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#1. Re: [E36M3] Re: Gas Gauge Intermittent - from Jim Bassett
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Date: Mon, 22 Mar 2004 15:33:12 -0800 From: Jim Bassett <jim@jimbassett.com> Subject: Re: [E36M3] Re: Gas Gauge Intermittent At 03:00 PM 3/22/04, Andrew Kalman wrote: >Correction -- they're wired in series. Doh! I knew that, brain just isn't functioning today; I think I had flashed back to another project I was helping a Club racer with. Delayed margarita hangover is my excuse (inside joke :-)). Jim Bassett
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#2. Re: [E36M3] [OTH] Tire Storage - from Tom Voloshin
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Date: Mon, 22 Mar 2004 15:57:01 -0800 (PST) From: Tom Voloshin <tvoloshin@yahoo.com> Subject: Re: [E36M3] [OTH] Tire Storage Thanks, so I should anticipate building a tire "shelf" (more like a large vertical 'ball bin') so they stack vertically and rest on their sidewalls? Is that the concensus? Thanks to all for your time and input. :) Tom --- Chester Wong <chester_p_wong@yahoo.com> wrote: > I thought the rule of thumb was that if the tire was unmounted, it > should stand > on the tread. If it is mounted and has air pressure, they should lay > on the > sidewall... > > I just have a shelf that sits in front of the car and I put the > tires/wheels > inside garbage bags and throw them on the shelf. > > Chester > > --- Tom Voloshin <tvoloshin@yahoo.com> wrote: > > What is the best recommended way to store track and winter tires > > (mounted on rims) in my garage? I have a two car garage with both > bays > > being used to park cars. It is a 19'x 20' garage, so there isn't > much > > room. :( I was thinking on constructing a tire "shelf" along the > one > > wall high up near the ceiling. Assuming the tires should rest on > their > > treads and not their sidewalls (standing up as opposed to lying > down). > > Does it matter what materials I use to construct the "shelf" with? > > They will not be in direct sun light. I have a crawl space above > my > > garage, but I did not think it wise to store them up there since it > > gets "attic-like" temperatures up there. > > > ===== > __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Finance Tax Center - File online. File on time. http://taxes.yahoo.com/filing.html
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#3. Re: [E36M3] Re: Gas Gauge Intermittent - from Som Naderi
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Date: Mon, 22 Mar 2004 17:42:44 -0800 From: "Som Naderi" <som@dimensionracing.com> Subject: Re: [E36M3] Re: Gas Gauge Intermittent Just goes to show you, try not to be on crack when you read/post messages on the E36M3 list. Sorry for the misinformation! So when the armature "wears out", does this have the effect of increasing the resistance dramatically (towards breaking the circuit) or does it short the circuit? I would assume it breaks the circuit... but if the senders are in series, that would mean that the gauge would start reading half-empty when the gas tank was full (since the resistance would be 250 Ohms and a full tank would be 500 Ohms). There are other permutations, depending on whether the senders short the circuit or break it, depending on whether they are series or parallel. Is the gauge needle "driven" through the resistance or is it set by a computer that reads the voltage level based on the resistance? If it's the latter (which is what I suspect), when the gauge goes to "complete empty", what is this indicating? A voltage level (ie resistance) that's too high, too low, or either? Also, can all of this information be found fairly easily in the Bentley manual? - Som > Date: Mon, 22 Mar 2004 14:29:53 -0800 > From: Jim Bassett <jim@jimbassett.com> > Subject: Re: [E36M3] Re: Gas Gauge Intermittent > > At 12:50 PM 3/22/04, Som Naderi wrote: > >- there are apparently 2 fuel senders, one for E -> 1/2 F, another for 1/2 > >F -> F. > > Umm, no. > > The two fuel senders are on either sides of the fuel tank, both > reading the level on either side of the tank. There is plumbing that > keeps the sides relatively level (the tank is a "saddle" tank and > straddles the driveshaft tunnel). Thus each sender measures the same > level, through the full range of measurement, ideally. > > Each sender is a resistive-type sender. A float works up and down on > an armature, varying the resistance. The resistance varies from 10 > ohm empty to 250 ohms full for each sender. Initial troubleshooting > involves checking the resistance of each sender at a known fuel > level (full, half, or empty, for example) and replacing the one that > isn't reading correctly. > > The senders are wiring in parallel to the gauge, so basic resistor > calculations give us a range of 5 ohm to 125 ohm (empty to full) at > the gauge. (R1*R2/(R1+R2)) > > In my cases, the resistive material has worn out on the armature > (happens when you fill up the tank every 3 days or so). > > Hope that helps, > > Jim Bassett > 1998 M3/4 > 1993 325is #44 JP/A5
