Essential E46 M3 Track Day Mods and Guide for Beginners to Advanced Drivers
Are you taking your E46 M3 to the track more? Well good because it’s a great out of the box platform to take to the track. Even bone stock, it’s a very well balanced car. It doesn’t have a ton of horsepower but the car is very forgiving to drive with just enough oversteer to control. Now when you start upgrading, the E46 M3 becomes incredibly capable of producing very fast lap times. And if you haven’t taken it out on the track or autocross course just yet, you should! I’ll go through my experiences from my first time out to where I’m at now competing in a small time attack series.
Whether you are building a serious E46 M3 track car or first time going out, we’ve compiled a track day guide to get you acclimated to the wonderful sport of Motorsports. Check out below for the list of essential E46 M3 track day mods.
First Track Day
1. Maintenance
The first thing for any BMW owner is to make sure the overall health of the vehicle is in good status. And this isn’t just a thing for first timers, but for anyone who is taking their car to the track. We wrote the Ultimate E46 M3 Maintenance Guide which covers the Inspection I and Inspection II protocols. It’s a good starting point to go through this list and make sure all your basic maintenance items are covered. The most important part of track day is safety. All track day organizations have some sort of track day tech inspection sheet which you must fill out and sign in order to participate.
2. Alignment
A good alignment can dramatically change the handling characteristics of your car. We made an E46 M3 Alignment Specs Guide to list setups depending on the driving type e.g. autocross, track, etc. Once you start exploring different tracks you’ll want to change your alignment to dial in for that specific track, but this is a good baseline to start.
3. Tow Hook
It’s pretty much mandatory to run at least one tow hook point on the front or rear and both are highly recommended.
4. Build Track Awareness
The primary goal of your first track day is not to go fast, but to learn how a track day works. You’re going to learn things like spotting the flag towers, memorizing all the different flags, knowing where to enter pits, learning to exit pits, signs for passing other vehicles, learning track lines, learn to hit the apexes, etc.
2-5 Track Days
1. Brake Pads
Now you want to start building confidence mods. Not fast mods. The confidence will make you faster. Brake pads can help you stop when you need to.
2. Stainless Steel Brake Lines
Again, another confidence mod. Stainless steel lines won’t expand as you apply more brake pressure on your pedal. Your stock rubber lines will. SS lines will make the pedal feel more firm and better response.
3. Coilovers
This is a big one. Suspension is very important and changes the entire behavior of your car on-track performance. The more grip you have with the tire and road, the more G’s you can pull. The more G’s you can pull, the better your car will be around corners. This concept is called mechanical grip.
4. Brake Fluid
Brake fluid can boil and add air in your lines. Air is not good because it is compressible meaning if you step on your pedal and pass through air, your pedal will go down, but the pressure won’t be applied to the brakes. We wrote an article on the best racing brake fluids.
5. Tires
Similar to suspension, tires will help increase mechanical grip. Different tires have different compounds. The idea is that the lower the treadwear rating, the sticker it is. Grip vs life is a direct trade off.
6. Wheels
You want the strongest and lightest wheel possible to reduce unsprung weight. Rotating mass requires more momentum to move, meaning there is an exponential effect for every extra pound added on to unsprung weight. Also you might need to get a wider wheel to fit a larger tire for maximum grip.
7. Data Acquisition
If you want to improve as a driver, you need to study your data and results. A proper data acquisition system like the AIM Solo will give you at the minimum – lap time, g-force, MPH. Through graphing and visualizations, you can see where you are fast and where you need to improve.
6-10 Track Days
1. Radiator
You’ve probably done a few super hot days already and realized your cooling isn’t good enough. The OEM radiator has plastic end tanks and are prone to crack. It’s probably a good idea now to replace with an all aluminum tank.
2. Steering Rack
The stock E46 M3 (non ZCP) steering is pretty numb because of the low ratio. You can upgrade your rack with a “yellow tag” E46 ZHP rack found on the 330 and some regular 330’s. The BMW part number is 7852974712. The faster steering ratio feels great on track.
3. Exhaust
Now that you’re becoming familiar with your car, you can start upgrading power. Just be mindful. Driver mod can still shave you more time than what a 5-10 hp increase an exhaust can get you. Learn the car as much as you can and once you feel confident with your driving abilities, get power.
4. Short Shifter
If you’re driving a manual, an upgraded shifter can change your gears faster. Meaning you can increase speed faster resulting in faster lap times. I recommend a good trans mounted shifter like an RTD or CAE.
5. Subframe Bushings
You should know the E46 M3 subframe is prone to cracks. Strengthen up your diff bushings while you take care of the subframe reinforcement by adding in some race poly or solid bushings. Solid bushings will be loud, but removes 99% of the deflection. Race poly is still good if you’re doing street/track duty.
6. Transmission Bushings
Why do you need transmission bushings? The powertrain will see a lot of force on track causing movement which can affect your shifting especially for manual cars. Ever try shifting in high G corners and the selector rod just doesn’t seem to want to get in to gear? You may have bad transmission bushings.
