[Brule]

The large diff only needs about 2mm of grinding for lsd to fit. That was for the mfactory lsd anyway.

Theres zero reason why the diff cannot be welded.

Best thing you can do, chuck that auto in the bin asap

[jzx_andy]

Originally Posted by Brule

The large diff only needs about 2mm of grinding for lsd to fit. That was for the mfactory lsd anyway.

Theres zero reason why the diff cannot be welded.

Best thing you can do, chuck that auto in the bin asap

Haha, if I can lift it into a bin!!!

Yeah it seems like our local shop aren't too confident on tackling a 335i diff build at this stage. Think I'll just send it to Diff Lab - would you recommend them, or anyone else for that matter?

[Brule]

I think coupes used thst guy.

[Coupes33]

Originally Posted by Brule

I think coupes used thst guy.

I have been thinking about how to answer this. Yes, I have used Diff Lab for almost 3 yrs and if you asked me a couple of weeks ago, I would have fully endorsed Mike and Diff Lab but recent events have totally destroyed our relationship. Having said that, the issues I have had with Diff Lab shouldn't alarm anyone else from using them. Mike does an excellent job with BMW differentials and any interstate person wouldn't have the issues that I am currently dealing with.

[Brule]

Never go wrong with a mig just weld her up mate.

[1275]

Let me know when you plan on tackling the gearbox.

Great progress so far. Shame the diff is a hassle to get done locally.

[jzx_andy]

Update time!

Well, I did the manual swap. It was a huge undertaking on my own part, especially on jack stands. But I got there.

My Motiv flex fuel kit managed to crap itself at some point during the 6mt swap, so I have a replacement on the way from Motiv

Anyway, here's some piccies:




maiden drive as a manual


Also threw in a retrimmed M Sport steering wheel without paddles and a Carplay/Android Auto CIC box to make the cabin a nicer place to be.









Car is driving great although I'm getting used to the twin plate + smfw noises haha! Very happy with the conversion, car feels so much more engaging to drive and the Xtreme organic twin plate is a freaking awesome clutch. It's super driveable (I've been commuting in it everyday for the past 3 weeks or so, something I have never done with the E92) and it should handle the sort of torque that an unopened N54 would let go at, so I'm confident it will last me a long time. Only put about 450km on it so far, so I am still being fairly kind to it, but it definitely feels a lot more responsive. Can't wait to see how it rips with some E85 in it.

Seeing as I need to be easy on the clutch for now, I might aswell sort out the rear end and get an LSD in asap so I minimise break in km's.

I am hoping to have all my handling/cosmetic mods sorted out within the next few months or so. Slowly getting there with my goals for this car.

[eastsidaz]

Your build is quite inspiring. Nice updates!

[Socket]

Originally Posted by jzx_andy

Update time!

Well, I did the manual swap. It was a huge undertaking on my own part, especially on jack stands. But I got there.

My Motiv flex fuel kit managed to crap itself at some point during the 6mt swap, so I have a replacement on the way from Motiv

Anyway, here's some piccies:




maiden drive as a manual



Also threw in a retrimmed M Sport steering wheel without paddles and a Carplay/Android Auto CIC box to make the cabin a nicer place to be.









Car is driving great although I'm getting used to the twin plate + smfw noises haha! Very happy with the conversion, car feels so much more engaging to drive and the Xtreme organic twin plate is a freaking awesome clutch. It's super driveable (I've been commuting in it everyday for the past 3 weeks or so, something I have never done with the E92) and it should handle the sort of torque that an unopened N54 would let go at, so I'm confident it will last me a long time. Only put about 450km on it so far, so I am still being fairly kind to it, but it definitely feels a lot more responsive. Can't wait to see how it rips with some E85 in it.

Seeing as I need to be easy on the clutch for now, I might aswell sort out the rear end and get an LSD in asap so I minimise break in km's.

I am hoping to have all my handling/cosmetic mods sorted out within the next few months or so. Slowly getting there with my goals for this car.

Nice work Jzx !!!! How are you finding the clutch?

[jzx_andy]

Originally Posted by Socket

Nice work Jzx !!!! How are you finding the clutch?

Other than the noise/chatter, I am loving it! Pedal feel is very good for a clutch that can handle ~1200nm and it is very forgiving when driving around in peak hour traffic, it has enough slip to make taking off easy. Twin plate organic is definitely the way to go on a street N54 build with more than about 300rwkw IMO

[Hoper]

Originally Posted by jzx_andy

Other than the noise/chatter, I am loving it! Pedal feel is very good for a clutch that can handle ~1200nm and it is very forgiving when driving around in peak hour traffic, it has enough slip to make taking off easy. Twin plate organic is definitely the way to go on a street N54 build with more than about 300rwkw IMO

+1, nice work JZX, I'm happy with that clutch as well and yep the noise is the hardest thing to cope with, still bugs me a little, but worth it IMHO

[1275]

Congratulations mate. Great outcome. I bet you are loving it every day.

I am yet to decide on clutch and flywheel combo for when I eventually get to mine. I'm not sure if I can deal with the chatter.

If you (and any other Perth folk) are keen to meet up for a cruise, I'd love to check out your setup.

[jzx_andy]

Originally Posted by 1275

Congratulations mate. Great outcome. I bet you are loving it every day.

I am yet to decide on clutch and flywheel combo for when I eventually get to mine. I'm not sure if I can deal with the chatter.

If you (and any other Perth folk) are keen to meet up for a cruise, I'd love to check out your setup.

Thanks man. Definitely keen to cruise, but car is off the road all signs point to a dead slave cylinder. Waiting on parts sucks

[jzx_andy]

Update time!

