I know right, why have rims that look like black steel ones from a far, show those babies, make em seen, ban the black ones 😉 jk but would really like to see less of this horrible trend
I'm new to this channel, but I want to say it was very refreshing to see a video where they actually show the work being done for the mods. I definitely will be coming back for more, thanks!
I'm realizing this guy is so precise that the cameras and recording might not have started for viewers, but rather just to ensure nothing went wrong/have a way to verify each step if something was forgotten. I do the same thing when I do complex jobs.
He’s very thorough with all his work. No step is missed/ignored and all specs are followed. That’s one thing I love about his channel! Sreten is the best.
@@st3althyone Yup, I'm the same way, or at least I try to be, the reason I love this channel so much is he never leaves out a single step or process, leaves nothing to doubt.
@@DueGreg E46? R u mad? Maybe there are some Coupes in rare spec but who is gonna throw 10k. 🤣 Better idea is to get rust free one for 2000-4000 and put the rest of that 10k budget in proper work.
@@jasnyjuh3540lol. Coupes start at 5k atleast. anythibg below that is so dead, that youd spend 10 k in a heartbeat, and will not be anywhere near great condition..
Vietnam flashbacks of trying to get my E46 330i touring's (5 speed) manual gearbox out with a bunch of extensions, to put in my single mass flywheel back in the day. Did it in December in a freezing cold South Wales, on a concrete driveway, had an awful time doing it lol.
Next time, lower the subframe a little. Just 4 bolts. It helps a lot to reach the bolts and especially to install the gearbox. No need to do the alignment afterwards because of the guides welded into the subframe.
I felt that, probably spent 8 hours just trying to get to the bolts and mate the transmission back up on jack stands. Buying a proper transmission jack and not just a regular one with blocks of wood probably would have been worth it 😅
There cannot be a better Friday evening than coming home, cracking a cold one and seing a new video from Sreten. Kid in bed and wife in bath, nothing to spoil the evening!
I love that it actually is a long video with incremental changes, because it's enjoyable content. I hate 5 minute videos with 5 million changes where everything is on turbo speed. I just feel exhausted after that and wonder why I bothered. There's incremental changes that matters in this video and you get a better connection with the vehicle that way even as a viewer. You got these videos pretty dialed by now. Nice.
The most impressive thing about your videos, besides all the fun content...is the pacing... you have always the perfect pacing so it keeps interesting and not too repetitive.
I love the way Sreten always removes the fan for anything that needs servicing, he's gotten so good at it that he just looks at it the fan removes itself hahahaha
Project Cologne is the reason I bought an e46 touring. This has been such a great journey to watch as it has been around for so long. Your channel has grown so much from episode one to now. Cheers!
He got more cool cars but those needs fixing.. like the E-21 coupe, E92 m3.. also if memory serves right should we mention the M5 V10- in memory of S. Schmidt he did give away across the ocean ?
I can't be the only one here wishing for a fully spec'd track car with no road compromises. For that you need a van and a trailer of course, which would be an epic side project, modifying a van to have all the essential needs to tow a race car. Also, race gloves, and your steering wheel cleaning issues are solved. Mad job as always, Sreten. P.S.: edited for typo
Nice upgrade! The BMW M54 engine has one of the most iconic exhaust notes of its era. There’s a beautiful balance in the way it growls-rich, deep, and refined, yet with an edge that hints at the engine's power. When you press the throttle, the sound starts with a smooth, low hum that builds into a crescendo of mechanical symphony. It's a tone that makes even a simple cruise feel exhilarating, and it has that unmistakable BMW character: precise, performance-driven, and timeless. That sound isn't just an engine; it's an invitation to drive.
@@SampleTracks2224 I get why you might think that-it’s becoming more common these days. But this piece actually came straight from me! I put a lot of thought into it and tried to make it sound natural and reflective of my own emotions from owning and driving a BMW with the same M54 engine.
You're knowledge on how these engines works is outstanding. Im flabbergasted. I could never do what you do. Very impressive. I love how you fast forward some of the time consuming bits like taking of a lot of screws. You're editing skills are also outstanding. Why you don't have millions of subscribers I will never understand.
Glad to hear you are going for a full rollgage. 🔥 safety is everything Sreten. Love the small steps you make between comparison, so you really see the difference and what works and what not!! 💪 It would be nice to hear Misha feed back next spring after the last round of updates. But I'm loving the series so far. Keep up the good work and good to hear Marseilles is back on the menu!! Looking forward to hear the first start and the custom exhaust. 🔥
I love that you are doing the the track-focused upgrades, but NOT throwing away the civilized on-road behavior of the car (in the name of weight savings etc.). But I guess time will tell if you finally do go there......!
Absolutely phenomenal episode. The editing, pacing and quality had me smiling at the progress you’ve made on both this vehicle and your production skills, resulting in a truly enjoyable video. Keep it up!
