PNW Chit Chat thread

[iansane]

Anyone have a black passenger side sport seat hanging around they'd sell me?

[5Toes]

yes actually, pm me your offer. its good condition leather no major rips and good frame. from an m3 actually IIRC

[e30austin]

I've got a black leather passenger seat I'd sell.

[ahrensNW]

just made it home from Lake Tahoe, and the first thing I did was check on the E30s. While letting the m42 sedan warm up, it locked itself shut (with keys in ignition). ugh

ended up busting the window with one hit of the hammer. picking up a new door/window tomorrow (I chose the dented door) lol just my luck...

happy holidays!

Standing water still?

[hankolerd]

Anyone an expert on light issues?

I upgraded from sealed beams to HID's using a 35W ballast, and a 9005 LED high beam (which draws ~1.5A). Everything seemed to be working fine for a few weeks, though I was not thrilled with the output of the LED high beam bulb, so replaced it with a 9011 HIR at the advice of Daniel Stern. The 9011 HIR is a 65W bulb, so it should draw ~5.5A. Within a few seconds of turning them on my high beam 7.5A fuses blew. From my understanding a 7.5A fuse should be good for a continuous 6A draw, so not sure why they blew. I temporarily placed in a 15A fuse, and the lights seem to be working just fine.

However, my passenger low beam was flickering when my high beams were on. I was trying to diagnose and checked my ground connections, which all seemed good. At one point my passenger low beam went out completely. I turned off the high beams and lights altogether, and turned the lows back on to re-ignite the low beam. Now both low beams were flickering (high beams still off). After ~30-60 seconds the passenger light went out again.

Now I am not sure what is going on. The low beams were working fine before changing the high beams, but now they are flickering even without the high beams on.

The wiring harness is a Morimoto H4/9003 Canbus harness - https://www.theretrofitsource.com/co...l#.VoGk8DavNEo
Car <-> Canbus harness <-> Amp <-> Igniter <-> Bulb
_____\-> High beam trigger



Video of the flickering - https://youtu.be/_k2EHOYzItk


Bonus Content:
It also seems a pack rat found some Christmas leftovers to gnaw on, and what better place than on an S14 valve cover!

[DER E30]

Is the low beam harness getting power direct from the battery or a big battery cable? I "think" factory lights are 55w so 65w be a little over. If they're all getting power through the fuse box it could be overwhelming the box somewhere...

[hankolerd]

Running stock wiring, so going through the fuse box. The stock sealed low beams are supposedly 35W, which matches the 35W ballast of the HID's. The stock sealed high beams are supposedly 50W, so a 65W bulb will draw a little more power, but can't imagine an extra ~1A causing such issues. The stock ellipsoid lows are 50W and stock ellipsoid highs 60W. All this according to - http://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/sh...sive-bulb-list

I think I will replace the high beam fuses with 10A fuses instead of 7.5A, to deal with the extra draw. But can't figure out why the extra draw of the high beams is causing the low beams to flicker.

[DER E30]

Hids supposedly draw more than the rated wattage on start up for a few seconds, but I can't picture why that would make them flicker. Is it just one or both? Is it easy to swap the ballasts?

[hankolerd]

I found after sitting for a while if I go back out and turn them on they are fine. But as soon as I turn on my high beams they start flickering, and continue even after turning off the high beams, turning the lights off and back on, and even turning the ignition off and back on.

Originally it was just one, but now it is both. I am going to try popping the LED high beams back in tomorrow to see if it goes away. Very odd indeed.

EDIT: After reading, I think I know the problem. With the sealed beams the high beam circuit was responsible for providing 85W/side for quad lights, the low beam circuit is shut off when the highs are on. Now with 65W high bulbs, and 35W HID's I am pulling 100W/side on this circuit. It also explains why I kept popping 7.5A fuses. This is probably overloading the circuit and causing the ballast to not get enough power and flicker. I will need to perform some tweaks in the fuse box to get the low beams to stay on with the highs, and then remove the wire crossing the high beam circuit over to the low beams. Just need to find a good guide to walk me through it now!

[Pdxseth]

Got a new wheel for Christmas, anyone in need of a Mercedes horn button and hub(no idea what model)

Also selling my old momo 4 spoke for 300

[e30austin]

You should post the old wheel with Merc hub and button on a Merc page...

[Pdxseth]

Too much work

[5Toes]

this week's plans for M42:
install sssquid chip
install rebuilt AFM
new o2 sensor
AEM DRYFLOW cone filter
3.25LSD

time to finally have a daily :)

[Gerta]

this week's plans for M42:
install sssquid chip
install rebuilt AFM
new o2 sensor
AEM DRYFLOW cone filter
3.25LSD

time to finally have a daily :)

Stock AFM + filter > than aftermarket air filter.

[e30austin]

Stock AFM + filter > than aftermarket air filter.

Yup. Drill some holes in your air box if you want more flow.