All I want to do is get my damn car back on the road. Yes, it is my own damn fault, I should have turned it off immediately when it started running hot, middle of nowhere or not. I get it.
But seriously, why do I need a special damn socket to pull the spark plugs? A standard spark plug socket just was not good enough for you? Every other company seems to be ok with it but no you have to be special.
E-Torx socket set as well? And the 2 VANOS unit bolts are not reusable! Wow, these bolts are so damn special, someone is selling them for $10 a piece and wants $13 each for shipping and handling, are you kidding me! Oh and if I just order those 2 bolts from a dealer for $3.60 each, they want $44.28 in shipping and handling! Add some other bits and bobs to the cart including spark plugs and serpentine belt to see if it goes down if you spend more money; oh hell no, for $109 worth of parts they want $69 in shipping and handling! At least I have some part numbers now you f’n wankers!
So what is next, a BMW/Mini Crankshaft tool, are you kidding me, starting at over $80 at reputable places! A piece of steel, circle at the end, with some holes in it. Has one damn use and is only useful if you have some models of BMW or Mini. Look do not get me wrong I like tools and buying them but not this single use shit.
Now I get to waste a few hours trying to source this list as cheaply as possible. Oh, and trying to figure out how I am going to make a crankshaft holder. But first, back to the manual and flipping back and forth from chapter to chapter, did I mention you have to read the entire book almost just to change the timing chain? Also, take a lot of the car apart? And the estimate I have seen is it takes 10-11 hours to complete, that must be when you have all of the tools and parts on hand from the start!
A little visual entertainment. As you can see I have parts under the car and besides the car. I still have to take the intake manifold off the engine, that is the little black part circled in red in pic 3, as well as the front engine mount. Those will be the last parts I take off to minimize getting dust in the engine as well as not wanting the engine propped on a jack stand too long. I do keep the valve cover on the engine to keep dust at bay as well.
After I get the timing chain complete, I will still have to drain the oil and drop the oil pan to check for debris. I will probably get some cheese cloth or something to strain the oil as the car has not run since I did the oil change in middle-o-nowhere Mississippi when all of this started and synthetic motor oil is not cheap.
Back to the struggle.