project 2009 Z4 E89

[Peter C]

13 minutes ago, SiC said:

putting money into 

I’m sure you will.

[SiC]

The automotive wack-a-mole required a bit more attention recently. 

Last month was one of the number plate lamps. Minor? Yes but because it's LED from the factory it needed a whole new fixture. £15 for a genuine unit isn't crazy money but still far more than a £1 incandescent bulb.

This month the drivers window has been becoming more and more lethargic. To the point where it doesn't do the coupé window drop when opening. So closing causes the window not to go into the roof seal. 

I've been ignoring it by double tapping the key to cause the window to go half way down (used to make getting in easier in a car park). That has worked but it got to the point where I was needing to push down on the top of the window to get it to drop. If not quick enough then the window mechanism would shutdown and need a wait with the ignition on/off before you get another go. 

Just about manageable for me, but when Mrs SiC used it last, she couldn't get it to drop. I told her not to shut the door if it hadn't dropped so the glass doesn't break. She took that as don't open the door either if it doesn't drop when opening. (I just elbowed it open)

Which meant that when it didn't drop with her in it when opening the door, she was "stuck". So she climbed over and got out the passenger side...

The main reason I was ignoring this fault was I knew, from doing the other side, it is a massive ball ache of a job and I haven't had time to sort it. Also needs a nice weather day. But I couldn't ignore it much longer.

I cut very carefully around this seal so I could restick the bitumen seal back together later.

Then onto the removing the regulator. Note that the loom is one piece with it not split-able from the door card. I'm sure BMW saved a few pennies by doing that but makes it an absolute pain to work on with the door card hanging around.

Originally I thought I could get away with lubing up the mechanism. All this did was give a loud squeal instead and after a few runs, jam in the top position. Not ideal when you need it half open to access the window bolts.

After a bit of forcing down, I got it all in position and removed the glass.

Unlike last time, I didn't clean the glass when it was out. The dirt mark makes a handy reference point to realign the glass up!

Refitting wasn't disastrously hard. Far more of a nuisance is aligning up the plastic trim clips while trying to stop the central locking stick from falling over every time trying to get it together.

Also requires a few minutes on the scantool to tell the body control module to recalibrate itself to the new motor and it's stop points. 

Old regulator is in much better condition than the passenger side was. Only fault I can really see is that the cable was a bit rusted up. I noticed the inside of the door was pretty damp too. Not sure why - maybe I need to give the drains a good clean through.

Now it works up+down just as quick as the passenger side with the all important drop happening.

Question is, what does it need fixing next month? Will be something with this car it seems... 😆

Albeit I know I need to do the inner + track rod ends so my local tyre shop can do an alignment (they have seized solid). Maybe I'll do it next month - was supposed to been done in October but I've simply not had the time to get anything done recently.

[Matty]

20 minutes ago, SiC said:

The automotive wack-a-mole required a bit more attention recently. 

Last month was one of the number plate lamps. Minor? Yes but because it's LED from the factory it needed a whole new fixture. £15 for a genuine unit isn't crazy money but still far more than a £1 incandescent bulb.

This month the drivers window has been becoming more and more lethargic. To the point where it doesn't do the coupé window drop when opening. So closing causes the window not to go into the roof seal. 

I've been ignoring it by double tapping the key to cause the window to go half way down (used to make getting in easier in a car park). That has worked but it got to the point where I was needing to push down on the top of the window to get it to drop. If not quick enough then the window mechanism would shutdown and need a wait with the ignition on/off before you get another go. 

Just about manageable for me, but when Mrs SiC used it last, she couldn't get it to drop. I told her not to shut the door if it hadn't dropped so the glass doesn't break. She took that as don't open the door either if it doesn't drop when opening. (I just elbowed it open)

Which meant that when it didn't drop with her in it when opening the door, she was "stuck". So she climbed over and got out the passenger side...

The main reason I was ignoring this fault was I knew, from doing the other side, it is a massive ball ache of a job and I haven't had time to sort it. Also needs a nice weather day. But I couldn't ignore it much longer.

I cut very carefully around this seal so I could restick the bitumen seal back together later.

Then onto the removing the regulator. Note that the loom is one piece with it not split-able from the door card. I'm sure BMW saved a few pennies by doing that but makes it an absolute pain to work on with the door card hanging around.

Originally I thought I could get away with lubing up the mechanism. All this did was give a loud squeal instead and after a few runs, jam in the top position. Not ideal when you need it half open to access the window bolts.

After a bit of forcing down, I got it all in position and removed the glass.

Unlike last time, I didn't clean the glass when it was out. The dirt mark makes a handy reference point to realign the glass up!

Refitting wasn't disastrously hard. Far more of a nuisance is aligning up the plastic trim clips while trying to stop the central locking stick from falling over every time trying to get it together.

Also requires a few minutes on the scantool to tell the body control module to recalibrate itself to the new motor and it's stop points. 