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#4. Re: [E36M3] Re: Gas Gauge Intermittent - from Jim Bassett
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Date: Mon, 22 Mar 2004 18:46:41 -0800 From: Jim Bassett <jim@jimbassett.com> Subject: Re: [E36M3] Re: Gas Gauge Intermittent At 05:50 PM 3/22/04, Som Naderi wrote: >Just goes to show you, try not to be on crack when you read/post messages on >the E36M3 list. Sorry for the misinformation! No problem, there's plenty of smart people here to make corrections :-) >So when the armature "wears out", does this have the effect of increasing >the resistance dramatically (towards breaking the circuit) or does it short >the circuit? I would assume it breaks the circuit... but if the senders are >in series, that would mean that the gauge would start reading half-empty >when the gas tank was full (since the resistance would be 250 Ohms and a >full tank would be 500 Ohms). There are other permutations, depending on >whether the senders short the circuit or break it, depending on whether they >are series or parallel. My experience has been that a worn-out sender causes the gauge to read low, or stay on empty. A full tank sender would read less than 250 ohms, thus causing the gauge to read low. I haven't looked closely at how the sender armature actually works. >Is the gauge needle "driven" through the resistance or is it set by a >computer that reads the voltage level based on the resistance? If it's the >latter (which is what I suspect), when the gauge goes to "complete empty", >what is this indicating? A voltage level (ie resistance) that's too high, >too low, or either? Well, from my first email, 10 ohms indicates an empty tank, so if the gauge is reading "empty" when the tank is actually full, then it's reading a lower than normal resistance. I'm not sure what method the instrument cluster uses to actually work the gauge, but I would guess that it's similar to an analog (or digital, the difference is the display) ohmmeter. The meter supplies a small voltage to the circuit (usually from a battery in the meter) and measures how much current flows through the circuit, displaying it as resistance (R=V/I - voltage is known and fixed, so R & I are directly related). My suspicion is that the cluster acts as the meter, sending voltage through the senders, and reading the resulting current and displaying it on the gauge. Just a guess, since I haven't taken apart an instrument cluster to investigate. >Also, can all of this information be found fairly easily in the Bentley >manual? Just what I mentioned in my first email. The rest is supposition on my part. Jim Bassett
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#5. Re: Gas Gauge Intermittent - from Fernando Mujica
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Date: Mon, 22 Mar 2004 21:49:57 -0600 From: Fernando Mujica <fmujica@mac.com> Subject: Re: Gas Gauge Intermittent Mine did this show after I got my M3/4 (48 k miles). I changed a couple of things w.r.t. the previous owner... 1. Started to auto-x (~8/year) and track the car (~2-3/year) 2. Added one RL Sl-1 and use Chevron gas 90% of the time Have never done it again (59 K miles). I figure is all the auto-x/track shaking of the deposits that accumulate on the sensors. I believe I heard some one saying the brand of gas made a difference. Fernando '97 M3/4 On Mar 22, 2004, at 7:10 AM, E36M3 wrote: > Subject: Gas Gauge Intermittent > > When I fully refueled my 1995 M3 yesterday the gas gauge did not move. > > Later the next day, when I started the car the gauge needle suddenly > jumped > forward, indicating a full tank. Later, after a restart the gauge > showed > completely empty. > > I would guess that I have a sending unit going out. > > Can someone tell me what to check, eg. Bentley, FAQ archives ? > > Thanks, > > > Kevin D. McLeaster WB9HMI > '95 M3 Arctic Silver
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#6. Slave Cylinder Idiocy - from Dave Bell
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Date: Tue, 23 Mar 2004 1:32:44 -0500 From: Dave Bell <davebell@cox.net> Subject: Slave Cylinder Idiocy Long story short - anyone got any ideas of what to do when the slave cylinder piston falls into the bell-housing as you're trying to finaggle (technical term) off the transmission? I can't seem to get at it with my fingers - am I now in the business of dropping the transmission and hoping I can fish it out somehow? Feeling like I should have to get a license before being allowed to use tools.... Dave Bell davebell@cox.net 95 M3
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#7. FS: KMAC camber plates and stock tranny brace with 320i bushings - from Msebmwman@aol.com
