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#1. Re: Front Strut tower deformation - from Skip Bogard
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Date: Tue, 31 Oct 2006 20:04:18 -0500 From: Skip Bogard <skipb@bellsouth.net> Subject: Re: Front Strut tower deformation Sorry guys...I must have confused you with my writing. I DON'T expect BMW to repair the shock towers gratis on an 11 year old car. I don't think I said this, but I'll still take 1/2 the blame for the communication error..... What I do expect, when I do my part as a loyal customer to RELIGIOUSLY take my car to the BMW dealer for 11 years straight for EVERY Inspection I and Inspection II, is that I be notified by a BMW tech or by my BMW Service Advisor that I should consider PAYING OUT OF MY POCKET to ADD the ENGINEERING CHANGE or buy a new, improved replacement part as a proactive measure to avoid future problems! It's an expected courtesy in my opinion! Just tell me! I'll PAY TO FIX IT! I had no trouble at all with paying out of pocket for the hardened valve retainers. And I have NO PROBLEM with paying out of pocket for the entire strut tower reinforcement ADDITION. What I do have a problem with is not being told about an issue when my car is in the dealership about 6-8 friggin' times per year over 11 years! It's behaviour like this that has caused BMW NA to be sued by an attorney in California representing several plaintiffs for plastic radiator neck failures. I was told by the attorney that a repair tech up north was working with an E36 engine running when the radiator neck failed on a customer's car. It caused 2nd degree burns on his testicles & groin area. There are several other cases where people have been injured by the radiator neck snapping off. I paid $400 for the Zionsville radiator too while I'm thinking of it. I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH PAYING TO REPAIR BMW'S PRODUCT DEFECTS or ENGINEERING CHANGES OUT OF MY OWN POCKET! JUST TELL ME ABOUT THE PROBLEMS BMW NA! BMW NA's current business mantra seems to be: "Let's keep our BMW NA head in the sand and our BMW NA customers in dark! After all, why should be 'PARTNER' with our most loyal customers to keep them informed of potential issues?". - Skip >I hope there's more of a story to it. A shock tower that cracks on an >11-year old car with no suspension mods is a poor design, as far as >I'm concerned.. Makes me wonder if the strut tower bar caused >unexpected stress on it? But you'd think this would have been studied >when they added the bar to the LTW (and the GT, right?) >But at the same time, the last thing in the world I'd expect is ANY <<<<<<<<<<<< I didn't say I >manufacturer to fix that kind of thing after 11 years. Seems pretty <<<<<<<<<<<< expected this! >unreasonable. <<<<<<<<<<<< - Skip NOR DID I SAY THAT I EXPECTED THIS...AT LEAST I DIDN'T MEAN TOO.... SORRY IF I CONFUSED YOU ALL.......... - Skip >Maybe there's more to this story than is in your previous email, but >did you really expect them to repair your cracked shock tower for >free? On an 11 year old car? That doesn't sound like a reasonable >expectation IMO. p.s. You don't take a 928 to a Porsche dealer to be repaired...their techs have little to no training on these cars. You take it to a person who knows these cars inside & out in your city. If you don't have such a person available...you don't buy the 928... - Skip >Can't wait to see what Porsche has to say about repairing the problems >you'll find with the 928 after you've had it a few years!
