Winter project for Summer.

[Greg111 13]

Right where do I start, the M3s having a bit of a make over/repair getting ready for summer, I’ve already started with the project but have been photo documenting along the way for the viewers. It all started with the diff problem that some of you already know about, it started making a knocking noise on deceleration. So again I thought while the diff is out I may as well fix and make better everything else. (That was needed anyway).

Diff removal

I knew straight away after looking at the diff that the only way it was going to come out was by removing the subframe keeping the diff attached. So out came the rear suspension/diff/subframe.

Diff repair.

Took the diff to work and opened it up, oil still looked fine as I had replaced it 1000km earlier, then noticed two bolt head looking lumps sitting at the bottom, cleaned them up and confirmed they were. After a bit more examining had found the LSD clutch pack was missing two bolt heads from the eight that should be there, needless to say have ordered eight new bolts from Jeff Grey.

There is a little bit of damage to the crown wheel teeth but nothing a little bit of wet & dry won’t fix. Have also ordered a bearing kit for it too just to be safe.

Brakes & Suspension.

On removal of the rear suspension I noticed the bottom spring hat was on a height adjustable thread so was quite stoked, although it made sense considering the front shocks are.

The rear hubs were also removed to get new top bushes. So that’s the rear sorted, I removed and sent the front shocks for repairing as they were leaking and weren’t really doing their job.

Am wanting to replace the front and rear brake discs due to the thickness meaning they’re beyond skimming.

Interior.

When removing the boot interior I found an external amplifier mounted beside the shock tower, after tracing the wires I found they were all cut and bypassed. While I was not quite sure why this had been done I decided to pull all the stereo wiring out and completely start again. The original speakers had been replaced with Cewan Vega’s so assumed they were up to the job, thanks to a bit of help from Scottie got it all connected back up correctly, found the amp on wire insulated up in the loom so connected the remote amp on wire from the stereo naturally, tried it out, sounded so much better, still can’t understand why someone would bypass the amp?

I had pulled the parcel tray and four door cards off to access the speaker wires etc so will get them recovered too. Did a few other little bits around the car, installed a fire extinguisher, got the handbrake boot stitched in motorsport colours to match the steering wheel, fitted a battery isolator, removed and repainted front lip.

As the photos mention, huge mess with wires from here to Africa but all tidy now.

More photos to come.

Will update with any changes.

Cheers,

Greg.

Edited January 26, 2010 by Greg.

[Guest Simon*]

Sounds sweet Greg

and yeah, pics

[crazyarab 6]

still can’t understand why someone would bypass the amp?

Not quire sure about the E36 models but E30 also comes factory with an amp. The problem with these amps are their output is less than most modern stereos so when the volume hits a certain level it's gets all crackly and crap because the head unit is putting out more power than the amp.

The quick and easy solution to this is to completely bypass the factory amp and is what I did with my car.

Could have been done for a similar reason?

Edited September 12, 2009 by crazyarab

[Greg111 13]

Not quire sure about the E36 models but E30 also comes factory with an amp. The problem with these amps are their output is less than most modern stereos so when the volume hits a certain level it's gets all crackly and crap because the head unit is putting out more power than the amp.

The quick and easy solution to this is to completely bypass the factory amp and is what I did with my car.

Could have been done for a similar reason?

That's what i thought too but then wired it all up correctly and sounds much better now, my E34 was the same, hooked the amp up on that and now has much louder/better sound.

Will post up pics today with what i have so far, make the paragraphs make a bit more sense

[Guest FrantiC]

Sounds good. What else have you got planned to repair / replace?

[Apex 693]

So they were running the speakers off an aftermarket head deck?? Often people bypass the factory amp as it has less power than a modern head deck .

Good work can’t wait for pictures.

[Greg111 13]

So they were running the speakers off an aftermarket head deck?? Often people bypass the factory amp as it has less power than a modern head deck .

Good work can’t wait for pictures.

Yep aftermarket speakers and head unit, as i mentioned i've wired it up correctly and works a treat now.

[Greg111 13]

More photos uploaded of the diff, slowly getting them all up

[Guest FrantiC]

Are you going to reassemble the diff yourself ? Or if you are taking it somewhere, Where?

[Greg111 13]

A mate and I are just gonna do it ourselves, we're basically just replacing the carrier and pinion bearings and the LSD bolts. Can't be that hard to do. You broke your one already?

[Guest FrantiC]

Just that my LSD is really really tight, you have to put abit of effort to spin the rear wheels . You can't even rotate the driveshaft without quite abit of effort. i think I need it shimmed cos I put it together myself when i threw in an LSD clutchpack, but don't know of anyone around here who specializes with diffs.

