[McLovin1]

My first post on this so here goes.. I pretty much bought this 06' 325i off the side of the road and it needed a clutch so pretty much got everything unbolted and ready to pull the tranny and replace the clutch in my driveway in the winter in Colorado... fun times huh colorado.e9x

P.s don't mind all the ricey crap (m colors) it's all coming off😂

[colorado.e9x]

It's about time you posted.. The amount of stuff we've already done is about the size of a soccer moms shopping list

[Greyfox]

The 1000 mile countdown has commenced.... only 971.8 miles to go.

[Welcome to NBA Jam]

New alcantara steering wheel is being made this weekend!

[nuron]

Originally Posted by McLovin1

My first post on this so here goes.. I pretty much bought this 06' 325i off the side of the road and it needed a clutch so pretty much got everything unbolted and ready to pull the tranny and replace the clutch in my driveway in the winter in Colorado... fun times huh colorado.e9x

P.s don't mind all the ricey crap (m colors) it's all coming off😂

What's your process for getting the car up on the jackstands and blocks like that? Gathering ideas for my eventual clutch replacement haha.

[3PedalJake]

Originally Posted by colorado.e9x

It's about time you posted.. The amount of stuff we've already done is about the size of a soccer moms shopping list

I want more pics

[colorado.e9x]

Originally Posted by nuron

What's your process for getting the car up on the jackstands and blocks like that? Gathering ideas for my eventual clutch replacement haha.

Materials:

8x 6x6x8 posts
4x wood planks
4x jackstands
a solid jack

Step 1. Jack up car onto jackstands
Step 2. Put jack onto 4x of those posts (it needs to roll when you jack it up, so theyre acting as a platform) and jack up the front from the center jack point
Step 3: Jack it up some more. Put 2x of the posts on each side followed by 1x wood plank on each. Put the jackstand on that (I believe we had it on 3 clicks each) and lower it
Step 4: Repeat on the rear. Though we had to get creative with another piece of post (just some scrap) to help lift the rear from the diff. The drivers side was ever so slightly lower than the passenger so we had a second jack lift up from below the spring

Edit: added pic again to help visualize the steps
Edit 2: before the wood we tried those deck blocks seen in the picture, it was too sketchy so we switched it

[colorado.e9x]

Originally Posted by 3PedalJake

I want more pics

McLovin1 you heard the man

I won't see the car till next week unfortunately

[E92William]

Originally Posted by colorado.e9x

Materials:

8x 6x6x8 posts
4x wood planks
4x jackstands
a solid jack

Step 1. Jack up car onto jackstands
Step 2. Put jack onto 4x of those posts (it needs to roll when you jack it up, so theyre acting as a platform) and jack up the front from the center jack point
Step 3: Jack it up some more. Put 2x of the posts on each side followed by 1x wood plank on each. Put the jackstand on that (I believe we had it on 3 clicks each) and lower it
Step 4: Repeat on the rear. Though we had to get creative with another piece of post (just some scrap) to help lift the rear from the diff. The drivers side was ever so slightly lower than the passenger so we had a second jack lift up from below the spring

This operation should have a video guide of its own lol. Step one for me would be to replace or fix the craftsman floor jack that only goes up halfway now and stop using the e46s obviously unsuitable scissor jack

[colorado.e9x]

Originally Posted by E92William

This operation should have a video guide of its own lol. Step one for me would be to replace or fix the craftsman floor jack that only goes up halfway now and stop using the e46s obviously unsuitable scissor jack

Sounds in depth when laid out like that lol but its actually really easy; it just takes time

[M-technik-3]

purchased a lugage compartment cover for a reasonable price. My car did not have one when I bought obviously. $100 and 2 hours of driving, cheaper than the $350 I had been seeing.

[John 070]

Originally Posted by colorado.e9x

Sounds in depth when laid out like that lol but its actually really easy; it just takes time

Nice! Who needs Bend Pak!

[unixnerd]

Originally Posted by colorado.e9x

Materials:

8x 6x6x8 posts
4x wood planks
4x jackstands
a solid jack

Step 1. Jack up car onto jackstands
Step 2. Put jack onto 4x of those posts (it needs to roll when you jack it up, so theyre acting as a platform) and jack up the front from the center jack point
Step 3: Jack it up some more. Put 2x of the posts on each side followed by 1x wood plank on each. Put the jackstand on that (I believe we had it on 3 clicks each) and lower it
Step 4: Repeat on the rear. Though we had to get creative with another piece of post (just some scrap) to help lift the rear from the diff. The drivers side was ever so slightly lower than the passenger so we had a second jack lift up from below the spring

Edit: added pic again to help visualize the steps
Edit 2: before the wood we tried those deck blocks seen in the picture, it was too sketchy so we switched it

I hate working outside on cars at this time of year, at least it looks dry where you are. Our snow melted and it got to +3C so changed the power steering fluid on the RAV4 yesterday (old stuff looked like honey, no wonder it was stiff). I always try and run through a list in the autumn to avoid the cold. It's not just my fingers that freeze, plastic becomes brittle and things snap that'd be OK in warmer weather.

