New owner, BMW 325iX Touring

[paynemw]

Finally, another Euro member! I just moved here, can't wait to dive into the Germany Scene. Plus, your touring is super clean man!

[D.Martijn]

Finally, another Euro member! I just moved here, can't wait to dive into the Germany Scene. Plus, your touring is super clean man!

Welcome to Europe, looks like you went straight to the E30 motherland :up:
Thanks man!

[D.Martijn]

Again an update although not on my iX. This time on my uncles iX Touring.

It's been sitting in our workshop for a few weeks now to get the transfercase replaced with one that does have a working VC. I found one from a guy in the Ardennes. When he bought it I made sure to test the VC, luckily the trip wasn't for nothing as it still has a very nice, strong fluid resistance.

After getting back home, we got started immediately with the removal. First you have to remove the exhaust, I then started on removing the downpipe and cat. I broke off one stud on each of the exhaust manifolds and stripped the head of one copper nut. I decided to remove the nuts that hold the manifold onto the head. Since those were rusted to the studs, the studs came out also. With some careful maneuvering we were able to get the downpipe out from under the car with one manifold still attached.

I then removed the front and rear driveshafts and the cross member for the TC after supporting it with a jack. Next step was loosening the nuts/bolts for the guibo between the TC and transmission. Finally the most dreaded part of the removal the two top bolts that hold the TC to the transmission.
Since I couldn't find a good combination of extensions and swivel sockets we decided to quit for the day as it was getting late.

The next weekend I somehow was able to brake them loose and slowly back them out a quarter turn at a time.
Old and new TC next to each other.


As you can see the old one is pretty greasing. Actually the whole transmission was covered in a thick black oil/grease and dirt. I decided to degrease everything and find the leak. I think it's coming from the cylinder head plugs since they are hard as plastic. My theory it that the back ones are leaking, causing the oil to flow down on the side of the engine and transmission and when driving it all flings to the back. Although I also read it's common for the M20s head gasket to leak externally?

I also noticed some oil coming from the shaft seal of the gear selector shaft. I decided to replace this one and while being there I pulled the output shaft flange also to be able to replace the shaft seal too.

On the left lower corner you can see the transmission, before cleaning and degreasing it you couldn't even see that it was aluminium lol


While working in the engine bay I also found that the breather hose had some sludge inside. I decided to replace it together with the idle control hose as it's also cracked.. When removing the breather hose from under the manifold it just cracked into two.



I then made a list of all the parts I needed to get, it's quite the list :p
Some specific parts I ordered at BMW, other ones at a local and online parts store. unfortunately they both haven't arrived yet so I couldn't do much today.I only got the new breather hose installed together with the lower seal for the boot window as the old had shrunken quite a bit.

[D.Martijn]

Not a whole lot has been happening on my iX touring. I did finish my uncles transfercase swap 2 weekends ago. I made a small test drive and it's all good. Just to confirm the VC was good I did the test where you jack up one of the front wheels and feel for the resistance which was there. He is happy and so am I.

I did get some small stuff for mine. There was a guy in Germany selling some new small bits which he found in a basement, I got a few parts from him very cheap.
Diff cover gasket, o ring for the speed sensor, some specific touring clips for the rear inner boot panel and some other stuff I can't seem to remember.

Secondly I got these for 80€ shipped to my door. Pretty good deal as all the clips are still intact. Most of these seem to go for around 150€. I'll try and get these installed this weekend. Thinking it would also be a good time to replace the wiring loom for the drivers side door when I'm there as I haven't been able to install it yet.




And to end my small update, a picture from when we got some snow 2 weeks ago I think.

[KingDaKa]

Do you have a link or a part number for that lower seal on the boot window?

[kronus]

Great thread. Looking through the rust repair work for inspiration/fear abatement.

[D.Martijn]

Do you have a link or a part number for that lower seal on the boot window?

Part no is 51311947248, the old seal pulls right out and the new one pushes in fairly easy. No real need to use any lubrication. When installing, make sure it's tucked all the way under the vertical seals on the side. No need to trim it.

Great thread. Looking through the rust repair work for inspiration/fear abatement.

Thank you! It's very doable if you have some welding experience on thin sheetmetal and are able to form some panels. (Still trying to get better myself)
So far so good, no rust has come back over almost a year now and I'm using it as my daily (this winter included).

[D.Martijn]

I (finally) got my new drivers side door harness that I got a while back swapped over into the touring. The previous owner spliced and soldered almost all of the wires (still have no clue why..) I thought this would be the last fix to get my central locking fully working again.
Well, turns out it's still exactly the same as before. I can lock and unlock everything from the trunk but only lock from the drivers side. Haven't tested the passenger side as the lock seems to be blocked. I did buy a rebuild kit but haven't started on removing the old one yet. That'll be for some other time lol.

Old and new harness side by side, There are no rips or cuts in the new one, all the connectors are still good too.


The wiring mess fro the previous owner..


I also got a new microswitch as the old one has frayed wires on the housing



Now to figure out what could be the problem that I can't unlock my doors from the drivers side door.. Any ideas?

[bradnic]

1) Grab a multimeter and make sure the micro switch near the lock works properly. It probably does, and since your central locking works from the trunk, and you’ve replaced the door harness, the problem is either the connection at the door hinge has corrosion or you need to rebuild the door lock

2) rebuild the door lock anyway. Next to go will be the ignition lock, and that can only be bought coded.

