E46 325i Sport
Discussion
Thanks Ross!
I've just done a VIN decode on my car. The seats should be black Montana leather sports! That would explain why the wiring under the seats has been messed with as I discovered when cleaning it out. I prefer the cloth/alcantara anyway, and I've just found a website that sells the perfectly matching material to repair my driver's seat. I don't think it'll be too difficult to have it looking like new now
I've just done a VIN decode on my car. The seats should be black Montana leather sports! That would explain why the wiring under the seats has been messed with as I discovered when cleaning it out. I prefer the cloth/alcantara anyway, and I've just found a website that sells the perfectly matching material to repair my driver's seat. I don't think it'll be too difficult to have it looking like new now
Not sure where you are, but saw recently someone had the seat bolster in their Clio redone, looked great, may even be on here, I will try to find it.
Edit -
Here it is, looks good as new
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
I wonder if one a 4 door you can use the covers from a passenger seat as they don't have the tilt handle, as would be easier to find a good condition one.
Edit -
Here it is, looks good as new
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
I wonder if one a 4 door you can use the covers from a passenger seat as they don't have the tilt handle, as would be easier to find a good condition one.
Edited by Ianbe46m3 on Monday 6th May 16:49
Edited by Ianbe46m3 on Monday 6th May 16:54
Ianbe46m3 said:
Not sure where you are, but saw recently someone had the seat bolster in their Clio redone, looked great, may even be on here, I will try to find it.
Edit -
Here it is, looks good as new
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
I wonder if one a 4 door you can use the covers from a passenger seat as they don't have the tilt handle, as would be easier to find a good condition one.
Thanks, I'm not a million miles away from Brands Hatch so that's useful to know. I think finding a second hand seat with perfect material will be nigh on impossible. I've ordered a sample from the place I found online that I believe to be a perfect match, so we'll see when it turns up!Edit -
Here it is, looks good as new
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
I wonder if one a 4 door you can use the covers from a passenger seat as they don't have the tilt handle, as would be easier to find a good condition one.
Fabric sample appeared in the post. It's a perfect match as far as I can tell. Really happy with that. I'm formulating a plan involving stripping the seat myself and employing my mother's upholstery skills. That does potentially mean a 1400 mile round trip though, so it might not happen for a little while yet.
In other news, £600 worth of parts are somewhere between Europe and my house. It's going to have one hell of a service soon!
In other news, £600 worth of parts are somewhere between Europe and my house. It's going to have one hell of a service soon!
It's just an accumulation of all of the standard servicing parts, plus a Vanos rebuild kit and associated gaskets, plus a new DISA valve, rear brake pads etc. It soon adds up to give the engine and brakes a decent refresh! However, once I've been through it this time it should only need basic servicing for several years afterwards, with the exception of a couple of things I've not touched yet.
I ran a Vanos test to see whether I'd need to rebuild it or not. The intake side was looking good:
The exhaust side failed though. I wasn't expecting the intake side to pass either!
I did some other investigating too. Here's the DISA valve. I was expecting the flap to have fallen off so was surprised to see it intact. It looks like the diaphragm has broken on this one as it doesn't seem to hold the flap in position so that's why I need another one.
I also fixed the broken passenger electric window switch. Slightly annoyingly for my inner BMW geek the new switch feels slightly different to use to the original switch, and the driver's side switch that I've not needed to change. I took them apart to find out why:
The design is totally different. I couldn't use bits of the new switch to fix the original so I've put the new one on the car. If I want to be really geeky then I'll have to find a replacement switch with exactly the same part number as my original!
I'm looking forwards to all my service bits arriving and getting stuck in. While the car's in the air I'll make a list of anything required on the suspension. If I want it all 100% then that might not be cheap either! Everything's 'ok' in the usual 'old second hand car' sort of way, but we all know that might not be good enough for an enthusiast. Time will tell
I ran a Vanos test to see whether I'd need to rebuild it or not. The intake side was looking good:
The exhaust side failed though. I wasn't expecting the intake side to pass either!
I did some other investigating too. Here's the DISA valve. I was expecting the flap to have fallen off so was surprised to see it intact. It looks like the diaphragm has broken on this one as it doesn't seem to hold the flap in position so that's why I need another one.
I also fixed the broken passenger electric window switch. Slightly annoyingly for my inner BMW geek the new switch feels slightly different to use to the original switch, and the driver's side switch that I've not needed to change. I took them apart to find out why:
The design is totally different. I couldn't use bits of the new switch to fix the original so I've put the new one on the car. If I want to be really geeky then I'll have to find a replacement switch with exactly the same part number as my original!
I'm looking forwards to all my service bits arriving and getting stuck in. While the car's in the air I'll make a list of anything required on the suspension. If I want it all 100% then that might not be cheap either! Everything's 'ok' in the usual 'old second hand car' sort of way, but we all know that might not be good enough for an enthusiast. Time will tell
Court_S said:
And so it starts! 
