Rejuvenating a 27-Year-Old BMW E36 328i - Project Valencia - Part 2

This beautiful 1996 BMW E36 328i finished in Arctic gray over Saffron yellow interior needs a bit of maintenance. With 193k km (120k miles) and 27 years of age, we are going to do a thorough service and preventive maintenance to make sure the M52 engine is ready for many more years of reliable service.
All your Vanos needs - www.probsten-tech.de/
Max - @MXMotorsports
Oil check valve - www.die-vschmiede.de/products/r-ckschlagventil-f-r-bmw-lfiltergeh-use-m50tu-m52-m52tu-m54-11421740001
New Merch shop! - m539restorations.com/
You can support me on Patreon! - www.patreon.com/m539restorations
Follow me on Instagram - m539_restorations
Aqua (vapor) blasting cabinet 1215 - www.vaporblastingequipment.com/machines/aquablast-1215
Find Liqui Moly oil and additives for your car - www.liqui-moly.com/en/service/oil-guide.html#oww:/api/v1/oww/101/DEU/ENG/1/
BendPak lifts - www.bendpak.com/
Luuk, BendPak & Quickjack Europe - liftmotive.com/
Massive thanks to Radu from RT Design Studio for making new merch happen! - www.rt.md/
Email: [e-mail]

[@sm5970]

This channel is like a life lesson to me: do it right, do it precisely, do it neatly, don’t cut corners, be patient, and you’ll have the best product.

[@geoffwatches]

And don't take it too seriously, have a laugh

[@jimmyshao6760]

make sure to smash all china parts to smithereens when you see it

[@Rose.Of.Hizaki]

And keep life OEM. 🤘🤘

[@losidude11]

and smash depo headlights

[@arthurlekov2947]

​@@losidude11Every time I get a Volvo with depo headlights I take a hammer and smash them to pieces and I replace them back with the correct oem headlights, Valeo.

[@brother-captaincentureasoc1930]

I have to say, you know it’s good content when 90% of people watch the whole way through! Thanks for all you do Sreten!

[@Formula1-Dave]

Other mechanics think a time-lapse of rebuilding a car in 10 minutes is good content. Nah! This is the real quality content over here on M539 ❤️

[@mczeljk]

It’s even better content, when you watch videos multiple times! Like Sreten‘s videos! I find myself going back to the M5 or Alpina B7 videos again and again

[@igormac88]

that's a very remarkable achievement. it's very hard to keep people focused for more than 30s thesew days...

[@Degwees]

How do you see the stats for that?

[@AnontheGOAT]

@@DegweesGoogle Chrome extension like Social Blade

[@McMaster1500]

I've been following Sreten's channel almost since the beginning and I am 100% sure that there is no car channel on KZbin with the quality of content that he has. Long live this channel.

[@arthur_boi]

I agree with you mate

[@j.d.8593]

Not comparing, because there is only ONE M539 channel, but ChrisFix videos are also very high quality and go into a lot of details, there are a lot of great car channels out there.

[@hoodhangerz4315]

Edd China is up there.

[@alistairuysal1858]

Agreed

[@marcusott2973]

Sarah,n'tuned, she's super meticulous.

[@Bierrr]

The little edits showing the torque value of each bolt really add to the video. Love it.

[@muazqamar]

Omie?

[@JS-bf9dw]

yeah, I like that too!

[@liamcosgrave5410]

Does anyone else find that they can't watch American youtube channels anymore? So calm, no drama or 30 year old's dressed like 12 year olds. No "send it" or "lets go" every other sentence......or maybe its just me. Thank you for this man. Im driving over to Frankfurt from the uk for work next week !

[@Justme-jt1ef]

I feel sorry for you kid.

[@weed46]

True.... too much fake drama and enthusiasm... Streten is chilled and let his work and cars speak for themselves

[@JMUDoc]

Given the existence of TickTock ("KZbin for pigeons", as I call it), there is a nauseating trend towards appealing to teens with sub-minute attention spans.

[@boltupright1341]

I am 💯 with you. I watch very few US creators.

[@n1ck808]

Sounds like you're watching the wrong channels lol

[@MXMotorsports]

No M Technik. No 18“ wheels. WHAT A BEAUTY 🤩 Nice work bro !

