William's 330Ci ZHP Maintenance and Project Thread [Archive] - BMW E46 330 ZHP For Sale Forum

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BMWCurves

04-10-2015, 04:23 PM

I figure I should make a maintenance/project thread for my new (to me) 2005 330Ci ZHP. It probably won't be as exciting as some other project threads in here since I plan to keep the car mostly stock, but should hopefully be interesting and informative nonetheless.

The Basics:
Year: 2005
Model: 330Ci Coupe
Exterior Color: Orient Blue Metallic (317)
Interior: Black leather (N6SW)
Transmission: 6-speed manual
Packages: Performance Package (ZHP). No Cold Weather Package (ZCW) or Premium Package (ZPP)
Options: Heated front seats, Park Distance Control (PDC), xenon headlights, Harman-Kardon sound system
Purchased from previous owner: 03/25/2015
Mileage at purchase: 49,364 miles
Production date: 02/11/2005
VIN: WBABD53455PD99222

A Little Background:
In July 2014 I was driving across the country to move from Philadelphia to Portland in my 2003 BMW 330Ci and had the unfortunate luck of hitting an antelope that jumped out on a small two-lane road just south of the Grand Canyon. The accident totaled the car and I decided once I was settled in Portland, I would look for another 330i/Ci. Once home I had the luxury of taking my time to look for a car, so I wanted a ZHP. After several months of lurking and posting over here in the classifieds, I finally found this car in mid-March in a local Craigslist ad. I met with the previous owners (who were also the original owners), but they ended up selling it to the first buyer that offered their asking price. Unfortunately for me at the time, it wasn't me but was a guy who I was guessing flipped cars. I religiously watched Craigslist for the next week hoping to see it again, and lo and behold, the same car popped up with a mark up in price. I met with the new owner ASAP and we came to a deal on price and it was transferred to me 48 hours later. I am pretty ecstatic, it's in amazing condition and feels great! The original owners purchased the car in Germany and drove it to port, where it was shipped to Portland. For the next 10 years the previous owners drove it to work (a total of 5 miles round trip) and took occasional road trips, amassing less than 5,000 miles a year. They didn't have children so the rear seats are basically untouched, and the car was always garaged.

Current Upgrades/Setup:
Suspension:

Koni Sport shocks and struts
Z4M front control arm bushings (FCABs) and rear trailing arm bushings (RTABs) with Vorshlag limiters
Rogue Engineering rear shock mounts (RSMs)
BMW strut tower reinforcement plates
E46 M3 strut bar

Wheels/Tires/Brakes:

APEX ARC8 17x8.5" ET40 wheels in Hyper Black
245/40R17 Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires (previously Continental ExtremeContact DW tires)
BMW Performance drilled brake rotors
Hawk HPS 5.0 brake pads
StopTech stainless steel brake lines

Engine/Drivetrain:

Conforti Shark Injector
GruppeM carbon fiber intake (previously BMW Performance intake)
UUC stainless steel clutch line
UUC modified clutch delay valve (CDV)
UUC Evo3 short shift kit (SSK)
UUC Corsa TSE3 catback exhaust
E46 M3 transmission mounts
ECS Tuning aluminum water pump pulley
DrVanos VANOS system (previously Beisan VANOS seals I botched)
Turner Motorsport Power Pulleys
E30 1.4 Bar expansion tank cap

Exterior:

BMW Performance gloss black kidney grilles
Bimmian ///M tri-color stickers on kidney grilles
Bimmian painted bumper reflectors
SunTek Carbon 38% tint
eBay LED license plate lights ("Festoon 6418 C5W")
LED front turn signal bulbs (Philips "X-Treme Ultinon T20 Amber LED Y20 (WY21), 180lm - Front turn signal bulb")
LED reverse light bulbs ("JDM ASTAR Extremely Bright Max 50W High Power 1156 1141 1073 7506 LED Bulbs ,Xenon White")
Morimoto LED fog lights (Previously OEM (Ziza) yellow fog lights)
///M license plate frames (front and rear)
ZHP Mafia sticker
Car pro/CQuartz ceramic coating

Interior:

Complete E46 M3 black Nappa leather interior. Front seats with memory, heat, lumbar and side bolster adjustment.
E9X rearview mirror with auto-dim, compass, and HomeLink
DCT Motorsports mixed full/perforated nappa leather steering wheel with ///M tri-color stitching
Bimmian cell phone bracket with ProClip cell phone mount
Xtrons PB7646BAP head unit
BMW auxiliary sound input
OEM leather parking brake boot
E46 M3 aluminum and rubber dead pedal
F10 M5 illuminated shift knob

Coding:

More accurate temperature gauge
One-touch close rear windows

Previous Owner's Maintenance:
11/17/06 (6,764 miles) - Wipers replaced, oil and filter changed
04/27/07 (9,640 miles) - Brake fluid flushed/changed
02/08/08 (13,723 miles) - Oil and filter changed
02/13/09 (19,204 miles) - Oil and filter changed, Wipers replaced
04/16/10 (25,740 miles) - Oil and filter changed
04/22/11 (30,977 miles) - Inspection I
06/15/12 (36,653 miles) - Oil and filter changed, safety inspection
08/22/14 (46,756 miles) - Oil and filter changed, safety inspection. Paperwork for an alignment and possibly new tires.
10/31/14 (47,538 miles) - Air bag recall performed, safety inspection

My Maintenance/Modifications Ledger: Not currently being updated because I'm lazy.
03/25/15 (49,356 miles) - Pre Purchase Inspection
03/30/15 (49,547 miles) - Installed BMW OEM Aux Input in rear cup holder (http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?15714-William-s-330Ci-ZHP-Maintenance-and-Project-Thread&p=428295#post428295)
04/14/15 (49,682 miles) - Replaced OEM ZHP 6-speed shift knob (http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?15714-William-s-330Ci-ZHP-Maintenance-and-Project-Thread&p=429156#post429156)
04/15/15 (49,682 miles) - Cooling system refreshed (radiator, expansion tank, water pump, thermostat, hoses, coolant temp and level sensors, coolant flush/bleed), replaced serpentine and AC belts, replaced idler, AC tensioner, and tensioner pulleys, replaced fuel filter, performed oil change (BMW 5W30) and new oil filter, replaced transmission fluid (Redline MTL), replaced differential fluid (Redline 75W90), replaced spark plugs (NGK), replaced cabin microfilter, and replaced air intake filter. (http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?15714-William-s-330Ci-ZHP-Maintenance-and-Project-Thread&p=429156#post429156)
04/18/15 (49,721 miles) - E90 rearview mirror retrofit (compass/auto-dim/HomeLink) (http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?15714-William-s-330Ci-ZHP-Maintenance-and-Project-Thread&p=429617#post429617)
04/19/15 (49,721 miles) - Swapped OEM BMW chrome grilles with piano black BMW Performance grilles (http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?15714-William-s-330Ci-ZHP-Maintenance-and-Project-Thread&p=429710#post429710)
04/29/15 (49,844 miles) - Swapped out OEM alcantara steering wheel for leather/perforated steering wheel from DCT Motorsports (http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?15714-William-s-330Ci-ZHP-Maintenance-and-Project-Thread&p=431923#post431923)
04/30/15 (49,858 miles) - Charged AC system (http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?15714-William-s-330Ci-ZHP-Maintenance-and-Project-Thread&p=432150#post432150)
05/01/15 (49,909 miles) - Coded remote closing windows, one-click remote unlock, raised automatic locking threshold to 28 km/h, one-touch close rear windows, turned of daytime running lights using a PASoft BMW Scanner. (http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?15714-William-s-330Ci-ZHP-Maintenance-and-Project-Thread&p=432475#post432475)
05/02/15 (49,914 miles) - Completed one-touch close rear windows modification (http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?15714-William-s-330Ci-ZHP-Maintenance-and-Project-Thread&p=432575#post432575)
05/13/15 (50,032 miles) - Tinted front and rear windows with SunTek Carbon 38
05/13/15 (50,042 miles) - Polished side markers with BlueMagic Polish (http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?15714-William-s-330Ci-ZHP-Maintenance-and-Project-Thread&p=434768#post434768)
05/18/15 (50,127 miles) - Swapped out amber bumper reflectors for painted reflectors from Bimmian (http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?15714-William-s-330Ci-ZHP-Maintenance-and-Project-Thread&p=435526#post435526)
05/28/15 (50,321 miles) - Replaced broken valve cover bolt plug (http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?15714-William-s-330Ci-ZHP-Maintenance-and-Project-Thread&p=437214#post437214)
05/30/15 (50,331 miles) - Installed Turner Motorsport (StopTech) stainless steel brake lines and installed UUC stainless steel clutch line with UUC modified clutch delay valve (CDV) (http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?15714-William-s-330Ci-ZHP-Maintenance-and-Project-Thread&p=437636#post437636)
06/01/15 (50,331 miles) - Flushed and bled the brake/clutch system with BMW OEM brake fluid (http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?15714-William-s-330Ci-ZHP-Maintenance-and-Project-Thread&p=438001#post438001)
07/14/15 (50,707 miles) - Installed BMW Performance intake (http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?15714-William-s-330Ci-ZHP-Maintenance-and-Project-Thread&p=443784#post443784)
08/03/15 (50,908 miles) - Installed rear LED license plate lights (http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?15714-William-s-330Ci-ZHP-Maintenance-and-Project-Thread&p=445732#post445732)
08/13/15 (51,012 miles) - Installed wheel pin tool in the trunk toolkit, replaced driver's side window switch button, replaced windshield washer pump (http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?15714-William-s-330Ci-ZHP-Maintenance-and-Project-Thread&p=446862#post446862)
08/25/15 (51,140 miles) - Coded the temperature gauge for more useful values (http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?15714-William-s-330Ci-ZHP-Maintenance-and-Project-Thread&p=448444#post448444)
08/29/15 (51,200 miles) - Refreshed the rear suspension with Koni Sport shocks, new upper and lower spring pads, Rogue Engineering Rear Shock Mounts (RSMs), new dust boots, and new bump stops. (http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?15714-William-s-330Ci-ZHP-Maintenance-and-Project-Thread&p=449113#post449113)
08/30/15 (51,200 miles) - Refreshed the front suspension with Koni Sport struts, new strut mounts, new upper and lower spring pads, new dust boots, new bump stops, strut reinforcement plates, and new flange mounting nuts. (http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?15714-William-s-330Ci-ZHP-Maintenance-and-Project-Thread&p=449192#post449192)
09/19/15 (51,487 miles) - Refreshed the front control arm bushings (FCABs) and rear trailing arm bushings (RTABs) with OEM Z4M parts and Vorshlag limiters with the RTABs, installed Conforti Shark Injector, flushed the power steering fluid, parking brake adjusted, and installed UUC Evo3 Short Shift Kit. (http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?15714-William-s-330Ci-ZHP-Maintenance-and-Project-Thread&p=452120#post452120)
09/21/15 (51,513 miles) - Alignment (http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?15714-William-s-330Ci-ZHP-Maintenance-and-Project-Thread&p=452120#post452120)
11/28/15 (52,097 miles) - Installed Bimmian cell phone mount (http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?15714-William-s-330Ci-ZHP-Maintenance-and-Project-Thread&p=460322#post460322)
12/03/15 (52,150 miles) - Installed new Duralast 94R-DLG battery (http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?15714-William-s-330Ci-ZHP-Maintenance-and-Project-Thread&p=461061#post461061)
12/04/15 (52,163 miles) - Replaced brake pads with Hawk HPS 5.0 pads and rotors with BMW Performance cross-drilled rotors. (http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?15714-William-s-330Ci-ZHP-Maintenance-and-Project-Thread&p=462028#post462028)
12/05/15 (52,163 miles) - Applied Bimmian ///M colored stickers to front grille. Sprayed lower mesh grille semi-gloss black. (http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?15714-William-s-330Ci-ZHP-Maintenance-and-Project-Thread&p=462028#post462028)
12/07/15 (52,169 miles) - Repaired sunroof sunshade (http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?15714-William-s-330Ci-ZHP-Maintenance-and-Project-Thread&p=462028#post462028)
12/09/15 (52,172 miles) - Coded off the auto-lock feature and the exterior temperature below 37F alarm. Enabled the relock car if car unlocked but the door is unopened after 2 minutes feature. (http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?15714-William-s-330Ci-ZHP-Maintenance-and-Project-Thread&p=462028#post462028)
12/17/15 (52,285 miles) - Installed ///M-Tech license plate cover in the rear (http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?15714-William-s-330Ci-ZHP-Maintenance-and-Project-Thread&p=463271#post463271)
12/20/15 (52,380 miles) - Installed ///M-Tech license plate cover on the front (http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?15714-William-s-330Ci-ZHP-Maintenance-and-Project-Thread&p=464711#post464711)
12/21/15 (52,423 miles) - Installed BMW all weather mats (http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?15714-William-s-330Ci-ZHP-Maintenance-and-Project-Thread&p=464711#post464711)
12/26/15 (52,788 miles) - Installed ProClip cell phone mount to Bimmian mount (http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?15714-William-s-330Ci-ZHP-Maintenance-and-Project-Thread&p=464711#post464711)
12/26/15 (52,788 miles) - Swapped alcantara shift and parking brake boots for leather boots (http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?15714-William-s-330Ci-ZHP-Maintenance-and-Project-Thread&p=464711#post464711)
01/15/16 (53,160 miles) - Installed Evo/OEM wiper blades (http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?15714-William-s-330Ci-ZHP-Maintenance-and-Project-Thread&p=468092#post468092)
02/08/16 (53,365 miles) - Installed front seats from an E46 M3 (http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?15714-William-s-330Ci-ZHP-Maintenance-and-Project-Thread&p=497637#post497637)
02/10/16 (53,376 miles) - Replaced the driver's side outer tail light due to a dim LED in the turn signal cluster (http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?15714-William-s-330Ci-ZHP-Maintenance-and-Project-Thread&p=473524#post473524)
02/29/16 (53,590 miles) - Mounted and balanced APEX ARC-8 17x8.5" ET40 Hyper Black wheels. Shod in Continental Extreme Contact DW 245/40R17 tires. (http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?15714-William-s-330Ci-ZHP-Maintenance-and-Project-Thread&p=477342#post477342)
03/17/16 (53,743 miles) - Installed BMW roundel hub caps (http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?15714-William-s-330Ci-ZHP-Maintenance-and-Project-Thread&p=480587#post480587)
03/26/16 (53,883 miles) - Installed styrofoam cones to reduce rear deck lid rattle. (http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?15714-William-s-330Ci-ZHP-Maintenance-and-Project-Thread&p=482184#post482184)
06/06/16 (54,828 miles) - Oil change with Mobil 1 0W-40 oil, MANN filter kit, and replaced the oil level sensor (http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?15714-William-s-330Ci-ZHP-Maintenance-and-Project-Thread&p=493425#post493425)
07/09/16 (54,979 miles) - Brake fluid flush (including clutch line), replaced passenger seat lumbar air pump, repaired passenger seat heating element ground wire, installed passenger headlight cover. (http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?15714-William-s-330Ci-ZHP-Maintenance-and-Project-Thread&p=497168#post497168)
07/10/16 (54,992 miles) - Installed the passenger side M3 door card, added Noico-branded sound deadening material, installed door clips with foam washers to minimize door rattle, and swapped over my speakers. (http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?15714-William-s-330Ci-ZHP-Maintenance-and-Project-Thread&p=497637#post497637)
07/11/16 (55,010 miles) - Installed the driver side M3 door card, added Noico-branded sound deadening material, installed door clips with foam washers to minimize door rattle, and swapped over my speakers. (http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?15714-William-s-330Ci-ZHP-Maintenance-and-Project-Thread&p=497637#post497637)
07/13/16 (55,044 miles) - Installed rear interior including headrests, rear "door" cards, rear side bolsters, rear seat backs, and rear seat bottom. Swapped over the speakers from my rear "door" cards to the M3 "door" cards. (http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?15714-William-s-330Ci-ZHP-Maintenance-and-Project-Thread&p=497637#post497637)
07/31/16 (55,511 miles) - Placed the car in storage in a friend's family's barn (http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?15714-William-s-330Ci-ZHP-Maintenance-and-Project-Thread&p=499248#post499248)
12/18/16 (55,511 miles) - Removed car from storage (http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?15714-William-s-330Ci-ZHP-Maintenance-and-Project-Thread&p=513034#post513034)
12/19/16 (55,561 miles) - Performed driver's side airbag recall (http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?15714-William-s-330Ci-ZHP-Maintenance-and-Project-Thread&p=513264#post513264)
12/21/16 (55,584 miles) - Refreshed and installed GruppeM carbon fiber intake (http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?15714-William-s-330Ci-ZHP-Maintenance-and-Project-Thread&p=513264#post513264)
12/31/16 (55,884 miles) - Placed the car in storage again (http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?15714-William-s-330Ci-ZHP-Maintenance-and-Project-Thread&p=513891#post513891)
06/18/17 (55,884 miles) - Removed car from storage (http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?15714-William-s-330Ci-ZHP-Maintenance-and-Project-Thread&p=534485#post534485)
06/19/17 - 06/21/17 (55,911 - 55,950 miles) - Installed APEX wheels, LED front turn signal bulbs, LED reverse light bulbs, yellow fog light housings and refreshed fog light covers, and installed an E46 M3 aluminum and rubber dead pedal (http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?15714-William-s-330Ci-ZHP-Maintenance-and-Project-Thread&p=534766#post534766)
06/28/17 (56,103 miles) - Installed E46 M3 strut bar (http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?15714-William-s-330Ci-ZHP-Maintenance-and-Project-Thread&p=535288#post535288)
07/20/17 (56,326 miles) - Installed UUC Corsa TSE3 catback exhaust (http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?15714-William-s-330Ci-ZHP-Maintenance-and-Project-Thread&p=537109#post537109)
07/21/17 (56,326 miles) - Installed E46 M3 transmission mounts and flushed coolant (http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?15714-William-s-330Ci-ZHP-Maintenance-and-Project-Thread&p=537199#post537199)
08/01/17 (56,500 miles) - Flushed brake fluid with ATE SL.6 brake fluid, checked for exhaust leaks, confirmed VCG weeping (http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?15714-William-s-330Ci-ZHP-Maintenance-and-Project-Thread&p=538103#post538103)
08/22/17 (56,957 miles) - Replaced factory plastic water pump pulley with an aluminum pulley (http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?15714-William-s-330Ci-ZHP-Maintenance-and-Project-Thread&p=540030#post540030)
10/28/17 (58,508 miles) - Coded off cold check for front turn signals (http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?15714-William-s-330Ci-ZHP-Maintenance-and-Project-Thread&p=545232#post545232)
11/05/17 (58,552 miles) - Replaced the valve cover gasket (VCG), VANOS seals, and VANOS oil line (http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?15714-William-s-330Ci-ZHP-Maintenance-and-Project-Thread&p=545960#post545960)
01/08/18 (59,853 miles) - Repaired cross threaded right front wheel hub. Tightened loose driver's side door hinge bolt (http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?15714-William-s-330Ci-ZHP-Maintenance-and-Project-Thread&p=551104#post551104)
01/11/18 (59,869 miles) - Installed Turner Motorsport Power Pulley Kit (http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?15714-William-s-330Ci-ZHP-Maintenance-and-Project-Thread&p=551332#post551332)

Planned Maintenance/modifications:
Updated list here (http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?15714-William-s-330Ci-ZHP-Maintenance-and-Project-Thread&p=609224#post609224)

Some pictures from the first couple of days after I bought it:

190811908219083

More recent photos (04/02/16):

http://i.imgur.com/9axQ8kB.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/nr3zk0W.jpg

Even more recent photos (August 2017):

http://i.imgur.com/NpWbYaB.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/NG6HexE.jpg

After the Carpro / CQuartz ceramic coating by Autowerx Detailing (September 2020):
https://i.imgur.com/f6IqpoX.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/JR6O0gA.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/A0LdMgc.jpg

BMWCurves

04-10-2015, 04:48 PM

In my previous car, the '03 330Ci, I installed the aux input (part no: 82110149389) in the extra container in the center console. I liked it since you could hide it away, but after several road trips with people in the back, I found it annoying that they couldn't play their music since the aux cable wasn't long enough to reach them. This time around I opted to install it by the rear cup holder. I think it is pretty inconspicuous since the arm rest hides it, it can now reach the rear passengers, and it's cheap to replace the cup holders if I want to relocate the aux port. I did scratch up the cup holder's material a little bit tightening town the nut, but decent otherwise.

19091190921909319094

BMWCurves

04-10-2015, 04:49 PM

Had to delete some posts to get them reordered. I received all of my goodies from Turner Motorsport, both their cooling system overhaul kit (http://www.turnermotorsport.com/p-1987-complete-cooling-system-overhaul-package-1999-2006-e46-323i-325i-328i-330i.aspx) and their maintenance service kit (http://www.turnermotorsport.com/p-1065-e46-325330i-maintenance-service-package.aspx) (click on them for the link). Plan to knock it all out this weekend:

19095

johnrando

04-13-2015, 10:31 AM

Good stuff!

