REF's first project car, black slicktop sedan

[REF84]

Starting this thread to document the work I'm going to do on my ZHP. It's my second ever car and my first ever manual, and I plan to do all the work myself (hopefully), so a first for me as well. Been doing a lot of reading and building up the garage with tools. Located in North NJ

Some info on the car:

2004 330I
6 speed
Black Sapphire Metallic
Light Beige interior with black cube trim
Slick top
No heated seats
No rear folding seats
Harmon Kardon
2 owners, (1st one to 30k miles, 2nd one had til 192k miles)
192k miles currently
As far as i've seen completely stock
NO SERVICE RECORDS (WOOHOO)

Some pics:

https://i.imgur.com/HmtIkGk.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/CEvm01I.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/R3r71R6.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/huyNa0D.jpg


Bought it in May, things done so far:

-changed the oil same day with Castrol 5W-30 (going to try the liquimoly Leichtlauf 5w40 next time)
-replaced battery (had cranking issues, went away with new battery)
-new air filter (had a K&N oil filter, replaced with standard paper)
-new cabin air filter
-worn rear trunk emblem replaced
-both rear window regulators, they were original and failed (vapor barrier was untouched)
-purge valve replaced
-gas cap seal replaced
-both front rims straightened and balanced
-rear rims balanced

Took it to a mechanic to have it looked at (Rennsport Motorworks), said he didnt find anything glaring and noted the car was in good shape for the mileage, save a few things


Current known issues:
-CCV issue (has -16 measured crankcase pressure), getting lean codes,
-vacuum leak, (this might be fixed, replaced purge valve, then got different leak code, replaced gas cap seal, different leak code, then just had a shop smoke test it and found a leak on one of the purge valve hoses, mechanic threw in a new o-ring, going to run the car to see if the code comes back)
-Oil filter housing gasket leak
-Shocks/struts and the associated bump stops feel worn
-cracked differential bushing
-cracked filter housing for evap system? (according to mechanic, dont know what part that is, he called it a vapor canister filter)
-condensation in passenger side turn signal
-chips in windshield
-messed up tint baked into rear windshield (REALLY hope this isnt a pain to remove, tint guy started laughing nervously when he saw it :begging)




Planned work and upgrades:

Right around the corner
-fluids (transmission, differential, power steering, brakes)
-cooling system (purchased oem for most parts, aluminum rein water pulley, CSF OE Plus Radiator)
-M56 valve cover swap (was going to go GAS CCV but who knows when thats out, and I didnt know this existed, might as well do this instead of replace the CCV)
-Koni Special Active Shocks/Struts (bought them already, bimmerworld had a sale) Should I do control arms with these too? I hear a knock somethings when turning the steering wheel a lot on the front left wheel area


Later
-engine bay cleanup
-differential bushing
-fix condensating turn signal
-windshield replacement
-square rims/tires setup, drooling over the bimmerworld Ta5r currently, thinking of going 17s for the potholes in NJ
-fixing rock chips in hood to prevent them rusting
-fixing deep scratches on right fender (messed up a garage entry by dumping clutch too quickly while learning manual like a week into owning the car, looks like its either at primer or bare metal)
-Steering wheel leather wrap
-Other cosmetic detailing stuff

[fredo]

That’s a good plan. I refreshed the suspension last year. I considered Koni SA but decided to stay with Sachs. You can see the list of parts here:

http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?15710-Fredo-s-ZHP-Project&p=593000#post593000

I replaced both front turn signals shortly after buying my car due to condensation.

[t.er]

Nice list of parts! If you're gonna do the aluminium water pump pulley, you might as well do the ps pulley as well. I have both in aluminium from Uro.

Also yeah you'll love the 17s. I have them in a square setup and it's so nice - better ride quality, cheaper tires, ability to rotate tires, etc.

[Nyfe]

Looks like a good base to start with and rock solid plan! Car looks great!

[ZHPizza]

Slicktop solid rear seat sedan is the primo chassis. Keep this thing forever and definitely get it out to an autox once you sort out the ccv and suspension issues.

[Will]

Congrats. Looks like you got a good one. Keep an eye on that coolant expansion tank (or simply replace it for piece of mind).

[johnrando]

Excellent! Git er done!

Sent from my SM-G998U using Tapatalk

[REF84]

Thanks everyone,

Have a crap ton of parts taking space in my apartment:

Koni Active Shocks/Struts
Full Cooling system and Pulleys/Belts
GAS Disa rebuild kit and coolant cap
Fuel Pump, level sensor, and filter (car is having gas tank issues, shows empty when its half full, figure I just replace them all since I dont know when it was done)
Voltage Regulator
Oil filter housing gasket replacement kit
Power steering reservoir and hoses


Also replaced the windshield cowl the other day, makes a huge difference in the appearance of the car now.

