Today I did something to my car (volume 2)

Top Dog

vintagevrs wrote: »

Would love to know the story behind the reg. Did someone spend money to put a 325i reg on a 318?

I imagine they must have done. Irish car from new. It was a good bit cheaper to reserve numbers back then, though I imagine it annoyed some 325i owners :pac:

punisher5112

Only option is fit a 325 into her...... She be 1.8 lad on the buck

Alanstrainor

Alanstrainor wrote: »

Yep seems likely, although it did charge to 13.6v or so last night, which would suggest it's pretty good.

After having some time to think, I'm going to check the plug to the alternator. This is the plug for the ECU, not the positive terminal. Very fiddly to get off/on so I think it's likely that it's not on right. That could explain why the car runs fine but the light is on.

But sure, I really don't know at this stage! I'll buy a battery if things still aren't right after some more troubleshooting.

Thanks lads, much appreciated! Thank fook for having 0 need for a car at the minute!

Haven't really posted here in a long time but I feel your pain when it comes to alternators so felt I had too. I've a bit of a story. Mine died on Stephens night about 15 miles from home...in that weather. Rang for breakdown assist but 123 or RSA ballsed up their automated service so was slightly stranded. Thankfully, the only buddy of mine that I knew wouldn't be on the sauce that night came to my rescue. Abandoned the car and went home.

Chanced breakdown assist again the following morning. No luck. Automated service kept transferring me back and forth between 123 and RSA. Asked for a loan of a jump starter in the lads Whatsapp group in the hope that I'd get enough charge in the battery to get the car in the road (wishful thinking there). One of the lads gets back to me with a pic of his newly bought transporter trailer that he was mad to take for a spin. Another buddy with a jump starter who was mad to get out of the house for a while. Car was back in my driveway within an hour. Three top lads got me out of the shít here and would take nothing for it. I'll sort them out somehow eventually.

Fast forward to the following day and I accept the fact that I'll be carless until January 4th at least. I decided I'll rip the alternator out and have a look. Nothing left on the brushes. Mentioned it that night to one of the lads in work. Low and behold his neighbour is an auto sparks. Had a new set of brushes handed to me the following night for the pricey sum of a fiver. After work I took a gamble, whipped out the soldering iron and followed a youtube video and now I'm back on the road...for a fiver.

So 4 lads, well 5 if I include the auto sparks who could have just enjoyed their xmas time off got me back on the road just for something to do. I lucked out big time with my choice of friends.

TLDR: I fixed my alternator for a fiver and have great friends :pac:

wonski

Thumbs up to your friends.

Not the best start of the year, but always good to know there are friends to help when you need them

Top Dog

Snotaul Goodman wrote: »

Three top lads got me out of the shít here and would take nothing for it. I'll sort them out somehow eventually.

I'm thankful to have a similar group of friends. You always feel guilty when they won't accept anything for thanks, but the world keeps turning and you'll always get a chance to repay down the line :)

wonski

wonski wrote: »

Thumbs up to your friends.

Not the best start of the year, but always good to know there are friends to help when you need them

Yeah they're great lads most of the time :pac: Seriously though, works both ways. None of us will leave another stranded. Always been that way.

Only thing is now the immobilizer light stays on constantly but if I turn on the front fogs it turns off Car is driving perfectly if not better than before. No starting issues or anything. No fault codes. I've already narrowed it down to a dodgy ground battery cable which I'll replace next week. It is a KIA after all :pac:

Top Dog

Top Dog wrote: »

I'm thankful to have a similar group of friends. You always feel guilty when they won't accept anything for thanks, but the world keeps turning and you'll always get a chance to repay down the line :)

Oh I'll be called upon for something soon. Don't worry about that :pac:

joujoujou

Fair play to them!

Alanstrainor

Snotaul Goodman wrote: »

Haven't really posted here in a long time but I feel your pain when it comes to alternators so felt I had too. I've a bit of a story. Mine died on Stephens night about 15 miles from home...in that weather. Rang for breakdown assist but 123 or RSA ballsed up their automated service so was slightly stranded. Thankfully, the only buddy of mine that I knew wouldn't be on the sauce that night came to my rescue. Abandoned the car and went home.

Chanced breakdown assist again the following morning. No luck. Automated service kept transferring me back and forth between 123 and RSA. Asked for a loan of a jump starter in the lads Whatsapp group in the hope that I'd get enough charge in the battery to get the car in the road (wishful thinking there). One of the lads gets back to me with a pic of his newly bought transporter trailer that he was mad to take for a spin. Another buddy with a jump starter who was mad to get out of the house for a while. Car was back in my driveway within an hour. Three top lads got me out of the shít here and would take nothing for it. I'll sort them out somehow eventually.