BMWCurves

04-13-2015, 11:21 AM

I came down with a cold this weekend but got everything done except for bleeding the new coolant, replacing differential fluid (I broke my makeshift 14mm hex bolt/wrench, so I have to go buy one), and replacing the power steering fluid. Anyone have experience with PS fluid? I've never done it on an E46 before and most DIYs either have you 1. use a turkey baster to pull out the old fluid from the reservoir, pour in some new fluid, turn the steering wheel, and rinse and repeat until the fluid is relatively clear or 2. Release one of the hoses to the PS pump and let that drain then fill up the system with new fluid while turning the steering wheel back and forth to work out bubbles. I assume the second method is the preferred method to truly flush the system, but I'm hesitant.

johnrando

04-13-2015, 11:23 AM

I've heard both. Don't have 1st hand experience to tell you which. I'm sure someone will chime in.

Vas

04-13-2015, 01:18 PM

Who is that radiator made by?

BMWCurves

04-13-2015, 01:31 PM

Behr. It was actually slightly different than the one it replaced. The drain plug is a different fit than the original one, but everything else is the same.

Vas

04-13-2015, 01:50 PM

Behr. It was actually slightly different than the one it replaced. The drain plug is a different fit than the original one, but everything else is the same.

Any fitment issues? Thought on quality? Came with a new drain plug?

BMWCurves

04-13-2015, 03:33 PM

I will say I had some issues getting everything back together, but I think that just comes with the territory. There were two differences I noticed on the radiator:

1. In the original radiator there is a blue plastic philips screw drain plug that you remove that fits inside a plastic hex-looking housing. In the new radiator, there is no blue plastic philips screw, instead the whole hex-looking housing screws off instead.
2. Where the mounting bracket for the expansion tank attaches to the radiator, there is a small hole near the drain plug that it nestles into just above the plug. In the original radiator this hole was hollow and the radiator drained in a narrow tube within this hole (kind of hard to describe). But in the new one, the hole is "sealed." Doesn't really affect fitment, just something different I noticed.

Overall the quality seems the same. Both have the poor design of having plastic inlets. The one annoying thing is that you have transfer over the bottom plastic bracket from the old radiator to the new one (a new bracket wasn't included with the new radiator). To get it out without destroying the plastic bracket I had to bend and disfigure the old radiator a bit.

BMWCurves

04-15-2015, 09:20 PM

So I finally finished most of everything. What I did get done over the last week:

Cooling system overhaul using TMS' kit (link: http://www.turnermotorsport.com/p-1987-complete-cooling-system-overhaul-package-1999-2006-e46-323i-325i-328i-330i.aspx).

The kit came with pretty much everything. I used an assortment of guides to help along the way, but these were the most relevant:
- http://www.bmw330ci.net/maintenance/completecoolant.php
- Several from Pelican Parts, but mostly this one on the radiator: http://www.pelicanparts.com/BMW/techarticles/BMW-3-Series-E46/34-WATER-Radiator_Replacement/34-WATER-Radiator_Replacement.htm

As I said earlier, I've never really wrenched beyond doing spark plugs, oil change, and installing the OEM aux input cable so I didn't have a whole lot of experience. I didn't think it was too bad overall, the biggest issue I had was the bracket attached to the radiator that attaches to the expansion tank. They really should include that part, personally. Otherwise the only other issue was fitting the upper hose to the expansion tank and radiator inlet, it required some serious force.

Other maintenance:
I used TMS' maintenance interval kit (http://www.turnermotorsport.com/p-1065-e46-325330i-maintenance-service-package.aspx) and picked and chose which parts I needed. With that kit I did the following:
- Pulleys (AC tensioner, idler, tensioner): Easy peasy. I used a breaker bar with the proper Torx bit and it was simple as can be. Used a couple of YouTube videos and DIYs to help me (some of said videos: 1. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A_sL9NLj5f8 2. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PA1PQ6AyiNc)
- Belts (serpentine, AC): Easy as well, pretty much supplemented the pulley replacements.
- Transmission fluid: Decided to use Redline MTL instead of the suggested options from TMS since I had read a bunch of different DIYs/maintenance threads that suggested MTL, and it's what my father uses in his E39 540i and it is buttery smooth. The fluid change itself was easy enough although I was confused when the DIYs I was following called for a 17mm hex but I was confronted with a T50 Torx bit. Found out later than many ZHP owners have either Torx or 8mm hex bolts for the fill/drain plugs on their transmission. At any rate, followed a few DIYs, this one was good for pictures: http://www.impee.co.uk/transmission_fluid_change.htm
- Differential fluid: Proved to be a bit of a pain in that I did not have the right tools for the job. It calls for a 14mm hex socket but buying a 14mm hex socket alone are pretty spendy so I opted to buy a 14mm bolt and two nuts and use a wrench on the nuts. Unfortunately, I managed to bend the bolt and the fill plug hadn't budged at all. I broke down and bought a bunch of 1/2" hex sockets through Amazon so that delayed the drain until today. When I finally did do it, I was surprised to find no crush washers. I had gotten some through my kit so I threw them on there, but surprised there weren't any to begin with. I used the prescribed Redline 75W90.
- Spark plugs: I figured the spark plugs were an easy swap and since pretty much everything but the motor oil was 10+ years old, they were due as well. Swapped them out quick as mentioned earlier, no problems. I forgot how big the coil packs are!
- Air filters: It was time. Simple enough to do, no DIY guides necessary. Both were dirty and needed replacing.
- Oil and filter change: It was actually a bit early (oil had been changed about 3k miles ago) but it never hurts to start fresh. Pretty quick and painless, plus gave an excuse to swap out the oil pain drain plug for a magnetic one.

This cold has really got me down, I felt pretty awful just getting the car off jack stands tonight and filling/bleeding the coolant. Even so, I think I bled it well enough. I drove it around for half an hour and the car warmed up and heat came out of the fans no problem. The more uplifting thing is that after all of this work there were no error codes, no visible leaks, the temperature gauge was pegged dead center when before it had trouble heating up. It felt good. As a result of a lack of definitive DIYs I'm leaving the power steering flush to the mechanic, which I have to go to anyways to get an alignment. While I'm there I plan to do a brake fluid flush and CDV delete, as well as see if they'll put in my BMW Performance grills. I know I could save money and do some of that myself but this cold is killing me and I'll save those things for a later learning experience (and I don't trust myself with the grills, I've broken tabs on 3 separate sets on my old car).

So all in all not too shabby! I think I saved about $1,000-1,500 when looking back at what a similar job cost me on my previous car. Still many other things to do, but none are of an immediate concern like the items I got done. My apologies for the lack of pics, my illness made me just want to get the job done quicker and completely disregard photographic documentation.

A few pics I did take:

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In the process of removing the coil packs

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All removed

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All laid out, old spark plugs included

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Out with the Bosch in with the NGK

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Got it up on jack stands after

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Draining coolant

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In the process of replacing the belts and the pulleys

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New AC tensioner pulley assembly in place

Odds and ends:
I received an OEM ZHP knob (part no. 25117896886) in the mail from ECS Tuning and swapped it out for my current one which had bubbling under the icon and part of the leather was ripped/scratched. I also attempted my E90 mirror retrofit using this guide (link: http://www.bigpatsfans.com/mirror/compass.htm, EDIT: that link is down, this guide seems thorough: http://forum.e46fanatics.com/showthread.php?t=1097788) and the clown nose will light up when the car is locked, but it doesn't have power for the compass, the autodim, or the HomeLink. I'm not sure where I went wrong or why it's not working :scratchinghead. I'll have to figure it out soon, but does anyone have any insight?

Pic of new ZHP knob. Old one (left) has bubbling underneath the gate diagram (hard to see in the pic), new one (right)

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johnrando

04-17-2015, 11:17 AM

Wow, lots of stuff. :thumbsup

ELCID86

04-17-2015, 03:21 PM

Nice William. And nothing like having the right tool on hand. And you WILL use it again.

Whammy

04-18-2015, 07:08 AM

Odds and ends:
I received an OEM ZHP knob in the mail from ECS Tuning and swapped it out for my current one which had bubbling under the icon and part of the leather was ripped/scratched. I also attempted my E90 mirror retrofit using this guide (link: http://www.bigpatsfans.com/mirror/compass.htm) and the clown nose will light up when the car is locked, but it doesn't have power for the compass, the autodim, or the HomeLink. I'm not sure where I went wrong or why it's not working :scratchinghead. I'll have to figure it out soon, but does anyone have any insight?

I think you will need to add a wire:
http://forum.e46fanatics.com/showthread.php?t=547852&highlight=

See this thread. In order to add a home link mirror, this is what I had to do.

BMWCurves

04-18-2015, 09:52 AM

Whammy

04-18-2015, 01:35 PM

Jeff,

Reading through your post I'm still not sure what my issue is. I have a wire that is properly slotted into slot 3 (I figured out I have to pop open that latch on the harness). I *think* that wire is properly spliced into the green/blue wire for power pictured here:

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My harness already had a ground wire in slot 10 from the factory so I didn't mess with that. Is that your set up? Maybe my issue is that it's not properly spliced to the blue/green wire?

Yes, I would double check the splice as well as the wire you added in slot #3 of the mirror harness. Ensure the wire is all the way in. IIRC, the wire only goes in the harness in one direction. Make sure it is secure. I had issues with this originally when I first did this.

BMWCurves

04-18-2015, 02:10 PM

Thanks for the clarification. I'm pretty sure I got the wire seated all the way into the harness but it is possible it isn't in there fully. I may just go out and buy a different tap splice, I'm not sure the one I used is really the proper type. They were the ones supplied in the harness kit I bought (OEM part no: 51160001231, link: http://www.ecstuning.com/ES79472/).

BMWCurves

04-18-2015, 08:45 PM

So I went to a hardware store and bought a packet of 18-22 gauge tap splices hoping that was the source of my E90 retrofit issue. I get home and pop open the upper console, get ready to remove the old tap splice I used and realize that I had snapped down three of the splice's corners, but hadn't closed the fourth :facepalm. I squeeze that last corner down with some pliers, turn the ignition and what do you know, the mirror works! So that solved my problem! I spent the next 20 minutes driving to a lot and calibrating it, but it works perfectly and I'm glad it wasn't a larger issue!

To recap, I'd recommend the guide I followed for anyone who has a fully manual mirror that wants to retrofit an E90 auto-dim/compass/HomeLink rearview mirror (link: http://www.bigpatsfans.com/mirror/compass.htm). The only gripe I really have with that DIY is I didn't think the removal of the mirror from the glass was clear (you rotate 45 degrees CCW in the plane of the windshield), and my wiring harness was different from his so I had to futz around with it a bit to figure out how to open it up so it would accept a new wire. Other than my own ineptitude getting in the way, it was pretty easy. Total cost for the mirror (eBay), the harness (ECS), and the 18-22 gauge tap splices (local hardware store) was about $160.

Pics:

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Next up: sourced an unused UUC Evo3 SSK with DSSR for a decent price that I hope to install soon. And to decide whether or not I want to take the risk of trying to swap out the grills with my aforementioned terrible history/butterfingers.

Whammy

04-19-2015, 06:50 AM

So I went to a hardware store and bought a packet of 18-22 gauge tap splices hoping that was the source of my E90 retrofit issue. I get home and pop open the upper console, get ready to remove the old tap splice I used and realize that I had snapped down three of the splice's corners, but hadn't closed the fourth :facepalm. I squeeze that last corner down with some pliers, turn the ignition and what do you know, the mirror works! So that solved my problem! I spent the next 20 minutes driving to a lot and calibrating it, but it works perfectly and I'm glad it wasn't a larger issue!

To recap, I'd recommend the guide I followed for anyone who has a fully manual mirror that wants to retrofit an E90 auto-dim/compass/HomeLink rearview mirror (link: http://www.bigpatsfans.com/mirror/compass.htm). The only gripe I really have with that DIY is I didn't think the removal of the mirror from the glass was clear (you rotate 45 degrees CCW in the plane of the mirror's mount/neck), and my wiring harness was different from his so I had to futz around with it a bit to figure out how to open it up so it would accept a new wire. Other than my own ineptitude getting in the way, it was pretty easy. Total cost for the mirror (eBay), the harness (ECS), and the 18-22 gauge tap splices (local hardware store) was about $160.

Next up: sourced an unused UUC Evo3 SSK with DSSR for a decent price that I hope to install soon. And to decide whether or not I want to take the risk of trying to swap out the grills with my aforementioned terrible history/butterfingers.

Woohooooo! Glad you were ablr to get it to work!

BMWCurves

04-19-2015, 08:05 AM

Thanks for your help, Jeff! I saw a bunch of DIYs about swapping out E46 auto-dim mirrors for E90 variants, but no one in the exact same situation as me so reading through your thread definitely helped.

BMWCurves

04-19-2015, 11:07 AM

Mustered the courage to swap out the OEM chrome grilles for the BMW Performance grilles (BMW part no - left: 51132158537, right: 51132158538). Followed Bavarian Autosports' video like I did last time I messed things up but seemed to work better this time around (link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZdwpPA1fGE). Several of the plastic tabs on the OEM grill were already broken before I started and I snapped two on the way out with very little pressure. Luckily I think if I wanted to swap them back they would still hold in place. The plastic has just gotten very brittle over 10 years' time. The new grills snapped into place easily with no problems. I started by slotting in the top, then working around the outer edge, the bottom, and finally the inner edge. They new ones look good with Oriental Blue. The blue is very dark and it it matches the gloss black well. Overall my worries were not realized. Maybe I'm becoming less of a klutz over time!

Pics:

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Vas

04-19-2015, 02:34 PM

Looking good.

ELCID86

04-19-2015, 04:18 PM

+1 I like it.

BMWCurves

04-20-2015, 05:38 PM

Updated previous posts with pics of mirror and a few from the maintenance weekend. Still waiting for the SSK to arrive. Sourcing a PASoft BMW scanner from Tony (Tnhl1989) so I can code a few things.

Another question: Has anyone here charged their AC system? I bought a can of R1234a refrigerant with a gauge and doing it yourself seems relatively easy but I'd love input from anyone that has ever done it themselves.

Vas

04-20-2015, 05:38 PM

Bmw ssk?

BMWCurves

04-20-2015, 05:59 PM

Bmw ssk?

UUC Evo3. I found an unused one for a good price, along with some other goodies bundled in for free (UUC's version of a modified CDV and a SS clutch line, I think)

BMWCurves

04-21-2015, 07:39 PM

The side markers on my car have faded/yellowed. I'm contemplating trying to clean them. Has anyone done it? If not, does anyone have any insight? I imagine it would be similar to cleaning headlight lenses. My alternative is to either just leave them as is or go ahead and purchase replacements:

$50 from ECS: http://www.ecstuning.com/ES251984/
$33 from Khoalty: http://www.khoalty.com/bmw-e46-coupe-m3-side-markers.html

While I'm at it I've thought about swapping out the license plate bulbs for LEDs. Anyone have a brand they suggest?

Vas

04-22-2015, 03:55 AM

Cree led bulbs for reverse

johnrando

04-22-2015, 04:14 PM

One of the few things I went non OEM with when OEM was available, the Khoalty ones were fine.

Sent from mobile

BMWCurves

04-25-2015, 01:45 PM

One of the few things I went non OEM with when OEM was available, the Khoalty ones were fine.

Perfect, thanks for the info. I may just go ahead and replace them rather than futz with trying to clean them up. We'll see, no immediate need yet.

Anyone swapped out their brake lines with stainless steel lines? From what I've found it seems TMS/StopTech are a good brand to go with since they're DOT approved rather than compliant. Any other suggestions? I figure since I still have to change out my brake fluid, will be swapping out the clutch line and doing a CDV delete, I might as well do the brake lines as well.

BMWCurves

04-27-2015, 01:41 PM

Received my PASoft BMW Scanner from Tony (Tnhl1989)! Now I have to go dig up either my old IBM laptop or figure out running a VM on my MacBook. We'll see how that goes.

I plan to do code a handful of items from the original post here: http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?14456-FS-PASOFT-BMW-SCANNER-1-4

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BMWCurves

04-29-2015, 10:04 PM

I'm having trouble getting my PASoft scanner to work properly, but I'm working with Tony to troubleshoot my issues.

In other news, I received my new nappa leather/perforated leather steering wheel from DCT Motorsports today (thanks for the suggestion, John!). Their store can be found here: http://www.dctms.com/. I emailed them about 3-4 weeks ago with photos and a very specific description of what I wanted. They quoted me $350 + shipping + $200 core deposit which I will recoup once I send back my old steering wheel core to DCT. To swap out the wheel I used two different guides to supplement each other. The guides were:

1. Coby Wheel's guide: http://cobywheel.com/bmw-steering-wheel-removal.html
2. BMW 330Ci's guide: http://www.bmw330ci.net/projects/m3wheel.php

Both were helpful and the process was very straightforward. I took my time and it required around 45 minutes start to finish. It would definitely be quicker a second time around. I should mention that all the screws in the steering wheel apart from the 16mm socket were torx screws (T10, T20, and T30 if I remember correctly). Just have a set of various torx bits on hand when you do it.

As for the feel of it? It feels great! It's definitely meatier than the OEM wheel, which I like. At the 12 o'clock position, my OEM alcantara wheel measures 4 1/8" while the new leather wheel measures 4 3/4". I'll put up pictures tomorrow when there is better light.

One thing I think I should mention is that I assumed the wheel was made by DCT Motorsports themselves down in California, but the package I received came from Taiwan. The invoice wasn't from DCT Motorsports either; it was from a "John Leather Co., Ltd" in Taiwan for $100. The listed website is http://www.johnleather.com/default.php?language=en. So it is possible that DCT Motorsports is farming out the labor and materials to a Taiwanese company and pocketing the $250 difference. Doesn't make the wheel worth less to me, just something to consider for any future buyers.

EDIT: wsmeyer pointed out that the invoice may be for customs purposes, discussed here (http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?8698-What-did-you-do-for-your-ZHP-BMW-MINI-today-2&p=432401#post432401)

Pics:

During the swap
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How it looks
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johnrando

04-29-2015, 10:25 PM

Very interesting. Looking forward to pics.

Sent from mobile

BMWCurves

04-30-2015, 02:22 PM

Pics added to previous post. I'm loving the wheel, felt great during my drives today. Not sure why those two pics are attached at the end but oh well.

BMWCurves

04-30-2015, 05:27 PM

When I had my initial PPI a month ago the mechanic said that something was up with the AC because it was only blowing in the mid 40s and there was an odd whistling sound from behind the vents when the AC was engaged. To tackle that today I figured I should charge the AC system to see if that helped any. So I had purchased off Amazon some 134a in a 14 oz can with a gauge. However when it arrived, the head/nozzle was different and didn't have a gauge. So I ordered the larger can (28 oz I think) which did in fact have the gauge nozzle on it. I tried to return the other can to Amazon but they said they would just refund the money and I could keep the can. Have to love Amazon's customer service!

So onto the deed at hand. It had simple but relatively thorough instructions attached to the can which I followed. Essentially adjusting the gauge for the ambient temperature, attaching the nozzle to the low pressure port of the AC system while the car is on and the AC compressor is running, check the pressure, and add refrigerant as necessary. My car was a tad on the low side according to the gauge (not sure how much I trust it) so I added refrigerant into the system while shaking/rotating the can. When it was at the appropriate place I released the nozzle and hopped in the car. I don't have an infrared thermometer but the air blowing out of the vents definitely felt much colder than it had before, and there was no hint of the squeaking/whistling sound from behind the vents so I consider this a fixed job until further issues arise.

Aforementioned refrigerant and attachment/nozzle:
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BMWCurves

05-02-2015, 09:36 AM

After a little bit of a struggle and help from Tony, I got the PASoft software to work. I do find it is rather unstable in terms of if the scanner isn't plugged into the car and the laptop before opening the software, it will fail to initialize and just say "hardware failed." Interesting.

Basic steps I followed to install and run the scanning software:
1. Inserted disc that came with the scanner and installed the software using the installer on the CD
2. PM'd Tony (Tnhl1989) for the Windows 7 drivers.
3. Plugged scanner into my laptop.
4. Followed Tony's video (here (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4vDXlRY1ADQ)) to install the drivers.
5. Experienced odd things happening. PM Tony again.
6. Plug the scanner into the car, plug the other end of the scanner into the computer, run the software.
7. Turn on car and click "continue" at the prompt saying to have the car's ignition on.
8. Start coding!

