Running In FAQ

This subject is often discussed and everyone has an opinion. I will try and be as unbiased as possible, or you could jump to the bottom and read an extract from the BMW manual.

There are generally 3 different camps when it comes to running in an engine. Run in by the book, run in for the first few hundred miles (300-400) then unleash hell, red line if off the forecourt in a trail of smoke :drive:

Below are different views on running in vs not. Have a read and make up your own mind.

Reasons to run in:
- The BMW owner's manual says you should run in the car!
- Getting more power and MPG.
- Reduced oil consumption
- BMW may invalidate your warranty if they find out (never been proven, probably owner paranoia).
- Modern engines are only hot tested 1 in 10. 90% only undergo a cold compression test.
- You're not just running in the engine... You're also bedding in brakes, gearbox, differential and so on.

Reasons to NOT run in:
- You're leasing the car.
- Your sales executive told you not to bother.
- The engine has probably been revved from cold by the people moving your car from factory to dealers, so what's the point?

Run in techniques and principles

Again, another topic that everyone has a different view on - How do I actually do this properly?. The following is an dump of all the stuff I've read here and on Google.

When running in an engine you are trying to get a good seal between the piston rings and cylinder wall. The better the fit the more power you are going to get.

One technique involves letting the engine warm up, revving the engine on a medium->high throttle to 4,000 RPM or so, then repeat. You're trying to force the piston rings against the cylinder wall to make a good seal. This really applies for the first 100 miles or so to get a good seal bedded in.

It's often stated that driving at steady revs, with no load change, is bad for run in. This is because the rings are not being forced against the walls and instead are getting gently rubbed away leaving a less effective seal. Think driving on the motorway with cruise control enabled.

Another no-no is letting the engine labour… When the engine needs to change down and sounds like it is struggling. This is because for the first few hundred miles the engine is very 'tight' and each cylinder has a slightly different level of tight. If the engine is struggling, then this difference between cylinders could cause damage/vibration. Rev the engine a bit to keep it smooth and within the power band.

A tight seal will cause extra heat. It has been stated that revving the engine excessively (think red line) causes loads of heat during the run in and can cause the oil to burn to the cylinder walls. This then reduces the effectiveness of the seal and reduces power. How true this is, I don't know. I read recently that one member noticed the engine was hotter than normal within the first 50-100 miles, so this may be true.

My 2015 M135i online BMW Manual states the following:

Running in

General
Moving parts need a certain time to achieve maximum operating efficiency as a unit.
The following information helps to achieve maximum service life and efficiency of the vehicle.
Do not use Launch Control when running in.

Engine, gearbox and differential
Please observe the valid speed limit in the respective country you are travelling in.
Up to 2000 km, 1200 miles
Do not exceed the maximum engine revs and speed:
• 4500 rpm and 160 km/h, approximately 100 mph.
In principle, avoid full load or kick-down.

From 2000 km, 1200 miles onwards
Engine and road speeds can be gradually increased.

Tyres
New tyres do not achieve their full road grip immediately, for production reasons.
During the first 300 km, 200 miles, drive moderately.

Brake system
Brake pads and discs only achieve a favourable wear and contact pattern after approximately 500 km, 300 miles. Drive moderately during this running-in period.

After fitting new parts
The same running-in procedures should be observed if any of the components mentioned above have to be renewed in the course of the vehicle's operating life.

 

FAQ - Fuel

Unleaded or 'Super' Unleaded?

Firstly, lets start with a little myth busting. All petrol in the UK conforms to the same minimum British Standard (EN 22, and 'super' unleaded (SUL) does not contain any more energy than regular unleaded (UL). More RON does not mean more calories / joules, and will not make a Kia Rio any faster.

Who's RON?

RON stands for Research Octane Number. Octane is a measure of how much compression a particular petrol withstand before self-detonating spectacularly! The higher the RON, the less likely it is to detonate inside your precious engine. SUL varies in the UK from 97 (BP and Sainsburys) to 99 (Shell and Tesco).

Knock - knock?

BMW obviously don't want your engine detonating (knocking/pinking/pre-igniting), so they fit a knock sensor, which basically listens for trouble. Any detonating, and the ECU backs the ignition timing off to keep the combustion under control. Sounds good, no? The downside to having your ignition pulled is the engine will slightly make less power / torque.

Conditions

Detonating is more likely in hotter cylinder temperatures and/or higher compression engines. Running lots of boost on a hot summer's day is a prime recipe for pinking, so SUL can help prevent you losing performance for example. All of BMW's performance and fuel consumption rates (listed in their literature / on their website) are based on the use of RON 98 fuel.

But my fuel cap says 95 Ron?

95 is fine, and costs less. You may lose a little power / torque if the cylinders get too hot, but it shouldn't do any harm if the engine is in standard tune. If you've tuned your engine and increased the boost, running SUL is highly recommended (especially in warmer ambient temperatures). Typically 95 will cost a stock car around 5bhp, and a tuned car around 20bhp. Sometimes it is more, see conditions ^.

SUL is not enough!

If you're running advanced states of tune / very high boost, you may need to increase the RON further to prevent ignition pull. Products like a bottle of NF Race Octane Booster in a tankful will increase the octane by approximately 3 RON.

http://www.nfadditives.com/Products_Octane-Boosters.php

 

Curious what your order status means? Here's a list, courtesy of 'browser':

Sometimes the codes change very quickly.... In principle, this is order:

0000 - Cancelled
0097 - No Current Event Allocated
0037 - Model or Feature Unavailable
0077 - No Quota Available
0200 - Special Request not Scheduled
0500 - Cannot be Scheduled
1100 - Scheduled
1200 - Scheduled for Production

5000 - Confirmed for Production - Customer Spec Locked Down
5050 - Chassis Number Allocated
5055 - Confirmed by Production Control 28/6
5100 - Bodyshop Start
5190 - Bodyshop Complete
5200 - Paintshop Start
5270 - Paintshop Complete
5300 - Pre-Assembly Start
5400 - Assembly Start
5500 - Assembly Complete
6000 - Transfer to Distribution
8200 - Released to Carrier
9000 - Departed Plant
9605 - Pre EU Port of Exit
9615/35/45 - In Storage
9610/20/30/40/50/60 - In Transit
9610 - EU Port of Exit
9615 - EU Storage
9620 - At Sea
9630 - Port of Entry
9645 - UK and IE Storage
9646 - Offsite PDI checks & registration (Southampton)
9650 - Awaiting Dispatch to Dealer
9660 - Dispatched to Dealer
9800 - Arrived Dealer

Once you get to 5050, then you can ask for the VIN and that's confirmation its really happening.

 

This is intended to show some of the options for finance. It is not financial advice, just some musings. There is no right or wrong answer, it depends upon individual preference and circumstances.

It may help some with the sort of sums they need to do to work out the actual cost of ownership over varying periods.

BMW FS PCP.

A very common PCP arrangement is provided by BMW at 5.9% (10.9% on used cars). This is commonly over 4 years and the GFV is set by
BMW. The only relevance or potential advantage of the GFV is if the agreement runs to term. If it is terminated early then the settlement figure will be calculated in accordance with consumer legislation. The difference between that and the actual vehicles disposal price will be returned or paid by the owner as appropriate.

Often however a dealer will "take care of any negative equity". There is no magic alchemy. They don't make it go away. All that happens is the price of the trade in is inflated, as is the price of the replacement vehicle.

In effect there are 2 loans with a PCP. One for the GFV which is interest bearing and paid off at the end of the agreement and one which is the difference between the GFV and the purchase price which is paid off over the agreement period.

