Category Archives: Information

My Buddy Found this in an M3’s Oil Pan…

You don’t need to be a Nobel Laureate to know that E46 M3’s have a few issues. Let’s see, there’s Vanos, rod bearings, and cracked subframes to name a few. But when these cars work, oh man are they the bestest. I wrote that last sentence like a twelve-year-old, because that’s what an E46 M3 does to me; They make me feel like a kid again. I get all giddy inside and all I want to do is put my hands all over it and go fast. It’s one of the car fountains of youth. I’ll own one someday.

It was yesterday, however, when my friend on the other side of the country set about to take up a mountainous task: Changing an E46 M3’s rod bearings. It’s not his own car, but a friend’s. He used his own as a guinea pig to rather good success, as so he told. And now he’s applying his talents to another specimen. Hope he’s getting somewhat compensated for his journey to Mordor…But, this article isn’t about rod bearings though.

So I’m at work when he sends me the photo above. The caption? “This was in Harper’s oil pan…” Yikes. Doing the rod bearings does require dropping the oil pan. Normally, you should only have oil in there, not metal parts. These look like 9mm bullet casings though. What could they be from?  My friend has pointed to the Vanos system for fault. The car in question was bought with the prior owner stating that the Vanos had been replaced. Why was it replaced? Likely because it exploded, made obvious by the loose gaggle of parts. But, they didn’t fish out the parts that grenaded, just put new in. What are those metal pieces exactly? Could be a roller bearing in the oil pump or drive disc.

Either way, the amazing thing is that the car is fine. Who knows how long this debris has been in the pan. A win on BMW’s part for putting a shield in the pan to prevent the oil pump from sucking it up and distributing throughout the engine. That would’ve made things go bang.

I’m not saying everyone should drop their oil pans just to see if they have metal bits in there. Or you could drop your oil pan and find a gold Rolex. But maybe use it as a buying lesson. The prior owner DIY’d the Vanos, so when buying an E46 M3, make sure you really trust them as a mechanic. If the owner says he did “everything himself” but acts like a clown school dropout, maybe it’s best to walk away. The M3 in question though, it’s not giving up that easily!

When to Replace Your BMW’s Suspension

BMW may stand for the ultimate driving machine, but even the ultimate driving machine is subject to the wear and tear that comes in the course of everyday motoring. Depending on how often you drive your bimmer, your attitude behind the wheel and the road conditions your car sees, it will have different maintenance needs.

While most suspension components aren’t typically considered wear parts like your brake pads or clutch, they will need replacing if you keep your BMW for a long time. How do you know when it’s time to swap your worn suspension components out for new ones?

Signs of a Worn Suspension

The easy answer is when it feels sloppy and disgusting. Of course, there are varying degrees of slop that a driver will live with depending on their needs for the car. What one person might interpret as bad, another could view as an extra plush ride.

Your car’s springs control forward and rearward motion, while shock absorbers locate the wheel and help the body roll left and right. A car that rocks fore and aft when performing mundane maneuvers like a simple stop is likely in need of new shocks, springs or both.

Why a Warn Suspension Is Risky

While some authorities will tell you to replace shocks at a particular mile mark, that isn’t entirely accurate. It’s more about how the shock absorber performs, and performance will degrade more quickly in a car that is driven more or carries heavy loads frequently.

If you choose to keep running suspension components that are on their way to the scrap heap, you could end up doing more harm than good. Bottoming out and overloading suspension components can cause damage to your car’s bodywork or sensitive mechanical bits.

If you’re not sure what your car needs to resolve unacceptable suspension behavior, go to a professional mechanic for advice.

OEM or Aftermarket Replacements

It’s safest to replace the equipment on your BMW with original equipment manufacturer (OEM) parts because they are the same ones BMW used in the original design. However, some owners will want to use different parts to imbue their BMW with a more performance-oriented ride. There’s nothing wrong with that, but you have to do your homework to make sure the parts you get will deliver what you want.

Often, people choose to install coil-over suspension kits that ride more stiffly and can alter the ride height of the car. These upgrades will give a more aggressive look and increase the vehicle’s grip when cornering, but the tradeoff could be a harsher ride during your daily commute.

The internet is a great place to do your research if you think you want to tweak the way your car handles. While shocks and springs are some of the most critical components, there are also additional suspension components that may wear down, or that you might want to replace. These include anti-roll bars, A-arms, rear trailing arms and even bushings.

If you’ve waited to maintain the suspension on your BMW, get the job done right so you can be safer and more confident on the road.

Will the Sun Damage Your BMW’s Paint?

There’s nothing quite like rays of summer sunlight glinting off your car’s freshly waxed paint job, but that sunlight isn’t just good for pictures — it could be damaging your BMW’s paint job. How can you keep that stylish paint job in good shape without relegating your car to night driving?

Wash, Dry and Wax

The best thing you can do to protect your car’s paint job is to treat it well. First, wash your car with a soft cloth and a paint-friendly soap. Don’t use dish soap or any other suds-generating product you might have lying around the garage. These products are perfect for cleaning your dishes, but they contain abrasive qualities that can damage your paint’s clear coat and expose the paint to harsh UV rays.

Once you’re done washing and rinsing, dry your vehicle off with a chamois or microfiber cloth. Chances are, you’re not washing your car with filtered water, so leaving your car to air dry could also be leaving deposits of minerals or other contaminants to dry on your car.

Finally, put a good coat of wax on your car — in the shade or preferably in your garage. Putting wax on your car is akin to putting sunscreen on your skin. It protects your paint from the UV rays that can cause it to fade, weaken and peel. Just like sunscreen, you need to reapply it frequently to get the best protection possible.

Over time, sun exposure will damage your BMW’s paint. Treat your paint job like your skin and protect it as best you can from UV exposure.

Park in the Garage

We all love to show off our cars by parking them in the driveway or on the street, but parking them in the sun increases the exposure to UV rays. The solution to this is to park your car in the shade, but if that shade comes from a tree, you might find yourself washing your car more often than you’d like, due to pollen and sap falling from the branches.

Carports can be a good alternative, too, but keep in mind that carports won’t fully protect your vehicle from sun exposure. The best option is to park your car in a garage — but we get it. If you’re like most of us, your garage is full of clutter that has no other place in your house, and you just haven’t gotten around to sorting through it.

Need a good reason to clean out your garage and move your car inside? Here are a few. Not only does parking in the garage minimize sun damage to your vehicle, your garage also protects your car from would-be thieves or vandals. Keeping your car out of your driveway even helps improve the curb appeal of your home.

If you don’t have a garage, adding one to your home to protect your BMW and any other cars can be a worthwhile investment. Surveys have found an attached two-car garage can add upwards of $30,000 worth of value to your home, while a one-car attached garage or even a detached one can add between $15,000 and $20,000 in home value.

Keeping your BMW out of the sun all the time isn’t going to be an option — and we wouldn’t want it to be. Enjoy driving your car in the sunlight. Just make sure you take the time to protect your investment from the UV rays. A good wash and wax can do just that, but parking in the garage when you’re not driving is easily the best step you can take.