This answer is applicable for many BMWs in addition to the one listed below.

Q
car year: 2003
car model: 525i
Good day, I’m trying to replace brake pads of my 2003 BMW 525i.  What kind of tools and sizes to be used.  I got already pads and sensor that I bought from BavAuto. Thanks a lot.

A
The basic tools required for replacing brake pads on the front or rear of most BMWs from the early 1980s through the mid 2000s, are as follows, below.  You can watch the full DIY procedures (using the tools) in our DIY brake pad and rotor replacement video.

Click HERE for BMW brake pad and rotor replacement DIY video

*  Jack and jack stand(s) to raise and support the vehicle.

*  17mm (Some X5 and 7-series use 19mm) socket and breaker bar, or vehicle lug wrench, for wheel removal.

*  7mm or 8mm male Allen tool or bit/socket for use with 3/8″ drive ratchet (and ratchet) to remove the caliper guide bolts.

*  Two medium to large flat-blade screwdrivers or pry-bars for removing anti-rattle clip and prying caliper from the caliper mounting bracket.

*  Caliper piston retractor tool for pushing the piston back into the caliper bore, making room for the new, thicker, brake pads.

*  Synthetic caliper grease for guide bolts and pad mounting points.

*  Noise-Free compound for application to the back of the brake pads to assure no pad noise.

If you are also replacing the brake rotor (or disc), you will also need:

*  16mm, 17,, or 18mm socket, 2″ to 3″ extension and ratchet (typically, 1/2″ drive is best) to remove caliper mounting bracket.

*  4mm, 5mm or 6mm male Allen tool or bit/socket for use with 3/8″ ratchet for removal of brake rotor hold-down bolt.

Click below for caliper guide bolt and rotor hold-down Allen bits:
(click link, then ID your model and search “Allen”)

Piston retractor tool:

Noise-Free compound:

Disc brake synthetic grease:

Q
car year: 2000
car model: Z3 2.3
I bought a 2000 z3.  Is the front lens removable from the body of the headlight, to be able to clean it?  I can’t seem to find that answer on this model.

A
The outer headlight lens covers on the Z3 models are not removable from the headlight assembly.  If you have the common clouding and/or sandblasting of the lenses, we offer a kit that will restore the lenses to a nice clear “like new” condition.  We also have a DIY video showing how to use the kit (see the link below).  The only alternative to restoring the lenses is to replace the complete headlight assemblies.

Click HERE to view the Headlight Restoring DIY video

Click below for Headlight Restoration Kit:

Click below for headlight assemblies:
(click link, then ID your model and search “headlight”)

BMW – MINI is recalling various MINI models (Cooper models) produced from November 14, 2006  through January 18, 2011.

The recall is similar to the BMW recall for the late model turbocharged V8 and V12 engines used in the 5, 7 and X5 vehicles.  The controller circuit board may overheat and fail or potentially cause a fire.  The repair will replace the pump and controller assembly with an updated unit.

If you have not been notified by BMW-MINI, and you believe your vehicle may be included in this recall, contact your local MINI dealer.

NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID Number: 12V008000

BMW of North America is recalling approximately 7600 new 2012 3-series models due to head restraints that may not meet National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) guidelines.. Affected models were produced from October, 19 2011 through March, 18 2012.

The recall states that in the event of a collision the front seat headrests could lower by approximately 25mm, if extended to the full upward position, which exceeds the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard regulations.  BMW will retrofit a limiting clip/clamp to the head restraint assembly.

Owners of affected vehicles will be notified by BMW.  If owners are unsure if their vehicle is affected, contact the local BMW dealer for further information.

NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID Number: 12V176000

We’ve been telling you how great the Cool Carbon brake pads are for both premium street use (740il, X5, 323i, etc.) as well as high-performance and track use.  In light of the high-performance use of Cool Carbon pads, here are some unsolicited comments that BMW owners have sent to Cool Carbon (see below).

Also, see some of our other postings on Cool Carbon brake pads:

Cool Carbon Pads on The Track – VIDEO

Cool Carbon Brake pads for BMW and MINI – Low Dust, Long Life

Cool Carbon Testimonial

Click Below for Cool Carbon brake pads:

Testimonial Comments:

JB, Virginia — Z4 M coupe — March 2012
After 11K miles and 20 track days, the front pads were only about half worn.  Normally, it’s four 30-45 minute sessions on the first day.  On day two, we have two 30-45min and two 1 hour sessions.

I think this particular brake pad is a very good for street and medium track use.  With the stock CSL brake system on my M coupe and these brake pads, the initial bite is really, really good – even cold.  The warmer they get, the better they are  in stopping power.  The pads are also very rotor friendly.    No street driven only car will ever overpower these pads.

