AshG108
///Member
@Clint@MMS AUTO - please also show the members your new 2012 Pepper Grey Polo 1.6Tdi 
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š¬ š
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Read the WELCOME ALL BMWFANATICS post.
Can a 200,000 km F30 320d Still Be a Good Buy?
- Thread starter Clint@MMS AUTO
- Start date
Silverbird_96kw
///Member
@Clint@MMS AUTO now this is what the Forums are built for - what a read.
I love posts like this makes me want to do stuff
Congrats on the 20d - will be following you on this thread.
I love posts like this makes me want to do stuff
Congrats on the 20d - will be following you on this thread.
Why you Polo drivers are like this??@Clint@MMS AUTO - please also show the members your new 2012 Pepper Grey Polo 1.6Tdi
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Pic of the old Worn door seal
Changing it out
And looking like new after fitting them
Charged the Battery
Checked the brake fluid, It wasn't so fresh so i Flushed and bled the system with Motul Dot 5.1 Brake fluid.
Took a peak inside the engine through the Oil Fill hole, and its looking Clean in the cyl head. will see how the oil looks after 250kms of driving.
Pics of the old leaking front shocks
And the new replacement parts are here so might start with it tomorrow.
Changing it out
And looking like new after fitting them
Charged the Battery
Checked the brake fluid, It wasn't so fresh so i Flushed and bled the system with Motul Dot 5.1 Brake fluid.
Took a peak inside the engine through the Oil Fill hole, and its looking Clean in the cyl head. will see how the oil looks after 250kms of driving.
Pics of the old leaking front shocks
And the new replacement parts are here so might start with it tomorrow.
TODAYāS UPDATE - PCV VALVE & A LITTLE FUEL SYSTEM MAINTENANCE
Didnāt get too much done on the 320d today.
I filled the tank with diesel, so I decided it was a good opportunity to throw in a can of Motul All In One Ultra Diesel.
I specifically went with the All In One Ultra rather than just a regular injector cleaner because itās a more comprehensive treatment for the diesel fuel system.
Apart from cleaning deposits from the injectors, itās also designed to clean and protect the high-pressure fuel pump, fuel delivery system, combustion chambers and intake valves. It also helps deal with condensation in the fuel system, provides lubrication during the cleaning process and helps prevent loosened deposits from simply settling somewhere else in the system.
It also increases the cetane number of the fuel to help improve combustion and is formulated to assist DPF regeneration, while Motul states that it can help restore performance, improve cold starting and reduce fuel consumption and exhaust emissions where contamination has affected the system.
So rather than being purely an āinjector cleanerā, I look at it more as a complete fuel-system clean-up treatment.
On a 200,000 km diesel where Iām trying to establish a proper maintenance baseline, it made sense to run a treatment through the whole system after fitting the new fuel filter.
As for actual work today, we were busy with an E30 clutch and gearbox installation for most of the day, so pretty much all the workshop tools were tied up there and the suspension refresh wasnāt going to happen.
Instead, I knocked out one of the smaller jobs and replaced the PCV valve on the tappet cover.
Nothing major today, but another maintenance item ticked off the list.
The suspension will have to wait for another day.
Engine bay Clean up is needed. Soon.
Didnāt get too much done on the 320d today.
I filled the tank with diesel, so I decided it was a good opportunity to throw in a can of Motul All In One Ultra Diesel.
I specifically went with the All In One Ultra rather than just a regular injector cleaner because itās a more comprehensive treatment for the diesel fuel system.
Apart from cleaning deposits from the injectors, itās also designed to clean and protect the high-pressure fuel pump, fuel delivery system, combustion chambers and intake valves. It also helps deal with condensation in the fuel system, provides lubrication during the cleaning process and helps prevent loosened deposits from simply settling somewhere else in the system.
It also increases the cetane number of the fuel to help improve combustion and is formulated to assist DPF regeneration, while Motul states that it can help restore performance, improve cold starting and reduce fuel consumption and exhaust emissions where contamination has affected the system.
So rather than being purely an āinjector cleanerā, I look at it more as a complete fuel-system clean-up treatment.
On a 200,000 km diesel where Iām trying to establish a proper maintenance baseline, it made sense to run a treatment through the whole system after fitting the new fuel filter.
