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I am kind of toying with the idea of getting a new (used) steering rack for my E30 318IS. Sounds like the E36 models should work fine. Does anyone know what the ratios are? I think I have a 4 turn rack, and it sounds like the E36 is a 3 turn rack. My 300zx has a 2.4 turn rack I think, which would be awesome, but 3 turns should be fine. How hard of a swap is this to perform? Obviously I would need an alignment afterwards.
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Jun 12, 2009 17:39
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Dyscrasia posted:I am kind of toying with the idea of getting a new (used) steering rack for my E30 318IS. as far as I recall it involves some minor modification to the steering knuckle but nothing too bad. Here's a writeup: http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=66247 Although I'd recommend undoing the mounts and supporting/lifting the engine instead of bending the tabs on the subframe that hold the rack on. Moxie Omen fucked around with this message at 17:49 on Jun 12, 2009 |
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Jun 12, 2009 17:47
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Cool, thanks. Looks like I want to go for the M3 rack. I read elsewhere that the Z3 rack, while closer to the ratio I want, does not cover the full range of motion.
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Jun 12, 2009 17:52
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Dyscrasia posted:Cool, thanks. Keep in mind only the '95 M3 rack has the better ratio. I'm trying to find one now, too, with no luck.
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Jun 12, 2009 18:03
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sliderule posted:Keep in mind only the '95 M3 rack has the better ratio. I'm trying to find one now, too, with no luck. Looks like your correct. 3.2 vs 3.0 is not so bad though I suppose, and anything is better than 4.0.
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Jun 12, 2009 18:14
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Dyscrasia posted:anything is better than 4.0. The manual steering rack in the euro 323 begs to differ. :P
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Jun 12, 2009 18:21
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sliderule posted:The manual steering rack in the euro 323 begs to differ. :P All I know is that its great being able to make a 90 degree corner without taking my hands off the wheel.
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Jun 12, 2009 18:37
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Pimpsolo posted:Hey, if you find out what this is, let me know. My e46 with similar mileage does the same and I've been too lazy to try to figure it out. Doctor Grape Ape posted:I've had a friend put my E36 into gear while I was underneath and the clunk was coming from the diff I think. When you put it in gear the output shaft of the transmission moves a little bit, and the differential has some built in backlash, so I'm pretty sure that is the clunk we're all hearing. Maybe try some of the shockproof Redline fluid and see what happens. I just live with it, but I would also love if my transmission made that awesome straight-cut gear whine. Well I had my friend lay under my car while I shifted around the gears looking for the movement. He reports no movement at all and let me know that all my eng/trans mounts are in good condition too. I'll look into the redline fluid and maybe give it a try. As far as destroying LSD's, that would only apply to M3's right? I feel  for saying this, but I'm pretty sure an E46 328i doesn't have an LSD, right?I took her on a nice twisty road being the DD for some wine tasting the other day and god it was fun. This car really has lived up to everything I dreamed it was.  However, the PO put in an aftermarket CD player and what looks to be a pretty sizeable amp, but the bass is nonexistant. I'm not asking for much, but my infiniti's stock setup had WAY more. Anyone know what the deal could be there? (Yes I've put the deck's bass up as high as it can go) Anything with a decent bassline is near unlistenable because it sounds like it's missing a crucial part of the music.
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Jun 13, 2009 21:26
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Deceptor101 posted:As far as destroying LSD's, that would only apply to M3's right? I feel Correct. Non-Ms 1996 and after didn't come from the factory with a LSD.
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Jun 13, 2009 22:15
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I've got a '92 525i with a leaky oil pan. It looks like it should be possible to unbolt and lower the front subframe, leaving the rest of the suspension intact, and putting stands underneath the engine mounts to hold the engine/trans up while I pull the pan. Will this work? No? Any better ideas?
