[uucdigest] Monday, August 6 2001 Volume 03 : Number 4108 _________________________________________________________________ | | 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: [uuc] Re: Passenger weight [Neil Maller <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>] [uuc] Re: <rant> apostrophes and model years [Neil Maller <neil.maller@gt] [uuc] Back seat noise ["Deschodt, Gregory" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>] [uuc] Parking Brake Help! [Neil Deshpande <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>] Re: [uuc] <E36 stereo> Infinity Kappa opinions? [Rob Levinson * UUC Motor] Re: [uuc] Project X ["Ron Katona" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>] Re: [uuc] Back seat noise ["Eric Giles" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>] [uuc] Re: Front Seat Cover Removal from Seat Pad? (and OT content) [Smil] [uuc] Re: Min. speed to charge battery ["Brant M. Miller" <bramill@world] [uuc] Re: <E28> fan clutch question [John Bolhuis <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>] [uuc] Re:<E30> Engine Swap / Drivetrain Questions [[EMAIL PROTECTED]] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Mon, 06 Aug 2001 16:39:34 -0500 From: Neil Maller <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: [uuc] Re: Passenger weight on 8/6/01 1:19 PM, Jeff Stowe <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > How much effect can adding a passenger make to the cars handling? > > I ask this because at a recent Thunderhill track event I had been running > very well (for me) all weekend. Every session I was taking a few tenths and > even full seconds off my previous best times. Late on day two a guy in the > paddock (about 220 lbs I would guess) asked for a ride. After a few heat > 'em up laps, I go into turn 2 (long fast sweeper) and my M3 will not turn. > Serious understeer. You may have answered your own question: > I thought I had hit my normal braking point. Unless you normally don't brake very hard, adding a (big) passenger will have a significant effect on braking, and you'll need to move up your braking point. Ask me how I know... As for effect on cornering, having ballast in the right seat may be a benefit in right handers by getting some weight on the inside wheels, distributing the cornering load better. I always notice this in turns 9 and 10 - which are more or less one continuous turn - at Putnam Park. My car stays better planted with some ballast. Now if I could just get the passenger to sit in the back and move from side to side, like a racing sidecar rider (known as the "monkey"...). Neil 96 M3 ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 06 Aug 2001 16:41:12 -0500 From: Neil Maller <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: [uuc] Re: <rant> apostrophes and model years on 8/6/01 11:20 AM, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > You guys need to s*bscribe to a good provider like AOL. The spelling checker > does all this for you. That was a joke, right Michel? Two jokes actually. Neil 96 M3 <-- Only BMW content ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 6 Aug 2001 17:44:09 -0400 From: "Deschodt, Gregory" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: [uuc] Back seat noise Just curious if anyone else with a new-ish 325 or 330 also experienced that... Our car (the one that had the cooling fan dead the first day we owned it) is making really irritating noises when someone is sitting in the back seat. By jamming a piece of paper between the seat and the rear parcel, I got it to stop temporarily.. I guess I'll just glue some felt tape or something there, but I was curious if this is a common BMW thing or if this car is just signaling it's going to be a pain in the a$$... (didn't appreciate the recall on the first day ;-( Thanks ! Greg. ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 6 Aug 2001 15:09:50 -0700 (PDT) From: Neil Deshpande <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: [uuc] Parking Brake Help! Joel: The threaded end of the parking brake cable also has a square neck at the base of the thread. Make sure that it is engaged in the handle housing so it prevents cable rotation. Neil Deshpande http://www.neilwerke.com *** "Joel Smernoff" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> While attempting to adjust my parking brake last night, was loosening the two bolts on the parking brake cable end under the handbrake lever. The passenger side nut would back off, but cranking on the driver's side nut would just wind up the cable and not loosen the nut. what is the secret trick to keeping the parking brake cable from spinning when loosening these nuts? getting tired of cursing at the car late in the night! ;-) __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Make international calls for as low as $.04/minute with Yahoo! Messenger http://phonecard.yahoo.com/ ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 06 Aug 2001 18:32:34 -0400 From: Rob Levinson * UUC Motorwerks <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: Re: [uuc] <E36 stereo> Infinity Kappa opinions? Any discussion of speaker sound should be prefaced with one concept: what sounds better to one person may sound worse to another. Speaker sound quality, despite all the frequency analysis graphs, is purely a subjective judgement. Never buy speakers without hearing them in an environment similar to your application. With that understood, my experience with the Kappas was less than stellar. Granted, these