new owner of a 96 e36 m3 needs help fixing it!!!

[e36peng]

Hi guys.:D

Just got a 96 e36 m3 with 150k miles. I am the 3rd owner. The last owner was my buddy who drove 90k miles for 10 years. The car pulls strong and handles very good. The car is basically stock with a intake and catback exhaust. Aftermarket shocks and springs. That's all.

I know the car burns oil(pretty bad) and all the history for last 10 years. After I got the car I went to a BMW technician to have the car checked out just want to know what I need to fix.

Here's the list.

1. Front swaybar linkage needs replaced. Stock or aftermarket, any brand?
2. Engine mount. Stock or poly?
3. Front flex disc.
4. Driveshaft center support.
5. Rear wheel bearings.
6. Rear stock towers mount.

The car will be a weekend and track car and I am planning to keep it very long.

My questions is if I need to do all the things. What else do you think is a good time for me to change as well? The parts above should I go OEM or aftermarket? Any quality brand?

Best regards
Peng

[jmo69]

If you go with OEM suspension parts consider Lemforder, they are available from forum sponsors at decent prices. You could find most of theses parts at FCP Euro.com, get the e46 rear shock mounts and re-enforcement plates from any of the online vendors or there is a forum member that makes them too, I bought a set of them myself. Poly bushings and mounts are nice but eventually the car will get loud from the noise they transmit. I've got poly lower control arm bushings that were relatively quiet, but the car has gotten louder since I put the poly rear trailing arm bushings in. If you do some searching you'll find DIYs for a lot of the things on your list, but find an independent shop to do the rear wheel bearings, they are a PITA.

[bucs19]

My personal strategy is to replace things that need replacing with upgraded/performance parts while of course keeping safety in mind

[e36peng]

jmo69. Thank you very much for the suggestions. I did search the forum around and yes. There are lots of good info. I just want to know what should I do since I have to fix those problems. I thought I should do the things that are known weak points while I fix those. Since I am already there.


bucs19. That's my strategy for mod as well. Just want to know if the aftermarket parts are any better for the price different.

[UnderCoverGuy11]

My personal strategy is to replace things that need replacing with upgraded/performance parts while of course keeping safety in mind

I wouldn't really call this a strategy of any kind, more of a preference.

[Eric93se]

If you have the records, what was done to the cooling system in the last 10 years?? That is going to be your weak link, especially if you want to track the car. Also you list will grow to about 5 times that size, trust me :(

For your oil consumption problem, the most common area is the crank case vent hose, that leads down to the oil separator, to another hose that drains down the dip stick. These two hoses can clog with sludge, so you have to make sure they are both clean, also the diaphragm inside the oil separator can fail.

[e36peng]

Hi Eric, thanks a lot for the oil consumption pointer. I searched the forum and found out it's kind of normal so I just leave it there since my buddy had been adding oil for the last 10 years and really didn't felt any power lost due to it. I will check them out and also the cooling system history foe sure.

I know going to track will need work. I tracked s2000 and evo before. Both cars are fine stockish but they were both brand new cars not 17 years old car. Lol

[Eric93se]

Actually oil consumption is not normal, and it may be due to one of the things I listed. Also the weight of your oil can lead to oil consumption, for LA you should run a weight around 15W40, do not run 30 oil in your M3.

[Spyke]

1. Front swaybar linkage needs replaced. Stock or aftermarket, any brand?
2. Engine mount. Stock or poly?
3. Front flex disc.
4. Driveshaft center support.
5. Rear wheel bearings.
6. Rear stock towers mount.

1. Stock is fine, but with aftermarket parts into the suspension already, adjustable might be nice. Turner Motorsport
2. Vorshlag competition mounts
3. OEM
4. OEM
5. OEM (FAG or SKF bearing)
6. Rogue Engineering

[e36peng]

Thanks Eric. I will definitely looking into the parts you listed and make sure I will be running 15-40.

Thanks Spyke. That's what I am looking for. Appreciate it!!!

[Spyke]

Sure thing. Those are all tried and true parts for spirited street or track driving, and if you need bushings elsewhere in the car (very likely), AKG is an absolute favorite around here.

[Turbohugh]

Before any of that stuff I would fix the oil consumption issue. A track car is not much fun with bad compression and blow-by, you will end up being a very slow track car.

[Spyke]

Or you can just drop in a known good motor, they're plentiful now and will be for a while.

[e36peng]

Yeah. I got that. I want to spend min to get the car fix or upgrade to the point that I can run without any worries. That means suspension parts and all except engine. I will learn how to drive it right and fast till the engine gave up on me(thinking 1 to 3 years ). Then I hope i can save enough to do a LS swap for the power. Haven't been to track for years...

[Spyke]

Solid plan. I'd love to go LS as well but I have some time still... engine and trans in mine are troopers.

[e36peng]

Well that's a good thing for you. I'd love to have that *problem* :)