BMW Parts, News, Repair, Modifications for BMW Cars

E36 BMW Rear Brake and Emergency Brake Problems

2007-10-03T09:46:00.000-04:00

I last replaced the rear brake pads and rotors on my 1995 BMW 325is back in early 2003. I've since put 100k on the car and figured that it might be time to do this job again. Of course, front brakes don't last nearly as long...but that is because that's where the majority of the braking energy/force comes from. Recently, a metallic rattling noise had been coming from the back of the car somewhere. Given E36 BMW models' propensity for worn subframe, rear trailing arm and other bushings, I thought it might be best for some process of eliminating type preventative maintenance. After jacking up the car and removing the rear wheel, I removed the 2 15mm caliper bracket bolts and slid the brake caliper off of the car. I was shocked to see that the brake pads appeared to be only about half worn! The rotor itself looked a little worn, but was still smooth and straight. I confess to not measuring the thickness to see if it was within spec. Besides, I was already in there...might as well do the job anyway.

E36 BMWs can be maintained relatively inexpensively by experienced do-it-yourself/shade tree mechanics, especially if you know where to look for deals on parts. I bought ATE oem replacement rear brake rotors and PBR metalmaster rear brake pads on ebay for about $100 total. Using an allen wrench, I removed the rotor locating screw, and pulled on the rotor, which remained steadfastly stuck in place. Figuring corrosion to be the culprit, I tapped the rotor on each side with a rubber mallet. One side came free, the other side refused to move, like something was holding it on there. Out came a real mallet - old rotor be damned! It STILL wouldn't come free. Turns out that the locating pins for the emergency brake assembly had both pulled their mounts on the brake dust shield backing plate, also referred to as the brake protection plate. This in turn allowed the e brake shoes to expand outward and move around, holding the rotor in place.

T0 repair this, I'll need a new brake shield plate. According to the realoem BMW digital microfiche, suggested retail is only something like $18.94. I'm sure my local stealership has marked it up 2 or 3 times that, as they have done for many other pieces. For a temporary repair, I simply removed the entire emergency brake assembly from the passenger side of the car. The anchor-like cable ending must be removed as well, or it will rub against the hub and or rotor. Ask me how I know. It simply pushes out using a hammer and punch. I ended up installing the new rotor and leaving the old pads on for the time being. A week or two like this won't hurt anything, and the driver's side e brake still works.

Tip: Wire brush dirt and corrosion off all bolts prior to re-assembly and lightly coat threads and mating surfaces with some kind of anti-seize compound such as Permatex Never Seize. I also put a little of this on the hub and the front of the rotor. Some people use white lithium grease. I cannot comment on this.

PS: While the broken and floating e-brake assembly was indeed rattling around, removing it failed to cure the rear end rattles audible over bumps. I'm puzzled.

E36 Brake Light Failure OBC Message: Causes and Cures

2007-09-01T16:00:00.000-04:00

Another infamous E36 BMW minor malady is the display of messages such as 'Brake Light Failure" or "Brake Circuit Failure' by the OBC. Sometimes you'll get '1 Brake Light Fail' as well. There are a few basic reasons why this happens, and how you can fix these problems. First of all, if your E36 OBC is displaying 'Brake Circuit Failure' this means that the electrical brake circuit switch is no longer operating.

To fix, you need get one from the dealer. Figure about $8-30 dollars dependign on how bad the markup is at your local stealership.

The brake circuit switch (and there are 2 on some cars...check yours) is located up under the dash under the steering column. Remove the ~4 screws holding the cover panel on. The brake light switch is under the top of the brake pedal arm, under the dash.

Make sure you press the red tab down to lock the switch in place. Use pliers to break the red tab off the old switch and pull out. Push the braked pedal all the way down to get the old swtuch out. Pop the new switch in and reconnect the wiring harness, but again be sure you've pressed the red tab to lock the circuit switch in place.

Now, if you are NOT getting a 'brake circuit' related error code on your E36's OBC, but rather a 'brake light failure' this means it is either a bad bulb, loose bulb, bad bulb socket, or dirty/corroded electrical contact somewhere where the bulb or socket tabs are. Any Auto Zone, Pep Boys, NAPA or wherever should have the correct brake light and high mount stop light bulbs. They are either # 7528 or 7506 depending on the year and model BMW, I believe (please double check and do not take this as gospel). Use emory paper and electrical contact cleaner to make sure the taillight electrical contacts for the bulb socket, and the bulb socket contacts themselves, are clean. Test the socket with an electrical meter. Tip: replacing your E36 rear taillight and brakelight bulbs at the dealer includes the socket for each bulb, and the price is usually under $15.

E36 Check Coolant Level Warning Display

2007-08-19T20:49:00.000-04:00

If you have ever flushed, drained, or otherwise changed the coolant in your E36 BMW 3 series, chances are you are sporadically encountering a 'Check Coolant Level' message displayed on your onboard computer display. No, this probably doesn't mean you forgot to tighten the block drain plug or the radiator drain screw. In fact, looking at bmw message boads like bimmerforums and roadfly, it seems others are getting this as well. The coolant level sensor goes bad. If you were low on coolant, clear your codes and see what happens. If it is the sensor, the annoying and misleading message can be eliminating by unplugging the two sensor wires, and jumping them. If this works, replace the sensor. If this does not work, the possibiltiy remains that un-bled air remains in the cooling system. Try using the bleed valve on the top of the radiator expansion tank (the screw with the long F-name...) and it THAT does not work, check this out:

Finally fixed my "Check Coolant Level" warning while shutting off the engine. Like most others, I tried all the usual fixes that were posted on various groups with no success. Recently while replacing the thermostat I noted that inside the expansion tank there is what I would call a siphon tube that the small bypass hose from the radiator attaches to on the expansion tank. It broke off internally and was loose inside the tank. I ordered a new tank from the dealer and installed it. After the usual bleeding of the system, the check coolant level warning during engine shutdown had finally been fixed. My theory being that the cooling system could not be bled properly because of the broken tube.

The air in the system was trapped because air would be drawn back into sytem through the broken tube. Nornally the tube would extend below the coolant level in the tank and during bleeding the trapped air would be purged and not drawn back into the cooling system. With the tube broken or cracked air is drawn back into the system displacing coolant. While the car is not running the coolant level appears good but during driving the coolant drops as the air in the system circulates with the coolant. This trips the OBC and the warning comes on after shutdown. So check your expansion tank for this possible problem.

E30 BMW 3 Series Pre Purchase Checklist

2007-02-19T08:36:00.000-05:00

The E30 BMW 3 series platform has remained incredibly popular as a reasonably low budget European small car performance platform some decade and a half after production ceased, with hundreds of thousands of examples still registered and seeing daily driver or weekend track car duty. The beauty of the E30 cars lies in its ruggedness and relative mechanical simplicity. They are also great fun to drive, and respond well to intelligent modifications. But let's not kid ourselves, these are getting to be old cars and careful pre-purchase inspection is the key to coming away with a cool old BMW and not a rust bucket, electrical nightmare heap.

Here's a few things to keep in mind when looking an e30.
There are basically only a handful of E30 models you will come across. They are:
1984- 1985 318i with M10 engine, 1991 318i with M42 DOHC engine
1991 318is with M42 DOHC engine
1987-1988 325 (aka eta) with M20 2.7 low revving 6 cylinder engine
1985-1988 325e. see above
1987-1991 325i/325iS with M20 2.5 i 168 hp engine
1988-1991 E30 M3 with 2.3 liter 192 hp S14 engine.

I = Normal Car, IS = Sport Model, E = Economy

The M3 is such a different car altogether that I will address pre purchase inspection in a future, separate post.

First, look to see if there are engine service records. Make sure the timing belt on cars with m20 engines has been changed. Check to see if the water pump has been replaced. Water pump and Timing belt/chain are the first repairs you should do to any e30 without previous documentation! Common, yet easily repairable problems found in e30s are as follows:

-Window switches: They dont work well, they just suck you can buy new ones or repair.
If none of the windows work, there is a breaker button for god knows why on the dash, its right above the deck somewhere by the hazard button. It has a red outline, push it and see if that solves the windows not working problem, I have seen a lot of people tricked by this one.

-Check for a hole in the rubber intake boot. This can cause poor idling and or stalling. Takes about $20, a screwdriver, and 5 minutes to replace. See my E36 intake boot blog entry for more information.

- Dead Speedometer, Tachometer Or odometer: Odometers are prone to break in e30s, so don't always trust the stated mileage. Repair is as easy as replacing the gear set. If all gauges are dead, it may be a bad SI board. SI boards easy to replace and used ones with fresh batteries can be found on ebay or any BMW forum like roadfly, bimmerforums etc.

-Broken seatbelt clips. Very common E30 BMW malady that requires the seat to be removed to be fixed and $30 for new clips at the dealership.

-Door Locks. Make sure the key works in all door locks including the trunk. Sticky or jammed locks are a bad sign.

-RUST!!! Check several places where E30 BMWs are prone to rusting: around the rear license plate, rear lights, inside the trunk and behind the rear tail light covers, under the doors (as window seals wear out and allow water to become trapped), and of course the usual body and cowl visible areas where most old cars like to rust.

-When driving the E30 you are looking at, let go of the steering wheel while going straight on a nice paved road, to make sure the car does not veer off on its own. A myriad of possibilities from bent control arm to out of adjustment tie rods (needs an alignment) can cause this.
Make sure the car does not veer under braking. If the brakes are grinding or squealing, get ready for new pads and rotors.

-Does the car make bad noises when driven over uneven or rough pavement? Does it shudder? This is a good way to see if the shocks are blown or worn out.
-Do the wheels make a grinding noise when cornering hard? A bad wheel bearing is often the culprit and can destroy the hub if left unchecked.

-Check the exhaust for leaks and holes.

-If the car is manual, pull over, push the clutch down, put it in 3rd.. Now Drop the clutch. If the car dies instantly good! that means the clutch is probably in ok condition, if that car pulls itself forward a bit before stalling the clutch may be going out.

-Test the cruise control system to see if it operates correctly

E36 and E46 BMW Rear Trailing Arm Bushing (RTAB) Replacement

2007-02-18T20:10:00.000-05:00

BMW's previous two generations of 3 series cars (sedan, coupes, and convertibles) are extremely popular. There are many thousands of them on the road. The oldest E36 BMW's are now 15 years old and often have well over 150,000 miles on them. The oldest E46 3 series' on the road are now 8 years old and are cracking the 100,000 mile mark. As both generations share very similar rear suspension design, both generations have exhibited similar wear item issues for BMW enthusiasts to be aware. One of those issues is the failure or exteme wear of rear trailing arm bushings, which can be worn out in as little as 50k miles! Symptoms of bad trailing arm bushings include side movement of the rear end under acceleration, general looseness of the rear over bumps, and abnormal tire wear. There are two ways for the backyard/DIY bimmer enthusiast to address this: one repair involves purchasing or renting a special tool for the job, this write up allows you to get the rear trailing arm bushing (RTAB) done without using special tools.

You will definitely want to see if your car is in need of this repair. Some instances of RTAB failure were so extreme that the threaded holes for the 3 mounting bolts fatigued, allowing the arm to break away from the car body! You will need new, upgraded RTABS, preferably the OEM or aftermarket specification ones for the 1996 - 1999 E36 M3. Several companies also sell shims for further peace of mind, but this is not crucial.

You will need 2 18mm sockets for getting the 18mm bolt out of the rear trailing arm bushing, a large straight slot or flathead screw driver, a hammer, power drill, 7/16" drill bit, and other metric sockets to remove items to get at the rear trailing arm.

Once your BMW is securely supported on jackstands, remove the rear wheels. Remove the 10mm bolts that hold the brake lines to the rear trailing arms. This prevents unnecessary strain on the brake lines. Remove the bracket but only after making sure you have noted where bracket lines up. I mark both sides and take pics with a digital camera! Remoe the 3 18mm bolts and then then the 18mm bolt securing the RTAB to the bracket. I recommend liberal use of a penetrating oil like PB Blaster or similar, plus a breaker bar or similar tool to get this off.

Now we have to figure out how to get the old bushing out of the arm. Use a 5/16" drill bit to drill holes around the aluminum center in the bushing. What you are trying to do here is rip out the center part of the rear trailing arm bushing. Measure the gap between the flange and the trailing arm with feeler gauges and note the gap measurements as you'll need to put the new bushing in with the same gap. To get the rest of this bushing out take your huge flat head screw driver and put it between that flange and the trailing arm and start hammering away on it. The metal of the bushing should start to bend inward toward the hole you drilled. Use a large flat head screwdriver to bend the bushing in and eventually wedge the bushing right out of the RTA. An air chisel was suggested in another write up of this repair.

Hint: Dish soap liquid makes a good bushing lubricant. You are going to either have to get the special tool to press your E36 or E46 rear trailing arm bushings in, or make your own crude press. Stay tuned for the next installment of this repair...but first I've got some E34 5 series stuff to work on...

E30, E36, E46 BMW Rear Shock Mount (RSM) Replacement

2007-02-15T17:33:00.000-05:00

E30, E36, AND E46 3 series BMWs are notoriously hard on their rear shock mounts, or RSMs. How do you know when your BMW's rear shock mounts are worn out? The easiest way is to listen for any clunking sounds emanating from the rear suspension while driving. What actually happens to the oem BMW rear shock mount? Simple - the metal insert part of the shock mount tears out of the piece, allowing too much movement, which yields the clunking sound when going over small bumps. Worn rear shock mounts prevent your BMW's rear shocks from effective damping! However, unlike some other 3 series rear suspension issues (rear subframe and control arm bushings come to mind), this is an easy repair for most people.

Back in the day E30 318ic and 325ic convertible rear shock mounts were common upgrades for all E30 and E36 models because since they were beefier to handle the additional weight of the drop top models. Nowadays, BMW E46 convertibles have upgraded rear shock mounts which are the same as the 2001 E46 M3's. If it's good enough for the 3400 lb, 333 hp E46 M3...it's good enough for a more 'pedestrian' BMW like an E36 325i ;). This is a money saving tip for all you budget backyard DIY types...or you can go to UUC or BavAuto or Turner or TCKline and buy one of their aftermarket upgrade pieces for the same money as the E46 oem M3 mounts (if buying at the dealership...shop online and find these RSMs for much, much less).

Note: A benefit to retaining OEM BMW shock mounts is that factory ride quality is not sacrificed, unlike with spherical bearings, monoball, or hard polyurethane ones.
Many E36 and E46 (non M3 in the case of the E46, obviously) owners are also utilizing the Z3 reinforcement plates to securely mount the rear shock mounts to the shock tower itself. The Z3 plates are only $14 each, so at under $30 for the 2 it's a worthwhile piece-of-mind upgrade. The E46 M3 rear shock mounts for use with the E36 and E46 cars are only about $35 total. You will also need 4 collar nuts, 2 washer gaskets, and 2 hex nuts.

Make sure the car is secure on a lift or jackstands before starting this project. Never stick your head under the car without triple-checking all safety precautions first!

BMW Control Arm Bushing Replacement Tips

2007-01-17T17:25:00.000-05:00

* This article pertains to most BMW models, especially the E30, E34, E36, and E46 cars, but is relevant to all BMW models whose control arm bushings are pressed into eyelet 'lollipops'.*

Any time you replace the control arm bushings on your BMW, you have to get the old bushings out of the lollipops and press the new ones in. Most folks simply drop off the parts at an automotive machine shop and pay the $35 - $50 (or more). This is convenient, but costs money and means at least some downtime for your BMW. This past weekend, myself and a friend replaced the control arms, bushings, ball joints, tie rods, and sway bar end links on his beautiful M3-clone 1997 328i. I had told him to go to a junkyard and grab a spare pair of control arm bushing lollipops from a wreck, and have his new bushings pressed in ahead of time, to minimize reassembly downtime, but he ignored me.

There we were, 3 pm on a saturday afternoon with all local automotive machine shops closed, working in his garage on a non non-driveable BMW. We decided we would get the job done ourselves. I used a large control arm 'pickle fork' to rip the rubber on the bushings and separate the old control arms away from the bushing housings, then used a Sawzall equipped with a high speed steel hacksaw blade to cut the metal part of the bushing. With a large old screwdriver and hammer, we quickly and easily coaxed the remains of the old control arm bushings out of the lollipops. Now - how to get the new bushings pressed in? I lubricated the edge of the new bushings and the housings with liquid dish detergent, lined up the bushings, placed a section of 2x4 wood on top of it, and used a large - think smaller sledgehammer - hammer to pound the bushings in. I then rinsed off the soap and saw they sat perfectly. Use a little more soap on the end of the control arm to get it to slide in easily and reassembly is a snap.

E36 Exhaust Replacement and M3 Exhaust Upgrade

2006-12-26T21:53:00.000-05:00

Note: This repair applies to all E36 BMW models with six cylinder engines, including all 325i, 325is, 325ic, 328i, 328is, 328ic, 323i, 323is, 323ic, and M3 models. Four cylinder engine E36 models may have slightly different exhaust routing, clamps, gaskets, and hangers. Be sure to consult the Bentley service manual if you have unanswered questions after reading this.

After nearly 190,000 miles of service, the OEM factory exhaust on my 1995 BMW 325is was looking and sounding pretty sorry. The muffler's internal baffles had broken down and the result was a very raspy, wheezy, loud, and harsh tone. The muffler and twin tailpipes were beginning to exhibit signs of rot as well. I found a local E36 M3 owner who'd upgraded to a Supersprint exhaust shortly after buying his car and therefore had the stock M3 exhaust system lying around in his garage. I got it for only $25, a steal when you consider that the local BMW dealership gets over $1000 dollars, and used E36 M3 exhausts typically sell for between $75 - $200 plus shipping on the internet.

The first step was to pick up the new exhaust collar gaskets, plus 4 new nuts and Bbolts, at the dealership. This came to about $40. In hindsight, I should also have order muffler hanger brackets as well, but we will get to that.

Back home, I waited til a saturday morning to begin the project. I used the factory BMW jack to raise the car via the sideskirt slot, and supported the vehicle with jackstands. I sprayed PB Blaster penetrating oil on the exhaust bolts and rear muffler hangers, and let it sit for some time before breaking out a steel-bristle brush to scrub away corrosion and grime from the nuts and bolts before attempting to loosen them.

Had my BMW not spent the past 12 years in the northeast as a daily driver, the nuts and bolts of the exhaust system would have likely been in better shape. I ended up using a small hacksaw (the kind the blade slides into the handle of) and Stanley 'contractor grade' 18t and 32t hacksaw blades to cut all four bolts where the catalytic converter meets the cat back exhaust. A dremel or similar rotary tool with appropriate cutting wheel would probably also work well. I used vice grips to pull the ends of the bolts out afterwards.

Turning my attention to the rear muffler hangars, I managed to break off both nuts/studs on the clamps that grip the muffler in place. Six cylinder engine E36 BMWs have a (overly) well engineered rear hanger setup that consists of two rubber hangers with two piece metal brackets/clamps that grip the muffler by the protruding pinched seams and hold it in place. After breaking both nuts off, the lower plates fell off, and the exhaust was shaken loose and fell to the ground. Now we had a problem. It was 2 days before Christmas, a Saturday afternoon, and the parts depts would not re-open again for 3 days. I got under the car, and used a 13mm socket (same size as the exhaust bolts), 13mm box/open end wrench, and a trusty pair of 10" Vise-Grips to remove the 4 semi-frozen and loctite-d on nuts holding the rubber hangers to the underside of the car.

Once I had the 2 entire assemblies off, I took them to my workbench. Using a 13mm socket and 13mm wrench, I removed the metal bracket (with the brazed/welded bolt for the lower clamp and broken-off end) from the rubber hanger assembly. I used a grinding disc or two and my Dremel tool to grind off the head of the welded nut, then fipped the brackets over and pounded on the stud with a hammer, breaking it free. I replaced it on each side with M8x40 metric bolts, washer, lock washer, and nut for a solid and strong throughbolting setup. Thus eliminating the need to order anything from the BMW dealership. Both rubber hangers looked okay, but we shall see how they cope with the heavier M3 exhaust.

To reassemble, I first put the muffler hanger assemblies back together and reintalled them onto the underside of the car next to the gas tank. To get the exhaust in, you really need a second person to help you. Have your helper guide the twin pipes and collars into position, installing the copper gaskets in the correct locations (the thicker one goes on the pipe with the recessed collar), and just pushing the bolts through for now. Then, make sure the hanger is gripping the muffler seams, and tighten it as much as you can with a socket and ratchet. When tightening the exhaust bolts, tighten all four evenly so the collars tighen evenly. Use a torque wrench for the final snugging-down. Double check your work and start the car to make sure there are no leaks.

I found that installing the E36 M3 exhaust on my 325 eliminated the rattling, buzzing, harsh, and loud drone, and resplaced it with a mellow burble of an exhaust note. Quiet, but sounds authoritive and powerful when you rev it up. A nice upgrade! Total costs? $25 for the exhaust and $40 for the bolts, gaskets, nuts, and washers.

The E36 Warped Rotors Saga Continues!

2006-12-18T09:43:00.000-05:00

Those who have been following my BMW repair and information site may have read about my recent attempts to track down and eliminate mysterious shuddering under braking that has continued unabated in spite of recent ball joint, tie rod, and tire replacements. I had last replaced the front pads and rotors roughly one year ago. Well, last saturday I removed the oem replacement Pagid front brake pads from my 1995 BMW 325is and replaced them with a set of Hawk HB136 ferro-carbon race pads I bought for a song on ebay. The Pagid pads had about 15,000 miles on them and looked okay save for some interesting angled wear towards the edges of all four pads, making the pad when placed face up look almost trapezoidal...not sure what that indicates.

Looking at the brake rotors, there was some minor scoring or grooves on the outer surface, but they were generally smooth and evenly worn with no apparent runout (checked with a micromemter).

I noticed that the new Hawk HB136 pads did not have the standard 3-pronged spring on the backside of the inner pads that center the pads and pop them into the brake caliper piston. It turns out that this is intentionally so, as to limit heat transfer from the pads to the calipers in high stress racing/track conditions. The first downside of this setup is that this kind of brake pads are awfully noisy! The click and clack and squealing of the pads is awfully irritating on a street car. The Hawk HB136 pads made an immediate and dramatic difference in braking power, but also made a ton of dark brown brake dust - the kind that you get when regular pads are so completely worn out that the rotor is touching the backing part of the pad. The braking vibration went away completely very quickly. Was it because the Hawk pads removed the high spots of brake pad deposits on the rotors? Or was it because the Hawk pads were so hard they wore away the outer material of the rotors themselves? After one week, I swapped the old pads back in (but not before 'bedding' the pads with 100 and 150 grit sandpaper to remove and glazing, then cleaning the pad surface with brake parts cleaner to get the sanded off bits off). The vibration is gone! I am not sure what to make of this other than the following conclusions:

Do not use track or race only pads on a street car. Unless properly warmed up, these pads bite so hard they can damage stock rotors. It is extremely difficult to get the dust and grime off of the wheels! This grime actually consists of rotor material that is now practically baked on my stock E36 wheels.

Always be sure to properly bed new pads before installing on any rotors, new or existing. Failure to do so can lead to pad deposits, glazed and ineffective brake pads. Use a sanding block and medium pressure when bedding brake pads.

Replace anti-rattle springs and backing plates when replacing pads if possible to prevent pad rattling.