7. Differential Bushings
Soft OEM bushings are designed for comfort, but it’s not the best for track performance. If you get rid of deflection, you can put more of the power and grip down to the ground. Same logic goes for all your bushings.
8. Intake
Probably one of the easiest way to increase horsepower to your car. More air in the engine means more power. Although there is a lot of debate about aftermarket performance intakes, the right one will produce more power over OEM. We recommend Turner CSL or Eventuri.
9. Tune
In addition to an intake, a tune will maximize performance by re-calibrating engine parameters to produce more horsepower. We can help you tune your S54 with our B-Spec Tune.
11-15 Track Days
1. Front Control Arm Bushings (FCAB)
OEM FCABs provide comfort for driving, but allows a lot of deflection in the front wheels. Upgrading to a harder bushing allows for increased “steering precision, turn-in response, and direct braking feedback” which makes the car feel very direct on track. We recommend the Turner Monoball FCAB for heavy track use and there is essentially no increased noise, vibration or harshness (NVH).
2. Rear Trail Arm Bushings (RTAB)
While you’re doing the FCAB upgrade, match the bushings with a similar rear trail arm bushings. RTABs can help with “maintaining alignment settings and minimizing wheel hop” by removing deflection. On RWD platforms, it’s important to get the power down to the ground by getting all the grip you can.
3. Roll Cage
You’re getting faster now and safety is still #1. At the minimum, you want to add in a half cage roll bar to protect incase of a roll over on track. There are a few easy bolt-in solutions e.g. Kirk, Auto Power. Better to be safe.
4. Race Seat
If you’re running a roll bar or cage, it’s very important you run a proper harness/seat belt because in case of an accident, you may hit your head on the roll bar/cage. From time to time, I see drivers running a roll bar in their street car with a street seat. That is not safe. You should be properly strapped into a bucket seat with shoulder straps.
5. Race Harness
We recommend at least a 5-point racing harness. A 5-point includes 2 shoulder straps, 2 side belts and an anti-submarine belt which prevents you from sliding underneath your belts in high G situations. Also another thing to consider is if you’re running a HANS device (neck restraint) there are 2″ to 3″ belts since HANS recommends using a 2″ belt.
6. Steering Wheel
You should not get an aftermarket steering wheel without getting a cage, race seat and and harness. Not a good idea to remove OEM airbags without proper supporting safety equipment. An aftermarket steering wheel can provide weight reduction benefits, quick-release for ease of access and improved ergonomics with a change in diameter.
7. Fire Suppression
Incase of a fire situation, you want to be prepared with a fire suppression system. The easiest thing to do is get a handheld extinguisher with a quick release mount. There are plenty of quick release mounting options on eBay as well.
16-20 Track Days
1. Oil Diverter Valve
Are you seeing high oil temps? You can reduce oil temps by about 30+ degrees with a simple oil diverter kit. The OEM oil filter housing limits the amount of oil flow to warm up the car faster so this kit allows a “full-flow” to cool the oil temps. This is not recommend for street cars unless you add a performance inline thermostat as you won’t each safe operating temps.
2. Big Brake Kit
Are you experiencing brake fade? The stock brake system utilizes a 325mm (345mm for ZCP/CSL) rotor in the front which may overheat on track. A big brake kit can help with cooling and overall braking performance.
3. VANOS High Pressure Oil Line
The factory VANOS high pressure line has a high failure rate for track cars. The metal gets brittle over time and cracks. Failure to the VANOS line can be catastrophic so replacing it with a stainless steel line is the best way to go. This is a mandatory item per our Ultimate Maintenance Guide.
4. Brake Ducts
If you’re still overheating your BBK, then it is time for some brake ducts. Brake ducts will allow air to feed into a backing plate, provided in most kits, which then feeds to the back of the rotors.
20+ Track Days
1. Differential
It’s all about getting the power down to the wheels. The factory M Variable limited slip differential is good, but it doesn’t perform as well as say a 3-clutch diff. The OEM also wears out fast. According to Diffs Online you need to refresh the diff in about 80k miles. If you don’t have a ton of money to shell out on a new diff, a great alternative is to change the R&P to a 3.91 or 4.1 – poor man’s supercharger.
2. Aero
Want more grip? A proper wing, diffuser and front splitter setup can increase downforce significantly providing more grip at speeds. We’ve created our own splitter brackets for the E46 M3 featuring a quick-release to install/remove in seconds. Check out our store for more aero products.
3. Lexan/Poly Windows
Polycarbonate windows can save you some unwanted weight and can also provide some aero/cooling benefits with the use of NACA ducts.
4. Full Cage
Safety is the #1 reason why you should get a full cage, but there are added benefits of going full e.g. tie-in the cage to the front/rear struts for additional chassis rigidity. Also with proper side/door protection, you can remove the OEM doors for a lightweight one. TC Design in Northern California is one of the best fabricators in the USA.
5. Carbon Fiber Trunk
The OEM trunk weighs in at about 45 lbs. A carbon fiber or even fiberglass can save 30+ pounds of weight. You can pickup a CSL style carbon fiber trunk for improved styling as well.