[@StephenDeTomasi]

IMHO there are much nicer OEM wheels. I think the E46 M3 wheels are a thing of beauty, but stock 328i wheels... Eh

[@eugenealymov2723]

I think this was one of the most enjoyable episodes of all time. Compounded by the fact that I used to own both an E36 and an E46. This brought back memories. Bought a Lexus after the E46 hit 450K kms and began to rust badly. But it still is the best car I've ever had.

[@user-uv5uu4vz9g]

It was nice because the majority of the viewers cannot afford an expensive bmw, but you can find an E36 for a fair price.... 4 months ago I bought mine for 900 euros here in Greece, 4door m50b20 with 238.000 km. It is neglected and needs some repairs, but thats the fun part right??

[@superjamesworld]

So glad you didn't track this car as an unmodded E36 328i is so rare these days. Fantastic work as usual!

[@zocca0134]

Agree! A couple of years ago I inherited my grandfather's '95 320i. One owner, 220 000 km but in beautiful conditions. Several people asked me what I want to mod it with, but I am planning on keeping it as stock as possible. Not as fun or fast as this 328i, but I very much enjoy driving it.

[@ssanford]

Always love a Mutzi cameo!

[@TheOfficialGlitchTTG]

Yes!!!

[@arnasambrasas8176]

You bought Project Valencia around the same time as I bought my 328i cabrio. And started making rejuvenation videos. Now rejuvenation of my 328i will be a lot easer, with a lot less foul words and broken parts. Long live the M539!

[@keirr1]

These quick projects make for a good pace change after months and months of Alpina stuff. Hope to see more like this mixed in with the long projects

[@DashDrones]

Man I miss my E36, I neglected that car and it never let me down, I'm a terrible parent! This 328i will prove to be well behaved and awesome too!

[@rafaellastracom6411]

After dogs my vote goes to the E36 as man´s runner-up best friend.

[@DashDrones]

@@rafaellastracom6411 so true🐾

[@joshuad1716]

New coffeezilla and m539 restorations, it is a good day to be a patron :)

[@s12d.z]

1 hour of pure enjoyment and satisfaction, every video is better than the last. Its very rare to find people with taste in cars like you do (making the car classy and oem, hows its meant to be) especially with your kind of precision and attention to detail.Immaculate work Sreten!

[@rhynerunels3751]

Sreten, you definitely should invest in a dry ice machine. Those would elevate your rebuilds to the next level and I bet you would have fun recording those sections.

[@zoomout4167]

Dude i still insist that you deserve 1 billion subscribers. You content is beyond compared with all other people . Thanks indeed

[@TheAlexion85]

This is amazing and essentially a restoration. No dealer or mechanic will ever treat your car this good. Very nice work!

[@MatiasGoral-bn3nm]

Man I wish I could convey through a YT comment how thankful and happy this video makes me feel. I also own an E36 328i (but mine is a coupe) and seeing you do all of this encourages me to follow suit. You are a huge inspiration Sreten and cannot thank you enough for your videos. Especially the ones on the E36.

[@mben456]

Just getting to wake up and find a new M539 restorations video has been uploaded really makes the day great! Love the vids and keep up the amazing work!

[@joshdoeseverything4575]

Just came to say great work! One thing though (im sure they needed to be changed) but a shock cartridge doesn’t necessarily always rebound, and the lack of a rebound doesnt mean its bad or good. I got brand new Koni shocks and they didnt rebound out of the box. A shock absorbs the up and down movement of the car, so as long as its hard to push it in and hard to pull it out, its doing its job. Plenty of good strut cartridges do not rebound. Plenty do.

[@av8bvma513]

Agreed. The 'Self-Extension' is when the design includes Gas Pressure control of the oil volume, this reduces the tendency to cavitation.

[@jorgex1604]

You're right. I noticed the same with my E24 , ages ago, when I replaced 20 year old bilsteins by koni's. Out of the box they didn't bump up. Think they were oil filled instead of gas.

[@remie4494]

You're definitely a guy that has no fear of owning a BMW as you always take all of them by the horns Sreten!! Love it. You're showing the key to ownership. Staying on top of them!

