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#1. Re: Head gasket to use? (long) - from Walter Conley
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Date: Tue, 29 Jun 2004 10:01:05 -0700 From: "Walter Conley" <wconley9@hotmail.com> Subject: Re: Head gasket to use? (long) <html><div style='background-color:'><DIV class=RTE> <P>I've been asked "Why the BMP gasket?" so I thought I would add a little more info all around. My car had traces of coolant escaping out of the expansion tank cap after a day at ThunderHill last year. This included a two-hour romp, thinking about preparing for the enduro later that year. The ambient temp was in the 105-110 degree range and it never did it again so I put it down to the hot weather. Several DEs later but always in cooler NW weather showed no problem until instructing at a Porsche day a few weeks ago with temperatures in the 80 degree range. After my fourth on track session I came in to find I had lost about 3 pints of coolant out the expansion tank cap. The car showed no overheating or other symptoms while on the track. It did, however overheat on the way home due to the resulting trapped air in the system. I'm pretty sure (in hindsight) that if I had bled the system, it wouldn't have overheated. After burping the system, the car ran perfect, with no more coolant loss.</P> <P>I took the car to a local shop that tried to replicate the problem with negative results. They replaced the expansion tank cap, T-stat and fan clutch and back I went to the track the next day. After less than 10 minutes on the track, I again had coolant escaping from the expansion tank cap. Definitely a sign that exhaust gas is overpressurizing the cooling system. The car still runs perfect on the street but it's only a matter of time before something more serious happens so it is retired from track service until the gasket is replaced.</P> <P>I've sought advice from several people that have extensive track experience AND engine build experience. From what they tell me (and forgive me if I'm more correct about the idea, rather than the technical details), the BMP gasket has better reinforcing and is grooved, or has "teeth" that keep it seated better. Usually BMP recommends their gaskets only for supercharged or turbo cars but my car would have seen roughly 20 track days this year alone so a sturdier gasket seems to be good insurance. For a car that gets tracked only a few times a year this may not be an issue. My car has seen plenty of track days since I bought it four years ago so I have to ask myself if going with OEM and planning on this being a maintenance item is the way. BMP tells me that they have gaskets in two different thicknesses, 1.8 and 2.0 mm, depending on if you have your head milled. The thicker one will reduce your compression and performance if applied to a head that hasn't been milled so buy accordingly. This does make ordering hard since I won't know if the head needs milling until I have a gasket and the shop tears into the engine. At this point, my shop hasn't been able to talk directly to BMP to even put my name on the waiting list for a gasket.</P> <P>-------------------- 9 --------------------<BR>Date: Mon, 28 Jun 2004 21:08:52 -0700<BR>From: "Walter Conley" <<A href="http://by9fd.bay9.hotmail.msn.com/cgi-bin/compose?curmbox=F000000001&a=7987e1dbd0bd5a36f9bc7ca552a4400f&mailto=1&to=wconley9@hotmail.com&msg=MSG1088495310.49&start=304137&len=12720&src=&type=x" target=_top>wconley9@hotmail.com</A>><BR>Subject: Re: Head gasket to use?<BR><BR>David-<BR>You beat me to the punch. The head gasket on my '95 blew last weekend at a<BR>DE. Same two questions for the group, only for a '95: Anyone have a gasket<BR>for '95 laying around, or a suggestion for aftermarket? Thanks in advance.<BR><BR>- Walt Conley<BR><BR></P></DIV> <DIV></DIV></div><br clear=all><hr> <a href="http://g.msn.com/8HMAENUS/2752??PS=47575">Watch the online reality show Mixed Messages with a friend and enter to win a trip to NY</a> </html>
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#2. RE: Head Gasket Replacement - from KLchmn@aol.com
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Date: Tue, 29 Jun 2004 15:02:54 -0400 From: KLchmn@aol.com Subject: RE: Head Gasket Replacement Here's what I learned in my saga on my '95 M3. 1) The stock head gasket is not suitable for high performance/racing applications where you don't tear the engines apart every weekend (or thereabouts). Remember, my car had a tad over 40k miles when it went. 2) Aftermarket head stud sets from RaceWare appear to not be of high quality. Customer service from RaceWare is even less satisfactory. ARP studs are one way to go. Stock bolts appear to work well with the BMP gasket (per Billy 'the wrench' Arnold who has built a few E36 M50/S50 motors of reasonable hp). 3) BMP is apparently out of stock for 3-4 months on their cutting ring head gasket (what I eventually went with). VAC motorsports has head gaskets on their website, don't know much about their gaskets but VAC has a positive reputation. I'd also check with James Clay at Bimmerworld and see what his recommendation is. 4) Replace all the heater and coolant hoses, fuel hoses, and vacuum lines that are under the intake manifold "while you are in there". Pretty cheap and much, much easier than when the intake manifold is on. 5) The BMW head gasket KIT is worth it unless you like hours in front of the ETK sourcing gasket part numbers. 