I looked over some coding things on the PASoft BMW Scanner FS page here (http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?14456-FS-PASOFT-BMW-SCANNER-1-4) and coded the following:

Remote closing windows
One-click remote unlock
Raised automatic locking threshold to 28 km/h
One-touch close rear windows. I plan to mod the control housing using Pip's (Sean's) DIY here (http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?11365-DIY-Coupe-Rear-Vent-One-Touch-Close-doityourself)
Turned of daytime running lights (I'm not a fan).

I still plan to change the temperature gauge so it is more accurate using this guide (http://forum.e46fanatics.com/showthread.php?t=1013600) and maybe recode the paramenters for the speedometer so it is more accurate using this guide. (http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?10659-DIY-Eliminate-Speedometer-Error-doityourself&highlight=speedometer)

I attempted changing the service interval value in the IKE to 8,047 km so that it would be about 5,000 miles. However, car beeped and reset the trip odometer and the time so I hope that didn't upset anything too drastic (the coding software said "coding successful"). Can anyone speak to that? I remember reading somewhere there are only set values you can use.

BMWCurves

05-02-2015, 05:04 PM

I completed the one-touch close rear window mod. I followed Pip's (Sean's) DIY mod here. (http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?11365-DIY-Coupe-Rear-Vent-One-Touch-Close-doityourself) Very easy and straight forward. Took probably 30 minutes total. The toughest part was separating the inner and outer portion of the window switches. The six little tabs are difficult to separate from their seated position, but with patience I got them separated. I dremeled down the extra plastic and put it all back together with no real issue. I put the switches back in the trim and put everything back in its place with no trouble. With the one-touch close rear window option selected using the PASoft scanner and the "modded" window switches (really should have come this way from the factory), the one-touch close rear window mod worked no problem!

Video of it all back together and in action:

https://streamable.com/o0wr

Pics:

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Removing the switches from the console trim

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Switches and trim fully removed

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Inner and outer portion of window switch separated

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Dremeling the outer portion of the switch down so it is flush with the vertical dividing piece

BMWCurves

05-04-2015, 02:21 PM

Mailed my old alcantara core to DCT Motorsports on Saturday, arrived with them today and received $199 core deposit refund same day. Pretty good service.

WOLFN8TR

05-04-2015, 02:26 PM

Nice work William. :cheers

BMWCurves

05-04-2015, 07:54 PM

Thanks! I'd probably be doing more but I have to stay focused on my studies at least into late June, so most things will be incremental from here until then.

johnrando

05-05-2015, 06:46 AM

Car first, studies later. lol

BMWCurves

05-05-2015, 06:01 PM

Car first, studies later. lol

I wish!

I got my stainless steel brake lines from Tuner Motorsport along with a final stage unit for my father's E39 540i which I swapped out earlier today. I am seriously considering doing the clutch/brake bleed myself so that I can swap out the brake lines, clutch line, and perform the CDV delete all in one go while also possibly getting a chance to paint the OEM calipers black. If I do, that whole project will probably be put on hold until June. I think I'd purchase this brake bleeder kit from ECS if I did: http://www.ecstuning.com/BMW-E46-330i-M54_3.0L/Braking/Fluid/ES2765516/ (used and suggested by Shawn AKA Ssparrow here (http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?15371-Ssparrow-s-Maintenace-Build-Log&p=432771#post432771)).

Other things coming up/I'm waiting on:

Waiting on my BMW Performance brake rotors to arrive that I purchased from Tippey764 last week. I don't think I'll swap out the rotors until I get new pads, which I also need to look into.
I have an appointment to get my car tinted next week. They use SunTek films which worked well on my previous car. I don't want to get it too dark, maybe 40 or 45%.
I need to make an appointment to have an alignment done, have my windshield washers inspected as they currently do not work, and get the power steering fluid flushed.
Waiting to hear back from Bimmian if their color-matched painted reflectors (https://www.bimmian.com/Painted-Reflectors-for-BMW) (linked) will fit the ZHP coupe bumper.

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BMWCurves

05-06-2015, 06:55 PM

Received my BMW Performance brake rotors in the mail today. Those suckers are heavy. No pics, I did a quick inspection to make sure it was all in order and then put them in storage for the time being.

Vas

05-06-2015, 07:13 PM

Think they are worth it ? Was thinking of getting a pair

BMWCurves

05-06-2015, 08:36 PM

Only time will tell to see if they were worth it. I figure I'd give them a shot since they'll last me a while. Some things I considered when purchasing them:

They are BMW and I like to use as many BMW parts as possible.
Supposedly shed about 3 lbs per wheel in the front. They're still plenty heavy though and give me an appreciation of carbon ceramic brakes.
They were discounted through Tippey and were $550 before shipping, as compared to ~$720 elsewhere (about 24% off). Cheaper than anywhere else I've looked, but definitely more expensive than stock rotors and other drilled rotor sets I've seen.
They don't have any sort of plating on them so the drilled holes will get rusty. I think I saw Charlie's M3 with Performance rotors and they had rust on them. Not a big deal, just something to consider.
I read up on the basic differences between types of rotors and found that these should have a slightly higher bite, wet performance, and lower weight in the front due to the floating design. Seemed like good reasons, link to material here: http://www.zeckhausen.com/How_to_select_brake_rotors.htm

Vas

05-07-2015, 04:15 AM

Wonder how long they will last.

johnrando

05-07-2015, 08:34 AM

Plus they look good.

BMWCurves

05-07-2015, 09:43 AM

Wonder how long they will last.

I don't plan to track the car so they'll only see street use. I imagine they could make it through two sets of pads with a resurfacing when replacing the pads. Maybe I'm just being hopeful :dunno

Plus they look good.

Part of why I picked them up! In the long run I hope to get some Apex ARC-8's and so the rotors will be easier to see behind those wheels.

BMWCurves

05-08-2015, 10:32 PM

Gave her a bath today, she's coming up on her 50k birthday. Those wheels are a pain in the ass to clean, looking forward to getting a set of Arc-8's soon. Still need to vacuum the interior tomorrow. The car gets tinted on Wednesday!

19674

danewilson77

05-09-2015, 08:01 AM

BMWCurves

05-09-2015, 08:36 AM

Oh nice, do you have a link?

danewilson77

05-09-2015, 09:33 AM

He is a member here. Udubbadger

PM him.

UdubBadger

05-09-2015, 11:15 AM

:hi

GoingHAM mobile

BMWCurves

05-09-2015, 01:26 PM

PM sent.

BMWCurves

05-09-2015, 01:27 PM

Managed to time it perfectly and rolled into the drive way just as the odo clicked over to 50k miles:

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BMWCurves

05-09-2015, 11:24 PM

Walked out to my car this evening and unlocked the car but noticed something funny. Lock the car and unlock it again. Yup, one of the LEDs smack dab in the middle of the left turn signal is dead. Dammit. From a quick search around the internet it looks like I'm SOL for fixing it. Which means trying to find a replacement (part no. 63216920699), although it's not immediately necessary.

johnrando

05-12-2015, 06:22 AM

Bummer. How much are they?

BMWCurves

05-12-2015, 08:32 AM

Running the part number through Google shows that most places are about $200-220ish. Not terrible, but not an expense I expected to pay. I don't feel I need to replace it right now, but maybe I should and just get it out of the way.

I'm supposed to get my BlueMagic Polish today so hopefully I can take a crack at my fading side markers. I also received shipping confirmation for my color-matched front bumper reflectors from Bimmian.

BMWCurves

05-12-2015, 09:00 AM

Also noticed intermittent yellow oil light coming on when I turn off the car that lingers for about 30 seconds then fades out. I checked the oil level and it's just below full, as it has been since I did my oil change several hundred miles ago. Looking through the forums here and Google it seems this suggests the oil level sensor is failing, part no. 12617508003. OEM is ~$170 while Hella or ECS brand is ~$50-70. I like to be OEM, but basically $100 more for the same part? Hmm...

I'll swap it out next oil change.

anandoc

05-12-2015, 09:11 AM

I am having this exact issue for the last couple weeks. I have checked the dipstick and my oil level is exactly in between the two notches. The yellow light comes on sometimes after I shut-off the engine and at other times it does not for a day or two. Guessing its time for me to replace the oil level sensor.

Vas

05-12-2015, 03:50 PM

I had replaced that sensor as well. Went with an OE BMW part.

BMWCurves

05-13-2015, 02:49 PM

I received the BlueMagic Polish from Amazon today for ~$6. I had seen this work on hcbeck's car so I figured I'd try it on mine before trying to swap out the side markers for fresh ones. Overall I think it went pretty well. I couldn't remove the side marker on the driver's side so I had to polish it on the car and take care not to scuff up the paint in the process. The polish didn't eliminate the yellowish hue completely, but definitely reduced the fuzzy/opaque look and reduced the yellowish tone. Not bad for $6 that I can use on my other lenses as well as metal bits like the exhaust.

The Packaging
19712

Passenger side - Before:
19713

Passenger side - After:
19714

Driver side - Before:
19715

Driver side - After:
19716

FL116

05-13-2015, 03:51 PM

BMWCurves

05-18-2015, 01:48 PM

My Bimmian painted reflectors came today (link: http://www.bimmian.com/REF/46). I had tried getting in contact with them via email for several weeks about fitment but they never responded so I eventually just decided to call them. There was a lot of miscommunication but finally it was decided that the ZHP coupe bumper shares the same reflector as the E46 M3 bumper so they could be used. I ordered them last week for $60 shipped. The swap was easy enough. Rather than using the suggested screw driver and risk scratching the paint or worse, I used a wide plastic trim removal tool I had on hand. It worked well because the width helped push down the spring equally across the reflector and with a little effort, they popped out. I popped in the new painted reflectors and it was done. One thing I did notice is that the painted reflectors are about 1mm shorter in length than the OEM amber reflectors so there's just a sliver of really dirty paint that is exposed. I'm not sure how much I can do about that, but really isn't noticeable unless you're right there next to it. Overall it was the cheapest option I could find, the ordering was a bit of a brouhaha but if you just order it as if you have an E46 M3 you won't have any issues. Installation was easy provided you have a wider tool like I did and the paint matches perfectly. I think it is a very subtle visual improvement.

Before:
19786

After:
19787

johnrando

05-18-2015, 06:11 PM

Nice

Sent from mobile

BMWCurves

05-28-2015, 03:30 PM

Received some goodies from Turner Motorsport so I can hopefully get to do some brake maintenance this weekend. The package also included the plastic valve cover bolt plug (part no.: 11121726089) that I accidentally broke during my maintenance a month ago, which I promptly put in earlier today:

http://i.imgur.com/9oEJjh0.jpg

BMWCurves

05-30-2015, 07:16 PM

Today I did some brake maintenance. I replaced all the OEM brake lines with StopTech stainless steel brake lines I purchased from Turner Motorsport (link: http://www.turnermotorsport.com/p-175-e46-stainless-steel-brake-line-set-dot-approved.aspx). I used two guides that were very useful detailing most aspects of the procedure:

Front brake lines: http://m3.madrussian.net/diy_front_brake_lines.shtml
Rear brake lines: http://m3.madrussian.net/diy_rear_brake_lines.shtml

A few things I would add to the above guides: there may be a significant amount of grime and dirt around the housing where the brake lines meet the hard lines and that you should clean that up before installing the new lines. I'm hoping I didn't knock any dirt into my lines by accident. Also, the clip on the bracket on the rear brake lines takes a ton of effort to get off. I had to get pliers and pull upwards on the clip while I stood on the bracket in order to get it off.

While I was in there I replaced the clutch line with UUC's stainless steel clutch line (link: http://store.uucmotorwerks.com/stainless-steel-clutch-line-e46-m3-330-328-325-323-x3all-manual-trans-models-incl-xi-p466.aspx) along with their "unlock" aka modified clutch delay valve (CDV) (link: http://store.uucmotorwerks.com/unlock-valve-cdvclutch-delay-valve-delete-kit-p1382.aspx). I opted to keep the modified CDV instead of just connecting the SS clutch line directly to the hard line because I already had the part, but I don't think it was strictly necessary in order to get the desired/improved clutch feel. The most useful guides I found and used to help me along are below:

Stainless steel clutch line: http://forum.e46fanatics.com/showthread.php?t=411194
CDV replacement: http://www.bmw330ci.net/projects/cdv.php

I should add that it took some 20 curse-filled minutes for me to dislodge the clutch line from the housing with the clip. It was really in there and required the use of vice grips to get it out. Otherwise relatively straight forward if not a bit difficult with the confined space (I chose not to remove any panels to free up work space under the car).

To flush and bleed the system I decided to try and use a pressure bleeder, specifically Motive's pressure bleeder (link: http://www.turnermotorsport.com/p-2833-motive-power-brake-bleeder-tool-fits-most-european-cars.aspx). I used Pentosin DOT4LV and I followed two guides during this process:

Guide 1: http://www.bmw330ci.net/maintenance/bleeding.php
Guide 2: http://www.dvatp.com/bmw/brake_fluid_flush

Unfortunately, I ran into a snag. Reading through most guides it seems that you only need one liter of brake fluid to complete a flush, but I definitely ran out after one liter. So I have to put this off until Monday when I can go down to my local BMW dealership and get OEM DOT4 low viscosity brake fluid (part no. 81220142156). Some research has led me to believe it is comparable to the Pentosin brake fluid. Some websites list the BMW part number as the part number for Pentosin DOT4LV. Either way, I'm going to have to reflush my system with a whole bunch of BMW's stuff.

Also, there was pretty constant bubbling coming from my rear passenger brake caliper during bleeding, and it was incredibly slow draining from my driver side rear. Any ideas what would cause that? I'm hoping the latter wasn't a sign I knocked some grime into my brake line or caliper.

Pics:

Clockwise from top left: Motive pressure bleeder, TMS catch can, 1L of Pentosin DOT4LV brake fluid, UUC SS clutch line, UUC modified CDV, rear StopTech SS brake lines, front StopTech SS brake lines:
19959

Car on stands and ready to be worked on:
19960

New SS brake line installed on front driver's side:
http://i.imgur.com/2KbEH2R.jpg

Old brake lines, fronts on the left, rears on the right:
http://i.imgur.com/Avi4P03.jpg

New SS brake line installed on rear driver's side:
http://i.imgur.com/2ZYQfST.jpg

UUC SS clutch line and modified CDV installed. It was way more of a pain in the ass than I expected:
http://i.imgur.com/HlvpGW1.jpg

My pressure bleeder set up during my failed brake flush/bleed:
http://i.imgur.com/utX2efE.jpg

johnrando

06-01-2015, 10:15 AM

No idea. Got it fixed?

BMWCurves

06-01-2015, 11:11 AM

No idea. Got it fixed?

Negative, ghostrider. I'm going to try flushing it again later today with the new brake fluid I picked up from BMW.

Ssparrow

06-01-2015, 12:16 PM

I read something over on e46f about constant bubbling coming out. Turns out the guys bleed screw was a little stripped or loosened too much that it had a constant bubble. I think he removed the bleed screw completely and cleaned it up and added some Teflon tape to the threads. Maybe that's what you have going on? Good luck!

BMWCurves

06-01-2015, 06:31 PM

So I bought four 12 oz bottles of BMW OEM brake fluid (part no. 81220142156) from the dealership for about $20 which is supposedly a low-viscosity brake fluid that our ABS and traction control systems need. I removed some of the Pentosin DOT4LV brake fluid I had in the reservoir from my failed attempt at flushing my system on Saturday. I filled up my pressure bleeder with all four bottles under the assumption I would make three to four passes around the car at each bleeder point. I ended up doing four cycles, in the following order: back passenger caliper, back driver caliper, clutch, front passenger caliper, front driver caliper. I didn't have any of the issues I had from Saturday so I think I successfully flushed and bled the system. Overall I liked the pressure bleeder system, it seemed to work well if you have excess brake fluid in there. I cleaned everything up, got it off the jack stands, took it for a spin, and everything seems to be in order.

Some notes:

The BMW brake fluid is an almost lemon gatorade color compared to the amber Pentosin so it wasn't too difficult to discern when the lines were flushed to the new fluid.
The clutch now feels lighter but also more sensitive. It's not night and day, but an improvement in my mind. Not sure how much is up to the SS brake line, the modified CDV, or low viscosity brake fluid.
Overall the job would be much easier now if I had the experience, but even without any experience it wasn't too bad.
Removing the wheels was a serious struggle. The wheel and the hub had basically rusted together on all four corners. I had to put my whole weight into pulling each one off. I put anti-seize compound on the hub and the wheel where they made contact so hopefully they'll be easier to get off next time around.
While the wheels were off I weighed them. The rears, with Toyo Proxes T1 Sport tires (manufacturer claimed 26 lbs), weighed an average 53.4 lbs, so the rear wheels weigh about 27.4 lbs. The fronts, with Toyo Proxes T1R tires (manufacturer claimed 26 lbs), weighed an average 49.8 lbs, so the front wheels weigh about 25.8 lbs. That's why a set of Apex Arc-8s are on my list of mods, try and shed about 7-8 lbs per corner.

Pics:

BMW 12 oz bottle of brake fluid (I used four to be comfortable):
http://i.imgur.com/HSbUAlA.jpg

I remember reading somewhere that someone thought that the OEM brake lines had stainless steel weaving in them so there was no point to upgrading to SS lines. I decided to cut open one of my old ones. Looks like rubber and cloth/cord (like a tire) to me:
http://i.imgur.com/9ZzOc9a.jpg

Ssparrow

06-01-2015, 07:04 PM

Good to hear you got it all worked out! I should of upgraded my brake lines when i flushed my brake fluid out a few weeks ago. I also really need to get that CDV out of there.

BMWCurves

06-02-2015, 09:43 AM

Good to hear you got it all worked out! I should of upgraded my brake lines when i flushed my brake fluid out a few weeks ago. I also really need to get that CDV out of there.

Yeah it wasn't bad. I would use the two guides I used for the lines and just be ready to spend an afternoon doing the swap and bleeding the system.

ClimRox

06-02-2015, 11:43 AM

Nice! On my list as well.

BMWCurves

06-12-2015, 08:54 AM

Ordered:

Koni Sport (Yellows) front struts (left: 8741-1390LSPORT, right: 8741-1390RSPORT) and rear shocks (8040-1271SPORT)
Rogue Engineering rear shock mounts (RSMs).

Need to line up and order:

Z4M front control arm bushings (FCABs) (BMW part no. 31107836862 [left], 31107836863 [right])
Z4M or M3 rear trailing arm bushings (RTABs) with limiters
OEM strut mounts
OEM front and rear bump stops
OEM upper and lower spring pads
OEM dust boots

Vas

06-12-2015, 09:08 AM

Nice. Still $498 shipped?

BMWCurves

06-12-2015, 09:16 AM

Yup!

BMWCurves

06-19-2015, 02:52 PM

My Koni Sport (Yellows) Shocks arrived in the mail today along with the Rogue Engineering rear shock mounts (RSMs). All the part numbers on the shocks and struts matched, although the left strut has a slightly rougher paint finish than the other strut and the rear shocks. Not sure what that's about but should not matter hopefully. Tracking for the other parts I ordered suggests they'll be here by the end of next week!

http://i.imgur.com/5tspFXn.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/d1mnk1L.jpg

BMWCurves

07-13-2015, 03:53 PM

Most of my goodies have arrived so that means I can start doing more maintenance/mods on my car starting next week. The things I want to try and tackle myself are:

Suspension refresh: Koni shocks/struts, Z4M FCABs, OEM ancillary parts (dust boots, bump stops, spring pads, etc)
Swap out the stock intake box for the BMW Performance intake I got from illirep (for personal future reference, BMW part nos. 13720429613 [intake] and 13720431649 [filter]).
Swap stock shifter for UUC Evo3 short shift kit, although I haven't looked at how difficult this can be.
Swap old rotors for BMW Performance drilled rotors from Tippey764. Still need to pick out pads. Any suggestions? I'm thinking Hawk HPS but don't know a whole lot about brake pads.
Paint the calipers yellow with my G2 kit (although I may go to red or phoenix yellow). I still like the way this looks in yellow: http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?12203-Caliper-Paint&p=433582#post433582
Full exterior detail, although I may leave this one to a specialist just to start from a solid base and do future detailing myself.

Things I'll probably leave to a mechanic:

Shark Injector tune
Power steering fluid (I have the fluid just rather not do it myself).
Alignment
Diagnose issue with my windshield washer pump.

johnrando

07-13-2015, 04:03 PM

Nice. Heard good things about Hawks HPS

sent from mobile device

BMWCurves

07-13-2015, 04:40 PM

Looking at the BMW Performance intake I got today in the mail, it doesn't have an o-ring in the back. Can anyone confirm it's the same o-ring from the stock airbox and I can just use that? If not, RealOEM.com (link: http://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/showparts?id=BD53-USA-02-2005-E46-BMW-330Ci&diagId=13_1247#13720429613) shows two possible part numbers, either a 79x6mm o-ring (part no. 13711720540) or a 91x6mm o-ring (part no. 13711731893). I assume it's the latter because of the larger diameter for the 3.0L engine of the 330i vs the smaller 2.5L of the 325 variants.

