1999 M3 daily driver running log
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138.8k
Passed emissions a few weeks back, no issues, so I'm all good for another 2 years.
Getting ready for the summer, hoping to switch back to summer tires soon. I will be switching from the 18x8 BBS wheels to a square set of 17x8.5 contours this year and will be running 245/40/17 Falken Azenis FK510's on all 4 corners. They're sort of cheapo tires, but they'll be fine for my needs. I got the new-to-me wheels a few months back off bimmerforums, and while 2 are in decent shape and look to be recently refinished, 2 are pretty rough. They've got some curbing and were thinly plasti-dipped black a long time ago and then peeled so it's all in the lug holes and a PITA to get off.
The plan is to eventually get them blasted down to bare metal and refinish them properly, but for now I have sanded the curbing to knock down any high points or sharp edges, and will get tires mounted in the next week or two. I'll likely just plasti-dip them black to hide the remaining curb damage. I usually don't love black wheels, but I want to focus on the e30 so this will do for now.
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138.9k
Every 3-4 months for the last year or so I've gotten a low coolant warning, but nothing on the ground and the engine isn't burning any so I wasn't sure where it's been going. I'd top it off, look around with a flashlight, find nothing, and then shrug and go do something else...
Well, I got back from a trip this weekend to a decently sized puddle of coolant under my car and found the thermostat housing is now leaking quite a bit. Looks like it's been weeping for a while, so that answers that question. I had replaced it with a cheap aluminum one (one of two Uro parts I've ever purchased, can't say I'm surprised) a few years ago and I guess a lot of people have had similar problems with them. Since there are no quality aluminum housings on the market, I'll be going back to the OEM plastic. It's now parked until the parts come in to fix it.
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hmm, i bought the aluminum one, but MTC brand. hope its ok! Can you share where the leak was from? (integrated gasket or at hoses)
Dan
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hmm, i bought the aluminum one, but MTC brand. hope its ok! Can you share where the leak was from? (integrated gasket or at hoses)
Haven't taken it apart yet, parts should be delivered Saturday, I'll be sure to update!
The E39 M52 is aluminum and has a bleeder screw on it. Just cut your top radiator hose down and be cool with me.
Not a bad idea, didn't know those were aluminum or is that aftermarket? Also, nice one haha
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did the bleeder screw make bleeding easier? or did you still have to jack the car up/massage hoses/do a rain dance?
Dan
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I let my car idle for 15-20 minutes, it got up to temperature, I opened the screw a few times. I had just half of a baby's breath of air puff out and that was all I could get. As far as im concerned its bled, but we will see for sure once I start driving. Definitely easier than bleeding an M42 radiator on an M20
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Switching to a stant lev-r-vent cap was quite nice for this
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139k
Thermostat and thermostat housing replaced, swapped in a brass bleeder screw on the expansion tank too, so far no more leaks. I had an 80C thermostat in there before, and it kept coolant temps around 190 at the head sensor so I replaced it with another Behr 80C unit and a genuine BMW composite thermostat housing (with a bunch of RTV, apparently the genuine housings don't have the paper gasket on them anymore). I really couldn't tell why the aluminum one had started leaking, no cracks or anything, though the rubber gasket looked like it had flattened out quite a bit so that may have been the problem, but who knows... I'm just happy to be driving it again.
I seem to always pick terrible days to work on things, but I wanted my car back so nothing a tarp, bungee cords, and a WJ Grand Cherokee couldn't fix. Not pictured: the 6"of snow burying both cars and 1/4" of ice sealing the hood/doors/trunk shut.
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I feel like im the only person running a 92C thermostat these days
I have an 88 at least. I also have no fan and a broken temp gauge. #livinontheedge
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I feel like im the only person running a 92C thermostat these days
I had the original 92C for the first 5k that I drove the car and had no problems (only had the factory buffered temp gauge at the time, but it never moved past the middle), the lower temp thermostat really just gives you a minute or two of a buffer in case something goes wrong. If you have an additional temp gauge with actual numbers to keep an eye on things you should be fine!
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Come to think of it, I dont remember what ° I have. Probably 88 [emoji19]
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Ready for summer! Slapped on the roof rack and a square set of 17x8.5 contours with 245/40/17 Falken Fk510's. Loving the wider rubber already, it looks a lot meaner! Not usually a black wheel fan, but on the white/modena it really makes the interior pop!
I also discovered I don't have any roundel center caps for my wheels, so if anyone has a set in decent shape (68mm, 36136783536) let me know!
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Ready for summer! Slapped on the roof rack and a square set of 17x8.5 contours with 245/40/17 Falken Fk510's. Loving the wider rubber already, it looks a lot meaner! Not usually a black wheel fan, but on the white/modena it really makes the interior pop!
I also discovered I don't have any roundel center caps for my wheels, so if anyone has a set in decent shape (68mm, 36136783536) let me know!Curious how the roof rack is mounted.
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