West Berkshire Newbie

[Thrustyjust]

Last couple of nights have been involving paint correction , as seems to be many years of marking and on the bootlid , thousands on fine scratches going across the paint , which I believe has been a cover for the car and usually scuffing from wind getting under it and moving it. Since the car is quite a size , I have been working a panel at a time, cleaning, claying , refining and then cleaning again before ceramic coating. So far I have managed the boot lid, O/S rear wing , door, front wing , sill and roof. It is work in progress and the list grows. I have a touch up paint coming , so thats my reason for leaving the bonnet undone for now , so I can fix the chips first !!
With regards to the jack plug lead under the drivers seat, I plugged in an ipod and stuck the sound system into aux and nothing came out, so thats scuppered the thought of it being sound related or could be broken somewhere.
My rear pads have now arrived and also paint. Waiting on disposable brushes . Seen the brake fluid has been filled to the brim :roll: , so will have to syringe some out before pushing the pistons back in the calipers.
On another note, seems my coolant is on the low level. The previous owner had recently fitted a new water pump and thermostats , so hopefully it just needs a little bit to fill. Can I just use the Comma G48 coolant , which is blue glycol based stuff but BMW spec ?
Ordered some new wiper blades from Eurocarparts. Bosch set with a wing thing on the driver side, delivered for less than a tenner
I am going to carry on the n/s of the car with paint refining before I tackle the brakes . So, seems I have more than enough projects to keep me out of trouble and watching dire TV with the missus every night so far !
Also looking to visit Elite wheels on Saturday, in Reading ( not confirmed with the latest wife, she just ignored my asking on what we had planned for Saturday ) so as to see what wheels we can get for the car

 

[Thrustyjust]

 

[Thrustyjust]

 

[Thrustyjust]

So, a bit of progress the last few days of new wiper blades and also changed the rear number plate bulbs for new ones I had left in a bulb pot. seems if I need LED versions, they need to be canbus compatible , so for now I put in super bright filament bulbs .
Went to Elite Wheels and Tyres in Reading this morning and to join the CSL replica possee have agreed on some Riva versions . They will be ceramic coated for me , so saves me buying a kit, new BMW style centre caps and M badges fitted too. Need to pay the deposit for them and maybe get them fitted next Saturday morning
Played around with tyre pressures on non - runflats , so started on a baseline of the run flat pressures in the door sticker . This didnt wrk well and became very crashy, so just dropped 3 psi all round to try that.
Topped the coolant level up as being a bit low. Potentially from recent change of the water pump before I bought the car. Didnt need more than about 250 ml.
Managed to clay and clean and then refine the near side this afternoon before the rain came in. So just need to panel wipe and Gtechiq ceramic that side. Then just have the bonnet and bumpers to do.
Also have a panic on as want to paint the calipers and disc bells before getting the wheels done next Saturday, which also involves fitting the new rear pads. No pressure ..........
On another note, have seen cars with small front spoilers on the front valance which covers it to protect the edge from stones etc and seems a wise idea. Anyone tell me where I can get these from ?

 

[Thrustyjust]

Update on the car. Bearing in mind , I have owned it 8 days
I have replaced the rear pads and painted the brakes silver and the bells too. Looks better than rustic patina. Glad I got it done, as the missus says she has a day off on Thursday and is going to get the wheels swopped over then 8) . I have to adjust the hand brake on the drivers side as not really working, which will do tonight.
Lucky I took the front wheels off at the o/s headlight hatch in the wheel arch had come unclipped and ground a chunk including the screw clip away :? I drilled and screwed a piece of alloy plate to it, to hold in place , while I get a replacement, which seem pretty cheap for a moulded part. The n/s driving light cover plate wasnt fitted properly either , which is good now.
Found the reason for the wobbly driving light on the O/S and was the front screw fallen out the bumber. One new screw and all good again.
Managed to machine the bonnet . Took a day and isnt perfect , but its at a level I am happy with , with no swirls , but a couple of deep scratches, right in the middle, where I need 6 ft arms to machine easier In the end, I panel wiped the near side, as machined that at the weekend and ceramic coated that and the bonnet. Its curing in the garage and is weird stuff as is still a bit sticky 12 hrs later.
Managed to check the oil at the weekend and came up good , but couldnt get the tyre reset to work as have been playing with tyre pressures with non runflats. The rears seem to be wearing in the centre, so have dropped the pressure a tad , but wanted to reset it but nothing seems to come up on the dash.

 

[Mr Tidy]

Well you've certainly been busy - sounds like you're getting addicted already! :lol:

The TPMS needs to be reset manually. Start the engine, and before you move off keep the button on the console pressed until the amber symbol on the dash illuminates - it will then reset itself as you drive.

You just need to do it each time you change the pressures so it has a new "starting point" to work from.

Looking forward to seeing the new wheels by the way.

 

[Thrustyjust]

Well you've certainly been busy - sounds like you're getting addicted already! :lol:

Looking forward to seeing the new wheels by the way.

Sadly I needed a project . From building and registering my Westfield and then selling it , to move on to something we looked at getting over 5 years ago, then the Westfield build went ahead , I ticked that box and the Z4C raised its long bonnet at us again. I had decided on CSL's over 5 years ago too . So, although it may seem things are full steam ahead, its been a long time in the research and thinking !
I did hold the rest TPMS down for about 5 seconds or so, before we went out in the car and it didnt light up. Do I need to hold it longer than that ? Latest wife had a similar system in her Mini and that worked fine. This is being a bit reluctant to play ball.
Tonight I also ordered the replacement headlight hatch for the drivers side wheel arch, so should be here in a few days . Another job ticked.
Weirdly, from lying on my back and looking at the rear silencer, it has paper BMW labels on it. I am sure they wouldnt last 12 years on a silencer, so thinking it maybe a replacement ? The downpipes are definitely original , as they have an aged look and not flats on the nuts as old :lol:

 

[Mr Tidy]

I think the Z4 had one of the first generation BMW TPMS, so it's a bit clunky. I think you keep it pressed until the amber light comes on, but if I remember right it takes longer than 5 seconds. It's much quicker on my E90.

