Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

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

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

    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
    2004 BMW ///M3 Carbon Black/Cinnamon 6MT Dinan S2 FBO NA Build
    2005 BMW ///M3
    Interlagos Blue/Black 6MT Dinan S3-R+

    2008 BMW ///M3 Alpine White/Bamboo/6MT Track Build
    2000 BMW ///M5 Royal Red/Extended Caramel 6MT In Progress
    2004 BMW X5 Toledo Blue/Sand Beige 6MT Dog Hauler
    2019 VW GSW S 4MO Platinum Grey/
    Black6MT Daily

    Instagram

    Comment


      #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

      Comment


        #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]

        Comment


          #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

          Comment


            #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

            Comment


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

              Comment


                #8
                Window reg fixed, better armrest in and window switch replaced. Title stuff is getting sorted before large FCPEuro order

                However, fuck Xenon. Bought some parts for the parts cannon. Hopefully can update on that soon.
                Build Thread:
                https://nam3forum.com/forums/forum/m...-new-pb-at-msr

                Comment


                  #9
                  ZHPs had Xenon headlights made by ZKW, known issue with the reflector bowls burning which makes the light output essentially 0. Retrofit aftermarket Xenon/HIDs into the housings or get a set of AL's.
                  '09 HP2S, '12 R12GSA, '00 Black 323iT, '02 Alpine 325iT (Track Wagon), '02 Alpine 330iT
                  Instagram @HillPerformanceBimmers
                  Email to [email protected]

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Originally posted by George Hill View Post
                    ZHPs had Xenon headlights made by ZKW, known issue with the reflector bowls burning which makes the light output essentially 0. Retrofit aftermarket Xenon/HIDs into the housings or get a set of AL's.
                    Yes my 330i had that issue, all these lights I have said AL on them pretty sure. I eventually sourced two AL ones from junkyards for that car.

                    I have no headlights that were from this car originally, those got put on my friends car. I have a set of xenons that were underwater it looks like, a clean set from a rolling shell, and the cheap ebay one pice headlights car came with that also didnt work. So I have one workingish right headlight now, just need the left.


                    The bowls looked okay on these, but I have yet to see it outside of the garage. Right now, I just want two working headlights, car has not had that since I got it. So ordered an amazon ballast, ignitor and some more bulbs for testing it. Looks like someone has been in there with the paint on electrical tape so my hopes for this are low.



                    Build Thread:
                    https://nam3forum.com/forums/forum/m...-new-pb-at-msr

                    Comment


                      #11
                      Ah gotcha, doesn't seem like a Xenon specific issue, but a part compilation situation?
                      '09 HP2S, '12 R12GSA, '00 Black 323iT, '02 Alpine 325iT (Track Wagon), '02 Alpine 330iT
                      Instagram @HillPerformanceBimmers
                      Email to [email protected]

                      Comment


                        #12
                        Originally posted by George Hill View Post
                        Ah gotcha, doesn't seem like a Xenon specific issue, but a part compilation situation?
                        Yeah it was a skill issue, was supposed to be a simple fun project but was swapping (junk) parts around for awhile last night and just chasing tail. My old 330 never required me to diagnose Xenon so was a lot of learning last night and works been kinda a nightmare so just a not ideal evening
                        Build Thread:
                        https://nam3forum.com/forums/forum/m...-new-pb-at-msr

                        Comment


                          #13
                          The good thing is everything is the same side to side, you can swap parts from LH to RH and see when the failure follows.
                          '09 HP2S, '12 R12GSA, '00 Black 323iT, '02 Alpine 325iT (Track Wagon), '02 Alpine 330iT
                          Instagram @HillPerformanceBimmers
                          Email to [email protected]

                          Comment

                          Working...
                          X