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#1. Re: [E36M3] M3 feels slower by the day. - from Michael Ting
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Date: Tue, 26 Sep 2000 11:43:01 -0500 From: "Michael Ting" <lupin@purdue.edu> Subject: Re: [E36M3] M3 feels slower by the day. To Rob Hatrak: > What gives here? I thought that the M3 was supposed to be a high speed > performer, not a drag race champ. You need HP for high speed performance. The 321 hp Euro M3 may be a high speed performer. But our 240 hp US version?? Hmm.. Think twice. > I can understand the Supra.....but the CLK being faster too? > What's the deal here? The CLK has 4.3 liter V8 compared to our "measly" 3.2 liter I6. I think that car should have an advantage over the M3 on higher speeds. To Bryan Watts: > I was astonished when I got it back from the service. Way way more power. > I guess it had been dropping little by little and I hadn't noticed it. I > have no idea what was the problem. I'm guessing fuel filter and/or spark > plugs. I don't think they do much else to the car besides look it over, I didn't notice any improvements when I changed my Spark Plug and Fuel Filter at Inspection II. When I bought the car, the air filter (stock) was so dirty & greasy (ewww.. how can an air filter gets greasy??). I don't think the previous owner ever replaced it after 45,000 miles. I went to get a new OEM BMW filter. Now that's some noticeable difference. However, I believe that in most cases the faster feeling is purely psychological. Your car goes faster not because of the new part. Instead, you stepped on the gas more aggressively. Of course the car would go faster. :) I wish I have a G-Tech Pro. :) Michael Ting --------------------
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#2. Re: [E36M3] it happens, all too often it happens... - from Bora Akyol
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Date: Tue, 26 Sep 2000 10:49:08 -0700 From: Bora Akyol <akyol@pluris.com> Subject: Re: [E36M3] it happens, all too often it happens... I got the air duct piece that broke of my car replaced this morning. Cost 140 dollars. One piece was 85 and the second piece that broke was around 30 bucks or so. Hopefully, this would stay in for a few years now. Bora daanesh chanduwadia wrote: > Date: Tue, 26 Sep 2000 14:01:45 GMT > From: "daanesh chanduwadia" <daanesh@hotmail.com> > Subject: it happens, all too often it happens... > > thanks to skip for another informative post (i'm going with the hardened > retainers rather than Ti, btw.) > > monday @ 1AM a well driven E39 M5 and i were cruising home spurting btw 85 > and 130. when i parked the car, i walked away and thanked her for another > swift, safe and oh so painless interstate journey. > > tuesday my mother arrives in town to visit, and as we're about to go to > dinner i hear 'the scrape' which i'm familair with only because the same > thing happened when the car was about a year old (@85 mph.) > > dinner has to wait, take the car to work to assess the damage. don't know > what the stealer used the last time to fasten but i can't get 'em out (or > rather don't care to try b/c i'm using a floorjack to gain access.) > > tuck things just high enough, remove fasteners from areas that have pulled > through, eat at the cheesecake factory. > > this morning, walking in I ponder my options: from memory, leaving taking > the piece off entirely is not an option (the car seemed floaty and easily > buffeted the first time I ran w/o it.) > > so I’d like to second the notion that if you’re driving around without one, > you’re missing out. I wonder how much difference there is between the > different designs any fely a discernable difference between the JT+95 style > wheel foils and the stock 95 pieces? > > daanesh > > p.s. if JTD is wondering who will buy the piece skip suggests, they can > count me in. > > Date: Mon, 25 Sep 2000 15:09:40 -0400 > From: Skip Bogard <skip.bogard@alumni.duke.edu> > Subject: Re: [E36M3] Monday morning and shit happens > > > I drive to work and look under the car and see that > > a massive plastic shroud (under the radiator area). > > > First of all, what is the proper name for this so that I can order > the > > replacement part? > > It's proper name on the BMW fiche is "air duct". There are at least three > types on M3's. On some of them, the part number is actually molded into > the part...look on the inside for yours. > > A summary of the three types I know of: > > 1. large heavy one on 95/some 96(?) M3's that had a reverse airfoil molded > into > it. P/N 51 71 