Oil leak

I got a oil leak, cant find where its coming from. Change the valve cover but it's still coming from some where. I thinks it from the back. Gotta friend who told me there a screw at the back of the engine where its known to cause a link due too failure of a gasket. does anyone know what am talking about, or do I just need to clean out and change pvc hose. May have said that right but I was talking the dip stick etc.

HPF spare parts

Sold my car getting rid of my spare parts, everything is new. Off to the world of gallardo's!

You pay the shipping.

Meth pump $100.00

DME carbon fiber cover $200.00

AEM Boost gauge sealed in box $100.00

AEM wideband sealed in box $100.00

Gen 3 HPF wiring harness $150.00

HPF Jumper box $200.00

HKS blow off valve $75.00 each have 2 that are silver.

HPF carbon fiber intake cover $175.00

Questions about exhaust systems

Hey everyone, so first of all, I'm getting my e46 m3 this summer :D and being as excited as I am, I'm purchasing all of the parts that I want for it ahead of time so that I'm ready for it.



After hours and hours of reading threads and listening to YouTube videos, I finally decided what exhaust system setup I want. I want to do fabspeed headers, and then supersprint for the rest of the system.



My problem is though that I then proceeded to look up these parts to get prices and, well they're sky high. I'm wondering if the prices I found are truly the real costs, or of I'm just doing something wrong, which is likely since I'm not too familiar with how exhaust systems work.



Fabspeed Sport Headers

$1095



Supersprint Section 1

$590



Supersprint Section 2 Resonator

$810



Supersprint Performance Muffler Gen 2

$1815



Those are the prices I found. If there right, then my exhaust setup I want would cost me over 4 grand, which is wicked expensive for me to be able to do atm. Am I doing something wrong?



My other question would be, am I getting my parts right? From what I know there's the headers, then section 1 and 2, then the Muffler. One of the sections is the catalytic converter, and the other is the mid pipe? Or connecting oupe? Or something I saw called the X pipe? As you can probably tell, I'm pretty lost lol.



Someone please help me!



P.s. I really liked the sound made by using a supersprint setup except with eBay headers, and they're extremely more affordable but, I also read a lot of bad reviews by people saying that they don't fit in the car and so on. And I have no clue where to find the eBay headers anyways. I would love them tho.

WTB: M3 OEM Mid/Tweet passenger front

MY OEM tweeter.mid is toast, and I need a new one. Looking for a functional piece that has a solid connector and non blown speakers.



Not sure what the price you guys have in mind, but I know most of you think this system sounds like crap, so I'm sure there is one lying around somewhere.



I would not be opposed to both door speakers, but I don't want to spend too much.



Let me know what you have.

E46 sedan Cleaner Lines than Coupe.....M3 problems!!

Not a troll thread...



Honestly having trouble making decisions lately. Ha



Problem is, I think id rather have an S54 engine swap. The sedan to me, just look so much cleaner. It just has something more that you can't put into words that i feel a coupe is lacking.



Anybody agree? Lol. I know its an M3 forum so be cool but its just those damn coupes( especially chrome window trim Yuck!!)



Are good engine swaps hard to come by ??

What tire should i buy? 17s NEED HELP

Hello Fanatics,



I recently got a set of Team dynamics pro racing 1 wheels, the dimensions are

17x8 et 30 Front

17x9 et 32 Rear



The front im planning on doing 225/45/17



What tire set should i get for my rears? is 245/45/17 okay? Let me know!

My car is a 2003 Bmw 325i (sedan)





Thanks!

2008 m3 loaded,98k miles, atlanta, $26000

Time for me to move on!

Car is very clean, needs nothing



My ad on craigslist

http://ift.tt/1vVrPJT



Email shawn at fulks85@yahoo.com or pm me

Doing CCV soon. I'm excited

So...even though my CCV was upgraded to the cold weather edition at 148k, I'm al last positive mine needs a new one here at 179k. Didn't realize my thermostat had soft failed and my engine wasn't heating up completely. This was for a year or possibly more :/ aka two winters so my **** clearly got clogged up from all that condensation. Nevertheless, I'm always excited to do some serious work (as long as it is something I can actually do) on my baby. Hd a lean condition for a while along with more than normal oil loss. My shop also said it was most likely my CCV. Gonna snag that cold weather kit from ESC (genuine Bmw) as well as the updated dipstick and have some serious fun come July 11th. That's when I'm officially done with collage and will have the time to do this work. :) I like my car and the work that comes with it. Just letting you guys know. Maybe ill take pics? Probsbly not :p





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Transmission Clunk

Hey everybody!