[@nigalic]

E36 like E39 has this evergreen timeless design. And see it full stock with no mods.... Holy grail.

[@SuperHDBob]

Long live the M539! 🫡🔥😻

[@maredox]

And the E36 will live for a long time! What a punchy sound of that oldie inline 6 ❤

[@ethangreer9313]

Thanks for bringing an E36 to the channel! I had a ‘97 318i in college. Sure it was slow and everything rattled and it smelled like crayons, but it made me smile every time I walked up to it and every time I drove it. My future wife and I both learned to drive stick on that car too. Hope to see another soon!

[@konstimikirtychyants5862]

Nothing better than a m539 upload while on vacation in sunny Montenegro

[@TheNikolius]

My 27 year old 328i is cussing me right now. Great video as always 👍 🇬🇧

[@josephbidon4333]

I don't even like BMWs, but what an inspiration! The sheer professionalism of these restorations is a joy to watch, quality work on quality parts and no compromises or quick fixes.

[@dvatp]

I've done all the work in this video personally but I still learned something -- that the check valve in the oil filter housing is replaceable. When I rebuilt my M52 I did not know a new check valve was available and wound up replacing the entire housing. Got a good deal on it but still money I didn't need to spend. Good info for future reference!

[@Hancock_nl]

BMW straight 6 = Truly Madly Deeply ❤

[@Phaint_]

Sreten giving me content to watch when my E61 is broken, always high quality content!

[@Halleiet]

The E36 is my favorite car of all time, I still drive mine a couple times a week, but thanks for a great update Sreten! Lots of useful information I'm sure will be of great help to E36 enthusiasts everywhere!

[@scalewarmachines]

I have an e36 328i coupe manual (1996) and a 328i touring manual (1998), I am smitten by these cars. I love them to bits and will be looking to complete the set with a saloon and a cabrio with the same engine/transmission set-up. Can’t get enough of the little rascals. Glad to see a 3 series e36 on your fantastic channel.

[@alincurut]

Now this is the...princess treatment that this car deserves!

[@DucatiGTS]

The M3 version of this car, (2 door) has always been one of my favorite BMW's.

[@nzinferno]

Really enjoyed the short series, and the M52 love. Maybe an N52 next? 😃

[@jorgex1604]

I vote for N54 lol

[@wujos]

nothing to fix on N52s

[@thecaristascarchannel9189]

it was like a journey back in time since i owned an 328i myself as a 18 year old, couldn´t afford a mechanic so I learned to fix almost everything myself...the car taught me so much and brought me to some guys which are my best friends now, so many memories :)

[@ronniejarvis2679]

I miss BMW’s golden era so much

[@rbiddy5893]

That dog...I LOVE her! She needs to make more cameos!

[@st3althyone]

I was wondering where Sreten was and then I got a notification. Hooray for Sreten! It’s great seeing you again in a wrenchfest of all episodes. I can't tell you how great it feels to see your new videos. Your content is top-notch, as usual, and the editing never misses a beat. It looks like you made an excellent choice of editors because I still can't tell the difference and your content never disappoints. Seeing Project Valencia finally getting some much-deserved love and attention is a welcome sight. I can't believe how well you’re moving projects along. Let’s hope that with the editing out of your hands, you’ll have more time to crank those projects out. Not that I'm complaining about your current output, but we can all hope for more. It's also refreshing seeing Mutzy getting some much-needed love and you get a nice little break from all that wrenching. Thanks for always giving us your best, my friend. Stay safe and we’ll see you on the next one.

[@khaleda.7244]

Not a boring moment. Thanks for being professional and educational 👍🏼👍🏼

[@TheDomander]

i dont even drive a bmw - but i just love all of your content, sreten - you legend!

[@TheHunterHofman]

God I’m lucky, I JUST got off work. Guess what I’ll be doing the next hour? Let’s do this!

[@sweetcorn1968]

Thank you for another great video Sreten. Last week I changed the oil and filters on my Skoda yeti, I’ve not done anything like that for 25 years but your videos have given me the motivation to do it myself.

[@hugoferreira3846]

That interior 😍😍 Another masterpiece video!!

