!

Andy.

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Post by ronk » Tue Jul 25, 2017 10:28 pm

[vimeo][/vimeo]
andyfanshawe wrote: Tue Jul 25, 2017 9:50 pm £118 for a brake fluid change??????? In my humble garage, its about 30 to 40 quid. Depending on time taken.

Gonna put my prices up...lol!!

Andy.
Ah but do you have lots of chrome plated and glass fittings for customers to pay for :rofl:
You don't stop playing when you get old - You get old when you stop playing!
So I bought a 35is with all the toys to play with. :thumbsup:

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Post by flybobbie » Tue Jul 25, 2017 11:43 pm

Can't understand why the reservoir for brake fluid is not air tight like motorcycle system.
Where a small rubber diaphragm allows for the fall in fluid as pads wear.

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