Search found 34 matches

by boustrophedon
Thu 27 Oct, 2016 21:27
Forum: Z3 roadster
Topic: Central locking motor
Replies: 3
Views: 972

Re: Central locking motor

I could detect a faint click from the motor when I activated the lack, so it was unlikely to be an electrical fault in the car. It's working fine with the new motor, so time will tell. Given the total disaster of the design of the wiring to the boot lid though, I would not be surprised if it were a ...
by boustrophedon
Thu 27 Oct, 2016 18:57
Forum: Z3 roadster
Topic: Central locking motor
Replies: 3
Views: 972

Re: Central locking motor

And to make matters worse, having removed the motor, I can find nothing wrong with it.
by boustrophedon
Thu 27 Oct, 2016 14:32
Forum: Z3 roadster
Topic: Central locking motor
Replies: 3
Views: 972

Central locking motor

Well that was a right PITA. I hoped it was an easy electrical fault or summat, but no it was the motor. Following instructions found on here it was a 3 1/2 hour job and I am no mechanical klutz. How the hell did they assemble it in the factory? I can see you would get better with practice, but getti...
by boustrophedon
Sat 09 Apr, 2016 21:16
Forum: Z3 roadster
Topic: Headlight Cleaning
Replies: 12
Views: 3387

Re: Headlight Cleaning

I buffed mine in situ with an electric drill fitted with a buffing wheel and plastic polishing bar.
by boustrophedon
Sat 09 Apr, 2016 21:14
Forum: Z3 roadster
Topic: new thermstat
Replies: 13
Views: 2730

Re: new thermstat

On my 2.0 I was surprised by how easy everything came apart, all surface were shiny as new. Job took less than half an hour. I loved the push in hose connectors. Bolts were greased before they were refitted just for the next time.
by boustrophedon
Sat 09 Apr, 2016 21:08
Forum: Z3 roadster
Topic: Special Tool - Viscous Fan Removal
Replies: 13
Views: 5885

Re: Special Tool - Viscous Fan Removal

Mine unscrewed using a sharp tap from a small hammer on the spanner with the fan held by hand. I was prepared to make a locking tool but found that it was not needed. I did have to buy a big spanner from Halfords.
by boustrophedon
Tue 08 Mar, 2016 22:09
Forum: Boyz Toyz
Topic: Rear facing Dashcam
Replies: 7
Views: 5839

Re: Rear facing Dashcam

Thanks for the tips, I'll post a pic of my eventual solution.
by boustrophedon
Tue 08 Mar, 2016 16:11
Forum: Boyz Toyz
Topic: Rear facing Dashcam
Replies: 7
Views: 5839

Re: Rear facing Dashcam

No roll hoops...
by boustrophedon
Tue 08 Mar, 2016 08:02
Forum: Boyz Toyz
Topic: Rear facing Dashcam
Replies: 7
Views: 5839

Re: Rear facing Dashcam

pingu wrote:http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Dual-Lens-HD- ... SwG-1Wvcor

I use this type. I paid £31.
Looks good, where did you put the rear facing camera?
by boustrophedon
Mon 07 Mar, 2016 18:09
Forum: Boyz Toyz
Topic: Rear facing Dashcam
Replies: 7
Views: 5839

Rear facing Dashcam

I have bought a dashcam for the front of my Z3 convertible. Now I could have bought one with a second rear facing camera, but to be honest I did not like the spec of any I could find. The biggest problem is; where to mount the rear facing camera so it has a good view? The rear window is not huge so ...
by boustrophedon
Sat 20 Feb, 2016 20:30
Forum: Z3 roadster
Topic: Door card handle separated from door card ( top )
Replies: 4
Views: 1154

Re: Door card handle separated from door card ( top )

I repaired mine with a large washer. When I take the door cards out to service the windows I will repair the plastic with Milliput to make a more long lasting repair.
by boustrophedon
Mon 21 Dec, 2015 17:53
Forum: Better Driving
Topic: If I Was A Traffic Cop I'd.......
Replies: 144
Views: 77898

Re: If I Was A Traffic Cop I'd.......

OK so I have to nominate the <insert socially unacceptable adjective here> white van driver who forced me off the road and threatened me with a spanner. I drive home from work on country lanes through Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire villages. That's why I have a Z3. Late setting off home so the traff...
by boustrophedon
Thu 12 Nov, 2015 20:05
Forum: Z3 roadster
Topic: New soft-top fitting
Replies: 7
Views: 1682

Re: New soft-top fitting

Are there any firms that are not south of London or stuck out in Wales?
by boustrophedon
Sun 08 Nov, 2015 11:44
Forum: Z3 roadster
Topic: Interior light stays on.
Replies: 7
Views: 1474

Re: Interior light stays on.

