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Can anyone elighten me on the E46 clutch? I have a 2003 330i with 56,000 miles that I bought CPO off-lease at 49,000 miles - no sport package, so I have the 5-speed manual. I'm starting to notice what I assume is a sign of the clutch giving out - during hard launch, I can't get the clutch to catch. I removed the CDV at 54,000 miles, for what it's worth. Basically, I'm wondering what the chances are that the clutch could be going out in a 56,000 mile off-lease 330i, what the signs of a clutch going out would be, and could possibly give some insight as to what is involved in replacing the clutch - cost of parts, likelihood if DIY-ability. Almost out for the summer and need to decide whether to add the cost of a clutch to my mental list of costs.
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Apr 18, 2008 08:32
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Pissingintowind posted:Really? My M3 is on the stock clutch at ~89,000. I learned to drive on this car, as have 2 other people, and it is only beginning to slip. I know for a fact that my tires are shot - those are first on that mental cost list. However, I was out driving tonight with a friend of mine who just picked up his El Camino from storage (yay Minnesota, it's finally getting warm - just reinstated my insurance) and I tried lighting my tires up. I got a lot of slipping, but I didn't hear much of my tires and the smell that followed smelled too much like a burning clutch. I haven't noticed anything during normal driving yet, so I'm going to do the mentioned 25mph pull in fifth and see what happens. Also, holy poo poo those were quick replies. Here's to the late-night browsing crew 
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Apr 18, 2008 08:57
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Guinness posted:56,000 miles is definitely within the realm of possibility for a worn out clutch, especially on a sporty car that has a questionable history of how it was driven. I went out and tried this today, and my clutch passed with flying colors. I was actually able to pull fine from 10-15mph through to a comfortable powerband - slowly. At this point I'm going with the explination of my well-worn tires are just spinning freely, with so little grip that I didn't get an associated squeal or smoke. Similarly, the smell that I thought was the clutch burning up could have just been the tires burning into different rubbers that are meant to build the tire base, not contact the road. Guess I just need to get tires on it and see what happens. Anyone have great tire suggestions for the 205/50/17 rims on an E46 330i? Cheaper would be better, but ultimately I'm looking for a good, mid- to high-mileage all-season. Ninja edit: Tire Rack suggests the Goodyear Eagle F1 AS for $139 per, or the Kumho Ecsta ASX for $100 per. The Ecstas are more ideal in price, but if the Eagles are that much better I could stretch the budget. Anyone have experience with either rubber? Edit edit: Looks like based on Tire Rack surveys, the Eagle has much better deep snow and ice traction, and slightly better treadwear. Being in Minnesota the winter traction is a huge bonus, and being a poor college student the better treadwear is a pretty nice bonus. Cellular Suicide fucked around with this message at 19:25 on Apr 18, 2008 |
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Apr 18, 2008 19:19
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Ziploc posted:Actually the real test is putting the engine in its powerband in a higher gear. Usually 3rd. THEN flooring it. If it can hold everything together under peak engine power THEN you can say your clutch is AOK. That'll have to wait until the streets dry up, unfortunately.
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Apr 18, 2008 20:02
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I drive a 2003 330i 5sp, non-sport, with 60,000 miles on it. I purchased the car with 44,000 miles on it and a CPO warranty. The single previous owner was a lessee. I drive the hell out of my car - I run through the gears as often as possible, I often accelerate to redline, and I quite frequently take trips to the country roads and take turns at stupid, but absolutely fulfilling speeds. Knowing how I love to drive, I'm constant with maintenence. Oil and filter every 5,000 miles - Mobil 1 5W-30 and Purolator filters - plugs were done 2,000 miles ago with the last oil change, and I check the air filter regularly (OEM BMW filter replaced when the CPO check was performed) and so far it never looks any dirtier than I'd imagine it out of the box. I wipe the foam clean and replace it. Since my last oil change, the low-oil light has come on twice - both times the light came on when I turned the car off, and happened ocassionally until I checked and topped off the oil; both times it's been about a half-quart low. If it's normal for these engines to burn a bit of oil when pushed, I have no problem feeding it oil as often as it likes. However, from the reading I've done here and a few other BMW DIY havens, it seems that burning oil can also point to a few other problems, notably VANOS failure. So BMW gods, can anyone shed some light? Also - because if it's a more serious failure I'll be having the work done under the CPO warranty, do I need to worry about having done my own maintenence? I've kept logs, and any examination of wear parts should show that they're in great shape.
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Jul 1, 2008 07:45
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E46 330i non-sport - When doing front and rear brakes, do I need the brake disc allen head bolt, part number 34211161806? A few parts etailers list it under the rotors, so I'd like to make sure it's not I need to replace when doing the brakes. Also, does anyone have any tips or warnings about doing pads and rotors on an E46? I've done pads on a 2005 Mini Cooper, so I'm fairly sure I won't have any major problems. Sidenote: can anyone glean some knowledge about clutch replacements in E46s? What parts/special tools will I need for a standard clutch replacement, and how capable do I need to be to successfully complete one?