The Hawk ceramic pads work yank-your-eyeballs-out great, but should not only be used strictly on track cars, but with better rotors than OEM-replacement ones. I am very lucky that the rotors appeared unharmed by the experiment and that old pads were still usable. Otherwise, it would have an expensive lesson.

Warped Brake Rotors and Steering Shudder/Shimmy/Vibration/Shaking

2006-11-14T16:14:00.000-05:00

Look through any BMW message board or forum and you will hundreds of posts regarding recurring front end shimmy/shake/vibration during braking. Now, it is certainly true that older models, particularly the E24 6 series, E21 3 series, and E28 5 series had some issues related to the steering components and bushings, but I would estimate that most posts pertaining to modern BMW shaking or vibrating under braking involve an E36 3 series. Complicating matters is that the E36 cars (minus pre 6/92 build date cars and M3 models) are notorious for ball joint, control arm, and tie rod issues that make diagnosing and eliminating front end problems tricky. My 1995 325is has been experiencing progressively worse shudder under braking - and not just at speed where front end shimmy typically manifests itself. I replaced the control arm bushings a year ago, and all ball joints earlier this year. I happened to have a new set of tie rods lying around, but replacing the tie rods did not solve the problem either.

Most people I spoke to felt my brake rotors, less than 1 year old and never abused or saw anything other than commuting and regular street driving, were warped. This did not make sense. How could modern steel rotors warp so quickly with seemingly no abuse? It turns out the brake pads themselves are the culprits 99% of the time. Melted brake pad deposits build up on brake rotors, and the solution is to change out the pads in favor of brake pads with a higher heat range. Rob at UUC recommends "Akebono Ceramic or Hawk Performance Ceramic. You won't get pad deposit
from either of these, and as a side-benefit they have very low dust.
New pads should remove the deposit, so you don't even need new rotors right
away. A couple of days and your shimmy should be gone."

E30 Suspension and Tie Rod Replacement and Tips

2006-11-13T12:22:00.000-05:00

A friend of mine recently purchased a clean 1991 BMW 318i sedan, the one year wonder with the M42 16v engine, to serve as his daily driver. Despite being well maintained by its previous owner, this rare E30 sedan did have 130k on the odometer, and was in dire need of some suspension and steering work. The car was just loose and sloppy to drive. A 2500 lb, 138 hp bare bones car like this has the potential to handle like the vaunted E30 M3, given the proper upgrades, but we were just looking to make it fun to drive on the street, without destroying any semblance of ride quality OR dropping thousands of dollars on coilovers, spherical bushings etc. This car is a commuter at this point, no a track car or autocross contender (though he intends to try his hand at autocross with the 318i) We determined that we'd replace the following items:

shocks and strut inserts. A pair of used rear Bilstein HD (heavy duty's) were found on ebay, and a set of low mileage used Bilstein HD front strut inserts were found on a popular BMW E30-oriented message board. Unfortunately, it seems that the M42 318i and 318is use a larger diameter insert than the earlier four and six cylinder cars, so we ended up buying new correct-application Bilstein HDs from Bavarian Autosport. The used rear shocks fit fine, and appeared to have plenty of life remaining. The price was right, too.

Tie Rods. OEM BMW style tie rods were purchased online for much less than the local dealership wanted. Again, make sure you order rods specific to the M42 E30 cars, because there are multiple E30 3 series tie rod part numbers, and others will not fit. When replacing the tie rods, tighten the inner (rack) side first, the adjust runout to approximately match the just-removed one. This way, your car's alignment won't be too far off upon completion. Make sure you get it aligned anyways, however.

Control Arms, Ball Joints, and Bushings. New OEM control arms with inner and outer (aka upper and lower) ball joints, plus E30 M3 offset control arm bushings. Tip: If you are replacing control arms and don't want to deal with pressing out the old bushings from the control arm 'lollipops', find a pair of sprare lollipops (from a salvage yard, online parts source etc) and use palmolive dish soap to grease the inside of them. This enables you to use a large mallet to pound the new bushings in yourself, saving you $50 at the local machine shop (then again, it's a wash when you factor in the cost of the spare lollipops, but it does save you downtime). We ran into a nightmare on Bill's E30, when trying to remove the passenger side inner ball joint nut. There is very little clearance between the engine mount, headers, and frame crossmember. We had to remove the front sway bar (and in the process made a mental note to replace the sway bar end links and bushings in the future) to be able to get the 7/8 or 22mm wrench on the nut. Unfortunately, the nut became frozen roughly halfway, and we needed a hacksaw with High Speed Steel blade to saw through the tapered bolt, in order to get the ball joint and control arm out. Not fun lying on a cold driveway in November, sawing away with very short strokes!

Rear shock mounts These are inexpensive and sort of a 'while-you-are-at-it' replacement.

Springs The stock springs were tossed in favor of H&R's newer OEM-style sport springs, which do not lower the car much and do not throw ride quality away, while still offer better springs rates than stock. With daily driver status, and rough pavement around here, these were the best option. You will need a spring compressor to assemble the front strut/spring assembly. Replacing the rear springs on trailing arm suspension E30 BMWs is easy. Remove the trailing arm end links and rear shocks. Have someone stand on the brake assembly or trailing arm to push it down, and pull the old springs out. Make sure you reinstall the rubber spring 'hat' on the new springs.
The performance difference this all added up to was impressive. Despite the little 318i still being handicapped by 14" steel wheels and Mastercraft Mud and Snow (M+S_ tires, there is a night and day difference not only in body roll, damping rates, and response, but the fun to drive factor is through the roof. The 16 year old car feels much tighter than it has any right to be. I anticipate that the springtime planned addition of plus one or plus two wheels and aggressive stickier tires will really transform this humble looking E30 sedan.

Replacing your BMW's Fuel Filter

2006-11-06T19:12:00.000-05:00

These instruction for replacing a BMW's fuel filter applies specifically to E36 cars including the 1991 325i (Europe), 1991 325is (Europe), 1992 325i, 1992 325is, 1993 325i, 1993 325is, 1994 325i, 1994 325is, 1994 M3 (Canada and Europe) 1995 325i, 1995 325is, 1995 M3, 1996 328i, 1996 328is, 1996 M3, 1997 328i, 1997 328is, 1997 M3, 1998 323i, 1998 328i, 1998 328is, 1998 M3, 1999 M3, 1999 323i, 1999 323is, and all 325ic, M3 Convertible, and 328ic models, four cylinder 318i, 318ti, and 318ic models powered by the M42 and M44 engines etc, these instructions generally also apply to all E30 3 series and E34 5 series BMWs as well. Other models -especially the E46 3 series- also likely have a very similar procedure for replacing the fuel. Note: Always work in a well ventilated area free of any sparks or flame when dealing with your car's fuel system.

It's best to do this job when the car is just about out of gas. You can expect a fair amount of spillage from the lines and filter barbs once disconnected, so be aware of this and plan on doing when the fuel warning light is on or close.

Disconnect the fuel pump fuse on the main fuse panel under the hood of your BMW. On E30 cars, I couldn't figure out which fuse it was so I just pulled every 15 amp fuse, but supposedly it is fuse 9. On E36 cars it is generally fuse 9. Once you have identified and removed the fuel pump fuse, crank the car over to get any remaining fuel out of the lines as much as possible. When the car won't start at all, you've done enough.

Make sure the vehicle is properly supported ie by jackstands, ramps and chocks, or a lift. Never get under your BMW with just a floor jack or god forbid the oem trunk jack aupporting the car. On E36 BMWs, the fuel filter is located midway along the driver's side door, and in about 6-10 inches. It is obscured by a plastic cover that is held in place via two protruding tabs that affix between brake lines and the body, and one nut. Remove the nut, which is on a stud. Remove and set aside. Wiggle the plastic cover out. There was no such cover on the fuel filter on the E30 1991 318i car I also did this on.

Use a screwdriver or 6mm or similar socket to loosen the clamps on each barb of the fuel filter. Get a bucket or some other container to catch the small amount of gasoline that will come out. KEEP YOUR EYES AWAY FROM THERE and wear shop glasses if possible. I can't even imagine how much it would hurt to get gasoline in your eyes.

Let the fore and after fuel lines drain into the catch pan/bucket. The long silver cylindrical fuel filter will still have one bolt hold it in place (usually). Remove the filter from the undercarriage and quickly place in container. It will have a surprising amount of gas still in it and can make a big mess if you are not careful.

Take your new filter - preferably either OEM BMW or Bosch or Mann brand - and reassemble. Remember to slide the rubber ring over the filter and to orient the filter in the correct direction front to back. Double check to make sure all connections are properly tightened, and reinstall the fuel pump fuse. The car will crank over for a few seconds while the system fills about up with gas. The car should start right back up. Make sure nothing is leaking and you are done. The fuel filter should be done every 30,000 miles in a perfect world.

E36 Cooling System Flush and Refill Part II

2006-10-22T21:40:00.000-04:00

Once you have ran the car enough to get your BMW up to operating speed, and have it on jackstands, shut off the car and pop the hood. Look under the car, at the radiator bottom on the driver's side. There is a blue plastic plug. Get a bucket. Use a 10mm socket or flathead screwdriver to remove the plug. DO NOT do this without letting the car sit and cool for awhile first, or risk getting burned by hot coolant!!! You don't even need to remove the plug fully for the coolant to drain.

Open the radiator refill tank. A couple of inches to the right of the radiator fill cap is an air trap valve that looks like a large plastic screw. Open the screw with a flathead screwdriver. Now the fun part of changing radiator fluid/coolant on any six cylinder E36 BMW...draining the engine block. The 19mm (or was it 17mm...can't remember off the top of my head) drain plug is located on the side of the engine block. Get under the car headfirst from the front passenger side. Look up - the engine block drain plug is located amidst the headers/collector pipes of the exhaust manifold. Towards the back, near the firewall. There is not enough room for a socket to fit, but a box or open end wrench will fit. Again - DO NOT loosen this plug when the coolant is hot or risk serious burns. Also, this part of the job makes a big mess. I used a cat litter box to collect most of the coolant, but be warned that it's going to get everywhere. Make sure you hose down the driveway good afterwards and keep pets away from the area until dry. Once empty, reinstall the drain plug and tighten.

Optional: flush the cooling system with a hose. I prefer to refill the system entirely with distilled water, run til up to operating speed, and drain the distilled water in the same manner. This way you can be sure you've truly flushed the system.

. Now, tighten the blue plastic plug under your E36 BMW's radiator, and with the air trap valve open, slowly refill the radiator, block, and coolant expansion tank. I run a 50/50 mix of G12 and dstilled water. Remember glycol-free coolant is a must as E36 BMWs have aluminum alloy engines. As you pour the coolant and water in, squeeze the two upper coolant hoses to help bleed the system of air. Air bubbles and fluid will exit via the air trap valve. Once full, run the car with the heater on full blast, and continue to work the coolant hoses. One article refers to this as 'massaging' the hoses to get the air out. Tighten the trap valve only when coolant that is free of bubbles comes out.

This article pertains to all E36 six cylinder BMW cars, including the 1991 325i (Europe), 1991 325is (Europe), 1992 325i, 1992 325is, 1993 325i, 1993 325is, 1994 325i, 1994 325is, 1994 M3 (Canada and Europe) 1995 325i, 1995 325is, 1995 M3, 1996 328i, 1996 328is, 1996 M3, 1997 328i, 1997 328is, 1997 M3, 1998 323i, 1998 328i, 1998 328is, 1998 M3, 1999 M3, 1999 323i, 1999 323is, and all 325ic, M3 Convertible, and 328ic models. Four cylinder 318i, 318ti, and 318ic models powered by the M42 and M44 engines should expect a VERY similar procedure, but check your owners manual for cooling system capacty differences.

E36 BMW 3 series Coolant / Antifreeze Flush and Change Instructions Part I

2006-10-15T18:31:00.000-04:00

* This article covers draining, flushing, refilling, and bleeding the coolant system on all six cylinder E36 3 series BMW coupe, sedans, and convertibles, including the 1991-1995 BMW 325i, 325is, 325ic, 1995-1999 BMW M3, 1996-1998 BMW 328i, 328is, and 328ic, and 1998-1999 323i and 323is. All of these cars have derivatives of the M50 engine (including the S50, S52, and M52 engines), and their cooling systems are all extremely similar. These instructions may also be generally applied to the E36 M42 and M44 engine cars (318i, 318is, 318ic, and 318ti models). *

It is critical that BMW owners maintain the cooling system on their cars. The ethylene glycol in coolant breaks down with heat and age to become acidic, and can eventually cause water pump failure, overheating , and even attack the head gasket. Regardless of the climate you and your BMW live in, you should make sure the right coolant is used, at the right capacity. Got a high mileage E36? Think about flushing the system once a year.

BMW specifies G12 orange/pink coolant for the E36 cars, (and not just E36 3 series but most modern post-E30 BMW models). Phosphate-free coolant must be used as phosphates damage aluminum alloys found in BMW engines. Some people insist you have to use BMW oem coolant bought at the dealer (to the tune of $25+ per gallon). I don't think that is the case, considering some BMW dealers fill your car up with the green stuff (a la Prestone) when you pay for a coolant flush unless you pay extra and specifically request BMW coolant. One thing that I cannot stress enough is that you should NEVER mix coolant types. Mixing green/blue coolant with pink/orange coolant (aka radiator fluid) can cause an impossible-to-get-rid-of brown sludge to form in your cooling system and block! The bottom line: if you open the plastic coolant cap on the expansion tank next to the radiator to find green/blue coolant, then you should continue to use that coolant, unless you are damn sure you are going to be able to flush all the old antifreeze out!

Let's get started draining your BMW's coolant. For e36 6 cylinder cars, you will need 2.5 gallons of distilled water to flush the system, 1 gallon of NON mixed NON diluted BMW coolant or similar G12 coolant (unless you are going to continue to run green coolant - something you should only do if your car currently has green coolant/antifreeze in it!) to run with another gallon of distilled water for the final fill up, a 19mm wrench, a flathead screwdriver, a phillips head screwdriver, and a bucket or some sort of catch pan for the ridiculous mess you will make when you remove the engine block coolant drain plug. Some people use a large cat litterbox pan to cover more area...but plan on a lot of radiator fluid or coolant or antifreeze or whatever you call it all over the ground.

First, start and warm up the car. Set HVAC/climate control to highest temperature and fan setting and run until the thermostat opens (up to normal operating temperature). I put my car up on jackstands for this. To be continued...

E36 BMW Power Window Woes

2006-09-22T21:10:00.000-04:00

The E36 3 series line of BMWs is known for aggravating problems related to the power windows. They are generally either related to sudden failure of the switches to raise or lower the windows, or related to the window coming off of the tracks, or problems with the window motor and arm. This article deals with scenarios involving the windows in your E36 BMW coupe, sedan, hatch, or covertible suddenly refusing to go up or down. Typically, this means all windows fail at once. This happened to me on the highway the other day in my 1995 325is. I'd had both windows down, and when I parked the car, neither window switch worked. First of all, if this ever happens to you, be aware that you are still able to close the windows as long as your BMW has the one-touch up/down option. To raise your windows in an emergency without the switch (and this will only work if you have electrical power from the battery), simply insert the key in the driver's side door, turn to the right to lock, and hold for 5-10 seconds. The windows will automatically raise.

Common E36 BMW power window operation failure causes are generally related to a few components. The 'neither switch' or 'none of the window switches work' scenario can be traced to one of only a couple of things. First of all, early E36 models have a circuit breaker switch on the dashboard, to the right of the steering wheel. Try restting this first. Next, pop the hood and open up the fuse box. Check to make sure fuses 11, 14, and 43 are good. Fuse 43 is the makeup/vanity mirror fuse and for some reason it takes out the power windows when it blows. Fuse 43 had a hairline crack in it that was difficult to see. Always use the correct amp rating! If all fuses are good, the final common culprit is something called the Comfort Relay. The comfort relay is located under the dash. Your Bentley repair manual will have a picture of it. To access the comfort relay, you will remove the plastic lower dash panel under the steering wheel. There are 3 screws, and you will also disconnect the 2 plugs located down near the pedal cluster. Okay, once you remove this plastic, you will see a large metal panel. You will need a 10mm socket and long extension to remove the 3 screws. This panel, which is padded on the other side, also has a metal brack that helps support it on the right side nearest the center console. Remove and set aside. You will now be faced with a large mess of wiring. There will be a plastic frame containing anywhere from 3 to 6 relays, depending on the year and option package your car has. This frame pops out and rotates down. The comfort relay is on the left, not in the 'grid' with the others. What usually happens is that this relay develops a short or the wiring falls off one of the inner posts. You can either open the relay up with a small straight slot screwdriver to attempt to find the break and resolder, or simply call the dealership with the BMW part number on it and get a new one. It's only $20. Caution: not all E36 cars have the same relay. Some have a large blue one, others a grey/green slightly smaller one. Do not simply ask the parts manager for a comfort relay without giving him your specific part number. Failing to do this, I ended up with 2 comfort relays that are the wrong ones for my car. Interestingly enough, when I discovered that fuse 43 was the culprit, the windows worked even without the relay plugged in! Another sign that the relay is faulty is when both the windows AND sunroof fail to work. Assembly is the reverse of disassembly. A 20 minute repair, tops.

E36 BMW Headliner Repair and Replacement

2006-08-24T17:09:00.000-04:00

Thousands of older BMWs remain reliable daily drivers. Many of these cars also have droopy, sagging, ripped, torn, unglued, or crumbling headliners. Do a google search for a phrase like "E36 BMW headliner repair" and you will see many BMW enthusiasts looking to address this unsightly problem. At 175k, the headliner on my 1995 325is (E36 coupe) began to pull away from around the sunroof and sag. It was touching my hair and annoying. I initially put off the repair because I worried that this would be an expensive fix. I was pleasantly surprised to learn that the BMW dealer only charges $189 for a complete E36 headliner (this includes the cloth, the foam backing, and the fiberglass-woven cardboard shell). Simply removing and replacing your entire headliner assembly this way is certainly one option, especially since most auto upholstery shops are charging $300+.

This advice applies to more than E36 BMW owners, of coure. E30, E28, E34, E39 etc

bimmer drivers will no doubt face the same headliner repair, but E36 cars in particular have come in for criticism with regard to interior materials quality and assembly.

The *other* choice is to repair the headliner yourself. No, this does not mean using staples, thumbtacks, or simply spraying adhesive between the foam and fabric. This means removing the headliner from the vehicle, removing the fabric, removing the dried out foam, cleaning the fiberglass woven head liner shell, and rebuilding it yourself! Most fabric stores can match up a sample for you, but there are also lots of auto parts retailers online that sell headliner repair kits for around $30.

To remove the headliner from your E36, simply follow the instructions below:

The sun visors have two screws holding them in place and then you just have to pull the cable spade out of the back. This is there to turn the lights on when you open the mirror slide.

The sun visor catch each has two screws holding it in place. The newer cars have plastic screw cover caps you have to remove first. These also have wires going into the back of them that you have to pull out. These are there so that the light in the visor turns off even if the mirror is open when you close it.

Remove the three grap handles. They each have 2 screws holding them in place. They have small plastic covers over the screws. You have to carefully pull them out and down. There are small plastic guide pins that can easily break if you pull them out too quickly or if you rotate them out.

The lights above the visors are easily removed by getting ahold of one side, creating a little slack and then pulling down and removing the wiring harness.

Remove the a and c pillar covers. The b pillars are tough to remove and you could avoid removing these if you want.

Pull off the door seals and rear window vent seals to allow the headliner to drop down.

The sunroof switch panel is easily removed by pushing to one side and then carefully pulling down.

You can remove the map light by prying it out.

Remove the seal around the sunroof.

You can remove the headliner with the seats in but you need to recline them all the way back. It is much easier with the seats out. It is also easier to remove with two people to maneuver the headliner. It is very fragile and you have to be careful not to bend it. You have to slide it out the door at an angle.

Wear latex gloves when scraping or pulling old foam off of the headliner shell so you don't get fiberglass strands stuck in your skin (ow!). I used the 3m "super 77" spray adhesive. The stuff is great, it only tacks at first, so you can move stuff around for a few seconds, but once it dries, it's nigh impossible to remove.
I'd definitely recommend doing several test-pieces though, so you can get an idea how the spray comes out and how much you can put on there before it starts to soak through the fabric.

Also, make sure you have a lot of latex gloves on hand, because you don't want to touch the new cloth with your glue-covered fingers.
Remember, you have enough fabric to do the little trim parts (sunroof switch and A and C pillar covers) a lot of times, but only enough to do the headliner once. Start with the smallest part (sunroof switch) and work your way up.

BMW M50 Intake Manifold Swap for all M52 and S52 Cars

2006-04-24T12:05:00.000-04:00

The following article is geared towards those whose BMW's have the 2.8 liter BMW M52 six cylinder engine. This engine is found in the 1996 328is, 1996 328is, 1996 328ic, 1997 328i, 1997 328is, 1997 328ic, 1998 328i, 1998 328is, 1998 328ic, early 1999 328is, 1999 328ic, 1996 M3, 1997 M3, 1998 M3, 1999 M3, all 2.5 and 2.8 liter Z3 coupe and convertible models, and all S52-powered M coupe and M roadster models The M50 manifold will also work well with a properly uncorked 2.5 liter M52 engine, which is found in the 1997-1998 323i and 323is.

Why Swap your M52 or S52 intake manifold out for a M50 325i manifold?

The OBD-II emissions-meeting M52 and S52 engines were introduced to the United States market for the 1996 model year. Evolved from the previous M50TU and S50 engines, these new engines had many changes, which included a more restrictive intake manifold designed to address the soft low end criticism the 2.5 liter M50TU engine received. While low end and mid range torque delivery was improved, the new stock manifold design is restrictive at higher rpms and chokes the breathing of the new larger engines. One popular modification for OBDII owners is to swap in the M50/S50 manifolds. With the bigger displacements of the 328 and M3, this can really help to wake up the car and allow it breathe at higher rpms. This also means you can stop dreaming about that expensive Schrick intake manifold, because an M50 one offers pretty much the same improvements. Ideally, you will also run software to maximize the gains and efficiency by optimizing the fuel air ratio. Dinan, Jim Conforti, Turner Motorsports, and Bavarian Autosports all sell this software, colloquially called the 'shark injector' as the Jim C software is known.

Instructions for removing your M52 or S52 Manifold and Installing the M50 one

First remove the stock manifold. Do this by removing the fuel rail cover (two bolts). Once it is off you can bleed the fuel pressure left in the rail by opening the valve at the front and use a small screw driver to depress the pin.

Next start removing the ASC Throttle body then the main throttle body. There's no reason to disconnect the linkage, just set it aside

With the throttle bodies removed, you can remove the two bolts holding the fuel rail down. Then pull the entire fuel rail and injectors back out of the way. So don't remove the injectors from the rail but you can if you need the extra clearance.

Next remove the nuts the attaching the manifold to the head. Also remove the two bolts (one in the front and one in the back) that attach the manifold to the support brackets. Now carefully remove the manifold. There will be three vacuum lines (two small ones and a larger one) you will have to disconnect from the manifold to remove it. Also on the bottom of the crank case vent (big round thing under the front of the manifold) disconnect the oil drain line. Disconnect the IAT sensor harness and the Idle speed controller harness. With all these fitting removed you should now be able to completely remove the manifold.

Now remove the Idle control valve and the crank case vent assemblies off the OBDII manifold. Remove the IAT as well. As you see there is no place to mount them on the OBDI manifold, this is where the fun begins.

