Looks great, as for mpg, pah, just put some more in when the time comes
David's 3.0si Sport Z4 Roadster
- Thread starter David
- Start date
That looks really good David. If it sounds as good as it looks, then job well done mate.
Looks a supurb bit of kit and looks very much at home in the engine bay ....very nice 
As mentioned in a thread earlier this week, I've now got a dashcam because I got a discount on my car insurance if I had one (Adrian Flux).
I had been eyeing up a VIOFO A119S for a while, due to its sleek and slimline design, and quality of the Sony lens it uses. Particularly impressive is the quality of recording at night time.
I fitted the dashcam yesterday, using a Nextbase hardwire kit I picked up from Halfords (£15 price-matched with Amazon). There are cheaper kits available, but I wanted a branded kit. The hardwire kit plugs in to the empty switched slot on the Z4 fusebox (but can also piggy back off any fuse). Then only needed to source a local ground point, and run the cable behind the windscreen trims, which I decided to remove completely, to get a proper tidy installation.
Very happy with the result, and will upload some footage in the near future!
David
I had been eyeing up a VIOFO A119S for a while, due to its sleek and slimline design, and quality of the Sony lens it uses. Particularly impressive is the quality of recording at night time.
I fitted the dashcam yesterday, using a Nextbase hardwire kit I picked up from Halfords (£15 price-matched with Amazon). There are cheaper kits available, but I wanted a branded kit. The hardwire kit plugs in to the empty switched slot on the Z4 fusebox (but can also piggy back off any fuse). Then only needed to source a local ground point, and run the cable behind the windscreen trims, which I decided to remove completely, to get a proper tidy installation.
Very happy with the result, and will upload some footage in the near future!
David
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Looks a nice bit of kit David. Shame you didn't have that in Florida for some memories mate.
Tony.
Tony.
Update time!
So I ended up going back to a stock air filter, in preparation for an exhaust modification in the future (when budget allows). @GazHyde happily took the AFE kit off me.
The day before this happened, the car had her MOT, which didn't go so well!
'Bee' failed on a broken rear spring, and excessive play on the OSF lower ball joint. However, the interesting part of the MOT is not what the car failed on, but what my new dash cam picked up:
When the two mechanics discussed my (working) sidelights, one said to the other:
"I'd fail it if I were you, just because you can."
Next, the two very trustworthy gentlemen began to talk about the Indy I've been using for a couple of years, and said:
"He don't give a f*ck mate..." (whether it fails)
"He doesn't, does he?"
"Nope, he's like "More money for me!", the c*nt."
Needless to say, I will NEVER be going back to him.
So I ended up going back to a stock air filter, in preparation for an exhaust modification in the future (when budget allows). @GazHyde happily took the AFE kit off me.
The day before this happened, the car had her MOT, which didn't go so well!
'Bee' failed on a broken rear spring, and excessive play on the OSF lower ball joint. However, the interesting part of the MOT is not what the car failed on, but what my new dash cam picked up:
When the two mechanics discussed my (working) sidelights, one said to the other:
"I'd fail it if I were you, just because you can."
Next, the two very trustworthy gentlemen began to talk about the Indy I've been using for a couple of years, and said:
"He don't give a f*ck mate..." (whether it fails)
"He doesn't, does he?"
"Nope, he's like "More money for me!", the c*nt."
Needless to say, I will NEVER be going back to him.
Shocker mate. I'd pop down and see the Manager, if no joy I'd whack it on Social Media.
After the failed MOT, and losing a mechanic I thought I could trust, I decided that I would carry out the repairs myself. This meant I could use the money I would be saving on labour costs to make a couple of upgrades.
First, I picked up a set of Powerflex lollipop bushes from Amazon Prime (I'm a Prime addict). I figured that these would be easier to install than OEM bushes. I'm not sure if I was right or wrong!
I sourced a set of used bushes to work on and have ready for when I carried out the work under the car, and began to remove the old, worn bushes. After a LOT of work with the hacksaw and a club hammer (not at the same time!) this happened:
I don't own a press, so I took the bushing carriers into work with me, and used a very awkward wood vice (in the construction classroom) to press the polyurethane bushes into the carrier:
That was all the progress made until the weekend...
Car up on stands and dirty undertray off:
Then, on each side there were:
2 bolts for the lollipops
1 nut for upper ball joint
1 nut for the lower ball joint
And with more club hammer action, combined with a ball joint splitter, both control arms/wishbones came off:
Time to reassemble and install. I chose to replace the control arms, with Meyle HD control arms for 3 reasons:
- Great price
- Positive reviews
- I liked the idea that if a ball joint goes in the future, I should be able to remove that and replace instead of buying a whole new arm. Although this sounds like a lot of extra work.
The upper ball joint nuts were a pig to tighten up, as there was very little room to swing a spanner. I told @t-tony that a titereach would've been perfect. Andrea saw that message to him and thought I was cheating on her, until I explained!
Undertray back on, wheels cleaned off the car, and replaced and that was the front end done!
As a side note, either the weather on the south coast has corroded my new drop links in 6 months or my (mentioned above) "trusted" mechanic never actually replaced them when I paid him to!
