[BBri89]

Bought some black aluminium mesh from everyones favourite auction side.
Fitted it behind the grilles to protect the new air con radiator and intercooler from stones.

Unfortunately the bottom of the bumper wouldn't fit again afterwards, the mesh I'd secured behind the lower grille was stopping the under tray from locating in the bottom of the bumper, so I had to remove the bottom mesh and will think about how to fit it in future.

Also planned on fitting 2 new horns whilst the bumper was off, as the Lo-tone one doesn't work and the Hi-tone one is very much on its way out... but they haven't arrived yet (expected them at least 2 days ago) so will have to do that via the plastic wheel arch when they arrive.


Took about 30 minutes of fettling afterwards to get the panel-gap between the bumper and bonnet right. Wasn't hard, just frustrating and time consuming to get it even the whole way across and match the gaps between bonnet and wings.


I also painted the V-brace with some black satin hammerite while the bumper was off, as some of the paint was starting to flake away and show the metal underneath.

[f30paul]

Really liking that idea, looks good too... heard some stories about stones damaging the extra 330e radiator so this is very interesting to me...

I can easily do the top kidney grilles, but the lower one (I have SE not MSport) is it removable without removing the bumper??

And could you provide a link to the mesh?

Thanks!

[haagm58]

Excellent, detailed write-ups and photos, thank you for contributing to the forum. Subscribed.

[BBri89]

Originally Posted by f30paul

Really liking that idea, looks good too... heard some stories about stones damaging the extra 330e radiator so this is very interesting to me...

I can easily do the top kidney grilles, but the lower one (I have SE not MSport) is it removable without removing the bumper??

And could you provide a link to the mesh?

Thanks!

It's item 264842705853 on eBay.
There's loads of pretty much identical ones available.

I don't know about the SE lower grille. The M Sport one does detach from the bumper, but not without removing the bumper first.

[BBri89]

Originally Posted by BBri89

STAGE ONE Remap


I'd been planning to get the car remapped however due to work situation that got pushed back a little bit.
I've just got back from getting it done by WG Motorworks who specialise in performance tuning, mostly of BMW M and Vauxhall VXR vehicles.

Very, very pleased with the results, and combined with the xHP gearbox tune, it is a completely different car to drive compared to how it was a few months ago.







As you can see from the graph, previous peak torque was 270ftlb.
Now, between 1900rpm and 4150rpm we've got 270 or more available, with a new peak torque of just a fraction under 320ftlb at about 2600rpm.

Previous peak power was 172hp (down a little bit on what I expected for the N47 181hp/184PS but not too bad).
New peak power is up 42hp to 214hp, hitting the old power of 172hp about 1600rpm earlier.

It's still reasonably conservative, we could have pushed it much more to achieve a bit more power, but I'm not chasing numbers. I'm after drivability and reliability.
Inlet temps, boost, fuelling, EGTs pre/post-Cat etc are all still nice safe numbers.


It now drives brilliantly, really can feel the difference, particularly rolling acceleration, like on a slip road or overtaking other cars.

So just for a bit of fun I decided to compare acceleration before/after the remap, using the BMW M Drive Analyser app.


Ignore the Acceleration Max on the before, I had the phone laid face-up on the cupholders so it was recording 1G in the wrong direction. For the afters I had it in a phone cradle correctly oriented.


These tests were conducted on the 3/4 mile driveway of a private property that I had permission to use, and not on public roads.


I just moved from holding it gently on the brake pedal to flooring the gas. Didn't use launch control. Sport mode with gearbox in S.

I'm sure I could get the times down using launch control and optimum shifting in manual or by tweaking xHP shift points. But I'm not a numbers-chaser, it was more for comparison of before and after.

And I'm impressed with the comparison. I already felt a massive difference in the way it drives, but the times put it into context.
Cutting 1.6 seconds off your 0-60s is pretty good going. 4 seconds off the 0-100s.


Will be interesting to see how the remap affects fuel economy. Most people seem to say that Stage 1 actually improves mpg, so when I fill up next I'll reset the trip computers and compare to my usual mileage economy.




0-60 before remap




0-60 after remap







0-100 before remap




0-100mph after remap

[F30_320D_UK]

Great thread. Car looks super neat. Loving the mods, OEM+
My 403M's look awful and needs a refurb. I'm definitely convinced on the grey you went for as well.

Subscribed

[vadimo]

Originally Posted by BBri89

Bought some black aluminium mesh from everyones favourite auction side.
Fitted it behind the grilles to protect the new air con radiator and intercooler from stones.

Unfortunately the bottom of the bumper wouldn't fit again afterwards, the mesh I'd secured behind the lower grille was stopping the under tray from locating in the bottom of the bumper, so I had to remove the bottom mesh and will think about how to fit it in future.

Also planned on fitting 2 new horns whilst the bumper was off, as the Lo-tone one doesn't work and the Hi-tone one is very much on its way out... but they haven't arrived yet (expected them at least 2 days ago) so will have to do that via the plastic wheel arch when they arrive.


Took about 30 minutes of fettling afterwards to get the panel-gap between the bumper and bonnet right. Wasn't hard, just frustrating and time consuming to get it even the whole way across and match the gaps between bonnet and wings.


I also painted the V-brace with some black satin hammerite while the bumper was off, as some of the paint was starting to flake away and show the metal underneath.

great idea, i just fallen a victim to the stone damage to the radiator, cost me £300 replace it and regas AC.

[isleaiw1]

Great write up, love what you have done with the car. Sorry to see the Mondeo die, they were such good looking, well equipped and good to drive cars. I always wanted that shape with the 5 pot 2.5T but even if they did it at that time I either did too many miles and needed a diesel or couldn’t afford one anyway!

Hope you get to enjoy it for another 5 years, but don’t restrict yourself to just BMW next time, learn from your father in law.....

[BBri89]

Originally Posted by isleaiw1

Great write up, love what you have done with the car. Sorry to see the Mondeo die, they were such good looking, well equipped and good to drive cars. I always wanted that shape with the 5 pot 2.5T but even if they did it at that time I either did too many miles and needed a diesel or couldn’t afford one anyway!

Hope you get to enjoy it for another 5 years, but don’t restrict yourself to just BMW next time, learn from your father in law.....

Thank you.

Yeah I did love my Mondeo and I'd probably still have it now otherwise. Do love my Bimmer though!

I used to love Audi's, particularly the late 90s early 00s, like the 8D on the B5 platform. I'd have definitely dreamed of an original RS4, or the RS2.

Or a 4B RS6.


But now I'm not such a fan tbh. They're solid cars, really good inside, but as a passenger I don't really like them (both the FIL's A4 Allroad and my wife's A3 make me feel carsick sometimes, not even when they're driving hard either).

I think the current Audi's aren't for me though. Maybe the next gen will get back into my shortlist.
Same with Mercedes... last gen W204 C class and W212 E class were great looking. The current models 213/205 are just too rounded and soft. No aggression at all. Great for a luxury trim if you're an airport chauffeur, but not got that sporty edge at all.

[Kal101]

Originally Posted by Londoner

Great detail sir!

Have been looking for an extendable arm rest myself, just need to find in the right colour- glad to see it's not too tricky to fit, even if I may need a bit of super glue!

RE Brake lines - interesting upgrade. I asked BMW last month during my service if there was a MP set of steel brake lines or some sort of upgrade (m3/4?) for the standard 340i lines but they looked at me blankly and said no.

Originally Posted by BBri89

If you don't carelessly break the air vent then you won't need the superglue 😂

Remove the outer part of the rear air vent trim thing, like in my picture, rather than the inner bit, and it's a really really easy job.


I've had braided lines on every single car and motorbike I've had, pretty cheap but useful upgrade. Never need replacing then unlike the rubber hoses, and it gives a firmer pedal especially if the old hoses were a bit stretchy. Having boiled my brakes on another car pretty badly once I always go for decent brakes now, good quality parts and fluid.

Done the braided brake lines myself. Couldn’t tell too much if it made a bit of a difference, which was due to the fact that on the last brake fluid change the tech had broken off one of the inner nipples and I don’t think he’d bled the system properly.

A new calliper later with the braided lines fitted the whole system felt better., more feel and bite.

A common issue , as well the nipples snapping off , is that the fittings can seize up. One of my rear ones did and necessitated replacing some of the original fixed pipe. Fortunately the guy I used builds hot rods and this wasn’t too much of an issue for him. He even tried drilling out the broken nipple but inadvertently touched the thread.

[The Flying Moose]

Very nice thread and detail, following it with interest...

Ive always loved the OEM style modifications.

Out of interest how did the guys who did the remap overcome the 4WD on what appears to be a 2WD dyno?

[BBri89]

Originally Posted by The Flying Moose

Very nice thread and detail, following it with interest...

Ive always loved the OEM style modifications.

Out of interest how did the guys who did the remap overcome the 4WD on what appears to be a 2WD dyno?

Thanks.

When they put the vehicle details into the computer (ie engine code, transmission, drive etc) it then tells them which fuse to pull to disable the DSC.

That puts the vehicle into RWD and disables DSC/DTC, without putting it into limp mode. Handy for a rolling road, but it obviously has a dashboard lit up like a Christmas tree, so not ideal for on the road.
Not that I am interested in xDelete or RWD.

Not until they make it switchable on the fly, like the M5. Hopefully that'll trickle down into the normal xDrives (M340 particularly) over the next few years.

[BBri89]

FIXED THE TPMS.



So yesterday I picked up a replacement FBD-3 (TPMS Receiver) module for the car, and today I fitted it.


Background -

Intermittent RDCi Fault with summer wheels, consistently Front Left. Since spring 2020.
Replaced valve & sensor, didn't fix it.
Switching front wheels to opposite sides and still Front Left.
Constant RDCi Fault with winter wheels, Position Unkown. Since last winter 2019/20.


The replacement module has fixed the problem, but until I go a few weeks/months without the fault reappearing I'm not going to be fully confident it is completely fixed. But it's a good start.

Plug & Play, no coding required. Just a RDCi reset through the Vehicle Status menu.


New part number on the box (9626113), old part number on the module (9319081)

[LongRuf]

Loved reading about your mods so far! I'm also trying to make my '15 at a OEM+ level.

A couple questions:

- What youtube videos did you watch to swap the lights? Would love to do the same mod, but am fearful of what it will require.

- What are the part numbers for the fold down headrests on the left and right passenger side? Are these the same as the 2 series coupe/verts?

Thanks! Keep up the great work!

[BBri89]

Originally Posted by LongRuf

Loved reading about your mods so far! I'm also trying to make my '15 at a OEM+ level.

A couple questions:

- What youtube videos did you watch to swap the lights? Would love to do the same mod, but am fearful of what it will require.

- What are the part numbers for the fold down headrests on the left and right passenger side? Are these the same as the 2 series coupe/verts?

Thanks! Keep up the great work!

Thanks.


I can't remember which YouTube video it was now, but for the most part the F30 videos cover most of it, and I'm sure any F31 video is helpful too so just have a search of YouTube. I also found these massively helpful too:

DIY| F31 LCI Retrofit https://f30.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh....php?t=1418428

https://www.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh...php?p=25806628



As for the folding headrests, I'm not 100% they are the correct part number now, but there are also many part numbers for different interior materials. I don't want to inadvertently give you the wrong one, but if you look on RealOEM then you might be able to find the ones you need.
I would imagine that 2/4 series headrests are compatible or the same, but not based on any confirmation, just a hunch.

[BBri89]

- Oil & filter change
- Osram Nightbreaker xenon bulbs
- Brembo drilled/slotted discs
- Brembo Xtra pads all round
- Goodridge stainless steel braided hoses

Haven't done anything to the car so far in 2021, until yesterday when I spent all day working on it.

I've had the car over 3 years now, and almost 40,000 miles in my time.
The first service I had done (BMW main dealer) it got a lipped discs note for all 4 discs on the BMW vehicle inspection, but I checked and wasn't concerned, and it was never formally picked up on MOT as an advisory.

Towards the end of 2020, around Black Friday week, I kept an eye on Autodoc deals, checking daily for the best discounts, and bought some new discs and pads, and engine oil, which I planned to do when I took the winter wheels off and swapped back over to the summer wheels.
Getting the car all jacked up can be a bit of a ball ache, so if I can tie all the jobs in together, I'm going to do that, even if it takes most of the day.


So, took the car for a 20 mile drive to get a coffee from Pret (I got the Pret subscription they were doing, so got to get my coffees in to make it worth it!) and then down to McDonalds for a double sausage McMuffin, then with the oil nice and warm, and me fuelled for the day, I headed back home to jack the car up.

Started with the oil drain... whilst that was draining, I got the wheels off, PlusGas'd EVERYTHING that I would be undoing on the brakes... bleed nipples, caliper bolts, brake pipe unions, and let that all soak in.

Replaced the Xenon headlight bulbs whilst that was soaking in, put some Osram Nightbreaker xenons in, not because there was anything wrong with the old ones, (which are now spares in the garage), but they were probably original bulbs, the car is over 6 years old, and I know that xenons lose brightness over time.
So whilst I had easy access to the back of the lights with the wheels off I thought I'd do them.

Got the calipers removed, discs and pads all off, replaced the original rubber hoses for Goodridge stainless braided hoses.
I've always fitted braided hoses to my cars, mainly because they give that slightly firmer pedal feel, especially as the original rubber gets older, but also because they then don't need replacing unexpectedly at MOT time.
To reduce the air in the system and therefore the bleeding required, I got a syringe and hose from my brake bleeding box, and filled the braided hoses with fluid then put the cap back on, before fitting them. Meant only small amounts of air getting pushed through the caliper then, rather than a whole hose worth.

Discs all swapped for drilled/slotted Brembos (as much for looks as performance) and pads for Brembo Xtras (that's more for performance). The discs had a little bit of surface rust from being stored in the garage over the cold damp winter, but a bit of brake cleaner got most of that off and the rest would come off in the first few brake applications when driving.

