Vass

Funnily enough, to the unscrupulous eye the main giveaway might be the 330 badge on the boot

Manual swap incoming? 👀

That's an epic first car! Should be easy enough to work on and maintain, and heaps of fun to drive. If anything, your first car should be memorable, not some run-of-the-mill
banged up Corolla. All power to him.

Had a Saab 93 convertible as the first car I ever bought and paid for myself. Absolute money pit but damn was it awesome cruising down the motorway at night with the top down and the Milky Way stretching out across the sky above you. Still remember it fondly despite the financial disaster it turned out to be.

Seems like a weird load of hackery for an issue that can be solved properly by just adding a clutch switch. 

Know of a replacement engine in Christchurch/Rangiora for $2.5k, not sure what shipping might cost you though.

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/nekyJU8qPS6iUa39/?mibextid=oFDknk

@Eagle😏

1 hour ago, e30ftw said:

I've got an M54 and the Valeo SMF kit, have been chasing the rev hang issue too. Have I got this right you solved it by turning the clutch switch off? By actually using the sensor and circuit? But I can turn off that feature off all together by setting the EWS coding to Manual Gearbox and not need a clutch switch setup (mines in an e30 so not so straight forward). 

No, so the clutch switch does two things:

• Send signal to the EWS to only allow the starter to get power once the pedal is pressed in - a feature generally used only in US & Japanese markets. This can easily be switched off so you can start the car regardless of clutch position.
• Send signal to the DME to cut throttle and turn off cruise control once the clutch is pressed in. This needs to be wired in and be operating properly to avoid rev hang.

Some lightweight flywheels can cause rev hang as well even with all the coding and wiring done correctly but since you're using the Valeo one that shouldn't be the cause, unless they make several different variants. We weighed the Valeo one we put in and iirc it might have actually been ever so slightly heavier than the old dual mass.

Are you still using an MS43 with that setup? And don't have a clutch switch wired in at all?

1 hour ago, exextatic said:

The EWS clutch switch start interlock has no bearing on the DME (no matter the tune) and will be enabled by default on US and Japanese variants. It can be coded out of the EWS module easily however.

True, my bad, got my wires crossed up. EU2 cars would have come with that feature disabled from factory but yeah, it's a correlation not a causation.

The feature can easily be switched off in EWS coding with PA Soft, a simple box ticking exercise. Although if you've done the ZCS coding correctly prior to this it will have switched it to the manual gearbox option already.

2 minutes ago, Goose said:

On the clutch switch, am I correct in assuming the purpose of this is to prevent the car starting unless the clutch is depressed? If my assumption is correct, can this option be bypassed / coded out?

Ohh yeah, that was only a thing on US cars (and maybe some Japanese ones as well?). If you're putting an EU2 tune on then you can disregard that altogether, no need to run that wire to EWS at all. You'll only need 3 wires to the clutch switch - 12V, ground (can tap into the brake switch for those two) and to DME (pin 23, assuming it's the same on the V8).

We've just got done converting @Carbon's E39 to manual. It is a 2001 530i so has an M54 with an MS43 DME and went with a 5-speed ZF so not sure how much of this will be directly applicable.

He went with a Valeo SMF kit. We were a bit hesitant in regards to clutch chatter but there's no sign of it whatsoever, very quiet at idle and the shifts are nice and smooth. If I were to do my E46 conversion all over again I'd probably go with that kit as well. Weight wise the flywheel was close to the dual mass that it replaced so retained the overall feel, just with fewer moving parts. Would happily recommend it if Valeo do a G420 version of it. RockAuto was the cheapest place to source one at the time. Only part of it that seemed a bit on the cheapo side was the throwout bearing so we went with a Sachs one instead which was cheap enough.

Swapping parts over was fairly straightforward so long as you've got all the parts. Weird issue we ran into on the 530i was that the automatic diff input flange is 82mm PCD whilst the manual is 86mm so the manual driveshaft didn't mate up to the existing diff. The kit didn't come with a manual diff and couldn't find one anywhere so ended up sourcing an 86mm diff input flange from Kayne Barrie and swapping it onto the auto diff. Might not have those compatibility issues on the 540i though, I couldn't tell you.

Wiring and coding were very similar to my E46. Mostly followed videos from ShopLifeTV (used the coding instructions in the video description) and O'Leary's Garage that are both thorough and well detailed. I repurposed the old automatic wiring for the reverse light switch as well as some wires that ran from the DME box to the center console and EWS for the clutch switch and cluster wiring which saved running new wires the whole length. Mostly followed suggestions from those videos as to the wires to use and tested continuity with a multimeter.

After all was said and done we just couldn't get rid of the rev hang. I redid all the coding, double-triple checked all the wiring, swapped the clutch switch (the newer style one that attaches to the master cylinder) from my own car all without luck - the clutch was constantly registering in the ON position. Was losing my mind until @Eagle saved the day by suggesting the magnet in the master cylinder that the hall sensor uses might be stuck. Sure enough, threw in a new master cylinder and she's now good as gold.