Check out my “E30 OEM Key OCD thread” for more info - link in sig

[D.Martijn]

1) Grab a multimeter and make sure the micro switch near the lock works properly. It probably does, and since your central locking works from the trunk, and you’ve replaced the door harness, the problem is either the connection at the door hinge has corrosion or you need to rebuild the door lock

2) rebuild the door lock anyway. Next to go will be the ignition lock, and that can only be bought coded.

Check out my “E30 OEM Key OCD thread” for more info - link in sig

Thanks for the reply.

Microswitch works perfectly, I've checked & cleaned the pins at the door hinge so that should be good also. I'm not sure what a rebuild of the lock would to the central locking itself? Can't think that would change anything.
I did remove the cylinder itself and it looked still good.

edit: I just thought about it and replacing/rebuilding the door lock could help if the little tab that pushes the microswitch in is worn down. But after getting everything back together I listened (with the door open) if I could hear the microswitch clicking and I did.

[D.Martijn]

Got some more work on the Touring. After filling it full with fuel, I noticed the day after that it was leaking some fuel on to the driveway. Quick check under the car and I'm pretty sure it's the fuel tank. When I had it out of the car the flanges were already quite rusty and I had a pinhole at the top where the breather hose connects to the tank. I tried sealing it with some Tec-7 but it looks like if finally gave up.


I already ordered a new tank at the beginning of this week and received it yesterday. Every aftermarket fuel tank looks the same, they are all grey and have no drain plug. (There's no way I'm paying 1000€ for a new genuine tank lol)
I also got some satin black epoxy paint which I'll spray on when I get back home tomorrow after work. I'll try and get started with removing it this weekend.


I also bought a new actuator for my drivers side door as I think that's the part that is causing my central locking to act up. (hopefully that fixes it)

[D.Martijn]

While driving home from work this noon, I noticed the coolant level light came on.
When I got home, I gave the engine bay a quick glance and noticed a small drip on of the belts. After further looking into it and squeezing the coolant hoses I noticed the upper coolant hose that connects to the thermostat housing and waterpump had a pinhole leak where it sprayed out of.


Got started with removing my old fuel tank. I first jacked up the car and removed the back section of the exhaust. You also have to remove the cat to get to the driveshaft. The first 4 nuts were no problem, the other two... One just snapped and the other got stripped but still got off. After getting the manifolds off of the cylinder head, the other one also snapped when I tried to remove it with 2 nuts tightened against each other.

After removing the exhaust I removed the heat shields and finally the driveshaft, as the touring has a 6 bolts driveshaft with a CV coupling on the end that sits inside of the diff flange I had to hammer and chisel it of since it was (just a bit) rust welded.

I then sprayed some 2k epoxy paint on the fuel tank, sprays very nice and dries pretty quick. I give it two coats but still need to to the underside where I couldn't get because of the stands.




With the help of my brother I got the fuel tank out.


And here is where it leaked

[D.Martijn]

Yesterday as it was Friday I was able to order the exhaust gaskets (manifold and downpipe) + the coolant hose. First thing I did today was picking up the ordered parts.
I also got some new copper nuts for the exhaust.

When I was back at the workshop I sandblasted the little metal brackets for the heat shields, the heat shields themselves and the two panels that sit in front of the fuel tank.
I then sprayed some Brunox on them and finally some grey paint. Also the side of the fuel tank that I yesterday couldn't reach got a coat of 2k black paint.

New versus old. Quite the difference, this will be the last time it'll ever be as clean as now


Painted brackets


Fuel senders and pump swapped over to the new fuel tank. While it was still out of the car I also replaced the short fuel lines




And fitted in to the car, we had some struggle to get all the bolt holes to line up but in the ended we managed to get them all in.


I also drained the coolant and replace the leaking coolant hose, turns out there was a tear where the hose clamp is. As far as I can tell this is still the original hose because it was still covered in some cosmoline.


I also had to weld a couple of nuts on the the broken studs of the manifolds before they cam out, while they were out of the E30, I decided to sandblast and paint them grey.
Turned out very nice if I say so myself


Unfortunately I don't have those special studs laying around so I tried to cut the head off of some bolts I had laying around. But when I tried to tighten them they kept spinning further in to the manifold so I couldn't get the nuts tight.
I decided to remove them again and just order some at the local dealer.
I much prefer to do it right the first time than having trouble getting them loose next time I have to remove the exhaust..

I'll just use our Golf mk1 to got to work next week ;D

[mike.bmw]

Love the updates! Love the photos! Love the time and dedication you put into your car!

I may replace my gas tank at some point as there's a massive dent from a previous owner. I'll have to do something similar to you with the paint/epoxy.

[D.Martijn]

Love the updates! Love the photos! Love the time and dedication you put into your car!

I may replace my gas tank at some point as there's a massive dent from a previous owner. I'll have to do something similar to you with the paint/epoxy.

Thanks Mike! I don't mind spending time on it, enjoy cleaning things no one wll ever see + I'm hoping to keep this one for a long time so I want to do things right. Some day I want to have a respray done though as the paint could be better. There are quite a few scratches on the roof because one of the previous owners definitely went to the car wash.

All in all replacing the tank it's not a terrible job, it only gets terrible when you can't get the exhaust down pipe off or break one of the studs lol. Removal and fitting the gas tank is a 2 man job though.