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#1. Front and Rear Suspension Bushings - from Ahmad Lutfeali
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Date: Thu, 06 Jun 2002 16:50:15 +0000 From: "Ahmad Lutfeali" <m3_racer99@hotmail.com> Subject: Front and Rear Suspension Bushings I had made a post on different options for the bushings (expecially the rear trailing arm). Many people recommended the BimmerWorld Poly Trailing Arm bushing. While I am at it, I decided to go for the Powerflex bushing for the front and rear all around (while using BimmerWorld's poly bushing on the trailing arm only). Some people chimed in and I got HORROR stories on Poly bushings. I spoke with Jay at Ground Control and he asked me to leave it STOCK and just use their spacers on the rear control arm bushing and STAY away from Polyutherane. I do about 15-20 track days a year and use the car as my daily driver in Boston (i.e. horrible road conditions). So to sum up my option: TO use or Not to use poly bushings? Any experience from someone who drive thier car on track with the poly bushings? Thanks in advance. Ahmad "MAJORLY CONFUSED NOW" Lutfeali 97 M3 Silver Boston, MA _________________________________________________________________ Chat with friends online, try MSN Messenger: http://messenger.msn.com
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#2. Re: [E36M3] Re: 95 M3 - stupid water pumps - the conclusion - from Reid Conti
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Date: Thu, 06 Jun 2002 10:17:35 -0700 From: Reid Conti <reid@conti.net> Subject: Re: [E36M3] Re: 95 M3 - stupid water pumps - the conclusion Chris, False memories are odd like that.. and it happens more than we like to think! Anyway, I'm really happy that your car turned out ok.. I just replaced my plastic water pump at 61k miles, and the thing had toasted bearings and looked like it was about to blow up.. What all was replaced? It's a shame they went back to a plastic water pump design, but you can still buy a metal one at www.gapa.com.. I paid $40 for mine. Also, did you replace the thermostat housing? It's good to do that when you replace the water pump and thermostat, but it looks like yours is plastic.. I replaced mine with aluminum.. Anyway, glad it worked out! - reid > Well, I was wrong and right... > > I was right about the fact that it was the water pump. I was wrong about > the fact that it was ever replaced! > > Going back through my paperwork, I see that there was a repair performed at > my previous shop in 1999 where a plastic VANOS piston was replaced with a > metal part to improve a throttle surge. My current mechanic says he can't > think of any VANOS parts that were ever plastic, which is > interesting. With all the list discussion of plastic/metal water pumps, I > misremembered this plastic/metal VANOS piston as a water pump, probably > because we also changed the thermostat and housing on the same invoice back > then. Looks like I had a senile moment. (Jeff A and I will be playing > shuffleboard this afternoon, if anyone would like to watch.) > > So, the stock plastic water pump lasted 121k miles before it grenaded. Not > too bad, I suppose. He was surprised it lasted this long, as the white > ones were a known weak design. You can see pictures of the grenaded pump > (white plastic impeller) and the new-style pump (black plastic impeller) on > the pics dated 6/5/02 at: > > http://www.planetb.net/phpix/?mode=album&album=chrispy/cars > > When I asked about damage, my mechanic said that it takes a lot more to > hurt these motors than people think, and told me some stories of customers > driving their overheated cars on highways to the next exit, etc. I had > virtually no coolant loss (coolant system and overflow were both at normal > levels) and the car appears to run perfectly now. It looks like my luck > may have held out after all. > > Thanks for the input, everyone. Enjoy the pictures! > > - Chris
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#3. A/C improvements - from kitwetzler@mindspring.com
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Date: Thu, 6 Jun 2002 13:36:57 -0400 From: "kitwetzler@mindspring.com" <kitwetzler@mindspring.com> Subject: A/C improvements The woefully inadequate M3 airconditioning is driving me nuts in this hot weather. http://www.acsource.com/cgi-bin/SoftCart.exe/scstore/p-QT2610.html?L+scstore+nbdn6759+1023415779 Anyone ever tried this? -------------------------------------------------------------------- mail2web - Check your email from the web at http://mail2web.com/ .
