-------------------- 1 --------------------
#1. 235/40 vs 245/40 performance difference - from Rob
Top
Date: Fri, 11 May 2001 23:34:45 -0600 From: "Rob" <motor@cadvision.com> Subject: 235/40 vs 245/40 performance difference Does anyone want to hazard a guess about the difference in performance (lateral grip) between a 235/40/17 and a 245/40/17 of the same make/model, on the same E36, mounted on the proper width rim, yada, yada... I'm about to lay down some $$ for new rubber and this size thing has got me thinking (in no particular order - its late at night!): The 235 will be lighter, will never rub, cost less, and give better i.e. lower gearing. The 245 will look better front behind, be wider, give a slightly smoother ride, and *maybe* offer more grip but is it really any better?. The F360 has no problem with grip running 215's up front, but it doesn't carry much weight up there either!. Maybe I should just follow my instincts and get the 245's?????. Anyone???. Rob
-------------------- 2 --------------------
#2. Sheared bolts - from Steve D'Gerolamo
Top
Date: Sat, 12 May 2001 06:58:10 -0400 From: "Steve D'Gerolamo" <steved3@idt.net> Subject: Sheared bolts When tightening water pump, timing cover, oil pan and other low torque engine fasteners, use 1/4" drive. The 1/2 drive torque wrenches with 10-250 ft lb ranges tend to be very inaccurate at the extremes. I use a Facom 5>25nm 1/4 drive torque wrench. Steve =============================== Steve D'Gerolamo - The Ultimate Garage - Tel 201-262-0412
-------------------- 3 --------------------
#3. Red 4 door 97 M3 for sale - from RayC325@aol.com
Top
Date: Sat, 12 May 2001 09:17:36 EDT From: RayC325@aol.com Subject: Red 4 door 97 M3 for sale 1997 BMW M3 SEDAN BMW certified car. Extra 50k warranty. Red with black leather. Only 32,000 miles. Four Door, five speed, sunroof, power windows/locks, cruise, Harmon Kardon Stereo with CD changer, computer, factory wing. All maintenance performed by dealer. Oil changes every 3k miles, garaged, non smoker. New Kumho tires. Asking $29,500 obo.
-------------------- 4 --------------------
#4. Cool tool - from Jim Powell
Top
Date: Sat, 12 May 2001 07:09:24 -0700 From: Jim Powell <jsp98m3@apexcone.com> Subject: Cool tool http://www.apexcone.com/LogosandPics/Garage/Miscellaneous.html Look at the second row of pics. This is an even better alternative than Snap-on for the 7mm hex socket required to remove the guide bolts on the calipers of E36s. Jim
-------------------- 5 --------------------
#5. Re: [E36M3] 235/40 vs 245/40 performance difference - from Chris Teague
Top
Date: Sat, 12 May 2001 07:26:32 -0700 From: "Chris Teague" <cteague@home.com> Subject: Re: [E36M3] 235/40 vs 245/40 performance difference Rob, I would say the difference in performance would be minimal. I went for 245's for looks. Chris 97 M3/4 ----- Original Message ----- From: "Rob" <motor@cadvision.com> To: "E36M3" <e36m3@bmw-m.net> Sent: Friday, May 11, 2001 10:34 PM Subject: [E36M3] 235/40 vs 245/40 performance difference > Does anyone want to hazard a guess about the difference in performance > (lateral grip) between a 235/40/17 and a 245/40/17 of the same make/model, > on the same E36, mounted on the proper width rim, yada, yada... > I'm about to lay down some $$ for new rubber and this size thing has got me > thinking (in no particular order - its late at night!): The 235 will be > lighter, will never rub, cost less, and give better i.e. lower gearing. The > 245 will look better front behind, be wider, give a slightly smoother ride, > and *maybe* offer more grip but is it really any better?. The F360 has no > problem with grip running 215's up front, but it doesn't carry much weight > up there either!. > Maybe I should just follow my instincts and get the 245's?????. Anyone???. > > Rob
-------------------- 6 --------------------
#6. Re: [E36M3] Help! Water Pump mi$take - from George Trilikis
Top
Date: Sat, 12 May 2001 10:32:09 -0500 From: "George Trilikis" <gptrilik@home.com> Subject: Re: [E36M3] Help! Water Pump mi$take In case I 'stretched' the other 3 bolts where the waterpump mounts to, should I have them replace those as well? How in the heck to those even stay where they are at? I dont know if I should silicone it and drive it anywhere since I live a solid 15 min from a mechanic that I would want to work on the car. Maybe it is time to wave the white flag? Thanks for the help, George This will be a costly proceedure for a shop to do. ----- Original Message ----- From: <LoweSeaton@aol.com> To: <gptrilik@home.com>; <e36m3@bmw-m.net> Sent: Friday, May 11, 2001 8:55 PM Subject: Re: [E36M3] Help! Water Pump mi$take > George, > > Sorry to hear about the broken bolt. But don't give up hope. I'm sure a > mechanic could get the old bolt out. It might take some work but certainly > doable. I would let somebody else do it. > > You could even drive the car to the repair shop. Just put the rest of the > water pump bolts in and tighten them down as specified. Chances are the > water pump won't leak. If it does leak, put some silicone sealant around the > area where it leaks. This will get you to the mechanic. No need to tow the > car in. > > Good luck, > > Lowell Seaton - a few broken bolts along the way > '95 M3 > Dallas, Texas > >At 5/11/2001 06:24 PM, you wrote: >>Date: Fri, 11 May 2001 20:17:07 -0500 >>Subject: Help! Water Pump mi$take >> >> >>Hello Digest, >>=20 >>I have been silently doing regular maintenence on my 95 M3 as anyone >>else has. Only problem. I made a grave mistake. >>I have sheared one of the bolts that holds the water pump to the block >>after putting the new one in and tightening. Let me tell you there is >>no other feeling like it. =3D-( I was using a torque wrench set to the >>right ft lbs. (At least I thought...) Anyways that is not important >>right now.. How difficult is the proceedure for someone (anyone but >>me...) to fix this? Feeling lightheaded right now....=20 >>=20 >>Thanks, >>=20 >>George >>
-------------------- 7 --------------------
#7. Beta Tools - from Jim Powell
Top
Date: Sat, 12 May 2001 08:33:56 -0700 From: Jim Powell <jsp98m3@apexcone.com> Subject: Beta Tools http://www.beta-tools.com/ Go look at this site and especially the .pdf of their catalog. I might have to buy some new stuff :) Jim
-------------------- 8 --------------------
#8. Re: [E36M3] BMW Security system? - from Neil Maller
Top
Date: Sat, 12 May 2001 12:02:11 -0500 From: Neil Maller <neil.maller@gte.net> Subject: Re: [E36M3] BMW Security system? on 5/11/01 8:34 PM, Jim Bassett <jbassett@geysernetworks.com> wrote: > I purchased one for my previous 328is from The BMW Store (in Cincinnati?) a > few years ago. Good price, great service. Someone else may have a more > recent experience/recommendation, though. The BMW Store still has great service and good prices. Neil 96 M3
-------------------- 9 --------------------
#9. Re: Steering fluid leak - from Neil Maller
Top
Date: Sat, 12 May 2001 12:03:37 -0500 From: Neil Maller <neil.maller@gte.net> Subject: Re: Steering fluid leak on 5/11/01 3:44 PM, nzw212@yahoo.com wrote: > I brought my '95 in for a NY state inspection this week and the tech > told me that I was leaking steering fluid. He said that it didn't seem > like it was the pump. He said that the fluid is leaking onto the sway > bar. Any suggestions or advice about common power steering issues? It's a fairly common fault. Fix is to replace the offending PS hose. Neil 96 M3
-------------------- 10 --------------------
#10. 1st time M3 owner tells all - from Lee Conte
Top
Date: Sat, 12 May 2001 11:16:01 -0700 From: "Lee Conte" <leeconte@home.com> Subject: 1st time M3 owner tells all I bought my first M3 last weekend, a silver 98 coupe. It was a pretty heartbreaking week last week. I bought it from a Lexus dealer in Santa Monica. When I went to see it, I took it for a test drive, but Santa Monica on a Saturday afternoon doesn't seem to have anywhere within miles to do a really good test drive, so I was limited to a few quick pulls from 0-40, up and down a few streets, and that was it. It seemed fine, everything worked as it should have, acceleration was fine, no weird noises, etc (I've been a passenger in friends' M3s for years, so I was at least somewhat familiar with them from that perspective.) For the last year I have been driving a manual Isuzu Rodeo (SUV), so perhaps you can imagine the severity of adjustment I needed to make to drive the car. Yes, I had some trouble with 1st vs reverse ... I imagine it must be a rite of passage to get that sorted out. Anyway, the car was in excellent shape externally except for some almost-worn tires. It had 78k miles on it, and I wound up buying it for $25k. Driving home to the San Diego area from Santa Monica, I couldn't really do much since a friend who didn't know the way was following me in the dreaded Rodeo. But after an hour of ~65mph driving I noticed something very strange, nothing I'd ever experienced in any car I've ever driven (all of which have been manuals since I stopped driving my parents' hand-me-downs years ago). In 5th, I would occasionally hit the gas to accelerate, and it would barely accelerate while the tach would climb several 1000 rpm. At first I had no idea what was going on, but I soon realized that the clutch was slipping ... arg!! I brought it to Cunningham BMW in El Cajon, not far from where I live. They advertise that they're one of the top 5 BMW service departments in the US, and I can see why, they were great. Well, not only the clutch, but the flywheel and other associated bits were completely torched, one of those "amazed it could be driven at all" type of things. Getting antsy about how well this car had actually been taken care of, I asked them to do a compression test on the engine. I got a call back later on that upon preparing to do the test they found that the spark plugs were extremely old, and #6 was jammed in so hard they stripped the hole removing it (which they rethreaded at minimal charge). After hearing that, I asked them to just go ahead and do an Inspection II. Well, the damage to my wallet was to the tune of $2500, I think probably not bad considering all the parts and the work that was done. The service tech was happy with the results - the compression test passed fine, and after they changed the usual filters, fluids, etc and gave it the set of new plugs, the engine was running great. I finally got it back from them yesterday. So, I had been having serious withdrawal symptoms from this car all week while it was in the shop, even though I had hardly had a chance to drive it. Of course I had to take it on a test drive immediately, and so I did. Went out East on I-8 and, well, what can I say. All the superlatives are true ... everything about how perfect the engine/clutch combination is, how the car just goes exactly where you point it effortlessly, and all the rest of it, it's all just the simple truth. When I found a long empty stretch of highway ahead of me , I started to wonder about the accuracy of the speedo. It looked like I had hit 142 (before I lost my nerve), but I thought these cars are limited at 137 unless they get rechipped. After I get new tires I will have to try that again! My first real drive yesterday was an absolute epiphany. I can't stop thinking about the car now. Even now as I type, I am daydreaming about when I will next be taking it out. Driving will never again be about simply getting from point A to point B. As for Santa Monica Lexus, well, I'm not quite through with them yet, but that's another story. Lee Conte Spring Valley CA US NIA#6917