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Let me begin by stating the plastic seat control covers on the E38/E39 are complete and utter garbage. Thin, cheap plastic with more stress-points than I care to think about. For such an overbuilt car they're conspicuously pathetic. Whatever dickbag approved these things deserves a sharp kick in the biscuits. My third cover (in 18 months) broke today, breaking the brackets on the wiring harness for the seat controls in the process. This now falls out constantly. Replacing the seat cover is easy enough, but I'm not sure how to keep the wiring harness plugged in and, given how often the cover needs to be replaced, don't want to glue it. Suggestions?
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Apr 22, 2010 18:09
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Well, my driver's side xenon has started to annoy me enough to get off my duff and fix it. It just doesn't seem to turn on sometimes, so I was going to diagnose the problem this weekend by swapping out the igniter from the passenger side. The light does come on sometimes (after a lot of on/off flicking) so I'm guessing it's not the bulb. Could it be the control unit? Any other components to check? Are there any decent guides for taking out the headlight assembly without breaking anything? Also, if it is the igniter, what is the difference between these two items: http://www.bimmerspecialist.com/canada/parts/product_details/63126904548 (325i Wagon thru 08/01 E46) and http://www.bimmerspecialist.com/canada/parts/product_details/63126907504 (325i Wagon from 09/01 E46) Since mine is an `03, I'm guessing the 2nd one would be the correct one and the more expensive one is just more because it is older/rarer?
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Apr 22, 2010 20:13
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priznat posted:Also, if it is the igniter, what is the difference between these two items: $435 bucks  Maybe it's the difference between the ZKW or whatever and the other type of light that was available?
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Apr 22, 2010 20:44
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Fermunky posted:$435 bucks Nope they have a ZKW igniter too which was more in the range of the 2nd one's price iirc. Apart from the dates it looks pretty identical. I'm wondering if it is an "old stock" issue where the price is just way out of date and no one has bothered to buy one in years. Also it's $579 for canucks, gawd. Dollar is frigging at parity now, 
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Apr 22, 2010 20:48
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priznat posted:Also it's $579 for canucks, gawd. Dollar is frigging at parity now, How does that work? I've always paid in US dollars using my Visa card and they can't rip me off like that. Doubly so with Visa buyer protection.
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Apr 22, 2010 21:21
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Xenoid posted:How does that work? I've always paid in US dollars using my Visa card and they can't rip me off like that. Doubly so with Visa buyer protection. Not sure, that site has US + CAD pricing, perhaps I can order based on the US prices. Even with the 2.5% currency conversion fee visa charges it'd be worth it.
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Apr 22, 2010 21:22
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revmoo posted:Just curious, does it do it if the MAF is completely unplugged? MAF unplugged = still a hard start, but no backfire. I haven't replaced that sensor and I have seen where it can cause cold start issues. It isn't that expensive so I guess I'll swing by BMW tomorrow and pick up both the DME and Gauge Temp sensors and replace them both at once since it looks like the gauge one has to come off to reach the DME sensor without removing the intake manifold. I really, really don't want to remove the intake manifold. But on the upside, it would make changing the fuel filter a lot easier. I also have a second 403 DME that I can throw in the car and see what it does with the stock chip. Derail edit just because I have nowhere else to put it: After a few more hours of tinkering I got my 951S running (BMW Parts Taxi), and Goddddd does it loving run. I am a much happier person now than I was earlier today after just getting back from the test drive/flogging run. I love this car like it's my child. Doctor Grape Ape fucked around with this message at 05:07 on Apr 23, 2010 |
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Apr 23, 2010 05:00
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Pilsner posted:1) E34 isn't a sports car Well, my insurance classes it as a sports car, so I'm sticking with it! But yes, the brakes were definently shagged. The front discs were warped, and additionally I had a complete blowout at 120 which shredded the entire tread from the tyre, destroying the sensor and certainly not helping the brakes. I've got a very decent service joint that showed me the discs afterward, and yep, definently shagged. No problems at all now. Thanks for the info on the LKM, I figured it would be something to do with expansion at heat, just had no idea where to look. I'll take a look at it tomorrow and see if I can't solder her up. According to a few things I've looked at, it also explains why I sometimes get a rear taillight error, even when they're working fine. Thanks heaps for pointing me in the right direction  Additionally, all of a sudden my car seems to have an alarm. Since I bought her in Dec, never even knew it had an alarm. I live on a small military base, so leave my car unlocked all the time. Went out to get some blankets from the back seat, and holy jesus, horns, lights, everything. Scared the living crap out of me and I had no idea how to disengage it. Interesting to say the least. Penguin Radar fucked around with this message at 12:04 on Apr 23, 2010 |
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Apr 23, 2010 11:56
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Doctor Grape Ape posted:MAF unplugged = still a hard start, but no backfire. I haven't replaced that sensor and I have seen where it can cause cold start issues. It isn't that expensive so I guess I'll swing by BMW tomorrow and pick up both the DME and Gauge Temp sensors and replace them both at once since it looks like the gauge one has to come off to reach the DME sensor without removing the intake manifold. I really, really don't want to remove the intake manifold. But on the upside, it would make changing the fuel filter a lot easier. Hah, if your fuel filter is in the same place mine is I would definitely recommend removing the intake manifold. Speaking of which, looking at the bolts on there, it looks like there's probably a bolt or two right at the firewall, what's the method for getting that last intake manifold bolt or two?
