Olaf

My image. Marty Irvine at Manfield. I'll need to check - I think this was one of my D3's and either 70-200 f.28 FL/E with a teleconverter, or 300 f2.8.

This car was previously featured in the BMW Car Club NZ quarterly magazine DIXI under Hagen's ownership, great accounts of his Dad buying the car, trips through the continent etc, Alpina options. If you've not joined the club yet, you should consider it. There's undoubtedly a story in your recent restoration work too. As for what wheels, IMHO keep it on what it's got - those BBS Mahle rims are period correct and what his Dad put on at the time. The only other option in keeping with that could be the 15" version if you can find some. Cheers.

My pic, Nikon D4s 70-200 2.8FL/E

yes, drop-top!

You're not comparing apples with apples, really. My e60 ZF6 was done with drain-and-fill, run ~500kms, and them drop the pan, do the seal, pan filter, all the bolts so more labour and more fluid. This was a car with ~152k kms that had never had a trans service, so I was trying to give it love before it shat the bed. The e46 ZF5 had shat the bed at ~115k kms and had a full rebuild, and a trans service (pan drop, filter change, new fluid) at about 165k kms, prior the service (below) at 205k kms. 1. Drained and filled 2. Filter Change etc (This is more like what you'll be doing on your driveway at home.) I got my e46 ZF5 done as part of a larger service covering many items, and used the fancy machine so used less fluid. No messing around and it shifted like butter afterwards. Essentially you're committed to a course of action, your Trans sounds like it's not at all happy, and you're trying not to spend too much and hoping it's going to get better with least amount of $. I'm picking your oil's going to be black and burned with grit it it. You might want to look into the drain a litre, add a lite approach that I had to use on my old Volvo 850 T5. Here's what I recall - do your own research. You have a clean container marked with a litre (or a quart), and a dirty container marked with a litre (or a quart) as per your clean container. With a warm engine and trans, disconnect line from trans to cooler, connect hose to your dirty container. Run the engine and watch the dirty container slowly fill, shut off at the line. Add same quantity of clean fluid into your trans (Through fill port, trans dipstick tube, or via the trans cooler return line or fill port in your trans - depending on your application). Rinse and repeat until your oil is coming out clean-looking. For my Volvo that took 14 litres. I added 'Trans-Tune' from the folks that make the magic decarbonising fluid Seafoam - that's a whole other story on whether or not additives are a good idea in your ZF. For my Volvo, it improved shifting, improved overall operation of the auto. This is the backyard equivalent of the fancy trans machine without the hydraulic pressure of the machine pumps behind it, using the trans to do it's own pumping. And you'd still want to drop the pan/filter beforehand and change it out, so you're up for ~5-6 litres for that, and then, what.... 10-14 litres for the prime thing? Best of luck. I think there's some how-tos for re-doing the valve blocks in the ZF6, with O-ring kits? I forget now. HTH. EDIT: What difference did I notice after the e60 ZF6 Fuchs trans pan and mechatronic sleeve service? It was 'more decisive' going downhill and changing down a gear automatically... changing up on a light throttle was smoother, less indecision... and changeups under load were crisper. No harshness introduced as a result of the service. We surmised we'd gotten to it at the right time, before friction material had gotten burnt off badly.

bump!

Miltek is a bonus. you'll need to code your new battery - tell the system the size/capacity and date, AGM etc so it can reset its charging profile.

For your ZF6 back when I was dealing with Pageeuro they used a Fuchs equivalent. It was okay... if I was doing it again it'd be Lifeguard. You can use less fluid by getting it done on a transmission service machine. I'm about to have Jon @ Begley Motor Works do a ZF8 service - it'll be getting either Lifeguard 8 or the Shell stuff from BMW. Or Penrite ATF BMV, at a pinch. @E63 why not get it done by Jon at Begley Motor Works (Marton) - he has the transmission machine that pushes new oil in as it pulls the old stuff out. That's how we did a service (incl filter) in Jan 2023 last year at 205.5k km on my ZF5 (my e46) with Lubeguard Full Synthetic ATF and it's shifting superbly (212k kms). Previous trans service was ~50k kms earlier.

Hmmm, yes I think the M54B25 and even B30 e83's are not very light on fuel. VANOS seals, DISA, vacuum leaks, O2 sensors all conspire to rob M54 of power and thus drink more, so you're returning to familiar territory. Main rule for any X-drive is to ensure you've the right-sized rated tyres on each corner... incorrect tyres and circumferences that's what leads to the bind-ups/diffs/transfer case issues. Have a good sniff around under it for leaks, particularly the transfer case. It should be a decent wagon for your daughters to be driving around in John. Tyre wear likely to be much higher than an e46 wagon though.

