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Thread: A boy gets his dream car: My life with a 1995 M3 coupe

  1. #76
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    Quote Originally Posted by htxestorilm3 View Post
    95??? Where is 95 sold? Is that for a different model? My e36 M3 sticker says 91AKI minimum. Weird.
    They don't. It's European I guess. Seems that I gave the wrong P/N, but I thought it was right... Oh well. Not high on the list right now

    Quote Originally Posted by crqflier View Post
    Awesome work!

    About your door panels - was the vinyl delaminating? If so, process did you use and what adhesive to get it to all stick again?

    Sent from my SM-G930T using Tapatalk
    Yes it had pulled away from the pockets at the bottom of the door. I put gorilla glue on the surfaces I wanted to reattach, then I heated everything up evenly with a heat gun and then restretched it and held it in place with spring clips. The results are passable... good from 3 feet... but I don't think they will last long. Ultimately this thing will need to go to an upholsterer to get fixed correctly. But at least now it doesn't flap in the breeze.

    Forgot to add this. All the repair and refurbish work I had done on the stock radiator was for nothing as the end tanks still leaked. Then as luck would have it my local BMW owners group popped up with a Mishimoto for a $100. Almost broke my wrist going for my wallet on that one. Very very nice upgrade. Highly recommend to anybody considering it


    This past Friday my new old laptop arrived so I got it rigged up with INPA. Forgot the steps and tricks involved, stumbled a few times, but ultimately got it working, although it was not clear that would happen at the start! Wouldn't you know it too, I had a MAF code as the only thing in my fault history.






    Today I ordered a new timing chain tensioner, the Dr. Vanos total replacement assembly, and new cam cover gaskets. The chain rattling off tension drives me nuts, almost as bad as all the squeaky accessory bearings. The PO routed the belt wrong (for crying out loud) but I didn't notice it until it was too late. That put insane radial loading on every belt driven accessory bearing. Probably looking at a new water pump (number 3 on this car for me!!!), alternator, maybe P/S pump and maybe A/C compressor? I hate to think of it. Could be pretty extensive damage. But it sounds ratty as hell right now.


    NEW LIST!!!!!!

    [ ] VANOS service
    [ ] Timing chain tensioner
    [ ] VANOS oil line crush washers
    [ ] Track down and replace squeaky accessory bearings

  2. #77
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    98 M3 Coupe Estoril/Blk
    Great thread and great story! I never did seek out one of these at the dealership back in the day. I suppose it was because I was just starting my career and the notion of buying a nearly $50,000 car was so out of reach that there was no point going to see them in the showroom. But I read all the car rags and fell in love with the M3 on paper. Then I started traveling regularly to Germany and found favor with a small B&B outside of Munich where I became friends with the owner. He happened to own a Titanium/Dove M3 (Euro) and he often took me for rides when I stayed over the weekend. That sealed the deal and while our cars didn't get all the Euro goodies, I still wanted one.

    It took me 15 years to finally get one. And I've had mine for 7 years now and have slowly gone through it trying to bring it back to showroom condition like you're doing. The best products I found for restoring the seats were from Furniture Clinic which sells a leather colourant kit - color and matte topcoat (clear). They include a sprayer which is key to a factory like finish. The matte topcoat also protects the color from fading and I've found it to hold up quite well.

    Good luck with the rest of your maintenance/restoration and let me know if you need something - I've been collecting parts for a long time.



    Last edited by RND1; 01-21-2018 at 09:57 PM.

  3. #78
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    that interior is amazing!

  4. #79
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    Quote Originally Posted by typed by ben View Post
    that interior is amazing!
    Thanks - like you, I need to address the door cards and window regulators this spring. Will give me something to look forward to. After 7 years I still do smile every time I see it parked in the garage.

