(Part 2) Best products from r/Cartalk

I have the exact same motor. The only belt you have to remove is the serpentine belt and thats easy to do. You just need to pull the tensioner back with a box ended wrench and use a nail (I used an allen key) to lock it in place.

I was fairly hesitant when I did it a few weeks ago, but looking back now, it was easy. I can do a video for you on removing the serpentine belt if it would help you. Once the alternator is off (held in place by 2 bolts) its just disconnecting hoses. The serpentine belt isn't like a timing belt. It can come off on and on with no special treatment and wont wreck the car.

Are you getting the P2181 code on your car and having issues with the temperature gauge getting to 200f? I was with mine.

Heres the DIY guide I used to do mine. Also, get a hose pick to help with stubborn hoses. It also helps with removing the locking rings for the throttle body pipe and lower radiator hose. One of those little extendable magnets and magnetic trays are also invaluable. Hopefully some of that helps. Its definitely worth it to save the money over taking to a shop/dealer.

Don't waste $100 on a portable scanner. I bought this for $10 and then with some Google-fu you can find plenty of programs to interface with it for free. I settled on ScanMaster-ELM, which isn't free, but is awesome.

In the interim, any parts store (AutoZone, et al) will pull your codes for free.

Have you removed the intake manifold yet?

If so, is there any bolt left sticking up? If that's the case step 1 is vise grips (which will work unless the bold has corroded into the block/lower intake manifold/whatever it's bolted to) and step two would be a multi-spline extractor like these.

That's pretty much the way to do it. Trying to drill and not screw up threads is going to be pretty dicey.

Six to ten months isn't a terribly long time.

Top off the fuel tank. Make sure the tires are inflated well (to near the maximum specified on the sidewalls). No need to worry about flat spots on modern tires in a year's storage.. Then your best bet is to put the battery on a battery tender:

https://smile.amazon.com/Battery-Tender-021-0123-lightweight-automatic/dp/B000CITK8S/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1500037320&sr=8-1&keywords=battery+tender+jr

If you don't have access to power where it's parked and have someone that can look after it, you could do a solar float charger (someone will have to keep the snow off of it if it is going to work).

You can also take the battery out and put it on a float charger inside, but that's the least convenient option if there's a chance anybody might need the car.

Make sure you do not store it with the parking brake on. The rear pads will rust/fuse to the rotors and it can be a huge pain to free them up.

Thanks, I'll try the graphite powder first. Will any graphite powder do? I looked up this. I will probably try to get a remote as well. Will a remote for the car work right away once programmed or does a car need to have a system installed? Thanks for the help!

http://www.amazon.com/Scosche-FM-MOD02-Universal-Modulator-Satellite/dp/B001QBG614

This is the best price/quality ratio product I've ever used. Pretty easy to install. Just plugs into the back the radio and the antenna plugs into it. Then, you just wire it to 12v and ground. I've used three or four of them and I couldn't recommend it more.

First step would be to do the 3x3 drain and fill with a hundred miles between fills. I'd use Valvoline Maxlife multi vehicle ATF since it's very well regarded, a synthetic atf, and easily found and reported to work well in these and many other asian transmissions. I'd guess your fluid is burnt up. Walmart will likely have the best price. You could try something like this but new fluid will be the priority: https://www.amazon.com//dp/B0002JMLQU

Flushes are generally frowned upon for a lot of reasons on high mileage vehicles due to possible unlodging any chunky buildup and also shocking any adjustment to the trans computer programming (it has built in learning/tuning and likes gradual changes). If you can easily take off the trans drain pan you should do that and replace the filter and gasket, but I'd start with fluids. Whatever's in the filter won't be going anywhere.

https://www.amazon.com/LAUNCH-Creader-Scanner-Transmission-Activation/dp/B079FH12YN/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1536121307&sr=1-1-spons&keywords=odb2+scanner+abs+SRS&psc=1

Has been recommended in this thread, and seems pretty complete as a standalone unit that should read ABS codes and such.

With that said, I'm a huge fan of basic (but quality) $50-$75 bluetooth scanners as they're then software dependent... Get a nice open software package (see: TorqueODB with it's plugins and custom PID's available) and they're golden. My favourites are the Scantool.NET line: https://www.scantool.net/ that you can simply plug into your ODB2 port and leave connected all the time - don't do this with cheap blue ones from eBay, as they'll kill your battery in short order. I have an older model in my Sierra right now, have a tablet mounted to my dash, and thus have everything about it nicely graphed live while running. Pages for maintenance, fuel economy details, etc.

