Hood roundel replacement access

[dinoz8]

I want to replace my cosmetically damaged hood roundel. I don't see an obvious (ie, easy) way to access it from the back. Any tricks that won't get me into trouble replacing the roundel myself?

[boomster]

I want to replace my cosmetically damaged hood roundel. I don't see an obvious (ie, easy) way to access it from the back. Any tricks that won't get me into trouble replacing the roundel myself?

I replaced mine several years ago, I recall it being a real pain in the butt to remove the old one. As I recall, the Roundel is same as is those fitted to other BMWs of the era. It has pins at the 3:00 and 9:00 location which slot into holes in the bumper cover, but unlike any of my other BMWs it has some sort of adhesive holding it tightly in place. I used a plastic pry tool, lifting from the 3:00 and 9:00 positions, and placed protective tape on the bumper cover to protect it from damage while leveraging the roundel loose. Although I don't believe I used heat, I suspect you might benefit from using a hair dryer or similar device to soften the adhesive. Hope this helps.

Bill

[dinoz8]

I assumed those pins were held in place by some sort of `nut' on the backside. If not then that would mean the pins are for positioning only...which seems a bid odd to me.

[boomster]

I assumed those pins were held in place by some sort of `nut' on the backside. If not then that would mean the pins are for positioning only...which seems a bid odd to me.

I don't believe there were any sort of nut or other locking device. Pretty sure it was held on by adhesive, but it has been six or seven years since I replaced mine so perhaps my recollection is wrong. Here is a link to a vendor showing the backside of the roundel, I think the black rubber backing you can see in the photo had some sort of glue which held it in place. https://www.ecstuning.com/b-genuine-...m/51148123297/ By the way, it appears the roundel for the Z8 is specific to the Z8 and 840/850. However, I did recycle my old one (which had a small stone chip) by putting it on one of my kid's X3 that had a faded hood roundel.

[dinoz8]

I've already ordered that exact part but like pretty much every other part I've ordered recently, everything seems to be coming from Germany, so who knows when it will actually arrive. But I hadn't seen it on ecstuning so hadn't seen that photo. I agree that, based on the photo, there wouldn't be any kind of nut unless one that slides on and grips (sorry, don't recall the name for that kind). That black rubber backing could also be to avoid metal-metal contact with the body paint.

I considered putting on one of my spare 507 roundels to see if anybody would even notice, but they have long threaded posts, thus expecting a washer, nut for retention.

[Musta10000]

I just confirmed that the Roundel of the Z8 is attached with adhesive only.

[dinoz8]

Sounds like the challenge then is to pry the old one off without damaging the painted area around it.

[boomster]

Sounds like the challenge then is to pry the old one off without damaging the painted area around it.

Be patient, and I strongly suggest the use of heat to soften the adhesive. Be certain to protect the surface surrounding the roundel and use a plastic, not metal, pry tool. It will come off eventually but not without some cursing.

[Musta10000]

Sounds like the challenge then is to pry the old one off without damaging the painted area around it.

Dental floss?

[dinoz8]

Is the entire badge metal, in which case heat applied could be applied to the old badge and hope it transfers to the adhesive backing, taking the surrounding paint out of the picture. Sounds like a layer or two of duct tape on the paint around the badge and then dental floss (great suggestion) might free up the old badge. But I'm not going to attempt this until the new badges arrive. By the way, now sounds like the trunk lid badge no longer requires access from the underside of the lid.

[boomster]

Is the entire badge metal, in which case heat applied could be applied to the old badge and hope it transfers to the adhesive backing, taking the surrounding paint out of the picture. Sounds like a layer or two of duct tape on the paint around the badge and then dental floss (great suggestion) might free up the old badge. But I'm not going to attempt this until the new badges arrive. By the way, now sounds like the trunk lid badge no longer requires access from the underside of the lid.

The badge is mostly plastic, with the actual blue/white roundel being a thin piece of painted or cloisonee (sp) metal glued atop the plastic base. I would just take a hair dryer and direct high heat at the roundel for a couple of minutes, I don't believe this would cause any harm to the painted bumper cover. You can then attempt the floss technique, although the badge sits in a recess and it may be difficult to get behind it with floss. Otherwise, heat it and work around the circumference with a plastic pry tool.

[2112]

If you use floss, get “Glide”. All the reasons that make it a horrible floss make it a fantastic shop tool, it’s a strip of hydrophobic Gortex. Strong, flat and sharp.

[dinoz8]

When the full front PPF was installed, the installer was able to cleanly remove the hood emblem for me. For the trunk emblem, I simply and carefully used a Dremel tool to cut the old damaged emblem down the middle to the point where I could easily pry it off without ever getting near the surrounding paint.