[uucdigest] Friday, March 21 2003 Volume 03 : Number 6234
_________________________________________________________________ | | Search the ARCHIVES: | http://www.mail-archive.com/[EMAIL PROTECTED] | | Visit Richard Nott's Ultimate BMW Database: | http://www.bmwdatabase.com | | 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] Re: Euro Delivery Re: [uuc] Brake Pressure [uuc] Re: Suspension Question [uuc] RE: BMW's getting to complicated [uuc] Re: <E36> No Start - Fault code 1261 Fuel Pump Control [uuc] <E36> Can a dealer test my DME out of the car? and other DME questions Re: [uuc] Re: Euro Delivery [uuc] Three Beeps...Grinding Noise...Tail Light Failure...Ticking Noise... Re: [uuc] Three Beeps...Grinding Noise...Tail Light Failure...Ticking Noise... Re: [uuc] RE: BMW's getting to complicated Re: [uuc] Re: BMW CPO Question [uuc] Shift knob compatability Re: [uuc] Shift knob compatability ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Thu, 20 Mar 2003 18:16:21 -0800 From: John Miller <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: Re: [uuc] Re: Euro Delivery > The second advantage is that your first ownership experience is that of > taking the thing home, throwing all the floor mats out in the driveway, > and washing and vacuuming the thing top-to-bottom yourself. Call it > bonding. Let me clarify. My first ownership experience was stalling the thing immediately upon pulling out of the Niederlassung lot into the ring-road by grabbing the wrong gear. The M5's shift throws are considerably longer, but the shift effort considerably lighter, than what I was used to at that point. The wash was the first Stateside ownership experience. John. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 20 Mar 2003 21:30:10 -0500 From: "Gary Derian" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: Re: [uuc] Brake Pressure That's it. The answer to life the universe and everything. Gary Derian > 42? > > Martin Bullen > '95 M3 > '97 Z3 2.8 > But no Ford Prefect.... > >Answers are easy. Asking the right question is the hard part. > >Gary Derian > > > >> Oops, that will teach me not to read ahead! Of course Gary knew the > >answer. > >> > >> - Rob > ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 20 Mar 2003 21:34:25 -0800 From: "cnrbishop" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: [uuc] Re: Suspension Question "Richard Bennett" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > If you go with Bilsteins and lowered springs you need to trim their internal > bump stops. See: > www.unofficialbmw.com/e36/suspension/e36_trim_bilstein_bumpstop.html Trimming the bump stop is definitely beneficial to lowered suspension, but somebody in that link actually recommended REMOVING the bump stops. If you value your strut towers, FOR THE LOVE OF ALL THINGS SACRED, DO NOT remove the bump stops! Even with stiffer springs, your suspension can, and will bottom out. The whole point of a bump stop is to dissipate energy like a crumple zone. With the bump stops removed, metal-on-metal contact of a strut bottoming out will simply transfer the energy right through the strut assembly into the strut tower. Trim away, but don't just chuck the things! Chris (back under rock now) ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 20 Mar 2003 19:02:42 -0800 From: "KKiely" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: [uuc] RE: BMW's getting to complicated Brett says- "Setting it to max is something you do when you get into an already warmed up vehicle, with blue fingers, toes and nose."..... or worse. - -Kevin ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 21 Mar 2003 01:19:51 -0500 From: Brian Daley <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: [uuc] Re: <E36> No Start - Fault code 1261 Fuel Pump Control Neil Maller wrote: >Terminal 85 is a switched ground coming from the DME and goes to the other >side of the relay coil. There should only be continuity to ground with the >ignition switch in the run position. If there is ground at 85 in run but the >fuel pump still doesn't come on then the relay may be bad. They're cheap. >(If there's no ground at 85 in run then you have other problems.) > > Neil, Thanks for the response - only one I received. Unfortunately I seem to have the "other problems" you refer to - terminal 85 in run is ~150mV. Although I don't know what voltage the signal should be, 150 mV isn't ground and apparently isn't close enough beacuse a new relay had no effect. In Bentley under the DME pinout Pin 1 Fuel Pump Control states that lack of a crank position signal will cause the fuel pump relay to fail to operate. Since the crank position sensor is under the thermostat housing (in the vicinity of the radiator replacement which preceded the no-start). I'll check it out but I'm not too optimistic. If the crank pos sensor was the problem I assume I'd be getting that fault code rather than a fuel pump control fault code. After that I think I've exhausted the inexpensive fixes. Thanks, Brian Daley ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 21 Mar 2003 01:52:05 -0500 From: Brian Daley <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: [uuc] <E36> Can a dealer test my DME out of the car? and other DME questions All, My no-start diagnosis leads me to suspect the DME. I assume few, if any independent shops would have the equipment to diagnose and/or flash a DME so my only option is a dealer. Correct? Can a dealer test it out of the car? As the car is in my garage I'd rather not tow it to the dealer unless I absolutely have to. My car is a 94 325ic with manual trans. It appears that only a 94-95 DME will do as a replacement, is this correct? I know 96-up OBD II won't work, but can I use a 92-93 325 DME? How can I identify a DME that's interchangeable? If I get one used/salvage yard etc. can I just plug it in and go, or must it be re-flashed by the dealer? Last, if the DME is faulty is there any place that repairs them or offers used units with core exchange? Thanks, Brian Daley ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 21 Mar 2003 11:07:42 +0100 (CET) From: John Firestone <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: Re: [uuc] Re: Euro Delivery On Thu, 20 Mar 2003, david kroth wrote: > Do European gas stations accept credit cards (MC, Visa, AmEx)? I > assume they do - everyone else does, except that luggage store in > Venray, Netherlands. Oh, I have been there - Venray, that is :). Every station I have been to with an attendant has accepted credit cards. Mastercard/Eurocard is the most widely accepted in Germany and surrounding countries. VISA was the only thing that seemed to work when I was last in Finland but that was some years ago. Some of the unmanned, discount stations have machines that only accept cash or the local ATM or debit cards. -John '96 318is ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 21 Mar 2003 10:37:49 -0500 From: "Joseph T. Baptista Jr." <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: [uuc] Three Beeps...Grinding Noise...Tail Light Failure...Ticking Noise... While driving my 96 328i (E36) I occasionally hear my car make three beeps...no lights come on or messages on the check control display...any suggestions? Next question, I occasionally get a slight grind-like sound of the starter when I start the car...???? When I turn on my lights, the check control message displays Tail Light Failure. The tail lights all work. What could this be??? I hear a ticking noise coming from the dashboard or engine compartment but it is not the engine...it could be specific to just my car. Has anyone had this problem? Thank you all in advance. Joe ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 21 Mar 2003 12:07:17 -0500 From: "KMS - Brett Anderson" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: Re: [uuc] Three Beeps...Grinding Noise...Tail Light Failure...Ticking Noise... - ----- Original Message ----- From: "Joseph T. Baptista Jr." <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > While driving my 96 328i (E36) I occasionally hear my car make three > beeps...no lights come on or messages on the check control display...any > suggestions? Probably the memo function on the clock. Does it do it at the 59 minute mark of every hour? It's a reminder to switch your radio to the news, or whatever. > Next question, I occasionally get a slight grind-like sound of the starter > when I start the car...???? Could be a starter going bad, or the ignition switch. We had problems on the E36 with ignition switches sticking and leaving the starter engaged while the engine was running. That'll burn up a starter real quick. > When I turn on my lights, the check control message displays Tail Light > Failure. The tail lights all work. What could this be??? There are FOUR tail light bulbs in an E36. Two on each side, side by side. They illuminate the same chamber, so if you don't look directly at them, you won't notice the dark area of one bulb being out. > I hear a ticking noise coming from the dashboard or engine compartment but > it is not the engine...it could be specific to just my car. Has anyone had > this problem? Probably one of the other things that drove BMW batty for a year after the 328i came out. Check on the left side of the engine compartment, near the air filter housing. Bolted to the body of the car is a small purge relay, it has two rubber hoses and an electrical connector. This should be isolated on a rubber mount. If it's not, that's definately what you're hearing. If it is isolated, it still may be what you're hearing, as it may be getting louder with age, or you may be more sensitive to that frequency than others. Place your hand on it with the engine running. If you feel it click, and it's in time with the noise you're hearing, you can ignore it as normal. - ----------------------------------------------------- BMW Special Tool Rentals Pay per incident tech support - ----------------------------------------------------- Brett Anderson KMS (440) 338 1650 www.koalamotorsport.com OSS committee member ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 21 Mar 2003 14:03:21 -0500 From: "Rob Levinson * UUC Motorwerks" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: Re: [uuc] RE: BMW's getting to complicated - ----- Original Message ----- From: "KKiely" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: [uuc] RE: BMW's getting to complicated > Brett says- "Setting it to max is something you do when you get into an already > warmed up > vehicle, with blue fingers, toes and nose."