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Behold...the shed-4

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nfo
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Post by nfo » Tue May 02, 2017 6:43 am

Minimum wheel size for the 330i brakes is 17", also reassuring that the MV1s were an option on e46 330s ;)

No need for another alignment, nothing in the suspension has changed and they're the same size and offset as the previous wheels.

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Post by Marlon » Tue May 02, 2017 8:40 am

Looking good :thumbsup:
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Gone: 3.0si 2008 E85
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Post by elevensies » Tue May 02, 2017 8:56 am

:driving: nice
support our paras
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MACK
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Post by MACK » Tue May 02, 2017 9:04 am

Keep up the good work. Another one saved
Silver 05 3.0i SE
Mods inc - F/L Xenons Clear Ind Rear Lights M Sport Seats & Wheel Eibach/B4 3.64 DIFF (SOLD)

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Mods inc- B12 kit, M3 Arms, 18" Zito 935's with PS4's, Decat & Remap, Switchable Exhaust Flap (SOLD)

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Post by kis » Tue May 02, 2017 11:34 am

Hi,

Nice update. Looks like the Zed purchase is going well (initial fears).
Certainly true about photos, they have a tenancy to make something look a lot better, or sometimes a lot worse!! :rofl:
enzed4 wrote: Tue May 02, 2017 3:39 am Crikey - you're certainly getting stuck in from day 1, no mucking about :lol: :thumbsup: . Hopefully you'll have no problems with clearance between the 330i calipers and the new wheels :? . Also, do you need another alignment after fitting new wheels, or will they not make a difference?
Enjoy the new Zed.
The 330 brake upgrade will be fine with your MV1's. They're 18" so will clear the callipers. It's only 16" that would cause you a problem.
My E85 Z4 3.0i SMG

BMW Family History (past and present):
1 Series - E87
3 Series - E46 Coupe, E46 M3, E90 (x3)
4 Series - F36, F82 M4
5 Series - E34 (x2), E39
7 Series - E32
X5 - E53, E70
X6 - E71

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Post by dhobbs » Tue May 02, 2017 7:18 pm

Good to see the Z coming along, must be nice to know you've brought her back to life.
3.0si roadster. Requisite stubby. Sound gen mod. LED numberplate lights. LED boot strip. Interior lights LED too. ZHP gearknob. Daily drive :driving:
Motor in boot. Bilstein B8 dampers. New radio, much better sounds :thumbsup:

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buzyg
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Post by buzyg » Tue May 02, 2017 7:50 pm

Nice update. Your Zed is looking very fine and out doing what Zeds should. Enjoying the road. :thumbsup:
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Post by firebobby » Tue May 02, 2017 8:57 pm

Some fantastic photo's, keep up the good work on the car :thumbsup:
BMW Z4 30i 2003 auto 107's Whippy Toledo Blue
Beige M sport seats, wood dash
Toyota MR2 NA 1995
Triumph GT6 1972 (project)
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Post by nfo » Tue Jul 03, 2018 3:28 pm

Dropping back in again - I've not had time to get into the forum, but it's been a very useful mine of information.

An update on the shed-4...I've just got back from this years' trip to Snowdonia, which was excellent fun as ever. The car is driving better than ever and I've now had a couple of months with no warning lights coming on :D Stuff I've done since last post, not necessarily in this order:
  • Applied Renovo 3-part kit to the roof, it looks a little better.
  • Polished up the headlights and adjusted the aim, which was set waaaay low. Passed MOT after my adjustment and I can see more than six inches ahead of the car at night. Lights aren't great, I've got a second pair to clean up and fit. One has a *lot* of water in it - I thought it was the missing rear cover, but that was letting the water out not in!
  • Replaced crank sensor, initially with a cheap pattern part which made things worse (cut-out at ~5k rpm) then with OEM which fixed the EML and made the car run far better.
  • New plugs, which definitely had a positive effect.
  • Fitted 'ZHP' knob which seemed like a silly indulgence, but it's much nicer especially as the original one was starting to wear quite badly.
  • Bought an eBay special OBD cable, identified which DSC pressure sensor had failed, replaced that (cleared yellow brake + TC lights). I actually drove through the whole winter without TC/DSC and it was fine/fun.
  • Replaced the fuel cap seal (didn't fix the problem) and evap valve (which did), stopped an intermittent EML I was getting with code P0444. Very easy to fit.
  • Fitted EBC Yellowstuff front pads. Burned through maybe 80% or more of them in one trackday.
  • Fitted EBC yellowstuff rear pads and new discs, new handbrake shoes too. They're a pain to fit! The sprung handbrake mechanism is made of pure evil.
  • Fitted HEL braided brake hoses all round. HEL were very helpful with issues I encountered, but some aspects of the kit could be improved.
  • Fitted 330i/3.0si front brake setup, was going to get S/H calipers refurbed but ran out of time and bought a reman set and cashed in the old ones, not ideal but never mind. Yellowstuff front pads, Pagid discs on offer from ECP.
  • Fully bled the brakes front and rear, several times over. Fired up the easibleed which was just about working and that seemed the most effective.
  • Removed the 'CDV'. What a difference!
  • Changed the gearbox oil. Wow! Huge difference in shift quality - old stuff came out black.
  • Regular oil/filter change. Not very exciting.
  • Now on Michelin Pilot Super Sports all round (£££). First impressions good, fronts holding up well after two track days. Old Continental CSC5 rears were holding up much better than expected, but a spin on track tore lumps out of them which wasn't great - still had some usable tread depth, maybe enough for one more track day. Rear traction noticeably improved.
  • Burned a lot of super unleaded. Running average mpg is 23.3, high of 34.3 (gentle run down to Cornwall), low of 12.1 (track day, Bedford).
  • CD changer working again. I didn't do anything to it, but one day I decided to try ejecting the magazine and it came out (previously would not). Odd.
As expected, the brakes were the weak point on track. At Castle Combe I burned through most of a set of Yellowstuff front pads, completely evaporated the standard rear pads and boiled the fluid probably at both ends of the car. Part of the problem was having too much fun and staying out too long in my last session before lunch - oops. At Bedford Autodrome with Yellowstuff front and rear, and the fronts upgraded to the 325/25 mm 330i/3.0si setup they held up much better, and I was quite careful with them although it's a long lap with some big stops.