  5. #80
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    VANOS stuff

    Tremendous amount of radial and end play on my piston. Not sure if you can see from the pictures but there was at least .030 of radial play, enough that it made an audible click moving from side to side. You can see the sprocket at the "bottom" of the bore in the first picture and then again, moved by hand, at the top. A little alarming.




    not as bad as I expected it to be, but I have replaced the cam cover gasket before, and that is most of the work involved. Getting the VANOS to seat correctly took a few tries to make sure I was getting it right but there is really nothing to it. I guess you could mess it up if you FORCE it in somehow.


    I am going to go ahead and replace the water pump again while I have the fan shroud off, then it looks like I have a power steering leak again. Gotta source that one now. This thing is turning out to be quite leaky.
    Last edited by typed by ben; 02-03-2018 at 10:04 AM.

  6. #81
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    VANOS, water pump, VANOS oil line, and new tensioner are installed and the car is running. Fired up without a hiccup in fact, even though Dr. Vanos is quick to inform you that your car may sound a little funny at first as air expels from the dry piston. There were maybe 4 ticking or popping noises that I heard from the top of the engine but they went away in the first minute of running.

    So far no leaks, but it's only run about 15 minutes.

    The good news is that the front of the car is SO much quieter. No squeaks really. I found that my A/C idler was shot, so that combined with the dicked up water pump accounted for all the noise, thankfully.

    Now I have to package up and send back the tools (thanks BMWCCA Blue Ridge!) and the dead core. Fun's over.

    Next up: lightweight flywheel, clutch, and rear main job?

  7. #82
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    Yet another rite of passage: oil filter housing seal up job





    This car leaks BADLY. Before the VANOS rebuild I had a leak from the old timing chain tensioner, the VANOS oil line, and apparently the plug seal. After today I will have everything visible taken care of on the front.

    The back is another story. I think I'm gonna get a leak visualizing kit to help with that because I can't tell if it's coming from the top or the bottom of the engine. If it's the VCG again that will be extremely annoying.

  8. #83
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    Probably extreme foolishness for a 36 year old to do something like this, but I couldn't let it slide for $250. Also got some stainless long tubes on the way. I think I will just keep the stock midpipe and cats/resonators. I think it will still be too loud. What do you think?




    I started to cut the resonator off to repair that hole but realized that I'd have to cut it free from the main pipe too so I abandoned that for a piece of 16 gauge 304 SS tube. Then I realized I have no filler rod LMAO.
    Last edited by typed by ben; 03-11-2018 at 06:13 PM.

  9. #84
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    I've heard that those are one of the louder exhausts you can get for an E36. I have a Remus, which is one of the quieter ones, and I wouldn't be comfortable with anything louder.

    Also for the delaminating vinyl, I would recommend using some 3M headliner spray adhesive instead, seems to do the trick really well.

  10. #85
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    One of the louder you say? Im in. Is that the DaCorsa that umnitza sells??

    Im 37 and all my vehicles have modded exhaust including a kinda obnoxious straight piped cummins dodge. I keep hearing "you will grow out of it". I say never.

  11. #86
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    Quote Originally Posted by tvcasualty View Post
    One of the louder you say? Im in. Is that the DaCorsa that umnitza sells??

    Im 37 and all my vehicles have modded exhaust including a kinda obnoxious straight piped cummins dodge. I keep hearing "you will grow out of it". I say never.
    It's a UUC Corsa RSC36. Crazy that there is another exhaust called "DaCorsa"

    But yeah I am expecting this thing to rattle my teeth, especially with longtubes. IDK what my appetite for loud is these days but I am going to find out!

  12. #87
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    More longtube prep

    The whole exhaust is off the car. This car spent a year in New York going to ski resorts and it shows. All but two of the manifold flange nuts wrung off and there is other damage as well. The copper manifold studs and nuts were cool though. Definitely will reuse those

    This hanger won't make it back. I think I can make it if I can't buy it


    OBDI heat shield. I'd rather keep this or get a new one if possible to protect the O2


    Interesting note on the y-pipe is the different pipe diameters. The front manifold has a 1.98" OD while the back has 1.78" OD. I guess this is to give the front manifold freer flow because it has the longer run.

