BMW Engine Parts for BMW 3 Series E46 (1999-2005)

If you're experiencing hard starting, flaky charging, or other electrical issues, your engine ground strap may be the culprit. On older BMWs, the engine ground strap is a thin, non-insulated cable that spans from the engine mount arm to the frame horn. Despite the seemingly simple nature of this part, on older cars, it is known to cause massive headaches. Due to its non-insulated design, years of exposure to water, dirt, and road salt will cause the wire to corrode, ultimately leading to complete failure. A break in this cable will cause an open circuit, resulting in issues with the vehicle's electrical system and potentially leading to a no-start condition.

To solve this issue, ECS has engineered an exact-fit, upgraded ground strap for your BMW! Unlike its OEM counterpart, this design features insulated, large-gauge copper wire for dependable conductivity and long-lasting durability. Additionally, factory-style lugs are zinc-coated, crimped, and soldered, ensuring protection against corrosion and oxidation.

Whether you're replacing a visibly corroded strap or proactively preventing failure, this solution from ECS is sure to provide lasting performance and protection.

FEATURES

Direct-fit replacement and upgrade for E30 (318i/is), E36, E39, E46, and others Solves intermittent grounding issues caused by aging OEM straps Clean, stealthy design that fits seamlessly in factory engine bays Factory length and lug orientation for drop-in fitment 2 AWG tinned copper cable for excellent conductivity and corrosion resistance Zinc-coated lugs, crimped and soldered to resist moisture and oxidation Black UL1015-grade insulation withstands oil, heat, and abrasion Discreet ECS label for a clean, OEM+ look Replaces OEM part numbers 12421737755 and 12421714262.

These WPC-treated bearings are the best we have seen! WPC is a shot-peening treatment at a microscopic level. It's perfect for sensitive surfaces like bearings. The WPC treatment removes imperfections and high spots, while creating a surface that retains oil better than the original surface. This greatly reduces friction. The bearings in this kit are original equipment KS bearings that are sent to WPC for treatment. The treated bearings are stronger with less metal fatigue and less friction than buying off-the-shelf bearings from the dealer.

This item fits the following BMWs: 
1984-1991 E30 BMW 318i 318is 318ic 325e 325es 325i 325ic 325is 325ix 
1992-1998 E36 BMW 318i 318is 318ti 318ic 323is 323ic 325i 325is 325ic 328i 328is 328ic M3 
1999-2005 E46 BMW 323i 323ci 325i 325ci 325xi 328i 328ci 330i 330ci 330xi
1982-1988 E28 BMW 528e
1989-1995 E34 BMW 525i
1997-2003 E39 BMW 525i 528i 530i
2004-2005 E60 BMW 525i 530i 
2004-2006 E83 BMW X3 2.5i X3 3.0i 
2000-2006 E53 BMW X5 3.0i 
1997-2002 Z3 BMW Z3 1.9 Z3 2.3 Z3 2.5i Z3 2.8 Z3 3.0i M Roadster M Coupe 
2003-2005 Z4 BMW Z4 2.5i Z4 3.0i 

The main reason all of the VANOS units will eventually fail is because the material used for the sealing rings from the factory is not designed for that type of environment. When this happens the only option that BMW leaves you with is buying a new and expensive VANOS unit with the same sealing rings that failed in your original unit.

The VANOS system found in BMW engines is a great feature (when it’s working properly), keeping your power curve smooth and responsive especially in lower to mid RPM range. What usually goes unnoticed is the gradual loss of power within this range as the vehicle's age due to slowly failing seals within the VANOS unit. The way the VANOS system works is based off of oil pressure triggered by a solenoid that allows for a small range of timing degree adjustment, this is where the power curve is affected. When the seals begin to fail (all of them do) there is less pressure to advance the timing reducing the power in that low to mid range. Because this happens slowly it's very hard to notice a difference until you refresh your VANOS unit, then you easily realize the response you've been missing.

There are a number of symptoms that will plague your car as a result of these failing seals such as erratic idle, engine hesitation, stalling, and increased fuel consumption to name a few. If you've been chasing down any of these symptoms with no fix then this could be your issue.

