-------------------- 1 --------------------
#1. I Stock Spring Option - from Ahmad Lutfeali
Top
Date: Tue, 5 Jul 2005 12:28:40 -0400 From: "Ahmad Lutfeali" <m3_racer99@hotmail.com> Subject: I Stock Spring Option Folks, I have been toying with the idea of converting my 98 M3 into a BMW Club Race car (I Stock). I got rid of some of the mods which were not legal and trying to mod up the car to get up to par. Regarding springs, what are the typical spring rates some of you run? I will be sending out my Bilsteins to get revalved and am in search of springs (stock type; no coilovers). Most people mentioned that the H&R Race springs are not competitive at all. Any other sources/rates etc? If someone has a set that they thought was too soft/hard and is sitting around collecting dust, I may be interested (Shoot me an email offline). Thanks in advance. Ahmad
-------------------- 2 --------------------
#2. Re: [E36M3] Oil gauges, coolers, temps - from Jim Bassett
Top
Date: Tue, 5 Jul 2005 09:57:35 -0700 (PDT) From: "Jim Bassett" <jim@jimbassett.com> Subject: Re: [E36M3] Oil gauges, coolers, temps On Tue, July 5, 2005 7:47 am, geoff atkinson said: > Thank you so much for that temperature information. > I will certainly be adding a cooler so I'm not sure, in that situation, if > a > 300 degree would be necessary, as Carlos hinted... I believe he was poking a bit of fun, too. :-) > Can anyone confirm temps with a cooler? > If not, then I will go with the higher reading. I would suggest get the 300 degree gauge, unless oil temps with a cooler are expected to be quite a bit below 250 degrees. I wouldn't think you want to run the risk of pegging the gauge for what would be normal-ish temps. An additional 2 cents, Jim Bassett
-------------------- 3 --------------------
#3. Track pad impressions wanted - from Chester Wong
Top
Date: Tue, 5 Jul 2005 10:37:47 -0700 (PDT) From: Chester Wong <chester_p_wong@yahoo.com> Subject: Track pad impressions wanted Hi guys, I was calling around today to get some track pads before the Glen event for the Elise. So...I have a few questions: - I called up Carbotech and the guy recommended the XP8 compound for the track. Fronts would run me $133 and rears are $137. They do give a 10% discount if you mention BMW CCA :) Unfortunately, he's out of the rear pad and it won't make it's way back into stock unless someone orders a set. I have my track even next week and their time estimate was 1.5 weeks just to get the pad :( - I called up porterfield and they said the Hawk and Porterfield warehouses were closed this week for inventory! DOH! But they did have the Hawk Blues and Porterfield R4 pads available. I run the Hawk HT-10s on the E36M3 and have been very pleased with them. I'm not sure if the Elise would require such an aggressive compound since it's much lighter. Apparently the HT-10s are rated from 300 - 1600 degrees farenheit and the Blues are rated from 250 - 1000 degrees. The track I'm going to is the Glen so there are some long straights to cool the brakes between corners. The blues would run $137 (front) and $171 (rear) and if you mention the E36M3 list, you'd get 20% off. I think Jim Basset mentioned the blues...or was it the blacks? - The Porterfield R4 pads were also in stock for $130 (front) and $109 (rear) again with an additional 20% off. So...the question is...which to get. Guys who have run the R4 pads, how do you like them? Anyone run Hawk Blues? TIA, Chester
-------------------- 4 --------------------
#4. Re: Monroe rears installed.. impressions and a 'duh.. - from Neil Maller
Top
Date: Tue, 05 Jul 2005 13:17:49 -0500 From: Neil Maller <neil.maller@gte.net> Subject: Re: Monroe rears installed.. impressions and a 'duh.. on 7/5/05 10:27 AM, Don Eilenberger <deilenberger@yahoo.com> wrote: > Bottom - hardest part of removal was finding an 18mm socket. Had one in my > Snap-On impact sockets (which are in 1mm increments). 1/2" drive - the bottoms > came right off. > > (oh - the factory nut on the shock shaft - what's with 14mm? Didn't have an > open end - Crescent wrench had to do. The new one had a 15mm nut.) > Don: shame on you! I can't imagine why anyone would have missing sizes in a socket set. The head size for nuts and bolts depends on what if any standards they adhere too (DIN, JIS, other), what production era they come from (standards evolve), special requirements for a given installation (smaller sizes for tight spots) and of course the sheer perversity of many manufacturers (BMW definitely not excluded). 