[old grey steve]

Good to met you today Alan.... Just in case you were wondering how it's going as promised we cracked on and got some jobs competed. So she's arrived as with all cars we test drive them first just to get a feeling for each car we're about to look after apologies for iPhone spec photo's by the way.

Once in the workshop we'll verify that parts(if customer supplied are present-or if we need to supply parts the technician will go over the job to ensure that what's been ordered or requested by myself matches the car/job in front of the technician.



once on the ramp we'll carry out regardless of the job requested either a basic vehicle check(at no cost) or a in depth health check from any service(s) we offer. Once the checks done we or shall I say I get the info back from where I can react/inform the customer of any required/potential work required to the car. As with anything with us this is supported by photographic evidence and nothing is pushed in terms of hard sell etc.

So Yoro's cars in for CAT Less down pipe install(taking place tomorrow) BMS Catch can install(again taking place tomorrow) rear diff oil change, gearbox sump and fluid change and change of rear pads.

So Alan if you're wondering how it all went here's a few snaps I managed to get when I wasn't constantly as you saw answering the phone, booking people in or receiving BMW or Mercedes parts drivers in dropping of parts.

First the gearbox oil change using a genuine BMW sump these are becoming something of a regular occurrence for us and are quite straightforward to complete. So up in the air



and off we go. First the sump plug was undone and the fluids allowed to flow



and this is what ended up in the bucket



Umm nice and black and smelly how the hell can thus stay in the box for life your sump looks like this



Sadly I missed the opportunity to photos of the re fill but just before this took place managed to get a shot of the mechatronic plate




and everything is OK so on with the sump then the units was refilled until the fluid starts to exit the drain hole pass our pressured filler pipe, it's then time to get someone in the certain fire her up and run her through the gears(while the cars 6ft in the air we run the car through the gars in auto/sport auto then in manual mode for around 6/8 minutes on average to ensure the fluid is circulating then afterwards the level is re checked as it will require more fluid again it's put in until the fluid once again is seen to be flowing past our pipe when this is the case you're pretty much there.

The cars run up again just to check(by now she'll be nice and hot) in total Alan the standard fluid used in this process is usually 6.5 to around 6.9 litres as we're not draining the torque converter which is far more long winded yours used 6.6 litres which is pretty much bang on with what we'd expect from one of these.

Next the rear diff. Good news here.



no leaks as dry as anything so no issues here. So off with the plug





and re fill



nice and east plug put in place and the final job of the day the rear pads as modelled by our resident picture whore Kieron



As I said at the start we do a vehicle inspection on all our cars though the down pipes are being attended to tomorrow something I've seen on mine and a couple of other 335i's is also present on your car Alan and this is it.





oil residue dripping down on to the CAT's something we talked about today but we will have a full look over(with photo's tomorrow) I suspect a rocker cover gasket leak something that's happened to me before.

But that's it til tomorrow. If anyone's wondering if there cars in safe hands trust me it is.

Steve

[AlanYoro35i]

thank you steve!! glad the car is in good health.

p.s i really hate the smart car!!

[bmwspeed01]

Where is this work going on, a BMW specialist?

[AlanYoro35i]

A1bn specialist. Long drive but it seems its worth it knowning steve will look after me !

[old grey steve]

Originally Posted by Yoro35i

thank you steve!! glad the car is in good health.

p.s i really hate the smart car!!

there an acquired tastea bit like eating frogs prone

Originally Posted by bmwspeed01

Where is this work going on, a BMW specialist?

indeed www.a1bnspecialist.co.uk/

[mob17]

I'm definitely going to visit you steve when i get back to the UK! Your standard of work looks like what us members need. Do forum members get any discount?

[makkan00]

Seems like excellent work is going on.

[gaza01]

Ive only spoken to Steve once about a few issues with my car and i got to say, the confidence i got from just that one phone call! I'll defo be using them. You get that feeling that yr car will be treated as if its their own. Worth it id say!!

[Rudz]

Very knowledgable and offers honest advice, will be booking mine in shortly to get some work done...

[Josh1a1h]

Great Idea Steve! Posting up progress pics!
Well you already had my confidence so just a matter of when and what we sort on my 335i!

Gd luck with the DP install today

[old grey steve]

Only fly in the ointment this morning the gasket seals I'd ordered for Alan failed to arrive and will arrive on the afternoon van which is a bit of a which I'll let him know about shortly as I've been waiting for them to arrive

But cheers for the comments chaps more photos on the way later this evening once I get home

[old grey steve]

Day 2 fun time.

