More Weight, More Spring
I have a European-specification BMW 318i four-door sedan originally equipped with the M40 engine. I recently installed a European-specification 320i 2-liter DOHC M50 engine with gearbox, differential, wiring harness, computer, etc. Everything works well. My question concerns my front struts. My tires are 215/60-15 and they are touching the wheel housings. What front struts do I need to install to overcome this problem?
Vish
via the Internet
Your tire-rubbing problem is not the struts per se but the coil springs. You need coil springs for a 320i. You should also use the front struts for the 320i due to upgraded damping. I believe the rear shocks are the same, but the springs may not be. Investigate this at a BMW dealership; you may need rear springs, too.Also, I believe your correct 15-in. tire size is 205/60-15, but I don't think this is causing the rubbing problem.
BMW SMG: The Manual Gearbox Meets Rube Goldberg
I am driving a 1997 BMW M3 3.2 SMG cabrio with 131,000km. Lately I have experienced that sometimes the gear-position indicator on the dashboard starts flickering. Sometimes it goes away by itself. Twice, after stopping the car, it was not possible to drive away again. The car is in first gear on the dashboard but nothing happens when applying the accelerator. After some minutes the flickering goes away and the cars acts normally again.The gearbox oil level and electrical circuits check out OK. My BMW dealer has checked the computer, which states no failures. Can you give me a direction in which I should look for the problem?Charles Leeflang
Zeewolde, Holland
With sequential manual gearboxes, car manufacturers have taken what was perhaps the most dependable and durable transmissions in the world and turned them into electro-hydraulic Rube Goldberg contraptions. In one fell swoop, the manual gearbox went from dream to nightmare--at least, from a technician's standpoint. With this many electronics, electrics, and hydraulics, it is inevitable that cryptic failures would occur, and they do. BMW dealerships like to plug the car into their computer and read a fault code, which is great if the failure sets a fault code, but not every problem does. In these cases, the technicians need to employ good old-fashioned diagnostic snooping. This is what has to happen here. Or, you can wait until the problem is chronic, in which case it will still be present when the technician has the car in his service bay.
Meanwhile, I would recommend verifying battery voltage under static and loaded conditions, as a low voltage condition can wreak havoc on these electronic cars. But my feeling is this problem is electronic in nature. When it happens again, try shutting off the engine for 15 seconds or so, and then restart it. This can be like rebooting Windows on these cars.
Nitrous Oxide: No Laughing Matter
I have a 1994 production M3 3.0-liter which was equipped with a Hamann Motorsport package, including a chip and an exhaust system that increased the performance of the engine fron 286 hp to 330 hp. Now I'd like to install nitrous on the engine, but I need your help with this.Do you have any technical data on the Hamann Motorsport chip? Does it advance timing? Any recommendation how to install nitrous on this engine?
Thomas Szene
Perkasie, PA
Initially, the U.S.-specification 3.0-liter E36 M3 engine produced 240 hp in stock form, not 286 hp. I'm not familiar with the Hamann parts you installed, however I'm skeptical of their horsepower claim and I suspect it relates to the European-specification S50 engine, not the U.S.-spec engine. On the other hand, you didn't tell us whether or not you have a U.S.-specification car.In any event, most of the BMW letters we receive that mention nitrous oxide injection also mention "blown engine." So my advice is proceed very carefully. The only BMW parts company we're aware of that sells a nitrous kit for BMWs is Bavarian Autosport ( www.bavauto.com). It is not a bolt-on deal; this kit will require expert fabrication and tuning tailored to each specific application.
Probably because nitrous is far less popular or common amongst Bimmer drivers, we do not have the bolt-in-gas-n-go kits that are available for the Fast and Furious crowd. My reading is that BMW enthusiasts tend to be more interested in consistent high performance over the long haul of ownership. To the extent they are into competition with their cars it involves time trials on road racing courses, rather than the sort of stoplight-to-stoplight racing that lends itself well to nitrous and that's so popular with the Fast and Furious kids.
RHD E30 Headers
I'm looking for a set of headers for a right-hand drive BMW E30 323i. Any ideas where I could get one and what horsepower gain I should expect?
Tony Patmore
via the Internet
That's a tall order, Tony. I'd recommend you visit www.jaymic.com in England, and see if they can point you in the right direction. If anyone will know, they will. The German tuners had E30 six-cylinder RHD headers at one point, but these cars are museum pieces to the Germans. We have no dyno figures on a stock E30 323i with RHD headers versus stock. However, I suspect the horsepower gain would be low-to-moderate and not dramatic.
Get with that Manufacturer!
