2009 Melbourne Red E90 Slicktop Build Log

Hello everyone-

Just wanted to make a thread to document my time with this new to me car as it could be helpful for the next owner should I ever decide to part ways.

This is my second BMW, first M car. A few cars ago I owned a CPO E90 335i that I really enjoyed but traded up for a truck.

I just recently sold my 996 911 that I really enjoyed but always wanted to try out this generation of M car.

Couple details on the car. Bought from a member here in the classifieds who was great to work with.

08/2009 build (2009)
Melbourne red over bamboo
Slicktop
DCT
EDC
Miles at possession are at 116k

Couple things that are done to the car:
- monoball thrust bushings
- Active Autowerke cat delete pipes
- Dinan springs with supplemental ride quality kit
- Dinan underdrive pulley
- Rod bearings done by Eurotech Motors @ 103k
- Unknown if TA's have been done
- Valve cover gaskets replaced @ 105k

Goals at the moment are to make sure that I make sure maintenance is taken care of due to the miles on the unit.

Ordered a new air filter, oil change kit (plan to send to Blackstone as well as I have a sample kit to send them), motor mounts as well.

Plans for this car at the moment are to get a set of wheels ordered in 18x10 +25 (that is what was on the car as well before I took possession so already aligned for that). Will probably end up going with Bilstein B16 that is EDC compatible. I also have an ABE Recaro Pole Position on order from the summer that was going to go in the 911 but still isn't here

Anyway, thanks for welcoming me to the community, I've actually been a forum member for some time. I am sure I will have plenty of questions/ask for recommendations as I go, especially maintenance related. I'll also start to get more pics up on my IG account as well @jrrineha

Updated Mod/maintenance List:
- monoball thrust bushings
- Active Autowerke cat delete pipes
- Dinan springs with supplemental ride quality kit
- Dinan underdrive pulley
- CSF aluminum radiator (3/22)
- iND matte black side grilles (3/22)
- New front rotors/pads, new cabin filters and MLT Engineering undertray (7/10/22 / 117,511 mi)
- Oil change with BMW 10w60 and mahle filter from FCP (10/21/22 / 118, 875 mi)

Welcome and congrats on the purchase! The car appears well cared for, specifically the paint looks tremendous with over 100k miles on the clock

One question I had with your service items is the RB service performed @103k. It's a service I will need to do in the future, and every quote I have received always included replacing the motor mounts, because the OEM's always fail and it's easy to replace them with RB service. Any idea why they didn't replace the MM with RB service?

I am also interested to see if you end up updating to the Bilstein B16's that are EDC compatible. I am looking to make OEM+ type upgrades to my car, and I have heard good reviews on the B16's.

Congrats again and good luck with mods/upgrades!

Rino924 wrote

Hello everyone-

Couple details on the car. Bought from a member here in the classifieds who was great to work with.

08/2009 build (2009)
Melbourne red over bamboo
Slicktop
DCT
EDC
Miles at possession are at 116k

Couple things that are done to the car:
- monoball thrust bushings
- Active Autowerke cat delete pipes
- Dinan springs with supplemental ride quality kit
- Rod bearings done by Eurotech Motors @ 103k
- Unknown if TA's have been done
- Valve cover gaskets replaced @ 105k

Goals at the moment are to make sure that I make sure maintenance is taken care of due to the miles on the unit.

Ordered a new air filter, oil change kit (plan to send to Blackstone as well as I have a sample kit to send them), motor mounts as well.

Will probably end up going with Bilstein B16 that is EDC compatible.

Anyway, thanks for welcoming me to the community, I've actually been a forum member for some time. I am sure I will have plenty of questions/ask for recommendations as I go, especially maintenance related. I'll also start to get more pics up on my IG account as well @jrrineha

Lookin good.

br2wdc wrote

Welcome and congrats on the purchase! The car appears well cared for, specifically the paint looks tremendous with over 100k miles on the clock

One question I had with your service items is the RB service performed @103k. It's a service I will need to do in the future, and every quote I have received always included replacing the motor mounts, because the OEM's always fail and it's easy to replace them with RB service. Any idea why they didn't replace the MM with RB service?

I am also interested to see if you end up updating to the Bilstein B16's that are EDC compatible. I am looking to make OEM+ type upgrades to my car, and I have heard good reviews on the B16's.

Congrats again and good luck with mods/upgrades!

Thanks! I am unsure why they didn't. I had a PPI done where it came up. The RB's were done 2 owners ago so couldn't ask the seller.

roastbeef wrote

Lookin good.

Thank you!

Couple updates and will update soon with more pics because that is what everyone wants to see (myself included)!

Changed the air filter out this weekend for an OEM unit. Car is also on track pads that are pretty loud. Going to swap in the meantime with OEM pads that came with the car. Started to take off lugs and the wheel lock tool snapped on me. My Milwaukee impact was struggling on a lot of the studs so they must have been over-torqued.

Dropped by the dealer today to take off the wheel lock studs. Have a motorsport hardware stud kit en route so will go ahead and get that all converted.

Wheels are also on order. 18x10 +25 Diamond black TE37SL's. Also looked to swap out my long standing order with a different Recaro Pole Position so we will see if that gets approved.

More pics to come!

Got the car up in the air last night to prep for pad change, wheel studs and motor mounts. Looks like I have a heavy leak from what I think is the oil filter housing gasket. To the point where it is dripping off the skid plate. So looks like I'll have to add that to the list as well as some other things while I am in there.