6) It's a great time to replace your power steering reservior (and clamps) if you have higher miles. Remember, there's a filter built into the reservior. 7) It is helpful to have two people available when you pull the head. It is heavy and awkward, especially when the exhaust manifolds are still in place. 8) Put in '96+ M3 BMW retainers if you have a 9/95 or before M3. 9) It only costs a few hundred for a standard valve job at your local friendly machinist so you may wish to consider this. Have the head checked to ensure it isn't warped (it is if you even slightly overheated the engine is my bet). 9) It's a big job for someone who hasn't done it before, especially if you haven't screwed with vanos before. Hope this is of some value. Kirk
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#3. Re: Head gasket to use? - from Roger Baker
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Date: Tue, 29 Jun 2004 12:12:58 -0700 From: Roger Baker <RogerBkr@netscape.net> Subject: Re: Head gasket to use? I have brand new (in the box) stock BMW & BMP racing head gaskets (with the cutting rings) buried in my garage somewhere. My car went through a phase where it ate head gaskets like candy (back when it had an AA turbo) so I stocked up. I also have a set of Raceware head studs and the install tool. If anyone is interested, check the list prices & make me a fair offer. I'm in SoCal, but shipping isn't a problem. I will have to dig them out of moving boxes, so could take me a week or two to find them! -- Roger Baker >Date: Mon, 28 Jun 2004 21:08:52 -0700 >From: "Walter Conley" <wconley9@hotmail.com> >Subject: Re: Head gasket to use? > >David- >You beat me to the punch. The head gasket on my '95 blew last weekend at a >DE. Same two questions for the group, only for a '95: Anyone have a gasket >for '95 laying around, or a suggestion for aftermarket? Thanks in advance. > >- Walt Conley >
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#4. Re: 'Bearing Ledges' - from Steve Klein
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Date: Tue, 29 Jun 2004 15:02:46 -0500 From: Steve Klein <klein@robinsonad.com> Subject: Re: 'Bearing Ledges' Can anyone recommend a source for these? Any idea on the price? I was wondering if these were a 'wear item', being softer aluminum holding steel lifters. Thanks, Steve > Somebody did mention recently that when they replaced their lifters > they > also put in new carriers - the TIS calls them 'bearing ledges' - the > long > machined casting, one each side, into which the lifters are inserted. > This > part wears to fit its lifters, so the theory is that with new lifters > it > makes sense to have new carriers. Sounds reasonable. > > Neil > 96 M3
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#5. Re: APPROVE -- e36m3@bmw-m.net wants to join LSCchat - from alex.fadeev@verizon.com
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Date: Tue, 29 Jun 2004 15:14:27 -0500 From: alex.fadeev@verizon.com Subject: Re: APPROVE -- e36m3@bmw-m.net wants to join LSCchat Please confirm that you are an LSC member. First/last name or the CCA # will do the trick. thanks, -- Alexander Fadeev Hello, The following person would like to join the LSCchat group: Email address: e36m3@bmw-m.net This membership request requires your approval because the LSCchat group is restricted, which means you must approve each new member. To approve or reject this pending membership using the web, please go here: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/LSCchat/members?group=pending To approve this membership using email, reply to this message. To reject this membership using email, forward this message to LSCchat-rejectsub-E1uxZrDhGANfaVWx23gWFlY@yahoogroups.com NOTE: This membership request will expire after 14 days. If you do not take action within that time, this membership request will be automatically rejected. Yahoo! Groups does this to maintain a high quality of service for our users. Thank you for choosing Yahoo! Groups. Regards, Yahoo! Groups Customer Care Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
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#6. '95 Diff. Gearing suggestions? - from Steve Klein
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Date: Tue, 29 Jun 2004 15:37:44 -0500 From: Steve Klein <klein@robinsonad.com> Subject: '95 Diff. Gearing suggestions? Hi, Gang- Last week, I had some of the allen bolts inside the diff. get caught up in the ring gear, scaring the hell out of me, but giving me another lesson in how well our cars are built and what they can survive. While trying to figure out how to get the part I needed (the flange that bolts to the ring gear and holds the driver side bearing), I discovered that I live/work less than a mile away from Jim Blanton's shop, Performance Gearing. $50 for the part with a new bearing fitted and new 12.9 bolts on a Friday afternoon is one of the best purchases I've made. He's a really nice guy that does nothing but rebuild BMW diffs and transmissions. www.performancegearing.com Any-hoo, I've got a very mild rumbling from the diff. where the pinion teeth were slightly marred by the bolt that got wedged into the ring gear, and since he's so close, I'm going to have him rebuild it and change out the gearing at the same time. I'm wondering what ratios the group suggests as optimal. He said I can pretty much pick and choose ratios, and he can also change the lockup percentage, so, for my daily driver that I hope to start autocrossing with soon, but still use for highway traveling, what does the group recommend? 3.36? 3.46? 220? 221? Whatever it takes? Thanks, All, Steve