As for actual work today, we were busy with an E30 clutch and gearbox installation for most of the day, so pretty much all the workshop tools were tied up there and the suspension refresh wasnāt going to happen.
Instead, I knocked out one of the smaller jobs and replaced the PCV valve on the tappet cover.
Nothing major today, but another maintenance item ticked off the list.
The suspension will have to wait for another day.
Engine bay Clean up is needed. Soon.
TurboLlew
Honorary ///Member
@Clint@MMS AUTO - please also show the members your new 2012 Pepper Grey Polo 1.6Tdi
Was this the one making quite an entertaining sound while I was there @Clint@MMS AUTO ?
LoL No Llew, Thats another %^%&^%^ Polo trying to steal my joyWas this the one making quite an entertaining sound while I was there @Clint@MMS AUTO ?
But its also gone home. Head back from Engineering, new Valves, Gaskets, bolts. Engine reassembled No more Tap tap tap tap tap sounds.. all going smooth now š.
Congrats buddy on the new whip, hope u get the full use of it n super happy you can show us the proper way to fully maintain a 10+ year old bm trouble u.
evnmopwr
Well-known member
i know. lol. congratulating owner for such a clean car and the mechanic for the great work. lolHe is the mechanic bud!
Putting R300k exhausts on cars is not economically viable but people I know do it anyways lol.
This is a More of a refresh, not a restoration.
ONE WEEK IN - ANOTHER SMALL UPDATE
Todayās job was the battery.
I had noticed that the engine occasionally seemed to take an extra second or so to crank and start. Nothing serious yet, but it was enough to make me check the battery before it became an actual problem.
The battery currently fitted to the car dated back to 2019, which is actually a very good lifespan for an AGM battery.
At this point I figured there was no real reason to push my luck. An ageing battery can eventually cause slow cranking, low-voltage faults and place additional load on the charging system, so preventative replacement made sense.
A new 92Ah AGM battery was sourced.
The first thing I did was put the new battery onto the charger before installing it.
Interestingly, it started charging at around 40% state of charge, which again shows that even a brand-new battery straight off the shelf isnāt necessarily fully charged. Iāve seen this with quite a few new batteries over the years.
Once it reached a full charge, installation was pretty straightforward.
A few 10 mm nuts and bolts, one 13 mm bolt, old battery out and the new AGM battery in.
Before finishing up, I treated the battery terminals with terminal-protector spray - blue on the negative terminal and red on the positive.
Why bother with terminal protector?
It leaves a protective coating over the battery posts and connections which helps prevent corrosion, oxidation and contamination around the terminals. Keeping those connections clean and protected helps maintain good electrical contact and reduces the chances of voltage-drop related starting issues later on.
Once the battery was properly secured and everything was back in place, I connected diagnostics and registered the new battery with the car.
I also ran another fault-code scan and cleared anything historical that was stored.
So far Iāve driven about 82 km since collecting the car. Mostly short runs around Randburg, but it continues to drive really well. Engine and drivetrain are smooth, and Iām slowly working my way through all the preventative maintenance items and getting the car to the standard I want it.
Stay tuned for more updates.
Todayās job was the battery.
I had noticed that the engine occasionally seemed to take an extra second or so to crank and start. Nothing serious yet, but it was enough to make me check the battery before it became an actual problem.
The battery currently fitted to the car dated back to 2019, which is actually a very good lifespan for an AGM battery.
At this point I figured there was no real reason to push my luck. An ageing battery can eventually cause slow cranking, low-voltage faults and place additional load on the charging system, so preventative replacement made sense.
A new 92Ah AGM battery was sourced.
The first thing I did was put the new battery onto the charger before installing it.
Interestingly, it started charging at around 40% state of charge, which again shows that even a brand-new battery straight off the shelf isnāt necessarily fully charged. Iāve seen this with quite a few new batteries over the years.
Once it reached a full charge, installation was pretty straightforward.
A few 10 mm nuts and bolts, one 13 mm bolt, old battery out and the new AGM battery in.
Before finishing up, I treated the battery terminals with terminal-protector spray - blue on the negative terminal and red on the positive.
