What have you done with or to your M3 today?

[PAM3Guy]

Did a track day last weekend, then gave her a nice bath to get all the OPR and brake dust off once I got home, and also washed the engine bay.

[Reddevils7]

Originally Posted by jvictormp

Yesterday I took the original Style 220 wheels to the shop, to have them diamond-cut again. As one of the front wheels got a crack, and I'd need to buy a replacement, I decided to buy two rear wheels, and make a square setup with a deeper concavity on front axle too.

Of course I washed them thoroughly before seating them in the cabin like passengers.

I feel like some things on this car that used to be less desirable are now becoming more appreciated, and the 220s with a diamond-cut finish are one of them.

Yeah my car came with a mint set when I bought it a few years ago and it was the first thing I swapped/sold for 1k. I liked the aesthetics of the set but they're too narrow and cast. I run apex vs-5rs. If they were forged and zcp specs then I would've kept it

[LKN624]

I swapped the wheels from my E90 onto the E92 this evening. The E92 has stock non-comp springs…not sure if it needs to be lowered or not…but the ZCP wheels definitely suit the E92 well! I am leaning towards no…as it actually looks alright.

[DrFerry]

Originally Posted by LKN624

I swapped the wheels from my E90 onto the E92 this evening. The E92 has stock non-comp springs…not sure if it needs to be lowered or not…but the ZCP wheels definitely suit the E92 well! I am leaning towards no…as it actually looks alright.

Agreed. It looks great with the ZCP wheels. It was meant to be.

[powerbait]

Originally Posted by Reddevils7

Yeah my car came with a mint set when I bought it a few years ago and it was the first thing I swapped/sold for 1k. I liked the aesthetics of the set but they're too narrow and cast. I run apex vs-5rs. If they were forged and zcp specs then I would've kept it

The 220M wheels are forged, sadly the 359Ms are not, but they come in more desirable widths and styling than the 220Ms.

[Reddevils7]

Originally Posted by powerbait

The 220M wheels are forged, sadly the 359Ms are not, but they come in more desirable widths and styling than the 220Ms.

220s were forged? I stand corrected. Do you happen to know the wheel weights? I know width was 8.5/9.5 "

[spammysammich]

Oil and cabin filter change. Next weekend spark plugs and brake flush. Can’t decide if I want to do the full ISTA flush or just a pressure bleed. Motive pressure bleeder was fine last time

[Helmsman]

Originally Posted by smokinjoe64

OMG...looks like been washed with 'you know who' premium cost, algae latented water
Joke aside, GL sorting properly...

Haha, while The Clown and his gang is amusing over here it must at times be pretty frustrating in your courner...!

[jvictormp]

Originally Posted by DrFerry

Thanks for the photos from Brazil. The new wheels look great and so does the ride height stance from that rear corner photo. Things look really green down there in Brazil even if you are moving into winter time in the southern hemisphere. Looking forward to the Scotland vs. Brazil World Cup soccer match next Wednesday in Miami. Historically, Brazil always has a great team.
.
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/zkwxyllaVwE

Thanks! Such a great place to live, I always get to appreciate beautiful portraits.
And what an incredible atmosphere in the stadium! That crowd sang very passionately.
Brazil's team is trying to find that magic we lost somehow in a recent past. Hope we can put up a good game against Scotland. Are you going to watch it at the stadium?

[THEROK]

I love steamrollers mmmm.

Going back to stock plenum/intake. Hardly used full matte cf Eventuri kit on sale soon in CA fs.

[DrFerry]

Originally Posted by jvictormp

Thanks! Such a great place to live, I always get to appreciate beautiful portraits. And what an incredible atmosphere in the stadium! That crowd sang very passionately. Brazil's team is trying to find that magic we lost somehow in a recent past. Hope we can put up a good game against Scotland. Are you going to watch it at the stadium?

Unfortunately I'm not going to watch the match in the Miami stadium - but I will watch it on TV or YT (https://www.youtube.com/@foxsports).

[reidetailing]

Detailed and filmed a masterpiece for my buddy Miguel's m3_ultra track-spec JDM-inspired E92 M3.
Him being a fan of Japanese culture, along with being Portuguese, I curated some quality music from my collection with the inspiration of Japan being the Rising Sun.
Songs like Fogo do Sol (Fire of the Sun) by Marcos Valle, elements of Sunbeam (Japanese BMW tuning shop) sticker, and finishing the video off with Sunset by Makoto Matsushita playing in the background while Miguel chases the sunset in his E92 M3 really has the details at the forefront.

I hope you all enjoy:

[Helmsman]

Originally Posted by THEROK

I love steamrollers mmmm.