While you're replacing the seals in your VANOS unit it a good time to install anti-rattle spacers to tighten up the gaps in your stock assembly and get rid of that noisy VANOS clatter.

Seals & O-rings:

The seals  were the main focus of this project since the OE units are built with Buna-N rubber o-rings instead of the ECS supplied Viton rubber o-rings. The Buna-N material quickly hardens from the heat and chemical exposure within the engine, where the Viton is significantly more resistant to these chemicals. This knowledge was also used when it came to the commonly failed o-rings found on the VANOS seal plate, replaced at the solenoid.

Rattle Repair:

When it comes to the VANOS rattle this is commonly described as "marbles in a can", and can be heard throughout the different RPM ranges depending on the engine. These upgraded rings and washers are precision ground from hardened steel to resist wear and deformation keeping your VANOS rattle free. The rattle repair tools are designed specifically for this VANOS anti-rattle repair, design from hardened steel to stand up to the job. Designed to perfectly follow the splines of the shaft for a tight grip when applying the necessary torque to disassemble & reassemble the VANOS transfer gear. The keyed socket was designed with the intent to use a "common" wrench so this can be completed at home in your garage.    

When Servicing your VANOS unit we recommend getting everything you need to replace on the way to service which includes an oil change and valve cover gasket set. Fresh oil and gaskets is the best way to start off a fresh rebuild of any kind giving you the maximum performance of your freshly serviced components.

Don't forget to check out our rebuild PDF to make sure you have everything to get the job done and eliminate the rebuild guess work.

This item fits the following BMWs: 
2000-2001 E46 3 Series M3 M3 Convertible 2000-2006 
2001-2002 Z3 Roadster / Coupe Z3 M Roadster Z3 M Coupe w S54 Engine 
2006-2008 E86 E86 Z4 Z4 M Roadster Z4 M Coupe

The NOCO Boost X GBX75 is a portable lithium jump starter crafted for 12-volt batteries in vehicles with gasoline engines up to 8.5 liters and diesel engines up to 6.5 liters. This versatile tool is suitable for a wide array of vehicles, including cars, motorcycles, trucks, ATVs, boats, RVs, vans, SUVs, tractors, and more. Featuring an all-new design, the GBX75 offers extreme jump-starting power, ensuring robust engine starts with ease. With a rating of 2500 amps, this portable lithium car battery jump starter delivers maximum energy with each start. It's not just an upgrade; it's part of our new Extreme Series, delivering exceptional performance and reliability.

Features:

• Equipped with USB-C technology that, combined with power delivery, gives you lightning-fast recharges. Completely recharges in just 1.8-hours, or go from 0% to jump starting in just 5-minutes of charge.
• Charge everything with USB-C Power Delivery. Its internal power bank provides 60-watts of power - both in and out - to effortlessly power your favorite USB-C devices, like phones, tablets, laptops, wearables, and more.
• We took our UltraSafe technology and made it better. It's still our simple, mistake-free design featuring spark-proof technology and reverse polarity protection, but with enhanced thermal efficiency and power management to provide better performance and longer battery life.
• It's one of the most versatile lithium jump starters ever. Jump start all vehicle types, including cars, motorcycles, trucks, ATVs, boats, RVs, vans, SUVs, tractors, and more for up to 8.5-liter gasoline and 6.5-liter diesel engines.

WARNING: This product contains chemicals known to the state of California to cause cancer, birth defects, and/or reproductive harm. See above warning label as well as http://www.p65warnings.ca.gov for further information on Proposition 65 warnings.

If there is a large amount of oil on the sides of the engine or if you can smell burning oil, chances are it's a bad valve cover gasket. The gasket fails and allows oil to seep down onto the side of the engine and other parts causing a mess and reducing the amount of oil in your engine. This replacement gasket from Elring is perfect to prevent any further oil leaks.

Includes everything needed to re-seal your engine's head.