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Jun 14, 2009 00:23
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peterjmatt posted:Short answer: yes. Go back to the tail lamp, unplug the connector and look at the face of the connector on the harness. More than likely there will be a neat little melted circle in the black plastic around the ground pin (pin #2 on the left side, #3 on the right. Big brown wire). If you see some melting, there's a fairly cheap and easy repair which involves adding an additional grounding point to the tail lamp assemblies. If you're mechanically inclined I could walk you through it, but you'll need a handful of cheap parts from a BMW dealer (or a really well stocked independent) and some crimping pliers. This is what you're looking for - http://forum.e46fanatics.com/showthread.php?t=533309&highlight=melted+tail+light BMW Service Bulletin - http://www.bmwtis.com/tsb/bulletins/bulletin_graphic_temp/B630306g.htm I had this happen a couple of weeks ago on my '04 330i. Dealer took care of it under warranty.
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Jun 14, 2009 00:44
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Lowclock posted:I've got a '92 525i with a leaky oil pan. It looks like it should be possible to unbolt and lower the front subframe, leaving the rest of the suspension intact, and putting stands underneath the engine mounts to hold the engine/trans up while I pull the pan. Will this work? No? Any better ideas? I extracted the absolutely ridiculous instructions from the Bentley E34 manual about replacing the M50 oil pan gasket for you. http://pils.r1hosting.net/pics/m50-oilpan.pdf I'm not sure why they want you to remove the fan, shroud and PS pump, maybe some of the pan bolts are inaccessible otherwise?
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Jun 14, 2009 00:51
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Today I sat in one of the new Z4's and was disappointed to find that they're just slightly smaller, and I don't fit in them. They did have a new M Roadster, but it was in an ugly Silver paint + Grey top color scheme.
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Jun 14, 2009 04:46
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I'm seriously considering this 2000 323i. Can anyone tell me if it's a good catch? I have no idea how to gauge these cars.
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Jun 14, 2009 05:00
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Pilsner posted:I extracted the absolutely ridiculous instructions from the Bentley E34 manual about replacing the M50 oil pan gasket for you. It looks like I'd need to remove the PS pump to have room to move the oil pan forward over the subframe. I bet that means to remove the pump you need to remove the fan, which means you need to remove the shroud. I'll take some pictures soon, but with where the pan bolts are, I think my way might be easier.
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Jun 14, 2009 05:05
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DevCore posted:I'm seriously considering this 2000 323i. That seems pretty high to me. For what it's worth, I was able to buy an '01 740IL with fewer miles for significantly less money from a local dealer that specializes in used BMWs. I don't know the Illinois market, but in Los Angeles I'd cap that car at $10k and still feel ripped off if I paid that much.
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Jun 14, 2009 05:08
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I was reading my Ward's Automotive, and they had an article on the BMW inline six turbodiesel. In it they state the following:quote:BMW's Baloga will not comment specifically about future products, but he says it is conceivable BMW will look at using two and maybe even three sequentially arranged turbochargers in the future to lower costs and enhance performance.  TRI-TURBOS.This link also speaks of it. They also talk about a tri-turbo V6, which may be related to my previous post, which mentions the next M3 getting a V6 engine of some sort. If it has three turbos, I guess I could live with a V6 in a BMW. Maybe. CornHolio fucked around with this message at 05:24 on Jun 14, 2009 |
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Jun 14, 2009 05:20
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OrangeFurious posted:For what it's worth, I was able to buy an '01 740IL with fewer miles for significantly less money from a local dealer that specializes in used BMWs. I don't know the Illinois market, but in Los Angeles I'd cap that car at $10k and still feel ripped off if I paid that much. I am in my market for my first car, and am looking at e36's in the LA/OC area. Mind posting the details of that dealer? As well as: is it worth it to get a ~$7000-8000 e36 as a first car?
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Jun 14, 2009 09:38
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I finally got around to replacing the motor mounts in my 318iS yesterday. They didn't look too bad (no cracks and no leaks) but I'd been having some back and forth type shaking at low speeds (at certain RPMs) so I figured I'd see if new mounts helped. The verdict? Like a new car! I couldn't detect any of the back and forth shaking (first signs are good, but I'll need to test it in stop and go traffic) but replacing the mounts cut the noise and vibration to the cabin by at least half! It idles quietly and what I thought was an exhaust rattle disappeared. Easy job to do and well worth the effort on an older car with lots of miles.
