My '96 E36 M3 Evo Saloon
Discussion
V8Taxi said:
Absolutely stunning car Neil, I have huge love for these saloons.
I used to own an Estoril Blue coupe a few years ago, it really was a fantastic thing. I now have an E90 M3 saloon (had an E46 M3 too) and I'd love an E36 Evo 4 door to live alongside it.
Keep up the good work.
Ta very much!I used to own an Estoril Blue coupe a few years ago, it really was a fantastic thing. I now have an E90 M3 saloon (had an E46 M3 too) and I'd love an E36 Evo 4 door to live alongside it.
Keep up the good work.
In honesty, it's just a really really good car.
She will start to get some more time spent on her....
Time for a long overdue update on the M3.
The annual NI BMW show was coming up on the weekend, it's not to be missed, and best of all it's a charity event (Clic Sargent).
Time to get the cover off!
Time to blow the cobwebs out and go for a blast and do a milk run!
Time to start into the cleaning process, I love these wheels. So easy to clean!
Rear arches looking grubby
.
Another wheel shot!
The other rear arch.
I arrived at the NI BMW a little late, even with a moderate pace to the north coast, the car returned pretty good MPG!
Another fellow M3 Saloon! Some very choice tweaks to this one. Stunning car.
A few overview photos of the show.
A very cool M2. Not my choice in colour, but it's a car I'd love to have a drive in.
The M3 parked up. Despite the intensive cleaning the day before... The weather was pretty horrendous for the first part of the day. So the car wasn't superb clean, but that can't be helped.
I was in very good company with a neighbour!
I'm absolutely delighted to say the car received an award for being one of the Top Ten cars at the NI BMW show. Best of all it was against some serious competition. Thanks to all who voted.
I should have some more time to get back to normal updates on the M3 now. Not that I have loads to do, she's a lovely car to tinker with and there are a few jobs that I've been meaning to do for some time...
The annual NI BMW show was coming up on the weekend, it's not to be missed, and best of all it's a charity event (Clic Sargent).
Time to get the cover off!
Time to blow the cobwebs out and go for a blast and do a milk run!
Time to start into the cleaning process, I love these wheels. So easy to clean!
Rear arches looking grubby
.Another wheel shot!
The other rear arch.
I arrived at the NI BMW a little late, even with a moderate pace to the north coast, the car returned pretty good MPG!
Another fellow M3 Saloon! Some very choice tweaks to this one. Stunning car.
A few overview photos of the show.
A very cool M2. Not my choice in colour, but it's a car I'd love to have a drive in.
The M3 parked up. Despite the intensive cleaning the day before... The weather was pretty horrendous for the first part of the day. So the car wasn't superb clean, but that can't be helped.
I was in very good company with a neighbour!
I'm absolutely delighted to say the car received an award for being one of the Top Ten cars at the NI BMW show. Best of all it was against some serious competition. Thanks to all who voted.
I should have some more time to get back to normal updates on the M3 now. Not that I have loads to do, she's a lovely car to tinker with and there are a few jobs that I've been meaning to do for some time...
Edited by Neil_M on Sunday 3rd September 21:37
d x4 to clean. 
Saturday the 14th October was the NI BMW Coast Road Run. A cracking charity event thats not to be missed.
It was a very wet day, however they are usually brilliant fun, the M3 also needed the cobwebs blow out.
Idling away here on the drive way.
One of the stop off points. BMWs everywhere!!
I luckily followed this E46 M3 for the first few legs. Stunning car and a perfect stance.
The end of the coast run and time for a feed!
The M5 and I broke off for the last leg of the run. Blasting down the coast roads after him was brilliant fun.
I was buzzing when we stopped off, I'd forgotten the real world pace of the M3, it just doesn't shout about it.
Back home, safe and sound. The car was absolutely boggin (well for me it was).
It was a very wet day, however they are usually brilliant fun, the M3 also needed the cobwebs blow out.
Idling away here on the drive way.
One of the stop off points. BMWs everywhere!!
I luckily followed this E46 M3 for the first few legs. Stunning car and a perfect stance.
The end of the coast run and time for a feed!
The M5 and I broke off for the last leg of the run. Blasting down the coast roads after him was brilliant fun.
I was buzzing when we stopped off, I'd forgotten the real world pace of the M3, it just doesn't shout about it.
Back home, safe and sound. The car was absolutely boggin (well for me it was).
Well after around four years the 21 year old M3 finally let me down a little...
I jumped into the car to take it out of the garage and give her a wash.
Foot on the clutch and boom it falls and stays on the floor. Toe under the clutch to lift it up and as soon as I press on the clutch it does the same.
Luckily I had a clutch slave cylinder in the garage ready to fit.
Clearance is tight enough without a lift, pretty uncomfortable doing this on your back...
The new slave is fitted (this fits on the left hand side of the gearbox).
However there was no joy after replacing the slave. Possibly due to air being left in the system (they are notoriously difficult to bleed).
I replaced the master cylinder too. This is another job made difficult due to its location (at the clutch pedal). It was just about to be removed here...
Old v new. The old item on the left is a cheaper plastic FAG unit, the right hand metal one is a Brembo item. The Brembo item is a much sturdier item as you can imagine, however the low pressure feed doesn't use a retaining clip. A slight difference, so hopefully that doesn't cause a problem...
The new master cylinder installed.
The clutch pedal being assembled... Cleaned and lubricated too
.