[McLovin1]

Originally Posted by colorado.e9x

Sounds in depth when laid out like that lol but its actually really easy; it just takes time

It's honestly not that bad pretty much just lift the car in increments til you get where you want to mines about 3ft up enough for my big ass to roll around on a creeper 😂

[McLovin1]

Originally Posted by unixnerd

I hate working outside on cars at this time of year, at least it looks dry where you are. Our snow melted and it got to +3C so changed the power steering fluid on the RAV4 yesterday (old stuff looked like honey, no wonder it was stiff). I always try and run through a list in the autumn to avoid the cold. It's not just my fingers that freeze, plastic becomes brittle and things snap that'd be OK in warmer weather.

Honestly it's been around 45°f here but starting next week it'll start dipping back down unfortunately, hopefully it doesn't snow anytime soon

[McLovin1]

Originally Posted by colorado.e9x

McLovin1 you heard the man

I won't see the car till next week unfortunately

I'll get some pics soon... it's gets real dark real fast here around 5pm and that's usually when I get off so kinda difficult haha but I'll definitely see what I can do

[3PedalJake]

Thanks all who recced the Bilstein B12 Pro Kit. I love FCP, I just ordered it 2 nights ago when y'all nudged me over the edge to it and it arrived this AM, they have stuff here before you can change your mind lol. Also picked up that Monroe shock mount kit colorado.e9x suggested, it does feel much firmer than the squishy foam OEM. I got to work installing it all before I could change *my* mind (again). Also the gear oil suggested by E92William, think you're right can't go wrong going with the OEM "lifetime" lube.

Got the upgraded suspension parts bolted up loosely too, M3 wishbone and guide rod, Manzo adjustable toe link with eccentric lockout plates, ECS trailing arm, new GKN axles and various assorted other new stuff. From the subframe mounts to the wheels the only original parts left in the rear are the axle carriers and hubs.

[E92William]

Rebuilt and lubed the washer fluid motor in the e46 because it was dead. Then after i got it working great, cleared the plugged up holes in the nozzles and melted the washer fluid strainer that had come off back in place to prevent future nozzle issues. Also cleaned MAF sensor and routed a new hose for the secondary air pump.

[JonOhh]

Welp. Got exposed to covid so driving it has become the go-to to pass time whenever not working on classes.

May go out and discover some new rural alabama driving roads. I was supposed to do a track day next weekend. Even if I come up with symptoms, I still might. I'll have enough friends there that it would be able to do the whole event without getting out of the car. Just me, myself, and my 330. Sounds like a good time.

I got gifted a half used rear set of pilot super sports so I guess the event will also be the send-off for the Indy 500s on it now. They held up well considering the way the car is used.

[unixnerd]

Originally Posted by JonOhh

Welp. Got exposed to covid so driving it has become the go-to to pass time whenever not working on classes.

May go out and discover some new rural alabama driving roads. I was supposed to do a track day next weekend. Even if I come up with symptoms, I still might. I'll have enough friends there that it would be able to do the whole event without getting out of the car. Just me, myself, and my 330. Sounds like a good time.

I got gifted a half used rear set of pilot super sports so I guess the event will also be the send-off for the Indy 500s on it now. They held up well considering the way the car is used.

Wow, notice you have an X1/9. When I was a wee boy in the late 70s that was one of my dream cars along with the Porsche 928. Scottish climate is not kind to 70's Fiats alas.

[Clammy]

Originally Posted by 850CSi

I've done a number of IL/PA/WI winters with no AWD. It's not a huge deal. It helps that the car naturally has great balance. Put a set of snows on for the first time last week, I imagine it'll be fantastic.




So, wait -- you did B4 struts with the Eibach springs? Any reason why you didn't just spring (no pun intended I swear) for the b12 kit at that point? Are the B8s that much harsher on bad roads than the B4s given same ride height?

I didn't know the B12 kit existed. I had to replace a blown front strut, and when that was being done, one of the front springs needed to be replaced too, so I decided to do all 4 corners. The B4 sport version were the factory replacement, so I went with those. The shop suggested the Eibach springs, which were less than half the price of OEM BMW springs.

Once the springs settled, I really liked the stance, and the way the car handled better.

Cheers!

[Twix]

Filled with gas. Wasn’t paying attention to the nozzle and roughly half a gallon ended up on my shoes/ground. This gas filling issue will be the death of me, or this car