Oli77

07-13-2015, 04:45 PM

Just buy a new windshield washer pump. Very easy install.

BMWCurves

07-13-2015, 04:50 PM

Just buy a new windshield washer pump. Very easy install.

Yeah I looked into the procedure, looks relatively painless, but I need to diagnose whether or not it's actually the pump (part no. 67128362154) that's dead or something else. I haven't had time to fiddle with it and figure it out.

BMWCurves

07-14-2015, 11:23 AM

Installed my new (to me) BMW Performance intake (part no. 13720429613). The previous owner (illirep) sold it to me and was great to work with. As stated in the ad, it had two broken tabs on the upper intake funnel and a few scuffs but was otherwise brand new. When it arrived (nicely packaged with tons of padding and bubblewrap) I noticed a third tab was broken on the upper intake funnel. Not a big issue for me, I just took some black electrical tape and tapped the inside and I think i did a pretty good job. Sure isn't going anywhere.

Next issue I encountered was the o-ring, or rather the lack thereof. RealOEM.com lists two possible o-rings (link: http://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/showparts?id=BD53-USA-02-2005-E46-BMW-330Ci&diagId=13_1247#13720429613), but I believe the 91x6mm one listed is the proper one since we have the larger 3.0L engine (part no. 13711731893). I figured I could at least try and use the o-ring from my stock air box since it "should" in theory fit the same MAF housing before I go ahead and order a new one.

I pretty much did the swap by intuition, but I did consult BMW's official installation instructions near the end (attached below):

20766
So, onto the installation! It really wasn't too bad except for the expansion tank label tab I mention below and getting the MAF housing back into the upper portion of the BMW Performance intake. I think I snapped one of the vanes in the MAF housing in the process, but hopefully that won't affect the airflow much (will still remain laminar :begging). It looks really good put back together. My initial impression after driving a few miles with it is that it feels a little more responsive and a tiny bit more oomph at the top end, but who knows. It does have a minor whistle/sucking sound at low RPM. Still, I think it was worth the money, even if something like a GruppeM might sound more aggressive. I like the idea of having a BMW-tested and approved product in my car, even if it is blind brand loyalty.

Stock airbox before installation.
http://i.imgur.com/aiwqhjm.jpg

Removed the top part of the stock airbox. Removed the MAF housing from the intake boot.
http://i.imgur.com/KcwCC8D.jpg

The upper portion of the stock intake box housing with the previously mentioned o-ring. I removed the o-ring easily and installed it in the new BMWP intake.
http://i.imgur.com/lcvVVoC.jpg

Stock airbox removed. I really need to clean my engine bay at some point, but have no idea how to do it without getting water in electrical connections :dunno
http://i.imgur.com/aEyodW2.jpg

Lower portion of stock airbox with lower intake funnel section separated.
http://i.imgur.com/MZJvvxo.jpg

I tried installing the performance intake, but this expansion tank label tab (part no. 17111439721) sat too tall and pushed the upper intake funnel out of alignment. BMW's installation instructions simply said to "Unclip tab (1)" which was not helpful. Turns out you just had to give it a good yank to pull it off. It was greased up so it didn't snap anything.
http://i.imgur.com/nvZDHkD.jpg

Expansion tank label tab removed.
http://i.imgur.com/zPXoGki.jpg?1

Everything back together. Basically repeated everything I did in reverse order.
http://i.imgur.com/c0Cj3JJ.jpg

Now that it's all done, I'll also need to figure out where to source another air filter as cheaply as possible, they seem pretty spendy (part no. 13720431649).

NoVAphotog

07-14-2015, 11:33 AM

Things I'll probably leave to a mechanic:

Shark Injector tune
Power steering fluid (I have the fluid just rather not do it myself).
Alignment
Diagnose issue with my windshield washer pump.

Wait...why can't DIY for Power Steering? Are you flushing it or replacing parts? If so...plenty of DIYs out there for that.

Also, what is the issue with the windshield washer pump?

How do you like the intake?

BMWCurves

07-14-2015, 11:42 AM

Wait...why can't DIY for Power Steering? Are you flushing it or replacing parts? If so...plenty of DIYs out there for that.

Also, what is the issue with the windshield washer pump?

How do you like the intake?

Haha I should have elaborated. I rather not do it because a) I'm lazy for this particular job b) the only method I seem to have available (with the tools I have) is the turkey baster method which doesn't seem very thorough to me and c) an indy mechanic I know is currently doing a free power steering fluid flush with any alignment so...why not?

As for the windshield washer pump, whenever I pull the windshield washer stalk the wiper blades move as if it were trying to wash away the spray, but no actual spray comes out. There is no sound either of the pump activating. I checked the nozzles and they're clear. I think I'll just buy a new pump and swap it since they're about $25-30, which is still cheaper than diagnosing it at most shop.

And I'm about to go run some errands, so I'll get a chance to test the intake then.

BMWCurves

07-26-2015, 10:01 PM

I checked fuses 49, 52, and 59 tonight which are all related to the windshield washer system. They all looked intact and I tested each one with the correct amperage spare fuse and none of them would fix my windshield washer issue. Since I can't find any other obvious causes for my problem, I decided I'll buy a new windshield fluid pump (part no. 67128362154), along with the pump's strainer (part no. 61667006063) and wheel bolt pin (part no. 71111093774) to go in the trunk toolkit.

The guide here looks pretty straight forward: http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?6940-E46-Windshield-Washer-Fluid-Pump-and-Grommet-Replacement-DIY-doityourself

Only question I have is that he states that the grommet/strainer is part no. 89606011001, while according to RealOEM.com using my VIN, it should be 61667006063, which looks to be the same. Not sure what's going on there.

330i Lover

07-28-2015, 06:53 PM

I'm eager to hear if the parts you ordered were the fix. Different, but maybe related, I constantly got the window washer fluid low notification on the dash. Even after replacing the resavoir it still lingered. I ended up selling the car before fixing. I'm confident you'll figure it out. [emoji123]

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk

anandoc

07-29-2015, 12:18 PM

BMWCurves

07-29-2015, 12:33 PM

You have the right part numbers for the pump and the strainer. Let us know how it goes. I have been troubleshooting my washer system for the past few months (and was successfully able to fix the issues) so I am quite familiar with the whole system should you need any help. Goodluck!

I appreciate it! I'll update when I do it and let you and 330i Lover know.

In other news, it's been discussed over in the "Random ZHP Question Thread" here (http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?11957-The-Random-E46-ZHP-Question-Thread&p=445079#post445079), but my driver's side rear window switch button has some cosmetic issues so I was contemplating the possibility of swapping out the buttons rather than buying a whole new OEM switch assembly (part no. 61316902175). So today I removed the switch and disassembled it. At first glance and it seemed that I could remove the button as it was held in place with two "axles" (see picture below). However, despite how hard I pushed on the axles to try and create space for the button to slip above it, the axle would not budge. I put so much pressure on it with a nail punch that fit that I worried I was going to snap it. I really could not do it. I looked at it closely and the top edge of the axle is shaved off at an angle (you can sort of see it in the pic as well). I'm guessing it is that way so that it can be pushed into place easily during assembly, but having the middle and bottom of the axle be flush with the side of the button makes it incredibly unlikely to unseat itself. Additionally, the entire area that the axles are attached to is solid so there just isn't enough flex to disassemble it as far as I could manage.

http://i.imgur.com/5wIkXku.jpg

And if you are a dolt like me, you may forget which way in the lower assembly of the switch goes into the upper assembly. A quick check by reattaching the lower assembly to the car's power and testing the windows yields the correct orientation below, with the red things of each switch toward the rear of the car:

http://i.imgur.com/azKY2nd.jpg

So with that said, I can either do nothing and let the minor cosmetic issue be, or buy a new OEM assembly switch (part no. 61316902175). With how I like my cars, the latter option is probably my most likely move :help

330i Lover

07-29-2015, 02:02 PM

I had an issue with the switch in the past and I think I found the replacement switch for maybe $30. It was a simple swap in & out. These little buggers are delicate! :(

BMWCurves

08-01-2015, 05:26 PM

Struck out twice on eBay purchases:

1. Replacement cap/button for the driver's side window switch wasn't quite right. The window image was darker, not quite the same shape, and lower in location compared to the original button (eBay link: http://www.ebay.com/itm/BMW-E46-3-SERIES-WINDOW-SWITCH-BUTTON-COVER-/151758089563?hash=item23557cad5b).

http://i.imgur.com/hANTYka.jpg

2. LED lights for the rear license plates don't seem to work. I replaced them but they don't turn on when the lights are switched to on and they get very hot (eBay link: http://www.ebay.com/itm/111281649565).

I am waiting to hear back from WOLFN8R who bought the same lights and they worked from him to see if he has any insight or if I just have a defective set. As for the button cap, I think I'll just purchase a whole new driver's side window switch assembly (part no. 61316902175) instead of trying out different seller's at $12 a pop hoping one of them is right.

330i Lover

08-01-2015, 10:12 PM

BMWCurves

08-02-2015, 09:20 AM

For the switch, at eBay search for this: 251424898800 It looks like what you're needing. This one is for driver side but you can easily order the passenger side for same price on there as well. I had the buttons break in the past and replace them with these switches, 30 second fix.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk

Thanks! I'm pretty sure that part number you listed is for the driver's side switch on a sedan though. I have a coupe so that won't fit. The part number for a coupe looks to be 61316902175. I have been watching eBay for one for the last two weeks and the cheapest one I have seen is $40. A brand new one can be had for about $48 which comes with a warranty, so I'm willing to eat the $8-10 for new with a warranty.

330i Lover

08-02-2015, 09:28 AM

Duuuu-eeeeet! I didn't realize you had the coupe.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk

BMWCurves

08-02-2015, 09:52 AM

That's the plan, Stan!

BMWCurves

08-03-2015, 02:52 PM

I contacted the eBay seller of the LED license plate lights and they were very quick to respond and were helpful. When I initially tried to install them the bulbs didn't work. I thought maybe the bulbs had polarity (positive and negative ends) but when I flipped them around, they still didn't work, or so I thought. According to the seller the bulbs do in fact have positive and negative terminals so orientation matters. So I went back out there and installed them. Still didn't work. This time though I decided to really pay attention and make sure I installed them in opposite orientation and lo and behold, they work! I'm a dolt. Anyways, good customer service and their product works so far. Below is the eBay seller's link and some pics of the packaging and the bulbs, as well as the before and after. It's hard to tell from the photos but I think the LEDs produce a much cleaner and more modern look. Definitely brighter.

eBay link: http://www.ebay.com/itm/111281649565

Pics:

http://i.imgur.com/MmjnT8V.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/3OrUUuD.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/JTjKN0Q.jpg

WOLFN8TR

08-04-2015, 07:02 PM

Glad to see you got them working, they look great!

330i Lover

08-04-2015, 07:03 PM

Nicely done! I'll be installing mine in a month or do hopefully. Do you like it?

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk

BMWCurves

08-04-2015, 08:08 PM

Glad to see you got them working, they look great!

Between your help and the eBay seller, got it all sorted. Thanks!

Nicely done! I'll be installing mine in a month or do hopefully. Do you like it?

I definitely like the way it looks! Coupes have LEDs for tail lights as well as the side markers, so I think the LED license plate lights help complete the look and update it to modern standards. Something about mixing LEDs with halogens looks...sloppy to me, or cost-cutting somehow. It's weird for me to see new VWs or Audis (and maybe even BMWs) have LED tail lights but the turn signal in the same cluster is a halogen bulb.

Anyways, I still need to find a decent set of front turn signal LEDs to replace the halogen bulbs and then figure out how to change the bulbs on a facelift coupe. It was so easy on my non-facelifted coupe, but doesn't look to be so easy for facelifted ones.

az3579

08-05-2015, 03:12 AM

It's weird for me to see new VWs or Audis (and maybe even BMWs) have LED tail lights but the turn signal in the same cluster is a halogen bulb.

BMW does it the most ass-backwards way possible. On the cars that have partial LED and partial halogen, they have LED turn signals and halogen brake light bulbs. :facepalm

330i Lover

08-05-2015, 03:07 PM

BMWCurves

08-05-2015, 04:08 PM

I actually replaced the front driver side turn signal bulb just 2 weeks ago. It's the simplest bulb I've ever replaced. Vas actually had an extra one and gave it to me to install when we met.

I'm jealous. The sedans are supposed to be easy, as far as I know, since I think access to the turn signal is easy and the turn signal itself housing can come out. Same story with pre-facelifted coupes (2000-2003). I switched the amber turn signal bulbs to "stealth" bulbs in my '03 coupe and was less than a 5 minute job. The face lifted coupes (2004-2006) however, which include all ZHP coupes, have the turn signal housing and headlight housing as one unit that has a non-removable lens, unless you count baking the whole unit as "removable." Rooting around in there I'm not sure how to remove the turn signal bulbs without removing the whole housing.

BMWCurves

08-07-2015, 12:39 PM

Purchased the following from The BMW Mini Part Store, all Genuine BMW:

Windshield washer pump - 67128362154
Windshield washer pump grommet/strainer - 61667006063
Oil level sensor - 12617508003
Oil level sensor gasket - 12611744292
Window switch, driver's side - 61316902175
Wheel pin tool (for trunk toolkit) - 71111093774

BMWCurves

08-13-2015, 01:09 PM

Received my package of parts today from The BMW Mini Part Store (contents listed in post above)! I decided to set about using them today because I had a bit of free time.

1. Installed the wheel pin tool (part no. 71111093774) in the trunk toolkit. It should make taking the wheels off and on a bit less of a back breaking experience, at least until I switch to studs.

http://i.imgur.com/uyML8A4.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/Dy2OKsC.jpg

2. Replaced the driver's side window switch (part no. 61316902175). I opted to just swap out one of the new switch's buttons with the OE button so that I didn't have to dremel out the new switch for one-touch close on the rear windows. Expensive button, but at least I have a whole spare switch laying around. I made a DIY here (http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?16442-DIY-Window-Switch-Cap-Replacement)

http://i.imgur.com/H3Ic6La.jpg
Old button/switch on the left, new replacement button on the right

http://i.imgur.com/pCHnvaS.jpg
Installed and it looks as good as new.

3. Replaced the windshield washer pump (part no. 67128362154) and windshield washer pump grommet/strainer (part no. 61667006063). It was pretty straight forward but I used this guide to check I wasn't missing anything as I went along: http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/showthread.php?t=385116.

http://i.imgur.com/trADnbk.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/8KHtwG9.jpg
Windshield washer fluid reservoir removed. Kicking myself that I didn't stop and think to wipe down the tank while I had it out :facepalm

http://i.imgur.com/mkSz05z.jpg
Original and non-functioning windshield washer pump

http://i.imgur.com/8tHjF45.jpg
New pump

http://i.imgur.com/hPCBvyk.jpg
Pump and strainer/grommet (new/old, left/right)

http://i.imgur.com/sDUGCDF.jpg
New grommet installed.

No pics of it all back together, but the new pump works! All for less money than what two indy shops quoted me just to have the issue diagnosed. I'm holding off on installing the new oil level sensor (part no. 12617508003) and oil level sensor gasket (part no. 12611744292) until my next oil change. I opted to go for Genuine BMW over other companies at the suggestion of people here, so hopefully double the money will be worth it!

Vas

08-13-2015, 01:22 PM

Nice....

BMWCurves

08-13-2015, 09:06 PM

Nice....

Thanks! I still have a lot planned:

Suspension refresh with Koni Sport shocks/struts and new ancillary parts
Purchase Hawk HPS 5.0 brake pads and install them with my BMW Performance rotors
Install UUC Evo3 short shift kit
Power steering fluid flush
Install Shark Injector
Parking brake adjustment
Purchase four Apex Arc8 18x8.5" wheels in hyper black with 245/35R18 Continental ExtremeContact DW's all around.
Get an alignment
Give the car a good wash, polish, and wax.

Just one thing at a time! In theory, between the BMW Performance rotors, Apex Arc8 wheels, and the tires, it should shave 13.6 lbs of unsprung weight in the front and 14.2 lbs in the rear. Simple math below:

Stock Style 135s w/ current Toyo Proxes tires (Fronts/Rears): 49.8 lbs /53.4 lbs
Apex Arc8s w/ Continental ExtremeContact DW 245/35R18 (all around): 39.2 lbs per tire
Total weight saved per corner (Fronts/Rears): 10.6 lbs / 14.2 lbs --> w/ BMW Performance rotors (supposedly shaves 3 pounds in the front, a few ounces in the rear): 13.6 lbs / 14.2 lbs

That should make the car feel more planted. I can't wait.

BMWCurves

08-25-2015, 11:09 AM

Today I coded my temperature gauge values using my BMW Scanner and PASoft. I followed the guide here (http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?12082-PA-SOFT-How-to-reprogram-our-temp-gauge&highlight=pasoft). I used the helpful hex generator by SilberVogel to visualize the values I wanted and generate the proper hex values. It can be downloaded here (Windows only): http://www.bmwpnpc.com/silbervogel/E46%20Temp%20Gauge%20Hex%20Generator.exe

I was a little confused by the instructions but I did as follows:

Plugged in the scanner to the OBD II port and then the laptop.
Turned on the car.
Opened up PASoft and scanned the car.
Opened up IKE, saved the EEPROM just in case.
Found line 0x340 and saw 06 0F 32. Edited those values to 06 14 41
Found line 0x350 and saw 4B 73 7D 8F 00 10 2D 2D. Edited those values to 5A 64 70 78 00 10 2D 2D.
Clicked write EEPROM and I was done.

The stock values were

06 0F 32 4B 73 7D 8F 00 10 2D 2D

Which corresponded to the values below:

http://i.imgur.com/nMxmMZP.png

I changed the values to

06 14 41 5A 64 70 78 00 10 2D 2D

Which corresponds to the values below:

http://i.imgur.com/Ezg1fNe.png

All in all, not too bad. Hopefully the values will be more useful. I'll have to check that the values work against the actual temperature value found by this method (http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?6575-OBC-19-7-00-Watcha-go-doityourself&p=160649#post160649)

Vas

08-25-2015, 11:33 AM

I have done this on both cars and it is much nicer.

330i Lover

08-25-2015, 01:24 PM

BMWCurves

08-25-2015, 04:45 PM

It's newbie for me to ask but hey, someone else is out there too with the same question.....what is this changing and why are you wanting to make a change to...i'm assuming...the temperature gauge? Never heard of this topic before.

Basically the temperature gauge is not a very helpful gauge with the stock settings. The middle "buffer" zone for the stock setting goes from 75-115C (167-239F) which is a huge range. Our cars normally idle/ride under minimal engine load at around 95C, but that stock buffer zone means the needle will stay dead center +/- 20C. Many people prefer a more narrow "buffer" zone, such as 90-100C, which could be considered more sensitive/useful, or so they can react more quickly to abnormal temperature changes. An example is if the car begins to overheat and they need to turn the car off, the more sensitive gauge means the driver could see the problem earlier and minimize the risk of damage to the engine.

330i Lover

08-25-2015, 04:46 PM

Basically the temperature gauge is not a very helpful gauge with the stock settings. The middle "buffer" zone for the stock setting goes from 75-115C (167-239F) which is a huge range. Many people prefer a more narrow "buffer" zone, such as 90-100C, which can be more useful or so they can react more quickly to abnormal temperature changes, such as if the car overheats and they need to turn the car off.
Thank you, you're classification is appreciated.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk

BMWCurves

08-25-2015, 05:12 PM

Thank you, you're classification is appreciated.

Yup, my pleasure! I didn't really know about the mod until I saw the PASoft thread that listed a bunch of basic things you can do with the BMW Scanner. Well worth the purchase I think.

