[uucdigest] Friday, March 3 2000 Volume 03 : Number 380 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ | For all available Digest commands including unsubscribe/subscribe, | visit the BMW UUC Digest page: http://www.uucdigest.com | Send SUBMISSIONS to [EMAIL PROTECTED] | Complaints? Send 'em to [EMAIL PROTECTED] if you must. | Visit http://www.bubbaclub.com | www.bimmers.com - "serving enthusiasts on the 'net" | Visit http://www.bimmer.org - ultimate BMW bulletin boards! | Subscribe to the Zionsville Autosport Parts Digest: | http://www.zionsvilleautosport.com/majordomo.htm ����������������������������������������� In this BMW UUC Digest: [uuc] Floorjacks [uuc] <E28> Leaky Tranny [uuc] RE: Need a floor jack [uuc] Update: All is not lost (was broken belt) [uuc] Re: Choose you CHIPS wisely [uuc] Racing Dynamics [uuc] re gloves [uuc] RE: <all> How do I store my car? Re: [uuc] <E46 M3> Is the new M3 a porker? [uuc] BMW/Toyota [uuc] Bonding with your Bimmer [uuc] RE: Racing Dynamics [uuc] Re: who wants to be a resale expert? [uuc] RE: Need a floor jack [uuc] Floor Jacks Re: [uuc] The perfect car / Toyota/BMW/etc. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Fri, 3 Mar 2000 11:20:31 -0500 From: "Duane Collie" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: [uuc] Floorjacks If I were buying a new floor jack today (us real car loonies have lifts and the floor jacks rust quietly away in the garage corner) , I'd look real hard at the one from GRIOTS GARAGE. This one looks well made, and is designed to lift lowered cars, unlike your garden variety shop jack. That's a major plus in BMW-land. It's not cheap, but the good stuff usually isn't. There's no photo on their web site of it, but you can get a catalog from Griot's by going to www.griotsgarage.com. - - Duane The Seven Sled ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 03 Mar 2000 08:04:08 -0800 From: Carol & Steve Willoughby <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: [uuc] <E28> Leaky Tranny Bobby, these trans will leak from both the shift selector shaft, and the output shaft seal also. If one is leaking, the other is probably leaking, too, so replace 'em both at the same time. This is the time to install that short shifter you always wanted! BEFORE YOU START TAKIN' STUFF APART, clean the entire engine, front, and exhaust side, and the trans. to be sure you find the leak(s). BEFORE you jump into the rear seals, etc. make sure to check out the front end of your engine. Eta engines are notorious for leaking engine oil from the head gasket, and it WILL run down the side of the engine and along the flange where the oil pan mounts. As you're racin' those P-cars,<g> it will blow off of the rear of the engine, onto the trans, and looks like a trans leak. Also, check your camshaft oil seal - if it leaks, and it probably does, you get the same symptoms as a head gasket oil leak. You're gonna find more than one leak on these engine/trans setups, but the parts are all cheap. If you're gonna do the work, save the head gasket for last. Before replacing the gasket, get a new set of Torx headbolts, follow the Bentley manual sequence, and replace all of those. You CAN replace 'em, one at a time, in the correct sequence.Make sure to torque them correctly. It may reduce that leak. If you're gonna replace the camshaft oil seal, replace the timing belt, too. Good luck! Steve '87 528e ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 3 Mar 2000 08:39:07 -0800 From: "Jerry Chyo" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: [uuc] RE: Need a floor jack Tim, I've had a POS Harbour Freight 2 ton jack for almost 6 years now. Never gave me a problem and has always held it's "pump" (easy fellas). I've used it a ton of times (I've been building and tearing apart a tii most of those years) and only paid $30 for it. I keep telling myself I'll buy a nice one when this one fails. I think it heard me and isn't ready to retire. FWIW Jerry Chyo '88 M5 '72 tii Timothy Taylor wrote (aren't you the Tool Guy?): > OK, the 15 year old crappy K-mart jack that my dad gave me when they moved > to Florida doesn't work anymore. Hell, I haven't tried it since he gave it > to me more than a year ago. It may have never worked. > > I remember everyone going ga-ga over the fancy jacks a few months > ago, but I > can't (won't?) swing $400 for a jack. What are my options? Buy > the best one > Sears has and hope it lasts a few years? Or am I just pissing money away? > Anyone in the DC area have a decent jack they want to sell? ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 3 Mar 2000 11:46:50 -0500 (EST) From: Alix Sebesta <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: [uuc] Update: All is not lost (was broken belt) Just got off the phone with the shop--I must say I'm relieved. The water pump is still perfectly functional. This was replaced by my brother about 50K miles ago. I don't know how long these typically last, but I'm not going to get a new one until next week. And if someone tells me not to get a new one, I will NOT listen. The cylinder head is fine, no damage of any sort. Maybe there is a god? At any rate, all it will take to get the car functional again is 3 new belts. Will be ready at 3 today. About $55 for labor, $15 for the belts, and $30 for towing. Those numbers are a lot more palatable than say, $750 for a new cylinder head... However... Mechanic also says the cam shaft seal is leaking onto the timing belt. I was planning on changing the timing belt next week anyhow, so if it can last one more week, that's good. If not, well, I was looking for a new car anyhow. Says something in the front suspension is shot. I can't remembder what he said. Wasn't the tie rod end tho. Hmmm. And my transmission is leaking. At least that was no suprise. At least spring break is in a week, so I guess I'll be spending 10 days of quality time with my car. Maybe that'll carry it over to the summer. At which point it'll decide it wants a new transmission, suspension, interior, etc etc etc. Thanks again to everyone that helped. Time to move on to crisis #8 for the week. Alix ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 3 Mar 2000 11:50:45 -0500 From: "Seth Thomas" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: [uuc] Re: Choose you CHIPS wisely For those of you who would like to see if Duane's assessment of Autothority chips is true, I have one that I will send to whoever wants to compare chips on a dyno. This one came with my LTW and it was the first thing that I took out. Replaced it with a Jim C. Euro Intake. Now that is the ticket if you have a 95 M3. But anyway, you guys let me know if you would be interested in trying the chip out and I will gladly mail it to you. Seth Thomas www.m3power.com ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 03 Mar 2000 11:54:17 -0500 From: "Robert Steele" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: [uuc] Racing Dynamics <Sorry if this is a duplicate, but I sent it 12 hours ago and it never showed in a Digest> I know this is an old thread, but is there any late news -- and, until there are searchable archives, I need a little help A very reputable tuner is selling a suspension package with Billstein shocks, H&R springs and, I believe, Racing Dynamics swaybars. The sways carry a guarantee from Electrodyne, the US subsidiary. The package says Racing Dynamics and is the same as the Italian logo. Are these sways any good or should I look elsewhere, such as the new UUC sways? I am ready to install.... the first NJ chapter autox is 4 weeks away!! Thanks all. Rob '97 328i UUC BL/SS, Billstein Sport shocks, H&R springs, and looking for good sways....... [EMAIL PROTECTED] ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 03 Mar 2000 10:01:05 -0700 From: Bruce McReynolds <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: [uuc] re gloves Driver's Gloves Upside: Keep hands warm at 8A Driver's meetings Look way cool Absorb some sweat Can be used to help get brisket out of smoker (For same purpose, welder's gloves are cheaper.) Gauntlets useful for wiping nose/mouth Downside: Difficult to pick nose Have to be removed to pry plastic caps off caliper bolts Harder to clean than hands Easier to lose than hands Cost more than hands Bruce McReynolds Santa Fe - the City Different - NM '88 M3 - evolving '89 635CSi BMWCCA 127260 ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 3 Mar 2000 09:06:13 -0800 From: "Jerry Chyo" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: [uuc] RE: <all> How do I store my car? Well. Since you insist. I'll charge you $75/mo to store it at my house. Geez. Ya try to do a guy a favor, and all you get are gripes. :^) Jerry Chyo '88 M5 '72 tii Jim the ungrateful wrote: > You guys are great. No really, you are much too kind. You would be > willing to "store" my car at your homes while I'm out of the country, > and no one has even asked me to pay them a storage fee. Talk about > generosity. > > I do appreciate the offers, (including the direct replies) but I > wouldn't want to impose so I think I will keep the car at a storage > unit. An "undisclosed" storage unit to protect the innocent. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 03 Mar 2000 12:12:57 -0500 From: ben keyes <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: Re: [uuc] <E46 M3> Is the new M3 a porker? "George, Zachariah (CICG Development)" wrote: > "After the initial sales wave, BMW intends to offer a stripped-down > version of the M3 that..." no one said that this model would ever make it across the ocean to us. you think that BMW would rather sell loaded 4 door sedans or stripped-out LTW's here ?? how about loaded wagons vs. stripped-out LTW's ?? after the lack of success with the E36 LTW, I'll bet for the higer margin, easy sales of a loaded model every time. Ben Keyes '99 M coupe - "loaded" with all 2 options. '88 M5 - no options left (CD changer died) ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 03 Mar 2000 12:12:59 -0500 From: "Neil Deshpande" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: [uuc] BMW/Toyota While on the subject, a friend of mine who has driven his P-car 944 for 15 years and keeps it in fair cosmetic, but awesome mechanical condition on a graduate student budget, makes a huge distinction between durability and reliability. BMWs are durable, but Toyotas are reliable. I've had pretty much every small system - seat adjustment, power windows, IP, heater control, vents, lights, door seals, locks, etc. - give way on my iS, but the engine still registers 5-10% on leakdown after 188,000 miles, 50k of which went on the car in the last two years and nothing major has rusted out yet and the paint is only now beginning to show the first signs of clear coat peel. A couple of old Toyota pickups (12-15 years) at work are completely rusted out with big holes in them, but they never start or idle badly. My car does from time to time. Neil Deshpande 1988 325 iS - 188k miles 1989 325 iC - 178k miles ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 03 Mar 2000 11:17:43 -0600 From: "Christopher J. Kolaitis" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: [uuc] Bonding with your Bimmer Hey Rob, I think you guys have it not exactly right. Every day you have to get down on your knee's and kiss your little cars Roundels on the front and the back. Guaranteed to make your car love you. Tonguing and rimming is not permitted or condoned, if caught doing so in public, your BMW CCA membership will be immediately terminated, without a vote of the membership. However, what you do in the privacy of your garage is OK. Chris, With another Friday with too much time and too little work to do. > From: "Rob Levinson - UUC Motorwerks" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Subject: Re: [uuc] <E30> 325e Why My Car Hates Me > > I suggest plenty of chanting and dancing around a fire. Nudity optional. > > If that doesn't work, say to the car, "See what happened to the GELDing? > Take a hint, you're next." > > - - Rob > > - ----- Original Message ----- > From: Alix Sebesta <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Subject: [uuc] <E30> 325e Why My Car Hates Me ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 3 Mar 2000 12:25:06 -0500 From: "Lin, Gary" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: [uuc] RE: Racing Dynamics Yes, this is a sore subject, but a club member friend who's an insider at Electrodyne - Racing Dynamics USA said that Electrodyne - RD USA, RD Sport, and Racing Dynamics Spa have all made up touchy feely and will resume their sales/mfg/mktg partnership. There is a bit more involved than we all speculate on. > Gary Lin National Capital Ch. '88 325is street '85 325eis track ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 3 Mar 2000 12:24:52 EST From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: [uuc] Re: who wants to be a resale expert? Values depend on location, too. A good friend is selling his 95 M3- 29K miles never wrecked, rights side repaint because of keying for $22K--This appears typical in the few I've seen for sale in south Louisiana. Will Bates 74 tii 97 M3/4 ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 3 Mar 2000 11:23:08 -0600 From: "Fadeev, Alex" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: [uuc] RE: Need a floor jack "Timothy Taylor" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> asks: > > I remember everyone going ga-ga over the fancy jacks a few > months ago, but I can't (won't?) swing $400 for a jack. > What are my options? Buy the best one Sears has and hope it > lasts a few years? Or am I just pissing money away? Anyone > in the DC area have a decent jack they want to sell? Tim, Unless you are a jack fetishist, you will indeed be pissing money away on those $400 jacks. Since they are all manufactured in the same very small part of the world these days, the only two remaining considerations are weights and cost. Most 2 1/2+ ton jacks will cost around $40. You don't need more then 2 1/2 ton capacity (I am sure someone will try to argue that the larger the capacity the greater the margin of safety - don't buy that). Look for the _lightest_ jack you can find. If you take the jack with you to swap tires at an autocross course, throwing 100lb $400 jack in and out of the trunk will get old _very_ fast. Bottle jacks are the lightest, but their base will sink into warm (not even