Why bother with terminal protector?
It leaves a protective coating over the battery posts and connections which helps prevent corrosion, oxidation and contamination around the terminals. Keeping those connections clean and protected helps maintain good electrical contact and reduces the chances of voltage-drop related starting issues later on.
Once the battery was properly secured and everything was back in place, I connected diagnostics and registered the new battery with the car.
I also ran another fault-code scan and cleared anything historical that was stored.
So far Iāve driven about 82 km since collecting the car. Mostly short runs around Randburg, but it continues to drive really well. Engine and drivetrain are smooth, and Iām slowly working my way through all the preventative maintenance items and getting the car to the standard I want it.
Stay tuned for more updates.
1 Eyed Monkey
Active member
Waiting to see this car since Sasuke is gone...
LATEST UPDATE - A SMALLER ONE
Havenāt had much time to do anything on the 320d recently, although quite a few parts have arrived in the meantime.
All of the front suspension parts are still waiting to be fitted, the cosmetic bits have arrived, and the EGR delete kit and downpipe are here as well.
So there should be a much bigger update coming once I get some proper time to work through everything.
For now, just a few smaller things.
The key battery was dead, so that was replaced.
I also unboxed and checked through the new parts that have arrived to make sure everything is there and ready for fitment.
Since the last engine oil service, Iāve driven roughly 160 km.
The plan is still to do the next oil change at around the 250 km mark and see what the oil looks like after such a short interval. Iām interested to see how much contamination, soot and general dirt the fresh oil has managed to pick up from inside the engine.
For today, I decided to give the car a proper wash and clean up the engine bay.
Since this was the first time Iāve washed the car myself, it also gave me a chance to go around it properly and get a better idea of all the little battle scars it has picked up over the years.
The paintwork definitely isnāt perfect, but for its age and mileage itās actually not too bad.
The wheels, however, were another story. š
They took a fair bit of time to clean properly and were probably the most annoying part of the whole wash.
Nothing major mechanically this time, but the parts pile is growing and everything is slowly lining up for the next round of work.
A much bigger update should be coming soon.
Engine bay before cleaning
and After some elbow grease.
Havenāt had much time to do anything on the 320d recently, although quite a few parts have arrived in the meantime.
All of the front suspension parts are still waiting to be fitted, the cosmetic bits have arrived, and the EGR delete kit and downpipe are here as well.
So there should be a much bigger update coming once I get some proper time to work through everything.
For now, just a few smaller things.
The key battery was dead, so that was replaced.
I also unboxed and checked through the new parts that have arrived to make sure everything is there and ready for fitment.
Since the last engine oil service, Iāve driven roughly 160 km.
The plan is still to do the next oil change at around the 250 km mark and see what the oil looks like after such a short interval. Iām interested to see how much contamination, soot and general dirt the fresh oil has managed to pick up from inside the engine.
For today, I decided to give the car a proper wash and clean up the engine bay.
Since this was the first time Iāve washed the car myself, it also gave me a chance to go around it properly and get a better idea of all the little battle scars it has picked up over the years.
The paintwork definitely isnāt perfect, but for its age and mileage itās actually not too bad.
The wheels, however, were another story. š
They took a fair bit of time to clean properly and were probably the most annoying part of the whole wash.
Nothing major mechanically this time, but the parts pile is growing and everything is slowly lining up for the next round of work.
A much bigger update should be coming soon.
Engine bay before cleaning
and After some elbow grease.
BIG UPDATE - CODING, MOUNTS, SUSPENSION & A FEW MORE UPGRADES
As it stands, weāve now driven a total of around 280 km in the car.
Most of that mileage came from a trip to Pretoria and back. Fuel consumption has been sitting between 4.8 and 5.2 L/100 km, and thatās without really trying to drive conservatively.
So Iām pretty impressed with that so far. Iām sure on proper long-distance trips it should do really well.
I also did a bit of coding recently to personalise a few things.
First up was Auto Start/Stop. I havenāt removed the function completely. Itās still there if anyone ever wants to use it, but the car now starts with Auto Start/Stop switched off by default, so I donāt have to remember to press the button every time I start the car.
I also changed the seat-belt reminder. Again, I didnāt disable it completely. I simply changed it so that it chimes four times and then stops, which is much more manageable.
Sport Automatic Transmission was also enabled. Before doing that, I reset the transmission adaptations, and between that and enabling Sport Auto, the transmission now feels noticeably better.
The gearbox was already smooth after the service, but it now feels even more responsive and refined.
I also enabled the air-conditioning memory function. Previously the AC would switch on every time the car was started. Now, if the AC was switched off when the vehicle was shut down, it remains off the next time the car is started.
I also disabled the car starting in Eco Pro mode every time. Comfort is now the default driving mode.
Then it was onto the mechanical work.
Onto the lift it went.
The first thing I tackled was the downpipe.
The original DPF was removed, and with all the extra room available in that area, it made sense to replace the engine mounts before fitting everything back together.
The right-hand-side engine mount was removed first, and you could clearly see how much it had collapsed over the years compared with the new one.
At this mileage, replacing the mounts made perfect sense.
Once the RHS mount was done, I moved over to the left-hand side and replaced that one as well.
The left-hand mount wasnāt quite as badly collapsed as the driverās side, but there was still a noticeable difference between the old and new mounts.
And the Downpipe Fitted
Next up were the gearbox mounts.
These had also collapsed considerably compared with the replacements. There was roughly a 10 mm difference in height between the old mounts and the new ones.
So again, definitely worth replacing.
While I was underneath the car, I also had a good view of the gearbox after the recent service.
Happy to report that everything is still perfectly clean and dry with no leaks from the new transmission pan.
Then it was finally time to tackle the one thing that had been annoying me since buying the car - the front suspension.
The front end had a noticeable clunk over bumps and uneven road surfaces, and you could feel that the shocks were basically providing very little damping anymore.
It honestly felt like the car was riding mostly on the springs.
Once the front struts were removed, the problem was pretty obvious.
The old shocks were finished and had been leaking oil badly.
So rather than replacing individual bits and pieces, I basically rebuilt the front struts with new components and reused only the original coil springs.
Once the springs were transferred across and the new front strut assemblies were built, they went back into the car.
The original lower control arms were then removed and replaced with the F80 M3 lower control arms.
New complete tie rods and steering-rack boots were fitted at the same time.
One lesson learned here...
Trying to match the new tie-rod lengths to the original setup was a mistake.
Because the F80 M3 lower control arms push the wheels slightly further forward and change the suspension geometry, the toe-in ended up being absolutely insane.
The front wheels were pointing inward so much that there was no way the car could safely be driven like that.
So we adjusted the tie rods by eye until the wheels looked reasonably straight and the car was driveable.
Iāve since taken it for a short test drive and, for an eyeballed alignment, itās surprisingly good.
The steering wheel sits straight while driving and the car tracks reasonably well, but obviously this is only temporary.
Itās booked to go for a proper wheel alignment tomorrow, where everything can be dialled in properly.
From the short drive Iāve done so far, the difference in the front end is already massive.
The suspension is quiet, it absorbs bumps properly again, and the front end feels far more planted.
Cornering also feels noticeably sharper with the F80 control arms.
Iām really looking forward to getting the alignment done properly and then taking it out for a decent drive to see how everything feels.
Lastly, I replaced the fog lights and fitted LED bulbs to brighten them up.
The headlight bulbs were also replaced with LEDs.
I coded the relevant settings in the FEM so that the LEDs donāt flicker during the cold/warm bulb checks on startup and the car is configured correctly for the LED lighting.
So thatās where we are for now.
280 km into ownership and quite a bit has already been done.
The car is slowly getting closer to the standard I want it at, and the biggest improvement so far has definitely been sorting out the front suspension.
Next step is the proper alignment, followed by some more road time to see how the whole package comes together.
And thatās all for now, folks. On the next episode we might also be retrofitting Paddle Shifters if everything arrives in time..
As it stands, weāve now driven a total of around 280 km in the car.
Most of that mileage came from a trip to Pretoria and back. Fuel consumption has been sitting between 4.8 and 5.2 L/100 km, and thatās without really trying to drive conservatively.
So Iām pretty impressed with that so far. Iām sure on proper long-distance trips it should do really well.
I also did a bit of coding recently to personalise a few things.
First up was Auto Start/Stop. I havenāt removed the function completely. Itās still there if anyone ever wants to use it, but the car now starts with Auto Start/Stop switched off by default, so I donāt have to remember to press the button every time I start the car.
I also changed the seat-belt reminder. Again, I didnāt disable it completely. I simply changed it so that it chimes four times and then stops, which is much more manageable.
Sport Automatic Transmission was also enabled. Before doing that, I reset the transmission adaptations, and between that and enabling Sport Auto, the transmission now feels noticeably better.
The gearbox was already smooth after the service, but it now feels even more responsive and refined.
I also enabled the air-conditioning memory function. Previously the AC would switch on every time the car was started. Now, if the AC was switched off when the vehicle was shut down, it remains off the next time the car is started.
I also disabled the car starting in Eco Pro mode every time. Comfort is now the default driving mode.
Then it was onto the mechanical work.
Onto the lift it went.
The first thing I tackled was the downpipe.
The original DPF was removed, and with all the extra room available in that area, it made sense to replace the engine mounts before fitting everything back together.
The right-hand-side engine mount was removed first, and you could clearly see how much it had collapsed over the years compared with the new one.
At this mileage, replacing the mounts made perfect sense.
Once the RHS mount was done, I moved over to the left-hand side and replaced that one as well.
The left-hand mount wasnāt quite as badly collapsed as the driverās side, but there was still a noticeable difference between the old and new mounts.
And the Downpipe Fitted
Next up were the gearbox mounts.
These had also collapsed considerably compared with the replacements. There was roughly a 10 mm difference in height between the old mounts and the new ones.
So again, definitely worth replacing.
While I was underneath the car, I also had a good view of the gearbox after the recent service.
Happy to report that everything is still perfectly clean and dry with no leaks from the new transmission pan.
Then it was finally time to tackle the one thing that had been annoying me since buying the car - the front suspension.
The front end had a noticeable clunk over bumps and uneven road surfaces, and you could feel that the shocks were basically providing very little damping anymore.
It honestly felt like the car was riding mostly on the springs.
Once the front struts were removed, the problem was pretty obvious.
The old shocks were finished and had been leaking oil badly.
So rather than replacing individual bits and pieces, I basically rebuilt the front struts with new components and reused only the original coil springs.
Once the springs were transferred across and the new front strut assemblies were built, they went back into the car.
The original lower control arms were then removed and replaced with the F80 M3 lower control arms.
New complete tie rods and steering-rack boots were fitted at the same time.
One lesson learned here...
Trying to match the new tie-rod lengths to the original setup was a mistake.
Because the F80 M3 lower control arms push the wheels slightly further forward and change the suspension geometry, the toe-in ended up being absolutely insane.
The front wheels were pointing inward so much that there was no way the car could safely be driven like that.
So we adjusted the tie rods by eye until the wheels looked reasonably straight and the car was driveable.
Iāve since taken it for a short test drive and, for an eyeballed alignment, itās surprisingly good.
The steering wheel sits straight while driving and the car tracks reasonably well, but obviously this is only temporary.
Itās booked to go for a proper wheel alignment tomorrow, where everything can be dialled in properly.
From the short drive Iāve done so far, the difference in the front end is already massive.
The suspension is quiet, it absorbs bumps properly again, and the front end feels far more planted.
Cornering also feels noticeably sharper with the F80 control arms.
Iām really looking forward to getting the alignment done properly and then taking it out for a decent drive to see how everything feels.
Lastly, I replaced the fog lights and fitted LED bulbs to brighten them up.
The headlight bulbs were also replaced with LEDs.
I coded the relevant settings in the FEM so that the LEDs donāt flicker during the cold/warm bulb checks on startup and the car is configured correctly for the LED lighting.
So thatās where we are for now.
280 km into ownership and quite a bit has already been done.
The car is slowly getting closer to the standard I want it at, and the biggest improvement so far has definitely been sorting out the front suspension.
Next step is the proper alignment, followed by some more road time to see how the whole package comes together.
And thatās all for now, folks. On the next episode we might also be retrofitting Paddle Shifters if everything arrives in time..
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