I wouldn't be surprised if your exhaust is the original - BMW fitted stainless ones, but the bolts obviously aren't stainless and often seem to rot away - a bit like the rear brake pipes! :headbang:

 

[Thrustyjust]

Wibble..................................... :wub:


Wife took the Zed into Elite Wheels and Tyres in Reading as arranged for the new wheels. They did an awesome job fitting them and they took a lot longer than the wife was expecting as they couldnt take their eyes off the car in the workshop. They had a Ferrari in afterwards and yet , this took there motoring geek eye more than the Fezza :lol:
Really fussy people who took care and pride in the job and no tyre gunk all over the tyres . Awesome and loving the rims

 

[Vijay]

Welcome from another 3si owner.
You've done a great job on the bodywork; fancy doing mine?

 

[Mr Tidy]

I'm really happy with the 295s I bought last year, but every time I see a Coupe on CSLs I get all tempted! :lol:

Yours looks particularly good too, which isn't helping!

 

[Thrustyjust]

Welcome from another 3si owner.
You've done a great job on the bodywork; fancy doing mine?

Hi Vijay , thanks and wish I had time to finish this one first :lol:

 

[Thrustyjust]

I'm really happy with the 295s I bought last year, but every time I see a Coupe on CSLs I get all tempted! :lol:

Yours looks particularly good too, which isn't helping!

Sorry mate, I'll guess I'll just keep posting piccies to convert you oke:
Work continues tonight and resprayed the wheel bolts all black and look good. M badges fell off as well, so they are now glued in with polyurethane adhesive . Knackered now, so no more bodywork tonight. Did go for a wee blat to do my bit for global warming. Tested the a/c and seems mediocre, so since I am in the trade, have refrigerant and will sort that at the weekend

 

[Mr Tidy]

Sorry mate, I'll guess I'll just keep posting piccies to convert you

That's OK, I picked up a set of square 8J x 18 CSL Reps with non RFTs last year, so I might just give them a "trial fit" - you know, just in case! :lol:

 

[Thrustyjust]

Busy afternoon yesterday. Checked the a/c charged and stuck a glimmer of refrigerant in there and works a lot better now with a 4.5 deg out the grilles , which will annoy the latest wife who finds the whole a/c thing too cold in any car . Mainly because she sticks it on a stupid cold setting and then switches it off :roll:
Also managed to refine the rear bumper, panel above pax door and pax wing mirror, then ceramic'd it . Left overnight and a spray of Gtechniq C2V3 this morning and the paint is finished.
Also checked the first aid kit, which was novel and removed all the till receipts from under the seat from its past owners history
Just need to sort the front valance now and seeing loads of places in the states with versions, which seem unavailable , as if they arent making any more. So, will have to widen my search a bit more. Will try and get a decent photo of the car later and stick it up. Preferably not in the drive or garage !

 

[Thrustyjust]

Well after all the work, I needed a drive out today, so since mini TJ is 'supposedly' studying for his GCSE's , took a mate to Gurston Down for the National High Climb Championships today. Nice run and looked very smart. Starting to make more than usual fuel stops too , than the Westie I had :roll: But the car is great. The radio is rubbish , so need to sort some tunes out.

Oh and 2 weeks I have owned it now :lol:

 

[paddy wright]

Welcome along!

 

[Thrustyjust]

Thanks for the welcome Paddy
Today, I took the rear nearside wheel off to fiddle with the handbrake. I had tried to stop the squeak on the off side and after cleaning the drum and pads , I now have the same matching squeak on the near side :lol: For crying out loud :x . I decided to adjust after I did the off side the other day as squeaking and after nearly rolling into the front of a car yesterday, realised how crap the handbrake is :?
So, while it was off, I decided to remove the off side wheel too, so I could paint the rear swing arm with POR 15 paint. The amount of people I have told not to get on your hands, I thought its only a swing arm, it will be fine. I know have some very painted hands
Its good stuff though and a change from a brown to gloss black arm looks great.
I also cleaned the car today, so to remove all the cutting powder from shuts and crannies . Also as parked in a farmers field yesterday at the hill climb event , gained a brown hue over the car. In a way I was wishing it rained on the way home yesterday.
Cleaning now with Bilt Hamber snowfoam has meant after all the work in the last 2 weeks, the foam and water just runs off. Should have taken a piccie of it. So, I had to obviously dry the brakes off. My calculation of 20 miles may have been excessive :? But I did also stop for a photo opportunity as well.

Happy days

 

[Thrustyjust]

Also forgot to mention I got the tyre pressure reset done. It sussed it before I left my drive in about 3 revolutions :? Happy with 35 psi rear and 32 psi front at the moment on non- run flats.

 

[Thrustyjust]

Tonights tinkering involved fitting the drivers side headlight hatch cover in the wheel arch, which appeared in the post today. So, I thought I would check to see what lighting I have in the headlights. Seems I have just normal halogen bulbs. They were Phillips blue coloured ones, with filaments looking a bit tired. Unbelievably I had a brand new set of Phillips bulbs in my cupboard of everything , which were the 60% extra brightness in white. So, I decided to fit them. Even jacking the car up and fumbling under the arch to get the rear headlight cover off was a faff. Wouldnt want to do that on the side of the road. So, new bulbs and new cover fitted and all is getting better with the car.