I have a 2001 BMW 330i with over 184k miles on it. Whenever I put my car into reverse, a bug clunk sound will happen. All the other gears are fine and do not make this noise. I know the torque converter clutch in my tranny is bad, but does have anything to do with it? Any help would be greatly appreciated!





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Rear vibration

I get a vibration in the rear when speeding up. It is when the car reaches 15 to 20 mph only. If you stop accelerating the vibration stops and after 20 isn it also goes away. I replace and balanced both rear tires think that was the problem and that didn't fix it. Any ideas what else it could be?

WTB OEM e46 m3 clear signal lamps

Looking for the screw in type of clear corner signal lamps ready to pick up today or if anyone knows of a dealer with them in stock



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E46 330 2003 ZHP Supercharged

Posting this listing for a friend. Car is really clean, always serviced with BMW oils and has a stack of maintenance history with upgrades.



Contact him from the number posted or you can contact me with questions. Thanks



http://ift.tt/1rukPDQ

rear center jack point later e46

I have jacked up my 323ci many times but cannot find where the rear center jack point is to put a ZHP rear on jack stands. Can someone post a picture of the rear center jack point for later e46's?

Cracking sound from rear speakers

Hey guys a week ago he sound from the passenger side door went blank , then i started to get all that static / cracking sound from the rear right speakers . I did replaced the amp but still no sound from the right fader / just hissing like is getting power but no sound /. Any ideas ? Btw speakers are fine i swapped them. Could it be the Head Unit or second bad amp ?

WTS : Apple iPhone 5S 32Gb and Samsung Galaxy S5

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Blackberry Porsche Design Gold P9981



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Condition : Original,authentic and Genuine and brand new

Status : Unlocked and can work with any network of your choice



Interested buyer's should send me a friend request or private message for more details.



Only Serious Buyer's Should Please Contact Via Email Below or add up on Skype:



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Call : +{447} 035950974

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Looking for a complete or partial E46 M3 interior in black

Looking for E46 M3 interior in (power seats preferred) black color in good or excellent condition. You must be either local or willing to ship them to Hayward 94545.

Please send me the price and the pictures..



Thanks



Ray

E46 325 WTB: Intake

Want to buy a cold air intake for my '05 325i Automatic. my budget is 200$-300$. I want one with a good heat shield , that will also produce more horsepower.



Also any suggestions as to which one would be best for my case would be appreciated.

the beeemerdude is gonna post updated pics of EILEEN...stay tuned............

Fergo.



Brace yourself.



The B man is gonna make u get a woody ... :excited:



Got Eileen all cleaned up,...gonna take pics in the am tom after java, & all updated info on the cheapskate winter beater add-ons over the last few months.





For those of u who do not know Eileen....here's some old pics. Sheez an ULTRA RARE 1991 BMW-HONDA w/ even rarer AC Schnitzer Sports Option, which BMW & Honda got together in 1991 to produce this machine. :clap:





Stay tuned boyz. Fergo, get your cheque-book ready when u see updated pics.















:thumbsup:

Remanufactured 140A Geniune BMW Bosch Alternator

Genuine Bosch BMW remanufactured alternator for sale.



$130 plus shipping.

Does the standard e46 3 series trim fit in the m3?

So I recently bought a beautiful 2003 m3. It's in perfect condition with only 60,000 miles. Yet for some reason the (plastic?) trim in the car is bubbling and looks like complete ****, especially since the leather right next to it is in such good condition :thumbdwn:. So is the trim from the standard 3 series interchangeable with the M? Have any of you tried it? What is a good place to buy if so? Thank you for any assistance and it is highly appreciated! :bow:

2003 Orient Blue on Alcantara ZHP Sedan in NorCal

Copied my ad from Craigslist, so forgive some of the redundancy of information.



Up for sale is my 2003 BMW 330i ZHP. The car is Orient Blue on Alcantara/Black Cloth with a 6 speed manual transmission. The car has roughly 78,000 miles on it, and that number continues to rise as I drive it. The car was intended to be a fun daily driver as I went through school, but my plans are changing and so the car needs to go.

For anyone looking for information on what “ZHP” means and what the Performance Package entails, please visit http://ift.tt/1krZrpg or ZHPMafia.com.

I’ve owned the car since August of 2013.

The car is salvage title. The reason for that is because the LCM (light control module, the little computer that controls all the lights for the car) shorted out and caught fire. The fire was quickly contained, and the only things that were damaged were the LCM (obviously), the LCM wiring, and the cluster housing (The cluster was still functional, and was put into a different housing and is still in the original car. No recoding or cluster modifications were made.). The car has never been in any accidents; all the paint and body work is original. I’ve put 8,000 miles on the car since the repair and have had zero issues.

Maintenance: I’ve done a good bit of maintenance to the car over my ownership. The list is:

Oil Change @ 71.5k

DISA rebuild (German Auto Solutions kit)

ICV cleaned

Throttle body cleaned

VANOS seals replaced (Beisan systems)

VANOS anti-rattle kit (Beisan systems)

Oil filter housing gasket replaced

Valve cover gasket replaced

Spark plugs replaced with NGK plugs

VANOS oil line replaced, along with crush washers

Fuel filter replaced (Mann)

Cabin air filter replaced (Mann)

Power steering reservoir replaced (OEM)

Power steering fluid flushed (Valvoline ATF)

Engine intake filter replaced (Mann)

***Brand new front tires (Bridgestone Potenza S-04 summer performance tires, $500) The rear tires are Pirelli PZero Nero and still have most of their life in them.

Lucas fuel injector cleaner (twice)

Passenger side xenon ignitor replaced (OEM)

AL headlight lenses replaced with ZKW lenses for a sharper cutoff (OEM lenses, not aftermarket)

Oil Change @ 77.8k

Differential fluid flush (Redline 75w-140)

Transmission fluid flush (Redline MTL 70w-80)

OEM M3 engine mounts

OEM M3 transmission mounts

CDV delete (clutch pedal bleed, as well)

Serpentine and AC belts replaced

Thermostat replaced

German Auto Solutions expansion tank cap

Lower control arm bushings replaced @ 63k (OEM)

Also, @ 63k miles, the car had a maintenance inspection done at a BMW dealership

B pillar fabric replaced with brand new panels

Brake light cover replaced with brand new panels

New mirror control switch

Modifications:

Interior swap from Dove Gray to Alcantara. There was fire extinguisher dust everyone on the original interior, and the leather was already in bad shape, so I found no reason to keep it. I purchased a ZHP interior and swapped it in.

Coby wheel custom Alcantara wrap. This replaced the trashed, original Alcantara wheel. Coby does EXCELLENT work. You will love this wheel, and the colors were chosen to match the car.

Brand new weighted ZHP knob.

BMW Performance brand short shift kit. Really tightened up the shifter and shortened the throws without going overboard. One of my favorite modifications.

Apex Racing ARC-8 wheels. The wheels are 18x9 ET42, square. They are far lighter than OEM wheels, but I can include the original wheels with the car.

OEM European light package. I replaced the amber lights around the car with the clear lights used in Europe. These are not DEPO aftermarkets. Original BMW fit and finish.

European center console tray.

OEM AUX audio input.

Center armrest delete (gets in the way of shifting)

LED license plate bulbs

Front license plate delete strip (I do have the front plate)

///M dead pedal

Clutch stop (eliminates some dead space clutch travel)



If you are in any way worried or interested about the history about the car or how it was repaired, I have an 170+ page thread on ZHPMafia.com dedicated to this car. Check it out here: http://ift.tt/1gLYuw0



Known issues:

Pre-cat O2 sensors need to be replaced. I’ll eventually get to this myself if the car doesn’t sell, but you know know they need to be replaced. You can drive the car fine the way it is, but the bad O2 sensors make it stumble at idle sometimes, and cause some hesitations when accelerating around 2500rpm. This is well documented issue and you are welcome to do your own research on the topic.

The window trim broke a clip above the rear passenger door, and the trim hangs a little. I never use that door so it just remains closed and held in place by the door.

Brake lights out warning. Not sure why, all my taillights work fine and ground recall has been done.

If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to email me at Dario.avetisov@gmail.com or text/call me at 916 949 0051. My name is Dario.

As always, no trolls, please. Thanks for looking.



Asking $11,300 or best offer.

e46 smoking at start-up

hello fellow e46 owners, this is yellowboy....my problem is my bimmer is starting to smoke at start-up with a little rough idling and alot of trouble codes. I have performed a radiator combustion check to see if there was some combustion in my antifreeze...."it was not", checked for suction from the oil filler,"It was suction there"...do any body know what is going on???......THX

(Help)Installed ebay headers, now need advice on exhaust system

Hello like the title says i just finished installing ebay headers on my 04 325i, next step is installing a catalytic converter and catback. The only option i have are these magnaflow ones http://ift.tt/1jCCoI4. If i installed these in my car will any catback system fit on the end? Or will i have to do some welding or something crazy???



Any advice and help is well appreciated! :

Vogtland Sport Suspension kit worth buying?

First of all, i have 8.5 rims in the front and 9.5 rear with a 45 offset. My tire setup (Kumho ecsta sport) is 235/40/18 and 265/35/18. I was originally thinking if getting h&R touring kit but I personally hate the raked look and h&r race is too low.



I came across Vogtland and I believe they would be the perfect balance for me. I have heard nothing but good reviews for them. They will provide a 1.2in drop all around because i have the sport suspension. I am willing to roll my rear lip and possibly front lip as well.



My questions are; Can the drop accommodate my tires with ease once my lips are rolled? Are there any pictures of someone with a similar tire setup as mine with a similar drop? Will my front tires rub when turning?



Thank you in advance.

No knock raid: Flashbang thrown into crib

non-hilarity ensues



http://ift.tt/1oEzwCu

Quote:

ATLANTA — The mother of the toddler injured after a flashbang was thrown into the home where their family was staying told Channel 2 Action News Friday morning that the boy remains in a medically-induced coma. UPDATE:DA to investigate SWAT raid “He is in a medically induced coma and he is paralyzed. I hope he’s not going to remember this. I know his sisters, his mommy and his daddy will never forget this," the boy's mother, Alecia Phonesavanh, said. "Our kids have been through enough this year. This is just more trauma that they didn’t need, and I just wish there was something better I could do to make it better for him. Wrong place, wrong time. There’s nothing I can do about it." The family's home in Wisconsin recently burned down, prompting their trip to Atlanta to visit family. “There’s nothing we can do to change the situation, my husband and I would gladly both give up our lives just to see him not like this. He’s such a happy little boy, and to see him like this laying there, not moving, it’s heartbreaking. We just want to hold him and we can’t," Phonesavanh said. A family says a SWAT team raided their home in the middle of the night and seriously injured a 19-month-old boy with a stun grenade. Alecia Phonesavanh told Channel 2’s Ryan Young her child is at the Grady Memorial Hospital burn unit and is in a medically induced coma. RAW VIDEO: Child's mother speaks out on raid that injured her toddler Phonesavanh said she was at her sister-in-law’s home in Habersham County early Wednesday when police raided the house. "It's my baby. He's only a baby. He didn't deserve any of this," Phonesavanh said. Phonesavanh told Young the grenade landed in the child’s crib; she showed him a photo of a charred portable crib. "It landed in his playpen and exploded on his pillow right in his face," Phonesavanh said. She also showed Young pictures of her child in the Grady burn unit. Channel 2 has decided not to share most of the photos because of the graphic nature of the child’s injuries. "He's in the burn unit. We go up to see him and his whole face is ripped open. He has a big cut on his chest," Phonesavanh said. "He's only 19 months old. He didn't do anything." Cornelia police Chief Rick Darby confirmed that the raid took place at the home just before 3 a.m. He said a multijurisdictional drug unit issued a warrant and organized the SWAT operation. Deputies said they bought drugs from the house, and came back with a no-knock warrant to arrest a man known to have drugs and weapons.

Wow, drugs? omg, let's get 'em! Weapons? Second amendment??

E46 M3 OEM LSB M3 Diffuser | Trunk

I am selling LSB M3 Diffuser and trunk.



$125 for the diffuser picked up.

$125 for the trunk picked.



Location: SF Bay Area

BMC CDA 325ti Compact

I just purchased a BMC carbon filter for my compact, only issue is it didn't come with the fittings so I need to make some up. Has anyone got one of these fitted to a 325 and have photos of the setup? :pimpin:

Help. No reverse lights!

I need to pass a safety and my reverse lights aren't working. I've put in new bulbs and even the carriers. I tested them on my buddies car and they worked but not on mine. The couster is telling me both sides are out and they are.. What fuse should I check? I checked inside the snorkel coming from the trunk briefly and couldent see any damaged wires. How do I tell if a fuse is gone after I've checked as well.





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Folk Punk

I never knew this was a style of music until I saw it on a reddit post today. Their voices aren't great, but I'm digging the music and the lyrics; most are depressing as hell

http://ift.tt/1lO3Oke

http://ift.tt/1tXJsqu

http://ift.tt/1hk8iPg

http://ift.tt/1tXJsqv

:: ECS Tuning :: Windshield Cowl for your E46

The cowl can be easily damaged when replacing windshield wipers or the windshield itself. When the part becomes cracked or torn, water and other elements can damage your vehicle’s electrical system, potentially ruining a number of components.







Click HERE for your E46 Coupe Windshield Cowl Cover Kit



Click HERE for your E46 Convertible Windshield Cowl Cover Kit

Crossfit Fail

:rofl:

The chick who is screaming..



http://ift.tt/1mAoCdw

Advanced Flow Engineering (aFe) cold air intake stage 2 DIY guide and review

Howdy all!



As the second in the series, I worked with aFe to do a detailed installation guide and review of their stage 2 kit for the M3. aFe makes a really broad set of products for many vehicles, not just the E46 and I have no doubt whatsoever they are as good across those platforms as well. I wish they had kits for my Suzuki GSX-R!



I wanted to share the DIY install guide here to encourage folks to do this work yourself. It well within the range of effort if you can follow steps and have simple tools, and imho absolutely worth it. This is the best bang for the buck upgrade I have done to my M3 as of yet.



If you check out the stage 1 review as well, you will see that with the magnum force tube upgrade, the S1 and S2 kits become identical for performance but DO have some audible differences. The S2 kit with the full intake tube takes the midtone exhaust notes a little lower and seem to make the deep tone a little more pronounced. The rest becomes cosmetic.. the S1 kit has the sexy billeted aluminum cover and body if you lean that direction. The S2 kit with the more exposed filter certainly looks dramatic with the hood up as well.



I have never been the sort to want to take the car to a show and sit with the hood up, but with these kits installed I find that urge! *laugh*



Simply said.. do this, its absolutely worth it in performance, appearance, sound and even fuel economy!



Testing components:



Magnum FORCE Stage-2 PRO 5R Intake Systems; BMW M3 (E46) 01-07 L6-3.2L 54-10462

http://ift.tt/1mReY6H;



Magnum FORCE Intake System Scoop; BMW 3-Series/ M3 (E46) 01-06 L6 54-10468

http://ift.tt/1mReYmV;

Attached Files

	BMW E46 Convertible AFE CAI stage 2 installation guide.pdf (2.62 MB)
	BMW E46 convertible AFE CAI stage 2 Review.pdf (470.1 KB)

Let's hear your Wal-Mart Auto stories

Who here has brought their E46 to Wal-Mart, and what was your experience? What was the stupidest thing you heard them say about your BMW?



:popcorn:

Need help with ignition coil solution =/

Engine is shakey so I checked all coil packs and found the one that didn't make a difference when removed. So I switched it out, and it was fine for about a day, then the shaking started again. So I went back to napa to exchange the coil pack and replaced it for the second time and it is still shakey. Any idea what the problem could be? Not too mechanic savvy but can work my way around. Any help would be GREATLY appreciated! =)))





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2003 BMW330CI: driver window open, won't close;

Hello Everyone,



I've got a 2003 BMW330CI, and the driver side window is fully open, stuck, won't close. At this moment, i'm not concerned about having it repaired. I just want it to be closed.



How much would some spot charge not to repair the window, but to just close it shut? Is this so simple that I could do this myself? Thanks for your feedback.

