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#1. Suspension questions - from Ted Telesky
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Date: Sat, 1 Jul 2000 01:55:24 -0400 From: Ted Telesky <TTelesky@compuserve.com> Subject: Suspension questions My 95 M3 is at 80,000 miles on the original shocks. I have driven an M3 with lower springs and bilstein shocks and it is way too hard a ride for me - I do 25K per year on bumpy LA freeway. I do no racing, just street driving. So my question is, are there shocks that still give the feel of the stock but are better (like gas filled) or should I stick with stock? I have also read about how perfect the M3 handling is and I am concerned about making a change that actually makes a negative improvement? Thanks TedT 95 M3
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#2. Re: [E36M3] Gainesville Florida area - from Andrew E. Kalman
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Date: Sat, 01 Jul 2000 01:04:01 -0700 From: "Andrew E. Kalman" <aek@netcom.com> Subject: Re: [E36M3] Gainesville Florida area Re: >I was wondering if anyone was in the Gainesville Florida area and knew of any >Tracks, or great drives Tracks, I dunno -- though I did an autocross at the AFB at the bottom of the Tampa Peninsula (is it MacDill AFB?) with the BMW club and that was fun. As for the Gainesville Area, there are two drives I used to do. Please forgive me if some of the street names are wrong -- I never memorize them anyway. I apologize if my recollections are a bit murky. One is to go out 34th Street towards I think Archer Road. You keep going until you reach that crappy little I-75 entrance / exit that has like 2 or 3 gas stations -- I don't recall if that's Archer Road or the next big road parallel to it. These days you'll pass by a large post office on your right as you make your way to I-75. Anyway, you go under I-75 and continue on out -- you're going in a south westerly direction, I think. After a short while there will be a noticeable long right sweeper in the road, where it's possible to go straight onto a smaller road -- take the smaller road. This road goes for a while -- step on it, though be aware that it is by no means deserted :-) -- and eventually ends up not far from -- what is it, 441?, that passes through Paynes Prarie -- take 441 back into G'ville. The second drive is out on NW 39th (?) Avenue, out near Devil's Millhopper. Get on that road at its intersection with 34th, and just go (towards where I-75 is). There are some nice turns and later, some hilly sections with good long-distance visibility. You'll pass over I-75, and eventually end at a "T" -- go left, and you'll make your way back into town near Tower Road / the Oaks Shopping Center. There are also some long, flat roads on the way to Cedar Key from G'ville. Gainesville is so damn flat that the roads aren't too exciting -- It's not too bad for bicycling, though. If you see an old guy in an orange M1, that's my Dad -- wave! ______________________________________ Andrew E. Kalman, Ph.D. aek@netcom.com
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#3. Re: Camber bolts & shims - from Ron Katona
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Date: Sat, 01 Jul 2000 07:12:44 -0400 From: Ron Katona <rkatona@bellatlantic.net> Subject: Re: Camber bolts & shims Dave Hogg wrote: > OK, given the questions I'm getting, I'll post this for everybody. I don't > know the p/n for the bolts, but they're a fairly new part that just showed > up on one of the more recent factory parts CD's. Not that it matters, but the history on this is that the part has been around pretty much as long as the E36 has been around. The _documentation_ has just recently started to show up. The problem for autocrossers is that these parts are illegal in stock SCCA classes unless there is factory documentation for them. Even being in the parts CD doesn't mean there is a service procedure spelled out authorizing their use. Top E36 M3 autocrossers have sought a BMW approved tech instruction of some sort showing the validity of using these bolts for years. A lack of adjustable front camber is the E36's Achilles heel in stock SCCA classes and legal use of this bolt would help a lot. Most of the competition has either factory adjustable camber, or "crash bolt" factory documentation. -- Ron Katona
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#4. [E36M3] Road and Track Vanos Comment - from RogRacer@aol.com
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Date: Sat, 1 Jul 2000 12:03:29 EDT From: RogRacer@aol.com Subject: [E36M3] Road and Track Vanos Comment The present issue has got a pretty good article on buying E36 M3s as a "used car classic". Among things to check for they say is the Vanos unit for proper operation, indicating that they typically expire at about 60K miles, without tripping the MIL warning lamp. So the question is....how do you check this for proper operation? TIA, Roger 95 M3
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#5. Brake Bleeding with AST - from Thomas E. Tice