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#2. Re: [E36M3] Re: Front Strut tower deformation - from David Thomas
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Date: Tue, 31 Oct 2006 17:26:03 -0800 From: David Thomas <dave@sasdatalink.com> Subject: Re: [E36M3] Re: Front Strut tower deformation On Tuesday 31 October 2006 5:07 pm, Skip Bogard wrote: > p.s. You don't take a 928 to a Porsche dealer to be repaired...their techs > have little to no training on these cars. You take it to a person who > knows these cars inside & out in your city. If you don't have such a > person available...you don't buy the 928... - Skip Ditto for BMW and the E36 M3....do it yourself or take it to a good independent shop but for the love of god...don't go to the dealer... Dave
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#3. Re: [E36M3] Re: Front Strut tower deformation - from marty
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Date: Tue, 31 Oct 2006 20:26:33 -0500 From: marty <mfraiser@earthlink.net> Subject: Re: [E36M3] Re: Front Strut tower deformation fwiw, my '96 (5/96 build) had the strut tower reinforcement plates originally. It no longer has them as they wouldn't fit when I installed TCK adjustable strut mounts. I was a bit concerned about losing the plates but Pete at TCK said it hadn't been a problem on anything he knew of (including race cars). The way it is designed it is definitely different than stock (with or w/o reinforcements). There's a thick ring-shaped piece bolted to the tower top with the substantial adjustable plate sandwiched between it and a thin bolt carrier plate. Either of the two upper pieces are much thicker than stock so hopefully that's providing better reinforcement. Anyone have any experience with losing the reinforcement plates for TCK mounts? Which part of the tower deforms - top or sides somewhere? I'm thinking it must be the top as the reinforcement plates appear to do nothing for the sides. thanks marty '96 M3 - another bastard child - used to have factory strut tower reinforcement plates Neil Maller wrote: >Assuming you mean the fronts, then yes, you can tell. If you pop off the >plastic caps (if any) over the top of the strut tower you'll be able to see >a rim of black painted metal around the circumference of the hole. > >Or not...Your 96 should have them, but then again the 96's are, yes, the >Bastard Children, so who knows? > >
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#4. Re: [E36M3] Re: Front Strut tower deformation - from Richard Harden
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Date: Tue, 31 Oct 2006 22:13:09 -0500 From: "Richard Harden" <roguem3@gmail.com> Subject: Re: [E36M3] Re: Front Strut tower deformation Does anyone have a Part Number for these plates? I cant believe I hadnt heard of these, and didnt know to put them in when installing my GC coilovers! :( Thanks in advance. -Richard (10/94 M3) On 10/31/06, Neil Maller <neil.maller@gte.net> wrote: > Date: Tue, 31 Oct 2006 14:15:19 -0500 > From: Neil Maller <neil.maller@gte.net> > Subject: Re: Front Strut tower deformation > > That's pretty well established already by BMW's introduction of the > under-tower reinforcing plates with the 96 and later model year M3. > > For reasons we can all sympathize with Skip missed previous posts on this > subject, but anyone else with an E36 that isn't equipped with the > reinforcing plates really should add them now. I think they're only about > $6 > each. And add the Z3 reinforcing plates at the rear too. > > They fronts can be installed simply by jacking the front of the car, > unbolting the strut hats to drop the struts down and then reaching up into > the towers from below and slipping them over the hat studs. > > >
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#5. Re: [E36M3] update shifter components - from Jeff Conner
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Date: Tue, 31 Oct 2006 19:49:09 -0800 (PST) From: Jeff Conner <jeff.conner@yahoo.com> Subject: Re: [E36M3] update shifter components Yep Pelicanparts.com has a shift bushing rebuild kit... http://www.pelicanparts.com/cgi-bin/ksearch/PEL_search.cgi?command=show_part_page&please_wait=N&make=POR&model=BE36§ion=Tshift&page=1&bookmark=2&part_number=PEL-SKSBE36-04N and the DIY.... http://www.pelicanparts.com/BMW/techarticles/E36-Shift_Bushings/E36-Shift_Bushings.htm ----- Original Message ---- From: Gary Preece <gary.preece@insightbb.com> To: E36M3 <e36m3@bmw-m.net> Sent: Tuesday, October 31, 2006 4:07:32 PM Subject: [E36M3] update shifter components Date: Tue, 31 Oct 2006 19:02:24 -0500 From: "Gary Preece" <gary.preece@insightbb.com> Subject: update shifter components Hey Guys and Gal, My 2002 Rogue shifter is getting sloppy from too many 12 year old parts. Doesn't someone have a kit that has all the required parts? Even the rubber boot is falling apart, so I want to do everything at once. Man, my newly rebuilt engine (now with 10K on it) pulls STRONG! Many project to come to get the car in nice shape again... Gary Louisville, KY ************************************************* 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 *************************************************
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#6. Re: Front Strut tower deformation - from Neil Maller
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Date: Tue, 31 Oct 2006 23:22:31 -0500 From: Neil Maller <neil.maller@gte.net> Subject: Re: Front Strut tower deformation on 10/31/06 10:13 PM, Richard Harden at roguem3@gmail.com wrote: > Does anyone have a Part Number for these plates? I cant believe I hadnt heard > of these, and didnt know to put them in when installing my GC coilovers! :( Part number 15 here: <http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?model=BG93&mospid=47488&btnr=31_023 9&hg=31&fg=10> Neil Fort Wayne, IN 96 M3 - Bastard child 03 525iT - Sterling Grey Metallic 05 Mini - Cooper S with LSD
