1997 m3 sedan with s54 swap

[3staxontheradio]

More research and it looks like I need to get a chip burner to write to eprom to do the cluster changes.

[3staxontheradio]

I got INPA set up yesterday and started pulling codes. So far I can't connect to the cluster and I get this error:


After that inpa quits back to the main menu. Previous owner said he couldn't get inpa to connect to the cluster either (or the original cluster in the car). Again, this a gpeterson can interface swap so it's wired differently than most of the can cluster swaps people are running. I'm guessing its a wiring thing? The cluster is a euro S50b32 cluster. I want to fix the mileage on it and remove the tamper dot. Is that an eprom flash fix or something that could be done through software and a dcan cable?


Also I got a handful of codes from the engine and the one I can't understand what to do with is:

141 Fuellstandsplausibilisierung

Only one dead german page as a google result. Google translate says "Level plausibility check"

Since the e36 has no oil level warning light and I know the oil was low, I'm wondering if its a code related to low oil.

[3staxontheradio]

Kevin’s old car?

Yep!

I like this car way more than I thought I would. It's such a blast to drive and manages to do all the things I want it to very well. Engaging and analog like I expect from a 90s car, power delivery is super entertaining, the noises are awesome, it feels very chuckable and more nimble than my e46, ride quality is more than comfy enough while handling well, etc. All that and I can load it up with kids when I need to. I want to do a lot of stuff with this car but its already so good. Coming from miatas where they are pretty dull stock I'm not used to having everything be very good without throwing a bunch of parts at it.

[stephen]

Kevin’s old car?

[EthanolTurbo]

This thing is badass. Congrats on the M3/4/5!

[3staxontheradio]

Hi All,
I just bought this 97 m3 with an S54

Details:
S54 Swap using second gen can interface from gpeterson
PO did rod bearings with WPC treated OEM and new rod bolts, vanos rebuilt, and valve lash checked
Getrag 420g out of a euro s50b32 car
3.64 LSD
PO did all bushings, ball joints, bearings, tie rods, etc.
Yellow tag ZHP rack
Stock brakes with brass guide pin bushings
Reinforced Rtab pockets, engine mounts, and rear swaybar mounts
Koni Yellows with GC kit and top adjust rears
rear trailing arms and subframes powder coated
17x8.5 arc-8 wheels
Ebay headers
dual 2.5" exhaust with 200 cell metal core cats
x pipe into vibrant resonators and a stromung muffler
CSF radiator, spal fan



So far I have:
replaced fog lights (and one bracket which is a PIA with the bumper on the car)
Did a 2 stage paint correction and ceramic coating
Fixed a few minor interior issues
Set up a win7 laptop so I can start reading diagnostic codes




Current issues to look into or fix:

*Check control light is on for the hid conversion
*CEL is on for SAP delete
*Airbag light is on- not sure why yet but I'm guessing something related to seat occupancy sensor and it having e46 seats

*It has an aftermarket remote lock and security system that I find frustrating. The car locks itself automatically and sometimes it doesn't readily respond to unlock presses on the key.

*The car came to me about 2 quarts low on oil. Previous owners driveway is heavily sloped so getting an accurate oil reading would have been a pain. The car sat mostly undriven for multiple years too so it may just have a slow leak. I topped it off and set the trip meter and am going to monitor oil levels to see if its consuming any.

*The car has a base tune but never got the final dyno tune so I am planning to do a dyno tune next month. There are some minor driveability issues to look at also. Occasionally bucking at certain low load and rpm combinations and sometimes coasting down to idle at a stop the car will stall.

*paint in the inside of the rear hatch trim has failed and surface rust is forming. Need to decide how I'm going to handle that. Maybe por-15 after sanding it clean.


*Rear bumper paint is especially bad. A few other parts need repaint (mirrors and front bumper especially) but i am debating just having most or all of the car painted.




*Rear door pockets are separating from the door cards.



*The transmission has pretty intense input shaft bearing whine. I have just been pretending its a straight cut gearbox and it's race car noises but I should probably deal with that at some point. Previous owner did provide me with a new bearing to install.




Future plans:
*oil change and oil sample (going to do that this Saturday)
*I bought a steering wheel spacer and will install that soon
*New tires
*Dyno tune - Hoping to hit around 300whp on a dynojet
*Cobra nogaros for the front
*PO gave me a front lip to install so I'll do that soon
*I'm slightly iffy on the reliability of the can interface. If anyone else here has the second generation gpeterson interface can they comment on how well it has held up? PO said he went through multiple first gen units. I have half a mind to get a canbus cluster and preemptively require and install that before anything fails.
*The current shock/strut setup feels great- Zero complaints - but I'm a shock snob and motion control is calling to me.
*Some kind of rear shock tower brace and reinforcement. I have been looking around what what people do and currently thinking I want to weld something in place that addresses it pretty comprehensibly. Plates and a tubular brace or something.
*compression and possibly leakdown testing to satisfy my curiosity. Also depends on what oil consumption looks like and what my blackstone report says.






Before paint correction. There were a few wet sanded spots that cleaned up perfectly.


After paint correction: