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So the car has always had a fair amount of clunk when shifting load onto the drivetrain (particularly when upshifting under power). It persisted after the full drivetrain rebuild I did a few years ago, and I was beginning to wonder if the diff was knackered. As I was doing research around this issue I came across this thread: https://nam3forum.com/forums/forum/main-forum/e46-2001-2006/46469-7-year-review-of-my-smg-from-clunk-to-no-clunk which reported what sounded like similar symptoms and noted great improvement with doing a full factory reset, bleed and relearning of the SMG system using INPA (as opposed to the soft reset which can be done by pulling back on the paddles). This afternoon I decided to give this a go (with a helping of trepidation as if your SMG is weak in any way the factory reset has a tendency to point this out during the bleeding and shifting process). This led to the first win of the afternoon: Green for good. The SMG reset ran no problems. Second win for the afternoon was my son and I took the car for a test drive and the clunk is completely resolved. Can shift up down through the rev range both on and off the power and the clunk is gone. Would have done this long ago had I realised 🙄 - learn something every day! Second thing I did was something I've been meaning to for ages. After I did the VANOS rebuild some years ago I ran the VANOS test in DIS, and was noting the intake times were longer than ideal - indeed they were above 400ms. Made a note to test again once things had bedded in, but life got in the way and I never did it. Ran it today and everything looks good. Intake times around 250ms and Exhaust times around 200ms. Not ideal, but within range so I'm happy for now. In new parts news I've ordered the climate control relocation kit as I can't stand not having CarPlay any longer. After much to and fro I've decided I can accept the non-OE look of a modern unit fro the improved day-to-day usability. I'll box all the original stuff so it can be returned to original as/when needed.

In between watching the Nurburgring 24hr and finishing the fuel tank off and finally getting the Golf R back from E&H, its been busy. Golf managed a bit less than 370whp at all fours, feels enough for the daily. Runs at 28lbs, had a boost tap sitting under a map sensor causing heat soak into the sensor which I sorted/removed afterwards, so the dyno was run with 45+ deg C IATs, so expect a little higher hp now that I se low 20's deg C on the mway. Meth/water injection half installed, almost the last job on the project. Bits turned up for the fuel tank, found some factory limitations with the filter/regulator assembly. The fuel feed into the filter then regulator is tiny. Opened up the old one to investigate, very unserviceable. Perhaps later Ill replace it entirely (for an aftermarket performance type one, much larger lines etc) if I need to. For now its a OEM replacement. Yip, this is the internal fuel tank feed line to the HPFP (and also port injection rail) , doesn't matter how many pumps you add (apart from the fuel pump controller getting pushed past its capacity), this will be the limitation. Added some foam packers that sit against the tank and the chassis that over time disappeared. Redrilled the new fuel return into the top of the filter/reg. Moved the position slightly as it was rubbing against the fuel supply and return connectors. New O-Rings for the buckets etc Then had my usual garage party Friday night session to have a look at the engine bay bits, Painted some stuff, made some sh*t, fixed down the radiator reservoir with mounts

Yes. They will give you the best combination of performance, feel, ride comfort, noise, wear. Other brands may better them in specific areas, but not overall.

The MaxContact are a mid range tire, a tier below the PS5. SportContact 6/7 would be the equivalent so would probably take the Michelins. Apparently the 5 wears much better than the 4 did. Will look mint on the Alpinas

Hope all goes well! Just have to be patient now.

Cheap tyres, scabby-looking rims, no rim centres...

It previously had a P plate "FBI M3" 😂 Suspect it was the same owner who rattle canned the control arms and sump red.

Trying to look tough, succeeds in looking like a bloated pig hiding in the shadows.