Today I did something to my car (volume 2)

colm_mcm wrote: »

Is it a data cable, or like a headphone jack?
Maybe you can get an extension?

Older mini USB type connections

wotzgoingon wrote: »

If it is a USB connection you can get extensions for that.

Failing that you may just have to go under the carpet in the shortest direction to centre console possible.

If I can work up the courage I'll try removing some of the passenger side lower trims to see if a more direct route might mean the cable is long enough. For the first time ever I'm worried about damaging trims and fasteners. Probably because I'm after a string of bangernomic cars where I wasn't even slightly worried about such things. Now I have something nice I want to try keep it that way

Was that expensive? Probably get a few bob back putting your old wheel on ebay or the likes?

colm_mcm wrote: »

I really lucked out on the price.

Smashing job. Aesthetic mega-bump. Looks like you reused the centerpiece? Mad that is the same; looks so different!

dodzy wrote: »

Smashing job. Aesthetic mega-bump. Looks like you reused the centerpiece? Mad that is the same; looks so different!

Just the airbag. Glossy black bit around it is part of the wheel, but looks to be the same.

So....nice day for a service and a coolant leak repair (BMW 520d -2012).
Shouldn't take too long (famous last words!)
The culprit is the black plastic connector in the pic below. 2 star bolts visible; a third buried north of the left bolt meant the intake manifold had to come out.



So, disconnected battery and a host of various connectors around the manifold and opened up necessary bolts to remove the entire unit (in red)



Reasonably easy to take off once all connectors are out of the way



Split the components to reveal 130K miles of Crud....





Continued below.....

dodzy wrote: »

So....nice day for a service and a coolant leak repair (BMW 520d -2012).
Shouldn't take too long (famous last words!)
The culprit is the black plastic connector in the pic below. 2 star bolts visible; a third buried north of the left bolt meant the intake manifold had to come out.



So, disconnected battery and a host of various connectors around the manifold and opened up necessary bolts to remove the entire unit (in red)



Reasonably easy to take off once all connectors are out of the way



Split the components to reveal 130K miles of Crud....





Continued below.....

What did you use to clean off the carbon? and did it take long to bring it up to a satisfying level of clean? Just asking as I'd nearly do this to my own car as I'd imagine it would run a bit smoother? Great job by the way

BlakeS94 wrote: »

What did you use to clean off the carbon? and did it take long to bring it up to a satisfying level of clean? Just asking as I'd nearly do this to my own car as I'd imagine it would run a bit smoother? Great job by the way

Wonski is on the money. Don’t go buying premium ‘Egr specific’ cleaners. I was there today and there must have been 6 or 7 options with big price variances. I got the cheapest ( and largest ) aerosol x 2. A generic “brake & parts cleaner”, 680ml each for 7 quid a pop. Very little Brush agitation needed. The myriad of chemicals deal magically with the gunk. I just placed the components in a regular basin and blasted them. Obviously it’s harmful if inhaled so outdoor use only. Whole job with service took me approx 3 hrs but most of that was me being cautious ensuring I’d everything disconnected and that I pinched nothing. Good thing here is that you actually only have 4 bolts to physically remove IIRC. The remainder are retained / non removable jobbies so it does make it much easier.

Only thing I would have done had bmw parts dept had one in stock was to replace the swirl flap carriage as it has 4 integrated gaskets that mate with the intake manifold on the block (circa €60). The ones on mine were letting slight passing but now I’m familiar with the job, I’d happily inspect & replace over the summer.
For what it’s worth, the car feels peppier; I don’t think I’m imagining it either. I suppose when you think about it logically, it can breath better now. It’s gotta help.