Elring is one of the biggest OEM names in the manufacturing of high quality gaskets that are available for very affordable prices. Elring has supplied many automotive names for years with the gaskets that seal your car's components from day 1 so you can rest assured that these components will last for a long time to come!

Fits the following engines:
M54 2.5L 3.0L (09/2002+)

Since getting their start in 1981, Active Autowerke has earned a well-respected reputation in the BMW community for engineering high-quality power solutions for popular BMW models. This supercharger kit will produce 525 horsepower and 335 ft.lbs. of torque on your BMW, while retaining platform integrity and daily driveability. Unique to the design of the Rotrex supercharger is the traction drive system, which eliminates the lag often found in other centrifugal supercharger setups. Power delivery is smooth and dependable, and 100% reversible to stock if you so choose, since each system is designed as a self-contained unit.

Kit features:

• Rotrex 92 trim supercharger running 7 PSI of boost
• Supercharger bracket, pulleys, & belt
• Self-contained oiling system with front-mount oil cooler
• 6 high-flow fuel injectors
• Colder heat range spark plugs
• Active Autowerke  Generation 7 intake manifold with dual bypass valve
• Front mount air-to-air intercooler
• Active Autowerke air filter
• Active Autowerke dyno-tuned software
• All mounting hardware, plumbing, hoses, & clamps
• Illustrated instruction manual & installation guide
• 2 year warranty with free tech support

Performance Specs:

• Power   :   525 BHP @ 7650 rpm
• Torque   :   335 ft/lbs @ 5400 rpm
• Boost Level   :   7-8 psi

The GENIUSPRO50 is an advanced 6-volt, 12-volt, and 24-volt fully-automatic professional smart charger, maintainer, power supply, and battery desulfator. With temperature compensation and a rating of 50 amps, it's suitable for all types of automotive, marine, and deep-cycle batteries.

Features: 

• A multi-voltage charger - 6-volt (50-amps), 12-volt (50-amps), and 24-volt (25-amps) - for lead-acid automotive, marine, and deep-cycle batteries, including flooded, gel, AGM, and maintenance-free, plus lithium-ion.
• Designed for pros who need absolute performance and uncompromising functionality. Featuring ultra-flexible silicone cabling - down to -40ºC - with protective nylon breaded shielding for maximum protection against abrasion.
• A dual-voltage power supply - 12-volt (50-amp) and 24-volt (25-amp) - to maintain constant power delivery without unwanted ripple, noise, and transient spikes during ECU flashing, reprogramming, and diagnostic testing.
• An integrated thermal sensor detects the ambient temperature and alters the charge to eliminate over-charging in hot climates and under-charging in cold climates to maximize battery life and enable fast charging.
• Detects batteries as low as 1-volt. Or use the all-new force mode that allows you to manually begin charging dead batteries down to zero volts.
• Automatically detects battery sulfation and acid stratification to restore lost battery performance for stronger engine starts and extended battery life. Plus, cutting-edge battery repair modes for 6-volt, 12-volt, and 24-volt batteries.

WARNING: This product contains chemicals known to the state of California to cause cancer, birth defects, and/or reproductive harm. See above warning label as well as http://www.p65warnings.ca.gov for further information on Proposition 65 warnings.

The GB70 is a compact and powerful lithium-ion battery jump starter pack capable of delivering 2,000 amps for jump-starting a dead battery within seconds. Equipped with patented safety technology, it ensures spark-proof connections and reverse polarity protection, making it safe and user-friendly for everyone. Not only does it serve as a robust battery booster, but it also functions as a portable power source for recharging USB devices like smartphones, tablets, and more, or for powering 12-volt devices such as tire inflators and power inverters. Designed to support a wide range of vehicles including cars, boats, RVs, trucks, and more, it's compatible with gas engines up to 8 liters and diesel engines up to 6 liters.

