New owner, BMW 325iX Touring

[KingDaKa]

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

[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.

[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]

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!

[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]

The centering pin looks like a good upgrade. I am not sure I am too willing to grind some bolts to get it to fit though. Keep us posted on how this works for you.

I'm going to grind or maybe even machine some of the aluminium at my work from the cover of the bellhousing as I'm also not the biggest fan of grinding down those bolts. The only purpose of the alu cover is to keep dirt out of the flywheel/clutch assembly. Thats why I bought a second one.

[jeenyus]

The centering pin looks like a good upgrade. I am not sure I am too willing to grind some bolts to get it to fit though. Keep us posted on how this works for you.

[D.Martijn]

Nice. I didn't know you could take that off the x5. I know one that's being parted. Might have to snag it.

More info about this mod can be found here:

https://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=280972&t=280972

according to realoem, both these part no's are the same for the centering flange. 26201227191 & 26117507533

[jeenyus]

Nice. I didn't know you could take that off the x5. I know one that's being parted. Might have to snag it.

[D.Martijn]

Not sure if I mentioned it but I got a spare front axle (T-case to diff) for my iX. The axle that is fitted now has pretty worn down splines. I paid 60 incl shipping for a used axle with splines that are still good. Pretty good price if you ask me. The rubber seal (which is NLA was also included)

Today I received a spare transmission reinforcement/clutch cover as I'm planning to do the bigger guibo mod. I don't want to mill/grind my original one + I got the spare one for cheap. I got lucky and the seller also had the X5 centering flange, which is a bit longer than the stock iX one, for sale which I also bought. A new one from BMW is pretty expensive.

[D.Martijn]

Received the fuel pressure regulator and the valve cover gasket yesterday, I was feeling a bit sick so I didn't fit it that day. Since I was feeling better today I got out and fitted it to the Touring. Install is pretty easy, the hardest pat was getting the fuel hose off of the old one lol. After fitting it I let the car idle for a bit and made sure there weren't any leaks coming from the fuel hose or the o-ring that seats onto the fuel rail. Since fitting it, I let the Touring sit for over an hour and it started right up again!


The paint/texture is a bit different than the old one or the ones I saw on google images but it has the Bosch sticker and engraving on it. This one has like wrinkle paint kinda feel/look instead of just a smooth finish.

[D.Martijn]

Still haven't received my FPR. When ordering it, I also ordered a valve cover gasket and the blue temp sensor. Turns out they didn't have the temp sensor in stock so they ordered it at their supplier. I told them to forget the switch and just send me the FPR and gasket. Tracking says I should receive it on Monday.

Meanwhile I ordered the temp sensor locally and today I picked it up. I also stopped by the BMW dealer to get a few parts for my uncle's E30 and a coolant hose I had ordered since mine had a pinhole leak.


I already installed the new hose and temp sensor. I started with removing the black plastic undertray, there was quite a bit of mud/dirt on from when my uncle an I took the ix's out for a winter drive, hitting a few dirt roads. I give it a good clean, also the dirt was bone dry so this tells me I don't have any oil leaks. I still have the underside a good once over.


Looks dry to me! I do have a slight oil leak at the back of my transmission, I'm thinking it's the seal for the selector rod or maybe the output shaft seal.




To replace the blue temp sensor, I had to remove the brown one aswell. I also had to get the wiring tray/holder for the injectors removed to be able to fit a deep socket onto the blue temp sensor so I could remove it. When fitting everything back together I also bead blasted the brown sensor since there were some small deposits on it.


E30 in its natural habitat ;)



I also took this picture a week or so ago when my uncle stopped by with his E30 Baur. Definitely something special about that one.

[D.Martijn]

Today I decided to have a better look at what could cause the problem.
I started with measuring the resistance of the blue temp sensor, at the sensor and and the ECU. The reading was 20ohm apart so I don't think that's a big deal.

On Friday I got a manometer and some couplings to get a pressure reading at the fuel rail.
Before even testing the pressure I removed the vacuum hose of the fuel pressure regulator and fuel came streaming out of it. So.. I guess there lies the problem.



When removing the line at the intake manifold, fuel also dripped out.


Does make sense that my car was running a bit rich at start up when I had to give it some gas for it not to stall it would run a bit lumpy.

Already ordered a FPR. Also decided to order the blue temp sensor anyway as it's pretty cheap. While ordering those parts I got a valve cover gasket too as I plan on adjusting my valves again soon.

[jeenyus]

The fuel pump only works when the engine is spinning, it's controlled by the ECU. Check valve doesn't seem to solve my issue.
I'm thinking of getting a fuel pressure gauge to check if it's my FPR or injector that are leaking.

I've been dealing with the same issue. There IS supposed to be a priming from the pump initially, but that doesn't seem to happen, ever.

One thing to consider looking at is your AFM. Mine is most certainly an issue and my car has to crank a little bit longer because of it. At this point i've replaced everything associated with fuel delivery and there has been no change. Try to unplug your AFM and start the car. I'm probably going to get a MAF at this point.

[D.Martijn]

Regardless of 370mm vs 380mm, that steering wheel is HOT. ;)

Haha, thank man!