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I'm getting ready for the biggest parts order I've ever placed, and I'd really appreciate a sanity check here. I'm doing a cooling system and brake refresh(and replacing some cracking intake bits and a leaking power steering reservoir) and I was wondering if you guys could tell me if I'm missing anything obvious here? Car is a 2000 328Ci with 150k on it, and I wanted to go ahead and replace the pulleys up front while I have everything off. Here's what my cart currently looks like from bavauto:  Cooling system kit contents: quote:Radiator - Behr Brake kit contents: quote:The replacement brake kit includes front and rear Bavarian Autosport brake rotors, hold-down bolts, Pagid Red pads, front and rear sensor wires and Noise Free anti-squeal compound. Probably going to get a VANOS kit after this, then maybe move on to the clutch and shocks.
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Jul 31, 2013 21:09
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Probably want to buy some coolant and brake fluid 
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Jul 31, 2013 21:41
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I'll say it again, bavauto sucks. autohaus az or rmeuropean or blunttech (my preference) are all better. Plus, blunttech will draw dongs all over the shipping boxes. I've had poor results with URO brand hoses on my former Z3MC. I would buy extra bleeder screws, its better to have spares around when they only cost about a buck each.
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Jul 31, 2013 23:06
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Well I waited to long to get parking at my new apartment and now it's all filled up. I will hopefully be able to at least find a outdoor parking spot for rent nearby but I'm curios about car covers. Any suggestions on brand or if there is anything special I should look for? I live in South Central Wisconsin so it doesn't get to warm and during the winter I will be storing the car up at my Parents place.
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Aug 1, 2013 00:34
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BraveUlysses posted:I'll say it again, bavauto sucks because...
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Aug 1, 2013 00:44
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I've noticed that their prices are usually higher than ECS.
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Aug 1, 2013 00:56
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Motronic posted:Have you checked if the TPS is registering that you are off throttle? If not, the ECU will never call for the IAC to turn on and moderate the idle. I tested the TPS and it was within spec, so I thought I would check the ICV and it was also within spec. I put it all back together (which took about 25% of the time it took me the first time) and tried it out. Lo and behold it idles fine. I guess I put it together wrong or something.... Timmy Cruise fucked around with this message at 02:12 on Aug 1, 2013 |
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Aug 1, 2013 02:04
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I'm not a fan of Bavauto either, mainly long shipping times on stuff that was marked as in stocks and ready to ship then takes 2+ weeks. I generally get everything through Pelican Parts and their customer service is pretty awesome. If anyone is placing Pelican orders I have coupons for $100 and $200 orders and a 15% off one as well, PM me.
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Aug 1, 2013 15:54
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*E36 Fan Delete Mod Trip Report* It was hot as balls yesterday.  The temp sensor was floating between 99 and 103 on the drive home. The temp has been rock solid since I did the mod, but it's been cooler, and I've had the A/C on. Seemed like perfect weather to test. I drove for about 10 of my 20 mile commute, and the temp was completely normal. Then I turned off the A/C (and thus, the Aux Fan), and watched what happened. Cruising around a parking lot, the Air Temp Sensor was registering 103, and the coolant gauge registered like this...steady - not rising or falling.  It stayed like that, even while driving a couple miles at 45 mph, until I kicked the A/C back on as I was pulling into my apartments, which also turned the Aux Fan back on. The temp started falling almost immediately, and after I parked, I let the car idle for 2-3 minutes to see how far it would fall. ~4 minutes after turning the A/C back on, the temp was back to normal.  What I Learned If it's hot, and you're not running the A/C, the temperature goes up higher than normal, but stabilizes. It doesn't go into a runaway condition, even in pretty extreme heat, the way I'd feared it might. I stand by my original assertion: If you don't live in Arizona, and you only replace the thermostat with a 176*/80*c version, and don't do the fan switch part of the mod, if it's hot enough out to cause the temperature to rise above normal, you'll be running the A/C anyway. Kenny Rogers fucked around with this message at 21:17 on Aug 1, 2013 |
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Aug 1, 2013 16:01
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Pelican is very handy on the west coast as they ship out of L.A. and S.F. and you get stuff the next day almost always. GetBMWparts.com (Tischer BMW) also does a good job and almost all the decent dealer-sellers are all on Ebay now too if you are looking for stuff like trunk mats/nets, etc.
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Aug 1, 2013 16:03
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Interesting, but if your temperature gauge is reading that high in an E30, you're pretty much already hosed, as I am finding out right now!