On the OBDI manifold, there is one large fitting in the middle right behind where the throttle body mounts with a smaller fitting on the side. At the back there is a small vacuum fitting and a threaded hole in the front. You will use the middle and back fittings later. You need to plug the front threaded hole.

Take the Idle Controller and remove the rubber O ring off the end. You will notice that the metal pipe is about one 5/8 dia. do the same with the crank case vent. Now you will need some 5/8 hose. You will also need a 5/8' tee fitting and a couple of 90 deg elbows and hose clamps. Some remount the idle controller to the rear support bracket.

Zip tie the crank case vent in place or mount it to the front support bracket. Reconnect the oil drain! Use the 5/8 tubing and tee fitting to connect the tubing to crank vent and idle controller.

You still have three more vacuum lines. The line that runs to the fuel pressure regulator (hard plastic line that runs towards the back of the motor will connect to the single vacuum fitting on the back bottom of the OBDI manifold. As for the other two you will need a vacuum tee to connect them together and then to the fitting on the side of the large connector that goes to the manifold seen above. Now reconnect the plug to the Idle controller. The IAT sensor will be relocated into the rubber elbow that connect the throttle body to the HFM. We'll connect this later. set the connector aside or you'll lose it under the manifold.

Next set the OBDI manifold into place and connect the vacuum lines. You should only have two connections to make. the one big one in the middle which has the smaller line already connect to the side and the vacuum line for the fuel press regulator goes on the bottom back. The vacuum line for the brake booster is in the same place on both manifolds. Go ahead and bolt the manifold to the head. As for the support brackets, will a little help, they will line back up. You will need to pry/bend them about an inch or so.

Now for the fuel rail. A slight mod need to be done first. On top of the rail are two holder for the O2 connector plugs. The one on the back need to be removed. Use a dremel or a hack saw and remove it. When reinstalling the fuel rail the fuel lines on the back will hit the OBDI manifold so VERY CAREFULLY bend them out a little bit to clear it. Next you see the mounting hole don't line up. You'll have to make a simple little bracket to bolt the fuel rail down. See the pic below

Next up is the Throttle body. Since the OBDI and OBDII gaskets are used in a different manner you will need two gaskets. Take a razor blade to one of the gasket and cut it down the center so you now have two rings. Place one half of the gasket in the manifold and the other half in the throttle body. Take the other full gasket and place it between the throttle body and the intake and bolt the throttle body on. replace the AST throttle body next

Now lets mount the IAT sensor in the rubber elbow. Just drill a hole on the bottom and pop it in. keep the hole small enough so it seals good. reconnect the harness plug to it.

Reconnect anything else you may have disconnected and you should be ready to go.
As for the fuel rail cover the OBDII cover will fit but it sticks up a bit. The S50 and M50 covers do not seem to fit any better, either. The problem is the OBDII fuel rail is different.

Miscellaneous Parts You'll Need List:
4 – ¾” plastic elbows
1 – ¾” plastic T
1 – 3/16” plastic Y
1 – 3/8” to 3/16” plastic reducer
2 - L-Brackets
14 – ¾” hose clamps
1 – 11” Zip tie
3 – 7” Zip ties
3 – Small nuts and bolts
3 feet of ¾” hose
2 feet of 3/16” hose
Some sheet metal
95 M3 intake elbow

The result of this work? You should see up to 20 horsepower freed up on the top end, with a low end torque loss of 4-6 wheel horsepower. This is a mod that is well worth your time if you drive with your foot to the floor. Add in an M3 3.15 or 3.23 differential and you will be staggered by how strong your 2.8 liter car feels. M3 owners report lesser but similarly impressive gains!

E28 BMW 5 Series Information

2006-04-19T11:51:00.000-04:00

The E28 BMW 5 series mid-sized platform was the basis for 1981 to 1988 BMW 5 series cars, replacing the 1976-1980 BMW E12 5 series platform. The E28 series was phased out in North American after the 1988 model year and replaced by the E34 BMW 5 series. Europe received a wider range of E28 models than were sold in the States, including:
518 with 1.8 liter M10 engine and carburetor
518i with 1.8 liter M10 engine with CIS/Bosch Motronic fuel injection
520i
524d with diesel engine
524td with turbo diesel engine
525i with 2.5 liter M20 168-171 horsepower engine
525e with 2.5 and 2.7 'eta' economy M20 6 cylinder engine
528i with M30 2.8 liter 6 cylinder engine.
535i/M535i with the SOHC high compression 3.5 liter 208-220 hp M30 engine
E28 M5 model with the S38/M88 3.5 liter 286 hp DOHC 6 cylinder engine
&Canada and the United States received the following E28 BMWs:
524td - Turbo Diesel with under 100 hp! The same engine was also used by Ford in the Lincoln LSC for 3 years.
528e with the High torque 2.7 L eta designed for good fuel economy with 121 hp and the 4500 rpm rev limit.
533i - 3.2 liter 176 - 182 hp M30 engine.
535i with 3.5 L M30, also rated at 182 hp but with better power delivery and low end torque than the 3.2/3.3 liter M30 engine. Note that the last E24 635csi's of 1988 and 1989 received a 208 hp version of this engine that also found its way into the E34 535i.
535is, which was same as above but with sport suspension, interior modifications like sport steering and sports seats. 1986-1988 only. a great car!
M5. A one year, 1988-only, wonder in the United States. Lower compression, different exhaust manifold/headers, and a catalytic converter conspired to sap at least 30 horsepower from the 286hp european version, with the US spec E28 M5 rated at 256 hp. the 24 valve DOHC, 6 throttle bodies, Bosch Motronic integrated fuel injection S38 engine also found in the US spec E24 1987-1988 M6.
The E28 sedan, with its tall greenhouse and overtly 70's styling traced back to original E12 5 series, the 1975 530i, was not the entirely not platform the E34 was, but rather a modified version of the E12 design. The cars to have are the rare E28 M5 and the 535is. However, any solid car should not be turned away, because a high compression 3.5 SOHC M30 from a late car or E34 535i will drop right in, and there are many, many suspension and chassis modifications available to make any 5'er outbrake and outhandle stock E28 M5 models.

BMW 2002, 2002TI, and 2002tii - More Power Part II

2006-04-17T11:36:00.000-04:00

In part I of this article, we explore different fuel injection and carburetor setups for BMW 2002, 2002TI and 2002TII models as part of a series on improving the 2002's M10 engine output. Part II focus on selecting the proper camshaft, ignition, and exhaust setups. This article applies for all BMW 1602, 1802, 2002, 2002ti, 2002tisa, 2002tii models.

Which cam is for me? Here is where careful research is necessary. Selecting the right cam for a 2002 depends on the intended application, and what rpm range you want the motor to make horsepower. 2002 cylinder heads contain large amounts of horsepower potential. Just by changing cams, improving the induction system, and running an OEM exhaust, 150 horsepower on an otherwise stock head (no porting) and bottom end is not uncommon.

The stock cam found on almost all 2002's (with the exception of the 49-state '76 2002) is referred to as having a 264 degree duration. This cam is a reasonable compromise between low-end torque and mid to high-end power. Also available from BMW is (was) the "sport" camshaft, with a 300 degree duration. This cam was designed for the TI's and TI/SA's (with dual sidedraft carburetors), and requires enlarged cam bearing journals.

The most well known aftermarket BMW cam manufacturer is Schrick. These are German cams made from new chill cast billets. Because Schrick cams are so widely used in BMW 4 cylinders, a brief description of the available grinds is given below. All grinds are referred to by their "advertised" duration number. This number is different from the "actual" duration of the cam, the amount of time in crankshaft degrees that the cam holds the valve open.

284 really only a mild improvement over stock, has good low end torque characteristics, no loss of driveability. Works well in conjunction with a 32/36 Weber DGV carburetor. Valve lift: 9.m intake; 7.2mm exhaust. ( a good stock replacement cam)

292 Probably the best overall street cam. Works well with either a 32/36 Weber or sidedraft DCOE's. Excellent mid range (3500-5500 rpm) performance. Power gains are seen throughout the rpm range, and the top end really benefits from the breathing capabilities of the DCOE's. This cam will yield 140-150 horsepower with accurately jetted DCOE carbs. Low end is still very impressive. Valve lift: 10.m intake; 7.6mm exhaust.

304 This is where the Schrick grinds start to get serious. This cam can be run on the street, but it is not for everybody. Low end begins to diminish, due to this cam's increased valve overlap. This cam really works well with 45 DCOE sidedrafts, and a BIG ( > 2.5") exhaust system. the power curve really begins at 4000 rpm, and continues on through 7000 rpm.

316 This cam is really suited only for the racetrack. The valve timing and duration are such that the fattest part of the horsepower curve is near 5000 rpm. This cam has been recently upgraded to provide the same lift figures as the 336 grind. Useful power is 4500-8000 rpm depending on carb jetting. (11.9mm intake valve lift)

336 This is the ultimate statement in Schrick cams. This cam has found homes in 220+ horsepower GT-3 racers here and in the saloon car series over in Europe. Only included here for informational purposes, a motor with this cam will hardly IDLE, and will easily rev to over 8500 rpm!

There are many other options for BMW cams. Re-grinds and new billets are available from various race shops, and several reputable manufacturers and tuners such as Iskenderian, and Korman. Korman offers their own version of a "300 degree" camshaft at considerable savings to versus a Schrick cam. Norris used to grind good hot cams, but they are no longer around. The best thing to do when looking beyond a Schrick is to work closely with someone who has had measurable experience in this field.

Tips for extracting more reliable performance from a BMW 2002: * A "tii" full mechanical advance distributor (008 Bosch) is a nice addition, but not necessary. This distributor features only a centrifugal advance mechanism, no vacuum mechanism. This distributor has an advance curve that cuts in slowly and maxes out with a relatively small total advance. In other words, it is ideal for motors running high compression (you don't want a quick advance curve, it would promote knock). Using this distributor on an otherwise stock non-tii motor can actually hurt performance. Cars with low compression and/or EGR need a quicker and taller advance curve to improve midrange torque and top end power. In actuality, every 2002 distributor is mechanical advance, but there is an additional vacuum assist servo which can either add advance under load, or retard the timing at idle, depending on the specific distributor. These distributors can be easily re-curved using different advance springs and weights, a variable speed drill-press, and a tachometer.

The total advance of a distributor is a function of the initial advance setting (what you set with the timing light) and the amount of advance built into the distributor itself. The main thing on any distributor, is to make sure that the advance mechanism is in good working order, that the distributor shaft has no "wobble" or runout, and that the shaft endplay is less than .006". It is also important to check that you are getting full total advance from the distributor. Many times, complaints about poor performance come from the fact that the distributor becomes worn or sticky and will not give full advance at the top end, hindering power.

Convert to an electronic ignition system. Electronic ignition systems are a wonderful replacement for the sloppy breaker points setup. It often makes a noticeable difference in top end power (mainly because it maintains proper dwell/spark energy/ignition timing at high revs), and adds tremendous precision and reliability to the ignition system. On a race car with a 300+ degree cam, and 45 DCOE Webers, the addition of a common small electronic system was worth another 500 rpm on the top end. Another widely used ignition system conversion is the capacitive discharge type. These systems typically can be fired with either points, or a magnetic/optical pickup. There are several excellent brands, which yield nice improvements in performance. Capacitive discharge (CDI) systems offer a higher voltage spark (useful when cylinder pressure and rpm numbers are high), and more precise control than standard systems. The increase in spark voltage comes tends to come with a decrease in spark duration, though. CDI systems tend to be most useful in situations where rich mixture and plug fouling are problems, and a high voltage is needed to get a spark going. The leaner fuel mixtures on newer cars tend to favor a longer duration spark for a more efficient burn.

Another ignition alternative is to adapt a Bosch TCI system from a newer car. This requires a few modifications though, and is best left to those wanting to tinker. Either way, an electronic ignition system improves the precision of the ignition system, rids the system of points, and can provide higher spark energy when combined with a bigger coil.

If you're running a downdraft carburetor with manifold, matching the ports on the manifold to the ports on the head will improve performance as well. The stock port castings on the intake manifold are considerably smaller than the ports in the head. Opening the ports up will help breathing. Remember that SCCA Street Prepared rules state that intake ports on the cylinder head may be matched ported only up to one inch from the port entrance.

A tii exhaust manifold flows quite well, and is a good alternative to headers. They last a long time, and are quiet. Also, Original BMW exhaust systems flow a lot better and are quieter than exhaust systems from the local quickie muffler shop. A 2002 Turbo system might be considered for engines producing over 150HP.

If you have a '74-'76 carburetted 2002, you might want to upgrade the clutch for any high-performance applications. These models use a 215mm clutch, whereas the earlier ones and the tii use a 228mm clutch. Changing over requires a different flywheel, clutch disc, pressure plate, throwout bearing, and the earlier longer flywheel bolts. Fichtel and Sachs (F&S) make several "sport" and competition pressure plates for the 2002 that are well suited in high horsepower applications. Also, Tilton makes an aluminum flywheel and accompanying pressure plate setup for the 2002.

When performing a total engine rebuild, ALWAYS balance the entire bottom end rotating assembly. This includes the pulleys, crank, rods, pistons, flywheel, and clutch assembly. This is crucial when building a reliable, smooth running, high rpm powerplant.

Pay careful attention to casting marks on rocker arms. These are potential problem areas on these parts. The rough edges cause stress risers along the surface of the part. The most critical area is actually on the BOTTOM of the rocker arm. The top surface (the edge that you see) is actually in compression under loading, and is therefore not as critical. Many engine builders like to "polish" this side. This is fine, but they often forget the much more important underside, where most of stress concentration occurs. Several performance outlets (Korman, Metric Mechanic, etc) offer special racing rocker arm which feature a stronger alloy, and hardened wear pads.

Total seal piston rings (or other gapless designs) work excellently on all piston applications, and are worth the extra money. Your motor will last longer, have less blowby, and make more horsepower.

When installing a 292 or 304 Schrick cam, it is recommended to also install the Schrick heavy duty single valve springs. These feature a higher seat pressure, and will provide an extra measure of insurance. They don't measurably increase camshaft or rocker arm wear, either. For the radical cams, double (inner and outer) valve springs are a must. Some people run double valve springs on the 304 Schrick cam. This is not necessary, and will result in accelerated valvetrain wear.

Don't forget the cooling system. 2002's have a tendency to run warm stock, increasing power will only increase the problem. Consider a high-efficiency re-cored radiator, a 320i radiator, or several other options (such as the Ford Pinto radiator or Volvo 240 radiator). Lower temperature thermostats are also available, in 71 deg C and 75 deg C varieties (stock is 80 deg C). It is also recommended that the stock plastic engine fan be removed and an aftermarket electric unit be installed. In the past, problems have occurred with the stock fan causing water pump failures at high rpms, because of thrust loads imparted on the pump shaft by the fan. Electric fans do a sufficient job of cooling at speeds under fifteen mph. (and they're quieter) At speeds over fifteen mph, airflow from the car being in motion is sufficient to cool the engine.

So, you can see that BMW 2002 owners have a plethora of performance modification information as their disposal. These cars' advanced engineering, simple mechanicals, practicality, inexpensive ownership, and sheer pleasure to drive make the BMW 2002, 2002ti, or 2002tii great car even today, 30 years after they were last sold new.

BMW 2002, 2002TI, and 2002tii - More Power Part I

2006-04-14T22:14:00.000-04:00

The legendary BMW 2002 was last available from the showroom floor in 1976, but even today makes for a great daily driver, enthusiast car, budget sports car, or all out track car. Not all of us can get our hands on the early lightweight 1972 or 1973 2002tii or the even more rare BMW 2002 Turbo. There are still thousands of base model 2002's out there, from 1602 to diving board bumper 1974 to 1976 cars. A lot of owners are interested in extracting more horsepower from the venerable M10 engine. This article will cover some of the basic concepts getting more horsepower from a 2002. A lot of the ideas are easy to do in the midst of a rebuild or not. The 2 liter engine in the 2002's were conservatively tuned from the factory. With the right parts and intelligent modification, the M10 engine can yield much more power with no loss of reliability or driveability.

We will break 02 modifications into two classes: Stage 1 and Stage 2. Stage 1 setups are primarily "bolt-on" and reversible mods. Carburetors, exhaust header, a mechanical advance distributor and other tuning tricks like these comprise most Stage 1 changes. Stage 2 performance mods usually affect internal engine components, such as higher compression pistons, minor head porting, and valvetrain work. Want to go further than this? Call up a reputable BMW engine builder for a track or racing engine.

How much compression should I run? Choosing a compression ratio for the 2002 engine is critical for maximizing the potential of the camshaft/cylinder head combination you choose. The compression ratio in an engine is the ratio of swept (total) displaced volume divided by the compressed volume. As this ratio increases, the overall engine efficiency increases due to an increase in the engine's Mean Effective Pressure. Essentially, this results in an increase of net work done by the engine. (more torque, horsepower!) The two primary limiting factors for a compression ratio in an engine is the type and quality of gasoline being used, and the ignition timing. For a street motor, 9 to 9.5:1 compression can be used without requiring high octane gasoline. 10:1 or 10.5:1 represents the upper limit of streetable compression ratios using nationally available 93 octane gasoline. If your 2002 runs hot in the summer, you will suffer detonation and pre-ignition symptoms (knock and ping) under high ambient heat conditions. Modern cars can run 10.5:1 compression with no problem because they have sophisticated electronic management systems that carefully monitor the engine for detonation symptoms, and retard the timing as necessary. Another general rule found from testing and experience is that higher performance cams in a 2002 really benefit from an increase in compression. For example, a Schrick 304 cam should be run using at least 10:1 compression to really make the engine come alive. Of course, the 12.5:1 compression ratio yielded by the racing pistons listed above require high octane racing gasoline.

What carburetor should I use? This response depends on the level of modification of the engine, and the horsepower increase desired. The most popular replacement carb for an otherwise stock 2002 is the trusty Weber 32/36 DGV progressive dual throat carburetor. This nice little unit is easily installed, and yields high 20's highway (25-28mpg) mileage. It will bolt right on to the stock two barrel Solex intake manifold, however, the throttle ports need to be matched up with a die grinder for optimal performance. With a stock or mild re-grind cam and headers, this application provides a noticeable increase in performance over the stock engine. This is also the only aftermarket carb legal for use in SCCA's Improved Touring class on the 2002. Hence, there is a LOT of info on this carb out there from many IT racers. There are also many shops that specialize on maximizing this carb for performance (IT) applications. Check the Roundel for sources.

The next most popular setup with a stock motor is the venerable dual 40 DCOE Weber sidedraft conversion. The DCOE Weber carburetor is a simultaneous opening twin-butterfly sidedraft design. As the model implies, the main throttle bores are 40mm. Contrary to popular belief, this is not an unreasonable setup for the street. The minor sacrifices involved with this setup are a lower fuel mileage, and some initial setup time.

A popular myth is that the DCOE's sacrifice driveability. This is simply not true. A properly jetted and synchronized set of Webers will have as much flexibility as a stock carb. These carbs should be run on the street with 34mm venturis. For baseline tuning, follow recommended jetting specifications given in a the Haynes Weber carburetor manual. It is also recommended that some sort of header/free flowing exhaust system be used, to maximize economy and performance. The best intake manifolds to use are the 2002TI sidedraft manifolds. These are well made castings (BMW - they FIT!!!), and feature a rocker shaft style setup for the throttle linkage. This linkage setup (used for the 2002TI Dual Solex PHH Sidedraft application) is factory designed, and extremely robust. Aftermarket suppliers such as Korman Autoworks and TWM Induction also offer quality linkage kits. When used in conjunction with a stock cam, DCOE Webers are legal in SCCA Street Prepared autocross competition.

Other popular carburetor conversions for the 2002 include the Weber 38/38 DGAS (a dual throat downdraft with synchronously opening 38mm throttles), the Weber 40 DFAV (also a dual throat downdraft with 40mm throttles), and various facsimiles made by other companies. These conversions yield better performance than the 32/36 carburetor.

For HOT street, and road racing drivers schools, the 45 DCOE Webers (45mm throttle bores) are considered the best choice for carburetors. They provide the best flow of all the carburetors, and mated to the proper cam, can really supply the top end performance needed in these applications. They can be used on the street, but the bottom end does suffer. 36mm venturis with 125 mains, with 50-F8 idle jets seem to work well on the track.

It should also be mentioned at this time that another performance alternative exists for sidedrafts with Mikuni. Most people believe that the Mikuni PHH sidedrafts are "copies" of the old Solex PHH sidedrafts used by the factory. This is not so. Mikuni bought out the license from Solex in the early 1970's. Since then, the carb has undergone a thorough redesign process. The only parts in common between these two carbs is the diaphragm accelerator pump arrangement. The Mikuni now resembles a cross between a Weber DCOE and a Solex. Mikuni North America offers a complete 44 PHH sidedraft kit for the 2002. Mikuni's are renowned for staying in adjustment for years. They are the "set and forget" sidedrafts. Their flow rates aren't quite as high as the Webers, which is why they're not favored by racers, and jet availability is not as good. (Mikuni North America is the primary jet supplier) The Mikuni kit does have a very high quality linkage and manifolds, which makes their installation much easier. For a street or daily driven 2002, these carburetors are well worth looking into.

One other item that should be mentioned in this section is air/fuel mixture meters. Recently, several companies like TWM Induction and Camden Industries have offered electronic air/fuel meters that utilize an oxygen sensor to monitor exhaust gas conditions. These are excellent devices to use when setting up a set of carburetors or a mechanical injection system (see below). Basically, the meter is a small "black box" with an led diode scale. The median value of the scale is the "stoichiometric" (ideal) air fuel mixture for the engine, approximately 14.7 parts of air per part of gasoline. You'll know immediately under what conditions your car is running rich or lean, and then can change jets accordingly.

What about fuel injection? If you have a 2002tii, you might want to try getting everything properly setup and adjusted before trying any performance modifications. Most tii performance problems come from distributor advance curve problems, and incorrect setting of the injection system. Beyond that, the Kugelfischer injection system can take some performance modifications with minor readjustment. The fuel delivery curve itself cannot be easily changed, but it can be shifted around to suit most needs. Higher compression pistons and a hotter cam can be used with the injection system kept intact. Extreme mods will require a custom pump recalibration, or a change to (gasp!) carburetors or a different injection system.

Alpina used to sell a multiple butterfly injection system for the tii's. This involved a 4-butterfly throttle body combined with a modified injection pump, to provide better breathing and a matching fuel delivery curve. If you can find one of these systems, consider yourself very lucky! In recent years, several companies have emerged which offer quality aftermarket fuel injection systems. The most recent and advanced models offer ignition control as well. One of the first aftermarket companies to offer a system on a large scale was Haltech. This unit, originally of Australian design featured only programmable fuel maps, and no online programming.

Today, there are several companies that make integrated injection and ignition units. Electromotive, Motec, and Haltech offer "integrated engine management systems" which are quickly rendering carburetors obsolete. Witness the awesome capabilities of any of these systems:


 Closed loop control. The system constantly monitors engine
 parameters like air/fuel mixture, air intake flow, various
 pressures and temps, detonation, etc.  The system makes
 adjustments to changing conditions on the fly.
 Crank triggered ignition. THE most precise way to control
 the ignition sequence.  Rids the engine of the distributor and its
 associated nuisances.
 Rev limiters andd idle speed control features, making cold
 starting problems a thing of the past.

Perhaps the neatest thing about these systems is their adaptability. Because they are programmable from a laptop PC, ignition advance curves, and fuel delivery maps can be easily altered for any engine combination. Also, since these systems have the option of using a MAP sensor (Manifold Air Pressure sensor--uses speed/density relations to monitor airflow), multiple butterfly injection setups are possible. They may also utilize the more common MAF/single throttle body configuration.

