[BenFenner]

Originally Posted by Tambohamilton

I had issues with my non-ca tailgate (not the lid) never locking. Tried all sorts - wiring repairs, new switch, new latch, default code using Protool, etc etc. Eventually figured the JBBF must be the problem, so updated it and default coded using NCS....works!

Well, we looked into it and didn't find anything amiss in the JBBF, or other coded modules.

We did make sure to code the BMS for the correct Ah rating of the battery, and AGM type for charging. Since we'd forgotten to do that when registering the battery originally.

A thorough scan for faults did show a code for a failed rear aerial. This must be the proximity sensor in the hatch. Odds are it took a crap when we connected the battery. Odd, but would explain the issue.

I'm going to look into what it takes to replace this, and what I need to buy. Hopefully it's not some expensive integrated unit with the latch or anything. We'll see.

[Tambohamilton]

Sounds like you've found the culprit! Good luck with the parts..

[VehementCrom]

Hey BenFenner I remember reading some of your posts on Sr20forum .

I was the guy that wrote about the clogged toilet on a Saturday morning if you remember that post lmao.

[BenFenner]

Hey, small world! I'm still very active over on The Dash. I can't say I remember that post, but I'd love to find it.

[VehementCrom]

Originally Posted by BenFenner

Hey, small world! I'm still very active over on The Dash. I can't say I remember that post, but I'd love to find it.

I was referring to the dash. I was on the original one as well. It was in the off-topic forum search for Saturday morning. I think my username was TH1NX2000. I had a dark blue pearl NX2k with a det and shit.

Those were the days. I wish I would have kept that car because it was so rare. Sorry for the thread jack, but I'm still a die hard Nissan guy, you just can't find any decent ones in the mid-west anymore. God damn rust.

[BenFenner]

Off-topic is members only, so you'll have to log in for this link to work, but here it is.
Ehhh, might as well quote it. Color changed to protect sensitive eyeballs.

https://www.sr20-forum.com/offtopic/...ning-ever.html

Originally Posted by TH1 NX2000

The toilet got a little clog last night from too much toilet paper. No big deal, I go to get the plunger, and it's gone? Come to find out my Fiance threw it away because it "looked gross." Alright fine, I lecture her about throwing away useful tools that are mine, and go to bed.

Now this morning I had a dentist appointment at 9:00AM for some fillings. That was not an ideal Saturday morning right off the bat. After that painful appointment I stop at the hardware store, grab a plunger, and get home. When I get home, I go straight to the bathroom to get the toilet fixed, and that's when I catch a whiff of something foul.

My sister, who KNEW the toilet was clogged, took a huge rank, disgusting, nasty shit in the toilet. WHAT THE FUCK? She left for work before I got home on top of it, so I couldn't even yell at her. Wow. Alright, time to man up anyways, the toilet needs to be fixed. I force the plunger into the turd infested waters. Immediately the smell multiplies and rapes my nostrils with a searing putrid burn. Instant gag. I run out and narrowly avoid adding my own vomit to the plethora of vile ingredients I'm trying to disperse.

I collect my thoughts and gag reflex and walk around the house looking for some Fabreze. I find a candle and light that bad boy up and toss it on the vanity. I find some Air Wick in my sisters room, as I take it I suppress my thoughts of cooking her pet rabbit for dinner.

Round two. From approximately 3 feet out of the bathroom I start battling the dragon breath with magnolia and cherry blossom. I spray like my life depends on it, grab the shit stick of a plunger, and jam in down the the murky cauldron of feces. This toilet was freshly installed about a month ago, so I am plunging away like a jack hammer, but I can't find the sweet spot. As I go to adjust the plunger it crests the top of the bowl water and pulls out with a huge turd stuck to it. GAG, coughing hard as hell, fuck this I run out and abandon my effort yet again.

Round three. I'm steaming mad at this point. I grab the Air Wick and just paint the bathroom with it, walk in still gunning, grab the plunger and start molesting the toilet with it. Shit water flying everywhere, I give the toilet a flush to get a little more water mixed in with the turd mud. I narrowly avoid 2 shots of plunger backlash and watch them splash on my tile, better you than me.

At this point I'm spraying the freshener as fast as I can with the one hand, and plunging like I'm O.J. Simpson pre-bronco chase. Finally I hear it let loose, the drain starts burping, shit is bubbling up like a wizzard just cast a spell on my toilet. It sounds like some horn of old forgotten times is blowing inside my toilet. The amalgam of excrement, toilet paper, and water finally rushes down the drain. I showcase a smirk of triumphant victory, throw the plunger in the bathtub, and walk out, FUCK YEAH.

[ny325]

Originally Posted by BenFenner

Original sale listing:

Note that the Style 189 wheels in the last picture were not included for the price we settled on.
Facebook album permalink (in case the images don't show up in the future).

Nice clean wagon. I just ordered a set of Michelin All Season Pilot Sport 4. I’m finally ditching the OEM run flats. I also love the fact, you still have the original window sticker. I also have my 2008 E90 328i, with sport package, premium package, heated seats, and Xenon window sticker. Our cars today cost about $10k more than it was back in 2008. I honestly like the way our cars drive/feel than the current BMWs.