6. ZF 5-Speed Transmission
If you want to save even more weight, you can swap in a ZF 5-speed transmission from an E36 M3. Some drivers say it provides better shifting points on track, but that largely depends on the track itself. The weight difference from a stock E46 M3 transmissions vs the ZF 5-Speed is about 5-10 pounds, but if you’re scraping for weight, it all adds up.
Moroso Oil Catch Can Review - E46 M3
What is a PCV system?
The goal of a positive crankcase ventilation (PCV) system is to limit the amount of residual oil and vapor, that is released from the crankcase, from entering back into the throttle bodies inside the intake plenum. Overtime oil can build up around your throttle bodies, combustion chambers and idle control valve (ICV) valve which can lead to various performance issues such as rough idling.
Although most cars have some sort of PCV system, it’s still not enough. That’s evident when owners have to clean their throttle bodies and ICV valve. We made an article on how to clean that for this reason and you can check it out here: E46 M3 Throttle Body and ICV Cleaning DIY.
So how does the oil catch can make a difference?
The oil catch can simply routes the residual oil and vapor from the crankcase into an isolated container opposed to routing it back to the intake plenum.
If you ever remove your intake plenum, you’ll notice the small oil vent line connected underneath. This routes back to the oil pan. But think about it, you’re really trying to force the vapor and oil from the crankcase, through the breather tube, into the plenum, somehow bypasses the intake trumpets, and seeps downwards into the small hole? Why not just stop it from entering the plenum in the first place? That’s the idea of the oil/air separator AKA catch can.
Is the catch can worth it?
Regardless of your usage, by the book the answer is always yes. You don’t want to recirculate dirty oil and vapors back into the plenum. Check out the video of how much stuff came out. This is the results after maybe 4 track days.
4 track days. Look what comes out of the catch can. pic.twitter.com/CmaVrjdFx5
— buildjournal (@buildjournal) June 20, 2020
The Moroso setup
There are several catch cans out there, but I chose the Moroso simply because of engine bay aesthetics. I have a matching Moroso Expansion Tank for the coolant and the generic catch can they sell perfectly mounts into my existing air pump bracket. It’s like it was meant to be!
Turner Motorsport CSL Style Intake Unboxing, Review, Dyno Results
Overview of the Turner Motorsport CSL Style Intake
I decided to run a CSL style carbon fiber intake on my track E46 M3 to see if I can squeeze more horespower. Let’s be honest though, the looks and sound is probably half the reason why most of us justify the cost – including me. However, it’s easier to justify a CSL intake now because Turner Motorsport have developed their own version of the CSL intake.
The price? It’s very reasonable considering competitors. They have an intake-only option for $1,499, but they are also providing kit options starting at $1,999.95.
Summary
- The Turner Motorsport CSL Intake (w/ supporting mods) made a solid +54.23 whp and +17.84 wtq over stock engine setup.
- Bare minimum cost to fully convert into CSL intake is around $2,530 for 6MT; around $2,690 for SMG.
- Carbon fiber quality is great, however weave pattern runs opposite of authentic CSL.
- Initial production batch comes with weak epoxy points for hose connectors.
Turner Motorsport CSL Style Intake
Unboxing the Turner Motorsport CSL Style Intake
ECS has an intake line designed in house which is produced under the name Kohlefaser Luft-Technik however the Turner CSL Intake is not the same. When I received the package I was honestly surprised how small the box was. When I opened it up, I noticed there wasn’t a lot of side padding for protections so I held my breath hoping nothing got damaged.
I did a full inspection and luckily nothing was damaged! All breather hose valves, IAT bungs and overall structure of the intake was nice and clean. By the time I publish this article I will probably already have notified them of the packaging recommendations. I would hate to receive this intake damaged. However I do want to point out, as I did in the DIY guide, the epoxy for the lower breather tube that connects to the ICV is weak and it actually detached while I was installing the hose. This is something I’m sure they’ll improve for later production runs.
The entire carbon fiber structure of the intake is composed of two parts: intake body and inlet. The trumpets on the intake body appear very nice and is a 1-piece mold part of the entire intake body.
I also noticed the carbon fiber weave is going a different direction than the OEM CSL airbox. You probably won’t have noticed it and it’s not a big deal to me, but just something I noticed.
Dyno Testing
⚠️ Update 8/17/2020: A lot of people seem to be in shock from the dyno results and I suspect some people are selectively reading this article. So for those that want extra clear cliff notes, here they are:
- “No way it’s 52 whp gain!” – Yes way. The comparison is against a completely bone stock car – not just a stock intake. Read the dyno chart please. I have notes contained at the bottom to compare all my historical dyno results. I’ve dyno’d my car there for a very long time now so I have data on a lot of different setups. Again, please read.