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Date: Tue, 23 Mar 2004 01:56:04 EST From: Msebmwman@aol.com Subject: FS: KMAC camber plates and stock tranny brace with 320i bushings All; The GC endlinks, ACS SSK, RD Sway bar, and JTD tranny mount are all sold. Thanks for your interest. I still have the KMAC camber plates and the BMW tranny brace with firmer 320i bushings for sale. See descriptions below. All items will be shipped UPS ground from 91406. I do have digital pics that I can send to enquirers. Please don't hesitate to ask for pics so that you know what you are getting. Paypal is the preferred mode of payment if possible: 1. KMAC camber plates. Used for approximately 5 years and 12,000 miles on an E36M3 Lightweight that has the Motorsport STB and the acorn nuts were used to secure the KMAC plate. Car was mostly garaged. When not garaged it was driven to/from a few track events or up in the hills in LA. Not a daily driver. Try this link below and it shows you what the fronts look like for 345$ new and then what the rears look like and 295$ for rears only. Turner's website picture is illustrating front and rear in the same picture. Mine are therefore front only, are 120$ plus shipping. http://www.racetep.com/kmac.html 2. Stock BMW tranny brace with 320i tranny mount bushings. If you want to firm up your tranny mount a little then this is usually the first step. But, to accomplish this you have to drill out the holes on your stock M3 tranny mount to accommodate the slightly larger 320i bushing stud. Well, this tranny mount has the holes already drilled to fit and has the 320i bushings with it. Came off a 5 speed M3 after a couple of years and was used prior to the JTD tranny brace that went on it. So, if you want to try stiffer but don't want to sacrifice your current tranny brace and bushings then this is the way to do it. See UUCMotorwerks.com, under BMW products, tranny bushings/enforcer for some information regarding bushings, deflection and the like. Per UUC, the 320i bushings deflect 24% less than the stock tranny bushing. Don't know what this combination would retail for. Mine is 50$ plus shipping. Best regards, Marc 95M3 with more room in garage now....
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#8. Re: [E36M3] Slave Cylinder Idiocy - from Rex Tener
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Date: Mon, 22 Mar 2004 23:27:48 -0800 From: Rex Tener <rex_tener@yahoo.com> Subject: Re: [E36M3] Slave Cylinder Idiocy At 12:40 AM 3/23/2004 -0600, Dave Bell wrote: >Long story short - anyone got any ideas of what to do when the slave >cylinder piston falls into the bell-housing as you're trying to finaggle >(technical term) off the transmission? > >I can't seem to get at it with my fingers - am I now in the business of >dropping the transmission and hoping I can fish it out somehow? Hey Dave, You are not the first person to do this, someone on this list did the exact same thing last year. I recommended that he buy a flexible pick up tool from Sears: <http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/product.do?BV_UseBVCookie=Yes&vertical=TOOL&pid=00941322000> He e-mailed back that night and said it worked perfectly. YMMV. Good luck! -- Rex Tener rex_tener@yahoo.com
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#9. Re: [E36M3] Slave Cylinder Idiocy - from Jay W. Hudson
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Date: Tue, 23 Mar 2004 05:34:52 -0800 From: "Jay W. Hudson" <jwhud@budget.net> Subject: Re: [E36M3] Slave Cylinder Idiocy Another idea- Magnet on a string? But, you'll have to keep it away from the pressure plate. If you put it through the opening for the slave cylinder and let it slide down the bell housing. Or, if you have a very strong magnet, use it on the outside of the bell housing and slide the plunger up to the hole by moving the magnet. Jay ----- Original Message ----- From: "Dave Bell" <davebell@cox.net> To: "E36M3" <e36m3@bmw-m.net> Sent: Monday, March 22, 2004 10:40 PM Subject: [E36M3] Slave Cylinder Idiocy > Date: Tue, 23 Mar 2004 1:32:44 -0500 > From: Dave Bell <davebell@cox.net> > Subject: Slave Cylinder Idiocy > > Long story short - anyone got any ideas of what to do when the slave > cylinder piston falls into the bell-housing as you're trying to finaggle > (technical term) off the transmission? > > I can't seem to get at it with my fingers - am I now in the business of > dropping the transmission and hoping I can fish it out somehow? > > Feeling like I should have to get a license before being allowed to use > tools.... > > Dave Bell > davebell@cox.net > 95 M3 > > > > ************************************************* > Please help support the E36M3 list by visiting our sponsors: > > Bimmerworld http://www.bimmerworld.com > Turner Motorsport http://www.turnermotorsport.com > Eurosport High Performance http://www.eurosporthighperformance.com > Rogue Engineering http://www.rogueengineering.com > > DIGEST INFORMATION: > http://www.bmw-m.net/resources/digest_info.htm > ************************************************* > >
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#10. RE: [E36M3] Slave Cylinder Idiocy - from Bob Sutterfield
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Date: Tue, 23 Mar 2004 07:19:58 -0700 From: "Bob Sutterfield" <Bob@XC.Org> Subject: RE: [E36M3] Slave Cylinder Idiocy Go ahead and take the transmission off. `While you're in there' is the perfect chance to install a lightweight flywheel. It would be a shame to let that opportunity pass by. (What a great line: "Really honey, almost all the work was already done anyway!")