The Random E46/ZHP Question Thread

[Jconlin16]

Somehow I missed that you said you're only buying fronts. For fronts, you could do et35 all day with no problem. Oops
The rears are usually the wheels to give problems with clearance, but you're already set on that so all's well.

Ha no worries, thanks!

[BMWCurves]

I'm working to put my BMW Performance intake into my car and I'm running into some trouble. The tab next to the expansion tank describing the proper coolant levels (pictured below) is too tall and blocking the top intake funnel. The official installation instructions from BMW (attached) state in step 3 "Installing Performance Air Cleaner System" in the second box to "Unclip tab (1)." For the life of me I cannot figure out how to remove it. Does anyone know how?

Tab next to the expansion tank cap, supposedly removable:


BMW Installation Instructions:
E46 BMW Perf Cold Air Instr.pdf

EDIT:
Nevermind, that sucker just needed a good yanking.

[johnrando]

Yes, it just slides of IIRC.

[BMWCurves]

New problem! When I originally had a PPI for my car back at the end of March, the mechanic found "a light clicking nose from the rear of the car possible driveline CV." It was faint at that time but now it's become more prominent so I would like to fix it. I'm assuming from the description the mechanic meant one of the rear CV joints, but maybe he meant where the driveshaft meets the differential? Rooting around the interwebs the alternate possibilities seem to be worn differential bushings or the subframe bushings. Any alternative thoughts? I tried getting the sound caught on my phone, but the mic just isn't good enough.

[san]

New problem! When I originally had a PPI for my car back at the end of March, the mechanic found "a light clicking nose from the rear of the car possible driveline CV." It was faint at that time but now it's become more prominent so I would like to fix it. I'm assuming from the description the mechanic meant one of the rear CV joints, but maybe he meant where the driveshaft meets the differential? Rooting around the interwebs the alternate possibilities seem to be worn differential bushings or the subframe bushings. Any alternative thoughts? I tried getting the sound caught on my phone, but the mic just isn't good enough.

Not sure if ur talking about the same sort of issue I had but hope this helps

http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?t=14053


To summarize, it was the diff bushings (all 3)... It is easy to inspect the big carrier bushing at the back of the diff, but the 2 small ones at the front are not that easy to inspect...

But unfortunately replacing the bushings did not cure the clunk... Took it to an Indy shop and the mechanic said it is most likely the driver side rear axle as it has some slight ply in it... Haven't replaced it yet...


Also the link I posted was my first post on the zhpmafia website so ul see that I asked a lot of stupid questions...

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[stephenkirsh]

Any recommendations on diff bushings? Not sure I wanna go poly. Turner uses myle HD. Are those any good?

My number one concern is durability. I don't want to have to do this again in 75k.

[san]

I went with lemforder


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[BMWCurves]

Not sure if ur talking about the same sort of issue I had but hope this helps

http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?t=14053


To summarize, it was the diff bushings (all 3)... It is easy to inspect the big carrier bushing at the back of the diff, but the 2 small ones at the front are not that easy to inspect...

But unfortunately replacing the bushings did not cure the clunk... Took it to an Indy shop and the mechanic said it is most likely the driver side rear axle as it has some slight ply in it... Haven't replaced it yet...


Also the link I posted was my first post on the zhpmafia website so ul see that I asked a lot of stupid questions...

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thanks for the link. After reading through the replies it seems like it could be a handful of things, the differential bushings being the most likely culprit. I seem to recall from talking with the mechanic during my PPI that it might have been a rear drive shaft bearing issue (I assume the rear hooks up to the differential in a similar fashion to the transmission up front, but I don't know for sure). Sorry to hear replacing the bushings didn't help you any. Still haven't fixed the clunk?

I have included two videos that have the clunking sound:

1. I am engaging the clutch and then disengaging the clutch in reverse:
https://streamable.com/l570

2. I am engaging the clutch, disengaging, then finally pulling away in first:
https://streamable.com/odtp

Any recommendations on diff bushings? Not sure I wanna go poly. Turner uses myle HD. Are those any good?

My number one concern is durability. I don't want to have to do this again in 75k.

Wish I could help, but I know even less about diff bushings than the the Greeks understand how they got in their debt crisis. My gut suggestion would be M3 bushings to increase durability over ours, but I wouldn't know how much longer they'd last.

[san]

Thanks for the link. After reading through the replies it seems like it could be a handful of things, the differential bushings being the most likely culprit. I seem to recall from talking with the mechanic during my PPI that it might have been a rear drive shaft bearing issue (I assume the rear hooks up to the differential in a similar fashion to the transmission up front, but I don't know for sure). Sorry to hear replacing the bushings didn't help you any. Still haven't fixed the clunk?

I have included two videos that have the clunking sound:

1. I am engaging the clutch and then disengaging the clutch in reverse:
https://streamable.com/l570

2. I am engaging the clutch, disengaging, then finally pulling away in first:
https://streamable.com/odtp



Wish I could help, but I know even less about diff bushings than the the Greeks understand how they got in their debt crisis. My gut suggestion would be M3 bushings to increase durability over ours, but I wouldn't know how much longer they'd last.

That sounds like diff bushing to me... But can never be certain until u inspect it... Shouldn't take u more than 15-20 min... All u need to do is to jack up the rear of the car and try to inspect it visually...

Replacing the diff bushing on mine helped decrease the clunk a little but not did not eliminate it completely... Indy mechanic said it's probably the driver side axle with a a bad cv joint as it has slight ply in it... Haven't replaced it yet...


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[Trackerpo9]

Is this the mic at the top of the picture already installed? Do all of our cars have this? If not, why would this be in there unplugged? Looking at installing oem bluetooth because useless buttons drive me crazy! Will be tearing into trunk when I have more time to investigate.