- “Dyno numbers are way too high!” – Dyno numbers are subjective. There are too many variables with different types of dynos and they all read a little or a lot differently. Even the same dyno/model can read a little differently. The point here is, I eliminated the variable as much as possible by testing on the same dyno. Same car, same altitude, similar temps. If the CSL airbox dyno results seem high, then compare it against the other setup results. The other results are “high” as well. So what does that mean? As long as it’s an apples to apples comparison on the same dyno and car, the delta difference is what you need to look at. Again, I detailed this in the article and I’m not sure why there is so much confusion.
- “OMG. He must have some secret mods.” – No. I’m simply running an OEM CSL tune, Turner Motorsport airbox, headers, BW exhaust. No cams. No crazy engine internals. If you’re seriously doubting these results, go ahead and call EAS and tell them your story on dyno numbers.
Just as we do for all of our dyno tunes and testing, we went to European Auto Source in Anaheim, CA to run the dyno. We have historical data with our previous setups, so we can benchmark the data with stock and other modified setups. In the dyno chart below, we compare 5 different runs – all from the same car. Keep in mind these tests were not done all on the same day, so there are minor factors that come into play such as varying temperature, humidity, engine health, exhaust setups, etc.
Setups Tested
Details on the supporting parts are outlined in the bottom of the dyno chart e.g. Stock (91 octane) run is on catted headers, RE exhaust, stock intake.
- Stock (91 octane)
- Catless + B-Spec Tune (91 octane)
- Catless + B-Spec Tune + Eventuri intake (91 octane)
- Catless + MSS54HP CSL + CSL intake (91 octane)
- Catless + MSS54HP CSL + CSL intake (~E35 blend)
Gains Comparison vs Catless + MSS54HP CSL + CSL Intake (91 Octane)
Comparison is against the 91 octane run since for us in CA this simulates a more realistic scenario as we don’t have 93 octane at the pump. 93 octane testing was done for additional insights.
| Setup | WHP | WHP Gain | Δ | WTQ | WTQ Gain | Δ |
| Stock (91 octane) | 286.37 | 54.23 | 19% | 245.43 | 17.84 | 7% |
| Catless + B-Spec Tune (91 octane) | 315.01 | 25.59 | 8% | 247.33 | 15.94 | 6% |
| Catless + B-Spec Tune + Eventuri intake (91 octane) | 321.17 | 19.43 | 6% | 246.23 | 17.04 | 7% |
Parts List & Cost
The table below is a full parts list to do the Turner Motorsport CSL Intake conversion. Again, this is a full parts list. If you read the DIY article we put out, you’ll find out exactly what I did and did not use. You don’t need to buy everything in the parts list.
| Quantity | Item | Price | Link |
| 1 | CSL Style Intake – Gloss | $1,499.95 | View Product |
| 1 | CSL Style Intake – Matte | $1,499.95 | View Product |
| 1 | CSL Vent Valve Bracket | $41.00 | View Product |
| 2 | Washer | N/A | View Product |
| 1 | Hex Bolt | $1.05 | View Product |
| 2 | Hex Nut | $0.99 | View Product |
| 1 | CSL Air Shut Off Valve | $111.95 | View Product |
| 1 | CSL Air Filter | $149.95 | View Product |
| 1 | S54 Silicone Throttle Body Boot Set | $109.95 | View Product |
| 1 | Turner Plug-And-Play IAT Relocation Kit | $117.90 | View Product |
| 1 | CSL IAT Sensor | $26.95 | View Product |
Additional for SMG
| 1 | CSL SMG Expansion Tank Bracket | $29.95 | View Product |
| 1 | CSL SMG Expansion Tank | $128.95 | View Product |
Optional
| 1 | CSL Dipstick Tube | $89.95 | View Product |
| 1 | CSL Oil Dipstick | $32.95 | View Product |
Along with the parts you need to buy for the CSL airbox, you also need to figure out your ECU and Alpha-N/MAP sensor setup. That is not baked into the parts list cost.
MSS54HP ECU
The earlier E46 M3 models came with an MSS54 ECU while the later models came with an updated MSS54HP ECU. In order to run the CSL tune, you need the MSS54HP ECU. There are various shops that can make the conversion to MSS54HP ECU such as Kassel Performance. If you want a custom tune, well that’s going to be more.
MAP Sensor
What is a MAP Sensor? Well we did an article for that and you can take a read on our Wire MAP and IAT Sensor for MSS54HP CSL ECU DIY guide first. TLDR: If you want to run a CSL box you have two options 1. Alpha-N or 2. MAP sensor. The following chart below is under the assumption of a MAP sensor with a MSS54 non-HP ECU conversion.
| Quantity | Item | Price |
| 1 | MSS54HP CSL ECU (Kassel) | $ 460.00 |
| 1 | BMW E46 M3 S54 CSL MAP Sensor Conversion Kit | $ 235.00 |
Alpha-N
If you don’t want to do the MAP sensor route, you can choose Alpha-N tuning. These are hard coded values your engine uses to calculate load. Since it does not have a MAP sensor to calculate air mass, it uses throttle position and RPM to calculate load. There is a lot of debate for MAP vs Alpha-N, but the best way to go is using a MAP sensor since it can calculate dynamic changes in the environment e.g. higher elevation conditions where there is less oxygen. This is especially important in areas/tracks that experience large temperature fluctuations within a span of hours. Alpha-N requires custom tuning and is usually more than the price of a MAP kit.