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Date: Sat, 01 Jul 2000 16:54:46 -0400 From: "Thomas E. Tice" <tetice@worldnet.att.net> Subject: Brake Bleeding with AST Hi Gang, Remember I am new to the E36 M3. I just finished bleeding the brakes following the same procedure that I have the previous 20 or 30 times on other BMWs. In typical engineer fashion, after the fact, I decided to read my trusty Bentley repair manual to see if there was any special procedures for this particular car. I was quite surprised to see that they indicate that cars with AST should not be bleed in the typical fashion. They should be taken to the dealer who has "SPECIAL BMW SERVICE EQUIPMENT." (U mean ACE Hardware sprayers aren't good enough:-) The manual does not indicate an alternate method or explain just what the issue is. If anyone can shed some light on this please help me out. FWIW, I used a pressure bleeding system (a la Jim Powell) in case you missed the hint above. I also noticed (in Bentley) a rather elaborate procedure for bleeding the clutch slave cylinder involving removing it from the trans? I did the typical open the valve and let her flow until she changes color method. Any thoughts on this? Tom Tice '98 M3/4
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#6. Re: [E36M3] Brake Bleeding with AST - from Jim Bassett
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Date: Sat, 01 Jul 2000 14:14:56 -0700 From: Jim Bassett <jimbassett@home.com> Subject: Re: [E36M3] Brake Bleeding with AST At 04:00 PM 7/1/00 -0500, Thomas E. Tice wrote: >I was quite surprised to see that they indicate that cars with AST >should not be bleed in the typical fashion. They should be taken to the >dealer who has "SPECIAL BMW SERVICE EQUIPMENT." (U mean ACE Hardware >sprayers aren't good enough:-) The manual does not indicate an >alternate method or explain just what the issue is. I've bled my '98 M3/4 in the "typical" fashion (using SteveD's brake bleeding system - same idea) with no adverse effects. I think the issue has to do with cycling the fluid out of the ABS system? >I also noticed (in Bentley) a rather elaborate procedure for bleeding >the clutch slave cylinder involving removing it from the trans? I did >the typical open the valve and let her flow until she changes color >method. Any thoughts on this? ??? Don't know about removing it from the tranny - I've just open the valve & bled it it "typical" fashion. Sounds like you've done OK, IMO. Cheers, Jim Bassett 1998 M3/4 - how the &%$^@ do you get the new microfilter in?? Ahhh!!
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#7. San Diego Driver's School now open for enrollment - from Jim Powell
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Date: Sat, 01 Jul 2000 14:41:06 -0700 From: Jim Powell <jsp98m3@home.com> Subject: San Diego Driver's School now open for enrollment Time to go back to school. The San Diego Chapter officially opens registration for their September 23rd and 24th Driver's School. Those that have attended before know this is *the* best school in Southern California :) Goto: http://www.sdbmwcca.com/BWY2K_September/BWY2K_September.html to download your application. See you there! Jim Powell Webmeister San Diego Chapter BMW CCA
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#8. Anybody recommend a colder plug when running Forced Induction on the M3? - from Paul Elliott
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Date: Sat, 1 Jul 2000 23:20:52 -0400 From: "Paul Elliott" <pelliott@rcn.com> Subject: Anybody recommend a colder plug when running Forced Induction on the M3? I havent seen it recommended specifically for my Dinan supercharger, but, does anyone think that going to a colder plug makes sense when running forced induction? _____________________________ Paul Elliott '99 Alpine White M3; <20000 mi; Forged M dbl-spokes; Rotex pads; Dinan Stage II Supercharger
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#9. Dyno in the area? - from Paul Elliott
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Date: Sat, 1 Jul 2000 23:22:04 -0400 From: "Paul Elliott" <pelliott@rcn.com> Subject: Dyno in the area? Does anybody know of a dyno and a skilled operator in the vicinity of Westchester County, NY, Fairfield County, Ct, or even Long Island? _____________________________ Paul Elliott '99 Alpine White M3; <20000 mi; Forged M dbl-spokes; Rotex pads; Dinan Stage II Supercharger
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#10. Car rental rates - from Collin Porterfield
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Date: Sat, 1 Jul 2000 22:45:23 -0500 From: "Collin Porterfield" <cporterfield@home.com> Subject: Car rental rates I am curious about your opinions on the following questions, which are related to research I am doing concerning a high-line rental business (which of course includes M3s): 1. If you were to rent a high line or exotic car, what would you rent (you decide the purpose)? 2. What would you expect the rental rate to be for that or those cars. 3. What would you actually be willing to pay for a rental rate? 4. Then, unless these cars were in your answers already, answer questions 2 and 3 for each of the following cars -- M3 Convertible NSX-T 1997 or newer Ferrari F355 Berlinetta (i.e. hard top) Porsche 996 Coupe Porsche Boxster S BMW 740iL Thanks, Collin Porterfield Dallas TX