Parts availability for these aftermarket systems is excellent. Primarily because they use Bosch or GM/Rochester injectors, as well as OE type sensors (throttle position, oxygen, water, oil, etc.) Both manufacturers offer injectors with MANY different flow rates and duty cycles, depending on the application. There aren't many negatives to any of these systems, with the exception of price. Like any new technology, that will drop as demand increases. These systems represent the future for grassroots enthusiasts, and they should not be overlooked.

It is also possible to adapt the fuel injection systems used on later model 320i's and 318i's for use on the 2002. The 320i used a Bosch K-Jetronic system, which is basically a mechanical system that injects fuel continuously based on air flow. The 318i used a Bosch L-Jetronic system, which is an electronic system that bases fuel delivery on air flow as well. These systems can be retrofitted relatively easily, and can offer performance and efficiency gains over most carburetor setups. The problem here is the difficulty in getting the systems to work with wild performance setups (bigger displacement, lots of cam overlap, etc.)

BMW E36 and E46 3 Series Tie Rod Replacement Instructions

2006-04-13T16:24:00.000-04:00

The procedure for replacing the tie rods is very similar for both E36 and E46 BMW 3 series cars. The first step is to remove the front wheels. You will have to pop the control arms out of position using a pickle fork, also known as a ball join separating tool. The tie rods are held onto the steering knuckle by a ball joint very similar to the control arms. The tie rods are removed the same way as the control arms. Spin the nut off and use the pickle fork to separate the tie rod from the steering knuckle. These are no where near as bad to get off though as the control arms were because they don’t see the kind of force the control arms do. After you get the outer tie rod ball joints off it will be time to move on to the inner tie rods which are hooked to the steering rack.

There are two rubber booties that protect the steering rack from road grime, held onto the steering rack and tie rod by crimped-on metal clamps. Use a small flathead screwdriver inserted in the crimped portion and twist to spread the crimp out a bit. This allows you to unhook the clamp and remove it from the rubber boots. Repeat this step three more times for the other ones. Then pull back the boot on the steering rack side and you will see a nut with the inner ball joint hooked to it and the other end is threaded onto the steering rack. This is the part that you need to remove. You will also note that there is a ring that has a tab bent down against one of the hex sides of the nut. This tab will need to be bent up and straighten before you can remove the nut from the steering rack. Just use a pair of pliers and bend the tab up so its straight and it will allow the nut to spin off. This ring is a safety that makes sure the nut will not un-thread just in case it comes loose. Be careful, as failure to properly secure this could lead to loss of control when driving your nice BMW.

You will now need a thin 32mm wrench, ideally a crowfoot wrench. Or you can buy a standard wrench and plain it down to the necessary narrow profile. Bicycle shops usually sell these crowfoot wrenches. You need a thin one to get in the small speace between the steering rack and nut. Remove this nut and remove the entire tie rod assembly from the vehicle. Repeat this process for both sides of your BMW.

Once you have the tie rods out from under the car, measure how long they are and try to get the measurements as accurate as possible. Next, take the new tie rods and thread each one out to be as close to the same length as the original ones, then tighten up the lock nuts on both. This is your best bet for eyeballing a crude alignment that will be sufficient to get you to the local tire shop for a real and necessary four wheel alignment.

To install the new tie rods on your E36 or E46 BMW, you first take the rubber boot and slide it over the ring on the new tie rod that holds the outer portion of the rubber boot. Then, take the safety ring on the steering rack that you had to bend the tab up on, and make sure it’s slid over the threaded part of the steering rack with the little notch that fits into the steering rack that locks it in place. Now thread the nut onto the threaded rod of the steering rack and tighten it up with your wrench. Make sure that lock ring though stays seated in the proper position and the little metal tab is locked in its notch. After these nuts are tight, tap the lock ring back down so a tab is pressed against one of the hex faces of the nut. This will prevent it from spinning off if it comes loose.

Slide the rubber boots over the steering rack and zip tie them securely in place instead of using the metal clamps. The outer tie rods should just be hanging and I did not bother to put them on until I was ready to put the outer control arms on. To finish up, simply put the stud of the ball joint through the steering knuckle and put the lock nut on the other side tighten up to the torque specs in the Haynes or Bentley manual and you’re all done.
make sure you get the front end aligned before you drive it very far or risk destroying your tires or at least having bizarre and harmful tread wear patterns.

Washing Your BMW

2006-04-12T16:52:00.000-04:00

I am endlessly amused and saddened by approach supposed BMW (and car enthusiasts in general) take to washing their cars. Drive by any car wash and you'll see cars waiting in line to go through the carwash conveyor, which will scratch the crap out of your paint and damage heretofore pristine finishes quickly. Here are a few tips and best practices for washing your BMW the 'right way'. Of course, there are concours d'elegance anal retentive purists who only wash their pride and joy with plain wash water and a 130 year old cloth diaper owned by the Quandt family or something ridiculous, but that's a story for another day.

You must rinse off the dirt before washing a car. Any dirt that is rubbed into the surface can cause scratches. I recommend, if using a garden hose, to spray water on the car lightly, not full blast. Use the 'shower' or 'mist' setting. You don't want to grind the dirt in more. Under the wheelwells, I do just blast away. Never use dish washing detergents as they are designed to strip grease and grime, and they will actually strip the wax from your car. Unless you are beginning a multi-stage detailing or paint treatment process (like a Mother's or Meguair's 3 stage process), always use soap solutions designed for car washing. When I'm preparing to do a full detailing job on any car, I actually do like to use Palmolive or similar since it helps strip any existing wax right off.

Use a large bucket so the dirt particles sink to the bottom of the container and the fresh suds and water you apply are clean and free of contamination. Or you can use two buckets, one for rinsing and one for the suds.

Make sure your car surface is cool (preferably in the shade) by hosing the entire vehicle. Apply suds to the upper areas first using thick, terry cloth towels or a wash mitt and work your way down. Rinse the car clean by running a slow stream of water instead of a high pressure spray to reduce water spots and drying time. When washing your vehicle by hand, take the time to run your wash mitt along the inside bottom edge of the doors, lift gate, hood and trunk, etc. These areas trap dirt and moisture. Make sure you use a separate sponge or towel for the wheels or you risk rubbing wheel grime and brake dust into the paint of your BMW!

Clean the tires first, then the wheels. Cleaning the wheels, especially those with BMW's high-quality finish, is important since brake dust and road salt can cause irreversible corrosion. I like to wash the wheels/rims last. I do an initial rinse, then let them soak with diluted (50/50) Simple Green. Simple Green is safe and non toxics and will not damage expensive stock or aftermarket BMW wheels.

Once the entire vehicle is washed and rinsed, take a clean, dry towel or cloth and wipe the vehicle down, again starting at the top. You can also use a product like a synthetic chamois. Don't use a leather chamois since it can pull oils from the paint and remove the wax. I am fond of the synthetic chamois products like 'The Absorber' but be careful to ensure it is clean or you can make ugly new scratches in your paint by dragging it across the surface. I like to re-wet each section ahead of me before I get to dry it, making sure no water spots are there before I can get to it with a chamois or towel. When using towels, make sure they are 100% terry cotton, and rip off the little tag on the end as it can cause scratches as well. We will discuss paint cleaning, polishing, and waxing techniques in future articles.

Now, you'd think you already knew this stuff, but lets be honest: there's a sad number of folks out there scrubbing their paint with the brushes at the pressure washer, or pressure-wash initial rinsing their vehicle. Yikes!

E36 328i and 328is Best Performance Mods for M52 Engine

2006-04-12T09:17:00.000-04:00

In previous articles, I have mentioned my strong belief that the 1996-1998 BMW 3 series cars with the M52 engines, the E36 328i, 328is, and 328ic, offer the best all around value of the E36 cars, US spec M3 models included. The 2.8 liter M52 engine is rated at 193 hp, only 4 more than the M50 than it replaced, but its 20 ft lbs torque advantage is felt at lower rpms due in part to the redesigned intake manifold and greater displacement. This, despite the 2.93 open differential these cars are saddled with in 5 speed manual transmission form, makes the 328i/328is feel much stronger at lower rpms than the M50 or M50TU powered 325i and 325is. While there are many, many modifications you can do to your 328i/is to get more out of its engine, below are a few basic guidelines for more horsepower.

Jim Conforti/Turner Motorsport/BavAuto (Bavarian Auto) Shark Injector Software. Instead of replacing the ecu with an aftermarket one, you are loading new software onto the existing one. This is really your only bet for these OBDII cars. The cars idle smoother and rev out stronger. As with all mods, best in conjunction with a cold air intake.

Some kind of cold air intake for your BMW 328. The stock airbox is not terrible, but a good cold air setup works really well and makes the car sound from 4000 7000 RPMs like an old big-block V8. I run an ECIS intake on my 325is. A friend of mine uses a universal K&N type cone filter from Pep Boys with some univeral elbow and tubing to connect it to the MAF and throttle body. He does not have a heat shield on there (his car is a 97 328i) and the car only runs perceptably better in cold weather. The heat from the engine bay and ambient temperature negates the benefits without the shield. You can either buy an air filter heat shield from any number of vendors, or make your own. Another idea is to buy some reflectex from Home Depot and make your own. I took some dryer hose and ran it down the front bumper air ducting up to the cone for a sort of DIY ram air. Not too impressive looking under the hood if you have a show car, but quite effective.

M3 OEM Exhaust or Aftermarket Exhaust. The stock M3 exhaust is a bit heavier than the 328i and 328is one, and it does away with the muffler flapper valve designed to improve low end torque. Slightly better throttle response, pulls slightly better up top, and looks great with the twin stainless tips. Great sound at wide open throttle. Some folks report dyno-proven gains with aftermarket systems, but there are better and more cost effective modifications you should probably do first instead of dropping a grand on a Supersprint or other cat back exhaust. Forget about headers for now, as well.

M50 intake manifold from a 1992-1995 BMW 325i, 325is, 325ic, or M3. I'm not saying the Schrick intake manifold is junk or not worth the money, but the M50 intake manifold is inexpensive and can be found in most junkyards or online. Where the old M50 engine continued making power at top end of the rev band, the new engines ran out of breath. One popular modification for OBDII owners is to swap in the M50/S50 manifolds. With the bigger displacements of the 328 and M3, this can really help to wake up the car and allow it breathe at higher rpms. Figure 15-20 horsepower in conjunction with the other modifications. A fantastic and inexpensive mod for cheap hp, but be warned that low end torque will feel diminished some as the power curve shifts slightly upwards. No big deal and works well with the next and final mod in our initial to-do list:

Replace that E36 2.93 open differential with a 3.23 limited slip diff from a 1996-1999 BMW M3. The tighter gearing makes even a stock 5 speed car much quicker off the line, nearly as fast as a stock E36 M3. In conjunction with the other mods, you are awfully close to stock US M3 performance. The limited slip replacing the open diff means better traction on dry and wet roads. Be advised that this mod does mean that your 328i or is will turn higher revs, with the associated increase in cabin noise from engine revs. At 80 mph, you will turn 3500 rpm in 5th gear with the 3.23 vs 3100 with the 2.93. Gas mileage is minimally affected.

These are your best bet initial engine performance mods. Next time, we will talk more about improving your Non-M3 E36 BMW's suspension. We will talk about different brands of shocks, struts, springs, sway bars, the X brace, coilovers and more.

1991 E30 BMW 318is Performance Mods for More Power

2006-04-11T10:44:00.000-04:00

The E30 318is was a one year wonder in the United States, sold only for the 1991 model year. It was hailed by the motoring press as the modern reincarnation of the BMW 2002, that is, a fun to drive, reasonably price, lightweight driver's car that used momentum and handling to its advantage. Oh sure, the E30 325i and 325is models were up 34 horsepower on it, and had considerably more amenities, but the E30 318is was several hundred pounds lighter and had better F/R weight distribution. This car has also been referred to as the 'poor man's M3', or the 'junior M3', a reference to its similar, albeit scaled back, dimensions layout and performance when compared to the all-conquering E30 M3. I will offer a series of articles designed to help 318is owners intelligently tune and modify these cars. The first article is designed to help you uncork the M42 engine, which is not quite as fully tuned from the factory as many BMW shops and enthusiasts seem to think. The first series of mods are easily reversed, and are generally inexpensive bolt-ons.

Check this article out: (S. McHenry is the son of notable BMW builder/racer Pete McHenry):

Modifying the M42 318iS Author: Stuart McHenry

This is a compilation of things that are necessary to get real performance out of the M42 engine that you use in a street/auto-x/mild track use car. These are items that will improve the cars performance and not sacrifice any low-end torque, which you want for street driving. These are all pretty much "bolt-on" mods, using the engines factory internals. If you want your 318iS to really fly on the street, these are the things you need to do:

Computer chip - This is a very basic and inexpensive modification for your car. Chips usually run about $200-$300 and are very easy to install. A chip on a stock M42 will bump the horsepower to about 145 (from 135) at the peak. The low-end torque is increased as well to improve everyday drivability. Though the real improvement comes at the top end; the chip widely increases the power band on the M42, from 4600-6000 to 4500-6700. I recommend Jim Conforti chips, as they are unarguably the best on the market for this motor, at a good price as well. On a side note, you will find the M42 makes a very distinctive "howl" from 6700-7200 rpm that reminds you that you’re driving an honest-to-God BMW. As far as chips go, I hear the best one for the E30 318is is the Mark D one from Canada. Make sure you are running good gas with these.

Flywheel - A major problem with the M42 was that it had BMW’s 'dual-mass’ flywheel; yes, it weighs almost twice as much as a 325i flywheel (as the name would suggest), at 28.5 pounds. This is a big problem and absolutely kills 1st and 2nd gear acceleration. Ever wondered why your 318iS’s 0-60 was so slow? Well, the flywheel is one of the reasons. There are 3 options to fix this: 1) use a 325i flywheel/clutch or 2) buy an aluminum flywheel for your M42's clutch, and 3) an aluminum flywheel for using the 325i clutch. Buying an aluminum flywheel for the M42 runs about $500-700 but is very light, and requires no modification to be fitted. M42 aluminum flywheels are about 12 pounds, and 325i aluminum fly's are about 8 pounds. The 325i flywheel requires a few other modifications to be fitted in the 318iS. Here’s what you need: 325i flywheel, 325i clutch, 325i pressure plate, 325i drive-pinion for the starter motor, and a ‘78-’83 323 throw-out bearing. Replace all these with the 318iS parts and it bolts right together. After all is said and done, your 318iS will have a LOT better acceleration in the first few gears, and deceleration will take place much quicker, which helps on the street and in the auto-x. Turner motorsport and a few other tuners also sell replacement aluminum flywheels for the 318is, but they also more expensive.

Rear end gear - The 318iS is equipped with a 4.10 limited slip from the factory, but you can do better. The desired gears out there are the 4.27 and the 4.45. You will find the 4.27 in E30 318i convertible 5 speed’s and the 4.45 is in E36 318i automatics. The 4.45 is a wicked, wicked street gear but will stick your RPM way up there on the highway. The 4.27 is a good compromise of performance and everyday use. It should be known that to make a 4.45 work, you have to swap the gearset into your E30’s differential, or find an automatic 318ti, which has a 4.45 and also has trailing arm rear suspension! So the E36 318ti 4.45 bolts right onto an E30, though finding an automatic 318ti with LSD may be difficult.

Adjust the cam timing - You know how on the E30 M3 you have to buy a $300 kit with adjustable cam sprockets to tune your cam timing? Not on the 318iS! The M42 is equipped with tunable cam sprockets from the factory. So pull your Cosmoline covered valve cover off and with the proper tools you can tweak your intake and exhaust cams up to 6 degrees +/- to provide more top end horsepower or more low end torque. See, you don’t have to blow a grand on a set of Schrick cams to make your M42’s cams a little hotter. The best setup is to adjust the intake cam to 5 degrees (advanced) and leave the exhaust cam alone. I would recommend having a shop do this work.

Muffler - The 318iS is equipped with a very free flowing exhaust manifold and center section with 2.25" stainless piping. The bottleneck in the system is the muffler. Thee are a few options for this. The first is a cat-back system, which replaces the piping and boxes behind the catalytic converter. Supersprint makes an excellent cat-back system that runs about $400. You can also simply replace the muffler. There are a variety of mufflers on the market but there is one that is very inexpensive, sounds great (not too loud, but throaty), and fits an E30 very well - it is made by Walker-Dynamax and is called the "Super-Turbo" muffler. It is available from Summit Racing at the price of about $40. We have had great success with these mufflers, and even use them in 3" size on our E30/S50 cars.

Intake system - The 318iS stock airbox works well, but a cone filter setup works better, but only if you have a well-built heatshield! Get a large K&N setup with the AFM adapter and all. Go to Home Depot, buy some Reflectex and build a "cool-air" system by cutting and fitting a heatshield. It is worth it in the end. While you are working on the intake, get the secondary plate of your throttle-body bored out 3mm to 57mm. This will make a difference.

In conclusion, with a little time, a little cash, and a little elbow grease, you can tune your 318iS to really perform. I know of one 318is with a properly built cold air intake, Supersprint cat-back exhaust, and Jim Conforti chip puts 131hp to the wheels on a chassis dynomometer. 131hp at the wheels is between 150 and 160 crank hp. With a lightweight flywheel, more aggressive gearing, and a couple of hundred lbs less weight, your M42 318is will have engine performance equalling or best a stock M20 2.5 liter 325i or 325is, with a more modern engine design (no more solid lifter valves and valve adjustments or difficult to access oil filter) and better fuel economy. Next time, we will talk more about other, more intensive engine modifications to the M42 engine such as hot camshafts (cams), headwork such as porting and polishing, headers, aftermarket exhausts, stroker kits, aftermarket fuel injection setups like Megasquirt etc, as well as chassis and suspension tuning.

E36 BMW Oxygen Sensor Replacement Instructions Part II

2006-04-01T15:28:00.000-05:00

Continude from the previous article, this will detail the procedure for replacing you E36 BMW's oxygen sensor. The o2 sensor is located in the exhaust system, and senses the oxygen content of the exhaust gases. What does the sensor do? The amount of oxygen in the exhaust varies according to the air/fuel ratio of the fuel injection system. The oxygen sensor produces a small voltage signal that is interpreted by the electronic control unit (ECU) of the fuel injection system. The ECU makes constant adjustments in fuel delivery according to the signal generated by the oxygen sensor in order to maintain the optimum air/fuel ratio.

On most BMWs, the engine's computer will throw the Check Engine Light if the signal received by the computer is out of it's normal range, meaning in all likelihood that you need a new sensor. Chipped cars (those with aftermarket ECU software or for OBDII cars the popular Shark Injector) tend to have shorter replacement intervals. Just a word to the wise.

Some shops recommend a replacement interval as short as 30,000 miles for optimal performance, emissions output, and catalytic converter lifespan. The oxygen sensor is located on exhaust manifold and/or exhaust pipes that lead to the muffler. The exact location changed over model years and E36 model. For example, the M42 and M44 318 models have their sensor located in a difficult place. On my 95 325is, the sensor is located just upstream from the catalytic converter, sitting at an angle on top of the pipe. A large adjustable wrench in thoery fits on there, but you are better off spending $20 to get the right tool for the job, which is an oxygen sensor socket which is a special deep sockety with a slit cut in the side. Unless you have a lift (I know a guy who does, that b@stard!), you will need to jack the car up and put it on jackstands or ramps to get under there.

Using a socket or wrench, simply remove the sensor from the exhaust pipe. The electrical plug for the O2 sensor is removed by simply rotating the plastic retainer counter-clockwise, and the plug should come right off. New O2 sensors should have the same exact plug - ready to attach to your car. On the E36 3-Series, the plug is located towards the right side of the rear of the transmission.

An old worn out 02 sensor will likely be covered with blakc soot. Clean off the mounting bung and use never-seize or some other thread lubricating antiseize compound
on the new oxygen sensor. My new one (for OBD-1 E36 M50 cars ie 325i and 325is is Bosch 134321) came with this good already on it!

You will probably find the supplied cable length is way too long. Use zip to fold the cable over to take up the slack. Keep the cable away the exhaust so you don't melt anything.

If you did everything right, the check engine light should shut off upon restarting when you are done and in most cases the car will run perceptibly better.

E36 BMW Oxygen (O2) Sensor Replacement - Part I Diagnosing and Symptoms

2006-04-01T14:51:00.000-05:00

This article pertains to all E36 BMW models, both 4 cylindf (M42 and M44) and 6 cylinder (M50, M50TU, M52, S50, S52) engine powered cars. As these cars are up to 15 years old now, chances are their oxygen sensor (O2 sensor) has been replaced at least once or currently needs replacing. The oxygen sensor is one of the most important elements of your BMW's fuel injection system. A finely tuned fuel injection system with an oxygen sensor can maintain an air/fuel ratio within a close tolerance of .02 percent. Keeping the engine at the stoichiometric level (14.6:1 air/fuel ratio) helps the engine generate the most power with the least amount of emissions. Why is this important, you might ask, if you are not a racer or automotive performance enthusiast? Well, a junk or failing oxygen sensor can affect driveability of your BMW in many ways.

There are a few signs that your oxygen sensor may be failing. In general, it is difficult to diagnose problems with the sensor, unless all of the other components in the fuel injection system have been checked and determined to be operating correctly. Some of the symptoms of a failed oxygen sensor system are:

Irregular idle during warm-up

Irregular idle with warm engine

Engine will not accelerate and backfires

Poor engine performance

Fuel consumption is high

Driving performance is weak

CO concentration at idle is too high or too low

Check Engine light is illuminated

In general, if the oxygen sensor is not working, the car can run poorly, and will also be generating harmful emissions. As your bosch fuel injection system has several components, it is best to eliminate unknowns before blindly replacing your o2 sensor. However, if the check engine light comes on, you can run a diagnostic test to verify if indeed it is time to replace.

Turn the key to the run position (as opposed to the start position), and press the gas pedal to the floor and release 5 times. Then wait. The check engine light should go off, then flash in a pattern of dashes with specific durations. The E36 factory Bentley Service Manual shows the correct number of flashes. If it matches up, then go to your local parts supplier and order a new sensor. I highly recommend getting the bosch or equivalent oem replacement sensor and not a universal one. You don't save much money by getting the universal one, anyways. Next article will detail oxygen sensor troubleshooting, testing, and replacement instructions for E36 BMW models, including 1992 325i, 1992 325is, 1992 318i, 1992 318is, 1993 325i, 1993 325is, 1993 318i, 1993 318is, 1994 325i, 1994 325is, 1994 318i, 1994 318is, 1995 325i, 1995 325is, 1995 318i, 1995 318is, 1995 318ti, 1995 M3, 1996 328i, 1996 328is, 1996 318i, 1996 318is, 1996 318ti, 1996 M3, 1997 328i, 1997 328is, 1997 318i, 1997 318is, 1997 318ti, 1997 M3, 1998 328i, 1998 328is, 1998 323i, 1998 323is, 1996 318ti, 1998 M3 models.