There is also a view that putting a bigger deposit in will somehow be "lost" if settling early. This is not the case. It just means any negative equity will be that amount lower (or any returned equity that amount higher).

I will use the following example as a start point.

http://www.bowkerprestonbmw.co.uk/c...s/1-series-3-door/m140i/m140i-3-door-sports-hatch/bmw-m140i-3-door-hatch-29999/

http://www.pcpcal.co.uk

is useful here to do "what if" scenarios. It will come out with slightly different numbers,
but not significant. The reason for this will be that it calculates interest in a slightly different way.

With a car @ 26200 and a GFV @ 13300 and a deposit of 3000 this gives a monthly of 297.44.

Total cost to buy = (297.44 * 47) + 3000 + 13300 = 30279 (4079 interest)

If the deposit were reduced to 300 the monthly goes up to 360.73 and the total cost to 30554 (275 extra interest over the term).

SETTLING EARLY.

This calculator can help with a schedule. It will produce a reasonable estimate of what is owing in total at any given point.

http://www.thecalculatorsite.com/finance/calculators/carloancalculator.php

For the example above enter: value 26,200. Rate 5.9. Months 47. Deposit 3000. Balloon 13300. This calculates a payment of 301.82.

12 m: 21,083
24 m: 18,639
36 m: 16,048
48 m: 13,300

HALIFAX PCP.

Halifax will offer PCP finance @ 4.2% (if you meet the criteria). However in this case the GFV is lower. When I got a quote it was approximately 10% lower than the BMW GFV; so in this example I will estimate 12000.

This makes the monthly slightly lower @ 295.89. However total cost to purchase would be 28906. A saving of 1372 over the BMW PCP.

12 m: 20,741
24 m: 17,948
36 m: 15,036
48 m: 12,000

TRADITIONAL LOAN.

Currently finance can be obtained at 3.3% from sainsburys. However over 20,000 it goes up to 3.9%. Other providers are similar.

On a 5 year basis the payment would be £425. So quite a lot more is being paid monthly. Total cost to buy 28,530

Settlement would be approximately:-

12 m: 19,204
24 m: 14,680
36 m: 9,975
48 m: 5,085

To show relative costs of ownership I will assume the vehicle is sold/traded after 2 years for 20,000

BMW PCP: 20,000 - 18,639 = 1361 equity returned, less 7243 payments, less 3000 deposit = 8882 cost
HALIFAX PCP: 20,000 - 17,948 = 2052 - 7101 - 3000 = 8050 cost
LOAN: 20,000 - 14,680 = 5320 - 10,200 - 3000 = 7880 cost

None of these are massively different, but reducing costs over a 2 year period of potentially £1,000 is a handy saving. Or potentially approx 2,000 over full term to total ownership.

OFFSET MORTGAGE.

If you are fortunate enough to have a very low rate offset mortgage this can be a very cost effective way of raising finance - if you are disciplined. I am fortunate enough to have an offset mortgage at 1.15% and one at 2.75%.

So, I take 3,000 from savings, 23,200 of the offset (@ 1.15) and make an additional mortgage payment of 300 per month (to keep everything broadly similar).

In this case, over 48 months this would give a total cost to buy of 26,956. (Approx 3,250 cheaper than BMW PCP).

This would be:

deposit: 3,000
47 x 296.94 = 13,956.25
balloon 10,000

Settlement: 12m 20,163, 24m 16,814, 36m 13,426, 48m 10,000

2 year change out: 20,000 - 16,814 - 7,126 payments - 3,000 deposit = 6,940 cost for 2 years

Using the offset of 2.75 total cost to buy would be 28,067

deposit: 3,000
47 x 299.31 = 14,067
balloon 11,000

Settlement: 12m 20,461, 24m 17,393, 36m 14,240, 48m 11,000

2 year change out: 20,000 - 17,393 - 7,183 payments - 3,000 deposit = 7576 cost for 2 years.

---------------

I hope this is of some use to those considering their finance options.

N.B. Please don't forget if you are Leasing / Hiring / PCP'ing a car, you are the NOT the owner. You most will most probably only be the Registered Keeper, which can mean increased insurance premiums.

This also means legally you can't usually modify the banks' vehicle without prior permission being granted in writing. It's not normally hard to obtain permission from BMW FS to fit genuine BMW Performance parts (wheels, MP Exhaust, MP Bodykit, etc), however non-BMW parts and pink spray-jobs are usually declined!

 

Popular Retrofits with OEM Part Numbers

This section will describe the most popular mods for M-lite cars and will list their part numbers with a link to the How-To tutorial if available. We advise you to shop around to get the best deal, forum sponsors may be able to give favourable discounts.

Why does my 5 door F20 have a floppy/floaty rear end?

Testing, info and pictures courtesy of Blind Pugh & Paul CS.

3 Door cars (F21, F22 & F23) come with underbody braces as standard, linking the rear subframe to the chassis. They mount at 45° degrees, which help prevent the rear subframe wobbling about. (BMW also fitted very similar on the E81 3 door, etc).

The 5 door M135i cars and all M140i do not get any braces, nobody is 100% sure why. Most likely is adding the rear doors adds weight and cost, so these parts were omitted to reduce weight/costs again. They might have been removed to help keep emissions and aero drag within certain strict boundaries, or to make 5 door cars more comfortable and family friendly, nobody knows for sure....

What we do know is, adding the F21 braces to an F20 reconnects the rear of the car, removing rear end slop and making the whole car feel more connected and solid.

Sign me up! What parts do I need?

Give Cotswold a call, and ask for the following:

1 x 33326797099
1 x 33326793651
1 x 33326793652
2 x 33306861221

Basic nut and bolt job, about an hours work. The trickiest part of the job is removing/replacing the black plastic trays with the plastic rivets, and the little white plastic insert in the struts.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Courtesy of PearceHD:

Performance/Understeer Reduction:

M4 Lower Control Arms, & Tension Struts
For F20/F21/F22/F23
Front Left LCA: BMW 31122284529 , or Lemforder 38258
Front Right LCA: BMW 31122284530 , or Lemforder 38259
Ball joint from: 37142283867
1x M6 nut
2x Combination Nut M14X1,5-10ZNNIV: 33306787062

Front Right TS: 31122284532
Front Left TS: 31122284531
2x Locking Nut M12X1,5-10 ZNS3: 31106767496
2x Combination Nut M14X1,5-10ZNNIV: 33306787062
2x Hexagon screw with flange M12X121-10.9: 31106795930
12.2mm and 6.3mm (12mm ID, 30mm OD) stainless spacers/washers - which need to be custom made, these are not off-the-shelf BMW parts. Most people buy them from eBay UK - seller 19edward45 - guys name is Vic - email address is victorescott@hotmail.co.uk

How To: None Yet

Adding longer wishbones obviously means your tracking will be a long way out, driving anywhere will be initially impossible. Either have them fitted by an Alignment Centre, or wind each Track Rod out by approx 1cm so you can carefully limp to one to have your tracking reset.

