-------------------- 1 --------------------
#1. Re: [E36M3] AC compressor died - should I consider used parts? - from Jim Bassett
Top
Date: Thu, 21 Sep 2006 12:21:21 -0700 (PDT) From: "Jim Bassett" <jim@jimbassett.com> Subject: Re: [E36M3] AC compressor died - should I consider used parts? On Thu, September 21, 2006 12:06 pm, bnmhead-bmw@yahoo.com said: > I was tempted to > go this way because I thought it included the ac aux fan assembly, that > alone used is ~$150+, but now getting the details of the deal he's > keeping it on the car As long as your's still works, I see no reason to change it. > (do most dedicated track cars keep the aux ac as > part of the cooling?), given it's not part of the deal I'm having second > thoughts. Some do, some don't. Depends. So that's a "maybe" :-) I would say getting the rest of the used stuff should take care of what you need to do. I just had the compressor replaced on the race car (yes, it still has working A/C :-)), and it's working fine. No other components were replaced. > As far as the actual work, I just swap out compressor, use new o rings > all around, swap out receiver drier also, then take it somewhere to have > it vacuumed down, checked for leaks, and then charged, but that should > be it, right? Sounds about right, but I let my local mechanic deal with the details :-) Jim Bassett
-------------------- 2 --------------------
#2. AC compressor died - should I consider used parts? - from Mo Karamat
Top
Date: Thu, 21 Sep 2006 15:32:08 -0400 From: Mo Karamat <karamatm@optonline.net> Subject: AC compressor died - should I consider used parts? -------------------- 10 -------------------- Date: Thu, 21 Sep 2006 12:02:26 -0700 (PDT) From: <bnmhead-bmw@yahoo.com> Subject: AC compressor died - should I consider used parts? <<< I'm on a tight budget (getting divorced) am I being penny wise, pound foolish to consider going with used parts?>> Personally, I would spend the $$ on the new parts and be done with it once.... << As far as the actual work, I just swap out compressor, use new o rings all around, swap out receiver drier also, then take it somewhere to have it vacuumed down, checked for leaks, and then charged, but that should be it, right?>> Make sure that the compressor comes with the lubricating oil in it, and you also may want to look at the condensor.. When I did the system in my 91 325IX, that was leaking as well. You are correct on the process, it is not hard. I also just replaced the compressor and receiver/dryer in my 99 F250.. Same process... If I go for the used parts should I get a new receiver drier? <<Don't do the used parts! :) >> Regards, Mo
-------------------- 3 --------------------
#3. RE: [E36M3] AC compressor died - should I consider used parts? - from Goss, Patrick - PA
Top
Date: Thu, 21 Sep 2006 14:54:40 -0500 From: "Goss, Patrick - PA" <Patrick.Goss@GMACM.COM> Subject: RE: [E36M3] AC compressor died - should I consider used parts? Sorry about your luck. So are you certain the comp locked up? Have you removed the belt and spun the clutch, or is this an AC shop diagnosis? I'm fairly certain our e36 comp shut off before the point of destruction when refrig is low, however the clutch could be suspect. If you completely locked up consider the chance that perhaps you would have thrown or mangled up a drive belt. You could gamble on the used comp, after-all, 134a isn't crazy expensive like say r12, which you wouldn't want to risk loosing! Consider also that the root cause of the system loosing pressure initially may have left contamination in the lines, you're on the right track replacing the dryer but I would only use a new one, and flush the remaining lines. If you are doing this yourself hopefully you can get access to the cleaner guns, some are available for the do-it-yourselfer (Ronaire makes one IIRC), but IMO they are hardly worth the cost unless you have a few older cars around and will likely be using it a few times. You can skip this perhaps if the lines blow relatively clean with dry compressed air. Don't forget to add the appropriate amount of oil in the comp too! I am of the opinion that 300 for the used parts is still very expensive! Good luck! Patrick -----Original Message----- From: bnmhead-bmw@yahoo.com [mailto:bnmhead-bmw@yahoo.com] Sent: Thursday, September 21, 2006 3:07 PM To: E36M3 Subject: [E36M3] AC compressor died - should I consider used parts? Date: Thu, 21 Sep 2006 12:02:26 -0700 (PDT) From: <bnmhead-bmw@yahoo.com> Subject: AC compressor died - should I consider used parts? I'm trying to decide which way to go - the ac compressor locked up on my '95 325i with 135k miles. I had been planning on getting