Im thinking of doing the full cooling system and oil filter housing gasket, (as well as trans/diff fluids) this weekend. Never done this kind of thing before so a bit nervous, I'm just hoping I can finish it in 2 days. I dont use my car to commute so its not the worst thing if its out of service for awhile.

[MINIz guy]

Nice progress! I'm about 30 minutes away in Mountain Lakes, NJ, fixing up my own ZHP. Next up for me is replacing the oil pan gasket, securing the oil pump nut and welding in front subframe reinforcements!

[t.er]

welding in front subframe reinforcements!

This one isn't too common, is there something wrong with yours?

Sent from my SM-G781W using Tapatalk

[REF84]

Nice progress! I'm about 30 minutes away in Mountain Lakes, NJ, fixing up my own ZHP. Next up for me is replacing the oil pan gasket, securing the oil pump nut and welding in front subframe reinforcements!

If youre down for it I can offer a helping hand every once and awhile, I think itll help me learn. I also see you did your rear subframe/diff bushings. Mine are cracked so I definitely have to do it but looks like kind of a hard job, would love some tips there.




Update this week:
Small vacuum leak code went away, was able to pass NJ inspection, dont have to deal with that for 2 more years.

Did the manual trans and diff fluid earlier today. New to this home mechanic stuff so took longer than I thought. Getting used to jacking up the car in my small garage, and other small stuff like:

-making sure I have all the required tools next to me once I get under the car
-learning how to deal with stuck bolts, my diff fill plug was stuck, took me forever but eventually got it by tightening and loosening slightly over and over again to release the rust, then it popped right out. Felt so good lol
-overtightening is definitely a thing, I stripped a brand new trans drain plug by overtightening. Have to let go of the tighter is better mindset that I had before
-having rags handy to deal with oil

Getting in and out from under the car sucks, I didnt get a crawler because Im concerned of it moving around while under the car and me bumping into stuff, i'll get used to it.

Gear oil smells like complete dogshit, I can still remember the smell.

Drove around today with the new trans fluid, shifting felt a bit easier but not as big of a difference as I thought. And old oil was pretty dark. Maybe need to break it in a little more. Second gear still feels a little stiff but I think that is common on the e46.

More problems discovered on the car this week:

-Tank doesnt seem to fill above half. Checked the OBC settings for the fuel tank and the left tank either shows as 00 or --. Not sure if its the fuel pump, or driver side sender. I have a new fuel pump and fuel filter ready to go, sender should arrive early this week.
- Knocking sounds under the car, forgot to check but it's probably sway bar links or control arm stuff.

Will probably do fuel pump and fuel filter tomorrow but I didnt get any new vacuum line, and I dont know what the right size is. Will try to find the answer online today. Will likely save the cooling system for the weekend after unless I think I can tackle it during the week.


Still deciding whether or not do the M56 Valve Cover or the GAS CCV. I am sorta leaning towards the GAS CCV since it's easier to maintain when doing oil changes and Im kind of a sucker for supporting small businesses. I am going to preorder regardless (He has a cutoff for July 31st for this next batch if anyone is interested) and If I dont use it i'll just sell it.

[MINIz guy]

This one isn't too common, is there something wrong with yours?

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The front subframe cracking is super common on tracked E36's. Mine failed spectacularly and my junkyard replacement even had a hairline crack starting. Since my ZHP is destined to be a track car, and since the subframes are so similar, I figured I'd get this knocked out sooner rather than later.


If youre down for it I can offer a helping hand every once and awhile, I think itll help me learn. I also see you did your rear subframe/diff bushings. Mine are cracked so I definitely have to do it but looks like kind of a hard job, would love some tips there.


Send me a PM and we'll see if a time works for us. I just became a student again and will be shipping off to Michigan on 7/31, so I don't have much more time in NJ.

[REF84]

Finally got started on the car. Been putting off working on it for months, mostly due to being busy and getting cold feet, this is the first time Ive ever worked on a car besides changing fluids/very basic stuff. Got a low coolant light the other day while driving back from a 6 hour round trip drive. It looks like pressure was building up and spraying from the cap. I put on the german auto solutions cap temporarily and that slowed the leak down. It would leak again if I drove hard.

Decided it was time to start working on it. I work remote for now and when I do go in I take the bus so I can afford to have it off the road for a few days even weeks.

Going to do everything in the engine bay that I have the parts for, this includes:

M56 Valve Cover Swap/CCV delete
Spark plugs
Expansion Tank
Radiator + Hoses
Thermostat
Water pump
pulleys + tensioners
Belts
Intake Boots
Throttle Body and ICV gaskets
GAS DISA rebuild kit
Power steering reservoir
Oil filter housing gasket (viton)
Voltage regulator
New Aftermarket Intake (Injen)


It's a lot to be doing at once but I figure I only have to take this stuff apart once if I do it all at the same time.

