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Thread: What did you do to/for your e46 today??

  1. #101
    Join Date
    May 2002
    Location
    West of I-270
    Posts
    643
    My Cars
    325xiT E46
    Over the last 2 weeks as time and garage temperatures permitted I wrapped up the following: Replaced valve cover gasket (or as BMW calls it, the cylinder head cover gasket) and all the cover bolt seals. Replaced the perished (as the Brits would describe it) plastic wiper cowl cover. Took off the ugly metal front tag bracket and replaced it with correct black plastic front tag filler piece that BoldUlysses took off his 330i/sport. (I guess Tenn. only runs a rear tag). Replaced the perished short small diameter rubber hose that connects the plastic hose to the air pump valve.

    Pumped the tires up to the wrong PSI (fully laden PSI) and wife and I took turns driving it. She commented on the rough ride and I caught my tire PSI mistake. Correcting the PSI to 32/38 later today. Runs strong and responsive even for a Steptronic. Currently has a tank full of Sunoco premium and a bottle of Gumout Regane complete fuel system cleaner. Feeling pretty good about this car.

    Next up is the lower steering shaft flex joint and PS fluid flush. Then bash down the slightly mushroomed RF strut tower.

    Wish I had records on this car as I would like to know if the PCV system had been serviced. Hear horror stories of E46 PCV's freezing up or clogging up, letting the cylinders fill up with oil. Ditto would like to know if the VANOS had ever been serviced but judging from the oil varnish on the head and VANOS unit, probably not. Last but not least, wondering if the ZF Steptronic had ever been serviced. I can see some dried trans fluid down the side of the trans in the victinity of the fluid fill. 120k miles on this car.

    Stay warm guys and cuddle up with your Valentine (significant other, not the radar detector).
    Last edited by SteveMD; 02-14-2016 at 08:46 AM.

  2. #102
    Join Date
    May 2015
    Location
    Atlanta, GA
    Posts
    3,608
    My Cars
    540i6 S2M5 M2C 135 S52ti
    You don't know how happy I am you used the word "perished" instead of "worn out"... I take it you watch wheeler dealers?

  3. #103
    Join Date
    May 2015
    Location
    Atlanta, GA
    Posts
    3,608
    My Cars
    540i6 S2M5 M2C 135 S52ti
    My radar detector is my valentine today even tho it's an escort... Lol! Sorry I don't normally laugh at my own jokes but that was good... Got to admit it

    Quote Originally Posted by SteveMD View Post
    ....Stay warm guys and cuddle up with your Valentine (significant other, not the radar detector).
    Last edited by angeleye540i; 02-14-2016 at 09:48 AM.

  4. #104
    Join Date
    May 2002
    Location
    West of I-270
    Posts
    643
    My Cars
    325xiT E46
    Quote Originally Posted by angeleye540i View Post
    You don't know how happy I am you used the word "perished" instead of "worn out"... I take it you watch wheeler dealers?
    Yep, sometimes.

  5. #105
    Join Date
    Dec 2014
    Location
    Dallas
    Posts
    80
    My Cars
    2001 BMW 330Ci
    On Friday, I changed the steering coupler on my 330Ci. Went from having "loose and sloppy" steering to "sharp and accurate" steering. It was the first mechanical job I ever did myself, but it sure as hell won't be my last!
    Last edited by Arezi; 02-14-2016 at 05:22 PM. Reason: fix typo

  6. #106
    Join Date
    May 2015
    Location
    Atlanta, GA
    Posts
    3,608
    My Cars
    540i6 S2M5 M2C 135 S52ti
    Hell yeah dude isn't it so good feeling to do good work to a quality car and reap the benefits

  7. #107
    Join Date
    Aug 2014
    Location
    Lawrence Kansas
    Posts
    1,236
    My Cars
    2004 325XI/2008 GL320
    It's seductive.

  8. #108
    Join Date
    Dec 2014
    Location
    Dallas
    Posts
    80
    My Cars
    2001 BMW 330Ci
    Quote Originally Posted by angeleye540i View Post
    Hell yeah dude isn't it so good feeling to do good work to a quality car and reap the benefits
    Definitely!!!