Yeah, that would work to get some stuff out, but to shine them, albeit temporarily, spend the $12 and get this:

https://smile.amazon.com/3M-39008-Headlight-Restoration-System/dp/B001AIZ5HY/ref=sr_1_4

If you have an electric drill, this is more fun and you can do more parts of your car:

https://smile.amazon.com/Foam-Drill-Polishing-Inch-Buffing/dp/B076ZJMHB1/ref=sr_1_23

I just looked up this tool online and it looks like a thing that holds the battery peg downward and pulls upward on the terminal connector easily, looks like its what im wanting since the battery peg is getting ripped out when I just use a screwdriver to pry it. is this the right tool? https://www.amazon.com/OTC-4611-Battery-Terminal-Puller/dp/B000ZIZ32W

I know everybody gets the Yakima and Thule racks, but they're super-expensive. I've been very happy with this one.

https://www.amazon.com/Allen-Sports-3-Bike-2-Inch-Receiver/dp/B00TRTSRVE/

The Curt brand hitches are fairly affordable, and installation is usually bolt-on. (Easy DIY.)

Top the cooling system off with a funnel in the radiator, make sure your heat is on the highest hot setting it'll go to and the blower motor off. Start the car and wait for the thermostat to open, if you have electric fans the fans should start as well. You can tell if the thermostat is open when the upper radiator hose gets hot. Wait for all of the bubbles to work their way out then turn the car off and replace whatever coolant was displaced or lost. Install the radiator cap. A spill free funnel makes this really easy. Here's a link: http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00A6AS6LY/ref=redir_mdp_mobile/188-5456271-4723420

I have a 2008 BMW 335i. It has the N54 twin turbo 3.0L engine. I bought the car with 51k miles almost 5 years ago. It now has around 88k. Here's a rough list of what I've done so far:

• spark plugs, easy diy
  
• water pump and thermostat, relatively easy DIY if you have small hands. Parts were ~$400 or something like that.
  
• clutch delay valve delete, ~$20 or $30 for the part; relatively easy diy
  
• rear brakes; you'll need a hand impact driver to get the rotor set screw off
  
• front control arms; you'll need an assortment of 20mm+ sockets and wrenches, as well as a breaker bar, and a torque wrench capable of 122 lb-ft; this one was a pain in the cunning linguals, primarily due to the fact that the car has to be at ride height before torquing down the frame bolts. This means that you need to alternate between jack stands and ramps.
  
• valve cover gasket; a bit of a pita. The valve cover is plastic, so it's generally recommended to replace along with the gasket. ~$300 and change. Took most of a weekend, but I took my time.
  
• carbon cleaning; had to buy a media blasting kit for this. I already had a harbor freight 21 gallon compressor. It has to refill between cylinders, so ~6 or 7 times per walnut blasting session.
  
• oil filter housing gasket; got about half-way through with this today, actually
  
  In general, I will say that I've managed to DIY just about everything on this car, with the exception of the air conditioner evaporator. That I had done at my local A/C shop, but I've since seen someone on the e90 forums do it themselves.
  
  I have had to buy quite a few tools and accessories along the way: a battery trickle-charger for the water pump bleed process, media blaster for the carbon cleaning, torx and e-torx bits/sockets, steering hub spreader for shocks (forgot this in the list above), impact hammer thing for brake rotors, extended low-profile jack, and so on and so on.
  
  The most frustrating thing though was getting the BMW software to work. It's necessary for registering a new battery (so that it charges properly), or for installing new fuel injectors (they have individual flow rates and tolerances).
  
  OH. I almost forgot. The waste gates on my turbos are rattling, and I'm out of warranty, so I'm looking at ~$1500-$2000 for new turbos some time this year. After that, it'll be new front wheel bearings. As soon as things stop breaking, I'll maybe have some time for upgrades and/or tune. =)
  
  I should add, that the only reason I am even willing to do this stuff is because my wife and I commute to work together, so my car can be in pieces for weeks at a time if it needs to. Were that to change, I'd probably have to ditch this car for something more reliable.
  
  Edit: After I finish all of the above, I'm going to polish and seal my headlights. I pretty much have to do this, since I'm sure as shit not going to pay $1k per light. >8|
  
  
  I kind of got off topic. You asked about the feasibility of maintaining a car like this on your own. It's definitely possible, but it helps to know what you can expect down the road.

Take a good long highway cruise to burn off moisture build up in oils.

Pro Tip: a battery maintainer is better for your vehicle (especially the engine) than starting and idling to charge the battery.

Short answer, it's probably nothing to worry about.

Longer answer, if you're going to worry about it, there are a few things you might consider.

There are "borescope" or "endoscope" cameras on Amazon now, 2 megapixel cameras that work with a tablet or phone for under $50. https://amzn.com/B07H269P85/ is one example. You could "inspect" inside the pan and see where the plastic is, maybe fish it over to the drain plug hole and pull it out. You could also inspect the oil pump pickup to see if the screen already is blocked with deposits and sludge. That's not uncommon on those engines at this age.

If you see issues at the oil pump pickup, or if you can't find the plastic bit(s), you could drop the oil pan and clean it out, clean off the oil pump pickup screen, and reinstall the oil pan with a fresh gasket. If it's already leaking at the oil pan gasket, this is an easy choice, and it's a fairly simple job on that car.

> As an aside, just bite the bullet and drill those damn screws out.

If the heads haven't been ruined yet, on a 2010 they should come out pretty easily with an impact screwdriver, which you can sometimes rent from auto parts stores.