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Aug 5, 2008 22:55
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snugglz posted:Not to be a dick, but you do realize that a flat piece of chrome on your bumper is like the ideal target for radar and laser, right? Especially all with that roundel lookin' like a bullseye and everything... Not to be a realist, but you do realize that the people operating radar and laser devices are trained in how to capture your speed using a device, and don't particularly need a chrome plate to obtain an accurate speed. Right?
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Sep 7, 2008 19:15
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The other day the vision of a poster with E30 through E90 M3's lined up diagonally popped into my head. Has anyone ever seen anything like this? Bonus points if it's all M cars lined up all.
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Sep 10, 2008 22:02
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CornHolio posted:A neat picture is a neat picture. Good enough for me. Thank you sir, time to change desktop backrounds 
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Sep 10, 2008 22:45
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CornHolio posted:I've always been fond of this one, though it doesn't include the E90. As I stare at my new desktop, I notice - the E46 has only one foglight  Anyone have any explanation for this?
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Sep 11, 2008 21:29
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My E46 key fob died a week ago. I assumed it was just a dead battery and waited until my 3 hour round-trip this weekend so it could nicely charge. However, it's still dead. When I got the car the fob didn't work, and the BMW dealership fixed it for free. Their work order cited some shorted wire in the steering wheel cluster, and they fixed it. However, the range has been poo poo (as in, 5-10 feet under normal circumstances) since they fixed it, and I have to wonder if the internal batter just finally gave out. I know these keys are technically "sealed" and new ones are upwards of $200, but does anyone know of clever ways to open the keys and somehow replace the battery, possibly with a non-rechargeable one?
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Sep 15, 2008 17:37
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Xenoid posted:Because I'm not being a moron and making personal attacks on the internet. All dealership are crooked as hell? I bought my car with a CPO warranty, and the first time I had to utilize the warranty (taillight harness shorted itself out) I walked with my car back to the bay and talked to the tech the first 20 minutes he was working. He alerted me to most of the same things that dear ol' AI has, and included some tips on how to get around some of the price hikes at the parts desk. The service writer was also pretty easygoing and I've called back and talked to him about some minor things on my car - in fact, he's the one who told me how to reprogram my key. Having said that, I've only ever taken my car to the dealership that once. Obviously those of us who can do the work ourselves prefer the save the money. I can build a computer for $500 or you can buy the some one from Dell for $800 - that doesn't make Dell a bad company. For that $800 you get parts purchased in bulk and tested again before they're used, and you get a warranty and support center. Having work done at the dealership is similar - you get your coolant system replaced by the dealership and something goes wrong in short future, you have the dealership to fall back on. You do it yourself, you have yourself to fall back on. "Car people" love to bash and berate dealerships universally, but they serve their purpose. Crooked people exist...everywhere. As for new BMWs being a rip-off, keep spouting that. Stop buying used ones though, since you're just perpetuating the cycle. Let's take a guess at who's butthurt. Cellular Suicide fucked around with this message at 01:39 on Oct 17, 2008 |
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Oct 17, 2008 01:36
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2003 330i Lately my idle has been really weak. Instead of comfortably sitting around indicated 850RPM it fluctuates between 500 and 650RPM, dipping as low as 400RPM on occasion. My first thought was fuel delivery, my second was air. I replaced the spark plugs 4k miles ago, oil 2k miles ago, and the air filter 25k miles ago but it's immaculate upon physical inspection. What's likely plaguing my car?
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Oct 23, 2008 18:06
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Earlier I was enlightened as to a TSB about an unstable idle on manual E46's. Does anyone have any more information on this? Driving in the city today my idle would drop so low it once died with the clutch in. Does this sound like symptoms of this issue?
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Nov 4, 2008 20:14
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How hard is it to replace the A/C compressor in an E46 sedan? I recently avoided a crash and swerved into the median, right into a huge chunk of concrete. I damage the radiator among other things, and it dented the A/C compressor. The total damage is $6,800 and includes replacing a dented A/C compressor on a preventative basis. If I opt not to replace it, I could cover my $1,000 deductible. So; how hard would it be to replace the A/C compressor on my own and how expensive is the part used? Additionally, could I take a bet on whether the dent in the compressor will lead to eventually failure or rupture?