It’s a slippery slope isn’t it? The only good thing is that E46 parts do seem a bit cheaper than the later cars.
It’s a slippery slope isn’t it? The only good thing is that E46 parts do seem a bit cheaper than the later cars.
Well, the car was cheap and it costs buttons to run compared to the M3. I want it reliable and driving nicely so why not spend a bit of money on it!And so it begins! I had a bit of time to get started on making this car 100% again. Here's a work bench full of bits to go on:
I started with the basics; oil change, oil filter, air filter, pollen filter, and a new DISA valve as it's about a five minute job to change it over. Here's a pic during the spark plug change. It was nice to find the correct spec NGK plugs were already fitted. They'd only been in there a few years but I didn't know they were decent quality at the time of doing the parts order so they've been changed anyway:
As you can see, they weren't in bad condition at all:
I ran through the jobs in a priority order that I'd made up. I'd run out of 'priority' parts in stock for the engine service so moved on to the rear brake pads. One caliper had been replaced where it had been sticking at some point, and the pads were quite low on that side. They were reasonably worn on the opposite side too, and pads are cheap so they may as well be replaced now. This was the most worn side:
Next up was the brake hoses. They looked original to the car and the rubber was hard and cracked in places, plus the brake feel wasn't especially good and the fluid was a black/brown colour. Who knows when it was last changed...
Amazingly, the rear hoses just needed a squirt of WD40 and they undid with no drama at all. From the state of them I was expecting a fight:
New ATE hoses being fitted:
Then, disaster struck! The locking wheel nut key mangled itself as I was undoing the other rear wheel:
Luckily I have some impact spline sockets and one of them was the perfect size to be hammered in. The nut came off a treat, so I undid the two front wheels' locking nuts too and binned them. I need to go to a local motor factors once the bank holiday weekend is over and buy four standard wheel nuts.
With that sorted, I got on with the job at hand and replaced the other rear hose. This one came apart with zero difficulty too. Here's the new hose in place:
Moving on the to the front hoses, I was hoping these wouldn't put up a fight either, but I was wrong. Both were stuck fast and I was going to chew the fitting if I wasn't careful. I broke out the blow torch and heated up the connection but I was slightly too successful because the hose exploded! Should've opened the bleed nipple before heating but hadn't thought about it. I'm just glad it let go when my face wasn't still in the wheel arch. A second trip to hospital in one day seemed excessive.
You can see the end of the hose still in place here. Once it cooled slightly and the smoke cleared the hard line undid easily!
The aftermath:
All back together with the shiny new hose:
I also bled the clutch and removed the delay valve as the feel was awful beforehand. The car test drove much better, but I still don't like the clutch feel. There is a single mass flywheel conversion by Valeo so I may investigate that at some point. Brakes are more positive but still not fantastic. I probably need some new calipers on the front and the remaining original one at the rear was significantly harder to rewind that the refurbished one, so I think I'll replace that too.
I've got the VANOS to rebuild next, then it'll be time to remove the inlet manifold and replace the CCV and have a general poke about to make sure all vac and coolant hoses/pipes are good.
Anyone had trouble getting an accurate oil level reading from the dipstick? Mine seems a bit all over the place. It reads half way between max and min when cold, yet I know I've added exactly 6.5l which is the stated capacity with an oil filter change. When checking the oil as per the manual (warm engine, switch off, wait 5 mins, check level) it was reading minimum. I don't think topping up with a litre is a good idea...
I started with the basics; oil change, oil filter, air filter, pollen filter, and a new DISA valve as it's about a five minute job to change it over. Here's a pic during the spark plug change. It was nice to find the correct spec NGK plugs were already fitted. They'd only been in there a few years but I didn't know they were decent quality at the time of doing the parts order so they've been changed anyway:
As you can see, they weren't in bad condition at all:
I ran through the jobs in a priority order that I'd made up. I'd run out of 'priority' parts in stock for the engine service so moved on to the rear brake pads. One caliper had been replaced where it had been sticking at some point, and the pads were quite low on that side. They were reasonably worn on the opposite side too, and pads are cheap so they may as well be replaced now. This was the most worn side:
Next up was the brake hoses. They looked original to the car and the rubber was hard and cracked in places, plus the brake feel wasn't especially good and the fluid was a black/brown colour. Who knows when it was last changed...
Amazingly, the rear hoses just needed a squirt of WD40 and they undid with no drama at all. From the state of them I was expecting a fight:
New ATE hoses being fitted:
Then, disaster struck! The locking wheel nut key mangled itself as I was undoing the other rear wheel:
Luckily I have some impact spline sockets and one of them was the perfect size to be hammered in. The nut came off a treat, so I undid the two front wheels' locking nuts too and binned them. I need to go to a local motor factors once the bank holiday weekend is over and buy four standard wheel nuts.
