Dumb Question Thread - No Flaming Allowed

[dustyice]

If I replace a single front swaybar endlink, is there a potential for alignment to be thrown off at all?

Context: I did endlinks and tie rods while I was doing rod bearings. A few weeks later I also replaced the front control arms because I had ripped a greased boot on one of the control arm ball joints. They had 110k and 23 years on them anyway, so, fine. In removing one of the old control arms, I had to use a torch to get the control arm off the knuckle (broke two ball joint separator tools leading up to that). In using that torch, I accidentally melted the plastic backing of one of the endlink ball joints, which is what holds the grease in on the endlink. Whoops!

So, now, I just want to replaced that one endlink that I melted. Just had the car aligned, and would like to not have to do that again... any guidance on whether or not replacing the endlink will mess alignment up? I'm pretty clueless when it comes to suspension stuff overall.

(followup question: does replacing front struts require alignment?)

Sway bar end link does not affect the allignment at all. You are good to just replace the missing one.

The strut replacement will need a reallignment as the removal process would change with your camber settings. You could always mark the location of the original bolts on the top and get it close, but if you want it exactly like it was before would probably need a reallignment.

[Cubieman]

Thinking of buying some Ohlin's R&T to replace my shit BC coilovers, this is a 90% street driven car.

- What camber plates should I be looking at that are good for the street and quality?

- RSM's I am thinking stock but if some Vorshlag or similar RSM's don't add a ton of NVH I could go that way too.

- I don't see endlinks included, what's a popular option here with the R&T's?

[ATB88]

If I replace a single front swaybar endlink, is there a potential for alignment to be thrown off at all?

Context: I did endlinks and tie rods while I was doing rod bearings. A few weeks later I also replaced the front control arms because I had ripped a greased boot on one of the control arm ball joints. They had 110k and 23 years on them anyway, so, fine. In removing one of the old control arms, I had to use a torch to get the control arm off the knuckle (broke two ball joint separator tools leading up to that). In using that torch, I accidentally melted the plastic backing of one of the endlink ball joints, which is what holds the grease in on the endlink. Whoops!

So, now, I just want to replaced that one endlink that I melted. Just had the car aligned, and would like to not have to do that again... any guidance on whether or not replacing the endlink will mess alignment up? I'm pretty clueless when it comes to suspension stuff overall.

(followup question: does replacing front struts require alignment?)

[Kipjames3]

Nevermind. Scam.

[Nate047]

What’s the best tool to install an OEM front diff mount with the subframe in the car? I know the diff needs to come out to make room.

[bavarian3]

Flow heinzboehmer

Appreciate the info that helps a lot. I think this may not be worth the effort for a button. Quite a few times I almost purchased a zcp wheel and never thought about the fact that the button would be useless.

Looks like it may be easier to just go with a full button delete like Avedis has shown here

[heinzboehmer]

You n Bry5on are next level, no surprise.

While completely doable, now I'm thinking this may be more complex than I want to bother with as I'm adverse to tampering with factory wires when avoidable.

Perhaps I should try this a different way - what happens i slap this on my steering wheel, plug into the one harness female that's on there and do nothing else. I assume I just have a sole i/o button that works as it would before?

https://www.turnermotorsport.com/p-5...uine-bmw-part/

You could build yourself a little adapter harness that taps into the switch center connector, so that you don't have to modify any factory wiring. Although, I do think the female connector is molded into the case for the switches, so you might have to get creative there. Maybe unpin the factory wire and move it over to your harness?

Alternatively, you could tap into the DME side of things. I got some break out boards made for the X60003 DME connector a while back: https://nam3forum.com/forums/forum/m...384#post112384 You could do something similar for X60004 (where the sport mode wire runs to) and tap into that.

The button on the ZCP trim has a wire running directly from it to a dedicated input on the ZCP MK60 that toggles M track mode on and off. Regular MK60s and MK20s do not have this extra input pin. Unfortunately, the button won't do anything if you just install it on your car without some custom wiring.

[Flow]

If I were you I wouldn't do it. Sport button in my opinion is just less throttle control, as it just makes the throttle by wire less linear and it doesn't bring any power.
Just my 2 cents

[bavarian3]

MK20 won't matter for this, sport mode is controlled by the DME (and the HW triggering mechanism is the same between non-HP and HP DMEs).

There's a bunch of different configurations for the switch panel, so lots of wiring diagrams as well. Here's an example one with the sport button labeled (look for "driving dynamics"):



IIRC, the button pulls to GND and the DME reacts accordingly. If you emulate that with the ZCP button, it should just work. I would stick a multimeter on the output pin of the button (with everything connected) and see how it's set up. Then do the same on the ZCP trim.

Here's an excellent resource on how the switch center works electrically: https://nam3forum.com/forums/forum/m...087#post246087

Another option is to swap in the E39 M5 wiper stalk. Identical to ours, except for an extra button (conveniently) labeled "S" at the end of it: 61318375407. I know for a fact that this one pulls to GND: https://nam3forum.com/forums/forum/m...950#post254950

You n Bry5on are next level, no surprise.

While completely doable, now I'm thinking this may be more complex than I want to bother with as I'm adverse to tampering with factory wires when avoidable.

Perhaps I should try this a different way - what happens i slap this on my steering wheel, plug into the one harness female that's on there and do nothing else. I assume I just have a sole i/o button that works as it would before?

https://www.turnermotorsport.com/p-57658-32347833936-genuine-bmw-part/

[heinzboehmer]

would it be feasible to setup the i/o button on a zcp steering wheel for sport mode on a non-zcp MK20 car

MK20 won't matter for this, sport mode is controlled by the DME (and the HW triggering mechanism is the same between non-HP and HP DMEs).

There's a bunch of different configurations for the switch panel, so lots of wiring diagrams as well. Here's an example one with the sport button labeled (look for "driving dynamics"):



IIRC, the button pulls to GND and the DME reacts accordingly. If you emulate that with the ZCP button, it should just work. I would stick a multimeter on the output pin of the button (with everything connected) and see how it's set up. Then do the same on the ZCP trim.

Here's an excellent resource on how the switch center works electrically: https://nam3forum.com/forums/forum/m...087#post246087

Another option is to swap in the E39 M5 wiper stalk. Identical to ours, except for an extra button (conveniently) labeled "S" at the end of it: 61318375407. I know for a fact that this one pulls to GND: https://nam3forum.com/forums/forum/m...950#post254950

[bavarian3]

Not exactly what you are asking, but maybe helpful.

This is helpful, thanks! looks like I can easily just run another line or tap into the existing sport line

[Kipjames3]

Do sports seat's back panels fit M3 seats? Can't find a definite answer. The panels with the netting is what I'm referring to.

[D-O]

Not exactly what you are asking, but maybe helpful.

[bavarian3]

would it be feasible to setup the i/o button on a zcp steering wheel for sport mode on a non-zcp MK20 car

[ATB88]

On a car with EWS disabled in the dme/binary modification tool, could a bad key still be responsible for a intermittent no crank/no start ?

Yes, I have a bad original key that will not crank no matter what.

is adding a diode needed to correctly run a AGM battery in these cars? I know with other cars that came stock a standard flooded lead-acid battery need a diode in series with the battery fuse to correctly boost the voltage to charge AGM batteries. I have a sneaking suspicion I'm not putting enough voltage out of my alternator and it's hurting the battery. I'll check later to see what voltage the alternator puts out when it is running.

I've been running an AGM in my car for 7 years with no issue, have not had to do anything of the sort.