Red Ryder, Southwest — E46 M3 — April 2012
Just wanted to say how much I like the Cool Carbon brake pads.A little background, I went from the stock BMW pads to the Cool Carbon pads on my E46 M3, I absolutely loved them, a lot less dust, very consistent, no noise. I put about 41k miles on them [before] they needed to be replaced.Then I installed the StopTech street performance pads on my E46 M3 as that was supposed to be the latest greatest street pad. I ran these for about 6 months. They were OK but dusted about the same as OE pads, with slightly better pedal feel than OE but inconsistent from day to day especially with temperature changes. On warm days they would work sometimes after getting some heat into them, then the next stop would need a lot more peddle pressure and not stop as good. This was a very noticeable change in performance from the Cool Carbon pads and I really didn’t like playing the lottery with getting my car to stop.I switched back to Cool Carbons with plenty of pad remaining on the StopTechs.  Now I’m back to low dust, quiet, much better pedal modulation and stopping power that increases with the more heat I put into pad. Car used as a daily driver, but I do drive rather spirited to make the best use of the Bridgestone RE-11’s I have on the car.Anyway, awesome pad — I couldn’t be happier!!

Steve W., Texas — 3 series — March 2012
Hi, This is Steve from Steve’s PhD Mechanics – Racing Division, an SPM Company.

We installed a set of Cool Carbon pads on the front & rear of a BMW 3 series and truly loved them; superior pedal feedback; fade resistance; excellent 1 to 1 input to stopping power (the harder you push the pedal the more stopping power they give); running them hot BEFORE spirited driving, WOW, THEY WORK EVEN BETTER; and the fact that with the increased stopping power, they seem to upset the suspension LESS, and no pitching of the car even when we REALLY LEANED ON THEM — Very, very successfully outfitted this BMW and with PHENOMINAL RESULTS!!!

Louis G., National Board of Directors, BMW CCA — E39 M5 — Sept. 2011
Put the [Cool Carbon] pads in and bedded them about two weeks ago.  Worked up to pretty high temps then drove around to cool everything down the did another series of “bedding” runs.  Took the car to Auto Club Speedway a couple of days later and did about 5 laps on the infield road course.  For a street pad they did very well considering the weight of the car (about 4,300 lbs).  They handled the heat much better than any other ‘high performance’ street pads including the Axxis ULT Ceramics they replaced.

I’m also absolutely amazed at the lack of much brake dust!  I have factory brake ducting in the car, where the ducting ends with an opening in the fender liner that just blows air toward the wheel but isn’t ducted all the way to the rotor or backing plate, and as a result the Axxis, and most other pads, would leave a lot of brake dust on the wheels even in easy street driving. As far as my personal preferences, I prefer a slight bit more initial bite for  track, but for a street pad for most people this probably wouldn’t make the most sense.  I did find the brake modulation and release easy to control and just about right for a street pad.  Overall, I like them and I wouldn’t go back to the Axxis ULT’s even though they have about ¾ of their life remaining.

This answer is applicable for many BMWs in addition to the one listed below.

Q
car year: 2008
car model: 328i Sedan
I have a 328i Sedan with 27,000 miles on it. It’s still in warranty, but I was considering replacing the stock pads with cool carbon pads now. Could I use the Cool carbons with the existing factory rotors? The factory pads produce a lot of dust and I’d like the wheels to stay cleaner longer, plus I’d like to get longer life out of the rotors. What would be your recommendation?

A
We do typically recommend that fresh brake rotors be installed when installing a new and completely different brake pad set.  This is to assure proper and full performance of the new pad set.  However, if the current rotors are true (no warpage) and smooth (no grooving or discolored areas), do not have significant lips at the inner or outer limits of the wear area and (finally) are well within the minimum wear thickness specs you can likely install the new pads with a minimum of any potential negative side effects (pad and/or rotor scoring, possible noise).  Of course, if you want to assure the best operation of new brake pads, installation of new rotors would be the first recommendation.

With the above points made, we certainly do recommend (and use, ourselves) the Cool Carbon brake pads.  As you had noted, they produce less dust than the BMW original pads in addition to providing a more progressive pedal feel, long life and excellent rotor wear.

Don’t forget to replace the pad wear sensor wires.  Even if the warning light has not come on, we have found that the original sensor wire often breaks when removing it from the pads and, therefore, cannot be installed on the new pads.

Click HERE to watch our brake pad and rotor replacement DIY video

Cool Carbon brake pads:

Brake Rotors:
(ID vehicle, then search “brake rotor”)

Brake pad wear sensors:

Since the early 2000s BMW has been using a clutch design known as the Self Adjusting Clutch.  The pressure plate in this clutch design employs a mechanism that allows the friction surface of the assembly to adjust to the clutch disc’s thickness and position.  In other words, as the clutch disc wears and becomes thinner, the pressure plate adjusts it’s static position to compensate for the clutch disc wear, as well as compensate for inconsistencies in the mating surface of the dual-mass flywheels.  This is intended to keep the clutch pedal at a common engagement point in it’s travel, through the life of the clutch and attempt to reduce disc wear.

