2013 BMW 125i 6 on the floor (N52)

[luke2397]

bodhi said:

Good to see another 125i owner justifying not getting rid of it - I'm currently persuading the wife that a 280 bhp 1 Series is all she needs to potter to the gym

I can't see there being any issues with that and seems a perfectly good car to go to the gym in. Boot for the bag, seats to sit in, mirrors to park. What's not to like?

Mine currently has an ABS issue which I've narrowed down to the driveshaft so hopefully that fixes it and it'll be back up to full health

[luke2397]

B'stard Child said:

I just add cars to the collection and keep them all for a long time (skoda excluded) currently sitting at 7 with 4 two wheeled vehicles to keep them company

I haven't got into the world of two wheeled motoring yet, I'm waiting for another two years so I can get my full license

[Lukas239]

What sort of MPG do you get out of it? Love the detailing btw

[luke2397]

Lukas239 said:

What sort of MPG do you get out of it? Love the detailing btw

Owned mine for just over a year. Average daily driving with the odd hoon here and there can be anywhere between 21 and 28 mpg and on a long run you should be near the 40s and a tank should be good for near 400 miles

[B'stard Child]

Lukas239 said:

What sort of MPG do you get out of it? Love the detailing btw

Currently a smidge over 30 mpg - however my commute is under 8 miles but that’s balance out a little by the fact that the rest of the time it gets a longer run if we go anywhere (shopping or family are all between 30 and 70 miles each way)

[Court_S]

It’s looking pretty damn clean with a bit of elbow grease.

As much as I’ve been surprised by my other half’s cheapy 116, I can’t help tying to persuade her that she needs a 130 instead.

[B'stard Child]

Court_S said:

It’s looking pretty damn clean with a bit of elbow grease.

As much as I’ve been surprised by my other half’s cheapy 116, I can’t help tying to persuade her that she needs a 130 instead.

Good plan - go for it

[B'stard Child]

Weekend time to change some fluids

Run it up some wheel ramps and then jack the rear to get it level





The ratchet straps are belt and braces - my driveway has a slope and ever since an unfortunate incident with an axle stand and a transmission cooler on my 740 having an expensive argument about who has right of way when a parking brake fails I've adopted an overkill arrangement

Anyway once up in the air and plumb level



I could get to work changing diff and gearbox fluid

14mm allen for the diff and 900 cc removed with my vac extractor

8 mm allen for the box - make sure you can get fluid in before you dump out the old stuff



fresh fluid for diff



8 mm allen for the box - make sure you can get fluid in before you dump out the old stuff

No pictures cos the heavens opened at this point.....

[B'stard Child]

Camber pins removed and strut tops pushed in

[Demelitia]

It’s worth lubing up the ball and socket on the gear stick underneath the gaitor too. If there’s any play in the stick you can replace the white bushing visible around the ball; It’s about £9. Between the new gearbox oil, Cdv delete and that, the shift becomes pretty respectable.

An adjustable clutch stop is a cheap and easy install too. Takes up the dead space at the bottom of the pedals travel. It simply pushes in behind the pedal arm, you swap out the number of washers on it to adjust.

If you want to go even further improving the shift quality, e46 m3 gearbox mounts should fit to stabilise the box and reduce the amount the linkage is twisting off its best path in relation to the box.

[B'stard Child]

Demelitia said:

It’s worth lubing up the ball and socket on the gear stick underneath the gaitor too. If there’s any play in the stick you can replace the white bushing visible around the ball; It’s about £9. Between the new gearbox oil, Cdv delete and that, the shift becomes pretty respectable.

CDV is on the list to do when I do the brake fluid change - which might be this weekend - depends on if I have to help my mate Will remove his torque converter from his 760iL as I reckon that will suck up some time

Shift quality is fine and no difference with the new gearbox fluid - I only did it because whenever I get a new to me car I go thro and do everything so I know where I stand - it might have been done before it might not - but at least now I know it has been done. Plus the fluid that came out had no metal flakes or bits in it which was nice.....