Turner Motorsport CSL Intake DIY
Final Thoughts
So there you have it. A look at the Turner Motorsport CSL Intake with comprehensive dyno testing. Let me know in the comments below on what you think of this kit and whether or not you would consider buying this.
Turner Motorsport CSL Style Intake Install DIY - E46 M3
Installing the Turner Motorsport CSL Style Intake Airbox
Ever since Turner Motorsport released the CSL Style Intake for the S54, a lot of people have been interested because of the price point. For those that have bought or plan to purchase this intake, I’ll cover the overall installation in this article, but also detail in some of the small things because during my research there were a lot of small details that were critical, yet not being really talked about.
This article is strictly about the Turner Motorsport intake install. If you’re looking for more information on what it takes to convert your S54 to run a CSL intake, we’ll be writing another article that covers all of that.
Turner Motorsport CSL Style Intake
Parts List
For those that don’t need to buy everything in the kit, use this parts list below to piece together what you need. I realized after I installed everything, I didn’t need everything.
CSL Vent Valve Bracket – I’m honestly not sure what this part is used for. I used it as a zip tie location for some of the hoses that run underneath the plenum. You don’t need this part, however you do need screws, or something else, to plug the thread.
Washer, Hex Bolt, Hex Nut – I did not use any of these parts. The two Hex Nuts are for the 10mm nuts that secure the intake to the bracket, but I ended up re-using mine. The other hardware, I’m not sure what it’s used for.
CSL Air Shut Off Valve – You can modify your existing shut off valve by re-using the two male connectors on each ends and replacing the hard line with a soft vacuum line.
S54 Silicone Throttle Body Boot Set – I ended up re-using my boots from my OEM intake. Some people say only 01-03 model boots can be re-used, but according to ECS/Turner their boot set fits all plenums including OEM and CSL. I also sourced my own worm-style hose clamps. You just need 6x of the 50-70mm and 6x of the 60-80mm clamps.
CSL Oil Tube and Dipstick – You can bend your OEM tube and retain ability to check without removing anything. If you opt for the CSL Oil Tube and Dipstick, you’ll need to remove your swaybar and intake inlet to check oil. I highly recommend you stick to modifying the OEM for convenience.
| Quantity | Item | Price | Link |
| 1 | CSL Style Intake – Gloss | $1,499.95 | View Product |
| 1 | CSL Style Intake – Matte | $1,499.95 | View Product |
| 1 | CSL Vent Valve Bracket | $41.00 | View Product |
| 2 | Washer | N/A | View Product |
| 1 | Hex Bolt | $1.05 | View Product |
| 2 | Hex Nut | $0.99 | View Product |
| 1 | CSL Air Shut Off Valve | $111.95 | View Product |
| 1 | CSL Air Filter | $149.95 | View Product |
| 1 | S54 Silicone Throttle Body Boot Set | $109.95 | View Product |
| 1 | Turner Plug-And-Play IAT Relocation Kit | $117.90 | View Product |
| 1 | CSL IAT Sensor | $26.95 | View Product |
Additional for SMG
| 1 | CSL SMG Expansion Tank Bracket | $29.95 | View Product |
| 1 | CSL SMG Expansion Tank | $128.95 | View Product |
Optional
| 1 | CSL Dipstick Tube | $89.95 | View Product |
| 1 | CSL Oil Dipstick | $32.95 | View Product |
Tools Required
- 7mm socket
- 10mm socket
- 13mm deep socket
- 15mm or 16mm deep socket
- 4mm hex
- Torx screw set
- Ratchet
- Hose clamp removal tool or pliers
3
Hours
2/5
Difficulty
CSL Intake Install DIY
1. Access intake box
1.1, remove 4 nuts holding front strut bar.
1.2, remove 4 torx screws holding cabin filter housing, remove filter.
1.3, remove intake including the nut for the oil dipstick.
1.4, remove crankcase vent hose.
1.5, remove vent hose grommet to give some more slack in the line when you take out the airbox.
2. Remove intake box
2.1, remove the throttle body hose clamps. There’s not much grip and clearance so I had to use angled needle-nose pliers and locking pliers to squeeze the rivets together and with a flat head pry out the clamp simultaneously. Basically in the bottom picture below, I pry the two rivets together to alleviate clamping force and then used a small flat head to pry out the end of the clamp pictured on top.
Clamp the rivets together. Remove all 6 clamps.
2.2, remove the (2) two nuts holding the bottom of the intake box. Detach plug grommet between the two nuts.
2.3, unclip the (large) vent hose on the bottom of the intake box.
Below is a better view of the (large) lower vent hose and the 2 nuts holding the airbox.
2.4, unclip the holder for the smaller vent hose on the side of the intake box – the small highlighted tab has to be pressed down and the plastic holder will slide up. (not away from box)
2.5, this part is a little tricky (any is the part everyone talks about breaking) so pay attention! Before the airbox comes out, you have to unclick the (small) vent hose below the intake box, but because the clearance is so small you have to wiggle the box out a little to slide your hand in. Be gentle because this part is fragile and if you break this hose, it’s going to be an annoying trip to the dealership.