Not sure how much of it will be applicable to a different engine/gearbox/DME combo from what we had but feel free to sing out if you get stuck on some specifics, happy to help out if I can.

You don't really need new pressure plate bolts. They're not stretch to yield, new ones just come with thread locker pre-installed. You'll get the same result by cleaning up the old ones and applying some Loctite when installing, save yourself a few $.

So this guy got cert for just the wheels & spacers? Does look a nice setup though.

https://www.trademe.co.nz/a/motors/cars/bmw/130i/listing/4720878572?bof=DWbwwFsI

Took care of some under the hood aesthetics to finish things off. The sagging fabric insulation was becoming an eye sore having shrunk to the point where the sides began to sag as the tabs wouldn't clip in anymore. Not sure if it serves much of a functional purpose, a lot of people seem to remove them altogether. Didn't want to leave it completely exposed as it looked a bit untidy so grabbed a foam one that the 4-cylinder cars came with. Also noticed the hood latches rusted up beyond the point that I could clean up so swapped those out for a couple of tidy ones as well. The release hook/handle had also been annoying me as every time you opened the hood it would press up against the grille and push it out so realigned it properly.

I tacked on a pair of cheapo Maxgear xenon bulbs onto my latest order and now threw those in. The old bulbs were mismatched so just wanted something matching and at that price was worth a shot. Made quite a massive difference, straight away being noticeably brighter and of an even tone. Mint.

Continued on with the 'gentrification' by dropping in a new brake booster & master cylinder. Not that it necessarily needed it worth replacing after 20+ years of service since it was the last untouched component that could have been responsible for a suspected slight vacuum leak. Went with an OE ATE booster with a Febi master cylinder. Would have loved an ATE unit for the latter as well but unfortunately it was backordered, as were all other variants apart from the Febi one on Spareto and I wasn't keen on a 28 day wait. Febi obviously used a different casting method than the original but didn't look too bad quality wise. I guess time will tell as to its longevity.

Transferred over the sensors, hoses and reservoir. I flushed the brake fluid when doing the engine swap and it still looked fresh up top, until I removed the strainer tube that revealed a puddle of black sludge sitting at the bottom of the reservoir. Glad to have all that washed out.

With the booster disconnected I used the opportunity to easily take out the pedal box and change out the plastic pedal bushes. I hadn't thought of getting new ones at the time of the swap but did get a fresh set in the meantime, was just waiting for a chance to drop them in. I hadn't noticed any issues during normal operation but did notice the clutch pedal having some excessive side-to-side play when removing it, something that the new bushes tightened right up.

The bleeding procedure was made infinitely easier by the cheapo pressure bleeder kit I picked up recently. Best $100 ever spent! Made the whole process an absolute breeze even as a one-man-band. Got the major bubbles out on all 4 corners, then ran the ABS bleeding procedure through INPA by routing my dedicated scanning laptop under the car using a bunch of USB cable extensions and bleeding the brakes through thoroughly once more. Then did the clutch and job's a good 'un.

Whilst under there, I also drained the ATF from the gearbox and replaced it with some Redline MTL that @Sammo had generously given away. Absolute legend, owe you one mate. Threw on a new set of drain plugs along with it.

Having driven it a few times since, naturally the MTL alone didn't make a night and day difference but feels like it added that little bit more weight to the shifts, making it feel a tad more solid and robust. I'm sure it also offers a bit more protection than the ATF so definitely glad to have the proper stuff in there now. Might be placebo but it also seems to have made it less prone to lurching when taking off in 1st gear.

A bunch of effort for some slight 1% gains, all to get it closer to the point where I can just take the car out and enjoy driving it without fretting over something or another needing worked on. Finally getting there.

Makes me want to see some pics now

Went to have a quick look at this lemon. Don't much care for the car itself but am in love with the seats! Someone please buy it and sell 'em to me!

He what!? How'd he manage to snatch that for $16k!? That's some mad good buying.

On 4/4/2024 at 2:59 PM, Sammo said:

Which M3 did he buy? Although guess it won't be long before it is revealed

That was quick.

The bigger the sticker the more hrsprs

1 minute ago, Karter16 said:

The clips that hold the bowden cable all in place and intact? The coupe arrangement is slightly different but for me it was the bowden cable having more lateral play than it should that was a big contributor to rattles. 

The ones for the window regulator you mean? I believe so. There's one clip and one zip tie holding them to the door panel and have padded sheeting in other places, on the sedan/wagon anyway. There's also a weird plastic piece that runs vertically up the panel that wedges the lock mechanism cable against the door that had a bit of wiggle room. Secured it in place with some duct tape at both attachment points but no luck. It's really weird as there's no rattles at all when you try shaking the door, the slight vibration rattle is only there when driving. 

I then took a detour and decided to try and hunt down the annoying rattle coming somewhere from the passenger door region that had been eating away at me for months. Having taken the door card off I was greeted with this.

