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#1. The Procrastinator Finally Gets a New Suspension - from Jonathan Evans
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Date: Wed, 17 Nov 2004 15:50:30 -0500 From: "Jonathan Evans" <jonathanevans@hotmail.com> Subject: The Procrastinator Finally Gets a New Suspension Just got the new style Bilsteins installed on my '95 and left the stock springs and sways. I've only put 50 miles on it so far but I'm impressed with the improvement in the handling. Weight transition is much more controlled. Bigger bumps are handled MUCH smoother, but maybe smaller bumps are felt more. Driving slowly diagonally over speedbumps does not cause my head to smash through the driver's window. The shocks/struts did not raise the car up any noticeable amount from stock height. I did keep the worn out stock front struts if anybody wants them for a Koni conversion. All you have to pay for is shipping from NC and for the amount of beer I have to drink to pack it up. Estimated 1 import beer. I'm planning on a BMW 4 wheel alignment. Any advice on whether to sit in the car during alignment? I want to use the fancy BMW machine that pokes rods through the wheels to align at the rotors. Thanks to TURNER MOTORSPORTS for the great customer service, best price and quick shipping. -Jonathan Evans -95M3
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#2. Re: Pictures (was: WTB: 3.2L cams urgently)> - from Neil Maller
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Date: Wed, 17 Nov 2004 18:05:15 -0500 From: Neil Maller <neil.maller@gte.net> Subject: Re: Pictures (was: WTB: 3.2L cams urgently)> on 11/17/04 10:22 AM, Jim Bassett <jim@jimbassett.com> wrote: > Here's a couple of pictures I took of the worst of the cam scoring, and of > the carbon build up on the pistons: > http://www.jimbassett.com/M3valvejob.htm Interesting. At 85K miles my pistons have definite carbon build-up, but much less than Jim's, and less crusty looking. Mine are also cleaner on the intake side than the exhaust, but Jim's don't seem to show that pattern. My car is a daily driver plus a couple of dozen track days per season. (Picture available by email for anyone that cares.) My take-out cams showed no signs of scuffing that I recall, certainly nothing like what Jim's pix show. Neil 96 M3 - "Bastard child"
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#3. Was cams...now carbon build up - from jakeadavis@comcast.net
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Date: Wed, 17 Nov 2004 23:23:41 +0000 From: jakeadavis@comcast.net Subject: Was cams...now carbon build up <<From: Jamie Howton <jhowton@gmail.com> Subject: Re: [E36M3] Was Cams ... now Carbon build up ... When I replaced my head gasket a couple of months ago the carbon buildup on the pistons, valves and head chambers was similar to Jim's. I cleaned it off pretty easily with carburetor cleaner and a plastic scrub brush.>> How did you prevent scrapings from falling down cylinder walls? I'd be concerned about the bits causing ring/cylinder wall problems. Am I an alarmist? jake davis
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#4. Re: [E36M3] Was cams...now carbon build up - from Chester Wong
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Date: Wed, 17 Nov 2004 15:34:16 -0800 (PST) From: Chester Wong <chester_p_wong@yahoo.com> Subject: Re: [E36M3] Was cams...now carbon build up I think he was talking about cleaning the head/valves. Though the real important surfaces are the valve stems which are hidden if you don't remove them from the head. Chester --- jakeadavis@comcast.net wrote: > How did you prevent scrapings from falling down cylinder walls? I'd be > concerned about the bits causing ring/cylinder wall problems. Am I an > alarmist? =====
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#5. Re: [E36M3] Was cams...now carbon build up - from Jim Bassett
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Date: Wed, 17 Nov 2004 16:39:29 -0700 From: Jim Bassett <jim@jimbassett.com> Subject: Re: [E36M3] Was cams...now carbon build up Quoting jakeadavis@comcast.net: > How did you prevent scrapings from falling down cylinder walls? I'd be > concerned about the bits causing ring/cylinder wall problems. Am I an > alarmist? Just a guess, but one works on one piston at a time, rotating it to TDC. <shrug> Now all you have to worry about is getting debris in the cooling and oiling passages :-) Jim Bassett - leaves this stuff to trained professionals :-) ---------------------------------------------------------------- This message was sent using IMP, the Internet Messaging Program.
