WyattH | E90 M3 ZCP

derbo wrote

If it is clunking, chances its the endlinks.

I actually bent an end link a month ago somehow. Now the right side of my car has slightly more camber. It's actually visible though.

954MM wrote

I actually bent an end link a month ago somehow. Now the right side of my car has slightly more camber. It's actually visible though.

Lowering cars occasionally do affect endlink lengths. Adjustable endlinks are a good idea for those.

In your case, since you are using stock endlinks, I bet that clunk isn't the endlinks unless they are destroyed on the joints.

Drifter2090 wrote

Wow looks great with the Brembos now!

Now that you've had the E90 for some time, what do you think about it vs the E46?

I've recently got an itch to get an 6MT E46 M3!

Thanks! Some extended thoughts on that comparison in post #2.
Can't go wrong adding a clean 6MT E46 to the stable. They're a classic, a ton of fun by any standard, and will hold value.

954MM wrote

My car clunks and I had no idea you could adjust the sway bar. Guess I should try that. Beautiful car!

Adjusting the sway bar [stiffness] shouldn't solve the clunk. But the clunk may be due to endlinks, as Derek points out. Mine was clunking because it wasn't installed quite right by the first shop, but VT straightened it out and tightened it up (no preload) as it should be. Silent now.

wyatth wrote

Thanks! Some extended thoughts on that comparison in post #2.
Can't go wrong adding a clean 6MT E46 to the stable. They're a classic, a ton of fun by any standard, and will hold value.



Adjusting the sway bar [stiffness] shouldn't solve the clunk. But the clunk may be due to endlinks, as Derek points out. Mine was clunking because it wasn't installed quite right by the first shop, but VT straightened it out and tightened it up as it should be. Silent now.

Im gonna try adjustable ones. My friend did it and said he gets no more clunking. Im only on swift springs.

954MM wrote

Im gonna try adjustable ones. My friend did it and said he gets no more clunking. Im only on swift springs.

Be sure to tighten the swaybars when the suspension is loaded!

derbo wrote

Be sure to tighten the swaybars when the suspension is loaded!

This!

Spot my car in there.

Your car looks great with the brembos.

wyatth wrote

Back to VT Motorworks today, always in good company there.
Dinan camber plates and new OE top hats and bump stops went on. The original hats and stops looked like new (@50K), but oh well. Now set to -2* up front.

^ Small world! We were all admiring SSII while standing around.


- Replaced the missing bumper/trim screw shown in the underbody/muffler picture on the previous page.

- Ordered two of the OEM trunk hooks (P/N 51477140606) and broke a pin on each during installation. Total POS they are, decided to bag 'em (pun intended) since I don't really need them anyway, just thought they were nifty and cheap.

- Wrapped the blue stripe on the M Performance Wheel with red gaffer tape. I was reluctant at first because it seemed like a cheap approach. But I must say it looks original (other than covering the stitching on the bottom)! It took a couple of tries to get it 100% perfect, but the tape has a great texture and is exactly 1cm wide, so it fits into the crevice of the original stripe perfectly. My blue was fading a bit (nice quality, BMW! /s) and I wanted to mix it up to match the brakes. This was intended to be a trial before having the wheel professionally rewrapped, but I think I will just keep it this way since the alcantara is in great shape.




- Went for a romp behind the Berkeley hills this weekend. I am really happy with the car's dynamics and front end grip now. And the brakes are fantastic, no surprises there.

Steering wheel does look good! I really wish they'd offer a red stripe M performance wheel.

I know I can go aftermarket on the wheel and have one of the common guys do it but I'm just afraid it won't be as good as OE quality. Every OE wheel I've seen has had every last stitch look perfect.

^ Agreed, I wish they did as well!
I think some of the pros can match the OEM stitching, but you get what you pay for. I actually wasn't super impressed with the OEM blue stripe; it was straight but didn't really sit flat under the stitching (not to mention it wearing through the color so quickly/easily). The rest of the wheel is fantastic, though.



Blasted the AC evaporator and blower motor with Nextzett Klima Cleaner. My HVAC doesn’t smell at all but the evap issues on these cars scare me, so this was more preventive maintenance. Supposedly the cleaning foam not only cleans the components of dirt and pollen but also neutralizes any acid buildup.

Awesome thread and E90...always good to see fellow locals.

RE36TRO wrote

Awesome thread and E90...always good to see fellow locals.

Another Local whooo

^ Thanks! We should schedule a meetup, there are quite a few of us in the area!

