DIY: Rear Brakes on an Audi S4

1. Park the S4 on a level, flat surface. Use a tire iron to loosen the lug nuts that hold the rear wheels on. Lift the back of the car with a jack and lower it onto jack stands placed under the car at the proper places.
2. Finish removing the lug nuts and the wheels. Set the wheels out of the way. Remove the brake caliper spring clip on the outside of the caliper with a pair of pliers. Loosen and remove the caliper bolts located at the top and bottom of the brake caliper facing the wheel well.
3. Slide the caliper off the brake rotor. Support the brake rotor by tying it to a nearby suspension piece, so there is no weight on the soft brake line.
4. Remove the brake pads from the caliper and the caliper carrier. Disconnect the line for the brake wear sensor. Remove the bolts that hold the brake caliper carrier to the car. Set the carrier aside. Remove the brake rotor set screw, located in the face of the rotor. Pull the rotor straight off the hub.
5. Clean the area where the rotor mounts to the hub. Slide the new rotor onto the hub. Now is a good time to upgrade to cross-drilled rotors, which provide superior cooling. Install the rotor set screw. Bolt the caliper carrier back on.
6. Open the lid to the brake fluid reservoir located in the engine bay. Using a syringe, remove about ½-inch of the brake fluid. Place the Audi brake caliper tool over the piston in the caliper. The tool has metal dowels that fit into holes on the piston. Turn the tool so that it retracts and turns the piston into the caliper to make room for the new, thicker brake pads.
7. Install the new brake pads. Slide the caliper back over the new rotor. Install and tighten the caliper bolts. Connect the brake wear sensor, ensuring it is routed correctly. Reinstall the brake caliper clips. Repeat for the other side. Place the wheels back on the car and lower it. Fill the brake fluid reservoir with fresh brake fluid. Pump the brakes until the brake pedal feels firm again.

Continue lendo

How to Change a BMW X5 Window Regulator

How to Change a BMW X5 Window Regulator
1. Remove the weatherstripping attached to the door and the window.
2. Remove the door panel with the trim panel tool. This removal can be done by prying the inner panel from the door.
3. Unhook the cables that enable the lock to work.
4. Remove the sound insulation from the door. This can be done using the trim panel tool.
5. Lower the window until approximately 6 inches of glass is left above the window's lower opening edge.
6. Remove the window. Twist slightly and lift the glass upward toward the top and rear of the door.
7. Remove the window regulator. With pliers, remove the nuts at the rear of the regulator and pull the regulator from the door panel (back to front.) Disconnect the cable attached to free the regulator fully.
8. Detach the window motor from the window regulator. Connect the new regulator to the motor. Attach the regulator cable to the new regulator.
9. Replace the window regulator by feeding from front to back. Replace the nut holding the regulator in place.
10. Replace the glass of the window onto the regulator. Tighten the window mounting screws.
11. Replace the sound insulation. Use Butylene tape to adhere the insulation to the inner panel.
12. Reattach the weather stripping and reconnect the door panel. Raise and lower the window to confirm a successful window regulator replacement.

Continue lendo

How to Troubleshoot a 2003 Audi Allroad Quattro

1. Make sure your Quattro is able to start and run normally. A redesign in 2003 changed the fuel-pump components. Unfortunately, this change was for the worse. The fuel pump may fail prematurely. This problem is covered under a factory recall, and the dealership will replace this item at no charge to you.
2. Check for low oil pressure. Some Quattros in 2003 may experience low oil pressure. Unfortunately, this is due to the turbocharger setup from the factory. The turbocharger gets warm and may cause oil in the engine to coagulate and form sludge in critical areas. This may interfere with the oil pickup in the crankcase, which, in turn, can affect lubrication of critical engine components. There is no known recall for this issue; however, if the Quattro is experiencing low oil pressure, have the turbocharger system checked and serviced immediately by an Audi dealership.
3. Check for oil leaks on the seals and gaskets of the camshaft adjusters if you have a 3.0-liter engine on your Audi. Some Quattros were fitted with an optional 3.0-liter engine. The seals and gaskets on the camshaft adjusters may prematurely fail. Although this is not covered by a factory recall, have this problem serviced immediately by an Audi dealership.

Continue lendo

How to Add R134 to a BMW

1. Secure the low-side service hose onto your container of R134a. Keep the valve closed on the service hose.
2. Locate the low-side quick disconnect valve on the accumulator hose. Again, the valve measures 13mm and connects to the silver hose extending from the accumulator. On most BMWs, the accumulator is on the passenger side and it is a silver tube with two hoses coming out of it. One side is the low-side hose and the second is the high-side hose. The valve is on the low-side hose.
3. Remove the cap from the hose and press the other end of the service hose onto the low-size valve. It is a quick disconnect valve so the hose will snap on just by pressing it onto the valve.
4. Turn on your BMW and turn on the air conditioner. Open the valve on the service hose and charge the air conditioner until the pressure gauge on the service hose reaches between 35psi and 40psi.
5. Turn off your BMW and disconnect the service hose from the low-side valve. Place the cap on the valve to complete the job.

