The BMW UUC Digest Volume 3 : Issue 472 : "text" Format Messages in this Issue: Re: Street tires at Track Re: <E36> M3 tires Re: The next headlight: Re: Street tires at Track Re: Street tires at Track Re: Street tires at Track Re: Street tires at Track Re: Street tires at Track Re: Tires Re: Was Street vs. Track now run groups LED Headlight - Commentary Re: LED Headlight - Commentary Re: LED Headlight - Commentary Re: fuel economy OT: AutoEnginuity users - Bluetooth
---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Thu, 3 May 2007 07:24:04 -0400 From: "Chet Dawes" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[email protected]> Subject: Re: Street tires at Track Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Even more fun in a 318ti!! :) When it turned from dry to rain and my street-shod 318ti could lap well prepared 930 Porsches.......or at least their drivers. ;-) Cheers, Chet Dawes Former 318ti traded "straight across" for my M3.......it is a long story.......so now I have no excuse when I'm slow. -----Original Message----- On Behalf Of Tammer Farid This is especially fun when you're in an E28. A couple modded (cams, intake, SW, StopTechs) E46 M3 drivers demanded that I pop the hood on the 535is after one session last year. They were disappointed to find a stock, unopened motor. That said, they were certainly faster than me, but not by much. :-) -tammer ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 03 May 2007 08:28:39 -0400 From: "[EMAIL PROTECTED]" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: [email protected] Subject: Re: <E36> M3 tires Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Ditto 100%. For the past two years, I've been using the RA-1 as my street tire also. They last a shockingly long time, getting down to "race depth" and just staying at that point. Sidewall is a bit stiffer than a regular street tire, so ride quality is affected somewhat. Worthwhile trade-off for my tastes. - Rob ----- Original Message ----- From: Carlos Lopez <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: Re: [UUC] <E36> M3 tires > -- Chet Dawes <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > I'm anxious to try out the RA-1. I've heard many good > > reviews! Who knows, perhaps they will be my next > 'utility player' favorite. :) > > Ahh that's the problem grasshoppa, you haven't lived until > you've driven RA-1s in the rain. :-) > > In a torrential downpour at Mid-Ohio I was passing street > tire shod cars like they were standing still. Some > actually didn't let me pass so I would pit, wait 10 > seconds, re-enter and catch them again in less than a lap. > > Those same tires at Putnam a year later were still much, > much, faster than my Kumho MXs in heavy rain. RA-1s just > plain and simply rock! Once they wear down to no grooves > then you can slide in 'em like a mad man in the dry and > still go relatively fast (compared to say a Hoosier GAC > tire). > > Carlos. > 98 M3 > 89 325i ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 3 May 2007 08:49:52 -0400 From: "Fuerst Chris" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "Kazuto Okayasu" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, "[uucdigest]" <[email protected]> Subject: Re: The next headlight: Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> The AA versions suck, for twice the price.... 1st -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Kazuto Okayasu Anyone with a 2/3/4cell C or D Maglite should get the new MAG-made LED upgrade kits. They are well worth it at <$20, as they are one of the few I've seen that let you fully retain the focusing function. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 3 May 2007 09:00:14 -0400 From: "Fuerst Chris" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "Tammer Farid" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, <[email protected]> Subject: Re: Street tires at Track Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Yeah, he is fast in those big bricks. Should be real interesting this year with his new ride. 1st - Chased and was chased by Tammer whilst riding with JJ$ in a quick M3 last year at WGI. -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Tammer Farid Sent: Thursday, May 03, 2007 1:00 AM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [UUC] Street tires at Track This is especially fun when you're in an E28. A couple modded (cams, intake, SW, StopTechs) E46 M3 drivers demanded that I pop the hood on the 535is after one session last year. They were disappointed to find a stock, unopened motor. That said, they were certainly faster than me, but not by much. :-) -tammer ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 3 May 2007 10:38:34 -0400 From: "Rob Levinson * UUC Motorwerks" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[email protected]> Subject: Re: Street tires at Track Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Hey, I was there too! - Rob ----- Original Message ----- From: "Fuerst Chris" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: Re: [UUC] Street tires at Track > > 1st - Chased and was chased by Tammer whilst riding with JJ$ in a quick > M3 last year at WGI. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 3 May 2007 07:50:24 -0700 (PDT) From: Carlos Lopez <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: Rob Levinson * UUC Motorwerks <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, [email protected] Subject: Re: Street tires at Track Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> --- Rob Levinson * UUC Motorwerks <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Hey, I was there too! Who wasn't! ;-) Our little crew was: Jack Money, Jonathan Van Houtte, Tammer Farid, Rich Dorffer, Chris Eck, Jim Laing (and wife), Chris Fuerst (and wife), and Steve Lyon. I had to keep an eye on 60+ racers during their pitstops and these guys were a huge help. Wished I had them around every race weekend. :-D I think that green E36 M3 had a lot of passengers over the two days. Carlos 98 M3 __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 3 May 2007 07:43:38 -0700 (PDT) From: Tammer Farid <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: [email protected] Subject: Re: Street tires at Track Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To be fair, at the DE where I was able to give 1st some chase, I was in the M5 ... just a wee bit more power than the 535! Was a decent match for Jack in the M3 until we hit the bus stop ... my T1-Rs were no match for his RA-1s and far better suspension at that point. In the horsepower sections a healthy E28 M5 will still surprise many unsuspecting drivers. Its powerband is such that on track, it seems stronger than it really is, with power building all the way to 7k rpm. -tammer --- Rob Levinson * UUC Motorwerks <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Hey, I was there too! > > - Rob > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Fuerst Chris" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Subject: Re: [UUC] Street tires at Track > > > > 1st - Chased and was chased by Tammer whilst riding > with JJ$ in a quick > > M3 last year at WGI. > __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 3 May 2007 10:56:06 -0400 From: "Fuerst Chris" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "Tammer Farid" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, <[email protected]> Subject: Re: Street tires at Track Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Hehe, I was leaving it at e28. I think the stoptechs helped a bit. Glad there was a hans. Sounded kewl also. -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Tammer Farid Sent: Thursday, May 03, 2007 10:44 AM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [UUC] Street tires at Track I was in the M5 ... just a wee bit more power than the 535! Was a decent match for Jack in the M3 until we hit the bus stop Its powerband is such that on track, it seems stronger than it really is, with power building all the way to 7k rpm. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 3 May 2007 09:01:06 -0400 From: "Fuerst Chris" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "Marco Romani" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, <[email protected]> Subject: Re: Tires Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Ugg, you can't turn that off, pull a fuse, etc.? 1st -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Marco Romani True - but it's a major PITA when you have a TPS that not only warns when the tire pressure is low, but also warns when it's high. Anything over 40psi sets off the "bong bong bong" in the CTS-V. Really annoying at the track. Marco ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 3 May 2007 11:27:44 -0400 From: "Jason Kay" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: [email protected] Subject: Re: Was Street vs. Track now run groups Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Hmm... BTDT Watkins Glen with TrackMasters. 3rd season of DEs. (had about 7-10 under my belt at that time) Cold track (35-40F lightly dew, we are the first run-group). I got the flag to run in front of 427 SC AC Cobra Kit that I had been dogging all the previous day... he had more displacement (and probably power) in one cyl. than I did in my whole little German car (sorry, it was a 924S, with a whole 137hp from its 2.5L vs his 800+hp monster.) I turned it down 2 nothces, was going "slow" ON ALL-SEASON PIRELLI STREET TIRES and was nearly 1/2 a lap in front of said Cobra that pulled away from me on the straights, and I would catch in the braking zones and ride his tail for the fun bits (going way too slow). (I lived in an apt. at the time and could not store "track tires" or even