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**01M3Fan** · 04-05-2022, 06:34 PM

Next updates was trying to improve the braking performance and reduce understeer.

I didn't have the cash to complete a BBK - so I upgraded to the BMW euro floating rotors and CSL front disks. With a pad update to Performance Friction - 008's for the track and Z-rated pads for the street, I've been happy with the performance.

I removed the front and rear backing plates while I was at it and had intended to add brake cooling ducts, but I haven't found that it was an issue yet for my skill level on the track.

I remember there were a lot of cutting tools involved and a lot of swearing - in retrospect, I would recommend not doing this unless you need the clearance or are running force fed cooling to the rotors. I haven't had any issues with this setup on the street in cold or wet weather.

**01M3Fan** · 04-05-2022, 06:43 PM

With about 45K miles on the clock, next upgrade was to move to Powerflex FCAB bushings and a set on TMS swaybars.

I purchased the baseline powerflex bushings and unfortunately after a few track days the passenger side (header side) bushing support housing gave up the ghost and cracked.

I also found that one of my front swaybar mount brackets cracked - always a good idea to investigate those unusual noises...

The folks at Bimmerworld were great and helped address the premature failure and get me into the upgraded powerflex race level FCAB bushings and I haven't had any issues with them since. I was tempted to go to the TMS FCAB with spherical bearing with grease fitting - but last time I pulled and re-lubed the new ones (no pic), they have been fine.

**01M3Fan** · 04-05-2022, 06:52 PM

Around 60K miles I noticed some clunking from the rear end of the car when I got on and off the gas (no not the "M clunk") and I brought the car to TMS to have the guys check it out. Sure enough, the unibody where the rear subframe mounts was cracked... Unfortunately I can't find any of the pics of the cracks and repair from TMS... will add if I find them.

So I had them pull the rear subframe, weld up the cracks and then weld in their reinforcement plates to strengthen the unibody in that area. And I happen to ask about 4.10 rear end upgrade and they happen to have a customer with one that wanted to go back to stock - so I ended up with a low mileage Diffs On-line 4.10 rear end with REM finishing during the rebuild along with a new Diff cover. I love it and think this is the way the M3 should have been built - really wakes up the car! My diff has a little bit of an trailing throttle whine, but it's easy to manage so not really noticeable (to me).

**01M3Fan** · 04-20-2022, 02:33 PM

Car has been very reliable, overall with typical problems others have encountered

Intermittent misfiring at 90 K miles solved by replacing all coil packs, found my coils had TSB but I was well outside extended warranty window

Had some issues with brakes and spongy brake pedal. First problem was I could not get my ECU to go into ABS bleed mode to purge system - Dealer, TMS and Independent BMW master mechanic could establish external communications with ABS unit. Puzzling even with lack of communication, ABS and DSC worked and no codes.... Solved by buying used ABS pump & memory for ridiculously short money from Pam Auto recyclers in North Dakota (or somewhere close), unit has lifetime guarantee and when I swapped electronics GT1 could talk with ABS unit - hurray!

Unfortunately that was not all of the problem... So I then changed master cylinder and then still no real improvement. Then, and in retrospect I should have done this first, searched this forum and I was able to piece together brake pads had a very real effect on initial brake "bite" and pedal feel. So off came the metal masters and on went the Performance Friction Z rated pads and all was right with the world! I'm sure the OEM pads would have the best overall bite for the street, but by this point I was tracking my car and wanted more fade resistance.

Had some clunking in the rear end of the car that I eventually tracked down to be torn unibody at the rear subframe mount points. I had Turner Motorsports, who are 20 mins away and awesome, do the weld repair and install their strengthening plates - while they were in there install 4.10 diff with REM polished gears, new guibo and new subframe bushings.

