BMW E46 330d SE Touring
Discussion
Mexman said:
Hi Helix, sorry to hijack.
I have an e46 330D 204BHP, Auto saloon, and have noticed that when pulling away with the steering turned right, ie..As if turning right from a T junction, I get the rumble strip vibration happen, but this is pulling away in 2nd gear and not particularly fiercely.?
It's most definitely coming from the near side rear wheel, I think.
Had a recon Auto box fitted 2yrs, 25k miles ago.
I can get the same symptoms to occur in a straight line, if I really gun it hard though a gear, but not as noticeable...?
Ideas or thoughts?
Cheers.
It could be quite a few things, I’d check all the rear suspension bushes, prop centre bearing and rubber joint to the gearbox and boot floor for cracks. The subframe bushes are usually quite long lasting though the largest diff mount can wear. Afraid I can’t give any more specific advice.I have an e46 330D 204BHP, Auto saloon, and have noticed that when pulling away with the steering turned right, ie..As if turning right from a T junction, I get the rumble strip vibration happen, but this is pulling away in 2nd gear and not particularly fiercely.?
It's most definitely coming from the near side rear wheel, I think.
Had a recon Auto box fitted 2yrs, 25k miles ago.
I can get the same symptoms to occur in a straight line, if I really gun it hard though a gear, but not as noticeable...?
Ideas or thoughts?
Cheers.
Back to my 330, the old Vreidestein rear tyres lasted 14k miles vs 20k that my Contis lasted. I also checked the service history and the n/s/r caliper is the only one that hasn’t been replaced.
There are times for buying an exchange rebuilt caliper and times for rebuilding it yourself.
This time I chose the latter. Used caliper, £15:
I bought a piston and seal kit but decided not to use it on the used caliper as it is full working order with little sign of piston rust.
Instead I painted the used caliper and fitted a new bleed screw and dust cover. I may fit the rebuild kit to the caliper that comes off the car.
Finished job:
This time I chose the latter. Used caliper, £15:
I bought a piston and seal kit but decided not to use it on the used caliper as it is full working order with little sign of piston rust.
Instead I painted the used caliper and fitted a new bleed screw and dust cover. I may fit the rebuild kit to the caliper that comes off the car.
Finished job:
JakeT said:
I've fitted a used caliper before, did 40,000 miles with it and it gave me 0 issues. Benefit being for £15 you can have about 8 before it's the price of a reman one, with no surcharge.
Exactly! Plus the original one will sit in my garage with a new piston and seals if needed. 
JakeT said:
I've fitted a used caliper before, did 40,000 miles with it and it gave me 0 issues. Benefit being for £15 you can have about 8 before it's the price of a reman one, with no surcharge.
I got a very hefty quote from my local indie for an exchange caliper on my E46 M3, one rebuild kit, a YouTube how-to and a Sunday afternoon later I was back running for about 20 quid outlay. I found it quite therapeutic to do too! PurpleTurtle said:
I got a very hefty quote from my local indie for an exchange caliper on my E46 M3, one rebuild kit, a YouTube how-to and a Sunday afternoon later I was back running for about 20 quid outlay. I found it quite therapeutic to do too!
It is a simple and satisfying task. I did the same on an E30 M3 when I was a main dealer tech as a new caliper was back order. PurpleTurtle said:
I got a very hefty quote from my local indie for an exchange caliper on my E46 M3, one rebuild kit, a YouTube how-to and a Sunday afternoon later I was back running for about 20 quid outlay. I found it quite therapeutic to do too!
Quite disappointingly now, I've fitted so many calipers to various E46s friends and I have owned that I've got it down to under half an hour to swap a caliper now. No need to top off the fluid either. It's a satisfying job to do, even if I still feel my wheels after a drive sometimes just to make sure. 
New (used) caliper and carrier on with new gen BMW anti rattle clip:
The wheel centre cap rotates at will hence misalignment!
I bled all the calipers as the fluid is due a change in May.
Fluid:
Tightening torques for the job, carrier to hub=67Nm, caliper to carrier=probably 25Nm, maybe 30.
The wheel centre cap rotates at will hence misalignment!
I bled all the calipers as the fluid is due a change in May.
Fluid:
Tightening torques for the job, carrier to hub=67Nm, caliper to carrier=probably 25Nm, maybe 30.
therusterman said:
Quick question Helix, how do you bleed your brakes?
I use one of these:
I bought it years ago from Turner Motorsport Sport in America. At the time if you wanted a decent one man bleed kit your choices in the UK were limited. Either a very expensive commercial unit or a Gunsen Ezibleed. I hated the Ezibleed having seen the faff of my dad using one many years ago.
The Motive bleeder has been excellent. It even had several years service when I ran my own garage.
Now you can buy lots of similar cheaper bleeders in this country.
therusterman said:
Cool, have a similar bleeder made by Sealy and used the same ATE fluid on my last brake flush.
I've read some guides which suggest running the abs pump through inpa as part of the brake bleeding process, is this really necessary in your experience?
Ideally, yes. Most people don’t bother, I didn’t today. It’s probably worth doing maybe every other brake fluid change to renew the fluid in the abs/dsc unit. I've read some guides which suggest running the abs pump through inpa as part of the brake bleeding process, is this really necessary in your experience?
A little story accompanies the latest change. Around a quarter of a century ago I got my first real job. I celebrated by buying some fine boots. I still have them.
I decided this was a good tradition and bought a new pair of footwear each time I got a new job.
I have many pairs of footwear now and have just got a new job.
Instead of footwear I bought an F10 M5 illuminated gearknob.
In my youth to have an E30 325i with an illuminated gearknob was a mark of true success.
I had a friend and colleague with an E30, sadly only a 320i-but he had a genuine Alpina exhaust....and an illuminated gearknob. The sound was truly glorious (the exhaust, not gearknob).
I won’t do a full gearknob “how to” as there as plenty of guides. Basically remove the gaiter surround, stick an E46 one on and wire the light in.
To make the wiring neat I removed the plug fitted to the knob. I then used a spare E46 loom I have and took matching male and female connectors. I’ll wire the +ve to the switched live for the ashtray ill. and put a ring terminal straight to a body -ve.
(Nb-car is still 5 speed until I get round to fitting the 6 speed box)
The wiring will be tidied up pre fitting with Coroplast tape.
I decided this was a good tradition and bought a new pair of footwear each time I got a new job.
I have many pairs of footwear now and have just got a new job.
Instead of footwear I bought an F10 M5 illuminated gearknob.
In my youth to have an E30 325i with an illuminated gearknob was a mark of true success.
I had a friend and colleague with an E30, sadly only a 320i-but he had a genuine Alpina exhaust....and an illuminated gearknob. The sound was truly glorious (the exhaust, not gearknob).
I won’t do a full gearknob “how to” as there as plenty of guides. Basically remove the gaiter surround, stick an E46 one on and wire the light in.
To make the wiring neat I removed the plug fitted to the knob. I then used a spare E46 loom I have and took matching male and female connectors. I’ll wire the +ve to the switched live for the ashtray ill. and put a ring terminal straight to a body -ve.
(Nb-car is still 5 speed until I get round to fitting the 6 speed box)
The wiring will be tidied up pre fitting with Coroplast tape.
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