Beeker2

Right, so had some presents show up today.

Finally got the first lot of bits for my Vanos rebuild, all the way from Germany thanks to my local dealer. Gaskets, bolts, updated solenoid seals, just the usual.

I'll be watching this one!

Will be interested in your observations. I'm happy with it. Car takes a little longer to warm up but runs about 5 degrees cooler when pushed hard.

In my mind if BMW recommend it, and Kayne Barrie recommend it, its a pretty solid starting point.

Changed the oil and filter today. Used BMW spec TWS 10/60.

I would personally get a higher km but well maintained E46 for another $5k

I have a powder coated front subframe with nutserts if you ever need it.

Since it's a Targa car I recommend you also keep the factory bar and relocate it rearward as per the convertible M3. I have a thread on here about that somewhere.

Edit: mounting points already exist for this about 80mm towards the rear.

I've seen a post where they relocated the existing bar rearward when installing the X brace, but is it really needed?

RE Subframe. Is the M3 different to the std coupe subframe?

You mentioned a pre dyno. What did your numbers come out at? I'm thinking of getting mine dyno'd and tuned.

See page 3 of this post for the details, but 172.5 wkw (completely stock).

I'm expecting a slight lift once i refresh the Vanos, then additional lifts with chip etc.

BMW OEM X Brace installed.

Radiator fluid changed

Read race pads installed

My early M3 didn't have the factory installed 'Rivet-Nuts' prep for the X Brace.

I assume that the BMW Rivetnuts are not hi tensile or alike, as i used standard Rivittec steel M8's.

This article tended to support that idea: http://www.unofficialbmw.com/e36/suspension/e36_rons_xbrace_install.html

The standard install uses 2 per side, but as there was a spare hole i installed 3 per side.

I did use BMW supplied hi tensile bolts thou.

The x brace stiffens the front, provides additional sump protection, and is probably gonna be a good place to secure the back of the custom heavy duty sump guard plate.

Two rivet-nuts installed per side. I later installed a third.

I might put a spot of weld on each rivetnut edge if i get the chance.

Rivetnut gun, a handy tool for in the field repairs.

Have you fit the chip yet? Keen to see if it actually does anything (and what the gains are if it does)

Not yet. I have done the pre Dyno, but not the install and post dyno check.

Been busy, so squeezing things in.

FIA Cage has arrived from the uk!

Loving the build.

Why are you wanting to go alpha N? Is it getting a big cam? personally I only use it when it's a last resort.

What ecu are you using?

Phase 1 - Now. chip only.

Phase 2 - Later. Carbon Plenum (with de-maf), Cams, Alpha-N map.

Alpha only only because you get a few more HP with the MAF removal.

Or at least thats the current thinking.

How reliable are the radiators. I recall that allot of the 5 series ones always split. How do the E36 M3 3.0 generally last ?

Also, is there any special coolant required, or anything std will do?

PS. Its for a targa race car, so it'll always run hot. Already ordered new upper and lower hose pipes and new Thermostat. Not the water pump at this stage.

Bit the bullet and ordered a Supersprint race Exhaust. Full de-cat.

Will add a small amount of power, give it a good sound, and importantly reduce some weight from the car.

Slightly concerned about the reported flat spots, but then again that's in the low RPM where we wont spend allot of time.

I'm also somewhat confident that it can be tuned out, especially once you go de-maf and Alpha N which is a longer term plan.

So i have a 1994 M3 E36, with the orange turn signals.

I want to upgrade to the clear facelift turn signals.

I assume genuine new BMW is too expensive, and also assume that finding a mint set 2nd hand is gonna be hard.

How good are the copies? How close are they to OEM, and can someone steer me to something OEM looking and of good quality?

thanks

Note, the dash is all going back in once the dash bar is in.

Custom Cages FIA cage arrives into NZ this week. Yipee..

Airbag wheel, ECU and harness out. Steering wheel boss on, removable lifeline hub on, temp wheel in place (will probably need to go non dish but will wait until seat is in for that decision). Note: Don't like the boss that Palmside sold me (looks cheaply made), so will be ordering a deformable OMP one next week.

Accelerator pedal recoil spring replaced.

More tar sound insulation found and removed.

Final strip complete with space cleared for fabricator to push bars to struts.