E30 325i and 325is VS E30 M3 As Street Cars

2006-03-28T19:40:00.000-05:00

In previous articles, I brielfy mentioned my preference for the E30 325i and 325is cars instead of the legendary E30 M3 when it comes to street driving. This is not some blind devotion to the regular 3 series or believing that the E30 M3's giant killer status is overrated, but rather a logical analysis of purchase cost, ownership costs, insurance, maintenance, and overall value for money spent. The principle advtanges the E30 M3 has in *racing* environments are its 4 valve/cylinder high-revving inline 4, which is basically 2/3 of the block from the M1/M635/M5/M6 S88/S38 engine, its wider track, beefier suspension design, quicker steering rack, and aerodynamic bodywork. However, on the street, the streets where most folks use these cars, the advantages of the M3 are not as clear cut. The simple M20 2 valve/cylinder engine is better suited for cut-and-thrust commuting duty. Let me go as far as to say that the 1987-1991 325i and 325is manual transmission cars are not that far off the pace of the M3 in stock form!

Exhibit A is the February 1988 issue of Road and Track magazine, which compared the M3 and 325is. The M3 edged out the 325is in the 0 to 60 test, doing it in 7.1 seconds vs 7.5 (some other magazines reported 7.4 for the 325i/is) for the 325. The M3 held a minor advantage through the quarter mile, running it in 15.4 seconds at 91 MPH vis 15.7 seconds at 89 mph for the 325is. Interesting right? Now consider the fact that the M3 already has a 4.10 limited slip differential vs the E30 325i's 3.73 diff, thus giving the M3 a gearing advantage! Put a 4.10 differential in a 325i or 325is, and it will instantly make it faster than a stock M3, top speed aside.

Now, I do realize the M3 has a 24 hp advantage stock for stock, with 192 horsepower vs 168 hp. What people forget is that the power curve/delivery and gearing play a large role in how quickly a car can accelerate. The peak M3 engine has much smaller usable power range, whereas the fat curve of the M20 325i engine is much less spiky. The area under the power curve of the six-cylinder is greater than the area under the power curve of the four cylinder, for the total RPM range used in accelerating. That's why the 325is is faster when you give it the same gearing.

A chipped 325i or 325is with a MAF conversion (which is the only way to make a cold air intake effective on these cars) will narrow the horsepower gap considerably. You'll be within 10 or so hp of matching the stock M3 in peak horsepower, and have all that nice low and mid range power. Upgrade to a 2.7 liter conversion from the 1988 only 528e or 325 base model, add a Schrick cam and Mass Air Flow meter and you will be able to put the hurt on even many modified E30 M3's.

Remember, in the end the M3 is still a superior performance car, with better brake design, suspension geometry, weight balance, braking dynamics, handling, and oh so much cachet and panache. Take a look at the Grassroots Motorsports Magazine's E30 comparison from a few years ago. They pitted a 1991 318is, 1990 325is, and 1988 M3 against each other on the street, autocross course, and on the road course. The high revving M3 was untouchable over 5000 rpm, and all agreed its ultimate performance ceiling was much higher, but the real world of cops, traffic, traffic lights, and sane speeds makes the decision much tougher. The 325is feels faster on the street, and besides, you can always swap in a M50 engine for cheap money. Have you considered how expensive the M3;s S14 engine is to work on or rebuild??

E34 BMW 5 Series Suspension Upgrades

2006-03-28T10:24:00.000-05:00

Available in the US from 1989-1995, the E34 BMW 5 series is the last of the non-computer assisted design (C.A.D.) cars from BMW. Much more modern looking and driving than the E28 5 series it replaced, the E34 remains today a highly desirable car, for its durability, styling, reliability, and performance. However, even the newest E34 is over a decade old now, and chances are that unless a collector had it tucked away in storage, or was owned by the proverbial little old lady, your 525i, 525it (or 525i touring) 535i, 535it (or 535i Touring), 540i, 540i sport, or M5 has some miles on it. People are usually amazed at the difference new shocks and struts plus upgraded springs and swaybars make. Wanna make your 525i wagon dance in the twisties like an M5? Not that hard. It's all in the sway bar size, spring rates, damping rates, and quality and durometer of the bushings.

E34 BMW 5 Series Shocks - Choosing the Right Shocks and Struts for Your BMW and Driving Style

If you like damping rates of stock BMW 5'ers, with the consequent stock ride quality, I recommend Boge or Koni. For a firmer, more overtly sporting ride, go with Bilstein HD or Bilstein Sport, Boge Turbo Gas (which are somewhat softer) or Koni yellow. All out sporty ride, short of coilover suspension? Koni adjustable shocks or KYB's if you are on a budget (warning - KYB shocks are very stiff and not in the same league as Bilstein or Koni with regard to quality and lifespan. However, they are certainly an upgrade over anything worn out!). Some Bilstein shock experts think both the HD and Sport have the same valving, but the stroke is simply shorter on the sport models. The sports are your best bet for use with lowering springs. The stroke length is considered to be unimportant for use with lowering springs according to a few BMW experts. In the past, you were led to believe that using lowering springs with standard stroke length dampers would lead to rapid shock or strut wear, but this may not be true. The throw is shorter, and fully compressed position is the same and that is what counts. The worst thing that would happen is that some of the stroke length potential is taken up and not utilized by using a shorter spring. This comes as a relief to many BMW enthusiasts concerned that using H&R or similar springs with newer stock or Bilstein HD's would have a deleterious affect on their car's suspension components lifespans.

E34 BMW 5 Series Control arms (aka aluminum wishbones)

Aluminum is lighter and stiffer than steel. Aluminum control arms are available for e34 5 series BMWs. E31 8 series arms will work, but they have spherical bearings vs the E34 rubber bushing-equipped ones. If you are just looking to replace the bushings, BMW dealers do not sell them separately, but aftermarket suppliers do.

Choosing Springs for your E34 BMW 5 Series
If you choose to upgrade from the stock springs, you are faced with a ton of brand and model choices. The most popular spring manufacturers seem to be H&R, whose sport springs drop the car roughly 1.3" Front and 1" in the rear while providing a moderately stiff ride; Eibach, whose springs are similarly stiff with a similar drop compared to H&R; Racing Dynamics, whose springs are slightly softer, but still stiffer than stock with a mild 1" front and .75" rear drop; Bavarian Auto, whose sport springs offer close-to-stock ride quality with a 1.5" front and 1" rear drop; Dinan, whose sport springs lower the car about as much as OEM 540i Sport (sport package) springs, and OEM M5 springs, the rear s of which will not work without self-levelling suspension (the fronts work just fine).

Matching Shocks and Springs for Your E34
In order of increasing stiffness:

Original ride: Original springs or Bavauto springs with Boge

Slightly stiffer ride: Original springs or Racing Dynamics springs with Bilsteins HD.

Moderately stiff ride: H&R or Eibach or Racing Dynamics springs with Boge.

Moderately stiffer ride: H&R or Eibach or Racing Dynamics springs with Bilsteins Sports/HD.

If you want to lower the car and keep the OEM ride quality, go with the Bavauto springs.

E34 Sway Bars (Also called anti-roll bars)
Sway bars tie the lower suspension components together accross the front and the back, they affect the car oversteer and understeer. Bigger sway bars improve stability while cornering, the best setting is fully soft for the front and hard for the back. Stock E34 models usually have 23mm Front and 16mm rear bars. Cars equipped with factory sport suspension have 24mm front and 18mm rear sway bars. The M-Technic equipped cars and N. America-spec M5 models have 25mm front and 18mm rear bars. Eibach and Racing Dynamics are popular aftermarket providers for sway bars. The Eibac kit comes with a 26mm front and 13mm rear. The Racing Dynamics setup includes a 27mm and 19mm swaybar setup. The euro spec 3.8l E34 M5 had a 25mm bar, as did the rare M5 touring. 1994 and 1995 european M5's had 19mm rear swaybars, for all you Ebay and Ebay.de shoppers!

Go with oem rubber bushings with larger sway bar if you want less harshness and vibration. As far as strut bars, also called strut braces or strut tower bars, they are designed to link the two strut towers together. A good strut brace reduces flex in the strut towers when the car is cornering. The tendency to flex is magnified with lowered cars. Good strut bars are a must if ever plan on taking your E34 BMW to the track. They improve chassis stiffness, making the the steering quicker and more responsive. Watch out for junk Ebay strut bars that are adjustable - they are compromised in design and useful for aesthetic purposes only haha!

BMW Differentials Part II: Diagnosing, Repairing, Removing, Replacing, Fluid Changes

2006-03-27T20:19:00.000-05:00

If your BMW is exhibiting symptoms of differential problems, you can rebuild your existing differential, and use a new ring and pinion gearset from BMW to change your gear ratio. Those with cars that already have limited slip differentials with the rato they prefer will want to go this route. Be warned: BMW gearsets are not cheap. Figure $500 - 900 at the dealer and a bit less used. The course of rebuilding the differential in a E24, E28, E30, E34, or E36 BMW will also require assorted bearings, seals and other bits. On top of this, you will need to figure a good four to five hours labor with the diff out of the car, and another two hours for removal and installation.

How To Tell if Your BMW's Differential is Worn Out

BMW differentials rarely fail as long as the oil level is reasonably well maintained and the oil is changed at least once in a while. Failure is rare even when the oil is not changed, as long as it's in there. The limited slip differentials are fairly bulletproof, but spider gears have been known to break pretty easily on open differentials that are subject to heavy wheelspin-like those that result from autocrossing or becoming stuck in the snow, or being joe cool when accelerating hard from a stop. You will know immediately if the spider gear has failed as the car will not move!

A BMW differential's most common wear item are the output bearings. Output bearing wear is characterized by a hum or whine from the back of the car that will become audible between 3000-4000 rpm, usually more noticealbe in fifth gear at a constant cruising speed. The noise will stop or change when you lift your foot from the accelerator pedal and may also change as the suspension rebounds from dips and valleys in the roadway. The perceptability of the noise is dependent on the load on the bearing The noise may also stop entirely above a given rpm. Also, many cars with differentials showing this wear have gone another 50,000 miles with this noise and no further, so it's not necessarily something that needs to be addressed right away. But the longer you let it go, the more likely it is that other parts, such as the expensive ring and pinion gears, may wear out as well....

It is easy to mistake noise emanating from front wheel bearings for differential whine. But, if you turn the steering wheel, front wheel bearing whine changes or goes away, and also be unaffected by throttle position.

Should You Get a Used Differential or Rebuild Your Existing One?

Buying used parts - often sight unseen over the internet these days- is always a gamble, especially when you are dealing with a BMW! If you buy a used diff from a reputable source and it makes the dread whining noise, take it back. However, they might now have another, a problem that occurs when you have one of the rarer BMW differentials, ring and pinions, or gear sets. A good example is a side loader 3.07 differential on the early E12-based 6 series coupes. When looking at a used diff, cleanliness of the unit is a pretty good indicator of quality or wear or lack thereof.

When looking at used ones, bring a 3/8-in. ratchet, a 17mm socket and a 10mm allen socket along with you. Drain the differential oil, remove the cover and have a look-see. Differential oil is supposed to be changed approximately every 30,000 miles. Is the inside of the housing clean and gray? Do the gears and internals look clean? What about the oil that you just drained out? Is it reasonably clean, or does it look really dark? Another clue to diff maintenance is the drain plug itself. After being removed and replaced a few times, the drain plug will bear some scars. If it looks like it's never been out, it probably hasn't. Run away! On the other hand, don't summarily reject a diff just because it's not pristine inside, especially if the price is right.

Assessing the quality of a rebuilt diff is trickier. Make sure any rebuilt one was done using factory/genuine BMW tools like bearing pullers and drifts, and according to the factory service specs. Here's a good test: Ask the guy who rebuilt it what oil he recommends. If he says something like Redline 75W-90 gear oil, thumbs up.
At rebuild time, check the differential mount bushing. A BMW Motorsport solid bushing made of extremely hard rubber is available for those of you who track your car or otherwise drive it hard.

Removing and Replacing an E30 BMW Differential - Instructions are similar for E24/E28/E30/E34/E36 BMW Models

If there's a lot of dirt and grease under the back of your car, do yourself a favor and pressure wash under there before taking on the job. You'll cut the grief and aggravation factor by at least 75 percent.

Jack up the rear of the car as high as possible. Don't jack on the differential; use the rear suspension carrier. Place jack stands under the rear suspension carrier mounts.

Drain the differential oil. Reinstallation torque on the drain and fill plugs is 50 Nm (36 ft-lb). If you've removed the cover, reinstallation torque is 50 Nm (36 ft-lb), and you must use new wave washers.

Cut the safety wire with a pair of side cutters and gently remove the speed sensor cable connector.

Using a long-handled 3/8-in. ratchet and an 8mm allen socket (preferably a long one), remove the inner CV joint retaining bolts on both sides. You can use the parking brake to lock the drivetrain. Reinstallation torque is 58 Nm (42 ft-lb).

Using a 17mm short open end wrench and the park brake, remove the four driveshaft to differential flange nuts and slip out the special bolts. It's impossible to get a torque wrench on these nuts. Just make 'em real tight. They're lock nuts, so if they've been off more than once or twice buy new ones-part no. 07 12 9 964 672.

Using a 22mm box wrench and a 1/2-in. drive ratchet with a 22mm socket, remove the 12mm bolt that toes through the rubber differential mount. The diff will drop about 2 or 3 inches now. Reinstallation torque is 87 Nm (63 ft-lb).

Place a floor jack with a piece of plywood under the differential. Using a 19mm short box wrench and a the 1/2-in. ratchet with a 19mm socket and a 1-in. extension, remove the differential housing to axle carrier retaining bolts. Reinstallation torque is 123 Nm (89 ft-lb), if you can get a torque wrench on the fasteners.

Carefully lower the floor jack and say hello to your diff. Follow these instructions in reverse to re-assemble. Voila!

More BMW Differential Notes
BMW differentials need a fluid change around every 30,000 miles. If filling a limited slip unit be sure to use the correct fluid with friction modifiers. Undo the filler plug first, this will prevent the embarrassment of having a drained diff and no way to fill it if the plug is stuck!

A limited slip differential is desirable as it provides improved traction, if one wheel slips the other will continue to turn and get the car moving on ice, mud or snow. More modern BMWs have ASC+T electronic traction control and don't need LSDs so much although some cars did have both.

The best lubricants (& change intervals) for BMW manual gearboxes and differentials: It's generally accepted wisdom that BMW's have special needs for the oil used in the manual gearboxes. Most of us know that you can't just go down to the local autoparts store and buy gear-oil off the shelf that's compatible with your BMW. There are a few gear-oils that are OK for your BMW, but to simplify this issue as, let's go directly to the best solution.

Since you should be using a premium synthetic gear-oil, Redline makes one that is appropriate for your BMW. Virtually all of us who race BMW's use Redline gear-oil in our gearboxes and differentials. Why? A premium synthetic gear-oil will make the parts inside your gearbox and differential last longer. Reduced "hydraulic drag" will allow more of your engine's horsepower to get from your engine to the rear wheels. Synthetic gear-oils themselves last much longer than conventional oils, so you can reduce maintenance.

Which type of Redline or other synthetic oil should you use in your bimmer? In the gearbox (manual transmission), some BMW's made between 1986 and 1992 had "labeled" gearboxes with a red or green label on the passenger side of the bellhousing. These had 17mm EXTERNAL wrenching oil plugs. If the label is green, use Redline MT90. If the label is red, use Redline D4 ATF. If there was no label, the gearbox will have 17mm INTERNAL wrench oil plugs, and should use Redline MTL GL-4 70W-80. Virtually all BMW manual gearboxes used before 1986 should use the same Redline MTL GL-4 70W-80 as you would use in the no-label / internal plug 1986-1992 gearboxes. For BMW's 1993 and newer, Redline recommends D4 ATF for all gearboxes, manual OR automatic.

Now, for differential oil, it is easier. ALL BMW differentials use Redline 75W-90 Gearoil. This is ideal for open or factory limited-slip units, as well as the torque-sensing type if you are lucky enough to have one of those.

How often should you change the tranny or diff oil?

In racing, back in the days when people used non-synthetic gear-oils, the useful life of gear-oil in the gearbox and differential under summer racing conditions was just a few hundred miles, or just a few hours. Synthetics now can go an entire racing season, so racer's just make changing them part of the off-season winter maintenance, just once a year. For street cars, you can get away with never changing a synthetic, although I certainly would recommend doing it at least every two or three years for optimal gearbox and diff life.

BMW Differentials: What Cars Came With Plus Swaps and Upgrades, Part 1

2006-03-27T19:17:00.000-05:00

BMW enthusiasts, especially those with older BMW cars, have a wide variety of gearing and drive ratios at their disposable as BMW differentials have a wide variety of ratios and offer broad interchangeability across multiple generations of cars and various platforms.

People talk a lot about the most 'bang for the buck' modifications they can do to improve their car's performance (and by performance they are usually referring to acceleration), and a differential gearset swap or change to a lower (numerically higher) ring and pinion gearset is the single most effective way to increase acceleration. Many call it the 'poor man's supercharger'. It's as bolt-on of a mod as you can get, and has nothing to do with the engine, emissions, or EPA regulations.

BMW used to intentionally undergear its cars to give them slightly better fuel economy so government corporate average fuel economy (CAFE) requirements would be met. The ironic thing about that is the real world trade off that makes you drive harder in order to accelerate faster, thereby offsetting any gains anyway! While this article focuses mostly on E30 BMW 3 series cars, those with E24 6 series, E28 and E34 5 series, and E36 3 series should also pay close attention. I will recommend some general guidelines for each platform and generation at the end that will make choosing a differential easier.

Keep in mind that a (numerically higher) lower ring and pinion/differential/gearset will make your engine turn higher revs, run faster, at any given MPH. This means that when taking highway driving and fuel economy into consideration, there is a point of diminishing returns when going lower (higher numerically). Some BMW's have an overdriven 5th gear that helps mitigate the buzziness of higher revving during highway driving. For example, if your fifth gear is an overdriven 0.81:1 (for example, E30 BMWs) going to a 4.10 diff or gearset means you'll still have a final ratio of only 3.32 in fifth gear (4.10 x .91 =3.321). This translates to just under 75 mph at 3500 rpm in fifth gear using 205/55-15 tires. A 4.45 gearset would raise the revs only to about 3750. So it's not like you'll be getting buzzed out of the cockpit on the highway.

Believe it or not, the top speed of your BMW is usually affected less by a lower gearset (aka higher numerically differential) because not many cars have enough to pin the tach in top gear. Wind resistance, aerodynamics, enigne horsepower and torque output etc conspire to stop you from reaching to attain maximum rpm in an overdriven fifth gear. This is why your 318is won't do 150 mph. Now, of course your car will have a theoretically lower maximum speed, but improving the gear ratios can help you get to a higher real world top speed by giving you more leverage vs wind and drag by optimizing the usable power curve with the gear ratios. Make sense?

If you do have a BMW that was available in both 4 and 6 cylinder guise, remember that differentials will not be interchangeable. Don't believe me? Compare the diff housing, casing, and rear axle carriers of a M42 powered 91 318is and a 91 325ic. The only exception to this is the E30 M3, which has a 'large case' 6 cylinder style differential. This 4.10 LSD is really nice on a 87-91 325i or 325is. In fact, give one of these cars a 4.10 limited slip diff and a chip and you'll find the car accelerates at least as hard as the vaunted E30 M3. Be warned: the 4.10 differential is considered too peaky for an M30-powered 535i, 633csi, or 635csi.

An important thing to bear in mind about swapping is that six- and four-cylinder E30 BMW differentials are different and will not interchange. The housings and rear axle carriers are totally different. Interchangeability only exists among four-cylinder cars and six-cylinder cars separately. The sole exception is the E30 M3, which uses a six-cylinder-type differential, thus providing a source of 4.10 limited slip diffs for the 325i. In addition, differentials from the E28 5 Series BMWs (1982-88) will also interchange with the E30 six-cylinder 3 Series cars, and this becomes key to modifying the early eta engine E30s.

Have an E28 5 series or E24 6 series? Check this out. E28 models came with one of four differentials: 2.93 open in the 528e; 3.15 open in the 524td (diesel); 3.25 in the 533I and 535i/is; and 3.91 in the M5. Limited slip differentials are identified by a white "S" painted on the outside of the housing, usually on top. You can also turn the input shaft and note what happens: If you're looking at an LSD, both flanges will rotate in the same direction. If it's an open diff, either only one will turn or they'll turn in opposite directions. The ring and pinion gearset ratio is identified on a small metal tag on one of the cover bolts. If the tag is gone, you'll have to remove the cover and count the teeth on the ring and pinion gears. The 3.73 325i/is differential is a really nice setup on 82-88 5 series and 1982-88 6 series. Some people give these cars the M5 3.91 (some M6 models had this or the 3.73), but the M5 and M6 cars have the M88/1 aka S38 DOHC engine that revs higher to support this low gearing, whereas the SOHC M30-powered cars are much milder (comparatively speaking, of course).

There are a ton of 533I and 535is models in junkyards, and this means easy picking for owners of E30 cars that have the (lame in stock form) "eta" engine and a 2.79 or 2.93 diff. A swap to the 3.25 differential is super cheap and makes the car really come to life...til you hit that 4500 RPM wall in stock form - but we can cure that easily, just see my recommendations for E30 E/ETA performance setups. Junkyards practically give these away. The 1991-only E30 318is already comes with a 4.10 differential (note; not all 91 318is models have a limited slip diff, check the differential to be sure, this in spite of the fact that it was an IS or sports package car!). Thee rare 4.27 unit from 1991 318i Cabriolets is really only good for short track racing or for a 91 318is with aftermarket camshafts and porting. Also, not many of the 4.27 differentials were limited slip. A lot of people also like a 3.91 differential in the 3.91 IS. Time 0-60 acceleration suffers with this swap, but usable acceleration is improved and it allows you to stay in the same gear longer. Great for mildly modified cars.

Part II of this article will cover BMW Differential Repairing, Maintaining, and Instructions for swapping. Hwo to tell if your differential is worn, how to drain and refill the transmission and differential oil/lubricant etc.

E46 3 Series BMW Wear Items List

2006-03-23T17:02:00.000-05:00

It seems like it was just yesterday that we waited with baited breath for the succeessor the wildly popular E36 3 series to be unveiled. The 1999 model year brought North America the E46 series coupes, convertibles, and sedans. The E46 M3 did not arrive stateside until 2001. The leap from E36 to E46 was an evolutionary one, and not the wholesale chassis redesign that marked the arrival of the E36. As such, those familiar with the E36's underpinnings will not have a hard time making the transition to do-it-yourself maintenance and repair on the E46 3 sereis. On a less positive note, many of the minor issues found with used E36 models also ring true for the E46 cars, as the engine, chassis, and suspension designs are similar. Here are a few common E46 BMW 323ci, 323i, 325ci, 325i, 328ci, 328i, 330ci, 330i wear items.

Lower Control Arm Bushings Typical symptoms for torn or cracked lower control arm bushings are front toe changes during cornering, vague or rubbery steering, and vibration felt through the steering when braking from speeds of 60 mph or more. The best fix for this is to upgrade to M3 lower control arm bushings, which do not significantly compromise ride quality while lasting longer and giving better steering feel plus eliminating these symptoms.

Tie Rods If your E46 BMW is exhibiting steering shimmy (geez- who would have thought BMW's would STILL do this...those of you who have ever owned E24 or E28 cars know what I mean!), clunking during steering input and inability to hold proper alignment, your tie rods are probably worn out. Replace the ball joint boots at the same time for peace of mind. Again- check Ebay for complete inner and outer tie rod assemblies. Cheaper for the whole thing from independent parts sellers than for just one componenet at the dealership!

