1999 M3 daily driver running log
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Got my oil analysis back from Blackstone Labs. Everything came back well within acceptable ranges and Blackstone gave it a good bill of health. Really happy to hear that.
Did more investigating related to my annoying noise. Ran the motor with the oil cap off to check for vacuum leaks, noise didn't change at all with the cap on or off so I now know it isn't vacuum related. I also have been listening to it on the road and it is purely RPM based. It doesn't get louder or quieter depending on the load placed on the engine, which leads me away from thinking it is an exhaust manifold crack/leak. Since I know it isn't related to the accessories and it is solely based on RPM, and also that the timing chain tensioner seems to have affected the noise a little, I am thinking it is related to the timing chain guides. It's entirely possible that one of them is cracked or gouged from when that random plastic cap fell into the engine (or some other time). I am going to order both lower guides and just bite the bullet (again) and pull everything apart to replace them. I didn't see anything horribly bad last time I had a look at them but I also didn't get to inspect them all that closely.
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118k: Replaced the rear rotors and pads as they were pretty shot. Also installed the rest of the braided stainless brake lines and flushed the system with Ate type 200 fluid. No more brake squeal and it stops on a dime!
Haven't had time to get to inspecting the timing guides, but it is running great and the noise isn't getting any worse so I don't think it's too big of a deal.
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119.2k: Installed an OEM 3-button keyless/alarm system last night. Pretty easy to install, only issue I had was the siren mounting location was being occupied by the larger euro headlights so I had to modify the mounting bracket and place it near the radiator. Not too happy with the location though, had to point it upwards towards the hood insulation so the alarm isn't very loud despite being ear splitting with the hood open. Eventually I will lengthen the wire harness and put it somewhere else in the bay or possibly behind the front bumper where the sounds isn't so muffled.
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I always felt like I was walking away from a spaceship when I would lock my last e36 with the factory alarm.
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I feel like I'm in a submarine that's under attack when I forget to turn the lights off.
DIVE DIVE DIVE DIVE
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I wish my coupe had the fob still=/ My compact had both fobs and two original keys. Only thing I didn't have was the plastic key. I have that for the coupe though=)
Alarms/keyless systems were a dealer installed option so if you have all the other parts installed you can buy the correct fob (ebay usually has one or two) and program it to the module behind the glove box! You just need to get one with the right FCC ID. I only got one fob for my system and I'm going to pick up another soon
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I wish my coupe had the fob still=/ My compact had both fobs and two original keys. Only thing I didn't have was the plastic key. I have that for the coupe though=)
I have it somewere I think. Along with an extra key as well.
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Bought some LED headlight bulbs from a group buy on r3v to put in my low-beams and it turned out they didn't fit in my ZKW's. So, instead of returning them I bought some cheap fog lights and put them in there since I didn't want to chop up my stock ones. They definitely light things up better than before:
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119.5k:
Picked up an x-brace from a guy down in Racine over the weekend, threw some paint on it and bolted it in the car tonight after work:
The hardest part of that install was probably jacking up the car thanks to the later M3 front subframe already having the threaded holes. Took it for a quick spin and it felt a little sharper and more stable while I aggressively dodged potholes around my apartment, and the extra oil pan protection is a big plus.
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The interior of this car looked awesome yesterday. Glad to see you made it out
2011 E92 M3 6MT ZCP - ESS 625 supercharged
2007 Z4MR
2003 E39 M5
2002 E46 M3
2021 X5 40i -
glad to hear no more metal in the pan!
were those LEDs from R3V worth it? i almost got some for high beam bulbs, but changed my mind after finding 75w bulbs for like $10.
Dan
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glad to hear no more metal in the pan!
were those LEDs from R3V worth it? i almost got some for high beam bulbs, but changed my mind after finding 75w bulbs for like $10.
I'd say it depends on your application. They ultimately did not fit behind caps on my ZKW's so I only ran them for a day or two. Overall, maybe a 10-20% improvement over halogens, they are definitely brighter but didn't throw light much further, but I'll probably get 55w HID's for the low beams eventually. They are great for the fogs though since I didn't have to mount ballasts or deal with a lot of heat like HID's, and they take the fogs from useless to actually improving visibility closer to the car in dense Lake Michigan fog, so worth it in that application.
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