Fast forward to the following day and I accept the fact that I'll be carless until January 4th at least. I decided I'll rip the alternator out and have a look. Nothing left on the brushes. Mentioned it that night to one of the lads in work. Low and behold his neighbour is an auto sparks. Had a new set of brushes handed to me the following night for the pricey sum of a fiver. After work I took a gamble, whipped out the soldering iron and followed a youtube video and now I'm back on the road...for a fiver.

So 4 lads, well 5 if I include the auto sparks who could have just enjoyed their xmas time off got me back on the road just for something to do. I lucked out big time with my choice of friends.

TLDR: I fixed my alternator for a fiver and have great friends :pac:

Sorry, only saw this now! What a story, and a great bunch of friends! And a nice bit of handiwork from yourself with the alternator! What's your plan? Replace it, or roll with the repair?

As for my own alternator replacement saga (a bit dramatic maybe!). Car is still running grand, better than grand, it's running better than it has for a long time. In fact, I'm just back from a spin around the block, and some unlit roads, headlamps are actually useable now. Since I bought it a year and a half ago, the headlights have been complete shite, despite changing the bulbs twice, and polishing the headlamps. Is it possible the old alternator was flakey for 10,000km of driving? Seems mad to me.

The problem still persists though, the red battery light is still on. I've covered 40km or so and no change. But, I did find a few forum posts that have a similar problem, their solution was to use dielectric grease on the ECU connector. So that's what I'll do when I can get some.

Alanstrainor

Alanstrainor wrote: »

Sorry, only saw this now! What a story, and a great bunch of friends! And a nice bit of handiwork from yourself with the alternator! What's your plan? Replace it, or roll with the repair?

As for my own alternator replacement saga (a bit dramatic maybe!). Car is still running grand, better than grand, it's running better than it has for a long time. In fact, I'm just back from a spin around the block, and some unlit roads, headlamps are actually useable now. Since I bought it a year and a half ago, the headlights have been complete shite, despite changing the bulbs twice, and polishing the headlamps. Is it possible the old alternator was flakey for 10,000km of driving? Seems mad to me.

The problem still persists though, the red battery light is still on. I've covered 40km or so and no change. But, I did find a few forum posts that have a similar problem, their solution was to use dielectric grease on the ECU connector. So that's what I'll do when I can get some.

Been nearly a week now and she's tipping away nicely with the new brushes so I'll drive her on!

Is the battery light on solid or is it flickering? Stupid question and I'm sure you've already checked this but is the connector that goes to the ECU (battery light etc) definitely seated correctly? Not damaged or anything?

Snotaul Goodman

Snotaul Goodman wrote: »

Yeah they're great lads most of the time :pac: Seriously though, works both ways. None of us will leave another stranded. Always been that way.

Only thing is now the immobilizer light stays on constantly but if I turn on the front fogs it turns off Car is driving perfectly if not better than before. No starting issues or anything. No fault codes. I've already narrowed it down to a dodgy ground battery cable which I'll replace next week. It is a KIA after all :pac:

Found a wet spot in the passenger footwell. Under the carpet was a connector block that was wet. Dried it and light is off... for now. Now to find out why there was a wet spot. The Korean shít box doesn't like this weather :pac: Hoping its a clogged AC drain pipe. Would explain a lot

punisher5112

Snotaul Goodman wrote: »

Found a wet spot in the passenger footwell. Under the carpet was a connector block that was wet. Dried it and light is off... for now. Now to find out why there was a wet spot. The Korean shít box doesn't like this weather :pac: Hoping its a clogged AC drain pipe. Would explain a lot

Check drains aren't blocked at bottom of windscreen or in engine bay, leaves and muck....

Spanishpoint

Well played

wotzgoingon

Spanishpoint wrote: »

Well played

What the hell are you on about...?

nogoodnamesleft

Oil service for the 520d. Last time I serviced it was about 18months ago and due to lockdown it has covered less than 9k miles from then until now. I replaced the cabin microfilter at that service with an activated carbon one so it will be good for another while as BMW oil service standard intervals are 30k kms (18k miles) :eek:











I switched from Mann filters (I used always use them with the VW I had) but Mahle is the OE for BMW as I noticed the oil filter assembly is manufactured by them. Oil was Shell 5w30 BMW LL04. I also noticed that everything was a lot easier to remove on this occassion as I had torqued everything to spec (25NM for sump plug with new crush washer and 25NM for the oil filter cap) when I serviced the car the last time. Prior to that it was serviced by a BMW main dealer and everything was over tightened!


Service indicator and Vehicle check reset via ISTA. It will probably be another 2 years by the time the car needs a service due to corona as Im working from home.

vintagevrs

Nice one.Ive seen people leave those oil filters in too long or else use poor quality ones and when they went to remove it the bottom part tore off and stayed at the bottom of the housing turning into a complete nightmare to remove.

nogoodnamesleft

vintagevrs wrote: »

Nice one.Ive seen people leave those oil filters in too long or else use poor quality ones and when they went to remove it the bottom part tore off and stayed at the bottom of the housing turning into a complete nightmare to remove.

