Putting some (s) miles on it: BMW E46 330CI Thread.

[SiC]

I've seen mention that it's worth cranking it over briefly with the sensor removed and rags over the hole. Apparently due to the design, sludge can build up in that area and will be ejected out by doing that. Free to do so probably worth it. Even if just a bit messy.

[Split_Pin]

Connected the pressure guage,  the location of the port in the block didn't make it easy.

4bar when started from stone cold.

I ran it for at least half an hour and it got to here:

Even if there is still a bit more to go, say after a fast run, I really dont think it would go below the minimum 0.5 bar. 

I fitted the new sensor and put everything back together. I'll go for a drive later and see if the flickering light returns.

[SiC]

Looking good. What rpm at idle on the last reading?

[Split_Pin]

Oops never checked, off out for a quick drive in a bit to see.

[IronStar]

I don’t think I’ve seen more people cheering for survival of a single car lately, let alone actively participated in increasing the odds. Chodspeed little BMW! Please live!

[Split_Pin]

Went out for a drive, mixed motorway and stop start. Light stayed off so far.

[JakeT]

Looks like you’re all set. Yay! I’ll dig into TIS to see what the min pressure is for one of these. 1 BAR will be over it no matter what.

 

ETA: I see you posted 0.5 bar which is right. 4 bar is the regulated max pressure too.

[Split_Pin]

11 minutes ago, JakeT said:

Looks like you’re all set. Yay! I’ll dig into TIS to see what the min pressure is for one of these. 1 BAR will be over it no matter what.

 

ETA: I see you posted 0.5 bar which is right. 4 bar is the regulated max pressure too.

Excellent so it all looks good!

[SiC]

Switch specs of the Hella is 0.2bar to 0.5bar. So I'd expect that is about the expected pressure. You're looking like you are getting 2psi per 100rpm. So should be about 11psi/0.75bar when you said it dropped down to 550rpm. 

[Split_Pin]

I actually made a mental note to remember the specs of that Hella sensor. The one I fitted was actually the one that was missing from ebay but its a Hella too which is good.

Sounds like the pressure is in spec. Going out in it again later to take my son to basketball and along the same road where it first started to come on. Incidentally that's also when the gearbox went into limp mode about a week ago and also very near to the start of the M876 where the Audi A8 turbo first went into limp mode. Unfortunately I need to be in that area frequently as it's where the basketball halls are!

[Split_Pin]

Out and about again, still no flickering oil light (it does come on with the ignition in position 1 though, as normal).

Unfortunately the gearbox went into limp mode again but there's a plan afoot for that so all things considered it's a good day for the car.

[Split_Pin]

Gearbox now on its way south, looking forward to some proper spannering later in the month 👍

[Split_Pin]

I plugged in the C310 Creator that Northernmonkey lent me to try and read the gearbox codes that had been coming up. Unfortunately it would not connect to the car.

Fearing that the OBD2 port was goosed, I connected my prehistoric cheapy code reader to test the port but it fired up and read fine.

One code was for an o2 sensor, probably old and filed under ignore.

To my amazement it only bloody read the gearbox code! Came back with this:

P0741: torque converter clutch circuit performance / stuck off

Interestingly, the torque converter fails to lock up on the motorway, so there's the problem, new TC required. Thankfully the replacement gearbox came with one of those so hopefully it's fine as a refurbished one is very expensive at  around £300 although certainly not enough to condemn the car. 

[SiC]

Could also be a solenoid or internal leakage on the valve block. Of course not a problem if you're chucking a second hand set in. 

[Split_Pin]

Yeah I'd rather just go for it and change the lot out.

[Split_Pin]

Goodbye shonky android head unit.

Had to move the climate back to its original position which necessitated the purchase of a new cubby hole that took ages to arrive.

All in and works perfectly. Looks loads better too, IMO.

Not holding my breath that the battery won't drain but hopefully the standard unit will not randomly die on me any more.

 

[Jazoli]

That is funny I never even realised the climate was in the wrong place and I've had a few E46's , its pretty easy to fix an aux in to the standard hu if you can be bothered then you can use one of the 3.5mm bluetooth recievers.

[JakeT]

Yay it works! After sitting in the garage for 5 years I was concerned it died.