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Aug 1, 2013 16:38
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omgitstheinternet posted:Why are you set on a 328 over a 335? Maintenance? Cost of ownership? Purchase price? Having owned an N54 135i previously I'd just like to chime in and say that it's an absolutely wonderful motor. Plenty of power, was very reliable for the 25k miles I owned it (never needed anything but oil changes), sounded amazing with an intake, and once the JB4 was installed it was just mind-blowingly quick for the price. Purchase price seems pretty comparable between 328 and 335, I guess it boils down to the 328 being "good enough for me." I've driven both and I'm perfectly fine with the 328, so I figured might as well go for that and never worry about the HPFP, maybe get better mileage, etc.
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Aug 1, 2013 16:48
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rscott posted:Interesting, but if your temperature gauge is reading that high in an E30, you're pretty much already hosed, as I am finding out right now! My 318 and 325 regularly go past the middle mark to the right side mark when it's hot, running the ac, and/or when idling. That's pretty typical.
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Aug 1, 2013 16:59
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Lightbulb Out posted:My 318 and 325 regularly go past the middle mark to the right side mark when it's hot, running the ac, and/or when idling. That's pretty typical. Ugh I swear I read a bunch of stuff that said the general consensus was that the gauge is a dummy one and once it's gone past the middle tick you're already overheating.
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Aug 1, 2013 17:14
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GentlemanofLeisure posted:I know a lot of people say to skip a warranty and just put a couple grand away for repairs. However if you're bad with impulse spending like me and think you might just spend that money, it might be worth it. My water pump went a few weeks ago and I'm glad I paid the $1500 for a warranty. The dealer was going to sell it non-CPO as it was right up on the mileage cutoff, but I only drive 8000 mi/yr so I wouldn't hit the ceiling anytime soon, and would get the full timeframe of the warranty. It was a hassle-free tow, drop-off and loaner pickup, versus needing AAA and paying out of pocket for parts & labor, rental, etc... That one problem probably equated about 90% of the warranty cost, and I have coverage for 2 more years. As a side note, I got a 335i coupe loaner to replace my 335xi sedan and I'm really glad to find I didn't miss out on anything. According to my butt dyno there's negligible difference in acceleration and handling between the RWD and AWD versions. I miss my paddle shifters, I am finding it tedious to switch in and out of DS when I want some juice, versus flicking it down a gear or two and reverting right back to D without having to clunk the shifter over.
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Aug 1, 2013 17:30
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I appreciate the advice about extended warranty. Different dealers charge different prices, right? So I can shop nationwide for BMW coverage, but have the work done at whatever dealer I want? Any suggestions on dealers with the lowest markups? When to buy? I've got about 20 months and 25k miles left on factory (including maintenance). Not sure I want to shell out for continued maintenance, unless there's something huge that comes due for a change at 51k miles, that kind of thing. Like how long do brakes usually last if you're a relatively average driver? $250 for a brake kit (like poster above) and I do labor seems reasonable.
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Aug 1, 2013 17:43
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rscott posted:Ugh I swear I read a bunch of stuff that said the general consensus was that the gauge is a dummy one and once it's gone past the middle tick you're already overheating. That has not been my experience. I know you have a 325e, and on my e car, it never really ran much past the center mark. The 318i and the 325is definitely creep up a bit when its warm, which makes me nervous, but if you get some air flow and get some revs the car cools right back off. Sometimes the ground on the back of the gauges start going bad as well, which causes them to jump around a bit and seem hotter than it may actually be.
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Aug 1, 2013 18:01
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http://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/cto/3973090676.html If anyone is interested, this was just posted up on the SF Bay local CL.
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Aug 1, 2013 18:10
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Lightbulb Out posted:That has not been my experience. I know you have a 325e, and on my e car, it never really ran much past the center mark. The 318i and the 325is definitely creep up a bit when its warm, which makes me nervous, but if you get some air flow and get some revs the car cools right back off. Sometimes the ground on the back of the gauges start going bad as well, which causes them to jump around a bit and seem hotter than it may actually be. What you're describing your i's doing is basically what my e does, but I've got a weird disappearing coolant issue. I'm losing near to a quart a day it seems like but I've got no massive leaks, no milkshake in the oil, no oil in the coolant as far as I can tell(which is distilled water at this point because paying for antifreeze in the middle of the summer when it's losing that much coolant seems pretty stupid) and I'm not seeing steam out of the tailpipe on throttle or anything.
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Aug 1, 2013 19:20
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When was the last time you had a compression check done? The head gasket could also be leaking out near a place that is not obvious to see.
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Aug 1, 2013 19:33
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Have you pulled the plugs since it started eating coolant? See if one looks unusually clean.