Biggest issue which was traumatic for me, more emotionally than financially (fortunately) was rod bearings. I'm an Engineer at a jet engine manufacturer so I am pretty good at knowing how to break-in an engine and I drive my car hard - but never until it's fully warmed and I have short, 5K, oil change interval. That being said - I dragged my feet on having local dealer do bearing recall (who knows what his training has been). Long story short - 18 months after the recall, my engine blows up (spun a rod), piston and valves meet and sadness... Then my local Service advisor after seeing my stack of maintenance records, puts on his tights and cape and comes to the rescue and BMW buys and installs a new long block as a goodwill warranty so now here I am with an 15 year old car with 120K miles on the chassis and now 35K miles on my engine - happiness is! :-)

**01M3Fan** · 04-20-2022, 02:33 PM

I pulled the US headers out and installed a set of the Euro headers. Went with Evolve tune and I modified the Euro headers to weld in another set of O2 bungs so I could install the rear sensors.

First peak at the bundle of snakes.

Here's a picture of the porkers next to the Euro headers ready to go back in.

I stayed with the US section 1 and the car had a ton of rasp, great power - but wow, when combined with the shorter 4.10 gears the car really howls on the highway when you get on it...
So for my birthday/fathers day last year I removed the stock muffler (what a beast!) and installed a Status Gruppe Scorza muffler. Sounds glorious and I lost 25# or so on the car!!

Sound is unreal on the track - love it, but after daily driving it for a year - I'm planning to weld in a set of AR20 resonators and a pair of Magnaflow 200 cell metallic race cats to see if I can tame the rasp and quiet things down a bit.

One of my buddies welding in the new resonator

Changed my plan - welding in one AR20 resonator in parallel with factory resonator. Longer team will look to go to Supersprint setup, so trying to minimize expenses on this setup.

The AR20 was a HUGE improvement to the rasp - car no longer sounded like a 2 liter 4 cylinder with a giant muffler....

**01M3Fan** · 04-20-2022, 02:33 PM

So my Christmas Present to myself - a set of MCS 2WNR coil overs courtesy of Mr. Wolfe. :-) Can't wait to install!!

I plan to get the car up on jack stands this winter and pull rear subframe, inspect the chassis and condition of the TMS strengthening plates. Also install TMS Aluminum rear subframe bushings and while I have the exhaust on the ground - weld in the AR20's and a set of race cats to tone down the rasp and the stink. I'll post some pics as I work through that project.

Also plan to pull fuel injectors and get those rebuilt - I haven't checked in a while, but previously when I looked I couldn't find any DIY's, so that might also be a project for me to document as well.

Parts I've accumulated over last couple of months:
- MCS 2WNR Coilovers w/Vorschlag GTS springs, camber plates & monoball RSMs
- TMS aluminum rear subframe bushings
- Auto Solutions 30% reduction Ultimate SSK
- UUC enforcer transmission mount deflection limiter cups
- Transmission, Differential & engine oil and filters

Planned work:
- Remove Dinan Koni's & Springs
- Remove driveshaft & exhaust section 1 to muffler
- Drop rear subframe
- Remove UUC SSK & Install AS SSK
- Install UUC Transmission mount enforcers
- Inspect TMS subframe reinforcement plates & unibody
- Clean up any rust & protect w/POR15
- Press out OEM subframe bushings & install TMS Al bushings
- Install new rear differential bolts
- Inspect rear suspension bushings
- Install MCS Coilovers w/550/650# springs
- Weld in AR20 into US section 1 next to OEM resonator
- Remove fuel injectors & send to clean and overhaul (write DIY?)
- Engine oil, transmission & diff oil change
- Brake fluid flush

Some nice rear spring perches

Here's the grungy rear subframe

Cleaned up and painted with rust encapsulator paint

Decided to go with aluminum rear subframe mounts in attempt to minimize risk to mounting points on the unibody. Getting the old bushing out was a huge PITA - I have a hydraulic press, but nothing to press against to get them out! So, went ballistic and drilled a ton of holes in the old ones and got the BFH out and was able to pound them out. With the help of some friends, we were able to hold the subframe in space, another guy hold the bushing and the 3rd guy actuate the press... Finished product.

Attached Files

**01M3Fan** · 04-20-2022, 02:33 PM

Well - the MCS shocks and struts were just too track oriented for me and I decided to remove them.

