Great result on the pillar trim. Dramatic improvement.

 

Thanks!
I installed the keyless entry module and tried to program it with no luck. The bolt is at just enough of an angle in that little hole to make it a real pain to remove/ install.
My new A pillar trim is in Atlanta and should be delivered today or tomorrow.
The wheel bearing are supposed to be delivered on Friday. The axle seal should come in by then too.
The correct SRS module is also on the way.
Only thing I really need is to order a new lock assembly for the passenger door.

 

The new A pillar covers came in today, both of them. Of course I installed them, I wouldn't want to waste a chance to add some bling!! Oh man the car looks so much better now.
I am going to check fuses for the keyless entry tomorrow. I want to get it working but it's not a life altering event if it gets pushed back to later.

 

The CV axle seal came in and the new wheel bearings are out for delivery. Supposed to rainy and yucky the next few days. Saturday is hit or miss on rain so I might be able to do it then but Sunday is supposed to be sunny. The SRS module should arrive very soon.

 

Started on another little freshen up job on the Mini yesterday. I will post pics when I get it completed. I am hoping the SRS module will be delivered today or tomorrow.
Mama hen has a few of her own little projects she wants to do this weekend so I have the green light to work on the Mini. I would have worked on it anyway, I would have had to work around her schedule. Sometimes her can you help me for a minute turns into half a day or longer.

 

I was able to get the rear bearings replaced before the rain came and washed me out. They looked factory and the left rear did feel a little crunchy while spinning it. I ended up working on something else on the car since the rain stopped any outside work. I should be able to have both projects completed tomorrow.


I love new parts!!

 

I started with this....

Ended with this...

I don't know what possessed me to order a sew on leather steering wheel cover but I did. So after hours of my life that I will never get back it is finally done, well pretty close. I am still trying to get it to lay flat in a few areas. I even painted the horn symbols back in. It is thicker and feels so much better than the old worn out part of the wheel. I am going to touch up the round silver part of the wheel too but its not painting weather right now.

 

I worked my butt off today. I started sewing the freaking steering wheel at dawn. I was wanting to get everything done and the car put back together.


I got all of the wheel bearings replaced. Took it for a test drive and the crazy whine that came in at around 58-62 is now totally gone and it's so much quieter! I am so happy!!!!



I touched up the center ring on the steering wheel, not new looking but a little better. Put a little paint on the top of the rear view mirror switch and a few places on the door cards.

 

Great job on the steering wheel. I may have to give that a try. Next summer, assuming I get the engine straightened out.

 

The thread was so long and it would tangle unbelievably. There was a time or two I thought about cutting it off and calling it a loss. Trying to get the sizing all the same was a pain too. I'm glad I stuck with it because the feel of the wheel is so much better, plus it looks pretty cool too.

I lubed all the brake slide pins while I had the brakes off, they really needed it bad.

I drove her to work this morning and I am so amazed at how much quieter the ride is now. If I would have known I would have changed them out a long time ago. Now if I can get the SRS module in and that airbag light to go out I will be batting a thousand.

 

The SRS module was finally delivered today!! Since it came out of another 03 and is the same part number this should finally get that dang airbag light to go out!!! It's too late to pull the seats and install it today. Fingers crossed.

 

I ordered a new lock assembly for the passenger door today.
I also installed the new SRS module and NO MORE AIRBAG LIGHT!!!!

Happy Dance!!!!

 

The next time I started the car up the airbag light stayed on, dang it. Looked at the codes and showing 4 faults. I can clear the codes, the light flashes a few times and then goes out. That is until you turn the car off then restart it and then the light comes back on again. The original module was junk and it showed 14 codes. The last module only showed the battery isolation fault and that's it. This one shows those 4 codes. It has me thinking it might be stored crash data that can be temporary cleared until the car is shut off. 2 of the codes are for seat belt and the other 2 are roof airbags. The Saga continues....

 

Idk if it's the case for the R50, but for the R53 there is a recall for the power steering (pump I think). Check for recalls if this hasn't been addressed yet. Still reading...
Edit: finished reading and you didn't need to worry about the power steering apparently, but I works still check for recalls anyway.

 

D'oh! I clicked on your thread to congratulate you on finally getting rid of the the airbag light. Sorry to hear that it's back. On the bright side, if everything on the car was fixed, what would you do with your spare time?

 

Thanks anyway!! I can clear it in the driveway and it will stay off for the whole drive to work, strange to not see a warning light on, till the next time I start the car.
What spare time? Trust me I always have plenty of stuff around here to keep me busy.