So far I have taken apart almost everything.

38791
This is while I taking stuff apart, cooling system gutted, valve cover off






38792
Some reddish deposit in the back, engine has 196k miles. Will start using Rotella with the coming oil changes and do some engine flushes, maybe itll help.









38793
CCV deleted, throttle body/disa/icv/dipstick off, also lots of oil by OFG.










I didn't take too many pictures so far because I was really focused on taking everything apart, and swearing. Notes so far on my first go around:

-Lots of swear words and lower back pain, even though I jacked up the front of the car a little bit with wheel cribs.
-The CCV was a total PITA even though I wasnt planning on keeping the thing. Glad to be getting rid of it.
-There's coolant and oil everywhere.
-The oil filter housing gasket is leaking a crap ton of oil, going to go in with some brake cleaner and clean everything up. Also looked like the dipstick ccv hose was leaking oil. I have a huge puddle of oil under my car, hoping its just a combo of ccv/OFG and not the oil pan. Valve cover gasket looked pretty new.
-I am very grateful for youtube videos


Will post more updates and pics as the car comes together.

[BADCLOWN]

I definitely applaud your efforts to undertake this stuff on your own for the first time. Ive occasionally done some work on my fiancé's clubman S (new coolant bottle, oil changes mostly. I second your "thank god for YouTube videos" thought, makes things soooo much easier) but I absolutely refuse to do any mechanical maintenance on my ZHP for fear I will break something or mess something up.

[REF84]

I definitely applaud your efforts to undertake this stuff on your own for the first time. Ive occasionally done some work on my fiancé's clubman S (new coolant bottle, oil changes mostly. I second your "thank god for YouTube videos" thought, makes things soooo much easier) but I absolutely refuse to do any mechanical maintenance on my ZHP for fear I will break something or mess something up.

Thank you, if I had a nicer example I'd be more afraid too. But the whole point of me buying this car was to learn to drive manual (check) and learn how to work on it. My budget was around 5-6K, and I was looking at older ford focuses (foci?). I actually snagged this ZHP up for 5500, knowing it would be more expensive to maintain but more rewarding to own.

It is sort of scary but the more I take it apart the more I realize it's just a bunch of metal and plastic and nuts and bolts. Should be nothing to worry about, right? (lol)

[BMWCurves]

Nice log of stuff, and I applaud you too for doing this stuff on your own. When I picked up mine in 2015, I did similar maintenance (not the M56 valve cover) with similar levels of experience, and YouTube videos and forum tutorials were the saving grace.

[sillieidiot]

Thank you, if I had a nicer example I'd be more afraid too. But the whole point of me buying this car was to learn to drive manual (check) and learn how to work on it. My budget was around 5-6K, and I was looking at older ford focuses (foci?). I actually snagged this ZHP up for 5500, knowing it would be more expensive to maintain but more rewarding to own.

It is sort of scary but the more I take it apart the more I realize it's just a bunch of metal and plastic and nuts and bolts. Should be nothing to worry about, right? (lol)

Nice, I did the same thing tbh. Except in my case, everything was way more expensive and wasn't as well documented (DIY wise) as it is now, so I had to pioneer some shit and pray lol

You'll be in great shape. Everything is documented now, even the fuck ups lol So now you can even fix your mistakes lol

[REF84]

Fell off the project for a bit but back on it today. Did the Oil filter housing gasket and replaced the vanos oil line and both sensors on the oil filter housing. Gasket was completely worn, (it broke into a bunch of pieces when taking it out). Replaced it with a viton gasket.

Ordered the oil pan gasket so tackling that next. Removed the sway bar and controls arms, got a harbor freight engine support bar and I removed the engine mounts. Was about to drop the oil pan but realized I didn’t have an e10 torx so have to go buy one of those tomorrow.


Got 2 questions:

1. My engine and oil pan floor cover/skid plate are completely gunked up in an oily
sludge. I live in a condo and can’t really pressure wash in there. Tried cleaning it up with some shop towels but it would of taken 10 rolls. Is it bad for the engine to be dirty and gunked up? Is there an easy way to dissolve and clean it up without using a pressure washer?

2. Since everything is covered in oil my power steering lines and some of my rack are covered in oil too, so can’t tell if they’re leaking. The main hard lines under the steering rack are pretty caked in oil. Is it worth replacing all the power steering lines while I’m down here? I already have the reservoir lines.

[san]

Fell off the project for a bit but back on it today. Did the Oil filter housing gasket and replaced the vanos oil line and both sensors on the oil filter housing. Gasket was completely worn, (it broke into a bunch of pieces when taking it out). Replaced it with a viton gasket.

