First car - 2004 2.2 manual :)

M

moulin

New member
 London
in hellrot red as well

1 week into ownership and already broken has issues, the coolant expansion tank I was gonna replace as preventative maintainance is no longer preventative, just maintenance. Not in a position to do myself just yet, shed is in London and I'm not. How bad is the bill looking
 
Oh dear, not the usual happy introduction to the board. Welcome anyhows. 😇 I believe it's a routine fix. But not the details.
 
Hi and welcome to the forum. :thumbsup:

It's a shame your introduction to Z4 ownership hasn't started too well. Cooling systems seem to be troublesome on the M54 engine. Within a few weeks of buying a 325ti I had a leaking radiator so I had the whole system refreshed with a new expansion tank, thermostat, cap and auxiliary drive belt for peace of mind. That came to nearly £500 in 2014. :(

Hopefully your car can be fixed for less.
 
Cheers guys, yh I dont think it will cost more tha £150-200 all in for just the expansion tank, but then the thermostat and pump and serpentine ofc cost more. I'm decently mechanically minded, have maintained old motorcycles for a couple years, but never tackled a car: is wanting to get the car home and doing the rest there myself too difficult a job?
 
If you've got a feel for keeping old bikes running, you'll be fine. I'm way more experienced with crusty old bikes than cars, but my Z4 has so far been pretty simple to work on (with the help of @enuff_zed for an airbag light fault!). But mechanically, everything has so far been easy to get to and well put together.
 
Mr Tidy said:
Cooling systems seem to be troublesome on the M54 engine.
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Only due to age. Nothing wrong with an M54. Much less hassle than the 'new fangled' later engines.

Saying that, I seem to be replacing at least two parts a week on my 25 year old M54.
 
Pondy said:
Only due to age. Nothing wrong with an M54. Much less hassle than the 'new fangled' later engines.

Saying that, I seem to be replacing at least two parts a week on my 25 year old M54.
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I was resigned to replacing the oil pressure sensor on my M54, due to a recurring 'implausible value from oil pressure sensor' error. So I bought a new one, and a few days back popped up the bonnet and looked in there with a torch to see just what a git of a job it was likely to be. At which point I noticed the lead dangling next to the sensor. Plugged it back in again, cleared the code, and it's been perfect since. So if you need to replace the oil pressure sensor, I've got a spare one :)
 
nr. said:
I was resigned to replacing the oil pressure sensor on my M54, due to a recurring 'implausible value from oil pressure sensor' error. So I bought a new one, and a few days back popped up the bonnet and looked in there with a torch to see just what a git of a job it was likely to be. At which point I noticed the lead dangling next to the sensor. Plugged it back in again, cleared the code, and it's been perfect since. So if you need to replace the oil pressure sensor, I've got a spare one :)
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Unfortunately I have an aftermarket oil pressure sensor and gauge, so the BMW lead is dangling permanently. The ONLY fault code I have at present is the oil pressure sensor. Obviously I ignore it. :rofl:

But my M54 is neither a Z4 or a proper Z3. It's just a fake!
 
sorry if its a daft question: what do u mean by your m54 is fake haha, is it from something else?

also is the oil pressure sensor something I should look out for too? tbh while im at it, may I ask, what else is gonna need doing soon do you think? the previous owner had the rocker cover gasket changes, rear suspension pretty much fully replaced, but the car has been driven very gently: somehow the 22 year old plastic is only now (unluckily for me) starting to go, the car hasn't seen rain in 6 years, regardless, water pump and thermostat are on my list, anything else to be aware of?
 
moulin said:
sorry if its a daft question: what do u mean by your m54 is fake haha, is it from something else?
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It’s a real M54 in a fake car (repro Ferrari).

Expansion tank is a common (perhaps inevitable) failure, but is an easy DIY replacement if you have rudimentary skills. Assuming it’s just leaking under pressure from a micro fissure?
 
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