[old grey steve]

Originally Posted by AWBimmer

Love the colour coded Spoiler and LED lights!! Great read Steve !!

Thanks Sam. Managed to get a snap or 2 outside with the new lights fitted








comparing this



with this



surprising what a difference rear lights make

Next task I suppose is to finally fit my black headliner(yep been in storage for wait for it a year) either de badge or black 335 will go on perhaps with a red i, plus I'd like to sort the headlights out power wise I'm running a map(development ongoing)which is lovely and smooth but perhaps could be a bit more oomph. But we'll see

[RajB]

Excellent upgrade Steve. Lights always make a huge impact and they sorted the rear perfectly. Lol at black headliner. I've just fitted mine too and really finishes the interior.

[old grey steve]

Not much has happened so to speak, but a couple of issues have been attended too. Firstly an annoying light surging from low speed/low rpm shifting through the gearbox(that produced no faults whatsoever)was traced back to all things a rouge element within my re map that was so obscure that one of the company's we use(who mapped it)simply couldn't see.

The decision was to remove the map completely as we had nothing whatsoever to go on and return the car to standard setup (even though I have catless pipes on) to see if the issue was still present after re setting all the parameters test drive proved that everything was as it should be so start with the map.

File was sent off to the other company we use they spotted the error straightaway which tells me a lot for the future as to who's on the ball.



Anyway map was analysed the issue I had I now knew about a new map was uploaded the car was test driven and now I have a car with good power plus very linier progressive power too. So this will be monitored over a period of time by me to ensure long-term it is to my satisfactionbut so far so good and a great improvement for me over what I had previously

The other issue relates to something that over time creeps up on all of us namely rear subframe suspension bushes, which I'd been speaking to mob17 about over the last few days as he is looking to do his nad it rag a bell with me.

I kind of knew as Mo's comments rang a bell that I had issues nothing to serious but wear was present it wasn't until my car stepped out rather unpredictably on a greasy roundabout the other day that it had in my mind got to the next level.

Opposite lock traction control the lot was before me and for me that was enough.

So up in the air 3 out of the 4 rear subframe bushes were crying enough is enough so as we are a Powerflex dealer new rear bushes were ordered(remember these have a lifetime warranty)so if they are fitted correctly and they are seen to show signs of cracking under their warranty there is a right of redress in terms of getting cracked bushes replaced.

Pictures will follow a little later on when time permits, but pleased to say the cars as tight as my work colleagues at the bar come a round of drinks, feels very well planted and is to be fair very firm which I think complements my Bilstein B8's and EiBach springs and roll bar set up, turn in from the rear is a lot more obedient over say expansion strips in the road or repaired road surfaces the rears a lot more controlled and overall someone wishing to undertake this mod will be pleased with the end result.

The beauty is long-term though rare to replace on these cars its an area throughout your ownership that you'd not have to in my eyes re visit once you've gone through the pain or replacing.

And talking of pain is the thorny question of labour, it would seem on paper straight forward in practice it time consuming like 6 hours time consuming(if done correctly)as I was the recipient of the labour for the work hence a lot of people question (quite rightly)or wince when these costs are mentioned. Sadly that's where you'll be if you are looking to undertake this work. But its worthwhile.

Pics of the strip, knackered bushes and replacement items will follow

[mob17]

Steve great to see you've done the bushes. I have a feeling it must rank quite high in the list of top mods. Please let us know your thoughts after you've had a few drives under your belt Your car must handle great now. You ever think about an LSD?

I've had my subframe bushes for over 6 months, the labour cost is a downer, but it is what it is. I may just get the M3 arms fitted first, and then the bushes at a later date, due to the wife wanting to waste all my money on household stuff

Look forward to seeing some pics of the install and your old bushes.

[old grey steve]

In terms of handling Mo yes it does seal the deal but that's partly down to the state of the bushes that were in situ, as stated earlier I kinda knew when we spoke that the rear of my car felt a little tied oddly enough when I had my EiBach/Bilstein set up installed the bushes were mentioned but that was about it but overall that's as far as it went but from there on in in my mind at some point the subject would of had to be tackled but when the car nearly swapped ends on me and a colleague 2 days later also expierienced the said same issue in the damp then game over. I had to change them

So this is what happened and what we saw. Up on the ramp wheels off




looking underneath at the rear bushes we saw this



the above where circled notice the rubbing that has taken place, this is where the bushes have worn away allowed movement not only up nad down so to speak but side to side(this was noted on both sides but the worse side was the near side of the car)which is understandable with roundabouts and all that, looking underneath we noticed this



an oily deposit and I'm 100% sure at the time that these bushes were not hydro filled like some of the others (but the answer appears to lie further down)

look again on the rear off side subframe looking at the front mounted bush



again if you look at little you'll notice some rubbing on the chassis underside so the visual evidence backed up the cars behaviour meaning the entire rear axle was indeed moving left to right as well as forward and backward under stress.