new parts, the OEM Denso compressor, etc.. probably from Bimmerparts. If I go that route the new compressor is $350, plus another $70 for the receiver drier. Plus any other parts that may have failed that I don't know about (lines, evaporator, condensor, etc). On the other hand, I've found someone making a track car from a '98M3 (97k miles) that has the ac system still on it, working, that's willing to evacuate the system, pull it, seal it up and ship it to me, the whole thing, for $300 plus shipping. I was tempted to go this way because I thought it included the ac aux fan assembly, that alone used is ~$150+, but now getting the details of the deal he's keeping it on the car (do most dedicated track cars keep the aux ac as part of the cooling?), given it's not part of the deal I'm having second thoughts. I'm on a tight budget (getting divorced) am I being penny wise, pound foolish to consider going with used parts? As far as the actual work, I just swap out compressor, use new o rings all around, swap out receiver drier also, then take it somewhere to have it vacuumed down, checked for leaks, and then charged, but that should be it, right? If I go for the used parts should I get a new receiver drier? Anyone done this that would care to share anything useful they learned in the process? P.S. I know it's a 325i, and this in the M list, but it has decent suspension & brake mods, so Suzy is nice enough to let me hang out here despite not having an M car. ************************************************* 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 Treehouse Racing http://www.treehouseracing.com Elephant Motorsports Inc. http://www.elephantmotorsports.com DIGEST INFORMATION: http://www.bmw-m.net/resources/digest_info.htm *************************************************
-------------------- 4 --------------------
#4. PARTS BLOWOUT! - from Jonathan Vitolo
Top
Date: Thu, 21 Sep 2006 13:57:17 -0700 (PDT) From: Jonathan Vitolo <jvitolo27@yahoo.com> Subject: PARTS BLOWOUT! Still trying to clear out some space. Email me if you want anything! Thanks, Jonathan JVitolo27@yahoo.com Euro M3 radiator expansion tank - $40 SHIPPED Stock E36 M3 Brakes F&R show wear but complete - $425 SHIPPED OBD2 HFM - $75 SHIPPED S52 Intake Manifold $30 SHIPPED S52 Throttle body with ASC - $75 SHIPPED 3:23 LSD - $550 SHIPPED Black nappa leather rear seat cushion - $120 SHIPPED S52 Motor mount arms - $30 SHIPPED S52 valve cover - $120 SHIPPED S52 Cams - $320 SHIPPED ECIS EURO HFM intake - $150 SHIPPED Clear corner - $15 SHIPPED s52 Siemens ECU with Dinan software - $300 SHIPPED Ashtrays F&R - $15 SHIPPED Motorsport Strut Caps - $15 SHIPPED Fan clutch fan - $50 SHIPPED TCK 300/400# springs - $160 SHIPPED Black Leather armrest - $110 SHIPPED M3 Gauge cluster 82k miles- $185 SHIPPED 6 CD changer - $165 SHIPPED s52 coil packs - $100 SHIPPED 21.5# injectors - $85 SHIPPED M3 mirrors - $275 SHIPPED Stock airbox - $40 SHIPPED Shift boot and Ebrake boot - $40 SHIPPED 99 M3 3 spoke steering wheel - $200 SHIPPED Sunglass tray - $25 SHIPPED S52 fuel rail - $25 SHIPPED Alternator - $25 SHIPPED __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com
-------------------- 5 --------------------
#5. Various E36 M3 parts for sale...motor, suspension, etc. - from Jack - Elephant Motorsports
Top
Date: Fri, 22 Sep 2006 09:34:11 -0400 From: "Jack - Elephant Motorsports" <jack@elephantmotorsports.com> Subject: Various E36 M3 parts for sale...motor, suspension, etc. Various E36 M3 parts for sale, condition and price as indicated, shipping is additional. 1. S50 complete motor, ran strong when removed, ~170k, it's partially disassembled due to removing it from a car but everything is bolt back together, $2900 2. E36 M3 trans, grinds downshifting into 3rd gear, otherwise good, may just need a good fluid change but not sure, $350 3. Stock M3 sway bars (from '95), $80 for pair of front/rear 4. Stock M3 sway bars (also from '95 M3), $80/pair of front/rear (yes, 2 sets of them) 5. Stock M Contour wheel, 17x7.5, spare, good shape, $100 6. S50 DME (3/94 build, no EWS), no chip, $450 7. S50 engine wiring harness (3/94 build), $500 8. Front calipers, fine shape, ~220k on them, $150/pair 9. Stock lux package mulberry interior, power/heated front, rear seats, front/rear panels, passenger seat dump function is not working, $800 10. Ground Control camber/caster plates, race version, used approx 1 year, good shape, $270 11. VAC adjustable rear lower control arms, used approx 1 year, good shape, $240 12. Set of front/rear calipers removed from a 5/95 build M3, great condition, includes new rebuild kits for all 4, $350 13. Set of Koni SA dampers, used for approx 30k miles, good shape, $375 14. Stock HFM, $80 15. Stock rear lower control arms, fine shape, no damage, never hit, $40/pair 16. Stock rear upper control arms, fine shape, no damage, never hit, $80/pair Also have complete stock M3 suspension including rear trailing arms, half shafts. All prices are OBO and DO NOT include shipping. Freight shipping is fine for the motor. Email with questions, thanks. Jack Money
