Help and encouragement needed

[GeoffZ]

I am new to this forum and recently bought myself a Z3 1.9 M44. Thought I had done ok and am loving the car. However, experience tells me there is always a reason why a car is for sale and so checked fluids daily for loss. The radiator expansion bottle is leaking but fortunately the engine hasn't overheated so I have caught that in time. Both outer sills need replacing, seat bushes (cheap and easy enough and already have the bushes), new track rod ends and rack ends, new rear dampers and a host of dents and dings to sort out. New outer sills seem to be quite expensive and there are none on ebay at the moment. The rad replacement isnt a massive job but could easily turn into a coolant system overhaul but I confess I am looking at the car and thinking I might be better off cutting my losses and saving myself even more grief. Does anyone out there have a pair of pre-facelift sills by any chance? That could make all the difference between chucking the towel in and getting stuck in to do the jobs and taking it on the chin.

 

[Ianmc]

IMO the M44 is a fine car and well worth the trouble. The items you mention should be easily sortable for circa £500, especially if you do some of the work yourself; not really bad for a 20 year old car. Sorting the radiator would be my first priority.

 

[mrscalex]

I think it depends what you paid for the car. I also suspect from the way you are talking you will be more experienced next time you buy one to find one that needs less work.

That said you're not really listing anything there that the majority of cars wouldn't suffer from at some stage.

You will struggle to find decent narrow body pre-facelift sill covers. But remember they are only sill covers and not structural. They won't fail an MOT for you. I have a second-hand radiator/expansion tank I can sell you for a modest sum.

Track rods are not expensive or difficult to do yourself.

And I'd wager that the vast majority of Z3s need new shocks all-round unless they have been done in the last 5 years or so.

 

[GeoffZ]

All fair comments I guess and I suppose I am a bit annoyed with myself for trusting what I was told rather than going in deep for inspection. The car has actually had a lot of money spent on it by the previous owner and I think he drew a line in the sand which is where I come in. Its actually only done 64k miles and other than what I highlighted, is generally in good order. I just have to decide whether its a keeper in which case the spend is as you guys say, not that surprising for a 20 year old car. Yes I tend to do all my own work and have a 1977 BGT that I have been working on now for two years. Its actually on the road and I am working my way through the snags.

 

[GeoffZ]

I think it depends what you paid for the car. I also suspect from the way you are talking you will be more experienced next time you buy one to find one that needs less work.

That said you're not really listing anything there that the majority of cars wouldn't suffer from at some stage.

You will struggle to find decent narrow body pre-facelift sill covers. But remember they are only sill covers and not structural. They won't fail an MOT for you. I have a second-hand radiator/expansion tank I can sell you for a modest sum.

Track rods are not expensive or difficult to do yourself.

And I'd wager that the vast majority of Z3s need new shocks all-round unless they have been done in the last 5 years or so.

I would be interested in the radiator and expansion tank. Yes I was going to leave the sill covers till next winter.

 

[mrscalex]

If it's only done 64k and is otherwise a nice car I'd stick with it. 64k is very much considered low mileage for a Z3 and should attract a premium on its value That's not a very long list compared with what most of us face.

And I would positively recommend a cooling system overhaul with new thermostat and water pump. Cheap parts and easy.

The sill covers can always wait.

However if you are a perfectionist and like to guarantee a good and safe ride be aware once you start prodding and learning about these cars that shocks are the thin end of the suspension wedge. You'll likely find various bushes and ball-joints that need to be replaced. Not least the dreaded rear beam bushes that play a big part in the car's handling. The vast majority of these are knackered if they've never been done before and transform handling when paired with new shocks.

 

[mrscalex]

I would be interested in the radiator and expansion tank. Yes I was going to leave the sill covers till next winter.

Send me if a PM please. And let me know whereabouts you are.

 

[Mazza]

Hi and welcome to the forum from Bognor Regis.

Good choice of car ......but then I’m biased

Lots of help on here, just ask
If changing the rad....make sure you follow procedure for filling and bleeding the system.

 

[ZTec]

Hi and welcome. Mines a M44 and well pleased with it.

Any photos?

 

[BMBabe]

@spurs fan in a coupe is currently breaking some Z3's he maybe able to help you

 

[DrWong]

Welcome mate and chin up. Mine is a 2001 on 74k and I've done work around every single thing you listed in the two years I've had it (apart from dents n' dings). It's par for the course and pretty much inevitable on cars of this vintage. I went into the ownership with my eyes open and none of the jobs have surprised and none of them pointed to any fundamental flaws with the car.