——

I went hill climbing up Mt Diablo yesterday while everybody else was out shopping. The car was strong and smooth from sea level to ~4K’ elevation, surely the brisk weather helped. It started raining on the way back; I think it’s my first time in the rain with this car. Not because it’s a garage queen, rather because it rarely rains here and it’s a weekend toy/second car. Regardless, it all felt great and was a lot more fun than a mall.

Hopefully these are the last photos with the dark tint.

Lookin good. Hope all is well brother!

Thanks, Sal! All is great, and good to see you around! I've been thinking lately about how this car is taking some cues from my first S2000 - white with gunmetal and red BBK/accents. I still miss that car (and actually the FX35 you hooked up too, even though we have a QX70S in the garage now!). Can you believe that was 15 years ago? Throwback!

wyatth wrote

Thanks, Sal! All is great, and good to see you around! I've been thinking lately about how this car is taking some cues from my first S2000 - white with gunmetal and red BBK/accents. I still miss that car (and actually the FX35 you hooked up too, even though we have a QX70S in the garage now!). Can you believe that was 15 years ago? Throwback!

Pic of your S2000? I didn't know you had one.

Here was mine with the original set of wheels I had on it. It eventually got some identical wheels in Mercury silver but most of the time I owned it, it was on the Titanium Gunmetal.

wyatth wrote

^ Thanks! We should schedule a meetup, there are quite a few of us in the area!

——

I went hill climbing up Mt Diablo yesterday while everybody else was out shopping. The car was strong and smooth from sea level to ~4K’ elevation, surely the brisk weather helped. It started raining on the way back; I think it’s my first time in the rain with this car. Not because it’s a garage queen, rather because it rarely rains here and it’s a weekend toy/second car. Regardless, it all felt great and was a lot more more fun than a mall.

Hopefully these are the last photos with the dark

Wow that is a beautiful area man!

Helmsman wrote

Wow that is a beautiful area man!

The Bay Area is blessed with a lot of wonderful backroads and local race tracks.

Helmsman wrote

Wow that is a beautiful area man!

Thanks! I am lucky to have the park entrance/gate 10 minutes from my home.

//steve\\ wrote

Pic of your S2000? I didn't know you had one.

Here was mine with the original set of wheels I had on it. It eventually got some identical wheels in Mercury silver but most of the time I owned it, it was on the Titanium Gunmetal.

That looks gooooooood! Those cars will always be special to me (wyatth @S2KI), and have the perfect recipe for timeless fun: NA high revving engine, lightweight with proper balance, RWD with LSD, 6MT with a divine shifter, reliable and easy to work on ...

Back in 2004 I bought a 2001 GPW/red, and I went totally overboard ricing it out. It had some great parts (every combination of intake and exhaust possible, 4.57 gears, Prodrive wheels (and TE37s), Stoptech ST40, AP2 front and rear lights, Js Racing front bumper, OE hardtop, T1R braces, and so on), but also some total crap that I cringe about now (Buddy Club coilovers that rode like a skateboard, Bride Pro and JIC Magic seats that were no better than OEM, more vents than a block of Swiss cheese, T1R 70r exhaust that was loud as hell, etc.). But it was a ton of fun and a great learning experience doing all of that work in my garage.
I then took a sports car/modifying break with an FX35 that I got from Sal above. And after that I found myself in another S2000, an '02 Sebring. I told myself less is more this time around: I swapped a Suzuka and black two tone interior into it (really liked that), put on NSX wheels, Espiler springs, a simple intake and test pipe, proper tires/alignment, OEM hardtop again, and some other basic doodads.

I actually recognize that car. I've been on s2ki for 10+ years and had a number of them. Car was super clean. Those Prodrives have always been one of my favorite wheels on the S2000. A bit understated but look so good.

Small world! I liked them a lot, great wheels, but I was also forced to run them because of the brakes. The Prodrive spokes justtttt barely cleared them with proper offsets. S2 offsets are tough to work with!

wyatth wrote

Small world! I liked them a lot, great wheels, but I was also forced to run them because of the brakes. The Prodrive spokes justtttt barely cleared them with proper offsets. S2 offsets are tough to work with!

Roll the fenders and don't look back. I never understood why so many people were so hung up about not doing it. I know so many people that have totally messed them up even with "safe" offsets. Rolling if done properly isn't really even noticeable.

That said, one of my favorite parts of the M3 is just how much wheel and tire you can fit without having to touch them.