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      08-22-2011, 04:24 PM   #1
TauMax
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Post 2004 Z4 engine undertray repair

I just picked up a used (obviously) 2004 Z4 in Calgary to drive home to Nova Scotia. My first Beemer (other than a Mini Cooper S) and it's a fabulous car. The trip was amazing, but about a day and a half into things the engine under-tray fell down onto the road from its mounts on the front bumper. Slowed down, pulled over, and could manipulate the inner grill into place back on the front bumper, but could not get it to stay up more than a few hundred meters. It never detached from its rear bolted-on location. A friendly Saskatchewan farmer with some #9 wire and some cutters to lend me saved the day and I wired the front end of the under-tray up to the bottom bar of the bumper. This got me all the way home (5000km), but obviously needs to be repaired.

A quick stop at the Beemer dealer in Winnipeg along the way and the techs there thought I might have to replace the whole front bumper because the pins that hold the lower grill (and consequently the under-tray) in place were broken. This seems a bit ludicrous (but they did admire the temporary #9 wire fix!).

I've searched this forum and others but haven't found anyone who has had this happen in this particular way, but as I start exploring fixes (tomorrow), it would sure help if anyone has experienced this problem and could offer some advice or alternatives for the fix. The Techs at the aforementioned Bimmer dealer did not think it was a straightforward replacement...

Thanks in advance for any advice to this Bimmer newbie!
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      08-22-2011, 06:18 PM   #2
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I also had to replace the undertray on the Roadster a couple of years ago.

You DO NOT have to pull the bumper cover off to replace the undertray (no. 6). The undertray is held on with 10 screws that screw into piece 15 or piece 4, clip nuts or what ever they are called.
http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts...63&hg=51&fg=75

Be advised that the left or right air ducts (no. 1) may be damaged and have to be replaced. Mine were.

Three screws along the rear undertray, two on each side screwing into the clip nuts on the air ducts and three along the front through the bumper cover into the clip nuts attached on the undertray.

As for the bumper cover lower screen (no. 2) you do have to remove the bumper cover to fix this, unless you have enough room to get to the parts from under the car with the undertray off.
http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts...48&hg=51&fg=15

When I took my bumper cover off to get repainted, I removed all the odd bits. The lower screen is held on with screws, that screw into the bumper cover.

Once you get the car up on stands and you look, everything will become clear.
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      08-22-2011, 06:30 PM   #3
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Hi Shipkiller!
Thanks for the great reply - the URL's to the shop drawings & parts list really help. When I get the car up on a hoist tomorrow AM, I'll be in much better shape to figure out the best thing to do. I appreciate the quick response!!

TauMax
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      08-22-2011, 06:40 PM   #4
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RealOEM is a great resource to figure parts out.
Just plug in the last seven of your VIN an it takes you to the appropriate section for your car.

Then you can order the parts you need by part number from the dealer or on line from other parts houses, normally cheaper than the dealer.

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/select.do
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      08-22-2011, 07:52 PM   #5
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Thanks for the additional tip. I'll try it out! I really appreciate the guidance, and being new to the BMW game, this kind of info is most helpful.

Cheers.
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      08-22-2011, 10:25 PM   #6
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I just removed it from the car, and I driving my car without it...
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      08-23-2011, 06:52 AM   #7
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Thanks for the response Fercho. I gather that driving without it hasn't created any problems for you...
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      08-23-2011, 07:43 AM   #8
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It won't create any short term issues, but it is an aerodynamic piece and it helps keep dirt and debris out of the engine compartment.
If the undertray was needed in some way, then it would not be on the car.
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      08-23-2011, 09:35 AM   #9
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Good point. I had the car up on a hoist today, and indeed, it looks like someone did a "temporary" repair, and left off the air ducts that provide 4 of the support points for the under-tray - probably one of the reasons for the failure this time around. Anyway, I'll be ordering up the necessary missing parts (from a 3rd party supplier) and moving ahead with a full repair. Again, the diagrams you referred me to were most helpful. Also found I was missing 2 of the 4 hoist point cushions (sorry - I don't know the formal name for them), so I'll be ordering those too...
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