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#1. FS: Bridgestone RE71 225/45-17 tire - from NickG
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Date: Thu, 22 Jun 2000 20:30:28 -0400 From: "NickG" <nikog@MediaOne.net> Subject: FS: Bridgestone RE71 225/45-17 tire For Sale: one Bridgestone RE71 tire, size 225/45-17. A little over 50% tread remaining. $50 plus shipping. Pictures are at: http://www.pompano.net/~nikog/pics/RE71tread.jpg http://www.pompano.net/~nikog/pics/RE71side.jpg Nick '95 M3
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#2. [E36M3] Blown head gasket - advise needed - from Igor Kagan
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Date: Thu, 22 Jun 2000 09:56:41 -0400 From: Igor Kagan <ikagan@the-beach.net> Subject: [E36M3] Blown head gasket - advise needed My '95 M3 had a water pump failure which resulted in blown head gasket ( girlfriend was driving - she doesn't know where the temp gauge is ...). Since the head has to come out anyway I need advice as to what modification can be done to improve performance ( = flow ) and reliability ( titanium retainers ? ). Are there any significant HP gains from porting the head - assuming the car is a daily driver ? The work will be done by ActiveAutowerk in Miami, their advise is to stay stock or get a turbo - to much $$$ for me. Thank for any advise, Igor P.S to my surprise the water pump had a metal impeller - they fail too !
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#3. Re: [E36M3] Blown head gasket - advise needed - from NickG
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Date: Thu, 22 Jun 2000 22:19:19 -0400 From: "NickG" <nikog@MediaOne.net> Subject: Re: [E36M3] Blown head gasket - advise needed The factory cylinder head on our cars is pretty good to begin with. It'll take a knowledgable head porter to get more flow out of it. And even then, you're probably not looking at earth shaking power gains. Pass on the titanium retainers. Instead, just use the factory hardened retainers introducted in 10/95 production. Have the valvesprings checked also. Freshening up those can reduce the chance of overrev damage. And don't forget to get a GOOD multi-angle valve job (Cylinder Head Exchange in Broward has done good work for me in the past). Nick '95 M3 > My '95 M3 had a water pump failure which resulted in blown head > gasket ( girlfriend was driving - she doesn't know where the temp > gauge is ...). Since the head has to come out anyway I need advice > as to what modification can be done to improve performance ( = flow ) > and reliability ( titanium retainers ? ). Are there any significant HP > gains > from porting the head - assuming the car is a daily driver ? > > The work will be done by ActiveAutowerk in Miami, their advise > is to stay stock or get a turbo - to much $$$ for me. > > Thank for any advise, > > Igor > > P.S to my surprise the water pump had a metal impeller - they fail too
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#4. Re: LTW Wheels - from LoweSeaton@aol.com
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Date: Thu, 22 Jun 2000 22:19:37 EDT From: LoweSeaton@aol.com Subject: Re: LTW Wheels Paul writes: > You got a great price on those. I have them as part of the $1400 new car > option, and I believe my dealer is selling them for close to $700 each. > > Are you saying that in those wheels, I can go from 7.5" up front to 8.5", > and mount 245/40-17 wheels like in the back, without rubbing on the strut? > That would be great if true, but I've heard from so many that this size > requires spacers up front. And then , perhaps, fender rolling.... Paul, List price for the 8.5" rims - part # 85 32 9 409 852 - is $687.50. List price for the 7.5" rims - part # 85 32 9 409 851 - is $653.00 Hendrick BMW advertises 25% off list in the Roundel. Take 25% off the above prices => $687.50 - 25% = $516 $653.00 - 25% = $490 Total for 4 = $2012 Not exactly cheap wheels but I will argue nothing fits like the BMW wheels. And for the extra $26 per wheel, I highly recommend using 8.5" all around. As for rubbing up front? Yes, THESE 8.5" rims fit perfectly. Actually, any BMW M3 8.5" rims fit perfectly up front. No rubbing. No spacers. The key to fitting rims on our M3's is the "wheel offset." The BMW rims have 41 mm offset. Nobody else makes a wheel in this offset. Offset is very confusing to me. All I can remember is MORE offset pushes the rim OUT. BMW 8.5" rims are very VERY close to the strut in front. I estimate about 1/8" of clearance between the rim and strut perch on my M3. However way you slice it, it is extremely close but they fit. I have never had a problem. The tire width really does not control. It is the clearance between the rim and the strut perch. The tires would rub higher up where there is more room. You could probably mount 255/40 tires on BMW 8.5" rims up front. So.......when you talk about 8.5" rims for the front, you have to