2 250 643, P/N molded in. > > 2. plastic/metal one found on the '95 M3 LTW. Not an exact replacement for > the > above as it has an extra air slot in it. > > 3. lighter weight one on some 96 and all later M3's. Don't know if P/N is > molded in. This is a nice light piece, about 1/2 the weight or less of the > '95 part. > > >What function does this serve? > > High performance cars deserve a smooth underside...the purpose of this > shroud > is to contribute to that. It keeps air from swirling out of control under > the engine bay (this is considered to be "not real aero".) Technically > then, > the purpose is to 1) reduce drag and 2) reduce lift. > > >Can I go without it? > > The more important aero devices are the two wedges on either side of the > "air duct". If the area you live in is subject to rain & flooding, they you > should not drive at high speeds without the wedges....you're more likely to > hydroplane without these...more on this below. (Oh, and if you're racing, > in > theory they will reduce your top end) > > These parts aren't very expensive...don't sweat it. You'll get through > for probably under $100, unless the receiving tabs are torn...if these are > torn > you'll noticed those tabs are attached to your front wheel fender liners > (large > plastic pieces). This jacks the price up, but still not outrageous. > > TIP: The microfiche on these parts is very confusing, even for BMW techs. > If > you > can get ALL PART NUMBERS OFF THE PIECES, YOU ARE BETTER OFF. The > trianglular > pieces called "LEFT AIR DUCT" and RIGHT AIR DUCT" are also different between > #1 > ('95) > and #3 ('97+) above. However, either can be made to work in a pinch, but > some > of the > plastic details don't quite line up perfectly. > > Aerodynamically, the '95 setup looks to be more aero than the '97 setup, but > it > weighs more and hence fails more often. Can we say gravity sucks? Well, > gravity and that "reverse airfoil" on the '95 does suck, and it literally > pulls > the front end down, giving you down force up to the point where the part > pulls > off. > > Now aerodynamically, The left/right wedges in front of the tires are very > desirable > because it diverts stagnant air away from the intersection of the > tire/pavement > (which creates an inverse airfoil and causes tire lift) The JTD-design > replacement > (see http://bmwmpower.com/TechProc/jtd.htm and http://www.jt-designs.com/ > P/N # > 907) > looks pretty good and can be used with these '95 wedges (aero devices) or > the > '97 > wedges (which are not really aero devices...just flat plates). I'd like to > see > 80 people on this digest ask JTD to make their shroud plate an aerodynamic > copy > of the '95 setup. (but keep in mind that this WILL PULL on whatever they > <JTD> > decide to attach it to, and if this is the plastic liners for the wheel > wells, > then.... > > - Skip > > _________________________________________________________________________ > Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com. > > Share information about yourself, create your own public profile at > http://profiles.msn.com. > > ************************************************************* > List Commands > UNSUBSCRIBE - (in subject line) unsubscribes you from the mailing list. > *************************************************************
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#3. Re: [E36M3] Brushed aluminum lighted shift knob - from Sue Kraft
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Date: Tue, 26 Sep 2000 13:02:22 -0500 From: Sue Kraft <suekraft@mindspring.com> Subject: Re: [E36M3] Brushed aluminum lighted shift knob twisty M3 wrote: > > 1) The M5 has a 6-speed transmission (don't think the mechanical aspect of > the shifter itself should be different but you'd probably want to change the > shift pattern on top). I also recall a dealer telling me that there were > fitment "issues" and that it wouldn't work in my '99 M3. My sister just bought a new 530 (over in Germany) and it came with a lighted aluminum shift knob. I believe her new 530 is a 5=speed. She is here in town right now and I will be seeing her later today so I will ask to make sure. She also said something about having a brochure with her of the new car. Maybe it will show a picture of the top of the shift knob to see what the shift pattern is. Suzy
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#4. Re: Lightweight - from Ron Katona