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#6. Re: [E36M3] Shuddering noise... - from docwyte@comcast.net
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Date: Thu, 18 Nov 2004 00:23:08 +0000 From: docwyte@comcast.net Subject: Re: [E36M3] Shuddering noise... I checked with the supplier, the wheels are hubcentric and don't need any rings... I'm going to swap back to my race pads and toss on a different set of wheels/tires to see if that changes anything... -josh -------------- Original message -------------- Did you not get the hub centering rings for the wheels? If not it may be the problem, or a bad tire. Gary Gray Pro Bike/Pro Bike Cycling Team
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#7. RE: [E36M3] JTD Rear Strut Bar a Question... - from Fernando Mujica
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Date: Wed, 17 Nov 2004 19:26:44 -0600 From: Fernando Mujica <fmujica@mac.com> Subject: RE: [E36M3] JTD Rear Strut Bar a Question... Carlos, I agree, they are expensive. They probably offer no (or very little) performance improvement (over the X-bar anyway). The main reason I got them is to help keep the car together :) . Patrick, No, you can not remove the bar without removing at least one of the bases. Fernando Date: Wed, 17 Nov 2004 11:50:09 -0500 From: Carlos.F.Lopez@jci.com Subject: RE: [E36M3] JTD Rear Strut Bar a Question... From: Patrick Goss - PA <Patrick_Goss@GMACM.COM> Subject: RE: [E36M3] JTD Rear Strut Bar a Question... > P.S. maybe the center strut tube holds beer? At the going rate of BMW > performance parts, 279 'might' not seem so bad. Some people pay 900 > for a > schnizter bar....why because its hella cool! I think Gary is right, the prices for E36 strut tower bars are ridiculous. They're appealing to the bling factor though, if you pay $700 to $900 for a strut tower bar that is essentially doing nothing for you then you've stepped into the bling world. :-) I know they have *some* advantage I'm sure but compared to the increased performance you get from the $100 x-brace it's ridiculous to spend that much on one. I think the rigid E30 ones go for less than $100 (Sparco front one) and slightly more for the aluminum rear one ($130-150-ish). So who's going to make an affordable one for the budget conscious E36 racer/autoxer!? :-) Carlos 93 325is would like one but not for >$400, looking for a used Motorsport one instead.
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#8. Interest in stamped ltw wheels? - from docwyte@comcast.net
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Date: Thu, 18 Nov 2004 02:19:54 +0000 From: docwyte@comcast.net Subject: Interest in stamped ltw wheels? Thinking about getting rid of my original stamped Motorsport ltw wheels. These are a staggered set. Condition is good, no curb rash, they're straight, but the finish on them isn't the greatest. Ie, they're not perfect. If interested I can take and send some pics of them. They currently have a set of Hoosier A3S03's on em that are done. I can either ship with the tires on the wheels to protect them, or dismount the tires. In a perfect world you'd have a set of 17x8.5 (or 9") SSR Comps the like to trade me, although I'll entertain cash offers. -josh
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#9. Re: [E36M3] Interest in stamped ltw wheels? - from Andrew Kalman
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Date: Wed, 17 Nov 2004 19:29:54 -0800 From: Andrew Kalman <aek@pumpkininc.com> Subject: Re: [E36M3] Interest in stamped ltw wheels? Re: >Thinking about getting rid of my original stamped Motorsport ltw >wheels. These are a staggered set. Condition is good, no curb >rash, they're straight, but the finish on them isn't the greatest. >Ie, they're not perfect. If interested I can take and send some >pics of them. Somebody / a LWT owner (Trigger?) has been looking for a set recently ... -- ______________________________________ Andrew E. Kalman, Ph.D. aek@pumpkininc.com
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#10. Re: [E36M3] Was cams...now carbon build up - from Jamie Howton
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Date: Thu, 18 Nov 2004 09:20:15 -0600 From: Jamie Howton <jhowton@gmail.com> Subject: Re: [E36M3] Was cams...now carbon build up The carb cleaner dissolved whatever that buildup was, I saoked up the carb cleaner with paper towels. I didn't bother trying to prevent it from running down the cylinder walls, I ran the car for 5 minutes and then changed the oil and filter. For the head, the crusty stuff was only on the cylinder side of the valves, the "top" of the valves and valve stems were really clean. I don't know what the "right" way to handle this would have been and I don't know if I did any permenent damage. The car runs strong again without overheating and I've done 3 track days since the head gasket replacement without any noticeable ill effects. Regards Jamie Howton