06-28-2023, 08:50 AM | #23 | |
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If you see the transmission mount product page here, you'll see the F30 was not even listed. I contacted Ben at Rogue and asked him if it would fit my 2017 340i, and I didn't specify it was a RWD, and he said it would. So I would reach out to ben(a)rogueengineering.com and ask if the mounts will fit the Xdrive version. My guess is he will say they do. If they say they'll fit and they don't, you can probably return them for a full refund. It's a $60 part either way. Edit: I was wrong. See below posts.
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06-28-2023, 08:55 AM | #24 | |
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06-29-2023, 09:44 AM | #25 |
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Love the build so far. I’m currently getting all the required parts/upgrades for my clutch job soon, I appreciate all the tips. Just to add a few cents, The transmission mounts apparently “fit” according to rogue engineering.
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06-29-2023, 10:18 AM | #26 | |
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AWD Diagram: https://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/sho...diagId=22_0121 RWD Diagram: https://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/sho...diagId=22_0187
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06-29-2023, 10:42 AM | #27 | |
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Would be interesting if you could get under your car and snap a picture of this. |
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08-27-2023, 11:48 AM | #29 |
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I read your clutch DIY again. What jack stand set up did you use? 20 in of space. I'll have to see how high I can get mine. I have the esco stands.
If I understand correctly you had to remove the transmission from the hoist while still under the car as the height of the hoist plus the transmission is a little bit more than 20 in. So you couldn't wheel it out. Then you had to put it back on the hoist outside of the car to move around and clean and replace input shaft seal which I see pictured. Then back under the car you had to somehow get it on the hoist underneath. Is that correct? Do you have any estimate how much height you would actually need to get it all out together. A few more inches? I wonder if you could use a floor jack to lift it a little bit and push the hoist under instead of your body as you were saying. I don't know I might just have to do that like you describe. In my case there's also a big transfer case attached to the back. How hard did you have to wiggle it to get it off the engine.. was it a struggle, and did the car shake at all on the jack stands that's all l I'm worried about. I'm trying to determine if the engine swap will be safer/easier by dropping the trans first v.s. craning both engine and trans out together as a long heavy unit. |
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08-28-2023, 11:58 AM | #30 | |
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I just used the cheapest 3 ton jack stands on Amazon. Apparently there are extra tall stands you can buy but they seem dangerous to me. As for using a jack to lift it, be my guest! But there is almost no room to do so. It was easy to wiggle it off the engine and upon the trans jack. No prob. But then to get it onto the concrete is hard because you have no leverage, so mine just fell off the side (after lowering the transmission jack) without getting too damaged. So I literally dropped the trans. In retrospect I would have tried moving it onto a jack and then the concrete. This was certainly the most dangerous part though since theoretically if someone wasn't looking where it was tipping off, they could drop it on themselves and get really hurt. So please be careful. Last edited by Cytoplasm0671; 08-29-2023 at 06:59 AM.. |
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09-01-2023, 01:18 AM | #31 |
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Got it thank you. I get it now. The hoist just needs to be lower profile is the issue. Otherwise I like this thing a lot, hope it holds up ok.