[@jasonbucher5622]

In car camera quality looks greatly improved (new camera?). The country side clips were super crisp.

[@JuanLima05]

Even though I don't own any BMW, doesn't do anything like what he is doing. I just love watching your channel. Will never get bored.

[@frankmuschetto3385]

Another outstanding video. Sign of a true professional; makes things look so easy that anyone can do it. From my experience, not always the case with BMWs. A real testament as to how excellent a mechanic Sreten is, as well as an educator and humorist. Looking forward to next project.

[@Nind-yu4sz]

Brilliant video as usual shout out to Max , what a generous chap. 😊

[@marksantos2276]

Sreten i absolutely love your longer videos and LEARNING with you.

[@pr7606]

I know nothing about beemer motors but enjoy the precision and the fine detail to each repair.

[@Hmonz88]

I’ve been waiting so long for an e36 project and although it was a rather short journey, I’m happy to hear that it won’t be the last! Can’t wait for the next one. Hopefully an M3.

[@gordonx145]

What a pleasure to watch a living legend of the mechanical world 😊 ( side note : please tell Derek of VGG how to get audio as good as yours )

[@tnrtnr7706]

Your channel is therapeutic thanks for what you do

[@tjppunzalan4460]

Legendary E36. the ultimate driving machine

[@WrenchWarfare]

It’s great to know there’s a check valve kit available. I didn’t even think to look for one back in 2016 on my 330i.. I bought a whole new filter housing, which hurt a bit. Can’t overstate how much of a relief it was to not see the red light stay on for five seconds after a cold start anymore.

[@albertkuld3174]

do you know where he got it from?

[@WrenchWarfare]

@@albertkuld3174 I don’t. Hopefully Sreten will chime in.

[@matthewbrooks5072]

Streten has put a link in the video description :)

[@marekkorona7343]

Bardzo lubię oglądać Twoje filmy. Po takim szczegółowym serwisie samochód na długie lata będzie dobrze służył. Pozdrawiam z Polski 🇵🇱.

[@marmo75]

E36 is a timeless classic, kudos

[@ohnename1358]

If I hadn’t 4 BMW at this time, I’d go for it for sure. The new owner is a lucky man.

[@EVDIY]

Brilliant episode as ever. I was in Heilbronn for a month this summer and was blown away by the number of older cars around - quite often in fairly basic spec - in really good condition. Obviously lots of Audis given the proximity to Neckarsulm but plenty of BMWs as well. Your E36 would now be amongst the nicest but I left wishing there were as many nice cars to choose from in the UK where everything is just rust.

[@cunger48]

Every time i see Mutzi it puts a smile on my face. What a great dog ❤

[@EmreGhost]

Nobody: Sreten: Finishing the projects in 2 Parts challenge accepted.

[@kyronrc]

Dude you’re a legend. And sarcasm is always on point 👌

[@trackhoppr]

Thanks Sreten! Can you remind me what fogging oil for men is?

[@M539Restorations]

A manly smell that attracts females.

[@slacko1971]

@@M539RestorationsI just let some fogging oil for men out while watching this video, It didn't work. My wife shouted at me and made me open the door, what am I doing wrong please?

[@darius2640]

instead of using zip ties to hold gaskets in place you could use twist ties, they are reusable so you wouldn't have to cut them off, could save yourself whole 50cents per engine I reckon

[@janudholm]

That dog is a little Angel ❤️

[@chriscoyle1221]

Now you're talking!! It's been 30+ years since I started to covet one of these E36 3-series and to this day i would still love to own one. Lets go!!!

[@valentijn9]

So love this channel ! Perfect mix of personality, humor, sense of community and lots and lots of broken BMW’s…. it’s awesome. Would you ever do an E82 project? Or anything with a N52B30 engine. An ode to the last NA straight 6.

[@Therealrichdude]

Bro, how can you drive that close to the steering wheel 😂😂😂

[@gio5898]

I thought I was the only one noticing. I’m like what??? Lol

[@GummeeH3]

'a bit' of maintenance is an understatement.

[@StefanBarendse]

This channel is like therapy...

[@Begunend20]

I swear this is my dose of therapy. Thanks Sreten!