Ordered the oil pan gasket so tackling that next. Removed the sway bar and controls arms, got a harbor freight engine support bar and I removed the engine mounts. Was about to drop the oil pan but realized I didn’t have an e10 torx so have to go buy one of those tomorrow.


Got 2 questions:

1. My engine and oil pan floor cover/skid plate are completely gunked up in an oily
sludge. I live in a condo and can’t really pressure wash in there. Tried cleaning it up with some shop towels but it would of taken 10 rolls. Is it bad for the engine to be dirty and gunked up? Is there an easy way to dissolve and clean it up without using a pressure washer?

2. Since everything is covered in oil my power steering lines and some of my rack are covered in oil too, so can’t tell if they’re leaking. The main hard lines under the steering rack are pretty caked in oil. Is it worth replacing all the power steering lines while I’m down here? I already have the reservoir lines.

I would replace the power steering lines. A lot of the gunk could be from the power steering reservoir that just drips down, at least on mine it does.

Also, cleaning up the engine and the tray will help you identify any future leaks much more easily. I would clean up as much as possible with shop towels and then do a final rinse in a bath tub. You’d have to clean the bath tub later obviously. I have cleaned my air filter this way. Other option is taking it to a diy car wash if you have the means.


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[Will]

Fell off the project for a bit but back on it today. Did the Oil filter housing gasket and replaced the vanos oil line and both sensors on the oil filter housing. Gasket was completely worn, (it broke into a bunch of pieces when taking it out). Replaced it with a viton gasket.

Ordered the oil pan gasket so tackling that next. Removed the sway bar and controls arms, got a harbor freight engine support bar and I removed the engine mounts. Was about to drop the oil pan but realized I didn’t have an e10 torx so have to go buy one of those tomorrow.


Got 2 questions:

1. My engine and oil pan floor cover/skid plate are completely gunked up in an oily
sludge. I live in a condo and can’t really pressure wash in there. Tried cleaning it up with some shop towels but it would of taken 10 rolls. Is it bad for the engine to be dirty and gunked up? Is there an easy way to dissolve and clean it up without using a pressure washer?

2. Since everything is covered in oil my power steering lines and some of my rack are covered in oil too, so can’t tell if they’re leaking. The main hard lines under the steering rack are pretty caked in oil. Is it worth replacing all the power steering lines while I’m down here? I already have the reservoir lines.


I used Super Clean with great results. Spray it on, let is soak and wash off (or use towels to mop it up). The only difference between the foaming version vs regular is the spray bottle. I've refilled the foaming bottle from the gallon of the regular/non-foaming Super Clean and it still foams. Walmart is the cheapest (link (https://www.walmart.com/ip/Super-Clean-Tough-Task-Cleaner-Degreaser-32oz/35680296?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=0&adid=22222222222023727971&wmlspartner=wmtlabs&wl0=e&wl1=s&wl2=c&wl3=10359580816&wl4=pla-1103071148831&wl5=&wl6=&wl7=&wl10=Walmart&wl11=Online&wl12=35680296_0&wl14=walmart%20superclean&veh=sem&msclkid=f81ba78adcb31b8b78e2c5dea1d3505b&gclid=f81ba78adcb31b8b78e2c5dea1d3505b&gclsrc=3p.ds)). Walmart's the cheapest for the gallon refill, too.

If you're not able to hose it off, perhaps it's worth taking it to a self carwash to hose off the engine bay and under-side when you're all done.

If you have the budget, the time, and the willingness to change the PS hardlines, might as well. But if you're just diagnosing where the leaks are, then perhaps clean them up and then keep an eye on them (if it leaks it'll usually start weaping from where the rubber hose joins the metal crimp connectors).

Lots of good work, keep us posted.

[johnrando]

:thumbsup

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[REF84]

Thanks everyone, decided to order the power steering lines. Will post updates on it this weekend.

[REF84]

Took out my left shock/strut to take a look. Looks to be OEM, not sure if original.

This is the strut, bump stop looks toast:
https://i.imgur.com/qpR7Vt9.jpg
















This is the rear shock, doesn't look too bad, but not sure how to really tell:
https://i.imgur.com/SutCj1i.jpg
























I bought Koni active shocks/struts. The struts came with bump stops on. They're shorter than the bump stops I purchased (the white ones). The other ones are the strut stops I purchased:
https://i.imgur.com/K9C6zf5.jpg











Should I use OEM or go with the bump stops that Koni provided?

[sillieidiot]

You test the shocks by compressing them and see if they spring back. If it doesn't, or goes super slow, they are bad.