With the work so far, We've both have similar spec 330i tourings, I'm glad the the tips i mentioned when we met in June have proven useful to help develop Cologne further. It'd be great to do a back to back comparison between them both to see the differences though i think at the rate of development and me moving house and wanting to get my Opel project started, your touring is going to soon outrun mine.
Oh, I certainly wasn't expecting a video on this car, but it's quite welcome to see, especially after how far it has come. The difference in grip and attitude is very apparent, it must so fun to drive! It was also quite interesting to see the process of installing those new cams, quite and involved process.
Streten, Your videos are the only ones I anticipate. Ive owned several used BMW’s over the years. Current a F15 X5. Your video content is very sobering for me concerning owning a classic BMW. I’d love to own one but your experiences are that typically they need complete brake, hoses and suspension refreshes. Beyond my budget and skills. Your video camera presentation and quality are the best.
Great content as usual. Love watching and listening to Streten rip these machines apart and meticulously put them back together again. I was a full time mechanic nye on 30 years ago and watching Streten, from his first episodes, inspired me to get the tools out again. It's great to be able to repair your own car! Getting dirty replacing what ever it needs! Thanks Streten!
As usual, Stretton makes all of this work look easy........the animated pointers for bolt torque settings in the video are first class! Small issue.........IF you are going to be giving an engine with hydraulic buckets a lot of hard,racing, high rpm work..........replace the hydraulic cam buckets. Old buckets can fail and cause a lot of damage. Yes, you can run solid buckets and that makes sense above 7000rpm.
I am continually amazed by his talent. I spent a fortune redoing an American muscle when I should have been paying him to build me a screaming BM'r. Love your work.
Thank you Sreten for making E46 content for us E46 owners and also thank you for showing us how to install the mods, keep maintaining the cars, tips and tricks and which mods are best for the track and street. 👍❤
Hi Sreten, I am a huge fan of the channel and have been admiring your work and enthusiasm for years, cheers to you! I love your project Cologne as I have an e46 330ci 5-speed street/track day project for 13 years already. It's got Schmiedmann, head cut to 11.5/1 comp, single mass flywheel from M30, reprofiled cams to S50B30US spec, CAI and ECU remap. It's running 240 WHP Mustang Dyno (should be roughly 280-ish at the crank). I would like to point out as a tip from personal experience, that M54B30 stock oil pump is a real weak point of the engine when going above 6500 rpm (supposedly from the longer stroke) and I've had a loosened and popped out bolt of the pump once and than second time a broken oil pump shaft at a track day (stopped immediately and engine was safe). In my opinion it is essential to add a tensioner (info an be found on 46fanatics) to the oil pump and possibly get an aftermarket/racing pump to keep the engine safe (info an be found on 46fanatics). Thank you for the content! P.S. I've read that when doing the oil pump upgrade and adding stronger valve springs you can safely rev to 7500 rpm, saying this to dare you try :)
Humble video request: and in-depth restoration an E46 M3 to the same level as you did with the E92 (the one from your US trip is great but not in the same ballpark). I feel like I know everything about the E92 M3 now but I own an E46 M3 (likely along with a lot of your other viewers). I think that kind of video series would do well!
@@gowillem613 100%. I also request for selfish reasons because the level of detail in these video series’s are almost workshop manual level detailed. And I try to diy everything lol
Been watching this channel for a year…. Loved every video. Sreten it’s great and thanks to him I finally decided to buy myself a E39 530D. I know he doesn’t like diesel but it’s just way it is. Next step it’s buying tools to start working on my car by myself.
Well I learned quite a few things watching this video that's for sure. Those are some very impressive power numbers on the M54 NA engine! Not that I have or work on M54 engines (The two I own are the S54 and the N54) but the Mineral oil to speed up the bedding in of the new cams couldn't stand the weathers is totally new to me. Plus much more. But one thing I already knew before he even started is that these engines are tuned from the factory very well for the most part. Because they are naturally aspirated there's not a lot that can be squeezed out of them without fairly drastic changes. I guess the camshafts were the biggest but the amount work of doing everything is no joke either. Especially when you don't have a lift. The Professor of Bimmer here is incredible!! His gifts are above all!! IMHO lol. Like the Clutch and fly wheel as well as the shafts which also require specialty tools that in Canada where I'm tooling in the cold in a single car garage no heat. I would certainly have to buy etc. That's why engines like the "N54" from the 2007-2010 was such a big deal in it's day and even still today. With just a quick blip of the computer it will gain 100HP and 110 torque without bolting a single thing onto it.
Sreten you are so funny, when you said you'll be happy to know there are no imperfections in the finish, i never doubted you for a second. I gotta say, that paint looks really good, factory. G-d bless.
Man I LOVE project Cologne! E46 is hands down the BEST BMW series to ever exist in my opinion and you are giving this NA engine the life it deserves Sreten. Thank you!
My first BMW had style 5 basketweaves which took forever to clean properly, longer than the rest of the car. The next set (rep style 166s) I painted black. While now I know it was probably due to worn paint and dusty pads, the PTSD still persists from the hours spent trying to clean those style 5's I don't care if they're ugly, I used a matte paint and just spray tire shine all over them to keep them looking glossy, it is such a time saver.
