2003 Titan Silver 335k kms - newbie

[alexsol]

New to this forum. Had my e46m3 for about 7 years now.
I got the subframe reinforcement done. Vanos I did myself. Swapped out a fresh S54, bought from a guy who had already done rod bearings and refreshed head from dealer. Swapped out the HIDs for LEDs (cut wires and respliced). Bought a complete rear end from transmission back to hubs - with 200,000kms less than my stock original.

[alexsol]

On the rear end swap I've done:

trailing arms : new inner upper bush, inner lower bush, RTAB, rear wheel bearing

next: diff bushes, rear carrier bushes

From original car I've:

dropped the rear subframe, fuel tank and scraped off the rust with a grinder with sandpaper flap wheel and wire wheel
spray three coats of rust converter (pretty bad underneath)

planning:

run new rear hard brake lines from abs unit all the way back (or is there a natural break in the middle?)

after rust converter, prime and cover with rubberized rocker guard to protect from stone chips etc, then a few good coats of the amber rustproofing

re-install fuel tank

then new parking brake lines

then rear subframe and trailing arms, control arms, CV axle, etc.

bought a cheapie chassis mounted shifter and looking at DSSR.

Any other suggestions?

[alexsol]

stripped the rear hard lines from the abs pump.

to get there: remove harness cover and harness (tuck it near the motor), remove intake to the manifold (I have a K&N so quick removal), remove the plastic cover that protects the ABS pump area, 11mm flare nut to ease out the hard line.

I found the hard line already repaired in two places and lots of corrosion so replacing entire run with the copper/nickel lines with bubble flare. (did this job to the E46 Touring last year). Quick measurement shows about 16 feet of brake line to the passenger side rear brake line connection to the soft line

[Turboixxi]

How are the LED’s compared to HID? Brightness, beam pattern and cutoff?

[alexsol]

How are the LED’s compared to HID? Brightness, beam pattern and cutoff?

I like the LEDs over my HIDs... could be i did not have oem HIDs so they were bright but not as bright as the leds... beam pattern and cutoff appear same to me. I need someone to drive behind me or look more carefully from the front but like the LEDs better and no more warning on the dash... plus the passenger side would die, then come back to life constantly... like i'm winking at people while driving down the road... didn't know how to fix... new ballasts at $200 each?

[alexsol]

super rusty rear end... muffler support looks terrible (any one local got 2 for sale?).

made bubble flares for the brake lines. $25 worth of copper/nickel brake pipe. 3/16" and reused the oem nipples or whatever those m10x1.0 ends are called... ran underneath the car and will finish the connections later this week...

rust proof done, then spray and epoxy primer, then rubberized rocker guard, then finish off the brake lines, fuel tank up and ready to install the 'new' diff carrier / trailing arm assembly... good times.. so far!

[M3llowM3]

I like the LEDs over my HIDs... could be i did not have oem HIDs so they were bright but not as bright as the leds... beam pattern and cutoff appear same to me. I need someone to drive behind me or look more carefully from the front but like the LEDs better and no more warning on the dash... plus the passenger side would die, then come back to life constantly... like i'm winking at people while driving down the road... didn't know how to fix... new ballasts at $200 each?

that could have been a ballast or ignitor issue, i would start at ballast as that is easier to get at

[FFWD]

muffler support looks terrible (any one local got 2 for sale?).

That looks a little better than the ones on my car. I was just going to soak them in rust remover and see what's left (I have both Evaporust as well as Crud Kutter, but also recently saw this video on Citric acid:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fVYZmeReKKY

I use Citric acid to clean my coffee machine and kettle. It works so much better and faster than vinegar to dissolve the calcium. While I was watching the caldium bubble up and dissolve, I started wondering what it would do to rust and found that video. I threw a couple of old bolts I didn't care about into the leftover Citric acid solution (with the dissolved calcium in it). It converted the rust on them within 15-30 minutes. Probably the fastest I've ever seen a rust converter bath work.

[alexsol]

wow, a month goes by fast.

after the brake line job, i scrubbed all the rust off the underside of the rear end as much as possible. sprayed the rust converter (I haven't gotten my hands on any citric acid three coats in three hours per the instructions. left for 48 hours, came back with this expensive epoxy primer, then finished off with the rocker guard black sticky spray. There was some suggestion to use pick up truck bed liner.

After that, I started the reassembly. fuel tank, rear subframe / diff carrier, trailing arms (bushes and bearings were done earlier), lower control arms (note: install the lower control arms before installing the diff), diff, half axles / CV axles, struggled with the bearing side for some reason wouldn't easily slide in,

I bought new abs sensors, so installed rears

hand brake lines - new

replaced calipers - have new rubber brake lines to install

then started to prep the front for engine out...

I bought a cheapie chassis mounted shifter and tried it out, really stiff and direct feeling shifts... not sure I love it but... we'll see and can always swap in the original, which I don't love..

[alexsol]

Next: Jumped to the front of the M. Fluids emptied - oil, power steering, coolant, A/C compressor already empty , and prepped for engine out. So front bumper, lights, all the panels/braces/anti sway bar and other stuff from underneath, disconnected the power steering lines to the cooler, removed rad fan, rad, front carrier that holds the hood release mechanism.

On Mon Aug 11, I did the front subframe drop with the help of a buddy and wish i given myself more space in the garage. only moved the M back in the garage about 4 feet and could have used 8 feet clear in the front. put on jack stands and disconnected front calipers, shocks on top |(3x 13mm nuts), harnesses except forgot the leveller connection (stretched that a little), and used a motorcycle lift under the engine/trans and connected the engine lift with chain and hook on top

backed off the 4X 18mm head bolts and lowered the engine/trans/subframe together. removed the two engine mount nuts and the front subframe could slip through and out of the way of the engine picker. and struggled to get split the engine/trans due to the space constraints. Finally got it done... struggled an extra 1/2 hour or more I'd say

With the trans split, I could move the engine out, trans out, re-installed the front subframe, front calipers, front wheels. Pushed the car back into the garage because it was sticking out about 3 feet. This whole operation took 4 hours from start to finish .

[alexsol]

And we're back.

1. With engine out, i installed the oil thermostat block off diverter (in the oil filter housing area) and it doesn't need engine out but sure easy to remove alternator, then housing then install the diverter.

2. installed a cheapie chassis mounted shifter - feels really tight, didn't get the DSSR on time so will have to do it next round - any concerns it puts too much stress on the shifter inside the transmission?

3. checked cpv for leak, looks clean so i decided not to touch it (might have been done already by previous owner)

4. resealed vanos pump disk housing because it was leaking oil in the area - solenoid got new oil rings when I did the vanos work (new gaskes, o - rings, chain guide, mini screws that shear off, exhaust pump disk redrill by beisan,

5. power washed motor

6. power steering reservoir was leaking, replaced seal

7. rear main seal and metal gasket replaced

8. checked front main seal, replaced last time, still good

9. replaced trans fluid - saw recommendation to us ATF, i replaced with 75w90 synthetic Idemitsu product

10. replaced fuel tank insulation (all crumbled with i opened up) with kilmat and reconnected

11. rejoined trans to motor using oem flywheel, clutch, PP, lever, and throw out bearing - previously had stage 2 heavy dutyPP, with new disc cheapie lwf, and throw out bearing was show signs of failure. replaced the t-shape part that slips over the input shaft with new. Lubed up nice and install

12. installed sport headers

13. made a flywheel lock out of some electrician's scraps

14 torqued down flywheel and pp

[WestBankM4]

You should create a Member Build Journal, you're putting in a lot of blood, sweat and tears at this point.

[M3fanatic580]

You should create a Member Build Journal, you're putting in a lot of blood, sweat and tears at this point.

I agree. A journal on your car would be awesome.

[alexsol]

Speaking of build journal, I'm interested in the B-tune to clear off some of the issues that this latest bunch of 'upgrades' will create. Plus I don't trust EWS system. It kinda of failed on my wagon and running on only one key. And tried to make a key from local auto locksmith mobile guy and couldn't do it...

[alexsol]

I do sorta have a journal going and have taken lots of photos.

Here's the latest:

14. cancel the 'torque down pp and flywheel', that was done prior to joining the trans to engine... duh!
14a. drop front subframe - car needs to be lifted about as high as a set of 3 ton jack stands can go, my subframe was already dropped with the engine and trans, separated and re-installed so it could roll around the garage and driveway
15. With the help of two buddies, we could control the spring/shocks that want to go all over the place, lift the engine with hoist and trans on a set of wheels (for snowmobile) so it could move around. get into place, lift up close to the firewall, raise the transmission so the whole set is level (ish), and then join the subframe to the engine mount
16. the engine and trans need to slant over a good bit and we used a bottle jack under the driver's side - pretty sure this is not the textbook way to do it... once joined to subframe, I used the atv jack to raise into position, tighten the 3 nuts on top of each shock tower to hold in place, and install the 4 big bolts (18mm head) into the frame - whew
17. connect the shifter to trans - i bought the cheapie amazon chassis mount - feels amazing... so direct and responsive... hope it doesn't transfer too much vibration
18. install the trans supports - found a vibration damper from the donor and installed it... never seen this on any bmw before..
19. exhaust mid pipe in excellent shape donated by a buddy from his m3vert - fits
20. muffler - bought this a month ago from a guy who swapped out oem and stored for years so in good shape - found it has two different flanges and gaskets also different (one slips onto the exhaust pipe, other sits inside a 'fixed' flange
- ordered from amazon and included stainless bolts for reasonable price... bmw wanted $$$ for just one gasket
21. rear bumper ready for install - 3 nuts per side plus all the 8mm screws and plastic plugs
22. moving to front, i replaced the front brake slider and pins
23. abs sensors front... those 5mm allen bolts are just asking to be stripped, retapped holes, cleaned the threads of the bolts, lots of anti-seize and not too much torque.. snug plus I call it
24. rad goes onto the bumper, then attach to the frame - 3 nuts per side, plus 2x m6 bolts (10mm heads), 2 plastic rad 'screws' on top, ready for coolant hoses to rad, rad fan (kept the clutch though don't like them), shroud (3 x t25 torx)
25. power steering - press in the hoses, connect the reservoir (i replaced the metal with gear clamps), new rubber gasket to the reservoir cap
26. checked the oil drain plug and found it has a 5mm allen, checked the threads M12x1.5 and will replace with a proper bolt with hex head and magnetic. I have a spare ECS one on the spare S54 that's hiding in the garage - torque down enough to feel the copper gasket squish and done..