Behold...the shed-4
- Thread starter nfo
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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
Stuff I've done since last post, not necessarily in this order:
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:
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
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?
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!
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!
Lots of this lately. Should probably buy some better stands.
At Bedford Autodrome.
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.
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!
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!
Lots of this lately. Should probably buy some better stands.
At Bedford Autodrome.
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.
North West Surrey
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
Alternatively, any recommendations for Z4 wheels with fewer spokes? 108s aren't an option...I can't face the abuse
Still plugging away dragging this car slowly out of shed-dom. The Volvo I bought last June has consumed all (and some) of my spannering time until recently, but now the Z4 is getting some TLC again. I did another track day at Combe last November in the rain, it wasn't great for various reasons (lots of vibration under braking mostly).
Planning on pulling the inlet manifold and replacing the OFH gasket, PCV system and intake gaskets next. I've got some body panels to swap too.
I'm pretty certain this car has had a front-end crunch at some point in its history - spotted some overspray today, various plastics broken, horrendous paint finish on the front wings. Might explain some of the trouble the alignment guy had getting it set up evenly.
- Had the MV1s refurbed as one was losing air fast.
- Roof motor started playing up, removed, cleaned up and relocated into boot.
- Pulled the steering column and motor, regreased with Honda polyurea EPS grease, re-adjusted the eccentric ring in the correct direction with reference to the BMW TIS - much better.
- Replaced water pump, belts, tensioners etc.
- Swapped headlights for a better used set I picked up ages and ages ago.
- Changed gearbox oil for Redline MTL. Proof of the pudding will be winter cold starts, it's been pretty crunchy when cold.
- The usual oil, filter, brake service stuff.
- Alignment checked and adjusted again.
Planning on pulling the inlet manifold and replacing the OFH gasket, PCV system and intake gaskets next. I've got some body panels to swap too.
I'm pretty certain this car has had a front-end crunch at some point in its history - spotted some overspray today, various plastics broken, horrendous paint finish on the front wings. Might explain some of the trouble the alignment guy had getting it set up evenly.
Attachments
Enjoyed reading your thread. One thing to add is to find some decent brake pads and bin the yellow stuff ones. They nearly killed me in my Elise when I left a motorway and just didnt work. Find some Ferrodo DS pads or hotter Mintex pads. Not as pretty but if you want to stop and you do regular track days EBC's arent great in the motorsport arenas. Just a voice of experience.
south yorkshire
Great to see this car getting the live it deserves!
bearded_ed
Member
I have to say this thread only has me mildly concerned considering I'm getting mine from Wilsons in Epsom for £3500!
3.0i 2004 manual in Sterling Grey (I think).
Curious to see what I have to do with mine!
3.0i 2004 manual in Sterling Grey (I think).
Curious to see what I have to do with mine!
Thrustyjust said:
Interesting... I've been having a bit of a nightmare with DS2500s, did a trackday today at Combe and had horrendous grumbling from them.
I *think* the root of the issue is that the previous set of YS pads wore the discs unevenly from centre to edge, and when I fitted new pads they weren't making good contact. By the time of figured this out and swapped the discs for new Brembos, the new DS pads had taken the shape of the old discs, at least partially.
All of this means I've got loads of pedal travel which is due to caliper movement, once that has been taken out and the pads are pressed against the discs the pedal is rock solid. They absolutely definitely don't need bleeding, I've done that for.good measure anyway and it made no odds. Pedal.feel with the old YS pads was fine, they were just too thin to make it through a track day.
The new discs don't seem to have been worn so.im going to try a set of normal pads next in the hope of confirming the root cause. Nightmare - didn't stop me enjoying the track day and the brakes held up fine, but the brake pedal feel and travel was something to cope with rather than enjoy.
I should add, I expended a fair amount of super unleaded trying to get the pads bedded in beforehand - I definitely got them plenty hot and didn't let them sit with pressure so I don't think it's the usual pad transfer issue. The instructions said to make 25-30 'half race pressure' applications for 4 seconds at a time then 'return to pits and inspect'.
I would take the pads out and check them, then with a sheet of sand paper or a belt sander is good, flatten them down to being level and then refit. I would also look at a higher temp brake fluid and maybe a duct from the front aiming cool air to the brakes. Zeds are a big old lump and the brakes do seem to get pretty hot, even on normal road driving.
Another year has passed and the Z4 has mostly been neglected in favour of the spiralling Volvo project (it's got lovely shiny bits underneath it now).
But...time to give the BM some TLC. It's got fresh control arms and drop links up front, which has made a noticeable improvement at motorway speeds. There was quite a bit of movement in the outer ball joints. Probably not surprising at almost 130k and 16 years.
Lockdown lack of use had it throwing up a bunch of warning lights which have been remedied with a new ABS sensor. Cable-Shack OBD cable and software continues to pay for itself.
More to come soon, mostly on the suspension front. Might rival the Volvo for shininess of the bits you never see
But...time to give the BM some TLC. It's got fresh control arms and drop links up front, which has made a noticeable improvement at motorway speeds. There was quite a bit of movement in the outer ball joints. Probably not surprising at almost 130k and 16 years.
Lockdown lack of use had it throwing up a bunch of warning lights which have been remedied with a new ABS sensor. Cable-Shack OBD cable and software continues to pay for itself.
More to come soon, mostly on the suspension front. Might rival the Volvo for shininess of the bits you never see