Hum... The exhaust sounds really nice! ^^ The roll cage will look awkward on a Touring but, is a special one. Eager to see the power figures with all the mods.
I wonder how Steten feels, knowing, subconsciously that he has the best N/A E46 touring in the world. Thank you for another great upload and please don't forget about the little dent on your driver's side front panel above the wheel 😊
Hope it's everything ok, man! You sounds a little bit sad in this video.. Loves to see you working, it's just beatiful the way you do it! I wish I could find people to work this good more easily. Have a nice weekend!
What? Haha, no idea what gave you that impression, not sad at all. Voice-over has too much echo in the new apartment, so I had to improvise a bit, so maybe that.
@M539Restorations It might be that! Or remembering the quattrobroken metal shavings 😅 It was just an impression, I'm happy to know its everything ok, looking forword to your next video!
I’d like to say that this channel is the whole reason I bought my lci e90 335i msport, and it just makes me want to take the same care and dedication to my own BMW.
Automatic like on this video, I would have loved info like this when I had my e46. In the era of turbo engines and e-mailing +100hp for 500 bucks... the grind for N/A power is so interesting
Cool thanks for the ride along on track day, love the car drivability keep at it. Look forward to the cage and getting the A pillar out of the way for seeing more of the track on track day
I think it’s time to start with an index of all Sreten videos. This is a testament for the future survival of old BMW’s. There are now so many videos that when you need to replace a part of your car you need help to identify in which video was the clutch of an M54 replaced or where are detailed the instructions for an E65 rear subframe bushing’s replacement.
The E46 chassis is and always will be one of my top preferences for sports cars, even though I currently drive an E60 2.5i. A very nice episode, a breath of fresh air after that Italian derailment.
Seeing all the attention to detail and special procedures required for something like this makes me realize that the likelihood of most shops rebuilding an entire engine correctly is close to zero.
More excellent work, nice gains in power for not too much money. You are so lucky to have the wild Nurburgring on your doorstep. I look forward to PT17
thanks again for making me appreciate my own 330ci even more. Perhaps i will give my car the mods it deserve when I have the time. These cars deserve it.
Love the E46. I miss mine. Still the best car I've owned. It had a character. Currently I have a RWD Lexus. Very good car. Reliable, pretty quick, handles well. But it does not have the "soul" and character that the E46 had.
Sreten when you mentioned that your clutch stop was a door stop I had a proper giggle, because I remember being a teenager and doing the exact same thing, thinking I was a genius, to my first car, an LCI E46
Sreten - Just a tip regarding the wheel studs. They will most likely become loose even with all the precautions you took to clean the threads and apply loctite. I've had similar wheel studs on my M3 for many years (usually change them every year after heavy track use) - And when you change wheels sometimes some of them unscrew a little bit. So try to keep in mind just to check and snug them down when you swap wheels, otherwise you can have a bad day!
@@M539Restorations Yeah figured you already thought about it. It only happened to me when changing wheels - A few trackdays when I put on my track wheels, I noticed the studs had backed out, so had to snug them down again - After that I always checked them, and occasionally some of them backed out a few threads. No big deal - The convenience of having studs is too good
@Doggepp the key is to check them only once when cold. If you do it after driving, they'll be hot, and the metal will stretch more, giving you a false sense they are loose. cheers!
@@M539Restorations Yes and no - In my case, they were loose, and I noticed sometimes when I removed the wheel nuts, that the extended studs "followed" them while unthreading a bit, so you could screw them in again several turns. When I noticed this, I usually removed them, cleaned the threads, and re-applied locite. And they were good for a while. I think you probably used way better loctite than I did though, so you're probably good!
Watching the cams and vanos install this is best left to someone with proper tools and previous experience, I would not want someone using my car as the leaning curve. M539 spot on "Again"!
55:02 Gotta love Streten with the aesthetics! Hates black rims, yet under the hood/bonnet, it needs to be black. Hope to see the E21 project whenever you're ready. Keep it up, love your videos!
There's a trick you can do to get a better idle and more midrange torque for anyone interested. I know this works on M50tu and M52, not sure about double vanos motors. But with my Sunbelt 280 cam S52 and my friends Schtick 276 cam S52 we retarded the intake cam and advanced the exhaust cam a bit. There are degrees timing tools you can buy from Alien engineering and with some trial and error you'll find what you like. This allows it to idle like stock, get TONS of midrange torque for fun city driving, and even gives you a safer valve clearance which is important especially for stock valve springs.
This is the first video Ive noticed where you have left the auto exposure on, it’s annoying but your content is as interesting as ever. Another good job, well executed. Cheers
First step to in car modification is making sure what you've got is the best it can be. Second step is get 'truly' comfortable behind the wheel, in a 'high quality' seat, steering wheel and gear stick that positions you comfortably in reach of all controls.
