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#1. Re: [E36M3] question for autox'ers/trackers (tires) - from Ron Katona
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Date: Sun, 07 Apr 2002 11:01:29 -0400 From: Ron Katona <rkatona@bellatlantic.net> Subject: Re: [E36M3] question for autox'ers/trackers (tires) Joe Dyer wrote: > I prefer the added acceleration of the 235s, and the cornering forces are > not that much less than the wider footprint 245s especially on 7.5 inch > stock motorsport rims (95) I agree. The old 245/45-17 is too tall and will kill gearing as well as having rubbing issues. The new tires are just better anyway from what I've seen - at least as sticky, lighter, stiffer sidewall. -- Ron Katona
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#2. Re: New Suspension Woes - from Neil Maller
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Date: Sun, 07 Apr 2002 10:40:36 -0500 From: Neil Maller <neil.maller@gte.net> Subject: Re: New Suspension Woes on 4/6/02 6:05 PM, "Darling Christopher Maj AMC/CEXR" <Christopher.Darling@scott.af.mil> wrote: > Hi everyone, I just finished putting in my new StreetLine suspension, and . . > . something is very wrong. Loud clunks going over every bump in the road. > > I'm 95% sure the culprit is the shock absorbers in the front--I bet those big > top nuts aren't seated far enough. But I even used an impact wrench (even > though you are not supposed to), and couldn't really get it down very far. > Please help me out--what is the technique here?? I've got the deep well > socket that fits the nut, but how is the shock shaft prevented from turning??? > > Any advice on the above, or additional leads would be appreciated! Chris, I thought I previously sent you this info as part of the Koni cut 'n gut procedure, but maybe not. Here it is: E36 M3 STRUT ASSEMBLY TOOL/TECHNIQUE ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ When you put the strut assemblies back together using the Konis, you have the same problem torquing the big top nut as with stock struts: how to keep the shock shaft from turning. But with Konis it's extremely important to secure the shaft as you torque this nut, since otherwise you may end up turning against the stop on the Koni's internal adjustment mechanism, and can break it. Very expensive error! ***TIGHTEN THE NUT BY HAND. DO NOT USE AN AIR IMPACT WRENCH!*** Newer Konis have a hex head on the shaft which you can use to keep it from turning. The Koni instructions show using a simple open end wrench to hold the shaft while torquing the nut, but in the BMW strut assembly the hex end is deeply recessed into the bearing plates and you can't get to it that way. Based on an idea by Bob Stommel, here's how to make a special concentric socket tool. Buy a 22mm deep pattern 1/2" drive socket (or the appropriate size if the nut on your shock is different.) At the square drive end, grind a pair of flats at 180 degrees to one another so that you can put an open end wrench on them. I used a bench grinder to do this. Now take a 3/8" drive extension and pass it down through your modified socket. Attach an 11mm socket for the Koni's shaft to the bottom of the extension, and a ratchet handle to the top, with the 22mm socket captured in between. Note: if assembling Bilstein or stock struts instead of Konis, substitute the appropriate size hex driver instead of the 11mm socket. Thread the large central nut on to the Koni shaft. Position the small socket on its extension over the shaft hex, then drop the 22mm socket down so that it engages the large nut. Using the ratchet handle you can now hold the shock shaft stationary, while turning the nut with an open end wrench on the 22mm socket's flats. Questions, suggestions, errata? E-mail me at neil.maller@gte.net Neil 96 M3
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#3. damaged wheel - from Kit Wetzler
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Date: Sun, 07 Apr 2002 08:59:50 -0700 From: Kit Wetzler <kitwetzler@mindspring.com> Subject: damaged wheel > A few days later (i.e. yesterday) I noticed that one of the wheels has a > good size chunk taken out of it! Oh man... this would piss me off! Rowr! The very least they should pay for is a trip to Wheel Techniques for refinishing. What I would suggest is asking nicely at first... but then, go for the guts if they don't. Did you pay by credit card? You can dispute the charges... that's what I ended up having to threaten to do when they scratched one of the SSR integrals on my (Pre-M3) S2000. Those guys also make a habit of not changing the valve stem you paid for them to change, and other crappy things like that. Custom Alignment does good mounting and balancing... it's not cheap, but it's done right. Wheel Techniques does a good job too... Managed to get 255/40r17 kumhos onto my 17x8.5 m contours no problem... (of course there was quite a bit of swearing involved...) -kit
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#4. Re: Brake Cooling - from Neil Maller
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Date: Sun, 07 Apr 2002 11:09:55 -0500 From: Neil Maller <neil.maller@gte.net> Subject: Re: Brake Cooling on 4/4/02 1:45 AM, Mike Frank <mfrank28@comcast.net> wrote: > Ducts will be a worthwhile addition to your setup. The HMS kit looks > the same as the Bimmerworld kit, which I bought a couple of years ago. > I have modified my setup a few times, and my recommendation would be to > get the backing plates only. At $245 they are rather pricey (like many > things for our BMWs), but I don't think anyone offers anything much > cheaper and they work very well. Lube helps. :) They are pricey, but well thought out and nicely made (assuming they're really the Bimmerworld product). Although painted, the backing plates are made out of stainless steel. > IMHO, the hose they include is too stiff and they're not exactly giving > it away. Go to a race shop and get some of the orange high temp > silicone hose. It is extremely flexible and so far pretty durable. An > 11 foot "stick" cost me ~$50. More hose, better hose, cheaper hose - > hard to beat. I tried that too, but found that the lightweight silicone hose lasted just one weekend before wearing through. Personally I like the heavy double wall hose that Bimmerworld supplies - however I'm also using the flanges (about which more below) so rubbing may be more an issue for me. By the way, the heavy hose can be easily, but not cheaply, purchased at any local general aviation supply house. > I would also omit the flanges. They seem like a good idea, but they > require more work than necessary and stress the fender liners too much. > If you really want them, you can have mine for free. The idea of being > able to remove the piece from the flange to the backing plates again > seems good, but I ended up leaving mine on all the time. I like the flanges, but leaving the flange to backing plate hose in place all the time isn't an option for most people due to the limiting effect on steering lock. Even paddock parking maneuvers are pretty constrained, and it's a real pain if you forget and pop one of the hoses off. One good way to help avoid excess stress on the fender liners is to use lighter weight hose from the ducts to the flanges. I use inexpensive black single wall PVC here. It's much more flexible than the double wall stuff, and doesn't need to be heat resistant in this area. Then I can save the expensive heavy hose for where heat resistance is really needed. I've also previously described a much better way of installing the forward part of the hose than the Bimmerworld instructions indicate. If I had to do it over again I might install air ducts into the fog light apertures instead - I don't ever use those lights. > You will most likely still have clearance issues with just the flange, so > removal doesn't buy much. Besides, it keeps my dustless street pads cooler > when I get into them every so often. If the flange had a 30-45 degree bend, > it would be much better. It would allow mounting further inboard and reduce > stress on the center plastic shroud that's always breaking/coming off > (especially if you use their stiff hose). I don't generally have clearance issues with the flanges alone. Occasionally a slight scrape at full parking lock with the suspension loaded in just the right way, but that's it. > In the end I cut away roughly 2/3 of a circle from the inside of the > (new) fender liners and also cut away some of the rear lower edge of the > (new) center shroud. This eliminated most of the stress on the plastic > pieces and allowed mounting further inward for additional steering lock. > I also made some custom ducts from the stock pieces to attach to the > bumper cover. Even though I use the flanges, like you I also cut a relief in the (stock but specially reinforced and mounted) shroud to allow for easier routing of the forward hose. My cut is in the vertical side of the shroud to allow a larger radius bend in the hose. I'd be very interested to check out your installation when we're at Putnam later this month. See you there! Neil 96 M3
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#5. Re: 95 M3...failed smog!!! - from HYPERM3@aol.com
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Date: Sun, 7 Apr 2002 12:16:55 EDT From: HYPERM3@aol.com Subject: Re: 95 M3...failed smog!!! OK, at what point in modifications is the Cat not under warranty anymore? With just the addition of aftermarket exhaust? New headers? A chip? A supercharger? I know the cause of a fault for replacement of a part has to be directly related to the installation of an aftermarket piece, but aren't the ones I mentioned all related to exhaust? Alex "HyperM3" Demsky 97 S/C "What warranty" M3
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#6. Re: [E36M3] Re: 95 M3...failed smog!!! - from Michael
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Date: Sun, 7 Apr 2002 12:34:21 -0400 From: "Michael" <95m3ltw@charter.net> Subject: Re: [E36M3] Re: 95 M3...failed smog!!! Anything before the cat will result in BMW claiming it caused the fault. A aftermarket muffler should not be an issue nor easy for them to prove it caused any damage since it is after the muffler and flow rates are about the same for all M3 mufflers. A chip, header, etc can be proven to cause heat issues that would affect the cat thus they will point at it and deny coverage. Supercharger will probably get the warranty thrown out the minute they pop the hood. Time for a used cat or replacement. Glad we dont have that crap here in ga, yet! Mike ----- Original Message ----- From: <HYPERM3@aol.com> To: "E36M3" <e36m3@bmw-m.net> Sent: Sunday, April 07, 2002 12:25 PM Subject: [E36M3] Re: 95 M3...failed smog!!! > Date: Sun, 7 Apr 2002 12:16:55 EDT > From: HYPERM3@aol.com > Subject: Re: 95 M3...failed smog!!! > > > OK, at what point in modifications is the Cat not under warranty anymore? > With just the addition of aftermarket exhaust? New headers? A chip? A > supercharger? I know the cause of a fault for replacement of a part has to be > directly related to the installation of an aftermarket piece, but aren't the > ones I mentioned all related to exhaust? > > Alex "HyperM3" Demsky > 97 S/C "What warranty" M3 > > > > ************************************************************* > List Commands > UNSUBSCRIBE - (in subject line) unsubscribes you from the mailing list. > DIR - sends a listing of files available in the list's GET directory. > GET filename1.ext,filename2.ext - sends the requested file(s). > > To issue a command/request to the server: > Send a message with the command you wish executed as the > subject of the message to the email address e36m3@bmw-m.net. > ************************************************************* > >
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#7. Re: [E36M3] Re: 95 M3...failed smog!!!, ops - from Michael
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Date: Sun, 7 Apr 2002 12:46:12 -0400 From: "Michael" <95m3ltw@charter.net> Subject: Re: [E36M3] Re: 95 M3...failed smog!!!, ops ----- Original Message ----- From: "Michael" <95m3ltw@charter.net> since it is after the muffler and flow rates are about the > same for all M3 mufflers. should read 'after the cats' Mike
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#8. Re: [E36M3] Wheel damaged at shop...question - from Joe Dyer
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Date: Sun, 7 Apr 2002 10:55:07 -0700 From: "Joe Dyer" <joedyer@attbi.com> Subject: Re: [E36M3] Wheel damaged at shop...question Steve, That Americas Tire shop is pretty good about making things right. It sure would have been better to have inspected the wheels before leaving the store. Good Luck! Joe ----- Original Message ----- From: "Steve Grigory" <sgrigory@pacbell.net> To: "E36M3" <e36m3@bmw-m.net> Sent: Sunday, April 07, 2002 1:05 AM Subject: [E36M3] Wheel damaged at shop...question | Date: Sun, 07 Apr 2002 00:02:02 -0800 | From: Steve Grigory <sgrigory@pacbell.net> | Subject: Wheel damaged at shop...question | | This will perhaps sound like a dumb (or obvious) question, but... | | Took my car in to an America's Tire store in Mt. View, CA to get a set of | new S03's installed. They matched Tire Rack's price and a buddy of mine | highly recommended them. Plus I thought it would be good to have a shop to | take the car back to if something ever went wrong with the tires. | | Sadly, I have found I already have a reason to go back to them. | | A few days later (i.e. yesterday) I noticed that one of the wheels has a | good size chunk taken out of it! Admittedly it's in the finish, the wheel is | functionally fine. The damage is on the surface of the rim lip, about half | way between the two edges. There is also a healthy scuff a bit further down | the rim, but on the lip of it. The big chunk is missing both the clear coat | and the gray finish of the wheel. | | Looking at the missing chunk, it's obvious it's not a curb rash type of | abrasion. It could be where something used to say pry off the tire gauged | the rim. And there is pretty much no way this damage was on the wheel before | the tire shop replaced the tires, I would have seen it. | | So, I plan to take it back Monday and complain. I have no idea how they will | handle it. | | Anyone here ever had a similar issue? I'm curious... | | | | ************************************************************* | List Commands | UNSUBSCRIBE - (in subject line) unsubscribes you from the mailing list. | DIR - sends a listing of files available in the list's GET directory. | GET filename1.ext,filename2.ext - sends the requested file(s). | | To issue a command/request to the server: | Send a message with the command you wish executed as the | subject of the message to the email address e36m3@bmw-m.net. | ************************************************************* | |
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#9. bypass valves - from Paul Elliott
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Date: Sun, 7 Apr 2002 15:08:29 -0400 From: "Paul Elliott" <elliott.paul@worldnet.att.net> Subject: bypass valves >>The bypass valve on the roots-type blower is just there for simply that reason... to bypass the blower<< Kit, in our CF type blowers, Ive been wondering on what basis the system puts us in bypass mode....I notice that in order to get meaningful boost, ie over say 3 psi, to show on the gauge, Ive got to do something 'signficiant' with the throttle...Simply accelerating at half throttle to redline will probably not budge the boost gauge needle one iota. Yet, it does not require WOT in order for boost to build.... Where is the 'intellegence' for this valve located? ie, how does it 'know' when to bypass, and when not to? Paul Elliott --------------------------------------------------------- '99 White M3; < 40K miles; Dinan stage II SC kit with 6" RMS crank pulley: 11 psi; AA Water Injection; Rotex pads;X-Brace; Dinan Koni Suspension; Stygar SS and Clutch Stop; Sound by Polk, Excelon, JLAudio
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#10. The end (was: big brake kits) - from Paul Elliott
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Date: Sun, 7 Apr 2002 15:18:35 -0400 From: "Paul Elliott" <elliott.paul@worldnet.att.net> Subject: The end (was: big brake kits) >>Yeah, but will you still love me once I've gone to the darkside? The '97 supercharged M3 I was looking at didn't work out, so now I'm thinking about a '94 Audi S4. Found a nice black/black one in Denver but can't figure out how I'm going to get it home yet.<< So long as you keep 'our' list going! Whats to stop you from starting up the same service for those audiphiles? Maybe, you'll run both? Judging by your recent outpouring, that doesnt seem likely, so yea, we're concerned that you give up the list along with your M3 involvement! Pleaseeee, dont forget about us! BTW, if you want to go the used car route, why not consider another M3, and learning from past mistakes, youd be able to customize it to be the car you've always wanted. From all youve learned both here, and from personal experience, for not too much bread, I think you could make the perfect car for you...With the audi, you'll be playing the live and learn game all over again :--( Ive been lucky in that with the $20gs Ive spent on my '99, Ive made myself relatively 'new car proof', in that each time I get an inkling to take a look at a new E46, I say to myself, do I think it would be an improvement over what I have...and I inevitably wind up answering in the negative...Every time I'm behind the wheel, I say to myself, '...this must be the perfect car...'. It would take alot for me to give that up, and start the process of customizing and refining all over again...So, I love what I have....I just think that with another M3, youd be that much closer to your own personal automotive nirvana than you would be with another make and model. Paul Elliott --------------------------------------------------------- '99 White M3; < 40K miles; Dinan stage II SC kit with 6" RMS crank pulley: 11 psi; AA Water Injection; Rotex pads;X-Brace; Dinan Koni Suspension; Stygar SS and Clutch Stop; Sound by Polk, Excelon, JLAudio