The best thing to do is slightly pull the airbox halfway out and then unclip the (small) vent hose.
Here is a picture showing the underside of the airbox.
3. Setup engine bay for install
3.1 If you’re re-using the OEM dipstick, slightly bend or pivot your dipstick to the left shock tower right next to the plastic wire box. I just used a zip tie to hold the tube.
3.2 Now is the time to take care of all the hoses and wiring underneath the plenum between the two intake brackets. You’ll also notice the wiring loom for the MAP sensor. We’ll go over the MAP/IAT wiring in the next step, but you’ll want to secure this loom with zip ties as well.
4. Wire MAP and IAT sensor
4.1 I did a separate DIY article to configure the wiring. Please see our article for this step: Wire MAP and IAT Sensor for MSS54HP CSL ECU DIY
5. Install CSL intake
5.1 Remove the OEM intake boots and move it to the new CSL box. Use the bigger hose clamps for the box side and the smaller hoses for the throttle body side.
5.2 Remove the two rubber OEM intake mounts and install on the new CSL box. This is either a 15mm or 16mm deep socket. Please let me know in the comments which one it is.
5.3 Install the CSL Vent Valve Bracket, should you choose, onto the airbox. The orientation in the picture is incorrect. The tab that sticks downwards should be facing towards the air filter.
5.4 Install the air filter and install the main plenum. Make sure to install the hose clamps now while the boots secure to the throttle bodies. Line up the two intake mounts underneath onto the intake bracket.
5.5 Attach the two hoses underneath. There is a bigger hose coming from the ICV and a smaller vent hose. If your ICV hose does not line up with the airbox connector, your airbox is probably not seating right and is too high. If this is the case, I would recheck the intake brackets to make sure they weren’t bent upwards. Also be very careful with the ICV hose connector as it has a weak epoxy. Some users, including me, had to re-epoxy this connector because it came unglued.
5.6 Install the new CSL Air Shut Off Valve.
5.7 Attach the new crankcase vent hose and shut off valve on top of the box. It’s worth to mention, ECS/Turner does not include a CSL crankcase hose as the OEM can be re-used. I’m using an aftermarket oil catch can so I can not confirm this. Please let me know in the comments if this can be successfully re-used.
5.8 Install the intake inlet using the supplied 4mm hex screws. Make sure the bottom two tabs beneath the airbox are clamped on first.
5.9 Install the CSL IAT sensor into the bung located next to the oil filter housing. Plug in your IAT harness.
5.10 Re-install everything in reverse order for the strut bar, cabin filter, etc. Your install is now complete!
Turner Motorsport CSL Intake Dyno and Review
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Recaro RS-G Alcantara Bucket Seat
$2,399.00- Compact seat form. The shoulder part is 50mm narrower compared to the SP-A, a model for exclusive racing use. Furthermore, the seat cushion width is reduced by 10mm.
- Improved seat cushion for getting in and out easier by designing the side support part of the seat cushion in a slow curve.
- Abundant seat cover versions and different materials matching with the interior. The RS-G is available with Kamui in combination with superior mesh material, as well as in pure Kamui which is most suitable for motor sport driving concerning breath-ability. Moreover there is a high quality leather & Alcantara version.
RECARO Bucket Seats
E46 M3 on APEX ARC-8R Forged
Track Fitment for the E46 M3
I planned on doing this photoshoot with the new APEX ARC-8R forged wheels, but things took a turn really quick when COVID-19 logistical issues started happening with vendors as I was awaiting a CSL box. I had already started taking apart the car and making semi-permanent ECU changes when I found out the airbox was going to be delayed. Finally, the car is back up and running and I got a chance to shoot. So here it is.
Wheel Specs
- APEX ARC-8R Forged
- Satin Black
- 275/35/18 Nankang AR-1 tires
- 5mm rear spacer
- 20.3 lbs
- Face Profile 2; medium concavity
- 1,800 lbs load rating
- VA # VIA-25-0277
Suspension Specs
- MCS 1WNR coilovers
- Eibach ERS race springs 900# f / 500# r (non-divorced)
- Vorshlag race camber plates
- -4 camber f / -2.5 camber r
- 13.25" height f / 12.75" height r
- Stoptech C43 CBK f
- Porsche 996 calipers r
- Motorsport Hardware studs and MH Titan lug nuts
Join the ARC-8R Group Buy
$500 OFF + Free Shipping
E92 M3 on Apex ARC-8 Hyper Silver
E92 M3 Street Fitment
It was inevitable. I like Hyper Silver and Apex ARC8-8 so much, I had to get another set for the E92 M3. I’m slowly beginning to find that balance of what can be a fun canyon or occasional track car while mostly serving its purpose of driving on the streets. I was on the fence for a staggered setup and throwing on some meaty rear tires, but I couldn’t get around not being able to rotate my tires if I need to. So I went with the 18×10 ET25 spec.
