The Random E46/ZHP Question Thread

[John in VA]

My car, Mia, is officially a manual. My left leg is killing me, knot in my butt. Intense up so hard but I don’t stall. My favorite was I was so tired I clutched in to start it and immediately released as if it was a brake pedal in an automatic. Habits will have to change.

Sounds like you need to do some piriformis muscle stretches. Google it & do them at least twice a day!

[YoitsTmac]

Sounds like you need to do some piriformis muscle stretches. Google it & do them at least twice a day!

Definitely a mix of tensing up, sore from doing the swap last night, and weak muscles. I should have done those stretches before yesterday... Gym and properly stretching are on my daily list once I feel better.

Also does anyone know the PN for the grommet that would cover the whole the upper left corner of the shifter? It's where the Automatic shifter cable would go through. Without it, me and the starter talk to each other in the morning

[704sw]

How does that become cost efficient with shipping? The ones on there now are Bosch FCP

He’s local to FCP so he just goes in person.

BOYS, this is it. My car, Mia, is officially a manual. My left leg is killing me, knot in my butt. Intense up so hard but I don’t stall. My favorite was I was so tired I clutched in to start it and immediately released as if it was a brake pedal in an automatic. Habits will have to change...

I went with Garagtastic track transmission mounts. My car is literally vibrating apart. I’m placing an order tonigh. I had UUC black on my last car and it was great, but this time my car will have poly diff bushings. Should I go M3 or return to UUC black if I liked them?

Congrats on the manual conversion—now it’s time to unlearn all those A/T habits.

I like the M3 mounts for spirited driving. I have poly in right now but as soon as I starting building a dedicated track car and the ZHP is retired from track driving I will 100% be taking the poly tranny bushings back out.

[az3579]

How does that become cost efficient with shipping? The ones on there now are Bosch FCP

He’s local to FCP so he just goes in person.

Yes, I do drive there (15 mins from me), but even for those shipping, it costs about half of a new set of blades (shipping to your door and returning the set), so it's still cost efficient even for those who have to ship.

[YoitsTmac]

He’s local to FCP so he just goes in person.

Congrats on the manual conversion—now it’s time to unlearn all those A/T habits.

I like the M3 mounts for spirited driving. I have poly in right now but as soon as I starting building a dedicated track car and the ZHP is retired from track driving I will 100% be taking the poly tranny bushings back out.

Yeah, gotta drop the habits for sure. I might not be so lucky on my location next time. Getting better quickly. I just tense up my entire body so hard shifting focusing on a smooth shift. I need to take myself to a parking lot tomorrow to just practice smooth shifting. The less I think, the better I do. But then I start thinking about repeating good shifts and I fall apart. I'm not awful. If you hopped in with me I think you'd think I've driven one manual all my life and then suddenly drove this and had to get used to the grab point.

I did handle the hills of Berkeley in traffic tonight. My biggest issue right now is that when I want to get off the line quicker, I give myself more gas without also grabbing the clutch harder. So it revs up to like 3k and then I let off and I'm fully engaged (clearly barely applying pressure to the clutch). My other issue is when revs fall too hard due to too little clutch, I clutch out instead of giving more gas. For what it's worth, most of my launches are under 2k to be kind to the clutch.

Yes, I do drive there (15 mins from me), but even for those shipping, it costs about half of a new set of blades (shipping to your door and returning the set), so it's still cost efficient even for those who have to ship.

Oh gotcha. I saw there were some inserts that used to be sold, but they're gone. I have the EVO blades, but read a TIS that says a part of my blade has to be removed for those to work. BMW offered to install them and didn't read their own instructions. I suspect they'll work fine after I remove it and then I'll do a warranty on the bosch.

[ZHPizza]

I have the EVO blades, but read a TIS that says a part of my blade has to be removed for those to work. BMW offered to install them and didn't read their own instructions. I suspect they'll work fine after I remove it and then I'll do a warranty on the bosch.

That's what popped into my head when I read your post about the wipers not sitting flat on the windshield. I had the same issue when I bought my car and ordered new wipers and had to really dig around when they didn't fit either. Breaking that piece out of the arm makes all the difference!

[YoitsTmac]

That's what popped into my head when I read your post about the wipers not sitting flat on the windshield. I had the same issue when I bought my car and ordered new wipers and had to really dig around when they didn't fit either. Breaking that piece out of the arm makes all the difference!

I just would have never thought that you could even do that. I took it off before heading up to NorCal but noticed the little metal part of the arm was just the lightest smidge below the highest point of the "blade", so I was scared with enough flexing it could potentially scratch my windshield. I could grind it down but then I'd never be able to go back to the old style. I'll just post a pic here and see if people say its safe, when I get back. Off to learn some more clutching!

[YoitsTmac]

Went to my buddies to help with his engine swap. I gave him a ride in my car and he says my noises are beyond bushings, and are perhaps a misbalance. Everything was torqued and the pressure plate has pins where it can only go in one way, right? Any thoughts? Obviously I won't know until new transmission bushings come in. It sounds like I'm in a mustang. Also, I do have an open hole where the AT shifter cable went

video of sound: https://youtu.be/bwci03vsuuY

And I 'm buying new wipers but my windshield is just holding water heavily, even after I clean it. I have water spots that show as the wipers go over the windshield, and I suspect they are little differences in friction on the windshield that water can grab onto. Do other windshields have this from lots of rain or is there a way to treat this? Man I feel stupid right now.

edit: I'm so sorry I don't know how to make the image smaller

[JPMo]

And I 'm buying new wipers but my windshield is just holding water heavily, even after I clean it. I have water spots that show as the wipers go over the windshield, and I suspect they are little differences in friction on the windshield that water can grab onto. Do other windshields have this from lots of rain or is there a way to treat this? Man I feel stupid right now.

edit: I'm so sorry I don't know how to make the image smaller

Yeah mine is not like that but it’s probably super annoying. Looks like water spots or some kind of contamination. I’d try to polish the windshield. There are dedicated glass polishes and pads but honestly I’ve gotten results with a cheap Wal-Mart polisher and meguiars ultimate compound. Just tape off the windshield trim and slowly work the polish in until it’s clear and oily looking. I’ve been able to get rid of minor water spots on glass like that. After that definitely put rainX or some kind of glass sealant on, to help your wipers out.

[704sw]

Yeah mine is not like that but it’s probably super annoying. Looks like water spots or some kind of contamination. I’d try to polish the windshield. There are dedicated glass polishes and pads but honestly I’ve gotten results with a cheap Wal-Mart polisher and meguiars ultimate compound. Just tape off the windshield trim and slowly work the polish in until it’s clear and oily looking. I’ve been able to get rid of minor water spots on glass like that. After that definitely put rainX or some kind of glass sealant on, to help your wipers out.

I also use standard polish on windows. Don’t forget you can also clay bar glass to help lift up contaminants.