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Sam

What Have You Done To Your Car Today? Volume 2

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I can recommend the 4300K Xenon kit from SSSD Motorsport, I fitted this to my 55 plate 'Vert: http://www.ssdd-motorsport.com/index.php?route=product/product&path=57_75_238_1049&product_id=98 It's the H7 kit for projector lights that is needed.

The 4300K is a nice white light, if you want a more icy look you can go for a higher colour temperature.

The light is say 2-3 times brighter, and the beam pattern seems reasonably good.

If you're interested, in order to install the kit you need to make a hole in the plastic clip on  headlight cover about 20mm diameter (the one removed to change bulbs). I would also recommend some sealant arond the rubber grommet that fits onto that cap, to make sure it's watertight. I would also recommend using some sealant to stick the driver's side ballast to the washer bottle (the sticky pad doesn't stick to the plastic well), and some foam tape to wrap the connectors in to avoid rattles, something like numberplate fixing tape, which you can buy in a roll.

Here's a comparison shot of the kit in the driver's side, and an Osram Nighbreaker Unlimited bulb in the passenger side:

20161202_123932.jpg

And some comparison shots I made:

20161202_124118.jpg

20161202_124035.jpg

Edited by Tim-Ci
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Drove her to Bristol. Longest drive I've done in her. 

Averaged 30mpg on the run down.

GPS Navigation decided to stop working at about halfway though. CD issue it informed me. Will investigate when I get home.

 

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On 11/01/2017 at 22:44, TriggerFish said:

Bought it a Miller WAR chip so I can now write, flash, and swap on the fly, the maps on my e30. Should be good fun!

 

https://www.millerperformancecars.com/store/war-chip/best-bmw-chip-miller-w-a-r-chip-detail

 

This turned up today. It's tiny!

Just need to find a base map for my engine (or something close to it), upload it and get editing :D Finding a base map could be a challenge as I'm still on standard injectors, most are for larger units, and I have a mechanical AFM, rather than a MAF as most maps seem to expect. Still, always happy to learn new stuff so happy to get cracking. (Although ideally I need to find a lambda/wideband gauge from somewhere to check my fuelling. 

2017-01-18%2013.48.08.jpg

 

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Cheers Tim I will investigate :)..My main concern is knowing where to drill holes, do you have a picture at all. Your good light is bright enough as I read somewhere that brighter doesn't mean further, so I take your setting as good enough for me. CHEERS TIM.

Edited by Hawnet
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47 minutes ago, Hawnet said:

Cheers Tim I will investigate :)..My main concern is knowing where to drill holes, do you have a picture at all. Your good light is bright enough as I read somewhere that brighter doesn't mean further, so I take your setting as good enough for me. CHEERS TIM.

Yes brighter doesn't always mean further, I think it will depend on how low your headlghts are adjusted. I think if you have them adjusted towards the higher end of what is legal and will pass an MOT, you should see further.

The strange thing about the Xenon lights is the light they give off is very natural in colour, so it doesn't stand out as much as the orangey halogen bulbs did, but I know there's a lot more light there. Driving back from Devon over Christmas I didn't have any of those moments of slight panic driving at 70mph in the pitch black, due to not enough light, which I would have had with the Nightbreakers.

Image result for e46 bulb cap

This is the cap that needs a hole drilling or cutting. I drilled some holes about 6mm, then used a coping saw to tidy up the edge. You could use a file to smooth up the edge of the hole, or even a soldering iron (might smoke a bit). Make sure you don't make the hole too big because the rubber grommet the Xenon wiring passes through won't seal properly then.

The only other slight issue I had was getting the wire clip in place, the one that holds the bulb in place. I didn't want it chafing so I unhooked the clip, fed the new wires through the loop of the wire clip, and had a bit of a struggle getting it back together. I wasn't in the most patient mood that day which didn't help.

Edited by Tim-Ci
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Fantastic reply Tim cheers, I can imagine the clip being a pig, you have made me less nervous as the car is being driven by the wife and she is complaining she cannot see in the dark as she is driving so that is my next job of the day b4 it all goes wrong. Thanks again for posting  the picture post.

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No probs, good luck with it Hawnet!! One more thing to mention, on the passenger side, I stuck the ballast box down onto the metal of the bodywork, next to to the airbox (gave it a quick wipe first to clean off any dirt). The ballasts have adhesive pads which makes it easier.

Edited by Tim-Ci
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Interesting the M3 was 'so' low. Maybe the valves needed doing, or the VANOS was faulty? I don't valve clearances would lose you that much power though, if any.

My 330d (totally different engine I know) made within 3bhp (181bhp recorded) of stock with 200,000 miles on it. (I know there's dyno lottery involved, of course.)

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I have used the Autoglym stuff before but found it doesn't last long once it rains.

I've done my pollen filter cover, rear bumper trim and scuttle trim with this stuff, which is a (semi) permanent dye: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Forever-Black-Car-Bumper-Trim-Cleaner-Permanent-Dye-Kit-Inc-Delivery-/361615448160?hash=item5431f5d860:m:muazkyRuL-fNERKCzSlja9A

It made a massive difference and the trim looks like new after about 6 months and about half a dozen washes. My pollen filter cover was almost white it was so sun bleached, it is black now still after the dyeing.

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1 hour ago, Benji83 said:

Did a quick bit of trim gelling with this stuff, results were really good with the mirror surrounds but was expecting a bit more from the pollen filter cover. Could all be down to how I used it though.

 

large.588de3677c91f_Autoglym.jpg.9ef0239

large.588de370505f8_Mirrorbefore.jpg.bealarge.588de37fc4d8a_Mirrorafter.jpg.d637large.588de38d49ea1_Scuttlebefore.jpg.f0large.588de3977d794_Scuttleafter.jpg.95a

Use GTechniq C5 for a better, longer lasting result :)

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Took it for its first long run in my ownership - from Aylesbury to Maidstone to Derby and back home - to pick up an mgb with a friend. 

Not going quickly at all once we'd reached Maidstone, but the 420 mile round trip returned 51.8mpg (vs 61.9 reported!). Not bad for a 3 litre engine that goes as rapidly as it does. 

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That's a solid mpg figure, I can't imagine a 320d of the same age would give much more, unless you were seriously pootling it at say 40mph. I imagine there are a few more smiles per mile on average in a 330.

I can get close to 40mpg in mine doing 70mph max. (6 speed box), which I think's not too bad either. In it's maiden run before I had given it a very thorough overhauling it got 37mpg on the OBC from Manchester to Newcastle with a mixture of speeds, from 50mph average speed camera to foot to the floor moments, and 70mph cruising, the OBC was about 1mpg optimistic on those type of journeys so about a 'real' 36mpg, which isn't so bad for a 3 litre petrol which was in desparate need of a very good service at the time.

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3 hours ago, mjn said:

Use GTechniq C5 for a better, longer lasting result :)

I've heard good things about GTechniq. Did you mean C5, as that's showing as "Wheel Armour"????

ETA just checked, I guess it's the C4 permanent trim restorer you've had good results with.

Edited by Tim-Ci
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