The self adjusting clutches require a unique installation procedure.  If the proper procedure is not followed, during installation, the clutch assembly will not operate properly.  This typically results in a clutch that will not release once everything is reassembled.  Follow along, below, as we outline the proper self-adjusting clutch assembly steps.  These steps MUST be followed exactly as shown.  Additionally, the pressure plate lock must not be removed prior to the full installation of the disc and pressure plate assemblies.  Any deviation from these guidelines will result in a damaged, and useless, pressure plate assembly.

The installation of a self adjusting clutch requires a special clutch alignment tool.  This is due to the pressure plate lock preventing the use of a standard alignment tool.

Here, we’ll show you the basic assembly of the self adjusting clutch.  We will not be actually installing the clutch.  Therefore, we will not remove the pressure plate lock.

PROCEDURE:
(click photos to enlarge)

1)  Install flywheel and pilot bearing as you normally would.

2)  Install clutch disc with plastic (forward) section of alignment tool.

3)  Install the pressure plate and torque to specs.

4)  Remove the pressure plate lock.

***** Once lock is removed DO NOT loosen any of the pressure plate bolts.
Doing so will damage the pressure plate and it will be rendered useless. *****

5)  Thread bolt into the forward section of the alignment tool and pull the tool from the clutch assembly.

Click below for clutch parts and installation tools:
(click below then ID your BMW model and search “clutch”)

When we have an engine management fault code that is indicating a catalytic converter failure, such as Catalyst Efficiency Below Threshold, we need to consider more than just replacing the catalytic converter.  Most likely, the converter has failed due to damage from other engine management issues.  Most of these issues result in the converter’s substrate being coated with carbon (due to a rich fuel mixture) or overheating (extra fuel entering the converter).  Additionally, we must consider that the converter may not actually be faulty, but that there are engine management issues that are resulting in the exhaust being far enough off base that the converter cannot “clean it up”.  In this case (as long as this has not been going on for long enough to damage the converter) actually fixing the issues that may be present prior to the exhaust entering the converter, may result in the converter fault codes being eliminated.

Note that we also have a posting that includes additional, more detailed, catalytic converter diagnostic information.  Click HERE for converter diagnostics using fault codes and fuel trims.

Common faults include:

* Misfires
* Old/sluggish or malfunctioning Oxygen Sensors
* Exhaust leakage between engine and converter
* Excessive carbon deposits in engine combustion chambers
* Intake vacuum leaks
* Dirty fuel injectors
* Faulty coolant temp and other engine sensors
* Faulty Mass Air Flow sensor (MAF)
* Contaminants in fuel, oil or engine maintenance, such as; coolant, silicones, sulfur
* Too high or too low concentration of standard 50/50 type engine coolant

We MUST diagnose why the converter has failed, before just replacing it.  In other words, we need to fix the root cause of the converter either being carbon coated or overheated.  If we do not, the replacement converter will “fail” in short order, due to the same issues that caused the original converter to fail.  In some cases, we may be able to diagnose and fix the root engine management problem and the converter fault codes will disappear, as now the converter can function as designed.

How do we start to diagnose engine management issues that may be damaging our catalytic converter?  We should be considering some of the following points, which will help point us to the root faults.  Proper inspections and subsequent diagnosis will allow us to fix any engine management issue prior to installing a new converter, assuring that the new converter will function as it should …. for as long as it should.

Initial inspections and testing for faulty catalytic converters:

* Vehicle test drive – are there any driveability issues, such as; rough idle, hesitation, spark knock, etc.?
* Exhaust – Watch the exhaust at the tailpipe (at initial start as well as running and revving engine) for signs of richness (black smoke), oil (blue smoke) or coolant (white smoke).  Is inside of piping sooty black (rich condition)?
*  Listen to engine – Listen for vacuum leaks or exhaust leaks.
* Inspect engine – Look for signs of loose or cracked intake, crankcase ventilation or vacuum hoses (intake vacuum leaks).  Look for signs of oil in spark plug wells (cause of misfires) or other external oil leakage (possible source of vacuum leak).  Inspect spark plugs for normal wear and for coloring (black-ish for rich … dry white-ish and/or cracking for lean).
* Inspect converters – Are the housings discolored (from excessive heat)?  If converters are removed, is piping (and substrate, if visible) covered with black carbon (indicating a rich condition)?
* Fault codes – What are all current fault codes?  Any pending codes?  Have all readiness tests been completed?
*  Fuel Trims – What are the freeze-frame and live fuel trim numbers (available via fault code scan tool , such as our C-Reader VI)?  Fuel trims over 10% positive or negative (long and short term totals) are cause for concern and could result in converter damage.  See link below for more info on fuel trims and using them as a diagnostic tool.

Click HERE for further information of diagnosing catalytic converter faults, using fuel trim data.

Click below for C Reader VI fault code scanner:

Click below for BMW and MINI catalytic converters:

This answer is applicable for many BMWs in addition to the one listed below.

Q
car year: 2000
car model: 528i
The car has 155, 000 miles on it and I have a slow/small oil leak and it appears to be in the area of the Crankcase Ventilation System, PCV, Oil Separator, Cyclonic Valve. I’ve already replaced the valve cover gasket and there are no leaks. Before I order and attempt to replace this item, I have a few questions. 1. What other parts / areas should I check? 2. How would the R&R of the Crankcase Ventilation System, PCV, Oil Separator, Cyclonic Valve on a M52 TU be different from your M54 video?

A

Common driver side engine oil leakage areas, on the M50/52/52TU and 54 6-cyliner engines  would be a cracked crankcase vent valve and oil separator assembly or a leaking oil filter housing to engine block gasket (which is quite common).  We have a few blog posts on this, see the link below.

Click HERE for M54 (etc) oil filter housing oil leak info.

The PCV system on the M52TU engines is basically the same as on the M54 engines.  The M52TU engine is the interim update to the M52 engine, prior to the introduction of the M54.  The M52TU has more in common with the M54 than the M52 family of engines.  The PCV system on the M52TU engines has more than one production design change.  The changes have to do with the return pipe that goes from the upper part of the valve to the spreader on the intake manifold (BMW calls the a “distribution piece”).  Most M52TUs have just the one main return pipe (from the valve to the spreader) as opposed to the second pipe that runs from the main return to a second nipple at the rear of the spreader …. as shown in the video).

You must note that the return pipe for the early single return design has been discontinued and BMW now retrofits these applications to the “double return” design by installing the later spreader piece with the two return pipe nipples (as shown in the video).

So, what does this mean if you do have a single return PCV design?

The kit that we offer will be for a double return PCV system (M54 design).  Early single return applications will need to have the double return spreader installed so that the double return pipes can be properly installed.  In these cases, you would purchase the PCV kit, the double return spreader and o-rings for the spreader installation.

A final note – Most M52TU applications will have a vacuum hose connected to a nipple on the PCV valve (the hose goes to the fuel pressure regulator).  The new valve assembly has this nipple covered by the foam insulation.  Simply spread the insulation to access the nipple and pull off the plug-cap on the nipple to install the vacuum hose.

Click HERE for our DIY installation How To Video

PCV repair kit for M52TU and M54:

Double return manifold spreader – distribution piece:

O-rings for spreader (6-needed):

This answer is applicable for many BMWs in addition to the one listed below.

Q
car year: 2007
car model: X5 3.0si
I have two questions:
1) Does my 2007 X5 E70 have a timing belt or a chain?
2) How many other belts do I have on this car and which ones require replacement at 50,000 miles?

A
The N52 6-cylinder engine that is used in many of the later model BMWs (most non-turbo US models from the late 2000s on) uses a timing chain to drive the camshafts.  The only US (and common gray-market) engines that BMW ever used a timing belt on were the M20 6-cylinder of the late ’70s, 80s and early ’90s (used in the E21 and E30 3-series models, and the E28 and E34 5-series models (320/6, 323i, 325e, 325es, 325i, 325is, 325ic, 325xi, 528e, 525i) and the M21 diesel used in the US 524td (and various Euro models) of the ’80s.  All other US model BMW engines have used timing chains.  The timing chains do not have a specific service or maintenance interval.  However, we are beginning to see failures of the plastic timing chain guide rails (generally, over 150,000 miles … and certainly NOT every one), which then allows the chain to “slap around” a bit and make some noise.

Most later model BMWs (Early ’90s on) use the Serpentine style belts for the accessory drives.  Two belts are typically used; one for the air conditioning compressor and one for the water pump, alternator and power steering.  Many of the latest models use electric water pumps and electric boosted power steering.  Therefore the belt would not run these accessories and these models often have just one accessory drive belt.

The N52 engine in your E70 chassis (X5 07 to current) X5 does indeed have an electric water pump.  In this case, you will have just one serpentine accessory belt that runs the AC, alternator and power steering.

While first generation serpentine belts had a recommended service life of about 30,000 to 50,000 miles, the new generations carry recommended replacement intervals of about 80,000 miles.  With these higher mileage replacement intervals, we also recommend replacement of the idler and tensioner pulleys.

Click below for belts and pulleys (ID your BMW model after clicking link):