Treated myself yesterday to this little baby so great opportunity to test it out. It’s a beast for the price in my opinion. Very well put together.

https://www.dwtoolshop.com/ie/sealey-3040ar-trolley-jack-3tonne-rocket-lift-red?gclid=Cj0KCQiA-OeBBhDiARIsADyBcE4ars1qwmpfxjBS1k20uNjr0sGzRBr-KB1him24BUkwOU9C4-SVYp8aAiV8EALw_wcB

dodzy wrote: »

Wonski is on the money. Don’t go buying premium ‘Egr specific’ cleaners. I was there today and there must have been 6 or 7 options with big price variances. I got the cheapest ( and largest ) aerosol x 2. A generic “brake & parts cleaner”, 680ml each for 7 quid a pop. Very little Brush agitation needed. The myriad of chemicals deal magically with the gunk. I just placed the components in a regular basin and blasted them. Obviously it’s harmful if inhaled so outdoor use only. Whole job with service took me approx 3 hrs but most of that was me being cautious ensuring I’d everything disconnected and that I pinched nothing. Good thing here is that you actually only have 4 bolts to physically remove IIRC. The remainder are retained / non removable jobbies so it does make it much easier.

Only thing I would have done had bmw parts dept had one in stock was to replace the swirl flap carriage as it has 4 integrated gaskets that mate with the intake manifold on the block (circa €60). The ones on mine were letting slight passing but now I’m familiar with the job, I’d happily inspect & replace over the summer.
For what it’s worth, the car feels peppier; I don’t think I’m imagining it either. I suppose when you think about it logically, it can breath better now. It’s gotta help.

Treated myself yesterday to this little baby so great opportunity to test it out. It’s a beast for the price in my opinion. Very well put together.

https://www.dwtoolshop.com/ie/sealey-3040ar-trolley-jack-3tonne-rocket-lift-red?gclid=Cj0KCQiA-OeBBhDiARIsADyBcE4ars1qwmpfxjBS1k20uNjr0sGzRBr-KB1him24BUkwOU9C4-SVYp8aAiV8EALw_wcB

So a regular brake cleaner will do the job? I have plenty of that in the shed, good value for money that Jack. I have a cheap 2 tonne halfords trolley jack that makes me hesitate any time its lifting the car, capable for what I need it for, although I wouldn't trust it to support the engine for something like an engine mount replacement, but for the money that sealey one costs it should last you a very long time.

dodzy wrote: »

I used bardahl ‘brake and parts’ cleaner. Apologies, I did say 680 ml; they were 600ml tins. Worked a treat. Fast drying / no residue.

If brake cleaner works fine I dont see any reason why I should spend more on a product that doesnt clean any better, did you have to replace manifold gaskets or reuse?

Top Dog wrote: »

I'd be interested to see how you get on with it. I've a wireless charging cradle type fitted in mine and find it woeful in comparison to a direct connection.

Just to update, it charges 11% in 10 minutes, that’s while not streaming Bluetooth.

Righto... I normally drive a van on a daily basis. About a week ago it began to lose power, then threw up the eml and began to intermittently lose power. Which was infuriating to drive to say the least...


So, basics. Plug it in



Bit of looking up, seems to be a common problem. Started upstream, cleaned the heavily sooted sensor, fired in a can of dpf cleaner, changed the fuel filter (a bizarre method of shoving a bolt in the housings arse and walloping it off a vice thus would slip and fly all over the place)


Clear the codes, no different


So I asked our own cianryan for advice on the scenario and he pointed me to the pressure differential pipework.



Yesterday evening after work I went straight at it. 20 minutes later we find this:



Bare in mind, I'm in my house and not the garage, with no equipment. So had to improvise with what I had lying about. I found some alu pipework and had to cut it with a vice grips and pliers



Cut down to size and mill it down with the pliers



Lots of araldite and tape



Refit. Fill with diesel and clear the code the next day during a quick coffee with another code reader.



With the clean dpf and the now strengthened pipe, the van is absolutely flying. Full power (what little it has) and then some. Delighted with this fix


Shame on Renault for making such a crummy part that commonly breaks and is miserable to get at. Shower of arsebandits that designed that!

Thanks to Top Dog for the recommendation