Not a Project but...

[Andrew J]

I've also fitted the new MAF today. Instantly knew it had worked as the maf read 0.0 kg/h with the engine off. Its a VDO unit from autodoc so probably a bmw part without the stamp (half the price of the stealers price!). I did some checks with my torque app and hey presto! The MAF reads and gives reasonable readings:



So it seems the P0102 code this time was a faulty MAF. No need for the smoke test but I enjoyed making the machine and it's peace of mind that everything is buttoned up (also useful for the future).

P.S. I can now heel and toe .

 

[Andrew J]

Almost a month since my last post and I've done another 250 or so miles. The engine is really strong, infact it feels stronger than it should be. I'd always thought the throttle response was pretty sharp since getting the car and when I press the sport button, nothing happens. I've done a little research (a little knowledge can be dangerous) and it could have been coded/mapped out. Is there any way to check this (apart from the obvious hold it at 25% throttle in third and press the button to see if it livens up)? Or is there any way to check if the button is working? I now have a C310+ and have looked into thr odes but nothing seems to be blazingly obvious that the sport button has failed (although this could be my limited knowledge of which codes would show this).

One thing I have noticed now I'm able to give it the beans is that the brakes are needing some attention/upgrades. Back in the day when I had my Cooper S EBC Yellow Stuff pads were the pads of choice but that was a loooong time ago. What are folks using now for a decent road pad that isn't going to send me out of a T junction before they've warmws up.

 

[enuff_zed]

Almost a month since my last post and I've done another 250 or so miles. The engine is really strong, infact it feels stronger than it should be. I'd always thought the throttle response was pretty sharp since getting the car and when I press the sport button, nothing happens. I've done a little research (a little knowledge can be dangerous) and it could have been coded/mapped out. Is there any way to check this (apart from the obvious hold it at 25% throttle in third and press the button to see if it livens up)? Or is there any way to check if the button is working? I now have a C310+ and have looked into thr odes but nothing seems to be blazingly obvious that the sport button has failed (although this could be my limited knowledge of which codes would show this).

One thing I have noticed now I'm able to give it the beans is that the brakes are needing some attention/upgrades. Back in the day when I had my Cooper S EBC Yellow Stuff pads were the pads of choice but that was a loooong time ago. What are folks using now for a decent road pad that isn't going to send me out of a T junction before they've warmws up.

Not sure you can 'code' the sport button, but maybe it's had a remap? I believe they can do it through that?

 

[Andrew J]

Not sure you can 'code' the sport button, but maybe it's had a remap? I believe they can do it through that?

It does have a K&N panel filter so potentially someone was looking for some performance. Is it possible to check the map with a C310? I'm guessing I'd need something a little more powerful to look at the tables in the ECU?

 

[enuff_zed]

Not sure you can 'code' the sport button, but maybe it's had a remap? I believe they can do it through that?

It does have a K&N panel filter so potentially someone was looking for some performance. Is it possible to check the map with a C310? I'm guessing I'd need something a little more powerful to look at the tables in the ECU?
[/quote]
I doubt it? I'd think you would need a remapp-ist to tell you.

 

[Andrew J]

I doubt it? I'd think you would need a remapp-ist to tell you.

Ah, I don't know any friendly remappers. Might have to park this investigation for now.

One thing that is slightly annoying is that it seems the steering wheel, or at least the airbag, has been off the car in the past as the bottom spoke of the steering wheel is loose. I didn't want to press it in the hope it just clicks back together but I've tried looking for steering wheel disassembly videos on YouTube and not found one where they show how the bottom spoke comes off (they all gloss over this part). I'll try and post a video tomorrow but if you know of a video that shows this then it would be good to try and get that back together. I don't really want to take the airbag off if I can help it.

 

[enuff_zed]

I doubt it? I'd think you would need a remapp-ist to tell you.

Ah, I don't know any friendly remappers. Might have to park this investigation for now.

One thing that is slightly annoying is that it seems the steering wheel, or at least the airbag, has been off the car in the past as the bottom spoke of the steering wheel is loose. I didn't want to press it in the hope it just clicks back together but I've tried looking for steering wheel disassembly videos on YouTube and not found one where they show how the bottom spoke comes off (they all gloss over this part). I'll try and post a video tomorrow but if you know of a video that shows this then it would be good to try and get that back together. I don't really want to take the airbag off if I can help it.

Torx screws on the rear, but they screw into plastic on the front section which easily snap.
So try squeezing front and rear together while tweaking the screws, but you may find the damage is done.
If it's a standard wheel I can maybe help.

 

[Andrew J]

I doubt it? I'd think you would need a remapp-ist to tell you.

Ah, I don't know any friendly remappers. Might have to park this investigation for now.

One thing that is slightly annoying is that it seems the steering wheel, or at least the airbag, has been off the car in the past as the bottom spoke of the steering wheel is loose. I didn't want to press it in the hope it just clicks back together but I've tried looking for steering wheel disassembly videos on YouTube and not found one where they show how the bottom spoke comes off (they all gloss over this part). I'll try and post a video tomorrow but if you know of a video that shows this then it would be good to try and get that back together. I don't really want to take the airbag off if I can help it.

Torx screws on the rear, but they screw into plastic on the front section which easily snap.
So try squeezing front and rear together while tweaking the screws, but you may find the damage is done.
If it's a standard wheel I can maybe help.

I don't think there any torx screws in the back as the holes feel clear. I fear you might be right about them snapping. I'll try and get a video tomorrow and post it here. Do the pieces just click together? They don't slide into a groove at all?

 

[enuff_zed]

Click together but the lug that the screw goes into pushes through a hole in the spoke. So if they are broken it may not locate securely

 

[Andrew J]

Click together but the lug that the screw goes into pushes through a hole in the spoke. So if they are broken it may not locate securely

You guessed it Enuff_zed...
snapped front unit threads. Itdoesn't affect anything but I sometimes catch my fingers on the edges.

Can these pieces be taken off with the airbag in place?

 

[enuff_zed]

Can these pieces be taken off with the airbag in place?

Possibly, but not easily as they fit under the edge of the airbag. Twisting to get them out may cause more damage.

The trick to remove them is to undo the screws and pop the rear part off using a trim tool to separate it from the front part.
Don't try to prise the front off as that is what snaps the lugs. Use a parallel punch or something similar, same width as the plastic lug, and tap the lug back through the hole.

 

[Andrew J]

Can these pieces be taken off with the airbag in place?

Don't try to prise the front off as that is what snaps the lugs.

It looks like this has already been done (you can just see the lighter plastic on the photo where the lug should sit). Might be on the hunt for some steering wheel spokes.

Car threw a little wobbler today. When accelerating the car just sort of cut out/bogged down. There was no codes or flashing lights today. Yesterday it did it twice and one of the times the traction control light flashed. When I got back after driving I thought there was a ticking/clicking from the engine bay but I didn't hear it this morning. In the last tank I was using 99 Ron fuel but had to put 95 Ron in at the weekend. Surely the change in octane rating wouldn't mean it would bog down or cut timing? I thought the ecu would just adjust the map accordingly? Either way I'll see if it does it again on way home.

 

[enuff_zed]

Can these pieces be taken off with the airbag in place?

Don't try to prise the front off as that is what snaps the lugs.

It looks like this has already been done (you can just see the lighter plastic on the photo where the lug should sit). Might be on the hunt for some steering wheel spokes.

Car threw a little wobbler today. When accelerating the car just sort of cut out/bogged down. There was no codes or flashing lights today. Yesterday it did it twice and one of the times the traction control light flashed. When I got back after driving I thought there was a ticking/clicking from the engine bay but I didn't hear it this morning. In the last tank I was using 99 Ron fuel but had to put 95 Ron in at the weekend. Surely the change in octane rating wouldn't mean it would bog down or cut timing? I thought the ecu would just adjust the map accordingly? Either way I'll see if it does it again on way home.

If you do need a set of spokes I may be able to help. I have a complete steering wheel but it's not the best so I could see if the spokes will come off cleanly.
Regarding the car bogging down and getting a traction light, it could be a sensor thinking a wheel is slipping and cutting in the traction control which in turn cuts the engine output.
One of the ABS sensors on the wheels; one of the rear reluctor rings starting to corrode or with crud in it: bald tyre so it is actually slipping; yaw sensor; broken spring; knackered shock absorber; broken rear ARB drop link...............
That should keep you busy for a while.
Did you do a full system scan? I've now had two cars where the DME has had a 'RAM Error' code and caused similar symptoms. Fitted a new DME and did the EWS delete on it and all good.

