The BMW UUC Digest Volume 2 : Issue 478 : "text" Format Messages in this Issue: 540i block problem year affected Re: 540i block problem year affected Re: 540i block problem year affected Newport News Mechanic?? Re: speeding in Wisconsin is EXPENSIVE!! Re: Bilstein bumpstops ... Re: Bilstein bumpstops ... CASE OF THE RELUCTANT RIM Re: CASE OF THE RELUCTANT RIM Re: CASE OF THE RELUCTANT RIM Re: CASE OF THE RELUCTANT RIM Reluctant Rim Re: Reluctant Rim <E36> remote <E36> M3 tranny operation
---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Tue, 4 Jan 2005 20:34:53 -0600 From: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[email protected]> Subject: 540i block problem year affected Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Gruppe, I'm still in the car buying mode and I found a 94 540i for a good price....almost seems too good to be true....car only has 76K miles on it. I remember this car being subject to a Nikasil block problem.....does anyone know what years were affected by this? TIA Phil 92 E36/M50 and dreaming of bigger and better things ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 4 Jan 2005 22:36:43 -0500 From: "Rich Dorffer" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, <[email protected]> Subject: Re: 540i block problem year affected Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Gruppe, > > I'm still in the car buying mode and I found a 94 540i for a good > price....almost seems too good to be true....car only has 76K miles on > it. I remember this car being subject to a Nikasil block > problem.....does anyone know what years were affected by this? This is still one of the best articles about this issue: http://www.koalamotorsport.com/tech/misc/v8shortblock.htm Regards, Rich ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 5 Jan 2005 18:42:44 -0600 From: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[email protected]> Cc: "Gary Derian" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, "Rich Dorffer" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, "KMS- Brett Anderson" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: Re: 540i block problem year affected Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Thanks guys. That gave me all the info I needed on the problem. Unfortunately, I sent a question to the seller and he hasn't responded so I'm thinking it's probably the Nikasil block in this car. I'm not willing to take a risk on something like that so just in case anyone else might want it I thought I'd let everyone know the car is still "floating in the bay". It's item 4516538585 on Ebay motors. I think what made me even more skeptical was reading the letter to the editor in the December Roundel from Marco Ruiz about the M3 he bought on Ebay that seemed "too good to be true" (and it was)! I came really close to hitting the "buy it now" button last night. That option is gone now and at this writing the bid's at $5500 and the reserve is met! Oh, one other thing I did happen to notice is in the closeup pic of the gauges, the tach is sitting on about 400 RPM. Isn't that a little low? Could this be because the idle is so rough from the dreaded Nikasil problem? I don't know enough about 540's to know where they should idle but my 325 usually is about 600 but sometimes varies upwards because it's an M50 and they just do that... http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=4516538585&rd=1&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT Phil Content with my 92 E36/M50 again for now disclaimer....if you buy this car, and it has a problem, I'm in no way marketing this for the seller, just making observations :) ----- Original Message ----- From: "Rich Dorffer" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; <[email protected]> Sent: Tuesday, January 04, 2005 9:36 PM Subject: Re: [UUC] 540i block problem year affected >> [EMAIL PROTECTED] > >> Gruppe, >> >> I'm still in the car buying mode and I found a 94 540i for a good >> price....almost seems too good to be true....car only has 76K miles >> on >> it. I remember this car being subject to a Nikasil block >> problem.....does anyone know what years were affected by this? > > This is still one of the best articles about this issue: > > http://www.koalamotorsport.com/tech/misc/v8shortblock.htm > > Regards, > > Rich > 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: Wed, 05 Jan 2005 08:17:32 -0500 From: "Darren Beilstein" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: [email protected] Subject: Newport News Mechanic?? Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> I recently moved to Newport News / Williamsburg, VA and am in need of a good BMW mechanic. If anyone knows of one, please send me the details, otherwise I will have to contact the dealer today for service (argh!). TIA Darren ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 5 Jan 2005 09:58:39 -0500 From: "Gaudio, Stefano" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[email protected]> Subject: Re: speeding in Wisconsin is EXPENSIVE!! Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> I think that the $1,230 will be insignificant compared to his insurance hike as soon as the 145mph ticket goes on his record!!! And this is assuming any insurance company will still insure him. I'm not sure about Wisconsin but in NY he would be toast. I just like to point the guy to the local track since it would be much cheaper not to mention much safer for him but mostly for the people around him!!! P.S. I also hope he had suspension mods because I drove a wrx and I'd be scared at that speed with the soft stock suspension (if it were a sti it's a different story). Stefano '98 M3 that only hits ~140MPH at Watkins Glen back straight. In reply to... ----------------------------- Date: Tue, 04 Jan 2005 09:30:18 -0600 From: Clarence <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: UUC Digest <[email protected]> Subject: speeding in Wisconsin is EXPENSIVE!! Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Ahhh, this story brings back memories..... One comment I will make is that this stretch of highway is, IMO, a tad too urban for these speeds. Clarence West Bend, WI *************************************** Heartland man accused of driving 145 mph on I-94 By TOM KERTSCHER [EMAIL PROTECTED] Posted: Jan. 3, 2005 Caledonia - A 25-year-old Waukesha County man tore into the new year - at 80 mph over the speed limit - and wracked up a possible $1,230 in traffic tickets, the Racine County Sheriff's Department said Monday. Timothy M. Knick of Hartland was pulled over while driving a turbo-charged Subaru WRX on northbound I-94 near Highway K for driving 145 mph in a 65 mph zone, Sgt. Brian Londre said Monday. That ticket was for $863, and another for reckless driving added $367, for a total of $1,230, Londre said. The new year was barely five hours old at that point. There was no evidence that Knick had been drinking. "That's a good thing," Londre said. Tickets have been issued to many people for exceeding 120 mph, Londre said, but he hadn't heard of anyone reaching 145. Court records show Knick was found guilty of speeding in Milwaukee County in 1999 and twice in Waukesha County in 1997. His record at the state Department of Motor Vehicles, which clears citations after five years, is clean. Knick will have an opportunity to contest the new tickets in Racine County Circuit Court. He could not be reached for comment. From the Jan. 4, 2005, editions of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel ------------------------------ _____________________________________________________________ This e-mail and any attachments may be confidential or legally privileged. If you received this message in error or are not the intended recipient, you should destroy the e-mail message and any attachments or copies, and you are prohibited from retaining, distributing, disclosing or using any information contained herein. Please inform us of the erroneous delivery by return e-mail. Thank you for your cooperation. _____________________________________________________________ ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 5 Jan 2005 09:05:28 -0800 (PST) From: Andre Yew <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: [email protected] Subject: Re: Bilstein bumpstops ... Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> On Tue, 4 Jan 2005, Gary Derian wrote: > Collapse the strut by hand and see if it mushes to a stop or goes clunk. > Mush means there is an internal stop. Clunk means no stop. There should be > something soft making first contact at the end of the suspension travel. For anyone still following this saga, it sounds like there is no internal stop: the piston stops with a definite clunk for front and rear, so it looks like bumpstops will be necessary. Thanks again for everyone's help! --Andre ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 5 Jan 2005 20:47:00 -0500 From: "Michael Gambini" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[email protected]> Subject: Re: Bilstein bumpstops ... Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> I forget what series this was for, but I can tell you that the E36 front struts have internal bumpstops. When I installed them on my M3, I took out the strut insert and cut down the internal bumpstop per info I got on the web. MikeG ----- Original Message ----- From: "Andre Yew" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Wednesday, January 05, 2005 12:05 PM Subject: Re: [UUC] Bilstein bumpstops ... > On Tue, 4 Jan 2005, Gary Derian wrote: >> Collapse the strut by hand and see if it mushes to a stop or goes clunk. >> Mush means there is an internal stop. Clunk means no stop. There should >> be >> something soft making first contact at the end of the suspension travel. > > For anyone still following this saga, it sounds like there is no internal > stop: the piston stops with a definite clunk for front and rear, so it > looks like bumpstops will be necessary. > > Thanks again for everyone's help! > > --Andre ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 5 Jan 2005 17:32:54 -0500 From: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[email protected]> Subject: CASE OF THE RELUCTANT RIM Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Hi all -- Was on a trip most of last evening and all night traveling from Ohio to Connecticut, trying to beat the storm also headed east--About midnight, got a flat on Interstate 81 N (in Pennsylvania) -- pulled to side of interstate -- happily, flat was on passenger side, since the semis seemed intent on "sucking my car back out into traffic lane as they shot by extremely close, and quite fast -- Of course, the trunk