were not the same size nor the same baffle volume as in your E36, yet a direct comparison with a couple of other brands of the same dimensions was disappointing. They are not terrible, but there are better alternatives. You should consider alternatives like Polk Audio and Boston Acoustics. To my ears, both of these brands sounded better than the Kappas. Your experience may be different, but it is only your experience that counts in your own car. For some serious eye-candy built into an awesome-sounding speaker, check out: http://www.polkmomo.com - - Rob > From: Tammer Farid <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Subject: [uuc] <E36 stereo> Infinity Kappa opinions? > I was looking at the MB Quart component speakers that > drop in to the front doors, but recently got an opportunity > to get the Infinity Kappa components (5.25" woofer, 1" > tweeter) at about $100 under MSRP. Anyone have opinions on > these speakers? Are the woofers shallow enough to fit > without kick panel modification? I have not been able to > listen to them yet, and it may be a week before I can, so > I will value any input you can offer. Also, if anyone > knows of a way to get decent bass response without a sub, > please let me know. My trunk is tiny enough already! > It may be significant that my rear seats do not fold down, > and there is no ski pass-through. > > Tammer Farid ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 6 Aug 2001 18:38:48 -0400 From: "Ron Katona" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: Re: [uuc] Project X Tammer Farid wrote: >I wish to speculate on Rob's latest piece of drool >material: [...] >It's a '98. What '98 has a power-to-weight ratio similar >to the E28 M5? The E36 M3. Or has Rob grown to like his >more "mature" E34 M5's civilized manners? > >I will guess it's a heavily modded M3 (along the lines of >Katerina--how is Powell, anyway?), or perhaps a blown E39 >540i. > >Now taking wagers. I'll bet you a cold one it's not an M3. Rob's been around BMWs long enough where if he wanted a nice M3 he could have had several already, yet he's passed. I assume he passed on Bambislayer when it was available, for instance. Plus, he's bigger than me and I know I barely fit in a damn E36. No, Rob's a 5-er man; a true Geezer! So, a 98 5-er with a similar power to weight ratio as his old turbo M5. I say it's not the V8 540, but a turbo project 528. I'd guess 350 hp is possible in a nicely built 2.8 turbo and the 528 is lighter than the 540 or M5 giving it performance probably somewhere in between those two. Price could be reasonable with 528s going for much less than the V8 cars. That's one cold one... mark me down. - -- Ron Katona ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 6 Aug 2001 17:55:20 -0500 From: "Eric Giles" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: Re: [uuc] Back seat noise I don't remember if you have the sedan or coupe, but do you have the fold down rear seats? If you do, this is a common 'problem'. The leather/vinyl surfaces rubbing together cause it. Take some type of leather conditioner or vinyl protectant (some have mentioned Formula 2001 specifically) and rub it on the sides of the seats where they come into contact with each other-easiest done if they are folded down. This will stop the noise for a while-in my case usually 2-4 weeks. Re-apply as necessary. Since I have the coupe, the fold down seats are standard. Personally, I wish they weren't as I never fold them down and things might be a bit quieter if they were fixed in position. Eric Giles '00 323Ci '90 325iS - ----- Original Message ----- From: "Deschodt, Gregory" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "'bmw'" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Monday, August 06, 2001 4:44 PM Subject: [uuc] Back seat noise > Just curious if anyone else with a new-ish 325 or 330 also experienced that... Our car (the one that had the cooling fan dead the first day we owned it) is making really irritating noises when someone is sitting in the back seat. By jamming a piece of paper between the seat and the rear parcel, I got it to stop temporarily.. I guess I'll just glue some felt tape or something there, but I was curious if this is a common BMW thing or if this car is just signaling it's going to be a pain in the a$$... (didn't appreciate the recall on the first day ;-( > > Thanks ! > Greg. ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 6 Aug 2001 16:02:05 -0700 From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: [uuc] Re: Front Seat Cover Removal from Seat Pad? (and OT content) The message I got from the ad is that the car is safe. The dummies must believe that the passenger side is safer than the driver's side. This implies passive safety, as opposed to active safety where the car is capable of being driven in a manner which will keep it out of the accident. Much different than BMW's philosophy. Scott Miller GGC BMW CCA >Date: Mon, 6 Aug 2001 12:39:37 -0400 >From: "Noe, Steve (CIT)" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >Subject: [uuc] Front Seat Cover Removal from Seat Pad? (and OT content) > >Unless I'm wrong, it looks like I have to snip the rings (hog rings?) >holding the cover to the rod imbedded in the E36 sport seat pad. Those are >damn small rings, both in gauge and in OD when in place. Am I right or am I >right? > >OT: Seen the fighting crash test dummies Nissan ad? Why in the name of all >that is holy are they fighting to get in the -> passenger's <- seat? The >theme of the ad seems to be that the car is fun to DRIVE, for chrissakes. ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 6 Aug 2001 16:01:10 -0700 From: "Brant M. Miller" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: [uuc] Re: Min. speed to charge battery Rob - Not really! At least not unless the battery is near-discharged when the engine starts. Reserve capacity is intended as an indication of how long a car can be operated on battery power without the generator functioning - assuming lights and heater/defroster on, about a 25 amp drain. Typical reserve capacities are a couple of hours. Operating without accessories, an engine will run for many hours on just battery power. I can confirm that one can drive from San Francisco to Santa Cruz and back via the coast highway without a generator and without discharging a battery. Brant <<<<<From: Rob Levinson * UUC Motorwerks <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: Re: [uuc] Min. speed to charge battery . . . . . . It's a great way to kill your battery if you feel like it; start the car and leave it running without that initial blip. Battery should be fully discharged within half an hour or so. - - - Rob >>>>> ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 6 Aug 2001 16:21:36 -0700 (PDT) From: John Bolhuis <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: [uuc] Re: <E28> fan clutch question On Mon, 6 Aug 2001, Jeff Pharr wrote: > So is the fan clutch dependent on engine temp AND > engine speed, or is it purely engine speed? Gary's explanations are right on, but I'll just add my thought: The reason you may have thought that the clutch engagement was dependent on engine speed is based on circumstance. It tends to engage at low speeds not because of engine RPM, but because the car is moving slowly, and there is a lower volume of hotter air at the radiator. At highway speed, when engine RPM is up, there is an abundance of air being pushed through, and the high volume of air is cooler, even after a trip through the radiator. ..In most cases, that is. Larger vehicles, especially those pulling trailers, may have heavy duty fan clutches (and fans) that will engage at highway speeds when necessary. We had a Suburban that would engage the fan on longer inclines at highway speeds when towing. Made a LOT of extra noise too as it pulled air across all 4 radiators up there (coolant, oil, tranny, and AC)! - -- "It is an honor to be Cookie Monster." -Sesame Street spokeswoman Audrey Shapiro ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 6 Aug 2001 16:20:59 -0700 From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: [uuc] Re:<E30> Engine Swap / Drivetrain Questions Carlos, I understand that the hot set-up using the S50 motor and M3 (ZF) transmission in an E30 is to use the 3.23:1 diff which was used in some E34s and E36s. I was just hoping that I could use my existing transmission to keep the cost down. >Date: Mon, 6 Aug 2001 13:12:13 -0400 >From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >Subject: [uuc] Re:<E30> Engine Swap / Drivetrain Questions > >Scott, > >Seems to me if you go M50 or S50 then you do the trans at the same time. >The S50US uses a ZF transmission so I'm not even sure you could retain your >original tranny. > >>>3. How much torque can an E30 M3 differential handle? > >I'm sure it could handle it, but a 4.10 with an E36 drivetrain is too much. >Larry Wright uses a 4.10 (built up) in his Euro M3 motored club racer but >he uses a 6-spd trans. With a 5-spd you probably want less, Bob Tunnell >uses the E36 M3 auto tranny rear end in his 95 M3 autoxer and you *know* >that car works well. I can't recall the ratio, it's above 3.23 maybe a >3.46 or something like that. > >Carlos. >PS Yeah go for it, it sounds like fun! Well, yes, but fun is not the issue here. Once feasibility has been established, then I have to sell the budget to my wife. Then she'll slap me silly and I'll drop the project. And John, I've already exchanged several e-mails with Ben. He bought the car already built, so he doesn't know a lot of the "why was it done this way?" stuff. He does seem to be very happy with the results, though. : ^) As for the weights, is "short engine" the same as a short block? This would be without heads, right? Then I'd need to add the weight of the heads. Zionsville does sell a CD with all the necessary info, but I'm not forking over $150 until I get past the wife's approval stage. >Date: Mon, 6 Aug 2001 12:17:39 -0500 >From: "John Van Houten" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >Subject: Re: [uuc] <E30> Engine Swap / Drivetrain Questions > >> 1. How much more does the U.S. S50 engine weigh than the U.S. M20? > >According to the ETK for the short engine, S50=153 Kg, M20=117 Kg. Or you >could go all the way with a Euro 3.2L at 154 Kg ;-) <snip> >> 3. How much torque can an E30 M3 differential handle? > >Not sure on that either, but I think E30 diffs were used in these >conversions. Zionsville may be able to help as well as Ben Keyes (who has a >Zionsville 332is). > >John Thanks to both of you. Scott Miller GGC BMW CCA ------------------------------ End of [uucdigest] V3 #4108 *************************** ________________________________________ | 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. "Chicago's Premier Automotive Appearance | Center" . http://www.detailwerkschicago.com |==================================================== | Koala MotorSport . 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