The Right Parts for the Car
I own a 1995 BMW 325is. I just got a set of Hamann wheels that came off a 5 Series (low offset). They are 18-in. and stick out in the rear too much, rubbing against the fender. My question is would it work if I replaced my rotors and calipers with M3 parts?
Julian Santos
via the Internet
Julian, the problem is not the rotors and calipers; the problem is you bought the wrong wheels for the car. You haven't told us the offset of these wheels, but we can't take away what is already there. Spacers aren't going to work. Moreover, if these wheels came from an E39 5 Series BMW, then the hub diameter is also wrong. They will not fit hub-centrically on an E36 3 Series, meaning the car is going to vibrate like a Catholic schoolgirl's nightstand. I suspect you have E39 5 Series wheels, because no other 5 Series except the current E60 had 18-inch Hamann wheel fitments. Sorry to bear bad news, but they will never work on this car.
Used 7 Series: BMW Technicians' Work Car of Choice
I am looking at purchasing a 1988 BMW 750iL with what has been described as a malfunctioning computer for the transmission. The current owner states that the vehicle was in "safe-mode," which only enables reverse and the high gear to function. The transmission has already been replaced, so the mechanical variable is out of the equation. I'm curious if what's stated is factual. Can the computer be reprogrammed or can this "safe-mode" be deactivated? I thought it a wise course to ask before making the purchase to prevent wasted money and the frustration it creates.
Shannon Posey
via the Internet
I wouldn't write off the transmission quite so fast, Shannon. The 750iL is an extremely complex car with a classic example of BMW's persnickety automatic transmissions. You need to have this car checked over thoroughly by a professional BMW technician, dealer or independent, at your own expense, in order to have any idea what needs to be done to sort it out and to make an informed purchase.
If things are as the current owner says, then you need to buy a new EGS control unit for the transmission, from BMW, at great expense.
These issues and many others illustrate why the out-of-warranty BMW 7 Series V8 and V12 models make wonderful 150-mph work cars for BMW technicians--they're the only ones who can keep up with the electronic foibles, cobbling together e-boxes from the core pile in the corners of their shops. I know techs who buy these cars for very little money from customers who are at the end of their rope.
Automatics Suck
When my 1989 525i automatic is running reverse gear acts like park and neutral actually works as a drive gear, but when the car is off neutral goes back to normal--in other words, I can push the car and it will roll. I disconnected the shift linkage and reset it but it did not perform any differently. Also, the car will start in any gear and I know it's not supposed to do that. Since it only acts up when it's running, I started thinking that maybe it was a computer problem. Is my problem something major requiring a shop, or might this be a problem I could take care of myself if I were mechanicaly inclined?
Bert Aguayo
Dallas, TX
Your problem does seem link it is linkage relate--or at least hardware related rather than electronic. I'm a bit perplexed by your statement that it only acts up when it's running--when else would an automatic transmission act up? Without having the car here there's not much help I can render, but this problem requires hands-on work. I recommend you take the car to a professional BMW shop, dealer or independent.
On the bright side, if you can get the shifter into a position where the slushbox shifts normally it is unlikely that you need a new transmission, which is normally the diagnosis when a BMW automatic acts up.
Anything fits in any E30...well, almost
I have a 1991 318is with a thrown valve stem. I've been reading through some of your technical questions and answers, and I was wondering about all the possible engine swaps I could perform and all the parts I'll need. Also, what are some good Web sites I where might find these parts?
William Saylors
Bowie, MD
Initially, I'm curious about what happened to the original M42 engine. You say it has, "a thrown valve stem." That doesn't tell us much. What exactly happened--did a valve spring or valve spring retainer break?
The E30 3 Series will accept just about any BMW engine you want to install. I've never seen one with a V12, but I have seen a few V8s and every four and six cylinder engine BMW makes. It all depends on how much money you want to spend, as an engine swap can easily exceed the cost of a replacement BMW with the engine you want already installed. Obviously, the least expensive route is to install another M42 engine. You should know that E36 3 Series M42 engines are different from yours. You can use an E36 M42, but you'll need the engine wiring harness and the DME computer, and possibly the ancillaries.
As for six-cylinder engines that will bolt to the existing manual gearbox, that narrows you down to the BMW M50/S50 engine family produced from 1992 through 1995 for OBD-I. Other mods will still be required, though, such as E30 325i front springs and strut inserts to handle the extra weight. You'd also need a new radiator and exhaust system, a cobbled combo of E36 front exhaust parts and E30 325i rear exhaust parts. You'd need to modify the rear valance panel to clear the dual tail pipes. If this swap interests you, visit www.zionsvilleautosport.com. They sell an instructional CD that walks you through the conversion, and they sell parts kits for it, too.For used parts in general, visit www.bimmerssouth.com and www.altaylorsportscars.com.
