[uucdigest] Wednesday, July 4 2001 Volume 03 : Number 3968 _________________________________________________________________ | | Search the ARCHIVES: | http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected] | | Visit Richard Nott's Ultimate BMW Database: | http://www.gis.nsw.gov.au/staff/rnott/bmw/bmw.html | | 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. | Technical Problems? Send 'em to [EMAIL PROTECTED] |__________________________________________________________________ In this BMW UUC Digest: RE: [uuc] Changing to Synthetic ["Karl Zemlin" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>] Re: [uuc] <e30> obc light replacement [Ed MacVaugh <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>] [uuc] back from maui! [Jay <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>] [uuc] Re: <e30> obc light replacement [John Bolhuis <[EMAIL PROTECTED]] [uuc] Tarted-up m6 [Tom Walrod <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>] Re: [uuc] Tire dia vs. gearing? Gearing vs. acceleration? ["Gilbert Hoffm] [uuc] E30 Fuel Tanks read this before buying a replacement unit. ["Steven] RE:[uuc] <ADMIN> If you stopped receiving the UUC Digest... [Harveytchao@] RE: [uuc] Coolant smell ["Kevin" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>] [uuc] E36 AC problem and transmission noise [[EMAIL PROTECTED]] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 4 Jul 2001 00:21:09 -0500 From: "Karl Zemlin" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: RE: [uuc] Changing to Synthetic I have switched 3 BMW engines to synthetics - all had over 180,000 miles. No problems with any engine - except for the head-on with a pickup ... that was hard on the engine, and then there was the flat bed that spun into my "nose" - that was hard on an engine too. I don't think those engine problems were related to synthetic oil. The talk of synthetic causing leaks is related to HIGH MILEAGE engines. Yours is practically brand new!! I have a (fairly) high mileage engine at 188,000 miles. On synthetic now for 15,000 miles. no runs, no drips, no errors, no smoke. - -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]On Behalf Of Donn and Sally York Sent: Tuesday, July 03, 2001 11:00 PM To: BMWUUC Digest; BMW E39 Group Subject: [uuc] Changing to Synthetic If you've followed my tale of woe, things are looking up, prompting a question. To summarize my situation, on the way back from Windsor, Ontario after picking up a '98 540/6, I hit road debris about 40 miles from home. Two air bags and a sheared transmission plug ($11000 in damages) later, Allstate has agreed to foot the bill for the new tranny and air bags. The BMW dealer that's doing the repairs has agreed to give me a free (but slightly early) Inspection II for bringing them $11k of work. So things are looking up. : ^ ) Here's the question: I'd like to use synthetic oil from now on in the car, but don't yet know what it has had in the first 28,000 miles of ownership. Hopefully, I will learn more about it's service history. If, however, prior oil is either dino or unknown, is it too late to safely switch to synthetic? I remember reading that if you switch after too long, the synthetic can create small oil leaks. Thanks, Donn '97 328i sedan w/31k for sale '98 540/6 due back from shop in about a week! ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 04 Jul 2001 01:14:25 -0400 From: Ed MacVaugh <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: Re: [uuc] <e30> obc light replacement I don't think it is necessary to wrestle with the light wavelength on these lights. The procedure is on the net, although I don't have the URL. You replace two incandescent bulbs with white LEDs. The color of the display is filtered by a gelatin screen that you don't disturb when converting to LED illumination. I just keep putting replacement bulbs in mine and so far, haven't done the job twice on the same car. Ed Neil Deshpande wrote: > > John: > > Is the exact wavelenght 509 nM? I'll have to check > for that very carefully when I get my LEDs! > > Thanks! > > Neil Deshpande ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 03 Jul 2001 19:22:11 -1000 From: Jay <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: [uuc] back from maui! hey gang...got back last night from maui, hawaii...and i have to say it is BEAUTIFUL!!! if any of you ever have a chance to go there, DO IT!!! to me, it's nicer than oahu...the roads are open and twisty...from what i saw, no one obeyed the posted speed limits...and not once during my 10 day stay did i see the local law enforcement out on the highways with laser guns (hawaii uses laser guns only)...on my trip i saw 1 E39 M5, 5 E36s, 1 M coupe, NO E36 M3s, 3 E34s, 3 E21s, 1 E30 M3, and a whole lotta E30's...i guess you can take me outta the BMW, but you cant take the BMW outta me ;D ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 3 Jul 2001 22:43:03 -0700 (PDT) From: John Bolhuis <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: [uuc] Re: <e30> obc light replacement On Tue, 3 Jul 2001, Neil Deshpande wrote: > John: > > Care to detail the procedure? I'd like to do this on > my 88 iS. I know there is a kind of 'fence' there > when you take loose the console. Are you suggesting > you cut through this? > > Is the exact wavelenght 509 nM? I'll have to check > for that very carefully when I get my LEDs! sure: 1: get a cold beer 2: use short philips screwdriver to remove vertical screws at bottom of radio/heater/obc cluster. A small mechanics mirror is very convenient here! 3: pull the hazard flasher switch out. also pull out #2 dummy plate nearby. (convertible owners, pull out the top uppen-downen switch) 2 philips head screws lurk in there to hold in the top of the radio/heater/obc cluster. 