Am I crazy?

[RRSperry]

As most know, I'm an original owner. (pretty rare these days.) I've done a lot of stuff to the car over the years, but I'm getting really tired of what I"ve turned it into. The ltw flywheel is driving me nuts. The 6 speed e46M3 transmission sounds horrible at idle, and with the marbles in a can Vortech sounds added to it, it shounds like a old junk pile...lol Not to mention the center support bearing clunking Yes, I replaced that when I did the 6 speed swap, but maybe I didn't get that right. Maybe it's the CV joint or the connection of the two 1/2's of the shaft...

Would I be crazy to replace the flywheel with a stock dual mass, and remove the SC? (It's not like the car is actaully fast with 320 Hp anyway, besides I've got a new C7 corvette for fast.. Man is that a STUNNING CAR...) I'd stay with the 3.38 and the six speed, the brakes, and suspension.

[fbmbirds]

Your not crazy, should have left the car near stock and been happy with it.

[ChuckDizzle]

Not crazy, you're just growing up lol.

[Moron95M3]

I get it, you're not crazy at all.

My exhaust gives my wife migraines (she gets them bad quite often), so she doesn't ride with me much, the car rattles at idle, and the suspension makes me cringe over every expansion joint. And now the headliner sags a tad, the rust is wanting to show even more, and little plastic bits everywhere are showing their age and making me feel like I'm driving a clunker more than a classic M

It's all about what you want in the moment. As much as I have issues with my car, it still puts such a big smile on my face I won't sell/part/etc...yet.

If you do swap some things off, maybe shelf them and see if in 6 months you kind of miss them?

..if not I'll take those annoying parts off your hands

[NoLastName]

Not crazy.

[cohny]

I don't think you're crazy either. I have a light weight flywheel and it makes rev matching on the street much harder but I pretty much only drive the car back and forth to the track. The noise doesn't bother me but I can see how it would be annoying to some for sure. I have resisted modifying my exhaust and suspension and I keep coming back to the conclusion that that's probably still for the best. It would be awesome on the track but the Glen is a 5 hour drive for me...

[MauiM3Mania]

We all were young once.

[Ex36]

Phew. I thought you were finally going to be selling = crazy! No, I don't think you're crazy. I've fought the urge to modify mine too much and am mostly glad I haven't. But I did a full suspension refresh with all OEM bushings, tire rods, etc. EXCEPT H+R sport springs and Koni yellows. It may handle better than stock, but stock was damn good, and it definitely rides worse. BMW got these pretty right from the get-go!

[propcar]

Remove the charger and transmission. Sell and Go back to stock on both or try the dual mass that may help the issues that bother you.

[pbonsalb]

I am only 52 and admitted to myself a year or two ago that I overmodded my 99M3, but mine is way more modded than the OP’s car. And even today, I would have no interest in it if it did not have 500 rwhp. I still drive it 6k miles a year, but am thinking of softening up a few bushings and maybe doing a 6 speed conversion with shorter carbon fiber drveshaft to get rid of the clunky and vibrating driveshaft shop shaft (I twist stock shafts in 2).

[Braymond141]

The charger should not be causing any extra unwanted noise, just the mild whine. Sounds like a failure or install issue.

Absolutely agree on the trans. I hated going with the LTW flywheel on the 420g. Go OEM E46 M3 DMF and self adjusting clutch kit. It will hold the power just fine and make it quiet again.

[JitteryJoe]

You running an aluminum LTW flywheel? There is a middle ground if you want to stay with a single mass unit.
JB Racing makes a nice steel single mass. Not as quiet as stock but better than aluminum. I run it with Redline MTL and have no complaints.
As for the SG, most I've heard just whine (which can also be annoying).

[rajicase]

Crazy for not going turbo.
Then the C7 would be the slow one.

[Braymond141]

You running an aluminum LTW flywheel? There is a middle ground if you want to stay with a single mass unit.
JB Racing makes a nice steel single mass. Not as quiet as stock but better than aluminum. I run it with Redline MTL and have no complaints.
As for the SG, most I've heard just whine (which can also be annoying).

Only DMF work quietly with the 420G. There is no middle ground.

The V1 and Powerdyne units whine. V2 and V3 are rather quiet. VF wasn’t around to offer a V1 new if I recall correctly.

[bimma360]

You're not crazy at all. I'd like to think I didn't over modify my car, but I regret the LTW flywheel pretty badly. Can't wait to get rid of it. Everyone has a line when it comes to these things, and clearly those lines can change.

[NoLastName]

Seriously, I think a lightweight flywheel is one of the worst mods for these cars if it's to remain street driven. You give up a lot of smoothness for very little performance gain.

