[vtl]

Originally Posted by ash335

Hey vince, is there a reason you went for 34Nm... the documentation that came with the plates state 18 ft-lb... 24.4Nm?

And, what washer are you referring to. I think my struts came with nylock nuts for the top... am I missing some washers?

Also... for the rear shocks... I am assuming the dinan kit changes the position of the upper guide support from above the mounting location to below the mounting location (thereby increasing range by the 10mm stated... correct? Now the dinan kit came with a nut and washer and the bilsteins came with a large flat washer for the top nut... where does this go? above or below? You can see the washer in question a few posts ago top right...

Lastly... when torquing up that top nut... I've got the coilovers at their lowest setting for install ease... If I raise the height after install... does that change the load/torque on the top nut... or do I have to loosen the top nut prior to any height change and re-torque after?

Keen to charge ahead with the install!

Never heard of ft-lb

34Nm is what the BMW spec is for the top mounts and rough road package spacers, so I chose to go with that. Since they use Nylocs youd probably be fine with 25Nm, I doubt itll make a difference, the grade 12.9 bolts that come with the Dinan plates will easily handle the extra torque though.

The washer I am referring to is the washer referenced in the previous step, the convex washer you mentioned they forgot to send you. This washer sits below the top mount. See the ECS tuning's coilover installation guide on youtube for a detailed install of how to assemble the top mount. It is by far the most correct installation guide available I've seen so far.

The washer for the Bilsteins go below the rear shock mount, I cant remember off the top of my head without having the parts in front of me where every part goes though. I think the washer might have actually sat inside of the shock dust covers, but you'd be better off reading the piece of paper that came with them as it came with a diagram.

The increase in shock travel comes from the fact the lower mount for the dinan is thinner, resulting in more shock travel.

You do not need to loosen the top nut.

[ash335]

Back from holidays... seems the BMW gods are not smiling on me ...

Huge bird poop on by boot lid (really need a carport/garage)... took some effort to get it off with the high pressure hose... clear coat is damaged underneath....

After washing car and driving back into driveway noticed the aux fan going very loudly... checked codes... 2E81, 2E82... looks like I need a new waterpump! I guess it has lasted almost 110k... reasonable.

[TIRA]

Originally Posted by ash335

Back from holidays... seems the BMW gods are not smiling on me ...

Huge bird poop on by boot lid (really need a carport/garage)... took some effort to get it off with the high pressure hose... clear coat is damaged underneath....

After washing car and driving back into driveway noticed the aux fan going very loudly... checked codes... 2E81, 2E82... looks like I need a new waterpump! I guess it has lasted almost 110k... reasonable.

Ouch, mine killed itself around 118k!

[ash335]

Small update...

Mid way through a waterpump/thermostat replacement...

Can't for the life of me get the front quick connect off the thermostat to access the top waterpump bolt...
Also, theres that electrical cable bracket that sits on the waterpump next to the bolt... I can't seem to slide it off the pump...


Any tips? for either of these problems

Car has been on stands for the last 10 days
Hopefully this weekend will be nice weather... and... the BMW gods will be in a good mood, lol.

Otherwise.... Vince... do you do home visits?

Unfortunately won't be able to get to the meet... today.

[vtl]

Did you remove the fan? Otherwise it's hard to get enough of a grip on the hose to yank it out. If you still can't get it out I can come over and lend a hand

[ash335]

Originally Posted by vtl

Did you remove the fan?

No, did not remove the fan... a bit of extra space would definitely help!
I'll give it a try this weekend.
Thanks for the offer of a home visit, much appreciated... will let you know if the n54 defeats me!

[Boganian Rubes]

Originally Posted by ash335

will let you know if the n54 defeats me!

..

[Boganian Rubes]

Make sure you have this in hand

[ash335]

Originally Posted by Boganian Rubes

..

Lol

Is that Magic the gathering?

[vtl]

Originally Posted by ash335

No, did not remove the fan... a bit of extra space would definitely help!
I'll give it a try this weekend.
Thanks for the offer of a home visit, much appreciated... will let you know if the n54 defeats me!

Easily done:

Detach semi rigid thin coolant pipe attached to top of fan
Remove top corner torx screw on fan
Remove torx screw holding on the AT heat exchanger to fan. (Underneath)
Remove fan upwards, takes a bit of patience but only takes a few minutes.

Get you hand on the coolant hose and yank with your body weight behind it, sometimes rocking the hose will unstick it.

[ash335]

Ok so small update...

N54 defeated me oficially ... could not get the damn thermostat pipe off.
Thankfully yoda drove down to save the day on Saturday.

Pipe came off with the help of removing the fan (highly recommend to do this to increase the space infront of the waterpump and thermostat).

Unfortunately my blissful ignorance that FCP would give me the right waterpump screws bit me in the butt... had the long screws. Vince had a spare set... short drive and we're all set to finish the job!

Last problem.... no, no, no...

Trying to fit the thermostat... no place for one of the pipes... ??? Remove it to find out FCP has sent me the wrong pump! Had to fit the old pump back.... fingers crossed eh?

Rest of the job went without a hitch.

Next day drove to Yoda Motorsport for the suspension overhaul.

M3 Control arms, B14 coilovers with DINAN fixed camber plates and rear DINAN shock mounts. Pics below of the goodies. Unfortunately no pics of Yoda's mechanics slippers .
We were worried that the setup might be too low, so set it at max height for the front and about 2/3 high for the rear.... looks perfect for me now.
Extended the toe arms by 5mm either side... car drove relatively straight... straight enough for Eastlink at least

Managed to squeeze in a quick alignment this lunch at Bob Jane T-Mart.
Front Toe 1.6 total (0.8/0.8) - target
Rear Toe 2.0 total (0.9/1.0) - pretty much target
Camber on the other hand...
Front: Left 2d 06' Right 2d 41'
Rear: Left 1d 23' Right 1d 54'
Front ride height is 5mm more on the left (585mm)... right side 580.
Rear ride height is 592mm


The guy said that thats as negative as the left will go and as positive as the right will go for the front.
Thoughts anyone?
If I raise the ride height on the right side by 5mm.... how off with the rest of the alignment get?


Raining tonight... so no pics of the stance. Will try this weekend... while I reflash the latest MHD and maybe try the xPH flash.

Car is transformed though. Just the short drive home from Yoda and then up and back to BJTMart... feels so much more solid/planted on the road...
And I've still got RFTs on, lol.

[///ASN]

We have got the same coilover!

did you notice that the front endlink bracket on the front strut is slightly different than the one on the OEM front strut?
How did you manage to get the endlink inserted into the hole and tightened?

People saying BMW originally designed the car to have LHS higher than the RHS to offset the driver & fuel tank. And since that logic is for LHD, for our RHD, I would make the LHS 5mm lower than RHS instead.

[TIRA]

Thanks for the comparison!

Looks like the B14 strut and slimmer than the oem?

[Socket]

Originally Posted by ash335

Ok so small update...

N54 defeated me oficially ... could not get the damn thermostat pipe off.
Thankfully yoda drove down to save the day on Saturday.

Pipe came off with the help of removing the fan (highly recommend to do this to increase the space infront of the waterpump and thermostat).

Unfortunately my blissful ignorance that FCP would give me the right waterpump screws bit me in the butt... had the long screws. Vince had a spare set... short drive and we're all set to finish the job!

Last problem.... no, no, no...

Trying to fit the thermostat... no place for one of the pipes... ??? Remove it to find out FCP has sent me the wrong pump! Had to fit the old pump back.... fingers crossed eh?

Rest of the job went without a hitch.

Next day drove to Yoda Motorsport for the suspension overhaul.