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Dec 29, 2008 02:36
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Here's my suspicion: the car was an off-lease model flipped at some point between 2002 and 2004, when it was snapped up by someone who thought they found the cheap car of the lifetime. It was likely in good shape at this point. 3-spoke steering wheel and front bumper means it's a sport package, and as others are saying the mileage means it's way overdue for its Inspection II, which it's likely it was between 20,000 and 40,000 miles shy of when the second owner purchased it. This owner took it and drove the poo poo out of it. Drove it hard for the interim, and possibly aside from oil and oil/air filter and tires, did very minimal maintenance on it. The interior is actually in fairly good looking shape; the only spots to raise and eyebrow at are the trunk and the engine bay. The trunk has some of the paneling punched in - probably due to something such as a suitcase. The engine bay is just a mess, which supports the lack of maintenance theory. The clutch is likely the original and on its last legs. The clutch diverter valve that was previously mentioned - a CDV - is a small valve in a self-enclosed attachment that is located underneath the driver's footwell accessed from beneath the car. It's simply a fixture attached to the metal brake line, and removing it is a 20 minute job with cleanup and time to open a beer. The process is well documented online. The CDV is best described as making novice manual drivers smoother and more tolerable, while making predicting shifting and generally driving enthusiastically more frustrating for an experienced driver. It restricts the flow of fluid in the hydraulic line behind the clutch, and therefore creates a limit as to how quickly the clutch will engage. It also greatly increases clutch wear, particularly if/when you drive it according to how you know you're timing shifts without attention to the artificial limit. The clutch gets engaged over a longer period of time while you're essentially going WOT. It's a terrible feeling any time it happens if you know what you've done and the little fucker is best suited just yanked out. Basically: this was a nice car, an E46 coupe with the Sport package (biggest difference the 3-spoke steering wheel, better front seats, different front bumper) but likely not the Premium (standard headlights, no acoustic stereo button on the center console, appears to be standard radio) nor the Cold (no heated seats, better because rear armrest has cupholders and storage uni) packages. The car is likely going to need most of what occurs in an Inspection II and a bit of what won't, likely: suspension wear components (bearings, shocks), belts, the coolant system replaced, oil and all filters changed, spark plugs and wires (possibly the coilpacks?), as well as quite likely the tires and clutch. If you do most/all of the work yourself you may be able to skate by with all of it done for under $6,000 according to the prices I'm assuming for most of the larger cost items. For your money you get yourself an assload of work, but high-quality parts and an integral understanding of a car that's really a loving joy to work on. If you threw in little things as you went along like engine mounts and many other bits of rubber around the car you would be fairly ahead of the game as far as maintenance is concerned for quite awhile. If you get it done at the dealership, expect a much higher price. The benefit is the ease of having it done, the assurance of a warranty and higher-experience people doing the work, and the speed at which it can be completed. The obvious downfall is cost. I really don't have an estimate for an Inspection II + larger tasks like clutch and suspension, but expect at least $10,000. Also, keep in mind that all the BMW Inspections consist majorly of examining parts and checking long-term items, which is really primary to knowing what to expect and what to watch for but is not a complicated procedure. Either process, you end up with a car with a questionable previous service history. However you've majorly covered the bases mechanically, and given that you know what to observe in the future and continue to be diligent with the maintenance you have a really solid vehicle on your hands. The actual motor will go for planets with regular attention, and they're amazingly fantastic to drive. End point? Go check the car out, and really pay attention to anything you can't/wouldn't want to fix immediately - interior problems, non-functioning mechanisms throughout the car, etc. - and decide whether it's worth fixing most of the things and waiting for the rest. When you go make a list of everything in the Inspection II and see which you can check on your own. Feel free to completely examine the car, and really try to judge each of the major points on the checklist. Add the average cost of repair at a dealership to the purchase price and negotiate that number close to the book MSRP for the car, +-$2,000. As a negotiating tool, offer that $2,000 is what you would expect to have to invest in a car of average maintenance and most records to really get it up to par. If you estimate the repair to be $8,000 then give them $2,000 over MSRP and negotiate somewhere around $4,800 for the car, let them work the number down from there. If you're determined to pull through with the purchase and choke down the enormous gulp that is the required effort to refurbish this car it'll be great. tl;dr - E46s are awesome and require a fair amount of maintenance, and this one appears to have very little. Go to the dealership and investigate, figure out if an enormous mechanical force can adequately refresh the car to an acceptable level. Introduce the cost of the required work to the dealership, add to MSRP plus some, and haggle as best you can for a low purchase price. Do everything immediately, wait it out and experience automotive bliss. Holy jesus, I'm sorry, I didn't mean this to turn into a wall of text. I've just looked really deeply into doing this so I've been postulating this exact move for myself, secretly waiting for a similar car (but a Sport+Premium 330Ci) for the summer.