    This area will have to be completely reworked for the longtubes anyway. Trying to think of a good way to do it that will be easy to work with and seal up nicely. I can make flanges at work but I can also buy them, or maybe go V-band, which I have always admired. IDK. I will come up with something good

  13. #88
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    Longtubes are in with a little bit of modification to make life better when I install the rest of the exhaust. I got a new welder which helped TREMENDOUSLY. My old Miller transformer machine is just not cutting it these days. Might be worth more as scrap than it is as a welder, which is a shame because its output is 460 amps when hooked up to 480! You could use steel rails as filler rod if you wanted.





    While the exhaust is off I guess I am going to drop the transmission and replace the wear parts as well as install a new selector shaft seal and a rear main. I would really really like to get a lightweight flywheel on it at that point but IDK if that is a good idea on a 160,000 mile engine.

    What do you guys suggest I replace on the transmisison? I'm guessing bushings, rubber parts, etc? I wish there was a kit you could get with everything because it's going to delay progress a week or more to take it apart and find out what I need vs. just having it on hand. Pelican has a good list- anybody used that before?

    Oh yeah. Open headers, awful awful noise. Haven't heard a nice open header 6 cylinder yet.

  14. #89
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    Relevant note: Pulling the transmissions on these E36 chassis sucks ass!!!!!

  15. #90
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    Quote Originally Posted by typed by ben View Post
    Relevant note: Pulling the transmissions on these E36 chassis sucks ass!!!!!
    Wait until you put it back in. It is the top bolts that are tough. You can pivot the engine to get more room.
    Hopefully your starter is threaded and doesn't have separate nuts for the mount bolts.

  16. #91
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    Quote Originally Posted by JitteryJoe View Post
    Wait until you put it back in. It is the top bolts that are tough. You can pivot the engine to get more room.
    Hopefully your starter is threaded and doesn't have separate nuts for the mount bolts.
    It's not THAT bad with a transmission jack & engine brace - agree helps a lot to tilt the engine back for more room.

    The exhaust is not going to sound good - the RSC36 does not do well with straight pipes, its great on an otherwise stock setup but because of its reflective sound design / solid design, it doesn't do well on changes. (from personal experience, a friend had a RSC36 with straight piped midpipe. Not good.)
    -Chris

  17. #92
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    Quote Originally Posted by JitteryJoe View Post
    Wait until you put it back in. It is the top bolts that are tough. You can pivot the engine to get more room.
    Hopefully your starter is threaded and doesn't have separate nuts for the mount bolts.
    it's a threaded starter. Yeah I am pretty concerned with my stress level when I go to reinstall. Like you suggested I think I am going to jack the front of the engine a bit so I can get a better angle of attack

    Quote Originally Posted by ThreeD View Post
    It's not THAT bad with a transmission jack & engine brace - agree helps a lot to tilt the engine back for more room.

    The exhaust is not going to sound good - the RSC36 does not do well with straight pipes, its great on an otherwise stock setup but because of its reflective sound design / solid design, it doesn't do well on changes. (from personal experience, a friend had a RSC36 with straight piped midpipe. Not good.)
    Good to know thank you for that tidbit. I am going to reuse my stock midpipe, and I was able to refurbish my stock muffler section so I can always fall back on that.

    So here's what a "seeping" rear main looks like


    Yesterday I ordered all new wear parts basically. The clutch is fairly new. Got new circlips, selector shaft seal, throwout bearing, pilot bearing, and some other bushings/etc. The throwout bearing looked original. Hard to believe that somebody would reinstall a throwout bearing when doing a clutch yet that is exactly what it looks like to me.