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Jun 14, 2009 14:02
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two_beer_bishes posted:Any recommendations on where to get a new driveshaft? Haven't dealt with them myself, but a guy in the local chapter says they did a great job for his M5. http://www.driveshafts.com/pages/bmw.html
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Jun 14, 2009 14:14
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Brock Landers posted:I finally got around to replacing the motor mounts in my 318iS yesterday. They didn't look too bad (no cracks and no leaks) but I'd been having some back and forth type shaking at low speeds (at certain RPMs) so I figured I'd see if new mounts helped. The verdict? Like a new car! I couldn't detect any of the back and forth shaking (first signs are good, but I'll need to test it in stop and go traffic) but replacing the mounts cut the noise and vibration to the cabin by at least half! It idles quietly and what I thought was an exhaust rattle disappeared. Easy job to do and well worth the effort on an older car with lots of miles. Did you go with aftermarket replacements or e28 or oem?
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Jun 14, 2009 18:22
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BraveUlysses posted:Did you go with aftermarket replacements or e28 or oem? OEM. Pricey for sure, but I drive this car daily and I don't need the harshness of urethane or the E28 mounts.
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Jun 14, 2009 19:22
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OrangeFurious posted:That seems pretty high to me. For what it's worth, I was able to buy an '01 740IL with fewer miles for significantly less money from a local dealer that specializes in used BMWs. I don't know the Illinois market, but in Los Angeles I'd cap that car at $10k and still feel ripped off if I paid that much. You're totally right. I looked around on Craigslist and found the same car with half the miles that's "showroom" quality for about 2 grand less.
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Jun 14, 2009 20:16
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Hurrr well I was just randomly driving on the weekend when my low coolant light came on, but would go off intermittently. I started driving home when the temperature gauge started climbing and was probably on the red section for 4-5 minutes as I waited for a light to change. I managed to pull over quickly and find my car puking out fluid, and I pretty much knew it was the expansion tank which according to the sticker is the original tank from 1999. There's a big crack down the side (which seems to be a common place for it to happen) so I replaced that, temperature still going to hot. So I'm THINKING the thermostat needs to be replaced, which I want to do anyway. I guess my question is, is it still getting hot after the new tank because it needs to be bled? Or is it likely the thermostat is stuck closed, and I'm better off replacing it anyway. The hoses are in good shape, also is it likely that the water pump went as a result of the expansion tank cracking?
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Jun 14, 2009 21:23
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Groan Zone posted:Hurrr well I was just randomly driving on the weekend when my low coolant light came on, but would go off intermittently. I started driving home when the temperature gauge started climbing and was probably on the red section for 4-5 minutes as I waited for a light to change. Replace your thermostat. That's a must in any over-heat. Also make sure you bleed the system properly. However, it's possible that your water pump is done. It's also possible that you destroyed your motor. The aluminum block engines really don't deal well with over heating and the m52tu and m54 are particularly susceptible to warpage.
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Jun 14, 2009 21:44
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peterjmatt posted:Replace your thermostat. That's a must in any over-heat. Also make sure you bleed the system properly. It was probably overheated for a few minutes at the most as I was pulling over and there was no steam from the engine. It's an M52 (2000 323i). Nothing seems to be "destroyed." I'll definitely be replacing the thermostat tomorrow.
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Jun 14, 2009 22:01
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You knowingly let it run in the red for almost 5 minutes? Are you loving retarded? Especially just sitting at a light...turn the drat car off at least.