-------------------- 6 --------------------
#6. M-Technic Bumper Cover - from Mel Silva
Top
Date: Fri, 22 Sep 2006 11:21:54 -0400 (EDT) From: Mel Silva <melsilva@mindspring.com> Subject: M-Technic Bumper Cover Anyone (racers?) interested in a slightly blemished M-Technic front bumper cover? My body shop guy tellms that a competent body/paint guy could make this perfect and ready to prime with about 2 hrs. labor. I know these things are a few $ new, so here's your opportunity to get a backup/spare for $cheap. Otherwise it's going in my attic for my own use. Mel
-------------------- 7 --------------------
#7. Aux Fan Troubleshooting - from Christopher Bauer
Top
Date: Mon, 25 Sep 2006 15:21:08 -0500 From: Christopher Bauer <chrisbauer@vzavenue.net> Subject: Aux Fan Troubleshooting Gruppe, Car : 97 M3 coupe My Aux Fan doesnt turn on, with or without A/C. I went through the troubleshooting in the Bentley, and discovered the following: I am getting power to the radiator temp sensor. I am getting power readings from the wiring going to the relays. The fuses are all good. When I jumper the radiator temp switch connector, I hear clicking sounds from both high and low wires in the general direction of the relays. (the fan doesnt turn on though) Does this clicking indicate good relays? So, if I have power to the switch, and I cant jumper the switch to turn the fan on, but I hear clicking of relays, this points to.... a bad aux fan (shudder).. yes? Thanks in advance for insight. Chris 97M3
-------------------- 8 --------------------
#8. RE: [E36M3] Aux Fan Troubleshooting - from Eric Giles
Top
Date: Mon, 25 Sep 2006 15:38:02 -0500 From: "Eric Giles" <egiles@c-gate.net> Subject: RE: [E36M3] Aux Fan Troubleshooting Yes, probably so. Same thing happened to my previous '97 M3/4. One way you can test this-but be careful!!!-is that while you have the car running with the a/c on, CAREFULLY reach in the front of the bumper and give the fan a push-generally it will start slowly spinning. Yours might not, but mine did-and I knew then the motor was weak. I found one brand new on ebay for around $200 or so and it was exactly like the factory original. Eric Giles '88 M3 -----Original Message----- From: Christopher Bauer [mailto:chrisbauer@vzavenue.net] Sent: Monday, September 25, 2006 3:27 PM To: E36M3 Subject: [E36M3] Aux Fan Troubleshooting Date: Mon, 25 Sep 2006 15:21:08 -0500 From: Christopher Bauer <chrisbauer@vzavenue.net> Subject: Aux Fan Troubleshooting Gruppe, Car : 97 M3 coupe My Aux Fan doesnt turn on, with or without A/C. I went through the troubleshooting in the Bentley, and discovered the following: I am getting power to the radiator temp sensor. I am getting power readings from the wiring going to the relays. The fuses are all good. When I jumper the radiator temp switch connector, I hear clicking sounds from both high and low wires in the general direction of the relays. (the fan doesnt turn on though) Does this clicking indicate good relays? So, if I have power to the switch, and I cant jumper the switch to turn the fan on, but I hear clicking of relays, this points to.... a bad aux fan (shudder).. yes? Thanks in advance for insight. Chris 97M3 ************************************************* 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 Treehouse Racing http://www.treehouseracing.com Elephant Motorsports Inc. http://www.elephantmotorsports.com DIGEST INFORMATION: http://www.bmw-m.net/resources/digest_info.htm *************************************************
-------------------- 9 --------------------
#9. EOM Parts - from Reed Nicholson
Top
Date: Mon, 25 Sep 2006 13:56:20 -0700 From: "Reed Nicholson" <reedthis@comcast.net> Subject: EOM Parts Is there a place that has better-than-dealer prices on OEM parts, like door weather seals, that I could order from online or on-phone, mail-order? Thanks, Reed/Seattle
-------------------- 10 --------------------
#10. Did a clutch R&R...some observations and a few questions - from Chester Wong
Top
