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331k Mile ZHP 1/27 Most Loyal Coolant Hose, Fixed Ambient Temp Sensor

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    331k Mile ZHP 1/27 Most Loyal Coolant Hose, Fixed Ambient Temp Sensor

    I don't have a goofy name for it yet.

    However, another E46 I dug out of my friends backyard. Same place I got the Cockroach from.

    This a 2004 ZHP Auto with the Alcantara Interior and fold down rear seats. It has done 331k miles and this will be a car my wife and I do together.

    She has been wanting a E46, this is probably not the best one to start with. However it's still kickin and like all the other cars I have dumped large amounts of money and time into it would be a great parts car. However I would like to see it live some more.


    Before my friend got it, it was driven by a high school student until the coolant light came on before he went to school. He parked it and sold it to my friend Alejandro. Alejandro bought it for the wheels for his S54 swapped wagon, fixed the coolant pipes and it sat around. He also nabbed the headlights. As he was going to resell. I did a compression test and drove it around. Seemed like the bones were here for something, so we agreed on a price and now took it home. It did 90 the whole way home without any hiccups for that 50 miles. It doesn't like WOT but seems peppy and fairly torquey.


    Zee haych pee by Sam DaJam, on Flickr

    The Alcantara Interior has survived incredibly well considering. The steering wheel is fucked, but the seats only has some wear on drivers side bolster. It's a texas car so they have some fade. I will take better pictures to establish as a baseline now that we have given it a much needed general cleaning. However you can see the seatbelt and carpet heel pad have show their mileage but the pedal pads don't.

    Zee haych pee by Sam DaJam, on Flickr
    Zee haych pee by Sam DaJam, on Flickr

    I had a decent alcantara wheel and a decent leather wheel but sold them after getting my Nardi on our honeymoon. All that I have left was the original wheel from my M3 which was miles better than the Alcantara wheel that was in here so it is in here as a placeholder.

    Zee haych pee by Sam DaJam, on Flickr

    Just to get it home, the DISA valve was making an absolute racket. So I swapped it with a used one he had. The pin didn't look it was going to fall out but the unit itself had massive amounts of play.
    Untitled by Sam DaJam, on Flickr

    So swapped that out in like 26 degrees.
    Untitled by Sam DaJam, on Flickr


    Immediate to dos:

    Ambient temp sensor ripped out (classic), so source the plug, sensor and see if ZHP undertrays are specific
    Xenon headlights were removed for shit LED(?) converted Halogens. So I need to find Xenons or find OE Halogens and code the LCM.
    Horn is fucked
    Coils and new plugs
    General Fluid flushes and see if a ZF or GM trans. If ZF do the pressure regulator


    The suspension is also as worn out as you can imagine, but it's incredible how composed it still is once you trust it.

    Someone gave me a free E46 330i 6 speed many moons ago. That I got to be a reliable daily driver, however with the 2.93 and stock throttle mapping. It was so dull to drive. I always chose to drive my E28 instead, unless I was taking people out. I never really fell in love with it but I have been through all the M54 horrors before.

    Untitled by Kurvenkamph Motorsport, on Flickr
    Bumper by Kurvenkamph Motorsport, on Flickr

    This ZHP even with the auto seems much peppier and calibrated very well. I had similar thoughts driving a manual one over a regular 330.

    But anyways yea that is the introduction. Here we go.
    Last edited by samthejam; 01-26-2026, 07:26 AM.
    Build Thread:
    https://nam3forum.com/forums/forum/m...-new-pb-at-msr

    #2
    You should call this one Dung Beetle.

    LOL
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      #3
      Untitled by Sam DaJam, on Flickr
      Untitled by Sam DaJam, on Flickr
      Untitled by Sam DaJam, on Flickr
      Untitled by Sam DaJam, on Flickr


      Went to the yard to get the ambient temp sensor stuff and see if I could cobble in some fender liners. I had my old undertray from my 330i. So I cobbled it all in, but even the brake duct brackets were brackets are missing. How does everything get ripped out, cut off and even those removed? It's just impressive.

      Untitled by Sam DaJam, on Flickr
      Untitled by Sam DaJam, on Flickr


      I also saw this while doing that fun.

      Untitled by Sam DaJam, on Flickr

      Both horns are fucked, fixed the wiring and getting voltage to connector, hearing relay. Somehow both are dead pretty incredible.

      Trying to get it to pass inspection before dropping some dough on it, so hopefully CEL stays off and readiness passes. We only have to pass emissions here now.

      Needs to pass to put it in our name, and once that is done can start shoveling money at it.
      Last edited by samthejam; 01-27-2026, 07:24 AM.
      Build Thread:
      https://nam3forum.com/forums/forum/m...-new-pb-at-msr

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        #4
        Price out those ZHP brake ducts...

        What are your faults?
        '09 HP2S, '12 R12GSA, '00 Black 323iT, '02 Alpine 325iT (Track Wagon), '02 Alpine 330iT
        Instagram @HillPerformanceBimmers
        Email to [email protected]

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          #5
          Originally posted by George Hill View Post
          Price out those ZHP brake ducts...

          What are your faults?
          0! If I don't floor it!

          Untitled by Sam DaJam, on Flickr
          Untitled by Sam DaJam, on Flickr
          Untitled by Sam DaJam, on Flickr

          Passed! Can start with title paperwork and than throw parts cannon at it
          Build Thread:
          https://nam3forum.com/forums/forum/m...-new-pb-at-msr

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            #6
            Drove it to work, and than on way home saw almost all the needed monitors were ready. So went on the highway as soon as they showed as ready pulled into a State Inspection station.

            Untitled by Sam DaJam, on Flickr
            Build Thread:
            https://nam3forum.com/forums/forum/m...-new-pb-at-msr

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              #7
              330i is the most E46 of all E46es.
              2003.5 SG/Grey
              https://www.talcottmfg.com/blog

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