Continue lendo

How to Change the Transmission Fluid in an Automatic Audi TT 2003

1. Park the Audi TT on a flat surface and raise the front of the car up on a pair of jack stands. Wait 30 minutes before performing any work below the engine so the car has time to cool off.
2. Slide underneath the car and locate the gearbox in the center of the engine. This is a silver, round metal tank with a pipe coming out the front and the back. Place a drain pan beneath the gearbox.
3. Remove the drain bolt on the front pipe coming from the gearbox with the Audi socket wrench. Wait 10 to 15 minutes until the fluid stops draining from the the gearbox. Replace the drain bolt.
4. Remove the fill plug on the back pipe with the specialized Audi socket wrench. Place the plastic tube of the fluid pump into the fill plug and pump the handle to inject the fluid into the gearbox. Fill it with fluid until it begins to drip slowly from the fill plug. Replace the fill plug. Lower the car from the jack stands.

Continue lendo

How to Change the Brakes on a 2003 Mercedes C320

1. Loosen the lug nuts with the tire iron or 17 mm socket and ratchet. Lift the Mercedes' tires off the ground with the jack and place jack stands under the wheel axles. Lower the vehicle onto the stands and remove the lug nuts. Take the wheels off.
2. Place a screwdriver into the upper brake pad pins slot and tap the back of the screwdriver to force the pin through the back side of the caliper. Repeat the process for the lower pin.
3. Squeeze the brake pads against the side of the caliper with a pair of channel lock pliers to force the caliper pistons into the sides of the caliper. The pistons press the pads against the rotors during braking. Open the pistons to aid in removing the worn brake pads and rotor, and to make room for the thicker new brake pads.
4. Slide both brake pads from each brake assembly and discard them. Remove the two caliper bolts on the back side of the caliper with a 14 mm socket and ratchet. Lift the caliper from the rotor and rest it on the steering arm above the wheel hub. Do not allow the caliper to hang by the brake line.
5. Remove the rotor retaining screw with a No. 3 Phillips-head screwdriver. Pull the rotor from the wheel hub. Spray chain lubricant behind the rotor or tap the disc's outer surface with a hammer to remove a stuck rotor.
6. Clean the new rotor and wheel hub with brake parts cleaner and a cloth towel. Place the new rotor onto the wheel hub and align the hole of the disc with the one on the hub for the retaining screw. Replace the screw with the screwdriver.
7. Apply brake grease to the back side of the new brake pads and caliper slide pins. Place the new pads onto the inner sides of the caliper. Place the caliper back over the rotor and screw in the caliper bolts with the 14 mm socket and ratchet.
8. Slide the brake pad pins back into place from the back side of the caliper. Replace the wheel onto the Mercedes' wheel bolts.
9. Repeat steps 2 through 8 for each additional brake that requires changing.
10. Lift the vehicle with the jack and remove the jack stands. Lower the tires to the ground and tighten the lug nuts with the tire iron. Move to the driver's seat.
11. Start the engine. Press the brake pedal slowly to the floor. Release the pedal and depress it two more times until the brake pedal response returns to normal. Pull the hood release lever located under the dashboard on the driver's side and move to the front of the vehicle.
12. Lift the hood. Remove the master cylinder cap located on the right side of the C320's engine. Place a funnel into the container. Fill the reservoir with brake fluid as needed. Remove the funnel and replace the master cylinder cap. Close the hood.

Continue lendo

How to Oil Service a BMW R850R

1. Place your R850R on the center stand and turn on the engine. Let the engine idle for five to 10 minutes. This allows the oil to warm up and flow out of the engine more quickly.
2. Shut off the engine. Position the oil drain pan underneath the motorcycle's engine. Remove the oil drain plug from the oil pan with an 8 mm Allen wrench.
3. Drain the oil out of the engine and into the pan.
4. Remove the oil filter next to the oil pan, using the oil filter wrench. Drop the old filter into the drain pan. Attach the new filter.
5. Reinstall the oil drain plug and tighten it using the 8 mm Allen wrench.
6. Open the oil filler cap located at the top of the R850R. Slowly pour in 3.75 quarts of fresh oil. Reattach the oil filler cap.
7. Remove the BMW R850R from the center stand and turn on the engine again. Allow it to idle for a few minutes so that the new oil will circulate throughout the engine.
8. Turn off the engine and allow your BMW motorcycle to sit for several hours. Check the oil indicator sight glass near the engine oil pan to ensure that the oil level is at the minimum level. Add more oil as needed.

