Report to Dorki: IOC Declaration for 2002 BMW M3 Refurb - Dorkiphus.net
Navigation » Dorkiphus.net > Technical & Track Disussions > BMW Technical Discussions » Report to Dorki: IOC Declaration for 2002 BMW M3 Refurb

BMW Technical Discussions BMW related technical discussions and questions go here.

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 10-06-2016, 07:59 PM
HughA44s HughA44s is offline
 
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Woodbridge, VA
Posts: 603
HughA44s has one HoF thread
Hall of Fame Report to Dorki: IOC Declaration for 2002 BMW M3 Refurb

I purchase this M3 in July 2015 because I had been wanting one. Although it had many issues, it met some basic criteria namely: 1.) No-SMG, 2.) Decent Body, 3.) Clean CARFAX and Clean Title, 4.) Drive-Train in Good Shape, and 5.) Decent Interior (acceptable and fixable Yuks) My original intent for this car was a Track Car with the idea of NASA TT in mind. That has now changed to a slightly molested road car with basic track capability. I did not do a PPI because frankly, I assumed the worse and factored that into my thinking. I can say the “worst-case” was not met and in several areas (actually any as I found out), I was pleasantly surprised. Although, it did meet my basic criteria, I had to accept:

1. The shocks were garbage
2. The brakes were garbage
3. The left rear spring was busted
4. The Power-Coding on the wheels was falling off
5. Little to no maintenance history

The Program Management Plan I implemented for this project was a phased use-case approach design to control costs and schedule while providing points of gratification along the way. I then setup a 5 Phase plan which is:

1. Phase 1: Fix he really bad safety issues
2. Phase 2: Get the car to good road worthy condition
3. Phase 3: Address the know M3 Motor Short-Comings
4. Phase 4: Fix the Interior Yuks
5. Phase 5: FUN STUFF
6. Phase 6: Paint (and Hail Damage Fixes)

At this point, I have completed Phases 1 and 2 and I am declaring IOC (initial Operating Condition). Until I work through the Engine Stuff (Bearings, VANOS, and valve adjustment) I do not plan of tracking it or running it hard. To get it to this point, I accomplished the following activities. I basically stuck to “OEM” like parts manufactured by Lemforder and used Z4M designs where available. All work was accomplished on jack-stands and steel ramps in my driveway (because that is all I had). At this point, I have spent $750 on shop expenses.

EXTERIOR:
- Rear Window Seals
- Windshield and Seals (Thanks 495)
- Lower Windshield Cowling
- Left Front Plastic Inner Wheel Arch/Bumper Cover Support (Hit a dead deer in the middle of the Night)
INTERIOR:
- Several applications of Leather Cleaner and Conditioner
- Several applications of Vinyl Cleaner and Conditioner
- E60 Shift Lever
- Modified Leather Boot
- Shift Lever Pivot Joint Bushing
- ZHP Gear Shift Knob
ENGINE:
- TPS Reference Sensor (CEL Code Fix)
- Coils and Plugs
- Air Filter
- Oil and Filter Changes
FRONT SUSPENSION:
- Control Arms – Includes Ball Joints (Center Bushing/Pivot Was flopping in the breeze)
- FCABs
- Wheels Bearings
- Yellow Konis
- Lower and Stiffer Springs
- Strut Mount Bearings/Bushings
- Alignment
REAR SUSPENSION:
- Upper/Outer Ball Joints (both Sides – Drivers side “ticking”)
- Adjustable Height Stiffer Springs and Adjusters (Drivers side broken – Common problem on older cars)
- Koni Yellows
- Upper Shock Mounts with Reinforcements
- RTABs with Turner Limiters
DRIVE-TRAIN:
- Drive-Shaft Support Bearing (The actual bearings was trashed)
- Differential Input Seal (Leaking badly – Underside of car covered in grease – Provided exceptional rust treatment however)
- Rear Differential Bushings (Replaced with Power-Flex – Original design is stupid and clunks)
- Front Differential Bushing
- Inner Top and Bottom Rear Control Bushings
- Sub-Frame Bushings
- Clean and Paint Rear Sub-Frame (These things tend to Rust after a while)
- Sub-Frame Crack Inspection (I won the Lotto!!!! Well for now anyway)
- Transmission Fluid Change (The stuff that came out was well used)
- Rear Differential Fluid Change
- Motor Mounts
- Transmission Mounts
- Driveshaft to Trans Coupler (Guibo?)
BRAKES:
- Front and Back Pads
- Front Disks
- Fluid Change and Bleed
- E-Brake Adjust
OTHER:
- Fuel Filter
- Tires (Sport Contact DWSs)

Here is what she looks like now: (sorry for the crappy pics but the light was getting low)

Name:  M3 Pic 1 (Large).jpeg
Views: 524
Size:  421.9 KB

Name:  M3 Pic 2 (Large).jpeg
Views: 527
Size:  369.7 KB

For wheels, I am using the wheels off one of my 330s. I did this so that I would have to buy only one set of good DWS tires to use on my BMWs. This is a lessons-Learned from several traumatic commutes home last winter.

Name:  M3 Pic 3 (Large).jpeg
Views: 527
Size:  241.9 KB

Clearly visible in this Pic is the “State-of-the-Art” Harmon Kardon System complete with 6CD Changer and Cassette Deck. Does anybody have a “The Cult”, “Duran-Duran”, or “Guns-and-Roses” Cassette around? Mine are all dead. I have got to try this - after all, it has Dolby B-C NR on it.

Name:  M3 Pic 4 (Large).jpeg
Views: 523
Size:  328.2 KB

Standard engine bay shot. No Leaks!

OTHER STUFF:
I did a complete inspection of the sub-frame while changing the bushings. I found no cracks but some of the spot-welds were stressed. I will monitor the situation on a routine basis but am happy for now. It was interesting to note that the rear-passenger side bushing mount was slightly depressed up. I can see no reason (based of applied torques) for this to be the case. Perhaps a previous owner enjoyed drag racing in reverse.

After all this work, I was surprised to find I still had a clunk out of the front end. I jacked the car up and wiggled the front tire left and right and felt a slight tick. Investigating further I found that the central pivot joint bushing was trashed and flopping up and down (maybe 1/8 inch). This is the pivot point that all the steering and braking forces go through. It was my understanding that the ball joints on these go bad but was surprised to learn that the center pivots were trashed and the ball joints were perfect. This is something to add to the Tech List for cars with this type of control arms.

I did most of the heavy and complex under car work during the “heat-dome”. As it turned out, I experienced only short periods of extreme dehydration, delirium, and loss of some basic body functions. The good news is that when it came to heating up the sub-frame bushing to the correct “sizzle” temp, I had to apply very little additional heat because the parts were so fxxxing hot as is. I believe I saved $1.63 in MAPP Gas by doing it this way.

I brought the car up to the shop for alignment which as it turned out, they had a hard time with the initial attempt. Long story short, I had installed the lowering springs on the yellow Koni’s upside down and clocked 180 degrees out – could not have screwed that one up more. I know there is a thread out there and if anybody needs pics on how they should look – let me know. I was working with my son on this and he kept telling me I was doing it wrong and I kept referencing my 40 years of working on cars. I will hear about that one for a while I fear. After the struts were assembled correctly, the car came into alignment easily but all the tolerance on the right side of the car were used up. Somewhere in the last 14 years something did get tweeked under there. I forgot to ask if they saw any signs of prior accident or body work but will do so next time. As far as I can tell, the panels are straight and original. Update: I did email he shop today and they confirmed they saw no signs of body repair or poor work – Good news (Won the Lotto Again!!!)

The center drive shaft support bearing was trashed. Depending on the car, this can be buried deep and not visible.

Aluminum hoods do not hold up to golf ball size hail very well – piss me off. It did fund the first two phases of this operation with this incident but the car needs paint work anyway as the clear-coat is peeling.

This thing is a blast to drive and so far, this project seems to be going well.

Last edited by BlackTalon; 10-06-2016 at 08:22 PM.
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 10-06-2016, 09:03 PM
911lnv87's Avatar
911lnv87 911lnv87 is offline
Freeloader
 
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Mclean
Posts: 242
911lnv87
Default

Well Done and congrat on the work!
__________________
Louis

1986 - 944 Turbo 2.8L - Graphite Metallic - DD
1988 - 944 n/a - 82K miles - Dark Blue - SOLD
1987 - 911 - Dark Blue - SOLD
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 10-06-2016, 09:30 PM
Dandelion's Avatar
Dandelion Dandelion is offline
 
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Herndon/Reston, VA
Posts: 1,911
Dandelion
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by HughA44s View Post
...I did most of the heavy and complex under car work during the “heat-dome”. As it turned out, I experienced only short periods of extreme dehydration, delirium, and loss of some basic body functions. The good news is that when it came to heating up the sub-frame bushing to the correct “sizzle” temp, I had to apply very little additional heat because the parts were so fxxxing hot as is. I believe I saved $1.63 in MAPP Gas by doing it this way.
Well done, sir!

ed
__________________
ed

2016 GT4
2012 Cayman R
2005 Lotus Elise
1994 RX-7 R2
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 10-06-2016, 10:57 PM
HughA44s HughA44s is offline
 
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Woodbridge, VA
Posts: 603
HughA44s has one HoF thread
Default

Thanks Ed

Thanks Louis
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 10-06-2016, 11:11 PM
Jazzbass's Avatar
Jazzbass Jazzbass is offline
Site Admin
 
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Germantown, MD
Posts: 11,814
Jazzbass has eight HoF threadsJazzbass has eight HoF threadsJazzbass has eight HoF threadsJazzbass has eight HoF threadsJazzbass has eight HoF threadsJazzbass has eight HoF threadsJazzbass has eight HoF threads
Default

Nice! Every time I look under the hood of an E46 M3 I start thinking about ways to adapt their expansion tank to a regular E46. Nice write up on your project - I didn't see that you installed reinforcement plates on the chassis while you had the subframe out. Did you consider this?
__________________
Chris M
1985 911 Carrera with a couple cosmetic only mods
2006 E90 330i
1999 E46 328i
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 10-07-2016, 06:35 AM
HughA44s HughA44s is offline
 
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Woodbridge, VA
Posts: 603
HughA44s has one HoF thread
Default

Jazz, I did consider it but as of now they are not cracked. I did not want to try this lying on my back, I am looking at the structural foam approach but in the end, I may run it up to a shop in a year and have it done. In the meantime, I think I will watch them closely.
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 10-07-2016, 07:14 AM
HoodPin's Avatar
HoodPin HoodPin is offline
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Monrovia, MD
Posts: 10,688
HoodPin
Default

Looks great! Nice work.
__________________
- Tony P.

Currently
- 1984 944 SP2 racer
- 1977 911 KM Special vintage racer
- 2012 Cayman R (also the wife's)
- 2000 Boxster S (now mine)

- 1995 993 (garage queen)
- 2007 Cayman S (wife's track beast)
- 2017 F350 (tow monster)
- 2018 Jeep Wrangler

Gone but not forgotten
- 1989 944S2
- 1979 RX7
- 1986 944
- 1991 944S2 (in car heaven...)
- 2001 Chevy Suburban 2500 (FIL's beast now)
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 10-07-2016, 07:49 AM
HughA44s HughA44s is offline
 
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Woodbridge, VA
Posts: 603
HughA44s has one HoF thread
Default

Actually Jazz, I was going to ask you to come to my house, with your welding gear, lay on your back under my car, in 100 degree weather (99% humidity), and weld in plates. In the end, I decided this was a bit of an "Over-the-Top" request and cancelled that plan. Another idea I had was to come up to your house, take your projects off your lift, occupy your garage for a week and have you weld in the plates. Again, rejected as "Over-the-Top". I really like how you did yours.
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 10-07-2016, 11:05 AM
Jase007's Avatar
Jase007 Jase007 is offline
Moderator
 
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Falls Church, VA
Posts: 4,984
Jase007 has three HoF threadsJase007 has three HoF threadsJase007 has three HoF threads
Default

Nice work.
__________________
Jase


'58 -'76 P-cars
SSPI ~ JScott Racing
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 10-07-2016, 12:52 PM
chillindrdude's Avatar
chillindrdude chillindrdude is offline
 
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: Alexandria
Posts: 124
chillindrdude
Default

sweet car. i will probably move to an e46 after next season.
__________________
Neil's trackable street car

2016 Porsche GT4 -- 981
Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump