E46 328 coupe.... tuning ideas guys??

[Olli Bishop]

yeah shes a good motor, defo gonna go down the manifold route now.

suspension, manifold and re-map in the next couple of months i think!

thanks for all the advice and if anyone has more ideas please post them!

[Olli Bishop]

Ok, problem with rear suspension, just started knocking taken a quick look and can see 'ripped steel'
Has anyone come across this before? (Arse twitching)

[Olli Bishop]

Subframe rupture... (World falls apart)

[kev b]

Result! Now you can re-bush the rear suspension and replace those hard to access brake pipes whilst your boot floor is being welded.

Probably best to forget about the manifold for a while and Google "BMW subframe cracks", I had to do mine last summer. Whereabouts are you?

[Olli Bishop]

kev b said:

Result! Now you can re-bush the rear suspension and replace those hard to access brake pipes whilst your boot floor is being welded.

Probably best to forget about the manifold for a while and Google "BMW subframe cracks", I had to do mine last summer. Whereabouts are you?

I'm in York mate, it's going to autohaus diagnostics tommor,
Those boys are wizards with anything worth driving...
I took a 12month warranty when I bought the car so might try take advantage of everything I can at this point!!

[kev b]

Well done, I bet you're pleased you took out a warranty, that really is a result.

[Olli Bishop]

Depends what it covers though lol!
Anyone know any good bodyshops in York area?
Or anyone who knows the repair and fancys a small tax free income??

[kev b]

It's a fairly straight forward remove/replace job, access is good for welding and you only need £20 of steel plate to make your own reinforcing kit. The hardest thing for me was removing the exhaust at the manifold, I should have loosened the nuts with a gas torch first.

You might find that your subframe mounting bushes are shot,they are tough to remove and impossible to fit without the (expensive) special tools. I would fit poly bushes as they cost about the same as OEM but are a doddle to fit. Budget for a proper geometry setup as well.

If you can leave your car in Lincolnshire for a week I would consider helping out.

[Olli Bishop]

the old girl now on ebay!

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/290905455706?ssPageName=...

a good car for a man who can fix it, im puttin my money in to a 330 i think!

please pass on the link to anyone who could home her...

thanks

[BalhamBadger]

Olli Bishop said:

the old girl now on ebay!

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/290905455706?ssPageName=...

a good car for a man who can fix it, im puttin my money in to a 330 i think!

please pass on the link to anyone who could home her...

thanks

Link doesn't work?

[s m]

BalhamBadger said:

Olli Bishop said:

the old girl now on ebay!

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/290905455706?ssPageName=...

a good car for a man who can fix it, im puttin my money in to a 330 i think!

please pass on the link to anyone who could home her...

thanks

Link doesn't work?

Works for me - try typing the item number into Ebay if you want to look - Item number:290905455706

[joe_90]

ESS Supercharger.. 100 extra bhp, and can be fitted in a day.

[anonymous-user]

Bought this today, drove 200 miles *very* carefully home and will start dismantling it soon ready for welding (I can weld). My first BMW, good way to be initiated, I think!

Can't wait to drive it properly, it feels very nice indeed. I shall update this thread as the repairs progress...

[Darren156]

Well that escalated quickly! Sorry about the problem you had BUT my advice for tuning an E46 328I is to sell it and buy a 330ci instead. Owned both and the 330ci is quicker and you can spend money on that instead to get her nearer the 300BHP figure.

[anonymous-user]

I suspect it had been flapping about for some time, but finally broke free and pulled through recently. I dare say most older E46s are suffering from this now, and probably a lot of younger ones too.

[rumple]

Darren156 said:

Well that escalated quickly! Sorry about the problem you had BUT my advice for tuning an E46 328I is to sell it and buy a 330ci instead. Owned both and the 330ci is quicker and you can spend money on that instead to get her nearer the 300BHP figure.

What is the difference between the two? much?

[anonymous-user]

200cc :-)

Seriously, the 3.0 is the M54 engine, 2.8 is the M52TU, so there are upgrades there. The 2.8 is detuned to sit below a German tax point if I remember correctly..

[VinceFox]

Jesus, every time i start thinking i'll risk the move from e36 to e46 m3 another one of these sorts of story shows up.

I'll end up having to buy a p*****e instead at this rate.

[rumple]

bgunn said:

200cc :-)

Seriously, the 3.0 is the M54 engine, 2.8 is the M52TU, so there are upgrades there. The 2.8 is detuned to sit below a German tax point if I remember correctly..

I know the technical details, the M52tu is closer to a M54 than it is the pre tu engine, im talking about the drive.

[Darren156]

rumple said:

What is the difference between the two? much?

This is where my story falls apart, lol. I owned a 1999 E46 330ci Manual which I bought for £2000. It had a boat load of cash spent on it and had about 130K on the clock. It had MVK1 Alloy Wheels and full sports leather interior, Harmon Kardon etc etc... Also had the Aero Sport body kit which set the car off IMHO.

My OTHER E46 was a 2.8i but it had an automatic transmission, and was bog standard. Had a load spent on it with full STANDARD leather. Bought that for £1450. Was the 330ci Manual worth the extra £550? Absolutely.

This was my 330ci Manual:




(Yes the red mats are not to everybodys taste, lol)

For a MERE £2000 it is possibly the best car in that price range I have ever owned. It's only competion was my Alfa Romeo GTV V6, which could hardly seat 2 people let alone 4, lol

Edited by Darren156 on Saturday 18th May 20:00