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#1. Re: [E36M3] Re: 95 M3 - stupid water pumps - from Robert Chay
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Date: Wed, 05 Jun 2002 11:07:12 -0400 From: Robert Chay <rchay@mindspring.com> Subject: Re: [E36M3] Re: 95 M3 - stupid water pumps Chris, Sounds like your thermostat is stuck closed. In this state, it blocks the coolant from circulating. Neil is right about it being fairly cheap to fix. One thing to check is that parts of the t-stat didn't break off and go thru your cooling system. Good luck. -Bobby ----- Original Message ----- > Date: Wed, 05 Jun 2002 10:32:39 -0400 > From: Chris Papademetrious <chrispy@ieee.org> > Subject: Re: 95 M3 - stupid water pumps > <snip> > 1. On the trip home, I put the heater on full blast to attempt to suck as > much heat out of the coolant as I could. There wasn't any heat, leading me > to believe the coolant wasn't circulating. This rules out the thermostat, > right? <snip>
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#2. 95 M3 - stupid water pumps - from Berney, Butch
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Date: Wed, 5 Jun 2002 08:12:01 -0700 From: "Berney, Butch" <butch.berney@lamrc.com> Subject: 95 M3 - stupid water pumps Chris, It seems unlikely that your new water pump has failed already. Your mechanic was correct to have replaced the pump preventitively. The water pump and the radiator are both known to fail in the 50k to 75k miles range. Are you sure it was the water pump that failed? Look closely at the upper radiator neck (where the upper large hose attaches). If it is the radiator, you can get a good deal on a new one from http://www.bimmerparts.com . No affiliation, just a happy customer. Good luck, Butch Date: Tue, 04 Jun 2002 23:00:47 -0400 From: Chris Papademetrious <chrispy@ieee.org> Subject: 95 M3 - stupid water pumps <snip> My original factory pump was working fine, and we just replaced it as preventative maintenance. I wonder if that was a wise thing to do after all? - Chris
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#3. RE: catastrophic engine failure - from Steve Hazard
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Date: Wed, 5 Jun 2002 11:25:34 -0400 From: "Steve Hazard" <SHazard@nhboston.com> Subject: RE: catastrophic engine failure I lost my Oil pump nut last July out on the highway. My 98 Sedan had about 70K on it at the time. I saw the light come on, coasted off the highway into a Gas station and shut her down. When I tried to start her up she sounded like a Diesel! Had it towed up to the Dealership, $800 later all was well. No bearing damage! I agree with M-Power that there are to many of these incidents. My car has been spun tons (both feet in), bounced off the 7K Rev limiter hundreds of times, tracked and Autocrossed hard for 3 years now, but none of that should be an excuse for the nut backing of my car, or any other... I have talked with others who had this happen also. BMW is looking the other way IMHO....It would be an expensive TSB/Recall!!!! I wonder if there is some way to figure out hom many cars this has happened to since 95? My .02 Steve Boston Chapter Autocross Chair > > Date: Tue, 4 Jun 2002 21:17:39 -0500 > > From: "M-Power" <M-Power@austin.rr.com> > > Subject: Catastrophic Engine Failure > > > > Memorial Day Weekend I had a catastrophic loss of oil pressure that > > completely destroyed the engine in my 1999 M3 with only 57K-58K miles. BMW > > has refused to be any help with this design flaw! I have to replace the > > engine! > > > > The nut that holds the gear to the oil pump came off. This caused the gear > > to come off; therefore there was a complete loss of oil pressure. This is a > > design flaw that all of you need to be aware of! The nut does NOT have > > anything to stop it from coming loose and falling off. The nut needs to be > > torqued correctly, lock tight applied and safety wire attached. > > > > This is a more common failure than most people or BMW are willing to admit. > > Every engine tuner I have talked with knows of this problem and builds their > > engines accordingly. Bobby Archer who has my car in Fort Worth, diagnosed > > the problem at the track before he tore the engine apart at his shop last > > week. He had already seen several of these failures. He was also telling me > > that all of the M3s that originally failed in the Speedvision Challenge > > Series were due to > > this failure. > > > > This failure has nothing to do with taking your car to the track. There have > > been many instances of cars that have had this failure and never taken their > > cars to the track.
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#4. Re: [E36M3] RE: catastrophic engine failure - from twisty M3
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Date: Wed, 05 Jun 2002 09:08:50 -0700 From: "twisty M3" <twistym3@hotmail.com> Subject: Re: [E36M3] RE: catastrophic engine failure No big spins for me (yet!), but more and more track time accumulating and god knows how many times I've bumped the rev-limiter. Where in the world is this nut? Is it easy to check?? Someone please tell use where this is, what size/type it is and what the torque spec is. Thanks! Jonathan L. >From: "Steve Hazard" <SHazard@nhboston.com> > >My car has been spun tons (both feet in), bounced off the 7K Rev limiter >hundreds of times > _________________________________________________________________ Send and receive Hotmail on your mobile device: http://mobile.msn.com
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#5. [E36M3] R4 Paranoia - from twisty M3
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Date: Wed, 05 Jun 2002 09:14:34 -0700 From: "twisty M3" <twistym3@hotmail.com> Subject: [E36M3] R4 Paranoia I just received some new front Porterfield R4 pads for the next few events, but I had some questions on the life-expectency of these pads, measurement-wise. I have two sets of front pads that I've stopped using out of paranoia. I get different feedback from different people. I know they have the ceramic backing plates, so everyone has warned not to run them all the way down, but does anyone know how far you can safely go? I've gotten different quotes right from Porterfield phone reps even... One said you can go down to 1/8 of an inch of material and another said 1/4 of an inch! Both of my used sets are at, or just under, 3/8 of an inch, so I'm wondering if it's even worth keeping them. They *look* like they could both do at least a full track day somewhere, but I don't want to take any chances. Any first-hand experience as to the safe minimum measurements for the R4 pads? Also, I assume that as the pads wear, the speed at which the wear down is increased due to increased heat from less material?? Thanks, Jonathan L. _________________________________________________________________ Chat with friends online, try MSN Messenger: http://messenger.msn.com
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#6. Re: [E36M3] RE: catastrophic engine failure - from Chester Wong
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Date: Wed, 5 Jun 2002 09:19:13 -0700 (PDT) From: Chester Wong <chester_p_wong@yahoo.com> Subject: Re: [E36M3] RE: catastrophic engine failure The nut is a left hand thread M10x1 nut and the torque spec is 25Nm. To get to it is quite difficult and involves dropping the oil pan, AFAIK. If you're going to do that, you might as well spring for the GT oil pan :) Chester --- twisty M3 <twistym3@hotmail.com> wrote: > No big spins for me (yet!), but more and more track time accumulating and > god knows how many times I've bumped the rev-limiter. > > Where in the world is this nut? Is it easy to check?? Someone please tell > use where this is, what size/type it is and what the torque spec is. ===== __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Yahoo! - Official partner of 2002 FIFA World Cup http://fifaworldcup.yahoo.com
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#7. Secondary air pump problems - from Dan Hermann
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Date: Wed, 05 Jun 2002 11:37:33 -0500 From: "Dan Hermann" <dah328@hotmail.com> Subject: Secondary air pump problems The check engine light on my 96 M3 recently came on and both the dealer and an independent are telling me that the secondary air pump needs replacement as it has probably got some moisture in it. Apparently this is not an altogether uncommon problem. My problem is that my extended warranty claims the pump is part of the emissions system and is not covered. BMW, of course, claims it is not part of the emissions system and, therefore, not covered by the extended emissions warranty. Has anyone successfully dealt with warranty issues on this part before? Also, if the pump is not too expensive and installation not too difficult, I may just replace it myself. The dealer wanted about $550 to do it, but I don't know what the parts/labor breakdown on that was. I can't imagine labor is that much since the part appears to be easily accessible. TIA, dan 96 M3 88 325is (no stinkin' secondary air pumps here) _________________________________________________________________ Join the world’s largest e-mail service with MSN Hotmail. http://www.hotmail.com
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#8. WTB: (1) BMW OEM M3 17" X 7.5" Doublespoke Forged Wheel (can I have your spare?) - from Jamie Thomas
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Date: Wed, 5 Jun 2002 09:50:38 -0700 From: "Jamie Thomas" <midpoint@mindspring.com> Subject: WTB: (1) BMW OEM M3 17" X 7.5" Doublespoke Forged Wheel (can I have your spare?) Hi all- Looking to round out my set, so I can have four of kind for the track. Which then if I can get one, I will have (2) BME OEM M3 17" x 8.5" Doublespoke Forged Wheels for sale! My guess is everybody with the staggard sizes has gone through this thought process. Jamie Thomas Olympia, WA 97 M3/4 <------- wants four identical track wheels so I can rotate them
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#9. Catastrophic Engine Failure - Not - from dholeman
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Date: Wed, 5 Jun 2002 12:53:44 -0400 From: "dholeman" <dholeman@racepad.com> Subject: Catastrophic Engine Failure - Not Having spun this off myself I have come to learn that it is a safety feature not a flaw. Basically the only way this will spin off is if you basically miss shift your engine causing the crank to spinn backwards. The gear is designed to spin off to prevent the oil pump from running backwards. As a result you loose oil pressure. The idiot light comes on and you have to check the fault codes. Could BMW do a better job letting you know what the problem is - Yes! Could they have used a better design - Yes.. However, there was a reason they did this! Many racers to try to lock this down in some way. Date: Tue, 4 Jun 2002 21:17:39 -0500 From: "M-Power" <M-Power@austin.rr.com> Subject: Catastrophic Engine Failure Memorial Day Weekend I had a catastrophic loss of oil pressure that completely destroyed the engine in my 1999 M3 with only 57K-58K miles. BMW has refused to be any help with this design flaw! I have to replace the engine! The nut that holds the gear to the oil pump came off. This caused the gear to come off; therefore there was a complete loss of oil pressure. This is a design flaw that all of you need to be aware of! The nut does NOT have anything to stop it from coming loose and falling off. The nut needs to be torqued correctly, lock tight applied and safety wire attached. This is a more common failure than most people or BMW are willing to admit. Every engine tuner I have talked with knows of this problem and builds their engines accordingly. Bobby Archer who has my car in Fort Worth, diagnosed the problem at the track before he tore the engine apart at his shop last week. He had already seen several of these failures. He was also telling me that all of the M3s that originally failed in the Speedvision Challenge Series were due to this failure. This failure has nothing to do with taking your car to the track. There have been many instances of cars that have had this failure and never taken their cars to the track.
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#10. 1999 M3 Coupe for sale near Boston - from Dave Spragg
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Date: Wed, 5 Jun 2002 13:11:05 -0400 From: "Dave Spragg" <dspragg@attbi.com> Subject: 1999 M3 Coupe for sale near Boston 1999 M3, 2 door, Fern Green Metallic (not the lighter Boston Green) with tan leather interior with cool factory black door centers and mats, 30k miles, moonroof, power heated seats, cruise, Harman-Kardon sound with CD changer, LOJACK vehicle recovery system, BMW keyless entry/alarm system, full factory warranty until 4/8/2003 or 50k miles, 30k service just completed, VIN: WBSBG9337XEY82062, never damaged, non-smoker, always garaged, extremely well maintained with all receipts, $32,500, Dave in Natick, dspragg@attbi.com, 508-650-5456. Cheers, Dave