I think I am going to pull out the module soon and send it to an airbag reset place on the other side of Atlanta. They are pretty close and they can clear hard codes and crash data. I'm 99% percent sure that is the issue is now. I have the new door lock mech coming in for the passenger door on Monday. I got a new tensioner pulley in today because I just have not spent enough money on this car yet... that was a joke. I think the bearing is going out in it. One of the vendors we use has a super automotive scanner and they think they can pair my key and program my keyless entry, worth a shot.

If I can get all those done and working I will take a little break till after Christmas, well I say that now. I don't work out in the cold unless I just have too.

 

Went by the auto place and we hooked up their multi thousand dollar scan tool. We couldn't find a place to put it in learn mode for the key. Not a life altering event and I will see about getting it working again later.

Not thinking when I bought the SRS module from overseas it is coded for a right hand drive and we tried a hard clear of all the modules but it didn't work. I'm going to contact the module reset place on Monday and see if they can recode it correctly. If I remember correctly they can clear codes and remove crash data but that's about it. I think Mini codes the SRS module to your specific car and you can't just change modules so I maybe forced to go thru Mini to get that one fixed.

The passenger lock assembly is supposed to arrive on Monday. I am going to take the door card off today and see if I can touch up the paint on the door pull. I bought a double roll of painters tape and I have some cardboard to mask it all up. I think last time I went too heavy on the paint and didn't let it dry long enough before I sprayed the clear coat. It's 30 degrees outside so I am in no big hurry to work on anything.

I did manage to get the burnt out back up bulb replaced yesterday. Ended up working on my son in-laws truck most of the afternoon so I didn't get the new tensioner pulley installed.

 

Re the module, will most likely need to be coded to the car with bmw software…

I have some info if you’d like to go down the rabbit hole

you’ll need a laptop and usb obd cable…

 

I bought an INPA cable and I downloaded the software. I followed the instructions as best as I could but it would not read my car after installing the programs. I have an R50 and did not know how to change all the stuff to get it to read. I am up to 3 SRS modules, the original which is scrap metal, the second one for a rear mounted battery car and now the right hand drive one. Let me see if the reset place can do anything, if not I might jump down that rabbit hole. As this point I have nothing to loose.

 

Before

After

Patience is the key. I learned my lesson when I did the radio down tubes and this turned out so much better. I also painted the door handle/ tweeter cover too. I will do the drivers door next weekend. While I waited for it to dry my 5 year old son made me put up icicle light around the front of the house.

 

My cheap replacement key/remote from Amazon was delivered yesterday, I have 0 confidence it will pair and work, but worth a shot.

My new lock assembly for the passenger door was delivered too. The wife is visiting her mom today so I have a little time after work to remove the old one and install the new one. Then I can reinstall the freshly painted door panel.

I called Mini of Atlanta and explained to them the deal with the airbag light. They said to bring it in and they will need to troubleshoot it first (diag for $160.00). They don't trust my troubleshooting or trying to see if it was rigged by someone else. Then see if they can recode my used module.

 

I tried pairing the new key to the car and no luck, I wasn't expecting it to work anyway. I will see if there is a locksmith that can at least cut the key and try to pair them to the car.
I got the new lock assembly installed today and all the locks now work with the switch!!


I installed the door card and then took my rotary drill with a brush, spray 9 cleaner and went to town on the red part. I can't believe how dirty it still was. I also recleaned the arm rest. Wiped it down with some extreme shine wipes and Oh my that looks fantastic!!! I had to glue the reflector back together so it's not on there yet.
Working on the drivers door card this weekend. Also installing the new tensioner pulley too.

 

Nice job on the re-spray!
Need to do mine too. Although they're not too bad (a few paint chips), I plan to sand/strip them down to bare - then prime and paint.
Problem is; Trying to source the (metal flake) Anthacite paint.....

Enjoying reading your tenacity and progress!

 

Thanks!! I am not a painter so it turned out much better than I expected, especially after the down tube fail.
The paint on the drivers door card is a little more worn than the passenger side was so it will look even better. I have done a lot more work than I was ever planning on doing to this car, I just can't stand seeing something that I can make better.

I use to show an 1985 Fiero GT many years ago. I won second place the first time I showed it and first place the second time I showed it. The judges use to nit pick everything so I got kind of **** about little details. I can see that coming out when I work on this car.

 

I changed the pulley for the belt tensioner today. Boy that was a fun adventure, the top bolt was a real pain. The bearing was definitely making a bunch of noise so I'm glad I changed it out. I will pull the drivers door card tomorrow or Friday and get it ready to paint.