2004 BMW Z4 3.0
Discussion
MOT was due so booked it in, but thought I'd take it for a quick spin first to check everything was ok... it wasn't.
No power steering, power steering light on the dash and the sport button didn't do anything.
A Google later suggested that the electric power steering motor was the culprit - it fails and causes an issue with communication that stops the sport button working as well.
INPA wouldn't connect to it either, so it was looking likely.
The motor is on the side of the steering column, and in the factory goes in before the dashboard...
I did check the supply voltages hoping it would be a simple fix, but unfortunately not.
I found this video which covered the removal process, which looked involved but not too difficult - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K00JRcr7Ivk
I removed the drivers seat for more space, and had the roof down so I could lie in the footwell upside down.
Being able to leave it parked without a roof or seats or central locking (battery disconnected) in the garage was very handy. I don't know what I would've done without a garage...
Wheel, clock spring and switches out:
The video talked about removing the whole steering column, but I'd seen online that you only had to loosen it to get the motor out.
But there's not much room in the dash, and you basically need to do all the work to remove it anyway, so I thought I'd do that to make life easier - this was a mistake!
The column is attached with a UJ to the intermediate shaft.
In the video this just pulls off, but mine was totally seized.
After lots of penetrant, hitting with hammers, screw drivers etc I finally found something to get it moving - a small crowbar at just the right angle
Unfortunately from here things got worse.
Although I'd started it moving, I couldn't get it properly free.
And I couldn't get the column out anyway, because the motor was fouling on the metal dash supports
You can see the motor to the right of the column.
So I ended up removing the motor with the column loose like I was trying to avoid in the first place.
With the motor removed, a tug on the column and it was free.
I sent the motor off to ECUTesting and £300 later it was quickly back with me.
I put the column in first and then put the motor on in the dash - the ring on the column is adjustable (changes how the motor assists), so added some paint marks to ensure it went together as it was removed
Put it together and the power steering light has gone.
I did have an airbag fault light from having the seat out which I've since cleared.
Unfortunately, it didn't feel very good...
Massive play at the wheel that made it undrivable. I took it for a quick spin and it was wandering all over the road without any steering adjustment, scary.
After some poking around, spotted this
The two ends of the intermediate steering shaft appear to be turning at different speeds.
Removal should've been simple but I just couldn't it to compress enough to get it out, which is the same problem I had when I was taking the column out.
There was absolutely no way I was taking the column out again, so I dismounted the rack instead.
The problem was now much clearer
I got a second hand one and that was totally solid, and adjusted properly in as well.
In hindsight I think my shaft was already seized up which is why I struggled getting it disconnected at the column end - it just wouldn't compress as far as it should do. And then getting aggressive with it probably finished it off.
The good news is that the wheel, column, shaft and rack are all keyed so you can only put them in the right orientation.
The bad news is that with the shaft disconnected and then with the rack disconnected from the chassis, the wheels will very easily move side to side.
This meant the first time I assembled it, I was 360° out so had like half a turn of lock one way.
Luckily I expected this might happen and I could easily get it aligned properly.
All back together, drives fine, no fault codes.
Took it for a spin, all good.
Took it for the MOT this morning, passed with no advisories!
Unfortunately when I picked it up, it's got a bunch of dash lights on, and they had it plugged in to a Snap-On Solus tool when I got back and told me there were like 10 error codes.
I'm not really sure why they were diagnosing it after an MOT anyway, but hey-ho, something else for me to have a look at...
No power steering, power steering light on the dash and the sport button didn't do anything.
A Google later suggested that the electric power steering motor was the culprit - it fails and causes an issue with communication that stops the sport button working as well.
INPA wouldn't connect to it either, so it was looking likely.
The motor is on the side of the steering column, and in the factory goes in before the dashboard...
I did check the supply voltages hoping it would be a simple fix, but unfortunately not.
I found this video which covered the removal process, which looked involved but not too difficult - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K00JRcr7Ivk
I removed the drivers seat for more space, and had the roof down so I could lie in the footwell upside down.
Being able to leave it parked without a roof or seats or central locking (battery disconnected) in the garage was very handy. I don't know what I would've done without a garage...
Wheel, clock spring and switches out:
The video talked about removing the whole steering column, but I'd seen online that you only had to loosen it to get the motor out.
But there's not much room in the dash, and you basically need to do all the work to remove it anyway, so I thought I'd do that to make life easier - this was a mistake!
The column is attached with a UJ to the intermediate shaft.
In the video this just pulls off, but mine was totally seized.
After lots of penetrant, hitting with hammers, screw drivers etc I finally found something to get it moving - a small crowbar at just the right angle
Unfortunately from here things got worse.
Although I'd started it moving, I couldn't get it properly free.
And I couldn't get the column out anyway, because the motor was fouling on the metal dash supports
You can see the motor to the right of the column.
So I ended up removing the motor with the column loose like I was trying to avoid in the first place.
With the motor removed, a tug on the column and it was free.
I sent the motor off to ECUTesting and £300 later it was quickly back with me.
