"In this Special Series about the Mechanical Restoration, I document the repairs, the replacement parts and the mechanical upgrades to the E46 M3. 

In this entry, I receive my chosen solution: I unbox and document the Performance Power Steering Reservoir. " 
-Matt

American Execution. 

On the previous entry "Of course it leaked.", I laid out the culprits to the original BMW design leaks, the available solutions, and my priorities in finding a solution to the power steering reservoir problem.

I sought to improve the seal and slightly augment capacity. I also sought a subtle design with aesthetics most resembling an original unit. 

After using Turner's upsized reservoir on my V10 M5, I decided to document a newly released unit for the Phoenix. My choice landed on a US made solution from EAE Motorsports that addresses my concerns, and aesthetics. 

I was convinced after discussions with Abdul and initial users of his Performance Power Steering Reservoir released in late 2023. He sent over a demo unit for me to review. 

Out of the 4x available anodized colors, I chose Silver. It didn't disappoint, it's half way between a standard painted finish and a chrome. 

The slightly oversized reservoir is machined from 6061 aluminum, heat treated to T6 standards. It was designed with a 180ml increase in fluid capacity,

The machining work is very well executed between the various curvatures of the reservoir. The lower's section slightly rugged feel is a contrast to the upper section's smooth finish, with more pronounced lines. 

The upper and lower section are sealed together by EAE labs before the units are delivered. They chose this pre-assembly method to eliminate end user errors and potential leaks. 

Unlike the Turner unit, EAE fully assembles the reservoir for plug-and-play installation. AN ORB fittings are installed on the lower section. This is a common, potential installation error that is eliminated. 

The fittings are oriented using the M3 V8 original design. The E46 M3 and V10 M5's fittings come out straight from the original reservoir. 

The attention to machining details is evident across the reservoir, including sections we'll never see again. 

The reservoir is entirely made from 6061 aluminum, including the interior section. The filter is technically serviceable, and situated under the section pictured below. 

The upper section has meticulously machined threaded sections to seal with the cap. 

Did I tell you I'm impressed with the design? Beyond the functionality benefits, this is a beautiful piece. The silver anodizing puts the the design & machining expertise in full display. 

The inner section of the reservoir mimics the original reservoir design, including this breather hole. It allows much faster filling by letting fluid flow to the bottom of the reservoir. 

The attention to detail continues to the cap itself. It's machined to a perfectly smooth surface. It's a nice touch as I expect the relatively small diameter of the cap will require some initial force to unthread.  

The cap and its rod retains the original hollow design, with a machined opening across the rod. 

There is an added seal to eliminate leaks between the reservoir and the cap. 

The reservoir was designed as a replacement for most BMW chassis: E30, E36, E46, E34, E39, E60, X3, X5, Z3 (SKU: 32411097164) and E82, E9X, E84, E83 (SKU: 32416851218). 

I'll unfortunately have to tuck this beautiful piece out of sight. 

Up next: the CSL airbox gets removed, and we access the original reservoir to fit this unit. 

I'll document the little things to make it a successful installation.