Rino924 wrote

Got the car up in the air last night to prep for pad change, wheel studs and motor mounts. Looks like I have a heavy leak from what I think is the oil filter housing gasket. To the point where it is dripping off the skid plate. So looks like I'll have to add that to the list as well as some other things while I am in there.

Nice! Those TE37s are gonna look great!

I think I'm in the same boat with the OFHG, wish there were some more DIY's on it. I'm thinking to change waterpump, t-stat, belts, pulleys while I'm there.

Drifter2090 wrote

Nice! Those TE37s are gonna look great!

I think I'm in the same boat with the OFHG, wish there were some more DIY's on it. I'm thinking to change waterpump, t-stat, belts, pulleys while I'm there.

Thanks!

Here is a good thread that I am currently asking questions in. I don't see a how to on Youtube or anything. Debating on making one as someone who has never done this. Might me a nightmare. Might be beneficial lol.

https://www.m3post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1312849&page=3

Rino924 wrote

Thanks!

Here is a good thread that I am currently asking questions in. I don't see a how to on Youtube or anything. Debating on making one as someone who has never done this. Might me a nightmare. Might be beneficial lol.

https://www.m3post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1312849&page=3

Yeah that seems like the only good thread. The mention of the cutdown T30 seems super helpful.

You should definitely make a video since there are zero right now!

Brake pads swapped for now until I figure out what direction I will go with those. I don't think I'll mess with them any this year.

Had some time last night to pull the air box out, belly pan and skid plate under the oil pan for motor mounts coming up. Hoping this week I can order all my belts, pulleys, water pump, thermostat, etc to tackle the leak. Added some pics, it's pretty bad. Going to be a lot of clean up, but looking forward to getting the job done.

Also the belly pan is a little rough, I think I am going to order an aluminum one for when I get it all reassembled.

I had the same leak its definitely the OFHG. I followed the same thread and cut down the t30 and taped it into a wrench it worked great. The job itself isn't hard just time but consuming and dealing with tight spaces. I did the valve cover gaskets, thermostat replacement w/ the O rings needed for the tubes on that, spark plugs, spark plug tubes, new belts, macht schnell pullies, and basically anything else in that location while I had it all apart. Congrats on the purchase!

Thanks! Yes I need to get the parts ordered and find a time to knock that job out.

Few parts showed up today. I am going to need to sell/swap this recaro for a different one. I ordered it over half a year ago for a different car. The seat is awesome but won’t remotely come close to matching

Thanks! I appreciate it!

Couple updates:

Motor mounts replaced
78mm Motorsports Hardware stud kit installed

Quick question, does anyone know a good replacement bulb for the headlights that are the OEM amber color opposed to white? I'd like to go ahead and look into switching them out while I am in there.

Rino924 wrote

Quick question, does anyone know a good replacement bulb for the headlights that are the OEM amber color opposed to white? I'd like to go ahead and look into switching them out while I am in there.

H8 Bulb - Osram/Sylvania 07119906503

Appreciate it!

Had a moment to get the plenum off this morning just to have everything ready to go for oil filter housing gasket, water pump, belts and thermostat.

I don’t have any history from what I can on the car in regards to TA’s being taken care of. Still have some research to do, but judging by this pic, I assume it will be in my future.

Not too many updates. Spring is now here and weather is getting a bit better. At the halfway point of getting the car back together after oil filter housing gasket replacement. Still not thrilled about getting the car on the road until these potholes are fixed!

New belts, hoses, o-rings, coolant line, water pump, thermostat, sensors, etc all going back in hopefully in the next couple weeks. Also since I was that far into it, I went ahead and ordered a CSF radiator to replace the OEM. Looking forward to putting some miles on the car this Spring/Summer!

Also put some stickers on the new wheels for my daily 4Runner. Picked up some OG Volk stickers in blue for the diamond black SL's as well. Just need to ceramic coat them and get everything all mounted up.

Finally wrapped up a majority of the winter maintenance on the car. Actually got it out on the road to finally enjoy it after purchasing in December. Started with a leaking oil filter housing gasket, but went ahead and knocked out a good deal of things for peace of mind.

Drove it for about an hour and it was a blast. Only had about 20 or so miles of drive time on it once it was delivered to me before it was parked for winter and maintenance.

Wanted to make sure everything is good and then I will mount the oil pan skid plate up and also order an MLT undertray this week to finish it off for a bit. Below are the maintenance items that were knocked out this winter:

Mileage: 116,340
• New air filter
• New water pump
• New thermostat
• New oil filter housing gasket
• New temp sensor
• New power steering pulley
• New belts
• New radiator hoses
• CSF radiator
• Motorsport Hardware wheel studs
• OEM brake pads
• New matte black side grilles
• New OEM oil filter
• New motor mounts

MLT Engineering skid plate ordered to replace the oem one that I have off anyway. Also got OG stickers on the TE's and just need to ceramic coat. Also cleaning up the oil pan skid plate so it is squeaky clean before install.

While I wait for the arrival of the MLT pan, I started to clean up the oil pan skid plate in the meantime. You can see the pic above from the oil housing gasket leak how gross it was. This was the initial hose down. I'll use some aluminum cleaner to finish it off in the garage so it is completely clean before reinstalling. That way I can tell should anything start to leak under my ownership.

Also went ahead and put OG decals on the TE's. Just need to find time to ceramic coat them before getting tires put on.