Use the koni supplied ones. Since the OE are longer, it would basically reduce the amount of travel and it would feel more bouncy.

[REF84]

https://i.imgur.com/gsWSLlW.jpg




Went to harbor freight and grabbed a spring compressor. A friend of mine helped me and we managed to get the original springs off and put them on the struts. I didnt get a picture but the original struts are a lot shorter, (1.5 to 2 inches) than the Konis. I ordered the Koni Special Active for Sport Suspension, but looks like they use the same struts for the front in both the sport and non-sport package.

I tried to get them on but theyre too long. I had the brake assembly as low as it can go and it still wasnt low enough to slide the strut into that pinch holder thing.

Anyone have any tips for fitting them?

[sillieidiot]

Are you talking about trying to fit the bottom of the strut/shock into the knuckle?

You could try fitting the spring compressor back on so you could compress it a bit and then put it in.

BTW, in that picture, it doesn't look like you have the spring seated on correctly on the bottom.

[REF84]

https://i.imgur.com/FP8ld4x.jpg



https://i.imgur.com/SogWmHW.jpg





I followed the imprint from the old rubber shim and it’s pretty much the same, the spring follows the curve and the end is about 1.5 inches away from the dip.

[sillieidiot]

Yeah usually it's closer, or even in the groove. But if that's what your factory imprint is, then I guess that's correct for your car. It's just from your pictures, the spring looks like it's slightly off to the side.

[REF84]

Dedicating the next week to the car, but bad news today. I was fumbling around for a couple of hours trying to get the front strut on. I had to remove the caliper, and remove the abs sensor and brake pad sensor to finally have enough room to push down the wheel hub assembly and get the strut in. As im torqueing the top strut mount bolts, I have my harbor freight torque wrench set to 25 ft pounds. I torque two of them down fine, but then one keeps spinning, with what feels like way past 25 foot pounds. Eventually I feel the wrench go loose, and the brand new strut tower bolt had sheared off.

I think the locking bolt on the bottom of the torque wrench kept getting loose, so it probably got loose and didnt work. Very frustrating!!! Now I have to order a new strut tower, compress the spring again, and remove the strut tower and put in the new one. I just ordered a fancier torque wrench after doing some research. I went with this:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000YOX568/ref=ox_sc_act_title_3?smid=A2DZ2V7B8TRIYM&psc=1


Been having a lot going so trying to keep myself sane with this thing. I guess I should of known I would run into issues doing my first big overhaul on a car ever. Here is a picture of the damage:

39165


Not going to give up though. Lesson learned to not blindly trust a torque wrench. And make sure I have quality tools for the job. I went ahead and also ordered a ball joint separator for the control arms. I ALMOST thought about throwing in the towel and paying for someone to a lot of this work, but figure I just spend a little extra money on some quality of life tools.



I have another question if anyone has the answer. I ordered this diff bushing kit, since the big one is torn:
https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/bmw-differential-mount-kit-lemforder-33176770788kt#reviews


Ive seen some DIYs for the big one, but not for the two smaller ones. Anyone know of a DIY where it shows replacing all 3? And what tools do I need?

[san]

The 2 smaller bushings come out the same way as the big one, just need a smaller tool. And they are fore-aft of the vehicle rather than side ways


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[papa_g]

Mistakes are painful, but they can be the best way to learn if you adopt that mindset, so good job on taking on this challenge.
I also bought my zhp kinda beat up for 5k and did all the work myself; most of the things I had never done before either.

A piece of advice: since you are probably going to touch every piece of the engine while you are doing this project, it’s good to get in the habit of cleaning every component you work on. You’re probably already doing this, but just my 2 cents. I learned this from my cousin who was big on cars for a while and I feel it gives me peace of mind that parts are going back in cleaner than when they came out.

Also, definitely find somewhere to hose off the underpan, because when it comes time to do the oil pan gasket, you will wanna get the oil pain REAL clean before putting it back on.


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[REF84]

Replaced the left strut tower I broke and installed both front struts in the car. Morale restored :) !

The precision instruments torque wrench is fantastic. Super easy to adjust (it’s just a small knob no screw, and doesn’t get harder as you increase torque), don’t have to set back to zero when done, and very nice audible tactile click. Torqued the top nuts to 25 foot pounds and the pinch bolts to 60 foot pounds.

Going to have some dinner and figure out what I’m going to tackle tomorrow.

[REF84]

Removed the power steering lines and drained all the old fluid. Was going to remove the control arms but for some reason I dont have an 18mm wrench and it's tough to get a socket on the nut so I ordered a wrench.

Back when I had a PPI the mechanic mentioned that my "evap filter" was cracked and should be replaced. He mentioned its sometimes called a cannister filter. I found out what it was and found it on the car, it's under the rear right wheel well you have to remove a panel to see it.

