[3PedalJake]

So how far would I go to eliminate the squeaking dash on my newly restored 325i? Pretty far but apparently not as far as I'm gonna go. I removed the cabin filter housing and strut tower braces to rule them out, then started removing my dash 1 piece at a time. First the trim, then the radio/temp controls, then the cluster, then the blower, then the center console, then f-it, time for the whole dash. I can see why this is one of the most expensive jobs at a shop, it is tedious and there's a crapload of things to unscrew, pry off, wires to disconnect, the steering wheel and stalks have to come off, but finally got all that removed, unbolted the dash and got it out, thinking for sure I can find the squeak, or at least lube and tighten everything as I put it back together. Then I took a look at the vents in the HVAC box... yikes. The rubber part of the flaps looks like it's melted/coated in tar, all soft and gooey. WTF can do this? I can't find any way to fix this and I'm figuring that if the ones I can see are like this the internal flaps are probably just as bad or worse. Soooo looks like I'm replacing the HVAC box. With all the work required to get at it I can't see not replacing the heater core and ac evaporator, and if I'm doing those may as well do the heater hoses too. Well crap, that squeak just turned into a bigger job than the entire rear subframe. Wish me luck brothers, I'm off down the rabbit hole to wonderland.

[StradaRedlands]

Originally Posted by 3PedalJake

So how far would I go to eliminate the squeaking dash on my newly restored 325i? Pretty far but apparently not as far as I'm gonna go. I removed the cabin filter housing and strut tower braces to rule them out, then started removing my dash 1 piece at a time. First the trim, then the radio/temp controls, then the cluster, then the blower, then the center console, then f-it, time for the whole dash. I can see why this is one of the most expensive jobs at a shop, it is tedious and there's a crapload of things to unscrew, pry off, wires to disconnect, the steering wheel and stalks have to come off, but finally got all that removed, unbolted the dash and got it out, thinking for sure I can find the squeak, or at least lube and tighten everything as I put it back together. Then I took a look at the vents in the HVAC box... yikes. The rubber part of the flaps looks like it's melted/coated in tar, all soft and gooey. WTF can do this? I can't find any way to fix this and I'm figuring that if the ones I can see are like this the internal flaps are probably just as bad or worse. Soooo looks like I'm replacing the HVAC box. With all the work required to get at it I can't see not replacing the heater core and ac evaporator, and if I'm doing those may as well do the heater hoses too. Well crap, that squeak just turned into a bigger job than the entire rear subframe. Wish me luck brothers, I'm off down the rabbit hole to wonderland.

You better keep this car a loooong time!!! It will be so nice to have all those jobs done though. Especially the vents/box... I don't even want to know what mine look like! I have a long-term flap error that came with the car. I imagine it's pretty bad in there as well!

[3PedalJake]

Originally Posted by StradaRedlands

You better keep this car a loooong time!!! It will be so nice to have all those jobs done though. Especially the vents/box... I don't even want to know what mine look like! I have a long-term flap error that came with the car. I imagine it's pretty bad in there as well!

Yeah if this wasn't already a forever car (it was) it would be after this. Zeroing in on 0% of this car that I haven't had apart now, we're practically soulmates. I was working on getting the musty smell out of the ac, I think this oughta do it lol.

[bmw335ie90]

Lots of work! I have a creak that is coming from the A pillar every time the chassis flexes. It amplifies off the windshield and is the most annoying thing I've ever experienced. I've removed everything except the dash trying to find it but cannot. Tempted to just shove a bunch of foam in between the dash and windshield, and between the dash and A pillar to dampen the noise.

If you are able to find and fix it you might convince me to pull my dash as well!

[3PedalJake]

Originally Posted by bmw335ie90

Lots of work! I have a creak that is coming from the A pillar every time the chassis flexes. It amplifies off the windshield and is the most annoying thing I've ever experienced. I've removed everything except the dash trying to find it but cannot. Tempted to just shove a bunch of foam in between the dash and windshield, and between the dash and A pillar to dampen the noise.

If you are able to find and fix it you might convince me to pull my dash as well!

I have it apart up to the dash support cage and I can't find any kind of squeaks by pressing on anything, and it's way past driving so just hoping I undo whatever is causing it when I put it back together. After the HVAC is out There won't be anything left on the firewall but the JBE/fusebox, everything should include whatever is the issue

[DBShiznit]

Not a BMW in the video but here is some humor to get you through the ordeal. lol

[ZGator]

I thought I was crazy - woa good idea to replace any a/c stuff in there that's for sure! Jake you must just love being with this car! My wife sometimes teases me about my 2 bmw obsessions. It is addictive when you fix things and even make them better than before - I guess this goes to show that!

[3PedalJake]

Originally Posted by DBShiznit

Not a BMW in the video but here is some humor to get you through the ordeal. lol

LMAO that's me exactly fumbling around trying to make it stop, even had Mrs 3P help.

[3PedalJake]

Originally Posted by ZGator

I thought I was crazy - woa good idea to replace any a/c stuff in there that's for sure! Jake you must just love being with this car! My wife sometimes teases me about my 2 bmw obsessions. It is addictive when you fix things and even make them better than before - I guess this goes to show that!

I think all the regular forum contributors here are a lil touched in the head, but you're right none of us would be doing all the big and little things constantly to our cars if we weren't addicted. Thankfully my Mrs. recognizes there's much less benign things I could be doing with my time so she encourages my bimmer relationships. And my diesel trucks. And motorcycles

[3PedalJake]

Well always wondered what it looked like on the firewall with everything removed, but not enough to take it apart. Now I know, got the HVAC box out today and new one should be here this week sometime. I need to take all the motors and wiring and other assorted parts off it to swap over, hopefully it will be simple but yeah lol to that. Now I know why lotta shops don't do HVAC and the ones that do make you bend over and spread em for it.