M3 Control arms, B14 coilovers with DINAN fixed camber plates and rear DINAN shock mounts. Pics below of the goodies. Unfortunately no pics of Yoda's mechanics slippers .
We were worried that the setup might be too low, so set it at max height for the front and about 2/3 high for the rear.... looks perfect for me now.
Extended the toe arms by 5mm either side... car drove relatively straight... straight enough for Eastlink at least

Managed to squeeze in a quick alignment this lunch at Bob Jane T-Mart.
Front Toe 1.6 total (0.8/0.8) - target
Rear Toe 2.0 total (0.9/1.0) - pretty much target
Camber on the other hand...
Front: Left 2d 06' Right 2d 41'
Rear: Left 1d 23' Right 1d 54'
Front ride height is 5mm more on the left (585mm)... right side 580.
Rear ride height is 592mm


The guy said that thats as negative as the left will go and as positive as the right will go for the front.
Thoughts anyone?
If I raise the ride height on the right side by 5mm.... how off with the rest of the alignment get?


Raining tonight... so no pics of the stance. Will try this weekend... while I reflash the latest MHD and maybe try the xPH flash.

Car is transformed though. Just the short drive home from Yoda and then up and back to BJTMart... feels so much more solid/planted on the road...
And I've still got RFTs on, lol.

Get rid of the RFTs immediately !!!

[Aus335iguy]

What he said

[ash335]

Originally Posted by Socket

Get rid of the RFTs immediately !!!

Lol, yes working on it.
Neova AD08R still the one to get?
Anyone tried the Bridgestone Adrenaline RE003? The MCM guys seem to like these...

Just was cleaning up the old suspension gear noticed a few things...

1. Old rear shocks, once compressed... take a goiod 5 min to lengthen again on their own accord... lol... looks like I was running on just springs for the last 14 months.

2. The old front suspension struts seem to have had some spacers on it... anyone else have these? (pics below) Theres no BMW logo/part number... no mention of this on Real OEM. They are 3mm thick and have holes for alignment pin locations.

[Ken Oath]

Looks like a camber plate. Installed to run a more aggressive negative camber.

[vtl]

They're not camber plates. All e92 oem struts seem to have them, seems to spread the load on the strut tower

[Ken Oath]

Try this P/N 51717180143

[Socket]

Originally Posted by ash335

Lol, yes working on it.
Neova AD08R still the one to get?
Anyone tried the Bridgestone Adrenaline RE003? The MCM guys seem to like these...

Just was cleaning up the old suspension gear noticed a few things...

1. Old rear shocks, once compressed... take a goiod 5 min to lengthen again on their own accord... lol... looks like I was running on just springs for the last 14 months.

2. The old front suspension struts seem to have had some spacers on it... anyone else have these? (pics below) Theres no BMW logo/part number... no mention of this on Real OEM. They are 3mm thick and have holes for alignment pin locations.

I got set of these for sale

[ash335]

xHP TCU Flash today
First did the MHD flash to the MT version, then flashed the xHP software on, and then followed with the stage 3 v2.2 flash.
Slight hiccup...
After the write it says to turn the ignition off, wait at least 10sec and then press ok... i read that as, press ok and then turn off, wait, etc...
I ended up re-flashing and doing it by the book... just in case that has an effect.

They recommended a light cruise for 60miles to let the system adapt.. so went for a cruise into the dandenong ranges.

First impressions...
Car is transformed (... again )... what Alpina should have been.
D mode is perfectly fine for general use. No longer hitting 5th at 50km/h, lol.
S mode is crisp, similar to Alpina.
I haven't given manual mode a good go yet (baby in the back seat).
Thankfully no codes, no mis-shifts, no problems at all.
Very happy customer.

Just need to organise the trans service soon. no time tho...

[///ASN]

Originally Posted by vtl

They're not camber plates. All e92 oem struts seem to have them, seems to spread the load on the strut tower

When I installed the B14, I don't see this plate?
My car is E92, am I missing something on my car?