Mate i can’t believe you’re still running on stock air filter, I installed a carbon intake on my 330i and that alone gave me 10+ hp ok the dyno but more importantly, it made the car sound like an 80s dtm car. You will NOT regret it.
Before you go down the full cage route, just remember that you will be LESS safe whenever you aren't wearing a helmet. So if it's a track only car, no issue but you will be at more risk on the road unless you have a helmet on. I won't be putting a cage in my track car for that reason, it will still be used on the road. Maybe get a professional opinion. Looking forward to seeing the result of the head porting. I was thinking when you said they were the most aggressive cams that they would be too much for for the stock head. They should really wake up with some more flow/RPM
270 is pretty good, also note that you make peak power straight to redline now, at least in the US most m54s out of the box making peak power at 5900-6000 rpm.
Changing the steering wheel, I noticed the leather passenger seat. On track it has alcantara of sorts. And the profile also looks more like bucket seats. Yet no mention in de video. Anyway, impressive power improvements!
Last time I saw the E46 Touring on Misha2, I was like wtf, this car has come super far since we last saw it, I thought I'll never see it again, no more content, just Sreten using it on the Ring. Pleasant surprise. Hopefully now that summer is over and ppl watch video, we'll be back to normal schedule and "normal" "everyday" projects.
Great video! I have alcantara steering wheel. As long as you clean it regularly there is nothing better. When it gets gross its because people don’t properly maintain the fabric.
Sreten, you should really use racing gloves anytime you use the Alcantara wheel. It will provide much more grip and keep the steering wheel form getting dirty and torn up. They can also keep your hands from getting too tired over long laps. Love your content!
I fully agree on not liking black wheels. I want to see them. I don't understand why they are so common.
For people who don't like to clean brake dust.
Black wheels still show dust. I kinda like the transition from silver to bronze wheels between washes😂@@simontist
I know right, why have rims that look like black steel ones from a far, show those babies, make em seen, ban the black ones 😉 jk but would really like to see less of this horrible trend
Would take Black wheels, over a Light Green Metallic car all day long
Silver wheels go on everything, might aswell run steelies if they are black 😅
I'm new to this channel, but I want to say it was very refreshing to see a video where they actually show the work being done for the mods. I definitely will be coming back for more, thanks!
Great to hear, thank you and welcome!
I belive "they" is one single person!
Welcome brother, let us know when you start your obligatory binge watch of every video on the channel 👍
It doesn't matter if it's a great day or a horrible day... After watching a hour long new video from Sreten, every day is magnificent!
Yup, there’s nothing better than fresh Sreten in the morning. 😬🤣
Couldn’t agree more. Love this dude!
@@st3althyone keep the cup above half-full for maximum effect!
Not gonna lie, sometimes I fall asleep to the sound of him ratcheting.
@@oncall3570 Always!
I'm realizing this guy is so precise that the cameras and recording might not have started for viewers, but rather just to ensure nothing went wrong/have a way to verify each step if something was forgotten. I do the same thing when I do complex jobs.
He’s very thorough with all his work. No step is missed/ignored and all specs are followed. That’s one thing I love about his channel! Sreten is the best.
That's the way to go. Prior to cameras become viable option ,it used to be labelling/ layout sketching
@@st3althyone Yup, I'm the same way, or at least I try to be, the reason I love this channel so much is he never leaves out a single step or process, leaves nothing to doubt.
@@MichaelGajdos That's super interesting and makes sense, that may be better/more efficient than a camera if I knew how to do that as well haha.
@jkhsdjkhfjkhh3 camera ( video) is better option. But it requires skill to position it right. This channel is finest example how to do it.
51:10 daaaaaaaaang, for a Spray Can Job this looks 11/10 !!!!!
Spoiler alert! I'm only 5 mins in duuuuude!
i like how you are even with your "cheap" and less valuable projects like "yes i am gonna install the 1200€ cams into the 1200€ BMW"
Beautiful!
Thats a 10k Bmw
@@DueGreg E46? R u mad? Maybe there are some Coupes in rare spec but who is gonna throw 10k. 🤣 Better idea is to get rust free one for 2000-4000 and put the rest of that 10k budget in proper work.
@@jasnyjuh3540 this is a mint condition original manual M 30i, the closest thing on mobile is 12k. Coupes go 10-15k.
@@jasnyjuh3540really depends on where you live. They can go for that in good condition easily
@@jasnyjuh3540lol. Coupes start at 5k atleast. anythibg below that is so dead, that youd spend 10 k in a heartbeat, and will not be anywhere near great condition..
Vietnam flashbacks of trying to get my E46 330i touring's (5 speed) manual gearbox out with a bunch of extensions, to put in my single mass flywheel back in the day. Did it in December in a freezing cold South Wales, on a concrete driveway, had an awful time doing it lol.
On the 6 speed its even harder, the 6 speed is about 20cm longer. Pain in the ass.
Next time, lower the subframe a little. Just 4 bolts. It helps a lot to reach the bolts and especially to install the gearbox.
No need to do the alignment afterwards because of the guides welded into the subframe.
