Register a SA Forums Account here!
JOINING THE SA FORUMS WILL REMOVE THIS BIG AD, THE ANNOYING UNDERLINED ADS, AND STUPID INTERSTITIAL ADS!!!

You can: log in, read the tech support FAQ, or request your lost password. This dumb message (and those ads) will appear on every screen until you register! Get rid of this crap by registering your own SA Forums Account and joining roughly 150,000 Goons, for the one-time price of $9.95! We charge money because it costs us money per month for bills, and since we don't believe in showing ads to our users, we try to make the money back through forum registrations.
 
  • Post
  • Reply
CornHolio
May 20, 2001

Toilet Rascal
My '97 328i manual transmission says it requires ATF fluid. pelicanparts says swepco 201 is the best, but any gear oil will suffice. I put in Mobile 1 synthetic 75W90. Did I do good?

Adbot
ADBOT LOVES YOU

wolrah
May 8, 2006
what?

Pimpsolo posted:

Are these OEM? or ebay ones? I ask not to knock on you, because I've seen great results from ebay lights for BMWs (no sarcastic). Because the price of the OEM LED lights plus the equipment you need to allow the electric connectors to work with the LED lights, the price exceeds $600. The ebay ones, by comparison, look high quality and are a fifth of the price. I just never new anyone who bought e46 LED ebay tail lights and could attest to their quality. They look great either way.

It's either those, or the regular bulb ones that are just red and white, I really don't like the amber on my otherwise greyscale car.

These are from Eagle Eyes via Bimmian, so probably the same as the eBay ones. These same units are resold by all of the major BMW parts places, I wouldn't be surprised if they're the only one on the market. I usually prefer a different place, but Bimmian has them on sale for $200. I don't believe there is an OEM option for sedans, only coupes where the real M3 parts bolt in (plus the computer reflash or resistor packs to fool the lighting control module).

The fit is a little bit tight and there is a total lack of instructions, but I can't say I've ever had aftermarket bits fit perfectly and instructions aren't needed since there's only three nuts to remove and they're all easy to find if you just look at the units.

wolrah fucked around with this message at 02:19 on May 26, 2008

dangerous.hotdog
Feb 29, 2008
Hey all, just posting to say that I pulled the trigger on a 135i. This is going to be my first car purchase after countless hand-me-downs (93 Explorer, 00 Hyundai XG300, and most recently a Lexus ES330 which my dad wants back). I test drove both a 128 and a 135 and initially I was looking to get the 128, but I found a 135 manual with no frills and only the sport package. I fell in love with the 135 after the last test drive and I signed the papers for it's shipment from FL to CA. I'm loving excited!

Anyone have any tips for a Bimmer-neophyte? I only plan on driving this car on the weekends since I walk to work. I picked a great tip from these forums about documenting fill-ups and keeping every receipt and piece of documentation so I could get a better price if/when I decide to sell it. Is there anything I should be doing to keep my new baby in tip-top shape and to retain resale value?

Man, every time I think about driving that car, I crack a little smile.

b0nes
Sep 11, 2001
Man I see some of you getting good deals on E36's! If I could get a e36 for about $3k I think I would like it.
E;

I am now looking for a decent e36 in my area, I want a MT coupe.

b0nes fucked around with this message at 14:41 on May 26, 2008

Pissingintowind
Jul 27, 2006
Better than shitting into a fan.
For those of you with the E36 blue rear deck syndrome, here's a solution.

In order to rejuvenate the rear deck, do the following:

1. Remove side rear seat bolsters. Should be easy, just pull.
2. Remove C pillars. They are held in place by 4 clips, so be careful not to break them. Not too difficult, requires some force.
3. Fold down your back seats to discover a plastic strip holding down the rear deck cover.
4. Rip out the 4 loving AWFUL plastic clips holding this thing in with pliers or drill them out. Seriously, just break them. It's almost impossible to get them out in any way. Replace with screws later.
5. Lift the rear deck and remove the 2 clips holding each heat rest down beneath it.
6. Pull the rear deck. It is secured by clips and a little bit of glue. Should come right out.

You now have the deck in your hands.