..... or worse. > > -Kevin What's worse? Getting into a warmed-up vehicle with a blue 400lb tiger? - - Rob ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 21 Mar 2003 13:46:37 -0600 From: Dennis Wynne <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: Re: [uuc] Re: BMW CPO Question > >No you don't have to. You'll need to shop around to see who will give you the >best deal. Everything is negotiable, even your residual value printed on your >lease contract. If the wholesale market value is much lower than your residual >in the contract, you can negotiate for the wholesale market value. You'll have >to find a dealer that is willing to work with you. If you are in Los >Angeles, I >can point you to a dealer. Thanks for the reply, I am in TN so driving to CA will kill all the savings :-) When the lease on my 'vette convertible was nearing the end last year the bank guy would not discount the car. I tried to sell it (without luck) so I told him I was turning it in. They ended up dropping the price $2500 and giving me a free 1 week extension on the lease so I could sell the car and NOT turn it in. I will have to see about getting them to drop the price when the time comes - - the trouble is I willtrying to get them to drop the buy-out price, but then I will be turning the car in. Sounds like a contradiction - if I get the price lower but turn it in, then wouldn't the cost to the dealer revert back to my contract buy-out price? I was pretty sure I could return the car to any BMW dealer, but I was unclear if I do the CPO buy-back deal if I had to use the selling dealer or not. My local dealer's service department treats me like a king - and the sales force is nice, but they are owned by Sonic (the let's make a profit on everything company). I am thinking it might be cheaper to do the CPO someplace else. I got TERRIBLE lease numbers from them (and a courtesy $500 discount offer) when I was shopping for the car 3 years ago. A much better deal - price and financial numbers from Taylor. I would be likely to get a cheaper CPO fee from them as well, plus they would likely let me do the financing at the "buy" rate. The local finance department is charged with making a profit on the financing of the car as well. >Don't know anything about that, but BMW Financial will probably give you >better rate than anyone else. A while back, a CPO interest rate was down to >1.9%. I will certainly let them make me an offer :-) Thanks again for the info, Dennis 330i silver/black/manual/sp/pp/xenon/cd ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 21 Mar 2003 15:04:29 -0500 From: "Robinson, Lee" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: [uuc] Shift knob compatability Everyone, What's the compatability chart look like for BMW shift knobs. I have an E30 M3 with stock shifter. I got tired of the shift knob repeatedly coming off in my hand, so I'm currently shifting with just the shifter lever. While this makes for a shorter throw, it's not the most comfortable way to do things..... da 'bay has boatloads of shift knobs for BMWs.....I'm a cheapie, so I'm not going to run out & buy a fancy knob (boy that's a loaded statement), and was just wondering what other car's knobs can be used here? Thanks, Lee ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 21 Mar 2003 15:34:23 -0500 From: "KMS - Brett Anderson" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: Re: [uuc] Shift knob compatability Everything from the E21 and on, should fit. - ----------------------------------------------------- BMW Special Tool Rentals Pay per incident tech support - ----------------------------------------------------- Brett Anderson KMS (440) 338 1650 www.koalamotorsport.com OSS committee member - ----- Original Message ----- From: "Robinson, Lee" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > What's the compatability chart look like for BMW shift knobs. I have an E30 > M3 with stock shifter. I got tired of the shift knob repeatedly coming off > in my hand, so I'm currently shifting with just the shifter lever. While > this makes for a shorter throw, it's not the most comfortable way to do > things. > da 'bay has boatloads of shift knobs for BMWs.....I'm a cheapie, so I'm not > going to run out & buy a fancy knob (boy that's a loaded statement), and was > just wondering what other car's knobs can be used here? ------------------------------ End of [uucdigest] V3 #6234 *************************** | | In memory of Michel Potheau - friend, enthusiast, founder of the BMW CCA. |________________________________________ | Please visit these UUC-approved BMW parts vendors/service providers: | (listed alphabetically) | | Autoscope-Motorsports - http://www.autoscope-motorsports.com | |==================================================== | | Koala MotorSport . 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