Tonight I put the jack stands up to max height, and for sure I will not be raising the car that high. It would have to be done in 2 or 3 steps, lowering would suck. It will probably be hard to get the trans back on at that height. I'd rather just go to a normal height and leave it underneath, clean it and change the parts underneath. A new idea is to drop the trans, shove it back a little bit somewhere just sitting on the hoist. Then support engine, lower subframe, extract engine up and out. Then, slide trans hoist forward into engine bay and extract with engine hoist. I think for just doing the clutch I'd keep it underneath. There's a way to do get it out though... I was thinking tie a rope to it and raise the passenger side middle a bit with the floor jack and safety yank it out from the side. Sorry to hijack your thread like this. Maybe it will help someone else without a two post lift. |
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09-15-2023, 11:01 AM | #33 |
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Uniden R8 radar detector
Uniden R8 radar detector: ✅
My 340i came with few tech options. But one cool thing it did come with is a hardwired Uniden R3 radar detector. I had never owned a radar detector before buying this car, but once I learned the ins and outs of how it worked, I sort of fell in love with it. The R3 is inexpensive ($200 used on eBay) and Uniden is among the best brands out there. The R3 has done a fantastic job at detecting radar during my drives. Just a quick note on radar detecting: it took me a while to get it dialed in perfectly to my local area. VortexRadar.com has excellent guides to get every Uniden model set up for the United States. I set mine up about a year ago when I purchased my 340i, and then spent the past year tweaking it until I almost never get false alarms, and actually never even am aware of the radar detector in the car at all, until a real threat is nearby, and then it'll sound the alarm. My goal for owning a radar detector is for it to basically disappear from my consciousness. Basically, I'm very picky about my 340i cabin. I want almost every screen or display to be as minimal as possible, or off, so that I have as little stimulus as possible. This way I can maximize relaxation (or 100% focus on spirited driving). This is also why I probably won't be upgrading my analog dash to a digital one, nor switching out my 6.5" screen to the beautiful 10" screen that everybody else here is using. I'm glued to screens enough in my life! I feel the more I'm looking at screens (IE: the more I stimulate my dopamine receptors) the less attentive I am to my work, my family, or my connection with God. And thankfully the Uniden R3 has done an excellent job at disappearing into the background, until it's actually needed. But, of course, my wandering eye notices that a number of newer more advanced models have come out from Uniden since the R3, so today I upgraded to essentially their top windshield model: the R8. The Uniden R8 has the same excellent quality and settings as the R3, but with a much expanded range and directionality, meaning the detector will tell me earlier if a radar is approaching, and will say the direction the threat is coming from (ahead, behind, etc). After affixing the detector above the rearview mirror, I connected my laptop and updated its firmware. Then I set it up according to the suggested settings at Vortex Radar (listed at the bottom): https://www.vortexradar.com/2022/04/...ure-uniden-r8/ Looking good. Excited the see how this performs in the coming months.
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11-16-2023, 06:45 PM | #34 |
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VAC Motorsports upper and lower control arms: ✅
Been busy with work these past months and have been neglecting my ride. Thankfully had some time today, during what was probably the last warm day of the year, to switch out the OEM control arms for VAC Motorsports monoball versions. The upgrade was supposed to take only 3 hours, but 4 hours in and I had not even finished the passenger side. The initial issue is that the main cable for the battery literally covers up the lower control arm bolt. This was not in any of the videos on Youtube. To move the wire and uncover the bolt requires delicately prying out two very brittle plastic fasteners. This allows the wires can be moved about an inch, leaving you with just a few millimeters (!) of space to extract the bolt head. But thankfully, it worked in the end. Yet... I couldn't finish the job on my own. The main issue is achieving 175nm of torque as required on the wheel side of the control arm. This is a large amount of torque, and using very simple jacks and jackstands like my setup, the wheel keeps swinging to stop the torque from happening. I think I could have possibly completed the job by using the jackstand (upon which the car was braced) as leverage for my legs. But man, that didn't feel safe. In the end I drove my partially torqued control armed wheels down to a local shop, had them put my car on the lift, and had them crank the wheel side to 175nm each. In the end, the VACs are installed to spec and I'm happy . I will say that this upgrade seems to have given the car a relatively small improvement over stock. Certainly the slight mushy vagueness of the rubber bushing OEM control arms is gone, which is welcome. The VACs definitely feel more precise. But I will say that this is the first upgrade where I wasn't "wowed" at the result. Vibration and comfort (NVH) is basically the same, though. So that's cool.
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02-14-2024, 09:07 PM | #35 | |
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edit: great thread btw.
