[clydesdale]

For the diff- I believe I will need right around 1 quart. But will I need a low profile 14mm hex socket? The car came with turner sway bars.

For the MT in general- any special sized sockets?

For both- what is your method to jack this thing level safely? Can you lift from any single point in the rear?

 

[dmax]

For the diff- I believe I will need right around 1 quart. But will I need a low profile 14mm hex socket.

For the MT in general- any special sized sockets?

For both- what is your method to jack this thing level safely? Can you lift from any single point in the rear?

On an e30, I have no idea. On the e46...I'd suggest you read threads on jacking safely...

But for me, being 'not huge' I just drive on my 2.25 inch high ramps (home built and I have four)...and do it from there...no jacking involved and perfectly level.

You could jack from front center or rear center jack points and then put on jack stands (make sure you chock appropriate tires!)...if you jack in the back, your car will tend to roll forward a bit...so I start with car in gear, chocked in back and jack up front first...lower to jack stands...go to back...then back front (so I don't have one end substantially higher than the other...I'll do it in a couple of lifts when I need more room. But, being a former spelunker in my youth, don't mind tight places!

Stack two 2x10s/12s together...cut 45 degree angle on them...voila...homemade ramps...(I've got photos of mine somewhere around here)

Or, the best would be the 80 ton custom jack stands a guy in London made out of mdf...just search 'jack stands'!

Doug

 

[jonbth]

I have a nice little adapter that fits in the plastic jack point. I use a low profile floor jack to jack up the front one wheel at a time. I place plastic ramps backwards under each wheel. After that I jack up the rear from the crossmember in front of the differential. I place jack stands under the two rear jacking points. Then I jack up the front fronm the front jacking point and place two more jackstands under the front jack points. I can get it high enough for a AT filter change with adequete clearance.

 

[lejeunebimmer]

You do need just a little more than 1qt for each the tranny and the diff, so please buy 2. If this for an e46 non-m then you need 75w-90 for the diff and either MTL or D4-ATF (among other possibilities) for the tranny.

You do not need any special sized sockets for the tranny, I can't remember the exact size (17mm maybe?) for the drain and fill plugs on the tranny, but nothing special.

You do not need to have a low profile 14mm hex socket for the diff. I have H&R sways on mine (same as Turner) and I got away with a 14mm hex wrench (gargantuan allen key basically) and a pipe (they were torqued tight as Hel*).

Also please do your self a favor and remove the fill plugs before you drain the fluid!!!!

Fill until it overflows from the fill port (this is full, dont bother with trying to measure)

The rear lift point is the metal reinforcement bar somewhere near the diff (IIRC it's directly in front of the diff) you will see what I am talking about, I promise. The front is easy enough to spot on the skidplate. My method for jacking is different from you guys since I'm lowered (read alot more complicated), so read the other members posts as to how to jack it level.

 

[clydesdale]

Thanks guys. Please tell me more about the front jacking point. On my e30, I lift the front from the subrame. Will I be able to get a regular floor jack under this thing or do I really need a low profile? It sounds like jacking the rear will be easy, using the rear subframe brace by the diff, the front may be a PITA. I have not looked yet. I want to do as much keyboard mechanics as I can, before I get under there and find out that I do not have the right set up to go forward. Thanks.