I recently replaced the ECU in my 1995 BMW 318ti with a Haltec controller. The new controller works fine but the instrument cluster now does not. The fuel and coolant temperature gauges are behaving quite erratically. It appears to me to be a grounding problem. Apparently these gauges were grounded in the stock ECU. Anyway, I can't get a proper wiring diagram to tackle the problem. Can you offer any help?
Andre
via the Internet
My best advice is to contact Haltec. This sort of thing is almost to be expected when putzing around with BMW electronics; they are problematic enough in stock configuration. If Haltec cannot help, and in the absence of the services of an electronics engineer, I'd return the unit and put the stock ECU back in service.
Mini Voyages Abroad
I'm hoping you can answer a question concerning the Mini USA vs. European models. I would like to purchase a Mini here in the United States, however, I might be moving to Europe and was wondering how much difference there is between the two versions. Will service and parts be available? What kind of safety specification changes might be needed for a U.S.-spec Mini?
Steve
Seattle, WA
Much depends on which European country will be this Mini's new home. Usually, the only thing you have to do to register a contemporary U.S.-specification car in most European countries is upgrade the lighting to whatever standards exist in the country of registration. Germany, for example, requires you to install the far superior European-specification lighting. Germany also requires elimination of the side marker lights. Some parts of France require that plus yellow headlights. Some countries, including Germany, require a rear fog light. Other countries require no modifications at all.The same applies to parts and service. If you're in one of the larger European countries, it shouldn't be much of a problem. Find yourself in some of the former Eastern-bloc countries, and you'll be lucky to find a shop that can maintain a European-specification Mini, let alone a U.S. car. And of course you can forget about the warranty.
The Skinny on Mini
I'd like your opinion on upgrading the Cooper S. Should I buy an aftermarket kit from Mini Mania like the stage two, or should I use the John Cooper works kit and not buy MOMO seats?
Kit Keyser
via the Internet
Mini Mania has some very nice stuff, and to be honest with you I'd probably buy a lot of it if I had a Mini. But there's no doubt I'd go with the John Cooper works kit. I've seen it in action, and I know that a tremendous amount of R&D was put into it. There's also the historical aspect--it's kind of the right thing to do. And down the road when the parts are no longer available, that cylinder head will be worth its weight in gold. Well, maybe not that much, but it will be a highly prized item that will probably be responsible for more than one divorce after Ebay auctions of the future.
Seats are a totally individual choice. I like the sport seats in the Mini, and I'd only change them to reduce weight or to facilitate safety harnesses. Just make sure slider brackets are available for whatever seat you buy as this is sometimes an issue with MOMO.
God Makes Mustangs, Too
I have a 1984 BMW 318i. I want to put in a Ford 302 but I don't know where to find a conversion kit.
Chris
via the Internet
No problem, Chris. The conversion kit is called a Mustang, and it's as close as your local used car lot. But there's no need to install a truck engine in a BMW when you can buy the truck with the engine already installed!Seriously, there is no conversion kit and for good reason. A Ford V8 would totally ruin the car. It's way too heavy for effective weight distribution, and possibly for the engine carrier as well. None of the drivetrain components would work. Everything would have to be completely fabricated at great expense. For any purpose other than straight-line acceleration it would be a step backwards. And for straight-line acceleraton, it would make a great deal more sense to buy the Mustang instead.
Welcome to the Race Track
I have a 325is and have upgraded the rear brakes to 328iC assemblies. However, I find the pedal still going long and front pad wear excessive. In a two-day school at Road America I went completely through a front set of Pagid Blues while the rears barely burnished the rotors. Is there an upgrade for the brake master cylinder? The part number for the 328iC master cylinder is different from that of my 1992 325is. Will the 328iC master cylinder work on my 325is? Any other suggestions?
Ron Clarkson
via the Internet
Welcome to the track, Ron. It is not unusual to tear through a set of front brake pads in two days. Service demand is the primary factor, backed up by the track, speeds, tire type and size, ambient heat, braking style, cooling provisions, and cool down procedures.Regarding the pedal feel, probably what you've got there is a tired brake master cylinder, plain and simple, which you could replace with the original part number. Upgrades are always nice, but the BMW parts information doesn't tell us the difference between one E36 brake master cylinder and another, or whether they are interchangeable.
Project 325is Suspension: A Bit Much for the Street
In Part 4 of project 325is you were installing T.C. Kline suspension components on the car. You said, "For alignment specs, T.C. recommended the following: Front camber, 2-degrees negative for street, 3.5-degrees negative for track. As noted, this takes just minutes with the camber plates. Front toe, 1/16-in. total in for street, 0-1/8-in. out for track, caster, all you can get, rear camber, 1.5 to 2.0 degrees, rear total toe 3/16-in.