I put the column in first and then put the motor on in the dash - the ring on the column is adjustable (changes how the motor assists), so added some paint marks to ensure it went together as it was removed
Put it together and the power steering light has gone.
I did have an airbag fault light from having the seat out which I've since cleared.
Unfortunately, it didn't feel very good...
Massive play at the wheel that made it undrivable. I took it for a quick spin and it was wandering all over the road without any steering adjustment, scary.
After some poking around, spotted this
The two ends of the intermediate steering shaft appear to be turning at different speeds.
Removal should've been simple but I just couldn't it to compress enough to get it out, which is the same problem I had when I was taking the column out.
There was absolutely no way I was taking the column out again, so I dismounted the rack instead.
The problem was now much clearer
I got a second hand one and that was totally solid, and adjusted properly in as well.
In hindsight I think my shaft was already seized up which is why I struggled getting it disconnected at the column end - it just wouldn't compress as far as it should do. And then getting aggressive with it probably finished it off.
The good news is that the wheel, column, shaft and rack are all keyed so you can only put them in the right orientation.
The bad news is that with the shaft disconnected and then with the rack disconnected from the chassis, the wheels will very easily move side to side.
This meant the first time I assembled it, I was 360° out so had like half a turn of lock one way.
Luckily I expected this might happen and I could easily get it aligned properly.
All back together, drives fine, no fault codes.
Took it for a spin, all good.
Took it for the MOT this morning, passed with no advisories!
Unfortunately when I picked it up, it's got a bunch of dash lights on, and they had it plugged in to a Snap-On Solus tool when I got back and told me there were like 10 error codes.
I'm not really sure why they were diagnosing it after an MOT anyway, but hey-ho, something else for me to have a look at...
Edited by Jakg on Saturday 4th June 20:20
Edited by Jakg on Wednesday 24th August 10:18
Edited by Jakg on Saturday 10th June 23:27
The inlet manifold has some rubber bungs on the back
They are cheap from BMW (like £1) so replaced a couple - I didn't have any problems before, but if you compare old and new you can see they were past it
Put some standard brakes on
And some shiny new nipples - and at the same time the hoses as the standard ones had cuts in them
Put some standard seats back in
Cleaned it up (even polished) and took some nice pictures
Sold it
:'(
Consumables, Servicing, Repairs & Appreciation (thanks used car price bubble) came to £0.22 per mile - this would've been a lot lower, if I'd done more than 10k miles in 4 years!
Fuel at 28.8 MPG - £0.27 per mile at today's prices
Plus tax / insurance.
They are cheap from BMW (like £1) so replaced a couple - I didn't have any problems before, but if you compare old and new you can see they were past it
Put some standard brakes on
And some shiny new nipples - and at the same time the hoses as the standard ones had cuts in them
Put some standard seats back in
Cleaned it up (even polished) and took some nice pictures
Sold it
:'(
Consumables, Servicing, Repairs & Appreciation (thanks used car price bubble) came to £0.22 per mile - this would've been a lot lower, if I'd done more than 10k miles in 4 years!
Fuel at 28.8 MPG - £0.27 per mile at today's prices
Plus tax / insurance.
Edited by Jakg on Thursday 8th September 22:53
C70R said:
I've been keeping an eye on Z4 values, with a view to getting back into a manual later this year. It looks like £5-5.5k is the starting point for anything worth keeping. Do you mind letting on what price you got, and how many miles?
£3,900, 120k.I found it tricky to price - asking prices are really high, but those cars aren't selling.
C70R said:
Jakg said:
C70R said:
I've been keeping an eye on Z4 values, with a view to getting back into a manual later this year. It looks like £5-5.5k is the starting point for anything worth keeping. Do you mind letting on what price you got, and how many miles?
£3,900, 120k.I found it tricky to price - asking prices are really high, but those cars aren't selling.
Jhonno said:
Started reading the thread and got to the rear bushes..
Upper and lower you fitted 2 ball joints rather than ball joint and bush.. Is the ball joint a straight fit in the lower position? Is it an upper ball joint or M3 one?
Upper and lower you fitted 2 ball joints rather than ball joint and bush.. Is the ball joint a straight fit in the lower position? Is it an upper ball joint or M3 one?
Jhonno said:
Jhonno said:
Started reading the thread and got to the rear bushes..
Upper and lower you fitted 2 ball joints rather than ball joint and bush.. Is the ball joint a straight fit in the lower position? Is it an upper ball joint or M3 one?
Answered my own question.. Upper and lower you fitted 2 ball joints rather than ball joint and bush.. Is the ball joint a straight fit in the lower position? Is it an upper ball joint or M3 one?
2 upper ball joints.
Court_S said:
Are you replacing it with anything?
Looks like a pretty sorted example for sensible cash.
Unfortunately not... there was some cash put aside for an E93 M3, but the garage+house came along instead.Looks like a pretty sorted example for sensible cash.
Wifes car needed replacing so this had to go to pay for it.
I guess technically I replaced a Z4 with an X5?
Edited by Jakg on Wednesday 22 March 11:50
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