Features:

• Compact, yet powerful lithium jump starter rated at 2,000 amps up to 40 jump starts on a single charge.
• An ultra-safe and mistake-proof design with spark-proof technology and reverse polarity protection, which allows it to safely connect to any battery.
• An ultra-bright 400 lumen LED flashlight with 7 light modes including SOS and emergency strobe.
• Recharge your personal devices on the go, like smartphones, tablets, e-watches and more - up to 6 smartphone recharges.
• Power 12V devices anywhere, like tire inflators, power inverters, and more.
• Designed for gas engines up to 8 liters and diesel engines up to 6 liters for cars, SUVs, trucks, boats, RVs, and more.

WARNING: This product contains chemicals known to the state of California to cause cancer, birth defects, and/or reproductive harm. See above warning label as well as http://www.p65warnings.ca.gov for further information on Proposition 65 warnings.

The NOCO Boost X GBX55 is a portable lithium jump starter tailored for 12-volt batteries in vehicles with gasoline engines up to 7.5 liters and diesel engines up to 5.0 liters. This versatile tool is compatible with a wide range of vehicles, including cars, motorcycles, trucks, ATVs, boats, RVs, vans, SUVs, tractors, and more. Featuring an all-new design, the GBX55 boasts extreme jump-starting power, ensuring robust engine starts with ease. With a rating of 1750 amps, this portable lithium car battery jump starter delivers maximum energy with each start. It's not just an upgrade; it's part of our new Extreme Series, designed to offer exceptional performance and reliability.

Features: 

• Equipped with USB-C technology that, combined with power delivery, gives you lightning-fast recharges. Completely recharges in just 1.2-hours, or go from 0% to jump starting in just 5-minutes of charge.
• Charge everything with USB-C Power Delivery. Its internal power bank provides 60-watts of power - both in and out - to effortlessly power your favorite USB-C devices, like phones, tablets, laptops, wearables, and more.
• We took our UltraSafe technology and made it better. It's still our simple, mistake-free design featuring spark-proof technology and reverse polarity protection, but with enhanced thermal efficiency and power management to provide better performance and longer battery life.
• It's one of the most versatile lithium jump starters ever. Jump start all vehicle types, including cars, motorcycles, trucks, ATVs, boats, RVs, vans, SUVs, tractors, and more for up to 7.5-liter gasoline and 5.0-liter diesel engines.

WARNING: This product contains chemicals known to the state of California to cause cancer, birth defects, and/or reproductive harm. See above warning label as well as http://www.p65warnings.ca.gov for further information on Proposition 65 warnings.

If you're not sure if your Vanos seals are bad then the only question you need to answer is if you've replaced them. Every unit from the factory came with the same failure prone o-rings and seals, even the re-manufactured units you can still get today. The only real fix is by replacing the seals and o-rings with material that is built to last in the oiled, extreme temperature environment found in these kits. 

A premium product replacement with easy to follow instructions makes rebuilding your Vanos unit a must. Even thought the power loss is barely felt it's the opposite result once you replace the seals, every car that gets rebuilt ends up wowing the customer and all of them saying they didn't realize what they lost. 

There are a number of symptoms that will plague your car as a result of these failing seals such as erratic idle, engine hesitation, stalling, and increased fuel consumption to name a few. If you've been chasing down any of these symptoms with no fix then this could be your issue.

While you 're replacing the seals in your Vanos unit it a good time to install anti-rattle spacers to tighten up the gaps in your stock assembly and get rid of that noisy Vanos clatter.

Rebuild instructions : http://bd8ba3c866c8cbc330ab-7b26c6f3e01bf511d4da3315c66902d6.r6.cf1.rackcdn.com/PDF_12017_BMW_M5X_Dual_Vanos_Rebuild_Kits.pdf

This item fits the following BMWs: 

1999-2005 E46 BMW 323i 323ci 325i 325ci 325xi 328i 328ci 330i 330ci 330xi 
1999-2003 E39 BMW 525i 528i 530i 
2004-2010 E60 BMW 525i 530i 
2004-2006 E83 BMW X3 2.5i X3 3.0i 
2000-2006 E53 BMW X5 3.0i 
1999-2002 Z3 BMW Z3 2.3 Z3 2.5i Z3 2.8 Z3 3.0i 
2003-2005 Z4 BMW Z4 2.5i Z4 3.0i 

ECS Tuning introduces the solution to your engine bay aesthetic concerns with the Billet Aluminum Oil Dipstick. Say goodbye to the bright red plastic eyesore and elevate your under-the-hood style effortlessly. Designed to OE specifications, this dipstick boasts an easy-to-read fill line and is available in three stunning finishes: black, polished, or clear anodized.

• Billet aluminum construction for enhanced durability
• Easy-to-read fill line for convenient oil level checks
• Available in three finishes: black, polished, or clear anodized
• OE specifications ensure a perfect fit
• Improved ease of insertion compared to factory ribbon dipstick
• Aesthetic enhancement for your engine bay

Upgrade your engine bay's appearance and functionality with the ECS Tuning Billet Aluminum Oil Dipstick. No more struggles reinstalling your dipstick; enjoy a sleek and high-performing addition to your vehicle.

Since getting their start in 1981, Active Autowerke has earned a well-respected reputation in the BMW community for engineering high-quality power solutions for popular BMW models. This supercharger kit will produce 425 horsepower and 295 ft.lbs. of torque on your BMW, while retaining platform integrity and daily driveability. Unique to the design of the Rotrex supercharger is the traction drive system, which eliminates the lag often found in other centrifugal supercharger setups. Power delivery is smooth and dependable, and 100% reversible to stock if you so choose, since each system is designed as a self-contained unit. best of all, when you crave more power, this kit is fully upgradeable to Level 1 and Level 2 specs.

Kit features:

• Rotrex C38-92 trim supercharger running 5.8 PSI of boost
• Active Autowerke GEN 7 intake manifold
• Active Autowere dual blow-off valve setup
• Active Autowerke Air Filter
• Alpha N software tune w/ SIMON2 interface
• 6 high-flow fuel injectors
• Dedicated oil cooling system
• All mounting hardware, plumbing, hoses, & clamps
• Illustrated instruction manual & installation guide
• 2 year warranty with free tech support

Base Prima supercharger Dynojet results:
Boost: 5.8 psi
Stock Horsepower:  285.4 WHP @ 7500 RPM
Stock Torque: 232.36 LB-FT @ 5250 RPM
Supercharged Horsepower: 426.69 WHP @ 8150 RPM
Supercharged Torque: 297.99 LB-FT @ 7200 RPM

The GENIUSPRO25 is a fully-automatic professional smart charger, maintainer, power supply, and battery desulfator designed for 6-volt, 12-volt, and 24-volt systems. With temperature compensation and a 25-amp rating, it's suitable for all types of automotive, marine, and deep-cycle batteries.

Features:

• The all-new GENIUSPRO25 - Similar to our G15000, just more powerful. With the greatest performance and functionality yet, it's a world-class battery charger to let professionals push the limits at incredible charging speeds.
• Do more with Genius - A multi-voltage charger - 6-volt (25-amps), 12-volt (25-amps), and 24-volt (12.5-amps) - for lead-acid automotive, marine, and deep-cycle batteries, including flooded, gel, AGM, and maintenance-free, plus lithium-ion.
• Engineered for pros - Designed for pros who need absolute performance and uncompromising functionality. Featuring ultra-flexible silicone cabling - down to -40ºC - with protective nylon breaded shielding for maximum protection against abrasion.
• Progressive power supply - A dual-voltage power supply - 12-volt (25-amp) and 24-volt (12.5-amp) - to maintain constant power delivery without unwanted ripple, noise, and transient spikes during ECU flashing, reprogramming, and diagnostic testing.
• Enjoy precision charging - An integrated thermal sensor detects the ambient temperature and alters the charge to eliminate over-charging in hot climates and under-charging in cold climates to maximize battery life and enable fast charging.
• Charge dead batteries - Detects batteries as low as 1-volt. Or use the all-new force mode that allows you to manually begin charging dead batteries down to zero volts.

WARNING: This product contains chemicals known to the state of California to cause cancer, birth defects, and/or reproductive harm. See above warning label as well as http://www.p65warnings.ca.gov for further information on Proposition 65 warnings.