M3AN E36 M3 PLOG (Project Log)

[M3AN 4016]

Popped up in a casual conversation on the web, had to jump on it immediately. Comes from a proper enthusiast from across the ditch... half of what it would have cost me here and near new... ?  

[zero 1162]

Is your current one 3.15?

 

If so, should be a nice upgrade.

[M3AN 4016]

3.23 is stock for the 6 speed but still, the leap is significant and I'm expecting satisfying results.

Should be about 450 RPM higher per gear which will make 100km/h two shifts instead of one but I don't live my life by the stopwatch, just by the seat of my pants! Shifting all that torque down the range should be fun, it should put the "pull" about halfway between the e46 M3 and the CSL.

I'll keep the original gear set for posterity.

 

[KwS 2421]

On 2/14/2015 at 6:01 PM, M3AN said:

What you can't see in the pictures above is the horrible condition on the black trim that runs across the top of the windows from the A pillar right back to the C pillar. Mine looked like:

So a bit of this:

And this:

And I got this:

Much better:

I'm delighted with the results and although the texture is a different to OEM you wouldn't know unless you knew. It looks so much better than it did that I'm happy even if it's not perfect.

I used Dupli-Color "Custom Wrap" which seems to be the same sort of thing as Plasti-Dip. I'm not sure how long it will last but I used about 3/4 of a $28 can to coat each side 7 times.

Application was easy, my second side (driver's) turned out better than the first but even so the first side isn't worth redoing, the imperfections are tiny.

It really looks a million bucks - that trim in poor condition is in a place that you simply can't "unsee".

Its been a couple of years now, how has this held up, Dave?

[M3AN 4016]

4 years in and no looking back. There's a small blemish on one side where I rubbed it when it was really hot from the sun but that's about it and I'm the only one to notice it. I don't treat it any differently when I wash it either.

So, still happy with the outcome. 

Edited May 5, 2019 by M3AN

[M3AN 4016]

Going legit... after ~15 years of being a rebel.

 

[M3AN 4016]

Long time, little love for the M3. But this arrived today after being ordered in April. I knew it was extended lead time but they originally said July, then August, then September. All's well that ends well.

This is just a tempter, more details to follow when I come to install... but feel free to guess. I've been wanting something like this for years.

[Secniv 182]

3 hours ago, M3AN said:

Long time, little love for the M3. But this arrived today after being ordered in April. I knew it was extended lead time but they originally said July, then August, then September. All's well that ends well.

This is just a tempter, more details to follow when I come to install... but feel free to guess. I've been wanting something like this for years.

 

 

KW Coil overs?

[M3AN 4016]

On 9/7/2020 at 9:40 PM, Secniv said:

KW Coil overs?

No, nothing that adventurous. Box is 6 foot long.

Maybe if the weather's good this weekend? 

Edited September 19, 2020 by M3AN

[sweetm3 180]

Under-tray or front splitter  

[M3AN 4016]

Old, torn, worn, tired and broken arch liners out... all the guards checked and swept, no rust at all, just 24 years of crap and some fat spiders...

Fresh OE liners with all new hardware ready to go in...

Ohh, what's that in the bottom corner @sweetm3? ?

Edited September 19, 2020 by M3AN

[M3AN 4016]

I succeeded in installing the new arch liners today, not a terribly difficult job once you've lined everything up and it looks so much better now and they don't flap around in places.

I ordered 2 x Turner Motorsport undertrays in the first lockdown (April) and they only arrived the other week. I realised they were on backorder but June slipped to July which slipped to August and then September so I did start to get a little concerned but they arrived well packed in the end, Turners aren't a particularly high risk. 

But my install attempt failed, they missed sending a rivnut tool with my order but no worries, mate has a mechanical rivnut gun. No bueno. The mandrel on the gun is too short for the longer rivnuts included in the pack and there's no way in hell I can get enough leverage to squeeze the handles to collapse the smaller nuts (which are stronger than the long ones).

They've posted the tool and that should be here by next weekend. I have another method to try tomorrow which is essentially the same approach as their tool, we'll see how that goes. Both involve nuts, bolts, spanners and ratchets and, whilst more complex to arrange than with a gun tool (barely) you can lean on a spanner or ratchet assembly so much easier.  

Regardless, the tray and accompanying hardware is excellent and they've fixed all of the design problems of earlier trays (such as the Motion Motorsport one). I've been waiting so long for a good one. I got two so perhaps I can sort a pattern part? ?

Edited September 19, 2020 by M3AN

[leichtbau 525]

Vintage Marantz??

[M3AN 4016]

23 minutes ago, leichtbau said:

Vintage Marantz??

Afraid not, just a nice 2009 Onkyo that does all the basics well.