  18. #93
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    Gee whiz, hot on the trail of nothing, or so it would seem

    Finally got the flywheel off today to see that... by gum... I don't thing the rear main is leaking. That is basically the whole reason I dropped the transmission. I think that is all residual somehow from the bad cam cover gasket leak that came with the car. Whatever. Gonna replace the rear main in any case.

    Oil leaking down from cam cover area. No visible trail or wetness around main


    "Disappointing" as it was, the expedition was not a total loss, as the flywheel and pressure plate look pretty bad (even though performance is good). The clutch disc measured about .320" or 8.0 mm. I haven't found good info yet but supposedly new ones are about 9.4 mm. I think it's too thin to go back in personally, plus the friction surfaces look like death warmed over.

    pressure plate


    disc


    flywheel (the dark spots are carbon dust not pits)


    so IDK, I will marinate on whether or not to replace them all. Gonna be a tough sell to put this back together without new parts after this visual inspection.

  19. #94
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    Significant time and money investment update:

    I'll start off with the part that is not quite working right now, which is the band clamp exhaust idea. Bad idea. Only hard exhaust pipe from the longtubes to the muffler means I have to get the alignment PERFECT to make the system seal, even just a degree or so off gets you a leak, which is of course what I have. So I will be putting in some Walker style mesh pipe in place of the head end of the Y-pipe, and I will fab up something else for the support bracket from the trans to the Y-pipe.



    I installed the new rear main, a new LUK clutch kit, and resurfaced the flywheel with a DA and some emery cloth, just enough to put some grain back in it and give the clutch something to bite. I think replacing the throwout bearing and just regreasing and anti-seizing the slave cylinder linkage made a huge difference in feel and smoothness. They were all bone dry. I also replaced the old fluid with Royal Purple Synchromax.

    While I had everything out I replaced the seals and the shift linkage also got all new shift linkage bushings. On teardown I realized why my shifter was so stiff

    Nasty!


    Clean!


    Replaced the dusty Pagid red pads with some run of the mill from FCP. The Pagids grabbed like you wouln't believe but for my habits they were too dusty. Also got new rotors and emergency brake shoes as I think they were original to the car. The shoes were glazed smooth as glass.


    Been at least 5-6 years since I had a good shop laceration so I went ahead and dropped my exhaust on my forehead while I was tacking the accursed v band flanges in place. Bled like you would not believe and very embarrassing at that since everybody has to ask what happened!

  20. #95
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    Love the progress you're making, I will be tackling similar projects on my DV M3.

  21. #96
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    I gave myself a black eye a couple years ago yanking the exhaust off my sedan. Was a bit embarrassing going back to work that Monday. Good work!
    CBlock


  22. #97
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    Quote Originally Posted by CblockM3 View Post
    I gave myself a black eye a couple years ago yanking the exhaust off my sedan. Was a bit embarrassing going back to work that Monday. Good work!
    Solidarity, brother

    Pulled down the y-pipe last night. I think to do this right I am going to have to pull the longtubes and remove some material from the tail end of the collectors. Then I will put the v-band flanges on either end of the flex pipe so they will become replaceable. If I do it right that will allow me to keep the brace from the transmission to the y-pipe.

    I also want to offset the v-bands significantly. This will be even more important once I put on the flex pipe sections. It was something I should have done on the first go round but I got in a rush and forgot to do it. The centerline spacing of the exhaust does not allow the two v-bands to sit next to each other, or even an inch down from each other, and work in a practical sense. You can't get the bands to work around each other without a few inches of clearance.

    I want to drive the car this summer and fall and I don't want to drive it with a leaky y-pipe (sounds terrible and is dangerous) so I will probably start pulling the longtubes this week.

    I will also cut up/patch up the Corsa RSC36 to get a little more tone out of the exhaust. The little bit of driving I did with the leaking y-pipe but stock catback made me realize I am okay with some more noise from the exhaust.

    Progress as it happens!

  23. #98
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    Good things and bad things, hopefully in balance.....

