Karter16's Silbergrau E46 M3 Journal

[discoelk]

Good question - I don't actually know - I'll have a play when I'm next in the car and report back.

Bought the same unit the other night bc I need to have my airbag done and I didn't want to tear everything apart twice. It looks really good/OEM in your car so I think that pushed me over the edge. I'll find out if I can dim it in a week or two. Hah.

[SQ13]

As I'm sure everyone knows sourcing some E46 M3 parts is starting to get pretty dicey - Like some others I've started to modify my purchasing priority based on how likely I estimate it is that various things will go NLA. This is of course educated guess-work and I'm primarily focussing on anything CSL that I think I might need and second to that any of the more cosmetic pieces. I guess/hope that more regular mechanical components will be more likely to remain in availability for longer.

To that end although it's not likely that I'll get to doing the airbox any time soon, I've ordered all the ancillary parts that I'll need to do it when the time comes. I've been monitoring some of these parts pretty closely and it certainly seems for some of them that we're coming to the end of availability (unless BMW decide to do further production runs at any point).

I'll put these parts on the shelf and will order the airbox and whatever snorkel solution I decide on closer to the time.

Yup, I’ve started to collect spares for a lot of things. For the CSL airbox, I’d say the most important parts would be TB boots and OE filters. I have a spare set of Turner silicone boots and OE filter.

[karter16]

Bought the same unit the other night bc I need to have my airbag done and I didn't want to tear everything apart twice. It looks really good/OEM in your car so I think that pushed me over the edge. I'll find out if I can dim it in a week or two. Hah.

The dimming works well - can set it based on time of day or headlights.

Also I confirmed today that you can turn off the display and listen to music. See settings below, in this example I've set the left dial to be short press to turn display on/off and long press to turn unit on/off




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[discoelk]

Ah, that's perfect.

[karter16]

A bit lazy of a response here, but would love to see a part list or one you referenced as I'm in the same boat. Plan to install after my next smog in a year.

I'd be happy to share my parts list - will get it together when I'm in front of my computer and share. Word of warning though that I've opted to go CSL clone on it (except snorkel/flap which I'm undecided on) so there will be a bunch of parts that are optional. I'll mark which are which.


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[karter16]

Yup, I've started to collect spares for a lot of things. For the CSL airbox, I'd say the most important parts would be TB boots and OE filters. I have a spare set of Turner silicone boots and OE filter.

Yep exactly, I'm also SMG so am securing things like the reservoir. I've decided to go for a CSL clone approach so am getting those bits and pieces as well that aren't necessary to make the airbox work, but are needed to make it CSL-like.


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[bavarian3]

I'd be happy to share my parts list - will get it together when I'm in front of my computer and share. Word of warning though that I've opted to go CSL clone on it (except snorkel/flap which I'm undecided on) so there will be a bunch of parts that are optional. I'll mark which are which.


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amazing thanks will keep a look out!

[karter16]

Well that worked better than I could have hoped!

The enamel paints arrived in the week and my wife is out this evening, so while I was keeping an eye on the boys I decided to do some colour tests. That went well and I had a go at painting by hand. I'm absolutely not skilled enough for it, but then I tried masking with sellotape and that worked surprisingly well, I was expecting the paint to seep badly, but it was very minimal.

I very carefully masked for painting the light blue and the red and did those first. I found it was best to let the paint set for about 15-20 minutes before removing the masking (I didn't want to leave it too long and lift the paint with the tape).

I then allowed an hour for drying, and then masked for the dark blue and painted that, another 15-20 mins for the masking and then another hour to harden. I then very carefully cleaned up the edges with a sharp knife before applying the black paint.

For a hand-made effort I'm very happy with the end result. With the macro shot below you can see it's not perfect, but with the naked eye it looks perfect.

Great success!

[karter16]

If I'd known in advance how well this was going to work I'd have taken proper before and after photos, but first photo is about the best shot I've got of the bubbled dome.



And the end result!

[karter16]

A bit lazy of a response here, but would love to see a part list or one you referenced as I'm in the same boat. Plan to install after my next smog in a year.

Here's my parts list. Few caveats:

1: I haven't actually done the project, so don't know what I've got wrong/missed
2: I'm going for close to CSL clone + minimal wiring change, so my parts list reflects that
3: This is for a MAP sensor install