I’m going to carry a tire plug kit, and compressor in the trunk.

[BenFenner]

Originally Posted by ny325

I honestly like the way our cars drive/feel than the current BMWs.

Oh, you couldn't pay me to own/drive a current BMW. No thank you.

[BenFenner]

Install new starter | Album

Originally Posted by BenFenner

The wagon has been struggling a little to start for a long time now, and we are finally putting a new battery in it. Eventually we will learn that the starter motor was actually going out (maybe never actually needed a battery, but this battery has seen enough discharges to be suspect by now anyway).

Well, here we are. The new battery helped a bit, for a little while. But the starter went back to misbehaving after a some time. Seems we need a starter after all.
I do really prefer OEM for this type of component (starter and alternator) but it just was not in my wife's budget right now, so we saved money going with a reman Bosch unit.

There's not much to this, except to curse the BMW engineers for putting the starter under the intake manifold. It certainly could be easier to access, but I guess it could be much worse.
I took the opportunity to replace the throttle body and intake manifold gaskets while I was in there.

Oh, and the starter bolts are aluminum, so BMW wants you to replace them every time you swap a starter. I'm typically ignoring these recommendations on steel fasteners, but aluminum is a little different story. You could probably get away with reusing them for the life of the car, but "while I'm in there" I guess I'll do those too.


Parts:
$132.71 | Remanufactured Bosch starter motor | SR0492X (compare with BMW OEM 12412354701)
$15.69 | OEM aluminum starter motor mounting bolts | 12410392577

$22.91 | OEM (Elring) intake manifold gasket set | 11617547242
$14.01 | OEM (Victor Reinz) throttle body gasket | 13547522361


Pics:

[ny325]

Originally Posted by BenFenner

Oh, you couldn't pay me to own/drive a current BMW. No thank you.

Agree. BMW is no longer the “Ultimate Driving Machine.”

[BenFenner]

Car wash | Album

Super boring update I know. More actual good stuff coming in a bit.
She's a dirty girl.
I'm a busy boy.

[M-technik-3]

You out mud bogging? Rebuilt Bosch are not bad and you get the same warranty as an new Bosch.

[BenFenner]

With the starter, at least if it dies it doesn't have a chance of taking out the entire electrical system (like an alternator when the voltage regulator fails). So it's not a huge risk if it isn't perfect...

Not mud bogging, just driving on a regular basis with OEM (Textar) brake pads. These things dust so damn much. That's all brake dust chief.

[BenFenner]

100,000 miles | Album

We purchased it with 85,555 miles, and now we've hit six digits.
Looking forward to another 100k and more.

[tlow98]

when was this tho? 3 years ago?

[BenFenner]

Early August, 2018.

I am catching up!

[sk1939]

Originally Posted by BenFenner

Early August, 2018.

I am catching up!

What mileage are you at now?

[BenFenner]

Just went out to check. Looks like we are now at 115,737 miles.

[BenFenner]

Hauling pallets | Album

I'm making a zoo-like enclosure for our indoor/outdoor cats. It's a long story.
I'm using a lot of free pallet wood for it. This is just one load of many.
I learned very quickly this is the stupid way to do this. The much better way is to quickly break the pallets down at the place where you are picking them up, and then load them into/onto the car that way. You can get a lot more wood, much faster this way. Make sure to have some type of pallet busting tool, as a crowbar or claw hammer will take you hours and make you miserable. I use the Eizzy Bar Pro (manufactured locally), but pretty much any of the good ones out there will work.

[Tambohamilton]

Originally Posted by BenFenner

Make sure to have some type of pallet busting tool, as a crowbar or claw hammer will take you hours and make you miserable.

+1

So difficult breaking pallets with a claw hammer!!

[BenFenner]

Bypass rear brake pad wear sensor | Album

The dash on the wagon was complaining about the rear brake pads. I forget if it was a mileage-based service complaint, or if it was based on the brake pad wear sensor. I think it was the sensor though...
Either way, the rear pads had 40-50% life left, so it was time to disable this madness. We cut the sensor off the end and looped the wires. The front pad wear sensors seem to be sane, but these rear ones went off WAY too soon. We'll probably go through another whole set of front pads before we need rears (maybe due to a proportioning valve issue, but that's a topic for another day).

[rothwem]

Originally Posted by BenFenner

Bypass rear brake pad wear sensor | Album

The dash on the wagon was complaining about the rear brake pads. I forget if it was a mileage-based service complaint, or if it was based on the brake pad wear sensor. I think it was the sensor though...
Either way, the rear pads had 40-50% like left, so it was time to disable this madness. We cut the sensor off the end and looped the wires. The front pad wear sensors seem to be sane, but these rear ones went off WAY too soon. We'll probably go through another whole set of front pads before we need rears (maybe due to a proportioning valve issue, but that's a topic for another day).

Did cutting it off and looping it work for you? I ended up needing the reset the Kombi module for it to stop showing me an error after I put a new sensor in.

As for the fronts wearing faster than the rears, I found that my manual sedan made the rears last a lot longer than my auto wagon did. I guess there's engine braking on the rears already so the car puts less power to the brakes? Hack theory I know, but it's the only good reason I can think of.