Downpipe Change
For F20/F21/F22/F23
You will need a downpipe from the manufacturer of your choice.
1 x lower screw clamp: 18307620349
How To:

http://www.babybmw.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=29&t=82572

M4 Carbon Strut Brace For F2x Chassis
For F20/F21/F22/F23
Carbon Strut: 51618061631
Strut Brace: 3112228485
6x Hex bolt with washer M8X32-ZNS3: 11287839136
10x Torx screw with collar ASA M8X30: 31106859809
2x Fillister-head screw M10X30-Z1: 07147162464
2x Torx-bolt with washer ASA M8X22: 07147248303
2x Hex bolt with washer M8X22-8.8-ZNS3: 22326760945
REAR ENGINE HOOD SEALING: 51768059701
LEFT ENGINE HOOD SEALING: 51768066661
RIGHT ENGINE HOOD SEALING: 51768066662
4x Expanding rivet SCHWARZ: 51118174185
6x Hexagon screw with flange M10X30-10.9ZNS3: 07119904141
2x Gasket: 31307851700
Reinforcement for support bearing, left: 31302285700
Reinforcement for support bearing, right: 31302285701
2x Guide support AUFNAHME 3XM10: 31302284702
Crosslink, front: 51647294928
How To:

http://www.babybmw.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=29&t=86911

Cosmetic:

Kidney Grilles
For F20/21
Black M Performance Kidney Grilles:
Double Vent Grilles are available from internet
For F22/23
Black M Performance Kidney Grilles:
Double Vent Grilles are available from internet
How-To:

http://www.babybmw.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=29&t=70204

Mirror Caps
For F20/F21/F22/F23
Carbon Mirror Cap Right: 51162211904
Carbon Mirror Cap Left: 51162211905
How To:

http://www.babybmw.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=29&t=85540

E Series Seats in F Series Cars
For F20/F21/F22/F23
M Performance Bucket Seats
F series driver and passenger seat wiring loom.
(Contact your local BMW parts center and quote your chassis number as you will need the exact part your current car has.)
How to:

http://www.babybmw.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=29&t=86535

Installing BMW Performance Exhausts
For F22/F23, F20/F21
Available from BMW parts centres
How to:

http://www.babybmw.net/viewtopic.php?f=29&t=92497

Last edited by marco_polo on Thur Jul 13, 2017 8:41 am, edited 1 time in total.

 

Tyres

Super Tyres!

As standard, the M-Lites come with Michelin Supersport UHP tyres, in 225/40/18 88Y and 245/35/18 92Y, due to the high performance nature of the car. These are the same family of tyres as fitted to the full-fat /M division cars, and with a little heat in them they stick to a dry road like **** to a blanket. (N.B. Not recommend for cold/winter use as they won't grip and will crack). If you find the front outer edges wearing prematurely, people have had good results from swapping to the 225/40/18 92Y variant, increasing the front pressure from 32 to 34-35psi approx, or a combination of both. Current popular aftermarket alternatives include the Goodyear Asymmetric 5, Michelin PS4, ContiSport 5 and Pirelli P Zero (MO). In the event of a puncture there is no spare! BMW have provided you with a 'Mobility Kit' (a compressor and a bottle of latex 'foam'), which will seal small punctures only. Large cuts/splits will mean trying out the BMW Assist, or your chosen AA/RAC/Green Flag roadside assistance.

No Spare? But I drive the kids about in my M-Lite?

Optionally, Runflat tyres are available for you to select at the point of ordering (Option S258A). Runflats are a safety tyre, which allow you to continue on with you journey slowly for up to 50miles at 50mph max. Be-warned, they may not make it that far, resulting in:

So even though you have opted for Runflat tyres, it may still be prudent to invest in a mobility kit or can of TyreWeld to get you home. Especially if you drive in the evenings, on Sundays/Bank Holidays/etc when most tyre centres are closed.

Comparisons

Historically Runflats do not grip as well, or ride as comfortably as proper tyres (resulting in many people switching). However most tyre manufacturers are doing their best to design in more comfort with every generation of RFT. Due to their design spec (being able to drive on them deflated), Runflats are stiffer and heavier than proper tyres. This means greater unsprung weight, and marginally lower grip. Cars fitted with Runflat tyres tend to experience both the ABS & traction control kicking in a little earlier and more often than cars supplied with Supersports. M135i's fitted with Runflats require an additional pair of vibration dampers to be fitted to the cars to help reduce the Noise, Vibration and Harshness (2x BMW part number 31106861027).

Which are right for me?

For enthusiastic road and track use, most people will choose the standard UHP Michelin Supersports. For safety purposes (running the kids to school, etc), most people choose Runflats. If you're somewhere in the middle, try to experience both on test drives, and decide for yourself.

 

Gearbox FAQ
Try before you buy
The Auto vs Manual debate has been raging on for a LONG time. If you are asking yourself the question "should I buy an auto or manual" then you shouldn't be searching online - you should be going out to drive both and then make up your own mind.

Some forum members have made costly mistakes and ended up trading their car after a few months.

There are, however, a few things you should consider that are outside the 'feeling' of driving each transmission which I will try to list here.

Search the forum!

https://www.google.co.uk/#pws=0&q=site:babybmw.net+m135i+manual+vs+auto&gws_rd=cr

Performance
Auto changes quicker but has more gears that need changing through and greater transmission drag. Ultimately there is nothing in it on a straight line pull, as Joe proves. Skip to 21:20 for the standing drag race.

On twisty roads, well that depends how good a driver you are - and who cares as long as you are having fun! The auto allows you to change gears without taking your hands off the wheel, allowing you to change mid-corner (although that could unbalance the car)

MPG
Which has better MPG? Who knows!? BMW state the auto, but in real world there are so many variables that it's impossible definitively answer. On the motorway the manual has higher revs than the auto at the same speed.

Modding car
Forum members are running high horsepower and torque on both manual and transmission without any problems. Check out br0wny (manual) and

http://www.babybmw.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=74&t=89689&p=1155425#p1155425

(auto)

The manual has less transmission loss than the auto, according to tuners. As discussed in the performance section, there's still nothing really in it - like for like HP.

Manual Transmission
- Arguably more engaging. Full control of biting point, how gears are changed.
- Start/Stop actually makes sense for a manual.
- Rev matching on down change (M140i).
- Tough and reliable.
- Lighter that the Auto option
- Vastly more control in muddy/snowy conditions
However...
- Perhaps you don't always want an engaging drive, for example if you're often stuck in traffic
- The clutch pedal is offset, so it's slightly off where it should be. Most people don't notice, however some complain of knee/hip/back pain.

Automatic Transmission
- In my opinion, the auto box offers a different dimension to driving (but removes clutch control). For example, you've got kick down, manual paddles, slow, medium and fast changes (depending on driving mode), coasting, and launch control.
- The auto allows for a more relaxed driving style, with the option to use manual mode where gear change are performed using the paddles/gear stick.
- Lower revs on the motorway
- Lower CO2 bracket
- The auto won't allow you to mis-shift and over-rev your engine.
- No clutch or CRB to wear out.
However…
- The Auto costs an additional £1,600 when new.
- The auto is significantly more complex. This means you're recommended to get the extended BMW warranty. A new reconditioned gearbox fitted by BMW costs around £7 - 8k.
- Faulty auto gearboxes are reasonably common, often resulting in whines in 2nd and reverse (and other gear but quieter).

http://www.babybmw.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=74&t=73418

and

http://www.babybmw.net/viewtopic.php?f=74&t=89767

.
- Software reset or upgrade often helps improve gear change feel and responsiveness.
- The stop/start is more intrusive than on the manual, so you end up turning it off every time you get in the car.
- Some people find the auto experience disconnecting/less engaging.
- Useless in the snow.

Auto Features
There are loads of tips, just a few here.
- Launch Control.This was a feature from approx late 2014 onwards. The car has to be up to temperature and the steering wheel must be straight. You push the stick to the left (S1), Enable Sports+ or press the TC button once. Hold the brake HARD, and press the accelerator to the floor (press kick down). The screen says launch control activated. Release break. Hold on.

