M44 Z3 - On The Road to Repair!

[Rob56]

Hi Guys

A while back I came on here to seek advice on my Dads Z3M Roadster – He eventually sold it on... So I decided I needed my own Z3 fix...
£700 later I’m the owner of a decidedly ropey Z3 1.9 Roadster – She’s got the M44 Engine on about 112k and needs to be brought back from the brink as she’s just been sitting for 2 years looking sorry for herself.

She starts but the exhaust has a horrendous rattle which I’m assuming is the cat spewing its guts out – It’ll be in for an MOT to check the emissions but I’m not sure what to do about it as it looks like the cat is part of the front pipe not a separate section. Assuming it passes the MOT could I cut the cat out and replace it with a straight through pipe without too many issues, from my research I’ve garnered there is a lambda sensor pre cat and another oxygen sensor post cat – What is the second sensor for?
If I decat the car is it going to put her into some kind of limp mode or start dumping fuel in and killing me for economy?
I was also wondering while I’m at it if its also worth replacing the lambda – I read after 100k miles they’re so coked up they don’t really read and can damage performance.

I’ve also ordered some service parts, the oil filter kit looks slightly more involved than the spin ons I’m used to, but I read a couple of Mike Fishwicks guides and I’m confident enough to give it a go, I’m planning on going 5w40 Fully Synthetic but any recommendations on brand would be appreciated.

Other bits and pieces on the list are replacing the brake fluid, fitting a battery killswitch for when the car is left in the week so I don’t kill it and draining and refilling the coolant.

Anyone think of anything else that might need attention as its been sitting a while and I want to make sure she lasts another 100k?

[lightning]

What's the bodywork like on it?

[Del]

As far as I am aware (I have a 1.9 M44) this engine was not OBD II complaint and so just had a single, pre-cat lambda sensor which is there to help control the combustion mix with the MAF sensor. My 1998 car (when it had its OE exhaust) had no post cat lambda sensor. The cat is part of a front exhaust section that joins to a downpipe from the exhaust manifold - it can all be seen clearly from under the car. The cat section (including a cat) can be bought from Euro Car Parts or GSF and is not overly expensive. If you remove the cat completely on the M44 you are likely to fail the MOT emissions test - in particular the CO test.

Later cars, which were OBD II complaint, also had a second post cat lambda sensor and my understanding is that this is primarily designed to give feedback about the efficiency of the cat.

Fully synthetic 5W/40 engine oil is fine - these engines are not fussy about the brand used - they just enjoy good, clean oil to clean up the engine internals which avoids things like the hydraulic valve lifters sticking - which can be diagnosed by a pronounced "ticking".

To remove the M44 oil filter cap you require a one of these :- http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/74mm-Aluminum ... 4638694fb6

I would guess the car just needs a good, overall service with a brake inspection/clean-up.

[Rob56]

Surprising the bodywork isn't too bad at all - It seems to have even had a new roof in the past couple of years from what I could tell.
Plenty of scratches to the door and chips to the edge from what I'm assuming is supermarket car park crunches, but apart from that.

Collecting it on Thursday and then straight to the MOT station to see what will need sorting out so I'll be able to post some pics then.
Hopefully the £££ damage isn't too bad and then I can get on with giving the car a proper service and enjoying some of the nice weather.

Thanks for the oil cap tip Del - Most appreciated as I'd have ended up messing around with an adjustable otherwise!
I'll look into the exhaust when it's up on the ramp, I'm assuming if they cat is disintegrating that the rear section could well be ropey as well - Hopefully I can get the Eurocarparts Cat section you mention - Although they list 3 that look identical so I'm guessing the cheapest :S



Then pick up a second hand stainless cat back from somewhere - I think it might be optimistic to hope I can find a supersprint as I hear they're one of the better ones to have on the M44.

[Del]

From memory, the more expensive cats are "type approved" (more expensive internals) which don't need to be fitted to pre-2001 cars (EU regulations). The oil filter tool I showed was the cheapest from China, I think I bought mine from a UK source which cost around £7.

[Rob56]

Thanks for the advice guys, especially Del, managed to get the car fully serviced, oil and air filters, spark plugs, new front calipers (the rubber boots were totally shot on the current brakes) and started drying the car out (drivers side footwell was soaked).
Turns out the cat wasn't what was rattling but the baffles in the backbox by the look of it, somehow is squeezed through the MOT though but now on the lookout for a cat back system.
Also free'd off my up/down electric seat as it was wedged at the top along with a little clean.
Now on list of things to do are fix the bushes in the seat - Understand this is an "Aceman" job, as they slide all over the shop under heavy braking, a good exterior clean, and replace the drivers side doorcard - I may have accidentally in a moment of stupidity ripped the door pull off.... So that now needs replacement!

Having great fun though so far and mechanically she seems great - Although they temp guage only seems to creep to a quarter so she runs very cool, might have to consider a thermostat replacement too as a matter or prevention but not sure if that's overkill :S

[Del]

Sounds like the thermostat - very common issue - it was one of my first jobs. The gauge should get to 12 0-clock quite quickly and then stick there like glue regardless of the outside temperature or whether you are blasting along the motorway or stuck in traffic. If you are running too cool, the coolant sensor will be telling the ECU, MAF and lambda sensor to run a bit richer - falsely believing the car to be on the initial warm-up cycle.