 

[M3AN 4016]

So, after some trials and tribulations I got the undertray installed today but she's not ready to drop off the stands because the tray fouls the sway bar (at full droop). Perhaps they haven't found the perfect solution? ?

It will be easy enough to fix by trimming ~10mm off the rear of the tray but that shouldn't be necessary. I've gone back to Turner, who have been great so far, but I can't imagine what type of solution they can offer.

That issues aside the tray is awesome and locks the whole front end, including my new arch liners together, it's far superior to the jumble of stock plastic bits!

Edited September 26, 2020 by M3AN

[aja540i 1906]

Just grind some notches in the sway bar, will be mint as bro!

[M3AN 4016]

But why ruin a good sway bar? I could just remove it altogether and put it up for $1 reserve, I'll come out ahead that way. ? 

[KwS 2421]

Does the bar clear at ride hight and only hits it at full droop? If thats the case why not just leave it and move on, the only time you're going to be full droop is on a hoist/stands.

[M3AN 4016]

8 minutes ago, KwS said:

Does the bar clear at ride hight and only hits it at full droop? If thats the case why not just leave it and move on, the only time you're going to be full droop is on a hoist/stands.

Yes, it's clear at normal ride height... but not if I got airborne!

Sure, it will only make contact under limited circumstances but it shouldn't at all really. I'm regularly putting my cars on stands and wouldn't want to bother with this every time, you can't really remove it or put it on unless you undo the drop links or prop up the hubs. I don't think getting it cut would be that expensive but I've not explored that yet.

[aja540i 1906]

If you need to cut it give me a yell, I have a plasma cutter that will make holes in it!

[M3AN 4016]

The Turner undertray - I've measured up the required cut and, as you can see, this is not a trivial or marginal fitment issue. With the bar set to the softest setting (rearward holes) I need to shave 30mm off the tray, with the bar set to stiffest (forward holes) I'd need to shave a whopping 40mm off the tray.

Edited October 10, 2020 by M3AN

[M3AN 4016]

I took both under trays around to @aja540i place this afternoon to get them cut to measurement with his plasma cutter and the results are fantastic, I couldn't be happier. He made short work of it too. Thanks Andrew, you're a legend! ? 

I got one cut back by 30mm and the other by 40mm to allow for a few variations in sway bars. I'll hopefully fit the one I want to go with before Bathurst kicks off tomorrow.

Edited October 17, 2020 by M3AN

[M3AN 4016]

Fitted up the 40mm cut version today and it's perfect with my swaybar set to the hardest setting. Pic is of car with both front corners at full droop. Ace, thanks again @aja540i. ? Now, to work out how to get these fabricated locally, plate itself is easy, brackets are a different proposition. 

 

 

[M3AN 4016]

Long time no love... fixed that in preparation for some KBM action. Watch this space.

 

[M3AN 4016]

3.62 - a number that should roll off the tongue as it should have rolled off the factory floor.

Diff rebuilt by KBM with a 3.62 crownwheel and pinion from an e46 M3, bumped from the stock Evo ratio of 3.23. Diff seals replaced with new, all other diff internals checked and cleaned but otherwise left as the Bavarian engineers deemed appropriate. Flex disc (guibo) also replaced at the same time, mine was well rooted. The CW&P that went in apparently had no usage marks or scars at all and my LSD internals were in "great" condition, nice.

First impressions are actually quite subdued, it's not a night and day difference but for sure, it is a difference. I think the thing I'm most satisfied with is that it feels so OEM, it's takes nothing at all away from the 'factory feel' of the car, it really could have rolled off the production line like this.

But it's certainly more urgent, everywhere. Every gear (perhaps with the exception of 1st) is totally more usable in the new range, it feels like it should have been like this all along. Even 5th at highway speeds allows you to pull instantly rather than wait a bit then pull. At 120 it sits perfectly on 3k rpm in 6th (which is nice because then both the needles are almost perfectly parallel). BMW clearly learnt from the S50 era and certainly got the ratios right in the S54 edition. 

Chirps in 1st and the change to 2nd are more easily induced but it doesn't feel wild like an unusually light flywheel does, launching and gear changes are no more difficult than before. But an extra gear change to 100km/h so no new records there, it's bouncing at 95km/h in second now.

I've had the CW&P sitting in a box for nearly 2 years now whilst waiting for moons to align and I'm glad they finally have, I'm most satisfied. It feels like 30 more hp and lot more torque, weight-for-weight I'd have no problems betting on this against a standard e46 M3 now. I kept the stock CW&P in case I ever sell the car so it comes with all the matching/factory parts.

Just don't ask how much it cost all in! 😂

@sweetm3 - time to arrange a drive me thinks!

 

Edited February 22, 2021 by M3AN