A fine example is ZF6 pan bolts. “Holy f#%kbaws, it’s 21 (or 23 - I forget) bolts. That’s expensive, do I really need them?” ZF changed the bolts, they were breaking. BMW tell you nothing as they stick to the ‘lifetime fill, no service necessary’ line. Ive just bought a ZF8 service kit. All in one box from ZF. Contents: Pan/filter, fill & drain plugs, fill set of new pan bolts. It’s a sh*t to have your car on the hoist doing the job, bolt breaks… you’re doing all the right things to take care of your car and you’re going to extract the broken bolt and look for something else as a placeholder… it’s not in-stock locally as everyone’s buying direct off-shore…. Most of the time IMHO you’re better off having the right stuff to hand when you need it. RealOEM usually indicate something like “required” as a note… look at the bolts/nuts that pinch the hub to the bottom of a front strut, or caliper bracket bolts… from memory they’re single-use.

thanks Neal that's brilliant, very helpful. Just printing up some adaptors will save plenty of time, it shouldnt take too long to cut the door if I can get access to an air nibbler. These looked good though are for Compact.... https://www.printables.com/model/546797-adapter-for-front-speakers-bmw-e46-3er-series-comp/related Sounds like active fronts the go, I'll arm myself with capacitors as advised, cheers. Thanks also for the detail on cabling. Thanks for kind offer to help calibrate. May be a few months away yet.

I've bought one of these from @modz (as well as other parts, over the years). Buy with confidence! A jolly good fellow.

I recommend you replace anything that is single-use. RealOEM has indications. And surely you're following at least the Bentley Manual for this job, if not the BMW Service information - TIS? It's not a job to cheap-out on. Do it once and do it right. Regarding the pan bolts, they've been through a large number of temperature cycles... often BMW or ZF (for transmissions) change material for the bolts; replacing them ensures you get the appropriate material. Think back to M20 head bolts. Saving $200 on a $4k-6k job is folly.

oh yes, @Vass mentioned Rockauto, they can be pretty good... if they have part from the manufacturer you want (they helpfully grade their offerings by quality level), and of you're buying multiple parts *and* you find they're supplied from the same location. Freight charges from multiple locations can add up with Rockauto, be cautious. I used to use a freight aggregator in FL (MyUS.com), gave them up a year or two ago as I was buying less from the USA and their service levels declined around Covid and never came back. I'll try Shipito next time I need an agregator.

So Grey Thunder has been languishing in the garage for a couple of years... I've pulled it out infrequently to run it up to temp, give it a splash of sunshine, a gentle wipe-over with detailing mist when the dustcover comes off. It's dry and undercover, just waiting for it's time for the project to re-commence. I've been picking away at the parts list. Bits sourced and added to the stash: Brand new Mahle/Behr heater matrix to replace the used one we put in back in 2019. Luckily I took a pic of the part number at the time! Internal plastic weathershielding for behind the door panels. Sourced all the seals & bearings, (pinion and output), to rebuild the 4.10 small case diff for the M42 swap. I already have a diff housing gasket, drain and fill plugs, and a Coreteco diff mount (my last - they're no longer made - I think the only aftermarket one that's sold now that's similar to OEM is the Moog item). Sourced all cooling system hoses for the M42B18 (not just the big ones, all the ancilliaries too) Spare e30 window winder (can't believe they've nearly doubled in price since I last bought one) - now USD61.99 New DME and Fuel Pump relays Got a Barina/Corsa steering linkage - still needs to visit a driveshaft specialist. New e46 rack inners, to replace the used ones and go with the new e36 outers on the Purple Tag rack. Antother rack bellows kit to replace the ones I used on my e46. I finally put a BMW Car Club sticker on it. Next steps... it's time to get out the Right Hand Drive 318iS loom and clean it, perhaps replace the tessa tape. Certainly clean all of the contacts. And I'll clean off the 4.10 diff and take it up to Begley Motor Works for a rebuild in a month or so. Blue Thunder on Ori Bay - winter 2023?

Yep if you want the real deal buy now from Weitz - next month you might have to buy a car to get one. And then it might not be the real thing. First thing you should replace as a priority is all of your rubber fuel lines, including those to the tank. Before your car needs carbon credits. Welcome (back) to e30 ownership.

