The BMW UUC Digest Volume 2 : Issue 180 : "text" Format Messages in this Issue: Re: SA koni adjustments Re: AC tools Re: SA koni adjustments Re: SA koni adjustments Re: SA koni adjustments Re: AC tools...follow up Q (for Gary) Re: AC tools...follow up Q (for Gary) Re: AC tools...follow up Q (for Gary) Re: AC tools...follow up Q (for Gary) E46 M3 Raffle brake bits on wheels Re: brake bits on wheels E36 rear shock mounts Re: Bilstein Sports and air filter questions rims for E36
---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Tue, 11 May 2004 12:34:38 -0400 From: "Gary Derian" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: Re: SA koni adjustments Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> The proper fix is tender springs. Sometimes limiting travel makes wheel and tire removal difficult. Gary Derian > > Another thing I noticed is that the amount of travel is just silly, at > least with the 6" 500 in-lb 2.25" springs with GC adjusters. The shock > probably extends a good 3" beyond the spring travel. Anyone had any luck > restricting this with a cable or something fixed at both ends of the > shock? Having the springs that loose makes the car a PITA to bring down > off a lift... :-/ > > I was thinking about making up a 1/8" or so tab that bolts to the outside > lower shock mount, fixing a length of cable to that, with the other end on > a tab that bolts to the top shock mount. Then adjust the cable length so > that the spring can float free in droop, but not get completely outta the > perch. > > Good part would be that this would be essentially free and easy to reverse > (like for winter ride height), vs. getting the shocks shortened & made > externally adjustable. > > Mark ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 11 May 2004 12:38:37 -0400 From: "Gary Derian" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: Re: AC tools Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> A good system should go 10+ years with no maintenance. A $10 hose is all you need to top up the system. Gary Derian > Since I now have 3 cars all with R134 freon I would like to be able to > charge them myself. Any tips on where to buy tools, guages or anything > else I may need? R134 is so cheap to buy and it would be much easier > then having to take each car into a shop. > > Cheers, > > Steve > 1989 M3 > 1995 525i > 1993 525iT ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 11 May 2004 11:04:20 -0700 From: "Marco Romani" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: Re: SA koni adjustments Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Tender springs, "zero" spring rate, will help. uncompressed they're around 4". However they do have a height associated with them when compressed. I think it was around an inch. So now your 6" springs are now really 7" springs which in my case fouled up the ride height on the race car. For a street car maybe it'll work. I also tried zip ties , safety wire, neither of which worked long term and was going to do the cable thing that you were talking about, but that result could limit your droop. With the ground control shocks it's not an issue. Marco -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of Mark Andy Sent: Tuesday, May 11, 2004 7:14 AM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: [UUC] SA koni adjustments Howdy, On Mon, 10 May 2004, Marco Romani wrote: > Now I have a set of Ground Control DA which don't have adjustment issues > that the SA Konis do ;-) So I put these shocks (koni sa) on rear last night, adjusting them prior to that. What a pain! I got a pretty smoking deal on the shocks so I can't complain (well, not much anyway... :-), but that adjustment method is really pretty silly. Another thing I noticed is that the amount of travel is just silly, at least with the 6" 500 in-lb 2.25" springs with GC adjusters. The shock probably extends a good 3" beyond the spring travel. Anyone had any luck restricting this with a cable or something fixed at both ends of the shock? Having the springs that loose makes the car a PITA to bring down off a lift... :-/ I was thinking about making up a 1/8" or so tab that bolts to the outside lower shock mount, fixing a length of cable to that, with the other end on a tab that bolts to the top shock mount. Then adjust the cable length so that the spring can float free in droop, but not get completely outta the perch. Good part would be that this would be essentially free and easy to reverse (like for winter ride height), vs. getting the shocks shortened & made externally adjustable. Mark Search the ARCHIVES:http://www.mail-archive.com/[EMAIL PROTECTED] __________________________________________________________________________ In memory of Michel Potheau - friend, enthusiast, founder of the BMW CCA. UUC Motorwerks - BMW Performance Fine-tuning and home of the Ultimate Short Shifter - accept no substitutes! 