hot) asphalt. Skip bottle jacks. For a lifetime replacement warranty (added bonus) buy that same generic 2 1/2 ton jack from Sears. It will probably carry the same price and will come in a plastic carrying case. No matter which jack you end up buying, remember to always stick jack stands under the car if you start crawling underneath it for any length of time. alex f ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 03 Mar 2000 09:37:24 -0800 From: Steve Albrecht <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: [uuc] Floor Jacks I bought a Sears 2.25 ton floor jack to work on my '67 Camaro. Let's see, that was back in '86. I rewarded its years of faithful service last fall by changing its hydraulic fluid, and it continues to thank me every time I walk past it on my way to my car. It easily lifts the entire side of the car from either the front or rear jack point. Steve Albrecht Golden Gate Chapter ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 03 Mar 2000 12:39:33 -0500 From: ben keyes <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: Re: [uuc] The perfect car / Toyota/BMW/etc. Rob Levinson - UUC Motorwerks wrote: > It's an insider's view of ToyotaWorld, specifically how factory workers are > treated. Truly horrific, near-slave conditions. Granted this was written a > few years ago so things may have changed. I have heard that things are not too bad at Toyota's US plants (where a majority (I think) of US market cars are built. They are in (generally) traditionally non-industrial locations in the south, so the workforce may be more flexible as compared with rust-belt union diehards tho. > With the introduction of the current Camry, AutoWeek ran an article about > how Toyota was specifically making steps to lower production costs, I do not recall that part of the article, but more that they had made a large effort to produce the vehicle based on a very strong yen at the beginning of the design cycle, which then shifted in Toyota's favor, meaning that the new Camry was able to offer more features for less money than the outgoing model. > loosening the rigid requirements/tolerances for parts and parts from > independent suppliers. New Toyotas are NOT the same as old ones. having been around the industry & deeply involved in the engineering/ccost reduction side of the business, I have never heard of reducing tolerances as a means of savings. we use different materials and methods, but building in "slop" in designs just to make them cheaper does not enter into the equation here. I'll reserve comment on the basic "goodness" of designs. > BMW's major components do seem to be built stronger than most anything else. > All the annoying stuff that breaks on our cars is usually an auxiliary > component, controller, electronic piece, etc. - made by an independent > supplier. I think that the general nature of BMW's as higher priced "luxury" cars is a part of the reason that they are built to last. it is harder (tho not impossible) to get the feeling of luxury/solidity/quality in a vehicle without a basic design & exectuion that is very sound. Higher quality parts will last longer & proven designs will be evolved and improved. Toyota has generally built completely solid "appliance" cars that fit a large part of the market's desires, especially when cost of ownership & residual value are factored in. Enthusiasts are going to seek out something several steps beyond the level of involvement that most Toyota (or Ford/GM/D-C/Nissan/Honda) products offer. When a company manages to work in performance & character into a "commodity" car and then grow their customer base, then they're on to something. BMW has done a very good job of this, even if they have lost some of the "edge" of earlier products in the name of feeding the overall market. I agree with Neil's point about reliability vs. durability. on top of that there is the whole issue of "craftsmanship", which is something different than "quality". We have whole departments dedicated to this sort of thing. Ben Keyes '99 M coupe '88 M5 ------------------------------ End of [uucdigest] V3 #380 ************************** _________________________________________ | Please visit these UUC-approved BMW parts vendors/service providers: | (listed alphabetically) | Bonneville Motorwerks . http://www.bonnevillemotorwerks.com | Circle Tire Co. (used & classic BMW parts) e-mail [EMAIL PROTECTED] | Curry's Auto Service . http://www.currysauto.com | Eurosport . http://www.eurosport-hp.com | Koala MotorSport . http://www.koalamotorsport.com | Taylor BMW - http://www.taylorbmw.com - Doc Bimmer! | The Ultimate Garage . http://www.ultimategarage.com | UUC Motorwerks . http://www.uucmotorwerks.com | Zionsville Autosport . http://www.zionsvilleautosport.com ����������������������������������������
