Advice please on some possible work...

[ZedAintDead]

The wife and I are heading off on our first expedition in the Zed late next week, off to Ireland for a week for a family wedding and to spend a bit of time with our respective folks, can't wait!

Anyway, while I'm there I can use my dad's garage (and his skills) to get a few jobs done on the car which would be much easier than doing them on my driveway! He's rebuilt a 1971 VW Beetle completely so he's handy with a spanner so between us hopefully we should be able to get some work done.

My 2.2i manual Zed with DSC has just over 80k miles on her at the moment and here's what I'm thinking of doing:
- she needs a rocker cover gasket as there's a leak from the back so this is a must, I'll go with a BMW part for this and have seen others suggest the same

- might as well change the oil and filter (probably go for Mobil 1 from carparts4less), better to get the O-ring from BMW also?

- I don't think the gearbox oil has ever been changed so would like to do this, I've seen reference here to a sticker on the gearbox to identify which oil to use but haven't spotted one on mine, or I'm probably just not looking in the place... any help here as to where I need to position myself to see it? Also what else do I need to complete this job? (replacement plugs?) I'll get myself a syringe as suggested here http://www.zroadster.net/forum/viewtopi ... il#p171341, and maybe one for the car too!

- Again I don't think the diff oil has ever been changed I've read about the difference this can make to diff noise so that would be nice to do. Again would this be better sourced from BMW and do I need to get anything else to complete the job?

Any other jobs that you folks would recommend given the year and mileage? Ideally I'd like to do the suspension and lower her a little but that will have to wait a while!

I want to get the bits needed ordered in the next few days and have them delivered direct to my dad's as no doubt boot space will be severely limited by the wife's clothes and shoes!

Thanks in advance and apologies for all of the questions.

[BladeRunner919]

I'm fairly sure my oil filter came with the o-ring - I ordered oil and filter from GSF (either them or EuroCarParts).

The gearbox oil is the subject of much discussion - many people swear by Amsoil MT oil, others use automatic transmission fluid (which is the recommended oil for most, if not all of the manual gearboxes) - I'm sure you'll get plenty of opinions on that!

Diff oil - I bought mine from Halfords, just because I happened to be there.

Main tip on the gearbox and diff is to undo the filler plug before you undo the drain plug - if you drain the oil and then discover that the filler is seized in place, you are in real bother!!

Cooling system refresh is the thing that most people recommend (I assume that applies to the 2.2 engine) - particularly water pump.

I'd have a look at the suspension bushes to see how they are - the rear bushes on the front wishbones are a favourite problem.

[ZedAintDead]

Thanks Blade, some useful info there.

I forgot the water pump, read a few scary stories about those already so might have to include that on the list so cheers for that!

[BladeRunner919]

Thanks Blade, some useful info there.

I forgot the water pump, read a few scary stories about those already so might have to include that on the list so cheers for that!

I'm not 100% sure that the waterpump horror stories apply to the M54 engine that you have - I'm sure someone else will know.

[Robert T]

I'm not 100% sure that the waterpump horror stories apply to the M54 engine that you have - I'm sure someone else will know.

Depends which horror stories you mean - if you mean bearing failure resulting in the fan shattering itself against the fan shroud/radiator, then that would apply to any cars with a viscous coupled fan.

If you mean overheating due to failure of the plastic impeller on the waterpump, then it depends upon whether they were all plastic from the factory or not - I'm not sure on this point, but I think they might have been and that the metal ones are replacements.

Cheers R.

[ZedAintDead]

Thanks R, so maybe fan and pump replacement then, just to cover all the bases then.

[bowei001]

If you are changing the oil the large sealing O ring for the top of the filter housing will come with the filter but the 2 small sealing rings at the bottom of the filter holder will not. The part No is 11 42 1 744 001 and they usually have to be ordered in (at least they do at my dealers). Don't forget the sump plug sealing ring (07 11 9 963 151) or if you are not sure of the condition of the sump plug it is 11 13 1 273 093

[ZedAintDead]

Awesome, thank you!

[Brian4]

If you are doing the cam cover gasket you will need some sealant for the front and rear half moon sections and the vanos joint. I used the Loctite 5910 available from Halfords £5 for mine.

Her's a how to guide for the cam cover, there are 2 parts this is part 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B-TLgNCm ... Fw&index=2
part2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6MwYafETIA

Here's a maintenance schedule from Bavarian Autosport.
http://www.bavauto.com/Assets/inst_pages/e367mc.pdf

[Bonzo]

I replaced my gearbox oil using Fuchs Titan Sintofluid, as per original factory fill, with a syringe which leaked profusely from the hose/ barrel joint, even afer I tightened the jubilee clamp, so best of luck with that!

Bonzo.

[ZedAintDead]

This forum is the dog's, thanks everyone.

