E46 new Rear brake pipes needed
Discussion
Be aware that there are two ways of doing this repair:
1) The Factory correct method.
This involves removing the the exhaust, prop-shaft and fuel tank to route the new pipes correctly over the top of the tank, as they were originally fitted at the factory.
It's very labour intensive which makes it an expensive repair.
2) Route the new pipes around the fuel tank.
This repair avoids having to remove the exhaust, prop-shaft and fuel tank so reduces the costs greatly.
It's not factory correct, but so long as the new pipes are secured to the underside of the car firmly and correctly then it's a perfectly acceptable method.
The only real concern I would have with this method is if any new holes are made in the underside of the car to mount the new clips. If they are not properly rust-proofed before the clips are fitted then they could corrode, risking the pipes coming loose.
As for costs, I know an official BMW dealership will charge @ £700 for the job, using the factory correct method.
Hopefully someone else will be able to advise you more accurately on the "pipe around the tank" repair, but I'd expect it to be somewhere around £200.
1) The Factory correct method.
This involves removing the the exhaust, prop-shaft and fuel tank to route the new pipes correctly over the top of the tank, as they were originally fitted at the factory.
It's very labour intensive which makes it an expensive repair.
2) Route the new pipes around the fuel tank.
This repair avoids having to remove the exhaust, prop-shaft and fuel tank so reduces the costs greatly.
It's not factory correct, but so long as the new pipes are secured to the underside of the car firmly and correctly then it's a perfectly acceptable method.
The only real concern I would have with this method is if any new holes are made in the underside of the car to mount the new clips. If they are not properly rust-proofed before the clips are fitted then they could corrode, risking the pipes coming loose.
As for costs, I know an official BMW dealership will charge @ £700 for the job, using the factory correct method.
Hopefully someone else will be able to advise you more accurately on the "pipe around the tank" repair, but I'd expect it to be somewhere around £200.
4rephill said:
Hopefully someone else will be able to advise you more accurately on the "pipe around the tank" repair, but I'd expect it to be somewhere around £200.
Just had this done. I assume this way. With new flexible pipes to the calipers and MOT retest it was about £300 all in. One day. Edited to add Touring.
stevewak said:
4rephill said:
Hopefully someone else will be able to advise you more accurately on the "pipe around the tank" repair, but I'd expect it to be somewhere around £200.
Just had this done. I assume this way. With new flexible pipes to the calipers and MOT retest it was about £300 all in. One day. Edited to add Touring.
4rephill said:
Cheers for that!
Pleasure. I know "dropped tank" was mentioned. Also have advisories on the front which i might get done next oil change in January 2017 Found invoice: £180 labour, 2 flexible hoses at £22.00, brake pipe and endings, £32.50, plus brake fluid. £316.80 with VAT.
The Offside pipe can apparently be replaced without removing the tank.
Details here:
http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/showthread.php?t=...
Details here:
http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/showthread.php?t=...
ftypical said:
The Offside pipe can apparently be replaced without removing the tank.
Details here:
http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/showthread.php?t=...
It's the nearside rear which needs doing for the MOT, although I suspect they'll end up replacing both setsDetails here:
http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/showthread.php?t=...
RanchoGrande said:
The garage may not have done this before or be comfortable doing it this way but I'm definitely going to ask the question.
Just to update this thread in case anyone is interested: The garage wouldn't do any other method other than what the factory intended (both of the garage owners actually own E46 BMW's so I kind of accepted their take on it)The ended up replacing both offside and nearside brake pipes from front to back as they were totally corroded. The job ended up involving the total removal of the rear axle and fuel tank to get to everything properly. They showed me a load of pictures and to be fair, it did look like a total mare. All in it came to £385 and I'm sure that the new copper pipes will last another 16 years!
RanchoGrande said:
Just to update this thread in case anyone is interested: The garage wouldn't do any other method other than what the factory intended (both of the garage owners actually own E46 BMW's so I kind of accepted their take on it)
The ended up replacing both offside and nearside brake pipes from front to back as they were totally corroded. The job ended up involving the total removal of the rear axle and fuel tank to get to everything properly. They showed me a load of pictures and to be fair, it did look like a total mare. All in it came to £385 and I'm sure that the new copper pipes will last another 16 years!
