e46 M3 torque spec thread-- every bolt on the car on diagrams

[Shonky]

Are there any official torque figures for the rear taillights?

No. Nothing in TIS.

[ac427]

Are there any official torque figures for the rear taillights?

[Slideways]

Yeah I figured this may be the case but thought I'd ask in case it's known to engine builders, or at least they could tell me what they use. Blue loctite's a good idea.

Re: the general torque spec on the first page, how do I read that? There are three M7 options: 8.8, 10.9 and 12.9. Are those lengths of the threaded part of the bolt or something? Sorry, very ignorant on how bolt specs work

8.8, 10.9 and 12.9 refer to the class of bolt or its strength. In this case, it should be 8.8 and it is being threaded into aluminum. Honestly, I'd do it by feel with a dab of blue medium strength loctite and that should be enough. If the stud backs out, then you can move up to red loctite. Blue is preferred here in case you ever need to take them out for cylinder head work, stud replacement, etc.

Another torque spec that someone else said was not in the TIS was the oil squirter bolts. IIRC, they also used blue loctite as they were not sure of the tq spec. Spec could be around 10NM for a small bolt like that.

[ATB88]

I doubt this spec is published, but you could use the general torque spec on the first page or go by feel with a bit of blue loctite. The loctite should prevent the stud from backing out when you remove the valve cover nuts.

Yeah I figured this may be the case but thought I'd ask in case it's known to engine builders, or at least they could tell me what they use. Blue loctite's a good idea.

Re: the general torque spec on the first page, how do I read that? There are three M7 options: 8.8, 10.9 and 12.9. Are those lengths of the threaded part of the bolt or something? Sorry, very ignorant on how bolt specs work

[Slideways]

Torque Spec Request: Part number 7 on page 35 of the updated PDF. Part number 11127830859, it's stud bold that anchors into the cylinder heat on the front on either side. Has a protruding stud out the top which is what part number 11 on page 29 of the updated pdf fastens to (these are the two shallow-grommeted bolts that fasten the very front of the valve cover, and also themselves have studs protruding from the top of them for the beauty cover nuts). I need the torque spec for part number 7 on page 35, no part number 11 on page 29.

See here on realoem: https://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/showparts?id=BR93-USA-05_2000_E46_BMW_M3&diagId=11_2991#11127830 859

Anyone?

I doubt this spec is published, but you could use the general torque spec on the first page or go by feel with a bit of blue loctite. The loctite should prevent the stud from backing out when you remove the valve cover nuts.

[Shonky]

Edit: Misunderstood, but 10Nm is already there? Surely just the same.

[ATB88]

Torque Spec Request: Part number 7 on page 35 of the updated PDF. Part number 11127830859, it's stud bold that anchors into the cylinder heat on the front on either side. Has a protruding stud out the top which is what part number 11 on page 29 of the updated pdf fastens to (these are the two shallow-grommeted bolts that fasten the very front of the valve cover, and also themselves have studs protruding from the top of them for the beauty cover nuts). I need the torque spec for part number 7 on page 35, no part number 11 on page 29.

See here on realoem: https://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/sho...91#11127830859

Anyone?

[Shonky]

The torque spec for the transmission is questionable: It said M12 for the bolts holding the gear box to bell housing with the spec 76Nm or 56 ftlbs. This torque seems too high and can damage the bell housing. Where did this information come from?

TIS

[sapote]

The torque spec for the transmission is questionable: It said M12 for the bolts holding the gear box to bell housing with the spec 76Nm or 56 ftlbs. This torque seems too high and can damage the bell housing. Where did this information come from?

[bavarian3]

I'm not sure if someone wants to verify this before adding to the PDF, but I think I found the torque values for the oil pump send and pickup tubes. I remember bimmerfan08 broke one of the M5 bolts trying to torque it to an approx. value. After cross-referencing the two bolts, I saw that these bolts are also used on the E36 and other E46 models.

According to the TIS for the E36 and E46, the M5x16 (number 6, pn 07129903041) is 5NM and the M6x16 (number 11, pn 07119904524) is 10NM.

S54 oil pump is on page 49.

The TIS seems to also state to wash and oil the replacement M10 rod bolts before installing.

Thank you for this. I was also a victim of busting one of the M5x16 bolts torquing it to 10nm. FCP actually recommends this in their video which is what I went with since I couldn't find a spec. Had to get it extracted, super fun.

[Nate047]

Thank you, is there a link we have for the TIS?

[Slideways]

Maybe this is a dumb question, but does this doc include, or is there another doc, that mentions which fasteners need to be torqued under load vs which ones can be torqued with the car off the ground?

One or two might be in the doc, but it is always good to check the online TIS for the full instructions which mention special procedures.

Anything with a rubber bushing, a metal sleeve and a bolt going through it needs to be torqued at ride height.

Rear lower shock mount bolt
Bolt that goes through RTAB
Upper rear spring perch bolt
Upper rear camber arm bolt

[Nate047]

Maybe this is a dumb question, but does this doc include, or is there another doc, that mentions which fasteners need to be torqued under load vs which ones can be torqued with the car off the ground?

[ac427]

This is a great work and i have been following the updates to the PDF since Flow made it.

I was wondering, could the pages be re-ordered though, to match the list as shown on RealOEM and the EDK ?

Then you could step through both without a lot of paging up and down to find the page in the PDF and the same on RealOEM ?

[heinzboehmer]

I'd prefer to leave the TIS value in but note it seems to be wrong.

Bentley says 45Nm without the angle torque which seems reasonable.

Fair enough! Looking at this again, I agree with you. Updated.