So what I think I'm looking at is:

From BMW
- rocker cover gasket
- small o-rings for base of oil filter
- sump plug
- sump plug o-ring
- 2 heater bulbs (forgot about that job too but I may get that done this weekend!)
- water pump (part number 11517527910), and I guess the o-ring too (part number 11511711484) - maybe the OE pump from carparts4less will do here
- is it the fan coupling that's recommended to be changed or just the fan itself?

From t'internet
- Engine oil, thinking of Shell Helix Ultra 5w40. I believe the Z3 takes about 6.5 litres?
- Gear oil, Fuchs titan sintofluid
- Diff oil, not too sure what to go for, I might actually buy this from BMW

Thanks again!

[Bonzo]

I bought Castrol Syntrax Limited Slip 75W-140 from Opie Oils (along with the Fuchs Sintofluid) as this is recommended for BMW Limited Slip diffs, it's the Castrol replacement for the recommended old SAF-XJ. I take it you have a lim. slip. diff ?

Bonzo.

[ZedAintDead]

Hi Bonzo,

I'm not sure if mine has a limited slip diff, I have a DSC button but not sure this helps. Is there a way for me to tell for sure?

Thanks.

[ZedAintDead]

Just spoke to BMW, apparently mine has a non-slip diff and the diff oil they recommend is Castrol SAF-XO, hopefully that's useful for someone else looking at doing the same job.

[BladeRunner919]

Just spoke to BMW, apparently mine has a non-slip diff and the diff oil they recommend is Castrol SAF-XO, hopefully that's useful for someone else looking at doing the same job.

Just for clarification, do you mean that you don't have a limited slip diff or that you do? I don't think SAF-XO is an LSD oil (SAF-XJ is).

BTW, you can check the original spec of your car here: http://www.bmwarchiv.de/vin/bmw-vin-decoder.html

[Robert T]

Pretty sure that DSC (Dynamic Stability Control) is compatible with an LSD (Limited Slip Diff) - it is fitted to the S54 ///M's. The earlier ASC (Automatic Stability Control) came in two flavours, and the ASC+T version (as fitted to the M44-engined 1.9) includes electronic traction control (the +T bit), which is not compatible with an LSD.

You still need to know whether or not you have an LSD for the oil, and as said the best way to find out is through the VIN - there are mistakes in this system though, so it is not a guarantee. The other test is to spin the rear wheels up from a standing start and count the rubber marks - two black lines = LSD fitted; one black line = no LSD. Of this is not the official BMW way of checking if a car is fitted with an LSD.

Cheers R.

[ZedAintDead]

BMW said I don't have a limited slip diff and the oil they stated matches up with Mike Fishwick's post here for a Z3 without LSD:
http://www.zroadster.net/forum/viewtopi ... il#p171341

The data sheet (quite cool by the way!) doesn't specify a "Sperredifferential 25%" in the standard options so this appears to back up what the chap said.

So, I guess Castrol SAF-XO is right! I'll need 2 X 1 litre bottles right?

[Bonzo]

Changed the diff oil yesterday, easy peasy when you remove spare wheel! My diff used 1.75 litres so I expect yours will be the same, but verify it yourself to be sure.
All the best,

Cheers,

Bonzo.

[ZedAintDead]

Cheers Bonzo, hopefuly it'll all go as smoothly as yours!

[Bonzo]

ZedAin'tDead, is it true, you have named your car Zelda, just like mIne?

[ZedAintDead]

Hey Bonzo,

Ha ha it would appear so, Zelda feels like the perfect name for her, I didn't know you'd chosen the same name! I read somewhere it means warrior princess!

We obviously have great taste!

[Bonzo]

There is no way I can think of my Z3lda as being anything else but feminine. Beautiful, and slightly raunchy. She lets me lower her top, and boy, after I have warmed her up, she really goes!

Do you think I need to get out more?

Well so do I!

Where are the car keys?

Bonzo.

[ZedAintDead]

Hey Bonzo,

A perfectly natural response I think, but then I would say that!

All my oil has been delivered now (engine oil is already in Ireland waiting for me) and I'm off to BMW later to pick up all the other bits.
Can't wait for the trip to Ireland now, even if the weather is going to be less than favourable.

Cheers!

[ZedAintDead]

Sitting on the ferry en route back to blighty now so figured I'd give an update on the trip.

The weather was surprisingly good, we even had the top down all the way from Dublin to Westport in Co. Mayo. Bliss!

The work on the car went really well, got a pretty good service done in the end:
-oil and filter change
-rocker cover gasket change
-spark plug change
-diff oil change (easier than I thought)
-gearbox oil change
-wheels removed and alloys cleaned as I was unsure of their condition on the inside. They were incredibly dirty and my autoglym alloy cleaner took a beating!
-hubs cleaned and painted

Really happy with the car on the journey so far, here's hoping the remaining 300 miles when we get to Holyhead are as smooth!

[Bonzo]

Good show mate!

Bonzo.