330i Lover

08-25-2015, 06:25 PM

Hmmm, I never would have guessed the stock temperature measurements were too broad. I guess if there's a will, there's a way. ;)

BMWCurves

08-30-2015, 01:21 AM

Today I worked on refreshing my suspension (finally). I only had a few hours so I decided to tackle the rear shocks first. The guides I used to help me along today were:

Written guide with pictures: http://www.bmw330ci.net/projects/suspension.php
Video with instructions: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X5WrBZ8Fto0

Both were helpful. I had already received my Koni Sport shocks for the rear (2 x 8040-1271SPORT), but had to adjust them which proved to be a bit annoying. To get them exactly 3/4 of a turn from soft was a trial and error process since there is no external adjustment knob like in their front struts. Once I finally got them adjusted I tore up the trunk:

http://i.imgur.com/S3SbuUq.jpg

It was relatively easy. The driver's side has those expanding rivets, which I removed with a trim removal tool. The passenger's side has twist turn screws like in the carpets in the cabin, so just another screwdriver or anything wide and flat. After that I got stuck fiddling with the gas release tab, but Shawn mentioned that it should come apart, and he was right. I just separated it with a thin screwdriver:

http://i.imgur.com/X3K7UW9.jpg

Next up I located the left and right sound deadening material that covers the shock mounts and is supposedly very brittle. I found that to be the case and unfortunately I had to dig/cut into the material, crushing the part of me that likes to keep my car whole.

http://i.imgur.com/6vUswix.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/eH7UXwa.jpg

I jacked up the rear suspension a bit and removed the bolt connecting the shock and the suspension assembly. I then removed the top two nuts and pulled the old shock out. There wasn't any sign of leaking fluid or anything, but when I compressed the shock it did not rebound. At all. it was impressive. Only 51k miles on them, but also 10.5 years. They were shot.

http://i.imgur.com/Eq5jMiM.jpg

For the refresh I decided I might as well swap out the spring pads (upper: 33531136385, lower: 33531094518). I first tried to just put my weight on the brake rotor to try and give enough space to remove the spring, but that didn't work. Then I tried using spring compressors but that felt pretty sketchy since there wasn't much space to work with and in the end didn't compress enough to remove the spring. Finally, I used my car's jack to push down the assembly and create enough space to pull out the spring.

http://i.imgur.com/65nTFJS.jpg

I removed the old pads from the springs and added the new pieces. I also cleaned off the assembly where the pads sat and reinstalled the springs and new pads.

http://i.imgur.com/nNGQbd1.jpg

Once the springs were back in their proper place I prepped the Rogue Engineering Rear Shock Mounts (RSMs) I had bought in anticipation of this refresh, but unfortunately the screws that were welded to one of the top brackets was welded too wide so it wouldn't fit through the car's frame. I had to bend the bracket to get it to fit, but then bend it back so it would fit the lower half of the assembly on the new shock. That said, it seems like a sturdy product and am glad I no longer have to disassemble the trunk if I want to swap out the shocks thanks to their design. I also replaced the dust boots (33521136283) and the bump stops (33506757047). After much effort I got both sides back together successfully. I used Rogue Engineering's website and moving diagrams to figure out the proper orientation/order of all the parts:

Parts page: http://www.rogueengineering.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=RSM&Category_Code=S
Diagram 1: http://www.rogueengineering.com/mm5/graphics/00000001/suspension/rsm/shock_asm1.gif
Diagram 2: http://www.rogueengineering.com/mm5/graphics/00000001/suspension/rsm/shock_asm2.gif

http://i.imgur.com/D9icvJG.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/Jp58MhQ.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/Vnb3lNM.jpg

Once both shocks were installed I put everything back together and called it a day. It took longer than expected, but that seems to be the way things go when trying to do them for the first time. All the stock parts laid out:

http://i.imgur.com/EcsdsCE.jpg

Tomorrow I will work on the front suspension. I also need to order rear trailing arm bushings, haven't decided between OEM Z4 or M3 bushings yet. Does anyone have insight to the difference between the two? I'll get Vorshlag limiters as well.

Vas

08-30-2015, 05:03 AM

Nice job.

BTW I got Z4M OE trailing arm bushings waiting to go in

derbo

08-30-2015, 07:39 AM

Nice job.

BTW I got Z4M OE trailing arm bushings waiting to go in

My favorite! :) I have this with the Turner RTAB limiters in mine.

BMWCurves

08-30-2015, 08:52 AM

Nice job.

BTW I got Z4M OE trailing arm bushings waiting to go in

Nice, let me know how they feel. Is there a difference between Z4M and M3 RTAB? I am still trying to decide which one I need to get.

My favorite! :) I have this with the Turner RTAB limiters in mine.

Any particular reason you went with TMS' limiters over another brand like Vorshlag or ECS Tuning?

BMWCurves

08-30-2015, 09:32 PM

Back to it today with refreshing the front suspension. I followed the same guides as before, but with a different video by the same guy:

Written guide with pictures: http://www.bmw330ci.net/projects/suspension.php
Video with instructions: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zGH_Bs84uk0

It was relatively straight forward, just time consuming for my first attempt. I removed the bolts on the headlight level sensor, end link, and strut clamp, and rolled the strut out of its clamp:

http://i.imgur.com/EhgW11i.jpg

I removed the three nuts holding the strut in place and pulled it out. Before I dealt anymore with the strut I roped the brake rotor assembly to the sway bar so that it wouldn't put tension on the brake line. I broke out the spring compressors, which I had never used before and made me feel a little sketchy, and compressed the springs:

http://i.imgur.com/PPkQjij.jpg

This whole suspension refresh made me wish I had an air ratchet, it would have made the whole job go so much quicker. Once I got the spring compressed enough I undid the nut at the top and disassembled the strut assembly.

http://i.imgur.com/6nlLMMJ.jpg

I again compressed the strut like I had when I got the rear shocks out, but these still had some life left in them and rebounded somewhat quickly. no signs or leakage anywhere, but I did notice the struts I was using to replace them with had a much longer piston, maybe 1" longer. In its place I used a Koni Sport strut (8741-1390RSPORT [front right], 8741-1390LSPORT [front left]), new spring pads (upper: 31331091867, lower: 31331096664), new dust boot (31331094749), new bump stop (31306757046), and new strut mount (31336752735). Oddly, the new strut mounts I got made by Lemförder lacked a bearing cap for the bottom, so I wiped the old ones clean and reused them. I also reused what is called the "upper spring pocket" by RealOEM (#7 here: http://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/showparts?id=BD53-USA-02-2005-E46-BMW-330Ci&diagId=31_0408, part number 31326769667).

After this is where I made some stupid mistakes :facepalm First, I used Koni strut for the driver's side but loaded it up with parts I had gotten from the passenger's side. It wasn't until I was reattaching the sway bar endlink that I realized my mistake. So I had to undo all of that. Then I realized I hadn't seated the spring correctly on that strut anyways, so I had to break out the spring compressors again and do it right.

From there I got it all installed pretty easily, just took some time:

http://i.imgur.com/xvNK325.jpg

I also used the chance to install the strut mount reinforcement plates (51717036781) and new flange nuts for the strut tower (31316769731 ). Finally, I adjusted the struts to 3/4 turn from soft and lowered it off the jack stands. Took it for a spin and it feels like it handles bumps better than the previous suspension. I need an alignment though, among other things, so the car will go to the mechanic in the next week or two to handle that and some other miscellaneous work (UUC short shift kit!).

The old parts:

http://i.imgur.com/0T4CLPJ.jpg

All in all, not too bad for a weekend! This covers most of my suspension refresh thread, and I'll put up a review once I put in FCABs and RTABs and have some time with the set up (link: http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?16182-Help-with-Suspension-Refresh-at-50k-miles-10-years)

3ZHP

08-30-2015, 10:07 PM

I would hold off on the alignment until you are done with the FCABs & the RTABs. If the pin in the bearing plate was never removed, you should be close. Changing its RTAB is the alignment killer.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

BMWCurves

08-31-2015, 07:29 AM

Yeah, I should have been more clear. I plan to do the alignment once I have the FCABs and RTABs done. I already have the Z4M FCABs ready to go, but I'm for advice on which RTABs I should get, the Z4M ones or the M3 ones, along with what limiters people prefer (I was looking at Vorshlag, but I know Derbo likes his TMS ones). Any preference or advice?

3ZHP

08-31-2015, 07:35 AM

BMWCurves

08-31-2015, 08:57 AM

Roger. Appreciate for the advice. I ended up going with the Z4M bushings (part no. 33326770817) from Vorshlag plus their limiters.

slater

08-31-2015, 09:37 AM

I did OEM RCABs about a year ago and I'm perfectly happy. Such a small bushing, I don't see what the gain would be.

guy, i believe william was referring to RTABs, not RCABs - which are you referring to? :)

for RCABs, i am replacing with stock except for the outer units - using the OEM 'ball joint' (upper) in the lower location as well (this is how the M3 is).

for RTABs, i have powerflex and am not thrilled with them. i have a set of the bimmerworld sealer sphercial (actually sealed OE 'ball joint' type - like the outer RCABs) ready to go in. looking forward to seeing how they feel.

peter

BMWCurves

08-31-2015, 10:20 AM

I was waiting to see if you had installed those spherical bushings but decided to just pull the trigger on Z4M ones, since people have used them and seem to like them.

3ZHP

08-31-2015, 01:49 PM

guy, i believe william was referring to RTABs, not RCABs - which are you referring to? :)

for RCABs, i am replacing with stock except for the outer units - using the OEM 'ball joint' (upper) in the lower location as well (this is how the M3 is).

for RTABs, i have powerflex and am not thrilled with them. i have a set of the bimmerworld sealer sphercial (actually sealed OE 'ball joint' type - like the outer RCABs) ready to go in. looking forward to seeing how they feel.

peter

Yup, OOPs! I did mean RTABs

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

slater

09-01-2015, 04:31 AM

I was waiting to see if you had installed those spherical bushings but decided to just pull the trigger on Z4M ones, since people have used them and seem to like them.

i have not installed them yet. i have such a pile of parts to install... i want to take the car off the road for a week to install them all, and between work, family and our nutso schedule - have not been able to yet. we've got a 4-week stretch that we're home coming up after labor day weekend, so i am aiming for then. i will definitely post up afterwards.

peter

BMWCurves

09-01-2015, 08:24 AM

I remember saying you had a slew of things to do but hadn't had the time. I'm excited to see what you think of the spherical bushings.

slater

09-01-2015, 08:26 AM

I remember saying you had a slew of things to do but hadn't had the time. I'm excited to see what you think of the spherical bushings.

me too. the problem is, i am replacing bushings, shocks, mounts, etc... it might be hard to decipher!

peter

BMWCurves

09-01-2015, 08:56 AM

me too. the problem is, i am replacing bushings, shocks, mounts, etc... it might be hard to decipher!

peter

I'm in the same boat. I had planned to do the shocks/struts with the FCABs which would have made it hard to tell the difference between the new bushings and new shocks but I didn't have time. So now I'll have to try and an decipher the difference between the FCABs and RTABs once they're installed. Then the difference with a good alignment. And the Shark Injector, etc.

BMWCurves

09-02-2015, 06:18 PM

Received my Z4M RTABs and Vorshlag limiters from Vorshlag today. Pretty quick!

http://i.imgur.com/omFwmc6.jpg

They'll be installed along with my Z4M FCABs, Confort Shark Injector, and UUC shift kit in two weeks.

ELCID86

09-04-2015, 06:32 PM

Nice write up and work. Odd, I installed the R/E rear shock mounts without any issues or bending.

Thumbs, iPhone, TaT.

BMWCurves

09-05-2015, 09:51 AM

The issue was that the bolts that rest on the top part of the mount (the part that go inside the trunk) were welded ever so slightly too far apart. No one else seems to have had this issue with it so I must have just got a part that slipped through quality control. A little annoying, but it all worked out in the end.

BMWCurves

09-16-2015, 12:31 PM

Car went to the shop today to have the following done:

Install Z4M Front Control Arm Bushings (FCABs) (Left: 31107836862, Right: 31107836863)
Install Z4M Rear Trailing Arm Bushings (RTABs) (2x 33326770817) plus Vorshlag limiters
Install UUC Evo3 short shift kit with double shear selector rod (DSSR) (SKU: USCE2, DSSR330-6)
Install Conforti Shark Injector (part no. N745330)
Power steering fluid flush with Redline D4 ATF
Parking brake adjustment
Diagnose the clunking sound coming from the rear that's been there since I bought it. My guess is worn transmission bushings, but I forgot to check last time I had it up on jack stands.

Once I get the car back and have an alignment done, I plan to put the car up on jack stands again and replace the brake rotors with the BMW Performance rotors that I bought from Tippey764 on his listing here (http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?15806-NIB-front-BMW-Performance-rotors) a few months back. At the same time I'll put on new pads. After reading around on some reviews here and elsewhere on the internet, I settled on Hawk HPS 5.0 pads given their performance, low dust, low noise, and price point. Guy (3ZHPGUY) helped me find the proper part numbers (Fronts: HB464B.764, Rears: HB518B.642) and informed me that they were on sale from TireRack (plus free shipping!), so I scooped up a set and they arrived today.

http://i.imgur.com/QxhJFJi.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/vKCccXC.jpg

One note: I had already bought some run-of-the-mill anti-squeal compound but the Hawk pads came with some. See pictures below:

http://i.imgur.com/39dCiAP.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/wNktl0f.jpg

While I am doing all of that I'll also use the G2 Caliper Paint system I bought from Tire Rack to paint the calipers yellow. I'm hoping with how dark the rest of the car is (color-matched bumper reflectors, gloss black grilles, tinted windows) that the yellow will be a nice, clean accent. We'll see, hopefully it'll look "something" like this, but better:

http://i.imgur.com/aPTgfDx.jpg

Lastly, I'll be removing the front bumper so I can repainting the lower grille and intake ducts a satin black. All three are faded and gray right now which doesn't look great. Lots to do!

DKnowltronics

09-16-2015, 12:39 PM

Nice, I was thinking about painting mine as well. I would like to see how yours comes out!

BMWCurves

09-16-2015, 01:14 PM

I'll do an update when I get the car back and another when I do the brakes. I saw Chris' car (Hokie ZHP) posted in an old thread with yellow calipers and I loved the look, so I decided on that: http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?12203-Caliper-Paint&p=433582#post433582

Pics:

http://i438.photobucket.com/albums/qq109/maxx919/2003%20ZHP/726f887a.jpg (http://s438.photobucket.com/user/maxx919/media/2003%20ZHP/726f887a.jpg.html)
http://i438.photobucket.com/albums/qq109/maxx919/2003%20ZHP/62be406a.jpg (http://s438.photobucket.com/user/maxx919/media/2003%20ZHP/62be406a.jpg.html)
http://i438.photobucket.com/albums/qq109/maxx919/2003%20ZHP/32bb3ff4.jpg (http://s438.photobucket.com/user/maxx919/media/2003%20ZHP/32bb3ff4.jpg.html)

san

09-16-2015, 01:17 PM

Any particular reason ur having a shop do some of the stuff?? I mean u diy most of the maintenance stuff urself right... Just curious...

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

BMWCurves

09-16-2015, 02:52 PM

Any particular reason ur having a shop do some of the stuff?? I mean u diy most of the maintenance stuff urself right... Just curious...

I know, I have similar "why are you doing that?" thoughts, but the reasoning is two fold: 1. I'm picking and choosing my battles because of my schedule and 2. I'm being lazy. I'm applying to school now so I'm very busy between applications, my current job, and my search for a new job. I don't have the tools to replace the bushings in the rear trailing arms, I don't have a battery charger with enough amperage to do the Shark Injector installation, and I didn't want to do the turkey baster method for the power steering fluid since it doesn't seem thorough (the indy I took it to opens up the power steering line, flushes it and fills it with new fluid). The SSK involves either small hands (I do not have those) or removing the exhaust (I think) so I didn't want to go there. The other stuff I was just lazy about. I think I could do the FCABs easily enough, and I definitely could have done the parking brake adjustment myself but...again, lazy.

The brake stuff I had planned to do all along, so that I'm doing myself.

Vas

09-16-2015, 03:19 PM

Hope it turns out well

san

09-16-2015, 05:26 PM

I know, I have similar "why are you doing that?" thoughts, but the reasoning is two fold: 1. I'm picking and choosing my battles because of my schedule and 2. I'm being lazy. I'm applying to school now so I'm very busy between applications, my current job, and my search for a new job. I don't have the tools to replace the bushings in the rear trailing arms, I don't have a battery charger with enough amperage to do the Shark Injector installation, and I didn't want to do the turkey baster method for the power steering fluid since it doesn't seem thorough (the indy I took it to opens up the power steering line, flushes it and fills it with new fluid). The SSK involves either small hands (I do not have those) or removing the exhaust (I think) so I didn't want to go there. The other stuff I was just lazy about. I think I could do the FCABs easily enough, and I definitely could have done the parking brake adjustment myself but...again, lazy.

The brake stuff I had planned to do all along, so that I'm doing myself.

Haha, been there... Hope everything goes well...

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

BMWCurves

09-16-2015, 11:02 PM

Hope it turns out well

Haha, been there... Hope everything goes well...

I appreciate it, gentleman!

3ZHP

09-16-2015, 11:32 PM

Car went to the shop today to have the following done:

Install Z4M Front Control Arm Bushings (FCABs) (Left: 31107836862, Right: 31107836863)
Install Z4M Rear Trailing Arm Bushings (RTABs) (2x 33326770817) plus Vorshlag limiters
Install UUC Evo3 short shift kit with double shear selector rod (DSSR)
Install Conforti Shark Injector (SKU: USCE2, DSSR330-6)
Power steering fluid flush with Redline D4 ATF
Parking brake adjustment
Diagnose the clunking sound coming from the rear that's been there since I bought it. My guess is worn transmission bushings, but I forgot to check last time I had it up on jack stands.

Once I get the car back and have an alignment done, I plan to put the car up on jack stands again and replace the brake rotors with the BMW Performance rotors that I bought from Tippey764 on his listing here (http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?15806-NIB-front-BMW-Performance-rotors) a few months back. At the same time I'll put on new pads. After reading around on some reviews here and elsewhere on the internet, I settled on Hawk HPS 5.0 pads given their performance, low dust, low noise, and price point. Guy (3ZHPGUY) helped me find the proper part numbers (Fronts: HB464B.764, Rears: HB518B.642) and informed me that they were on sale from TireRack (plus free shipping!), so I scooped up a set and they arrived today.

http://i.imgur.com/QxhJFJi.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/vKCccXC.jpg

One note: I had already bought some run-of-the-mill anti-squeal compound but the Hawk pads came with some. See pictures below:

http://i.imgur.com/39dCiAP.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/wNktl0f.jpg

While I am doing all of that I'll also use the G2 Caliper Paint system I bought from Tire Rack to paint the calipers yellow. I'm hoping with how dark the rest of the car is (color-matched bumper reflectors, gloss black grilles, tinted windows) that the yellow will be a nice, clean accent. We'll see, hopefully it'll look "something" like this, but better:

http://i.imgur.com/aPTgfDx.jpg

Lastly, I'll be removing the front bumper so I can repainting the lower grille and intake ducts a satin black. All three are faded and gray right now which doesn't look great. Lots to do!

FYI on the parking brake adjustment. When I did the Hawk's (2nd set @ 135K) on mine this spring, I needed to replace all of the parking brake stuff. That included the shoes, hardware and the two star wheels. The linings fell off when I took off the rotor.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

BMWCurves

09-24-2015, 07:24 PM

FYI on the parking brake adjustment. When I did the Hawk's (2nd set @ 135K) on mine this spring, I needed to replace all of the parking brake stuff. That included the shoes, hardware and the two star wheels. The linings fell off when I took off the rotor.

Good advice! I hadn't thought about the parking brake parts might need to be replaced at 51k miles. Luckily the mechanic did the adjustment at the brakes rather than the handle and had no issues.

Maintenance:
09/19/2015:
I took the car to the indy shop where I got my PPI for the car back in March. The mechanic has been a BMW tech for about 15 years but liked working independently so he set up his own shop. Very nice guy, very knowledgeable, and doesn't talk down to you when he's explaining things. Anyways, what I had done:

Replaced rear trailing arm bushings (RTABs) with Z4M RTAB bushings (part no. 33326770817 (2x)). Installed Vorshlag limiters at the same time (link (http://www.vorshlag.com/product_info.php?cPath=1_4_26&products_id=59)).
Replaced front control arm bushings (FCABs) with Z4M FCAB bushings (part no. left: 31107836862, right: 31107836863). Replaced the hex bolts for those bushings as well (part no. 33306760652).
Installed the Conforti Shark Injector (part no. N745330).
Power steering fluid flushed with Redline D4 ATF.
Parking brake was adjusted at the rear of the car rather than the handle to minimize cable stretching.
Installed UUC Evo3 short shift kit with double shear selector rod (DSSR) (SKU: USCE2, DSSR330-6). Unfortunately, the shifter now is incredibly stiff getting it into 5th gear and also pretty stiff getting into 6th. Gears 1-4 are nice and precise. I called UUC and they were pretty adamant the stiff 5th and 6th gears issue is an installation error as opposed to a manufacturer error and I should check if the DSSR was installed correctly (it has a bend in it so it has a specific orientation) and that the actual shifter was facing the correct direction. I checked that the shifter is indeed facing the correct way according to UUC's installation guide and William's (wsmeyer) photo (link (http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?8698-What-did-you-do-for-your-ZHP-BMW-MINI-today-2&p=451831#post451831)). I am still struggling to remove the rubber boot that separates the carrier from the cabin so I can look at the DSSR, but I'm betting it's installed correctly and it's an improperly machined part. I'm headed back to the mechanic this saturday to have him look at it again, and also diagnose the clunking sound from the rear that I am guessing is the differential bushings.