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Jun 14, 2009 22:14
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unterdude posted:I am in my market for my first car, and am looking at e36's in the LA/OC area. Mind posting the details of that dealer? As well as: is it worth it to get a ~$7000-8000 e36 as a first car? I bought my car from European Motorsports in Marina Del Rey. They cover a pretty broad range of cars, but usually have quite a few BMWs. They also share space with a reputable BMW specialty shop that does all the work on their cars. I had my financing setup prior to buying and was able to literally name my price on the car. They took it with no complaint and I was out of there in an hour. Also, they didn't come along on the test drive. There's another BMW dealer on Santa Monica Blvd in West LA that's supposed to be good (90025), but I don't remember their name. I like the E36s, and in the $6-8k range (depending on year, features, etc) you can do pretty well. I've never owned one though, so I don't know of much that would be specific to the model. Expect minor electrical problems (window regulators especially), and suspension wear.
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Jun 14, 2009 22:46
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Groan Zone posted:It was probably overheated for a few minutes at the most as I was pulling over and there was no steam from the engine. It's an M52 (2000 323i). Nothing seems to be "destroyed." You would not be able to see the damage. When these motors are over heated it may warp the block to the point that the head gasket doesn't seal properly. This will occasionally show up in a compression test, but not always. The only real test is to remove the valve cover and loosen the head bolts, then re-torque them. If they strip out then your motor needs to be replaced. I'm not saying this is what happened, or even that it's likely. But it's possible. In the future, as soon as you notice the temp needle on the hot side, shut down the engine.
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Jun 14, 2009 22:53
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peterjmatt posted:You would not be able to see the damage. When these motors are over heated it may warp the block to the point that the head gasket doesn't seal properly. This will occasionally show up in a compression test, but not always. The only real test is to remove the valve cover and loosen the head bolts, then re-torque them. If they strip out then your motor needs to be replaced. Thanks a lot for the info. Thinking about it some more I remember it went in the red briefly and started going back down, it was extremely stupid not to shut the car off immediately but at least I pulled over ASAP and shut it off. Anyway will be overhauling the cooling system tomorrow, and I just ordered new Meyle HD control arms/bushings!
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Jun 15, 2009 00:13
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Went to finally replace my intake camshaft position sensor to fix the intermittent P0344 I've had for a while now, unfortunately not only did I not have the proper tools to finish the job I also broke something else. The plastic hose with tape on it is the broken item in question. It was fairly brittle and simply cracked when I attempted to remove it. 1. What is that? 2. Is a heavy wrapping with tape a sufficient fix? (I have redone it more cleanly since the pic, it's Gorilla Tape) 3. How much of a bitch is it to replace the part? I haven't a clue where the other end is. Also, can someone tell me the proper size wrench for the VANOS part I have to remove to get at that sensor? All I know is it's larger than anything I have.
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Jun 15, 2009 00:19
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wolrah posted:
1. That's the vent pipe for your crankcase ventilation. 2. No, it should be replaced. An air leak at your valve cover will cause mixture issues. 3. It's a bitch. You can do it without removing the intake manifold, but it's no fun. The other end of that pipe connects to the cyclone separator (a type of PCV valve) which is located directly under the intake. You need a relatively thin 32mm wrench to remove the VANOS solenoid, and a 5mm hex for the set screw on the cam sensor. Those should be the only tools needed.