[Split_Pin]

25 minutes ago, JakeT said:

Yay it works! After sitting in the garage for 5 years I was concerned it died.

It burst into life right away and I tuned it to my favourite stations 😀

[Split_Pin]

This is currently with our Northernmonkey to have the gearbox replaced. As a small update, when the car was started after sitting for several days, it fired right up and the battery no longer goes flat! So it was the shonky Android head unit after all. Pkus the standard set up looks so much better IMO.

That's also good as I can close up the fuse box and start using the glove box again 😀

[IronStar]

10 minutes ago, Split_Pin said:

This is currently with our Northernmonkey to have the gearbox replaced. As a small update, when the car was started after sitting for several days, it fired right up and the battery no longer goes flat! So it was the shonky Android head unit after all. Pkus the standard set up looks so much better IMO.

That's also good as I can close up the fuse box and start using the glove box again 😀

Amazing news!

No more appearances of oil light then? 

[jmsguzzi]

On 09/09/2024 at 17:23, Split_Pin said:

Goodbye shonky android head unit.

Had to move the climate back to its original position which necessitated the purchase of a new cubby hole that took ages to arrive.

All in and works perfectly. Looks loads better too, IMO.

Not holding my breath that the battery won't drain but hopefully the standard unit will not randomly die on me any more.

 

I’ve just bought one of these to go in my new E46:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B07MTL5JJK?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title

It works but I’ve not actually managed to get the headunit back in properly as there’s not enough space behind for all the wires, very annoying, I’m going to take the glovebox out tonight to try and pull them through.

Mines a 323i Auto, everything seems ok apart from a couple of little niggles and the control arm bushes which feel absolutely shot, classic BMW wheel shimmy between 40-60 so that’s the next job.

It’s also very slow but so was my 523i with the same setup so maybe they’re just like that!

[Split_Pin]

21 minutes ago, IronStar said:

Amazing news!

No more appearances of oil light then? 

Nope, zero issues with that since I replaced the sensor. I unfollowed the E46 FB pages as they weren't half a bunch of doom merchants 😂

[Split_Pin]

9 minutes ago, jmsguzzi said:

I’ve just bought one of these to go in my new E46:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B07MTL5JJK?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title

It works but I’ve not actually managed to get the headunit back in properly as there’s not enough space behind for all the wires, very annoying, I’m going to take the glovebox out tonight to try and pull them through.

Mines a 323i Auto, everything seems ok apart from a couple of little niggles and the control arm bushes which feel absolutely shot, classic BMW wheel shimmy between 40-60 so that’s the next job.

It’s also very slow but so was my 523i with the same setup so maybe they’re just like that!

Lovely early example there 😀

[Schaefft]

2 hours ago, jmsguzzi said:

I’ve just bought one of these to go in my new E46:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B07MTL5JJK?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title

It works but I’ve not actually managed to get the headunit back in properly as there’s not enough space behind for all the wires, very annoying, I’m going to take the glovebox out tonight to try and pull them through.

Mines a 323i Auto, everything seems ok apart from a couple of little niggles and the control arm bushes which feel absolutely shot, classic BMW wheel shimmy between 40-60 so that’s the next job.

It’s also very slow but so was my 523i with the same setup so maybe they’re just like that!

523i/323i are slow, especially with the auto. Which is why they are cheap.

[Split_Pin]

So this has been with @NorthernMonkeywho has almost finished the gearbox swap. By all accounts it sounds like it has been a horrible job.

It moved under its own power this week which is a good start as far as the condition of the replacement box goes. 

Hopefully it works as it should.

Just some more fluid (the service kit I supplied doesn't seem to have quite enough) and a new exhaust downpipe gasket and hopefully it's a good 'un.

Many thanks to Neil for taking this on when nobody else in my area would (or wanted ££££s to overhaul the existing box).

[Split_Pin]

All done:

Hopefully things stay this way;

Nae gearbox light.

First leg was by Audi.

Now the 2nd leg, accompanied by the laziest train chair in the world:

Get up, silly, it's nearly time to get off.

[Split_Pin]

Next we wait:

I intend to South on the Megabus.

Nae expense spared, any comfort is entirely accidental.

[Split_Pin]

My view until approximately 3.05pm

[Jazoli]

Good luck for the drive home, good to see the car resurrected and I know you’ll continue to improve it.