Old regulator is in much better condition than the passenger side was. Only fault I can really see is that the cable was a bit rusted up. I noticed the inside of the door was pretty damp too. Not sure why - maybe I need to give the drains a good clean through.

Now it works up+down just as quick as the passenger side with the all important drop happening.

Question is, what does it need fixing next month? Will be something with this car it seems... 😆

Albeit I know I need to do the inner + track rod ends so my local tyre shop can do an alignment (they have seized solid). Maybe I'll do it next month - was supposed to been done in October but I've simply not had the time to get anything done recently.

Just done the drivers side window reg on my st150 Si. Having only done leccy window regs on older cars, ha ing to strip the full door down including the loom was a bit of a head wreck. Have to say though, having the regulator and motor captive on one panel makes refit a breeze. We know a lovely Egyptian lad in blackburn that rebuilds original regs. New anchors, guides and channels where necesary and he recables in stainless. 35 quid!! No need for ebay specials 😄

[SiC]

37 minutes ago, Matty said:

Just done the drivers side window reg on my st150 Si. Having only done leccy window regs on older cars, ha ing to strip the full door down including the loom was a bit of a head wreck. Have to say though, having the regulator and motor captive on one panel makes refit a breeze. We know a lovely Egyptian lad in blackburn that rebuilds original regs. New anchors, guides and channels where necesary and he recables in stainless. 35 quid!! No need for ebay specials 😄

If you look closely where the motor is, it looks like there is a hole in the middle where a manual crank handle would be. I always wondered if they designed it so it could potentially have one!

Doors with frames are definitely easier to replace the window regulator in. Much less alignment and setup is needed in getting a good seal, as the frame isn't moving around.

Like the left side, I went with another second hand genuine regulator on this. I don't have high hopes for an aftermarket unit being close enough tolerances to making sure it all fits back up properly. Plus like-for-like should make the alignment by covering dirty/rusty parts with nuts/bolts pretty much the same. 

I paid £45 for the second hand genuine - much cheaper than new genuine and still well over half the price of an aftermarket. Was generally in good condition and definitely better than what was on there. Probably last longer than the aftermarket unit too!

[SiC]

Oh and I only skinned my knuckles once this time. Much better than last time when I sliced my finger open on a knife blade while cutting off the door membrane bitumen 🫣

[mk2_craig]

12 minutes ago, SiC said:

Doors with frames are definitely easier to replace the window regulator in

PTSD from having to do this in an R56 series Bini multiple times. Due to a shite 2nd hand unit, pisspoor aftermarket replacement and (finally) a better aftermarket one that was identical to the OEM item. Would have bought genuine from the main dealer but was apparently “on back order” with ETA of several weeks and didnt want to wait that long, wish we had an Egyptian bloke locally who could have re-cabled the original. 

[SiC]

Just now, mk2_craig said:

wish we had an Egyptian bloke locally who could have re-cabled the original. 

That's okay if you can store the vehicle under cover until it's repaired - especially in the winter!

No option to buy a second hand unit? Iirc you're on the channel islands so delivery either way is expensive (are there any scrapyards local?). 

[Split_Pin]

+1 for regulators being a horrible job on cars with frameless doors. I replaced the driver's door one on the A4 Cab after the cable skrunkled up and I too had several skinned knuckles!

[SiC]

The worse bit is undoing the bolts going through the glass! Didn't help the second hand unit didn't have replacements either. 

Both had a Torx 25 head. I broke one tool trying to use it on my impact. I should have known better as I have two other sizes in that box where I've broken them using impacts 🤦

Then realised the other side was a 8mm bolt head that I could put a socket on. That did the trick. 

Doing it up with the window fully up was tight. I had to use a small spanner with no gloves to feel for the bolt head. It was doing this where the spanner slipped off and I sliced the top of my knuckle. 

[mk2_craig]

6 minutes ago, SiC said:

No option to buy a second hand unit?

That was the first avenue I explored, actually removed it myself from a Cooper hatchback that a local recovery guy was busting for spares.  It turned out to be almost unusable due to how frayed the cables were and barely moved the glass.  I didn't want to roll the dice again on another unknown one, which is why I was doubly pissed off when the new one off Amazon turned out to be a poorly made pile of shite that loudly and catastrophically failed the fourth time it was operated. Refunded thankfully.

Car got sold on 18 months ago, I hope the new owner appreciates all the expenditure and hours that went into making the driver side window work so well.

[Matty]

8 hours ago, mk2_craig said:

wish we had an Egyptian bloke locally who could have re-cabled the original. 

What to do with the car whilst you wait is the biggest pain as Si says. Luckily for me we have a secure yard at work as for a few days i had a car that doesnt lock and techinically has no glass in the door (i did refit the glass and just wedged in to keep in weather tight). Theyre just a shit job in general tbh, and obvs even shitter with piller less doors.

[stuboy]

i need to do the mondeo drivers door, putting it off a month now