Ian Haynes has kindly provided some troubleshooting documentation for the central locking. Sadly it seems to fail at every hurdle, and so suggests either a rogered control unit, or some shorts in the leads. Today is windier and generally less pleasant than yesterday, so I clean up the door to A-pillar connectors and when that […] Read more »
I’ve got a large pile of bits from BMW: coolant cap, coolant, door lock rebuild kit, some plastic fixers and four spark plugs. I’ve also ordered a Bridgestone Potenza for the spare wheel. The plugs are easily changed, and the plastic fixers see the bonnet sound insulation and headlamp backing covers re-attached as the factory […] Read more »
My usual Thursday evening football antics have been cancelled tonight because the all weather pitch is frozen. I hope you can all see the irony there. Anyway, I’m back in the freezing cold garage, but my spark plug tools have arrived. However, I’m outraged to find that the 12mm socket doesn’t quite fit down the […] Read more »
I’ve just managed to fit that windscreen wash junction box that Ian gave me last week. Quite a fiddly job, but it has had the desired result so I’m pleased. However, I went to lock the car and the key swung around in the lock without the lock engaging. So now the driver’s dock in […] Read more »
Having been dragged away for the weekend I’m once again spending a work day evening on the car, this time concentrating on the starting issue. I’ve replaced the air filter (ECP kindly gave me the right one this time) and have taken the distributor cap off and given all the points a good clean. This […] Read more »
I managed to pick up a coolant temperature sensor from BMW today, and have just installed it. No, it hasn’t helped the starting problem. I’ve also collected a set of spark plugs, an air filter and a fuel filter from ECP. They’re all wrong, so I’ll take them back tomorrow…
Tonight is Cowfold BMW Curry meet night. I also have to drive to London to collect some stuff – so the M3 is the chosen chariot. It manages the London traffic well, the S14 getting less grumpy than the S50s with the clutch pumping action. In Cowfold we have our curry, and afterwards retire to […] Read more »
In the lit garage, out of the wind I stick the radio on and attempt to diagnose the lack of windscreen wash action. The level of buggery that’s taken place is quite extraordinary. Eventually I get tired and just try some trial and error with the mass of connectors, and I manage to land in […] Read more »
I get up early to have another search for the source of the rumbling noise in the daylight. I don’t find anything definite, but there is a fair bit of evidence. Firstly I note that of the four tyres on the ground, all but the rear right are fairly new Bridgestone Potenzas. The rear right […] Read more »
Ben Smith meets us at my house. First things first the Blaupunkt is removed from the 106R and we install Diane’s new unit in its place. The Blaupunkt goes in the M3, filling the gaping hole in the dash. Pleasingly it goes straight in – genuine plug and play. Then off to visit Robin who […] Read more »