7. Remove all of the plastic bits, and set them aside. There will be a vent in the back, 2 speaker grills, and 4 holes for headrest supports. Be careful, especially with the speaker covers.
8. Go to Autozone, buy a can of Duplicolor Flat Black Fabric and Vinyl spray paint. Costs $4-8.
9. Spray on a single coat.
10. While waiting for the first coat to dry, I chose to remove the speaker grill cloth from my speakers, seeing as it was disgusting and falling apart. This is achieved by peeling off the mesh from behind the grill and scrubbing it with a brush, then vacuuming it. I'll replace it later, or if it looks okay, leave it as is.
11. Spray on a second coat.

Ta-da, your rear deck will look brand new. Beats the hell out of paying ~$100 for one from BMW.

Here are some before and after shots:

Before



After



I did this today because my interior is out. Since my sunroof fell off its tracks. :eng99:

hitze
Aug 28, 2007
Give me a dollar. No, the twenty. This is gonna blow your mind...

So today I finally removed the lovely paint stripes that plagued my E34, and also waxed it(holy gently caress never again).
The Culprit:



Progess!



Now we're half way there.


And the fruits of hard labor.



What stripes? :clint:

Total tools used: one of those rubber discs that you put on a power drill, rubbing compound, polishing compound, and wax.

Dyscrasia
Jun 23, 2003
Give Me Hamms Premium Draft or Give Me DEATH!!!!

Dyscrasia posted:

I've got a little situation that I would like some input on.

The car: 1991 E30 318is

The symptom: After about 50 MPH, I get a mechanical sounding whine from the rear of the car, sounds like something is spinning. The pitch changes with speed, higher when going faster, lower when slower. Engine RPM has nothing to do with it, nor does the gear I am in. I have tried shifting into neutral at speed, as well as shutting off the engine. The sound remains.


Time for an update on this....

I have installed a new center support bearing and flexplate. And in case anyone is counting, I have new rear calipers, new rear wheel bearings, and a new to me/used differential (4.10 LSD).

The noise is still here!

I am starting to really wonder about the gear oil I used. I used Redline 75w90 GL5 w/ LSD additive. Is that just the complete wrong gear oil for a BMW diff?

snugglz
Nov 12, 2004
moist sod for your hogan

CornHolio posted:

My '97 328i manual transmission says it requires ATF fluid. pelicanparts says swepco 201 is the best, but any gear oil will suffice. I put in Mobile 1 synthetic 75W90. Did I do good?

Most guys I know run either 75w90 or Redline MT-90. I was running MT-90 in mine, but it's a bit thick once it gets cold (I don't drive the car in winter, but hey.. it's Wisconsin) and cold-shifting was _loud_ and seemed stressed. I'm running Redline D4-ATF now (after taking a recommendation from a friend who has several E34s and E36s), and it's been more consistent for me. If you don't notice a change with the climate, you're good. Most "spirited" drivers and people who track their cars run gear oil instead of ATF for viscosity reasons I don't fully understand...

Dyscrasia posted:

I am starting to really wonder about the gear oil I used. I used Redline 75w90 GL5 w/ LSD additive. Is that just the complete wrong gear oil for a BMW diff?

Nope, that should be perfect... and you've already replaced pretty much every item I would think of. Did you check the E-brake shoes inside the rear discs? They're held on with silly little tabs on the brake backing plate that consistently break off/pull through... I can't really imagine how this would produce a "mechanical" sound, but when mine pulled through they rattled around based on axle speed, which was annoying as all hell.

snugglz fucked around with this message at 18:47 on May 27, 2008

Dyscrasia
Jun 23, 2003
Give Me Hamms Premium Draft or Give Me DEATH!!!!

snugglz posted:

Nope, that should be perfect... and you've already replaced pretty much every item I would think of. Did you check the E-brake shoes inside the rear discs? They're held on with silly little tabs on the brake backing plate that consistently break off/pull through... I can't really imagine how this would produce a "mechanical" sound, but when mine pulled through they rattled around based on axle speed, which was annoying as all hell.