09/21/2015:
Had the car aligned. I used Shawn's (username: ELCID86) and Daniel's (username: NoVAphotog) alignment numbers they sent me to get a rough estimate of what they should be with the Z4M FCABs installed. I think they kept a bit more camber than necessary up front, and a bit too much toe in the rear, but that's okay. My alignment:

http://i.imgur.com/gR33BoT.jpg

I also took a photo of the front wheel because with the added caster I was a little worried about how the front wheels would look in the wheel well. Honestly, if no one said anything I wouldn't notice that the wheel sits ever so slightly forward. Not bad:

http://i.imgur.com/yNoEoWu.jpg

With the new suspension and bushings, the car feels great! Definitely a little more planted than before, and the car is eager to dive into corners. Hopefully it'll last me more than 50k miles!

BMWCurves

09-28-2015, 12:58 PM

I took my car back to the mechanic on Saturday and ended up talking with him about my car and his work for about an hour. Incredibly nice and knowledgeable guy. He took me under the car and showed me the installation of the bushings he had done and the short shift kit. He discovered that the stiffness in 5th was actually the DSSR grinding against the carrier itself, so he wondered if maybe he had put the DSSR incorrectly front to back. He couldn't get the shifter disassembled again that day so he kept the car over the weekend. Today he realized that the DSSR was indeed installed backwards (it is ever so slightly unsymmetrical front to back), but with that discovery he found he couldn't even get it to fit, so something was wrong. He called UUC and they were adamant he installed the kit it wrong, which is what they had stated to me when I called them earlier. They also tried to deny I bought the kit directly from them, but I gave the mechanic my order number so they finally conceded they might have sent me the wrong kit. He measured the shifter from the center of the shifter ball to where the DSSR connects and the UUC tech support person said that distance was too short to be the 330 6-speed shifter. So they're mailing me the correct part and I should receive it Thursday. I'll have it installed then.

Vas

09-28-2015, 01:20 PM

Interesting. You have a good mechanic though.

BMWCurves

09-28-2015, 01:35 PM

Yeah, he's a great mechanic. He didn't charge me for the power steering fluid flush, kept me in the loop with everything. Everything you'd want from one.

For those looking for a BMW mechanic in the Portland area, I go to Autobahn Motorwerks.

az3579

09-28-2015, 05:32 PM

That's really unfortunate the UUC tried to weasel their way out of this one. Glad you got it worked out.

BMWCurves

10-12-2015, 07:28 PM

The replacement shifter from UUC arrived on Tuesday after I had left town for the week, so a family member dropped it off at the mechanic. He got it installed and it now shifts nicely with no issues other than an ever so slight backward and to the left movement when you shift into sixth gear, so it sort of "J" movement. However there are two new issues:

The shifter sits to the right in the neutral position. I can shift through the gears with no real issues, they're nice and tight, but 1st and 2nd gears are about where third and fourth were originally and 5th and 6th gears now almost touch the console trim. See pics and video below.
The shift knob will not seat, spins freely, and can be removed like it's not locked in. My mechanic tried for ages and I tried putting my weight on it, hitting it with a rubber hammer, etc. Nothing we did would get it to go on despite sharing the same dimensions as the original shifter. Granted it has a slightly different taper where the knob should lock in, but according to my eyes there shouldn't be any issue.

Looking front to back with the shifter in neutral:

http://i.imgur.com/JA8TClZ.jpg

Looking from the side with the shifter in neutral:

http://i.imgur.com/2S70YdO.jpg

Video of shifting through the gears: https://streamable.com/f4yx

So now I'm sort of stuck on both issues. Does anyone have a UUC kit running in their ZHP? I PM'd wsmeyer but I don't know if anyone else has it. I'm planning to call UUC tomorrow and see if they have any ideas. Also, the mechanic said the new shifter had some sort of blue rubber or plastic sticking out between the UUC shifter's upper part (that adjusts height) and the lower section. He called UUC and they told him to just cut it out with a blade. I don't know if UUC's quality control has declined or what, but something seems to be up.

At any rate, any help or insight would be greatly appreciated!

Vas

10-13-2015, 05:13 AM

That would drive me nuts. Hope you figure it out but it just sucks considering how much it costs.

BMWCurves

10-13-2015, 08:08 AM

Spoke with UUC. They think it was potentially installed backwards despite the locking nut they use as a reference should be facing forward. As for the knob not sitting on, the tech support guy admitted it might be a machining issue.

BMWCurves

10-13-2015, 08:56 AM

Programmed my retrofitted mirror with HomeLink to work on my garage door. Used this guide:

http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/showthread.php?t=384653

Sockethead

10-13-2015, 10:10 AM

It looks like your shifter may be installed backwards. Mine isn't like that in neutral.
I've had my EVO 3 installed for years now and it's been problem free. When I first installed it, it was really tight with no free play at all but it loosened up nicely after a while.
As far as the knob goes, mine doesn't line up at the 12 o'clock position as related to the shifter pattern. It's more like 11 o'clock. The one we put in Kpro's 135 is the same way. You might want to try putting it on like that... The slot may not be lining up the way you have it now

Sockethead

10-13-2015, 10:23 AM

I'll get some pics of mine when I get home tonight... not in the ZHP today

BMWCurves

10-13-2015, 11:03 AM

Thanks for the info, sockethead,

Having the shifter installed backwards seems like it might be the issue. If that is the case, UUC messed up during manufacturing and put the upper portion of the shifter and/or the tamperproof screw on in the wrong direction because the screw currently sits with the head facing forward, per their instructions.

As for the knob, I tried that. It just will not go. As for your situation, I remember reading somewhere or maybe it was when I spoke to UUC, but I recall that if you loosen the height adjustment screw, there's some rotational play in the upper part of the shifter that can allow you to line the shift knob right.

Sockethead

10-13-2015, 11:24 AM

As for the knob, I tried that. It just will not go. As for your situation, I remember reading somewhere or maybe it was when I spoke to UUC, but I recall that if you loosen the height adjustment screw, there's some rotational play in the upper part of the shifter that can allow you to line the shift knob right.
Even with doing that, It's still not at 12 o'clock. That's the only thing that annoys me...

Sockethead

10-13-2015, 03:36 PM

Ok here are some pics of mine. The order is neutral, first, fifth and 6th

http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/10/13/4643146e80d2d124ac2f7fdf4963893d.jpghttp://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/10/13/3007229e84bbcd57f4487b3e0e56634b.jpghttp://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/10/13/81fc0439cbc4903264aeb6eeae8ed4eb.jpghttp://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/10/13/e070c1be548deb6cb61e92ad9cc7a65e.jpg

BMWCurves

10-13-2015, 05:05 PM

Thanks for the pics. Between you and wsmeyer it's clear that it's installed backwards. But I think I have the added problem of the upper portion being installed wrong from the factory because the notch for the shift knob sits about 30 degrees in the wrong direction. Even if I rotated it 180 degrees to get the shifter to line up correctly, I think the notch would still be way off once installed:

My shifter - notice that the notch points from the rear driver's side window toward the front passenger's side window.

http://i.imgur.com/JA8TClZ.jpg

wsmeyer's shifter - the notch points from the front driver's side window to the rear passenger's side window:

http://i.imgur.com/xC5qZmi.jpg

Unless anyone thinks the upper portion can somehow be rotated?

Sockethead

10-13-2015, 05:33 PM

I wouldn't mess with it. Contact UUC and let them sort it out. Clearly, something ain't right with it and they should be able to see that from the pics.
Mistakes happen and hopefully, the folks at UUC will do the right thing.
It's a shame because putting that thing in my car is something I never want to do twice and it looks like you're going to have to... at least the carrier doesn't have to come out again.

Sockethead

10-14-2015, 07:08 AM

Been thinking about this.... I'm wondering if the DSSR was the wrong part then the shifter may be the wrong part too. I believe the Z3 shifter is very close to the e46 shifter except that the bend is slightly different....

BMWCurves

10-21-2015, 07:06 PM

Finally got the car back from the mechanic. The shifter is now installed "backwards" because the tamperproof screw is facing the rear of the car (should be facing the front of the car according to UUC's directions) but the bend in the shifter is back and to the rear driver's side of the car so it is installed "correctly." The shifter now rests in neutral in the middle of the driver's side/passenger's side plane. That said, two minor issues remain:

It sits slightly forward from center while in neutral. 1st, 3rd, 5th are all further forward than 2nd, 4th, and 6th are rearward. Doesn't seem to affect the feel of the shifter engaging gears, just...slightly annoying.
I had to loosen the height adjuster screw a bunch and rotate it all the way with a great bit of force to get the shifter knob to be pointing relatively forward. It's cocked 2-3 degrees CCW from center.

So now I'm at a crossroads. Is it worth bringing up with UUC these issues and going through the hassle again of having a new shifter sent out and then installed? And as Sockethead said below:

Been thinking about this.... I'm wondering if the DSSR was the wrong part then the shifter may be the wrong part too. I believe the Z3 shifter is very close to the e46 shifter except that the bend is slightly different....

Although he had it backwards (the shifter was the known incorrect part), I can't be sure if the DSSR currently installed is the correct fitment. it might be causing the forward-from-center orientation in neutral, but the only way to be sure is to have it taken back to the mechanic to have the part measured.

That said, the shifter does feel good. I think I just had a run of bad luck with UUC, and hopefully this isn't a reflection of how their business runs now.

Sockethead

10-22-2015, 06:25 PM

IDK, you may be correct that the DSSR might be wrong. It has a bend in it so it's impossible to put it in upside down because it would rub on the transmission but yea, it might be the wrong length...It sucks that the shifter is so hard to get to... makes taking a simple measurement really hard. It still concerns me that you had to put it in "backwards" to get it to sit right
My shifter knob was off by maybe 3 degrees and it didn't take much effort to get it to line up strait...

The shifter is near perfection as far as fit and feel. By far my favorite mod and I've done a lot to my car.
The gates/orientation isn't any different than the stock shifter.... just shorter and much tighter. I can have my arm on the armrest and basically flick it from gear to gear. If it's not like that, something may still be wrong...

If I can help with any additional pictures or measurements (at least from the top) let me know.

BMWCurves

10-22-2015, 07:48 PM

I appreciate it all the help! Yeah, I think the DSSR might be wrong, but I really don't know if it's worth my time taking it back to the mechanic just to have that measured and so on. We'll see how I feel in a few days.

quikryptonite

11-12-2015, 11:40 AM

I'm having trouble getting my PASoft scanner to work properly, but I'm working with Tony to troubleshoot my issues.

In other news, I received my new leather/perforated leather steering wheel from DCT Motorsports today (thanks for the suggestion, John!). Their store can be found here: http://www.dctms.com/. I emailed them about 3-4 weeks ago with photos and a very specific description of what I wanted. They quoted me $350 + shipping + $200 core deposit which I will recoup once I send back my old steering wheel core to DCT. To swap out the wheel I used two different guides to supplement each other. The guides were:

1. Coby Wheel's guide: http://cobywheel.com/bmw-steering-wheel-removal.html
2. BMW 330Ci's guide: http://www.bmw330ci.net/projects/m3wheel.php

Both were helpful and the process was very straightforward. I took my time and it required around 45 minutes start to finish. It would definitely be quicker a second time around. I should mention that all the screws in the steering wheel apart from the 16mm socket were torx screws (T10, T20, and T30 if I remember correctly). Just have a set of various torx bits on hand when you do it.

As for the feel of it? It feels great! It's definitely meatier than the OEM wheel, which I like. At the 12 o'clock position, my OEM alcantara wheel measures 4 1/8" while the new leather wheel measures 4 3/4". I'll put up pictures tomorrow when there is better light.

One thing I think I should mention is that I assumed the wheel was made by DCT Motorsports themselves down in California, but the package I received came from Taiwan. The invoice wasn't from DCT Motorsports either; it was from a "John Leather Co., Ltd" in Taiwan for $100. The listed website is http://www.johnleather.com/default.php?language=en. So it is possible that DCT Motorsports is farming out the labor and materials to a Taiwanese company and pocketing the $250 difference. Doesn't make the wheel worth less to me, just something to consider for any future buyers.

EDIT: wsmeyer pointed out that the invoice may be for customs purposes, discussed here (http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?8698-What-did-you-do-for-your-ZHP-BMW-MINI-today-2&p=432401#post432401)

Pics:

During the swap
19485
How it looks
19478
19482
19483
19484
19481

That looks fantastic. So tempting!

Alikessu

11-12-2015, 11:48 AM

that looks like a great job on the wheel, let us know how it holds up. good luck

Sent from my iPhone 6 using Tapatalk

BMWCurves

11-12-2015, 12:00 PM

That looks fantastic. So tempting!

Thanks! It's a great wheel. I love it. It has an appreciably larger diameter than the stock ZHP wheel, but I've gotten used to it and now prefer it to smaller steering wheels that I handle frequently (540i, '00 Jetta, '94 Miata, '07 S40). I frequently get compliments on the wheel. The perforations aren't as tactile as you would think, especially compared to my father's '06 ZHP with the stock perforated wheel, but I don't mind.

It has held up wonderfully in the six-ish months I've had it. $350 is a bit steep, but I'm glad I took the plunge.

Alikessu

11-12-2015, 12:02 PM

congrats, one could probably order direct from John Leather but you would have to ship to Taiwan and back so probably at least a$100 back and forth

Sent from my iPhone 6 using Tapatalk

330i Lover

11-12-2015, 06:05 PM

Dude, that's one of the best steering wheels I've ever seen. I'm so jelly. My alcantara is in dire need of restoration but the headlights are a higher priority than the steering wheel. I just landed a fantastic mechanic that charges about half of what the big shops charge so I'm thrilled about that. Thanks for uploading the pics.

Vas

11-12-2015, 07:38 PM

johnrando

11-13-2015, 06:29 AM

The wheel looks great! Glad that worked out for you. :thumbsup

330i Lover

11-15-2015, 06:34 PM

You want leather or Alcantara? Or a combo?

I was leaning towards the alcantara but after seeing those pics I will definitely be going back and forth. Thanks again for the pics Curves, love the wheel!

330i Lover

11-15-2015, 07:34 PM

Vas

11-15-2015, 08:09 PM

Curves, what is the part # of the steering wheel you got from http://www.dctms.com/product_ST_BMW_E46.html? Also I see the Prices start off at $850 before any custom work. Am I misunderstanding their prices after the $200 core refund?
At that price pint I would go with Coby Wheel or an M3 leather wheel.

I'm partial to Alcantara

BMWCurves

11-15-2015, 08:58 PM

Curves, what is the part # of the steering wheel you got from http://www.dctms.com/product_ST_BMW_E46.html? Also I see the Prices start off at $850 before any custom work. Am I misunderstanding their prices after the $200 core refund?

So I didn't order through their website because there seemed to be some conflicting information. Instead I emailed them directly at sales@dctms.com and described what I wanted. My original email to them was like this:

Hello,

I am looking to see if you will do a custom leather wrap of an 2005 BMW 330Ci steering wheel. A previous customer of yours was very satisfied with your work suggested your services. My current steering wheel is alcantara (like this: http://img829.imageshack.us/img829/6636/p1020834y.jpg). I am wanting it to be rewrapped in a mixture of leather and perforated leather like the 2006 BMW 330Ci ZHPs (looks like this: http://forum.e46fanatics.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=488156&d=1359381490). Would this be possible? What would it cost if I sent you the core of the steering wheel? Please let me know, thank you!

Best,
William

Ivan, one of DCTMS' employees responded with the following email:

William
we can make the steering wheel like picture attached
extra thick padding, smooth NAPA top and bottom, Perforated sides with M stitching
$349 + shipping

Ivan

From there we discussed details. Ivan was very responsive, responding to several emails on the same day. I ended up having them wrap one of the cores they had on hand so I could still drive my car with my old alcantara wheel while I waited ($199 added core deposit). Shipping to Portland was $15 but may be more to where you live. Total turn around time was about 3.5 weeks. I mailed them back my old alcantara wheel and received the deposit back within a matter of days. Hope that helps!

BMWCurves

11-15-2015, 09:00 PM

At that price pint I would go with Coby Wheel or an M3 leather wheel.

I'm partial to Alcantara

Definitely good alternative options.

330i Lover

11-16-2015, 05:08 AM

So I didn't order through their website because there seemed to be some conflicting information. Instead I emailed them directly at sales@dctms.com and described what I wanted. My original email to them was like this:

Ivan, one of DCTMS' employees responded with the following email:

From there we discussed details. Ivan was very responsive, responding to several emails on the same day. I ended up having them wrap one of the cores they had on hand so I could still drive my car with my old alcantara wheel while I waited ($199 added core deposit). Shipping to Portland was $15 but may be more to where you live. Total turn around time was about 3.5 weeks. I mailed them back my old alcantara wheel and received the deposit back within a matter of days. Hope that helps!
Nice. I'll be sure to revisit this post after my headlights are fixed. One project at a time.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk

BMWCurves

11-28-2015, 02:46 PM

Yesterday I received my Bimmian cell phone mount. I installed the Bimmian mount after a bit of a fight with the radio trip getting to seat correctly. I had to readjust the mount a couple of times using my hands to get the mount to sit flush with the leather (?) trim. Even then I had to push the radio trim down and against the Bimmian mount for it to seat correctly. I really like how it looks and where it sits in the car.

Total time: 15-20 mins.
Total curse count: Under 10.

Now I am just waiting on getting my Proclip (http://www.proclipusa.com/phone-holders/device/apple/iphone-6-6s-with-a-case/adjustable-holder-for-small-to-medium-cases-511666-19733.cmsv?p_leftorright=0) so I can mount it to the Bimmian mount. Once it's all together I imagine I will be very satisfied with the setup.

New news:

The rear driver's side sunshade clip (part no. 54138246027) decided to hop its rail and the sunshade can only move maybe 1-2" from the closed position. Unfortunately this means I can't access the screws/bolts that hold in the sunroof glass so that I could fix it. The sunroof would function normally, just not the sunshade. However, in my fiddling with trying to get the sunshade to slide rearward so I could access those sunroof glass bolts, I popped more of the clips off the sliding rail so it's now even worse. I'm not really sure what to do, I might leave it for the mechanic before I do more damage.
The passenger's door is rattling a bunch. I'm guessing I'll have to open up the door and put some foam around the speaker grille.
I also received Bimmian's M-Sport grille stickers. I'm not sure if I'm going to install them but for $5 I think it's worth the gamble to see how they'll look.
I still have to install the BMW Performance brake rotors, Hawk HP-S pads, and paint the calipers yellow. Hopefully I can get to that next weekend.
I'm in the hunt for black manual transmission leather shift boot and a black leather parking brake boot.
The car needs a good wash, but haven't had a break in the rain long enough to manage it.

Pictures from the Bimmian cell phone mount install:
The mount in its box. It comes with the mount, install instructions, and two mounting bolts
http://i.imgur.com/Fn5mas0.jpg

Trim off. No broken orange trim clip things! It really helps to have some trim removal tools
http://i.imgur.com/SfutfXn.jpg

First mounting attempt, front view
http://i.imgur.com/tCjIkhZ.jpg

First mounting attempt, side view. Note how the bends in the mount don't quite sit flush with the car. I would readjust this, putting significant weight on the mount while tightening down the nut.
http://i.imgur.com/4bcsOda.jpg

Mount installed and the trim reinstalled
http://i.imgur.com/4t9OJ1b.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/ba439Vr.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/xqhJceJ.jpg

NoVAphotog

11-28-2015, 02:52 PM

BMWCurves

11-28-2015, 03:11 PM

Well played. So just push down hard while tightening to fix the dreaded "Bimmian trim bump?"

That's what worked for me. I just pushed down hard so that the mount's bends were flush with the car, then tightened down the nut. I still had to push down on the mount with the radio trim to get the trim piece to slide back into place, but it doesn't feel too stressed or anything.

WOLFN8TR

11-28-2015, 06:47 PM

Looks great! Love the Bimmian cell phone mount. FYI you don't have to remove the radio trim to install the mount. Just move it back slightly to install it.

danewilson77

11-29-2015, 06:28 AM

Great tip.

Sent from my SM-G925V using Tapatalk

Sockethead

11-29-2015, 03:15 PM

I miss my Bimmian mount... I may have to try and put it back in over the winter. Mine got bent by someone's knee hitting it

BMWCurves

11-30-2015, 09:46 AM

I miss my Bimmian mount... I may have to try and put it back in over the winter. Mine got bent by someone's knee hitting it

That's annoying. Originally the bracket felt very sturdy, but just cranking down the flange nut tightly on the mounting bolt made the mount bend around the flange nut quite a bit. You can probably bend it back with some pliers and body weight.

slater

11-30-2015, 09:56 AM

That's annoying. Originally the bracket felt very sturdy, but just cranking down the flange nut tightly on the mounting bolt made the mount bend around the flange nut quite a bit. You can probably bend it back with some pliers and body weight.

unfortunately, with metal, once it's bent it will only get weaker. so it will get bent again with Knee Power.