3: now the assembly is loose, but not quite loose enough. 4: have another beer 5: yank the handles off the vent controls - heater, vent, & defrosters. Pop the bezel off from around these 3 controls. You'll need the same sharp little screwdriver you used to remove the hazard flasher switch without scratching the daylights out of it. 6: damn it's hot today. Set up a fan blowing air at you. Friggin' garage needs more windows or something. Must be a hunnerd degrees in here. 7: Remove the 4 screws underneath that bezel. Now you have a lot more mobility since you don't have to move the HVAC controls around. The panel should pull out a few inches for you now to reveal more of the guts back there. The OBC is held in place by 4 screws from the BACK SIDE. Marvel at the violence you'd do to the bozo that designed the furshlugginer thing that way if you ever met him. 8: Check on the beer. It's getting warm? Finish it. Get another cold one. 9: You can remove the two screws from the top of the OBC pretty easily with a shorty screwdriver now. The light assembly sticks in the front right side of the OBC. It's behind a little plastic fence there. Grab yer side cutters and hack away until there's a hole big enough to facilitate its removal. 10: You might need to grab the top of the OBC and pull it out just a hare while you grab the light module with a needlenose pliers and slip it out from the side. 11: friggin' fan tipped over. It's still gotta be 100 degrees in here. Sheez. Which beer is this? 12: The light unit disassembles easily. Desolder the light bulbs and solder LEDs in place of them. There's a small mark on the connector that indicates the negative side for LED retrofitting. Lucky for me I guessed right on this one. 13: Stupid garage fridge is set TOO cold, and this new beer freezes into slush after I open it. Dammit all to heck. 14: Reassembly is the reverse of disassembly. Do parts 9, 7, 18, and 3 in reverse order. Or something. The part where you need to put those bottom screws in is where the little mirrow REALLY comes in handy. 15: look at the new motorcycle you just bought. smack yourself on the forehead because you just finished like, 5 beers and now you can't go for a ride. 16: so I sez to him, I sez, you want yer money? Well come an get it, cuz I ain't got it, ya baloney. 17: Where's Porridgehead when you need him? - -- "It is an honor to be Cookie Monster." -Sesame Street spokeswoman Audrey Shapiro ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 3 Jul 2001 22:52:03 -0700 (PDT) From: Tom Walrod <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: [uuc] Tarted-up m6 Sorry for the subject, but chrome on the interior door frames? rear seat air conditioning? only two doors? What was BMW thinking? OK, now that you are cranked up, could some of you enlighten me as to the true virtues and damnable faults of '87 635M cars? I'm seeing separate intake runners and a more distinct header system than on my not-so-faithfull 533i - the car squats lower on it's premium grade (ahem) TRXs so I suspect some suspension differences - or is it just that the car is carrying a bunch more weight? (5-600#?) Enlighten me folks - performance and comfort comments, common $$$$ mileages, fuel economy, anything you feel driven to say would be appreciated. Many thanks (in the small pleasures department: got some pork posole to go for breakfast tomorrow from a vendor down in our park tonight - mmmm - reminds me of New Mexico!) == Oregon Tom "-Warranty void if item fails for any reason whatsoever-" _____________________________________________________________ Free email, web pages, news, entertainment, weather and MORE! Check out -------------------------------> http://wowmail.com ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 04 Jul 2001 13:37:08 From: "Gilbert Hoffman" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: Re: [uuc] Tire dia vs. gearing? Gearing vs. acceleration? Rob asked: > Here is my question of the day. How much does overall tire >diameter, >and therefore gearing, affect acceleration?. I'm thinking >of switching >from a 235/40/17 (approx 24.4") to a 235/40/18 (approx >25.4") but I'm >worried that it will kill my acceleration. Would this >change be similar >to changing from my stock 3.15 diff to a 2.93 or >would the change not be >nearly that great?. My crude calculations said it would be like a switch to a 3.05 diff. What I can tell you is I went from a taller (225/45-17) to a shorter (235/40-17) and I could notice a difference. I would figure that since your change is slightly larger, the difference would be more clear. Don't forget that if the new 18" wheels are heavier this would also help kill acceleration. Gilbert _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 4 Jul 2001 09:40:32 -0400 From: "Steven Osztertag" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: [uuc] E30 Fuel Tanks read this before buying a replacement unit. Hello to all Further to a previous post by Don Stevenson I just spoke with: N B Gas Tanks Old Ridge, St. Stephen, New Brunswick, Canada E3L 2Y2 [EMAIL PROTECTED] Tel: 506-466-5249 Tel: 800-561-8265 They are apparently a direct distributor of gas tanks and on average stock about 3-4000 different flavours in inventory. When I asked about the E30(86 325e) tank, they were in stock and $139 Canadian Dollars !!!! (=about $90 US Dollars) for a brand new tank made by SAME OEM company that makes them for BMW. My Local BMW dealer wanted CDN$ 1007.00 plus state and federal tax = $1158.00 I'll let y'all know on the form/fit/quality of this unit and maybe this is a better option than looking for a southern US used tank. Happy Motoring Steven Osztertag Aurora, Ontario, Canada 86 325e ->dripping but running extremely well ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 4 Jul 2001 09:47:45 EDT From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: RE:[uuc] <ADMIN> If you stopped receiving the UUC Digest... Carlos responded about the digest and AOL problems. I would comment that I have only two reasons to be with AOL: 1) When we bought the Gateway machine for the wife, it came with a free one years subscription. Being that she is a Novice to all things computer, it seemed the most user friendly way to start her out (but then maybe I could be wrong)? 2) The family is on vacation at this time. I need a national service ISP so I can get connectivity at home in CA as well in New Hampshire where the wife and kids will spend the summer. I am setting up a recycled older Mac. here in NH so that the Wife and I can trade e-mail after I have to go back to CA to work. Harvey Personally would rather be using Netscape for all Internet interfaces - including e-mail (which AOL won't support!) ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 4 Jul 2001 10:05:58 -0400 From: "Kevin" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: RE: [uuc] Coolant smell Pingger, >Mebbe it was the car in front of you spewing coolant? The one >Kevin's wife was driving? (Just trying to be optimistic here..) Don nailed it. How it got there is beyond me, but my wife managed to spray coolant all over the hood, windshield, and even the roof when the radiator went off. If you were anywhere in the area... Seriously though, take a close look at the plastic hose connections on your radiator. The reading I've done in the past 24 hours (and yes, I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night) indicates that some people get hairline cracks and small leaks right before their radiator necks shear off. Just a thought. On a related note, thank you all for the outpouring of advice on my radiator episode. I'll be ordering parts tomorrow and will let you know if I find anything out of the ordinary. Sounds like this is a pretty common mess. Thanks again, Kevin ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 4 Jul 2001 10:19:56 EDT From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: [uuc] E36 AC problem and transmission noise Group: My 92 E36 (M50) has some intermittent problems I'd like to get fixed, and I'm coming up on the expiration of my extended warranty. I've talked to the dealer about them before, but Murphy's law prevails here (anything you complain to a repairman about that's intermittent will not occur during the evaluation). 1st problem is my AC sometimes during long highway drives (usually only happens after about an hour or so) starts blowing what appears to be a fog from the air vents and then stops cooling completely. If I turn off the AC and wait about 10 or 15 minutes and then turn it back on again, sometimes it's fine, other times it works OK for about 10 more minutes, then starts with the fog again. The dealer had a hunch it is a bad switch (can't remember the exact part) but won't fix it unless they can duplicate the problem. 2nd problem is the slushbox tranny makes a "chattering" noise. The dealer hasn't been able to duplicate this noise either. My independent mechanic has found where it's coming from by the old "screwdriver to the ear as a stethoscope" trick. He thinks it's a pump starving for fluid, but isn't sure. He won't work on it under the extended warranty as he's by himself and doesn't have time to spend hours on the phone with the bureaucrats at the warranty company trying to justify replacing a part. The second one concerns me more than the first, but both could be expensive and that's why I need to take full advantage of the warranty before expiration. Both the tranny and the AC are covered by the warranty. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated. TIA Phil 92 E36/M50 Approaching 75K miles which is end of warranty ------------------------------ End of [uucdigest] V3 #3968 *************************** ________________________________________ | Please visit these UUC-approved BMW parts vendors/service providers: | (listed alphabetically) | Camptown Automotive - http://www.camptownauto.com | Circle Tire Co. (used & classic BMW parts) e-mail [EMAIL PROTECTED] | Detailwerks Chicago Inc. 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