I didn't see any "cracks", although I didn't fully remove the panels surrounding it because they were falling apart, but I did see that one of the hoses was broken looking. Here are some photos:

https://i.imgur.com/VNDfsJl.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/w6fZqoh.jpg


Anyone know the purpose of this cannister filter? And how would I replace that hose and what is it going to?



I also removed one of the boots on the steering rack to look at it. It looked pretty clean/dry in there other than a bunch of grease on the rack. I think that's a good sign but posting here to make sure it's not a potential problem, the oily stuff on the boot I'm 99% sure is from my OFHG/OPG leaks, the whole bottom of the car is covered in oil/sludge

https://i.imgur.com/a3xdnxt.jpg

[REF84]

Some updates,

I stopped working on the car for a couple months, back on it and determined to finish in the next month or so.

When trying to replace the control arms and control arm bushings I stripped both the threads on the passenger side mounts in the frame. I was able to grind away the messed up threads for one of the holes and use a longer bolt, for the one one I had to tap up to a size m12. (stock is m10)

https://i.imgur.com/IGbvN4yl.jpg


Got a grade 8.8 instead of 10.9 for the m12. Grade 10.9 m12 would have been way overkill, tightening torque on a grade 8 m12 is 55 foot pounds, 11 more than the 44 ft lbs on a grade 10.9 m10.

Tapping wasnt too difficult, I did not have to modify the alignment dowel the m12 fit perfectly. I did have to bore out the hole on the lollipop bracket about 1mm to fit the m12 bolt.

I have now learned my lesson to not use impact tools until I have threaded things on by hand.



While I was there I replaced the steering coupler (guibo) with a new one, and did the oil pan gasket.

I got one of those threaded oil pump nuts but I didnt put it on, I heard mixed reviews because sometimes it can shear the shaft. I decided last minute to not do it, I was going to loosen the nut, I backed it off a bit, then retightened a bit again. I dont have a left threaded torque wrench, and I don't know if I really tightened it that much. Its aluminum so I didnt want to risk stripping anything. Something on the back of my mind says maybe I drop the oil pan again and check, but I REALLY dont want to do that. So many bolts.


I replaced my differential bushings after that. I went with a meyle HD big diff bushing and stock front bushings. The stock ones on my car were in good shape but the rear was pretty cracked. Used a tool I rented from a member of the ZHP facebook group.


Since the diff was off decided to detach the other suspension components back there and drop the subframe. Everything went well until I tried to remove the driver side parking brake cable.

WHAT. A. PAIN.

It would not budge at all. Soaked it with penetrant for 2 days. Tried pliers, vice grips, yanking as much as I could and it didnt move a millimeter. Eventually I decided to cut off the cable at both ends.

https://i.imgur.com/sTwyh92l.jpg

To remove the remaining cable was still a nightmare. What I had to do was stripped off the rubber sleeve and get to the twisted metal wire underneath. Then I grabbed it with a pair of pliers and twisted it to undo the twist to straighten out the wire. It kept breaking until eventually I got to the end where the subframe is. I used a drill to catch onto the wire and then pulled it out with pliers.

I did this until eventually the wire pulled out with the rubber sleeve.

https://i.imgur.com/tg7F7MHl.jpg

The outer sleeve that goes in to the subframe was still stuck in there. It was basically adhered to the subframe sleeve. I had to use a flathead and hammer it between the subframe sleeve and the rubber sleeve to break up the adhesion. Eventually I was able to get pliers in there and pull out the remaining sleeve.

Rusty Caramel Goodness:

https://i.imgur.com/CH5i31Rl.jpg


Needless to say I am going to anti-seize the living S*** out of the new parking cable I get.



While the subframe was out I inspected the bottom RACP.


https://i.imgur.com/8lC5aSVl.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/yDTrhXjl.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/dm8axYal.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/KgyhbgVl.jpg


Scraped out some more and removed studs and saw some cracks:

https://i.imgur.com/ioa0BH0l.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/HZ5zeRCl.jpg


I really dont want to weld on underside plates, I cant weld and to get someone to do it in my small garage in jackstands would probably be a pain. I've been researching a ton of ways to do this without welding underside plates, which seem to be a bandaid anyway.

For rear-reinforcement, I was going to do the new CMP rear weld-in beam.

https://cmpautoengineering.com/collections/all/products/pre-order-e46-rear-weld-in-beam

It was 182$ shipped. Yes I have to weld but only from the top, should be a lot easier for a mobile welder to come and do that, and I can cut the trunk/prep before they get here to minimize the work they have to do.

CMP also offers a front weld-in beam, but it only works if you have split folding rear seats, which I dont.