I reverse bled the entire system twice and all is working as it should. I believe the bleed nipple on the slave cylinder was causing problems as it wasn't drilled and tapped straight into the body, its pretty tight but now seals well.
Interestingly the clutch now is significantly lighter than ever before. Supposedly they get quite heavy with age. Especially as the master cylinder is commonly missed.
It's now quite a different car to drive, the lighter clutch pressure and sharp clutch action takes a little getting used to again.
She was taken for a good test run to make sure everything was ok before hibernation. Tuesday night was a mild and dry evening, so off to the Petrol Station for some fuel. I bumped into two fellow enthusiasts who were full of compliments on the car so good meeting you guys...
A good run out in the car down my favourite back roads has me loving the car again. Especially going through thoughts of fixing the car with fire :P. Working on the car on the driveway on a very cold winter evening is not fun.
I jumped into the car to take it out of the garage and give her a wash.
Foot on the clutch and boom it falls and stays on the floor. Toe under the clutch to lift it up and as soon as I press on the clutch it does the same.
Luckily I had a clutch slave cylinder in the garage ready to fit.
Clearance is tight enough without a lift, pretty uncomfortable doing this on your back...
The new slave is fitted (this fits on the left hand side of the gearbox).
However there was no joy after replacing the slave. Possibly due to air being left in the system (they are notoriously difficult to bleed).
I replaced the master cylinder too. This is another job made difficult due to its location (at the clutch pedal). It was just about to be removed here...
Old v new. The old item on the left is a cheaper plastic FAG unit, the right hand metal one is a Brembo item. The Brembo item is a much sturdier item as you can imagine, however the low pressure feed doesn't use a retaining clip. A slight difference, so hopefully that doesn't cause a problem...
The new master cylinder installed.
The clutch pedal being assembled... Cleaned and lubricated too
.I reverse bled the entire system twice and all is working as it should. I believe the bleed nipple on the slave cylinder was causing problems as it wasn't drilled and tapped straight into the body, its pretty tight but now seals well.
Interestingly the clutch now is significantly lighter than ever before. Supposedly they get quite heavy with age. Especially as the master cylinder is commonly missed.
It's now quite a different car to drive, the lighter clutch pressure and sharp clutch action takes a little getting used to again.
She was taken for a good test run to make sure everything was ok before hibernation. Tuesday night was a mild and dry evening, so off to the Petrol Station for some fuel. I bumped into two fellow enthusiasts who were full of compliments on the car so good meeting you guys...
A good run out in the car down my favourite back roads has me loving the car again. Especially going through thoughts of fixing the car with fire :P. Working on the car on the driveway on a very cold winter evening is not fun.
Time to wake the M3 up from her hibernation slumber. She started on the first turn of the key with no problems.
The main aim was to do a quick health check on the car and get everything up to temperature again.
However, I haven't ran any diagnostics on the M3 myself, so I was also keen to try that...
All connected up fine and no errors were reported. I will have to try some more detailed tests when I have more time.
I also wanted to tidy the garage a little, so some shelves were put up behind the M3.
The main aim was to do a quick health check on the car and get everything up to temperature again.
However, I haven't ran any diagnostics on the M3 myself, so I was also keen to try that...
All connected up fine and no errors were reported. I will have to try some more detailed tests when I have more time.
I also wanted to tidy the garage a little, so some shelves were put up behind the M3.
m3 pat said:
Hi Neil your car is amazing a real credit to you. just started restoring my e36 m3 saloon was just wondering were you source your parts as I can't seem to find a lot of parts for saloon m3s thanks
Cheers Pat, she's a really lovely car .Most parts are genuine. There are plenty of part diagrams to help get a hold of part numbers, then befriend your local dealership parts department.
Most parts are available and I've came up with some very random parts!
helix402 said:
Software is INPA, BMW factory/development software.
100% m3 pat said:
That's great Neil thanks will hope to get her till a few bmw shows in the summer if I get her finished and would love to get a look around your car if you are attending ????
Good man, I'd recommend Country Garage (for parts) if they are near you?The NI BMW shows are worth going to. Their coast run at the end of the season is worth going to too.
Their FaceBook page is worth signing up to, too.
m3 pat said:
helix402 said:
Software is INPA, BMW factory/development software.
100% This kind of thing?
Edited by g3org3y on Wednesday 28th February 18:01
Hi Neil got a lot of parts of country garages they are very helpful thanks. I see you have bilstien b12s what do you think of them and were did you deal for them if you don't mind me asking. I've searched the Internet and a lot of places say they don't fit a saloon? Am I looking in the wrong place just worried about getting them then having bother
m3 pat said:
Hi Neil got a lot of parts of country garages they are very helpful thanks. I see you have bilstien b12s what do you think of them and were did you deal for them if you don't mind me asking. I've searched the Internet and a lot of places say they don't fit a saloon? Am I looking in the wrong place just worried about getting them then having bother
No worries Pat. They are all a good bunch of guys and happy to help if you are stuck.They are an excellent quality suspension set up. They ride like OE during normal driving and are that bit sharper when pressing on. They don't massively lower the car either.
I bought them on German eBay.
The problem being (I'm scratching my head here to remember exactly), the 3.0 Saloon had softer suspension than the Coupe. The 3.2 Evo Saloon and Coupe shared suspension.
They are one in the same for the 3.2 IMO.
I bought mine from https://www.ebay.co.uk/usr/aze_hammelburg
If you message them, I'm sure they can help and confirm things for you.
Edited by Neil_M on Monday 19th March 23:12
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