Just work your way through each task and you'll eventually have a very well-sorted little summer motor that, as mentioned, should attract a premium due to its low mileage (not that I'd be selling personally). And you literally couldn't be in a better place than this forum if you want to get your Z tip top

 

[Brian4]

If you can keep a B on the road then the zed will be a breeze. The rads are known for leaks after time and most sills second hand will be in a similar state to yours.
Where are you based as there will be a member here close enough to come give you a hand encourage or advise as required.

 

[IainP]

I know how you feel, I recently bought mine as a track toy/hack, now though, it's being passed to my son as a temporary daily, possibly sell/trade. Soooo, I have to fix a massive list of irritating jobs I had no intention whatsoever of touching.

From experience, the rad leak is very likely because the system is over pressuring. Mine blew the tank apart. Change the thermostat, probably jamming or, on it's way (mine). The hose under the manifold (mine), and both the hoses and outlet at the back of the head have a nasty habit of leaking (also mine).
Lose sufficient water and the system has a habit of airlocking, you think it's full but it isn't, follow the bleeding procedure on here.
If you happen to be in Scotland I can probably help you with parts, or welding the outer sills, I have various forming and folding tools.

Iain

 

[GeoffZ]

Blimey, that's covered the encouragement angle. Thank you all. One worry, what are the dreaded beam bushes? I think a full cooling system overhaul is on the cards but it seems far from straightforward mostly becasue of those two plastic pipes, one under the manifold and the other at the back of the head. I am used to the B, its just lawnmower technology but this seems a 100 times more complicated to me. By the way, I am in East Sussex, near Rye.

 

[Brian4]

Blimey, that's covered the encouragement angle. Thank you all. One worry, what are the dreaded beam bushes? I think a full cooling system overhaul is on the cards but it seems far from straightforward mostly becasue of those two plastic pipes, one under the manifold and the other at the back of the head. I am used to the B, its just lawnmower technology but this seems a 100 times more complicated to me. By the way, I am in East Sussex, near Rye.

PM sent

 

[GeoffZ]

I know how you feel, I recently bought mine as a track toy/hack, now though, it's being passed to my son as a temporary daily, possibly sell/trade. Soooo, I have to fix a massive list of irritating jobs I had no intention whatsoever of touching.

From experience, the rad leak is very likely because the system is over pressuring. Mine blew the tank apart. Change the thermostat, probably jamming or, on it's way (mine). The hose under the manifold (mine), and both the hoses and outlet at the back of the head have a nasty habit of leaking (also mine).
Lose sufficient water and the system has a habit of airlocking, you think it's full but it isn't, follow the bleeding procedure on here.
If you happen to be in Scotland I can probably help you with parts, or welding the outer sills, I have various forming and folding tools.

Iain

I checked the water in the expansion tank yesterday and it was almost empty. I filled to the half mark and was going to go out in the car but didnt. I checked again this morning and most of what I had put in yesterday was gone and there was a puddle on the cover under the car. So, I managed to lose that much fluid without the system being pressurised which surprised me. Because of that, I wont now drive it until I have fixed it which in turn, seems to be turning into a system overhaul. I have read on here that the cooling system needs to be in good order owing to the risk of an overheat and head warp.

 

[Mazza]

Rear beam bush is number 3

Lots of threads on here showing how its done. A lot fit the polybush type which is a lot easier, the original rubber ones need a press to push them in.

 

[GeoffZ]

Rear beam bush is number 3
View attachment 98323

Lots of threads on here showing how its done. A lot fit the polybush type which is a lot easier, the original rubber ones need a press to push them in.

Ah, I can see thats an involved job and no record of that ever being done from the history that came with the car. Guess I can look at that come the winter too. There are no thumps or bangs from the rear end so I guess its ok for now. The winter jobs list is growing by the minute.

 

[GeoffZ]

I should add that I previously had a year 2000 Z with the 2 litre six engine. I regretted selling that car the moment it disappeared off down the road a couple of years ago. However, I tried an M44 car and much preferred it and thats how I ended up with this one.

 

[Mazza]

I am aiming to drop the rear end of my car next Jan - Feb and replace all the bushes and other stuff.
Unless there are any problems with the MOT in July