BMWCurves

12-03-2015, 11:57 AM

I decided my car needed a new battery since my car still had the original battery in it and I've been experiencing an interment loud "POP" from the rear speakers when I start the car which some say may be a symptom of a dying battery. I ended up choosing AutoZone's Duralast 94R-DLG battery (http://www.autozone.com/batteries-starting-and-charging/battery/duralast-gold-battery/bmw/330i/2005/6-cylinders-3-0l-efi-dohc/603386_636952_0/) since it had more CA and CCA than the stock battery and is backed by a five year warranty (3 years parts, 2 years prorated). I ordered online yesterday to pick it up instore and expected it to be available same day, but I got a phone call that the store I selected wouldn't have the battery in stock until today. I went over there this morning and they had my battery ready but when I asked if they do complimentary installs, the employee said they only do it for "easy" installs (see: in the engine bay, no coding, no venting, etc). I had assumed this would be the case so I carried my new battery out to my car and got to work.

I knew the basic process of replacing the battery, but I followed this guide to be sure: http://www.bmw330ci.net/maintenance/battery.php

It didn't take more than 15 minutes out in the rain to get it done. I did use the same plastic elbow tubing from the original battery since one wasn't supplied with the new battery, but other than that no issues. I put everything back together, turned the car on (which was faster and the starter motor stronger than before), and heard no "POP" sound. The sound has been intermittent up to this point but hopefully this will solve my issue :fingerscrossed

New battery installed:
http://i.imgur.com/umsAN2B.jpg?1

Old OEM battery removed:
http://i.imgur.com/ydVV55g.jpg?1

Is this the OEM battery production and/or installation date (03/2005) stamped on the negative post? There weren't any other stickers to indicate that information.
http://i.imgur.com/aa28w8V.jpg?2

330i Lover

12-03-2015, 12:05 PM

Looks good, I've never heard of that popping sound being caused by the battery but now I have. Hopefully you had some cover during the rain, that could be catastrophic.

BMWCurves

12-03-2015, 12:30 PM

Thanks! And yes, I hope it fixes my popping sound, but I'll wait a few days to get a verdict. The rain wasn't bad, thankfully, just sort of spritzing. I did the install on my own right there in AutoZone's lot because I didn't want to have to drive home, swap the battery, then drive back out there to give them my original battery to get my core deposit back ($18).

danewilson77

12-03-2015, 02:30 PM

Is this the OEM battery production and/or installation date (03/2005) stamped on the negative post? There weren't any other stickers to indicate that information.
http://i.imgur.com/aa28w8V.jpg?2

Yes

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johnrando

12-03-2015, 08:12 PM

Good stuff

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BMWCurves

12-09-2015, 09:02 PM

Over the last week or so I've had a few things done.

1. Replaced the brakes and rotors (12/04/2015 - 52,163 miles) - For rotors I used BMW Performance cross-drilled rotors I bought from Tippey764 here (http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?15806-NIB-front-BMW-Performance-rotors). The rotors are lighter, supposedly have improved wet weather and temperature dissipation, and look cooler than solid rotors. I should note that the rotors I received came in boxes with part numbers as follows:

34210431907 - Rears (320x22mm) (2x)
34110431905 - Left (325x25mm)
34110431906 - Right (325x25mm)

However, these parts have been discontinued and superseded by the following parts, which Tippey764 stated were the ones I would receive:

34212282873 - Rears (320x22mm) (2x)
34112282871 - Left (325x25mm)
34112282872 - Right (325x25mm)

It doesn't really matter to me they aren't the same as long as they work well, but if anyone has any insight with regard to the differences between the two sets of rotors, I am interested! I did notice that according to RealOEM.com, the current rear rotors weigh 0.15kg more than my superseded rotors, and 0.299kg more for the fronts. Who knows if that's correct or not.

For pads I settled on Hawk Performance High Performance Street (HPS) 5.0. After reading around on some reviews here and elsewhere on the internet, it seems the Hawk pads offered good performance, low dust, low noise, and good price point. Guy (3ZHPGUY) helped me find the proper part numbers (Fronts: HB464B.764, Rears: HB518B.642) and informed me that they were on sale from TireRack (plus free shipping!), so I bought a set back in September. For a little more info and photos you can go here (http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?15714-William-s-330Ci-ZHP-Maintenance-and-Project-Thread&p=451100#post451100).

The job itself was relatively easy. I took my time and followed two guides:

http://www.dvatp.com/bmw/brakes
http://www.bmw330ci.net/maintenance/brakes.php

I did scrape my knuckles a few times trying to get the carrier bolts off, but thankfully I had on some padded mechanic's gloves that saved my hands from the worst damage. I had previously purchased four rotor hex bolts (34211161806) in anticipation of finding them already stripped or stripping them myself, but neither of those scenarios occurred. The other difficult point was the stubborn rotors that were seized onto the hub. The method that worked best for me was to take a small block of wood and place it on the rotor at the 12 o'clock position, bang on it with a hammer a couple of times, then repeat at the 6, 3 and 9 o'clock positions until the rotor came off. Not elegant, but effective. All in all, the whole job probably took about 6 hours with a couple breaks.

I was planning on painting the calipers yellow using G2's caliper paint kit from TireRack (http://www.tirerack.com/brakes/accessoryDetail.jsp?ID=41). However, that required cleaning the brake assemblies of brake dust and dirt which was very difficult given I didn't want to detach the caliper from the brake line (requiring I bleed and/or flush the brake system which I did recently). Even then, applying brake cleaner, vigorous scrubbing with a wire brush, and even a drill with a wire wheel attachment did little to clean off the baked on dirt and grime. I decided I would hold off on painting my calipers until I can remove them fully and clean them by soaking them in some sort of solvent to make the cleaning process easier. If you're going to do something, you might as do it properly.

I still need to bed the brakes, and I figured I would use Hawk's own instructions located on the box and are as follows:

After installing new brake pads, make 6 to 10 stops from approximately 30-35 mph applying moderate pressure.
Make an additional 2 to 3 hard stops from approximately 40 to 45 mph
DO NOT DRAG BRAKES!
Allow 15 minutes for brakes to cool down.
After step 4 your new pads are ready to use

A few pictures
Front passenger brake assembly - before:
http://i.imgur.com/3hacRIK.jpg

Caliper (left, resting on the wheel chock) and carrier removed:
http://i.imgur.com/tbD2B1M.jpg

Assorted parts of the caliper and carrier assembly:
http://i.imgur.com/4PjvHcU.jpg

Rotor removed:
http://i.imgur.com/5BbABth.jpg

All reassembled with new pads and rotors:
http://i.imgur.com/2JQVe4P.jpg

2. Applied Bimmian ///M Color Stickers to the grille (12/05/2015 - 52,163 miles) - I purchased these during Bimmian's Black Friday sale (part no. GSTAA1YYY). They come in various widths but all the same length. Install was simple. I quickly scrubbed the grille with a damp soapy rag, washed it off with a wet rag, dried it, then did one last cleaning with an alcohol swab. Afterwards I carefully applied the stickers, starting at the top and working my way down to the bottom where I cut the bottom to the properly length. I actually like how it looks even though it's not OEM (it is a styling cue from newer BMWs). It adds some color and contrast to an otherwise dark car.

Pics:
http://i.imgur.com/IGTGGx5.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/oLzMhEf.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/ABPtRJk.jpg

3. Spray painted the lower mesh grille (12/05/2015 - 52,163 miles) - I wanted to refresh my lower grille but decided I didn't want to go through the hassle of removing the bumper, despite the fact that is what I had originally planned to do using ecrabb's excellent guide (http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?16673-DIY-M-Tech-II-Coupe-Bumper-Removal-Grille-Refresh-doityourself). Instead, I removed the license plate bracket (and managed to misplace the bottom screw behind the bracket in the process), taped off the bumper surrounding the grille using painter's tape, and stuffed newspaper behind the grille to prevent overspray by sliding it down through the engine bay in front of the radiator. I had cleaned the grille as best I could the day before so that it would be dry when I painted it. I used Rust-Oleum Stops Rust Semi-Gloss Protective Enamel spray paint (http://www.lowes.com/pd_632288-90-284378___?productId=50257747&pl=1&Ntt=rust-oleum+stops+rust+semi-gloss). The lighting at the time was poor so I don't have any good pics from before or the process, but see below. I think it turned out well for $5 and some time!

Pics
You can see how faded and gray the grille looks here:
http://i.imgur.com/oLzMhEf.jpg

All together:
http://i.imgur.com/ABPtRJk.jpg

Up close, although not a very good shot:
http://i.imgur.com/TPm8lcU.jpg

4. Sunroof sunshade repaired (12/07/2015 to 12/09/2015 - 52,169 miles) - I'm not sure how, but my sunshade for the sunroof hopped off the rail on the rear passenger bracket. I'm guessing that it happened when I drove five of my friends in my car a short distance across town, meaning that two sat in front, one with their head against the roof. That probably provided enough flex for the sunshade to hop its rail. At any rate, the sunshade was stuck forward and could only be manually pulled back about two inches. Everything else functioned properly and there weren't any crunching noises. I tried forcing the sunshade's bracket back onto the rail by raising the sunroof but I couldn't apply enough force for that to work. Since the sunshade was stuck closed I couldn't access the screws that hold in the sunroof to remove the glass so that I could access the brackets. While futzing with it I managed to hop another bracket off its rail and really messed it up, so I left it to my mechanic. Some new brackets and a day later I had it fixed.

I also heard some slight clunking sound from the rear passenger wheel well that I assumed was a loose bolt from my brake job so I had the mechanic inspect that. Sure enough, when he inspected all the bolts he found one loose at that location. He went ahead and torqued them all down to spec free of charge (only two needed adjustment).

5. Coded some things with PA Soft (12/09/2015 - 52,172 miles) - There were two things I didn't like: 1. the auto-lock feature and the warning beep when exterior temperature was less than or equal to 37F. My original ZKE5 settings were as follows:

http://i.imgur.com/ZaBemXI.png

At first I was hoping there was a solution where the car would automatically unlock its doors when the ignition was turned off, but sadly it doesn't appear that option exists. So instead I decided to turn off the auto-lock feature. To do so, I deselected "After starting" of lock, key 1, and key 2 under "Automatic Locking." Then under "Locking condition" I selected "Terminal R" so that if the first thing I did didn't deactivate the auto-lock feature, it would at least only engage in reverse, or at least that was my understanding. (EDIT: Drove my car the following morning, the doors never locked while driving!) Finally, I decided I did want my car to auto-lock if I don't open the door for two minutes after unlocking the car, so I selected "2 min after unlocking w/o opening." I'm not sure it all worked since I haven't driven it yet, but I did test the relock feature by locking the car, then unlocking it and waiting two minutes. The car locked itself after about two minutes. However, the clown nose wouldn't blink leading me to assume that while it physically locks the doors, it will not arm the alarm system. Anyone know anything about this? The final settings were:

http://i.imgur.com/fTLvMHO.png

To turn off the exterior temperature warning I went into the IKE, which was as follows before:

http://i.imgur.com/GNrkHYH.png

Under "Check/control, warnings" I deselected "C/C outside temperature. I also deselected "Out. temperature warning" under "Acoustic warnings." I'm not sure if only doing one would turn off the warning, but I decided to do both to make sure. Again, I haven't verified that it works since I haven't driven it nor have temps been below 40 this week. Sadly, I forgot to take a screencap of the IKE when I was finished, but you get the idea.

Overall I am pleased with the work done recently. I also sourced a gently used black leather parking brake boot (34408227928) and new black leather shift boot (25111434426) that I will swap with the alcantara ones currently installed. I like the alcantara since it separates the ZHP from non-ZHP E46s, but it seems out of place now that I have had a leather steering wheel installed since April or May. Also, sitting in my father's 2006 330Ci ZHP I think the all-leather boot option looks good.

Near future modification/maintenance plans:

Apex ARC8 17x8.5" ET40 wheels in Anthracite when the group buy goes live. Wrap them in 245/40R17 Continental ExtremeContact DW.
E46 M3 engine mounts (11812283798) and transmission mounts (22322282340).
Install ProClip onto the Bimmian cell phone bracket.
Wash and detail the car (inside and out). Includes simple green spray down of the engine bay, leatherique of the interior, and deep clean of the exterior.
Source E46 M3 heated seats with power lumbar and bolster adjustment

Vas

12-10-2015, 04:49 AM

Good job.

ecrabb

12-10-2015, 08:48 AM

Nice work! The grille looks awesome and you avoided several hours of disassembly and reassembly, not to mention the can of paint is much cheaper than a new part and will likely hold up better. Plastic is plastic, after all.

Very jealous of all the coding stuff. That's something I need to get into. I hate the 37-degree warning. My wife and I joke about it all the time. It's 37 degrees! Oh, god, the humanity! ;) I just need to take the time and read up on what I need to buy and download.

Cheers,
SC

BMWCurves

12-10-2015, 09:11 AM

Good job.

Thanks!

Nice work! The grille looks awesome and you avoided several hours of disassembly and reassembly, not to mention the can of paint is much cheaper than a new part and will likely hold up better. Plastic is plastic, after all.

Very jealous of all the coding stuff. That's something I need to get into. I hate the 37-degree warning. My wife and I joke about it all the time. It's 37 degrees! Oh, god, the humanity! ;) I just need to take the time and read up on what I need to buy and download.

Cheers,
SC

Yeah, I was pretty tired and getting to that point of "worst case the easy route doesn't work and I can fix it the other way later" sort of mentality so I just went ahead and painted it without removing the bumper.

There are a lot of coding options I have found, but pretty much all of my needs can be met with BMW Scanner and PA Soft I bought from Tony (Tnhl1989) for $35 in his for sale thread here (http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?14456-FS-PASOFT-BMW-SCANNER-1-4). Installing the software is a little bit confusing, but once you get it running it's simple enough. My skimpy directions and first things I coded can be found here (http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?15714-William-s-330Ci-ZHP-Maintenance-and-Project-Thread&p=432475#post432475)

danewilson77

12-10-2015, 04:45 PM

Excellent progress.

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BMWCurves

12-17-2015, 04:09 PM

Installed the ///M license plate cover I picked up from NoVAphotog (Daniel) in the rear. Ignoring the dirt (I haven't washed the car in ages), I think it looks quite good! Much better than the dealer-branded covers. Now I need to source another one for the front. Apparently my local BMW dealership is having a 20% off deal on accessories, so I might be able to pick one up for a bit of a discount.

http://i.imgur.com/az5QgMU.jpg

In other news, over the weekend I got together all my maintenance records together which required tracking down and printing a lot of PayPal receipts, and put them into individual sleeves in a binder. Feels good to have it all together.

http://i.imgur.com/KHDNobq.jpg

330i Lover

12-17-2015, 04:30 PM

In Yoda talk, "mmmMMMmmm BMW fever you have! "

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BMWCurves

12-18-2015, 09:27 AM

Yes, yes I am. Isn't that why we're all here?

:help

slater

12-18-2015, 09:58 AM

Installed the ///M license plate cover I picked up from NoVAphotog (Daniel) in the rear. Ignoring the dirt (I haven't washed the car in ages), I think it looks quite good! Much better than the dealer-branded covers. Now I need to source another one for the front. Apparently my local BMW dealership is having a 20% off deal on accessories, so I might be able to pick one up for a bit of a discount.

http://i.imgur.com/az5QgMU.jpg

that looks really nice. when i saw daniel posted it, i thought, "i'm going to PM him NOW!" but then i saw it said, 'sale pending'... gah.

i would like two of these as well. subtle.

Alikessu

12-20-2015, 08:16 AM

great look
congrats, and I like the binder idea. I should start that aswell since I recently bought my ZHP

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BMWCurves

12-27-2015, 02:09 AM

A few updates over the last week or so:

Last Friday my local BMW dealership had a 20% off accessories sale so I picked up an ///M license plate cover (part no. 82120010404) like I have for the rear as well as some black BMW all weather mats (part no. 82550151192 [fronts], 82550136373 [rears]).

License Plate Cover - 12/20/15 (52,380 miles)
Installing the license plate cover was actually a bit more difficult than expected because the plastic mount that comes with a coupe is curved on the top, but straight on the bottom. As a result I had to bend the cover a bit on the top. Then I ran into the issue of one of the screw holes being stripped from one of the screws in and out a few too many times so I ran down to ACE Hardware to pick up a larger diameter self-tapping screw. Thankfully the license plate cover comes with black plastic cover things so I could hide the odd screw. I managed to snap one of the covers trying to lock it closed, but thankfully I had an extra from NoVAphotog (Daniel), so I used that. Not a great photo, but I think it looks good.

http://i.imgur.com/0pnMybp.jpg

BMW All Weather Mats - 12/21/15 (52,423 miles)
I vacuumed out and wiped down the interior of my car in preparation for my trip up to Seattle with some friends to watch the new Star Wars at the Boeing IMAX that had 70/15mm projection :drool. After I cleaned up the interior I swapped out my cloth mats for the new all weather mats I picked out since it has been raining cats and dogs here recently. Seriously, until today, it had rained every day in some manner since Thanksgiving. Install was very straight forward.

http://i.imgur.com/wlBdzmH.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/kavxRWe.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/TTmEyMO.jpg

ProClip Cell Phone Mount - 12/26/15 (52,788 miles)
As an early present I received a ProClip cell phone mount (http://www.proclipusa.com/phone-holders/device/apple/iphone-6-6s-with-a-case/adjustable-holder-for-small-to-medium-cases-511666-19733.cmsv?p_leftorright=0) (item no. 511666) from my parents which I had been eagerly awaiting to put into my car. I had heard about it from NorCalZman who liked his back in the iPhone 6S thread since it fit an iPhone 6S with a slim case. First issue I had was that the mount did not come with any mounting hardware. I had two screws that came with the Bimmian bracket, but I didn't think two was enough. I ran out to Home Depot and bought four #8-32 x 3/8" stainless steel machine screws and #8-32 nylon lock nuts that were very similar to the mounting hardware that came with the Bimmian bracket.

To mount the ProClip I unscrewed the center screw that mates the two parts of the ProClip together so I could mount the back plate to the Bimmian Bracket. I found that I would have to rotate the plate 90 degrees so that I could put screws in all four holes. After placing the four screws I remounted the second piece of the ProClip and then adjusted the width of the ProClip by loosening the two side adjustment screws, placing my phone in the mount and adjusting the width, removing the phone, and tightening down the two adjustment screws again. All set! I used it when I went up to Seattle and it worked great, I really like the setup since it is within the same plane of the shifter and not very distracting. Since then I had to make some adjustments so photos are from today when I removed it to spray paint the screws with the same black spray paint I used on my lower grille. I'll update with new photos later. EDIT: new photos with the painted hardware can be seen here (http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?15714-William-s-330Ci-ZHP-Maintenance-and-Project-Thread&p=466830#post466830). I apologize that there aren't any photos showing what the mount looks like with my phone in the mount, but I don't have any other photo-taking gadgets currently.

The ProClip mount
http://i.imgur.com/Ba2K3q0.jpg

The ProClip mounting plate with two Bimmian mounting screws/nuts.
http://i.imgur.com/csyzZVf.jpg

Bimmian bracket
http://i.imgur.com/lK6nYbJ.jpg

ProClip mounting plate bolted to Bimmian bracket with mounting hardware bought from Home Depot
http://i.imgur.com/xxoajXU.jpg

Front part of the ProClip mount reattached to the mounting bracket
http://i.imgur.com/xUEDvrC.jpg

Side view of it all together
http://i.imgur.com/0lYsX61.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/KPI4ETu.jpg

Leather Shift and Parking Brake Boots - 12/26/15 (52,788 miles)
Even though I like the alcantara boots because they were a ZHP-only option, I feel like with my leather steering wheel I should have a leather shift boot (part no. 25111434426) and parking brake boot (part no. 34408227928) to match. I picked up a brand new shift boot and a used parking brake boot off of E46Fanatics classifieds for cheap. For the shift boot I simply removed the shift knob by pulling it up, pulled out the alcantara boot and swapped it with the leather boot, then reinstalled the shift knob. The parking brake boot required using a trim removal tool to push the upper portion of the boot away from the console. Once it was free, you turn it inside out to expose the zip tie which I then cut, freeing the alcantara boot. I installed the leather boot, applied a new zip tie, and secured the new boot in place. All in all a pretty quick job that I think improves the interior.

Alcantara shift boot
http://i.imgur.com/nIPBhOO.jpg

Shift knob removed
http://i.imgur.com/WY1QpJj.jpg

Alcantara shift boot swapped out for leather boot
http://i.imgur.com/v8faVB3.jpg

Shift knob reinstalled
http://i.imgur.com/qWdqeLk.jpg

Alcantara parking brake boot
http://i.imgur.com/UazSl2U.jpg

Alcantara boot flipped inside out exposing zip tie
http://i.imgur.com/IBTFnGb.jpg

Zip tie removed along with alcantara boot
http://i.imgur.com/tdcpL3n.jpg

Leather parking brake boot installed
http://i.imgur.com/UdIZZxt.jpg

Overall I think those two additions help keep the cabin feel modern. I may switch back to my alcantara boots though, they are in great condition and definitely are characteristic of the car and make the car feel distinct from most other things.