Summer tires, hence the all-seasoners, but that has since been rectified :) Entering the bus stop (at what felt like slow motion, or which was probably 20 or so mph (~1000rpm) slower than the end of the previous day) off the back straight, the nose pushed (so I let off the gas a touch), then a nice solid 4wheel drift... going around the turns... about 1/2 around the tail slides into the marbles, and I go for a long slow loop (fighting it all the way instead of steering off like I should have and keeping control) Well, that's WHY they call it DRIVER'S ED! -Jason '86 951 "Sparky" '70 240Z "Dusty" '03 325xi "Daisy" '06 Mini CooperS > On May 2, 2007, at 2:49 PM, JS Nord wrote: > It's the guys in C who think they should run in A usually that do. Just > enough seat time to think they know what they are doing without enough > experience or humility to know what they don't. > > Yup. I say this regularly: it's the high-C/low-B students that are the > scariest. They have the basic skills to go really fast but lack the > calibration to know when they're screwed and the skills to do anything about > it. > > - Mark, been there done that ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 3 May 2007 10:28:34 -0700 From: "Scott & Charlotte Miller" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "UUC Digest" <[email protected]> Subject: LED Headlight - Commentary Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Someone here shared a link to an article on LED headlights. On another list I asked GGC member Larry Ayers, who works in the lighting field, to comment. Larry is never at a shortage for info on lighting topics. Scott Miller GGC BMW CCA >>>>>>> But LED headlamps, as Curt says, are inevitable. You need to understand that LED and automobile manufacturers see headlamps using a "new" technology as another marketing breakthrough. If you recall, the first halogen headlamps legal in the US took about 15 years before the manufacturers felt a need to develop an existing technology into a marketing push (remember halogen sealed beams?). That was followed by Ford paying for R&D and government lobbying to allow replaceable bulb headlamps (with a new bulb design, attempting unsuccessfully to prevent 3rd party bulbs that did not meet NHTSA specifications). In 1992 BMW introduced HID headlamps as a $2,000 option in their 7series; within 3 years those "blue" headlamps had become a true marketing and sales icon. While I had heard about HID technology at least 5 years earlier, and saw prototypes at SAE shows, it took a real product to drive the manufacturers to make the plunge. I will note that we tested a prototype HID headlamp for a Japanese car in 1991, but I never saw the manufacturer offer it for sale; it was apparently too costly to offer unless the market forced the technology, which it did not during the tenure of that model. LED's continue to progress in their light output and adaptability; manufacturers always say that within a year the next goal will be in hand (I heard from a major LED manufacturer last Fall that we will really see LED headlamps before the end of this year; maybe we will). But they still do not offer the amount of light needed in headlamps without a large number of them or a smaller number of larger, very expensive lamps. Heat is an insidious issue that does not go away; if they get too hot they may only last hundreds of hours instead of the 50,000 hours we expect phosphor-based white LEDs to last (colored LED's usually have a 100,000 hour rating, but no one has actually tested them that long to my knowledge since the power is very expensive and 100,00 hours is over 11 years!). Heat also reduces the light output, a problem for traffic signal visibility during a hot Central Valley Summer day and potentially for powerful LED headlamps. Just like HID headlamps change colors as they age, and may require group bulb replacement to keep a compatible match from side to side, LED's have almost always encountered problems with color and light output meeting specification (the industry calls it binning; the bin of lower performance LED's is almost always full, while the color and higher output items go into bins that may be empty). The LED manufacturing process is not yet precise enough to fill the correct bins all of the time; this adds to the expense and availability of acceptable product. Oh, I understand that car manufacturers are trying to select their own LED tint colors for headlamps (that car with reddish headlamps must be a Mercedes, while the one with greenish headlamps should be a Prius; does the new 7 series have blue and white headlamps that shift colors to look like spinning propellers?). Some laboratory prototype LED's are very efficacious, but the ones we typically see (white) are about 25 lumens per watt, maybe 20-50% higher than good halogen headlamps. But one or more of those