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Apr 23, 2010 15:11
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The new 6-series Gran Coupe concept is beautiful. I've been waiting for BMW's 4 door coupe effort, and apparently this has been approved for production already. I really hope for a smaller 3 series version, but the numbers probably don't work out. The back is a little too X6, but it will probably be reeled in for production.  http://www.bmwblog.com/2010/04/23/we%E2%80%99ve-had-the-opportunity-to-revisit-the-cs-and-update-it/
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Apr 23, 2010 20:43
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That's pretty nice, although the concept of "4 door coupe" annoys the hell out of me. The x6 is not a coupe. This is not a coupe. Too bad the new 3 series looks like a Camaro and a Lancer had a baby.
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Apr 23, 2010 20:52
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Give us a ///M (1-series) and a ///M-roadster and I'll be happy
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Apr 23, 2010 22:00
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ozziegt posted:That's pretty nice, although the concept of "4 door coupe" annoys the hell out of me. The x6 is not a coupe. This is not a coupe. Too bad the new 3 series looks like a Camaro and a Lancer had a baby. If you replace the four doors with two longer ones, and change nothing else... you'll have the new 6 series two door coupe. Just blur your eyes a little. What excites me about a coupe is the sexy/sporty profile, not the number of doors.
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Apr 23, 2010 22:21
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ynotony posted:What excites me about a coupe is the sexy/sporty profile, not the number of doors. So any sporting/sexy looking car is a coupe?
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Apr 23, 2010 22:24
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kimbo305 posted:So any sporting/sexy looking car is a coupe? This is a new styling trend/marketing vernacular starting by Mercedes, I think. If you want a more "proper" definition of it take a look at the CLS500, since MB more or less invented the market segment. I guess it just means a really raked back roof line making taller passengers suffer in the rear at the expense of styling.
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Apr 23, 2010 23:36
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I like the direction they're going with the front and back ends, myself. I just wish they'd borrow a page from Audi for the interior.
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Apr 23, 2010 23:37
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kimbo305 posted:So any sporting/sexy looking car is a coupe? Sorry for inserting those adjectives: What I like about a coupe is its profile, not the number of doors. ynotony fucked around with this message at 00:27 on Apr 24, 2010 |
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Apr 24, 2010 00:11
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ynotony posted:Sorry for inserting those adjectives: What I like about a coupe is its profile, not the number of doors. K, now I get you. Though for me, the way a coupe's door naturally trisects the body of the car is much more pleasant than how the same sedan's doors quadsect the body. A really good case in point is the E36, actually.
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Apr 24, 2010 00:33
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kimbo305 posted:K, now I get you. Though for me, the way a coupe's door naturally trisects the body of the car is much more pleasant than how the same sedan's doors quadsect the body. A really good case in point is the E36, actually.
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Apr 24, 2010 01:48
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Proud owner of a 2002 jet black e46 SMG M3. I'd take pics, but I have to replace both front fenders before I do it. But I can say, its been a dream! SUCH an amazing car.
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Apr 24, 2010 02:02
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madrugan posted:Proud owner of a 2002 jet black e46 SMG M3. I'd take pics, but I have to replace both front fenders before I do it. But I can say, its been a dream! SUCH an amazing car. What are those SMG boxes like in slow traffic? I figure since they're just a regular six speed with some fancy poo poo it can probably get kind of jerky or weird if it doesn't know what to do. E: VVVV Interesting. What does it do if you are stopped and you let go of the brake? Does it engage and creep forward like an automatic or does it wait to engage the clutch until you give it some throttle? Can you press the gas and brake at the same time while moving (left foot brake) without it freaking out? Sorry for all the questions, I think they're neat. Lowclock fucked around with this message at 02:28 on Apr 24, 2010 |
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Apr 24, 2010 02:08
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Lowclock posted:What are those SMG boxes like in slow traffic? I figure since they're just a regular six speed with some fancy poo poo it can probably get kind of jerky or weird if it doesn't know what to do. I don't usually drive it computerized, but in slow traffic 2nd/3rd does really well at sub-30 mph. I've not had much experience in computerized mode, but yes, occasionally it will downshift when it shouldn't. It also depends on the selected program, though. Will have to check. I am doing a transmission/diff fluid swap and a guibo replacement, as well as switching to summers here in a few days, so I will be able to do a more accurate checkup later.
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Apr 24, 2010 02:20
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ozziegt posted:Too bad the new 3 series looks like a Camaro and a Lancer had a baby. The new 3 series is a beautiful machine. 
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Apr 24, 2010 06:24
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Kenshin posted:Give us a ///M (1-series) and a ///M-roadster and I'll be happy How about a car that weighs half what that 6 series will weigh, that would be a start...
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Apr 24, 2010 07:50
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This car's been in my family for over 30 years. 1969 1600 factory cabriolet. It wasn't running for about 10 of those years and it just sat in our garage until my Dad decided to pay someone to finally finish the M3 conversion. I've got more pictures on a cd somewhere, I'll post them when I dig them up. 
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Apr 24, 2010 09:03
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Holy crap, awesome!
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Apr 24, 2010 16:12
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Awesome stuff littlewing! So, I'm to become a dad in 4 months, and being the responsible dude that I am my old ZX-10R was sold and I bought this practical and humble family vehicle:   A 2003/9 320d Touring manual with 200kkm on the clock in crazy good condition with just about every possible factory option added on, xenons, gps, climate, bluetooth, leather seats, etc etc. I'm very much in love, the engineering just works and it looks great.
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Apr 24, 2010 17:28
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littlewing posted:This car's been in my family for over 30 years. 1969 1600 factory cabriolet. It wasn't running for about 10 of those years and it just sat in our garage until my Dad decided to pay someone to finally finish the M3 conversion. I've got more pictures on a cd somewhere, I'll post them when I dig them up. Holy poo poo, that thing must be a ton of fun to bomb around in.
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Apr 24, 2010 18:46
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Rnr posted:Awesome stuff littlewing! That looks fantastic for that kind of mileage! I'm jealous of the diesel too, I'd love an e46 touring diesel. Curious, where are the other window switches around the shifter? Your pics make me want to go clean my interior right now! vvvv Probably the month of the year, ie september so was after a mid-year facelift or that type of thing. priznat fucked around with this message at 22:00 on Apr 24, 2010 |
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Apr 24, 2010 21:56
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Rnr posted:2003/9 
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Apr 24, 2010 21:59
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Its production date was September of '03. So it's an '04 MY. Euro cars have such different options- I've never seen that style head unit, cell-eject box, light control (rear foglamp switch)or window switches (US models all have rear window controls on the center console).
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Apr 24, 2010 22:05
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Is there anything wrong with the clutch in a mid-E46 M3 with SMG? I read somewhere there was some kind of 'burnout' mode that could damage the clutch after too much use. Is that a valid concern? Looking at a 2004ish E46 M3 to satisfy my upcoming mid-life crisis.
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Apr 24, 2010 22:05
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ozmunkeh posted:Is there anything wrong with the clutch in a mid-E46 M3 with SMG? I read somewhere there was some kind of 'burnout' mode that could damage the clutch after too much use. Is that a valid concern? Looking at a 2004ish E46 M3 to satisfy my upcoming mid-life crisis. I believe launch control is the word you're looking for, and I think using it was less than beneficial for the rear subframe.
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Apr 24, 2010 22:54
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priznat posted:That looks fantastic for that kind of mileage! I'm jealous of the diesel too, I'd love an e46 touring diesel. Yea, for me the diesel is a good compromise between power and fuel economy. BMW does make good diesels, take their newest one on the 2010 (I think) 320d - it's 184hp/350nm and 21km/l - crazy good. Curiously the back windows are not electrical, thus there are only switches for the driver and passenger seat. And yes, by /9 I meant the month, it's common to write it like that in our car market lingo (and by golly, I've perused enough car ads these last months to last me a lifetime). It was imported from Germany in 2008 (thus all the options, they are cheap(ish) there) and it doesn't have daytime running lights on by default, which is required here in Denmark, so I'll have to have a BMW tech change that. I'm still finding out about weird/awesome stuff it can do... "follow me home light"? Sweet
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Apr 24, 2010 23:02
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Hey goons, give me input on a BMW(s) I am considering. I am looking around at a few E39 M5s. I know a little bit about BMWs, but not enough about their reliability, etc. I'm assuming that around 60-70k miles, they're probably about due for a suspension redo, e.g. balljoints, struts, bushings, correct? What about the engine, is it likely to do 150k+ miles with no major repairs? I'd be doing the work myself, both to make the car affordable and because I enjoy it, so parts availability is an issue. Also, can any goons compare the E39 M5 to the same year 540i? I'm in love with the combo of rear-wheel drive and a V8 in a nice German package, and I'd love to own one of these guys. So, what am I looking to spend (I know there is blue book value, etc, but I'd like to see some real-life prices you guys paid) for an M5 or 540? I've already checked on insurance, and obviously the M5 is a bit higher (especially considering a 20 year old male, but whatever, it'd be ok). edit: Oh, one more thing- why are E34 M5s so hard to find? I really like the looks of those much more than the newer ones...do they tend to cost more?
