geeks E46 330 touring wagon of invisibility!

[d_a_n1979]

geeks said:

New bits have arrived in the post today, it's like a mini Christmas, upper intake boot, rear passenger window regulator as that crapped itself a couple of weeks into ownership and also the exhaust cam sensor, the lower intake boot should be here by the weekend as well so guess what I will doing this weekend? @SF_Manta, if you have nothing better to be doing on Sunday, please feel free to come over make appreciative noises, nose at what I could be doing better and drink my coffee you are more than welcome

ETA - It will be Sunday I just remember Mrs geeks has a hospital appointment on Saturday

Edited by geeks on Wednesday 25th August 13:17

Sounds like a busy weekend ahead

[geeks]

d_a_n1979 said:

geeks said:

New bits have arrived in the post today, it's like a mini Christmas, upper intake boot, rear passenger window regulator as that crapped itself a couple of weeks into ownership and also the exhaust cam sensor, the lower intake boot should be here by the weekend as well so guess what I will doing this weekend? @SF_Manta, if you have nothing better to be doing on Sunday, please feel free to come over make appreciative noises, nose at what I could be doing better and drink my coffee you are more than welcome

ETA - It will be Sunday I just remember Mrs geeks has a hospital appointment on Saturday

Edited by geeks on Wednesday 25th August 13:17

Sounds like a busy weekend ahead

Indeed, I am actually looking forward to it, forecast for Sturday night is for a clear night too, so I might even get some astrophotography in as well, double bubble!

[Sf_Manta]

geeks said:

New bits have arrived in the post today, it's like a mini Christmas, upper intake boot, rear passenger window regulator as that crapped itself a couple of weeks into ownership and also the exhaust cam sensor, the lower intake boot should be here by the weekend as well so guess what I will doing this weekend? @SF_Manta, if you have nothing better to be doing on Sunday, please feel free to come over make appreciative noises, nose at what I could be doing better and drink my coffee you are more than welcome

ETA - It will be Sunday I just remember Mrs geeks has a hospital appointment on Saturday

Edited by geeks on Wednesday 25th August 13:17

I've got my BIL's BBQ on Saturday, so likely can make my way over with my laptop and cable Sunday afternoon and some tools. PM me a postcode and contact number, i should be able to trundle over and lend a hand.

Edited by Sf_Manta on Wednesday 25th August 16:32

[geeks]

Well the lower intake boot has just arrived and stuff for a service should arrive tomorrow.

Sf_Manta said:

I've got my BIL's BBQ on Saturday, so likely can make my way over with my laptop and cable Sunday afternoon and some tools. PM me a postcode and contact number, i should be able to trundle over and lend a hand.

Edited by Sf_Manta on Wednesday 25th August 16:32

You have PM sir!

[obscene]

Serial E46'er here, currently have 4... I need to sell one. Do yourself a favour and get a copy of INPA, you'll need a cheap laptop to use it but it's a god send for any engine codes/fault finding/checking live data etc. That and the50'skid and shoplife on youtube are great for E46 repairs.

I picked up a 320d touring for £650 last year which had been mapped and it was pleasantly quick for what I was expecting. Loving the touring the life.

[geeks]

Massively overdue update.

First things first, big thanks to SF_Manta for popping over back last year and assisting with the fitting of the intake boots and the use of INPA.

Other than the service, replacing the rear passenger window mech its all been pretty easy going. However there has been a persistent vibration that I hadn't been able to nail down, not doing a great deal of mileage at the moment and its never really been a massive issue.

Popped the car over the BMW the other day (according to the history the first time its been to a main dealer in 15 odd years) for it's airbag recalls. They did a health check too while they were at it. Turns out both rear top mounts are goosed but also it would appear I have two buckled wheels on the drivers side. Bit irksome as when looking into this a while back it felt wheel related so I had them balanced, nothing was mentioned about this but it pretty clear now that's where its coming from.

New top mounts ordered and off to a wheel place later to get the buckled wheels looked at to see how much to repair, they appear to be only little out of shape so hopefully not a massive bill. I did contemplate picking up another pair but didn't realise how expensive style 32's had become!

[geeks]

Top mounts have arrived, I'll get to them at some point. In the meantime one of those 2 minute jobs completed. Gas struts on the tailgate we far past their best. New set ordered and installed. Much better and the tailgate now opens and shuts as it should.

[daver1184]

Take your wheels to this guy..

https://www.northamptonwelding.co.uk/

Great service and no too far from you..

[Sf_Manta]

Glad it's been running reliably there, since i worked on it.
Mine's back now though needing a sump gasket again but otherwise, it's been a barrel of laughs to drive.

[geeks]

The 330 continues to do its thing and do it well. With that in mind I finally got around to sorting those top mounts out. They were pretty well gone, the drivers side one pretty much fell apart once I took it out! Good news is the vibrations I was getting seem to have all but stopped now and the rear feels planted!

Some pics for your "regardé!"

[Court_S]

That's lovely, I really like the E46 touring, especially on those wheels. Sounds like it hasn't been too much of a pain to run.

How is it for rust?

[Sf_Manta]

Of note, i'll be doing the 02Pilot Mod to mine soon to resolve some oil consumption issues.
It's a pretty easy mod in just running a vaccum line from one of the blanked ports on the intake to the blanked off port on the CCV. Why BMW didn't do this i don't know but it apparently resolves the consumption issues completely or 95% of the way there.

[geeks]

Court_S said:

That's lovely, I really like the E46 touring, especially on those wheels. Sounds like it hasn't been too much of a pain to run.

How is it for rust?

Yeah in terms of rust its the usual spots, rear arches and sills, fortunately at the moment it isn't too terrible but something that will need work eventually.

Sf_Manta said:

Of note, i'll be doing the 02Pilot Mod to mine soon to resolve some oil consumption issues.
It's a pretty easy mod in just running a vaccum line from one of the blanked ports on the intake to the blanked off port on the CCV. Why BMW didn't do this i don't know but it apparently resolves the consumption issues completely or 95% of the way there.

Hmm just looked into this, let me know how you get on, mine isn't massively thirsty on oil but it does get through a little for sure.

[geeks]

Just a small update, on a run out to the tip a helpful chap advised my reversing lights were out, couple of bulbs knocking around in the garage and we have functioning reversing lights once more.

[geeks]

The 330 has been plodding along doing its thing just fine for a while now. Until yesterday, returning from a run out it felt like what I can only really describe as clutch slip. Bugger. Its clearly got an issue with the box of the torque converter, in either case I am at a loss as to what to do next. Its a job I could do myself (box out on one of these isn't the end of the world, 2 out of 4 spanners in terms of difficulty I reckon it is as always just a time thing) but even then its a case of getting the box rebuilt or a recon box installed plus whatever on the torque converter. Plus its coming up to MOT time and also it still needs the body work stuff doing. All in all I am not sure if I should spend the money and the time or just move her on as is and see what the next owner fancies. Decisions, decisions....