I felt that, probably spent 8 hours just trying to get to the bolts and mate the transmission back up on jack stands. Buying a proper transmission jack and not just a regular one with blocks of wood probably would have been worth it 😅
There cannot be a better Friday evening than coming home, cracking a cold one and seing a new video from Sreten. Kid in bed and wife in bath, nothing to spoil the evening!
Is it already Friday? I need a job....
😂@@mementomori4972
More important than power number increases, the power curves got smoother each time Taylan touched the ECU. Top job.
Yeah it's not a torque curve - it's a torque table
@@christopherjohnston6343 the man turned the NA engine to an EV
I love that it actually is a long video with incremental changes, because it's enjoyable content. I hate 5 minute videos with 5 million changes where everything is on turbo speed. I just feel exhausted after that and wonder why I bothered.
There's incremental changes that matters in this video and you get a better connection with the vehicle that way even as a viewer. You got these videos pretty dialed by now. Nice.
The most impressive thing about your videos, besides all the fun content...is the pacing... you have always the perfect pacing so it keeps interesting and not too repetitive.
I love the way Sreten always removes the fan for anything that needs servicing, he's gotten so good at it that he just looks at it the fan removes itself hahahaha
Removing the electric fan takes like 1 minute, haha. Love it.
Try it on a 2016 Jaguar XF 3.0. You'll have a laugh.
Project Cologne is the reason I bought an e46 touring. This has been such a great journey to watch as it has been around for so long. Your channel has grown so much from episode one to now. Cheers!
I didn't get lucky with a touring but have a sedan E46 and thanks to Sreten I've done all the stage 0 repairs
@@LastChanceFossilsame as me!
I love my kids, my wife, my work, and man do I love the day's that bring us new videos from M539 resto!!
Honestly the E46 Touring is my favorite car on the channel, with the E60 M5/E92 M3 tied for a close second.
He got more cool cars but those needs fixing.. like the E-21 coupe, E92 m3.. also if memory serves right
should we mention the M5 V10- in memory of S. Schmidt he did give away across the ocean ?
I can't be the only one here wishing for a fully spec'd track car with no road compromises. For that you need a van and a trailer of course, which would be an epic side project, modifying a van to have all the essential needs to tow a race car.
Also, race gloves, and your steering wheel cleaning issues are solved.
Mad job as always, Sreten.
P.S.: edited for typo
The BMW Vixen motorhome could be an awesome project.
Nice upgrade! The BMW M54 engine has one of the most iconic exhaust notes of its era. There’s a beautiful balance in the way it growls-rich, deep, and refined, yet with an edge that hints at the engine's power. When you press the throttle, the sound starts with a smooth, low hum that builds into a crescendo of mechanical symphony. It's a tone that makes even a simple cruise feel exhilarating, and it has that unmistakable BMW character: precise, performance-driven, and timeless. That sound isn't just an engine; it's an invitation to drive.
AI wrote this comment
@@chriso8485 no, I wrote it
It sounds too raspy unless branches are used
AI alert
@@SampleTracks2224 I get why you might think that-it’s becoming more common these days. But this piece actually came straight from me! I put a lot of thought into it and tried to make it sound natural and reflective of my own emotions from owning and driving a BMW with the same M54 engine.
You're knowledge on how these engines works is outstanding. Im flabbergasted. I could never do what you do. Very impressive. I love how you fast forward some of the time consuming bits like taking of a lot of screws. You're editing skills are also outstanding. Why you don't have millions of subscribers I will never understand.
Glad to hear you are going for a full rollgage. 🔥 safety is everything Sreten.
Love the small steps you make between comparison, so you really see the difference and what works and what not!! 💪
It would be nice to hear Misha feed back next spring after the last round of updates.
But I'm loving the series so far.
Keep up the good work and good to hear Marseilles is back on the menu!! Looking forward to hear the first start and the custom exhaust. 🔥
I love that you are doing the the track-focused upgrades, but NOT throwing away the civilized on-road behavior of the car (in the name of weight savings etc.). But I guess time will tell if you finally do go there......!
Absolutely phenomenal episode. The editing, pacing and quality had me smiling at the progress you’ve made on both this vehicle and your production skills, resulting in a truly enjoyable video. Keep it up!
With the work so far, We've both have similar spec 330i tourings, I'm glad the the tips i mentioned when we met in June have proven useful to help develop Cologne further.
It'd be great to do a back to back comparison between them both to see the differences though i think at the rate of development and me moving house and wanting to get my Opel project started, your touring is going to soon outrun mine.
Same Mason from Jimmer's channel?
@@gillesthibodeau3424 one and the same
We used to have a 330 sedan with the 20 spoke wheels. I miss it dearly 😢
Also that’s some crazy volumetric efficiency for an old engine like that.
Fabulous. I fully recommend porting aggressively and polishing the head and skim it to increase the ratio.
Oh, I certainly wasn't expecting a video on this car, but it's quite welcome to see, especially after how far it has come. The difference in grip and attitude is very apparent, it must so fun to drive!