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Jun 15, 2009 00:36
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Ok I'm kinda a car newbie but after talking to my buddy (veetak here on SA) a good bit I'm pretty sure I'd like to (once I have a job again) buy a E36 BMW 325iC or 328iC. There's a number of really good-looking ones listed on Craigslist around Seattle usually between $7k-10k. So my questions: 1. Is a fuel economy (of searching around the web a bit) of 20mi/gal street, 29mi/gal highway actually accurate? 2. Am I going to see a significant fuel difference between the 325iC and the 328iC? 3. Would it be worth it to spend a bit extra and see if I can find a E36 M3? How would that affect my gas mileage? I know those are questions about gas mileage but I'm not using this as a daily commuter, I'm just wondering. 4. Am I required to use premium or supreme fuels for this? 5. As long as I'm taking good care of it how many miles can I expect to get out of the engine, and thus what's the max # of miles I should go for within the $7k-10k range? I've seen some with 75-100k miles but I saw one with 172k and that seemed kinda high. I know these are stupid questions but I've never owned a car before and I think it's time to buy one and I want to be sure about things before I get one. Here's an example of one of the ones I wish I could get right now: http://seattle.craigslist.org/see/cto/1216461645.html
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Jun 15, 2009 02:05
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Kenshin posted:Ok I'm kinda a car newbie but after talking to my buddy (veetak here on SA) a good bit I'm pretty sure I'd like to (once I have a job again) buy a E36 BMW 325iC or 328iC. There's a number of really good-looking ones listed on Craigslist around Seattle usually between $7k-10k. 1. Pretty accurate, less in an M3 but mostly due to enthusiastic driving. 2. Nah. 3. Hell yeah! 4. M3: yes. 325/8: no. 5. 200k+, try and keep the mileage under 100k if possible. These cars run strong for a long time, especially when well maintained. Personally, after driving and working with pretty much every variant of the E36, I have to recommend the M3. It's tremendously more fun! Also, a convertible top is a pretty big thorn in the performance of the M3, so if you're set on a soft top, just go with the 328. Edit: Manual, manual, manual.
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Jun 15, 2009 02:46
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Carbon Deity posted:1. Pretty accurate, less in an M3 but mostly due to enthusiastic driving. I'm absolutely not going to get an automatic. I hate automatic. EDIT: oh christ I just realized that car I linked is an automatic. EDIT2: oh god why are 3/4 of the ones on CL automatics? Kenshin fucked around with this message at 03:02 on Jun 15, 2009 |
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Jun 15, 2009 02:55
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peterjmatt posted:2. No, it should be replaced. An air leak at your valve cover will cause mixture issues. Crap. That's what I was fearing. It's only a $25 part online from what I've found, but it does seem to be a bitch. The car ran fine with no additional codes aside from the P0344 I was attempting to fix today when I took it back to the garage, but since I don't know what the behind-the-scenes effects are, what should I do until I can replace the hose? Is this a "don't drive long trips, but the short round trip to work is ok" thing or more of a "prepare to owe friends gas money until the part arrives" thing? Fortunately my roommate works at the same place and we have company cars I can probably borrow, but I'd rather drive a BMW in a limited manner versus a company Kia if possible.
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Jun 15, 2009 03:28
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wolrah posted:Crap. That's what I was fearing. It's only a $25 part online from what I've found, but it does seem to be a bitch. No, it won't damage your car in any way. A vacuum leak just allows unmetered air into the engine, possibly causing poor running (misfires). Depending on how air-tight your tape is you may not have any issues at all. But it's still something you should replace eventually.
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Jun 15, 2009 03:45
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Kenshin posted:Excellent, thanks. I am set on a soft top because being in the North West I can't count on weather to not change from beautiful and sunny to rainy on any given day so removable hardtop isn't good enough, so 325/328 it is. Most E36s on the market in my area are automatic. I will suggest that since there is a seemingly constant flow of E36s being put up for sale, just be patient and get one that has everything you're looking for. rap music fucked around with this message at 04:50 on Jun 15, 2009 |
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Jun 15, 2009 03:51
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Kenshin posted:Excellent, thanks. I am set on a soft top because being in the North West I can't count on weather to not change from beautiful and sunny to rainy on any given day so removable hardtop isn't good enough, so 325/328 it is. Check Portland craigslist for a black 96 328 conv...it's owned by a guy on the nw region of bimmerforums selling it and it's a solid car.
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Jun 15, 2009 07:05
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So after doing some research, I think I found a much better deal: 1999 BMW M3 Coupe for 15 with 68k. Sure it might be a little more than the last, but it's got a lot more balls and about 10k less miles. If that's still not a good deal, there are tons of 3Series Ci's for $10-14,000 with newer models and or less miles. Needless to say, I won't be picking up the CarMAX 323i.
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Jun 15, 2009 09:54
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