1. FCP Euro, Schmeidmann, Spareto. 2. For used classic, try Begley Motor Works. Newer stuff, BM World in Papakura or Weitz Industries in Hamilton. Possibly SD European. 3. Your best friend for sourcing part numbers is about to become RealOEM.com HTH

thanks @Neal your experience appreciated. Pics of how to route cables through the door connector would be most welcome, thank you. So - given I'm not going particularly sophisticated - no fancy external DSP unit or DSP-equipped amp) - other than the basic trickery offered in the Kenwood KMM-BT408 (Digital Time Alignment, 13 band EQ, and 3-way X-over), should I use the Alpine amp active on the fronts, or use it passive to both sets? Probably help if I RTFM for the Kenwood...

Holy thread resuscitation batman. Nathan, I think I can do this. I have a cunning plan. And 3D scanning software on my phone, and a 3D printer generously given to me by a friend with a proliferation of them. I'm going to learn. First step, getting a scan of each side while I quickly replace first factory 2-ways with some free Alpines that came in a parts car. Then second stage, knock up something like those, based on cutting out the doors, using pre-printed parts - less downtime for the car as still no garage. I'm getting ahead of myself. Time to update the objectives, and my current solution. 1. Audio. As before, I listen to music. I used to be an audiophile. I'm more a 'flat earther' - the whole Linn/Naim thing from the 70's/80's that focuses on PRaT (Pace, Rythmn, and Timing). Conclusion? The car still remains a sh*t place to listen to music in. I want a better experience than 20+ year old factory. I want handsfree calling, playing 44.16 WAV files from USB, sometimes Spotify from my phone. Don't give me typical Japanese Audio with cut-glass highs and slow plodding over-blown one-note bass. I want TIMING, TIMING, TIMING, I want fast, tuneful bass, I wasnt it musical, baby. I am not looking for a disco in my car! 2. The car. The factory head unit stays. Kenwood Mechless Head Unit. This is a compromise. They look good, sound pretty good, have three sets of RCA output and some equalisation options that are 'enough' for me. I want integration with multi-Function Steering Wheel (which will be added soon). I listen to WAV files, FM, and Bluetooth sometimes. The Kenwood option works beautifully with an iPhone once paired, and is seamless for my wife using the car with her iPhone too. I can't be arsed with a double-DIN android unit or cabling a camera, useful as it may be. And the Kenwood is CHEAP. My car lives on the street - it must be stealth. I will not sacrifice trunk space and utility for a sub box. Any sub must be small, tight, tuneful - either mounted in the side panel, or abover the space saver spare in the trunk floor. I realise with a small box it probably constrains me to a small driver; this is a compromise I can live with. My sub must not be lagging behind the music; it's about sound reinforcement, not SPL sound-offs. It must be removable/reversible. it'll be a one-way job. Though the amp may stay with me. Who knows. 3. The work: I'm past massive fabrication work. I don't mind the idea of building a custom-fit sub box, but speaker pods and all that malarky, no thanks. I'm impressed by what others do, I'm sticking to 'simple'. Some dynamat in key places to quiet things down/stiffen things up: yes, by all means! 4. What am I thinking? Some free used 2-way component speakers in the front, an amp, and a maybe a sub, and a new HU. I read this from Audio-file In Car, UK and thought "I know the Audio File from my time in UK, they did Naim and real british HiFi... this is probably a good approach to music in the car" (as opposed to screechy in-car entertainment)... So as a base kit list (doesn't seem cheap - can I do similar and still avoid awful screechy out of time ICE for less money: Front door speakers: Alpine Type-S SPS171A 6.5" component two-ways. copyright Crutchfield. Having no skills with 3D printing, will not be a barrier to success. I now have scanning app on my phone, a 3D printer, and guidance from an expert. I figure I'll install the Alpines into stock position with simple adaptor rings (I found a decent file on the thingiverse), dope the door panels with Dynamat or similar. While I'm in there, I'll scan the area so that I can suss out a model of those door pods and then build some out of scrap, install later. Ultimately I'm more likely to replace the Alpines with better speakers of same size in future. Rear speakers: I guess I'll replace them with some co-axial Focal or MB Quart or similar. Mostly because they'll be f#%ked after 22 years. As it's such as hassle to get in there in the touring I'd prefer to do it just the once! Still not sure if they're 6x9 standard, or 6.5". Amplifier: The parts car netted an Alpine MRP-F250 (needs bench test), and some Alpine Type-S SPS171A 6.5" component two-ways in the front that'll suffice for a start. Alpine MRP-F250 as found in my parts car (photo credit - Jon Begley). "Free parts" fit my current budget. I'll get 8ga (or 6ga) to a 3-way distro block behind the back seat, feed the alpine from it, and provides for another amp or two in future. I am assuming Class D efficiency in future so unlikely I'll need anything beefier. I'll run three stereo RCA interconnects from HU to amp position, one long enough to snake around to left side storage bin in case that's needed. I'll be sourcing parts from Aliexpress to keep budget low. I will be sure to find full copper cable with silicone jacket, rather than tinned aluminium etc. I think it's an okay compromise, I'm looking for "better" and "good enough" without going nuts on cables etc. - Head Unit: I'm going to replace the HU with a Kenwood KMM-BT408, as soon as I have the multi-function wheel in and functioning. It's the more up-to-date version of what I have in Grey Thunder. It'll sacrifice that beautiful design for some practicality - I play WAV files from USB stick and (rarely) bluetooth audio from iPhone; my Wife will most likely play Spotify from her iPhone; we both use radio. The phone integration will be great for hands-free calling. We simply run nav via Waze or Google for navigation, with our phones on a mag cradle in one of the vents - no need for a double-din unit, added cost and complexity - though the rear camera wouldve been good. You can't have it all. - Other: Multi-function Wheel integration unit. I know nothing about these. - Other: what if I want to amp-up the rear load area speakers later - if I went active in front with the first amp? Questions: 1. Front Speakers Cabling: So do I run the front pair active off of the Alpine Amp, and power the rear speakers from the HU? Or keep it simple and wire in the Alpines with their crossover, and keep the install pretty vanilla with each amp channel running one corner? I guess I'll be running speaker cables whatever I do. I'll need to check, I think with the base audio in my Japanese market touring I don't have looms to cut into at the back. 2. HU Integration: which is the best looking/fitting e46 dash trim unit? 3. HU/Multi-function integration unit: Whose is best value for money to get Kenwood HU talking to BMW volume, call answer etc? 4. Cabling: I figure I'll go Aliexpress. Three pairs of interconnects, install em once. Speaker Cabling? Am assuming I don't need to go crazy, though for simplicity may need to run my own - I don't think the Japanese market Touring had boot mounted amps unless with HK system, so am not expecting to find factory connectors to marry into. That's it folks. Shouldn't tie me in knots.

