What have you done with or to your M3 today?

Silos wrote

Same. It's incredible how rough it looks half way though the process, and what I've been able to salvage with more resin and sanding. So thank you!

By the way, no clear coat here - I polished the resin!

Absolutely, I wanted to polish the resin on my parts but i installed them and have way to much time in to risk ruining them without UV protection.

Not sure of you're process but I've been skinning mine in the "traditional" way but I picked up some bleeder/breather cloth and a bunch of those space saver vacuum bags. Ya know the ones you can use to put blankets and cloths in and vacuum them down to save space. Then I put them in my oven at 170 F for about an hour, when my wife is in bed of course. curing the resin at a higher temp will cure the resin harder and the vacuum will help bond and saturate the cloth better.

Sorry, im nerdy about this stuff.

Installed e88's and Kw clubsport 2 way
Wheels will be painted satin black center and gloss black outers

Picked up some leatherique. Just need the weather to warm up a bit here.

LakeSurfer wrote

Absolutely, I wanted to polish the resin on my parts but i installed them and have way to much time in to risk ruining them without UV protection.

Not sure of you're process but I've been skinning mine in the "traditional" way but I picked up some bleeder/breather cloth and a bunch of those space saver vacuum bags. Ya know the ones you can use to put blankets and cloths in and vacuum them down to save space. Then I put them in my oven at 170 F for about an hour, when my wife is in bed of course. curing the resin at a higher temp will cure the resin harder and the vacuum will help bond and saturate the cloth better.

Sorry, im nerdy about this stuff.

No worries!

The resin I use is UV resistant. I've used it to repair my high-kick oem wing and roof with no signs of yellowing.

aAnd I don't use the vaccum bagging method, I simply use adhesive, lay the cf, do a few coats of resin, sand, more resin, sand, clear coat or polish.

I am looking to try the vacuum method as well (but with no heat).

BURAKUSTA wrote

Installed e88's and Kw clubsport 2 way
Wheels will be painted satin black center and gloss black outers

Nice! Is that Moonstone metallic?

MaximusB wrote

Picked up some leatherique. Just need the weather to warm up a bit here.

Fun times ahead lol.

6ixSpd wrote

BURAKUSTA wrote

Installed e88's and Kw clubsport 2 way
Wheels will be painted satin black center and gloss black outers

Nice! Is that Moonstone metallic?

MaximusB wrote

Picked up some leatherique. Just need the weather to warm up a bit here.

Fun times ahead lol.

Thank you, its 3m satin metallic silver wrap.

Car wash in West LA. Next to a E90 with an exhaust, looked like Dinan.

Went out for a cruise and came across an abandoned gas station

Drove it to golf... ma boys x5m looking stout in Monte Carlo blue

Slathered up the skins in Leatherique Rejuvenator with a 2x2in sponge and rolled her out into the sun.

jd501 wrote

Car wash in West LA. Next to a E90 with an exhaust, looked like Dinan.

Why do you get it washed there? That big sign screams to me "I could have no idea what I am doing and the damage I do to your car you are SOL over"

jdamore wrote

Slathered up the skins in Leatherique Rejuvenator with a 2x2in sponge and rolled her out into the sun.

Nice. The longer you let it sit, the better. Use a sun shade or hang some towels over the windows to prevent direct sunlight exposure - just to be safe.

MaximusB wrote

Picked up some leatherique. Just need the weather to warm up a bit here.

I suspect this will be a hot summer vs previous years considering the temps we've seen already.


Cleaning the interior is a hassle, takes forever. It sucks not having a garage anymore. I use Lexol Leather Cleaner and conditioner.

jdamore wrote

Slathered up the skins in Leatherique Rejuvenator with a 2x2in sponge and rolled her out into the sun.

everything looks wet. Did you do the plastics too?

