New E46 Owner

[stevehallone]

3 hours ago, evokid said:

Cheers guys. Not sure if I want black or carbon fibre? 🤔

Go for gloss black mate, I think mock carbon fibre will stand out like a sore thumb unless you carbon wrap the msport slats and fog light surrounds

[evokid]

3 hours ago, 2clubsp said:

You mean gloss black or fake carbon fibre? I really don't get that fake stuff.

Id love the carbon fibre but can’t warrant £150 on grilles! So prob settle for black . OEM Black ones? You have part nos? For pre facelift?

[2clubsp]

6 hours ago, evokid said:

Id love the carbon fibre but can’t warrant £150 on grilles! So prob settle for black . OEM Black ones? You have part nos? For pre facelift?

Ah, not for pre face lift.

[stevehallone]

Interior wise mine didn't have the Nokia connection, just a very tired looking storage compartment with stubborn residue and scratches all over.

Now we have a mock carbon fibre cup/coin holder 

[martauto]

On 8/6/2018 at 10:57, stevehallone said:

 

At the moment, all I've done is de-badge the rear & I had a look down the tail pipes for the valve to try the golf tee mod but there doesn't appear to be one - anyone else found that?Interior wise, I'd like some cup holders if that's doable with an armrest, as well as some new fitted mats. & I'm looking into the

I got some cup holders from e-bay a one minute job'

Whats this mod all about ?

 

Mart.

[stevehallone]

2 hours ago, martauto said:

I got some cup holders from e-bay a one minute job'

Whats this mod all about ?

 

Mart.

The Golf Tee Mod?

I believe on certain spec exhausts there's a butterfly valve inside one (or both) tail pipes. It opens above a certain rev range but you can disconnect the sensor and plug a tube with a golf tee to keep it open all the time which makes it sound a bit louder on tick over/lower revs.

That's my understanding anyway.

Mine doesn't have the valves so I don't have first hand experience. 

[evokid]

15 hours ago, stevehallone said:

The Golf Tee Mod?

I believe on certain spec exhausts there's a butterfly valve inside one (or both) tail pipes. It opens above a certain rev range but you can disconnect the sensor and plug a tube with a golf tee to keep it open all the time which makes it sound a bit louder on tick over/lower revs.

That's my understanding anyway.

Mine doesn't have the valves so I don't have first hand experience. 

T Mod, you just pull the vacuum pipe off the diaphragm valve on exhaust with valve in. As you say it allows only one pipe to exit at idle for quieter exhaust, butvwhen you disconnect and block the vacuum pipe with a golf tee (Or use a suitable size screw and cable tie) providing the butterfly valve hasn’t corroded in the closed or partially open position then you get a. It fruitier sound on idle low revs etc

[martauto]

Read up about it on this forum ( years ago was the post) and found mine is stuck shut solid. Loads of wd 40 going on right now. Tried hitting it but nothing just yet.

 

Mart.

Edited August 14, 2018 by martauto

[martauto]

I hit it very hard with an extension and hammer and away it came. Sounds deeper now and "seems" to respond a little better.

 

Mart.

[stevehallone]

Another small update...

I've been wanting to paint the mesh in the lower part of the bumper since I put the black kidney grilles on. 
I originally intended to take the bumper off and spray it but I read on here that's quite a job and most people mask and paint by hand, so that's what I did

It'll be having a front bumper/bonnet re-spray next year anyway so I'll get the mesh painted to match then but for now, I think this really lifts the face of the car.

Before..

During..

After 1..

 After 2.. 

Then a random cat walked into the shot, made a good edit for the 'gram though..

Edited August 17, 2018 by stevehallone

[martauto]

That looks alot better and a matching cat as well !!

 

Mart.

[CoupEdin]

Funny how the black grill eventually goes completely grey.

I keep thinking about those grey pieces in each corner and whether to paint them too.

 

[stevehallone]

1 hour ago, CoupEdin said:

Funny how the black grill eventually goes completely grey.

I keep thinking about those grey pieces in each corner and whether to paint them too.

