Not A Project: Peter’s 2009 335i M Sport

[704sw]

- speaking of belly pans... the engine belly pan on the E90 is a well-fitting work of art, but it has 18 (!!) screws that hold it on! crazy. (i think the trans belly pan has about 8 fasteners.)

Doesn’t the E83 have a really nice belly pan too? I’ve only taken it off once, but I remember thinking “wow this puts the plastic POS on the E46 to shame!”

[slater]

Doesn’t the E83 have a really nice belly pan too? I’ve only taken it off once, but I remember thinking “wow this puts the plastic POS on the E46 to shame!”

yeah, it's decent, but the E90 is on another level.

[DeathTrap]

Yep. Most of the screws on mine are missing from previous owner(s). It is a very nice piece.

Sucks about the WP issue. But you have now gained knowledge, and that's all that matters...kinda

[slater]

i added some redline water wetter last night, and today i racked up about 500KM and the motor was great - coolant temps stayed solid at 96ºC, even during cruise (where supposedly it can creep up past 100ºC - remember, this is an electric water pump so the DME can actually control it's flow 100%... they reduce flow during cruise to improve fuel economy). also, my oil temps were lower as well - likely due to the ceratec - it stayed around 100ºC (212ºF), creeping up to around 110ºC (230ºF) under sustained loads. this is below normal, so i'm pretty stoked. my car does have a factory oil cooler.

it also felt like it's making more power. no complaints about that. it's already plenty quick - i can spin the tires almost all the way through 2nd gear. i can't imagine what a basic tune would feel like (roughly 360hp), much less the JB4 (400hp+). nuts... i don't want more power, but i DO want better power application - the rear end could use some locking down.

[Sockethead]

Sounds like you need an LSD. The 135 was amazingly stable and planted

[slater]

Sounds like you need an LSD. The 135 was amazingly stable and planted

yes. i've already priced them out.

the subframe bushings are really soft, too - it makes enough power (300lb-ft of torque at like 2000-3000rpm) that you can actually feel them squirm as the rear end tries to get the power down. powerflex and whiteline make some polyurethane 'inserts' for the stock bushings - the whiteline ones are like $45 on amazon. crazy. i might try those first... the rear subframe has 4 bolts (versus 2 bolts and 2 studs on the E46), so removing the bolts and dropping the subframe down 2" is enough to get the inserts installed - easy.

but....... then i think finding a used M3 rear end makes good sense - LSD, plus beefier axles, better control arms and bushings, slightly bigger brakes. the caveat is the propshaft has to be modified... but i could get the entire rear end for way less than an LSD in the 335i pumpkin.

[704sw]

I had a bad experience with Whiteline bushings not fitting. Maybe just an unfortunate, isolated incident but I’m not sure I’ll try them out on anything again.

[Sockethead]

Peter..... This is sounding more and more like a project... just sayin'
Hard for us mechanical types to just drive a car

[slater]

I had a bad experience with Whiteline bushings not fitting. Maybe just an unfortunate, isolated incident but I’m not sure I’ll try them out on anything again.

yeah... i read good reviews about these. we'll see.

Peter..... This is sounding more and more like a project... just sayin'
Hard for us mechanical types to just drive a car

frig. you're right.

LOL. i need to find some restraint...

[slater]

Hard for us mechanical types to just drive a car

this has been in my brain for the last hour. i need this on a t-shirt. LOL.