Generally I've been quite impressed with the car on track and I definitely plan to take it out again soon.

Issues remaining/ongoing:
  • Sticky steering is mostly cured by my earlier adjustment, but still not great about the straight-ahead especially when warm. I don't notice anything on twisties or on track, but on straight roads it's quite annoying. Planning to remove the motor and grease the worm gear next.
  • Car has recently developed a flatulence problem - lots more popping as I lift of at 2-3000rpm, absolutely repeatable. Didn't do it previously - I don't mind it, but it's telling me that something has changed. Suspect I may have disturbed a seal when inspecting the DISA valve, am planning to remove the inlet manifold to do CCV, OFH gasket and a few other bits so I think I'll replace all the seals and gaskets whilst I'm at it.
  • I'm careful not to come to a stop with my foot on the brakes when I know they're hot, but I've had issues with pad material transfer with all combinations of discs/pads I've had on the car so far. This manifests itself as severe judder when braking which will usually clear up with a few heavy application of the brakes from speed. I'm all ears for recommended pads and good quality discs. I know Yellowstuff have a mixed reputation, I'm not mega impressed so far. Equally maybe the Pagid-branded discs from ECP aren't great?
  • Interior needs a deep, deep clean.
  • Exterior is still pretty tatty. Been keeping half an eye out for various Titan silver panels, but most are in worse condition than the ones on the car!
  • I've bought a 1989 Volvo 740 Turbo which isn't supposed to be a project but inevitably will be. I'm also starting a new job which will probably leave me with even less time for messing about with cars...but having two means only one has to be working at once, right?

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Post by nfo » Tue Jul 03, 2018 3:37 pm

Some pictures.

Enjoying the view from the top of what we know as the 'postman road', in honour of a Welsh postman no-one could keep up with, not even in a 200+hp Caterham-type kit car!
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Last April our customary tea stop at Llyn Celyn involved making and drinking the tea inside a big Volvo. This year it was an ice-cream stop!
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Lots of this lately. Should probably buy some better stands.
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At Bedford Autodrome.
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This Volvo 240 was on track all day, and it was awesome :) Very helpful owner too - I borrowed a bunch of tools from him to bleed the rear brakes at lunchtime which helped pedal feel a lot.
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Mr Tidy
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Post by Mr Tidy » Tue Jul 03, 2018 10:48 pm

Hi and welcome to the forum OP.

It sounds like you are getting an unloved example back into good shape, which is always good to read!

And you got a 3 litre too so you get the sound generator and 6 gears to play with too. :thumbsup:

Wales seems to have been a bit kinder to you this year as well - things seem to be looking up. :)

The MV1s do look good, but the gaps between the spokes look small enough to be a PITA to clean - I had enough of that with my MV2s! :x

Great to hear that you are enjoying it properly after all your work. :thumbsup:
Coupes because stunning!
Current - Silver Grey MC, Imola Red heated Nappa & carbon trim. Aeros, H & R Coil-overs, 224s, OE Strut brace, Nav, cup-holders, DSP Hi-Fi, pdc, cruise, MFSW, no CDV! E90 330i daily
Gone - Montego Blue
Gone - Ruby Black

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Post by nfo » Wed Jul 04, 2018 1:42 pm

Yes, the MV1s are pain to clean. I was lazy over the winter and they have suffered somewhat - doesn't help that it was a DIY refurb job. Oh well - live and learn. Far down the priority list, but I did wonder if the MV1s would look good in a gunmetal type grey...

Alternatively, any recommendations for Z4 wheels with fewer spokes? 108s aren't an option...I can't face the abuse ;)

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Post by Mr Tidy » Wed Jul 04, 2018 11:01 pm

nfo wrote: Wed Jul 04, 2018 1:42 pm Alternatively, any recommendations for Z4 wheels with fewer spokes? 108s aren't an option...I can't face the abuse
Well after MV2s on my 1st I've got 108s now - and I know what you mean about them!

CSLs look great, 107s and 3 Series Style 32s work pretty well. But I'll be fitting 224s when I finally get them refurbed. :roll:
Coupes because stunning!
Current - Silver Grey MC, Imola Red heated Nappa & carbon trim. Aeros, H & R Coil-overs, 224s, OE Strut brace, Nav, cup-holders, DSP Hi-Fi, pdc, cruise, MFSW, no CDV! E90 330i daily
Gone - Montego Blue
Gone - Ruby Black

nfo
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Post by nfo » Thu Jul 05, 2018 12:54 am

I'd forgotten about style 216 - do like those. Don't look much easier to clean though!

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Post by paullyjay » Fri Jul 06, 2018 12:32 pm

nfo wrote: Sun Sep 18, 2016 10:20 am Recently became a Z4 owner, did exactly what I said I wouldn't do and bought at 'scraping the barrel' money (£3400). I've done that before and had it not end well!
Sky-drive wrote: Sun Sep 18, 2016 12:35 pm In some ways I think the unloved ones tend to have a certain charm and it feels good to bring one back to almost original factory condition.
I think it's great to save un-loved cars from the great scrap-yard in the sky - it's always nice to hear that others do the same!

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