It was also quite interesting to see the process of installing those new cams, quite and involved process.
Streten, Your videos are the only ones I anticipate. Ive owned several used BMW’s over the years. Current a F15 X5. Your video content is very sobering for me concerning owning a classic BMW. I’d love to own one but your experiences are that typically they need complete brake, hoses and suspension refreshes. Beyond my budget and skills. Your video camera presentation and quality are the best.
Great content as usual. Love watching and listening to Streten rip these machines apart and meticulously put them back together again. I was a full time mechanic nye on 30 years ago and watching Streten, from his first episodes, inspired me to get the tools out again. It's great to be able to repair your own car! Getting dirty replacing what ever it needs! Thanks Streten!
Your hands are getting smooth with that steering wheel, huge improvement on your driving! Keep it up! 😊
55:19 - Windows XP has entered the chat. I was not expecting that.
A lot of industrial systems are still running on Windows XP and Windows 7.
Foliatec! Finally. You deserve every single sponsor! So wholesome and entertaining, yet educative!
As usual, Stretton makes all of this work look easy........the animated pointers for bolt torque settings in the video are first class! Small issue.........IF you are going to be giving an engine with hydraulic buckets a lot of hard,racing, high rpm work..........replace the hydraulic cam buckets. Old buckets can fail and cause a lot of damage. Yes, you can run solid buckets and that makes sense above 7000rpm.
I am continually amazed by his talent. I spent a fortune redoing an American muscle when I should have been paying him to build me a screaming BM'r. Love your work.
Thank you Sreten for making E46 content for us E46 owners and also thank you for showing us how to install the mods, keep maintaining the cars, tips and tricks and which mods are best for the track and street. 👍❤
yo, the paint on those wheels looks incredible. Great work.
Hi Sreten,
I am a huge fan of the channel and have been admiring your work and enthusiasm for years, cheers to you!
I love your project Cologne as I have an e46 330ci 5-speed street/track day project for 13 years already. It's got Schmiedmann, head cut to 11.5/1 comp, single mass flywheel from M30, reprofiled cams to S50B30US spec, CAI and ECU remap. It's running 240 WHP Mustang Dyno (should be roughly 280-ish at the crank).
I would like to point out as a tip from personal experience, that M54B30 stock oil pump is a real weak point of the engine when going above 6500 rpm (supposedly from the longer stroke) and I've had a loosened and popped out bolt of the pump once and than second time a broken oil pump shaft at a track day (stopped immediately and engine was safe).
In my opinion it is essential to add a tensioner (info an be found on 46fanatics) to the oil pump and possibly get an aftermarket/racing pump to keep the engine safe (info an be found on 46fanatics).
Thank you for the content!
P.S. I've read that when doing the oil pump upgrade and adding stronger valve springs you can safely rev to 7500 rpm, saying this to dare you try :)
Thanks! Oil pump was upgraded a long time ago with many other things. All documented in the previous episodes. :)
@@M539Restorations must have forgotten that part, good luck and I'm waiting for Mischa's test :)
Humble video request: and in-depth restoration an E46 M3 to the same level as you did with the E92 (the one from your US trip is great but not in the same ballpark). I feel like I know everything about the E92 M3 now but I own an E46 M3 (likely along with a lot of your other viewers). I think that kind of video series would do well!
Now that's a great idea! 👍🏻👍🏻
Indeed!! Sreten, you can not, repeat can not, ignore the iconic e46 M3 any longer!!!!
@@gowillem613yes
@@gowillem613 100%. I also request for selfish reasons because the level of detail in these video series’s are almost workshop manual level detailed. And I try to diy everything lol
Been watching this channel for a year…. Loved every video. Sreten it’s great and thanks to him I finally decided to buy myself a E39 530D. I know he doesn’t like diesel but it’s just way it is. Next step it’s buying tools to start working on my car by myself.
I have Z4 with M54 coupled with ESS TS2 supercharger. You can make that car pretty fun to drive with such setup.
full roll cage - that's awesome. Hopefully some weight shedding too!
Well I learned quite a few things watching this video that's for sure. Those are some very impressive power numbers on the M54 NA engine! Not that I have or work on M54 engines (The two I own are the S54 and the N54) but the Mineral oil to speed up the bedding in of the new cams couldn't stand the weathers is totally new to me. Plus much more. But one thing I already knew before he even started is that these engines are tuned from the factory very well for the most part. Because they are naturally aspirated there's not a lot that can be squeezed out of them without fairly drastic changes. I guess the camshafts were the biggest but the amount work of doing everything is no joke either. Especially when you don't have a lift. The Professor of Bimmer here is incredible!! His gifts are above all!! IMHO lol. Like the Clutch and fly wheel as well as the shafts which also require specialty tools that in Canada where I'm tooling in the cold in a single car garage no heat. I would certainly have to buy etc. That's why engines like the "N54" from the 2007-2010 was such a big deal in it's day and even still today. With just a quick blip of the computer it will gain 100HP and 110 torque without bolting a single thing onto it.