The hollow sound definitely makes me think there's either a dented dust shield or a piece of debris stuck between the shield and rotor. However, I had a grinding noise sort of like this once that turned out to be one of the pad clips having slightly cracked and warped such that it could rub the rotor under braking.

I don't have this onebut it seems to have good reviews.

Google play store has the torque pro app.

Do you mean a set like this?

Is a caliper set like this decent? Spending 4x on the jack quickly pushed me towards the upper end of my budget. If it's not an okay replacement I can just spring an extra $20 for the Harbor Freight one.

Maybe a portable car handle?
https://www.amazon.com/Emson-9663-Cane-Portable-Handle/dp/B00ZGGVNCC


I've never used one or seen one used, but it might be useful?

3M Window Weld works best.

Have you tried a 3 jaw oil filter wrench? Has teeth and gets tighter the more force you put on it. Use with a 3/8 breaker bar for great results:

Sort of like this thing: https://www.amazon.com/EvZ-Filter-Wrench-Adjustable-Remover/dp/B07DRVGK4S/

[I bought one of these - it works great for clearing codes, while letting you google the problem] (http://www.amazon.com/Autel-MaxiScan-MS300-Diagnostic-Vehicles/dp/B001LHVOVK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1371376822&sr=8-1&keywords=obd+ii+scanner)

find something to slip under the hose, they have special picks for this but really anything will do. Bend the end of a cheap spoon or something.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0050SFZBG/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_dp_ss_1?pf_rd_p=1944687742&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B0095Y17S6&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=1KZA4RSPGPZSDAYBC883

That's what they look like.

I got some Li-Yang one on Amazon for like 12 bucks and use it with the Torque app on Android on my LG G5, works great.

Panlong, my bad. Here it is: Panlong PL-B02 Bluetooth Car Diagnostic Scanner Code Reader (OBD2 OBDII Check Engine Light for Android - Compatible with Torque Pro) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00PJPHEBO/

In the interim, if you are so inclined, you could buy a cheaper OBDII sensor with an app on your phone that will allow you to monitor the temps.

One like this: https://www.amazon.com/Panlong-Bluetooth-Diagnostic-Scanner-Android/dp/B00PJPHEBO/ref=sr_1_8?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1549475699&sr=1-8&keywords=obdii

Though that is for android phones, I know Iphones are a little more picky.

It connects via bluetooth and shows you all the measurements by your ECM, it also reads and clears check engine codes.

I have the same scanner, it's not very good. They use a knockoff ELM327 chip which doesn't work very well.

You're better off with something like this: http://www.amazon.com/Autel-MaxiScan-MS300-OBD-II-Scan/dp/B001LHVOVK/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1319057551&sr=8-2

I have both and never use the bluetooth one, the standalone unit is much more convenient and reliable.

Good recommendation, just buy a code scanner.

OP, here's one for 20$ on Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Autel-MaxiScan-MS300-Diagnostic-Vehicles/dp/B001LHVOVK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1345574036&sr=8-1&keywords=obd+II+scanner

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0122Q83T4/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

This is the kit I use every single day. Has every single adapter and both forward and reverse thread inserts. $20 to never have this problem again. Sold my Bluepoint kit for this because this one was better.

Car dealer who sells 100,000+ Fords, trust me on this one - I promise THIS STUFF IS MAGIC

What you want to do is use something like this: http://www.amazon.com/Scosche-FM-MOD02-Universal-Modulator-Satellite/dp/B001QBG614

But personally I would just get a new head unit with aux built in.

You can tap it with the wrench you used to remove the nut. This can free up the wedge they use to tighten the clamp. If tapping doesn't work you can use a screw driver to gently pry the clamp off. Too hard and you can rip the post its self out of the battery, ask me how i know that. If it really gives you trouble get one of these, any parts stores should have them.

Have you tried a little graphite into the lock to maybe lube it enough to loosen the cylinder?

For reference, I mean powder graphite like this:

powder graphite

Something like these will probably work. If not, you may need to weld a nut to it and turn it with a wrench.

No problem, actually to give my personal anecdote some real detail.

$35 scanner that can read live data

$155 Scanner that can read SRS and ABS

Glad to help.

It won't help you now but for the future you should get a reader. There is a cheap one ($17.10 with Prime) on Amazon. I have had it for awhile and it comes in very handy.

http://www.amazon.com/Autel-MaxiScan-MS300-Diagnostic-Vehicles/dp/B001LHVOVK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1373629767&sr=8-1&keywords=odbii+reader

I'll use windshield caulking https://www.amazon.com/3M-08693-Urethane-Windshield-Cartridge/dp/B000RW1XCK
https://www.amazon.com/3M-08609-Window-Weld-Urethane-Cartridge/dp/B000FW61EW

My symptoms were very similar, they seem to quit working intermittently, which is annoying because sometimes you'll get a random misfire code rather than misfire on cylinder #x. As for the scantool, these are cheap and handy.

It's worth getting your own. I have an Autel similar to this one. I've only used it once and it retrieved the code no problem.