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Read the WELCOME ALL BMWFANATICS post.
2009 Z4 35i Let the DIY and slight cosmetic modding begin.
- Thread starter osiris
- Start date
ShaunB
Active member
osiris said:
Sorry to hear about your misfortune bud, I received the same news this morning at the new job I at, so also don't really want to let go of the car but seems I have no option. Really a shit situation we get put in.
Car is looking stunning with the new wheels btw.
osiris
///Member
osiris
///Member
So haven't posted any updates in a while here. So here is a big update. I have been very busy with the car lately.
First up I changed spark plugs. I found that one of the spark plugs was completely loose so there has been blow-by for a while it seems and a undetectable boost leak from that cylinder as its un-metered air.
so here you can see number 4 is black from carbon build up from the blow-by.
can see it here on the coil too.
other than that all the plugs were burning the correct colour.
The new plugs.
Added copper paste and torqued them all correctly according to spec.
Next up, I found that I had a dead vacuum solenoid, everytime I opened up I would get an over boost error and engine light would come on. Justin was kind enough to give me his old set to try out and if it worked out he was willing to give them to me. So I installed them and the over boost error went away but I was presented with another issue where car stopped making power and wouldn't meet boost target at all. I didn't know this was going on for a while till the one day I ran a log after checking everything else and found that the one solenoid was completely dead.
Replaced that and car now hits boost target on point and even a little over sometimes
Car feels stronger than ever now.
Next up is a big one, I wanted to get this done for a while, my cars exhaust always sounded crap to me, like 2 3 cylinder bikes next to each other reving with a choo choo after the rev haha. So I did some research and checked out the design of a miltek full stainless steel system and took my car to get this replicated, the key to a good exhaust note on these cars is getting your exhaust gases to mix at some point in the system.
I also managed to find a stock pair of downpipes to fit as I wanted my exhaust as close to stock setup as possible which is what the miltek system tries to achieve however in stainless steel with mandrel bends. I also wanted to see if this would sort my high fuel consumption situation out as the o2 sensors have now stopped freaking out.
Here is the resulting sound:
[video=youtube]
Next update: This is something I have wanted to do since I got the car.
Upgraded angel eyes, I did the whole xenon setup to power the rings before however the two rings were always different colours due to the inner ring not being a proper external perspex ring like the outer ring. So it was time...
Lights removed, I tried to open them myself as I have opened many lights, but BMW decided to give me the middle finger when designing the Z4 and decided to use a glue called Permaseal to seal these headlights so opening them up the conventional way using a heatgun and oven wasn't happening.
I sent the lights off the Violet electronics and they opened the lights for me and returned them to me the dame day.
I ordered this Butyl glue which is the standard glue bmw uses in most other models. "Z4 always has to be different!!!" I used this to reseal the headlights for easy opening next time.
lights opened.
The center ring I spoke about.
The replacement halos!!! :smilebounce:
Outer ring, if only the smaller inner ring was the same!
And its out!
Mechenisim for lighting inner and outer ring, outer rin is lit by light bouncing off a little mirror inside this and the inner ring is lit from the light shining out like a torch giving a bottom of a beer bottle lighting effect.
Blacking out the chrome bits using high heat spray paint.
inner ring almost ready for spraying, I plasti-dipped this as its very smooth and wont be taking any heat.
Many many hours later and one light is done, allot of dremeling was required!
new setup next to old!
First test.
Indicator test.
Nice neat wiring!
Hazy dirty lens
good as new! This made a monumental difference in light output and aesthetics!
old next to new for comparison once closed.
fitted to the car.
closer to what the colour actually looks like. They are pure white!
indicator test
[video=youtube]
more test
[video=youtube]
some day time pics
Hope you guys like.
First up I changed spark plugs. I found that one of the spark plugs was completely loose so there has been blow-by for a while it seems and a undetectable boost leak from that cylinder as its un-metered air.
so here you can see number 4 is black from carbon build up from the blow-by.
can see it here on the coil too.
other than that all the plugs were burning the correct colour.
The new plugs.
Added copper paste and torqued them all correctly according to spec.