- Sports mode will allow you to hit the rev limiter in manual mode.
- When in Manual with paddles. Press left down shift WHILST pressing kick down and the car will kick down to lowest possible gear.

Auto Technical Info

http://www.zf.com/global/media/prod..._8_speed_automatic_transmission/datenblaetter_stand_2015/8HP45_DataSheet_EN.pdf

http://www.zf.com/global/media/prod...8_speed_automatic_transmission/datenblaetter_stand_2015/Data_sheet_8HP50_EN.pdf

http://www.popularmechanics.com/car...com/cars/a9393/one-transmission-countless-cars-the-zf-8hp-eight-speed-15855273/

ZF Auto Youtube video

Manual Technical Info
The manual box is also a ZF model, the same awsome dry-sump gearbox fitted to the 1M Coupe. It's listed as a GS6-45BZ on RealOEM.

http://www.zf.com/corporate/en_de/p...n_de/products/product_range/cars/cars_6_speed_manual_transmission.shtml#tabs1-1

 

Oil FAQ

Service pack free top-ups
Do you have a 5-year service pack on your car? If so, any BMW dealer will top up your car for free - but only once the warning pops up to add 1L of oil.

What oil should I use for my N55 powered M135i / M235i ?

Any oil that meets BMW LL-04 specification. Most people use 0w30 - the 0w rating ensures it's fully synthetic, and not a Mickey-Mouse mineral blend. The N55 has a 6.5L Capacity.

Opie Oil (forum sponsor) complete list is:

http://www.opieoils.co.uk/c-686-bmw-longlife-04-engine-oil.aspx

What oil should I use for my B58 powered M140i or M240i without a PPF ?

Any oil that meets BMW LL04 (see above) or LL-14FE specification.

Opie Oil (forum sponsor) complete list is:

http://www.opieoils.co.uk/c-3215-bmw-longlife-14-fe-engine-oil.aspx

What oil should I use for my B58 powered M140i or M240i with a PPF ?

Any oil that meets BMW LL-17 FE+ specification.

Check out Opie's page for any forum discount of deals

http://www.babybmw.net/viewforum.php?f=81&sid=3bbdfc2e2052759ff1a0443196a8594d

How much oil should my car use?

It depends. BMW state that it is acceptable to use 1L of oil every 1000 miles, but 99% of cars do better than that.

During run in (1200-2000 miles) the engine may use more oil than normal. Most forum members find their m-lites use 1L every 4-6000 miles.

Oil use normally depends upon either driving style or piston rings. Hard driving is going to use more oil due to 'bore wash'. The extra fuel injected begins to effectively wash the thin film of oil off the cylinder walls. Badly worn piston rings can allow oil to enter the cylinder and combust as they allow more oil to be coated on each stroke.

Some people find using a heavier weight oil (the number after the w) helps reduce oil consumption, for example 0w40 or 5w40. The heavier weight is less likely to leak from seals (as it's thicker) and can sustain higher temperatures.

Should I change my oil more often than the service interval or straight after run in?

First - To maintain BMW warranty, you only need to change the oil when the car tells you to.

This question has been asked several times. Read the information and make a decision. Here are things I've read in the past.

Yes, change early:
- Oil technology (fully synthetic) hasn't changed in several years. The extended service intervals are there for BMW to make lease car deals cheaper and get more sales.
- BMW don't care if your engine will only last >100k miles, it will be well out of warranty before parts wear out.
- Garage X has seen turbos wear out at 40k miles and blame it on oil that should've been changed earlier
- It will cost about £100/150 at a cheap garage and relatively easy to do yourself. Don't reset the service miles!
- Change after first 1000/2000 miles because metal particles from run in may accelerate wear.

No, just leave it:
- BMW know what they're doing! Why would the design something to fail just after 3 years?
- This is what warranty is for.
- You don't want BMW realising you've changed the oil yourself and invalidate your warranty.
- You're not going to own the car when any damage from long oil change intervals happens.
- Don't change after first 1000/2000 miles because the metal particles in the oil are required to 'loosen up' the engine with some wear?!

How do I measure the oil level?

There is no physical dip stick, so you've got to use the iDrive controller to measure the oil. This is, unfortunately, quite inaccurate and can move from min->50% within minutes. Only add oil when the warning displays saying 'Add 1L of oil within the next 100miles'. If you add oil before this, you risk overfilling!

Further information

http://www.opieoils.co.uk/t-a-guide-to-oils.aspx

 

Throttle Module Reset

Courtesy of Blind Pugh

Laggy throttle response can sometimes be fixed by TBA (throttle body adaption) reset:

- Put the ignition on but do not start the engine (push the Start button without touching the pedals)
- Floor the throttle for 60 seconds
- Keep the throttle to the floor and turn the ignition OFF
- Release the throttle and wait 2 minutes.

During the 2 minutes you should feel or hear some kind of mechanical sound/click.

TBA is now reset.

 

Winter Driving / Winter Wheels and Tyres

Why does my TPMS keep going off on cold mornings?

Gay-Lussac's gas law, basically. In winter, you will need to add air as the ambient temperatures drop. This isn't anything weird going on with your TPMS system, setting minimum cold pressures is very basic car maintenance which everyone should be doing. (It's the opposite of tyres becoming over-inflated at the track when they get hot.)

Driving Tips?

If you're caught on the wrong tyres, take it easy. Even if you can get going, it doesn't mean you can stop (or steer). To aid traction, temporarily engage DTC mode to allow a little of the inevitable wheel spin - you don't want the car throwing the brakes on as you're just starting to get going. Eco-pro can help you minimise the torque, and starting in 2nd gear will reduce the torque at the wheels for less wheelspin. PDC doesn't read anything at all if covered in snow/ice, so bear that in mind when parking.

Any other Winter prep?

For low temps, make sure you have a suitably strong screen wash mix. It's best to put in a strong winter mix in during October / November, so it has plenty of time to work it's way through all the various lines. Headlight and rear screen washer jets are all particularly prone to freezing.

Some people will pack a small 'winter kit' in their boot too: space blanket, chocolate bar, drink, Nato folding shovel, sack of anything heavy (salt/grit is useful) etc. A full tank of fuel will help traction too.

If you have a 3dr car with the nice frameless windows (which need to drop for clearance), it's wise to defrost them before attempting to open a frozen door. Neglecting to do this regularly results in expensive broken window motors/regulators. You can use copious quantities of warm water/de-icer/etc, personally I prefer to run a thin loyalty card along the window seal to break the icy bond.

Do I really need Winter Tyres?!

For a lot of people, winter wheels and tyres are not a necessity. If you live somewhere which never sees sub-zero temps, or you can work from home / take public transport for a couple of days a year, there's no need to keep reading! Be warned, RWD cars struggle on slippery surfaces more than you might expect (less weight over the driven wheels, hence the sack of grit mentioned earlier).

If you might get caught out occasionally, but don't want to fully invest, consider a set of snow socks as an emergency 'get you home' measure. Approx £50 for four. Be careful if fitting on the side of an icy/snowy road though, people have been killed by skidding traffic.

How to fit snow socks:

I want a 24/7, fit and forget solution....

If telling your other half to mess about with snow socks on the side of a snowy road sounds like the recipe for divorce, or you need to stay mobile no matter the weather, it sounds like you'd benefit from winter tyres for a few months of the year.