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Date: Tue, 26 Sep 2000 14:47:02 -0400 From: Ron Katona <rkatona@bellatlantic.net> Subject: Re: Lightweight Carlos Lopez wrote: > If my memory is working I remember both Ron K. and Bob T. agreeing that > their autox ESP 95 M3's weighed in at ~2900 lbs. No sunroof, with > racing seats. That's about right. I'm going to weigh it again this week when I do an alignment on it. Might be closer to 2950. Odd that they weigh the same, yet he crushes people that I couldn't beat this year. There must be something wrong with my car. ;-) > Now just for fun I asked one of the A students at Mid-Ohio with a BMod > E36 M3 how much it weighed. ~2600 lbs. That was with a Euro M3 motor, > stripped interior, carbon fiber hood/trunk/wing, Lexan rear side > windows and Lexan rear windshield, + cage. Cool car. Sounds about right. A friend who races a 325i in ITS told me his car was ~2750 lb empty, with cage and fire system. -- Ron Katona
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#5. NA power and retrofittable traction control - from daanesh chanduwadia
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Date: Tue, 26 Sep 2000 18:51:56 GMT From: "daanesh chanduwadia" <daanesh@hotmail.com> Subject: NA power and retrofittable traction control i think RMS (yuck) advertises a 3.5 conversion, as well as a retrofittable traction control device by racelogic. see www.racelogic.co.uk. i would contact them directly for the US distributor -- i called him some time back and he said over $1K for the part and about two days of labor. daanesh 95 M3 w/euro intake fast enuff for me p.s. not to start a flame war, but the 3.0 dinan kit was the best (in terms of drivability and shape of the curves) of all i've driven (ERT with OBDI and 3.2 block, RMS 3.0, seth thomas' former RMS 3.2L, Dinan 3.0, Dinan 3.2) p.p.s. john vanH -- sorry to hear about ICE9... how much power was she making with her normally aspirated 3.0? >> Date: Mon, 25 Sep 2000 18:01:07 EDT From: ClassiGuy3@aol.com Subject: BUILDING A MOTOR... Instead of turbocharging and supercharging, can i get a motor and make it produce 350+ horses normally aspirated. or should i just supercharge for 6600 bucks?. LEo >> Date: Mon, 25 Sep 2000 20:57:08 -0700 From: Bora Akyol <akyol@pluris.com> Subject: Traction control retrofit onto a 95 M3 Is it possible to install traction control on a 95 M3 that did not come with it? How expensive can this get? Thanks Bora _________________________________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com. Share information about yourself, create your own public profile at http://profiles.msn.com.
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#6. RE: [E36M3] Re: How much negative camber? - from Jim Bassett
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Date: Tue, 26 Sep 2000 11:58:08 -0700 From: "Jim Bassett" <jbassett@mayannetworks.com> Subject: RE: [E36M3] Re: How much negative camber? > I've tried this a couple of times. Problems: > - Gives neg of over 2.5 deg. Obviously a YMMV sitution - IIRC mine measured out at around 2.2 deg (I'll have to double check at home). > - Increased inside edge wear of the fronts on the street to the > point that I > needed to have them flipped on the rims to equalize. Correct, that is one downside. I had the added benefit, though, of having 8.5" wheels all around, so I rotated F<->R a few times first before having the tires flipped. So far the wear is pretty even, and it's been 40,000 miles on the odo since I've had these street tires (some of that mileage is on the track tires, of course). > - Not quickly reversible But as a decent compromise for street & track, not sure that this is a downside. > - Requires total strut removal and disassembly. True. > The advantage obviously is that it works, and is a no cost option > if you can > do it yourself as I do. Otherwise you'll pay 3-4 hours of shop time I > suspect. Eeek! 3-4 hours?!? My mechanic, Bill Arnold, did it in about an hour. Three of us did the swap on a friend's Roadster, probably took 3-4 hours including the trip to Sears for clamps to hold the springs. Impact/air tools do help, though :-) But the parts price is right, and for a relatively lazy person like myself, the non-adjustability & non-reversibility were benefits :-) Cheers, Jim Bassett 1998 M3/4
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#7. RE: [E36M3] Lightweight - from Ron Katona
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Date: Tue, 26 Sep 2000 14:57:10 -0400 From: Ron Katona <rkatona@bellatlantic.net> Subject: RE: [E36M3] Lightweight Matt Malfa wrote: > I would expect about an 80lb savings with a pair of Sparco Ultra or similar > seats. Ron? Yeah, about that. The stock Vader seats weigh 65 lb each. The Ultras weigh about 15, but there's 10 lbs of mounting hardware and harnesses that have to go in. A 40 lb per side reduction is realistic. -- Ron Katona
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#8. Re: HELP! ERT UD Pulley - from S Lafredo
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Date: Tue, 26 Sep 2000 12:08:44 -0700 (PDT) From: S Lafredo <slafredo@yahoo.com> Subject: Re: HELP! ERT UD Pulley I'll help. Help save you the cost of a new crank and/or the labor associated with re-installing the A/C belt every week. Instructions: -------------------------------- 1. Print out this email. 2. Put it on your desk. 3. Put the U/D pulley on the email, that's on the desk. 4. Sit back and admire your new paper weight. 5. Be thankful that you did not install it on your car. HTH. Stephen --- Paul Tsaliagos <ptsaliagos@mediamap.com> wrote: > <snip> but the only exception was no warranty or instructions. I > emailed ERT(a few times), but they haven't responded back. Can > anyone help me? __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Send instant messages & get email alerts with Yahoo! Messenger. http://im.yahoo.com/
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#9. Re: M3 feels slower by the day - I agree - from Ron Buchalski
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Date: Tue, 26 Sep 2000 19:11:45 GMT From: "Ron Buchalski" <rbuchals@hotmail.com> Subject: Re: M3 feels slower by the day - I agree Wayne, I hate to be the one to break the bad news to you, but you didn't buy the fastest car on the road. There's ALWAYS going to be a faster car. During the first driver's school in my M3 (not my first driver's school event), it was irritating to be in the same run group as Ron Katona (driving his 318ti) and never being able to catch him. It didn't prompt me to run out and buy all of the available go-fast parts. Heck, Ron K. liked the E36 M3 so much, he bought one for himself. Get over it, and enjoy the car! :-) -rb >Date: Tue, 26 Sep 2000 11:40:04 -0400 >From: "Wayne Miller" <m3@waynemiller.com> >Subject: M3 feels slower by the day - I agree > >I want to start out by saying that I absolutely LOVE my M3. I know that on >a track, together we can keep up with cars perceived to be much better >and/or faster and I always enjoy driving it. Unfortunately, I have to agree >with Rob here. I was on the highway a few weeks ago and I had a plain >looking VW Golf behind me accelerating on the highway from about 60 to 125 >and he was >right on my butt the whole time. I don't think that he could have passed me >but he wasn't losing any ground either. I was in the right gears and I >couldn't have accelerated any faster. It could have been a VR6 or even had >nitrous, I'll never know for sure but I was disappointed. > >Personally, I am waiting to see if any new turbo or supercharger kits >become available in the near future. I had extensive conversations with >Corky Bell about his Turbo kit but the progress was slow and I haven't >spoken to him in a while. I have never been all that impressed with the AA >stuff and would not convert my car back to OBDI. I wasn't all that >impressed with the available supercharger systems out there. I even spoke >to Turner Motorsport about purchasing one of their (what I found out to be) >used Euro 3.0 engines. They were expensive to start with (I think $9,000 >was the low end) and required way too many other modifications to get to >work in my car - I estimated that it would end up costing me $15,000 >minimum for that swap. > >Now, I am waiting with my fingers crossed for any announcements from well >established people and hoping that some alternative arrives to give me >(us?) the unfair advantage :-) > >-Wayne > >'99 M3/2 with everything _________________________________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com. Share information about yourself, create your own public profile at http://profiles.msn.com.
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#10. WTB: E36 M3 - from Fadeev, Alex
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Date: Tue, 26 Sep 2000 14:16:58 -0500 From: "Fadeev, Alex" <alex.fadeev@verizon.com> Subject: WTB: E36 M3 Folks, If anyone has a line on a slush-box E36 M3, please let me know. Desired parameters (pretty much in the order of importance): - automatic - exterior color anything other than white/red/black. Ideally, Dakar Yellow (yeah, I know, a very conservative slush-box color) - located within driving distance of DFW - traction control ('96+) TIA, alex