908-874-9092 . http://www.uucmotorwerks.com ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 11 May 2004 15:09:08 -0400 (EDT) From: Mark Andy <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: SA koni adjustments Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Howdy, On Tue, 11 May 2004, Marco Romani wrote: > I also tried zip ties , safety wire, neither of which worked long term and > was going to do the cable thing that you were talking about, but that result > could limit your droop. > > With the ground control shocks it's not an issue. Yeah, obviously it'll limit the droop to use a cable, but it seemed to me that if I was getting enough droop that the spring was "free", that's all the droop I can use anyway. Afterall, the other shocks just have a shorter extended length, right? Seems like this would be the same thing, except it'd cost about $12. I'd thought of helper springs, but didn't really want to spend the money to buy them. Hadn't thought about the compressed thickness and issues that would cause... They're really an inch thick when compressed? That seems like a lot... Mark ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 11 May 2004 13:01:23 -0700 From: "Marco Romani" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: Re: SA koni adjustments Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> at least 3/4". I have a set rolling around the bed of the truck. I could go and measure them if I felt motivated enough ;-) Marco -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of Mark Andy Sent: Tuesday, May 11, 2004 12:09 PM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: [UUC] SA koni adjustments Howdy, On Tue, 11 May 2004, Marco Romani wrote: I'd thought of helper springs, but didn't really want to spend the money to buy them. Hadn't thought about the compressed thickness and issues that would cause... They're really an inch thick when compressed? That seems like a lot... Mark Search the ARCHIVES:http://www.mail-archive.com/[EMAIL PROTECTED] __________________________________________________________________________ In memory of Michel Potheau - friend, enthusiast, founder of the BMW CCA. UUC Motorwerks - BMW Performance Fine-tuning and home of the Ultimate Short Shifter - accept no substitutes! 908-874-9092 . http://www.uucmotorwerks.com ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 11 May 2004 14:10:13 -0400 (EDT) From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: AC tools...follow up Q (for Gary) Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > A good system should go 10+ years with no maintenance. A $10 hose is all > you need to top up the system. I'm in the same boat with Steve as I'm prepping my 11 year old car for sale. It seems to need a bit of R134 to get the air conditioning OK (not quite blowing cold enough). So there's no need for a regulator of any sort. Just get a can of R134 refrigerant and a hose and refil? I guess the canister stops filling when it tops off? Why am I prepping a car's air conditioner when it may well end up as an ITS racer?! Marc Plante E36 325i, 220k [For Sale] E36 M3/4, 49k 2002 Audi AR Vienna, VA ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 11 May 2004 14:50:17 -0400 From: "Chris Baker" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: Re: AC tools...follow up Q (for Gary) Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Auto parts stores sell a little hose that plugs into your low pressure side and adds the refrigerant. It includes a little dial gauge that tells you when the refrigerant is in the proper range. Chris B. -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Tuesday, May 11, 2004 2:10 PM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: [UUC] AC tools...follow up Q (for Gary) > A good system should go 10+ years with no maintenance. A $10 hose is all > you need to top up the system. I'm in the same boat with Steve as I'm prepping my 11 year old car for sale. It seems to need a bit of R134 to get the air conditioning OK (not quite blowing cold enough). So there's no need for a regulator of any sort. Just get a can of R134 refrigerant and a hose and refil? I guess the canister stops filling when it tops off? Why am I prepping a car's air conditioner when it may well end up as an ITS racer?! Marc Plante E36 325i, 220k [For Sale] E36 M3/4, 49k 2002 Audi AR Vienna, VA Search the ARCHIVES:http://www.mail-archive.com/[EMAIL PROTECTED] --- Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.682 / Virus Database: 444 - Release Date: 5/11/2004 ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 11 May 2004 15:02:25 -0400 From: Steve Nash <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: AC tools...follow up Q (for Gary) Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Like Mark, the air is cool, not cold. I'll just try the kit with the hose and see how it works. Thanks Gary. -Steve