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Q. What is the tapping noise near the top of my engine?
A. The tapping noise is often attributed to the hydraulic lifters in a low oil condition. Oil starvation also occurs during prolonged hard turns and is
pronounced with an initial low oil state. Detailed oil starvation occurrences and solutions have been outlined below thanks to Edgar Bernard who
spoke with Gregg Forde, chief mechanic of PTG (edited).
The US M3 engine will have oil starvation problems on left handed, high G corners at limited duration (roughly 10 seconds). It is a
combination of oil starvation and oil foaming. A temporary remedy is to put 1 to 1-1/2 quarts of extra oil in the crankcase during
track events. The E36 M3 engine does not experience the same problems as the E30 M3 engine when the oil is over filled. (The
E30 M3 engine will blow or leak oil out of the rear engine seal if too much oil is used.) A low cost fix to the problem is to install the
M3 Lightweight oil pan/pump kit. The kit has two pickup points in the oil pan and is indeed tricked. PTG has the kit for around
$1600 with the gasket (should be under $100). The US M3 engine produces approximately four bars of oil pressure in the block
and one bar in the head.
Q. What is the grinding noise when I start my M3 in cold weather?
A. The noise is most likely a delayed actuation of the starter gear causing it to remain in mesh and consequently grind with the ring gear for a longer
period than normal. This problem is exacerbated in cold weather and is often solved by replacing the starter provided the dealer can confirm the
noise. If replacement of the starter is not possible, simply release the key sooner on startup, perhaps after one or two engine revolutions.
Q. What is the ticking noise after I turn off my M3?
A. The ticking noise is due to the rapid cooling of the various metals in your exhaust system and is completely normal.
Q. How can I check my engine’s fault codes without a special tool? (1995 M3 only)
A. The procedure only works on 1995 (OBD I only; OBD II vehicles require a special scan tool) M3s and will not work on later models. Instructions on
how to retrieve and interpret the fault codes can be found at Bonneville Motor Werks
http://www.bonnevillemotorwerks.com/fault.html.
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Q. How can I reduce my blind spots?
A. To properly adjust your mirror, you need to place your head against the window (for driver side) or place your head in the center of the vehicle
(for passenger side) and you should just be able to see the side of your vehicle. For even better visibility, you can remove your old mirror glass
(both sides) and replace them with the BMW M3 European spec. mirror glass. Both mirrors are convex and the wider angle significantly removes
blind spots (the only change to the passenger side is the omission of the "objects may appear..." writing).
BMW M3 Side Mirror Glass (European spec.)
P/N 51.16.2.267.191 (driver side)
P/N 51.16.2.267.224 (passenger side)
Q. What type of bulbs do the headlights and fog lights use?
A. The headlights use 55W 9006 bulbs for low beams and 55W 9005 bulbs for high beams. The fog lights use 55W H1 bulbs.
Q. Why do some coupes have different BMW rear wings?
A. BMW produced two rear wing designs with an integrated third brake light. If the option was ordered, M3 coupes were delivered with a high arch
rear wing, whereas M3 sedans came with a flatter, squared-off wing design. However, for reasons unknown, if the wing was added later on by the
dealer, the wing designed for the sedan was installed on both models. When looking at a coupe now, you should be able to determine whether
the wing was installed at the factory or not.
BMW M3 Coupe Rear Wing
P/N 51.71.2.260.317
BMW M3 Sedan Rear Wing
P/N 51.71.2.260.319
Q. Why does the lower splash guard keep falling off?
A. The fasteners (bolts and some plastic pins) for the lower splash guard tend to fail or fall out after a relatively short period of time. If your splash
guard scrapes the ground, you will most likely need to replace it. Some have removed the splash guard altogether, but make sure all items that
were previously attached to the panel are securely fastened by other means. Another alternative is to install an aluminum underpanel made by JT
Designs
http://www.jt-designs.com.
Q. Why is it so difficult to open my doors (inside or outside)?
A. The latches and strikers tend to bind at times making the handles a bit difficult to operate. To alleviate the binding, use grease (as opposed to a
silicone lubricant; anti-seize grease tends to last the longest) to lightly coat both the latch mechanism and the striker.
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Q. What are the maximum tire and wheel sizes I can fit on a stock M3 without rubbing?
A. Assuming stock offset of 41 mm, you should not exceed the following sizes: 245/40-17 x 8.5 or 245/35-18 x 8.5 rear (larger sizes in the rear will
require rolling the fenders to avoid rubbing) and 235/40-17 x 7.5 or 225/40-18 x 8.0 front (larger sizes in the front will require more negative
camber and possibly a spacer to avoid rubbing). Also, 235/40-18 x 8.5 with a 38 mm offset will fit in the front without any additional
modifications.