Good video of Winter vs. All-Season vs. Summer Tires on Ice, well worth a watch:

Winters have a slightly softer compound, more grooves, and sipes (tiny grooves moulded into each tread block):

The compound grips better from below around 7°C, however having so many tread voids (significantly less rubber on the road than summers), the grip switch over point is nearer 2°C in my personal experience. Be careful not to confuse 'Mud and Snow / M+S' rated tyres, with proper Winter tyres which have a mountain and snowflake symbol:

I'm a cheapskate, can I just fit two on the back?

....only if you don't like stopping or steering!

Options, options....

So you want a set of Winters, luckily there are lots of sensible options:

Winter tyres on your stock 436m wheels: Size options of 225/40/18 92 all round (not recommended due to zero rear wheel kerb protection and little grip), or the popular 235/40/18 95 rear, or the expensive 245/35/18 92 rear. EDIT: July 2018, Toyo have now released the Snowprox S954 in the correct 245/35/18 at sensible prices.

The downside of buying tyres only is the ongoing fitting and balancing costs, approx £50 in winter and £50 again in spring. Plus the risk of wheel/TPMS fitting damage.

17" X1 Steel wheels are another popular choice for M-Lites (assuming standard 340mm brakes), fitted with 225/45/17 winters. They run a little wider that stock being 7.5J x ET34, but do not rub on a stock car:

Other 17" options include genuine BMW alloys, Styles 379, 380, 381, 382, 383, 460 & 655 are all proven to clear the 340mm blue Brembo calipers (photo courstey of SootyVRS):

18" BMW Style 72m & 135m wheels (aka MV1 & MV2 from the E46 3er) are a plentiful and inexpensive option, and actually suit the M-lites rather nicely (photo courtesy of Trangofarm):

The beauty of 2nd hand wheels is you can sell them for what you buy them for, so basically a free option over the long term.

How about 2nd hand tyres?

2nd hand tyres (or used Winter wheel+tyres sets) can be a great way to save a bit of dollar. Winters usually come with more tread than usual though (around 9-10mm new), and go in the bin at around 4-5mm when the sipes have worn off. Don't buy any with only 5mm depth left!

Snow chains?

For deep snow, chains can help be a godsend. Similar fitment to snow socks. If you're off to the Alps, the local Gendarmes can insist upon them. Take them off before you hit the asphalt again or they'll shake all the teeth right out of your swede!

 

M135i / M235i Driving modes Table

Courtesy of 'devio'

After reading some threads and having my own experiences I tried to capture all changes that happen when you switch to a different driving mode in one table.

I would like to hear your observations and please discribe how I can reproduce this on my car. I'll update the table as I gather more info.

 

Engine Temp FAQ

Sadly, BMW deemed the 1er and 2er not worthy of a temperature gauge, unlike the rest of their vehicles. However, for the mechanically sympathetic of you, there are a few options for finding out if your engine is warm enough to have some fun.

The hidden dashboard background menu:

(The code is the sum of the last 5 numbers of your VIN.)

1. Start the engine and make sure you have all doors and boot closed. If one door is open, it will not work.

2. Press the odometer reset button and keep it pressed until the BC screen changes (at least 10' seconds).

3. When the screen changes, release the button. It will display a menu with numbered options. To scroll to each option you have press once the ODO reset button.

4. Go to option No. 4 UNLOCK and then press the odo reset button for a few seconds. It will enter the menu of this option and it will ask you for the unlock code.

5. The unlock code is the sum of the last 5 digits of your VIN. For example if your VIN is E123456, then the unlock code will be the number 20.

6. Enter the unlock code by pressing the odo reset button so many times required (in our example 20 times), until the number of the unlock code is displayed on the screen. If you accidentaly press the button more times than the required, worry not, just keep pressing it until it starts from 0 again.

7. Once you enter the unlock code, press again the odo rest button for a few seconds, to go to the previous menu. Now, the full unlocked menu should be displayed.

8. Scroll through all the option. Option No. 8 ''Temperature'' displays the outside temp, oil temp and coolant temp. To enter this option just press for a few seconds the odo reset button.

In general,when you are inside the hidden menu, by pressing the odo reset button once, you scroll through the options. By pressing it for a few seconds you will either enter the menu displayed or go back to the previous menu, depending on which screen you are at.

Additional gauges.

Other options, include using a smartphone app as an extra gauge, such as DashCommand:

Or fitting a new physical (vent fit) gauge like the P3:

or Awron:

 

Wheel Bolt Torque / Changing A Wheel

Screw in the wheel bolts and evenly tighten by hand in a crosswise sequence in order to centre the wheel rim.

Tighten the wheel bolts to the specified tightening torque in a crosswise sequence using a calibrated torque wrench.

Check all wheel bolts in the same sequence and retighten to the prescribed tightening torque if necessary.

Specified torque for standard M-Lite wheel bolts and wheels using M14x1.25 thread is 140Nm (or 103ftlb in old money).

 

Draining & Adding Coolant (N55)

BMW suggest that the coolant delivered in your engine is good for the life of the car. However the coolant manufacturer suggests that after about 4 years the properties of the coolant degrade and it can become quite acidic. This can lead to issues such as water pump failures. Therefore a coolant change can be considered good practice if done properly.

What coolant do I use?

Personally, I only buy coolant direct from BMW to ensure that I'm getting the correct spec stuff. It's cheap enough too, from your local dealer. If you don't have a local dealer or you're in a pinch, the coolant is called G48, and available from most motor factors.

Pure water is unsuitable as a coolant not just because of the lack of protection against freezing. Good functioning of the cooling system is only guaranteed once a suitable anti-freezing and anti-corrosive agent, or antifreeze for short, has been added.

The cooling system of BMW vehicles must only be filled with the anti-freezing and anti-corrosive agents approved for this purpose.

Antifreeze agents must meet the following requirements:
• They must guarantee operability of the cooling system in winter (anti-freezing protection by lowering the freezing point) and in summer (prevent boiling and boiling over of the coolant).
• They must protect metal components that come into contact with the coolant (grey cast iron, steel, aluminium alloy, brass, copper and solder) against corrosion and cavitation.
• They must be neutral with respect to rubber and plastic parts in the coolant circuit.
• They must guarantee the consistency of the above -mentioned quality criteria.

To create these coolant properties, the anti-freezing and anti-corrosive agents must be mixed to the correct ratio with water.

Prescribed mixture concentration for coolant:

50% antifreeze for anti-freezing protection down to -38°C
The original coolant mixture poured into the cooling system at the factory has this antifreeze-to-water ratio.

If the proportion of antifreeze is less than 40% to -29 °C (i.e. the water content is higher than 60 %), not only the degree of protection against freezing, but also protection against corrosion is reduced. When the water content is too high, this can lead to premature overheating in very hot weather or hot climates and as a consequence lead to coolant being ejected out of the system and damage to the engine through overheating. This means that it is essential that an anti-freezing and anti-corrosive agent is added even in the tropics.

Too high a concentration, more than 55% down to -47°C, leads to deterioration of the cooling properties (heat transfer) and protection against freezing-up is modified in the opposite direction, i.e. it also deteriorates.

The amounts of antifreeze required for providing protection against freezing-up are stated as percentage figures on the containers.

Minimum requirements concerning water quality:
• Appearance: colourless, clear
• Sediment, without suspended matter
• pH value: 6.5-8.0
• Total hardness, max.: 20° dH (German hardness grade) or in new measuring unit:
• Total hardness, max.: 3.6 mmol Ca 2+/ltr.
• Chloride content: max. 100 mg/ltr.
• Sulphate content: max. 100 mg/ltr.

Potable tap water usually fulfils these requirements. Local water utilities can provide information about the quality of the water they supply. If necessary, the water must be treated (e.g. softened) or distilled water must be used.

