I eventually bought a carwith a few faults.

UK forum for general and technical discussion about the Z4 roadster and Z4 Coupe
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G-A-R-Y
Joined: Sat 04 Dec, 2010 09:16
Posts: 14

  Z4 roadster 2.5i
Location: Bristol

I eventually bought a carwith a few faults.

Post by G-A-R-Y »

I've been looking and asking for ages but eventually found a car on Facebook that had been advertised months ago with no response. One previous with 80k, dimming mirror, climate and stainless trim, that's it. The car had an annoying high pitched noise under light throttle, I've traced it to a rubber air intake hose which is perished and split, a temporary repair has solved it.
I also have an oil leak at the very front of the engine but haven't had time to look. Any ideas?

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Del
Joined: Sat 19 Nov, 2011 18:35
Posts: 2136

  Z3 roadster 1.9

Re: I eventually bought a carwith a few faults.

Post by Del »

Hi & welcome - looks a nice clean specimen. What engine does it have?
G-A-R-Y
Joined: Sat 04 Dec, 2010 09:16
Posts: 14

  Z4 roadster 2.5i
Location: Bristol

Re: I eventually bought a carwith a few faults.

Post by G-A-R-Y »

2.5, do you know the most likely cause of the oil leak, it's dripping near the front pulley.
Del
Joined: Sat 19 Nov, 2011 18:35
Posts: 2136

  Z3 roadster 1.9

Re: I eventually bought a carwith a few faults.

Post by Del »

That'll be the M54 engine?
Leaks from the timing chain covers said to be not that common. Leaks from the joint/gasket between the oil filter housing and engine are relatively common with the oil spread working it was down and towards the lower front. All you can do is clean it down and observe where it's coming from. I would wager that if you speak to your local BMW parts department (Dick Lovett) they will confirm that they sell quite a lot of oil filter housing gasket kits for this era of BMW engines. :)
G-A-R-Y
Joined: Sat 04 Dec, 2010 09:16
Posts: 14

  Z4 roadster 2.5i
Location: Bristol

Re: I eventually bought a carwith a few faults.

Post by G-A-R-Y »

I booked the car in with an indy in Bristol for oil leaks and polly belts. Also I noticed that when I checked the wheel nut tightness that the front wheels rock back and forth a bit.
The indy said the bushes are hydraulic and do have movement but will check them?

Are they easy to change, I think it's the rear wishbone bush but can't find it on Eurocarparts.
Del
Joined: Sat 19 Nov, 2011 18:35
Posts: 2136

  Z3 roadster 1.9

Re: I eventually bought a carwith a few faults.

Post by Del »

See attached video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ENJQpe50WBg

Another video based on an E46 (which I assume is very similar) using a different method to get the old ones off

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ah8bQVICutI
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Southernboy
Joined: Thu 07 Oct, 2010 12:39
Posts: 6436

  Z3 roadster 3.0i
Location: Johannesburg

Re: I eventually bought a carwith a few faults.

Post by Southernboy »

Bollocks ! Hydraulic bushes ??? The wheel should not rock back and forth on the hub ! If it does, I would be looking at wheel bearings or the hub / steering arm mountings and RUBBER bushes.. The suspension bushes are all rubber. The shocks are hydraulic or gas. I might question your mechanic about his knowledge.
Can I suggest you have a look on realoem.com before you take the car to him. At least that way you can examine the exploded view of the suspension and hubs etc...
If you haven't logged onto realoem.com before, let me explain...
1. log on. www.realoem.com
2. at the top left where it says "Serial Number" enter the last 7 digits of your VIN number and hit "Enter"
3. Click on "Browse Parts"
4. Scroll down to the icon for "front or rear axle"... click on it
5. within that you will find a numbered diagram of the parts, and at the bottom of the page the listed part numbers relative to your car.


If you find any "hydraulic" bushes I would certainly like to to see them... :wink:
"Normal is overrated"
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BladeRunner919
Joined: Fri 17 Feb, 2012 20:18
Posts: 2225

  Z3 roadster 1.9

Re: I eventually bought a carwith a few faults.

Post by BladeRunner919 »

Southernboy wrote: I might question your mechanic about his knowledge.
Agree. Find another mechanic.
Del
Joined: Sat 19 Nov, 2011 18:35
Posts: 2136

  Z3 roadster 1.9

Re: I eventually bought a carwith a few faults.

Post by Del »

I thought the control arm bushes on the Z4/E46 was sometimes called "hydraulic" because the OE ones made by Lemforder had a bit of hydraulic fluid inside the rubber? :shrug These bushes are designed to dampen the small amount of naturally occurring vibration that occurs under braking. However, if there is significant movement by just rocking a wheel by hand, they are worth closer inspection. As the videos above suggest, this is a very common BMW issue - if you are in the Bristol area Clayton Cars in the south of the city is a well know BMW independent - changed the rear subframe bushes on my z3 very quickly and reasonably as they had all the professional gear and jigs etc.

http://www.bmwrepairsbristol.co.uk/
peter2b
Joined: Sat 01 Nov, 2014 18:47
Posts: 963

  Z3 roadster 2.2i
Location: cheshire

Re: I eventually bought a carwith a few faults.

Post by peter2b »

he's probably looking for a left hand screw driver or tarten paint
peter2b
weegeoff
Joined: Sat 01 Aug, 2009 19:15
Posts: 80

  Z4 roadster 2.0i
Location: Portavadie

Re: I eventually bought a carwith a few faults.

Post by weegeoff »

G-A-R-Y wrote:I've been looking and asking for ages but eventually found a car on Facebook that had been advertised months ago with no response. One previous with 80k, dimming mirror, climate and stainless trim, that's it. The car had an annoying high pitched noise under light throttle, I've traced it to a rubber air intake hose which is perished and split, a temporary repair has solved it.
I also have an oil leak at the very front of the engine but haven't had time to look. Any ideas?

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Part number is 11.66.8.626. 471. When you try to take the plate off. It is NOT alum keys. It is one of those funny star jobs
Sorry I have got the wrong end ignore. I was thinking of the back of the engine :dunce:
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