  9. #109
    Join Date
    Dec 2015
    Location
    Columbus Mississippi
    Posts
    15
    My Cars
    1999 BMW 328i
    replaced the hood locks and installed the missing right hood lock post, and new cables, then I spent about an hour fiddling with the post adjustments to get the hood closing and locking properly on the 328I. but it works good now, the right side doesn't lift at highway speeds now more of the little things to fix.

  10. #110
    Join Date
    May 2015
    Location
    Atlanta, GA
    Posts
    3,608
    My Cars
    540i6 S2M5 M2C 135 S52ti
    Got my 330 CI back from my Indy, with, new swaybar links, motor mounts, transmission mounts, vanos hose, valve cover gasket, lower control arm bushing's, brembo pads all around, both coolant sensors replaced and, New air filter.... Overhaul has taken effect... Very happy

  11. #111
    Join Date
    Feb 2015
    Location
    NJ
    Posts
    15
    My Cars
    2001 BMW 330i
    replaced precat O2 sensors. Had trouble using the o2 sensor sockets, so I just cut the wires and used the deep socket drive. Starting Friday, I'm replacing the water pump, expansion tank, all the coolant pipes, and spark plugs. Been waiting on this warm weather for some time now.
    Last edited by Fearless Merc; 02-17-2016 at 06:47 PM.

  12. #112
    Join Date
    May 2015
    Location
    Atlanta, GA
    Posts
    3,608
    My Cars
    540i6 S2M5 M2C 135 S52ti
    got up to 60 yesterday, dropped the top and loved life... supposed to be hotter today, i always remember, on days like this, why i got the vert...^^^ o2 sensors might not be a bad thing for the list, im sure theyre origional, or at least i suspect they are... havnt gotten codes but they wont throw codes until its too late, they dont throw codes from being crudded up as much as they throw for being electrically incapable from what i can tell from experience... altho both cause inaccuracies...

  13. #113
    Join Date
    Aug 2014
    Location
    Lawrence Kansas
    Posts
    1,236
    My Cars
    2004 325XI/2008 GL320
    Quote Originally Posted by angeleye540i View Post
    got up to 60 yesterday, dropped the top and loved life... supposed to be hotter today, i always remember, on days like this, why i got the vert...^^^ o2 sensors might not be a bad thing for the list, im sure theyre origional, or at least i suspect they are... havnt gotten codes but they wont throw codes until its too late, they dont throw codes from being crudded up as much as they throw for being electrically incapable from what i can tell from experience... altho both cause inaccuracies...
    True. O2 sensors only show codes if they are very very bad. If you have a live data scanner with a graph, you can tell if an O2 sensor is going bad. While at operating temperature, hold the throttle steady at 2k rpm and watch the graph. If the sensor is not reading the full voltage spectrum (0-1v) or is switching back and forth very slowly, they need to be replaced. A graph is needed to track the switching time, you cant tell just from looking at the raw data. From my experience, sensors that only switch back and forth at a narrow band of voltages (0.2 to 0.7) are becoming lazy and need replacement.

  14. #114
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
    Location
    Chattanooga, TN
    Posts
    9,073
    My Cars
    '94 MX-6
    Ordered a shifter bushing kit from Pelican last night. Not particularly looking forward to the job, but it'll be good to have a tight shifter again.
    Current: '94 MX-6 V6/5 • '72 240Z • '10 Mazda5
    Past: '02 330i/5 • '85 RX-7 GSL-SE • '95 540i/6'95 525i/5'86 635CSi/5 • '88 JZA70 • '86 4K quattro • '85 RX-7 S
    Wish list: Type 44 • Manta • Pre-'85 CGT • 405 Mi16 • SVX • W123 Coupe

  15. #115
    Join Date
    Feb 2013
    Location
    Minnesota
    Posts
    255
    My Cars
    E46
    Hey guys. A few of us from this forum and other forums started a group on Facebook called E46 Empire. Right now it's ~45 members mostly from MN. We would like to make the group as big as possible and give the E46 guys a more active place to post. None of the groups (that we can find) are E46 specific and become cluttered with stuff that doesn't usually apply.