I seem to have cured it with a squirt of WD40 into the door switch. Gave it a squirt and the alarm immediately went off, so it must have done something. A few days later and the oily stuff has obviously worked itself to where it's needed.
by boustrophedon
Mon 02 Nov, 2015 19:54
Forum: Z3 roadster
Topic: Interior light stays on.
Replies: 7
Views: 1474

Interior light stays on.

The interior light switch has 3 positions: Rearward- off, fully forward- on all the time and the middle position where it is supposed to go on and off in response to unlocking the car with the remote or on opening the door. It should go off gradually again when you start the engine. Mine doesn't it ...
by boustrophedon
Sun 01 Nov, 2015 12:24
Forum: Z3 roadster
Topic: OIL VISCOSITY EXPLAINED
Replies: 1
Views: 539

Re: OIL VISCOSITY EXPLAINED

What is "fully synthetic"? All the oils start off as crude oil one way or another, it matters not one whit whether the desireable straight chain olefins are made by building up from little molecules or are created from cracking bigger ones. Shell were the first to produce a non synthetic I...
by boustrophedon
Sun 01 Nov, 2015 12:07
Forum: Z3 roadster
Topic: What did you buy your Z3 this week ?
Replies: 2088
Views: 411537

Re: What did you buy your Z3 this week ?

A new ABS sensor for the rear nearside and a rewire of all the things that have wires that go through the flexible hose to the bootlid. Although all I had to buy for that was some wire and heatshrink. Now I have a warning light that doesn't come on and a boot light that does, central locking that wo...
by boustrophedon
Wed 21 Oct, 2015 07:13
Forum: Z3 roadster
Topic: FOR SALE - Hardtop and Fitting kit - REDUCED PRICE
Replies: 14
Views: 2736

Re: FOR SALE - Hardtop and Fitting kit

Would have been very interested, right colour too, but Glasgow...too far sorry.
by boustrophedon
Tue 20 Oct, 2015 20:47
Forum: Z3 roadster
Topic: Functional roll bar.
Replies: 11
Views: 7180

Functional roll bar.

There are lots of threads on here on roll bars or hoops, but which are actually functional in terms of roll over protection? And how difficult are they to fit to a '99 model that never had them? What I would actually like is something like the Hard Dog bars on sale in America, has anyone any experie...
by boustrophedon
Sun 18 Oct, 2015 07:38
Forum: Z3 roadster
Topic: New Tyres Advice Please
Replies: 17
Views: 4183

Re: New Tyres Advice Please

Bonzo wrote:Did you take the faulty tyre back to the seller?
Yes but the car still felt weird as the others were not that good either.
by boustrophedon
Sat 17 Oct, 2015 18:23
Forum: Z3 roadster
Topic: Throttle cable
Replies: 1
Views: 552

Throttle cable

My car suffers from the usual stiff throttle. The actual throttle is quite free as is the pedal so it must be the cable. Unclipping it from all the clips that hold it has made it run a little easier as the cable adopts a smoother route, I would like to oil it but how do you remove it? I can't quite ...
by boustrophedon
Sat 17 Oct, 2015 18:18
Forum: Z3 roadster
Topic: New Tyres Advice Please
Replies: 17
Views: 4183

Re: New Tyres Advice Please

I bought a set of four Avons for a high performance Passat, worst tyres I have ever had. One of the tyres was so badly made that the car pulled to which ever side it was fitted, I put it on the back and the handling was still weird. Even after I changed it the car never felt right til I replaced the...
by boustrophedon
Fri 16 Oct, 2015 05:41
Forum: Z3 roadster
Topic: New owner - Z3 2.8
Replies: 65
Views: 11027

Re: New owner - Z3 2.8

The nice thing about a kit car or homebuilt is that no one knows what under the bonnet. When I used to drive mine the local boy racers treated me with the greatest of respect, because the idea that they might get blown away by a elderly pipe smoking man in tweeds was just too much. As the guys in th...
by boustrophedon
Thu 15 Oct, 2015 08:31
Forum: Z3 roadster
Topic: New owner - Z3 2.8
Replies: 65
Views: 11027

Re: New owner - Z3 2.8

:lol: :lol: :lol: Do you think it might be OK to transfer the M badges onto the M52B28 powered Haynes Roadster that I'm building, once it's finished? It is been built and developed by my very own in house 'Motorsport Division' (me :wink: ), and at 400+BHP/TON it should easily outperform any road go...
by boustrophedon
Wed 14 Oct, 2015 13:56
Forum: Z3 roadster
Topic: Does resetting the red SES really improve performance?
Replies: 8
Views: 1719

Re: Does resetting the red SES really improve performance?