Yea, I thought so too, it works perfectly in my 300zx's LSD. I contacted the guy I bought the diff from. He says that 75w90 is too thin, so I am picking up some Motul 75w140 at his suggestion. I am running out of ideas, so I figure 'why not'.

kimbo305
Jun 9, 2007

actually, yeah, I am a little mad
I keep walking by this tore-up E46 M3 at a shade tree gas station / repair shop. I'm positive that the owner has left it there and doesn't care. Might be worth something as a parts car -- does anyone want me to ask about it?

Edit: it's in the Boston area. Mostly I just feel so sad for the car and wonder if it couldn't be put to better use like Mike Mulligan's steam shovel.

kimbo305 fucked around with this message at 21:36 on May 27, 2008

snugglz
Nov 12, 2004
moist sod for your hogan
CornHolio -- FWIW, I stumbled upon this thread that has some mixed opinions on running 75w90 in a ZF tranny (there are another dozen or so just like it of Bf.C). Lots of dick waving in the thread, but maybe some useful info... YMMV would seem to be the consensus.

CornHolio
May 20, 2001

Toilet Rascal

snugglz posted:

CornHolio -- FWIW, I stumbled upon this thread that has some mixed opinions on running 75w90 in a ZF tranny (there are another dozen or so just like it of Bf.C). Lots of dick waving in the thread, but maybe some useful info... YMMV would seem to be the consensus.

Reading that thread makes me think my transmission is going to explode now... although Ive put about 400 miles on it without a problem.

Guess I know what Im doing this weekend.

Doctor Grape Ape
Aug 26, 2005

Dammit Doc, I just bought this for you 3 months ago. Try and keep it around for a bit longer this time.
FWIW I put Redline MTL in my Getrag box and it's been shifting like glass. When I researched for what to use it was the closest thing I could find to the OEM fluid. Granted, mine has the "Use only BMW MTF-L-Whatever" sticker on it, not the ATF sticker.

mungtor
May 3, 2005

Yeah, I hate me too.
Nap Ghost

CornHolio posted:

Reading that thread makes me think my transmission is going to explode now... although Ive put about 400 miles on it without a problem.

Guess I know what Im doing this weekend.

Reading any thread about BMW transmissions makes you think they're going to explode. It's all a giant mess of conflicting information and anecdotal evidence, but I think it ultimately depends more on how you treat it than what you put in it (unless it's Royal Purple :()

Pissingintowind
Jul 27, 2006
Better than shitting into a fan.
Wait, Royal Purple is bad? I've been using the ATF in my 5 speed...

CornHolio
May 20, 2001

Toilet Rascal
well I called the dealership and they said if the case says ATF on the side, you'd be a moron to use 75W90.

So, I'm a moron. I guess Ill be changing it this weekend, if not sooner.

Pissingintowind
Jul 27, 2006
Better than shitting into a fan.

CornHolio posted:

well I called the dealership and they said if the case says ATF on the side, you'd be a moron to use 75W90.

So, I'm a moron. I guess Ill be changing it this weekend, if not sooner.

e: I dun read gud.

I always thought you were supposed to use ATF for the tranny and 75W90 gear oil for the diff.

In fact, gently caress it, I'm sure of it. Someone prove me wrong (for all BMW mantrans of that era without the gear oil label).

I've been using Royal Purple Max ATF for the tranny and Royal Purple Max-Gear for the diff with no issues for ~2 years.


Side question:

Can anyone tell me if it's safe to drive with the stock sway bars removed? As in, will it do nothing except change driving characteristics? Mine is clunking around and I want to take it out before it rips out while I'm waiting for my replacement to arrive.

Pissingintowind fucked around with this message at 22:49 on May 28, 2008

mungtor
May 3, 2005

Yeah, I hate me too.
Nap Ghost

Pissingintowind posted:

Wait, Royal Purple is bad? I've been using the ATF in my 5 speed...

Don't be scared. It's completely anecdotal evidence based on a sample of BMWs I or my family has owned. I put either RedLine MTL or D4 ATF into 6 of them and had no problems, including an E36 M3 that I drove like a nutcase for 65k miles. I put RP SyncroMax into my 540i/6, drove it a much more mature manner and 15k later had synchro problems with 2nd, 3rd, and 4th (although 2nd was typically tough to begin with).