But then I found the vincebar kit, that has an epoxy/rivet version, and I ordered the fuel kit. For just under $700 including tools. I just need epoxy, and a rivet tool.


Finally I will be adding aluminum subframe bushings. Came across this guy who CNCs some solid aluminum bushings in the tri-state area. Since hes a one man shop they come out a bit cheaper than alternatives, for what looks like similar quality:

https://ctmotorsport1.com/shop/ols/products/e46-e46m3-z4-z4m-rear-subframe-solid-bushing-kit




If I stop drill the crack on my left rear mount I think I should be good doing these 3 things without needed to weld in underside plates.



I also purchased a 3.38 diff from a 330ci automatic to replace my 3.07 diff.


Since my subframe is out I will be refreshing the bushings in the rear suspension. For RTABs I was going to do meyle hd with limiters, but decided to try the MOOG Sphericals. There is a guy on the e46fanatics forum (330shawn) that made an installation kit with a spacer ring to allow proper depth insertion when installing, and some metal sleeves that allow you to use the stock bolt size in the RTAB bracket.

I'll also be replacing the rear lower control arms with some steel camber arms. Looking at either bimmerworld or powerflex. My stamped ones are in okay condition but the part just feels so cheap rather go with something nicer.

For the other bushings still trying to decide whether I should do the m3 ball bearing upgrade or stay with stock bushings.



Since I had to lower the exhaust a bit and remove the heatshield I will also be replacing my flex disc with a Meyle HD unit and replacing the CSB, and replacing some shifter bushings while Im down there.


Once that is done I will do the tranny mounts with Rogue Engineering mounts, and then button up the rest of the car front suspension (new sway bar endlinks/tie rods, sway bar bushings) and install the cooling system.


Also ordered a beisan Vanos kit.


Needless to say the scope of this project has expanded a bit but I'm loving everything I'm learning. I've become much more comfortable with DIY and really have a good idea of how a car is laid out and the quirks of the e46. Now let's see if I can finish this thing before fall weather is over.

[ZHPizza]

Sounds like a good plan but be aware of what you're getting with the Rogue tranny mounts. Any of the drivetrain-to-chassis (engine, tranny, diff) mounts are going to transmit a good bit of vibration.

I wouldn't recommend anything more than a stiffer rubber for a street driven car: M3 engine/tranny, meyle hd diff.

[Galapolis]

Sounds like a good plan but be aware of what you're getting with the Rogue tranny mounts. Any of the drivetrain-to-chassis (engine, tranny, diff) mounts are going to transmit a good bit of vibration.

I wouldn't recommend anything more than a stiffer rubber for a street driven car: M3 engine/tranny, meyle hd diff.

^^^^^^

I've had a variety of driveline mounts (various materials) and anything other than rubber ruined the car entirely. The most aggressive setup I can recommend is Group N engine mounts + M3 transmission mounts, which is what I'm running right now. You can't go wrong with a full M3 combo either though. Avoid anything other than rubber like the plague.

[REF84]

^^^^^^

I've had a variety of driveline mounts (various materials) and anything other than rubber ruined the car entirely. The most aggressive setup I can recommend is Group N engine mounts + M3 transmission mounts, which is what I'm running right now. You can't go wrong with a full M3 combo either though. Avoid anything other than rubber like the plague.


Sounds like a good plan but be aware of what you're getting with the Rogue tranny mounts. Any of the drivetrain-to-chassis (engine, tranny, diff) mounts are going to transmit a good bit of vibration.

I wouldn't recommend anything more than a stiffer rubber for a street driven car: M3 engine/tranny, meyle hd diff.

I have these: https://www.rogueengineering.com/Rogue-Engineering-Transmission-Mounts_p_137.html

It says theyre neoprene and are "compliant for street use". And bimmerworld describes them as "slightly stiffer" than m3 transmission mounts. But I didnt read any actual real world reviews. Are these really that bad? If so, I'll get m3 mounts.

I went OEM M3 for the engine mounts, not sure why I had bought rogue for transmission, I went with their shock tower mount and probably threw these in the cart too.

[Galapolis]

The advantages of stiff transmission mounts are close to 0 (I've been there) but the engine mounts make a massive difference from a performance perspective. If you're gonna go stiff, go stiff there. Less noticeable than the transmission mounts too.

That being said, full M3 parts is a good combo.

[REF84]

The advantages of stiff transmission mounts are close to 0 (I've been there) but the engine mounts make a massive difference from a performance perspective. If you're gonna go stiff, go stiff there. Less noticeable than the transmission mounts too.

That being said, full M3 parts is a good combo.

Which transmission mounts did you try before?