[pbonsalb]

I really liked the AA 12 lb (13 with bolts) LTW flywheel that I ran when my 99M3 has a Vortech. Not as light as the 8 lb UUC and I used an 850 rpm idle speed. I once tried a tune with a stock idle speed and it was miserable. This is with the ZF320 so I don’t know how the 420G would compare. I also had a V2 Vortech. The V1 have straight cut gears and are noisier at idle.

[nick325xit 5spd]

No. I hate LTW flywheels. Dump the SC. If you really want that power, stick an S54 in, otherwise, the S50 is adequate. (Or if you prefer to stay E36, the euro motor is *very* nice.)

[knickfan5745]

Return to stock and wait for 2020 to import a Euro 95? That way you can get the increased horse power and six speed without the downsides you mentioned.

[jayjaya29]

I would take it as a compliment saying that you're only starting to get old now RR.

Rebuild the supercharger, install DMF, and fix driveshaft. Civilized and still quick.

[BimmerBreaker]

Not a fan of the noise of my LTW flywheel either, and given that you are the original owner having the car in original condition is probably best

A bit like owning an e30 m3 as prices start to rise... Aftermarket parts started falling off those cars in favor of stock setups. More "pebble beach" and less "SEMA"

[Grey Phox]

Not crazy. I did the same thing. My setup was worse because I did the Bimmerworld Strapless (unsprung) Clutch/Flywheel setup. Became a pain in the ass to drive the car in traffic; wasnt bad but at the same time there were times you just werent in the mood to drive the light switch clutch. Everyone that drove it hated to drive it because they all stalled repeatedly.

I purchased pbonsalbs' V2 blower/full kit from him a few years back and had it on for a while. It really was fun but Ive taken it off and as of now it sits. I actually liked the car alot when I went back to NA (still had cams and manifold from when i installed the SC left on, and upgraded the tune and injectors accordingly)

The finishing touch for me would be getting rid of that Bimmerworld clutch and flywheel setup and putting a stock dual mass and brand new fresh Sachs clutch in. That's if I was keeping it, I have had the car for 10 years and now Id like to just sell it.

[crqflier]

I'd advocate for a nice OE suspension refresh after the SC and FW strip. Be hard to justify ditching the 6mt assuming you get it to settle. If not, ditch that too. I don't remember what you've got for brakes, but I'd probably keep any upgrade there. My point is this: get the M back to it's fresh elemental state and enjoy it for what it is - an old school analog canyon/country road car. Roll the windows down, tun off the stereo, and enjoy the connection. You've got the hyper performance latest tech car covered with the c7. Back to basics on the m3 will give you a nicely different choice of ride.

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[M52 POWER!]

It's reasons like the OP mentioned that I did a susp refresh with OEM rubber, and my S54 swap uses the stock dual mass flywheel. I can't stand stupid flywheel and trans chatter "so my rpm's fly up faster! weee". Not warranted on the street at all!

[propcar]

I'm not questioning anybody's preference as to what they prefer in terms of NVH, it's however interesting to me that there's polarizing views on the subject and there's cars like the 911R where Porsche engineering has intentionally added NVH (by means of LWTFW chargeable option) to their most collectible, emotionally driven 911 in recent history.

So I guess it depends on what you want from your motoring experience... I suppose on a daily driver, too much vibration may get annoying, in fact I'm sure it would. But for some rarely driven machines, maybe some would prefer that raw experience and some are willing pay for it... there's more than one way to be crazy!!

Every molecule of the Porsche 911 R trembles at idle as its restless 4.0-liter flat-6 engine, which is buried within the tail of the chassis, awaits the next opportunity to whirl to redline. The uneven tremor is accompanied by a bright metallic rattle from the gearbox’s single mass flywheel that makes no attempt to harmonize with the deep growl emanating from the twin center-mounted exhaust tips.

The awkward concerto of vibration and mechanical clatter would induce the average person to call for service, but my enthusiast-tuned ears are overjoyed. This is not a sports car for those who prefer to be insulated and isolated ― just the opposite, as the cacophony reminds me of the coarseness of Porsche’s own GT3 Cup race car as it holds on the grid.

With less sound deadening, the engine seems to fill the cabin beautifully when you start it up, neither too loud nor too quiet and with a deeper more guttural noise than an RS. Stop at some traffic lights and you can hear the reassuring rattle of the single-mass flywheel. The manual gearbox means you often opt not to shift, relying on the torque, enjoying the deep sound of the mid-range. Rev the wonderful 4-litre motor all the way to the limiter though and you are treated to the most glorious tearing, yowling, slightly metallic top end. It is a furious rush.

Even in neutral the gearlever rattles like a bunch of carnival ratchets. ‘These noises are too precious to be eliminated,’ smiles Preuninger. ‘Generated by the optional single-mass flywheel, they evoke emotions. In addition, the low-inertia device takes out five kilos in weight, and it further speeds up the ultra-quick throttle response. You don’t like it? Then simply disengage the clutch.’