I bought the car used with 82k mi on it, decent paperwork and no bad history the BMW dealer network could dig up. It had no issues that I noticed except being notchy when cold. I read about 95% of the post history on the RoadFly E39 board before deciding to try RP and I can't prove that RP had anything to do with it, but I'm not interested in using it again. Many other people have reported the exact opposite experience, which is why anything seems like such a crapshoot.

mungtor fucked around with this message at 03:58 on May 29, 2008

Taymar
Oct 11, 2007
I put redline MTL in the transmission and the shifts are definitely smoother and less notchy, especially when it's warmed up. Slightly worryingly, I drained considerably less fluid out than it took to refill, and the filler plug was bone dry. That probably accounts for a large part of the shifting improvement.

Jumping on the wrong oil bandwagon, I recently put redline 75w90NS in the diff, thinking the non-LSD variant would be better for an open diff. Apparently not, according to redline. The friction modifiers in the 'regular' 75w90 gear oil are supposed to reduce heat and friction, and thus work better in an open differential.
I'll probably change it to 75w90 for peace of mind, since it'll be in there for 30k otherwise.

CornHolio
May 20, 2001

Toilet Rascal
Well somebody on the pelicanparts.com tech forums posted this:

quote:


You may want to change it, drive a few weeks, and change it again since gear oil is kind of sticky and may not drain out well. It will need to be flushed out.

I once destroyed a 5-speed manual in a 1991 Volvo wagon by doing exactly what you just did. It took several years and 75k miles, but the tranny was unrepairable and I blame the fact that I was using synthetic gear oil rather than ATF as the manual suggested.


crap. I guess let this be a warning to others, gear oil goes in the back, ATF goes in the middle, motor oil goes in the front!

snugglz
Nov 12, 2004
moist sod for your hogan

CornHolio posted:


crap. I guess let this be a warning to others, gear oil goes in the back, ATF goes in the middle, motor oil goes in the front!

I think you're overreacting a bit -- it's pretty well known and accepted that if you're tracking your car or beating on it more than average, gear oil lubricates better than ATF. If you're an average driver, ATF may be the better (read: more consistent) option. Like I said, most of my buddies run MTL or MT-90 in their ZFs with no ill-effects... I'm only running ATF because MT-90 shifts kinda hard in the cold. When I bought the car it had Royal Purple MTL in it and shifted pretty much the same...

WarmWaffles
Aug 28, 2007
Warm Waffle Goodness


Well I had fun restoring this car for the last 4 years. It still has a long ways to go but I can't afford to do any more to it and I am in the process of selling this car :(

Good ole' fashion 1972 2002.

WarmWaffles fucked around with this message at 03:16 on May 30, 2008

nws
Jul 20, 2004
Part time SCUBA Instructor......
Any E36 Cabriolet people out there?

My rear plastic window split two months ago as I was putting it down on a beautiful cold sunny day. The clear packing tape isn't too visible and it's keeping the water out so far. As well, it looks fine with the top down.

Specifically, anyone bought an Emiata window? Bimmerforums has conflicting info, and I'd love to do it on the cheap as my slipping clutch takes priority.

CornHolio
May 20, 2001

Toilet Rascal

WarmWaffles posted:



Well I had fun restoring this car for the last 4 years. It still has a long ways to go but I can't afford to do any more to it and I am in the process of selling this car :(

Good ole' fashion 1972 2002.

How much and where are you located?

WarmWaffles
Aug 28, 2007
Warm Waffle Goodness

CornHolio posted:

How much and where are you located?

I am asking for 2,500 and I live outside of San Antonio, TX. I replaced the transmission in my car with a brand new Getrag 245 4 Speed, and I did a motor rebuild but it smokes like a mother fucker right now but the head was rebuilt and it just needs oversized piston rings to stop the smoking, I just don't have the time to do it anymore

snugglz
Nov 12, 2004
moist sod for your hogan

WarmWaffles posted:

I am asking for 2,500 and I live outside of San Antonio, TX. I replaced the transmission in my car with a brand new Getrag 245 4 Speed, and I did a motor rebuild but it smokes like a mother fucker right now but the head was rebuilt and it just needs oversized piston rings to stop the smoking, I just don't have the time to do it anymore

drat, how much rust? That body looks killer in the photo...