Also I tried something new this time. I wanted to get the beefiest tire/sidewall setup without sacrificing too much in the camber department. Originally I wanted to try 295/30/18 square, but that’s not possible without linear spring coilover setups like MCS. In addition, it required at least -3 camber which I wasn’t going to do on this street setup. I’ve always liked the sidewall profiles of the Michelin Cup 2 so I opted for the 285/30/18 square setup. Thanks to Mike at TPM Parts in Irvine, CA for providing the tire service! Yes, the 285/30 is not the ideal spec and lowers the radius from factory setup, but this is a street setup and I wasn’t too bothered considering if it meant I’ll get the look I’m going for.
So what is the “look” I’m going for? A nice and low meat flush look. The lower profile tires really makes the car sit nice and low while filling in the arches with just the right amount of camber to achieve that meat flush look. With a 275/35/18 setup, which I’ve done many times, it has that beefy sidewall look, but you have to run a tuck to get to the height I’m at now. I risk rubbing while doing so also.
I’m pretty happy with my setup and I think it looks even better in person. Hyper Silver just pops.
Group Buy
Apex 18" Forged
ESS G1 Supercharger for E92 M3 - Unboxing, Install, Dyno @ European Auto Source
ESS G1 E92 M3 Supercharger Summary
The new ESS G1 and G1+ supercharger kits have replaced the VT2-595 and VT2-625 with a new blower providing more power.
- 579 WHP @ 8,338 RPM
- 383 WTQ @ 7,442 RPM
- 93 octane (E17 ethanol mixture)
- No more S/C fluid seepage under high Gs
- ~10-20 ft/lb gain in torque from VT2/Vortech based systems
- Complimentary dyno with purchase+install at European Auto Source
- Very usable power on street without torque punch
S65 G1 Supercharger
BMW E9X M3
Car Couples: His E92 M3 and Her E46 M3 [Short Film]
Here’s a short film edited and filmed by our friend @alex.sims. It’s about a car couple meeting up for a drive in the canyons then going to the movie theaters after. One with an E46 M3 and the other with an E92 M3.
If you’re local in the SoCal area and interested in video work – hit him up! He does all kinds of videos, not just cars. He’s a simple DM away.
Wire MAP and IAT Sensor for MSS54HP CSL ECU DIY
Going CSL Airbox, What Are My Options?
If you’re running a CSL airbox or planning to, you’ll need to figure out what you want to do on the ECU or tuning side of things first. There are 2 main options: Alpha-N or MAP sensor.
Alpha-N
- No need for MAP sensor nor modified fuel rail to accept the sensor
- May benefit (over MAP sensor route) with proper custom tune
- ECU cannot factor variable conditions
- Engine will run sluggish if actual oxygen flow differs from Alpha N values
- Custom tune can get very expensive
MAP Sensor
- Closer to OEM configuration and driveability
- ECU has the ability to utilize an additional sensor to calculate engine flow
- Ability to run OEM CSL MSS54HP ECU; no "tune" necessary
- Requires purchase of MAP sensor and compatible air rail solution
- Requires additional wiring of MAP sensor to ECU
What Did I Choose?
I chose to go the MAP sensor route. Why? Simply because I live in an area where conditions vary drastically and I want the added benefits of a MAP sensor so my engine/ECU can calculate variable flow when it needs to. In addition, I was able to save a little money by scavenging the forums and marketplace for a MSS54HP ECU with a CSL tune already on it. If you look on eBay I’m sure you’ll find a new plug and play ready ECUs for sale.
Special shout out to ECUWORX for providing diagrams on wiring up the MAP sensor and IAT to the ECU. I used this article as a resource and just providing a secondary article with picture references.
So here we go. I need to actually wire up the MAP sensor and IAT. I bought the MAP sensor conversion kit from Kassel Performance because they provide a cost-effective solution to install the MAP sensor by utilizing an existing air rail tube. No need to source an additional air rail or modify. Keep in mind this DIY is referencing the Kassel kit!
MAP & IAT Sensor Installation
1. Accessing ECU and Removal
1.1 Under the hood, reach over to the driver side corner and look for the black cover.
1.2 Use a 5mm hex to remove the screws on the box cover. There should be 4 screws.
1.3 Once you have access, you should see your ECU. It has a total of 5 plugs.
1.4 Start by removing the plug furthest from the windshield. You’ll need this clearance when removing some of the plugs.
1.5 Once all 5 harnesses are disconnected, you can slide out the ECU by pressing on the 2 small clips holding it down in the tray.
1.6 Verify you have an MSS54HP or a modified MSS54 non-HP ECU for the installation.
2. Wiring the MAP Sensor
2.1 Locate the 52-pin connector (X60003). This is the largest connect found towards the middle of the 5 plugs. You can also refer to the diagram on ECUWORX.
2.2 Use a small pick to pry up the black tab on the black harness body and release the grey connector slot. It should slide out pretty easily.