The quality of regenerated sea water (as found in the Gulf states) is inadequate.

Coolant Change Procedure

The repair work on the cooling system should only be carried out on an engine that has cooled down!

• Wear safety goggles
• Wear protective gloves
• Catch and dispose of drained coolant using drip pan. Observe country-specific waste disposal regulations.

Release sealing cap (1) on coolant expansion tank.
Installation note: Close sealing cap (1) until the arrow marks line up.

There are also some alternative methods floating around on the forum that enable you to drain a large proportion of the coolant out of the system, working only from the top of the engine bay. That method may be easier if you don't have a ramp.

Fill system with recommended coolant.
Observe mixture ratio.
Observe capacities (6.7 litres for M135i).

At BMW garages, the filling procedure involves performing a vacuum test on the system using specialised equipment and the coolant gets automatically drawn into the system under vacuum release. That is not practical for the average maintainer. Therefore make sure that following bleed procedure is performed (probably twice at least) to ensure you get a good fill:

Bleed Procedure

Do not open the coolant expansion tank sealing cap during the bleeding procedure.

Switch on the low-beam headlights to perform the bleeding procedure. If the low-beam headlights are not switched on, the ignition will switch off automatically after a certain period of time and interrupt the bleeding procedure.

Connect battery charger (if necessary).

Switch the ignition on.

Switch on low-beam headlight.

Set heating to maximum temperature. Take back blower to lowest stage.

Driving mode switch must not be set to ECO PRO!

Press accelerator pedal for 10 seconds to floor. Engine must not be started.

The venting procedure is started when the accelerator pedal is pressed and takes approx. 12 minutes. (Electric coolant pump was activated and shuts down automatically after approx. 12 min). Then adjust filling level in coolant expansion tank to maximum.

Check cooling system for tightness.

If the cooling system bleeding has to be performed again, deactivate DME completely (remove ignition key for approx. 3 minutes). Then repeat bleed procedure above.

Check function of cooling system. Check cooling system for tightness.

 

Wheel Alignment

M135i/M140i

M235i/M240i

 

Standard Service Intervals

The M-Performance models are assigned the already familiar standard intervals of the BMW models.

A running-in check is not carried out on these vehicles.

These cars have condition based servicing enabled, but they typically adhere to the following guidelines/intervals.

Vehicles concerned:

F20: M135i, M135i xDrive M140i, M140i xDrive
F21: M135i; M135i xDrive M140i, M140i xDrive
F22: M235i, M235i xDrive M240i, M240i xDrive
F23: M235i, M235i xDrive M240i, M240i xDrive

Country specific deviations may apply. For countries with lower-quality fuel grades, comply with the country-specific intervals.

Engine Oil
Change engine oil approximately every 30,000 km/24 months.

Microfilter
Renew at every engine oil change (approx. 30,000 km).

Air filter
Renew at every 2nd engine oil change (approx. 60,000 km).

Spark plugs
Renew at every 2nd engine oil change (approx. 60,000 km).

Vehicle Check
Carry out vehicle check for every 2nd engine oil change (approx. 60,0000 km), after 48 months at the latest.

Brake Fluid
Renew at 36 months, then every 24 months thereafter.

 

Rear Differential / Final Drive Oil Change

BMW suggest that the oil in the standard rear diff is good for the life of the car. Anyone who knows anything about engineering, maintenance or cars will probably tell you that BMW just want to maintain a good after sales volume for replacement diffs. The hypoid gear arrangement in the rear diff puts the gear teeth under high load, making it a challenging environment for the average diff oil.

Marco polo has already written a good how-to for changing rear diff oil here:

http://www.babybmw.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=77919

Replace the O-ring and put a magnetic plug in if you wish. Torque to 60nm, or 45ftlb

Final-drive and hypoid transmission oil must fulfil the following requirements for handling high loads as arise at the tooth flanks of the hypoid gear:
- high load-carrying capacity
- good protection against scoring/scuffing
- good protection against wear
- optimum frictional behaviour and temperature stability
- compatibility with sealing materials
- resistance to ageing

BMW have approved the following types of hypoid oil (hypoid oils for final drive without disc-type limited-slip differential):

As of model year 07/2011:

Hypoid Axle Oil G1 (BOT44 (BMW Part Number 83 22 2 295 532)
(for all rear axle differentials apart from M vehicles)

Specific Hypoid oils released by name:

-AGIP HLX
-Aral transmission oil BS
-Castrol SAF‐X0
-Castrol Syntrax Longlife 75W-90
-Castrol Syntrax B 75W-85
-Dearon BHS
-FINA PONTONIC MS
-FINA PONTONIC MX
-Veedol SAF 66
-Mobil Gearlube VS 600
-BP Energear SHX
-VALVOLINE SynPower Gear Oil GL-5 Society of Automotive Engineers 75W-90
-TRANSELF BM 75W‐-90
-Shell transmission oil OLS‐BMW
-Westfalen Fugo BMO
-MOTUL HYPO SYNT
-Avia Hypoid 75W‐-90 EP
-Esso transmission oil NLS 75W‐-90
-Fuchs TITAN Gear H 75W‐-90
-Wintershall gear fluid BOS
-TOTAL Transmission ALD Society of Automotive Engineers 75W-90

Note:
The above oils satisfy the demands required of lifetime oils in the eyes of BMW.

My diff will be getting a fresh bottle of GL5 Castrol Syntrax Longlife 75W-90, straight from Amazon.

 

Manual Gearbox Oil Change

The M135i/M235i manual is a box manufactured by ZF. The box is a GS6-45BZ/DZ. BMW suggest the oil is a lifetime fill, however I'll be changing mine.

Marco Polo has written a great how-to for changing your gear-box oil here:

http://www.babybmw.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=25263

A few M135i specific notes to make:

Oil drain and fill plugs should be torqued to 40Nm, or 30ftlb.

Manual gearbox oil MTF- LT-5 is BMW part number 83 22 2 156 969. I'll be using official BMW fluid as it's cheap enough.

Oil capacity on the M135i manual gearbox is 1.2 litres.

 

Track Day/Hard Use Prep

If you're thinking of taking your pride and joy on a private track, bare in mind that your normal road insurance policy (normally) won't cover you, or anyone else. Most people will buy additional TD insurance (unless they're driving a dedicated, disposable track slag), from a company such as

https://www.moris.co.uk/Track-day-insurance

. Some people will risk it, the choice is yours!

Next thing to consider are the rules of the track themselves. Most will require you to meet certain noise limits

https://catdrivertraining.co.uk/track-day-noise-limit-guide/

, breaching these will result in an early bath and no refund. A 140i with an MPE could be too loud, or a stock exhaust plus JB4 map2 (

http://www.babybmw.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=98587

) you have been warned!

You'll also need a safe and roadworthy car (obviously), a helmet (or hire one of their stinky skid-lids), and possibly long sleeves/trousers too. Some track will allow filming/Go-Pro's, some won't. Read all the terms and conditions carefully, a few days beforehand.

Sensible car prep - Obviously check your fluids are all fully maxed (or preferably marginally over filled - especially if you have serious Brakes), you don't want oil starvation because you were dumb enough to forget to top it off. Bleed your calipers too, so they're full of fresher brake fluid. Also, try your helmet on in the car before you go, you might find it clunks annoyingly on the grab handle, in which case you might want to whip it off (a couple of torx screws from memory). You might also want a CG lock or similar seat belt clamp on the lap belt section of your seatbelt to help prevent you sliding around on the leather. If you're fitting a video camera, make sure it's got a nice secure mount. Riding kerbs can result in big vibrations.

