ECS News

Companies that dedicate themselves to a specific industry niche have a head start on large, excessively diverse manufacturers. A familiarity with the challenges of making superior products is gained through the sheer time spent within a more narrow market. Sonax produces car care products. Each release by the company is a leader in its category, & their catalog is growing every day. ECS offers a staggering array of Sonax products, from the highly effective acid-free Wheel Cleaner, to deep-cleaning & odor-eliminating Upholstery/Carpet Cleaner and Premium Class Carnauba.

Looking to improve your vehicle's handling characteristics without spending massive amounts of money? If so, this new ECS Carbon Fiber Strut Bar is perfect for you. A strut bar is designed to reduce strut tower flex by tying two parallel strut towers together. This transmits the load of each strut tower during cornering, resulting in reduced chassis flex. The show-quality autoclave process carbon center bar is actual carbon fiber and mounts to your BMW with lightweight CNC machined aluminum tower plates. Once in place, it will seem like you have a whole new race BMW.

The specialty tool experts at Schwaben have released a series of superbly engineered, exceptionally reliable car ramps, ramp extensions, wheel stands, & wheel chocks - now available from ECS tuning. 30" to 67" Low Profile Car Ramps are specially made to accommodate vehicles with low bumper clearance, eliminating the risk of body damage & sliding ramps. Schwaben Wheel Stands feature a cradled wheel support for superior stability compared to jack stands, supporting up to 3000 lbs. And when lifting your vehicle or placing it on an incline, Wheel Chocks are a wise investment.

Changing the suspension setup on a refined German car often times feels like meddling with perfection. With an advanced, highly wrought coilover system, you can be confident your addition is a reliable improvement. ST coilovers by KW are made of high grade, galvanized steel, and come with a 5 year limited warranty. With engineering tailored specifically to your BMW, preset damping and height adjustability provide the perfect balance between performance and ride comfort.

Make your E46 go where you aim it. ECS has the kits you need to repair or restore your E46 suspension and steering. As in everything! Whether your car is suffering from battered ball joints, bashed bushings, or tired tie rod ends, we'll help you rein it in and head it in the right direction again. We have big kits and small; OEM and name brand aftermarket, packaged and priced for every budget.

Schwaben's latest additions to their catalog of excellent specialty tools, the Automatic Battery Charger and Coiled Cord Circuit Tester are professional-quality, highly convenient tools that belong in every home mechanic's toolbox. Utilizing short circuit protection, 8 LED indicators, charging voltage auto-select, & selectable charging current, the Schwaben Automatic Battery Charger is designed to work on 6 or 12 volt Lead-acid batteries. Featuring an easily visible high-intensity LED bulb, the Schwaben Circuit Tester is a superb example of one of the most useful electrical tools.

Lowering your vehicle provides several proven advantages in handling performance. Many enthusiasts, however, ignore the issue of disadvantageous suspension geometry changes resulting from a lower ride height. Chief among these harmful effects are unwanted changes in camber angle. In order to maintain a consistent, performance-enhancing tire contact patch, the ability to control the camber angle is critical. ECS Adjustable Rear Control Arms allow for over 8 degrees of adjustment. Street & track enthusiasts will appreciate this needed measure of adjustability.

Get in touch with your bad self. You know how to drive a stick, so why not stick a fork in that marshmallow self-adjusting pressure plate. Why not go with a conventional disc, mated to a single mass flywheel. Our Valeo single mass flywheel clutch conversion kit takes your BMW back to its roots as a bare-knuckled brawler. The non-adjustable pressure plate puts you in touch with the clutch, restoring a crisp, responsive feel. The single mass flywheel costs less than a dual mass, and can be resurfaced in the future to extend its service life.

Owners of European automobiles often find that alongside the pleasures of driving a more refined, tasteful vehicle exists the very real challenge of finding the correct tool for these cars' unique fasteners. Featuring swivel-head triple-square bits, Torx screwdrivers, one hundred specialty fasteners, and the exceptionally sturdy go-through screwdriver set, the Schwaben European Essentials Tool Kit allows you to approach any project with confidence. Each tool is secured in a molded case, helping you keep track of your investment.

Features of convenience and versatility define this latest group of industry-standard hand tools from Schwaben, the European specialty tool experts. The 24-inch long, flexible Locking Hose Clamp Pliers make removing metal or plastic self-tightening hose clamps an infinitely more simple and quick task. For oil & fuel filter removal, Schwaben's 4-position adjustable Swivel Jaw Filter Wrench Pliers feature Sure-Grip teeth to provide the right amount of clamping force for the job. The superb 12-piece Metric Socket Set completes this latest new and exciting Schwaben product release.

Schwaben's reputation for producing highly reliable, finely crafted specialty tools is growing rapidly - consumers are beginning to see the extraordinary value behind the Schwaben name. Nowhere is the dependability and security associated with the Schwaben name more important than with their latest 3-Ton Aluminum Jack Stands. The all-aluminum stands feature heavy-duty flanged bases for exceptional stability, while the over-engineered .584" diameter load pin rigidly secures the post in six different positions for convenience and peace of mind.

If your exterior air temperature sensor is lying all the time, odds are it took a direct hit from a flying object, or rammed its head against a concrete curb. If you're lucky, plugging in a new sensor will set things straight. Problem is, in many cases the sensor, its electrical connector, and a good chunk of wiring are laying out on the highway. That's why we put together a kit that lets you repair the sensor and its circuit with a factory connector, plus extra wire so you can move it to a safer location, out of harm's way. Our free tutorial shows you how.

Massive rotors, multiple-piston brakes, and advanced pads are glamorous, eye-catching upgrades to your vehicle. But experienced enthusiasts know that all that stopping power relies on adequately bled brake lines. Your brake fluid is incompressible, like a metal; but air is compressible, so ridding your lines of this gas is imperative for fully realized braking power and response. ECS has an array of solutions to tighten up your braking system, including a Power Brake Bleeder, multiple synthetic Brake Fluid options, and a premium Schwaben Brake Bleeder Wrench.

DIY with confidence. Buy PEAKE scan and service light reset tools and we'll ship them free. Don't pay shop labor rates for simple tasks like turning off your SI light or resetting a falsely triggered SRS warning light. PEAKE makes BMW scan tools that fit both under-hood and under-dash diagnostic connectors. Reset warning and reminder lights and retrieve onboard diagnostic data in cars that support OBD II Data Stream.

The average home mechanic might not even realize the benefit of having a sturdy, hand-height shelf to place tools on in the heat of a project. Instead of carelessly leaving tools on the ground or mixed up in a pile, Schwaben Service Carts bring the professionalism of a reliable mechanic's cart to your own garage. Three series of carts are offered, each featuring a stunning, durable high-gloss powder-coated finish, chrome plated steel handles, and large 4" casters. Heavy-duty Deluxe units are also available, with a third product adding a locking top lid and drawer.

The symptoms are annoying. The costs can be painful. DISA valves control intake manifold runner length to improve engine performance at different rpm. When they fail, the DISA valve bangs around in its housing, making a rattling noise accompanied by rough idle and off-idle hesitation. If your BMW experiences these symptoms, don't wait to fix it. In some cases, parts of the DISA--including a metal spreader pin--can be sucked into your engine, causing serious engine damage. Easy to replace, your new DISA screws to the side of the intake and comes with pre-installed sealing gasket.

Finally. Cooling system service solutions for BMW. Kits that fit your car, its needs, and your budget. Heat-hardened hoses and plastic pipes are a nightmare in the making on high milers. But piecemeal cooling system repairs are a bad idea and a costly mistake. Plugging leaks as they "pop up" means monster repair bills when engines overheat. We know the problem. We have a cure: Three different service stage kits to match your wallet and vehicle condition. Please select your vehicle for additional fitment details.

There are tools that any serious technician will regard as essential to their work - tools that make so many projects faster and simpler that access to a quality set is critical. Schwaben Specialty Tools recognized the need for better designed, more fully-featured puller tool kits; this variety of tool is so frequently used across such a wide variety of projects, mechanics deserve the best engineered product possible. Schwaben Pry Bar and Twin-Arm Puller Kits are highly adjustable, exceptionally durable sets of some of the most versatile tools in any home or professional garage.

ECS Black Out Grille Sets are distinguished by their full matte black ABS plastic construction. The design means that any chips or scratches on the grille will not reveal a white surface underneath black paint, as the parts are integrally black. Engineered to exact OEM dimensions for precise fitment into the BMW E46 3 series, the grilles are available in a carbon fiber-look, gloss black, or matte black finish.

The E46 3 Series come with an excellent handling package, but there's always room for improvement. Let H&R up your game with suspension products that pick up where BMW left off. Made in Germany, H&R sport springs, sway bars, and adjustable coilovers are built on decades of experience designing world class suspension upgrades; then manufactured to old world standards where "excellence" is more than just a word. Don't compromise. Demand H&R.

If you spend time and money renewing your brake hardware and linings, you ought to consider upgrading to ECS Tuning Exact-Fit brake hoses, and do the job right. These premium brake hoses are stronger, more durable, and better protected than the originals. They are shielded in stainless steel mesh reinforcement, and coated with bright red vinyl for added protection. Available by the axle for front or rear, or as a complete vehicle set, our DOT-compliant, tailored hoses fit like OE for hassle-free installation.

Add the bold look of our new Alzor Style 030 wheels to your E46 Non-M. Their distinctive split-spoke design is great for showing off your new painted calipers, Exact-Fit brake lines, and GEOMET® rotors. Available in black or hyper silver, in square or staggered sets, Alzor hubcentic wheels are sure to fit right, run true, and add the finishing touch to your other upgrades. Go with 18s or 19s, then finish the job with ECS wheel spacers and bolts.

The primary appeal of new wheels is in the new, shiny appearance they offer. The majority of the time, a different style, size, or color isn't really the ultimate goal. With such a deep catalog of staggeringly effective wheel cleaning and restoration products from specialists Sonax and Chemical Guys, getting what you really want from your wheel setup is fast and easy - and it's all available now from ECS. Acid-free and pH balanced rim and wheel cleaners effortlessly dissolve grease, brake dust and dirt, while safely preserving your wheel's finish.

A frequent dilemma when fitting an upgraded seat belt to track-prepared street cars is how to balance the needs of daily driving with the demands of performance driving. A dedicated track-day setup is typically impractical, while running without a substantial harness forces the driver to use the steering wheel to hold themselves in place. Schroth Racing Quick Fit Harnesses are fully reversible and anchor to the factory seat belt pre-tensioner, allowing the airbags to deploy as the BMW engineers intended. Both left (driver) and right (passenger) harnesses are available.

The E46 has been known to suffer from serious cooling system issues, putting critical engine components at risk due to overheating. Three tiers of ECS assembled & genuine OEM kits are now offered, depending on your vehicle's particular needs. All kits include a water pump with metal impeller, ECS water pump pulley, fan switch, thermostat, expansion tank, coolant, & radiator hoses; Level 2 kits add all accessory drive belts and a radiator drain plug. The most thorough option is the Level 3 Kit, further adding a Nissens radiator, idler pulley, hydraulic tensioner and pulley.

The VANOS refresh kit is an inexpensive route to give your system a makeover. VANOS failures include leaking oil, lack of pick up on the power curve, or a clicking noise from the solenoid. Replace the key failure components with this kit from ECS, saving you from more costly repairs when trying to diagnose an individual part of failure. This kit is also a great refresh for an aged car that you want to keep running strong.

Schwaben products are characterized by simple, clever designs. Their wheel storage solutions may be the best examples of these qualities. The Schwaben Wheel Tree holds up to 275lbs and allows you to safely stack your wheels without the risk of scuffing and scratching. Convenient locking casters allow you to easily move the whole set anywhere in your garage or shop at one time. And when saving floor space is the highest priority, the Schwaben Wall-Mounted Wheel Rack allows you to securely store up to four 11½" wide wheels and tires against the wall, away from your work space.

The M3 CSL is arguably BMW's most hallowed and revered sports car. To produce this extremely limited release model, the E46 M3 was further lightened and fitted with stunning engine upgrades, resulting in truly exceptional performance. Visual upgrades were few, though. The most recognizable aesthetic enhancement was a highly-aggressive front bumper, fitted with carbon fiber front splitters and a new intake inlet. Bring this legendary design to your E46 3 Series with the ECS CSL Front Bumper Conversion. The kit includes all pieces required for a complete installation.

If you've ever replaced a broken or cracked water pump pulley and wondered why the engineers at BMW didn't make it out of something more durable, you're not the only one. CNC machined from 6061 billet aluminum, the in-house engineered ECS pulley will never crack or break, leaving you on the side of the road. The hard anodized, corrosion-resistant pulley is a direct-fit replacement, bolting right up to the factory location. If you are replacing your water pump, now is the time to get rid of that stock pulley.

Park Distance Control was a costly option to check at the dealer - a fact evidenced by the shortage of PDC-equipped E46 models on the road today. However, BMW has assembled a superb license-plate mounted PDC kit for the non-M BMW 3 series, letting you enjoy the safety and peace of mind of this helpful feature. City parking is made infinitely more easy, alerting you to objects in blind spots that would otherwise go unnoticed. A beep sounds when nearing an object, the intervals between beeps shortening as the vehicle closens.