Although i did destroy a rear CV last week, hehehe.

What do the bearing kits set you back?

[Greg111 13]

Just that my LSD is really really tight, you have to put abit of effort to spin the rear wheels . You can't even rotate the driveshaft without quite abit of effort. i think I need it shimmed cos I put it together myself when i threw in an LSD clutchpack, but don't know of anyone around here who specializes with diffs.

Although i did destroy a rear CV last week, hehehe.

What do the bearing kits set you back?

You should still be able to spin the driveshaft without too much force? It's spinning the wheels different ways that should be the tough part, my LSD is super strong, can hardly turn the wheels different ways (Kinder like a lock diff), spinning the driveshaft should take no effort though.

Got the bearing kit through a mate at SAECO. $235inc

[*Glenn* 855]

You should still be able to spin the driveshaft without too much force? It's spinning the wheels different ways that should be the tough part, my LSD is super strong, can hardly turn the wheels different ways (Kinder like a lock diff), spinning the driveshaft should take no effort though.

Got the bearing kit through a mate at SAECO. $235inc

I had my diff done by a specialist because I didn't want to use the collapsable sleeve on the pinion with the LSD. They made up a solid spacer to give the correct pinion bearing preload and fitted all new bearings.

[Greg111 13]

I had my diff done by a specialist because I didn't want to use the collapsable sleeve on the pinion with the LSD. They made up a solid spacer to give the correct pinion bearing preload and fitted all new bearings.

The collapsable sleeves aren't really reusable so will see what the go is when i get the pinion off.

[*Glenn* 855]

The collapsable sleeves aren't really reusable so will see what the go is when i get the pinion off.

I had a new one...but we didnt want to use it. Thats why we went solid, it cant loose its preload setting untill the bearings crap out. The collapsable sleeves can with the vibration from the LSD pack.

[Greg111 13]

Have painted and cleared the front lip and painted the subframe, will clean and paint the suspension arms later on.

Should be getting back the front shocks today so will fit them back up tonight,

When i took the front strut brace off i noticed too cracks in the strut tower bolt holes, so will need to drill and weld them too, i assume that's from the suspension being a tad too stiff?

Edited January 26, 2010 by Greg.

[Greg111 13]

Right, shocks are back from being rebuilt, will fit them tonight.

Bearing kit will arrive next week so can rip in to that too.

Just have the rear hub bushes to replace, front and rear brake discs to get replaced (will get them slotted), four door cards and parcel tray to retrim and a few other minor bits and pieces to tidy up.

All going to plan (and money) it should be ready around xmas time.

Edited January 26, 2010 by Greg.

[Greg111 13]

Have started to pull the diff to bits now, got the bearings etc, just sorting the bolts,

As you can see there is quite a bit metal at the bottom of the casing. I suspect the pinion bearing as sh*t itself as it feels quite notchy.

Sorry about the size of photos.

Edited January 26, 2010 by Greg.

[Guest Simon*]

Good stuff mate. Looks like you've been gold panning

[Greg111 13]

Good stuff mate. Looks like you've been gold panning

Ha yeah it's a bit like that, mostly just bits of pinion bearing, don't know what would have caused it to fall apart?

[Guest Simon*]

Ha yeah it's a bit like that, mostly just bits of pinion bearing, don't know what would have caused it to fall apart?

LOL me neither Should probably check mine

[E30-323ti 66]

Have you got the strut reinforcement plates??

If not, grab a pair, they sit under the strut tower and help spread the load from the strut bearing.

[Greg111 13]

No i don't have those but might be worth looking into with those struts the way they are.

LOL me neither Should probably check mine

Ha you would know if yours is playing up.

[Greg111 13]

Right time for an up date as it's been a while, all the suspension is rebuilt/replaced and in, have spent a bit of money on the stereo side of things (don't ask me why cause i don't know), replaced the standard amp which we spent a long time getting right but oh well, fitted 12" sub and amp, (for sound quality not big doof).

The diff side of things, i have fitted the new bearings, new seals and crush sleeve, waiting on the two clutch discs that should have been here months ago, very unprofessional company i'm dealing with but too late to pull out now, so hopefully the diff will be back in within weeks, then it can sit back on the ground and i can adjust the suspension to suit.

Will up load piccies later on today.

Cheers.

[Greg111 13]

Right, piccies.

These ones are just to basically show where i've spent the last amount of money:

This one is of the diff, with new bearings, crush sleeve and Pinion seal.

Guts will be ready to go in next week.

Edited January 26, 2010 by Greg.