@Cammsport did you find one yet?

Yes, oil analysis will tell you much about the state of the bearings. But hey you're committed, you've bought the parts. My knowlege of these engines - all the BMW M engines - is that whatever oil you run, it needs to have the right 'stuff' in it, not just be the right grade. Eg - you may find subtle yet important differences between retail Edge 10W60 and what BMW spec. Some people say this sh*t is irrelevant... Your mileage may vary. One supposes you've done a bottom end refresh on other vehicles, previously?

Going to update the audio thread here

the MOST disturbing aspect of that article is it did not describe the offender as a "former employee of NZTA". For such such serious misconduct she should have been sacked. Immediately. Why was the Privacy Commissioner not asked for comment in the story - lazy pisstake journalists. The employee can never be trusted again to access such information again. A massive breach of trust for the pubic in a government organisation, NZTA again a bloody failure. Jesus, it's PII - Personally Identifiable Information - which usually classifies as at least CONFIDENTIAL. For access to data of this classification, there's usually risk assessment carried out (Privacy Impact Assessment) on the data and and Security Risk Assessment of systems used to store it; and of the people who have access to the data - a security clearance, which is updated periodically. It is up to the holder to report any change in circumstances to their privacy and security officer, such as "I'm now dating a Gang Member" or "I engage in dogging" or "I like to make a quick buck by selling data". /rant For those interested, plenty to learn on the subject here: https://www.protectivesecurity.govt.nz/classification

Looks like good buying, well done. I agree with above, oil analysis. Seller statement all Castrol Edge 10W60 incorrect, Werkstadt segments have indicated Fuchs F1 used on at least one, FWIW. Careful maintenance should see fun running. LCI updated rod bearing specs IIRC? A steal overall. You've bought at a price that covers plenty of remedial maintenance to bring it up to brilliant and a great driver.

I think anyone buying an 8er expecting them to rise significantly in value is an optimist. They're unquestionably a cool car, though complexity is high/niche and popularity is a short side on that triangle. If I had a garage space and some idle money, I'd keep the space empty and invest in the NASDAQ.