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+--- Thread: The Blue Phoenix - E46 325i (/showthread.php?tid=11117)
Re: The Blue Phoenix - E46 325i - SlimKlim - 01-15-2016
Senor_Taylor Wrote:I've seen stories of people claiming to have the flap on 325i's, but you're correct, I don't have one. I've already looked. Also, it seems Chan put an aftermarket airbox thing in it? I don't know if that's good or bad.
We will see on the mods, of course if I can get them for cheap, I might do some later down the road, but I'd rather not destroy the resale value just yet. These things seem pretty hard to pawn off.
Its still a closed box but looks aftermarket? Pics?
I'd be extremely cautious with throwing mods at it, old BMWs have a sense of humor at their owner's expense, so the second you bolt some sweet new wheels or shocks on it your power steering pump will decide to explode. (My E46 actually ate two PS pumps before 80k miles.)
That being said there are some cheap mods you can do under the guise of preventative maintenance. For example if the shifter bushings are all blown out and you have to replace them anyway, a common trick on the E36 is to grab a 4-cylinder Z3 shifter arm for another $50 and you get a significantly shorter throw on the cheap. There's probably something similar you can do with the E46.
If you have a buddy who can weld you can hack off the muffler with a sawzall (leave the resonator or your ears will bleed) and replace it with a couple sections of straight 2" pipe and make it loud for next to nothing, although it'll still be slow.
Re: The Blue Phoenix - E46 325i - Jake - 01-15-2016
Resale value? What is that and why do you care about it?
Re: The Blue Phoenix - E46 325i - JPolen01 - 01-15-2016
Jake Wrote:It's how I got the 'vert all Stanceypants McPolen for $300 with nice, Koni/H&R stuff. It's how I got BBS wheels for $50/wheel. Etc etc.
![[Image: giphy.gif]](https://media.giphy.com/media/MpXXZBsIhu3II/giphy.gif)
Re: The Blue Phoenix - E46 325i - Senor_Taylor - 01-15-2016
SlimKlim Wrote:Its still a closed box but looks aftermarket? Pics?
I'd be extremely cautious with throwing mods at it, old BMWs have a sense of humor at their owner's expense, so the second you bolt some sweet new wheels or shocks on it your power steering pump will decide to explode. (My E46 actually ate two PS pumps before 80k miles.)
That being said there are some cheap mods you can do under the guise of preventative maintenance. For example if the shifter bushings are all blown out and you have to replace them anyway, a common trick on the E36 is to grab a 4-cylinder Z3 shifter arm for another $50 and you get a significantly shorter throw on the cheap. There's probably something similar you can do with the E46.
If you have a buddy who can weld you can hack off the muffler with a sawzall (leave the resonator or your ears will bleed) and replace it with a couple sections of straight 2" pipe and make it loud for next to nothing, although it'll still be slow.
Here is the airbox. His service history says something about AFE filter a while back. Also, I'm not sure why the steering pump is wet.
![[Image: OduQlxn.jpg]](http://i.imgur.com/OduQlxn.jpg)
I'll definitely look into the shifter. The bushings aren't really THAT bad at the moment, so that would be needless money spent.
Have you seen that in person? I could understand straight pipe on a truck, because YOLO, but that seems ridiculously rice-tastic to do on a car, especially a 325. Maybe I'm over thinking it, because I have access to a couple welders.
Jake Wrote:Resale value? What is that and why do you care about it?
I do, a little. If I'm living like a hobo with two cars, I want to make sure that when I sell one, I can continue to live like a hobo with two cars.
Re: The Blue Phoenix - E46 325i - SlimKlim - 01-15-2016
I haven't heard one in person but the resonator is massive so you're far from straight piping it. Look up some videos of muffler deletes, but not resonator deletes, on them. Also look up videos of resonator deletes but not muffler deletes. The former will make it loud but not insane, the latter will give you the teeniest bump in noise while still sounding largely stock, I actually did that to mine.
The PS reservoir has a vent in the cap that'll spit a bit out if it gets hot, some anal retentive people used to put a golf club sock on them to catch the overflow. Just make sure the fluid is topped up and don't sweat it.
That's the stock airbox, I'm guessing Chan just dropped a reusable AFE in, so if it looks crummy you can get a kit to clean and re-oil it. Just don't use too much oil. I like to take the MAF out and hose it down with some MAF cleaner periodically to make myself feel better about using oiled filters.
Actually I think AFE makes a dry filter too, so ask Chan before doing anything to it.
Re: The Blue Phoenix - E46 325i - Senor_Taylor - 01-15-2016
Thanks! I'll look into all of that.
In the end, I really don't see the point in modding out a bottom tier 3 series. I'll stick with some minor stuff for now. Maybe I'll change my mind, but I'd rather not do a lot of stuff to this and always want more. I mean, 180 hp in a big heavy car. No matter how cool I make it look, it won't be any faster/quicker. I've got my eyes set on higher goals.
Re: The Blue Phoenix - E46 325i - SlimKlim - 01-15-2016
Smart. That's how I felt about mine. I did some stupid cosmetic shit to it and pretty much left it at that. When I got the itch for more go-fast I sold it and picked up the M3.
Re: The Blue Phoenix - E46 325i - WRXtranceformed - 01-15-2016
Senor_Taylor Wrote:Have you seen that in person? I could understand straight pipe on a truck, because YOLO, but that seems ridiculously rice-tastic to do on a car, especially a 325. Maybe I'm over thinking it, because I have access to a couple welders.Removing resonators is pretty common on cars. I did it to my TL-S (replaced it with a different one) and on my XFR (replaced two of them with an Xpipe and straight pipes.
Re: The Blue Phoenix - E46 325i - Senor_Taylor - 01-15-2016
WRXtranceformed Wrote:Removing resonators is pretty common on cars. I did it to my TL-S (replaced it with a different one) and on my XFR (replaced two of them with an Xpipe and straight pipes.
Yeah, that makes more sense. This is the first car I've ever had that has resonators on it.
Re: The Blue Phoenix - E46 325i - BLINGMW - 01-15-2016
SlimKlim Wrote:That's the stock airbox, I'm guessing Chan just dropped a reusable AFE in...True, and it has a cleaning / re-oil kit similar to K&N. I remember doing so.... sometime... so that means it can't be that long ago. :dunno:
Re: The Blue Phoenix - E46 325i - WRXtranceformed - 01-16-2016
rherold9 Wrote:Senor_Taylor Wrote:I've been bitten by the BMW bug, but I won't go too far since it's just a high mileage 325i.
I mean there is worse. Modding a shitbox econo car and trying to make it a track car. So, I'd mod it. Get a simple koni-eibach suspension and some decent tires and it would be a lot of fun
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![[Image: 12507404_668376709972269_765331232537282...e=56FEB9E8]](https://scontent-atl3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xfp1/v/t1.0-9/12507404_668376709972269_7653312325372820929_n.jpg?oh=e0b45a36296f3a614454da028756e5a8&oe=56FEB9E8)
Re: The Blue Phoenix - E46 325i - Senor_Taylor - 01-30-2016
So, I'm getting a weird noise at 2100 RPM. Kind of like a vibration coming from the engine. Normally, I wouldn't care about a noise like this, but being a BMW, I'm a tad concerned. I did some googling and it seems it may be something to do with the exhaust?
I'm excited to go back home and looks like a total baller in a BMW, unlike here at JMU.
Re: The Blue Phoenix - E46 325i - BLINGMW - 01-31-2016
Senor_Taylor Wrote:So, I'm getting a weird noise at 2100 RPMyeah there is something loose, has been for years. I figured heat shield but never did find it. Sorry I just kind of got used to it and forgot about it. It's an audible shift indicator if you're driving your grandma to church.
Re: The Blue Phoenix - E46 325i - Senor_Taylor - 01-31-2016
BLINGMW Wrote:A heat shield would make sense because of the terrible rattling noise it makes at idle some times. Did you ever look into the idle issue? Some it will dip about 50-100 rpm and get a little rough.Senor_Taylor Wrote:So, I'm getting a weird noise at 2100 RPMyeah there is something loose, has been for years. I figured heat shield but never did find it. Sorry I just kind of got used to it and forgot about it. It's an audible shift indicator if you're driving your grandma to church.
Also, you left your fiero manual under the seat. I'll bring it to you some time.
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Re: The Blue Phoenix - E46 325i - Scott - 02-14-2016
http://harrisonburg.craigslist.org/cto/5445039407.html
That was quick.....
Re: The Blue Phoenix - E46 325i - Jake - 02-14-2016
Scott Wrote:http://harrisonburg.craigslist.org/cto/5445039407.html
That was quick.....
LOL at price.
Re: The Blue Phoenix - E46 325i - Kaan - 02-14-2016
his generations version of the paper clip trade.
Re: The Blue Phoenix - E46 325i - JPolen01 - 02-14-2016
You're on of those people who thinks you can sell something of value with half assed photos. Good luck with that.
Re: The Blue Phoenix - E46 325i - WRXtranceformed - 02-14-2016
Hew boy...
:?:
Re: The Blue Phoenix - E46 325i - Sully - 02-14-2016
I'll give you $100 less than what you paid for it.....depreciation.
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