2.3 Once the grey connector is out, inspect the following pins: 16, 18. There are small numbers carved out on the grey connector. Then use the following instructions to wire the Kassel MAP sensor wiring harness.
Brown/Orange wire into Pin 16 (Ground)
Yellow wire into Pin 18 (Signal)
Keep in mind of the pin orientation. It only goes in one way.
2.4 Now locate pin 7 on the grey connector. There is an existing Red/Green wire which you will need to tap into using the supplied T-Tap connector.
Red/Green wire into Pin 7 (5V)
I used an extra heat shrink to cover up the exposed T-Tap.
3. Wire IAT Sensor
3.1 Locate pins 22 and 25 on the same 52-pin harness (X60003)
IAT wire to Yellow/Blue wire Pin 22 (Power)
IAT wire to Brown wire Pin 25 (Ground)
IAT wires do not have specific polarity.
4. Reinstall New ECU Plugs
4.1 Slide the grey connector back into the black harness and make sure it locks
4.2 Reinstall everything back together!
Unboxing the APEX ARC-8R Forged Wheels
Article Overview
Awesome products made by amazing people
- Quality
- Value
- Fitment/Color Options
Summary
I’m going to skip out on the technical details of this review summary. We all know it’s a great product. It’s forged. It’s a classic design. Colors options are plenty and so is the fitment/size offerings. If you’re buying these wheels, you’re buying because you’re most likely already wanting these – you already have your mind set. Aside from the technical side of things, let’s talk about something that no one talks about. The team at APEX.
APEX as a brand is more than just a wheel company. They are a team of track enthusiasts that are first and foremost passionate about the sport. Eddy the owner has a Spec E46 which he built from the ground up and is participating in club racing. Max is a BMW nut, participates in multiple HPDE track days a year, and has a super clean E36 M3 with an S54 swap. Ryan is a perfectionist. If you take a look at his track E92 M3, you’ll see what I’m talking about. I know if a group of enthusiasts like them are running this company, then I trust them to make a solid product and do everything in their power to make the best products for the community.
If you’re for whatever reason not set on a wheel and still in the market, I encourage you to talk to a specialist at APEX. I encourage you to read through all of their tech articles on fitment and see how much it helps you in your purchasing decision. I encourage you to take a deeper look the team running the brand. When you consider all these attributes, maybe, just maybe, the products from APEX will mean a little more than just the learning about the technical details on the product marketing front.
Let's Unbox This Wheel
First thing I noticed before opening up the box was the new packaging design. Looks like they added some graphics to the side print. I ordered the 18×10 ET25 ARC-8R in Satin Black for my E46 M3. Previously I was running the Hyper Silver in 18×9.5 ET 22 flow-formed version, but decided to use the 10″ wheel to fit larger tires while maintaining a proper amount of tire stretch to get a good balance of grip and sharp turn-in feel.
New Product Features
Paintless Knurled Beads
This was actually the first thing I noticed when I pulled it out of the box. There’s a shiny silver strip and although I know these beads are to help with tire slippage I never seen it in raw/paintless form. It should provide more grip than a painted surface.
New Stamps
There is an APEX logo stamp and a ARC-8R stamp on the inside lip of the wheel face. Adds a nice little touch to the aesthetics of the wheel.
1,800 lbs Max Load
The 10k forged press allows each wheel for 1.8k lbs of pressure. According to APEX, this is 1,000 lbs more than some of their flow-formed products! Kind of hard to read, but the stamp is on the bottom right corner of the back of the hub.
Profile 2 Face
The 18×10 ET25 comes with a Profile 2 concave face which gives it that iconic ARC-8 look that its most famous for. I do wish there was a Profile 3 variant for even more concave, but maybe we’ll see that for future models. I shot this on a wide angle lens so the concave is actually more than how it appears in this image.
Time to Mount Tires
I took the car to European Auto Source to mount my Nankang AR-1 275/35/18 tires. Luckily my car is gutted so I was able to fit all 4 boxes into my car. This is how I drove it. Everyone on the freeway kinda looked at me a little weird. I’m sure the wing has a lot do with it.
Unfortunately these are all the pictures I have at the moment. I wanted to take the car out and do a full shoot, but quarantine happened right after.
Fitment Details
Front
- -4° camber
- No spacer
- Stoptech C43 CBK clearance
- 13.25" height (center of wheel to fender)
Rear
- -2.5° camber
- 5mm spacer
- Porsche 996 caliper clearance
- 12.75" height (center of wheel to fender)
B-SPEC TUNE is Coming for BMW E9X M3
⚙️ B-SPEC TUNE FOR E9X M3
COMING SOON
Mods
- BUILDJOURNAL ⚙️ B-SPEC TUNE
- MACHT SCHNELL STAGE 2 INTAKE
- MACHT SCHNELL X-PIPE
- MACHT SCHNELL PULLEYS
- EISENMANN RACE EXHAUST
Conditions
- 91 OCTANE
- 95° AMBIENT TEMP
- 27% HUMIDITY
- DYNOJET 224xLC
- SMOOTHING: STD 5
Horsepower
391
WHP
Torque
291
WTQ