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#4. Connecticut area people - from HYPERM3@aol.com
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Date: Thu, 6 Jun 2002 13:42:48 EDT From: HYPERM3@aol.com Subject: Connecticut area people Has anyone ever dealt with or heard of a place called "Last Minute Racing" in Stratford? If so, please reply directly. Alex "HyperM3" Demsky 97 S/C M3 never running right
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#5. Re: 95 M3 - stupid water pumps - the conclusion - from Berney, Butch
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Date: Thu, 6 Jun 2002 11:03:53 -0700 From: "Berney, Butch" <butch.berney@lamrc.com> Subject: Re: 95 M3 - stupid water pumps - the conclusion ------------------------------------------------- Date: Thu, 06 Jun 2002 12:34:21 -0400 From: Chris Papademetrious <chrispy@ieee.org> Subject: Re: 95 M3 - stupid water pumps - the conclusion Well, I was wrong and right... I was right about the fact that it was the water pump. I was wrong about the fact that it was ever replaced! <snip> So, the stock plastic water pump lasted 121k miles before it grenaded. <snip> http://www.planetb.net/phpix/?mode=album&album=chrispy/cars When I asked about damage, my mechanic... <snip> -------------------------------------------------- Old memories...ya, I am pretty sure I have that problem, I just can't remember ;) 121k miles, you might as well buy a radiator since that part is likely not long for this world either. My radiator only lasted about 8000 miles after the water pump blew. The upper hose neck broke off just as I pulled into work. Not a nice picture of "BMW reliability" as my car pulled up in a cloud of steam in front of my co-workers. I would definately look at replacing the radiator as preventive maintenance. Love the pictures. Does your BMW mechanic make house calls? http://www.planetb.net/phpix/?mode=view&album=chrispy%2Fcars&pic=m3_06_05_02 _g.jpg&dispsize=640&start=0 Glad to hear you are back on the road. Have fun! Butch
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#6. Re: [E36M3] Forced Induction - Oil? - from Joe Dyer
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Date: Thu, 6 Jun 2002 11:22:26 -0700 From: "Joe Dyer" <joedyer@attbi.com> Subject: Re: [E36M3] Forced Induction - Oil? I use Valvoline Synthetic Joe ----- Original Message ----- From: <HYPERM3@aol.com> To: "E36M3" <e36m3@bmw-m.net> Sent: Thursday, June 06, 2002 8:23 AM Subject: [E36M3] Forced Induction - Oil? | Date: Thu, 6 Jun 2002 11:15:34 EDT | From: HYPERM3@aol.com | Subject: Forced Induction - Oil? | | | Hy all, | To all those with forced induction (turbo/supercharger) I was | wondering what brand and type of oil you are using. | | Thinking, | Alex "HyperM3" Demsky | 97 S/C 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] A/C improvements - from Robert S. Hatrak II
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Date: Thu, 6 Jun 2002 11:15:40 -0700 From: "Robert S. Hatrak II" <hatrak@ix.netcom.com> Subject: RE: [E36M3] A/C improvements What I do is run the system without a microfilter. That will give you a huge increase in airflow, and will make the car "cooler" because of the increased air volume. I've done this for the last 8 years on the M3 without any problems. Rob -----Original Message----- The woefully inadequate M3 airconditioning is driving me nuts in this hot weather. http://www.acsource.com/cgi-bin/SoftCart.exe/scstore/p-QT2610.html?L+scs tore+nbdn6759+1023415779 Anyone ever tried this?
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#8. Re: 95 M3 - stupid water pumps - the conclusion - from Chris Papademetrious
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Date: Thu, 06 Jun 2002 14:21:19 -0400 From: Chris Papademetrious <chrispy@ieee.org> Subject: Re: 95 M3 - stupid water pumps - the conclusion At 11:03 AM 6/6/2002 -0700, Berney, Butch wrote: >121k miles, you might as well buy a radiator since that part is likely not >long for this world either. My radiator only lasted about 8000 miles after >the water pump blew. The upper hose neck broke off just as I pulled into >work. Not a nice picture of "BMW reliability" as my car pulled up in a cloud >of steam in front of my co-workers. I would definately look at replacing the >radiator as preventive maintenance. Good advice on the radiator, I will look at doing that very short-term. As far as a picture of BMW reliability goes, what also really impresses 'em is: Me: So Pete, check out the way this new flywheel feels! <runs through first gear, flubs second> Me: Whoops. <notices red temp. light on dash> Me: Oh, that's not good. >Love the pictures. Does your BMW mechanic make house calls? Nope, but AAA Plus has free towing up to 100 miles! My mechanic is about 75 miles away, so it worked out well. I live in the backwoods of northeastern Pennsylvania, and there are *no* other E36 cars here, let alone M3s. My neighbors must have had a laugh seeing this thing get winched up onto the flatbed. - Chris
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#9. RE: [E36M3] Re: 95 M3 - stupid water pumps - the conclusion - from Doug Wirth
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Date: Thu, 6 Jun 2002 11:26:35 -0700 From: Doug Wirth <DWirth@serena.com> Subject: RE: [E36M3] Re: 95 M3 - stupid water pumps - the conclusion I know the 96+ cars got the new water pump, was just wondering if my 99 M3 has the same bad radiator. Anybody know if they changed the radiator over the years. Doug Wirth 99 M3 Soon to be sharked on Fathers day (What a great wife) *********************************************************************** This email and any files transmitted with it are confidential and intended solely for the use of the individual or entity to whom they are addressed. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply e-mail and destroy all copies of the original message. ***********************************************************************
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#10. Re: E36 problem - from Dan S
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Date: Thu, 6 Jun 2002 11:37:40 -0700 From: "Dan S" <m3ltw@msn.com> Subject: Re: E36 problem > From: Andy Scott <ascott@augustmail.com> > > I recently got an E36 328is 1996 with 95,000 miles, hopefully you (OBD II) > E36 M3 guys can help me with the problem I am having. > > When driven hard, the check engine light would come on, seemingly a > thermally related problem. The engine would idle rough, like it was > stumbling, when I hit the gas, it would stumble all the way to 3k before > smoothing out. A code reader showed cylinders 4 and 6 misfiring. But > driving normally, the light would never come on and the car would run > perfectly. So I took it to the dealer since it is under warranty > still. They said the spark plugs were bad. So I took the car back from > them and bought some plugs for it from the parts counter. If it's still under warranty, why don't you have them fix it? > The plugs I got out of the car really looked like they had been in there > for 95,000 miles, the electrode and grounds are very worn, and the grounds > are almost white in color. Also they are F8 DCR. The ones that the dealer > gave me are F7 DCR, and actually the F7 is what the owners manual calls for. > > So got them in the car and started it up, it idles terribly, very rough, > feels like its misfiring again, and the check engine light immediately came > on. I took off the throttle body, it is spotless clean. I put in the old > bad plugs and now it runs fine again, but the check engine light remains on. Seems like someone tried to solve the problem with different plugs (they're hotter, right?). My first inclination is to check the oxygen sensors (although it should've generated its own fault), as this has caused me similar issues in the past. Other items would be the coils. Does the car have an aftermarket chip or exhaust? Sometimes aftermarket exhausts have the O2 sensors miswired, which causes very poor running (at least at anything below 2/3 throttle-but this is on obdI). Dan