[Rob56]

I saw eurocarparts do them for £25,looks like a fairly involved job though with the system to bleed etc, not sure it's something I'd want to take on with a couple of axle stands and a socket set?
I'm really annoyed there isn't a Haynes manual around as that's usually my bible when I get a new car.
Maybe thermostat/rear section of exhaust will be my next DIY project if I can find an online guide

[bertiejaffa]

to be honest I have the bentley manual which is highly rated, but I have used it 2, maybe 3 times.... for everything I have ever needed it is either in the knowledge base here, in a thread here, in advise here or on you tube in that order.... Bentley comes out 5th

[MarkAP68]

I changed my thermostat last week, it was fairly straight forward after removing the two plastic parts covering the fan...You can just about get the thermostat out/in with the fan still in place.

I use the Pelican parts website for instructions as it's been mentioned by other users on here.

[pingu]

to be honest I have the bentley manual which is highly rated, but I have used it 2, maybe 3 times.... for everything I have ever needed it is either in the knowledge base here, in a thread here, in advise here or on you tube in that order.... Bentley comes out 5th

I'd put Bentley further back than that.

I'd put it after TIS and the US Chilton manual. The only one that is not as good is the US Haynes manual as the Z3 is added as a supplement to the E36 3 series.

The best (by far) is the BMW TIS. It shows the PROPER way to do things, but it only shows how to replace things, not how to repair them. BMW technicians don't repair things, they just replace.

[bertiejaffa]

It shows the PROPER way to do things, but it only shows how to replace things, not how to repair them. BMW technicians don't repair things, they just replace.

and that is why this site is so brilliant... (apart from the occasional deviation from topic - GOOKAH! lol) this site is full of people who have many different ways of fettling whats there already and people who are willing to spend hours helping each other, even when they aren't in the same hemisphere...!!

Now... back on track - how can we help this thread

[gookah]

I bought the Bentley manual, waste of money, it was for a totally different car with a 6 litre engine...

[BladeRunner919]

I bought the Bentley manual, waste of money, it was for a totally different car with a 6 litre engine...

[pingu]

Now... back on track - how can we help this thread

followed by...

I bought the Bentley manual, waste of money, it was for a totally different car with a 6 litre engine...

followed by...

[gookah]

[Rob56]

Well I've got more to worry about now than a possibly dodgy thermostat, 1 day parked up outside my flat in Brixton and someone has decided to use the rear bumper as a parking guide, big gash in the paint right where the rear wing meets the bumper and a flat passenger side rear tyre
Tyre fitter couldn't see much obvious damage and though the tyre bead was damaged with whatever hit her
So tyre refitted for a fiver and seems to be holding air.
But now I have new seat bushes/new beige driver door card/new cat back exhaust/new blue rear bumper (will any fit or are the 2.8s wider?) on my to do list :s
She's starting to cost me already, that said I had the top down in a bit of sun for an hour today and I was 200% happier than when I found the damage this morning!

[Vince70]

If it's only the rear bumper that's damaged you should be able to pick a new one up on eBay for £50 (for some reason the fronts seem to fetch about £150) and if your lucky or wait one might pop up in the colour your after.. I would of thought through that a narrow arch bumper would be needed.
But to give you an idea of prices here's a bumper for £9.99 buy it now with a delivery option http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.vi ... 1475996873

Also when you serviced you car did you reset the service lights as its very easy and all that is needed is to put a wire in port 7 and earth it for 10 seconds and the computer resets.

Also the exhaust back box is very cheap to buy for your car.. http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.vi ... 1545926468 I've just bought one myself and I don't know how it's so cheap but the quality is quite good and it even comes with a new chrome tip.

So hopefully about £80 to £90 should see your car ship shape again.

[spurs fan in a coupe]

What colour is your Zed?

I've a few rear bumpers around.

[Rob56]

Thanks Vince, I had a look around on ebay, looks like it might be a case of waiting out the correct colour, but even then chances of one that is in good condition are pretty slim, that said most things would probably be better than mine now - See below for the damage - Still can't believe I had the car one day and this happened :/



I'll have a look at that ebay exhaust as well, that's ridiculously cheap though, did it fit ok or was the quality lost compared to the genuine BMW article.
For a laugh while I was at the tyre fitters (getting the rear put back on the rim after whoever hit the car pushed the bead off) I asked for a quote on an exhaust replacement - £599 - I just laughed and walked off!

Spurs Fan In A Coupe - Car is the annoyingly discontinued Montreal Blue

This is a quick snap I took in a car park the other day - Despite the damage and all the drama she seems to bring I'm loving the car more and more every day.



I'd not wish any misfortune on another Z owner (especially after my little bump) but I just need the right montreal/beige colour combo 1.9 to turn up at a breakers so I can get the little odds and ends needed to get her back to 100%