Rear springs next!
First, I picked up a set of Powerflex lollipop bushes from Amazon Prime (I'm a Prime addict). I figured that these would be easier to install than OEM bushes. I'm not sure if I was right or wrong!
I sourced a set of used bushes to work on and have ready for when I carried out the work under the car, and began to remove the old, worn bushes. After a LOT of work with the hacksaw and a club hammer (not at the same time!) this happened:
I don't own a press, so I took the bushing carriers into work with me, and used a very awkward wood vice (in the construction classroom) to press the polyurethane bushes into the carrier:
That was all the progress made until the weekend...
Car up on stands and dirty undertray off:
Then, on each side there were:
2 bolts for the lollipops
1 nut for upper ball joint
1 nut for the lower ball joint
And with more club hammer action, combined with a ball joint splitter, both control arms/wishbones came off:
Time to reassemble and install. I chose to replace the control arms, with Meyle HD control arms for 3 reasons:
- Great price
- Positive reviews
- I liked the idea that if a ball joint goes in the future, I should be able to remove that and replace instead of buying a whole new arm. Although this sounds like a lot of extra work.
The upper ball joint nuts were a pig to tighten up, as there was very little room to swing a spanner. I told @t-tony that a titereach would've been perfect. Andrea saw that message to him and thought I was cheating on her, until I explained!
Undertray back on, wheels cleaned off the car, and replaced and that was the front end done!
As a side note, either the weather on the south coast has corroded my new drop links in 6 months or my (mentioned above) "trusted" mechanic never actually replaced them when I paid him to!
Rear springs next!
Great work mate, don't you just love job satisfaction? I guess the ball joint top nuts were the most awkward bits to do.
Tony.
Tony.
Was very tempted to do that, but I've decided to let this one go. After carrying out the work myself, the actual result of the MOT proved to be honest, even though what they said on camera was not.
Honestly - I also was scared to do anything. The Indy I used knows my address, and if the MOT testers were fined or lost their jobs as a result, I'd be terrified to have people aggressively knocking at my door, threatening my family. The sad thing is: this day and age, you just never know!
Rear springs (donated by @GazHyde for helping him spend £800)
Very very simple job!
With wheels on the ground still, crack the bolts on the bottom of the shocks, jack the car up at the diff, remove the rear wheels, release the handbrake and make sure the car is in neutral.
I supported the wheel hubs with a 2nd jack, and then removed the shock bottom bolt on each side.
Lower the 2nd jack and got the help of @Andrea, who pushed down on the wheel hubs, while I removed the old springs. These springs don't even need suicide clamps to come out!
Below you can see the broken spring, picked up on the MOT, and from the corrosion, looks like it's been that way for a while!
Fitted the replacement springs (aftermarket, stock m-sport height), and reversed the above procedure!
A brand new MOT took place on the following Tuesday, just gone by, at a brand new garage. Although it was within the 10 working day period for a free re-test, out of principal, I refuse to take my car back to that garage or my old Indy!
The car passed the new MOT with zero advisories!
Very very simple job!
With wheels on the ground still, crack the bolts on the bottom of the shocks, jack the car up at the diff, remove the rear wheels, release the handbrake and make sure the car is in neutral.
I supported the wheel hubs with a 2nd jack, and then removed the shock bottom bolt on each side.
Lower the 2nd jack and got the help of @Andrea, who pushed down on the wheel hubs, while I removed the old springs. These springs don't even need suicide clamps to come out!
Below you can see the broken spring, picked up on the MOT, and from the corrosion, looks like it's been that way for a while!
Fitted the replacement springs (aftermarket, stock m-sport height), and reversed the above procedure!
A brand new MOT took place on the following Tuesday, just gone by, at a brand new garage. Although it was within the 10 working day period for a free re-test, out of principal, I refuse to take my car back to that garage or my old Indy!
The car passed the new MOT with zero advisories!
A soppy side note to this all:
I was so happy that this girl was raring to get stuck in and help me with the car when I most needed it. I'm very proud of her, especially as she commented afterwards how much she enjoyed working on the car!
I was so happy that this girl was raring to get stuck in and help me with the car when I most needed it. I'm very proud of her, especially as she commented afterwards how much she enjoyed working on the car!
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Get your point and fair shout.
It's not the way should work, but unfortunately it's the way it often does! Part of me wishes I had the nerve to give 'em hell.
As you say, sometimes you just have to bite your lip.
Great work mate, don't you just love job satisfaction? I guess the ball joint top nuts were the most awkward bits to do.
Tony.
Makes me want to get on with the next thing!
Thanks Tony, and yes... top nuts were a royal PITA!
They call that character building mate.
Tony.
Tony.
- Joined
- Dec 4, 2011
- Points
- 226
- Location
- Langley Mill
- Model of Z
- Z4 3.0si Individual Ruby Black Last one produced in this colour combo
Great work David, you will soon have her back in tip top condition
Watch it Bill! You'd not hear me saying that about your missus!Great work David, you will soon have her back in tip top condition
So glad you have found love with a lady David.
Was not sure about you when you visited me, that is why I made you sleep in the lounge and I locked my bedroom door......