Guess that's a quicker way of replacing a window regulator. I've of course had the door cards off before but somehow it hadn't registered. It would have been prior to the engine swap so the priorities would have been elsewhere. I then reached into the door and discovered a handful of glass shards. 

Would never have noticed it otherwise but the window was of some random brand and not stamped with a BMW logo like the rest of them. Only then I discovered that it was also the only side window to not have window tints. To top it off it also had a row of little gashes on the inside in one place from something rubbing against it. Not enough to notice on its own, but enough to annoy me having discovered it. I'm planning on redoing the window tints all round before next summer so figured I might as well have a set of original windows and not lock in some random, slightly damaged one. So, being the lunatic that I am, I set off to Pick-A-Part for a replacement original window and vapour barrier.

Having carefully peeled away the vapour barrier and taken out the glass, I discovered that the car I'd been scavenging was pre-wired for heated seats. Score! The seats themselves were already taken, which made access to the wiring that much easier. Naturally I turned a quick half-hour trip for a new window glass into a 5-hour mission of extracting the heated seat wiring all in one piece...

Got to satisfy my curiosity in knowing exactly how it was done from factory and have the full kit ready for when I eventually get around to ripping my interior apart again.

What started off as trying to chase down a rattle had well and truly snowballed out of control. With the window out, I figured why stop there - I might as well remove the door handle and give the whole door a good cut and polish as well. It definitely needed it.

From there on, the window regulator also came out, as did the whole door lock mechanism and everything else along with it until all that remained was the wiring.

"But hey, since you've got it all apart, why not install some sound deadening", said my stupid brain.

The door panel got the same treatment as the hood, minus the wet sanding. Came out pretty sweet.

The door cavity got a proper cleanout with a vacuum and blown out with compressed air. The door lock mechanism, door handle and window regulator got cleaned and lubed up with some white lithium grease. All internals reassembled, I sealed it by taking a heat gun to the butyl tape attached to the new vapour barrier and sticking it on nice and snug. All the door and window rubbers also got some Gummi Pfledge treatment whilst I was at it.

Not that there was anything noticeably wrong with it prior but the door handle and window regulator now seem to operate slightly smoother, and the door sounds that wee bit less tinny when slamming it shut. Took it for a quick test drive around the block and...

...the damn rattle is still there.

Looks like it might have been the seat belt trim inside the B-pilar all along.

Cars are pain.

Have barely driven the car of late, instead choosing to stumble down all manner of wormholes.

First was an easy one. The typical cluster clock adjustment arms finally gave out so one of these 3D printed replacements got ordered in and installed. Quick and easy fix, 10/10 product.

Then made a start on a task I've been putting off for the longest time - addressing the aesthetics, namely the shoddy state of the paintwork. Having zero prior experience in any sort of cutting & polishing it wasn't a task I'd been too confident in taking on, on a black car no less, but having pretty much resigned to eventually needing a full respray anyway I figured I might as well try my hand at it. Worst comes to worst it would just bring the timeline forward. Armed with some hands-on knowledge through a detailing clinic with United Car Care and a hodgepodge assortment of products I kicked off the journey.

I started off on the hood as it looked in the most desperate need for a tidy up. Having done several passes with a heavy cut compound on a wool pad and seemingly not making any progress I went with the nuclear option and jumped head first into wet sanding. Not sure if I was doing it right, and it did look pretty scary at times, but somehow I seem to have gotten away with it.

The sequence was as follows:

1. Wash & clay bar.
2. 2000-grit sandpaper on the heavier scratches & imperfections.
3. Several passes with a Koch Chemie H9.01 heavy cut compound on wool pads with a 150mm DA & 75mm polisher for tighter spots.
4. Fill in rock chips, remaining deep scratches and bird dropping etchings with touch-up paint.
5. Menzerna 3 in 1 polish on medium foam pads.
6. Clean down with a quick detailer.
7. Protect with Fireball Pirouette.

Still left with plenty of imperfections with some deep scratches going nowhere and touch-up paint making the inherited damage from the etched in bird sh*t only ever so slightly less apparent. Never going to win any awards but still heaps better than the swirly, scratched up mess that it was before. Will make turning up to club meets that wee bit less embarrassing anyway so have to be happy with the effort.

Have read a few posts on here that it could be the switch on the glass itself being faulty/having water leaking into it. Worth checking out. Otherwise it's the dreaded harness repair job.

 HPR 5 5W-40 6L jugs - $60 @ Repco

https://www.repco.co.nz/oils-fluids/engine-oils-fluids/engine-oil/penrite-hpr-5-5w-40-engine-oil-6l-hpr05006/p/A1220550

Some dodgy sh*t going on with that 318i Touring. Listing claims 347k km's on the clock. The same car was being sold in '21 at 469k km. A quick carjam shows it hit that mileage in 2019 when the odo broke since it's stayed the same since. Must have passed half a million by now. I'd be wearing that as a badge of honour instead of half-arsedly trying to conceal it.