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#7. Re: Strut tower reinforcements - front and rear - from Neil Maller
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Date: Tue, 31 Oct 2006 23:40:20 -0500 From: Neil Maller <neil.maller@gte.net> Subject: Re: Strut tower reinforcements - front and rear on 10/31/06 7:57 PM, Bill Sharp <M3@cueframe.us> wrote: > Is everyone saying that any e36 (ours is a '99 and completely stock > other than the in and out Dinan things) needs these strut tower > reinforcing plates? Yes, but as a 99 yours already has them. > Shudder, are you also saying the rears need them too? It's a very good idea. > If so, let me just ask to be clear in my mind: > > 1. Can I just loosen the nuts from the studs in the front towers, let > the whole thing go down until the studs are clear from the tower and > slip the reinforcement ring in without compressing the spring? That's exactly what you'd do if they weren't already there. > 2. What do I need to do in the rear? Isn't this operation in the back > a welding thing? No. The Z3 reinforcements, see part 16 here: <http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?model=CK93&mospid=48097&btnr=33_045 9&hg=33&fg=45> are simply a reinforcing plate that bolts on above the sheet metal. However aftermarket rear shock mounts (highly recommended) often come with an equivalent part. For instance those from list sponsor Rogue Engineering: <http://www.rogueengineering.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_ Code=RSM&Category_Code=S> > Do I also need to order a brace for the rear for insurance? May or may not help rear end chassis stiffness, depending on which brace and whose opinion. Will consume trunk space. Won't improve shock tower reinforcement compared to the simple plates. Neil Fort Wayne, IN 96 M3 - Bastard child 03 525iT - Sterling Grey Metallic 05 Mini - Cooper S with LSD
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#8. Re:Pimp me out! ...Chester grows up...well, kind of - from Neil Maller
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Date: Tue, 31 Oct 2006 23:43:12 -0500 From: Neil Maller <neil.maller@gte.net> Subject: Re: <WOT> Pimp me out! ...Chester grows up...well, kind of on 10/31/06 6:37 PM, E36M3 at e36m3@bmw-m.net wrote: > So guess what I did? Something really, really stupid... > http://www.pbase.com/ekosan/pimpmeout Welcome to Château Chester! I particularly like the spacious carriage house with its lift-friendly high ceiling. Neil Fort Wayne, IN 96 M3 - Bastard child 03 525iT - Sterling Grey Metallic 05 Mini - Cooper S with LSD
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#9. Re: [E36M3] Re: Front Strut tower deformation - from twisty M3
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Date: Tue, 31 Oct 2006 20:51:28 -0800 From: "twisty M3" <twistym3@hotmail.com> Subject: Re: [E36M3] Re: Front Strut tower deformation << It no longer has them as they wouldn't fit when I installed TCK adjustable strut mounts. I was a bit concerned about losing the plates but Pete at TCK said it hadn't been a problem on anything he knew of (including race cars). >> Actually... They do fit and I have them with my TCK camber plates. A couple of suspension versions before my current setup I tried running the camber plates with stock strut housings and H&R springs and I ended up with the beginnings of some strut tower damage on my dual-duty M3. I then added the stock reinforcement plates back and had no further issues. I recently went to the TCK D/A coilovers with their camber plates again and am using the reinforcement plates again, and they fit and function perfectly fine. Just another data point, Jonathan L. _________________________________________________________________ Stay in touch with old friends and meet new ones with Windows Live Spaces http://clk.atdmt.com/MSN/go/msnnkwsp0070000001msn/direct/01/?href=http://spaces.live.com/spacesapi.aspx?wx_action=create&wx_url=/friends.aspx&mkt=en-us
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#10. Calling all head doctors: coolant(?) in the plug well - from Peter Loron
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Date: Tue, 31 Oct 2006 21:38:00 -0800 From: "Peter Loron" <peterloron@gmail.com> Subject: Calling all head doctors: coolant(?) in the plug well After my previous episode of replacing the plugs and finding mystery fluid in spark plug well #3, the car ran much better...for about 1 day. Then the problem returned. Misfiring, hesitating, etc. Today I finally went out and had a chance to pull the coil on #3 and take a look. Blue fluid in the well. Again. Ick. Hypothesis: the brownish gunk I found in there before is cooked coolant from god-only-knows how long this has been going on. The problem is now bad enough to leak enough coolant in there to have it boil up into the boot and make the connection with the coil poor. Question for the head doctors: What could go bad to allow coolant in there? Cracked head? Leak under pressure from some hose that somehow gets up under the cover and then drips down? AFAIK, the head gasket is below the plugs, so I don't see how that could be it... I do not seem to have anything nasty coming from the exhaust, the oil on the dipstick and under the filler cap looks ok. I'm probably going to have a shop diagnose the issue, but I'm trying to gain some insight into what they're likely to find. Any ideas? Thanks. Pete 98 M3/4