The comfort and damping were fantastic, I was running 550/650# F/R springs if I recall and the ride was great - no complaints there. But, they were very noisy... I sent them back to MCS for rebuild and upgrade to latest valving, but not a lot of improvement... Could hear a lot of "clicking" of the valves opening and closing in the shocks, so off they went. I have heard that the 2 way non-remote are the noisiest and the 1 way are supposed to be quiet - but I installed a set of TCK DA coil overs instead.

I ran the konis for several years with 450# front and 550# rears, but always felt the rear of the car was harsh on the street. I worked near Boston, so the roads were in terrible shape... So after reading about flat ride on the Forum, I changed the fronts to 300# springs and couldn't be happier - great ride and the harshness in the back is gone - even though I didn't change the rear springs!

**01M3Fan** · 04-20-2022, 02:34 PM

The stink of running catless was getting to me and I moved to a new state and needed to get through inspections - so I decided to bite the bullet and install a set of 63.5mm Supersprint headers and their high flow cats.

Here's a shot underneath with the Euro headers out - everything looks good and seems to be plenty of room...

I managed to get the headers in and then realized I do have to install the longer studs... I had bought them but the old ones looked great - so hoping to skip a step, but just not enough exposed threads, so I double nutted the studs and backed out the old ones and installed the new ones. Fortunately, everything came out and went in OK. I used a home brew penetrating oil - 50/50 mix of ATF and Acetone. I bought a gun micro oiler with a hollow tube tip and it works wonders.

A "plus" during this exercise was I trial fitted my O2 sensors and EGT probe to see what I was up against with the cats in Section 1. I found that SS had forgot to drill out the bung for the EGT sensor - so I had time to rework that before the "final" install.

Here's the new studs in

Next - reinstall the headers! I could get them in place myself, but the primaries are so large a diameter, wrench access is awful and I had to enlist a helper with small hands to get some of the nuts on the studs, my hands were just too big. Tightening them was a huge PITA - had to get very creative with wrenches and on 2 of the nuts I had to suspend a wrench from above with a magnet and then tighten the nut one 6th of a turn and then re-index the wrench and repeat... 45 minutes to get one nut on - excruciating! But...

A tight fit at the transition!

And the view from below - I ended up partially disassembling the EGT harness to the DEC and then ran the lines going to the rear O2 sensors down along the fuel lines and put the harness connectors near the fuel filter underneath the metal protective shield. I just couldn't make it work from the right side of the car no matter what I tried...

**01M3Fan** · 04-20-2022, 02:34 PM

Ditto - placeholder 4

**01M3Fan** · 04-20-2022, 02:35 PM

Jumping to current day - decided to give the car a good wash before I started pulling things apart in the engine bay.

Car still looks fantastic even though it's 21 years old and I get thumbs up and comments from folks that they love the car. I was nervous about the Imola interior when I bought it (would I get sick of it) but wow, so glad I did - still looks amazing today!

**01M3Fan** · 04-20-2022, 02:38 PM

Getting ready to install TMS CSL intake, full Vanos rebuild/lockdown & set valve clearances.

Here’s the expensive piece - packaging was fantastic - can’t wait for install.

**01M3Fan** · 04-20-2022, 02:41 PM

Since my car is ‘01 I decided to send the DEC to Kassel Perf for update to HP spec with CSL base. I’m planning on getting tune from HTE Perf and I’ll be also adding MAP sensor from CV-19 as well as new decal 😉

**01M3Fan** · 04-20-2022, 02:43 PM

Got the old airbox out - the oil drain back line was the only real challenge and once I had the box off the ITB’s, I was able to pop it off with big flathead screwdriver. Everything looks great underneath.

**01M3Fan** · 04-20-2022, 02:48 PM

I took the opportunity to install a different aux water pump that I’ve seen others use to free up real estate in the area.

Here's the original two pump setup

And here's the single pump setup which eliminates the taller pump

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Dan's original owner '01 dual duty M3

Dan's original owner '01 dual duty M3

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