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Mar 24, 2009 09:24
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I need to replace the clutch on my 2003 330i 5sp. While I'm in there I plan on also replacing the throwout bearing and putting in a short-shifter. I have a few questions: -Is there a particular clutch kit that is better than others? What parts should I look for in a clutch kit? I will need whatever specialized tools/alignment tools are necessary. -What else should I be replacing? 77,700 miles on the stock clutch and the shifter is feeling quite wobbly and loose, so I would like to replace everything in the area that I should be paying attention to. Shifter cables, bushings/bearings, other random bits? -How complicated is the job? I've done brakes, oil, and front suspension on this car already and I'm fairly confident with my mechanical ability. I will have another car to use in case it takes longer than a weekend, but am I going to find myself quickly in over my head? I will purchase a Haynes/Chilton's manual with the parts I need. -Is there a website that comes highly recommended for ordering these parts? I'm willing to pay more for a reliable retailer with quality parts, and I would prefer to get all the parts from the same place. -Any recommendations on short-shifters? I'm mostly looking to stiffen up the feel of gear selection because right now it feels very stick-in-rocks like. I assume some of that is the bushings I need to replace and some of that is wear on the stock shift mechanism. I aim to replace most of these parts, and I would like a quality shift mechanism to install. Preferably not adjustable, I would rather not deal with the extra complication.
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Aug 13, 2009 02:54
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My 2003 330i non-sport, 115k miles, is in desperate need of some front suspension work and I'm not sure where to start. Aside from being all soft and bouncy the front right strut is damaged and that wheel won't align properly; neither of the front corners hold their alignment well and I'm taking it in every month or so to touch it up - lifetime alignment packages are a lifesaver. The strut tower is noticeably deformed and I have a few questions about how to begin: • Should I worry about strut tower reinforcement plates and potentially a tower brace, or will new suspension components tighten things up enough? Is there any method of gently reshaping the tower when I replace the struts? • I've replaced the control arm bushings once at 66k with Febi parts and it's obvious they need to be replaced again, with the parking brake on both front wheels have a significant amount of play. Is it worth replacing these immediately as a stop-gap to replacing the strut inserts, or will the extra stress from other worn components put unacceptable wear and tear on them in the interim? Does anyone have brand recommendations for bushings? Pelican Parts lists Lemfoerder as the OEM supplier and also stocks Corteco, Febi, and Karlyn with a pretty wide price variation. • I have been looking at Bilstein Heavy Duty strut inserts and they come highly recommended. I live in Saint Paul, MN with terrible potholes and occasionally pitiful winter road cleanup so I'm not considering the Bilstein Sports. Koni FSD's also come highly recommended but I've heard of durability issues, and for only $50 more than OEM Boge parts the Bilsteins sound attractive. • I'm primarily concerned about my front suspension but I'm sure the rear needs work as well. The front has been such a problem child that I'm perpetually paranoid about it; my goal is to at least finish the front overhaul before the first major snowstorm. Is there any huge reason to replace the front and rear at the same time? • I've read through quite a few DIY guides and I've got a solid mental map of what the process is going to entail. The only part I'm worried about is compressing the springs but there's a Habor Freight a few miles from me so I plan on buying anything I need - specifically spring clamps. Any major problems in the process that I should be aware of? I know this information has probably been hashed and rehashed a few times in this thread but no matter what search terms I used I couldn't narrow things down. I'm really eager to dig into this job but for the cost and complexity I'm apprehensive about going in underprepared. This is the most ultimate ULTIMATE DRIVING MACHINE resource I've ever found and is my last stop before getting excited about a huge package of parts on my doorstep. Thanks for your help!
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Oct 20, 2011 23:22
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BrokenKnucklez posted:On the E39, is there a way to program the lights to stay on for a few seconds after you get out of the car? One of the very few things I miss about the Trailblazer was the ability that my head lamps light up the drive long enough for me to fumble for my keys and walk inside. On the E46 you can pull the high beam stalk as if to flash the lights and it will turn the headlamps on for a minute or so - might be an option for you. Sterndotstern posted:good information That's the kind of info I was hoping for, the strut tower damage being so severe and unrepairable is depressing. I forgot to ask about whether to buy all the hardware, mounts and pads etc., so it's good to know that it's worth it. Koni FSD's sound like a good balance between ride quality and handling and $650 for all four is within my price range albeit at the upper end. I've heard mixed things about the value of replacing control arms, sounds like you recommend it though.
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Oct 21, 2011 00:36
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I'm having some strange symptoms in a 2003 330i. I replaced the valve cover gasket due to leaking about a quart a month of oil at 75k, which worked beautifully. At ~118k last February I had yellow foam under my oil fill cap, and removed the valve cover to find a pretty substantial amount of the same yellow foam in the (impossible to clean) plastic grid on the underside. I attributed this to coolant in the oil and proceeded to poo poo my pants. Three of the valve cover nuts were very loose so I cleaned everything up, reapplied gasket sealant+gasket and the valve cover, and did an oil+filter change. The oil came out clean with no discoloration or signs of coolant and no noticeable extra volume. I also topped up the coolant with around a quart. I've been keeping an eye on it and hadn't had any problems until two days ago there was a yellow haze on the oil cap at 124k. Yesterday there was no yellow foam but I replaced the valve cover gasket (no yellow foam anywhere), did an oil+filter change (clean and no extra volume), and again topped the coolant up with no more than half a quart. I haven't checked my coolant level before this for a few months, and again the oil came out perfectly clean. Is it possible for there to be coolant mixed with oil in my valve cover and nowhere else? Do I have a head gasket leak that I've been stupidly lucky enough to not detect for 10 months? Since the first coolant/oil spotting I've kept a hawk's eye on my temperature gauge - it heats to and holds temperature dead in the middle just as it always has. Water pump (not thermostat, but this would fail open right?) was replaced at 108k. The expansion tank went out just a thousand or so miles AFTER the first coolant spotting, which I thought may or may not be related given the fact that it's a BMW expansion tank. I've done all the work myself, and I've always used Prestone "USE THIS FOR ALL CARS AND YOUR FAVORITE REFRESHING BEVERAGE" coolant and haven't really bought into the BMW labelled coolant hype about any other brand clogging the coolant passages; is that a potential catastrophe? EDIT: I noticed this ground spot on the camshaft for the first time yesterday, is this part of the balancing process during manufacturing? It didn't seem like there was anything that could have caused this during normal engine operation. 