 

[Andrew J]

If you do need a set of spokes I may be able to help. I have a complete steering wheel but it's not the best so I could see if the spokes will come off cleanly.
Regarding the car bogging down and getting a traction light, it could be a sensor thinking a wheel is slipping and cutting in the traction control which in turn cuts the engine output.
One of the ABS sensors on the wheels; one of the rear reluctor rings starting to corrode or with crud in it: bald tyre so it is actually slipping; yaw sensor; broken spring; knackered shock absorber; broken rear ARB drop link...............
That should keep you busy for a while.
Did you do a full system scan? I've now had two cars where the DME has had a 'RAM Error' code and caused similar symptoms. Fitted a new DME and did the EWS delete on it and all good.

That would be brilliant for the spokes. I'll see if I can pop out the fastenings and maybe try some plastic weld stuff or some araldite to see if they hold in the front of the spoke and let you know how I get on.

Thanks for the recommendations, I'll run through them next time I'm looking around the car. I think Ican rule out the tyres as they are pretty new with plenty of tread and a couple of times I've been driving normally so not hooning and slipping a wheel. Reluctor rings does make sense as it feels very similar to when the reluctor rings went on my 320d. It did flash the TC light after going over bumps so I'll see what they look like.

I've got a C310+ and checked all the modules if that's the same as a full system scan? No codes came up but I will check again next time I use the car and see if anything new has come up.

 

[Andrew J]

I did another scan of the car and only error codes I could find was 27C3 oil level sensor (oil level is fine on dipstick) and the two windows codes (OB & OE I think?) Regarding the window position, my drivers window doesn't rise back up when putting the roof down so I think they need a reset of sorts. I've tried the 10 second hold but that hasn't worked.

I've noticed the tc light comes on when accelerating hard so I did a full 2nd gear pull (in a safe manner of course) and the light came on flashing again. It was a warm dry day and the pull was done in a straight line on a smooth bit of road so this definitely rules out tyres (good tread and continental so good tyres too). I don't know whether this rules out reluctor rings or yaw sensor (I guess this is only if the yaw sensor meaaures just side to side?). I haven't checked the springs yet or the ARB links but the car feels good in corners but I will check when I get the chance to rule them out.

 

[Andrew J]

Been looking around for solutions to my no sport mode and came across the sport button mod threads so I took off my gear lever boot but just factory wiring so no easy win there. I did read if you can't connect to the EPS on a code reader then it coukd mean that sport button won't engage but I have no abs light nor eml light and my c310+ connects to it and reads no codes so it can't be that. So I'm still scrabbling around trying to work out the cause. It seems I'm slowing narrowing it down to a remap which wouldn't be the worst news in the world but I would like to know. Is anyone aware of any other reason why the sport mode woukd be stuck on even with the light off (this is me assuming sport mode is stuck on because the steering is fairly heavy and I barely have to touch the throttle and jumps off like a scolded rat!).

On a positive note, when I had the gator off I found this:



Then another two:



The carpets need a clean I know but £3 and a lipsil! Be assured I won't use the lipsil but a £3 discount isn't to be sniffed at.

 

[Pondrew]

When I stripped the interior of my Z3, I found £17.86, a biro and two receipts from 2003. No lip balm, though, unfortunately (and the biro didn't work). :wink:

 

[Andrew J]

£17.68 is a good haul! I best get looking behind the seats and under the boot carpet. Only £14.68 to go to try and beat the record! .

I thinknid rather have a non working biro than the lip balm to be honest!

 

[Andrew J]

So done a few more miles in the car now. It's 108k now, so 2000 miles since I bought it isn't too shabby. Car has been good over the last few months aswell. I managed to fix my windows not rising after putting the roof down by resetting the window switch. Thanks again to rhe forum for that, there was an easy procedure written down.

When looking through the modules on my code reader, I'm getting the following codes:



I thought the reset of the windows would have cleared it but it didn't. I've done a bit of research and a lot of people aren pointing to the battery. The car did run out of juice when I left my lights on at work all day but that was months ago and the car starts fine every time since so I'm not sure it's battery related. Any ideas folks?

 

[Andrew J]

If you do need a set of spokes I may be able to help. I have a complete steering wheel but it's not the best so I could see if the spokes will come off cleanly.

Do you still have the steering wheel spokes Martin?
I tried glueing the lugs back on but some are missing and the glue hasn't really worked. I'm starting to think new spokes is the way forward.