[DBShiznit]

Originally Posted by 3PedalJake

Well always wondered what it looked like on the firewall with everything removed, but not enough to take it apart. Now I know, got the HVAC box out today and new one should be here this week sometime. I need to take all the motors and wiring and other assorted parts off it to swap over, hopefully it will be simple but yeah lol to that. Now I know why lotta shops don't do HVAC and the ones that do make you bend over and spread em for it.

I hate how much those bars rust. Such an eye sore anytime you take something apart on the dash. I know it's hidden but my OCD knows its there. LOL

[ZGator]

Originally Posted by DBShiznit

I hate how much those bars rust. Such an eye sore anytime you take something apart on the dash. I know it's hidden but my OCD knows its there. LOL

I bet Jake paints his to make it nice and purdy!

[ZGator]

Originally Posted by 3PedalJake

Well always wondered what it looked like on the firewall with everything removed, but not enough to take it apart. Now I know, got the HVAC box out today and new one should be here this week sometime. I need to take all the motors and wiring and other assorted parts off it to swap over, hopefully it will be simple but yeah lol to that. Now I know why lotta shops don't do HVAC and the ones that do make you bend over and spread em for it.

yeah, oh my god, the evaporator is sandwiched in there real good, I guess a bad evap/AC leak will total an E90! LOL

[BMW Guy]

Originally Posted by 3PedalJake

Well always wondered what it looked like on the firewall with everything removed, but not enough to take it apart. Now I know, got the HVAC box out today and new one should be here this week sometime. I need to take all the motors and wiring and other assorted parts off it to swap over, hopefully it will be simple but yeah lol to that. Now I know why lotta shops don't do HVAC and the ones that do make you bend over and spread em for it.

Oh my! I'm afraid I would give up after removing the steering wheel. Your mechanical skills are ridiculous!

[3PedalJake]

Originally Posted by DBShiznit

I hate how much those bars rust. Such an eye sore anytime you take something apart on the dash. I know it's hidden but my OCD knows its there. LOL

Originally Posted by ZGator

I bet Jake paints his to make it nice and purdy!

lol If it wasn't still attached by a wiring harness on the drivers side I'd prolly do that, as it is I'm just gonna wipe it down with some anti-corrosion spray and pretend I never saw no rust.

Originally Posted by ZGator

yeah, oh my god, the evaporator is sandwiched in there real good, I guess a bad evap/AC leak will total an E90! LOL

Seriously, if this was any kind of "just transportation" car I'd either junk it or live with wherever the heat wanted to come out, only for my bimmer babies would I do this job from hell.

[3PedalJake]

Originally Posted by BMW Guy

Oh my! I'm afraid I would give up after removing the steering wheel. Your mechanical skills are ridiculous!

Shhh, I'm just winging this on the fly, I've never done a HVAC unit, so on a steep learning curve here Every other part of the un-installation has been a project unto itself, quite a few times now I said to myself self, wtf did you get yourself into this time?? By then it was too late to turn back tho, in for a penny in for a pound and praying it all goes back together.
Today the new HVAC cabinet arrived, it's just the box and flaps. I thought the gaskets would be on it but no, that's separate so have them on order with local dealer. Tomorrow I have to transfer over the blower box, the electric flap actuators (there's 8 of them) and install the new heater core and ac evaporator, wish me luck.

[DBShiznit]

I tell you what, I bet the heat and A/C will feel nice when it is all done and you get no odors. Can you throw in some pics of the evaporator and heater exchanger? I'm curious to see what mine looks like without taking it apart LOL

[3PedalJake]

Originally Posted by DBShiznit

I tell you what, I bet the heat and A/C will feel nice when it is all done and you get no odors. Can you throw in some pics of the evaporator and heater exchanger? I'm curious to see what mine looks like without taking it apart LOL

It's always nice to have brand new stuff, be glad when it's there lol. Here's pics, on the left is evaporator, right is heater core. The cabinet and these cores are Denso, the cars also shipped with Valeo units which are slightly different.

[Efthreeoh]

Dude, sometimes you just frighten me. That's all I'm going to say...

[Efthreeoh]

Originally Posted by 3PedalJake

I think all the regular forum contributors here are a lil touched in the head, but you're right none of us would be doing all the big and little things constantly to our cars if we weren't addicted. Thankfully my Mrs. recognizes there's much less benign things I could be doing with my time so she encourages my bimmer relationships. And my diesel trucks. And motorcycles

Back in the day I was installing a new radio in my wife's Z3. An aftermarket Alpine. New speakers, and added speakers to the bridge behind the seats. A complete rewire job. I had the entire interior out and the center of the dash out. Ms. Efthreeoh came over to the shop during the surgery and freaked out seeing her car gutted to stuch a state.

[jsunma]

I fear having to replace my heater core, but suspect that i will some day.

The key to doing what you're doing is (I feel) that this is not a daily driver or car that you have to have back on the road shortly. I've done exactly this same process on my hobby car (a Volvo 240), but can't wrap my head around doing it to the E91. Unless of course it was the time of year when I might take the E91 off the road for a month and drive the Volvo. But still...scary stuff.

Respect to you!

[ZGator]

Originally Posted by Efthreeoh

Back in the day I was installing a new radio in my wife's Z3. An aftermarket Alpine. New speakers, and added speakers to the bridge behind the seats. A complete rewire job. I had the entire interior out and the center of the dash out. Ms. Efthreeoh came over to the shop during the surgery and freaked out seeing her car gutted to stuch a state.

oh yeah the Z3 audio system is a weird complex beast - on the bright side you can access the evaporator easier than the subwoofer! Seriously it slides out from the side with barely any removal of dash..