Hard Start Problems
I have a 1994 325is five-speed. The check engine light is on. It suffers hard starting and sometimes dies at idle, but will restart again. After it warms up there no problems. I went to dealer and he said it was the low speed idle control valve. I replaced the valve but the car still has the same problem.
Next problem: If I leave the car sit turned off for 10 minutes it will not restart. I have to wait at least 45-60 minutes to restart the car. I have the shop manual, and am looking for professional direction.
Kenvia the Internet
First, you need to download the onboard diagnostic codes to see what's setting the check engine light, then proceed diagnostically from there. If you have the Bentley E36 3 Series Service Manual, it will tell you how to get the codes and read them. There is also a cold start/run diagnostic trouble tree, which you should then follow. There are many things that can cause this problem.The second problem sounds like it may be completely separate, but also requires hands-on diagnosis. While the car will not start, you need to determine if there is power into and out of the main relay and the fuel pump relay. If there is no power at the main relay, then you're looking at either an anti-theft system problem or the ECU. If there is power into but not out of the main relay, then it's the relay. If there is power into and out of the main relay and into the fuel pump relay but not out of it, then you need a fuel pump relay. If there is power all around but no fuel pump function, then you need a fuel pump. There could also be wiring issues, or an ignition problem. On a BMW six cylinder of this vintage I would also not discount ignition coil problems, but I don't think that is the cause of these problems.
Raising the Bar
I want to raise the level of perfromance in my Bimmer. It is in good condition, a 1994 318i. Could I swap my four-cylinder engine for an M3 engine? What kind of engine would I need? I don't how do I go about upgrading my old engine.
Celso
via the Internet
I would say if you're daunted by upgrading your existing engine, then an engine swap is going to be well outside the realm of your mechanical ability. If you're paying a professional, then I can promise you it will be less expensive to simply sell the 318i and buy a used E36 M3.A performance chip and exhaust system can free up some power on the M42 318i engine, but the difference is not dramatic. The dramatic difference comes from a Downing/Atlanta Supercharger (www.downingatlanta.com), which can produce about 215 hp. It makes the 318i feel like a warmed-over 325i. The bolt-on kit is very nice, and affords you hot-rodded 325i performance at 318i insurance rates.
The engine swap would require a 1995 OBD-I M3 engine or a modified 1996-1999 OBD-II M3 engine. You can use your existing manual gearbox and differential, but you would need to upgrade the suspension and brakes to M3 components at a minimum.
Brake and suspesion upgrades would be very smart on a supercharged 318i as well, however M3 suspension parts would only be viable on a six-cylinder engine conversion due to the increased weight involved. For a supercharged 318i, use aftermarket 318i parts, such as Bilstein Sport shocks and shorter, firmer aftermarket coil springs. I would also recommend E36 M3 front control arm bushings and E46 M3 rear control arm bushings. When installing rear control arm bushings in an E36 or E46, it is critical to torque the control arms to spec with the rear supension in normal operating position, not full droop. Naturally, a four-wheel alignment will be required after the work.
BMW Coil Spring Interchange
I have a 1997 BMW M3 and intend to install lowering springs from Dinan and Bilstein shocks. My son owns a 1994 BMW 318i. Can the original suspension components from the 1997 M3 be installed on the 1994 318i? Does this require a different wheel and tire combination? Are there any other issues to consider?
Fred Striz
via the Internet
The 1997 M3 coil springs and shocks will physically fit a 1994 318i, but they will be wrong and perform poorly due to the fact that they were designed for a car that's heavier in the front. If your son had a six-cylinder E36 3 Series car, it would be no problem. But the four is lighter. These parts are blind to wheel and tire combination--if it fits with the original parts, it will fit with the M3 parts. I would be less concerned about fitting the shocks than the springs, as vehicle ride height is entirely a function of the springs. However, there's no doubt that the front shock damping would be pretty firm for a 318i. Never having done this, I'm not sure what effect that would have on drivability.
Coil springs last for hundreds of thousands of miles. One issue to consider with respect to the shocks is, are they now worn to the point where installing them on another car is pointless? If they have much more than 50,000 miles on them, I'd say forget it.