Ownership Verified: Dirty Diesel, Bought Dirt Cheap - 2008 M57 X5

[loose_unit]

mmm they actually look tasty

 

[Misrabelle]

Right side dismantled.

Top guide was completely gone. Lower guide was on its way out.

Talking to an large aftermarket suspension place, no one has bothered to make anything aftermarket for it. This foam shit is terrible.
The OEM Falcon bump stops are made of it, and I’ve replaced them twice (now with Nolathane).

Other side wasn’t any better. I scraped out the top guide with a screwdriver, this was the remains of the lower one.

 

[jack_christie]

topgear bushings can't be any worse

 

[Misrabelle]

Those still appear to be this crappy foam shit. The guy at Pedders said they can get them for about $10 each, ($35 each from BMW), but with freight and wait times, it’s more efficient to go to the dealer, and there happens to be one about 8 minutes from work

 

[Misrabelle]

So, this became a bit of a palaver…

Workmate decided to come help me with the replacement. Except almost immediately on removing the right wheel, he decided that the 2mm of play in the front upper control arm bush was “100%” the cause of the clunking.
Nothing to do with the foam guides at all - despite not having experienced the clunk himself.

I expressed doubt, based on my actual knowledge of the problem, research, and the fact that I’d already visually inspected the area. Told him to leave it alone. (Which of course has worked SO well in the past: See Falcon thread...)

I was briefly required elsewhere in the yard, and returned to find that he had the entire wishbone in his hand, telling me “Hey, there’s nothing wrong with this!” 😐

Not ideal, but pressing on, it was perhaps going to be easier to remove the strut to replace the lower guide as well.
Got everything apart, replaced the guide, used our press to put everything back together again, and attempted to reinstall.

Could not get it back in, to line up with the bolt holes in the tower. Then it got bashed with a mallet, sending the nuts for the mount plunging into the engine bay. One is still missing.

By now it was 37°c, many hours later than necessary, and we both started to feel rather unwell. So called it a day, moved the remnants of my suspension and steering inside, and I brought the Corolla home.

After taking Dad to appointments on Monday, I was rather late arriving to the depot, and much to my surprise, found the X5 completely reassembled, with the remnants of the other side guides on the ground as well. A replacement nut was sourced from the panel shop in the other shed, but I’ll keep an eye on that.

I took it for a short trip to the post office and then to get an alignment done, as I wasn’t confident that the steering geometry hadn’t been disturbed, and it’s had a very slow leak in one tyre for as long as I’ve had it, so I got that fixed too.
The boys at the tyre shop advise that the rack end and the tie rod on the right side are both bent. Not enough to be noticeable to anyone looking at them, but once put on their aligner, yes.
Otherwise, almost all good for now. Though I checked codes last night when I got home, and it seems that in his rush to reassemble the car, Nick has left the sensor for the brake fluid unplugged, as I’m getting a low fluid code. I’ll sort that easily myself.

Next on the list will be to overhaul the supposedly “new” alternator, as the bearings seem a bit noisy and that could definitely be what caused the snapped pulley bolt.

 

[Misrabelle]

It's been a year already???

The barge just went in for it's annual registration check. It's a pretty cursory inspection - Especially when you know the inspector, and he knows you look after your vehicles.
Checked all the lights work, brakes pass the test stop from 30kph.

"Does it have any oil leaks?" he asked.
"Mate, it's a 15 year old BMW..." I sighed.

"Good point. 'No visible leaks', will do for the report."

It does, however require new front tyres, which I have on order from a dodgy tyre shop nearby. I'm hoping to get them fitted tomorrow or Friday. Then registration paid, and it's technically good to go for another 12 months.

Still need to change the alternator bearings and bushes. I don't want to have to pull the alternator out, and I haven't found any around here doing them on an exchange basis, or I might consuder that too. I just can't really have it sitting around in pieces while I wait for bits.

I've put a shade over 5000km on it in the last 12 months, ferrying the parental units around to appointments, so I'll also be picking up a new oil filter and oil on the way to work tomorrow, and changing that this wekeend.

Missed it by >.< that much…

 

[93Flareside]

It's been a year already???

The barge just went in for it's annual registration check. It's a pretty cursory inspection - Especially when you know the inspector, and he knows you look after your vehicles.
Checked all the lights work, brakes pass the test stop from 30kph.

"Does it have any oil leaks?" he asked.
"Mate, it's a 15 year old BMW..." I sighed.

"Good point. 'No visible leaks', will do for the report."

It does, however require new front tyres, which I have on order from a dodgy tyre shop nearby. I'm hoping to get them fitted tomorrow or Friday. Then registration paid, and it's technically good to go for another 12 months.

Still need to change the alternator bearings and bushes. I don't want to have to pull the alternator out, and I haven't found any around here doing them on an exchange basis, or I might consuder that too. I just can't really have it sitting around in pieces while I wait for bits.

I've put a shade over 5000km on it in the last 12 months, ferrying the parental units around to appointments, so I'll also be picking up a new oil filter and oil on the way to work tomorrow, and changing that this wekeend.

Where I come from those types of shops closed down before I was born. Last time I was in Los Angeles, those types of shops were still around interestingly.

 

[CraigB]

Where I come from those types of shops closed down before I was born. Last time I was in Los Angeles, those types of shops were still around interestingly.

Dodgy tire shops or starter/alternator/battery shops?

 

[93Flareside]

Dodgy tire shops or starter/alternator/battery shops?

Starter/alternator rebuilding shops. Bearings done? Replace entire unit.

 

[Misrabelle]

In fairness the inspector would do a much more thorough check for people he didn’t know.

Realistically he should have failed it for the tyres, and asked me to come back once I had the new ones fitted.

 

[CraigB]

Starter/alternator rebuilding shops. Bearings done? Replace entire unit.

With one from Autoreillypepboyzone? That will fail in short order because it was rebuilt wrong.

In fairness the inspector would do a much more thorough check for people he didn’t know.

Realistically he should have failed it for the tyres, and asked me to come back once I had the new ones fitted.

I see no problem with that, as long as they know you'll take care of it. I had a friend with an inspection station, he'd always find something small wrong and would tell me to take care of it, after he'd already passed me.

 

[Misrabelle]

Starter/alternator rebuilding shops. Bearings done? Replace entire unit.

Considering the workshop facility I have access to, it's just easier to go to one of our long standing bearing suppliers and get them, then replace and renew the brushes myself.

With one from Autoreillypepboyzone? That will fail in short order because it was rebuilt wrong.

Yeah, they're not a stocked item in most of our autoparts stores. Though I do have contacts that we've dealt with over the years, that we know do good work.