Well done. When I get mine serviced after Christmas at CPC I will ask him to look at how my local place did it. I am sure OK, but worth an expert's view. All-in, you got a result, I think. The ended up replacing both offside and nearside brake pipes from front to back as they were totally corroded. The job ended up involving the total removal of the rear axle and fuel tank to get to everything properly. They showed me a load of pictures and to be fair, it did look like a total mare. All in it came to £385 and I'm sure that the new copper pipes will last another 16 years!
I replaced both rear over tank pipes on mine 3 months ago. Took about three hours - tank dropped (but not removed) and new copper pipes fed over the tank as per original, and connected to the original pipes halfway along the floor at the front to rear connectors. I also replaced the rear flexible hoses as they were shagged. Total cost was £20 for the hoses and about £15 for a reel of copper pipe. Three hours labour at a regular garage, about £150 ish.
No rear axles or exhausts were removed - why would anyone do that?
No rear axles or exhausts were removed - why would anyone do that?
iSore said:
I replaced both rear over tank pipes on mine 3 months ago. Took about three hours - tank dropped (but not removed) and new copper pipes fed over the tank as per original, and connected to the original pipes halfway along the floor at the front to rear connectors. I also replaced the rear flexible hoses as they were shagged. Total cost was £20 for the hoses and about £15 for a reel of copper pipe. Three hours labour at a regular garage, about £150 ish.
No rear axles or exhausts were removed - why would anyone do that?
Totally not to get the best part of 400 quid through the till. Obviously.No rear axles or exhausts were removed - why would anyone do that?
It's fluid in a pipe. That's it. As long as the route it takes is out the way and free from road debris it's fine. They are only put above the fuel tank to speed and neaten the build process anyway.
I honestly couldn't put a figure to how many brake pipes I've done since I served my time back in the 90s and even though I left the trade after my time was out I've always fixed cars for friends and family. I've never had a rerouted pipe fail in any way.
400 quid for a set of brake pipes. Bloody hell.
iSore said:
I replaced both rear over tank pipes on mine 3 months ago. Took about three hours - tank dropped (but not removed) and new copper pipes fed over the tank as per original, and connected to the original pipes halfway along the floor at the front to rear connectors. I also replaced the rear flexible hoses as they were shagged. Total cost was £20 for the hoses and about £15 for a reel of copper pipe. Three hours labour at a regular garage, about £150 ish.
No rear axles or exhausts were removed - why would anyone do that?
^^^^Wot 'e said!No rear axles or exhausts were removed - why would anyone do that?
Done it on an e36 & e39 before, lower the tank an inch & it is just a little fiddly, certainly no need to remove anything apart from the line itself.
When I did mine, I too used copper & rather than join them & then do them again (they were both keepers) I re-made the complete line to the engine bay on each car.
RanchoGrande said:
Sure, it wasn't cheap but I did my due diligence and rang around some other BMW specialists who all quoted around the same price.
I'm super happy for all the guys on here that managed to do the job in a matter of hours for the price of parts. Good work.
It sounds to Me as though they did the job exactly as a BMW dealer would rather than cut corners, and it's interesting to note that they took pictures to show you the work carried out on your car to prove it (they've probably had accusations of charging for work not really carried out in the past and so now cover themselves by photographing the work as they go along).I'm super happy for all the guys on here that managed to do the job in a matter of hours for the price of parts. Good work.
Based on BMW charging @ £700 for this job, £385 sounds about right for an non-BMW garage to do the job.
There are always going to be people who know how to do the job for a lot less, or know an easier way of doing it, but at the end of the day, all that matters is that you're happy with the work done, and price you paid. If others have a problem with any of it then that's their tough s
t!I tried and failed to undo the coupling by the gearbox, so put it in the garage.
I supplied a new BMW pipe and the mechanic I used tried to do it using a short section of the new pipe and flanging the pipes, but the new pipe was too tough. He had to resort to copper. Only cost £30 for the job.
Perfectly acceptable job.
I supplied a new BMW pipe and the mechanic I used tried to do it using a short section of the new pipe and flanging the pipes, but the new pipe was too tough. He had to resort to copper. Only cost £30 for the job.
Perfectly acceptable job.
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