Scooped up my refinished valve covers yesterday from the powder coater. Purchased a used set on here from another member to see how it would turn out as mine are pretty worn out and have that mustard shit inside the cap... Thinking I'll get them installed in a few weeks and get new spark plugs, tubes, oil change, and whatever else is recommended with the VCs off.

wfdeacon88 wrote

Scooped up my refinished valve covers yesterday from the powder coater. Purchased a used set on here from another member to see how it would turn out as mine are pretty worn out and have that mustard shit inside the cap... Thinking I'll get them installed in a few weeks and get new spark plugs, tubes, oil change, and whatever else is recommended with the VCs off.

Pics of the inside?

This is what you should have done.

wfdeacon88 wrote

Scooped up my refinished valve covers yesterday from the powder coater. Purchased a used set on here from another member to see how it would turn out as mine are pretty worn out and have that mustard shit inside the cap... Thinking I'll get them installed in a few weeks and get new spark plugs, tubes, oil change, and whatever else is recommended with the VCs off.

I've never understood why BMWs always have issues with valve covers. I've seen countless for sale ads where the seller notes in the service history "valve cover gaskets replaced @ xxx miles". That and control arms.

Actually, I get the control arms - BMW engineered them to be the weak link in most of their suspensions so all the wear gets concentrated in that one part that's easy and cheap to replace.

Or am I just making that up to make myself feel better about my M3?

bmwpower603 wrote

wfdeacon88 wrote

Scooped up my refinished valve covers yesterday from the powder coater. Purchased a used set on here from another member to see how it would turn out as mine are pretty worn out and have that mustard shit inside the cap... Thinking I'll get them installed in a few weeks and get new spark plugs, tubes, oil change, and whatever else is recommended with the VCs off.

Pics of the inside?

This is what you should have done.

Is that OEM? I figured it wouldn't be much to risk $250 total for uses VCs and blast/powder coat them, and see how they turn out... I wasn't a fan of paying $1400 for OEM unless absolutely necessary. But if you have information that makes these not good to use, I'm all ears.

The inside on these were cleaned and blasted to rid it of the OEM paint that was peeling and other buildup.

I think the $250 inside bead blast and exterior powder coat makes sense as long as you are able to clean up the gasket surface and the covers aren’t warped so you get a good seal. I would not spend $1400 on new valve covers unless there was no other option. I have only 103k miles, so I simply replaced the gaskets.

pbonsalb wrote

I think the $250 inside bead blast and exterior powder coat makes sense as long as you are able to clean up the gasket surface and the covers aren’t warped so you get a good seal. I would not spend $1400 on new valve covers unless there was no other option. I have only 103k miles, so I simply replaced the gaskets.

agreed, I actually paid 150 for the covers, someone just wanted to sell their old ones cheap on here, and then $115 or so for the bead blast and powder coat... which was cheaper than I expected. They don't appear warped, I'm not sure about how the gasket surface, it looks alright, I assume it's better than the current ones I have that are slightly weeping (no leak just collecting dust where it's barely letting out something). I can go 5K miles with oil indicator not moving from the top bar.. but I figured I would try to do a budget minded preventative maintenance and knock out some new plugs, etc.

wfdeacon88 wrote

pbonsalb wrote

I think the $250 inside bead blast and exterior powder coat makes sense as long as you are able to clean up the gasket surface and the covers aren't warped so you get a good seal. I would not spend $1400 on new valve covers unless there was no other option. I have only 103k miles, so I simply replaced the gaskets.

agreed, I actually paid 150 for the covers, someone just wanted to sell their old ones cheap on here, and then $115 or so for the bead blast and powder coat... which was cheaper than I expected. They don't appear warped, I'm not sure about how the gasket surface, it looks alright, I assume it's better than the current ones I have that are slightly weeping (no leak just collecting dust where it's barely letting out something). I can go 5K miles with oil indicator not moving from the top bar.. but I figured I would try to do a budget minded preventative maintenance and knock out some new plugs, etc.

How does one know if the covers are actually warped or not I've got some signs of leaking oil too. I've replaced the gaskets previously. I'm told it's the covers now and only replacements will really fix the issue. Blasting and powder coating warped covers doesn't fix anything but how to really know if they're warped?