18mm for an M12 bolt head is the normal size on BMW cars, replacing 19mm on many 3rd party fasteners. M10 fasteners may have 16mm or 17mm heads, and so on. > Next weekend - the front struts. If anyone has any DIY hints that will make me > go 'duh when I figure them out myself - please pass them along. A few things come to mind. The first is dis- and re-assembly of the recessed shock shaft nut. You need to hold the shaft stationary while turning the nut, and BMW has provided a hex recess in the end of the shaft for that purpose. However because it's recessed you need some kind of a special tool to use that feature. Furthermore this nut can be either 22mm or sometimes 21mm (later cars) or even something else (see sheer perversity exception, above). One common method is to take a 1/2" drive deep pattern socket and grind a pair of flats on the top end. You insert a 3/8" drive allen socket on an extension inside the modded socket to that the extension sticks out on the top. Hold the allen/extension still with a ratchet handle and turn the big socket with a wrench on the flats. If your nut is 22mm you can use a 7/8" (= 22.23mm) oxygen sensor socket, readily available at AutoZone, which already has an external hex. Otherwise you'll have to make your own. Your replacement struts may have a different nut size altogether. It's often possible to undo the nut with an air impact gun while the car's weight is still on the strut, but this isn't so good for fastening, since you have no control over the applied torque. Another thing to pay attention to is the order and orientation of the thrust components. In particular part #7 here: <http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?model=BG93&mospid=47488&btnr=31_023 9&hg=31&fg=10> must be installed with the flat side down and the slightly conical side up. Also pay particular attention to part #11 here: <http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?model=BG93&mospid=47488&btnr=31_042 0&hg=31&fg=10> especially if your replacement shock has a conical step on the shaft. Note the normal orientation of the asymmetrical strut hats. They are marked L and R for each side of the car and have an arrow that points to the front of the car. There's a concealed 16mm flat on the swaybar link bolt shanks behind the strut casing tabs. You need a fairly thin wrench to fit in there. A Craftsman Pro series fits but their ordinary wrenches don't. Support the steering knuckles with a jack so that they don't drop and over-stress the ball joints when the strut is disconnected. The lower pair of the 3 bolts holding the strut casing to the steering knuckle come with microencapsulated thread locker on them when new. If reusing them apply some Loctite. BTW, they have 18mm heads... Neil Fort Wayne, IN 96 M3 - Bastard child 03 525iT - Track tire hauler 05 Mini - Cooper S with LSD! 77 MGB - Original owner, need to sell
-------------------- 5 --------------------
#5. RE: [E36M3] Track pad impressions wanted - from twisty M3
Top
Date: Tue, 05 Jul 2005 12:23:35 -0700 From: "twisty M3" <twistym3@hotmail.com> Subject: RE: [E36M3] Track pad impressions wanted << Guys who have run the R4 pads, how do you<br>like them? >> On my car (standard heavyweight M3), I think they're relatively horrible. ;) They were a nice starter pad, but they fade like mad and get worse after every lap (I'm not a hard braker either). That being said, I've run a night enduro in an E36M3 that was about 300lbs less than mine and they were fine. Mind you, it was cool out and I was being somewhat conservative. I'd think in an Elise they might be okay because of the weight (not sure how the brake cooling is), but I'll never put them on my car again... even if they're free. I'm a big fan of PF97s, but the dust is too corrosive for me to use anymore. My new personal track pad of choice is the Cobalt Friction SpecVR. YMMV. Jonathan L.
-------------------- 6 --------------------
#6. Re: [E36M3] Oil gauges, coolers, temps - from Carlos.F.Lopez@jci.com
Top
Date: Tue, 5 Jul 2005 16:02:05 -0400 From: Carlos.F.Lopez@jci.com Subject: Re: [E36M3] Oil gauges, coolers, temps >I believe he was poking a bit of fun, too. :-) Me? Never! :-) Actually you're quite right. The euro oil cooler just seems like one of those _must_ do type of mods if you go racing (if you ask me anyway). The car overheating in the middle of a race just doesn't seem like a good thing and I know some people (myself included) would probably run the car hot vs loosing a race. Even if there isn't a trophy or a price involved. >I would suggest get the 300 degree gauge, unless oil temps with a cooler >are expected to be quite a bit below 250 degrees. I wouldn't think you >want to run the risk of pegging the gauge for what would be normal-ish >temps. Agreed. I believe I have a 250 deg water temp gauge but admittedly I've never driven an E36 M3 with gauges so I have no idea if that's appropriate. I have two sets of gauges, the normal VDO ones half the E36 world has in their cars and a set of Nordskog that probably go beyond the VDO temp gauges and have memory and crap. I think I'll probably install the Nordskog in the E36 and put the VDO ones in my POS E30 (may become a Spec E30 car anyway). Carlos. 98 M3 yay :-) 88 325is now parked indefinitely until I fix several issues
-------------------- 7 --------------------
#7. Re: [E36M3] Re: Monroe rears installed.. impressions and a 'duh.. - from Andrew Kalman
Top