Because I don't have camber plates yet, but I know my camber is close to -2, I'm wondering if it's OK to just set the rest of the suspension to these specs accordingly. Is it safe on the tires and how is the turn-in and high-speed stability? Thought I ask before I do anything stupid. Hope I hear from you since T.C. Kline never e-mailed me back regarding this. Also, I wasn't able to find a source for the factory alignment specs for this E36 325is. If you have them handy can you e-mail them my way please?
Iliyan Palikarev
via the Internet
Dan Barnes, owner of Project 325is, has moved on to greyer pavement; he no longer writes for us. But before he left, Barnes told me that the T.C. Kline polyurethane components he installed were a bit much for the street. T.C. Kline's suspension setups are legendary at the track, but I tend to agree with Barnes regarding the street. I also think -2 degrees negative is a heapin' helpin' of camber on a street car. It's fine, not dangerous or anything, and will provide great cornering power. The trade-off will be some significant inside tire tread wear, though. I'd go with -1.5 degrees on the street--just my opinion.
There is no problem with setting up your suspension to Kline's specs and waiting until later to install the adjustable camber plates. Rear camber is adjustable on this car only with aftermarket adjustable control arms.All E36 alignment specifications are set forth in the Bentley E36 Service Manual (www.bentleypublishers.com). It's too much to retype here, but you need this book if you're going to be working on this car anyway.
Alfa Who?
I have been an avid reader for years. I desperately would like to purchase a new Alfa Romeo, but obviously they are not available in the U.S. Is it possible to purchase cars not officially imported to the U.S.?John Beechy
via the Internet
It is possible, but not inexpensive. With respect to new cars in particular, personally imported cars may only be brought to the U.S. for racing or display purposes, and they may not be registered or driven on roads. There are, of course, certain ways around this. Car manufacturers can bring in non-conforming models for testing purposes, and car dealerships and others in the automotive industry may have "roving tags" than they can switch from one car to another. However, you have a long and expensive road ahead of you if you want to drive a new Alfa in the U.S.Intially, please visit this Web site:
http://www.bmwworld.com/bmw/importing.htmIt is tailored to BMWs, but marque really does not matter.
E36 M3 Stuff
I have seen some silver colored carbon fiber interior products. Do they make a silver-colored carbon-fiber hood? If not, is there a good source to buy one from for 1997 M3?Who do you recommend for upgraded brakes, including calipers? Is Brembo the way to go? I would like to keep the cost down a little.
Rick Brown
via the Internet
There are many companies out there building carbon-fiber body parts for the E36 3 Series, and if you page through an issue of European Car you will find most of them. A search on google.com will likely reveal the rest. Bear in mind that not all of them will use the factory hood mounting and lifting mechanisms--some attach with hood pins.Carbon fiber is, well, carbon-fiber-colored. You can paint it any color you want, and not all carbon fiber is "finished" for a nice unpainted look. That stuff costs more.
You can't walk down the street without stumbling over an E36 M3 big brake kit. StopTech, UUC Motorwerks, Turner Motorsport, Active Autowerke, Bavarian Autosport, BMP Design--these companies all sell big brake kits for the E36 M3. I recommend visiting their Web sites and finding the one that meets your needs. Brembo makes great brakes, too, and don't discount the company as unaffordable without checking your particular fitment and comparing it with other kits.
S50: Any Pre-1996 E36
Would it be possible to put a 1995 M3 S50 engine in to the engine bay of a 1993-1995 325is?
Nicholas Ellert
via the Internet
Sure. The 1995 S50 will work in any pre-1996 (OBD-I) E36, and six cylinder cars do not require spring and shock conversions to M3 parts, although it is highly advisable, along with M3 brakes.
Shark Injector: Reusable, But Only on the Intended Engine
Is there any way you can reuse the Shark Injector? I bought my Shark Injector for my 1998 323is, but I just got a 1997 3.2-liter M3 engine with ECU and wiring harness to swap in. I want to take the program back into the Shark Injector from my 2.5-liter engine and install on my 3.2l engine. Is any way I can do that?
Cristian Diaz Arata
via the Internet
OK, the Conforti Shark Injector is a reusable tool in that you can download the original or the performance software for the intended vehicle application as many times as you want.
However, what you want to do is different. If I understand you correctly, you have a Conforti Shark Injector for a 1998 323is, and you want to use it on a 1997 M3 engine. Is that correct? The answer is no; it won't work.We spoke with Doug Mahar at Turner Motorsport regarding your question. His reply: "The software load is completely different for the 3.2. I'm afraid there is no way to reset it once it has been used, so in order to "shark" the 3.2, he'd have to buy a new unit. To prevent EWS code theft and Conforti software theft, this was the only way this unit could be designed."