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#7. Re: [E36M3] RE: Head Gasket Replacement - from Rex Tener
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Date: Tue, 29 Jun 2004 13:26:07 -0700 From: Rex Tener <rex_tener@yahoo.com> Subject: Re: [E36M3] RE: Head Gasket Replacement At 02:06 PM 6/29/2004 -0500, KLchmn@aol.com wrote: >Here's what I learned in my saga on my '95 M3. Excellent advice from Kirk. >2) Aftermarket head stud sets from RaceWare appear to not be of high >quality. Customer service from RaceWare is even less satisfactory. ARP >studs are one way to go. Stock bolts appear to work well with the BMP >gasket (per Billy 'the wrench' Arnold who has built a few E36 M50/S50 >motors of reasonable hp). I have a really good friend who races a supercharged M3 and he blew the head gasket this spring. He went with the ARP studs (BMP cutter gasket), but three of his studs did not have metric threads! They overnighted him the correct ones, but I would double-check everything you receive to make sure it is correct before you start your installation. Nothing like starting a job on Friday night and not having the correct parts to finish it with ... -- Rex Tener rex_tener@yahoo.com
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#8. Re: [E36M3] Dead 1995 E36 M3 - from NickG
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Date: Tue, 29 Jun 2004 17:27:32 -0400 From: "NickG" <nick@tech-nick.net> Subject: Re: [E36M3] Dead 1995 E36 M3 Check the main DME relay. It's on the side of the fusebox. Nick ----- Original Message ----- From: "Tom Melton" <tom_melton@emoryhealthcare.org> To: "E36M3" <e36m3@bmw-m.net> Sent: Sunday, June 27, 2004 12:36 PM Subject: [E36M3] Dead 1995 E36 M3 Date: Sun, 27 Jun 2004 12:27:28 -0400 From: "Tom Melton" <tom_melton@emoryhealthcare.org> Subject: Dead 1995 E36 M3 I had a problem last night that continues on into today. I was driving my 95 M3, build 7/95, and after crossing some railroad tracks that cross the road, the engine stumbled once. Went about another 0.1 mile and it stumbles again. That makes me start to worry. About a mile later, approaching a stoplight, it dies. The engine will turn over, it just will not fire off. I push the car (when traffic clears) to the gas station nearby, pull out a Peake reader, and read the codes. The reader displays a x'1A' (decimal 26). The table with the reader says that is a Control Unit Supply code, and later when I check the Bentley manual, it is not listed. Actually only 4 digit codes are listed. Ugh. I had the car towed home (it was 11:30pm). Now it appears to be worse. The Peake reader will power up when connected to the test port, but if I try to read the failure codes, it just flashes 'E'. Also, I am now not getting the 'check engine' light during key on bulb test. Next I disconnected the battery for a minute and then re-connected. Cool, have check engine light during bulb test. Try to start the engine, and it fires to life for about 30 seconds, then dies again. Once more, check engine light is non-functional. Disconnect the battery again, wait, reconnect...no check engine light. Ok, so where do I start? Find someone with a similar build date M3 and start swapping parts? DME failure? Any clues? Thanks in advance.. -Tom ************************************************* 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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#9. S52 motor swap and which pulleys? - from Juan Bruce
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Date: Tue, 29 Jun 2004 14:49:14 -0700 From: Juan Bruce <jbruce@gmail.com> Subject: S52 motor swap and which pulleys? I'm making a list of parts for the 3.2L S52 engine swap I'm going to be doing in a few weeks for my '95 M3. It will have OBD1, schrick cams, Euro HFM/Conforti Intake/Chip/ 24#injectors, UUC lightweight flywheel and M5clutch, Euro Oil Cooler, TMS oil pan baffle, Rogue finned diff cover and underdrive pulleys. Now its seems like ther are several different options for underdrive pulleys and a range of prices from $189(UUC) to $259 (Rogue) to $279(Evosport) to $349 (Bimmerworld). What's the difference between the various different pulleys? Also any comments on or additions to my parts list are welcome. Juan Bruce VP BMW CCA GGC
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#10. Signing off - from Michael Lawrence
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Date: Tue, 29 Jun 2004 18:20:09 -0400 From: "Michael Lawrence" <95m3ltw@comcast.net> Subject: Signing off Having sold my M3 LTW last year, time to move on. Have enjoyed the ride and useful advice here on the list. Good luck and hope to be back in a E36 M3 before the end of the year. Mike