So the plugs were done.
What was next?
It was the oil and filter. I'm not going to go into something as simple as that. But as always I stuck to the latest Mahle filter and Castrol 10W60 here. I've had thoughts about going for one of the Millers products, but the Castrol stuff seems to work well with this engine.
The next job? Diff oil and gearbox oil. The gearbox oil is cheap, but the diff oil is quite expensive. How expensive I hear you ask? £100 for 1.5 litres! Ouch!
Are there alternatives available? Yes is the answer, and this goes into a can of worms that's been opened for around a decade!
Basically, the BMW oil is a 75W140 with a friction modifier added. No one knows quite how much. The modifier is added so as to quieten down the diff. Otherwise, they groan, and it almost sounds like the wheelarches are rubbing the tyres. It's not a nice sound at all. Apparently, it's a benign sound however.
Castrol are said to be the original people who make the 75W140 oil, which you can buy, but of course you then need a modifier. Redish and others for years added in a modifier. You then drive the car around in figures of 8s to get the plates to take up the fluid. This costs from memory around £45, less than half of the price.
As far as I can tell, the cheaper option is very hit-and-miss, even when done by the specialists, whereas the BMW fluid seems to work every time. Given that I was servicing it myself, and that I don't fancy my car sounding like it is broken, I went with the pricier option. Yes, I moaned, scoffed, and gave myself a talking to for buying oil that's as expensive as Myrrh. But at least it only needs to be done every 8 years or 60k right?
With that in mind, I borrowed a mate's ramp. This would make the entire operation easier. The ramp I borrowed off him however was different. It was very old school, with adjustable widths on the ramps. I double and tripple checked the car every time it went on, worrying about those ramps. However, seeing as it's been used a few times before, and it once housed a now well known M3 specialist's E46 M3 for the best part of a year, I figured I'd be fine.
The second order of business? Cleaning the draining tray. This was easier said than done as I was doing this away from both my unit and the Man Shed. Neither of those had spare containers anyway! For 30 minutes I'd end up looking for a couple of containers, which I would eventually find.
What would also take longer, was me cleaning the tray and the syringe with brake fluid in between changing the oils on both the diff and the 'box.
It did add on time, but at least this way, I could measure out what I was taking out and putting back in.
The diff oil still had a golden tinge to it. So it seems this has been changed a few times in the past.
The gearbox oil? Well, I have one of these stickers on the side of it.
Obviously, I was going to change this. I put in the updated LT2 fluid into it, which thankfully, is reasonable money from BMW. After the debacle I had with Sytners, I stuck with who I know, Rybrook Warwick, who have been fair and quick.
Filling up the gearbox was a little worrying. I drained out 1.6 litres. When I realised the 'box took more than 1.6, I was a little concerned. However, it soon hit the 1.7 mark and all was fine. The oil that came out was definitely on the darker side and almost water like in consistency! Despite me doing the diff first, the gearbox oil was still warm, a good 1.5 hours after I started the job! The diff oil was cooler in comparison. I guess with the RPM seen on some of the gears in the 'box, it's not surprising, as well as the oil breaking down due to being the original oil.
With all of this done, it was time to pack the car up, and swing by my unit to grab a few RRW necessities. You know, like tents, chairs, that kind of stuff. Given that I am moving out of the unit, I also moved out some of my stuff too.
People see this E46 M3s as firmly in the modern classic circles I'm told these days. It's funny, I never appeared to have got the memo. It was looking more like the M3 van!
With it cleared out, I then got ready to take it to RRG. But what about the Inspection II? Why had I not done the valve clearances?
Basically, I made a judgement call. I realised that the shims can be hard to get at short notice. Given that not many were out on spec on the Inspection I (and they were barely out of tolerance), and that it had been 20k since I last checked them, with the mileage being around 30k), I left them? Cheeky? A little. They will be done later on this year however.
But what about the drive? The top end response really improved with the new plugs. Even the starting was different! It's always been a great starter this, but it sometimes would catch one piston, and have the others come in straight after. Now, after the second turn of the key, it fires right up. Given the state the plugs were in, I'll change them with every Inspection now, not just the Inspection II. I've been told by a few folks that M3s can be hard on the spark plugs. I guess with high compression ratio, it's not a surprise.
Even the gearshifts seem to be a little sweeter. I had a slur before at times when I changed gear. Maybe it's my mind, or maybe it's the trackday at Goodwood, but that now seems to be gone!
Obviously, I made it down
. I would end up convoying down with
goosegog in LA Bob. At slow speeds, while the brakes are superb, they didn't half squeal most of the way down! But it's all good fun right? And because race car remember
.
It was then time to setup camp
.
At least I had a nice bit of scenery next to me. An E28 535i Dogleg. I do like these, but it's mad the money these go for now. To think my mate Rich sold his for around £5k back in 2015! I think the car's been for sale since @ £14k!
However, with just Fergus and I camping that night, we chatted a little, played a little Shithead, bumped into the Suzuki Cappucino owner from whom I bought the Recaro CS seats, as well as having a couple of drinks, but not too many. After all, I had to drive the next day and I didn't want to feel too crappy at all. I wanted to enjoy the day
Prior to hitting the track, I need refuelling however, in the morning.
