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#1. Re: [E36M3] Headlight switch: should it be illuminated? - from Jeff Kumler
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Date: Mon, 8 Nov 2004 08:07:47 -0800 (PST) From: Jeff Kumler <jdkumler@yahoo.com> Subject: Re: [E36M3] Headlight switch: should it be illuminated? > Date: Mon, 8 Nov 2004 09:30:45 -0500 > From: Andrej Dolenc <adolenc@erols.com> > Subject: Re: [E36M3] Headlight switch: should it be > illuminated? > > Did this same fix in the parking lot at work over > lunch. Doesn't even > qualify as a 1 beer job. > > Andrej > '97 M3 Sacrilege! Any job worth doing is worth doing well. ; ) Have you ever noticed how a good beer in one hand will balance out the California Duster in the other?
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#2. re: Head Gasket Failure - from AVUSM3@aol.com
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Date: Mon, 8 Nov 2004 11:49:41 EST From: AVUSM3@aol.com Subject: re: Head Gasket Failure Hi Kris - I'm sorry to hear about your 2nd HG failure. I had the exact same issue last year and it was solved with a new HG. It seems like everytime I go to the track these days I see another E36M3 with the same problem. I was at Lime Rock last weekend and saw a friend experience the beginning symptoms, and I can think of 3 other guys in the Boston area that have had the same problem this year. In terms of root cause, I believe it is due to a failure of the HG between the #6 cylinder and the closest coolant passage. All the people I have talked to with this problem have had coolant blow out of the cap on top of the coolant bottle. In order to reach the 30 psi blow off pressure there needs to be a significant amount of gas pressure added to the coolant system. The only way to accomplish this (while the engine is running at normal operating temps) is by having high pressure combustion gasses pushing through the HG and getting into the coolant passages. This overpressurizes the coolant system and you get the blow by that we have all observed. If you look at the HG in detail you will notice that the shortest distance between a cylinder and a coolant passage is back at the #6 cylinder. I measured it to be approx 5mm. IMHO this is the cause of many of the HG failures we are seeing. It would be nice to have concrete information on the longevity of the BMP HG. I would certainly go with it the next time around if I knew it was more durable. John Date: Fri, 5 Nov 2004 13:27:43 -0600 From: "Kris Welhart" <motorsports@stroco.com> Subject: Head Gasket Failure Hello all, I now have a second blown head gasket on my 95 m3 with 3.2l conversion, still OBD-1, Conforti chip, recent euro HFM and 24# injectors installed. The car had a stock HFM, conforti chip, and 21.5 # injectors for the entire life of the first failure and 9/10's of the time to the current failure. all innards are stock, all but cat back exhaust is stock. The symptoms are identical to the first failure 3 years ago which are as follows: 1. The car will begin to blow coolant out of the overflow tank after 20 minutes on the track. It will overheat after around 25 minutes. symptoms can't be achieved on the street. Appears to take 20 minutes of 5000+ RPMS. I can drive home 400+ miles with no problems. 2. The point of failure for the first gasket was from a coolant passage to a oil passage. The head was flat, no visible issues. 3. prior to blowing coolant, the return side radiator hose is VERY pressurized. Very obvious that some type of pressure is entering the coolant system, my guess is oil pressure. 4. All oil tests come back normal. Very little, if any, oil in coolant. My questions are what is causing this and is there a better gasket to use other than stock? Another repair question: My lifters have been ticking for the past 5 years of HARD track driving. Should I replace them? What are the effects of wear and failure after this many years? Thanks for any input. I am open to all suggestions and opinions. Happy motoring, Kris 95 ///M3
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#3. OT: E39 5 series opinions? - from Quach, Dat
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Date: Mon, 8 Nov 2004 11:24:50 -0600 From: "Quach, Dat" <QuachD@netsolve.com> Subject: OT: E39 5 series opinions? OT, but still BMW content...I have been looking for the right 330i (sport + premium) for my fiancée and haven't had much luck. A dealer/friend of mine has a 2001 525 (sport + premium + Xenon) with 39,XXX miles that's in excellent condition. He's offering it to us at a very reasonable price. She's moving from a '99 Lexus GS400 and I was wondering if anyone has had any problems with the 525 or could give a quick rundown of their ownership. Thanks, Dat
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#4. Re: [E36M3] Head Gasket - Overheating (My Experience) - from Andrew Kalman
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Date: Mon, 8 Nov 2004 09:21:34 -0800 From: Andrew Kalman <aek@pumpkininc.com> Subject: Re: [E36M3] Head Gasket - Overheating (My Experience) My M3 LWT's engine is 100% stock, and has a total of 17,000 miles on it, of which the last 10,000 are almost pure track miles The head gasket is blown -- typical '95 M3 head gasket failure. I haven't fixed it yet -- it's sitting on the lift. Build date is 8/95. From my viewpoint, i do not believe that the head gasket blowing is in any way directly related to any part of the valvetrain. It's just a poor head gasket, and an overworked motor, and it blew. From what I hear, those '95's that have their head gaskets replaced with newer, better head gaskets and are returned to the track do not seem to blow them again. I plan on doing a stock repair, with a new, better head gasket, and the updated / hardened retainers. -- ______________________________________ Andrew E. Kalman, Ph.D. aek@pumpkininc.com