Things were going well with the tranny swap until ~750km later. Clutch pedal went out in peak hour traffic. Narrowed it down to a broken slave cylinder or a clutch line fitting underneath the car that leaked and lost hydraulic pressure.

In the meantime, I did a few things:

Got a replacement flex fuel module kit from Motiv (somehow the one in my car got busted during the 6MT swap).

Flashed a custom firmware on my China CIC unit. It's much better now and I can use hey Google voice controls for navigation, music etc with the OEM ceiling microphone!



Got a custom alcantara handbrake boot to match the shifter boot



Got some pedal covers



Got some goodies from VAC Motorsports. This one really hurt the wallet. Should be fitting the damper within the next week or so, hopefully this will provide some peace of mind in terms of reliability and hopefully reduce gearbox chatter while the car is rolling around at low rpm's.



I also got to check out the new G8x M3 and M4 in the flesh a couple of weeks ago as Auto Classic were showing them off via private appointments. Got up close and personal with the pre-production models they had at our local dealer - these are not road legal (as they weren't complied for Aussie roads) and sadly could not be test driven. I heard that they were at our dealer for just one week and then were going to be sent back to Germany and repurposed.

I might be getting used to the front end on the G8x cars - I didn't mind them too much in the flesh. Not a beautiful car and not very BMW IMO as the exterior styling seems very generic to me. Good enough when compared to all the other overstyled cars out there I suppose.









These seats are a ~$7.5k option. Would love to know if these can fit in an e9x haha!

I've left the best part for last here. I finally ordered wheels for my E92. Excited is an understatement!!!

[Hoper]

Hey, where'd you get the handbrake boot from? Is it good quality?

[jzx_andy]

Originally Posted by Hoper

Hey, where'd you get the handbrake boot from? Is it good quality?

Hey Hops.

I ordered it through Stealth Auto along with a manual shift boot (just in case it didn't match nicely with the BMW perf shiftboot. Stealth Auto appear to be based in the US or Canada. What I ultimately received came from The Tuning-Shop, who are from the UK. So it looks like Stealth Auto are selling others' products/stock and slapping their own premium on top of it. Might aswell avoid the middle man and order directly from the Tuning-Shop.

https://tuning-shop.co.uk/53-e90-e91-e92-e93-2005-2013

The quality is definitely acceptable and considering they charge 9 GBP for a custom handbrake boot, there ain't much to complain about lol! From what I've seen on the internet, BMW perf alcantara handbrake assemblies for RHD e9x's were discontinued recently

It doesn't seem like Tuning-Shop have ones with white stitching but seeing as that's where mine came from, it might be worth dropping them an email.

[Hoper]

Originally Posted by jzx_andy

Hey Hops.

I ordered it through Stealth Auto along with a manual shift boot (just in case it didn't match nicely with the BMW perf shiftboot. Stealth Auto appear to be based in the US or Canada. What I ultimately received came from The Tuning-Shop, who are from the UK. So it looks like Stealth Auto are selling others' products/stock and slapping their own premium on top of it. Might aswell avoid the middle man and order directly from the Tuning-Shop.

https://tuning-shop.co.uk/53-e90-e91-e92-e93-2005-2013

The quality is definitely acceptable and considering they charge 9 GBP for a custom handbrake boot, there ain't much to complain about lol! From what I've seen on the internet, BMW perf alcantara handbrake assemblies for RHD e9x's were discontinued recently

It doesn't seem like Tuning-Shop have ones with white stitching but seeing as that's where mine came from, it might be worth dropping them an email.

Thanks Mate

[1275]

Originally Posted by jzx_andy

Thanks man. Definitely keen to cruise, but car is off the road all signs point to a dead slave cylinder. Waiting on parts sucks

Sorry to hear about the hassle.

Your car is looking amazing and I am loving the mods you've done.

I have all the parts at my office for my manual gb conversion. If you want anything to try/test or even take then replace later, you are welcome to any of the parts.

Everything is in Malaga and I can get there over the weekend if you want anything.

Waiting game sucks. You think we'd be used to it in Wait Awhile (WA).....

[southwest335i]

anything further on fuel issue? i have stock 335i (N55) and dealer in Perth has been chasing engine derate code under moderate throttle...fitted new plugs, coils, injectors, both low and high pressure fuel pumps - the HPFP seemed to do the trick but now its shows signs of being overheated and has spun a bearing, has a bent conrod and questionable crankshaft: i should have stuck with older models - have a neat e36 325i coupe, and e46 325i sedan, both of which have done over 200,000kms and no big dramas- just the usual things like water pump etc.

[Socket]

Car is coming along nicely
Whats next ?

[jzx_andy]

Originally Posted by Socket

Car is coming along nicely
Whats next ?

Thanks Socks haven't got up to too much as I just want to get the car back on the road and see how the twin plate goes with the car on E50.

I recently did the brake booster hard pipe tuck with some 8AN hose that I had laying around, and threw on a fresh Msport steering wheel trim as my original one was looking a bit tired.

If Difflab can reply to emails I'd be looking at sorting out the rear end once and for all! Other than that, I might do the sump gasket, VAC baffle and M3 rack, but I'm really dreading dropping the front subframe haha!

[Socket]

Originally Posted by jzx_andy

Thanks Socks haven't got up to too much as I just want to get the car back on the road and see how the twin plate goes with the car on E50.

I recently did the brake booster hard pipe tuck with some 8AN hose that I had laying around, and threw on a fresh Msport steering wheel trim as my original one was looking a bit tired.

If Difflab can reply to emails I'd be looking at sorting out the rear end once and for all! Other than that, I might do the sump gasket, VAC baffle and M3 rack, but I'm really dreading dropping the front subframe haha!

Nice... sounds like quite a list. Good luck with that subframe, is definitely easier with two people