    I don't mean to take anything from the forums, this is obviously a great place and has taught me a ton. If anything it will help with finding links and sharing experiences.

  16. #116
    Join Date
    May 2015
    Location
    Atlanta, GA
    Posts
    3,608
    My Cars
    540i6 S2M5 M2C 135 S52ti
    Quote Originally Posted by dhurley34 View Post
    True. O2 sensors only show codes if they are very very bad. If you have a live data scanner with a graph, you can tell if an O2 sensor is going bad. While at operating temperature, hold the throttle steady at 2k rpm and watch the graph. If the sensor is not reading the full voltage spectrum (0-1v) or is switching back and forth very slowly, they need to be replaced. A graph is needed to track the switching time, you cant tell just from looking at the raw data. From my experience, sensors that only switch back and forth at a narrow band of voltages (0.2 to 0.7) are becoming lazy and need replacement.
    very good to know especially as I have been logging data recently... I know there are acceptable values for everything, 02 voltages was not one of them, now it is, knowledge is power!
    Last edited by angeleye540i; 02-19-2016 at 08:54 PM.

  17. #117
    Join Date
    May 2015
    Location
    Atlanta, GA
    Posts
    3,608
    My Cars
    540i6 S2M5 M2C 135 S52ti
    I sent a join request, maybe make it not invite only and more people would be a part of it.... Or is there a screening process ?

  18. #118
    Join Date
    Feb 2013
    Location
    Minnesota
    Posts
    255
    My Cars
    E46
    Quote Originally Posted by angeleye540i View Post
    I sent a join request, maybe make it not invite only and more people would be a part of it.... Or is there a screening process ?

    We get fake requests every now and then. Trying to keep the riff raff out haha

  19. #119
    Join Date
    Dec 2015
    Location
    Vermont
    Posts
    127
    My Cars
    2 330xi's, 1 330i ZHP
    Changed rear springs and shocks on my 2004 330xi... what an F'ing bitch. Supposedly, I was supposed to be able to do the job without a spring compressor, but I can tell you that not only did I need a spring compressor, but I also needed a jack to push the control arms down as much as I dared (I actually broke one anti-sway bar connecting link, so I recommend disconnecting them from from their brackets for this job). Even then, it was very, very tight. My new springs are Suplex from FCP Euro, and they're supposed to replicate OEM setup, and I know the 330xi sits higher than the i/ci, so I speculate the springs might be a little longer. Anyway, I 'm glad that's over--onto the front struts!

  20. #120
    Join Date
    Feb 2015
    Location
    NJ
    Posts
    15
    My Cars
    2001 BMW 330i
    replaced expansion tank and upper radiator hose (i think that's where the leak was coming from) and put new spark plugs in. Next on my list is the oil pan gasket.
    Last edited by Fearless Merc; 02-21-2016 at 06:13 PM.

  21. #121
    Join Date
    Jul 2009
    Location
    DE
    Posts
    1,739
    My Cars
    e46

  22. #122
    Join Date
    Aug 2014
    Location
    Lawrence Kansas
    Posts
    1,236
    My Cars
    2004 325XI/2008 GL320
    I drove it today.

  23. #123
    Join Date
    Sep 2006
    Location
    Michigan
    Posts
    13,674
    My Cars
    2005 325Xi
    Waterpump, expansion tank, t-stat, belts, tensioner, tensioner pulley and idler pulley, air filter and microfilter.
    Quote Originally Posted by B4SH View Post
    If anyone knows, it's this guy who knows literally nothing about everything.
    Quote Originally Posted by fcvapor05 View Post
    Do you even OT? The mean 401k around here is probably about $6, what with all the shiny cars and $1,000 watches and donations to get other members' Volvos running.


  24. #124
    Join Date
    Sep 2012
    Location
    El Paso Del Norte, TX, US
    Posts
    438
    My Cars
    ‘15 F31d Msport
    Bought it and drove it 7 hours home!

  25. #125
    Join Date
    May 2015
    Location
    Atlanta, GA
    Posts
    3,608
    My Cars
    540i6 S2M5 M2C 135 S52ti
    Quote Originally Posted by Onizukachan View Post
    Bought it and drove it 7 hours home!
    nice how's that working out for ya?

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