Any BMW techs on the board?
- Thread starter bobdog
- Start date
1\4elliptic toy
shenanigans!
- Location
- The Dark Side
bobdog said:
What do you need to know?
I know some basics but i'm not a tech.
WildYoats
Registered User
- Location
- Salt Lake City, Utah
Sir,
I am a factory certified BMW master technician and product tester. How can I help you?
I am a factory certified BMW master technician and product tester. How can I help you?
WildYoats said:Sir,
I am a factory certified BMW master technician and product tester. How can I help you?
Awesome, I have a 97 Z3, 2.8 litre. Last week the oil light came on at idle. I parked it and yesterday got around to checking it out. I replaced the oil light switch and took it for a test drive. The light did not come on when warming up even when holding the brake letting out the clutch and bringing the revs down as low as I could. Once the car warmed up to operating temp the light came on again at idle and goes out as soon as RPMs are brought up even by even 100. This is a 50,000 mile car and has always had oil and filter changes with Mobile 1 10-30 at less than 3000 miles even though BMW claims intervals more than double that. I really don't think bearing clearances could have opened up enough to cause the problem. This car has always been babied and never driven hard. Is there any thing I can check before removing the oil pan as it will be be a pretty big pain in the ass to get it of as you know.
I bought A cheap sunpro mechanical guage from Autozone and temporarally adapted it.
It reads 50psi at idle and 70psi at 3000rpm at start up
Pressure slowly drops as the car warms
It stabilizes at 12psi at idle and around 40psi at 3000 when fully warmed up.
According to my calculations the light should not come on until around 7psi(switch says 0.5bar)
12psi seems way low in any event though.
It reads 50psi at idle and 70psi at 3000rpm at start up
Pressure slowly drops as the car warms
It stabilizes at 12psi at idle and around 40psi at 3000 when fully warmed up.
According to my calculations the light should not come on until around 7psi(switch says 0.5bar)
12psi seems way low in any event though.
WildYoats
Registered User
- Location
- Salt Lake City, Utah
bobdog said:
Sorry Bob, this comment was only a inside joke directed at Tracy (1/4) as we are both members of a BMW board.
I would suggest posting your questions on Bimmerforums.com
Good luck!
OK . I have searched the BMW forums including that one. The responces to queries like mine is usually stop the car, call BMW roadside assistance and have the dealer fix it. No one ever posts up what the problem was. I guess I will start the procces of removing the oil pump and checking bearing clearances. I understand oil pump failure is fairly common or at least the presure releif in them. Kind of sucks that a $250 oil pump that is so difficult to get to is not more reliable
. I have searched the BMW forums including that one. The responces to queries like mine is usually stop the car, call BMW roadside assistance and have the dealer fix it. No one ever posts up what the problem was. I guess I will start the procces of removing the oil pump and checking bearing clearances. I understand oil pump failure is fairly common or at least the presure releif in them. Kind of sucks that a $250 oil pump that is so difficult to get to is not more reliable
WildYoats
Registered User
- Location
- Salt Lake City, Utah
I had lunch the other day with a bunch of other BMW enthusiasts and someone mentioned and gave me a card of a very good BMW mechanic that absolutely loves BMW's (not just works on them) and has a shop. Everybody said he is a very knowlegable freindly person, you may want to stop by or chat with him to see what he has to say.
BMW & MINI Specialist
Albert Garcia
244 West Montrose Ave. (745 South) SLC
801.403.5982
BMW & MINI Specialist
Albert Garcia
244 West Montrose Ave. (745 South) SLC
801.403.5982
- Location
- Grantsville, Utah
Wow $250 for an oil pump :sick: Is it electric or mechanical?
1\4elliptic toy
shenanigans!
- Location
- The Dark Side
Hickey said:
It's bmw
Hickey said:
Chain driven. I don't mind buying the pump but to get the oil pan off the front crosmenber that the steering rack, front suspention, and engine mounts to has to be dropped down. It is a pretty big job. I am going to look into just pulling the whole engine and doing the clutch while I am at it it may be just as easy.
- Location
- SLC UT, USA
bobdog said:
Put 76000 miles on mine and never had any oil problems and I drove it hard all the time. As far as a mechanic, I was talking to Josh MacMurray at Eurosport and he said he knew a BMW-trained mechanic who had recently started up his own shop and was reasonably priced. He couldn't find his business card at the moment, so I told Him I'd get it from him later. If you're interested, I'll follow up with him tomorrow and get the contact info. I need to do it anyway. Don't have the Z3 anymore, have a '94 540 and although I always had the Z serviced at the dealer, I think I'll just opt for a third party this time around. Let me know if you want this info.
- Location
- Grantsville, Utah
Technically a chev V8 is chain driven too.bobdog said:
I would lean towards the clutch job myself. You are so far anyway...
Utahcryogenics
Formerly "Beerman"
- Location
- Murray
I know Albert and yes he is a very good tech. He actually worked for BMW as a tech. I know a lot of the BMW techs so I can ask if you havent figured this out yet.
BCGPER
Starting Another Thread
- Location
- Sunny Arizona
Oh....... I was gonna say something too, but I guess you don't mean Big Mormon Woman huh??? Sorry bout the confusion......
WildYoats said:
Beerman said:
I called him back then and he did not have a definate answer for me. If I remember right he did qoute the best price on replacing the oil pump of any of the shops I called. I have had the car in storage over the winter and spring, and am now just thinking about getting it back on the raod. My wife is starting to nag me pretty bad. Thanks for bringing the thread back up as any ideas are still welcome.
WildYoats
Registered User
- Location
- Salt Lake City, Utah
bobdog said:
Did you get this sqaured away?
WildYoats said:
No The car has been in my grandmothers garage. I did drive it around her block a couple of weeks ago and the oil light never came on. I am starting to get a lot of presure from my wife about geting it out and running. When I work on my Jeep she wants to know why I can't fix the Z3.