separate BMW rims from all the rest. Perhaps nobody else makes an 8.5" rim that fits the front. A lot of guys use Fikse 8.5" rims. They have a 37.7 mm offset. So what does that mean? Remember I said MORE offset = rim moves OUT? Well, Fikse rims have 41 - 37.7 = 3.3 mm LESS offset. This means a Fikse 8.5" rim is 3.5 mm CLOSER IN to the strut perch. What does this mean? Remember I estimated there is about 1/8" of clearance with the 41 mm offset BMW rim? 1/8" = 3.175 mm Uh oh!! That means the rim is going to just barely contact the spring perch. Too close. Spacers are needed. I really don't think anybody using stock BMW rims has to use spacers up front. If you hear anybody using spacers, I'll bet the farm they are aftermarket rims. Next time somebody tells you they had to use spacers, ask if they are BMW rims. As for fender rolling up front? I can't see anybody needing to roll the front fenders unless they are using very wide spacers to clear some sort of big brake kit. There is actually more fender clearance up front than in the rear. Again, if you hear of anybody rolling their fenders, I bet they are referring to the rear fenders. The rear is where the stock BMW offset might give you problems if you mount an extremely wide tire. Spacers will hurt you on the rear. Only fender rolling can help out. Aftermarket rims with their smaller offsets fit better than stock BMW 8.5" rims on the rear. I kind of think BMW dropped the ball on the wheels for the M3. The perfect offset would be about 45 mm for the front and about 35 mm for the rear. Why BMW did not design the wheels to be perfectly centered with the same offset I don't know? The stock 41 mm offset is sort of a compromise fit. Not the best for either front or rear. Hope this helps! I really love the BMW M Double Spoke polished forged (what a mouth full!) rims. I think they look gorgeous, they are very easy to clean, and they are very strong. Only negative is the cost :( Lowell Seaton '95 M3/2 - 8.5" M Double Spoke polished forged rims all around Dallas, Texas BMW CCA #131505 Lone Star Chapter
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#5. Re: LTW Wheels - from Paul Elliott
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Date: Thu, 22 Jun 2000 22:31:17 -0400 From: "Paul Elliott" <pelliott@rcn.com> Subject: Re: LTW Wheels Hey Lowell, Great Answer. I only wish I had that option of using 8.5" all around at the beginning. Now that I own 2 8.5X17 and 3 7.5X17, what can I do. For $52 bucks, absolutely, I would have done it...Well, $52, plus the tire cost differential. Anyway, its a natural...But now, its kind of late. I mean, I'm not going to buy 2 8.5 wheels now..Especially since last year I bought 4 7.5X17 Contour replicas with Pirelli Winter 210s for my winter driving. Now, if someone wants to work an exchange, well.......:--) Thanks, _____________________________ Paul Elliott '99 Alpine White M3; <15000 mi; Forged M dbl-spokes; Rotex pads; Dinan Stage II Supercharger -----Original Message----- From: LoweSeaton@aol.com <LoweSeaton@aol.com> To: pelliott@rcn.com <pelliott@rcn.com>; e36m3@bmwmpower.com <e36m3@bmwmpower.com> Date: Thursday, June 22, 2000 10:19 PM Subject: Re: LTW Wheels >Paul writes: > >> You got a great price on those. I have them as part of the $1400 new car >> option, and I believe my dealer is selling them for close to $700 each. >> >> Are you saying that in those wheels, I can go from 7.5" up front to 8.5", >> and mount 245/40-17 wheels like in the back, without rubbing on the strut? >> That would be great if true, but I've heard from so many that this size >> requires spacers up front. And then , perhaps, fender rolling.... > >Paul, > >List price for the 8.5" rims - part # 85 32 9 409 852 - is $687.50. >List price for the 7.5" rims - part # 85 32 9 409 851 - is $653.00 > >Hendrick BMW advertises 25% off list in the Roundel. Take 25% off the above >prices => >$687.50 - 25% = $516 >$653.00 - 25% = $490 >Total for 4 = $2012 > >Not exactly cheap wheels but I will argue nothing fits like the BMW wheels. >And for the extra $26 per wheel, I highly recommend using 8.5" all around. > >As for rubbing up front? Yes, THESE 8.5" rims fit perfectly. Actually, any >BMW M3 8.5" rims fit perfectly up front. No rubbing. No spacers. The key >to fitting rims on our M3's is the "wheel offset." > >The BMW rims have 41 mm offset. Nobody else makes a wheel in this offset. >Offset is very confusing to me. All I can remember is MORE offset pushes the >rim OUT. > >BMW 8.5" rims are very VERY close to the strut in front. I estimate about >1/8" of clearance between the rim and strut perch on my M3. However way you >slice it, it is extremely close but they fit. I have never had a problem. >The tire width really does not control. It is the clearance between the rim >and the strut perch. The tires would rub higher up where there is more room. > You could probably mount 255/40 tires on BMW 8.5" rims up