- 1x Airbox (I'll be going with Karbonius's "full carbon" box)
- 1x Snorkel (not yet decided, but probably Haimus Racing (Streamline)'s snorkel as I'm not a fan of the CF snorkels and the Haimus one best replicates the black ABS look of the original)
- 1x OE CSL Air Filter, 13727838625
- 1x OE CSL Secondary Air Rail, 13417833597 (Note that there are numerous adapter options to reuse your existing secondary air rail)
- 1x Bosch MAP Sensor, Bosch P/N 0261230101
- 1x Bosch 3 Pin connector, Bosch P/N 1928403966 (make sure you get the kit that includes the connector as well as the terminals, seals, etc.)
- 1x Turner IAT Relocation Harness, Turner P/N 014579TMS
- 6x OE Throttle Body Boots, 11617830265 (Note that this is only necessary if you have a late style standard airbox otherwise you can reuse your existing boots)
- 6x Hose Clamps, 11617830306
- 6x Hose Clamps, 11617831745
- 1x Intake Air Temp Sensor, 13621739510
- 1x Socket housing, 12521427615 (spare if needed)
- 1x Protection cap, 12521427615 (OE one to replace straight one on Turner harness)
- 1x OE CSL Crankcase Oil Separator Hose, 11157833649
- 1x OE CSL Air Shutoff Valve, 11617833647 (Note there are options to cut up and reuse your standard one)
- 1x OE CSL Dipstick,11437834784 (Note alternatively you can just bend/rotate your existing dipstick tube and reuse your existing dipstick)
- 1x OE CSL Dipstick guide tube, 11437833653 (As above, you can reuse your existing one by rotating/bending it, with the added advantage you can access dipstick without removing airbox)
- 1x OE CSL SMG Reservoir, 21532282549 (Only for SMG cars)
- NOTE: I have not included 1x OE CSL SMG Reservoir bracket, 41147896136 as I intend to CAD design my own to take advantage of the existing threaded stud on the strut tower
- 2x Bolts for MAP sensor, 07119902626 (Note that if you're using the *101 MAP sensor listed above you will need different bolts that are longer as the mounting points are different)
- 4x OE screws for CSL Airbox, 07119905016 (Note that the Karbonius box comes with black screws, I've ordered these as prefer the look of the original hardware)
- 4x OE screws for CSL snorkel, 07119901780 (Again just for the looks)
- Additional wiring, corrugated metal conduit, etc. for manufacturing custom harness to connect straight to MAF harness plug.

Hope this helps but please do note that a bunch of this is beyond what's "necessary" to get the airbox in and working and is tailored specifically to how I want to approach it :-)

[ugaexploder]

I also sourced a CSL air rail in preparation for my intake installation as well, and curious on your thoughts regarding the MAP sensor.

I understand the part number you have listed (0261230101) is the one recommended in the thread below.

https://www.cslregister.com/forum/showthread.php?t=14786

Do you believe this is a better solution than running the original MAP sensor (12528091765)?

EDIT: I just had it wrong in my head. It seems like the threads all reference 12528091765 as the one that doesn't fit right on a CSL air rail. The old part number 13627833561 seems to be the one that is impossible to find that fits perfect. Curious but where did you happen to purchase the 0261230101? As it looks like that is the route I will have to take also.

https://www.ecstuning.com/b-genuine-european-bmw-parts/csl-map-sensor-no-longer-available/13627833561~geb/

[karter16]

I also sourced a CSL air rail in preparation for my intake installation as well, and curious on your thoughts regarding the MAP sensor.

I understand the part number you have listed (0261230101) is the one recommended in the thread below.

https://www.cslregister.com/forum/showthread.php?t=14786

Do you believe this is a better solution than running the original MAP sensor (12528091765)?

EDIT: I just had it wrong in my head. It seems like the threads all reference 12528091765 as the one that doesn't fit right on a CSL air rail. The old part number 13627833561 seems to be the one that is impossible to find that fits perfect. Curious but where did you happen to purchase the 0261230101? As it looks like that is the route I will have to take also.

https://www.ecstuning.com/b-genuine-...627833561~geb/

Hey so just again with the caveat that I haven't done this yet, and what I'm doing is just based on my own research (I am not an expert).

Yeah that's my understanding. The original CSL MAP sensor (13627833561) is ideal but is NLA. The BMW replacement (12528091765) is a bit of a hack job and an aesthetic disaster. As you note the discussion on CSL register identifies 0261230101 as a possible replacement and I've decided to go down that path. It should be noted that in that discussion Tom notes that the nose on the sensor is approx 1.5mm too long. The sensor also has 1x mounting hole rather than 2. Once I have the parts in hand I plan to check this, and if it is indeed the case that it needs to be stood off slightly, I intend to CAD design a spacer which the sensor can be glued to to hold it in the right position. If this works out then yes, I think it will be a better option than the BMW replacement item, but that depends on me being able to make it fit properly.

[ugaexploder]

Definitely understand as I think we're in a similar boat at the moment. It is a bit confusing to piece together everything on the interwebs but I think I have it right in my noggin now.

Look forward to hear how your install goes as I would like to follow a similar approach.

Do you think maybe some sort of clamp would work? I'd hate to do something odd like put a binder clip on there, but there has to be a more elegant solution for those who want to go with a CSL air rail.

[karter16]

Definitely understand as I think we're in a similar boat at the moment. It is a bit confusing to piece together everything on the interwebs but I think I have it right in my noggin now.

Look forward to hear how your install goes as I would like to follow a similar approach.

Do you think maybe some sort of clamp would work? I'd hate to do something odd like put a binder clip on there, but there has to be a more elegant solution for those who want to go with a CSL air rail.

Awesome well let's keep in touch then, and hopefully between us we can come up with the optimal solution.

So what I'm envisaging is something like this.

The sensor itself has 1 mounting hole.



And supposedly the sensor needs to be stood off from the air rail by about 1.5mm. So what I'm thinking is making up a 3D printed piece that is made up of a 1.5mm thick surface across the mating face of the sensor, plus also the "missing mounting point" on the other side of the sensor. The idea would be that it could be bonded to the sensor and the end result would be a sensor that has two mounting wings and is the right size to mount to the rail.

Here's a horrible mouse-drawing of what I mean:



Ultimately though I need to get both the rail and sensor in hand to validate the fitment before going too far with this idea.

[ugaexploder]

Definitely see where you're going with it and I'm on board, please let me know how I can help!