had just previously been loaded to capacity, (over-capacity) so I had to first "unpack" trunk (10 minutes), while moving wife back away from car to guard rail some distance away (for her safety)-- I was barely able to loosen the lug bolts by standing on lug wrench fitted to bolts in a position approximately parallel to ground --and then doing a diving board pre-spring up and then down onto THE lug wrench handle (I pity anyone trying to do this who doesn't possess at least 220# of available instantaneous load)-- I then raised the car, removed the bolts (EVERYONE READING THIS HAS ALREADY FAST-FORWARDED TO BEYOND THIS POINT, KNOWING THE inevitable DIRECTION OF THIS POST, HAVEN'T YOU?? (C:] )-- I then grabbed the tire, pulled -- and WHAT should occur but the rim still in place -had moved Nary a snootch -- i tried it again so to see what had happened -- the rim never moved -- not even an angstrom -- After applying a suitable choice of "appelations" to the the tire, the alloy rim, the hub, to the concept of dissimilar metals engaging in a certain chemical encounter of the "seizing kind" -- I still had a bit of energy left to engage in a metaphorical conversation with my favorite BMW dealer service department who had removed these four wheels somewhat recently for a routine brake inspection. Finally -- the question -- is nothing called for as anti-seize compound to be applied to hub facing and alloy rim at contact surfaces?? -- and, although NOW I will never again travel without, why is not a decent sledge hammer included as part of road emergency equipment -- or have I just missed the clever hint that explains the trick known by all you "insiders" that would have precluded my need to seek blood-pressure treatment today for the first time in my life? I ("almost") considered putting bolts back on, perhaps half-way, lowering car off of jack, and driving back and forth a few feet, perhaps while turning steering wheel a bit (it was the front tire) in hopes of breaking the "bond" (poor choice of word here since bond implies a "hoped-for" permanent connection)--but of course, I immediately envisioned either stripping threads on the bolts if the rim DID release, or perhaps even shearing them, rim coming off and getting jammed as it fell and producing wheel into brake! -caliper or disk related damage. OK, any of you magicians out there willing to go "Penn and Teller" and share your wisdom?? Also --any anti-seize tricks for set-ups (instructions for my dealership) or for me to now perform, in anticipation of the next time (first flat in MANY years, by the way). Also I HAVE to acknowledge the compassionate semi driver who pulled up behind me after about 40 minutes, serving as a buffer so I would NOT get rear-ended, went back to HIS truck after surveying my situation, returned with HIS sledge, popped the rim off on the second swing, stayed to help put on (thankfully full-sized) spare -- helped toss flat back into well of trunk, helped me reload trunk, refused my most heartfelt offer of a "tip" to help make up for the "road-time" (i.e. money) that he so willingly relinquished to help us out and had him merely offer the thought -- "Pass on the ACT" (as in do the same for someone else). I suspect that most all of us have or do engage in such acts of kindness, car nuts that we are -- However, it would be difficult to describe my REAL sense of "gratefulness" for his act, since We WERE able to get back on the road and complete our trip --perhaps two hours in advance of the storm's arrival. It IS kind of a neat world sometimes. All of this does send me into a reminscence about being in my old '67 2002 -- we were moving -- I had the car loaded to the roof line with part of my book collection -- trunk -- full of books -- back seat --floor to ceiling --passenger seat yes -- I'm sure you know where this story is headed, as well. Of course you do, flat tire -- took forever to unload trunk, got spare and jack, but -- car was SO loaded down, there was not enough clearance to get the &[EMAIL PROTECTED]( jack under the $#%^&* chassis. So, unload back seat, front seat -- enough books to cause Library of Congress to add a wing -- stacked out all over around the car -- trying now to quickly change to spare as -- of course, you guessed -- it began to rain -- on my collection of (to me, anyhow) priceless books. -- Ah, it doesn't get any better than this -- If you are still reading, thanks for your time -- thanks as well, for your responses -AND/or your help -- (not always the same thing!!) Michael North Granby, CT ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 5 Jan 2005 16:39:15 -0800 From: "Marco Romani" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[email protected]> Subject: Re: CASE OF THE RELUCTANT RIM Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> yep. a very light coat of anti seize is all it takes. Will probably last the life of the car too. That and a 5lb short sledge in the trunk. Why they don't put the anti-seize on at the factory amazes me. Marco -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Wednesday, January 05, 2005 2:33 PM To: [email protected] Subject: [UUC] CASE OF THE RELUCTANT RIM Hi all -- Was on a trip most of last evening and all night traveling from Ohio to Connecticut, trying to beat the storm also headed east--About midnight, got a flat on Interstate 81 N (in Pennsylvania) -- pulled to side of interstate -- happily, flat was on passenger side, since the semis seemed intent on "sucking my car back out into traffic lane as they shot by extremely close, and quite fast -- Of course, the trunk had just previously been loaded to capacity, (over-capacity) so I had to first "unpack" trunk (10 minutes), while moving wife back away from car to guard rail some distance away (for her safety)-- I was barely able to loosen the lug bolts by standing on lug wrench fitted to bolts in a position approximately parallel to ground --and then doing a diving board pre-spring up and then down onto THE lug wrench handle (I pity anyone trying to do this who doesn't possess at least 220# of available instantaneous load)-- I then raised the car, removed the bolts (EVERYONE READING THIS HAS ALREADY FAST-FORWARDED TO BEYOND THIS POINT, KNOWING THE inevitable DIRECTION OF THIS POST, HAVEN'T YOU?? (C:] )-- I then grabbed the tire, pulled -- and WHAT should occur but the rim still in place -had moved Nary a snootch -- i tried it again so to see what had happened -- the rim never moved -- not even an angstrom -- After applying a suitable choice of "appelations" to the the tire, the alloy rim, the hub, to the concept of dissimilar metals engaging in a certain chemical encounter of the "seizing kind" -- I still had a bit of energy left to engage in a metaphorical conversation with my favorite BMW dealer service department who had removed these four wheels somewhat recently for a routine brake inspection. Finally -- the question -- is nothing called for as anti-seize compound to be applied to hub facing and alloy rim at contact surfaces?? -- and, although NOW I will never again travel without, why is not a decent sledge hammer included as part of road emergency equipment -- or have I just missed the clever hint that explains the trick known by all you "insiders" that would have precluded my need to seek blood-pressure treatment today for the first time in my life? I ("almost") considered putting bolts back on, perhaps half-way, lowering car off of jack, and driving back and forth a few feet, perhaps while turning steering wheel a bit (it was the front tire) in hopes of breaking the "bond" (poor choice of word here since bond implies a "hoped-for" permanent connection)--but of course, I immediately envisioned either stripping threads on the bolts if the rim DID release, or perhaps even shearing them, rim coming off and getting jammed as it fell and producing wheel into brake! -caliper or disk related damage. OK, any of you magicians out there willing to go "Penn and Teller" and share your wisdom?? Also --any anti-seize tricks for set-ups (instructions for my dealership) or for me to now perform, in anticipation of the next time (first flat in MANY years, by the way). Also I HAVE to acknowledge the compassionate semi driver who pulled up behind me after about 40 minutes, serving as a buffer so I would NOT get rear-ended, went back to HIS truck after surveying my situation, returned with HIS sledge, popped the rim off on the second swing, stayed to help put on (thankfully full-sized) spare -- helped toss flat back into well of trunk, helped me reload trunk, refused my most heartfelt offer of a "tip" to help make up for the "road-time" (i.e. money) that he so willingly relinquished to help us out and had him merely offer the thought -- "Pass on the ACT" (as in do the same for someone else). I suspect that most all of us have or do engage in such acts of kindness, car nuts that we are -- However, it would be difficult to describe my REAL sense of "gratefulness" for his act, since We WERE able to get back on the road and complete our trip --perhaps two hours in advance of the storm's arrival. It IS kind of a neat world sometimes. All of this does send me into a reminscence about being in my old '67 2002 -- we were moving -- I had the car loaded to the roof line with part of my book collection -- trunk -- full of books -- back seat --floor to ceiling --passenger seat yes -- I'm sure you know where this story is headed, as well. Of course you do, flat tire -- took forever to unload trunk, got spare and jack, but -- car was SO loaded down, there was not enough clearance to get the &[EMAIL PROTECTED]( jack under the $#%^&* chassis. So, unload back seat, front seat -- enough books to cause Library of Congress to add a wing -- stacked out all over around the car -- trying now to quickly change to spare as -- of course, you guessed -- it began to rain -- on my collection of (to me, anyhow) priceless books. -- Ah, it doesn't get any better than this -- If you are still reading, thanks for your time -- thanks as well, for your responses -AND/or your help -- (not always the same thing!!) Michael North Granby, CT 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: Wed, 5 Jan 2005 20:38:01 -0500 From: "Rich Dorffer" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[email protected]> Cc: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: Re: CASE OF THE RELUCTANT RIM Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> (Snipped). First off, here are my suggestions. If I was on the road side with a wheel stuck on the hub, I would turn my back to the wheel/tire and kick it with my heel on one side of the tire, alternating from side to side. I have yet to find a wheel that I couldn't remove in that fashion. Be sure the car is properly jacked up and supported. I would probably look to replace my "over-torqued" lug bolts. The Derian lake test would probably be appropriate at this time. Also, I wouldn't put a lot of anti-seize all over the hub. The wheel is held in place partially by the friction between the hub and the wheel. I use a light coat of anti-seize primarily around the centering portion of the hub as that is part of the culprit when the wheel doesn't want to come off of the hub. Otherwise, I simply clean the face of the hub and back of the wheel really well removing all the corrosion so the faces are smooth and clean. I do know there are some that use a light coat on the entire hub, but I use it very sparingly without any issues of the wheels seizing to the hub. > I ("almost") considered putting bolts back on, perhaps half-way, > lowering car off of jack, and driving back and forth a few feet, > perhaps while turning steering wheel a bit (it was the front tire) > in hopes of breaking the "bond" (poor choice of word here since bond > implies a "hoped-for" permanent connection)--but of course, I > immediately envisioned either stripping threads on the bolts if the > rim DID release, or perhaps even shearing them, rim coming off and > getting jammed as it fell and producing wheel into brake! > -caliper or disk related damage. I have known people to use this method effectively. The key is to have the lug bolts just barely loose and to monitor the situation closely. Just putting the weight of the car down might break the wheel loose, or even turning the steering back and forth some (for the front) before resorting to moving the car slightly and bumping the brakes. Regards, Rich ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 5 Jan 2005 20:41:20 -0500 From: "Dennis Liu" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[email protected]> Cc: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: Re: CASE OF THE RELUCTANT RIM Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Michael wrote: <snip> >OK, any of you magicians out there willing to go "Penn and Teller" and share your wisdom?? Also --any anti-seize tricks for set-ups (instructions for my dealership) or for me to now perform, in anticipation of the next time (first flat in MANY years, by the way). ____________ FWIW, I've been advised that one trick is to lie down on your back, perpendicular to the wheel, pull your legs up to your chest, and KICK HARD with both legs. Of course, try not to do this by laying down in traffic. But I've been told that this is a good substitute if you don't have a sledge handy.... Vty, --Dennis . ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 5 Jan 2005 16:40:25 -0800 From: Tom Kosmalski <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: [email protected] Subject: Reluctant Rim Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> It's hard to imagine that a light coating of Liquid Wrench between the two dissimilar metal surfaces would hurt anything, and would probably solve this inadvertent bonding problem you had. Other more knowledgeable members of the forum may have better (and perhaps longer-lasting) ideas. BTW, no terms such as "Angstrom" are allowed here, this is a car forum, not the graduate physics/chemistry forum (hah!). Tom Hood River, Oregon Newer E46 Wagon and Loving It More All The Time! ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 5 Jan 2005 19:32:19 -0600 From: "Dewig, Mike" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: [email protected] Subject: Re: Reluctant Rim Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> "BTW, no terms such as "Angstrom" are allowed here, this is a car forum, not the graduate physics/chemistry forum (hah!)." This is a good rule, as it will prevent pedants like me from pointing out that an Angstrom is actually a unit of measurement applied to distance (Usually used in measuring wavelengths), not force. To forestall the future explanations of what "pedant" is, it's just a nice way of saying "anal retentive". And yes. I already know. Mike DeWig ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 5 Jan 2005 17:23:08 -0800 From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [email protected] Subject: <E36> remote Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Gentlemen, I'm trying to find a part number for the manual or online instructions for the operation of the E36 (1999) remote for the M3. I think the remote is Part# 821 111 469 444 for the controller and definitely xxxxx 448 for the two button controller. What I don't know is if there are ways to set the remote to program activation of lights to indicate arming or a chirp etc. The remote key fob has two buttons. I don't know what the lock/arm panic functions do or how to initiate. -Kevin ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 5 Jan 2005 18:19:30 -0800 From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [email protected] Subject: <E36> M3 tranny operation Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Is it normal to have the gearshift "stick" in 3rd? On occasion the lever requires more effort to pull it out of 3rd. Time for UUC bushing and kit upgrade? The car only has 42k miles on it. -Kevin ------------------------------ End of [bmwuucdigest] digest(15 messages) **********