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#5. Rod length - from James Clay
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Date: Mon, 8 Nov 2004 15:07:07 -0500 From: "James Clay" <james@bimmerworld.com> Subject: Rod length Does anyone know the rod length of the E36 3.0/3.2? James Clay http://www.bimmerworld.com http://www.bimmerworldracing.com Engineered BMW Performance 540.639.9648
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#6. Re: Peake FCX code interpration help - from Neil Maller
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Date: Mon, 08 Nov 2004 16:12:03 -0500 From: Neil Maller <neil.maller@gte.net> Subject: Re: Peake FCX code interpration help on 11/8/04 3:39 PM, Theodore Serbinski <stanson@gmail.com> wrote: > I am thinking the gasket could definetly be worn, because I am > tightening it all the way. I'll have to throw that on my todo list! Another possibility is the evaporative emissions system charcoal canister at the rear, and the hose which leads to it. Many people have reported leaks there, often cured by replacing the hose clamps. Neil 96 M3
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#7. Re: GET - from Neil Maller
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Date: Mon, 08 Nov 2004 16:17:47 -0500 From: Neil Maller <neil.maller@gte.net> Subject: Re: GET on 11/8/04 3:39 PM, Theodore Serbinski <stanson@gmail.com> wrote: > I didn't see a resolution in the archives over which plugs to use > either so I'm just posting to see if anyone knows. By the way, I am > running a 1997 M3/4. Thanks! From a post I made a few weeks ago: > Here's a summary of what I've found out, or failed to find out: > - My car has Bosch FGR8KQC plugs, which are the 4-electrode type and are, or > at least were, the stock plug for the 3.2 engine. The electrodes are a > quarter-circle shape (more about this below). > - The above plugs are supposedly now superseded by the FGR8KQE, which I > believe have the S-shaped electrodes now current on Bosch's Platinum+4 line. > - My local AutoZone doesn't list either of the above in their computer. > However if you instead look up the recommended Bosch plug for the 3.2 M3 it > comes up with the 4417, which also has the four S-shaped electrodes. Doing a > similar lookup on the Bosch web site at > <http://www.boschusa.com/AutoParts/SparkPlugs/PlatinumPlus4/> brings up both. > My guess is that these are alternate designations for the same plug. AutoZone > sells them for a reasonable six or so bucks each. > - Nobody around here carries the NGK BKR6EQUP. However the Iridium version of > this is listed at <http://www.clubplug.net/ngk_ngk_iridium.html> as the > BKR6EIX-11, not the plain BKR6EIX. Beats me. Neil 96 M3
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#8. Re: [E36M3] Headlight switch: should it be illuminated? - from Rex Tener
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Date: Mon, 08 Nov 2004 13:54:57 -0800 From: Rex Tener <rex_tener@yahoo.com> Subject: Re: [E36M3] Headlight switch: should it be illuminated? At 12:59 AM 11/8/2004 -0500, Kurt Hoofnagle wrote: >Drove my still-new-to-me 95 m3 tonight and noticed >that the headlight switch is not illuminated like it >is in the newer BMWs that I have owned. Should it be? > If so, what is involved in fixing this? Here is the procedure I used from Koala Motorsport: <http://www.koalamotorsport.com/tech/e36/E36.light.switch.htm> -- Rex Tener rex_tener@yahoo.com
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#9. RE: [E36M3] Rod length - from Jeremy Conners
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Date: Mon, 8 Nov 2004 21:55:11 -0500 From: "Jeremy Conners" <jeremy.conners@comcast.net> Subject: RE: [E36M3] Rod length Jim, I keep finding 135 mm for the S52 engine connecting rod length. If you get verification, please post the correct answer to the list. Jeremy // Does anyone know the rod length of the E36 3.0/3.2? // // // James Clay
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#10. Groaning noise again... - from docwyte@comcast.net
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Date: Tue, 09 Nov 2004 04:21:34 +0000 From: docwyte@comcast.net Subject: Groaning noise again... Ok, did some further investigation... It's definately brake related and coming from the rear brakes. Tonight I removed the rear wheels and calipers, cleaned everything up and put it back together. The rear wheels do not spin freely! There's alot of resistance when I try to spin them vs the fronts, which spin fine. The pads weren't hanging up, in fact I'd pushed the pistons all the way in, so the pads weren't even touching the rotors. WTF? Went out and rebedded the pads, they're tempering in the garage now. Braking performance is fine, just getting the noise and shudder during the last few feet of a gentle stop... Any ideas? I don't want to replace the rear calipers if I don't need to, and they don't appear to be bad... -josh