Cellular Suicide fucked around with this message at 21:22 on Dec 16, 2012 |
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Dec 16, 2012 21:15
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I have this illusive slight yellow gunk that seems to randomly show up under my oil cap, in a 2003 330i. It happened again this afternoon, a couple weeks after I did a fresh oil+filter change with Mobil 1 0W-40 and put in a new valve cover gasket with some Hondabond in all the magical places.  This was after a 45 minute trip, about 20 minutes through stop and go traffic. A few hours later I drove for another 45 minutes home and the yellow haze was gone. I'm not short any detectable coolant, nor have I gained or lost any oil, and no yellow haze on the dipstick. What in the hell is going on here? I keep assuming this is small amounts of coolant - is it possibly oil frothing, or something else entirely?
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Jan 3, 2013 05:28
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That sounds like a very plausible explanation, I had no knowledge of this system before now. I live in Minnesota, drive 15-20 minutes to and from work in stop and go traffic, and on cold starts there is always a faint, light gurgling sound similar to a what a few people describe when detailing their CCV failure symptoms. Pelican has a "cold climate" kit with the CCV and some insulated hoses for $161.25, not too bad. I've been feeling really guilty about letting some regular maintenance stuff get away from me and this is the perfect opportunity to tackle a few things: engine and transmission mounts, trans diff and power steering fluid, and a shifter refresh with the shift tower bushing, shift arm bushings, and the shift rod coupler. After that I think I'm down to waiting to have the extra money or for the catastrophic failure of my clutch or suspension, aside from a dozen nagging cosmetic things. Is there a prevalent opinion on manual transmission fluid, differential fluid, or power steering fluid? I've used some Swepco 201 in the past for the transmission and still have plenty leftover for another fluid swap, but I am starting to lean towards Redline MTL just based on anecdotal internet stuff. I used Royal Purple 75w140 gear oil in the differential and I am looking at Redline 75w90NS this time. This will be my first time touching the power steering fluid and I'm looking at Pentosin CHF 11S. Cellular Suicide fucked around with this message at 09:40 on Jan 3, 2013 |
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Jan 3, 2013 09:23
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Getting ready to do a 2013 overhaul, the "cold weather" version of the E46 CCV is encased in this beautiful insulating foam case: On the packing slip the Redline 75W90NS I ordered has a description "FOR RACE USE ONLY." From what I understand the "NS" version has some slip-preventing modifiers in it, but that shouldn't cause any harm in my lowly 2.93 open diff... What could possibly go wrong 
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Jan 11, 2013 21:54
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I enjoy digging into my car and not being able to walk after a day of hunching over the engine bay, but if I ever have another E46 CCV to replace I'll be bringing it to a mechanic. GOD drat THROTTLE BODY. The intake resonance valve was a piece of cake, in fact everything else was a piece of cake. The last two hose clamps - one for the idle control valve and the other leading to the throttle body - were installed with the adjustment screw facing 45 degrees south of horizontal facing the firewall, undoubtedly installed during manufacturing before the engine is dropped into the car...holy loving hell. I have never encountered such madness on a hose clamp in my entire life. Want to tightly grip a screwdriver? Have fun dodging coolant hoses, the vacuum line for the brake booster, and who knows what else back there. Want to actually get the hose clamps off? Tape three 6" extensions onto a 1/4" socket handle and feed it up through the control arm  Got the old CCV, dipstick tube, and all the associated hoses out and the new CCV in. Tomorrow all new hoses go back in and I connect all those harnesses back up. I'm frantically running around throwing things into the sacrificial ring for the German auto gods. EDIT: I flushed the PS fluid by disconnecting the return line and feeding it into an empty container, then had my wife cranking the engine and turning the wheel lock to lock while I made sure the reservoir didn't run dry. Too bad I'm retarded and ended up disconnecting the outflow hose and draining the reservoir before I realized and swapped for the return hose. With the reservoir completely emptied, should I be worried about bleeding my power steering fluid? Cellular Suicide fucked around with this message at 07:28 on Jan 13, 2013 |
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Jan 13, 2013 06:58