Going back to stock plenum/intake. Hardly used full matte cf Eventuri kit on sale soon in CA fs.

Curious, why didnt you use the carbon plenum mate?

[PapaMurph]

New battery and alternator for her, she left me kind of stranded over the weekend

Drove an hour and a half on the interstate, then car sat for about 5 hours. When I got back in and started it up iDrive showed a message about increased battery discharge. I had another hour and a half back and about 5 miles down the road I got an ABS fault. Then about only one more mile down the road the trans started freaking out, making some weird shudder and I lost all power. Coasted off the to the side of the interstate and called a buddy to come jump me. Scanned it and had a whole slew of electrical codes along with a 278D.

The car only made it another mile down the road after the jump, so I had to buy a new battery at the closest auto store and put that in. Luckily she made it back the 50 miles home. My old battery is from 2023 and was probably in fine condition, but after being discharged that much I figured it is best just to put a fresh one in anyways. So new alternator and battery in now, fingers crossed no more electrical gremlins!

BTW, the alternator DIY is extremely easy. Probably the easiest thing I have done on the car so far

[spammysammich]

BMW compensates for the ease of the alternator DIY by making the starter a grade A PITA.

[DrFerry]

Originally Posted by spammysammich

BMW compensates for the ease of the alternator DIY by making the starter a grade A PITA.

What makes it so tough? Isn't it located within the "V" on the firewall end? So remove plenum, remove ITB loom (or move out of the way), but is there another tricky aspect to it? Just wondering...

[Thumbie]

Originally Posted by PapaMurph

So new alternator and battery in now, fingers crossed no more electrical gremlins!

Old battery probably causing all those issues I bet. I have noticed these cars will freak out in random ways when the battery is 0.00002 volts too low.

[jvictormp]

Was into a job that required removal of the reinforcement plate and the center bolt "screwd up". After releasing its torque, in some moment it began to spin freely, but something was spinning above with it. I've done this many times but can't remember how it screws into the thread up there.

If anybody has an idea, it will be welcome.

[CamasM3e93]

Originally Posted by DrFerry

What makes it so tough? Isn't it located within the "V" on the firewall end? So remove plenum, remove ITB loom (or move out of the way), but is there another tricky aspect to it? Just wondering...

The starter casing is bolted into the engine via firewall-side bolts that are very hard to get to. There are 3 of them in different positions and sizes/designs. I think 1-2 are torx and another hex. Can’t see anything and hard to get to them to even find and feel for them. Not much space to ratchet. It’s the only job I have given up on halfway for this car, saving it for my shop months later.

(I had a heckuva time on an e30 too but even the shop ended up having to lower the transmission for that one).

[DrFerry]

Originally Posted by jvictormp

Was into a job that required removal of the reinforcement plate and the center bolt "screwd up". After releasing its torque, in some moment it began to spin freely, but something was spinning above with it. I've done this many times but can't remember how it screws into the thread up there. If anybody has an idea, it will be welcome.

It's the "plug-in nut" fastener that is seated (clipped) on the front subframe. No: 11 in the diagram below.
.

[DrFerry]

Originally Posted by CamasM3e93

The starter casing is bolted into the engine via firewall-side bolts that are very hard to get to. There are 3 of them in different positions and sizes/designs. I think 1-2 are torx and another hex. Can’t see anything and hard to get to them to even find and feel for them. Not much space to ratchet. It’s the only job I have given up on halfway for this car, saving it for my shop months later.

(I had a heckuva time on an e30 too but even the shop ended up having to lower the transmission for that one).

Yikes, sounds like a nightmare. The BMW Boffins hid the PCV valve way back there too. Sounds like a good DIY thread. Or perhaps one already exists. Will search for one. PS: I just realize the word Boffin and Buffoon are similar.

Edit: I found the DIY thread.
https://www.m3post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1197330

[pfast52]

Originally Posted by jvictormp

Was into a job that required removal of the reinforcement plate and the center bolt "screwd up". After releasing its torque, in some moment it began to spin freely, but something was spinning above with it. I've done this many times but can't remember how it screws into the thread up there.

If anybody has an idea, it will be welcome.

See part 11 above. This happened to me too, I think my bracket is bent and it isn't fully holding the nut in place, so it unseated when I tried to remove it. I got it out by removing all of the bolts except for the one held in by this bracket/nut, and I used the weight of the skidplate to pull the nut down against the subframe, Then I loosened it with an impact and it came right out.

I used a vice and tried to pinch the nut back into place on the clip the best I could. Ended up putting some tiny washers in there so it wasn't so loosy goosey. Probably should just buy a new one, but didn't want to wait for the part and then get back under the car just for that