I also would unitentially bump into someone local to me. Sam Carpenter with his LS swapped E36! This really was a bit of a surreal moment.
Furthermore, I'd meet his mate, who had a Santarini Blue E36! This one was sporting the Alpina S52 lump, as used in the American M3s also I believe. His however was running E36 M3 throttle bodies. BMW engines, they can be like Mechano sets. He almost went down the S54 route, like what E46 M3s came with as standard, and what Vlad has put into his Amethyst car, but he stuck to this way.
There were actually be two Santarini Blue E36s that week! And people thought Laguna Seca Blue looked good!
Sam was hoping that him and I could hit the track together as a group. I don't know why, but Ian certainly seemed to have known to do that.
It was then time for me to hit the track. A little cheeky, but I did throw in the lap timer. In the Glove box, out of sight and out of mind. I always go slow and steady and let the pace build up whenever I do tracks, and see what lines work
. I know my times will never be the quickest in a stock E46 M3, but it's good to see what improves come from the work done to the car too.
Finally, I would hit the track
On the sighting lap, I took it very easy, trying to figure out the track. Goodwood is meant to be a quick track, but with triple apex corners in places, it's hard to know which one to hit! I knew this would be a track I'd not learn that day.
However, taking it easy around the track did give me this stellar shot.
That almost made the slog worth it to get the car ready in time!
It was then time to see what the car had on the outing laps.
It went as well as I remember. It also ran at a decent temperature all round, quite a different affair from Donnington! The brakes that I worked on for so long over the years actually worked well. Gone was the squealing, and in was tremendous braking power, with a solid pedal, and me scrubbing off alot of speed well before the the apex! It was hurling the brakes on well! I was stopping short of the corners!
I then would try to brake later. They did not complain. Throughout the day, they held up superbly. Yes, the pads were stupid money, but by God, they proved themselves. The switch to the Motul fluid also seemed to help.
But, the times? What did I do? Going off the GoPro footage, I started off on 2 minutes. Nothing to shout home about at all. Despite a number of yellows from cars breaking, including the two E36s in our group unfortunately, I got the time down to 1:45.
Not a great time, but as said, it was never about the time for me. But, given it had cones to slow things down in one spot, I'm happy with that. I also had a car I felt very comfortable in
. I think
bshaw's times were similar. I definitely started to feel more at ease with the track later on.
Goodwood is a track that I do adore. It's not a track that I still 'get' but the challenge is there. It's way more than just the Silverstone National circuit. The downside? I suspect I'll become a poor man at the end of this, if I do a Goodwood trackday! Wow, they are not cheap!
There was one brown Golf who was keen to 'beat' me. It would have been interesting to have seen his time as a comparison
So, I obviously adored the track time. But what about the car?
It had a mixed reception, but generally very positive!
I had a few folks saying it was not '98 and thankfully only a few. The conversion with them went like this:
"That's not 98?"
"It is, it's earlier, it's an A-reg"
"But they never made E46s in '98"
"They sure did, check Wikipedia : The pre-00 cars even had Amber lights, just like this one"
"Oh, errr, ok, really? I didn't know that".
OK, I was being a little vague with the truth there. While the E46 was developed in the early 90s, and then put into production in 1998, the M3 wad not released until 2000, and they never came with Ambers, as the M3 came in as the first 'minor' facelift came about.
But I appreciate Ian letting me, and being possibly a little 'interpretive' as above possibly.
But enough about my cheek, what about the rest?
I had a number of folk admiring my rusty beast, with many either having owned one a while ago, or owning one now, commenting on how the prices have gone up.
I even have a photographer chap Darren & our own Dean come over. It seems the E46 M3 is in a sweet spot, and is being talked up by a lot of folks, with Motor trend having seen it as the ideal M3 these out of the lot. This seemed to be a theme with many folks.
It's funny, I've brought along more 'fitting' cars and more 'desirable' ones to RRW/RRG over the years including my now gone:
-W108 4.5
-Escort RS Turbo
-Porsche 944 Turbo
-Toyota Carina
Out of those, possibly the W108 and the Carina had attention, but not quite like the M3 did. It was generally a surprise. I must have spent quite a bit of time catching up with new faces who aren't even on here, as well as folks who I've known for a while through this forum.
The Old School Zimmers group seemed to have been there and they loved seeing it there. Funny really, maybe this is what happens from sticking with a car for a while. After all, it's not like me to have a car for 5 years now.
Saturday? Well, we went hard. The driving was over, and
chunk,
goosegog,
dickdasterdley & I truly enjoyed catching up just how we used to. This is what made the weekend spectacular
.
Overall, it was a spectacular weekend, and I'm thankful for Ian, Dave and the team for even making this happen!
Here's one show out of the way. It's now time for the next. Bring on RRG!
Anyway, enough waffle, here are more pics of the car on track. I do have some GoPro footage, but seeing as I'm now busy on the other 'modern classic' as Quentin Wilson calls it, we'll see when I can upload the footage.
.
.