Chris Baker wrote: >Auto parts stores sell a little hose that plugs into your low pressure side >and adds the refrigerant. It includes a little dial gauge that tells you >when the refrigerant is in the proper range. > >Chris B. > >-----Original Message----- >From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of [EMAIL PROTECTED] >Sent: Tuesday, May 11, 2004 2:10 PM >To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >Subject: Re: [UUC] AC tools...follow up Q (for Gary) > > > > >>A good system should go 10+ years with no maintenance. A $10 hose is all >>you need to top up the system. >> >> > >I'm in the same boat with Steve as I'm prepping my 11 year old car for sale. >It seems to need a bit >of R134 to get the air conditioning OK (not quite blowing cold enough). > >So there's no need for a regulator of any sort. Just get a can of R134 >refrigerant and a hose and >refil? I guess the canister stops filling when it tops off? > >Why am I prepping a car's air conditioner when it may well end up as an ITS >racer?! > >Marc Plante >E36 325i, 220k [For Sale] >E36 M3/4, 49k >2002 Audi AR >Vienna, VA >Search the ARCHIVES:http://www.mail-archive.com/[EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > > ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 11 May 2004 14:18:03 -0400 From: "Gary Derian" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: Re: AC tools...follow up Q (for Gary) Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> No, watch the sight glass. Gauges are nice to have and needed for diagnosing a problem, but topping off is easy. Make sure you connect the can to the low pressure side. The only other tool is a vacuum pump. A good one is about $250 or so. Gary Derian > > A good system should go 10+ years with no maintenance. A $10 hose is all > > you need to top up the system. > > I'm in the same boat with Steve as I'm prepping my 11 year old car for sale. It seems to need a bit > of R134 to get the air conditioning OK (not quite blowing cold enough). > > So there's no need for a regulator of any sort. Just get a can of R134 refrigerant and a hose and > refil? I guess the canister stops filling when it tops off? > > Why am I prepping a car's air conditioner when it may well end up as an ITS racer?! > > Marc Plante > E36 325i, 220k [For Sale] > E36 M3/4, 49k > 2002 Audi AR > Vienna, VA > Search the ARCHIVES:http://www.mail-archive.com/[EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > __________________________________________________________________________ > In memory of Michel Potheau - friend, enthusiast, founder of the BMW CCA. > > UUC Motorwerks - BMW Performance Fine-tuning and home of the Ultimate > Short Shifter - accept no substitutes! > 908-874-9092 . http://www.uucmotorwerks.com ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 11 May 2004 13:59:51 -0500 From: "Harmon Fischer" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "bmwuucdigest" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: E46 M3 Raffle Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> For 10 years, since I was unelected to the CCA Board, and once again was eligible to enter, I have wanted to be the first raffle winner to win not one but two cars. This is the year! The fix is in. I know it is, and that's why I didn't win the Powerball last weekend. Harmon Fischer Member # 1806 Jefferon, LA ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 11 May 2004 12:49:38 -0700 (PDT) From: Paul King <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: UUCDigest <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: brake bits on wheels Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Hi There, I have some really stubborn brake particles that have bonded to my 95 M3 OEM 10 spoke wheels. This happened after a school at Vegas and I can't get the bits (look like black speckles) off of the rim area. Can anyone suggest a non-destructive way to get these removed? Please cc my direct email -- [EMAIL PROTECTED] Thanks, -Paul ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 11 May 2004 14:57:58 -0500 From: "Alex Cagann" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "UUCDigest" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Cc: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: Re: brake bits on wheels Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> If you cannot find a degreasing chemical to get these off, try oilflow solvent. I believe this is a german product and don't think you can buy it off the shelve down the street....you may have to try carcareonline.com. If your wheels are not polished and are painted with a clearcoat, you will not mess them up using the scruffy side of a 3M scotchbrite pad. Spray undiluted degreaser on a dry wheel, then scrub with the pad. Usually when the brake dust gets baked on, the clearcoat under it is compromised...and what this will mean for you is that from now on, the brake dust will be harder and harder to remove in those areas. Alex Cagann http://www.autoconsortium.com > Hi There, > > I have some really stubborn brake particles that have > bonded to my 95 M3 OEM 10 spoke wheels. This happened > after a school at Vegas and I can't get the bits (look > like black speckles) off of the rim area. > > Can anyone suggest a non-destructive way to get these > removed? ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 11 May 2004 13:34:26 -0700 (PDT) From: Brian Ruiz <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: E36 rear shock mounts Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> About to replace my rear shocks in the my 325. Car isn't tracked, should I just go with some convertible mounts as opposed to the standard mounts? Or are urethane mounts even better? TIA, Brian __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Win a $20,000 Career Makeover at Yahoo! HotJobs http://hotjobs.sweepstakes.yahoo.com/careermakeover ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 11 May 2004 16:40:05 -0400 From: "chet.dawes" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: Re: Bilstein Sports and air filter questions Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> "All factory filters are not the same. Some can be cheaply made, with small pleats and restrictive paper. I suppose one must compare the filters which are available for a particular application, factory, aftermarket, "hi-performance", etc. It may be that for some vehicles, the K&N is the best flowing filter available. Even so, that by itself is not enough, the reduced restriction must provide significant power gains." Gary Derian Exactly and here ya go Gary (well all but the power gain part): Okay, check this truly independent test out at the link below and decide for yourself. This is the sort of stuff that makes me think......Hmmm, if K&N filters are better, why don't the automakers use them? Kinda like Splitfire spark plugs. "Unleash all the power potential of your engine!" Yeah, like the folks at BMW get paid to leave horsepower 'on-the-table'???? http://www.bolhuijo.com/airflowtest/index.html As a side note, I spend a summer at a filtration company while I was drinking.....oh, I mean studying to be an engineer. The number of pleats is a direct determination of capacity (defined as mass of filth collected for a given restriction) of the filter. This is how you get more filter capacity in the same physical space. The filter media itself determines how small of a particle is allowed to pass through it. FYI, a dirty filter is a "better" filter than a fresh clean one. But it also carries the higher restriction. Chet Dawes -----Original Message----- Hi all, The reduced engine life theory I've read has to do with the fact that the K&N filter flows better so larger particles must be getting through. Larger particles can be a problem in theory. I have saved somewhere some independent research which does show that K&N filters do flow slightly better than factory paper filters. John Kjos ----- Original Message ----- From: "Neil N." <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Is it indeed commonly known that K&N filters reduce > engine life? Where the heck did that come from? I > run one, and would really like to know if that's true, > and why. > > Anyone know? > > Neil **************************************************************************************** Note: The information contained in this message may be privileged and confidential and thus protected from disclosure. If the reader of this message is not the intended recipient, or an employee or agent responsible for delivering this message to the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution or copying of this communication is strictly prohibited. If you have received this communication in error, please notify us immediately by replying to the message and deleting it from your computer. Thank you. **************************************************************************************** ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 11 May 2004 14:00:18 -0700 (PDT) From: Brian Ruiz <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: rims for E36 Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> What do you all think? I'm choosing some rims for my car, and I'm stuck between a few models. Looking at the BBS RKs, the Breyton Imagine, and the Breyton Vision. What are all your opinions? I know this is pretty subjective, but would like to know what everyone else thinks. Could help me decide by telling me something I didn't realize before too! Thanks! Brian __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Win a $20,000 Career Makeover at Yahoo! HotJobs http://hotjobs.sweepstakes.yahoo.com/careermakeover ------------------------------ End of [bmwuucdigest] digest(15 messages) **********