Lightbulb Out
Apr 28, 2006

slack jawed yokel
There is a really nice looking E30 iX close to me for $1800... I'm so tempted to buy it and roll two E30s. AWD and RWD.

It's really unfortunate I can't afford it this month.

WarmWaffles
Aug 28, 2007
Warm Waffle Goodness

snugglz posted:

drat, how much rust? That body looks killer in the photo...

The rust is surprisingly not bad at all. If you look at the driver side front corner you can see where the quarter panel is cracked (just before the blinkers). The spare wheel well is gone. I just cut that S.O.B. out and replaced it with a flat piece of sheet metal. The interior I did all myself. The only thing not replaced on the interior is the dash, back seat, and carpet.

I am in dire need of some college money so if you know anyone who is interested in buying it I would be willing to accept 2 grand for it.

Doctor Grape Ape
Aug 26, 2005

Dammit Doc, I just bought this for you 3 months ago. Try and keep it around for a bit longer this time.

Doctor Grape Ape posted:

So, E36 Motor Mounts. Is there any difference between the M3 and non-M mounts? ie. are they stiffer? Because for only $4 more a side...

Quoting myself to say that E36 M3 mounts fit non-Ms and they are considerably stiffer. Not so much that it causes any NVH, but you can tell just by putting the two side by side that the M mount is more rigid. A pretty nice upgrade for only a $6 premium for the pair.

Just make sure you soak the nuts in PB Blaster and only use a 6 point socket. I blazed through the first mount in 20 minutes, then stripped the bottom nut on the other one and it would haunt me for the next 8 hours (until I said gently caress it, ran to Autozone and bought the rounded off nut extractor tool). Lesson learned: just use the right tool and don't gently caress around for 7 extra hours trying to cut the drat thing out with a Dremel.

I'm going to tackle the fuel pressure regulator tomorrow, and then rebuild the shifter and replace the tranny mounts (UUC Street Reds) whenever my package from UUC arrives. Which could be a while, since the tranny mounts are back ordered. I think I'm going to order the X-Brace and ZHP knob from Tischer this weekend too if my wallet allows it.

I keep saying "I'm almost done with the maintenance!" and then I find another $300 worth of stuff that needs/I want done. The list is getting pretty drat short now though. New rear end bushings and the M reinforcements are the only things left on my list that are major. After that I can get to the fun mods, like a cam, and then a custom tune if the reviews for that Shark Tuning thing are good. And maybe some SwayBarbarians. And offset LCAB to add some more caster and reduce camber in the front. Then a front end alignment. Maybe a DSSR. Is there no end to this?

japtor
Oct 28, 2005

miklm posted:

Yes, MINIs (and even Minis) can play too
...all these months I did not know this, I just never clicked cause the thread title. To make up for it here are some crappy pics of mine:




And of course the :downsbravo: interior mentioned in every review:

(yes I am a heathen that can't drive stick)

Doctor Grape Ape
Aug 26, 2005

Dammit Doc, I just bought this for you 3 months ago. Try and keep it around for a bit longer this time.
Replacing a fuel pressure regulator on an E36: A loving PAIN IN THE rear end, CHRIST. Get a second person to help you hold poo poo out of the way while you work.

Results: no more hesitation, instant throttle response, and finally being able to move faster than a snail in 3rd, 4th and 5th gear while lower than 3k RPMs.

CornHolio
May 20, 2001

Toilet Rascal

Doctor Grape Ape posted:

Replacing a fuel pressure regulator on an E36: A loving PAIN IN THE rear end, CHRIST. Get a second person to help you hold poo poo out of the way while you work.

Results: no more hesitation, instant throttle response, and finally being able to move faster than a snail in 3rd, 4th and 5th gear while lower than 3k RPMs.

How did you know it was going bad? Im curious in case I ever need to do this.

Also, I broke a loving torque wrench today. I was tightening my transmission drain plug (see above) and I had it set to 37 ft-lbs, and its getting tighter and tighter, and Im wondering why the hell it wont click, and well it never did. I must have tightened it to 60-70 ft-lbs before I realized it was never going to click, so I had to back it out (could barely do it) and tighten it to what I think is about the right tightness.

