Dumb Question Thread - No Flaming Allowed

[Casa de Mesa]

Has anyone painted their M3 mirrors black on a non-black car? Would love to see pics. Mine need to be resprayed due to rock chips and debating going black.

https://nam3forum.com/forums/forum/main-forum/member-build-journals/47408-robs-e46m-rosso-corsa-street-build?p=190524#post190524

[YYZ-M3]

Has anyone painted their M3 mirrors black on a non-black car? Would love to see pics. Mine need to be resprayed due to rock chips and debating going black.

[Cubieman]

Anyone have any measurements I can use to roughly figure out if my strut towers are in "spec"?

I want to get a very expensive (DMG RC) strut bar but worry it may not fit, I was thinking rogue but I think the ability to take the center out is worth the $.

Just afraid to order it and have it not fit as returns there are not cut an dry, rightfully so.

[PSUEng]

Why are the floor mat and gauge ///M purple striped but the door sills, trunk, engine, ZCP steering wheel, wheels, all have blue stripes? My knob isn’t original so idk what that was.

Because, different suppliers for those different parts, different printing materials and materials being printed on, different specs (BMW didn't apply consistent color requirements on part drawings?)...I've noticed this too.

[sasha]

Why are the floor mat and gauge ///M purple striped but the door sills, trunk, engine, ZCP steering wheel, wheels, all have blue stripes? My knob isn’t original so idk what that was.

[Slideways]

So on the VANOS gasket, Elring is good? Genuine is way more expensive, but to replace it it's not like an oil pan gasket.

I've used both. They look exactly the same, so my guess is Elring is the OE supplier to BMW. The headgasket is 100% Elring.

[bavarian3]

So on the VANOS gasket, Elring is good? Genuine is way more expensive, but to replace it it's not like an oil pan gasket.

Elring works well for me.

[PSUEng]

There are no marking on the gasket to figure out who makes it. The pictures on FCP show the BMW and Corteco gaskets are silver and the Elring is not. Based on that, my guess is Corteco might be the OE supplier. I would have thought Elring since they make many of the other metal gaskets such as the head gasket and VANOS gasket.

Since it is not an easy job to get to the oil pan gasket, you might want to stick with genuine. If it ever gets really expensive, I'd probably go Corteco.

So on the VANOS gasket, Elring is good? Genuine is way more expensive, but to replace it it's not like an oil pan gasket.

[jayjaya29]

Oil pan gaskets...what are we buying? Genuine or something else? I don't care what it costs, it needs to be right. I don't want no OEM/aftermarket VCG-type funny business!

Genuine.

[0-60motorsports]

Dos anyone know where I can get the brake line holding grommets for the ST lines front and rear?

[Slideways]

Oil pan gaskets...what are we buying? Genuine or something else? I don't care what it costs, it needs to be right. I don't want no OEM/aftermarket VCG-type funny business!

There are no marking on the gasket to figure out who makes it. The pictures on FCP show the BMW and Corteco gaskets are silver and the Elring is not. Based on that, my guess is Corteco might be the OE supplier. I would have thought Elring since they make many of the other metal gaskets such as the head gasket and VANOS gasket.

Since it is not an easy job to get to the oil pan gasket, you might want to stick with genuine. If it ever gets really expensive, I'd probably go Corteco.

[PSUEng]

Oil pan gaskets...what are we buying? Genuine or something else? I don't care what it costs, it needs to be right. I don't want no OEM/aftermarket VCG-type funny business!

[Slideways]

KW Clubsport: How do you get an adjusting wrench on the rear coilover height adjuster? The rear wheel well seam shape of everything back there is really tight. Do you have to take the spring out and then adjust the thing and put it all back in? Or put the height adjuster on the bottom instead of the top of the spring...?

Also is there supposed to be a washer between the bolt and the rear shock lower mounting point?

Spring has to be removed to adjust. Lower shock bolt should have a washer.

[Nate047]

KW Clubsport: How do you get an adjusting wrench on the rear coilover height adjuster? The rear wheel well seam shape of everything back there is really tight. Do you have to take the spring out and then adjust the thing and put it all back in? Or put the height adjuster on the bottom instead of the top of the spring...?

Also is there supposed to be a washer between the bolt and the rear shock lower mounting point?

[maupineda]

I’m putting some rear interior back into my car, how do I release the seat belt locks? They are not installed. Currently they are fully contracted and I don’t know how to get them loose.

Set them as close as possible to their install position. It maybe easier if you mount the retractors to the body.