I agree. And the question of cable-throttle and fly-by-wire throttle is irrelevant - in both systems you press the accelerator and a throttle flap opens and the ecu fuels accordingly. In one the cable pulls the throttle open and in the other the flap is opened electronically - it's the same differe...
by boustrophedon
Wed 14 Oct, 2015 12:49
Forum: Z3 roadster
Topic: Does resetting the red SES really improve performance?
Replies: 8
Views: 1719

Does resetting the red SES really improve performance?

I have seen it suggested elsewhere that there may be a deliberate degradation of performance after the little green light go out and the amber and then the red engine service lights come on, and that resetting the service indicator tricks the engine management computer into giving you your power bac...
by boustrophedon
Fri 09 Oct, 2015 12:05
Forum: Z3 roadster
Topic: what the heck are these
Replies: 13
Views: 2425

Re: what the heck are these

I read it was to reduce the butt lateral scuttle type movements and to keep the butt from being too bouncy in the vertical plane... BMW originally called them "vibration dampers" in their brochures... Bottom line is they weigh around 65 lbs in total...like having an extra passenger on boa...
by boustrophedon
Fri 09 Oct, 2015 07:13
Forum: Z3 roadster
Topic: what the heck are these
Replies: 13
Views: 2425

Re: what the heck are these

I first saw these on the convertible Triumph TR7, their purpose was to tune resonances in the chassis to prevent scuttle shake. It is delightful to see BMW copying from such a paragon of engineering excellence. Lesser engineers might have put some of the weight into extra chassis members for strengt...
by boustrophedon
Tue 06 Oct, 2015 09:32
Forum: Boyz Toyz
Topic: Permanent power to head unit / Footwell speakers
Replies: 10
Views: 7218

Re: Permanent power to head unit / Footwell speakers

I too have this problem, the car came with a nasty Kenwood unit, with a flashy demo mode that I can't turn off and it forgets all it's tunings every time I turn it off. It is a real pain to use too, with endless menus ans sub menus. It is being replaced. Am I right in thinking that a 2000 model yea...
by boustrophedon
Tue 06 Oct, 2015 07:36
Forum: Better Driving
Topic: If I Was A Traffic Cop I'd.......
Replies: 144
Views: 77898

Re: If I Was A Traffic Cop I'd.......

All the numpties who pull over into the left hand lane on the M1, going south, 2 miles before the exit to the M25, causing a massive tailback in the slow lane and when you actually get to the exit for the M25 the junction is totally clear and you can easily move over from the middle lane to take the...
by boustrophedon
Tue 06 Oct, 2015 07:02
Forum: Boyz Toyz
Topic: Permanent power to head unit / Footwell speakers
Replies: 10
Views: 7218

Re: Permanent power to head unit / Footwell speakers

I too have this problem, the car came with a nasty Kenwood unit, with a flashy demo mode that I can't turn off and it forgets all it's tunings every time I turn it off. It is a real pain to use too, with endless menus ans sub menus. It is being replaced. Am I right in thinking that a 2000 model year...
by boustrophedon
Mon 05 Oct, 2015 20:27
Forum: New to zroadster.net?
Topic: Just bought a Z3
Replies: 2
Views: 3044

Just bought a Z3

Hi, I'm Don, I post as Boustrophedon in lots of places 'cos I go back and forth a lot. I am the proud owner of a T reg Z3 2.0. I have fixed the usual fault with the springs and the little bits of string on the headlining. Next job is to service the door mirrors, which seem to move when I am not driv...
by boustrophedon
Mon 05 Oct, 2015 20:11
Forum: Let's talk
Topic: THE END OF THE 4X4...NOW THE 6X6
Replies: 12
Views: 4124

Re: THE END OF THE 4X4...NOW THE 6X6

A long time ago there was a company called Stonefield who made 6X6 using I believe landrover parts. http://homepage.ntlworld.com/julian.carter/BoysToys/Heavy_Toys_00.JPG and there was Pinzgauer, latterly made for the MOD in the UK: http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jwHx50FsPc0/UJyUynkcwjI/AAAAAAAAEBA/KH2yFG...
by boustrophedon
Fri 02 Oct, 2015 20:05
Forum: The Beauty Parlour
Topic: HEEL HOLE IN FLOOR CARPET
Replies: 8
Views: 6116

Re: HEEL HOLE IN FLOOR CARPET

In my Skoda I used a 6 inch square of 1mm aluminium sheet fixed with evo stik. 70k miles and no hole. I had an elderly VW Passat which had such a huge hole right through the carpet and sound deadening I had to fill it with builders expanding foam. My current problem is that my Z3 came with OE mats b...