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Apr 25, 2010 02:28
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Anyone here done an e36 steering rack swap into an e30 airbag car (my1991)? I'm having a gently caress of a time getting all the kinks out, and it's the one thing stopping me from getting this bitch back on the road.
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Apr 25, 2010 02:43
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ozmunkeh posted:Is there anything wrong with the clutch in a mid-E46 M3 with SMG? I read somewhere there was some kind of 'burnout' mode that could damage the clutch after too much use. Is that a valid concern? Looking at a 2004ish E46 M3 to satisfy my upcoming mid-life crisis. Ehhh, I'm pretty sure after 2003.5 they got rid of burnout mode on the E46 M3. I have a 2002 M3 and it still has burnout mode and launch control. The launch control on the E46 M3 is so ridiculously tame I really don't think it's going to cause any damage that hasn't already been done at this point in the cars life. The European models could launch at much higher RPMs. The NA version is about on par with slamming the gas from a stop with traction control on. Burnout mode is ridiculously harsh on the car though. I bracket race my car at the track (4-8 launches a week on launch control) and did okay until I started hopping like hell a couple passes. Had no idea what the hell was going on and was blaming myself for lining up poorly but was dumbfounded as to why I started hoping after so many solid runs. In the end I realized I was activating "burnout mode". (Why the hell do I need to do a burnout ever in a car like this???) To activate Launch Control or Burnout Mode you do the following: 1. Shift over to manual 2. Turn off DSC (Traction Control) and activate Sport Mode 3. Raise the shift speed level to 6 (You'll see a bonus bar on the transmission LCD) 4. Hold the shifter up 5. Rev the car - it will take you to just under 2000 RPM 6. Let go - weeee! Well, the launch control works great and that's how you activate that. Surprise story is that is also how you activate burnout mode! To get the car to launch you have to slowly depress the gas pedal to the floor. That allows the car to use its traction control and ensure the best possible launch while leaving at ~1900 RPM. If you quickly hit the pedal to the floor the car just says get bent and lets the tires roast. Well, if you're lucky they'll spin. If you're not you'll be pleasured into feeling the rear end of the car violently hop all over the place. For the record my car has 55,000 miles on it and the SMG is working flawlessly. Buy the car it's awesome and you won't regret it! If you're afraid of maintenance - don't be. As for actual modification of the car goes for aftermarket stuff to "go faster" you're going to be hoping you can grow a money tree. Lucky for us BMW pretty much put the best of everything possible within reason. Maintenance is pretty cheap as far as the actual car goes. The worst thing to replace so far has been getting quality brakes. It's no Corolla but I wouldn't say it is too much worse than a high end American muscle car. Especially newer ones. VibrioCholera fucked around with this message at 05:30 on Apr 25, 2010 |
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Apr 25, 2010 05:24
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BraveUlysses posted:Anyone here done an e36 steering rack swap into an e30 airbag car (my1991)? I'm having a gently caress of a time getting all the kinks out, and it's the one thing stopping me from getting this bitch back on the road. Yeah, I just did it a few weeks ago. I had to grind out the firewall quite a bit to get the column to move without binding- maybe 1.5 inches at the lower left corner (if you're facing toward the back of the car).
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Apr 25, 2010 18:41
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The knuckle is installed on both sets of splines and the rack is in place. On each spline, there is a flat spot, in order to allow clearance for the bolts that tighten the knuckle. Stuck at work so this illustration will have to do:  Currently, I cannot get the slots on the rack/steering column to line up with the slots on the knuckle (where the bolt runs through). The steering rack and column both extend too far into the knuckle to line up correctly.
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Apr 25, 2010 18:57
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What's wrong with my engine?  This is the same spark plug, just different sides of it. I just did a compression test and there was between 155 and 170 in all 6 cylinders, can my head gasket still be hosed by only cyl 6?  
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Apr 25, 2010 23:17
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