Any E46 Wtb 330 DISA

Wtb 330 DISA ASAP thanks

FS 2 bumpers

http://ift.tt/1oBP1em

Fan Wiring

the previous owner of my car either botched a job or broke the female connector from the car to the fan. as a result of this they replaced the connector with a connection block and then cut off the connector of the fan. so instead on the official connectors the connection block is connecting the fan. will the fan still operate this way or will I need to get this part rewired or source official connectors?

Just had to have a WRX towed out of my spot.

I know I shouldn't feel bad but I do. #whitepeopleproblems

#coolstorybro



If it wasn't such a nice car, this would not have been an issue...



If my rx7 doesn't park next to my 330, it gets lonely.

SMG fluid

Hey guys. Can someone tell me what type of fluid to add to my SMG reservoir? The car is driving fine but I was just checking my fluids and noticed it was low. Thanks

Any BMW FS...kind of: DPE SP-8 19" wheels currently in production

Ok, so long story short I ordered these wheels in the last stretch of my deployment and decided it was time for an E92 M right after I got home.



The wheels were still in the process of being built when I made this choice. They are at DPE right now ready to be assembled and shipped out. DPE's policy is a 50% deposit upon ordering and the remaining balance due when the order is complete. I am willing to cut my losses in this deal, but can't stomach walking away with nothing. My offer to anyone out there is this: Take over my order and pay the remaining balance on the wheels ($1,966.50) plus an additional $900 paid to me to recoup just under half of the deposit I already put down. Shipping would also be covered by the buyer and I will work with DPE to have them shipped directly to the buyer. This wheel package is already heavily discounted and this takes about $1K more off the top.



If you're still reading, here are the wheel specs:



DPE SP-8 forged wheels 19x8.5 et34 front, 19x9.5 et43 rear

**Wheels are 3-peice so can be built to different specs (more on this below)

Faces have a brushed finish with two coats of tinted clear coat applied. This is known as the "double dark tint" finish and looks exceptional.

The outer lips are high polished



**Since these wheels are not yet assembled, they can be made to any width you desire. For the specs listed above, the price remains unchanged. If you decide to make them a different width the price will go up $300 since they have to source and polish new barrels.



PM me here or call/text 804eightfivetwo4192



This is a pic that was sent to me today by DPE. The wheels have been placed together but not assembled. The finish on the faces will be a little darker than the pic shows.

Yorktown battlefield, the last major battle for our Independence

Quote:

By the summer of 1781, the United States had been at war with England for over six years. The first shots had been fired in April 1775 on the village green in Lexington and at North Bridge in Concord, Massachusetts. Merely sustaining the army had been a major accomplishment for the Americans, who did not have much money, food or clothing. The winters of 1777-78 at Valley Forge and 1779-80 at Morristown were particularly devastating, with many soldiers freezing and starving to death, and some giving up and returning home. A deep belief in the cause and an enduring faith in their leader, George Washington, kept this army together. In the summer of 1780, the Americans received a major boost to their cause when 5,500 French troops, commanded by Comte de Rochambeau, arrived at Newport, Rhode Island. France had been sending supplies to the United States all along, but after France and England declared war against each other in 1778, French King Louis XVI sent troops and naval assistance to the United States to engage the enemy. When Rochambeau’s forces arrived, the British were operating on two fronts. General Clinton, commander of British forces in North America, was occupying New York City after a largely unsuccessful attempt to control the northern and middle colonies. General Lord Cornwallis was leading through the southern colonies an army that had already captured Savannah and Charleston. The main American army under Washington was stationed along the Hudson River above New York City. In the spring of 1781, Washington traveled to Rhode Island to meet with Comte de Rochambeau and plan an attack on Clinton. A French fleet was expected to arrive in New York later that summer, and Washington wanted to coordinate the attack with the fleet's arrival. As planned, Rochambeau's army marched in July and joined with Washington's troops outside New York City, only to learn that the French fleet was sailing to the lower Chesapeake Bay. Washington changed his strategy to make Clinton think he was planning to attack him, while instead sneaking away to the south to trap Cornwallis. In order to fool Clinton, Washington had his men build big army camps and huge brick bread ovens visible from New York to give the appearance of preparations for a stay. Washington also prepared false papers under his signature discussing plans for an attack on Clinton, and let these papers fall into British hands. Leaving a small force behind, Washington and Rochambeau set out for Yorktown in mid-August. By early September they were parading before the Continental Congress in Philadelphia, and they arrived in Williamsburg, 13 miles west of Yorktown, in mid September. Cornwallis was in Yorktown because he had been ordered by Clinton during the summer to provide a protected harbor for the British fleet in the lower Chesapeake Bay. Cornwallis chose Yorktown because of its deep-water harbor on the York River. His army spent the latter part of the summer fortifying Yorktown and Gloucester Point across the York River. The French fleet, as part of the overall plan, entered the lower Chesapeake Bay in the end of August and disembarked 3,000 French troops to wait for Washington and Rochambeau in Williamsburg. On September 5, they encountered the British fleet in a naval engagement known as the Battle of the Capes. The British suffered damage to their ships and returned to New York, while the French, commanded by Admiral de Grasse, remained in the lower Chesapeake and established a blockade. By the end of September, approximately 17,600 American and French soldiers were gathered in Williamsburg, while 8,300 British soldiers were occupying Yorktown. The British forces included a small number of German auxiliary troops hired to help fight the war. Cornwallis recognized the odds were in the allies' favor, and he sent Clinton a note asking for help. Clinton responded that a British fleet with 5,000 men would sail for Yorktown from New York on October 5. Cornwallis had his men construct a main line of defense around Yorktown that consisted of ten small enclosed forts (called redoubts), batteries with artillery and connecting trenches. The Americans and French marched from Williamsburg to Yorktown on September 28 and began digging a trench 800 yards from the British defense line to begin a siege. By October 9, the allies' trench was finished and their artillery had been moved up. Firing at the British continuously, they had virtually knocked the British guns out of action by October 11. Cornwallis had the additional misfortune to learn at that time that Clinton's departure from New York had been delayed. During the night of October 11, the allies began a second trench 400 yards from the British. The next days were spent bringing up artillery and strengthening the new line. The new line could not be completed, however, without capturing British redoubts 9 and 10. On the night of October 14, 400 French stormed redoubt 9 and 400 Americans stormed redoubt 10, capturing them in less than 30 minutes. Nine Americans and 15 French died in this brief and heroic action. On October 16, the British tried two desperation moves. Early that morning they attacked the allied center, attempted to silence a French Battery, but the French cannons were firing again in less than six hours. Late that night they tried to evacuate Yorktown by crossing the York River in small boats to Gloucester Point. A violent windstorm arose at midnight, however, scattering the boats and forcing an abandonment of the escape. Realizing the situation was hopeless, Cornwallis sent forth a British drummer on October 17, followed by a British officer with a white flag and note indicating a request for a cease fire. A number of notes passed between Cornwallis and Washington that day as they set the framework for the surrender. The next day, October 18, four officers--one American, one French and two British--met at the Moore House, one mile outside Yorktown, to settle surrender terms. On October 19, in a spectacle incredible to all who witnessed it, most of Cornwallis' army marched out of Yorktown between two lines of allied soldiers--Americans on one side and French on the other--that stretched for more than one mile. The British marched to a field where they laid down their arms, and returned to Yorktown. They did not know that on that very day, Clinton sailed for Yorktown from New York with 5,000 troops. News of the British defeat at Yorktown spread quickly. Celebrations took place throughout the United States. London was shocked. The British prisoners were marched to prison camps in Winchester, Virginia and Frederick, Maryland. The American army returned to the Hudson River, while the French army remained in Yorktown and Williamsburg for the winter. Clinton and Cornwallis eventually returned to England where they engaged in a long and bitter public controversy over who was to blame for the British defeat at Yorktown. Though the British still had 26,000 troops in North America after Yorktown, their resolve to win the war was nothing like it had been before Yorktown. The war had been lengthy and costly. Replacing Cornwallis' captured army was a questionable proposition, particularly because the British also were engaged in military struggles in India, Gibraltar, the West Indies and Ireland. Thus, the British Parliament in March 1782 passes a resolution saying the British should not continue the war against the United States. Later that year, commissioners of the United States and Great Britain signed provisional articles of peace. In September 1783, the final treaty was signed which ended the war and acknowledged American independence.

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