E46 Touring Life
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DM sent. Still have my compact sitting here with a blown headgasket...
Where'd you get a deal on the 3L? Do they have more?
I have a feeling it was this guy.....
https://chicago.craigslist.org/nch/pts/d/trevor-bmw-330i-330xi-parts-part-out/7279203117.html
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White-ish Bay. So fresh and so clean
Isn't that where @DrLeadFoot lives?
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White-ish Bay. So fresh and so clean
That cleaned up really nicely!
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I guess I never paid much attention, but the front subframe on AWD cars is quiet different.
Yeah it's a heavier beast for sure.
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That cleaned up really nicely!
Thanks! I give credit to a friend of mine who enjoys cleaning. Me, not so much, lol.
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Thanks! I give credit to a friend of mine who enjoys cleaning. Me, not so much, lol.
I have been over here ready with toothbrush and Simple Green waiting for an invite to the cleaning party.
1000 shop towels later, It looks so good
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I have been over here ready with toothbrush and Simple Green waiting for an invite to the cleaning party.
1000 shop towels later, It looks so good
Lol. Chris was working on his motorcycle this past weekend. Out of nowhere he stopped, walked over to the engine bay and started cleaning it. I wasn't going to stop working on the intake and cv axle to stop him.
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Lol. Chris was working on his motorcycle this past weekend. Out of nowhere he stopped, walked over to the engine bay and started cleaning it. I wasn't going to stop working on the intake and cv axle to stop him.
️lol. @The Full Banana is the same way. Put a cleaning product and towel in his line of sight and he can't resist the urge to start cleaning engine bays.
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Ran into a snag with the broken control arm bolt stuck in the car frame from one's the previous owners. Have tried drilling it out and using extractor with no luck. Next step is heating with propane torch and quenching with wd40 to see if that breaks it free with extractor. If not, guess it's drilling out to bigger size, retapping, enlarging hole on control arm mount and bolting it in with bigger bolt.
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Ran into a snag with the broken control arm bolt stuck in the car frame from one's the previous owners. Have tried drilling it out and using extractor with no luck. Next step is heating with propane torch and quenching with wd40 to see if that breaks it free with extractor. If not, guess it's drilling out to bigger size, retapping, enlarging hole on control arm mount and bolting it in with bigger bolt.
No dice on welding a nut to it? Or is it too far recessed into the frame?
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No dice on welding a nut to it? Or is it too far recessed into the frame?
Would be a messy weld as it isn't flush with frame surface. Welding on your back in a tight space isn't the easiest either, lol.
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Would be a messy weld as it isn't flush with frame surface. Welding on your back in a tight space isn't the easiest either, lol.
Ah bummer, the nut trick only seems to work well if there is some of the bolt sticking out. Would be very counter productive to accidentally weld it to the car haha.
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Ah bummer, the nut trick only seems to work well if there is some of the bolt sticking out. Would be very counter productive to accidentally weld it to the car haha.
Lol yes! Yes it would.
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Took another crack at it with the extractor but heating it first with a torch. As I was turning the extractor with the tap handle, the entire threaded insert broke loose and fell inside the frame rail.
Leaving me with an empty hole, a few different ideas came to mind. To keep damage to the frame rail to a minimal, I opted with opening up the hole just enough to snugly tap in a threaded coupling. Ground off the finish and applied a layer of jb weld to possibly help things hold from inside. Left it about 1/16" out from frame in order for the welds to have more surface area to mend with.
I then welded it all around, ground it flush to frame, put a skim coat of jb weld to fill any pinholes left over and sprayed it black. Paint is still wet in pic, but you get the idea.
Crisis averted!
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Normally all e46s have the rear manual shifter bushing bracket already on the chassis, but of course the touring did not. Went ahead and purchased the bracket from FCP Euro. Had to modify it by cutting the ears off as they were preventing the bracket from sitting flush against surface. Once good, I drilled some holes in the three tabs as well as the trans tunnel and pop riveted the brqcket on with some steel rivets. Sprayed some black paint over everything to prevent rusting as well.
I also installed the front prop shaft and installed clutch fluid line on brake fluid reservoir and finished the wiring for the clutch switch. This required adding wires to a DME plug and an EWS plug. For this. I went to the pick-n-pull and cut out some plugs with pigtails. I then de-pinned two wires to allow me to attach the new wires right into the plugs like factory. Then just extended the wires to the clutch switch and done! Sorry no pics of that since it was tight under the dash while working.
Hopefully will have the engine/trans installed in the chassis this week.
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The ship has landed!
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Subframe secured, electrical all connected, new slave cylinder and lines installed, front axles installed, new tierod in, suspension all buttoned up, driveshaft/heatshield/exhaust installed, radiator and all hose connections done, and steering shaft connected.
Waiting on all fluids to show up in mail this weekend. Then it's on to changing oil in front diff, rear diff, transmission, transaxle and engine. Along with new coolant and brake fluid.
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