Loving Every Minute - BMW E46 328i, still only 20..
Discussion
Thanks Daniel 
So, having discovered that my rear brakes really weren't in the decent condition they looked through the (narrow, in my defence!) alloy spokes, work was due:
These ought to do the trick
Hmmm. Yes. I think it's perfectly possible that these have been there for the full thirteen years! In particular, the caliper guide bracket nuts took some cracking off.
The wear sensor (thankfully only one, on the right side) was trickier than it could have been! It's attached to a cable about three feet long, which routes all the way along the subframe, through a tiny gap, and into a little control box under the rear door. Cue much contortionist wriggling on the deck to get to it! We didn't break any clips, though, and the new one went in just fine, so shan't complain
Happily, the handbrake shoes within look fine. It really wasn't as easy as going from one photo to another to get the discs off
the shoes were, as you could imagine, rather fond of them after 13 years and didn't want to let go. Much wobbling, shaking and prising later saw the left disc come off, which then entered service as a hammer to remove the right one, which really was seized in place. We got there in the end.. I was baffled as to how the right-hand disc could still be wedged when it was hanging 90% off the hub...
..but this was explained when it came free and took the handbrake shoes with it
Analysis time. Mmmm. Haven't seen pads like that for a while! Scraping noise duly explained.. For the sake of comparison:
So, finally..
Excellently placed branding there! Now she brakes smoothly and firmly, but most importantly silently. Took the two of us around two hours to do, including farting about jacking the car, struggling with discs, taking photos, etc. Not bad. Parts were £70 in total, so very pleased with the result!
Cheers Adam
So, having discovered that my rear brakes really weren't in the decent condition they looked through the (narrow, in my defence!) alloy spokes, work was due:
These ought to do the trick
Hmmm. Yes. I think it's perfectly possible that these have been there for the full thirteen years! In particular, the caliper guide bracket nuts took some cracking off.
The wear sensor (thankfully only one, on the right side) was trickier than it could have been! It's attached to a cable about three feet long, which routes all the way along the subframe, through a tiny gap, and into a little control box under the rear door. Cue much contortionist wriggling on the deck to get to it! We didn't break any clips, though, and the new one went in just fine, so shan't complain
Happily, the handbrake shoes within look fine. It really wasn't as easy as going from one photo to another to get the discs off
the shoes were, as you could imagine, rather fond of them after 13 years and didn't want to let go. Much wobbling, shaking and prising later saw the left disc come off, which then entered service as a hammer to remove the right one, which really was seized in place. We got there in the end.. I was baffled as to how the right-hand disc could still be wedged when it was hanging 90% off the hub.....but this was explained when it came free and took the handbrake shoes with it
Analysis time. Mmmm. Haven't seen pads like that for a while! Scraping noise duly explained.. For the sake of comparison:
So, finally..
Excellently placed branding there! Now she brakes smoothly and firmly, but most importantly silently. Took the two of us around two hours to do, including farting about jacking the car, struggling with discs, taking photos, etc. Not bad. Parts were £70 in total, so very pleased with the result!
Cheers Adam
722Adam said:
No problem mate 
You just wait til we do the handbrake shoes on the Volvo
I can barely sleep with the excitement You just wait til we do the handbrake shoes on the Volvo
Walsh, that's a serious consideration
glad to hear it works nicely.. Certainly when I do the M50 inlet manifold, that would be happening! Maybe sooner.. Is yours a simple K&N type cone, or a particular brand? I've considered the classic DaveF job, but also something like this:{image removed due to malware on external site}
Yum..
Mine is a K&N, properly installed to, with the feed pipe going through the wing.
Probably provides some sort of increased response. I am skeptical of any power increase, but under load 4500rpm onward, it sounds close to an M3 CSL. Doesn't do the mid range snarl thing they do, but the top end makes a fantastic racket.
Davef is widely regarded to be the best, looks good, but I wouldn't change mine for any. doesnt bark until you want to play, even under full load.
Probably provides some sort of increased response. I am skeptical of any power increase, but under load 4500rpm onward, it sounds close to an M3 CSL. Doesn't do the mid range snarl thing they do, but the top end makes a fantastic racket.
Davef is widely regarded to be the best, looks good, but I wouldn't change mine for any. doesnt bark until you want to play, even under full load.
walsh said:
Mine is a K&N, properly installed to, with the feed pipe going through the wing.