    Bad things: it was indeed not the rear main but the oil pan gakset that is leaking. it's very minor and I don't drive the car much so it's gonna have to wait until winter. I intend to pull the steering rack at some point anyway so maybe that will be a good time to do it. So the whole clutch replacement was really a result of exploratory surgery, but I guess it worked out. Peace of mind in any case, and I took care of some issues that I didn't know about.


    Here's the old exhaust setup with the vbands. I have the headers clamped to my welding table so you can see. This positioning is way too close. You can't get the two clamps next to each other easily. You probably want to offset these more like 4-5". The spacing of OEM E36 exhaust pipe centerlines is also too close for vbands as the flange of the 2" pipe touches the 1.75" pipe. Then you make that worse by attaching the clamp mechanism itself. Over time those two would wear each other and break through.


    One morning last week around 330 AM I was tossing and turning and as happens sometimes my mind started racing on all my projects and what I was going to do to wrap them up. I got up and started a thorough search on exhaust connections. There are tons if you have never looked.

    I was thinking of doing braided flex pipe with vbands- that way I could leave the headers on the car and just do some bench work to the y-pipe. I even went as far as ordering the parts but when I got them they were so stiff I wondered if they would flex at all. A second problem cropped up; again, the centerline of the OEM pipes did not allow 2 flex pipes next to one another on account of diameter. I would have to totally offset them and there just just not that much distance between the longtube collector and the transmission bracket, which I would like to keep if possible. On top of that I'd be adding two more possible leak points, and I had just learned the vband was not a good choice for intermediate exhaust pieces. It just didn't make sense.

    What I really I wanted was a ball flange. They work really well from previous experience. "A la carte" ball flanges are hard to find for whatever reason. Flowmaster will sell you one for $150 but they have limited diameters and they are mild steel construction.

    Finally I stumbled on a Miata project and found the exact part I needed- a spring ball flange. From there I cross referenced exhaust parts and found OEM style replacement parts in stainless steel in the exact diameters I needed: 2.0 and 1.75"! Not only that but they were only $25 a piece!

    They arrived today. I am extremely pleased with the quality and they will accomodate any alignment issue I might run into. They will also be easier to service than the stock 3 bolt studded flange.


    Tonight I will make some measurements and weld the first half on and hopefully get the headers started back onto the car. Tomorrow night I'll cut the Corsa RSC exhaust and get it welded back up. Next week I hope to have this thing up and running again because it is so fun to drive.
    Last edited by typed by ben; 06-09-2018 at 07:29 PM.

  24. #99
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    Awesome thread BTW. Just picked up my dream car a few weeks ago. 98 m3 with only 77,000 miles and well taking care of. It's only a auto but it still puts a huge smile on my face.

  25. #100
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    You all know my catch phrase by now: discretion is the better part of valor!

    You may look at the last picture from my last post and think "those flanges are huge, how the hell are they going to fit?" Well, they don't. The car has sat up in the air on jackstands, almost in suspended animation, since my last post, while I feebly thought about ways to "make" them fit. That should have been a big red flag, and, given enough time, it was. There were all kinds of clearance issues- between the two exhaust pipes before the Y and even under the car. Just no way to fit those two jokers in there in a sensible manner.

    If it doesn't fit, force it


    Centerline distances just don't work


    I hate having the car sit around so tonight I made myself get under it and look at it until I decided what to do. I happened to be looking at my old manifolds in my recycling pile and thought "why don't you just put them right after the collector like BMW did?" I don't know why it took so long but I'm glad it came. I grabbed a sharpie to make some marks.



    The plan:
    1. Chop off the exhaust after the collector
    2. Weld on male side of ball flange to each header
    3. Rework drops from headers to work like stock midpipe with female side of ball flange

    Something like this (ignore the camera trick of the ball flange being in the foreground)


    That way it's serviceable and I can reuse all the stock mounting components so the system is suspended like BMW wanted it to be. I think it'll do the trick and it's within my abilities.

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