Pressure-bled the system using the Laser Manual Brake Bleeder (brilliant bit of kit, I nabbed one for £40 a few years ago... they RRP @ £80 these days) and then that was the brakes done.
No issues with the bleed nipples which was good, I know they can be a problem on the M Sport calipers. Guess that PlusGas worked a treat. That and I've got proper tools like flare nut brake spanners which stop rounding bleed nipples or sudden force that can cause them to shear.

Eventually back to the oil... after the old oil was fully drained over the previous few hours, I poured maybe 400ml straight in to flush out some more of the old stuff, before refitting the sump nut and filling with fresh oil.


Helpful having the dipstick (although many people don't realise it's there) because I would have no idea how much to fill up otherwise... it wasn't the alleged 5.2 litres... I've only got about 1.5 litres left out of the 8 I had, so about 6 litres went in, not including the 0.4ish that I poured through.
That is halfway between MIN/MAX on the dipstick when cool, and at the MAX level when warm. Also reading MAX when doing the iDrive Engine Oil measure.



Finally, put the summer 403M wheels on, dropped the car down and went up the street at walking pace to check the brakes worked and the car stopped, turned it around and back on the drive. All good. Then went and put everything away, spent about 30 minutes scrubbing my hands, arms and face clean, then had my "lunch" at 6pm.
After that, a quick spin to bed the brakes in and get the oil up to temp.
Theres a dual carriageway A-road about 5 miles away from us, and after you come off the slip road there is about a 200m section of dual carriageway between two roundabouts, national speed limit.
Excellent for getting up to 60-70mph and then braking hard for the roundabout but not stopping, ideal for bedding the brakes in. So did quite a few shuttles between those roundabouts, then drove back home on some country lanes. Brakes were smoking quite a bit when I had to stop at one junction for a gap in traffic, but when I got home 15 minutes later they were warm but not too smelly and no smoke.
Between the pads and brake hoses, they definitely have a good bite now.




So much stuff I had to put it in the wheelbarrow to move from the garage




All jacked up







Old discs




New discs, bit of surface rust. Just about see the new braided hose at the top right




Looks good behind the (dirty) wheels

[Two-tone525]

Great thread. Appreciate the attention to detail and how methodically you've approached everything.

It's amazing how much damage a tree can do at walking speeds isn't it - your Ford. Or perhaps cars aren't made like they used to be.

I hit a telegraph pole on a 90 left as a teenager (single track road, mud on road due to proximity of farm, all my own fault, understeered as I ran out of talent) and the pole punched a similar V shape into the slam panel; however I must have been doing 25-30mph.

All that steel in a Mini Metro rather than modern plastics!

[wt1370]

Very detailed sharing and experience. Learned a lot in the article, thank you

[wt1370]

Originally Posted by LongRuf

Loved reading about your mods so far! I'm also trying to make my '15 at a OEM+ level.

- What are the part numbers for the fold down headrests on the left and right passenger side? Are these the same as the 2 series coupe/verts?

Thanks! Keep up the great work!

maybe you can try this part number: 52207291129

[F30_320D_UK]

Awesome thread. Beautiful car, tastefully modded. Enjoy the detailed write up and approach to diy. I myself enjoy a good car diy.

On the TC, if you feel the slight judder/hesitation, fresh oil won't fix it. Prior to my TC replacement in Jan 2018, BMW did the oil in Nov 2017, and £400 later, it didn't help.

I've recently done the oil in both diffs and the oil in the TC, including new drain/fill plugs. And total cost was about £100 for all of it. Plenty of YouTube how to's to help you as well.

As for extended warranty, mine is always between £300-£400 per annum, and as long as that cover a TC replacement I'm dead happy.

What's your mileage like at the moment?

[BBri89]

Originally Posted by F30_320D_UK

Awesome thread. Beautiful car, tastefully modded. Enjoy the detailed write up and approach to diy. I myself enjoy a good car diy.

On the TC, if you feel the slight judder/hesitation, fresh oil won't fix it. Prior to my TC replacement in Jan 2018, BMW did the oil in Nov 2017, and £400 later, it didn't help.

I've recently done the oil in both diffs and the oil in the TC, including new drain/fill plugs. And total cost was about £100 for all of it. Plenty of YouTube how to's to help you as well.

As for extended warranty, mine is always between £300-£400 per annum, and as long as that cover a TC replacement I'm dead happy.

What's your mileage like at the moment?

Mileage is up in the 90s now. Probably hit 100k later this year.

[Fizzy Duck]

Loved reading through the thread, you've done some great mods!

How are you getting on with the remap for the engine and gearbox? Did you notice much of a change in MPG? I don't buy into the whole increased efficiency, so more interested to see if you feel it's gone down?

And if you don't mind me asking, how much did the remap cost?

I've been thinking about having it done to a 2014 F31 20d xDrive, but not 100% sold on performance yet