#ZshedWest

Iamjonw

Iamjonw

Zorg Legend
Supporter
British Zeds
Joined
Mar 9, 2021
Points
78
Location
Gloucester
Model of Z
Z3 2.8 Widebody Roadster
So after a long running saga and a few trips to ZshedWest over the winter, I have finally got the MOT on my Z.

The MOT initially expired on 4th September, so I put it in for a test in mid August, not expecting too much to come back. First attempt:

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This did not seem too bad. Headlight beam, OK tester can adjust. Rear fog lamp just sticky and works fine now. Front suspension joint acquired and with ZshedWest efforts fitted (both sides because I like symmetry).

Re-test booked for mid October, expecting an easy Pass, but no:

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Another trip down to see @Nodzed in Lydney, ably assisted by @colb. Both anti roll links replaced and with @colb's box of tricks diagnosed the emission issue as a Crankshaft sensor. MIL light was a non issue and Nearside position lamp was a bulb replacement. Headlight adjustment as before.

So the Crankshaft sensor was a right royal pain in the posterior, initially supplied the wrong one by Cotswold BMW, so had an aborted day whilst we worked that one out. In between all this, I had to replace the rear tyres after the nearside one shredded on a trip to the Zedshed. We also replaced the radiator as the one in the car had bowed significantly and did not look 'stable'. Then the 'Stability Control' light came on, which was a new fault but also an MOT fail.

Any crankshaft sensor finally fitted. Booked into Independent BMW garage for next MOT to ask if they could diagnose and fix the Stability Control issue, we thought it may be the speed sensors.
Another day another MOT:

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So the stability control was fixed (actually a Throttle body Actuator fault). And they also fixed the rear brake issue. So now it is just the damned headlights - and now both sides. The garage could not get the lights to adjust, adjuster knobs seized and failing. They recommended new headlights - bugger! Anyway another convo with @Nodzed and another morning in Lydney. We (well Niall mostly) removed both headlights, freed up the mechanisms, fixed the rotating knobs and re-assembled.

Took the car back in today for the re-test:

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There are some advisories, but they can now be done at leisure and I have a car I can use over the summer.

Thanks to @Nodezed, @colb and Martin (Niall's son) who all contributed to this outcome, I am extremely grateful.
 
Glad its finally MOT'd :thumbsup: You are now officially banned from Zedshed West ramps for 11 months but you are permitted to call in for coffee and cake and a natter :happy: =))=))=)) as long as you buy the cake.
 
Nodzed said:
Glad its finally MOT'd :thumbsup: You are now officially banned from Zedshed West ramps for 11 months but you are permitted to call in for coffee and cake and a natter :happy: =))=))=)) as long as you buy the cake.
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Thanks Niall, I will no doubt see you soon :-)
 
At last a pass, whats left on the advisories from the latest pass test?
Surprised the throttle body actuator was the cause of the stability light, its usually down to a bad speed sensor or rusty reculter rings in the hubs, Plugging in the diagnostics and looking at the live data they are putting out or not usually pinpoints any that are duff,
Worth doing a smoke test on the engine to ensure it has a good vaccum seal, any leaks across the engine will show up with high fuel trims.
Give me a shout if you want to smoke it and I will bring my smoke machine to the shed.
 
colb said:
At last a pass, whats left on the advisories from the latest pass test?
Surprised the throttle body actuator was the cause of the stability light, its usually down to a bad speed sensor or rusty reculter rings in the hubs, Plugging in the diagnostics and looking at the live data they are putting out or not usually pinpoints any that are duff,
Worth doing a smoke test on the engine to ensure it has a good vaccum seal, any leaks across the engine will show up with high fuel trims.
Give me a shout if you want to smoke it and I will bring my smoke machine to the shed.
Click to expand...

Hi Col, thank you. The advisory list is quite long :-( but not too serious thankfully. Mostly corrosion issues. Interesting that they have picked up on the sills, which we thought were ok, so may need to look at remedying that. Also the minor leak from the exhaust, which I think I will have to attend to. I think you picked up the brake backing plates last time and suggested a fix? May have to change the brake cables and attend to the brake pipes. When Niall has had some respite to do his own stuff, I may ask nicely if we can get on the ramp and take a better look at some of these items and make a plan :)

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@Iamjonw some of those advisories are a bit OTT IMO, we knew about the exhaust, no point trying to fix this, need a new one, back plates and HB cables are easy enough, surprised about the sills they looked like they had been replaced and in good nick, change my glasses next time. Springs off and clean up and respray, I have a new set of rears in the shed but they are stock so she will sit like a dragster, so not worth fitting IMHO.
 
Nodzed said:
@Iamjonw some of those advisories are a bit OTT IMO, we knew about the exhaust, no point trying to fix this, need a new one, back plates and HB cables are easy enough, surprised about the sills they looked like they had been replaced and in good nick, change my glasses next time. Springs off and clean up and respray, I have a new set of rears in the shed but they are stock so she will sit like a dragster, so not worth fitting IMHO.
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OK Niall, no rush on any of this for now. I appreciate that you need some time for your own stuff. Let's chat and see when makes sense and I can work out what I need and plan out. I guess we may need a couple of sessions. One to maybe take off the sills and take a look at what is there. Another to look at the HB cables and plates and another for the springs?
 
Iamjonw said:
OK Niall, no rush on any of this for now. I appreciate that you need some time for your own stuff. Let's chat and see when makes sense and I can work out what I need and plan out. I guess we may need a couple of sessions. One to maybe take off the sills and take a look at what is there. Another to look at the HB cables and plates and another for the springs?
Click to expand...
Springs off and clean up and spray them early doors then tackle what we can by the time we are done or had enough the springs can go back on. You know how it is, less coffee and nattering equals more work :whistle:
 
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