Date: Tue, 5 Jul 2005 12:57:05 -0700 From: Andrew Kalman <aek@pumpkininc.com> Subject: Re: [E36M3] Re: Monroe rears installed.. impressions and a 'duh.. Neil wrote: >18mm for an M12 bolt head is the normal size on BMW cars, replacing 19mm on >many 3rd party fasteners. M10 fasteners may have 16mm or 17mm heads, and so >on. True, but this only happened in the last 10-15 years. 11mm, 15mm, 16mm and 18mm heads were practically unheard of in the time of the E12's ('75-'81), the M1 ('79-'81), and even later. I purchased most of my tools (Hazet, Facom and Snap-On) in the late-80's-to-mid-90's, and it's quite normal for the socket "kits" to be missing things like 16mm and 18mm. But nowadays, yes, most socket kits do include them. -- ______________________________________ Andrew E. Kalman, Ph.D. aek@pumpkininc.com
-------------------- 8 --------------------
#8. Re: [E36M3] Oil gauges, coolers, temps - from Jim Bassett
Top
Date: Tue, 5 Jul 2005 13:29:34 -0700 (PDT) From: "Jim Bassett" <jim@jimbassett.com> Subject: Re: [E36M3] Oil gauges, coolers, temps On Tue, July 5, 2005 1:07 pm, Carlos.F.Lopez@jci.com said: >>I believe he was poking a bit of fun, too. :-) > > Me? Never! :-) :-) > Actually you're quite right. You suspected otherwise? :-) > Agreed. I believe I have a 250 deg water temp gauge but admittedly I've > never > driven an E36 M3 with gauges so I have no idea if that's appropriate. I think that's an appropriate one for the water temp. Of course, I'm going to have to go take a look at what's *actually* in the race car now - grumble-fookingmemoryloss-grumble <g>. > Carlos. > 98 M3 yay :-) Woohoo :-) Jim Bassett
-------------------- 9 --------------------
#9. RE: [E36M3] Track pad impressions wanted - from Chester Wong
Top
Date: Tue, 5 Jul 2005 13:55:15 -0700 (PDT) From: Chester Wong <chester_p_wong@yahoo.com> Subject: RE: [E36M3] Track pad impressions wanted Thanks for everyone's opinion. I pulled the trigger and went with the Porterfield R4 pads. I know, I know..I would never have considered them for the M3, but a) they are cheap (something like $200 for all four corners), b) they were in stock and c) they would be better than stock. I don't even know if I'll continue to track the Elise...just wanted to get it on the track at least once! It's far too delicate and expensive to track...I have the M3 for that! ...and a TIG welder to repair anything on the M3...can't do that with the Elise...though I do have the pneumatic tool used to delaminate the body work from the aluminum chassis.... Thanks, Chester
-------------------- 10 --------------------
#10. Re: Monroe rears installed.. impressions and a 'duh.. - from Neil Maller
Top
Date: Tue, 05 Jul 2005 16:04:58 -0500 From: Neil Maller <neil.maller@gte.net> Subject: Re: Monroe rears installed.. impressions and a 'duh.. on 7/5/05 1:17 PM, Neil Maller at neil.maller@gte.net wrote: > One common method is to take a 1/2" drive deep pattern socket and grind a > pair of flats on the top end. You insert a 3/8" drive allen socket on an > extension inside the modded socket to that the extension sticks out on the > top. Hold the allen/extension still with a ratchet handle and turn the big > socket with a wrench on the flats. One thing I forgot to mention is that Victory Product Design has some nice tools for these, see: <http://victoryproductdesign.com/tools_main.htm> I don't know what nut size they're assuming, but I imagine an email would clarify. >18mm for an M12 bolt head is the normal size on BMW cars, replacing 19mm on >many 3rd party fasteners. M10 fasteners may have 16mm or 17mm heads, and so >on. on 7/5/05 2:57 PM, Andrew Kalman at aek@pumpkininc.com wrote: > True, but this only happened in the last 10-15 years. > 11mm, 15mm, 16mm and 18mm heads were practically unheard of in the > time of the E12's ('75-'81), the M1 ('79-'81), and even later. Yeah, but tools are forever - or should be. > I purchased most of my tools (Hazet, Facom and Snap-On) in the > late-80's-to-mid-90's, and it's quite normal for the socket "kits" to > be missing things like 16mm and 18mm. Got you beat: I have some Stahlwille sockets that I bought in Switzerland in the early 70's when I lived there, including that elusive 18mm. > But nowadays, yes, most socket kits do include them. Which provides me an opportunity for a little rant: Sears sells those handy Gear Wrench sets, such as <http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/product.do?BV_UseBVCookie=Yes&vertical=TOOL& pid=00942003000> but the sizes you get are 10, 12, 13, 14, 15, 17 and 19mm. No 11mm (hard brake line unions) No 16mm (tons of stuff) No 18mm (more tons of stuff). That's why I bought SK brand, which gave me 8 through 22mm plus 24mm. Of course that missing 23mm might come home to bite me one day, who knows? Neil Fort Wayne, IN 96 M3 - Bastard child 03 525iT - A pair of Recaros in boxes fit handily in back 77 MGB - Original owner, need to sell 05 Mini - Cooper S with LSD!
-------------------- 11 --------------------
#11. RE: [E36M3] Track pad impressions wanted - from Jim Bassett
Top
Date: Tue, 5 Jul 2005 14:05:04 -0700 (PDT) From: "Jim Bassett" <jim@jimbassett.com> Subject: RE: [E36M3] Track pad impressions wanted On Tue, July 5, 2005 1:57 pm, Chester Wong said: > ...and a TIG welder to repair anything on the M3...can't do that > with > the Elise...though I do have the pneumatic tool used to delaminate the > body > work from the aluminum chassis.... Am I the only one sensing a new "Chester story" in the near future? :-) Jim Bassett