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Cobalt60 posted:1) No heat. I'm OK paying a guy to fix this, as the process looks far too daunting for me. Beautiful car, I've never seen an E24 in person but that's one imposing body style. The whole thing feels like it's leaning forward over its handlebars to get that extra little bit of speed. 4) It dings at a temperature determined to be "freeze-cautious" - 37F in what I've driven, probably the same or very close in yours 5) The five speed should be right at home cruising around 2.5K, shifting anywhere you're comfortable. I'm not familiar with the particular gear ratios you're working with but when I've taught people to drive I tell them to shift in multiples of ten - at 20 shift to 2nd, at 30 shift to 3rd, at 40 shift to 4th... seems to work OK for sedate city driving. If you want to have more fun just run through the gears and find the point that you can shift comfortably while the flywheel naturally drags the engine down to around where you want to be for the next gear, which for me in a completely different BMW is somewhere around 4.5K RPM. 6) The only place I know of to order the BMW tool kit parts is: http://www.bavauto.com/se1.asp?dept_id=388 but for the exorbitant price the tools are poo poo. Grab a decent metric socket set, a vice grip, and whatever you need to change a tire and throw it in with the spare tire. 7) I have the same problem and my phone lives either in the e-brake boot or where you described in the ashtray. There's a plethora of options for mounting the phone, but for not making a mark on the interior I like something like this: http://www.randombuy.com/p-134-handstands-super-size-sticky-pad.aspx 10) You're probably hearing the pump fire up but have some seriously clogged nozzles. Try sticking a [needle, safety pin, paperclip, whatever fits and is handy] through each hood-mounted nozzle and cleaning out the sediment/gunk, see if that helps.
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Jan 13, 2013 08:10
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It's really just an annoying little "thanks for reminding me my balls are inside my rear end in a top hat!" It's certainly a good idea to let your car idle a bit longer after startup in cold weather, but I've never interpreted that stupid chime as anything other than an annoying reminder. I usually start worrying about letting the engine warm up when the transmission starts getting so stiff I can't go from first to second, which seems to be at least under 20F. There may be a way for a dealership to disable it by reprogramming the onboard computer for a fee (probably $100-150) but I really don't know on something of that vintage. It's supposed to be a black ice warning but that stupid outdoor temperature sensor is useless for anything except momentarily freaking the poo poo out of you on unseasonable warm winter days. Cellular Suicide fucked around with this message at 08:33 on Jan 13, 2013 |
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Jan 13, 2013 08:30
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ynotony posted:Come back in December when you've saved $20,000: Your priorities might change between then and now, your budget is likely based on being a cheap student so might become inaccurate when you realize other fun ways to spend money (travel, going out, etc), and after seeing what it took to save all that money you may feel differently about spending it all at once. This man preaches the gospel word. With half your $20k savings you can buy a pristine E46 330i if you look hard enough. Take anything you're serious about buying to a BMW-familiar garage for a pre-purchase inspection, and ALWAYS have $2,000 written off as car money at any point in time. Primary points of concern regardless of mileage after you purchase are: cooling system, a full suspension refresh, all fluids (engine, transmission, differential, power steering, brakes), just about anything rubber (tires, bushings, mounts, hoses, valve cover gasket, etc.), and standard maintenance stuff like filters and brake pads/rotors. Check receipts and maintenance records and run away from anything without a solid paperwork history. Learn about the subframe mount failures and have the accessible areas looked at very closely during the pre-purchase inspection. For $2,000 you can DIY close to everything in that list, or perhaps just do one or two large jobs. I have spent no more than $400 a year (not including purchase price, insurance, fuel, or two sets of tires) on an E46 for 6 years and I'm on the verge of neglecting the suspension. Parts for a full front and rear suspension refresh are around $1,200 - I have no idea what labor might cost. If you're buying a proper transmission the parts you'll want to replace the clutch are around $300 (again no idea on labor). All in all E46's are very well documented and within the realm of do-it-yourself. If you're looking for something you can drop off at the mechanic every time something sounds funny or a dashboard light turns on then I would start looking at spending that $20k on something with a bit of warranty left on it. You could certainly get a brand new Honda Fit/et al. for that kind of cash, or get a bit more than halfway into a certified pre-owned E90 if you have a lusting BMW itch that must be scratched. Just try to convince yourself that a non-warranty BMW absolutely REQUIRES a maintenance fund of around $2,000 to responsibly own and still sleep at night. Look at them between now and the next December knowing that you aren't making a purchase anytime soon and you should have a great feel for what's available. A good E46 is an amazing car - one of the best of the few BMW's I've ever driven, and certainly the best fun for value for money I've ever driven. There's a ton of abused poor examples out there that will suck you dry, though.