Worn out Shocks and StrutsAn E46 BMW 3 series with 40k on it could probably use a fresh set of shocks and struts, and the stock factory BMW dampers are junk by 60k. A lot of people who bought the car new or close to new don't notice the difference since the deterioration is gradual. Worn shocks and struts exhibit symptoms like diving under braking and acceleration, excessive lean, and suspension compression during cornering, and a bouncy and uncomfortable ride. If your shocks are leaking oil externally, there's a major clue. I recommend going with either Bilstein or Koni brand components when replacement times comes. You can do this repair yourself with the aid of a spring compressor tool, which can be rented from most large auto parts stores. Be careful and follow instruction carefully! This is a good time to replace oem springs with something a bit more sporting, especially if your E46 3 series does not have the factory sport suspension package.

Worn Swaybar Links If the swaybar endlinks are fatigued, handling is comrpomised. A telltale sign is a mettallic click sound. Sloppy handling as a result of this, albeit less than composed feeling, is not inherently dangerous.

Torn Rear Trailing Arm Bushings aka RTABs Just like the E36, E46 BMW 3 series cars are susceptible to the rear trailing arm, or RTAB, failure. Even worse, since E46 cars are heavier, the RTABs tend to wear faster on the E46. Excessive tire wear and or strangle cornering behavior from the rear end indicates worn bushings, and this can happen within the 45k mark. Don't put off replacing them as neglect could lead to a torn rear subframe and ugly repair bills. There are a number of companies selling limiting shims to be used in conjunction with new stock bushings. This seems to be the most effective repair and guard against further damage.

Torn Rear Shock Mounts Torn or destroyed rear shock mounts, or RSMs will cause an audible clunk during any sort of suspension movement. Worst case scenario is tearing right through the trunk carpeting into the passenger cabin! Keep your eyes peeled for sloppy handling and rear suspension play that indicates rear shock mount issues.

Torn Subframe and Subframe Bushings are another item that could lead to subframe failure. Listen for strange clunks and other noises emanating from the bakc of the car. You must catch this in time lest it lead to big repair bills for subframe repair and welding. Now to be fair, subframe and subframe bushing problems most commonly manifest themselves in higher mileage and autocross or tracked cars.

Torn or Cracked Transmission Mounts If your E46's transmission mounts are cracked, torn, or worn, you could accidentally downshift into the wrong gear and cause an overrev that seriously damages your BMW's engine! Worn transmission mounts allow excess transmission movement. Look for hard shifting, notchy shifty, or forced shifting when cornering, and or muddy shifter feel. This is an inexpensive preventative maintenance repair that will make your car shift better than ever if you do it before it causes a real problem.

Ripped or Failed Guibo or Flex Disc is something that happens to high mileage or hard-driven BMWs of just about all generations, not just the E46. How do you know when your Guido (also called the flex disc) is shot? Step on the gas, and if aceleration will be preceded with a loud clunk as the guibo bolts bind together, yep you need to replace this item!

Dirty Automatic Transmission Fluid or Clogged Filter can cause upshift and downshift hesitation as well as hard shifting. Make sure your E46 has been maintained according to the Factory recommendations outlined in the car's owners manual.

Water Pump Failure caused by bearing or impeller failure disables the cooling system and can destroy your E46's engine. Unlike the E36, this generation does not seem susceptible to the impeller shattering, but all cars water pumps eventually wear out. A good rule of thumb is to replace the water pump every 75k. Shut the car off if the temperature gauge needle ever climbs above the 3/4 mark. This is the only sure way to prevent extensive and expensive engine damage. Unless of course, you want to see what a warped or cracked head looks like!

Cracked Radiator Necks still happen to 3 series BMW models because BMW still uses plastic radiator tanks. The radiator neck plastic turns brittle and cracks with age. By 100k, your E46 should have had its cooling system inspected and the tank should be replaced.

Leaky valve cover gaskets cause a burning oil smell that could indicate a leaky valve cover gasket. If the condition continues unchecked, oil can seep into the spark plug holes and damage the ignition coils, resulting in costly replacement. Replacement of this inexpensive gasket is a good idea when changing sparkplugs as the coilpacks will already be out.

O2 Sensor failure means poor mileage, poor idle and flat spots in the power curve. Even if your car isn't throwing a check engine light, they may not be performing optimally. BMW recommends replacing the O2 sensors every 100k miles. Have you chipped your E46? (rather, 'Sharked' it)? Expect a shorter lifetime for your new oxygen sensor.

Oil Seperator Failure seems to occur with Non M cars. If you have a poor idle and periodic Check Engine lights, you may have a bad oil seperator. This valve tends to go bad and introduce a vacuum leak which produces the problem.

E30 3 Series History, Specifications, Performance

2006-03-20T20:47:00.000-05:00

The E30 3 series was a vast improvement over the E21 (sold in the US from 1977-1983)BMW 3 series. Formally unveiled in 1982 for Europe, the E30 line went through many changes during the 1984-1991 years of production for US and Canada. (European market production of the E36 3 series began in 1990.) Today, BMW car enthusiasts mostly cherish the E30 line for its incredible durability, performance and reliability for the dollar, and for it's great build quality that does not get in the way of a more raw and connected driving experience compared to E36, E46, and E90 models.

In Road & Track magazine's first test of a M10 powereds 318i hit newstands in June 1983. The 318i did not quicken the heart of performance seekers looking for a US market car to replace or join their aging 2002's (Remember, the quick 323i E21 was a grey market car never officially sold in the US). This weas the first published test of an E30" 3 Series. And it was not cheap. The window sticker on R&T's 84 318i was a steepd $18,210 - more than double the price of a 1977 320i. One other aside is that the E30 3 series (the 1984 318i) represented the first time a 3 series was available in the United States with 4 doors.

The look of the new Baby Bimmer was nothing revolutionary, and even less adventurous to the casual observer than the E21. However '1980s' these 3 series look today, they had considerable aerodynamic advantages vs the outgoing E21. The 1982 Audi 100 has ushered in an 80's focus on reducing coefficient of drag in the pursuit of cleaner styling, better stability, and better fuel economy. The E30's grille sported a less radical angle, and the headlights mounted nearly flush. The E21 and E30 have similar wheelbases, the E30's wheelbase an insignificant 0.3 inches longer from the E21 at 100.9 to 101.2 inches. The car's overall length was slightly reduced. However, the new 3 series felt considerably more 'solid' and well assembled. BMW engineers focused on build quality and dependability to fight off the upcoming Mercedes Benz 190

The first US spec E30's sported a warmed over 1.8-liter fuel injected four cylinder, the M10 engine with 101 hp. It was quickly determined that us Yanks demanded a six this time, and the Fuel-economy biased M20 121 horsepower 2.7-liter inline six-cylinder 'Baby Six' engine from larger E28 528e sedan was plopped into the new 3 series to create tyhe 325e or 325 eta. An incredibly low 4500 rpm redline and economy-minded gearing accompanied this car, which ran smoothly and torquey, but was no sports car engine (though the 325es is a really neat and fairly rare car!). the "eta" 2.7, like all BMW sixes, was smooth and elegantly torquey in the company's smallest car, but hardly sporting in character. Almost sadly in hindsight, its 121 horsepower were the most available to U.S. buyers of small BMW's since the 1974 2002tii. 325e performance was pretty good for the 1980's, actually, and not all that far off the mark of the Porsche 944 (ouch!),with 0 to 60 mph in 8.4 to 8.9 seconds (depending on who was testing) and a 16.2 to 16.6 second quarter mile time, with trap speed in the low 80 mph range, a 2-3 second improvement in each category over the four cylinder 318i.

1985 brought the first four door sedan models plus a revised four-speed automatic transmission option available with either the four or the six. 1986 saw the 318i dropped, and ABS Antilock brakes become standard equipment on all North American market 3 series. 1986 was the first year for the 325es as well, which was basically a european market 325is car saddled with the low revving ETA engine. One of these in nice shape today would make a great commuter car/daily driver, especially with a chip and fresh suspension...see my older article on hot-rodding the 325e cars for information on how to make the 325e quite fast!

The 1987 model year was milestone, for it heralded the introduction of the 325i and 325is models, as well as the 325iC Convertible, the first pure convertible offered in the 3 Series. The impact of the new M20 'i' cars cannot be stressed enough! Car and Driver wrote that "The new 325is is the first genuinely sporting BMW to reach our shores since the 2002tii went out of production in 1975," in their first test of the 325is. The 325i and 325is shared the new-for-us 2.5 liter engine, which though part of the same M20 family as the eta engine and having the same 84mm bore, had a 75mm stroke (down 6mm from the eta) to drop displacement from 2,693 to 2,494 cubic centimeters. The result, with better head, cam, and exhaust, was 168 horsepower and 164 pound-feet of peak torque. Car and Driver's 325is blasted to 60 mph in just 7.4 seconds and completing the quarter-mile in 15.6 seconds at 88 mph. So gratifying and ingratiating was the new 325i engine that most reviewers felt the car was worth its soaring price tag. In the case of Car and Driver's 325is, that tag read $27,475 — which the magazine pointed out is, taking inflation into account, double the price of the old 2002tii. I would take a clean 87-91 325i or 325is over just about any Volkswagen, Corrado VR6 or Golf R32 nonwithstanding.

BMW's Motorsport division had gotten its start in the early '70s creating high-performance street cars, as well as race cars. By 1987, the reputation of the M (Motorsports) division for building brilliant sporting machinery was well established. The M1 supercar, M535i and M5, plus M635csi and M6 models had reinvigorated the BMW performance legend in larger models, and the 1986 European M3 was their first application of M voodoo to the 3 series.

The original M3 made it over to the United States 1988. Originally built to take on Mercedes' Cosworth-tweaked 190E 2.3-16 in FIA Group A racing, the M3 employed a 2.3-liter four-cylinder capped with a twin-cam four-valve head that was essentially one of the big six four-valve heads less two cylinders. Dropped into a modified 3 Series two-door body shell (the flared fenders, more steeply raked rear window and higher trunk lid meant only the hood was left untouched from more plebian 3s), the Bosch fuel-injected "M Power" four was rated at 192 horsepower at a wailing 6,750 rpm when it finally got to North America. "This is not a car for yuppies," wrote Car and Driver on their first exposure to the U.S.-spec M3. "This is a car for us. In case you haven't noticed, BMW's U.S. lineup has blossomed to include a dazzling array of leather-lined hot rods that beg to be flogged through the twisties and hammered on the superslabs." Stirring the five-speed manual transmission, Car and Driver blasted that 2,857-pound M3 to 60 mph in just 6.9 seconds, blitzed the quarter-mile in just 15.2 seconds with a 92-mph trap speed and screamed to a 141-mph top speed. With an as-tested price of $34,810, the M3 was at that time (and still in many minds) the ultimate BMW 3 Series.

BMW would build an all-wheel-drive 325ix model in 1988 as well, and the Motorsport fanatics would conjure up "Evolution" models of the M3 for those who found the wonderful original only a good starting point. But with the introduction of the M3, the possibilities of the E30 3 Series were thoroughly and gloriously exhausted as it faded out of production through 1991.

E34/E36/E39 M50/S50/M52/S52 BMW Engine Coil Replacement

2006-03-19T13:22:00.000-05:00

In a previous article, I detailed the procedure for replacing the sparkplugs and valove cover gasket on all BMW cars powered by derivates of the M50 engine. An item not mentioned, and probably should have been, are the coils, especially on older or higher mileage cars. With age and heat, the insulation breaks down. As variants of the M50 engine are found in the E36 3 series as well as E34 and E39 5 series, this article applies to any cars with these engines, ranging from the 1991 525i to the 1999 M3.

Just like the spark plugs can be a source of intermittent hesitation or bogging, so too can the coils themselves. Do a simple search on roadfly.org in the appropriate forum and you will see countless tales of coil woe. In the early days of the E36, coil failure manifested itself so often that there was a push for recall by BMW. Coil problems can manifest themselves as bucking, surging, or general hesitation, often under load or part to full throttle in the 500-3000 rpm range. The dealership will tell you that the coils need to be replaced as a set, but this is not true. Many independent BMW parts retailers (like bimmerparts and bavauto) sell individual coils. Here's one way to test your cars coils if the above symptoms are indeed occurring:

Replace all the spark plugs, first off. This is eliminating a variable and doing preventative maintenance at the same time. Next, purchase 1 new coil (You might want to check the shop you are buying parts from's policy on returning electrical or ignition components, it does you no good to buy 3 coils if it turns out you only have 1 bad one and you are stuck with 2 extra ones.) and replace the coil on the first cylinder closest to the front of the car. See if this cures it. If not, put it on cylinder #2. Rotate the new coil through all six cylinders. If no single replacement cures the issue, try a second coil and rotate through. This is the least expensive way. You could alway just replace all six at once for peace of mind. Now, old coils are prone to cracking, and a cracked coil can lead to serious electrical problems and can even damage the DME unit (ECU/chip) on your car. A new DME/chip from the dealer is $1000! You can also easily check the health of your coils by checking the resistance between two terminals on the coil. This is outlined in the Chilton's manula and the factory Bentley repair manual. There were two different sources for the coils used by BMW, Bosch and Zundspule. The Zundspule coils were made by a vendor called "May und Christ". These have been the more problematic ones, with peristent tales of misfiring and rough idle.

E36 BMW 3 Series Wear Items Checklist

2006-03-16T08:59:00.000-05:00

The E36 BMW 3 series began production in late 1990 for the European market, and 1991 for the North American market. This car faced the unenviable task of replacing the admittedly long-in-the-tooth but well loved and highly praised E30 3 series, and specifically the line of 325i, 325is, and 325ix BMWs that had restored the small-sedan performance image to BMW's lineup. The first BMW to feature extensive C.A.D. (computer assisted design), the E36 3 series was a significantly more technologically advanced car than the E30, whose ancestral roots can be traced all the way back to before the BMW 2002 to the BMW 1600! The trailing axle rear suspension was finally replaced with the new BMW Z link rear suspension, a more forgiving design that would also allow for less tricky wet handling. The base 4 cylinder engine was a carryover from the late E30 318i and 318is, the 138 hp M42. The 6 cylinder engine was BMW's fairly new M50 engine, recently introduced in the 525i, and offering 21 more hp and greater torque over the old belt-driven M20 2.5 liter six. The new E36 was a larger car, and weighed approximately 300 lbs more than its E30 predecessor. The E36 series cars are great deal today for used car buyers because the E46 3 series was an evolutionary change sharing many similar chassis design elements, and E36 cars, while getting a bit older, offer a modern driving experience with the refinement/sporting balance tilted a bit more towards sporting and feeling slightly rawer than the E46 cars. However, the E36 series are not without flaws or potential problems. Anyone looking at one should absolutely go through this checklist of wear items when considering purchasing any E36 BMW (which includes the 1992 BMW 325i, 1992 325is, 1992 318i, 1992 318is, 1993 BMW 325i, 1993 325is, 1993 318i, 1993 318is, 1994 BMW 325i, 1994 325is, 1994 318i, 1994 318is, 1995 BMW 325i, 1995 325is, 1995 318i, 1995 318is, 1995 318ti, 1996 328i, 1996 328is, 1996 318i, 1996 318is, 1996 318ti, 1997 328i, 1997 328is, 1997 318ti, 1998 323i, 1998 323is, 1998 328i, 1998 328is, 1998 318ti, 1994 M3, 1995 M3, 1996 M3, 1997 M3, 1998 M3, 1999 M3 and other BMW E36-based models not sold in North America.)

Many of the wear items in this list should have been replaced or least inspected by 75k-100k miles. Some are model specific, for example the water pump issue is a non factor with cars that metal water pump impellers (ie most 1996 and newer models).

Lower Control Arm Bushing Failure: Common symptoms for torn or cracked lower control arm bushings are undesired front toe changes during cornering, vague and rubbery feel in the steering, and vibration experienced while braking at freeway speeds. Non-M bushings are commonly replaced with M3 bushings to increase performance with little to no change in comfort.

Tie Rod Wear: Symtoms include: steering shimmy, clunking during steering input and inability to hold proper alignment. If any of the ball joint boots is cracked (you'll see grease coming out) then expect that component to need replacement. All components should also be checked for excessive play, and replaced if out of BMW spec. I bought complete tie rod inner/outer assemblies on ebay for $70 total vs over $200 at the dealership. You just need one of those wrenches that mount on your ratchet to get at the inner nut. Easy DIY repair that is probably best adressed when you do that ball joints, since the ball joints must be popped out with a pickle fork to do the tie rods anyway!

Worn or Blown Shocks and Struts:
Factory BMW shocks work last about 30k. By 60k - 100k they are pretty much completely worn out. Most folks who have been driving their cars since new hardly notice the deterioration as it is gradual. Symptoms of worn shocks and struts include: feeling the cardiving when braking or accelerating, excessive lean and suspension compression during cornering etc. Some folks prefer Koni shocks, I like Bilsteins. This is also a good time to replace your stock springs, though the OEM sport and Mtech sport springs are certainly not bad. Warning: Of all the aftermarket sport springs I've seen, only the OE series H&R springs will work with Bilstein HD (heavy duty) series shocks/struts. For all other springs, which generally lower the car, you will want to go with Bilstein Sport shocks, which offer similar damping but with a shorter shaft and stroke. Stock springs are fine with HD shocks.

Worn or Failing Swaybar Endlinks: Worn swaybar endlinks can degrade the handling of your E36 BMW. A worn swaybar can sound like a metallic clicking noise. There is no critical danger in a failed swaybar endlink, but the handling of the car is severely compromised. End links are easy to replace.

Torn Rear Trailing Arm Bushings: (RTABs) If the rear of the car feels strange during cornering or you have excessive rear tire wear, expect that your RTABs , also known as rear trailing arm bushings, are tired. Typical mileage for the E36 is around 40-50k. Don't let this problem go unrepaired, as torn RTABs could lead to a torn rear subframe, which is a nightmare for any E36 or E46 owner. Many aftermarket suppliers have beefier solutions for the factory setup. Having said this, I've only heard of rear subframe failures or tears occurring on cars driven either ridiculously hard on the street, or track cars.

Torn Rear Shock Mounts (RSM): Torn or destroyed rear shock mounts will produce a very pronounced clunk during any sort of suspension movement, and could possibly just tear right through the trunk carpeting into the passenger cabin. Sloppy and erratic handling and excessive rear suspension play are common symptoms of a rear shock mount, also called RSM, failure.

Torn Subframe and/or Subframe Bushings: Torn subframe bushings can lead to subframe failure. Common symptoms of subframe failure are erratic handling and unidentified clunks and bangs from the rear of the car. Early detection of a torn or cracked subframe bushing can prevent costly subframe repair and welding. Non-M 3-series cars do not have the subframe reinforcements built in, and even street-driven cars can tear the mounting areas. The M3-specific bushings act as reinforcements and will prevent this problem.

Torn or Cracked Transmission Mounts: If your E36 has torn transmission mounts, it can lead to the dreaded 'money shift,' which is when you downshft into the wrong gear causing mechanical overrev and the resulting serious damage to your car's engine. Worn transmission mounts allow for an excess amount of transmission movement. Symptoms of torn or cracked transmission mounts can be hard, notchy and forced shifting during cornering, excessive shifter jerk during hard acceleration and braking, and muddy shifter feel. UUC offers stiffer mounts that will make your car shift better and more positively.

Ripped or Failed Guibo: A torn guibo, also known as the Flex Disc, will result in a perceivable 'drivetrain elasticity.' Acceleration will be preceded with a loud clunk as the guibo bolts bind together. A fairly inexpensive item to replace, the guibo should be one when you are doing the clutch at a bare minimum.

Dirty Automatic Transmission Fluid or Clogged Filter: E36 cars equipped with automatic trannies can experience shift hesitation or hard shifting as a result of dirty and old automatic transmission fluid or a clogged transmission filter.

Water Pump Failure: The earlier E36 cars are most prone to this problem due to their plastic water pump impeller, but the bearing on all water pumps eventually wear out, and water pump failure is the quickest way to cause extensive and expensive damage to your BMW's engine. The telltale sign is a rapidly overheating motor. The failure of the bearing or impeller on the stock waterpump allows the cooling system to fail. When the needle on your temperature gauge goes over the 3/4 mark, pull over and shut off the engine right away, because if you don't catch an overheating BMW engine in time, the results can be a warped head or trashed engine.

Cracked Radiator Neck: The plastic around the radiator necks become brittle and cracks with age, often without warning. Radiators should be thought of as 80-100k mile wear items. A warning sign for a failing E36 radiator neck is the buildup of coolant residue and corrosion. Look for whiteish gunk and dried powdery substance around the neck.

Cracked and Failed Thermostat Housings: This applies to M50 engine 6 cylinder cars. The factory thermostat housing can eventually crack causing cooling system failure. Replacement with an aluminum housing, or replacing with the new composite units every 60k or so will prevent problems. While you have the housing off, replace the thermostat as well. Preventative maintenance like this means cheap peace of mind.

Accessory Belt and Tensioner Failure: Worn tensioners and idler pullies will sound like a squealing noise from the engine bay. Belts should be inspected for cracks regularly. If a belt happens to snap, the cooling system will fail as the water pump will cease to operate. Power steering and the alternator will also fail to work. Again, pull over and shut the car off immediately should you suspect a belt failure or see the temperature gauge rise past the 3/4 mark.

Leaky valve cover gasket: Prevalent on all BMWs, a burning oil smell could indicate a leaky valve cover gasket. If the condition continues unchecked, oil can seep into the spark plug holes and damage the ignition coils, resulting in costly replacement. Replacement of this inexpensive gasket is a good idea when changing sparkplugs as the coilpacks will already be out. Check your spark plugs - if they come out covered in oil, it's definitely high time to replace the valve cover gasket. An article detailing this procedure can be found on this site.

O2 Sensor Failure Bad oxygen sensors can cause poor gas mileage, poor idle and flat spots in the power curve. They can even fail or hamper performance without throwing a CEL (check engine light). To test using the Bentley manual fault codes, turn the engine on, then off, then turn the ignition switch to run (not start) and press and release the gas pedal 5 times. A series of flashes from the check engine light will result to let you know the problem. BMW recommends replacing the oxygen sensors every 100k miles. If you run your car at high-RPM for extended periods, and or have a high-performance chip, it may cause faster wear of the 02 sensors.

Clogged and dirty pollen cabin filter: If the flow of air out of the air conditioning and heater system is not as strong as it used to be, it strongly suggests the pollen microfilter of your car has become dirty and clogged over time. A damp and musky smell can also indicate a dirty filter.

BMW M5 Guide

2006-03-13T11:42:00.000-05:00

The latest BMW M5 is a 500 horsepower V10 monster that willingly revs to an astounding 8,000 rpm in stock from. It's SMG transmission has 7 speeds and 279 modes. The E60 M5 will run you over $90,000 at your local BMW dealership, too. While there are certainly many of those who have pockets deep enough to afford this car, and certainly no shortage of reviews/hyperbole for this Bavarian beast, working stiffs like myself would have to live in a $90,000 car in order to afford it. However, that does not mean that a committed BMW enthusiast CAN'T afford an M5, which through its 4 (well, 5 if you count the E12 M535i, but we will get to that...) iterations has been a sedan that can hang with its more obviously sporting contemporaries at the 'ring or on any street (the Porsche 911 comes to mind). Below is a brief synopsis of the various generations of BMW M5's. Expect more detailed articles on each generation of the M5 in the future, exploring maintenance, parts prices, wear items, reliability, and current market pricing.