Continue lendo

How to Troubleshoot a 1992 325I BMW Transmission

1. Start the engine and let it run for about 15 minutes.
2. Open the hood and pull the looped handle in the back of the engine all the way out. This is the transmission dipstick.
3. Examine the fluid. It should be red in color. If it is reddish-brown, or smells burnt, then you will need to have the transmission fluid changed and your transmission checked for any internal damage.
4. Check the fluid level. Examine the end of the dipstick. The fluid level should be between the upper and lower marks on the end of the dipstick. If it isn't, you'll need to add more transmission fluid until the fluid levels are adequate.
5. Put the car into gear. If it grinds or is hard going into gear, you will need to have the transmission serviced. Grinding gears can indicate chipped teeth on the gears. However, it is more likely that the synchronizers are damaged.

Continue lendo

How to Upgrade My Volkswagen Passat

1. Lower the suspension and install performance shocks. Like most vehicles, when the Passat leaves the factory, it has an undesirable ride height. Install lowering springs from Eibach matched with a set of performance shocks. Your Passat will look far better and will also handle better. Eibach also offers a front anti-roll bar for the B5-generation Passat.
2. Replace the stock wheels. Once you have lowered the suspension, the next logical step is to install a larger diameter set of wheels and tires. Most specialty tire retailers will have a large selection of wheel and tires packages for the Passat. For a German make, like the Passat, a set of BBS wheels look great. Lighter wheels will reduce the unsprung weight of your VW's suspension, and wider, softer compound tires will give it more grip in the corners.
3. Tune the motor for more power. The Passat's 1.8T turbocharged engine, in particular, takes well to modifications. Euro Sport Tuning offers a full array of engine upgrades, including reprogrammed ECUs (Engine Control Units) that add more horsepower and increase the engine's redline, intercoolers for turbocharged engines and free flow exhaust systems. (See Resources 1)
4. Upgrade the braking. More power means that your Passat can also use some extra braking. Start by installing a set of cross-drilled rotors, which help dissipate heat and reduce brake fade during aggressive and repeated braking. Continue the improvements in this area by installing brake pads made from performance-oriented pad material and braided steel brake lines for a firmer brake pedal feel.
5. Replace the original seats with aftermarket bucket seats from Recaro. With your Passat accelerating, braking and cornering much quicker now, deeper bucket seats will only add to the experience, ensuring that driver and passenger stay firmly in place during sporty driving.
6. Upgrade the exterior with better lighting and ground effect. There are not a huge number of choices when it comes to upgrading the exterior of your Passat, so you can keep it simple by installing PIAA headlight and fog light bulbs and a pair of headlight eyebrows. (See Resources 1) Andy's Auto Sport offers a few body kits for the Passat if you want to make the exterior look even more unusual. (See Resources 3) However, the Passat is a handsome, well-styled car in original form and looks best with a minimum of external aesthetic changes.

Continue lendo

DIY E36 Injector for a BMW

Removing Old Injectors
1. Open the hood and locate the fuse box, a black box on the driver's side. Open the fuse box and remove the fuel pump fuse.
2. Attempt to start your car several times after pulling the fuse, which will cause the car to turn over and die. Repeat this about 10 times to drain any excess fuel from the injectors.
3. Remove the two plastic covers at the top of the engine by prying off the circular caps with the flathead screwdriver and unscrewing the securing bolts using the 10 mm socket.
4. Using your hands, pop off the thin plastic cover that sits at the center of the engine bay and covers the wiring harness for the E36's spark plugs and injectors.
5. Remove the two 10 mm bolts that secure the wiring harness to the top of the engine's intake manifold.
6. Remove the connectors from each fuel injector using the needle-nose pliers. Disconnect the wires that secure the connectors to the fuel injectors.
7. Lift the wiring harness up and set it aside to reveal the fuel rail where the injectors sit.
8. Remove the six black plastic square clips that secure each injector to the fuel rail by using the needle-nose pliers.
9. Lift the fuel rail up from the top of the fuel injectors by starting from the back and moving forward, applying light force as necessary. The fuel rail is metal and can easily bend, so be careful.
10. Position the fuel rail aside and pull each injector out of the intake manifold by lifting straight up.
Installing New Injectors
11. Insert the six new injectors into the intake manifold.
12. Re-attach the fuel rail by positioning it above the fuel injectors and pushing straight down working from the front to the back of the engine.
13. Position the wiring harness above the fuel rail and slide on each of the six clips to secure it back into place.
14. Re-connect the fuel injectors to the wiring harness by using the needle-nose pliers.
15. Position the large plastic engine covers over the engine and secure them into place using the 10 mm socket wrench. Snap on the circular bolt covers to complete the fuel injector replacement.

Continue lendo