Possible car mods - We've already covered exhaust noise, which may require you to fit a quieter system or additional mufflers. If you're happy to go out for half a dozen laps at a time (approx) a standard car will be fine. If you want to stay out for longer sessions, you will want to consider hotter brake fluid (like RBF600), and hotter pads (as the stock Jurids can overheat and glaze). M4 pads take the heat a little better than stock, or you could go aftermarket for some proper track day pads (like Carbotech, Carbone Lorraine, or Endless Pads). If you're staying out, you'll probably want a set of semi-slick tyres too, as the stock MPSS will melt. Inexpensive semi's include Nankang NS-R2's & Federal 595RSR, medium price range include Toyo R888 & Yoko AD08R's, dearer options might include Kumho V70a and Michelin Cup 2's.

It's necessary to lower your tyre pressures as they heat up, so pack a good gauge (I like a RaceX) and a compressor. I like 35 - 36 psi hot (which equates to about 28psi cold). Don't jump straight to 28psi though, as the car will think you have 4 punctures and prevent you from using Sport mode. Chase your pressures down during your pit stops.

Behaviour - Don't be that guy. There's always one douche-nozzle who get's black flagged for being a total bell. If it's your first trackday just take it easy. You will have some sighting laps behind the safety car (and some other cars) at first to get used to the track. Observe the flags and obey the Marshalls, they're there to help keep you safe. Don't try and race anyone or keep up with anyone, just go at your own pace and use your mirrors! You will be amazed how quickly some of the experts catch up to you, even in standard looking slow cars. And pull over asap if someone wants to pass you. Build up the speed as you learn and progress. Don't be embarrassed to hire an instructor for some tuition, it will knock many seconds off your lap times. Find out from the Marshalls if they'll tolerate any exuberant oversteer/drifting, some will; some will black flag you.

The car is going to get hot, brakes in particular - try not to cook the fluid. It's sensible to perform a couple of cool down laps before coming back to the pits. This gives the brakes time to dissipate some temperature before coming back to the pits. If you stop with roasting hot anchors, the fluid inside the callipers will soon reach boiling point, which is obviously bad news as nobody wants brake fade, and that long pedal.

The rear brakes can 'Temp-out' if you do too many laps with the nannies on, as they fight with any wheel spin. Annoyingly, this 'Temp' is guestimated by the ECU (rather than directly measured), so it won't make any difference if you have high performance pads and fluid.

Take a litre of oil top-up with you, especially if the car wasn't run-in very sympathetically when new.

Most importantly, be safe, and have fun.

-----------------------------------------

Professional Feedback from Bathurst 6 hour winning M135i - essential track day tips

Huge thanks to David Levy Motorsports for sharing this invaluable information about racing and winning with their basically standard M135i in endurance racing, the hardest test of durability that there is.

If you're worried about reliability when tracking your M135i/M235i you shouldn't be!

OIL SURGE
We don't really seem to have any issues with oil surge. We ran around 750ml extra of oil (good quality oil is key here, we use liquidly 10w60 in this particular car). There are various baffles available on the market (we recently fit one to an N54), but unsure how it will go at this point.

COOLING
Never had an issue with cooling on the engine; the diffs do get fairly warm due to the small capacity of them, so we do run a diff cooler.

CAMBER
Negative camber is a huge issue with these cars, in the Bathhurst rules we have to run standard arms, so we got all of our neg camber via camber tops. For yourself I would recommend purchasing M4 lower control arms, that will give you a touch bit more camber and if you're still searching for more, get camber tops.

RECOMMENDATIONS
Recommendations on what you can do to the car, suspension, good brake pads, good tyres, exhaust (no cat converter or rear muffler) we even had to run standard sway bars. Our Bathurst car was very basic, no special tricks or crazy race car mods, just good drivers.

 

Model Year Differences - very rough guide.

Summer 2012 - M135i Launched with small turbo featuring Pneumatic Waste Gate (PWG), - Advance Speakers are free initially
Summer 2013 - Turbo upgraded with larger outlet, Electric Waste Gate (EWG), and slightly more power. Auto lights and wipers now standard.
Spring 2014 - New steering wheel & in-wheel pressure / temp sensors
Summer 2014 - SOS button / comms box standard
Spring 2015 - Life Cycle Impulse (cosmetic Face Lift), Extended storage standard, LED headlights replace Xenons.
Summer 2015 - Sat Nav and Full Black Panel standard
Summer 2016 - M140i replaces M135i with new more powerful / efficient B58 engine, firmer suspension and new auto ratios. Melbourne Red now available
Summer 2017 - LCI2 released. New dashboard & dials. Shadow Edition introduced, new wheel option. Sunset Orange replaces Valencia, Glacier Silver discontinued. Cognac replaces Coral leather.
Spring 2018 - M140i finally upgraded with much-needed 'Rock Guards' - see post 24 below.
Summer 2018 - All M-Lites engine fitted with Petrol Particulate Filter in the exhaust making them quieter (and possibly less free reving). Man-box discontinued.

 

Ping/Knock/Twang/Crack When Reversing on Full Lock

It's perfectly normal and correct to hear a ping/twang/thud/creak when reversing on full lock due to the Ackermann geometry. It's literally dragging the tyre, which eventually has to catch up when the force overcomes the sidewall deflection & grip. Both of mine have done it on full lock reverse, always seems much more noticable when the tyres are cold / during cold snaps, especially on tyres which are bad when cold like MPSS.

Porsche, Mercedes (and other RWD cars) are known to make the same noise. Nothing to worry (or PM me) about.

 

Rattling noise from the rear on cold startup

What's the issue?

Many B58M owners are experiencing an issue where the valve in the left exhaust rattles on cold start-up.

Some cars appear to be affected more than others with some owners reporting issues days after collecting the car while others have gone months with no issue at all. This would suggest a manufacturing or tolerance issue and it appears to be down to poor luck whether your car is affected or not.

Here is an example courtesy of JD on Youtube -

Source/Credit - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-lwdFbpzoIb7kT20qOgDLQ

What's the cause?

BMW state it is due to "Exhaust valve / rear silencer intolerances in the warm-up phase"

In other words, the valve/spring assembly isn't staying closed resulting in the noise that can be heard.

What cars are affected?

According to BMW the following models are affected -

F30, F32, F21, F20, F31, F22, F33, F36

Engine range - B58M

From start of production.

What can I do about it?

It's important to note that BMW is more than aware of the issue. At the time of writing this article, there is an ongoing PuMA case within BMW investigating the fault and looking for a resolution. More on this to follow.

If you find yourself affected by the fault and it's severe enough to bother you then make an appointment at a BMW centre to give them the opportunity to inspect the exhaust. It is important that as a customer you give the manufacturer this opportunity regardless of the outcome.

The standard response from BMW falls into one of two categories.

A, It's a characteristic of the car/engine.

B, BMW are looking for a fix.

While it's true that BMW are looking for a fix the "characteristic" statement is open to debate. After all, why would there be an ongoing PuMA case investigating the fault if it's merely a characteristic? Why don't all cars equipped with the B58M engine have the same noise? If it's a characteristic then surely the noise should have been present throughout.

What is a PuMA case?

PuMA is short for - Problem und Mebnahmenmanagement Aftersales. Essentially an internal database of faults and associated fixes.

This is the PuMA case regarding this issue, note I have censored certain information not relevant to this article -

I've seen some people getting MPE's fitted for free. How?

It's important to state that it is VERY unlikely that BMW will offer to replace the standard exhaust with an MPE. This is poor business practice for them and hurts them financially so it's very much a last resort.