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Jan 18, 2013 05:18
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Started up in the wonderful -12F today and after some nice chugging I threw two codes - camshaft position sensor intake side and exhaust side (P0014 + 15). I drove around 30 minutes, left the car for about 10 minutes (went to the BMW dealership to get parts), then drove to an Autozone and read/cleared the codes. Car drove fine and the codes didn't come back in ~20 minutes home, is this a negligible symptom of the cold start or could I have damaged something? EDIT: Blown VANOS seals? Valve cover gasket is only ~2,000 miles old but VANOS seals have never been replaced. Cellular Suicide fucked around with this message at 01:01 on Jan 22, 2013 |
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Jan 22, 2013 00:55
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Cellular Suicide posted:Started up in the wonderful -12F today and after some nice chugging I threw two codes - camshaft position sensor intake side and exhaust side (P0014 + 15). I drove around 30 minutes, left the car for about 10 minutes (went to the BMW dealership to get parts), then drove to an Autozone and read/cleared the codes. Car drove fine and the codes didn't come back in ~20 minutes home, is this a negligible symptom of the cold start or could I have damaged something? Codes came back about five minutes after first startup this morning. Two weeks ago I took everything off the intake side except the manifold and cleaned it up, and replaced the CCV. I'm reading these codes can be caused by moisture on the camshaft position sensor and there's an ungodly amount of yummy yellow frothed/sludged oil under the valve cover, so that I'm hoping the new CCV will work that out over time. Also possibly oil viscosity, I put in M1 0W-40 for the first time instead of M1 5W-30 also ~2,000 miles ago. Otherwise if these codes come back once it gets warmer I'll start with a VANOS repair kit and go from there. Every time I order a bunch of poo poo and try to get on top of this car something else pops up...
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Jan 22, 2013 16:59
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Got new engine mounts, transmission mounts, shift linkage bushings, and transmission fluid in without drama. Guess I know what to order next. Are sway bar end links something that should be replaced symmetrically? Reading more about the SES light I've got (P0014 and P0015, exhaust camshaft position over-advanced and over-retarded, bank 1) my order of operations is going to be: Wait for it to warm up just a bit and see if the computer will clear itself Check spark plugs (less than 20,000 miles old but a few people have mentioned this being the case...would be strange) Replace exhaust camshaft position sensor Clean intake and exhaust VANOS solenoids Replace VANOS seals Replace VANOS entirely I've never EVER had any problems with the VANOS before, I keep trying to rack my brain and figure out how this could be a symptom of having the DISA, ICV, and throttle body off while replacing the CCV. I was so satisfied with this car 48 hours ago... Actually this is all my fault for switching to 0W-40. It sounds like I'm right at the top middle of the bell shaped curve of "unlucky douchebags with VANOS seal failure." It makes sense in my own head that the 5W-30 I've been running might have provided just that extra bit of oil pressure to the VANOS black magic adjustment piston unit during really cold starts. That combined with the fact that I haven't had to dead start it street parked in anything near -12F in a few years. I think what pisses me off the most about this is that I just got another brand new valve cover gasket on last month after struggling with valve cover oil leaks for a couple of years. So far this install seems absolutely rock tight, and I'm sick and loving tired of popping and replacing those godforsaken valve cover studs halfway through torquing down a brand new freshly RTV'd gasket. Cellular Suicide fucked around with this message at 07:12 on Jan 23, 2013 |
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Jan 23, 2013 06:18
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Just ordered the parts to refresh my VANOS today (and front endlinks) to hopefully take care of my 900RPM hiccuping idle, lack of power under 3k, and exhaust camshaft position error codes. Does anyone have any words of wisdom for doing seals and gaskets on a dual-VANOS engine? The writeup on beisansystems.com is stunningly thorough, and I'm going to do the VANOS oil feed line and oil filter housing gasket while I'm in the area.MrChips posted:That doesn't mean anything. BMWs, as well as most cars with a manual transmission, have a self-adjusting mechanism in the clutch. As stated above, the only way to know it needs replacement is if you drop the transmission or if it starts slipping. Taught two or three people to drive on my 5sp 330i, aside from that I'm a spirited driver and have always downshifted when braking, at 124k miles right now and the clutch is just fine. Anecdotal evidence! Cellular Suicide fucked around with this message at 21:23 on Jan 29, 2013 |
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Jan 29, 2013 21:21
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Guinness posted:Ever since I switched to having two sets of wheels with two sets of quality tires on each (Blizzaks for snow, Pilot Sports for everything else), I've seen the light. Even my "summer" tires outperform every all-season tire (even supposedly good ones) I've ever used in all conditions short of snow by a huge margin, and the Blizzaks put all-seasons to utter shame in snow and ice. I haven't been able to drop the cash on a set of 16" rims and two sets of tires, and I'm on my third set of all-seasons. First up were Bridgestone Potenza RE960AS "Pole Position" - named such because in anything other than warm dry pavement you're running into a pole. They were absolutely awful in rain or anything under about 40F, dead in ~25k miles. Replaced them with Fuzion HRi bargain bins, they completely fell part and were poo poo even on dry pavement, dead in ~15k miles. Been running Continental ContiExtremeContact DWS for ~15k miles and they have been great so far. I think good all-seasons are very few and far between but if I do end up with another round of tires before I can outlay for winter/summer sets it will be these again without hesitation. Low road noise, haven't had a traction problem through two Minnesota winters, and the tread looks pretty meaty still.