Next up, I found that I had a dead vacuum solenoid, everytime I opened up I would get an over boost error and engine light would come on. Justin was kind enough to give me his old set to try out and if it worked out he was willing to give them to me. So I installed them and the over boost error went away but I was presented with another issue where car stopped making power and wouldn't meet boost target at all. I didn't know this was going on for a while till the one day I ran a log after checking everything else and found that the one solenoid was completely dead.
Replaced that and car now hits boost target on point and even a little over sometimes
Car feels stronger than ever now.Next up is a big one, I wanted to get this done for a while, my cars exhaust always sounded crap to me, like 2 3 cylinder bikes next to each other reving with a choo choo after the rev haha. So I did some research and checked out the design of a miltek full stainless steel system and took my car to get this replicated, the key to a good exhaust note on these cars is getting your exhaust gases to mix at some point in the system.
I also managed to find a stock pair of downpipes to fit as I wanted my exhaust as close to stock setup as possible which is what the miltek system tries to achieve however in stainless steel with mandrel bends. I also wanted to see if this would sort my high fuel consumption situation out as the o2 sensors have now stopped freaking out.
Here is the resulting sound:
[video=youtube]
Next update: This is something I have wanted to do since I got the car.
Upgraded angel eyes, I did the whole xenon setup to power the rings before however the two rings were always different colours due to the inner ring not being a proper external perspex ring like the outer ring. So it was time...
Lights removed, I tried to open them myself as I have opened many lights, but BMW decided to give me the middle finger when designing the Z4 and decided to use a glue called Permaseal to seal these headlights so opening them up the conventional way using a heatgun and oven wasn't happening.
I sent the lights off the Violet electronics and they opened the lights for me and returned them to me the dame day.
I ordered this Butyl glue which is the standard glue bmw uses in most other models. "Z4 always has to be different!!!" I used this to reseal the headlights for easy opening next time.
lights opened.
The center ring I spoke about.
The replacement halos!!! :smilebounce:
Outer ring, if only the smaller inner ring was the same!
And its out!
Mechenisim for lighting inner and outer ring, outer rin is lit by light bouncing off a little mirror inside this and the inner ring is lit from the light shining out like a torch giving a bottom of a beer bottle lighting effect.
Blacking out the chrome bits using high heat spray paint.
inner ring almost ready for spraying, I plasti-dipped this as its very smooth and wont be taking any heat.
Many many hours later and one light is done, allot of dremeling was required!
new setup next to old!
First test.
Indicator test.
Nice neat wiring!
Hazy dirty lens
good as new! This made a monumental difference in light output and aesthetics!
old next to new for comparison once closed.
fitted to the car.
closer to what the colour actually looks like. They are pure white!
indicator test
[video=youtube]
more test
[video=youtube]
some day time pics
Hope you guys like.
Absolutely brilliant work Nick. Those headlights now look phenomenal
Sent from my CLT-L29 using Tapatalk
Sent from my CLT-L29 using Tapatalk
cOlDFuSiOn
New member
Wow Wow Wow...
Those headlights look insane.. :bravo::thumbs::cartel:
This is top quality work, like OSS Design top quality Bud.. Well done you have mad skills.:=):
Those headlights look insane.. :bravo::thumbs::cartel:
This is top quality work, like OSS Design top quality Bud.. Well done you have mad skills.:=):
BeemerFanatic
Events Organiser
Wow this is amazing work. Well done man.
I saw this car recently at JSN and looks so good.
With these lights I’m sure it looks even better :thumbs:
I saw this car recently at JSN and looks so good.
With these lights I’m sure it looks even better :thumbs:
osiris
///Member
Thanks for all the kind words guys raise::ty:
yes I just took the indicator bulb out and put the cover back to block the hole
Thanks man. They charged me R1250 to open the lights :/ but don't open them there if you don't have permaseal, most bmw's use the usual Butyl glue to seal lights so easily opened with a heatgun or oven. Butyl glue I got from glue devil. locally. took one day to deliver.
raise::ty:Riaad said:
yes I just took the indicator bulb out and put the cover back to block the hole
sash said:
Thanks man. They charged me R1250 to open the lights :/ but don't open them there if you don't have permaseal, most bmw's use the usual Butyl glue to seal lights so easily opened with a heatgun or oven. Butyl glue I got from glue devil. locally. took one day to deliver.
