MY little Z3 Project

Great work. Keep it up! :thumbsup:
 
Quick update on progress -

Fitted a new radiator a few days back, had a leak somewhere but could not locate it, tried just the expansion tank but that did not resolve it so went for some new shiny bits. I suspect the coolant was very weak, it had sat for 5 years and how long before that i don't know when it was changed.

So next thing -
The next step I had been dreading, take it for an MOT:nailbiting: ---- FAILED:(
And why -
Both rear tyres - tyre not fitted in accordance with side wall instructions
Guess which idiot hadn't fitted the directional tyres back on the car correctly:banghead::whistle::inpain:
so picked up the car this morning with the garage swapping them back over for me, (they MOT'd it very late last night so had to fail it.They did a partial retest today). New lesson learned - check tyre rotation:thumbsup:

So after all my worries, sleepless nights worrying , Bella passed her MOT with no issues and no advisories. Not bad for a old car which hadn't moved for 5 years.
20160208_120400.webp

Shiny things
20160208_120421.webp 20160208_122129.webp

Now , im not too sure if I still have further issues with the coolant side, the system seems to pressurize a lot and then blow out the rad cap. Just fitted a new cap and am in the process of trying to bleed the system further to see if there are any air gaps, i Did flush the engine out and some gunk came out which im thinking may have been something like rad weld etc.
I do wonder if the thermostat is gunked up or stuck, its not too expensive to change so i think im going to try that next.

Lets just hope its not a major issue like the head gasket.
 
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Great that she has passed her test just intime for the spring ! Great job! Good luck with the heating issue the stat may be getting stuck but is the engine getting hot on the clock display as well or just pressure ? Water pump may be worth checking too.
 
wooooooohoooooo way to go BELLA :happy::happy::happy:
 
Well took the thermostat out.
Looks clean as a whistle.
Purchased another one from Euro car parts to compare... Damn some of their stuff is s#!t. The tolerances on their so called oem replacement part is terrible. The term p***** in a bucket comes to terms!!!!.
That's going straight back.
 
DirtyDog said:
Quick update on progress -

Fitted a new radiator a few days back, had a leak somewhere but could not locate it, tried just the expansion tank but that did not resolve it so went for some new shiny bits. I suspect the coolant was very weak, it had sat for 5 years and how long before that i don't know when it was changed.

So next thing -
The next step I had been dreading, take it for an MOT:nailbiting: ---- FAILED:(
And why -
Both rear tyres - tyre not fitted in accordance with side wall instructions
Guess which idiot hadn't fitted the directional tyres back on the car correctly:banghead::whistle::inpain:
so picked up the car this morning with the garage swapping them back over for me, (they MOT'd it very late last night so had to fail it.They did a partial retest today). New lesson learned - check tyre rotation:thumbsup:

So after all my worries, sleepless nights worrying , Bella passed her MOT with no issues and no advisories. Not bad for a old car which hadn't moved for 5 years.
View attachment 26907

Shiny things
View attachment 26908 View attachment 26909

Now , im not too sure if I still have further issues with the coolant side, the system seems to pressurize a lot and then blow out the rad cap. Just fitted a new cap and am in the process of trying to bleed the system further to see if there are any air gaps, i Did flush the engine out and some gunk came out which im thinking may have been something like rad weld etc.
I do wonder if the thermostat is gunked up or stuck, its not too expensive to change so i think im going to try that next.

Lets just hope its not a major issue like the head gasket.
Click to expand...
Great write-up and most interesting :thumbsup:
Oh, mine is a "Bella" too :)
 
@DirtyDog my car failed the last MOT because I shuffled my front wheels after fitting new front suspension bushes. Easy done and lesson learned for whenever I take the wheels off in future
 
End of yesterday, my coolant system was pressurizing massively, the fan would not come on and the temp gauge was going upto the red, this at idle on the drive.:mad::banghead::facepalm:
Today - Fingers crossed after most of the afternoon spent on bleeding the system several times again Bella seems to be staying cool, not pressurizing and the fan comes on again at the required temp. temp gauge stays half way now so i am preying that is another job ticked off.:)

Whilst I had all the air filter box off sorted and working on the car , i looked at the drive belt and it has stated to crack slightly, this will be on the list to do once i am happy with the coolant system.
Now talk about doing things backwards but do you think its worth changing the water pump whilst I am doing it, the car has done 56,800miles.
Then back to the dreaded fill and bleed again.
 
DirtyDog said:
End of yesterday, my coolant system was pressurizing massively, the fan would not come on and the temp gauge was going upto the red, this at idle on the drive.:mad::banghead::facepalm:
Today - Fingers crossed after most of the afternoon spent on bleeding the system several times again Bella seems to be staying cool, not pressurizing and the fan comes on again at the required temp. temp gauge stays half way now so i am preying that is another job ticked off.:)

Whilst I had all the air filter box off sorted and working on the car , i looked at the drive belt and it has stated to crack slightly, this will be on the list to do once i am happy with the coolant system.
Now talk about doing things backwards but do you think its worth changing the water pump whilst I am doing it, the car has done 56,800miles.
Then back to the dreaded fill and bleed again.
Click to expand...
I think at that mileage I would be thinking of doing it, but some better qualified 1.9 guys may tell you better.

Tony.
 
Well after yesterdays little test drive with Martin and Stacey in the rain, I decided today being as it was dry I would have to put the roof down and take my wife out in the car for the first time.
Did we get some strange looks, hell yer but who cares. I was that guy today, the one who before getting a soft top has always looked at others with the roof down in the winter thinking why or why ????
I now understand:):happy::joyful:
And yes the wife loved it, Who needs red roses on valentines day!!!!!
 
DirtyDog said:
Well after yesterdays little test drive with Martin and Stacey, I now understand:):happy::joyful:
And yes the wife loved it, Who needs red roses on valentines day!!!!!
Click to expand...

I don't want to know how you, your wife, Stacey and Martin all fitted into your Z3!

I have had a very tame Valentine's in comparison!
 
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