Alaska is Lonely for Bimmers, Too
I have a 1985 325e over 200,000 miles and still running. When I step on the gas my car hesitates a little. I've replaced the distributor cap and rotor, spark plug wires and spark plugs. I've replaced the fuel pressure regulator and hose, the hose going from the valve cover to throttle body, the hose going from the idle air stabilizer to the throttle body, and a couple fuel hoses. I really hope you got some good advice because I really would love to have that power and speed back.
Jahmal Coulson
Ft. Wainwright, AK
The first thing you need to do is buy the Bentley E30 3 Series Service Manual. In it, you will see that among the prime suspects are the reference and speed sensors on this engine. I would elevate that to THE prime suspects. You will need the manual for the diagnostic procedures as they are too long to retype here, and you'll also need it for the drivability trouble tree if I am wrong about the sensor issue. Also, if it's not a sensor problem, verify that the flywheel ring gear teeth are all present and in good condition. I am especially concerned about the speed sensor given your description of the problem. The speed sensor can check out OK and the problem could be the flywheel. See, the speed sensor counts the flywheel teeth to gauge engine speed, which it then sends to the Motronic engine management computer. If there are flywheel teeth damaged or missing, well, that screws up the whole message to the computer. The common result is a miss exactly as you described. Flywheel teeth can be damaged by running the car with a sticking starter drive, which is characterized as a "ching" sound upon starter engagement.
Sigh: Engine Swaps
OK, this is going to be messy: In 1991 BMW came out with a straight six, 3.6 liters, with 311 hp. I bought a 1988 735i. I don't like automatics. I don't like 200 hp. Can the motor swap in? Do the mounts fit the same? Do I have to modify anything? If so, what would you recommend and from which companies?
Ragnar Jubany
via the Internet
The engine you refer to is the S88 M5 engine. My question, which is far less messy than yours, is this: Why would you not simply sell your 1988 735i and buy a 1991 M5 with the engine and gearbox you want already installed by the experts--BMW-- and combined with the brakes and suspension to handle the extra power? You would still have a large four-door sedan, only one that is among the most capable sports sedans in the world, and one that you don't need to build yourself. If the answer is money, then I can guarantee you it will cost less to buy a 1991 M5 than to build one yourself, however interesting a car that may be from an editorial perspective.
While the S88 is theoretically related to the M30 engine in your 1988 735i, very little would bolt up and much fabrication would be involved. In particular, you'd have to fabricate the exhaust system. The M5 used a unique beefed up Getrag gearbox, however you could probably get by using a regular one for the 735i or a 535i or 635CSi. That would be easier, as the E32 7 Series was available with a manual gearbox, so you could order the driveshaft from BMW. Most of the parts you would need in terms of pedal linkages and interior parts would need to come from BMW. In terms of a shop to do the whole deal, I'd recommend Koala Motorsport in Ohio (www.koalamotorsport.com).
You also have the option of converting your 735i to a five-speed manual, and tuning the engine for some more power. I'd recommend a Conforti chip, with your high compression pistons, a Schrick 284 cam combined with a nice three-angle valve job and Extrude Honed exhaust manifolds.
Automatics Issues II
I have an E46 BMW with a ZFHP19 transmission. How would I go about making the transmission stronger, so that it would hold more power without failure or slippage? I would like it to hold 300 lb-ft of torque with no problem.
Yousif Abbas
via the Internet
The best way would be to remove the automatic transmission and replace it with BMW's infinitely more durable manual gearbox. Apart from that, there's really nothing you can do. This transmission already has a big oil cooler, and I don't recommend messing with BMW's proprietary automatic transmission fluid. If you are against converting to a manual gearbox, then my advice is to run it until it breaks and buy a replacement BMW automatic transmission.
Automatics Issues III
I drive a 1999 323i with an automatic transmission. The car came from a BMW dealership with 25,000 miles last December and now I have little more than 30,000 miles. From beginning I noticed a clunk when downshifting down into second and first gears, especially when the engine is warming up and again when I drive in stop and go traffic with engine at full operating temperature.The dealer checked the car, but did not find anything wrong. Please tell me what it could be.
Zibby Piwowarski,
Vancouver, British Columbia
This problem is detailed in BMW Service Information Bulletin 24 09 98 as being caused by excessive axial play between the output shaft and the output flange. A relatively simple repair kit is available, part number 24 21 7 515 388, which includes a new flange and some washers and clips. Tell your dealership to review the bulletin.If you had complained of this problem within the warranty period, the work would have been done for free. However, out of warranty, this is a customer-pay job.