Goddammit, I paid $80 for that wrench, stupid Pep Boys POWERBUILT brand. The worst thing is, since I bought it in the fall, every Pep Boys in the area closed, so I cant even take it in for a replacement.

loving poo poo-rear end torque wrench.

Doctor Grape Ape
Aug 26, 2005

Dammit Doc, I just bought this for you 3 months ago. Try and keep it around for a bit longer this time.

CornHolio posted:

How did you know it was going bad? Im curious in case I ever need to do this.

The car was running really rich, you could smell it at idle, and the tops of the pistons were coated in a thick layer of carbon. Driving-wise there was a noticable amount of hesitation off idle up until around 2500RPM, which should be about where the vacuum pulling on the diaphragm should easy up and allow the full 3.5 bar of fuel, meaning it never leaned out below 2500RPM. I found another way to tell today when I changed it out, the vacuum line was all stretchy and corroded, could easily tell fuel had been leaking through it into the intake manifold. The vacuum line is kind of hard to find if you don't follow it from the FPR, and I have an M50 so the position of yours might be different, but it was mounted on a nipple molded into the bottom of the intake manifold to the rear of the throttle body. If you feel that and it feels spongey and corroded, then your FPR probably bit the dust a long time ago. Also, be prepared to replace the 2 inches worth of fuel line that runs from the hard line to the rear of the fuel rail, the only way I could get that off was to cut it. Granted, it needed changed too as it was dry rotted.

missed_again
Nov 8, 2005
Anyone have an opinion on buying a used 2003 Z4 roadster? How's the maintenance on them? Things to watch out for? I'm a young guy, so buying a "reasonable" car isn't exactly a necessity, but i'd rather not buy a car that's gonna rape my wallet every time i take it in for oil changes/basic maintenance.

multiprotocol
Sep 16, 2004
label switching is fun. i can relate to that.

Doctor Grape Ape posted:

Replacing a fuel pressure regulator on an E36: A loving PAIN IN THE rear end, CHRIST. Get a second person to help you hold poo poo out of the way while you work.

Results: no more hesitation, instant throttle response, and finally being able to move faster than a snail in 3rd, 4th and 5th gear while lower than 3k RPMs.

Is the regulator even replaceable independent of the whole fuel rail? I actually think that replacing the fuel rail as a whole unit is probably easier than trying to remove that little SOB.

Lightbulb Out
Apr 28, 2006

slack jawed yokel
I autocrossed my E30 for the first time.





I call her the SS Bodyroll. I really need to get that suspension work done...

WarmWaffles
Aug 28, 2007
Warm Waffle Goodness
Anyone in the San Antonio area interested in purchasing a 1972 BMW?

Pissingintowind
Jul 27, 2006
Better than shitting into a fan.
Another humble request for you OBDII E36 coupe goons:

Central lock your car from the trunk (all the way clockwise).
Central unlock your car from either the passenger or the drivers door.
Is the trunk able to be opened by just pushing the key insert down and lifting?

I believe the answer should be no if you lock the trunk ALL the way to the right, but yes if you do it only to the center position.

Thanks!

Mad Dragon
Feb 29, 2004

missed_again posted:

Anyone have an opinion on buying a used 2003 Z4 roadster? How's the maintenance on them? Things to watch out for? I'm a young guy, so buying a "reasonable" car isn't exactly a necessity, but i'd rather not buy a car that's gonna rape my wallet every time i take it in for oil changes/basic maintenance.
Find one with a manual top. The automatic top isn't unreliable, but it is expensive and a royal pain in the rear end to fix.

Adbot
ADBOT LOVES YOU

Tatrakrad
May 14, 2007

I cited my sources and all he said was, "owned owned owned owned owned"

WarmWaffles posted:

Anyone in the San Antonio area interested in purchasing a 1972 BMW?

Maybe if you specified the model


Edit: Stupid for not realizing Waffles posted on the last page answering my stupid question.
Stupid!

Tatrakrad fucked around with this message at 05:47 on Jun 4, 2008

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • Post
  • Reply