Other notes:

Both of the doors are rattling pretty bad around the speaker grilles. I can't tell if it's a result of something loose/broken in there rattling around or if it's the cold weather providing enough material shrinkage that they can now rattle but will improve with warmer weather. Either way, it's annoying, but it also occurred in my previous E46.
I swapped my usual key for my extra key during my trip to Seattle to charge it. I remember reading that taking long trips with your second key will help charge it. Not sure if that's true but couldn't hurt, could it?
The car ran great all the way up to Seattle and back with zero issues, averaging about 28 mpg.
I need new wiper blades. I'm going to try out Bosch Icons I think and see how they do. Going through the best windshield wiper thread (http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?4918-Best-Wiper-Blades-for-ZHP) didn't reveal any one clear choice, but one-piece wipers have always done well for me in the past.
I believe the issue with my yellow low-oil warning light coming on is due both to consumption of oil by the engine (a tiny bit is being consumed, maybe half a quart over 3,500 miles) but also that it comes on most often with sustained downhill drives. I live at around 800 feet and to get almost anywhere I have to lose elevation. If the oil level sensor points toward the rear of the car, perhaps prolonged declines incorrectly trick the sensor into thinking there is insufficient oil. Maybe not. Either way I'm replacing the sensor on the next oil change, which I will switch to Mobil1 0W-40 which I ordered from CostCo thanks to Shawn's sharp eye.

Vas

12-27-2015, 05:37 AM

Skip the Bosch and get oe euro blades

danewilson77

12-27-2015, 05:59 AM

Nice William. Regarding the Proclip mount, where are the foam pads located?

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BMWCurves

12-27-2015, 10:38 AM

Skip the Bosch and get oe euro blades

Any particular reason? I've had no issues with similar one-piece type wipers on our other cars. Also, do you have the part numbers for those?a

Nice William. Regarding the Proclip mount, where are the foam pads located?

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Thanks! There aren't any foam pads with the ProClip as far as I know? The plastic backing plate of the ProClip mounts directly onto the metal Bimmian bracket, and there isn't any foam between the ProClip mount and the phone.

danewilson77

12-27-2015, 11:03 AM

So...it's slippery plastic on the phone case at the contact points?

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BMWCurves

12-27-2015, 11:09 AM

Yes, it is plastic at the contact points between the mount and the phone. But when adjusted for width, it grips very well. No real wear or damage to my case either from sliding it in and out as far as I can tell.

derbo

12-27-2015, 11:27 AM

Skip the Bosch and get oe euro blades

What is the OE euro blades?

William,
car is looking great! :)

Vas

12-27-2015, 01:36 PM

These https://www.ecstuning.com/BMW-E46-330i-M54_3.0L/Exterior/Wiper/ES256038/

Compared to these factory blades
https://www.ecstuning.com/BMW-E46-330i-M54_3.0L/Exterior/Wiper/ES169962/

Sorry but auto correct went from evo to euro lol

johnrando

12-27-2015, 04:04 PM

Nice. Those little things really add up.

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BMWCurves

12-27-2015, 05:45 PM

What is the OE euro blades?

William,
car is looking great! :)

Thanks!

These https://www.ecstuning.com/BMW-E46-330i-M54_3.0L/Exterior/Wiper/ES256038/

Compared to these factory blades
https://www.ecstuning.com/BMW-E46-330i-M54_3.0L/Exterior/Wiper/ES169962/

Sorry but auto correct went from evo to euro lol

Ah, thanks for the clarification. They seem pretty much the same thing as the Bosch Icons i.e. half the people who have them have no issues with them, half the people think they were made by the devils.

Nice. Those little things really add up.

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That they do!

Vas

12-27-2015, 06:24 PM

I really like them. Nice and quite.

Factory fit and finish too.

BMWCurves

01-01-2016, 03:44 PM

Still need to buy wiper blades, but mileage starting the new year is 52,832

BMWCurves

01-08-2016, 02:46 PM

Forgot to update after I painted the mounting hardware for the Bimmian cell phone bracket and ProClip cell phone mount. I used the same paint that I used for the lower mesh grille refresh I did here (http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?15714-William-s-330Ci-ZHP-Maintenance-and-Project-Thread&p=462028#post462028).

http://i.imgur.com/0sRXu1Y.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/uoUiLKS.jpg

I think it looks quite good, better than the stainless steel beforehand.

In other news, I'm still waiting for Apex to do their 17" ARC-8 group buy :foottap

I am stuck on wheel color now. I thought I wanted Hyper Black, but now I'm considering Anthracite. A while back I had spotted another Orient Blue ZHP while browsing through Google that had ARC-8s and I liked how it looked. Turned out it was OtterEffect's car. He has 18x9" ET42 Apex ARC-8s in Anthracite so I shot him a PM asking for more pictures and these are what he sent me (I hope he doesn't mind me reposting them). I think the Anthracite color looks very good on Orient Blue, but I can't decide if it's too dark and after-markety or not. I'd be very interested to hear your thoughts!

http://i.imgur.com/RZ4Fq1U.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/Ku0j5zN.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/OdhFvwD.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/esNnYUH.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/9YDXpis.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/wSuelVj.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/8w6dbjg.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/p3q5wm8.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/T5oxpOh.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/yqKS39P.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/NdZm4hk.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/xZtlIBy.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/njPK1TO.jpg

Sockethead

01-08-2016, 04:33 PM

I think they look pretty good on there :)
What color hyper black are you thinking about? I can't remember. There are so many different variations....

Vas

01-08-2016, 04:37 PM

Darios old car. Still looks great

Sockethead

01-08-2016, 04:41 PM

I don't remember sorry ... My memory is shot from chasing 2 yr old twins
Here's the hyper silver wheels on my car

http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/16/01/08/20fcd49a719b8d130d79806598ba8e92.jpg

http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/16/01/08/82393b5936f01373cc577cd501cc6ce9.jpg

jhs1210

01-08-2016, 05:58 PM

Damn, those do look good!

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johnrando

01-08-2016, 06:22 PM

Mount looks good. Both those colors are sweet, tough choice. I know, not much help.

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san

01-09-2016, 04:28 AM

Don't think you can go wrong with either but I'm a bit biased towards anthracite

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ELCID86

01-09-2016, 01:07 PM

Don't think you can go wrong with either but I'm a bit biased towards anthracite

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Same here.

---
"ZHP is a garbage option anyway- just some cosmetic upgrades with a different cam and diff to claw back some of the performance lost fitting those hideous and heavy wheels. Any 330 with a 3.46 diff will smoke a ZHP every time. The whole Mafia thing reeks of childish behavior." - an e46f member

BMWCurves

01-09-2016, 04:27 PM

I think they look pretty good on there :)
What color hyper black are you thinking about? I can't remember. There are so many different variations....

What brand wheels are those that you have in your pics? And I'm referring to Apex's "Hyper Black." The best photos I could scrounge on E46s with Hyper Black ARC-8s on a car with dark exterior paint are below:

http://i.imgur.com/LpDdA.jpg
http://i392.photobucket.com/albums/pp10/jakermacdorey/ridez_zps95c99d60.jpg~original
http://i392.photobucket.com/albums/pp10/jakermacdorey/image_zps32371957.jpg~original
http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5330/8411100951_fdd8f50c3a_c.jpg
http://www.m5board.com/vbulletin/attachment.php?attachmentid=387433&stc=1&thumb=1&d=1394485190
http://i61.tinypic.com/1z5oemu.jpg
http://i57.tinypic.com/2gtvkwg.jpg
http://i58.tinypic.com/wspu93.jpg
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y205/king-rb/f00dca9a.jpg~original
http://i.imgur.com/fIEjYl.jpg
https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7547/15757955176_0dc2e9fc2f_c.jpg

And then another dark car on Anthracite ARC-8s:
http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5020/5449142437_fae21c2f8a_b.jpg

Sockethead

01-09-2016, 04:56 PM

The ones on my car are cheap eBay wheels lol. $500 shipped. I needed some wheels in a hurry...
They are holding up surprisingly well.

BMWCurves

01-09-2016, 05:59 PM

The ones on my car are cheap eBay wheels lol. $500 shipped. I needed some wheels in a hurry...
They are holding up surprisingly well.

That's right, I forgot! Well I'm glad they're holding up.

In other news, I listened to Vas and ordered Evo wiper blades (part. no 61610037009). I picked them up from FCP Euro since their lifetime warranty covers wear parts including wiper blades.

Vas

01-09-2016, 06:45 PM

Thumbs up

330i Lover

01-09-2016, 08:04 PM

That's right, I forgot! Well I'm glad they're holding up.

In other news, I listened to Vas and ordered Evo wiper blades (part. no 61610037009). I picked them up from FCP Euro since their lifetime warranty covers wear parts including wiper blades.
No way, a warranty covers wiper blades from going bad for life? I'd be curious to know how they determine whether or not a wiper has gone bad.

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BMWCurves

01-09-2016, 08:31 PM

No way, a warranty covers wiper blades from going bad for life? I'd be curious to know how they determine whether or not a wiper has gone bad.

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As am I, but hey, worth trying. It's explicitly stated in their warranty:

Q: Does your lifetime replacement promise include standard wear items like brake components, filters, and wiper blades?
A: Yes, our lifetime replacement includes every product we sell including wear items.

Source: https://www.fcpeuro.com/page/lifetime-guarantee

az3579

01-09-2016, 09:29 PM

No way, a warranty covers wiper blades from going bad for life? I'd be curious to know how they determine whether or not a wiper has gone bad.

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FCP Euro's lifetime warranty on every single part they sell is why I buy almost exclusively from them now. And they're local to me...
If you buy a cooling system from them and the parts wear out, you can replace the parts for free. Anything and everything. If it's worn, it can be replaced, no questions asked.

All the crap that breaks regularly on our cars, such as the windshield cowls, the fading bumper grilles, window regulators, cooling system parts, whatever... all of it's covered. Buy that crap once and you're good for life.

330i Lover

01-09-2016, 09:31 PM

[emoji122]

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BMWCurves

01-09-2016, 09:59 PM

FCP Euro's lifetime warranty on every single part they sell is why I buy almost exclusively from them now. And they're local to me...
If you buy a cooling system from them and the parts wear out, you can replace the parts for free. Anything and everything. If it's worn, it can be replaced, no questions asked.

All the crap that breaks regularly on our cars, such as the windshield cowls, the fading bumper grilles, window regulators, cooling system parts, whatever... all of it's covered. Buy that crap once and you're good for life.

Have you ever filed for a warranty claim with them? I'm not questioning you, just wondering what the experience was like. If it's as good as they promise I'm glad I've purchased a lot of my stuff through them.

Vas

01-10-2016, 07:03 AM

Do you have to remove the parts, send it to them and have them verify it first? And then they send you the replacement? If that's the case, we'll your car will just sit waiting for parts.

az3579

01-10-2016, 07:21 AM

I remember asking them and they said they can do an advance replacement if you don't want to wait. Pay for new part and receive, send back old one, get a refund.

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BMWCurves

01-15-2016, 08:36 PM

The Evo wipers arrived from FCP Euro today, part no. 61610037009. The installation instructions on the box were a little confusing so I just decided to try it on my own. I remembered that you have to remove some plastic piece from the driver's side arm so I located that and fiddled with it until it snapped out of place. The removal of the wiper blades themselves was easy enough, and installation of the new ones was a snap. Now it's to be seen whether or not they're any good.

A good installation video I found after the fact is below, starting at 4:55:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vYnT_W2zqEU

I did notice that there is the gap on the passenger's side that I had heard people talk about. I think it's just inherent in the single piece design. Shouldn't really matter anyways. Pics below.

EDIT: I've used these for two days now in the rain. They're excellent. Much quieter than my old and failing OEM blades and don't form any streaks. I should note that they miss maybe 1/2" of wiping on the driver's side on the bottom of the windshield at the top of the stroke and about 3/4-1" on the bottom of the windshield on the passenger side at the beginning of the stroke. Neither are noticeable while driving and don't bother me in the slightest. Good upgrade.

The box the wiper blades came in:
http://i.imgur.com/iy9fuQW.jpg

The aforementioned gap between the passenger's side wiper blade and the windshield:
http://i.imgur.com/LxlHVUS.jpg

Vas

01-16-2016, 05:35 AM

I like them alot

BMWCurves

01-21-2016, 02:29 PM

Tire pressure adjusted to:
Front - 38 psi
Rear - 40 psi

BMWCurves

01-22-2016, 04:44 PM

Gave her a wash, it was long overdue:

http://i.imgur.com/XaosH4h.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/2SHwAMt.jpg

Vas

01-22-2016, 04:50 PM

Looks good

BMWCurves

01-22-2016, 04:55 PM

Looks good

Thanks! I also just remembered that now that the car is clean, I could finally install my ZHPMafia sticker. I am not one for stickers on my car, but given how often I'm on here, and how small and unobtrusive it is, I think it is appropriate. Looks good, IMO:

http://i.imgur.com/Ns6MdyC.jpg

Jconlin16

01-22-2016, 05:13 PM

Car looks great man! Glad to see you add the Mafia sticker.

Vas

01-22-2016, 05:33 PM

Thumbs up

RUS_ZHP

01-22-2016, 07:54 PM

Thanks! I also just remembered that now that the car is clean, I could finally install my ZHPMafia sticker. I am not one for stickers on my car, but given how often I'm on here, and how small and unobtrusive it is, I think it is appropriate. Looks good, IMO:

http://i.imgur.com/Ns6MdyC.jpg
Nice!

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johnrando

01-23-2016, 04:00 PM

Like the sticker

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BMWCurves

02-05-2016, 05:52 PM

A few things:

Purchased a set of used LED tail lights from a seller parting out his car (Sparkling Graphite Metallic on Alcantara 330Ci ZHP. VIN: WBAD53455PL15929). I struggled to find the DIY to repair my dim LED in the driver's side tail light blinker, so I went the used parts route. I figure I can either hold onto the passenger side tail light in case my current one fails in some way, or sell the slightly defective driver's side and the spare passenger side as a set and recoup my cost. Found here: http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?17509-Parts-car-2005-330ci-SGM-Alcantara-AT-zhp-for-parts-CHEAP!!-(Hoschton-GA)
I'm headed up to Seattle tomorrow to pick up a complete black E46 M3 nappa leather interior! The bolster air pump was repaired and the seller had the seat surfaces conditioned at BMW Seattle so they should be in pretty good shape when I get them. I look forward to the nicer leather and better bolstered front seats along with lumbar support. Hopefully I can recoup some of the cost by selling my current interior which is in very good shape.
I do need to purchase new door trim clips in pursuit of eliminating the door rattle during my interior swap. I believe I need 51418224768 (x16) and 51418224781 (x6), and probably a few spares in case I break any of them. I also need some trim pins (part no. 51458266808) for the brushed aluminum trim coming with the interior I'm purchasing so I can sell it more intact.
While doing the interior swap I plan to try and get a handle on the rear deck rattle, following this DIY: http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?4717-Double-DIY-Rear-Window-Shelf-Refurbish-amp-Rattle-Solution-doityourself
While ordering those parts I might as well locate a Mann oil change kit (filter, o-ring (big), little o-rings (2x 11427549573), and a crush washer).

I won't get to the interior swap until I have those aforementioned parts ordered.

Vas

02-05-2016, 05:58 PM

Best of luck

Sockethead

02-05-2016, 07:20 PM

I just got some of those clips that hold the door cards to the doors a couple of days ago when I swapped my mirror shells The part number for the clips I got were 51-41-1-973-500 These are the proper white clips not the gray ones.

There is a DIY for Eagle Eye LED tail lights on e46f... don't know if that would help you at all

BMWCurves

02-05-2016, 07:37 PM

Best of luck

Thanks! I hope the interior turns out to be in as good of shape as the photos look to be. That, and I hope the swap isn't too difficult, but I think I can manage.

I just got some of those clips that hold the door cards to the doors a couple of days ago when I swapped my mirror shells The part number for the clips I got were 51411973500 These are the proper white clips not the gray ones.

There is a DIY for Eagle Eye LED tail lights on e46f... don't know if that would help you at all

There seems to be a fair number of part numbers for these door clips. The numbers I mentioned are what I found to be the most up to date parts according to RealOEM. The larger quantity are white and have a foam washer while the other ones are gray and have a rubber washer. I'm hoping the washers will help eliminate door rattle at least for a little while.

Do you have a link to the Eagle Eye LED repair DIY? I knew there was a guide on E46F that I found a year or two ago, but can't for the life of me find it (my Google-fu is weak recently :facepalm). It's too late now to do the repair only, since the set I bought has already shipped, but it would be cool if I could repair the damaged one.

Sockethead

02-05-2016, 07:52 PM

I got my clips from the dealership but they didn't have the foam washers

LOL on the DIY because I've had that page open on my iPad for close to year in hopes I'd get around to fixing my eagle eyes

http://www.e46fanatics.com/forum/showthread.php?t=880623

BMWCurves

02-05-2016, 08:40 PM

YES! Thank you! That's the one. Yeesh, I spent ages looking for that damn article but now that Google tailors your search, it disappeared.

BMWCurves

02-07-2016, 12:33 AM

I drove up to Des Moines, WA today and bought a full Black Nappa leather interior (N5SW) pulled from a 2006 E46 Laguna Seca Blue M3. I'm waiting to hear back from the seller on mileage and VIN of the M3 for my own records, but the interior is in great shape for a 10 year old car! He had the front seats detailed at Seattle BMW and repaired a failed bolster air pump. The front seats are in fantastic condition.

The rear seats have a few more blemishes, but I'm hoping a trip to my local BMW dealership can shed light on someone who can detail them and bring them up to snuff. In particular there is a small scratch on the rear seat bottom on the driver's side that needs to be dyed, the fold down arm rest leather is a bit stretched in a specific point, like someone sat on the seatbelt buckle (the male part connected to the belt) with a lot of weight while it was resting on the seat back, and ditto for one of the lateral pieces (the leather between the seat back and the rear side card). Both side cards have small nick at the top in the "hard" leather and is missing a piece of said leather, but I believe they'll be covered up by the felt/fuzzy trim around the rear windows so the blemishes won't be visible.

If those issues can be remedied cheaply, I'll swap the whole interior!

I also got the Brushed Aluminum Shadow trim (737) that is in decent shape. The trim in front of the passenger on the dash has a broken trim pin (51458266808) bracket so I need to purchase another pin and epoxy it on. The trim over the radio also has a broken bracket that will need to have the same repair completed. The two door handle trims are scuffed a bit toward the rear due to the seatbelt buckle hitting it, but otherwise it's in good shape. The only piece missing is the center console trim. I plan to swap out the door handles and rear arm rests with my Black Cube trim and sell the aluminum trim.

The last big decision is to decide whether or not to swap the speakers currently in my car with the speakers in the M3 door cards. While the speakers out of the M3 are newer ('06 vs my '05), I would wager my speakers are in better shape since my car was previously owned by a married couple for 10 years. I am pretty sure I'll just swap my speakers over to the M3 door cards.

I still plan to purchase new door trim clips for the door to minimize door rattle, 51418224768 (x16) and 51418224781 (x6). Also need to pick up all the parts needed for an oil change (Mann oil change kit (filter, o-ring (big), little o-rings (2x 11427549573), and a crush washer)). Sigh, yet more shopping.

AND the APEX ARC-8 17" group buy opens up in a couple of days so I need to purchase those. Then I'll finally be done with purchases for awhile ("first stage of addiction is denial..." :shift)

Lorenzo

02-07-2016, 04:02 AM

Wow. You have quite the extensive project ahead of you. But sounds exciting.

cakM3

02-07-2016, 04:29 AM

William, congrats on the ///M interior :thumbsup It shouldn't be too difficult to change out the interior just so you know. I did a complete interior swap on my ///M a few years ago in February of all months and did it in a day... (dash, carpets - front/back, back seats, front seats, and head rests). Just take your time and enjoy the transformation :)

BMWCurves

02-07-2016, 08:09 AM

Wow. You have quite the extensive project ahead of you. But sounds exciting.

Yup, I'm pretty excited!

William, congrats on the ///M interior :thumbsup It shouldn't be too difficult to change out the interior just so you know. I did a complete interior swap on my ///M a few years ago in February of all months and did it in a day... (dash, carpets - front/back, back seats, front seats, and head rests). Just take your time and enjoy the transformation :)

Glad to hear it wasn't painful, thanks for the confidence. I look forward to doing it once I have all the parts detailed and ready for installation!

330i Lover

02-07-2016, 08:45 AM

Sounds exciting! I look forward to seeing the results afterwards. Cheers!