Old school NA tuning 🤘
Sreten you are so funny, when you said you'll be happy to know there are no imperfections in the finish, i never doubted you for a second. I gotta say, that paint looks really good, factory.
G-d bless.
Man I LOVE project Cologne! E46 is hands down the BEST BMW series to ever exist in my opinion and you are giving this NA engine the life it deserves Sreten. Thank you!
My first BMW had style 5 basketweaves which took forever to clean properly, longer than the rest of the car. The next set (rep style 166s) I painted black. While now I know it was probably due to worn paint and dusty pads, the PTSD still persists from the hours spent trying to clean those style 5's
I don't care if they're ugly, I used a matte paint and just spray tire shine all over them to keep them looking glossy, it is such a time saver.
Good set of gloves will keep the wheel nice and also help with grip on "track". Basically required equipment once you're running a helmet, hans, etc.
Hum... The exhaust sounds really nice! ^^
The roll cage will look awkward on a Touring but, is a special one.
Eager to see the power figures with all the mods.
Poznajes te aute u dusu, fakat te gust gledati kako radis. 💪🏻
Od svi serijala ovaj sa e46 mi je najdraži, od početka do sada. Samo napred Sretene.
I wonder how Steten feels, knowing, subconsciously that he has the best N/A E46 touring in the world. Thank you for another great upload and please don't forget about the little dent on your driver's side front panel above the wheel 😊
Hope it's everything ok, man! You sounds a little bit sad in this video.. Loves to see you working, it's just beatiful the way you do it! I wish I could find people to work this good more easily.
Have a nice weekend!
What? Haha, no idea what gave you that impression, not sad at all. Voice-over has too much echo in the new apartment, so I had to improvise a bit, so maybe that.
@M539Restorations It might be that! Or remembering the quattrobroken metal shavings 😅
It was just an impression, I'm happy to know its everything ok, looking forword to your next video!
I’d like to say that this channel is the whole reason I bought my lci e90 335i msport, and it just makes me want to take the same care and dedication to my own BMW.
Agree with no black wheels!! For the alcantara wheel, if you use driving gloves, it will help with both grip and reducing oil transfer into the wheel.
That was an impressive gain of HP on an NA engine - very nice build - a real sleeper
Automatic like on this video, I would have loved info like this when I had my e46. In the era of turbo engines and e-mailing +100hp for 500 bucks... the grind for N/A power is so interesting
This man has m3s, m5s but for the track he builds he sick E46 330i touring.
One of the most lowkey but favorite builds on the channel!
Cool thanks for the ride along on track day, love the car drivability keep at it. Look forward to the cage and getting the A pillar out of the way for seeing more of the track on track day
I think it’s time to start with an index of all Sreten videos. This is a testament for the future survival of old BMW’s. There are now so many videos that when you need to replace a part of your car you need help to identify in which video was the clutch of an M54 replaced or where are detailed the instructions for an E65 rear subframe bushing’s replacement.
9:40 and we want to see it at least 3 more million times, we love your masterclass!
The E46 chassis is and always will be one of my top preferences for sports cars, even though I currently drive an E60 2.5i. A very nice episode, a breath of fresh air after that Italian derailment.
Sreten puts the blue masking tape onto the pliers to install the VANOS caps as to no scratch/damage anything! I can respect that my man!
Seeing all the attention to detail and special procedures required for something like this makes me realize that the likelihood of most shops rebuilding an entire engine correctly is close to zero.
More excellent work, nice gains in power for not too much money. You are so lucky to have the wild Nurburgring on your doorstep. I look forward to PT17
For me, this is the best mechanical YT channel on YT. You can learn with each video and enjoy his journey with BMWs. And that said an audi guy :D
thanks again for making me appreciate my own 330ci even more. Perhaps i will give my car the mods it deserve when I have the time. These cars deserve it.
Thank you. was awaiting for your video. I'm a partially hadicaped person and i m starting to try and learn mechanics. your videos inspire me.
Love the E46. I miss mine. Still the best car I've owned. It had a character. Currently I have a RWD Lexus. Very good car. Reliable, pretty quick, handles well. But it does not have the "soul" and character that the E46 had.
I love this project. It’s so honest and looks like so much fun.
Sreten when you mentioned that your clutch stop was a door stop I had a proper giggle, because I remember being a teenager and doing the exact same thing, thinking I was a genius, to my first car, an LCI E46
What a lovely and interesting episode Sreten. Thanks. I’m looking forward to the next part of Project Cologne.
Fantastic. That re-enforces to me how well sorted the E46 M3 was out-of-the-box though.
The rant on black wheels was glorious. 🤣🤣
Sreten - Just a tip regarding the wheel studs. They will most likely become loose even with all the precautions you took to clean the threads and apply loctite. I've had similar wheel studs on my M3 for many years (usually change them every year after heavy track use) - And when you change wheels sometimes some of them unscrew a little bit. So try to keep in mind just to check and snug them down when you swap wheels, otherwise you can have a bad day!