What I'm missing is the coffee cup holder! Need to get one, and yes I'm serious.

Those splitters look good, also interested to know which you went with.

A quick check of your VIN confirms it was not factory specced with a sunroof. Yours is a couple of months older than mine, but other than the non-smoker package option it is identical.

http://www.bmwarchive.org/vin/ea66308.pdf

Which front splitters did you go with?

Interested in flicking on that stereo loom?

Re splitters. Just something I ordered of ebay. It'll get a hammering and couldn't justify $350 for BMW genuine. They are abs plastic thou, so should be sonewhat resistent to bending.

Re loom. Will dispose of it once project is complete. Also have speakers, head unit, amp.

Update. A few things have occured.

1. My mate pulled the bonnet liner off, didn't reallign the bonnet pins correctly, dropped the bonnet down and ... yes, jammed and would not open. 4 hours of effort later....

2. After pulling the headliner down to remove the sunroof cassette, a small surprise, the sunroof appears to 'Not' be a factory install, yet it had an OEM look to it so i assume it was a dealer install. The result is more work to reinforce the roof and enable the sunroof panel to be welded in.

3. I thought removing the sound insulation tar was a big effort... nup, the residue from the tar and headliner glue was twice that job.

4. While I had the front of the car off freeing the bonnet, i fitted the de-fog light covers (OEM) and GT chins (replica's).

Some photos:

Before tar and glue residue removal:

After:

Tar residue and glue removal tip:

We used WD40 as the primary tar removal chemical, along with a broad stiff scrapper to remove the lumps. If the bodywork is not flat, you'll need to revert to an old blunt screw driver and allot of patience. For the glue and general cleanup when use paint thinners.

Sunroof. Here you can see how the middle bracing as been cut out to allow space for the sunroof cassette. Now the cassette is gone, the roof is very weak. The plan is to get a new or 2nd had brace and get it welded in, OEM style. Although this is not needed for safety as we have a strong cage, the roof needs strength to avoid dents from general use.

Here is my disassembled front end so that i can get to the underside of the bonnet pins.

Found half a dead mice in there, and took the oppertunity to clean it all out.

I researched the web on how to open my stuck bonnet. The quick fixes didn't work, thus i had to open the front up. When i tried the trick to unscrew the bonnet pins, mine were siezed in place. It was looking ugly... Then i tried using a screw driver and soft hammer and tapping the screw driver gradually around the circumference of the pin. This was my own idea and it worked, and the bonnet released. Some people might need to have someone hold release pressure on the bonnet cable at the same time, depending on where is jamming.

Now that its open, i adjusted the bonnet pins and also unsiezed the bonnet pins so that they could be unscrewed in the future if needed.

Here in the underside of the pin where i tapped around the circumference.

Here is the back of the de-fog light mod. Note the tie wire to retain the covers which often fall out.

Pic of the car with its de-fog and GT Chins

Also pulled the stereo loom out, 1.6KG

Go see Kayne Barrie, he seems to be the goto expert on BMW diffs and gearbox's.

PS. Neil Allport has a good reputation over a long period of time, but typically in jappa 4wd rally or old school rally, as opposed to Euro.

A 10/60 is quite thick compared to most performance oils. This would of course give a little better stability over a 5w40 if the oil over heats. But as long as you have sufficient cooling i dont see why a fully synthetic 5w40 will do the job.

But like op said. Plenty of discussion out there so lets not fill his thread with discussions. Let there be plenty of targa goodness

Agree in concept, but sometimes it pays to follow the advice of those that simply know more, including BMW Germany.

I assume they have gone the 60 route to improve oil pressure over hp and temps, but they must have drivers for this.

A 10/60 is quite thick compared to most performance oils. This would of course give a little better stability over a 5w40 if the oil over heats. But as long as you have sufficient cooling i dont see why a fully synthetic 5w40 will do the job.

But like op said. Plenty of discussion out there so lets not fill his thread with discussions. Let there be plenty of targa goodness

I can tell you that kayne barrie (well respected in BMW racing world) recommended Castrol tws 10/60 for my 3.0 nothing else.

Translation you did it yourself?

haha

No no, distracted kids getting in and out of wife's car.

Luckily it was not my daily, now that would have made me very ....!

errr, thanks to my children a call to Dent Magician is required.