Date: Mon, 25 Sep 2006 14:17:09 -0700 (PDT) From: Chester Wong <chester_p_wong@yahoo.com> Subject: Did a clutch R&R...some observations and a few questions So a few months ago, I started hearing this noise from the car every time I pressed the clutch pedal. I suspected it was a throwout bearing on the way out so I finally came to my senses and decided to change it out since I didn't want to ruin my pre$$ure plate. A little background: my clutch is a custom solution consisting of a modified E34M5 flywheel (about 13 lbs), stock E34M5 disc and Sachs HD pressure plate. I saw a picture of Dinan's solution years ago and thought I could develop the same thing for a fraction of the cost. Anyway, the clutch had about 90k miles and numerous track days so up on the lift the car went on Sunday. My car is now my daily beater and it's quite clear that it doesn't get the care it used to. It's also my snowboard taxi so it's seen a fair amount of salt over the past three or four seasons. Speaking of expensive exhaust manifold studs, I shot the nuts with liquid wrench and then used an impact gun to slowly take them off. I think using an impact gun doesn't lead to galling as if you were to use a socket and breaker bar...just a theory of mine. Anyway, those came off with no drama as well as the cat to cat-back exhaust connection (much to my relief). Dropped the driveshaft only to find my guibo was cracked in about thirty different places. HAHAHA! It looked pretty bad and didn't look like it would survive another few thousand miles... So now the good part...tranny comes off and I start inspecting everything.. Yep...throwout bearing...not so good. It still spun but made more of a noise akin to those cheap '80s rollerskates... This was also a regular E36M3 throwout bearing before they revised it and put metal at the contact point where the clutch fork pushes against the bearing body(1) and the contact points were worn pretty deeply...maybe 1mm into the plastic. The face of the throwout bearing that contacts the pressure plate was "grooved" from contact with the fingers. I'm not sure if this is normal for a high mileage clutch. Any first hand experience here? The fingers of the pressure plate also showed wear from contact with the throwout bearing, but I assume that was natural and reused the pressure plate..esp in light of the recent discovery...more to follow. The clutch disc fell out when I remove the pressure plate as I forgot to insert the clutch alignment tool. Actually, scratch that, I forgot to bring the tool altogether...doh! The disc was ruined (dented), but it didn't really matter as the side that contacts the pressure plate was paper thin. The other side (that touches the flywheel) still had plenty of meat on it. Is this normal? First hand experience with high mileage clutches again, please =P The flywheel showed absolutely no signs of wear. This further supports my theory that all those LTW aluminum flywheels out there that boast of a user replaceable friction ring is just advertising bullsh*t when the steel friction ring is needed because you can't have a clutch disc touch bare aluminum....but if they want to spin it as an advantage, go right ahead. So...cleaned all of the splines on the tranny input shaft, lubed it up lightly, cleaned everything else and bolted the clutch back together with a new disc and everything went back together pretty smoothly. Get this: the clutch is now much, much, much more easy to operate. Can anyone explain why a worn clutch requires more effort to push? I did blow out all of the clutch dust out of the pressure plate so I'm not sure if that had anything to do with it. O, about the pressure plate note, Sachs makes three pressure plates for the E34M5: a stock one, a HD one, and a race one. Don't ever use the stock one for the E36M3. Some vendors out there tell you to replace the slave cylinder with one that is smaller but that's just a kludge, imo. The HD version gives you the same pedal effort as a regular stock E36M3 clutch. Anyway, when I first embarked on this project, the HD one was $300 and the race version was $800. We checked out the pressure plate and noticed that the pressure plate ring was a different material and had a thin steel surface bonded to it. We thought it was normal until a few months down the road, we got a HD one and noticed that the thin material was not there. So I had a new HD version on hand yesterday and we compared it. My pressure plate was noticeably lighter than the HD one. So apparently I got the $800 race version by mistake.. WOO HOO! FWIW, Chester (1) I think when I saw Wayne's first E46M3 clutch kit, it was similar to, if not the same as, the E36M3 part. Since Wayne has had a few UUC clutches blow up in his car, we've gone through a few kits and I noticed recently that the latest throwout bearings have metal wrapped around the tab....just an observation