However, if your car is relatively new and you purchased it via PCP/PCH then your chances are increased.

As I said earlier it's critical that you log the fault with BMW and give them one opportunity to inspect it and offer a fix. More likely than not you'll be told one of the two responses I mentioned earlier but you've fulfilled your obligation of allowing the manufacturer the opportunity to rectify the fault. That is the aim of this step.

I recommend emailing, rather than telephoning, BMW UK Customer support - customer.service@bmw.co.uk - with your complaint.

If you have little or no success with BMW UK CS and you financed the car then email BMW Financial Services - csescalations@bmwfin.com - with your complaint.

How you word your complaint is down to the individual however I suggest you leave emotion out of it and stick to concise facts and explain your displeasure in driving an expensive and premium vehicle with an embarrassing fault.

Should you want any more assistance don't hesitate to PM me directly. Always happy to chat and help a fellow owner -

http://www.babybmw.net/forum/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=25210

 

Aftermarket M-Lite wheel sizes / offsets.

Firstly, if you're going to buy a new set of wheels, make sure they're strong and of good quality. As a rule, cheap cast wheels are best avoided, as are inexpensive, poorly made replica rims, and cheapo junk from eBay.

Forged wheels (also know as roll-forged / roll-formed / RF / HLT / flow-formed / ff / flow-forged) are the ones to go for. Also, lighter is better to keep the all important unsprung weight down. Sadly finding cheap, lightweight, strong wheels isn't going to happen. You can pick any two of those qualities, but not all three. It's usually worth coughing up for a premium product, buy cheap = buy twice, or worse.

Stock wheel and tyre sizes:

7.5J x 18 ET45 - 225/40/18
8.0J x 18 ET52 - 245/35/18

5 x 120mm PCD, 72.6mm centre bore, 60° tapered bolt holes.

Optional BMW 19" Wheel Sizes:

7.5Jx19 ET45 - 225/35/19
8.0Jx19 ET52 - 245/30/19

It's important to note the front offset, as this is very carefully taken into account by the BMW suspension engineers. Going too far from this figure will mess with your scrub radius and KPI, which is obviously bad news.

BMW Performance Options

As a rule, most BMW rims aren't up to much, stock 436m's seem to be particularly soft/heavy/low quality. The notable exceptions are the 19" 624m and 405m wheels, which are lightweight forged wheels in the correct offsets. The only downside to those particular BMW rims is they tend to come with awful Runflat tyres, but they can always be replaced of course.

Common aftermarket sizes.

A square setup is a popular choice, most people go for 8.0J or 8.5J ET40 (plus or minus a couple of mm of offset).

For a staggered set-up, most people go for the above fronts, with 8.5J or 9.0J ET45 rears (again, plus or minus a couple of mm of offset).

Both of these will work with the stock tyres, or you can step up to a 245mm front if (like me) you find the skinny fronts a bit 'melty' under proper braking.
If you go for the wider staggered rears, you can step up to a 255mm rear if you wish (provided you've followed the offset guidance).

Stray too far from these sizes and you'll often end up with contact. For example, an 8.5J ET45 will rub on the front struts, and an 8.5j ET35 will poke out of the sides of the rear arches. The rear is generally considered to be the fussier fit, if you want to avoid your pride and joy looking like a Chav rollerskate.

Alloy Wheel & Tyre Fitment Calculator. Offset, Tyre Stretch and Speedo Error | Will They Fit

Alloy Wheel & tyre fitment calculator - it calculates inset, poke, speedo error, tyre stretch and loads more.

www.willtheyfit.com

is a useful site for comparing wheel specs, get a bit nervous if the new wheel pokes out much more than 18mm over stock, or is more than 10mm closer to the strut. Also, double check your new wheels will definitely clear the wide Brembo front callipers before buying:

If you have any doubts, or have non-standard suspension (longer M4 wishbones, etc), please feel free to throw up a 'will these fit' thread. Better to double check than be sorry.

Warning - Metal Dust Caps

If you have the active TPMS system with the thick metal valve stems, please use the plastic dust caps that came with your car (or a different plastic cap if you prefer). Fitting metal dust caps to metal valve stems usually results in them corroding together sooner or later. That results in snapped valves = flat tyre & stranded car.

 

B58 Radiator Weakness

Why has my car done a big wee on the drive?

There is a well known weakness with the radiator on the B48 & B58 engined cars (M140i, M240i, etc); this does not apply to the stronger N20 & N55 powered vehicles (M135i, M235i, etc). The B58 radiator is particularly flimsy, and prone to bursting from relatively minor stone strikes, losing all the coolant. Replacements cost circa £800 and are not usually covered by warranty, so ignore this post at your peril.

BMW themselves have effectively admitted this is a major problem by fitting cars built after December 2017 with two 'Rock Guards' (and new radiator mounts), pictured below.

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/sho...mw/enUS/showparts?id=1W91-EUR-10_2015_F21N_BMW_M140i&diagId=17_0977#17118485042

:

The prevailing advice is to remove your bumper, and retrofit some mesh to help prevent against Rad punctures. Most people are going with black aluminium mesh from Halfords, neatly fixed with cable ties. One pack should do both bottom grills, but you'll need two if you're protecting behind the kidneys too.

How to remove your bumper:

https://www.newtis.info/tisv2/a/en/...a/en/f20-m140i-sha/repair-manuals/51-body-equipment/51-11-front-bumper/Gu5BR3NS

Mesh photos, courtesy of 'Michellesburns':

Another useful guide for this important topic from Williams327 :

https://babybmw.net/viewtopic.php?f=74&t=112118

 

Other Common/Known Niggles

3 Door paint wear

3 door cars suffer paint wear on the door shut over time, thanks to the two hard rubber seals on the door:

The fix is 2 nice neat strips/boomerangs of helicopter tape on the B Pillar from new:

Towing eye Vanishing

The M Sport bumper Towing Eye covers do not come with a lanyard, and often get pinched or even fly off when driving about. It's recommended to secure yours with a small blob or two of clear silicone sealer/similar non-permanent adhesive, or make your own leash if you're feeling cunning.

Rattley boot trim

Please see:

http://www.babybmw.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=70666

Corroding Exhaust Tips

I don't know what comes out of the tail pipes on our cars, but it's pretty nasty stuff. The driver's side (permanently open) gets the brunt of the corrosive compound.

It's recommended to keep them clean, basically. A little FK P1000 can help protect them too. If they corrode during the warranty period BMW will often replace them without too much of a fight. If you're outside of warranty, the chrome tips from a 435i are a popular replacement - they still pit and corrode though, but not quite as fast.

TPMS Sensors

The TMPS sensors are generally reliable, however they aren't super-accurate. Typically they will under-read by around 2psi as a BMW margin of safety. They can be moved from wheel to wheel if swapping to a different set of alloys, absolute worst case you might need a inexpensive seal kit - not normally needed though.

Steering Column / Steering Stiffness

If you suddenly find your steering is stiff after being sat for a while, or it suddenly gains resistance when trying to turn the wheel, the usual culprit is a corroded universal joint on the steering column. Heat from the turbo certainly doesn't help matters. Some people have had some luck lubricating them, but the prevailing advice is to have it replaced fairly promptly. Unexpectedly losing your steering is significantly worse than losing your brakes.

Boot Lid Rust Bubbles

Before your car is 3 years old, check the boot lid panel carefully for rust / blisters. We've had a few reports now, much easier to get sorted FoC within the initial paintwork guarantee period. Once that's expired, they don't want to know until you can see through the panel, when the 12 year 'perforation' warranty is applicable.