Update time! Bet you guys missed me. Now I definitely need to do a proper photoshoot but I just can***8217;t get ahead of California whether, see below.
https://youtu.be/NG86H2teSEA
Now the biggest update I***8217;d say is that I***8217;ve installed Koni FSD***8217;s and Eibach springs. I bought them used from a member or else it couldn't have happened! The drop in the front is a wee bit much for me, but definitely worth it for the handling improvements and decreasing the front fender gap.
<img src="https://farm1.staticflickr.com/394/32198150981_ac506e3aef_k_d.jpg" width="950" /></a>
<img src="https://farm1.staticflickr.com/537/31475778104_d8b16c1c67_k_d.jpg" width="950" /></a>
Unfortunately installation took place at roughly 2AM, so I was rushing it. To get the spring out with the jack on the rear control arm. So I missed the wires that were on it :banghead: I could live without the speedo since I could tell my speed by my rpm***8217;s but for whatever reason it effects my gas tank. It was changing by gallons depending on my acceleration and slope! So two-day shipping later:
<img src="https://farm1.staticflickr.com/607/31475777364_296fd3be26_k_d.jpg" height="650" /></a>
Decided to take some before and after pictures. I hope you see why this is funny.
<img src="https://farm1.staticflickr.com/309/32167943942_aba45b3589_k_d.jpg" width="950" /></a>
<img src="https://farm1.staticflickr.com/318/32167944972_80c6657311_k_d.jpg" width="950" /></a>
I got a couple parts in the mail....and decided to finally install something to fix my oil light on startup. Now I don***8217;t have to worry about checking my oil as often!
<img src="https://farm1.staticflickr.com/318/31940699400_4a39cb66f0_k_d.jpg" height="650" /></a> <img src="https://farm1.staticflickr.com/296/31506796703_4d09c1a469_k_d.jpg" height="650" /></a>
When I replaced the oil level sensor, I changed my oil and sent a sample to blackstone labs. Here are the results!!
<img src="https://farm1.staticflickr.com/727/31940717460_8a77813b55_o_d.png" height="750" /></a>
I installed some camber plates that I bought from a member. and also bought a VANOS line, which was the source of my oil leak that I***8217;ve had since I bought the car. Then I also replaced the OFHG while I was in there.
<img src="https://farm1.staticflickr.com/454/32278924946_a8903330c8_o_d.jpg" width="950" /></a>
<img src="https://farm1.staticflickr.com/755/32278924356_07126dc719_o_d.jpg" width="950" /></a>
Drove 40 miles and found a mild leak under my hood. It was only on the top, so I tightened the VANOS line from the top side. Turns out you can***8217;t reuse a crush washer. This is what happens when you do
<img src="https://farm1.staticflickr.com/405/32198150081_42cd8ea794_k_d.jpg" width="350" /></a> <img src="https://farm1.staticflickr.com/678/31940693550_387f8e905c_k_d.jpg" width="350" /></a> <img src="https://farm1.staticflickr.com/739/31940694260_89b85484f2_k_d.jpg" width="350" /></a>
Path of oil:
https://youtu.be/srTi-BXtLVA
An engine clean was MANDATORY, as was an emergency trip to the BMW dealer for some new crush washers. I had a quart of oil with me and fixed it all in the parking lot without a tow! I missed work though...It smelled like burnt oil everywhere
IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII Video coming of me cleaning to show how it got everywhere IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
Girlfriend also bought me wheel spacers! Makes the front look super clean. Too bad they had to come off for my new offset bushings (coming at end of post)
<img src="https://farm1.staticflickr.com/569/32198152051_2ae6ad263f_k_d.jpg" width="475" /></a> <img src="https://farm1.staticflickr.com/294/32198152651_d978813b0e_k_d.jpg" width="475" /></a>
I took my front wheels to an alignment shop and they said ***8220;it***8217;s bent.***8221; They didn***8217;t clarify which one and I already waited an hour so I just got both fixed. They accidentally refinished one, and told me how lucky I was! Oh yes, I love the color mismatch and now a peeling rim.
<img src="https://farm1.staticflickr.com/533/31506796533_263e84e93a_k_d.jpg" height="650" /></a>
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If there***8217;s anything I***8217;ve learned from constantly reassembling struts, it***8217;s that this piece isn***8217;t that essential to how the car handles and that the car oversteers like a fun b*tch without it. It did drastically decrease my wobble. It was clearly exacerbating my issue. Took it to an alignment shop, had the wheels rebalance for roughly the third time now, and it feels really stable past 100mph. I have recently noticed that with hard braking at speed, I can feel the right side still uneasy. I have Archbid***8217;s spare in my trunk so I***8217;ll probably put that on today or tomorrow and see if that fixes anything. But the roll bar has to stay off for driving to be tolerable.
Update in an update:
I decided to move my rims to my friends to see if we could blame the wheels. Nope, makes his car ride better than ever. So we can rule out the wheels but still have this wobble (with no roll bar). It gets worse under braking. So in 3K miles, I***8217;ve replaced FCAB***8217;s, tie rods, strut mounts (end links on roll bar removed. Ruling out wheels and tires because they***8217;re perfect)***8230;.and a bad rack wouldn't do this. I replaced my brakes when I first bought my car with R1 concepts. They suck. I***8217;ve had to replaced the pads. It***8217;s very possible my aggressive pads have somehow mis-balanced or mis-weighted or warped my rotors so bad that I feel it as I drive. It is a hypothesis at the moment.
I***8217;ve also installed new Z4M FCABS***8230;new post about the difference that makes in wheel placement and handling coming up next***8230;