The E28 M5 debuted in 1984, although it was not officially sold in the US until late 1987 as a 1988 model. First shown at the Automobilsalon in Amsterdam, the first official M5 model was based on the E28 (1981-1988) 5 series platform. The M1's 3.5 liter, DOHC engine with individual throttle bodies and Bosch Motronic ignition was the pounding heart of this car, with 286 hp. Only 2180 E28 M5s were built from 1984-1988, of which 1235 (1988 only) were sold in the states. US-spec M5's had larger impact resistant '5 mph' bumpers, TRX metric wheels, self levelling suspension (frequenctly disabled or removed when the original suspension wears out), were down a good 30 horsepower (256 hp vs 286) due to compression, engine management, and breathing changes (catalytic converter, different headers etc), and were only available in black with tan interior. European market M5's sometimes made their way into the states in the 1980's via 'gray market' sales, and euro spec E28 M5's were available in all colors, have much smaller bumpers, and can have either cloth or leather interior. Like the E28 5 series of midsized sedan upon which it was built, the first M5 model has proven to be quite reliable over the years. The tall greenhouse/cabin of this car and its styling belie its 1970's origins. Compared to later models, it feels more raw and rough. This is the lightest of the M5 models, weighing in around 3100 lbs.

The E34 M5 followed. E34 5 Series M5's were hand built by small teams of BMW Motorsport technicians in Germany. Produced from 1988 until 1995, a total of 12,249 6-cylinder E34 M5's were made in three versions; the 3.6 and 3.8 liter Sedans and a Touring (station wagon!) model. 1,465 of these cars , all sedans, were sold in the United States, and 138 in Canada. US models, available from 1991 to 1994, have a 3.6 liter naturally-aspirated inline 6-cylinder engine with 315 bhp and 265 lb/ft of torque, with a redline around 7500 rpm. The S38 engine allows the E34 M5 to reach 60 mph under 6 seconds with a top speed of over 150 mph. The E34 chassis was larger and stiffer, but heavier, than the E28's, and infinitely more modern. The E28 platform was really a warmed-over E12 5 series design that dated back to roughly 1972 in its design origins. The hand-built nature of this car dictated a six week process to finish each one! The S38 was later elarged to 3.8 liters with 340 crank hp, but the US did not get this engine. The fastest BMW of its time, the E34 M car has significant sound deadening, NVH reduction, refinement, braking, and ultimate performance ceiling advantages over its predecessor. The E34 M5 sedan weighs in at 3,700 lbs.

The E39 M5 was the first M5 to offer a V8, and not the traditional L6 engine. This M5 was also the first to not be built at the BMW M GmBH factory, but rather at the regular 5 series assembly facility. It offered 400 hp via a six speed manual transmission. Far and away the most popular M5 with nearly 21,000 built. The S62 V-8 engine utilized dual VANOS and individual throttle body butterflies to rev to 7,000 RPM. The transmission is a beefed up version of the one found in the 540i. M tech suspension based on the E39 5 series macpherson strut design and massive floating disc brakes allow the E39 M5 to hang with c5 and C6 corvettes as well as the 996 911 Porsche on the track. During production, it's published 0-60 test times in the 4.6 - 5 second range made it the fastest production 4 door sedan in the world. The E39 M5 is the heaviest and most technology-laden of past M5 models. It is the most refined and visually the least discreet. The S62, by all accounts, is a much more reliable engine compared to BMW V8s, and its extensive use of alloys makes the car much less nose heavy than it has a right to be.

My BMW Dream Garage

2006-03-09T10:59:00.000-05:00

Real BMW enthusiasts are interested in more than the latest Chris Bangle Lexus-clone monstrosity. BMW nuts like myself still turn their heads when an E21 323i or E30 318is or clean 2002 or 635csi or e28 M5 etc goes by. The fact is, the company that makes vehicles bearing the roundel has produced many classics over the years that auto enthusiasts would be proud to have in their stable. What if you could have a dream garage of 5 BMW cars? Let's be somewhat realistic here. This means no ex-IMSA racers, no 1991 DTM series ex factory cars, no M1's (sorry, for the $100k+ BMW M1s seems to be selling for, you can get a lot more car with just about ANYTHING else) etc. I know it's difficult to come up with 5, even my list changes just about daily. *Today*, here's my picks:

An E30 BMW M3. The king of the boy racers, the winningest race car of the 80s by some counts, the BMW that brought back the raw performance edge to a fairly stody US lineup in 1987, the original M3 with its wild flared bodywork (sharing only the hood with the pedestrian E30 3 series), kidney punishing ride, and screaming S14 2.3 liter engine is one of a kind. BMW never quite recaptured the all-out blitz appeal of this car in subsequent M3's. Though the E36 and E46 M3 models torch the E30 M3 in acceleration, civility, and refinement, the original M3 sedan is an automotive icon whose appeal extends far beyond diehard Bimmer fans. Make mine alpine white with a Turner Motorsports-built 2.5 EVO engine, hot cams, euro evo interior with the harness-ready recaros and Mtech II steering wheel, adjustable splitters and wing, nice light BBS wheels, and a Passport radar detector.

An E9 coupe of some sort. Be it a 3.0CS, 3.0 CSi, or 3.0 CSL (ideally), the forerunner to the E24 6 series is in my opinion the pinnacle of Wilhem Hoffmeister's career. The rear window 'kink' - known as the Hoffmeister Kink- became a BMW coupe trademark that defined the C pillar/rear window treatment on coupes right through the E46 3 series. The E9 coupes are just beautiful. I don't need the mighty 'batmobile' CSL to be happy, though I certainly would surely love one. Give me any solid, rust free-one, and I'll build a triplr-Weber carb 3.7 liter-stroker M30 engine with a hot Schrick cam, ported and polished with a 3.73 ltd slip out back and a 5 spd. Maybe some Scheel old-school racing bucket seats. Paint MUST be classic silver with the blue and orange motorsports trim. Maybe an old school Kamei or similar airdam....

An E30 325ix. The first all-wheel-drive (AWD) BMW sold in North America, the E30 325ix was available from 1988-1991. The 325iX has a viscous coupling (filled with silicone) in the drivetrain to split torque front to rear and another in the rear differential to provide a limited slip function. Handling in the dry is decent in stock form and far superior to the RWD 3 series on wet or icy/snowy surfaces. With with a few modifications (like cutting the front springs to lower the front 1-1/2 inches or better yet replacing the springs with aftermarket ones, adding a stiffer rear sway bar, installing Bilstein/Koni/similar sport shocks, upgrading bushings and running sticky tires), an iX will run with any E30 in the dry. Equipped with decent snow tires, the E30 BMW 325ix becomes a fearsome winter weapon, ready to go toe to toe with Subaru or Audi cars much newer. The 325ix never really caught on in the US. I'd love a 4 dr 325ix, especially with the red leather interior and sport seats. Make mine silver and give it powdercoated black steelies. Of course, I can't leave well enough alone. Let's take that M20 engine and toss the block. Find me a block from a plain 1988 325, the revised 2.7 M20. Swap that block in under the ix's head/cams/intake/throttle body. Instant cheap stroker. Maybe only 15-20 more hp, but the torque delivery and output is noticeably better. Cheap headers, a good chip, MAF conversion, and intake all help further. The M20 i engine has a pretty hot cam to begin with. Altogher, my dream hot rod 325ix would be a great foul weather machine!

A BMW 2002 or 2002tii. This is where the BMW performance sedan reputation begins. The 1968 introduction of the 2002 model, derived from the 1500/1600 design of 1961, was the birth of a true giant killer. I believe that if you are not planning on considerable engine/performance modifications, it makes more sense to just get the cleanest 2002tii you can find. Especially a pre-1974 round taillight model with the smaller bumpers. It's very expensive to tune the Kugelfischer mechanical fuel injection system, and there are not many qualified shops who understand this setup. A well maintained one will make the car run excellently. Tuning it to handle power beyond 145 or so hp is not easy. Plus, why molest a pristine and rare car? If you want to build a monster 2002, starting with a base model of any year -especially the less expensive 1974-1976 models - is the way to go unless you are fixated on the early look. Hot M10 engine with weber carbs, a 288 cam, 5 speed conversion and limited slip from an E21 320is would be quite the screamer. Of course, the near-mythical BMW 2002 Turbo is another story, but good luck finding one!

The E39 BMW M5. The E39 BMW M5 was also the first official M car powered by a V8 engine (I say official because the E34 540i with the M sport package and six speed manual transmission was absolutely breathed on by the M divison!). Featuring the new S62 5.0 liter V8 engine, the new M5 was the world's most powerful sedan. With 400 hp at 6600 rpm, and monumental 369 lb-ft. of torque at just 3800 rpm, the M5 delivered stunning thrust virtually throughout its wide rpm range. This 3,700 lb land missile hits 0-60 in the 4.6 second range. An E39 M5 will dance with a C5 vette on the track while seating four in comfort. Ronin's Audi can kiss it's @ss! I don't understand why anyone would buy this car in anything but black or silver. When you've got a sledgehammer of a car (and please spare me the whining from the automatic tranny sissy Mercedes Benz fans with their AMG fixations ;)) like an M5, you don't NEED to be noticed. This would be my ride for long road trips.

BMW Radiator/Cooling System Information part 2

2006-03-06T21:00:00.000-05:00

With any older BMW (and I'm talking neu klasse through E34), its important not to let the temp gauge needle reach the 'red' area. This is the point of no return, after this the cooling system is incapable of effectively cooling the engine. The only choice now is to shut off the car's engine. Generally speaking, changing thermostats will not prevent the cooling system from running hotter than normal or from overheating (exception being when the thermostat sticks open in the winter). BMW thermostats have a range of 71° C to 80° C, and their function is to ensure a minimum operating temperature for optimal efficiency and long term engine life.

Water pumps themselves never fail. A pump will always pump coolant unless there is no coolant in the tank or the V-belt is removed or broken. There are two real world ways in which water pumps do fail. They leak - usually from the small vent hole on the bottom, or the shaft bearing wears out. If your radiator is junk, upgrade your older BMW's radiator to an aluminum one. The price difference is small and the efficiency is much greater. On pre 1980 BMW's with M30 engines (or M20 320/6 or 323i models), use the post 1980 water pump as they are slightly larger.

Fan clutch failures almost only ever occur with the earliest six cylinder models, such as Bavaria, 3.0 CS, 3.0 CSi, 3.0 CSL, 530i etc. If there is resistance from the clutch when spinning the fan by hand, it's probably in good shape.
When bleeding the cooling system on M10 BMW's (2002, 2002tii, 320i, 320is, 318i etc), the system is self bleeding. But, you must take care to purge air pockets on six cylinder models any time you open up the system (ie remove the radiator cap).

BMW Cooling System Information: Troubleshooting and Tips for older BMW Cars

2006-03-03T19:13:00.000-05:00

The single best instrument for testing your older BMW's cooling system (radiator, fans, thermostat, water pump, hoses etc) (E9-E36,roughly) is your BMW's temperature gauge. Learning how to read and understand the temperature gauge is underrated and less common knowledge than you might guess. In southern climates, the cooling system found on older BMW's is marginal on hot, humid rush hour days when the AC is even ineffective. First off, do not open the cooling system unless the temp gauge is showing halfway or less. Avoid potentially serious burns this way.

BMW Engine coolant: The best coolant for old school bimmers is 100% water. However, water freezes and rusts the engine block. The compromise is to run a 50/50 mix of antifreeze and water. Not only does the coolant mixture need to be right, but so does the coolant level. All six cylinder BMW cars have coolant/radiator expansion tanks, all but the earliest of which have a 'max' level mark indicator. No mark on your (old!) BMW? Fill it to the tank seam. You can leave the condition of your cooling system to chance and to the warning lights if your car is so equipped, but I say periodic hands on inspection is needed.

Most (pre M42, ie M10 engine cars) fill directly at the radiator, making coolant level harder to figure out. Coolant MUST be higher than the top of the core and it usually ends up about halfway between the core top and radiator cap. Not sure of the level in your car? Fill the radiator to the cap, take the car for a test drive to bring the system up to operating temp, and the system will bleed itself of enough coolant necessary to create the air pocket for expansion. This gives you max amount of coolant and the space needed for hot coolant expansion.

Temperature gauge needles usually hover around the midpoint on most BMW's during normal driving. Extreme outside temperature conditions vary needle positions slightly. The hotter and more humid the weather, the less efficient outside air draws heat from the radiator. This increases coolant temp, and makes the needle tick slightly upward. The engine idling for extended period in hot weather (especially with the air conditioning on!) can bring the needle to the 3/4 mark. If it is really hot out, your best bet is to shut off the AC and crank the heater fan on the lowest non AC setting to prevent the engine temperature from going into the 'red' area.

To be continued: The next segment will tackle Troubleshooting and diagnosis, plus cooling system maintenance tips.

More Power For 2.7 BMW 'ETA' Cars (325e, 325es, 528e)

2006-02-28T22:24:00.000-05:00

This article applies to all BMW M20 2.7 liter 'e' (eta) cars. Examples includes the E30 325e, 325es, and 325, plus the E28 528e. These cars with the 'lowly' eta engine be upgraded quite a bit -for fairly short money. First, you must change the rear axle gear ratio, also known as the Differential. Most ETA cars have the 2.93 open differential; some late 87-88 528e's have a 3.25 5 speed, and 3.45 auto gears. None of the modifications listed below will be nearly as effective without a differential swap (cheap and easy).

Find a 3.25 or 3.73 from a 325i. 533i's anbd 535i's are commonly found with the 3.25. Junkyards are your friend. Or look on ebay, the turner motorsports BMW parts classifieds, roadfly BMW forums, or the Bimmerforums BMW parts classifieds.

The next step addresses ignition and fuel. The stock control units retard the spark at certain points, and give less than ideal advance for full power. This was done by BMW to protect the engine from the possible effects of low octane gas. The stock ignition also features an annoying rpm limiter.

Replacing the ECU with an aftermarket chip can do a decent job if mapped correctly. Mark D of Canada has great chips for these cars, as does Turner Motorsports/Jim Conforti. Spark advance should give a total of 33 degrees at full power with the stock (mild) cam, fuel is not a proble,. Changing pressure, rate of pressure rise, adjusting the flow meter, or changing fuel injectors can further benefit. However, dyno testing and analysis of the results should be done first. The Bosch 126 injectors that come with the e/eta engine have the capacity to support 170 horsepower (hp) at 55-60 PSI full power fuel pressure. Use a Bosch 201 injector for horsepower levesl beyond that. Some folks have used a Mustang 5.0 injector. I am not sure how well this works.

Need more real world horsepower for your E car? Here are a few common 'classic' hot rod setups for the BMW M20 2.7l engine, as prescribed by Pete McHenry of Precision Performance in North Carolina:

3.25 differential, chip, stock 325i camshaft and valve springs, 5800 rev limit. 150-155 horsepower.

3.25 differential, chip, ported head, 325i valves, 325i cam, valve springs, 325i throttle body (with manifold opened to 65mm), headers, 6200 rpm limit. 165-170 hp.

Same as previous setup, but utilize 3.73 differential, Holley 4160 4 barrel carb, euro 520i manifold. 323 distributor, Schrick or similar 272 degree camshaft and springs, 6300 rpm rev limit. This is the hot low buck setup right here. Serious acceleration, tq/hp... around 175 hp!

3.73 limited slip differential, ported 325i head, bigger valves with some attention to them, 288 cam, lightweight flywheel, forged steel camshaft. 325i rods, 325i overbore pistons with specially machined domes/tops, 325i intake manifold and throttle body, 323i distributor. Injection is from a 1977-1978 M30 'Big Six' L jetronic airflow meter, wiring harness, and control unit. Use 1 1/2" headers (any good headers will work) with a dual 1 3/4 or single 2 1/4 inch system. McHenry says that with good headwork, matched cam, good exhaust, this combo can make 220+ crank horspower.

Not bad for a fuel economy based M20 engine that began life with a whopping 121 horsepower!

E30 325i and 325is BMW Engine Performance

2006-02-23T08:19:00.000-05:00

Although most BMW car enthusiasts consider the E30 BMW M3 to be not only the high point of BMW's E30 line of cars (Europe 1982-1991, US 1984-1992...the final year convertible cars only), but also one of the most desirable BMW cars ever for its uncompromising design that allowed to be the winningest race car of the 1980s. The fact is, the engineering that made the E30 M3 such a formidable car on the track and in hard street driving also made it somewhat less pleasant as a daily driver, in traffic. The E30 M3 rides stiff and rough. It's S14 2.3 liter DOHC 4 cylinder engine, while making a 195 hp (in US catalytic-converter-equipped trim), does not come alive until 5000 rpm. It gets horrendous gas mileage for a 4 cylinder, despite the car weighing a fairly average 2750 lbs. People who don't use this car for its intended purpose often have a frustrating ownership experience.

Sometimes overlooked, though not by real BMW enthusiasts, are the 1987-1991 BMW 325i and 325is 3 series models. These mainstays of the E30 3 series lineup are tremendous cars in their own right, and generally low prices, great real-world performance possibilities, durability, and aftermarket support make the cars powered by the 2.5 liter 168 hp BMW M20 SOHC 6 cylinder engine a great buy. The M20 is the 'baby six' derived from the M30, the 'Big Six' that was developed in the 1960s and saw duty in many BMW models up to the E34 535i. The M20 first saw action in 2.0 liter form in the E21 BMW 320/6 and then as a 2.3 liter engine in the E21 323i, making 121 and 143 hp. The E30 3 series BMW premiered in the US with 2 engine choices; the 101 hp M10 1.8 liter 4 cylinder and the 121 hp 2.7 2.7 liter M20 6 cylinder 'eta' engine.

Forget about those cars for now. Let's talk about the later M20 2.5 'i' cars. If you drive one of these BMW's, you don't need to look lustfully to the original M3 for great performance. The 87-91 325i and 325is need only a few basic modifications to be a better street car than the M3. The 'i' E30 3 series cars usually have a 3.73 rear differential. Swapping to a 4.10 limited slip differential will wake the car up in a big way. Those who do a lot of highway driving might wish to compromise with a 3.91 differential from a 325ix. Despite the 2 valve/cylinder head design, the M20 2.5 power delivery is surprisingly peaky, so the more aggressive differential really lets the engine shine. A differential swap, and chip (I like the Jim Conforti/Turner Motosports/Mark chips best) are the best 2 first performance mods for these cars. This engine really requires intelligent modification for further HP/TQ/power delivery improvent.

E36 BMW Valve Cover Gaskets & Sparkplugs

2006-02-20T16:06:00.000-05:00

I did not become a BMW Nut by chance. My father also drives BMW cars, though not exclusively. He has driven a 1992 325i for close to a decade now, and has passed on many helpful hints, tips, and ideas. As I drive a 1995 325is, this means we both own E36 BMW automobiles, and between our two cars have racked up a combined 350k+ miles. We also tend to our own maintanence whenever possible. Both of our Bimmers have lately been exhibiting low rpm stumbling under load. He replaced his spark plugs (He was running Bosch F7 LDCR spark plugs for the last 30,000 miles) with NGK BKR6EK plugs. Immediately, the stumbling and stuttering engine issue was resolved. Noticing that I have not changed my plugs in at LEAST 50,000 miles, I made a mental note to replace mine as soon as possible.

I also knew that with over 160,000 miles on the 325is, this would be a good time to replace the valve cover gaskets (one for the cover, and 2 3-ring inner gaskets, typically sold as a set. Usually around $45 or $50. FYI- I bought mine locally. Bimmerparts.com gets around $44 for the set, same quality as OEM). I decided to go with the NGK BKR6EK plugs, which are pre-gapped. It's not a bad idea to change your oil at the same time. I jacked up the car, blocked the rear wheels, loosened the oil pan drain plug, and drained the nasty 3,500-mile-old 5w-30 oil (it's winter here in New England! Otherwise, I'd be running 15w-40 oil in this or any E36 BMW. Dino juice -not synthetic.

While the oil was draining (and of course I had let the car idle for about 5 - 10 minutes to warm up the oil on a 30 degree F day to make it flow a little easier), I popped the hood and went to work....I like to organize fasteners and items removed and place in plastic bags, with labelled masking tape if possible.
1. Pop off the 4 smooth caps on the two plastic engine covers with a flathead screwdriver. Underneath are two bolts and two nuts. Remove with a 10mm socket.

2. Remove the oil cap if you have not already. Both plastic covers should lift off and forward. On the one that is closer to the passenger side (the one that more covers the valve cover), make sure you don't loose the two plastic and rubber pieces that dampen vibration. Actually, its no big deal even if you do. :)

3. Each of the coils on your E36 BMW are removed individually. This goes for all six cylinder cars powered by derivates of the M50 engine (M50, M50TU, M52, S50, S52 etc). Each coil is held down by 2 10mm nuts. Remove. Notice that coils for the #4 and #3 cylinders have wiring guide supports on them. Notice that there is a ground wire on the innermost coil. Don't lose it when you remove it later and remember to sit it on the post.

4. Remove the spark plugs with a 16mm deep socket or a sparkplug socket. Either way works. Check the plug gaps...mine were way out of spec after 50,000 less-than-gentle miles. Forget about regapping them. This ain't your push mower, it's a BMW! The bad news is that the correct spark plugs list for nearly $11 each. Yikes! However, I paid less than $5/apiece, and you should too if you do your homework, call around and shop online. Check the plugs for signs of oil getting past the seals under the valve cover. These seals harden and wear with heat, time, and use. 3 of my spark plugs were so oil covered, it is testament to the quality of BMW engineering that my car even ran at all. Oil acts as insulator, not a conductor, in these situations.

5. If your valve cover gasket and seals are not worn out, you should see very little oil on the coil connectors and plugs. If this is the case, simply install the new spark plugs )taking care not to overtighten them which could lead to a sparkplug breaking off inside your engine and or stripping the threads. Both are very bad. One can be fixed with a Helicoil, the other, well I think you are f#cked if that happens)...and button everything back up. If not...proceed further...

6. Time to remove your E36 (or E34/E39 5 series if you've got a 525i/525it/528i/528it etc) BMW's valve cover. There are 15 10mm bolts/collars with washers that hold down the valve cover. 10mm socket, ratchet, and regular extension works just fine for this. 11 bolts around the perimeter, and 4 in the middle. The innermost one takes an 8mm then a 10mm to remove the ground wire. Remove them all and set aside.

7. Remove the 3 8mm bolts that hold down the coil wire tray so you can lift the coils up over onto the intake manifold. On M50/M50TU engine BMW's, you will see a sensor/plug on the front on the valve cover, unclip and remove. I have no idea what this sensor is. Oh well.

8. Pry up valve cover around the gasket to pop it loose. It will lift off. Remove any pieces of gaskets from the valvetrain area and from mating surfaces. I use simple green and crc brake cleaner to clean all surfaces. Pay attention to which way the gaskets are supposed to go and install your new gaskets. No other surface or mating surface preparation is required.

9. Button it back up, install the plugs, double check torque/tightness of every nut and bolts twice, and take her for a spin. Replacing the sparkplugs in my 95 325is took care of the stumbling/stuttering/choking issue at part/full throttle at low rpms under load. The revs freer now.

BMW 2002 and 2002tii Information

2006-02-19T13:01:00.000-05:00

The BMW 2002tii was the high performance, fuel injected, limited edition of BMW's 2002 car model line. It was a two door sports sedan based on the four door BMW 1500/1600 that came out in 1961.