Im looking at reviews in the nam3 forum/e46fanatics/bimmerforums and I havent found someone say something bad about the rogue mounts (yet). I even saw a youtube review where he went from 80A poly to the rogue mounts and said they were way less harsh than the 80A poly. I believe neoprene is 60A but im not sure of the exact shore rating of the RE mounts. They all say the nvh increase amount is negligible.

In my hand they have a tiny bit of give but not much.

[Galapolis]

Which transmission mounts did you try before?

Im looking at reviews in the nam3 forum/e46fanatics/bimmerforums and I havent found someone say something bad about the rogue mounts (yet). I even saw a youtube review where he went from 80A poly to the rogue mounts and said they were way less harsh than the 80A poly. I believe neoprene is 60A but im not sure of the exact shore rating of the RE mounts. They all say the nvh increase amount is negligible.

In my hand they have a tiny bit of give but not much.

Revshift and Condor.

Why are you looking to do anything other than OEM transmission mounts though? Like I said, if you are looking for tangible improvements, look at engine mounts. Group N mounts are hard to beat and there is no additional NVH when driving and no distortion like on poly mounts. Though in your position I would probably just do M3 mounts all around and call it a day.

[REF84]

Revshift and Condor.

Why are you looking to do anything other than OEM transmission mounts though? Like I said, if you are looking for tangible improvements, look at engine mounts. Group N mounts are hard to beat and there is no additional NVH when driving and no distortion like on poly mounts. Though in your position I would probably just do M3 mounts all around and call it a day.

No particular reason, but I already have the rogue transmission mounts and oem m3 engine mounts in my possession. I would have to sell the RE tranny mounts and then buy the m3 tranny mounts. So im trying to figure out if it's worth that effort. Both the revshift and condor ones should be stiffer than the rogues. I understand what you mean about it not making a real difference in feel, but if the rogue ones are fine I dont see a need to sell them and get the m3 ones.

I'll be doing other work on the car though so I'll think about over the weekend. Maybe if I find a quick buyer itll make it easier, but the reviews for the rogue mounts are looking good everywhere Ive seen them.




Speaking of transmission NVH im looking to stiffen up my shifter. I bought the turner 6 speed refresh kit awhile back but now Im hearing about the teflon bushes not really fitting, and the blue rear carrier bushing developing noise over time. So If I have to sell some things I might put that up for sale too. I like the OEM throw so dont want to go to a shorter shift.

Looking at the garagistic DSSR and their bushings, and upgraded CNCed selector joint. A few posts have said the majority of the play is from the selector joint (the piece with the foam in it), and either the foam wearing or the plastic bushing wearing. The garagistic unit uses a ball bearing instead of the plastic one.

[Galapolis]

Speaking of transmission NVH im looking to stiffen up my shifter. I bought the turner 6 speed refresh kit awhile back but now Im hearing about the teflon bushes not really fitting, and the blue rear carrier bushing developing noise over time. So If I have to sell some things I might put that up for sale too. I like the OEM throw so dont want to go to a shorter shift.

I had a shop replace all the linkages and bushings back in 2017, completely transformed the feel and got rid of almost all the play. It's still holding up well 5 years later though I might consider doing all of that again in the next year or two. Honestly for 5-7 years of crisp shifting just doing a full OEM refresh is not a bad deal.

[REF84]

I had a shop replace all the linkages and bushings back in 2017, completely transformed the feel and got rid of almost all the play. It's still holding up well 5 years later though I might consider doing all of that again in the next year or two. Honestly for 5-7 years of crisp shifting just doing a full OEM refresh is not a bad deal.

I decided to keep the turner kit then. Not worth the hassle. They had their DSSR for our cars on sale so I snagged it.

My ctmotorsport1 aluminum subframe bushings came in along with the Turner DSSR.

Love me some new shiny metal parts.

https://i.imgur.com/ZmILhhbl.jpg

Also got my MOOG bushings:

https://i.imgur.com/6NyYTQEl.jpg


As well as an install kit from a guy named 330shawn in the e46fanatics forum.

It has a press ring to make sure the bushing goes in the proper depth. A flap wheel to clean the inside of the RTAB housing, and two sleeves that let you fit in the stock mounting bolt.

https://i.imgur.com/1QjEvL4l.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/OIyNdy7l.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/wKWH4yyl.jpg

(The press ring is upside down here but you get the idea)

[REF84]

Vincebar came in today, paid the invoice on 9/26, so a little over a week to arrive at my doorstep. This is the epoxy/rivet kit + toolkit. And some Swedish candy.

https://i.imgur.com/SOYwM0H.jpg

[cakM3]

Vincebar came in today, paid the invoice on 9/26, so a little over a week to arrive at my doorstep. This is the epoxy/rivet kit + toolkit. And some Swedish candy.

https://i.imgur.com/SOYwM0H.jpg

:thumbsup