We opted to support the axle with stands and by doing this aved moving the exhaust and dropping the rear axle too much so more time prepping but you weren't entirely moving the axle and disturbing too much which meant bushes removed the axle kind of remained in situ and below is what you're left with with the bushes removed.






Here's the various pictures of the dead in the water bushes












they do indeed look tired and when examined and manipulated by hand the bushes could be made to twist and flex quite easily so again as they shouldn't ideally do this this confirmed all I needed to know, you'll also notice some of the bushes like the last picture look very black in places(like new rubber visually) these were or appeared to be smeared with grease which may explain the picture posted above a little earlier that appeared to be showing oil dampnesson the under chassis area.

So what were these tired old wreaks repalced with. Well these items from Powerflex. These are the rear bushes for subframe



and these slightly smaller ones are for the front part of the subframe



Out of the box for a look









they all feel very substantual, the final pictures were taken fitted but not fully tightened and placed if you follow me but you'll get the idea
(using the supplied grease packs you lightly smear the buses to aid fitting) sadly if you use gloves as you'll see if you touch a bush it gets covered in grease, no harm in that but makes for a dirty picture ...






But the end result was IMO worthwhile plus as said on a previous post these will last for ages potentually as they refuse to budge could save some money re rear tyres as well as the car appears to put the power town more effectively than I can remember.

[Cossie Bloke]

Stunning 335i you have there fella.
Wish I could find the time and find a body shop local to me to get your finished results, lovely car...

[Ess]

Interesting update as always Steve. Hope you're well

[old grey steve]

Been ages since I updated this... since I last posted the cars had a gear box re bbuild, shift quailty low down chnagd in charactor and I knew something wasn't quite 100% re set adapations via diagnostic (no codes) and that slightly improvied thngs then the symptoms started to come back within 30 or so miles. Then I knew there was a gearbox issue internally, sure enough once stripped down a fault was discovered

On the mechatronics plate the simple adaptor seal had started to break up this simple seals role in life is to ensure the correct pressure maintained within the valve body itself to ensure correct clutch actuation if the seal goes as mine started to do then pressure loss can take place causing possible early clutch wear. A simple seal can create problems and cause clutch pack damage and this is what basically happened to mine, luckily I felt it it was slight but nevertheless I felt it and was proven right with a strip down therefore a rebuild with new torque converter, seals, solenoids and oil cooler was the way forward.

Apart from that not a lot has happeend except this a slight change of wheel colour. Gone for a satin finish instead of a matt finish (easier to clean)plus the finish sparkles slightly when the sun hits it and also where the light doesn't quite hit the area the wheel seems to got a little darker if you follow me as I kinda hope the picture below shows (noticed that the colour itself to photograph was fairly difficult to get right to show the fleck in the paint plus show how the light refracts if you follow me)




especially when you get up close but the thing is on the photo's the difference pre post work isn't quite detectabe, see them in the flesh if you'd seen them before you'll notice



But they do look nice almost in certain lights to some they look at first glace almost bodycoloured, and its the way the wheels throw the light that perhaps gives that impression and that wasn't the aim I set out to acheive but this is the end result and it slooks to me at least smart....

[Chappers 71]

Your car looks most excellent Steve, tastefully done

[Ao1]

Cars looking great Steve. Bet it drives just as good. Must be a keeper now?

[old grey steve]

Originally Posted by Chappers 71

Your car looks most excellent Steve, tastefully done

Ta.......all I've tried to do is to not make it look OTT but at the same time make it look just a little bit different but for me its all about being subtle, which I think I've managed to just about do

Originally Posted by Ao1

Cars looking great Steve. Bet it drives just as good. Must be a keeper now?

Thank you kind sir, it drives well in the bsck of my mind there's a tweak or two that may make a difference but it's smooth especially the power delivery, though modded power is very progressive, which I do like.

Re being a keeper it is for now I've put my house move on hold which was the reason for advertising the car last year, then I kind of discovered the issue re the transmission me being me wanted to get to the route of the problem, rather do this than sell it to someone on here if you follow me now I've got a rebuilt gearbox but when I move I will have to make a decision and that'll depends on where I go how far I've got to travel plus if I need some cash of course

[mob17]

Good to get some updates Steve. Still havent fitted my subframe bushes but will do soon!

[Ess]

Still looking great Steve!

[AshTrey93]

All the photos are gone

[AshTrey93]

Selling this beast soon after 7/8 years of ownership