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BMW 440i xDrive 6MT | M Sport Conversion | bm3 Stage 2+ Flexfuel | AA Downpipe | 550i Clutch | TU HPFP | Eibach Pro Springs | M240i Brakes | Apex ARC-8 18x8.5” Squared | DWS 06+ 255/40R18
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02-16-2024, 12:25 PM | #36 |
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Car hit 50k on the odometer today. I clicked it into Sport mode right as it rolled over to celebrate:
Just want to take a moment to celebrate this amazing car. The 340i 6MT is truly one of the most enjoyable, most powerful, most versatile daily drivers ever made. I've driven these new self-driving battery-operated cars of the future. They're fun. But they're no match for the 340i. Taking that manual transmission, shifting it, and gassing the B58 in a tight turn is one of the best parts of my day. The exterior styling is much better than anything new. Every day when I leave my office and walk up to this vehicle I just shake my head with how beautiful it is. I should mention that I fixed my trunk randomly opening throughout the day. Either the trunk would randomly open when I was walking around the car to gas it up (via the comfort access, which never properly works), or it would be randomly opened in my office parking lot when I would walk out to it (I assume via the remote button clicking throughout the day in my pocket). To fix: I fired up Bimmercode and reduced the seconds needed for remote button open by switching FEM_BODY (or FEM_01, I forget) --> RC_TIME_DELAY_BOOTLID 00 -> FF to 32 (8 seconds). So I now I have to hold down the remote button for 8 seconds for the trunk to open, which I rare use anyways. Also I disabled comfort trunk access completely with FEM_BODY (or FEM_01, I forget) --> CAM_SMART_OPENER = nicht_aktiv. Trunk problems solved! I do still plan on some additional upgrades going forward, but honestly it feels like I have somewhat maxed out what I want from this vehicle (see pg 1 for current upgrades). So I assume this build journal may slow down. Ah well. If you're reading this, just know that this car is zipping around West Michigan, full of power and glory. PS: I may track this car in 2024! We'll see! Thanks! For the winter I flashed to MPPSK Stage 0+ because I am concerned the added pressure is rough on the engine in the frigid Michigan cold (I had a strange error code pop up). But in the summer I hope to renew my quest for Stage 2+. I have flashed it before, and the car truly roars with power. But the problem is, though my timings are quite low and manageable, I am still getting engine knock notifications in my logs. So the goal when the weather gets warmer and I put my summer tires back on is to get the tank at exactly E40 (seen via the flexfuel sensor), then flash the stock Bootmod3 E30 tune as recommended by others in this thread. The richer ethanol content can help to remove the knock. We'll see!
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02-27-2024, 07:01 AM | #37 |
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I've never talked about my winter tire setup, but they're on right now, so I thought it might be fun to do a February photoshoot and talk winter tire specs.
At the first snow, I jack up the car one side at a time, pull off my summer wheels, and put on my winters. The winter rims are OEM style 195. I bought a set of them off eBay for $662, including shipping. Nice and cheap, and I think they look nice. Supposedly they came off an E90 335d. The winter tires are Michelin X-Ice Snow 225/45/18 with 12mm spacers in the front and 15mm spacers in the back. I specifically chose a skinnier 225 tire for the winter because its better for snow than my wide 245 summer tires. Some photos. Cheers!
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05-16-2024, 06:29 PM | #38 |
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I thought I'd give a post about engine oil. Like a lot of people here, I took a deep dive into the question about what oil is best for our B58 6 cylinder. Initially, I got really excited about Castrol Edge Euro 0W-30 A3/B4. It has BMW LL-01 certification (after temporarily losing it) and a long history of excellent performance through the years. Additionally, I thought the 0W-30 thinness would help me as I live in Michigan where the winter temps can get really low.
BUT then I found the BobIsTheOilGuy forums, where the nerdiest oil people in the world hang out. I talked to them about the situation and was surprised to discover that the infamous Pennzoil Platinum Euro (PPE) 5W-40 is actually not really that much thicker than this Castrol. To quote the oil nerds: "Castrol is < 10 cSt thinner at 40C and like 1-2 at 100C". Furthermore, PPE is what the bulk of these guys suggest for any tuned B58, which is what I am trying to do. The reason is because PPE 5W-40 has a HTHS (high temperature high shear) of 3.8, which I learn from the oil nerds means it is very good at lubricating the B58 engine at high heat, like what happens when a car is tuned above stock settings. Furthermore, PPE 5W-40 is API SP, another quality indicator. The one issue is that 5W-40 oil is not within the recommended spec for BMW B58 engines. But this is less of a concern than people realize. This is because the entire XW-X system (10W-30, 0W-30, etc) is American, and these cars are designed in Germany. So the B58 engine was never designed around the 0W-30 or 5W-30 spec to begin with. It was just added on later as this was closest to the German spec (and with a focus on fuel economy, boo!). However, the fact that Pennzoil Platinum Euro 5W-40 has BMWs LL-01 spec means that it does indeed meet the engine spec, so the 5W-40 weight being outside American BMW spec is not a concern at all. All in all, the B58 guys and the BobistheOilGuy forum guys all continue to rave about the amazing performance of Pennzoil Platinum Euro 5W-40, so this is what I finally have decided for my engine. First Blackstone analysis is below! PS: I will be installing new coils this week, and seeing if this reduces the engine knock I'm seeing in my BM3 OTS Stage 1 logs. Fingers crossed!
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05-23-2024, 08:14 AM | #39 |
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Active Autowerke downpipe
I've had my check engine light (CEL) come on in the past few months, showing that my catalytic converter is not properly working. This is after having installed the B58 performance downpipe made by Active Autowerke, which Mike from Xtreme Powerhouse (who is on these forums) says is the best one. Active Autowerke sent me a replacement free of charge, and this time it came with a piece of paper stating the proper break in sequence to avoid the CEL coming on in the future. I thought I'd take a moment to talk about my car's downpipe, why I got a downpipe different from OEM, and how installation went. First, the main reason to get a new downpipe is to be able to tune the car to a higher "stage". As a generalization, stage 1 tunes (380hp) are the easiest. They require no hardware adjustments at all. Stage 2 (420hp) require a new downpipe. Stage 2+ (480hp) requires a more powerful high-pressure fuel pump. Stage 3 tunes (over 500hp) involve getting new turbos, and often coincide with all sorts of additional upgrades (charge pipes, cooling, port injection, etc). My goal for my car is a stage 2+ tune. This is cool because essentially my car can hit almost 500hp (wheel horsepower, to be precise) without any major modifications to the engine. Going to stage 3 requires getting custom tunes, and messing with all sorts of internal issues in the car. Essentially, stage 2+ is the sweet spot. I've already installed the OEM TU high-pressure fuel pump. So getting a downpipe was one of the first things I did with this car. I should say that a lot of people do a "straight pipe", which means removing the catalytic converter altogether. This is nice because obviously it has the highest airflow available, but with the downside of fumes coming out of the back of your car. While waiting at stop lights etc these fumes can be quite strong, and especially are avoidable when one has a scent-sensitive wife like I do. So I opted for a "performance" catalytic converter like Active Autowerke's B58 downpipe. Installation is easy, and there are plenty of videos on Youtube showing how to install a different cat. The first time I did it, I was quite new to the process, so it took me over 3 hours. But now I can remove it and install a new downpipe in a little over an hour. The process is quite simple: 1. Remove the air filter box 2. Loosen all catalytic converter attachments in the engine bay (sensors, 13mm screws, 13mm clamp on the turbo). Make sure the cat is loose from the turbo. 3. Jack up the car and remove the two 13mm screws from the bottom near the turbo (exhaust brace and exhaust clamp nut). 4. From under the car, wiggle the cat off the turbo above you, and then pull it up and out from the exhaust. Then you can slide it out of the bottom of the car. 5. Install the new cat in reverse order. Make sure to get a good clamped seal between the cat and the turbo before replacing all the screws. Below is a photo of the old Active Autowerke cat and the new one provided by the manufacturer. Tune update: I replaced coils and there was no improvement to logs. I did notice that cylinder 5 was the main cylinder that kept getting timing corrections, so to test if there was a problem with the spark plugs (even though I recently replaced them!) I switched plug 5 with plug 2. The entire timing log changed, so it seems that spark plugs are still my main problem with getting my logs clean. This is a really good sign. If the logs continued to show minor corrections in cylinder 5 after changing plugs around, it would mean the problem was deeper in the engine. Phew! I purchased another set of new plugs and they should be delivered soon, so hopefully I will have clean logs by the end of the month. Fingers crossed!
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06-28-2024, 11:50 AM | #41 |
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Today I recently replaced the stick shift boot and emergency brake boot with alcantara from Cobywheel. It looks a lot better. The boots come from Cobywheel without the plastic bracket, so you have to reuse the plastic from the OEM boots. But with patience and a little fabric glue, the job was done. I also got a new emergency brake handle from eBay, looks way better than the old one. All in all, my cabin is looking a bit better.
This is, what I hope to be, the beginning of a complete interior overhaul on my 340i. I still have to upgrade the rear diff to an LSD (so expensive!), but once that is over I plan to replace pretty much the entire interior except the seats. First will be the dash with a full leather M3 dash, which also requires retrofitting the HUD and adding a touchscreen 10.25" display. Then I hope to upgrade iDrive to NBT Evo and iDrive 6. And then get the 6WB cluster. Also all sorts of extra stuff: leather M3 door pulls, maybe door cards, ceramic iDrive controller, alcantara trim pieces, etc. I always go with the same plugs, which is the NGK 94201 SILZKGR8B8S. I just use stock gap. It is my understanding that this spark plug was especially made for the B58. I replaced the plug in position 5 that seemed like it had engine knock, and the Stage 1 tune performed without knock for the first time ever (4 clean logs). So this is an improvement! I will be performing additional tests to see if I can get it to Stage 2 or 2+.
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09-03-2024, 09:19 AM | #42 |
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Drives: BMW 340i 6MT, BMW Z3 2.8 5MT
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09-21-2024, 06:20 AM | #44 | |
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Wanted to give what is probably the last update I'll give on the car's tune. After way too much logging of test pulls (3rd gear, flooring it from 2500-6500 rpm) I have settled on a Stage 1 tune. Without going too deeply into how I discovered stability in Stage 1, I realized (through help on this forum) that running the Bootmod3 OTS Stage 1 E30 tune with an ethanol mix of E40 is good for addressing engine knock. What you are doing is running slightly rich. And lo and behold, this did make the engine knock disappear:
https://www.bootmod3.net/log?id=6695...6fb36ac3334ca8 Above is a pretty standard log for me with this setup: Stage 1 OTS E30 tune running E40-45. You can see just a few cylinders having -3 degrees of timing correction and no engine knock. Pretty happy with this result. I am still a bit frustrated, because I have an aftermarket downpipe and TU high pressure fuel pump installed, and know this engine is capable of almost 500 wheel hp at a Stage 2+ with E30. But I just can't increase my tune above Stage 1 without introducing engine knock: https://www.bootmod3.net/log?id=6502...90c6120936f7c3. Sort of feel like I installed the downpipe and HPFP for no reason . I have tried so many things to remove the knock at Stage 2 and 2+ (installed new plugs [3 times at exact OEM spec], new coils, different fuel/eth sources), but the knock at this higher stage just won't go away. If anyone has advice for removing knock at 2+ please let me know. I will pay you cold hard cash to solve. My best lead is this post, showing what seems to be a tiny bit of antisieze grease in cylinder 5. But this seems a pretty sad lead to pursue. Maybe I need to send a scope down into my cylinders?? Anyways... I am so happy with a Stage 1 tune! The stock wheel horsepower is 320, but with Stage 1 E30 I am running at around 400, a massive increase. This car is just a blast to drive every day. Once the engine is at operating temp, I really hit the roads with it. Accelerating through corners, doing highway pulls, man what a blast this car is, especially in the manual transmission. For my money, there just is no other way to experience this degree of nimble handling and power at under $30k. I will be buying the LSD and sway bars. Afterwards, will be doing an entire interior overhaul in the coming year. Excited to do that. Quote:
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