Front arms on the E46

Post Sun Feb 16, 2014 3:35 pm

The front end on the E46 wagon feels overdue for a freshen up.

Is it the done thing to replace the E46 arms with E30 ones?

Do the E30 M3 lolipop bushes make any sense on these turds?

Post Sun Feb 16, 2014 4:14 pm

E30 and E46 arms are completely different in size, people are putting E46 arms on E30s for wider track to get more drift angle...

E30 M3 lollipops won't fit, E30 bushes are round where they push on the arm where as E46 are hexagon.

I'd just replace with them with standard bushes, or you could upgrade to poly bushes.

Post Sun Feb 16, 2014 4:16 pm

None of the E30 / 36 bits are compatible with these late model executive chariots

Seek out Meyle bits on ebay, both wishbones and the rear bushes (they come complete with the carrier) Top quality bits for reasonable money. I rate Meyle stuff better than Lemforder etc.

Post Sun Feb 16, 2014 5:45 pm

Theres a bloke on ebay that sells the entire MeyleHD front suspension kit. Great value for money and very hard wearing. 3 year warranty too.!

Post Sun Feb 16, 2014 6:25 pm

Meyle heavy duty are really good and better then OE and good value.

Post Mon Feb 17, 2014 4:28 pm

dont forget to get the alignment done if you swap out the OEM M-Technic arms with the lemforder/meyle arms.

Both reduce the overall track width @ the front, you will have massive toe-out issues and ruin your tyres in a week !

Other than that, bolt up and enjoy, I have the lem HD setup[ on the 330CD and its fine, perhaps a tad less crisp on turn in with narrower track but saves ££££ over the crappy OEM arms.

Post Mon Feb 17, 2014 6:16 pm

Thanks for the replies gentlemen.

Post Mon Feb 17, 2014 10:01 pm

Give me a bell at work Lee, should be able to cut you a deal.

Bored shitless with my E46 already. I don't care for them much.

Post Tue Feb 18, 2014 4:55 pm

your e46 is crap though everett, you need one with an engine. My b3s is hoot down the backroads and excellent when on a plod

Post Tue Feb 18, 2014 11:40 pm

Simon13 wrote:your e46 is crap though everett, you need one with an engine.

You need one with front wings and back arches.

Post Wed Feb 19, 2014 12:21 am

dag dag dag say it out loud it nearly sounds like a 320d no?

Post Wed Feb 19, 2014 10:15 am

Simon13 wrote:dag dag dag say it out loud it nearly sounds like a 320d no?

Keep up at the back Si. He now has a £290 green 323 in the desirable quattroporte configuration

Post Wed Feb 19, 2014 6:56 pm

A quattroporte you say?

I have a quattroporte black sport leather interior for sale and an electric shagging blind.

Post Wed Feb 19, 2014 7:07 pm

Motor trade anthracite cloth FTW. 2000 323i on MV's and Eibach springs. Remarkably unrusty, goes okay with 170 bhp but I can't really gel with it. I don't like the throttle response or the clutch and the resulting driveline shunt so I hate driving it in traffic. I just prefer the E36, sharper and far nicer.

Post Wed Feb 19, 2014 7:31 pm

Have you changed the throttle cable? M52tu E46 cables do like to get stiff!

Wipe clean leverzzz FTW!

Post Wed Feb 19, 2014 9:03 pm

No, but it's had some WD40 so it's light enough. WTF is that abortion of a throttle body about? If it doesn't sell this month I'll just persevere with it.

Post Wed Jun 11, 2014 10:42 am

I finally replaced the front arms, drop links and front shocks with some Meyle heavy duty action and the turd feels much less like an ocean-going vessel with rattles and bangs.

Do most M54 donks like a drink of oil? Mine seems to quaff about a litre every 1000 miles.

Could this be the cyclone valve is blocked or do they just like a drink in general?

Post Wed Jun 11, 2014 6:42 pm

That's not bad for an M54.

Which grade oil you using?

Post Thu Jun 12, 2014 8:05 am

5W 30 mate

Post Thu Jun 12, 2014 11:18 am

Try 10w40 fully synth and see how get on but 1ltr/1000 miles is within BMW spec which is 1ltr/600 miles.

Post Mon May 04, 2015 12:49 pm

i have a set of front lower arms brand new never fitted

Post Sun Aug 02, 2015 6:22 pm

I've got a 330i Touring, and run 5w30 oil.

I'd recommend you change out the PCV system completely, this helps a fair bit in reducing the oil consumption. The other trick I've found out from a engineer at BMW (I work in the industry so have contacts) is to give the engine some serious work out every so often and get the engine REALLY hot, this frees up the oil rings which if you baby the engine all the time become gummed up and stick, resulting in high oil consumption.

Post Mon Aug 03, 2015 9:28 pm

Just to report back, I had the PCV system totally replaced with all hoses. The turd had a leak from the oil filter housing gasket which was replaced, but was still gushing oil and using about 5l per 500 miles. I turned out the dip stick was corroded at the bottom and the pipe that goes to the Y piece on the dipstick was like chocolate. So with that lot replaced it has stopped spewing oil over the driveway and work car park.

But it does leave a cloud of shite behind if you give it a good dicking and also on occasional start ups it chucks out a cloud of blue smoke. So I would suspect it is valve stem seals or rings.

Either way, I think its days are numbered now.

Can't complain though. I paid £2k for it nearly 3 years ago, have abused it and barely serviced it or done anything until it was critical and have done 35k in it.

It does about 35mpg on a run at 80-90mph, but about 20 on the daily drive to work which is all mainly 3rd/4th gear sub 40mph travel.

Maybe I've got old but I rarely drive like a dick anymore and you can't go fast anywhere as there is always someone in front holding you up. Plus i have the crotch rocket for thrills and not many cars are as quick as that or anywhere near as much fun.

Post Sat Sep 26, 2015 11:49 am

I did some investigation on the oil issue, given I've got a 330i touring as well (low miles at 54k when i got it) but the sodding thing was using oil like most other people.

Now having spoken to an engineer from BMW , not a techie (one of the development engineers) The PCV valve is needed to maintain pressure in the crank case. this helps to push the oil rings out. So swapping it to pipes ends up causing it to just drink more oil.

The other things was to get the car hot, really hot, so for example once in a while to give the car plenty of revs at full throttle, given I live in Milton Keynes, 2nd gear off roundabouts to just before redline seems to have helped reduce the oil consumption.

I'm due to do another oil change, and after some research 5w40 seems to be the general consensus that works. I acidently put some in whilst at the Nurburgring and the oil consumption has practically stopped now