Yours and mine in the air so that we can check exactly how all my sensors were routed.




Sounds OTT but is worth doing just in case there are issues re routing the cables safely.

Sadly missed a lot of the deconstructions as we are seriously busy which means I get pulled around a lot re phones and walk in customers therefore pictorial wise its lacking a wee bit. But the CATS came out without too much drama(though its fairly tight in there).




everything looks in order here managed to look at that little bit of oil coming from the the rear and its a small leak from the cars breather system Alan only small but its present and if you've got a warranty of some description if the PCV is covered(as mine is)its worth investing time in a phone call to get it sorted as these sort of issues can if allowed to escalate create problems. But at this stage its small.. but get it looked at

Once all this lots off managed to get a quick snap or 2



as you can see the turbine blades look in good health. AS you'll see from the final photo below



there is a small amount of oil staining again from the breather but the rocker covers all been checked and I'm pleased to say she is bone dry, catch can went in while I was away so didn't get anything photo wise I'm afraid.

Your car Alan went in sounding like every other 335i we had once keyed it up she sounds different blip the throttle and you can hear the turbo's like mine spool up though your exhaust is quieter than mine(mine sounds very metallicy)re sound like an E46 M3 its really weird but its nice yours is more laid back but......

When driven its different. Never driven a Cobb equipped car with a bigger intercooler first thing I picked up on is the more brutal delivery(your going to enjoy your drive home my friend -trust me) its more muscular then it seems to calm down where mine builds up momentum also noted the slight lag you reported when we first me but the turbo noise on yours sounds if anything a little sweeter than mine you can hear the wastegate's more (didn't know if you have a charge pipe as I simply didn't get chance to look)

But yes to sum up car drives really well, no knocking, no fouling all lambda sensors are safely routed and we're happy to sign the job off as complete

We'll check it over again first thing in the morning as we always do but see you tomorrow morning.


Steve

[AlanYoro35i]

omg wow,

i can't wait til tommorow morning. I guess i wont be able to sleep tonight haha

thank you so much steve!!

and i hope other member enjoy this post as much as i do

[old grey steve]

Originally Posted by Yoro35i

omg wow,

i can't wait til tommorow morning. I guess i wont be able to sleep tonight haha

thank you so much steve!!

and i hope other member enjoy this post as much as i do

bloody hope so the amount of running to and fro to get the pics answer the phone book people in and order and get the required parts of suppliers has made me lose a stone I swear

But yep all part of the experience we try to offer with 6 people, difficult but fun but we're appreciated as you can see from this lot

http://www.reviewcentre.com/reviews182031.html

Don't forget to add yours

Forgot to say one thing I did pick up on was the design of your CAT less pipes they are like mine VRSF, yet they are different looking to mine which my tech Alan(another one!)noticed so maybe they've had improvements which is why perhaps things sounded slightly different?

[AlanYoro35i]

Originally Posted by old grey steve

bloody hope so the amount of running to and fro to get the pics answer the phone book people in and order and get the required parts of suppliers has made me lose a stone I swear

But yep all part of the experience we try to offer with 6 people, difficult but fun but we're appreciated as you can see from this lot

http://www.reviewcentre.com/reviews182031.html

Don't forget to add yours

Forgot to say one thing I did pick up on was the design of your CAT less pipes they are like mine VRSF, yet they are different looking to mine which my tech Alan(another one!)noticed so maybe they've had improvements which is why perhaps things sounded slightly different?

Re:dp's mines are V2's so you probably got V1?

Was the installation good?

This is the power i should be getting from cobb, Full power from 2.5k rev and calms down like you said =]

[old grey steve]

Originally Posted by mob17

I'm definitely going to visit you steve when i get back to the UK! Your standard of work looks like what us members need. Do forum members get any discount?

I'll do what I can thing is its a business running on small margins so it can if I'm honest be difficult to be shall we say flattering re shaving prices.

The customers we see who have had a cheap deal or job done elsewhere regularity visit us for rectification work as in our neck of the woods we are usually apart from the main dealer(who struggle to connect to some customers) the last port of call. At the end of the day its not my call re what we do but I'm keen an the business is keen to get enthusiasts through the door as we have a lot to offer and we will help/assist where we can and you won't be disappointed.

Originally Posted by makkan00

Seems like excellent work is going on.

We try though at times I could do with your skills under my roof as the work you do is awesome. Your actually someone I'd like to met.

Originally Posted by gaza01

Ive only spoken to Steve once about a few issues with my car and i got to say, the confidence i got from just that one phone call! I'll defo be using them. You get that feeling that yr car will be treated as if its their own. Worth it id say!!

Flattery will get you everywhere, I try to be honest that's all I can say, won't get it right all the time if I don't know I'll tell you if I don't know I'll ask. I sold cars for 15 years so sometimes struggled to tow the corporate line as often seen to be outspoken if you follow me hence why I work a good friend who once looked after my car where I can be me. But come and see us again gaza won't be disappointed

Originally Posted by Rudz

Very knowledgable and offers honest advice, will be booking mine in shortly to get some work done...

As above I try nad have a reasonable mechanical knowledge but most of what I know picked up through seeing cars through the workshop with the same old issues same old data from diagnostic and inspection I just file it remember it and it seems to work for me

Originally Posted by Josh1a1h

Great Idea Steve! Posting up progress pics!
Well you already had my confidence so just a matter of when and what we sort on my 335i!

Gd luck with the DP install today

Yep pull yer finger out Josh the DP install went according to plan but again took longer than anticipated re time but its all about getting it right, which we have

[old grey steve]

Originally Posted by Yoro35i

Re:dp's mines are V2's so you probably got V1?

Was the installation good?

This is the power i should be getting from cobb, Full power from 2.5k rev and calms down like you said =]

Install Alan as I'll run through with you tomorrow took a bit longer than anticipated the thing with these is everyone we've done if we put the clock on it it seems to take longer but if you just "slap em on"I dare say it will be done quicker than we can do it thing is we don't want the car to come back so we take our time but yep went to plan 100% with zero concerns my friend

The pipes as you've confirmed are different then they were thinner at the top where mine were slightly wider and the path they follow looks slightly different.

The fact that your turbo's sound different when spooling up I guess now is done to the cone filter system your using(I'll look tomorrow as I simply didn't have time)

But I did pick up on the way the powers delivered very much as you say and can see to an extent in the graph you've provided mine feels different as explained above yours down low is more savage no doubt about it mine build up momentum in a slightly different manor(re mapped by Simon from e-maps) and feels more liner but I like the savage approach you really as you'll see tomorrow notice it when she spools up But for me it was an interesting exercise.

[AlanYoro35i]

Originally Posted by old grey steve

Install Alan as I'll run through with you tomorrow took a bit longer than anticipated the thing with these is everyone we've done if we put the clock on it it seems to take longer but if you just "slap em on"I dare say it will be done quicker than we can do it thing is we don't want the car to come back so we take our time but yep went to plan 100% with zero concerns my friend

The pipes as you've confirmed are different then they were thinner at the top where mine were slightly wider and the path they follow looks slightly different.

The fact that your turbo's sound different when spooling up I guess now is done to the cone filter system your using(I'll look tomorrow as I simply didn't have time)

But I did pick up on the way the powers delivered very much as you say and can see to an extent in the graph you've provided mine feels different as explained above yours down low is more savage no doubt about it mine build up momentum in a slightly different manor(re mapped by Simon from e-maps) and feels more liner but I like the savage approach you really as you'll see tomorrow notice it when she spools up But for me it was an interesting exercise.

HAHA lets just hope i have some fuel to get home with !!!

[Josh1a1h]

THIS IS AWESOME STEVE!!! I am just messaging alan right now... thinking about coming up and saying hi whilst he is there today.

Steve can you pm me your number please? I want to give you a call.

How was is WasteGate rattle after the DP install? louder and more pronounced?

[bmwak]

Great work Steve. Have had work done by Steve and team at A1 BN Specialist. Cannot rate them highly enough! The attention to detail is just top notch.

[AlanYoro35i]

Originally Posted by Josh1a1h

THIS IS AWESOME STEVE!!! I am just messaging alan right now... thinking about coming up and saying hi whilst he is there today.

Steve can you pm me your number please? I want to give you a call.

How was is WasteGate rattle after the DP install? louder and more pronounced?

haha i left already since i was picking up the car like 8.30am today,

forgot to mention my 70 miles journey back to basingstoke was fantastic. no rattles or wastegate rattle which i am very please about.

Gear change is noticably smoother than before.

once again , i can't thank steve enough.

cheers pal!

[old grey steve]

Originally Posted by Yoro35i

haha i left already since i was picking up the car like 8.30am today,

forgot to mention my 70 miles journey back to basingstoke was fantastic. no rattles or wastegate rattle which i am very please about.

Gear change is noticably smoother than before.

once again , i can't thank steve enough.

cheers pal!

no worries it's all part of the job read your PM re the O2 sensors I'll double check tomorrow and will let you know.