laboratory artifacts may tumble into production any month, and that would drive a wide variety of applications. For example, about 4 years ago Cree announced commercial availability of 60 lumen per watt white LED's. But I have not really seen one, although some of their competition has also announced similar products; I have heard of those in an actual product but also as a prototype. Remember, double the efficacy will halve the number needed to provide adequate light output, and cut down on the thermal problem, too. Our government is also funding LED research (EPACT 2005), and things like quantum dots may someday help performance. There is lots of promise, in a lot of ways, but as usual LED's take more time that we hear to solve the engineering problems and replace other light sources. For now, consider LED's as the best technology for signaling and marking applications (for cars, traffic signals and exit signs). Oh and for a strobe on your cellphone camera, too! Larry ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 03 May 2007 11:28:05 -0800 From: bbarry <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: Scott & Charlotte Miller <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Cc: UUC Digest <[email protected]> Subject: Re: LED Headlight - Commentary Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Developments in bicycle headlights show where car headlights in the near future can be. For a bike light, 80 lumens is passable for basic commuting. Little 6LED blinky's might give 20 lumens, and are good "see-me" lights. The high end on the market now are 13 watt HID systems, about 1/3 the output of a car HID. These allow 40+mph curvy descents and nighttime mountain bike racing. From the specs of the SilverStar car headlight bulbs, 1500 is middle range for a good car bulb, depending on style and fitment. The latest high end bike LED lights are now reaching 500 lumens, at costs over $400., for a three LED unit,that gives a relatively narrow beam compared to what a car would need. They run real hot and suck down the batteries compared to what the best hobbyist's are making. As mentioned in the article Scott quotes below, Cree, an American company with research assistance from the gov't, has the latest in bright LEDs. Their current best bin, Q2 has a typical color temperature over 6000k and standard output over of 90 to 100 lumens per watt, but not easily available to the consumer yet. Best bin on the retail market now, P4, is 84 lumens typical, 80 to 87 lumen range. Another advantage of the Cree light is a wide range of current it can accept. The P4 bin gives typical 84 lumens at 350mA, then can be stepped up to ~140 lumens at 700mA, and 200 @1000mA. The heat generated varies considerably. So speed sensitive brightness can be used to manage heat dissipation. To show what's possible for a car with these, let's look at my latest bike light design. I use 4 P4 bin XLamps on a 2"x2" computer chip heatsink. These are arranged in a square, with 12 degree angle secondary optics over each one. The beam is like two car lanes wide, with less light but good side visibility on a four lane road. At 350mA each, sitting stationary this get warm to the touch, like coffee after its cooled down to where most people wouldn't be sure if they still want to drink it. When riding along at 15+mph or more, the heatsink is barely warmer than ambient. Light output is 4x84, or 336 lumens, drawing only 4.5 watts from the battery. For a bike light, this is like navigating with a starship's deflector dish. Stepped up to 700mA, stationary, the heatsink gets got to where it won't singe your fingertip, but the temperature is acceptably warm/hot for coffee that's been sitting a few minutes but still drinkable. In motion, this cools down to lukewarm again. Light output is ~560 lumens, and power draw is 9.8 watts. Stepped up to 1000mA, the heat goes _Up. Light output there is ~800 lumens, and due to the narrower beam, is more blinding than any current car high beam sold. For a bike light, this is like firing that deflector dish to rip open the time space continuum to your destination. For heat and reliability, let's stay at 700mA for now. Over the narrower beam than a car light, this is almost as bright as car HIDs make. In the area a car headlight has, numerous LEDs with much more massive heatsinks are possible. An array of four of my four LED clusters, 16 emitters total, using wider angle optics can give 2000+ lumens over a better defined beamspread than any car headlight gives now, and dissipate heat sufficiently. LED efficiency will continue to increase another 25 to 50% in the next few years, making the case for LEDs even stronger. By varying the current levels and beam spreads, the need for separate parking, fog, and turn signal lights will be eliminated. To see the Cree XRE XLamp LED spec sheets for light output, binning, light loss at higher temperatures, wavelengths, etc, see: http://www.etgtech.com/2006/html/xlamp.htm For the latest in what's up with LED lighting, look up a hobbyist discussion group called Bike Currents. To subscribe to that list send a _Blank email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Barry Scott & Charlotte Miller wrote: > Someone here shared a link to an article on LED headlights. On > another list I asked GGC member Larry Ayers, who works in the > lighting field, to comment. Larry is never at a shortage for info on > lighting topics. > Scott Miller > GGC BMW CCA > But LED headlamps, as Curt says, are inevitable. You need to > understand > that LED and automobile manufacturers see headlamps using a "new" > technology as another marketing breakthrough. If you recall, the > first > ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 3 May 2007 15:50:47 -0400 From: "Fuerst Chris" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "UUC Digest" <[email protected]> Subject: Re: LED Headlight - Commentary Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> I would think with single, double, even triple stage thermoelectric heatsinks, or a simple old heat pipe, the heat issue would be a moot point? Even a 1 GB mobile pentium chip burns your finger in about 3 seconds of uptime without a heatsink. ;-) www.melcor.com http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heat_pipe 1st -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of bbarry Sent: Thursday, May 03, 2007 3:28 PM To: Scott & Charlotte Miller Cc: UUC Digest Subject: Re: [UUC] LED Headlight - Commentary Developments in bicycle headlights show where car headlights in the near future can be. Another advantage of the Cree light is a wide range of current it can accept. The P4 bin gives typical 84 lumens at 350mA, then can be stepped up to ~140 lumens at 700mA, and 200 @1000mA. The heat generated varies considerably. So speed sensitive brightness can be used to manage heat dissipation. To show what's possible for a car with these, let's look at my latest bike light design. I use 4 P4 bin XLamps on a 2"x2" computer chip heatsink. These are arranged in a square, with 12 degree angle secondary optics over each one. The beam is like two car lanes wide, with less light but good side visibility on a four lane road. At 350mA each, sitting stationary this get warm to the touch, like coffee after its cooled down to where most people wouldn't be sure if they still want to drink it. When riding along at 15+mph or more, the heatsink is barely warmer than ambient. Stepped up to 700mA, stationary, the heatsink gets got to where it won't singe your fingertip, but the temperature is acceptably warm/hot for coffee that's been sitting a few minutes but still drinkable. In motion, this cools down to lukewarm again. In the area a car headlight has, numerous LEDs with much more massive heatsinks are possible. An array of four of my four LED clusters, 16 emitters total, using wider angle optics can give 2000+ lumens over a better defined beamspread than any car headlight gives now, and dissipate heat sufficiently. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 03 May 2007 13:17:28 -0400 From: KMS- Brett Anderson <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: UUC Digest <[email protected]> Subject: Re: fuel economy Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Remember, US gallon is smaller than a UK gallon. BMW says Diesels here for 08 year model, probably only X5 and 740d. Maybe smaller cars a few years later. Interestingly, European sales of X5 are 93% diesel, and overall sales are 67% diesel. Brett Anderson KMS Gaudio, Stefano wrote: > For the people wanting high mpg, just wait 1-2 years until diesel > engines get here (from BMW as well) and you'll start seeing the 330D, > which is no slouch, rated at 43.5mpg average (yes it's a different cycle > but you get the idea) > > To note: > In France I drove my fiancee's 2000 Peugeot 106 (sporty very little > hatch) with the whopping 0.9liters ~55hp in the 100mph - 120mph > (downhill ;-) and got ~40mpg. This is the same car that I remember > being picked by Jeremy Clarkson from top gear as the best handling front > wheel drive! ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 03 May 2007 15:53:41 -0700 From: Peter Loron <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: [email protected] Subject: OT: AutoEnginuity users - Bluetooth Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Any folks out there with the AutoEnginuity scan tool using it with their Bluetooth serial adapter? If so, please contact me...I'm trying to figure out if I'm doing something wrong or what. If list members are interested and I reach any useful conclusion, I can summarize back to the list. Thanks. -Pete ------------------------------ End of [bmwuucdigest] digest(15 messages) **********