front. > >So.......when you talk about 8.5" rims for the front, you have to separate >BMW rims from all the rest. Perhaps nobody else makes an 8.5" rim that fits >the front. A lot of guys use Fikse 8.5" rims. They have a 37.7 mm offset. > >So what does that mean? Remember I said MORE offset = rim moves OUT? Well, >Fikse rims have 41 - 37.7 = 3.3 mm LESS offset. This means a Fikse 8.5" rim >is 3.5 mm CLOSER IN to the strut perch. > >What does this mean? Remember I estimated there is about 1/8" of clearance >with the 41 mm offset BMW rim? 1/8" = 3.175 mm Uh oh!! That means the rim >is going to just barely contact the spring perch. Too close. Spacers are >needed. > >I really don't think anybody using stock BMW rims has to use spacers up >front. If you hear anybody using spacers, I'll bet the farm they are >aftermarket rims. Next time somebody tells you they had to use spacers, ask >if they are BMW rims. > >As for fender rolling up front? I can't see anybody needing to roll the >front fenders unless they are using very wide spacers to clear some sort of >big brake kit. There is actually more fender clearance up front than in the >rear. Again, if you hear of anybody rolling their fenders, I bet they are >referring to the rear fenders. > >The rear is where the stock BMW offset might give you problems if you mount >an extremely wide tire. Spacers will hurt you on the rear. Only fender >rolling can help out. Aftermarket rims with their smaller offsets fit better >than stock BMW 8.5" rims on the rear. > >I kind of think BMW dropped the ball on the wheels for the M3. The perfect >offset would be about 45 mm for the front and about 35 mm for the rear. Why >BMW did not design the wheels to be perfectly centered with the same offset I >don't know? The stock 41 mm offset is sort of a compromise fit. Not the >best for either front or rear. > >Hope this helps! I really love the BMW M Double Spoke polished forged (what >a mouth full!) rims. I think they look gorgeous, they are very easy to >clean, and they are very strong. Only negative is the cost :( > >Lowell Seaton >'95 M3/2 - 8.5" M Double Spoke polished forged rims all around >Dallas, Texas >BMW CCA #131505 >Lone Star Chapter
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#6. Re: [E36M3] Re: LTW Wheels - from NickG
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Date: Thu, 22 Jun 2000 22:38:21 -0400 From: "NickG" <nikog@MediaOne.net> Subject: Re: [E36M3] Re: LTW Wheels > The BMW rims have 41 mm offset. Nobody else makes a wheel in this offset. > Offset is very confusing to me. All I can remember is MORE offset pushes the > rim OUT. > > So.......when you talk about 8.5" rims for the front, you have to separate > BMW rims from all the rest. Perhaps nobody else makes an 8.5" rim that fits > the front. A lot of guys use Fikse 8.5" rims. They have a 37.7 mm offset. > > So what does that mean? Remember I said MORE offset = rim moves OUT? Well, > Fikse rims have 41 - 37.7 = 3.3 mm LESS offset. This means a Fikse 8.5" rim > is 3.5 mm CLOSER IN to the strut perch. Lowell, I think you have this backwards. More offset moves the rim IN, not out. The offset refers to the distance between the rim's mounting surface and the centerline of the wheel. Hence, a small number indicates the mounting surface is closer to the centerline, thus pushing the wheel further outward. In your example above with the Fikse wheel, it would be 3.3mm further outward than the BMW wheel (not closer in). Nick
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#7. Re: [E36M3] Blown head gasket - advise needed - from Jim Powell
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Date: Thu, 22 Jun 2000 19:46:07 -0700 From: Jim Powell <jsp98m3@home.com> Subject: Re: [E36M3] Blown head gasket - advise needed I've talked to 2 people locally who have 'built' NA M3s both told me that they got about 10 HP out of smoothing and some very light enlrging in a couple of places. Cost to duplicate this was $400. So it might be worth it as long as you have the head of anyway. Deinitely a waste of money on a car without gasket problems or a valve burnt. Jim NickG wrote: > > Date: Thu, 22 Jun 2000 22:19:19 -0400 > From: "NickG" <nikog@MediaOne.net> > Subject: Re: [E36M3] Blown head gasket - advise needed > > The factory cylinder head on our cars is pretty good to begin with. It'll > take a knowledgable head porter to get more flow out of it. And even then, > you're probably not looking at earth shaking power gains. > > Pass on the titanium retainers. Instead, just use the factory hardened > retainers introducted in 10/95 production. Have the valvesprings checked > also. Freshening up those can reduce the chance of overrev damage. > > And don't forget to get a GOOD multi-angle valve job (Cylinder Head Exchange > in Broward has done good work for me in the past). > > Nick > '95 M3 > > > My '95 M3 had a water pump failure which resulted in blown head > > gasket ( girlfriend was driving - she doesn't know where the temp > > gauge is ...). Since the head has to come out anyway I need advice > > as to what modification can be done to improve performance ( = flow ) > > and reliability ( titanium retainers ? ). Are there any significant HP > > gains > > from porting the head - assuming the car is a daily driver ? > > > > The work will be done by ActiveAutowerk in Miami, their advise > > is to stay stock or get a turbo - to much $$$ for me. > > > > Thank for any advise, > > > > Igor > > > > P.S to my surprise the water pump had a metal impeller - they fail too > > ************************************************************* > List Commands > UNSUBSCRIBE - (in subject line) unsubscribes you from the mailing list. > *************************************************************
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#8. Re: [E36M3] Re: LTW Wheels - from Jim Powell
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Date: Thu, 22 Jun 2000 20:10:49 -0700 From: Jim Powell <jsp98m3@home.com> Subject: Re: [E36M3] Re: LTW Wheels Yeah. Go to http://www.tirerack.com click on wheels, wheel tech and then offset Jim NickG wrote: > > Date: Thu, 22 Jun 2000 22:38:21 -0400 > From: "NickG" <nikog@MediaOne.net> > Subject: Re: [E36M3] Re: LTW Wheels > > > The BMW rims have 41 mm offset. Nobody else makes a wheel in this offset. > > Offset is very confusing to me. All I can remember is MORE offset pushes > the > > rim OUT. > > > > So.......when you talk about 8.5" rims for the front, you have to separate > > BMW rims from all the rest. Perhaps nobody else makes an 8.5" rim that > fits > > the front. A lot of guys use Fikse 8.5" rims. They have a 37.7 mm > offset. > > > > So what does that mean? Remember I said MORE offset = rim moves OUT? > Well, > > Fikse rims have 41 - 37.7 = 3.3 mm LESS offset. This means a Fikse 8.5" > rim > > is 3.5 mm CLOSER IN to the strut perch. > > Lowell, I think you have this backwards. More offset moves the rim IN, not > out. The offset refers to the distance between the rim's mounting surface > and the centerline of the wheel. Hence, a small number indicates the > mounting surface is closer to the centerline, thus pushing the wheel further > outward. > > In your example above with the Fikse wheel, it would be 3.3mm further > outward than the BMW wheel (not closer in). > > Nick > > ************************************************************* > List Commands > UNSUBSCRIBE - (in subject line) unsubscribes you from the mailing list. > *************************************************************
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#9. [E36M3] Offset - Was LTW Wheels - from LoweSeaton@aol.com
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Date: Thu, 22 Jun 2000 23:42:17 EDT From: LoweSeaton@aol.com Subject: [E36M3] Offset - Was LTW Wheels > Yeah. Go to http://www.tirerack.com > click on wheels, wheel tech and then offset > > Jim > > NickG wrote: > > > > Lowell, I think you have this backwards. More offset moves the rim IN, not > > out. The offset refers to the distance between the rim's mounting surface > > and the centerline of the wheel. Hence, a small number indicates the > > mounting surface is closer to the centerline, thus pushing the wheel > further > > outward. > > > > In your example above with the Fikse wheel, it would be 3.3mm further > > outward than the BMW wheel (not closer in). > > > > Nick <grin> Like I said. Offset is confusing to me! Good catch guys! I would think that Fikse wheels with their slightly less offset would be even better for front usage. At least I had the part about the BMW polished forged rims looking gorgeous right. ;-) Lowell Seaton '95 M3/2
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#10. Re: [E36M3] stereo codes and insane prices - from Sean Hester
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Date: Thu, 22 Jun 2000 22:53:56 PDT From: "Sean Hester" <seanh_race@hotmail.com> Subject: Re: [E36M3] stereo codes and insane prices >Sean, > >There is still hope........ > >IF the radio you have is the original one provided by the factory, the >dealer might be able to get the code. Many times, the dealership where the >car was originally purchased keeps things like the radio code on record. >Have your local dealer do a DCS Inquiry to find out where your car was >originally sold at. Then have them contact that dealership to see if they >have the radio code in their paperwork. i did finally solve my problem. (sort of) i went back and dug out the head unit form my old M3 (which had the magic number on it) and called the dealer i got the car from and they found the code for that radio. (before that, i was trying to use the one in the car i just bought) so... problem solved... until i sell this car and need the code for the head i have now. ________________________________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com