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Jan 30, 2013 20:36
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My self-healing krautmobile has done it again. I even told my wife that as soon as Beisan Systems and ECS charges went through on my card that everything would magically clear up. Beisan has incredible turnover and the seals got here in two days, showed up this morning. Went to pick up a few tools I needed and a mile away from home the car sputtered and and nearly died after a stop, and promptly went from idling rough at 900RPM to a buttery smooth 1,100RPM. After that I decided to go to the Advance that's 30 minutes away with a 10 minute interstate stretch instead of the one 10 minutes away to see how things would shake out. gently caress me sideways, when I stopped for the first time after the highway it was suddenly back to a 600RPM perfectly smooth idle. Low-end power is completely back. I had a hard time deciding whether to just go ahead and do the VANOS refresh I have ordered up, and I've decided that if it ain't broke I'm not fixing it. These are some financially shaky times for me and if I can save even just the $110 I spent on everything it would help. If symptoms come back in weeks, months, etc. I know exactly what to replace and how to do it.  on the VANOS exhaust solenoid being filled with gunk after switching oil and replacing the CCV, and just having dislodged itself now
Cellular Suicide fucked around with this message at 00:49 on Jan 31, 2013 |
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Jan 31, 2013 00:46
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Stealth Like posted:I would wager that a lot of people that bought it as a performance vehicle also got it as an auto since it's faster than the manual. I think the people who bought it as a performance vehicle are the minority who got it as a manual. The majority pick the car based on the bigger numbers rather than appreciating it as a mini-M3, and are probably more likely to prefer the ease of an auto. It does probably helps having an auto that's technically faster than a manual.
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Feb 3, 2013 05:38
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Stealth Like posted:Stupid naming, M4 whatever. Yeah it is a long wait. I have a friend that got an M3 coupe last year and loves it, and from the few times I've driven it it's fantastic. The new one is going to have 450 hp, and I wouldn't be surprised if it's easily tunable to 550-570 hp with nothing more than a piggy back ECU, not to mention the lighter weight in conjunction with gobs more torque. And a nice new turbo (triple turbo? seriously?) setup that you get to guinea pig...no thanks. I would jump all over that abandoned manual M3 and drive the absolute poo poo out of it, and in the back of my mind always know that it's last of the NA V8 M3's and will be worth it's resale value down the road and/or be a rarer object.
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Feb 4, 2013 05:47
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Coming up next on "Catching up on E46 maintenance" 
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Feb 9, 2013 04:39
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I'm having some trouble bleeding the cooling system in my E46. I replaced the radiator and thermostat, pulled the engine block drain plug, drained the expansion tank while it was out. Completely empty the system took about a half gallon of coolant. My bleed process is: Let the engine idle until up to temperature with the radiator cap off and coolant starts circulating back from the radiator Coolant level changes minimally, top off with 50/50 BMW coolant and distilled water as needed Get uncomfortable as coolant boils in the expansion tank, turn car off when the temperature gauge needle starts moving from center I have done this four times on separate days with the same results each time. At this point there's just over one gallon of coolant in the system and some of that has to have evaporated off. Even as the temperature gauge rises the electric fan doesn't engage - is this a sign the new thermostat is bad? Possibly related: my blower motor has stopped working at all, so I can't blast the cabin heat during all this. This car has been garaged for a few months waiting to be fixed up and sold, and the battery died (wouldn't take a jump or charge from a trickle charger and tested dead on an Autozone battery tester). The blower motor worked when it went in, and doesn't even make a sound now after the battery replacement. All fuses for blower, heater, and air conditioning are good. Google tells me this might be the blower motor itself or the final stage resistor. I'm leaning towards the final stage resistor, is there any way to test the current one for malfunction with a multimeter? It seems to make sense that without opening the heater lines up I can't get a thorough bleed, but both the final state resistor and the blower motor appear to be in difficult locations.
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Aug 18, 2013 18:54
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BraveUlysses posted:E46's have bleed screws just like the E36's, right? are you making sure you're using the bleed screw? There's a bleed screw I've had it open but never poured coolant to the point it was flowing out of it - only to the midline of the expansion tank level indicator. I hadn't seen that thread, it's got some great detail. Going to try again pouring incredibly slowly until it's overflowing, then repeat the same idle-to-temperature procedure. One of the replies in that thread suggests briefly revving the engine, I tried that once and it just felt wrong. This drat car, it's about a week away from going on Craigslist as "BMW BRING A TRAILER"
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Aug 22, 2013 02:50
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