With that sorted, I got on with the job at hand and replaced the other rear hose. This one came apart with zero difficulty too. Here's the new hose in place:
Moving on the to the front hoses, I was hoping these wouldn't put up a fight either, but I was wrong. Both were stuck fast and I was going to chew the fitting if I wasn't careful. I broke out the blow torch and heated up the connection but I was slightly too successful because the hose exploded! Should've opened the bleed nipple before heating but hadn't thought about it. I'm just glad it let go when my face wasn't still in the wheel arch. A second trip to hospital in one day seemed excessive.
You can see the end of the hose still in place here. Once it cooled slightly and the smoke cleared the hard line undid easily!
The aftermath:
All back together with the shiny new hose:
I also bled the clutch and removed the delay valve as the feel was awful beforehand. The car test drove much better, but I still don't like the clutch feel. There is a single mass flywheel conversion by Valeo so I may investigate that at some point. Brakes are more positive but still not fantastic. I probably need some new calipers on the front and the remaining original one at the rear was significantly harder to rewind that the refurbished one, so I think I'll replace that too.
I've got the VANOS to rebuild next, then it'll be time to remove the inlet manifold and replace the CCV and have a general poke about to make sure all vac and coolant hoses/pipes are good.
Anyone had trouble getting an accurate oil level reading from the dipstick? Mine seems a bit all over the place. It reads half way between max and min when cold, yet I know I've added exactly 6.5l which is the stated capacity with an oil filter change. When checking the oil as per the manual (warm engine, switch off, wait 5 mins, check level) it was reading minimum. I don't think topping up with a litre is a good idea...
Some good work there getting it properly up to scratch. Some of the underside of my Z4 looks really crusty but everything has come undone easily enough so far which had been a relief.
Good effort exploding the hose too! That would have been horrible if your head / face were still in the wheel arch.
Good effort exploding the hose too!
That would have been horrible if your head / face were still in the wheel arch.Cheers, I'm just trying to get it nice to drive and catch up with servicing requirements at the moment. I'm trying not to go too nuts on suspension etc. The front end feels loose to me. Even though there are new Febi control arms and rear bushes on the front end, the rear bushes seem to be too soft. I might have to do something about that!
I had some time today to get the Vanos rebuild done. It's pretty straightforward to do, with the most awkward part being the cam cover bolt in the back corner of the engine bay!
I got the cam cover off which revealed a pleasant surprise. The engine is really clean inside! It seems to have had regular oil changes and good quality oil by the look of it:
The Vanos unit comes off pretty quickly from here. A few nuts and some electrical connectors disconnected left it looking like this:
Here's the unit on the workbench:
Exploded diagram:
I took the piston internals apart and replaced the anti-rattle rings and needle bearings. When testing the pistons on the car you could rock them around which you shouldn't be able to do. With the new rings on, this play was eliminated:
Once the unit was built back up again with new piston seals and gaskets where required, it just bolted back on. I used a new cam cover gasket and silicone sealant in the correct places so make sure I don't have any leaks. One thing I did notice is that oil is coming through the exhaust cam position sensor, so I'll need a new one of those before long.
The test drive showed a night-and-day difference in response and torque. It's so much better now than before the rebuild. Hardly a surprise given that the pistons were almost loose in the cylinders of the Vanos unit, but it's really perked up the engine. Apparenttly it gets better after some mileage too, as the seals wear in. Very happy with that!
I got the cam cover off which revealed a pleasant surprise. The engine is really clean inside! It seems to have had regular oil changes and good quality oil by the look of it:
The Vanos unit comes off pretty quickly from here. A few nuts and some electrical connectors disconnected left it looking like this:
Here's the unit on the workbench:
Exploded diagram:
I took the piston internals apart and replaced the anti-rattle rings and needle bearings. When testing the pistons on the car you could rock them around which you shouldn't be able to do. With the new rings on, this play was eliminated:
Once the unit was built back up again with new piston seals and gaskets where required, it just bolted back on. I used a new cam cover gasket and silicone sealant in the correct places so make sure I don't have any leaks. One thing I did notice is that oil is coming through the exhaust cam position sensor, so I'll need a new one of those before long.
The test drive showed a night-and-day difference in response and torque. It's so much better now than before the rebuild. Hardly a surprise given that the pistons were almost loose in the cylinders of the Vanos unit, but it's really perked up the engine. Apparenttly it gets better after some mileage too, as the seals wear in. Very happy with that!
Gallons Per Mile said:
Thanks all!
Re the diesel comment, I do remember a lot of 320d's being around back in the day, but they seem to have all disappeared mainly now.
I remember when I was looking for a 325i or 330i Touring back in 2009/10 and there wasn't a huge amount to choose from within a 100-150 mile area, but plenty of 320d's, loads in fact. Luckily the 2003 325i Touring I ended up buying was spotted in the Pistonheads classifieds by a pal and was just 30 minutes away from where I lived. Re the diesel comment, I do remember a lot of 320d's being around back in the day, but they seem to have all disappeared mainly now.
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