Probably provides some sort of increased response. I am skeptical of any power increase, but under load 4500rpm onward, it sounds close to an M3 CSL. Doesn't do the mid range snarl thing they do, but the top end makes a fantastic racket.
Davef is widely regarded to be the best, looks good, but I wouldn't change mine for any. doesnt bark until you want to play, even under full load.
Hmmmmm.. Sounds like exactly what I'm looking for! I'd love to get more of a howl at the top end, but without knackering the chauffeurability. I'm gonna have to start looking, I think, this is an exciting prospect Probably provides some sort of increased response. I am skeptical of any power increase, but under load 4500rpm onward, it sounds close to an M3 CSL. Doesn't do the mid range snarl thing they do, but the top end makes a fantastic racket.
Davef is widely regarded to be the best, looks good, but I wouldn't change mine for any. doesnt bark until you want to play, even under full load.
and happily, when compared to playing with the exhaust setup, much cheaper and easier to reverse. Not sure how much I should be paying, but I'll look into it.Cheers Sandy - wear sensor wasn't hard as such, just a little fiddly, and the one I was supplied had one pin marginally too big to fit the socket, and it was getting dark, and the car wasn't really high enough to access it... etc etc, I was predisposed against it
McSam said:
Hmmmmm.. Sounds like exactly what I'm looking for! I'd love to get more of a howl at the top end, but without knackering the chauffeurability. I'm gonna have to start looking, I think, this is an exciting prospect and happily, when compared to playing with the exhaust setup, much cheaper and easier to reverse. Not sure how much I should be paying, but I'll look into it.
Cheers Sandy - wear sensor wasn't hard as such, just a little fiddly, and the one I was supplied had one pin marginally too big to fit the socket, and it was getting dark, and the car wasn't really high enough to access it... etc etc, I was predisposed against it
Mine was installed when I Brought it, but quick google states a couple hundred notes should do it. You appear fairly spanner happy, so jobs a good'un. and happily, when compared to playing with the exhaust setup, much cheaper and easier to reverse. Not sure how much I should be paying, but I'll look into it.Cheers Sandy - wear sensor wasn't hard as such, just a little fiddly, and the one I was supplied had one pin marginally too big to fit the socket, and it was getting dark, and the car wasn't really high enough to access it... etc etc, I was predisposed against it
Exactly the reason i didn't want a new, loud exhaust on it. It allows it to suit your mood, you can still make progress in higher gears (WOT) without sounding like a loon, so easy to avoid the standard chav comments.
Well, unless you have (soon to be replaced with standard) Carbon BMW badges like mine...
I had understood the K&N filters were oiled and that can really upset the MAF sensor, I've been looking at the Simota CSL replica ones, but I think they look naff, just sat there sucking air off the back of the headlight. But if it made a big difference to the noise I would still probably get one, my mechanic doesn't think anything of them mind.
McSam said:
*Work out why my radiator fan has forgotten its purpose in this world
I haven't read every word in this thread but I had the same problem on my E36 325i and it's likely as not going to be the viscous fan coupling; it causes the death (through overheating) of many an M50/52 engine.Further to that, well done on owning a decent car at 20 - I bought my 850 T5 when I was 19 and haven't looked back since. The only reason my current car is so darned sensible is because I do such a huge amount of miles.
Thanks again for the info, Walsh. Is yours a Gen II 57i, then, for those prices? I've found the first-gen 57i kits for around £70 on eBay, which is a real bargain. These still have proper inlet pipes too.
I really like the look of the Simota carbon ones - have you seen facing into one? Looks like a turbine! - but do agree their positioning is daft.. I think a cone filter further back would work better, despite lack of heat shielding.
I had considered oiled filter vs MAF, and am not yet sure whether it's likely to cause a problem.
Further to that, well done on owning a decent car at 20 - I bought my 850 T5 when I was 19 and haven't looked back since. The only reason my current car is so darned sensible is because I do such a huge amount of miles.No more has been mentioned about the fan yet! Thanks for the heads-up, although, while I know all M52s are supposed to have a viscous coupling...... Mine appears not to. I'll get a photo up next time I remember.
Thanks some of your back catalogue is very good too!
I really like the look of the Simota carbon ones - have you seen facing into one? Looks like a turbine! - but do agree their positioning is daft.. I think a cone filter further back would work better, despite lack of heat shielding.
I had considered oiled filter vs MAF, and am not yet sure whether it's likely to cause a problem.
2 Wycked said:
McSam said:
*Work out why my radiator fan has forgotten its purpose in this world
I haven't read every word in this thread but I had the same problem on my E36 325i and it's likely as not going to be the viscous fan coupling; it causes the death (through overheating) of many an M50/52 engine.Further to that, well done on owning a decent car at 20 - I bought my 850 T5 when I was 19 and haven't looked back since. The only reason my current car is so darned sensible is because I do such a huge amount of miles.
Thanks
some of your back catalogue is very good too!I think an update is in order.. I finally gave in to the need for more induction noise, I can tell there's a lovely-sounding engine in there but it needs to be given proper voice.
So..
I've yet to get the intake piping sorted out properly, apparently it wasn't designed for E46 sixes, because K&N want it routed down to underneath the front bumper - I have a full undertray! Instead, my plan is to cut a fitted hole into the brake ducting and run it through there. Should work well and look professional
A little bit of aural description..
£65 well spent, I think!
So..
I've yet to get the intake piping sorted out properly, apparently it wasn't designed for E46 sixes, because K&N want it routed down to underneath the front bumper - I have a full undertray! Instead, my plan is to cut a fitted hole into the brake ducting and run it through there. Should work well and look professional
A little bit of aural description..
£65 well spent, I think!
You'll probably need some kind of heat shield in there surely? Might also be worth running a duct from where the factory airbox feed from the 'nostrils' ends to where the cone begins...
I think my favourite airbox solution for these cars is the Pipercross Viper, conical but with CF heat shielding...
I think my favourite airbox solution for these cars is the Pipercross Viper, conical but with CF heat shielding...
Yep, also on the list, as soon as I can think of an effective method. Thankfully I don't do a lot of town running, so don't expect heat soak to be a major problem, though I am considering moving the exterior temperature sensor to somewhere useful under the bonnet to see how it varies in normal running!
You can see the end of the kidney grille intake in the bottom of that photo, I am going to use that, there's a black connecting hose that runs to the original airbox but is about 5mm too long to be used with this filter. I'll adapt that too, and then I'll be making use of both that and the ducting from beneath
You can see the end of the kidney grille intake in the bottom of that photo, I am going to use that, there's a black connecting hose that runs to the original airbox but is about 5mm too long to be used with this filter. I'll adapt that too, and then I'll be making use of both that and the ducting from beneath
McSam said:
Yep, also on the list, as soon as I can think of an effective method. Thankfully I don't do a lot of town running, so don't expect heat soak to be a major problem, though I am considering moving the exterior temperature sensor to somewhere useful under the bonnet to see how it varies in normal running!
You can see the end of the kidney grille intake in the bottom of that photo, I am going to use that, there's a black connecting hose that runs to the original airbox but is about 5mm too long to be used with this filter. I'll adapt that too, and then I'll be making use of both that and the ducting from beneath
Interesting idea but not really worth it I don't think, as if it's anything like the one on the E36 the sensor can't read anything higher than 50-odd celsius (and if it's broken that is often the temperature it displays) - for £30-ish you can get OBD diagnostics cable and software for your laptop, which should yield far more interesting stats...You can see the end of the kidney grille intake in the bottom of that photo, I am going to use that, there's a black connecting hose that runs to the original airbox but is about 5mm too long to be used with this filter. I'll adapt that too, and then I'll be making use of both that and the ducting from beneath
I wasn't sure what the limit might be but did think a temperature sensor of some sort under there could be a neat solution. It's not exactly a race car, but it'd be interesting!
I haven't looked into diagnostic systems for this car yet, I don't know what's available - do you have software for your own E46?
but did think a temperature sensor of some sort under there could be a neat solution. It's not exactly a race car, but it'd be interesting! I haven't looked into diagnostic systems for this car yet, I don't know what's available - do you have software for your own E46?
McSam said:
I wasn't sure what the limit might be but did think a temperature sensor of some sort under there could be a neat solution. It's not exactly a race car, but it'd be interesting!
I haven't looked into diagnostic systems for this car yet, I don't know what's available - do you have software for your own E46?
I got one off eBay, was trying to diagnose my airbag light myself, it was great, showed you temperatures all around the car, engine timings and stuff. Most fun though was going through the tests, making things like the horn, the alarm, the head light washers go off using the laptop was great. Then the laptop died because it's a relic. It's not worked since, and I've only got Macbooks in the house. But it's well worth getting. but did think a temperature sensor of some sort under there could be a neat solution. It's not exactly a race car, but it'd be interesting! I haven't looked into diagnostic systems for this car yet, I don't know what's available - do you have software for your own E46?
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