I did read some where that poor quality filters are harder to remove as their size isnt exact. To be fair to BMW the F10 is probably one of the easiest cars to do a service on as there is a service hatch to provide access to the sump and the oil filter housing is easly accessable.

On the older VAG cars (I used have a Passat and herself has a 225bhp Mk1 TT) its a ball ache to have to remove the bellypan covers. The oil filter on the TT is also inverted and takes a bit of a knack to start it on the threads (its the older metal type filter).

Top Dog

Only a small job, but getting bits done slowly (helps when you're supplied with the correct order in the first place :pac:)

Wind deflectors fitted

job seeker

Teamheko wind deflectors improve the look of all cars! :cool:

zinzan

Top Dog wrote: »

Only a small job, but getting bits done slowly (helps when you're supplied with the correct order in the first place :pac:)

Wind deflectors fitted

Any big noise difference?
I’ve fitted them and wind noise with windows closed on motorway is quite noticeable

Top Dog

zinzan wrote: »

Any big noise difference?
I’ve fitted them and wind noise with windows closed on motorway is quite noticeable

I wouldn't say a big difference, but yes, did notice a little more noise at 100kph alright. Below that didn't notice any, and not been on a motorway to see what is like at 120kph.

SCOOP 64

i fitted Heko deflectors on my Zafira last year, no way could i get them to fit on front both sides without snapping them, i have had deflectors on this car before but not Heko with no problems, I was given a full refund,they are on the car now with some tape, you cant notice from a distance.

Titzon Toast

The auto tensioner on my Prelude **** the bed. I was lucky that the timing belt didn't skip any teeth though. A friend let me use his workshop to get it fixed. Tricky enough job.

Atlantic Dawn

Titzon Toast wrote: »

The auto tensioner on my Prelude **** the bed. I was lucky that the timing belt didn't skip any teeth though. A friend let me use his workshop to get it fixed. Tricky enough job.

Jobs like this frighten me, always afraid I will completely feck it up:D

Titzon Toast

Atlantic Dawn wrote: »

Jobs like this frighten me, always afraid I will completely feck it up:D

I was absolutely bricking it for the first start up! It's the first time I've tackled a job as tricky as that one if I'm honest.
I got away with it though.

Titzon Toast

Update, I couldn't find an auto tensioner when I was doing the work last week. I reset the old one and changed the hydrologic oil inside it.
I don't think it quite worked, I can hear an odd noise coming the area it lives in. I ordered a manual tensioner online and it landed this morning.
Back to the drawing board on Monday and I'm hoping I can finally get this sorted.

https://imgur.com/gallery/xX21l8O

wotzgoingon

Changed the oil in the car this evening. Was dark when I was filling it back up. I forget when i changed the oil last but I did have the mileage recorded on the computer. It only done 3300 km since the last change. But with Covid the mileage is well down since it wasn't driven much and changed by it must be a few months away from a year since it was last changed.

Oil filter was stuck again, happened last time too. Screw driver through sorted it but as I was doing it I was thinking about getting the proper tool for the job saves a mess.

BlakeS94

wotzgoingon wrote: »

Changed the oil in the car this evening. Was dark when I was filling it back up. I forget when i changed the oil last but I did have the mileage recorded on the computer. It only done 3300 km since the last change. But with Covid the mileage is well down since it wasn't driven much and changed by it must be a few months away from a year since it was last changed.

Oil filter was stuck again, happened last time too. Screw driver through sorted it but as I was doing it I was thinking about getting the proper tool for the job saves a mess.

I wouldn't worry about the oil being black if the mileage was low and it was time to change it going by the date of last oil change. Do you put some oil on the oil filter gasket before installing? It could help it not being so difficult to remove, also I only hand tighten it snug and allow the gasket and heat to create a tight seal

wotzgoingon

BlakeS94 wrote: »

I wouldn't worry about the oil being black if the mileage was low and it was time to change it going by the date of last oil change. Do you put some oil on the oil filter gasket before installing? It could help it not being so difficult to remove, also I only hand tighten it snug and allow the gasket and heat to create a tight seal

Yea I put fresh oil on rubber seal. I do crank the s*it out of it though while putting the filter on which is the reason it does be well on there when I go to remove it.

I have a fear of sump plug or oil filter coming off. I even put loctite on the sump plug and now I'm worried the loctite mixed with the oil to contaminate it.

Yep, I am losing it. :pac:

colm_mcm

Top Dog wrote: »

I wouldn't say a big difference, but yes, did notice a little more noise at 100kph alright. Below that didn't notice any, and not been on a motorway to see what is like at 120kph.

Really annoying thing about the Octavia is the way the rain pours off the roof and on to the electric window switches. I’d imagine the deflectors would help with this.