Above: A clean 1973 BMW 2002tii

The BMW 2002 series is important in the history of BMW for several reasons, none the least of which it brought the company out of near bankruptcy in the 1950s and put BMW as a marque on the map in the United States. It was the ancestoral grandfather to the BMW 3 Series and was produced from 1968 to 1976.

BMW's 2002 Series is credited for inventing the category for compact sporting sedans, a category widely popular now through models from various German, Japanese and American makes of small 2-door sedans with high performance engines, suspensions and aggressive sports cars like features.

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The 2002tii is considered by many to be the most desirable '02 produced by BMW and imported to the United States. Compared to a standard 2002, a tii offers greater performance and overall value. Thus, a 2002tii is usually worth more, and therefore, more highly touted.

Since the last U.S. tiis were made in 1974, finding one in good shape, without owner modifications has grown increasingly difficult. This is especially true considering the tii's mechanical uniqueness and cost of some of those unique parts. Furthermore, since the 2002 is a "tinkerer's car," many owners have upgraded their regular 2002s with tii hardware, to increase their performance.

Likewise, tii owners sometimes strip their cars of original tii items such as the Kugelfischer mechanical fuel injection system, in favor of cheaper (but not necessarily better) carburetors. These two factors can cause some confusion for a prospective tii buyer.

Engine:4 Cylinder
Valve linkage:SOHC, 2 valve/cylinder
Displacement: 1990 cm³
Power: 130 hp (97 kW) at 5800 rpm
Torque: 130 ft.lbf (176 Nm) at 4500 rpm
Gearbox: 4 speed manual
Weight: 2225 lb (1010 kg)
Top speed: 118 mph (190 km/h)
0-60 mph: 9.8 s

Differences between the 2002tii and other 2002 models

1972-1973 US 2002tii VINs begin with 276
1974 US 2002tii VINs begin with 278
Kugelfischer mechanical fuel injection
alternator mounted down low, under battery
oil return line in block for injection pump, feed line in oil filter head
larger brake booster
23 mm master cylinder
larger 10.08 in (256 mm) diameter front brakes, larger calipers/pads
larger front hubs and spindles
boxed rear semi-trailing arms
interior clock
2002tii emblem on rear body panel

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VIN information

The vin is found on the metal plate under the hood, on top of the inner fender, behind the upper shock mount on the right side. It is in plain view, and should be easy to spot. On this plate, it will identify the car as a 2002 TII for 1972-73 cars. 1974 cars share the same identification plate as the standard 2002, so the plate will read 2002/2002tii USA. The VIN is the long number which is stamped into that plate.

For 1972-1973 U.S. tiis, the VIN will begin with 276, running from 2760001 (the first '72) to 2764522 (the last '73). 1974 tii's begin with 278, running from 2780001 to 2782929. This number should match the number stamped into the flange on the right front wheel housing itself, next to the fender, behind the hood lock bar, as well as the number stamped into the metal plate on top of the steering column. If the car still has its original engine block, the engine number on the block, above the starter mounting flange, will match the VIN.

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Engine compartment visuals

If you're specifically looking for a tii model, and prefer one in original condition, it behooves you to try and purchase a car with this system intact and functioning. The Kugelfischer injection system is what makes the tii special and gives it it's combination of midrange torque and top end power (of course, the higher compression helps here too). The lower front aluminum engine timing cover and alternator mounting location are different from a normal 2002, as well. tiis also have an extra fitting on the intake side of the engine block for an injection pump oil return line as well as an extra fitting on the oil filter head for the injection pump oil feed line.

Finally, an original E12 2002tii cylinder head (late '72-'74 cars) will have no fuel pump mounting holes on it for a standard 2002 mechanical fuel pump. 121/121TI head equipped '72 tiis will have the mounting holes, but with the center pushrod hole plugged. The fuel pump mounting holes are used to mount the intake plenum on '72 cars.

Brakes

The first clue to this may also be found in the engine compartment. Under the hood, the tii has a larger diameter (23 mm vs. 20 mm) master cylinder, and a larger (actually longer) brake booster. The dimensions of this larger booster are: 6 inches (152 mm) length and 7 inches (178 mm) diameter.

Under the car, the tii has larger front brake discs, which measure 10.08 inches (256 mm) in diameter vs. 9.45 in (240 mm) for the standard 2002. These are accompanied by larger calipers and pads, as well as larger hubs and spindles. The rear drums are the same size as a normal '02, but the wheel cylinders are larger (17 mm vs. 15 mm). In the rear, the trailing arms of tii are boxed, for increased stiffness (instead of the standard C-section).

Clock

Inside the car, a clock should be present. It is located on the left most end of the parcel tray.

Trunk emblem

On the rear of the car, above the right taillight, is the 2002tii emblem or badge. For those that are really sharp, and this only works on original '72-'73 tiis, the wheels are 1/2 in (13 mm) wider, and all of this width is added onto the outside of the wheel, resulting in wheel covers that appear to be set in further.

E24 BMW 633csi/635csi/M635csi/M6 Info

2006-02-16T21:54:00.000-05:00

The original 6 Series, the E24 6 Series, was produced from 1976–1989 and replaced the older E9 BMW series 3.0CS and 3.0CSi. The new E24 chassis was safer than that of the E9 and met new United States federal crash and rollover standards. The original 6-Series was first launched in August 1976, with the 633CSi. The had a 3210 cc engine with 197 bhp. This was joined in 1980 by the 635CSi it had a 3453 cc SOHC 218 bhp engine with a top speed of 138 mph and could reach 60 mph in 7.4 seconds. In June 1982, the 635CSi went into production with a 3430 cc, 218 bhp engine that had a top speed of 142 mph. Finally there was a M635CSi; this had a 3453 cc, 286 bhp engine with a top speed of 156 mph. The M635CSi reached 60 mph in 6.2 seconds.

The 630 CS used a 2986 cc I6 M30 engine with a Solex 4A1 carburetor, making 184 hp (137 kW) at 5800 RPM. The 633 CSi used the same engine, but with a Bosch Motronic fuel injection system, which increased output to 200 hp (150 kW).

In 1983 BMW took the M88/3, a modified version of the M88/1 from the BMW M1 and put it in the E24 chassis, creating the M635CSi, the US variant of which was called the M6. The M6 also had improved suspension, brakes, and a close-ratio manual transmission

My personal opinion is that the E24 6 series remains a desirable and livable car even today. However, these are now nearly 30 years old in many cases and great care must be taken when looking to buy one. These cars are prone to rusting in hidden areas. I highly recommend using the European Car Magazine E24 6 Series buyer's guide to help inform your decision.

The E24 design is still held by many BMW purists as the pinnacle of 'big coupe' design, and it was certainly never equalled aesthetically by the antiseptic 8 series, a coupe one journalist described as "a complex, heavy, soul-less touring car for the moneyed."

If it were my wallet, I would look for a european-spec (ie 'grey market') 1978-1983 635csi. These had none of the horsepower robbing smog equipment, the full 3.5 liter displacement, and over 40 more hp in stock form. They are also 400 lbs lighter than their US spec 633csi/635csi cousins, lacking the huge ugly bumpers. A few mild mods really wake these cars up. If your bankbook says go for it, though, the euro M635csi and US M6 are truly matched only by the great Porsche 911SC and Carrera 3.2 for timeless looks, performance, and reliability. The buyer's guide in European Car magazine (link above), is a must-read for more detailed technical information on the differences in these cars.

A Brief History Of The BMW M3

2006-02-16T16:16:00.000-05:00

Based on the 1986 E30 3-Series body, the first BMW M3 was introduced with a 2.3 L S14 engine, derived from the M10 straight-4. One of the main reasons for production of the road car was to homologate the M3 for Group A Touring Car racing, as an answer to the "2.3-16V"-model of the Mercedes-Benz W201 which was introduced in 1983.

The first version produced 195 hp (143 kW), and later versions upped displacement to 2.5 L and 238 hp (175 kW). 786 cabriolets were also produced. The E30 M3 differed from the rest of the E30 lineup in many ways. The M3 was equipped with flared fenders to accommodate a wider track with wider and taller wheels and tires. It also had three times the caster angle of any other E30. The M3 had larger brakes and shared wheel bearings with the E28 5-Series.

Special editions and later homologation specials included the Evo I, Evo II and Sport Evo (AKA. Evo III) some of which featured less weight, improved aerodynamics, and more power to keep the car competitive in racing following homologation rules.
Production of the original M3 (E30 coupe) ended in 1991.

The M3 was (and is) a successful racer, winning the Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft, European Touring Car Championship and even the one-off world title in 1987. The E30 M3 is also a multiple winner of Macau Grand Prix, 24 Hours Nürburgring and Spa 24 Hours.

Performance:

(2.3l-16v I4) - 143kW/195bhp 0-60 mph - 6.9 s. Top Speed: 140 mph

(2.5l-16v I4) - 175kW/238bhp 0-60 mph - 6.2 s. Top Speed: 150 mph

In 2004, Sports Car International named this car number six on the list of Top Sports Cars of the 1980s.

The replacement for the original M3 appeared at the 1992 Paris Auto Show. This E36 coupe model got the 3.0 L S50B30 straight-6 engine, which produced 286 hp (210 kW).
For the 1996 model year the M3 was upgraded to a new 3.2 L, 321 hp (236 kW) engine (S52B30),a six speed gearbox and the M5's larger brakes. The new SMG gearbox was also offered as an option. These models are often described as the "Euro" models to differentiate them from the models sold in the US which were quite different. The 3.2 Euro is also known as the M3 "Evolution" or "Evo".

The first E36 M3 to be imported to the United States was the 1995 model, which got a tamer 3.0 L engine with 240 hp (176 kW) and 305 N·m (225 ft·lbf) (S50B30US) and a different suspension. The reasons for the tamer car were largely due to excessive costs for the US market with the original engine and possible difficulty in getting the Euro engine to pass emission tests. The 1996-1999 model years had displacement bumped up to 3.2 L, with 240 hp (176 kW) and 320 N·m (236 ft·lbf) which is the same engine used in the early M Roadster and M Coupe. Starting in model year 1997, it was also available as a sedan with a convertible in 1998. Production of the sedan was halted in 1998, while the other models continued until 1999.

Performance:

(3.0l-24v I6)Euro Version - 210 kW/286 bhp 0-60 mph - 6.0 s. Top Speed: 155 mph (electronically limited)

(3.2l-24v I6)Euro Version - 240 kW/321 bhp 0-60 mph - 5.5 s. Top Speed: 155 mph (electronically limited)

The US-Spec E36 M3 was named Best-Handling Car by Car and Driver in 1997.

E46 M3

The 2001 E46 M3 appeared worldwide with the new 3.2 L S54B32 engine. This was the highest specific output naturally aspirated engine ever made by BMW, producing 343 PS (333 SAE net hp (252 kW) in North America) and 365 N·m (262 ft·lbf) of torque. The available SMG transmission, a Formula 1-style elctrohydraulic manual gearbox with no clutch pedal and steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters, is also a highlight.

Performance:

(3.2l-24v I6) - 343 PS (US model = 333 hp / 252 kW) 0-62 mph - 4.8 s. Top Speed: 155 mph (electronically limited)

E90 M3

BMW was expected to announce an all-new M3 based on the E90 platform at the 2005 Frankfurt Motor Show (to be released in 2007), but this did not happen. It is rumored that the next-generation M3 will have a 425 hp (315 kW) 4.0 L V8, and there is much speculation as to whether or not it will be marketed in coupe or convertible form as the M4. Some believe the E90 convertible may be a retractable hardtop, similar to the Mercedes-Benz SLK. However, such rumors have yet to be substantiated, and the issue won't be definitively settled until BMW officially releases the new "3" convertible.

E36 M3 Performance Vs E36 325i/is and 328i/is Performance

2006-02-09T09:39:00.000-05:00

The gap between the 328i/is and the M3 is considerably smaller than the gap between the 325i/is and the M3. The 328 performs closer to an M3 than it does a 325. since the 328's come with an open 2.93 differential, a simple swap to a 3.15 or 3.23 ltd slip diff from a 325i sport package or M3 will make accelerate awfully close to the M3....take a 328 and do the diff, shark injector, M50 manifold and CAI and shock stock M3s...

Now, to be fair, the M3 does have a lot of small little things and details that make it feel like a different car than the 'pedestrian' E36 series cars. The suspension geometry is a beefier version of the pre-6/92 E36 design. The rack is quicker lock-to-lock, the brakes are better etc. The vaders are really great, but some people prefer the standard sport seats for long distance comfort.

As far as getting a vanos 325i/325is to perform at m3 levels, well obviously being down a half liter of displacement puts the hurt on the 325i in terms of torque...but 200-210 RWHP NA from an M50TU engine is not exactly rocket sicene. I have seen a 94 325i put down 213 RWHP on a Dynojet 248C dyno with the following modifications:

S50 cams from a 95 M3

Turner Motorsports cam chip

Active Autowerke cold air intake

stock M3 exhaust system

underdrive pulley set

Combine a setup like this with a 3.23, or better yet, a 3.38 differential (found in some M3 automatics), and your 325 will feel like a rocketship. It will pull on stock S50's to 100 mph. Of course, your car will still be down torque wise, but if you gear it tight enough it's not a big deal. Interesting to note that the M3's beefier internals closely resemble the guts of a non vanos M50 engine, especially the connecting rods and double valve spring setup.

My 1995 325is has a TMS/Jim Conforti chip, an ECIS intake, and stock M3 exhaust. A good friend of mine drives a 97 328i with M3 exhaust and that's it. His car is much stronger off the line and at low-midrange rpm. I keep telling him to get the shark injector and an M50 manifold to really let his car breathe!

A couple of other suspension and chassis notes: The control arm/ball joint setup on the E36 M3 is different and superior to the regular E36 series. If your E36 invariably eats its ball joints (which they are prone to doing), it's not a bad idea to upgrade to the M specific parts. Also, many people (especially on eBay) sell their stock M3 shocks/struts/springs. Do not attempt to run M3 springs on your non-M shocks/struts. They don't fit. Swapping over to a complete M3 suspension setup, on the other hand, is fairly painless.

E36 BMW Ball Joint Replacement Instructions

2006-02-06T12:39:00.000-05:00

E36 BMW's are notoriously hard on their suspension components, particularly the non M3 cars, and those cars built after 6/92. Early E36 models have different suspension geometry that is closer to the M3 design than it is to post-6/92 manufacture date design. Since most 3 series cars have trashed shocks/struts by 100k, you might as well replace these components while you are at it. BMW replacement control arms include the inner ball joint pre-installed. They are not replaceable. If and when your inner/upper ball joints wear out, you must replace the entire control arm. The lower or outer ball joint is easily replaceable. Instructions for Ball Joint Replacement:

1. Loosen lug bolts. Jack the car up and put on jackstands. Put some chocks in front of the rear wheels.

2. Remove wheel. (Instruction are for doing one side at a time).

3. Remove sway bar end link connector nut from the bottom of the control arm. Watch out- it will pop up under a bit of tension once removed.

4. Loosen the control arm bushing 'lollipop' bolts. Two of them.

5. Remove the outer bal joint nut. It's 16mm. A lot of E36 BMW bolts/nuts tend to be 16mm. This one is easy to get at. The ball joint might try to spin on its shaft. A pair of vice grips will stop that.

6. Now for the fun part. Grab your 19mm open and box end wrench. Get under the car or work from the side. Reach up over the swaybar and tie rod. See the nut on top? That's the inner ball joint nut. You can't get a socket on it because your E36 has a motor mount behind it. You are limited to less than a 1/4 turn! Keep at it- the nut WILL come off.

7. Once both ball joint nuts have been removed, use a pickle fork aka ball joint sepaator to carefully - taking care not to damage the dust boots or seating surfaces- pop the ball joints out of position. In my experience, the inner one take a bit more work.

8. Remove control arm bushing bracket/eyelet/lollipop bolts and remove control arm assembly from the vehicle. Order up a new ball joint (I prefer Lemforder brand, same as oem BMW), and make sure the inner ball joint has no play in it. If it does, you need a new control arm! Don't worry, the new control arm includes the inner ball joint already mounted. I actually bought some from an Ebay store that came with both pre-installed!

9. Have a local automotive machine shop or a BMW dealership press the old outer ball joint out and the new one in.

10. Installation is the reverse of these instructions. Install the lower ball joint nut first, then the lollipop bolts (loosely for now), then jack the inner ball joint into position. Have fun tightening that nut! Get the ball joint nuts nice and tight, the tapered shaft pulls them into position.

11. Snug down lollipop bolts.

12. Put wheel back on and take it for a test drive!

This repair is for all E36 BMW car including 1992 BMW 325i, 1992 325is, 1992 318i, 1992 318is, 1993 BMW 325i, 1993 325is, 1993 318i, 1993 318is, 1994 BMW 325i, 1994 325is, 1994 318i, 1994 318is, 1995 BMW 325i, 1995 325is, 1995 318i, 1995 318is, 1995 318ti, 1996 328i, 1996 328is, 1996 318i, 1996 318is, 1996 318ti, 1997 328i, 1997 328is, 1997 318ti, 1998 323i, 1998 323is, 1998 328i, 1998 328is, 1998 318ti, 1994 M3, 1995 M3, 1996 M3, 1997 M3, 1998 M3, 1999 M3 and other BMW E36-based models not sold in North America.

E36 325i/325is/328i/328is/318i/318is/M3 Slip Ring and Other Steering Comonents To Watch

2006-02-05T20:31:00.000-05:00

Anyone who drives any E36 BMW model should be aware of a problem that is extremely common among higher mileage E36 BMW's. It's the steering wheel slip ring failure problem. I awoke one December morning to drive my trusty 1995 325is to work. Upon turning the steering wheel, loud crunching noises began to emanate from the steering column. The airbag light came on. The horn stopped working, and steering effort became inconsisent, stiff one moment, light and free the next.

What happened? The slip ring, which allows the airbag sensors to maintain contact via a reel during lock to lock turning, had failed. A piece of the plastic had broken off, and sheared the wiring inside. It caught on the turn signal cancel post and tore up everything. What a mess!

Be aware that there are actually different slip rings, so not just one ring will work for all E36 models. The dealer gets around $160 for this part, which includes the entire slip ring, wiring and plugs. To replace your BMW's steering slip ring (these instructions can be used for replacement of this part on most bmws of the 1990's, such as E34 5 series, E38 7 series, and the 1996+ 5 series as well...), use the following instructions:

1. Disconnet the car's battery and let drain for 30 min to 1 hour. This is important as the airbag retains a charge for awhile. Just disconnect the negative terminal.

2. remove the plastic trim under the steering column. There are a 2 screws. The screw is at the very bottom of the underside of the steering column. Remove it and then remove the plastic trim piece that covers the bottom half of the steering column. You'll need to push your cruise control lever around to get the plastic piece out without breaking it, but it will come out.

3. Remove the orange SRS connector from its holder and carefully unplug connector. There's a tiny little tab you'll need to press in on the side... use a ball-point pen. The connector should slip apart.

4. Working behind steering wheel, completely loosen Torx screws (T30) while holding airbag in place. Support airbag to prevent it from falling out. These scews are a PAIN but they WILL come loose if you're patient. These are the four torx scres on the backside of the steering wheel. I recommend just buying a torx driver from your local auto parts store. Normal screwdriver length.

5. Carefully lift airbag off of steering wheel and disconnect orange harness connector from rear of airbag unit. Mine just pulled straight off. Be careful to set the airbag down face-up, someplace out of the way. Oh, and the brown wire is the horn button. Just pull gently on the connector. It's a simple blade connector.

6. Now remove the steering wheel center bolt, number 6 in the diagram. If I recall correctly you'll need a 17mm socket here. Before I removed the steering wheel, I take a sharpie marker and mark 3 points on the splines of both the wheel and the steering shaft, to make lining it up easier afterwards.

7. Now you can see the tip of the hollow steering spindle through the middle of the steering wheel. The outer edge of the spindle is toothed where the wheel slides over it. Use an ultra-fine tipped marker or something similar to mark the exact position of the steering wheel relative to the steering column shaft; that way you can put the steering wheel back on in precisely the same position later.

8. Remove steering wheel. You might need to turn the ignition switch on if the wheel was locked.

9. Take the unit over to a workbench and use a Torx t10 bit and a small screwdriver to disconnect the old slip ring.

10. Carefully note the position of the slip ring and replace with the new one. Use copper paste dielectric grease on it to prevent corrosion and squeaks.

11. Reassembly is the the opposite of these instructions. Pay attention- Once you have put the steering wheel back on the car, DO NOT let the slip ring turn on the wheel. Important! Turn it as little as possible until everything is buttoned back up.

12. Also, while you have your E36 BMW's steering wheel apart, examine the white plastic collar on the steering shaft and the bearing below it. Both wear and fail on many cars. The symptom of this is a loose steering shaft that has some vertical and horizontal play! This has not happened on my car, but it has on my friend's 1997 328i.

13. The great thing about replacing the slip ring assembly is that the new one includes all of the electrical connector the failed old ring probably destroyed upon failure, and it is simply plug and play.

14. Your airbag light might stay on. Your local BMW dealership can reset this light, as can many independent BMW repair shops.

Now, you might wonder what some symptoms of a slip ring going bad are. They include squeaking noises and strangely stiff steering, plus the most notorious symptom, slow or no return to center when cornering.

Next time we will tackle control arm, bushing, and ball joint repair! The above article is valid for all E36 BMW cars, including the 1992 318i, 1992 318is, 1992 325i, 1992 325is, 1993 318i, 1993 318is, 1993 325i, 1993 325is, 1994 318i, 1994 318is, 1994 325i, 1994 325is, 1995 318i, 1995 318is, 1995 325i, 1995 325is, 1996 318i, 1996 318is, 1996 328i, 1996 328is, 1997 318i, 1997 318is, 1997 328i, 1997 328is, 1998 323i, 1998 323is, 1998 328i, 1998 328is, and 1994 M3, 1995 M3, 1996 M3, 1997 M3, 1998 M3, and 1999 M3, plus 1995 318ti, 1996 318ti, 1997 318ti, 1998 318ti, and some european market cars not sold in North America. Use your best judgement!

BMW Parts - Had a good experience buying BMW parts online

2005-09-27T20:34:00.000-04:00

BMW parts now available here on the BMWNut Blog from one of the premier BMW auto parts distributors. Both oem replacement and performance parts are available for BMW cars from 1960 (the Neu Klasse era) up through now (I guess you could call it the Bangle era?). I have purchased replacement fogs for my E36 BMW 325is, along with a new mass air meter intake boot (its very common for the rubber boot that goes from the throttle body to the airflow meter to crack or tear as it shrinks and cracks due to age and heat from the engine - this certainly happens to other BMW models as well, not just E36 cars) from this parts supplier and have had great experiences both times, and can heartily endorse their services. Next up will be replacing the Guibo aka 'Flex Disc', spark plugs (always run Bosch oem plugs) and seals around the plugs...look for much more frequent posts and updates.

2005-08-02T09:36:00.000-04:00

Hi! I am a BMW car nut (a veritable Bimmerhead) who has wanted to put together a small site or blog for some time now. Over time, I will be creating and posting the latest BMW-related news, technical repair and modification information including how-to's, links to other BMW sites I find interesting, and general BMW information pertaining to all eras, including E9, E12, E21, E24, E26, E28, E30, E31, E32, E35, E36, E38, E39, E46, E49, E60 etc, from 1600's to M5's. I encourage and hope to enlist fellow Bimmerheads to help make this site a functional reality. I myself drive a 1995 BMW 325is with minor suspension and engine/drivertrain upgrades/modifications.