Thanks! I've done about 25 laps, and they didn't budge. I occasionally check them when the car is cold, all good for now.
@@M539Restorations Yeah figured you already thought about it. It only happened to me when changing wheels - A few trackdays when I put on my track wheels, I noticed the studs had backed out, so had to snug them down again - After that I always checked them, and occasionally some of them backed out a few threads. No big deal - The convenience of having studs is too good
@Doggepp the key is to check them only once when cold. If you do it after driving, they'll be hot, and the metal will stretch more, giving you a false sense they are loose. cheers!
@@M539Restorations Yes and no - In my case, they were loose, and I noticed sometimes when I removed the wheel nuts, that the extended studs "followed" them while unthreading a bit, so you could screw them in again several turns. When I noticed this, I usually removed them, cleaned the threads, and re-applied locite. And they were good for a while.
I think you probably used way better loctite than I did though, so you're probably good!
Watching the cams and vanos install this is best left to someone with proper tools and previous experience, I would not want someone using my car as the leaning curve.
M539 spot on "Again"!
55:02 Gotta love Streten with the aesthetics! Hates black rims, yet under the hood/bonnet, it needs to be black. Hope to see the E21 project whenever you're ready. Keep it up, love your videos!
It's great to see that you like the mechanical work and the driving on the Ring.
Every project Cologne update gets me back on craigslist looking for an e46 touring.... thanks, Sreten!
I love what you are doing with this toy. Can wait for the next episode. Hello from Belfast.
The noise one makes when Sreten releases a new video 15:50
There's a trick you can do to get a better idle and more midrange torque for anyone interested. I know this works on M50tu and M52, not sure about double vanos motors. But with my Sunbelt 280 cam S52 and my friends Schtick 276 cam S52 we retarded the intake cam and advanced the exhaust cam a bit. There are degrees timing tools you can buy from Alien engineering and with some trial and error you'll find what you like. This allows it to idle like stock, get TONS of midrange torque for fun city driving, and even gives you a safer valve clearance which is important especially for stock valve springs.
I’ve had a number of brass button/sintered clutches in different cars and they’re great! The bite point is smaller, yes, but you get used to it.
This is the first video Ive noticed where you have left the auto exposure on, it’s annoying but your content is as interesting as ever. Another good job, well executed. Cheers
First step to in car modification is making sure what you've got is the best it can be. Second step is get 'truly' comfortable behind the wheel, in a 'high quality' seat, steering wheel and gear stick that positions you comfortably in reach of all controls.
Mate i can’t believe you’re still running on stock air filter, I installed a carbon intake on my 330i and that alone gave me 10+ hp ok the dyno but more importantly, it made the car sound like an 80s dtm car. You will NOT regret it.
Before you go down the full cage route, just remember that you will be LESS safe whenever you aren't wearing a helmet. So if it's a track only car, no issue but you will be at more risk on the road unless you have a helmet on. I won't be putting a cage in my track car for that reason, it will still be used on the road. Maybe get a professional opinion.
Looking forward to seeing the result of the head porting. I was thinking when you said they were the most aggressive cams that they would be too much for for the stock head. They should really wake up with some more flow/RPM
Im a simple man, i see Sreten has uploaded a video, i watch, i like. The absolute Best.
Volume of ads is insane nowdays... but video is pure Gold.
Always a pleasure to see you working on the E46
My Saturday got better then it should be
That Vanos system is something I don't ever want to have to deal with. I can't believe how many steps that was to time those cams.
270 is pretty good, also note that you make peak power straight to redline now, at least in the US most m54s out of the box making peak power at 5900-6000 rpm.
Changing the steering wheel, I noticed the leather passenger seat. On track it has alcantara of sorts. And the profile also looks more like bucket seats. Yet no mention in de video.
Anyway, impressive power improvements!
55:33 On his left sleeve is the biggest race track in the Balkans.
Serres Circuit 🇬🇷🇬🇷🇬🇷
Greetings from Greece!
Great vid good to see someone prove you can get power out of a n/a engine, your a legend in the motor world 👏
Great job, congratulations. And the painted wheels you installed look awesome.
Last time I saw the E46 Touring on Misha2, I was like wtf, this car has come super far since we last saw it, I thought I'll never see it again, no more content, just Sreten using it on the Ring. Pleasant surprise. Hopefully now that summer is over and ppl watch video, we'll be back to normal schedule and "normal" "everyday" projects.
Great video! I have alcantara steering wheel. As long as you clean it regularly there is nothing better. When it gets gross its because people don’t properly maintain the fabric.
Sreten, you should really use racing gloves anytime you use the Alcantara wheel. It will provide much more grip and keep the steering wheel form getting dirty and torn up. They can also keep your hands from getting too tired over long laps. Love your content!
Perfect timing of this release - Friday + fastfood + dachshund on my lap ! BRILLIANT !
meni daleko najbolji youtube kanal...jedva čekam idući video..
That exhaust manifold looks sick