Demelitia said:

An adjustable clutch stop is a cheap and easy install too. Takes up the dead space at the bottom of the pedals travel. It simply pushes in behind the pedal arm, you swap out the number of washers on it to adjust.

This highlights my only complaint to get a good shift you have to have the clutch at the bottom of the travel - it makes me think the clutch is worn but it can't be provoked to slip so perhaps it's just the way it is (or more likely the CDV, old fluid, little bit of air in the system is having an effect)

Demelitia said:

If you want to go even further improving the shift quality, e46 m3 gearbox mounts should fit to stabilise the box and reduce the amount the linkage is twisting off its best path in relation to the box.

The lever element of the shift quality feels fine but then it's hardly being twisted much during accel with 218 bhp

I am finding the "change gear into X" indication hilarious - I am convinced the car thinks it's a 120d - between 1500 to 1800 rpm it's demanding another gear

[B'stard Child]

Starting point



Left Clive to do the proper work without me watching

[JakeT]

These cars have a self adjusting clutch. They'll always bite at the bottom of the pedal, even when worn.

I believe you can switch off the 'gear change indicator' too. When you're on the blank OBC screen, hold the BC button in for a few seconds until the indicator goes away.

[stevesingo]

B'stard Child said:

Starting point



Left Clive to do the proper work without me watching

It looks very lean 16.6-16.8 AFR. Too lean in fact, I would expect it to be mid 13s to low 14s at WOT. I'm inclined to suggest that, if this AFR is taken from a separate sensor, the lambda calibration is out.

[Roboticarm]

B'stard Child said:

Starting point



Left Clive to do the proper work without me watching

Interested to see what this makes. Mate has just got a 59 plate 325 which I believe is same engine and I was suggesting a remap might be a good shout

[B'stard Child]

Roboticarm said:

B'stard Child said:

Starting point



Left Clive to do the proper work without me watching

Interested to see what this makes. Mate has just got a 59 plate 325 which I believe is same engine and I was suggesting a remap might be a good shout

Power (216.5 bhp @ 6600 rpm before & 262.2 bhp @ 6150 rpm after)



Torque (197.4 lbft @ 2100 rpm before and 245.6 lbft @ 2100 rpm after)



However fueling still had same dip at 6000 rpm (before and after)



Bum dyno says you can really tell the difference

Nasty short Slip road I use every day to join a dual cabbiageway test says 7mph increase in speed at join point - 60 mph was a bit short of the 70 mph really required

[Roboticarm]

Those are really good numbers, and the bum Dyno is the important bit. My mates 325 defo feels likes it's got more to give and this confirms it.

[stevesingo]

There is definitely something wrong with the AFR (lambda) sensor readings. There is no way any engine running petrol makes best power at 16.5:1 AFR. It should read nearer 13:1.

[B'stard Child]

So sometimes you get lucky

In this thread https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&... PHr Gallons Per Mile removed a set of 4 12mm hubcentric spacers and extended wheel bolts as well as lockers - I managed to grab them for a very reasonable price - Craig was a super chap to deal with - good detailed pictures and description and they arrived with me well packaged and promptly sent.

Now I fully accept that this was a punt but having an engineering shop at work if they were a little oversize I can get them reduced width wise and the bolts shortened to suit.

Anyway car before - wheels a little lost in the arches



After (a quick run round the lanes didn't reveal any rubbing or scrubbing)



Fronts are fine - backs need a few mm shaved of them to bring the wheels in a smidge I reckon

[Mr Tidy]

Roboticarm said:

Interested to see what this makes. Mate has just got a 59 plate 325 which I believe is same engine and I was suggesting a remap might be a good shout

Actually it won't be the same engine sadly - the E9* 3 Series used the N52 engine like the E8* 1 Series until the facelift in 2007, then they got the N53 engine which is totally different.