[@nigelb5370]

Any high speed run on the autobahn that you can walk away from is a good one 😅

[@crossplanerider]

Best E36 maintanance video out there for sure. Long live the E36. Got my Compact converted with the 2.8l and some slight mods for a little bit extra power. 250km/h on the speedometer can be reached quite well.

[@CSI_tuning_solutions]

Glad to hear your compact is running well now with ur swapped b28 👍

[@crossplanerider]

@@CSI_tuning_solutions yes me also. Now from time to time some fine tuning

[@mso8190]

Would have loved to see this car fully restored. Beautiful E36. Hope she finds a good home. Nice one Sreten 👍

[@graemeeasterbrook4931]

I have a 1995 2.8i coupe in silver, it’s been parked up on a farm for 6 years, the bodywork is in great condition, but I think the grass and weeds are growing through it. I really want to bring it home and start the restoration project 😊

[@axxeloc79]

This has been one of my favorite episodes!!

[@OrjonZ]

Watching this channel has made to decide my next car is a BMW.

[@samsonian]

@22:45 …and BOOM goes the dynamite!😂😂 This whole episode was one big “that’s what she said!” Plus bonus Mitzi doggo action made it extra EPIC!! Cheers Sreten! 🖖😎👍

[@crisholmurb007]

I think Mutsi should be a permanent member of the cast in this channel!

[@RabihSaadguitars]

Your expertise on BMW cars is impressive..

[@johnkay3277]

Such a treat to sit down with a cup of tea and lose myself in such a amazing video ❤

[@saadgt2009]

Sreten, 👌 😍 watching you reviving cars plus getting a retro-review, double my pleasure, double the fun! The exquisite sound of the six revving was thrilling! Please, create shorts for your channel, of just that section of this video. Most of us would happily watch it on endless replay👌👏👌👍 IMHO, you and the dojo need a resident canine mascot/ straight-dog/foil-for-your-humor, assistant road warrior for high-speed autobahn shakedowns. 🖖🙏

[@FernandoTanev]

This is the series that i watch every single day again and again

[@imstumpedrugmail]

This man's craftmanship is far superior to 99% of mechanics i have worked with here in the USA. I enjoy watching someone who believes in the saying ; Do it right, Do it once

[@sonnykaledi9278]

Sreten, your resourceful is encyclopedic. I have this E36 325i, and I will emulate every step you undertook. Thank you, and we'll done Sir ✔ 🙏 Sonny

[@jacoby1234ification]

You are the godfather of BMW

[@MontgomeryPisswhistle]

Imagine being an old, untidy BMW, bimbling through life, feeling unloved and then happening across Sreten and you find yourself transformed into the splendid beast you were always meant to be 😍😍

[@PCarDriver87]

You know you've made it when people give you perfect wheels for free. We love you, brother!

[@ericmeshenberg3332]

You are truly an artist. Your skill is rare and extraordinary.

[@oskjan1]

We're getting a E36 M3. I can feel it!!

[@fuelman2265]

The highlight of my day when a new episode comes on air…. YOU ARE THE BMW GURU❤

[@dariusdarabant6232]

It is amazing to see how much the VANOS unit is flexing when you apply pressure and turn the solenoid on. Maybe when the valve cover sits on top of it, that flex is reduced.

[@gregfelix6979]

I watch all your videos partly cause I love what you do, and partly to see Mutsi…

[@nickwillobey2205]

Time for some E46 merchandise..... thanks 👍👍👍

[@WookieMonster01]

Wasn't going to drink today buuuut a new episode came out and so I'm having a cold voodoo ranger imperial IPA at 11:45am to enjoy this thoroughly. Cheers!

[@V8.777]

The E36 is a beautiful machine. Manly, yet elegant. Thanks Sreten, all the best dude.

[@MarcusPin]

The NGK plugs wifh the 4 electrodes literally made the difference between misfires and no misfires. I had a constant roaming miss and i couldnt figure out what was causing it. First stop was swapping plugs and that completely solved it LOL

[@SurrendeRMaS]

nice.. watching this makes me want to rebuild my e36 .. AGAIN.. after 10 years of owning, Thanks!! :D

[@PeterRoos]

Terrific work Sreten.