 

I was going to but I think you would need to remove the bumper/mesh to do that properly otherwise you'd be there with a very small brush for a very long time lol

[stevehallone]

Thought I'd share what's done and what's to do before I'm happy with the motor and we can start going to some shows

Base: BMW E46 2002 325Ci M Sport

Done:
Tinted Windows - Factory
Debadged rear
Smoked front indicators & Silvertec bulbs
Gloss black kidney grills
Carbon fibre cup holders
Gloss black front mesh

To Do:
Cooling system overhaul 
Pipercross panel filter (with next service)
Poweflex bushes
Front end respray 
Black/Carbon badges (all round)
Direnza cat-back exhaust
Android sat-nav/bluetooth headunit
LED rear clusters
Refurb MV1's

Maybe's:
Spacers
Eibach's
Strut brace
Brembo brakes & yellow calipers
CSL reps (if I don't refurb the MV1s)

Edited August 17, 2018 by stevehallone

[incredirog]

nice list, gonna be really sweet if you get half of that done, personally I’d prioritise the cooling system and suspension components first and don’t forget to budget in a 4 wheels alignment. on mine it was easily the best money I’ve spent getting it to ride like a brand new car.

[stevehallone]

11 hours ago, incredirog said:

nice list, gonna be really sweet if you get half of that done, personally I’d prioritise the cooling system and suspension components first and don’t forget to budget in a 4 wheels alignment. on mine it was easily the best money I’ve spent getting it to ride like a brand new car.

Priority numero uno is the cooling system, as you say followed by suspension. I think I might stick some new rubber on as well.

However, today im troubleshooting DSC issues. I turned it off and it wont come back on. Got the 2 warning lights permanently now.

Annoyingly its not fuses so I think its likely to be wheel speed sensors.

Got it in the air and located the 5mm allen bolts but after 16 odd years they're not playing ball. Decided its best to source some new bolts before removing and cleaning so now I need to fix that before starting anything else.

 

[evokid]

Yeah had to drill out and re tap both my bolts on hub! Both sheared off! Fun times! NOT! 🤬

[stevehallone]

On 19/08/2018 at 15:23, evokid said:

Yeah had to drill out and re tap both my bolts on hub! Both sheared off! Fun times! NOT! 🤬

Do you know what size the bolts are? Ive read 5mm allen style and 30mm length but mine are so rusty i can't tell, does that sound right to you? 

I want to order some spairs before I cut them off

[evokid]

38 minutes ago, stevehallone said:

Do you know what size the bolts are? Ive read 5mm allen style and 30mm length but mine are so rusty i can't tell, does that sound right to you? 

I want to order some spairs before I cut them off

ISA screw
	i  07 12 9 905 386	M6X30-8.8

[evokid]

It was a 6mm drill and re-tap. Quite a long bolt, cant remember allen key size off hand.

[stevehallone]

16 hours ago, evokid said:

It was a 6mm drill and re-tap. Quite a long bolt, cant remember allen key size off hand.

Sorry just to be clear, you used a 6mm drill to re-tap your old ones?

So if I was to replace them, something like these would be like the originals?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00B3RIHE0/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=A1P9DCA88LI1WF&psc=1

[evokid]

1 hour ago, stevehallone said:

Sorry just to be clear, you used a 6mm drill to re-tap your old ones?

So if I was to replace them, something like these would be like the originals?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00B3RIHE0/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=A1P9DCA88LI1WF&psc=1

Hi Steve , yes it’s that’s what we used , maybe try a 5.5 or 5mm then re tap, but the Re tap was definitely 6mm . We had my hubs on bench though, one is perfect but the other is slightly elongated, id imagine they’d be a mare to drill in situ? So just take your time 👍 

Those bolts look very much like the BMW ones. 👍👍

[stevehallone]

Been a bit quiet recently... still troubleshooting DSC problems.

I've now had all the wheel speed sensors out and cleaned them. Replaced the allen bolts. Keyed the contact for a better earth. Been for a drive up to 45mph.... bloody lights still on.

My cheapo fault reader isn't finding anything so I think it'll have to go to BMW.

Other than the above, she's been driving lovely if it wasn't for the annoying light I'd probably leave the dsc off.

Bought a magnetic wireless phone charger mount and a tape to aux connection... 15 quid job to play my own music until funds allow for an andoid unit.👍 

[incredirog]

it’s worth investing in a OBD cable and inpa software package on eBay, much more detailed than a code reader, and only £20ish. which is nothing compared to BMW labour rate for diagnostics. 

[stevehallone]

Weirdly, the lights went off today!

Driving 'enthusiastically' this morning with the kick down up to about 6k RPM and as soon as I lifted the lights went out. So I pulled over, took the key out the ignition and waited a bit before carrying on and touch wood, it's not come back, so I think a sticky speed sensor is likely to be the cause.

I'll look into it more when I get back from holiday in a couple of weeks time but for now I'm pleased, perhaps I just didn't give it enough of a boot-full after cleaning the sensors at the weekend.