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Aug 1, 2013 19:40
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rscott posted:Interesting, but if your temperature gauge is reading that high in an E30, you're pretty much already hosed, as I am finding out right now! Kenny Rogers posted:*E36 Fan Delete Mod Trip Report* I did the same on my old E30 and had no issues with overheating. As far as a non-useless temp gauge for E30's just pick up an aftermarket one and wire it in, did this on the couple I've had and the chump...it's the only way to go if you really care about temps. Unrealated but still BMW chat I'm trying to figure out how to store/stack the 320i and the M3 with my 9'6" ceilings. Looks like I should be able to do it with about 5.75" to spare using a 2-post lift and some DIY wheel adapters. Now to start lift shopping. when I'm home sick with nothing to do I start finding ways to spend money...it's bad NitroSpazzz fucked around with this message at 20:01 on Aug 1, 2013 |
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Aug 1, 2013 19:57
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I just had my tires replaced, and one of the techs alerted me to the fact that when he was torquing down the lugs, there was some horizontal play in whole wheel/hub assembly when you really cranked it. Does this indicate worn ball joints? I've haven't done much with suspensions, is this reasonably easy to replace myself?
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Aug 1, 2013 20:13
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JDM3 posted:I appreciate the advice about extended warranty. Different dealers charge different prices, right? So I can shop nationwide for BMW coverage, but have the work done at whatever dealer I want? Any suggestions on dealers with the lowest markups? When to buy? I've got about 20 months and 25k miles left on factory (including maintenance). Not sure I want to shell out for continued maintenance, unless there's something huge that comes due for a change at 51k miles, that kind of thing. Like how long do brakes usually last if you're a relatively average driver? $250 for a brake kit (like poster above) and I do labor seems reasonable. For some reason the PO bought extended maintenance sometime before turning in the lease  and in the last year I've only had it in for an oil change. The extended maintenance package prices are ridiculous. I don't think the maintenance package is worth purchasing unless you are physically incapable of replacing wiper blades. Here's the list of what's covered:Engine Oil Services: $0 Inspection Services: $0 Wiper Blade Inserts: $0 Brake Pads: $0 Brake Discs: $0 Engine Drive Belts: $0 Brake Fluid Service: $0 CPO is CPO, so if you got a great deal on a car 1000 miles away you can still get the work done at your local place. I don't know what the procedure is for getting a car you currently own certified, though.
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Aug 1, 2013 21:15
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rscott posted:What you're describing your i's doing is basically what my e does, but I've got a weird disappearing coolant issue. I'm losing near to a quart a day it seems like but I've got no massive leaks, no milkshake in the oil, no oil in the coolant as far as I can tell(which is distilled water at this point because paying for antifreeze in the middle of the summer when it's losing that much coolant seems pretty stupid) and I'm not seeing steam out of the tailpipe on throttle or anything. Will it run itself out of coolant completely? Both of my cars run slightly below the "min" line when cold. I add more coolant, and it just pukes it back out after driving for a while. They're both a little low but no matter how much I put it in, it equalizes itself to a smidge low.
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Aug 1, 2013 21:42
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Going in tomorrow at 9AM to work out the details on that Z4M Coupe. I don't know if I'm going to be able to sleep. Can't stop looking at the photos.  </e_n>
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Aug 2, 2013 07:12
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Rare shot I had of the E30 Collection lined up, Posted it in the Wagon thread but figured it belonged in here.
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Aug 2, 2013 09:04
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I don't think that's enough E30s. I'm probably going to be acquiring another red 325is.
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Aug 2, 2013 13:08
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Confused_Donkey posted:Rare shot I had of the E30 Collection lined up, Posted it in the Wagon thread but figured it belonged in here. when I grow up I want to be you
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Aug 2, 2013 18:18
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Lightbulb Out posted:Will it run itself out of coolant completely? Both of my cars run slightly below the "min" line when cold. I add more coolant, and it just pukes it back out after driving for a while. They're both a little low but no matter how much I put it in, it equalizes itself to a smidge low. It's drained the expansion tank pretty much to the bottom a couple of times and I haven't let it get lower than that since I really don't want to truly cook the thing.
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Aug 2, 2013 18:20
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Confused_Donkey posted:Rare shot I had of the E30 Collection lined up, Posted it in the Wagon thread but figured it belonged in here. Holy poo poo I didn't think you posted here anymore.
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Aug 2, 2013 18:33
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rscott posted:It's drained the expansion tank pretty much to the bottom a couple of times and I haven't let it get lower than that since I really don't want to truly cook the thing. That's about where both of mine are, and haven't gotten any lower. It might just be the equilibrium of the system if you can't find where it's coming out at.
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Aug 2, 2013 18:36
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Anyone have good things to say about Dr.Colorchip? I got a nice half pencil eraser size chip on my driver side bumper. Sigh...
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Aug 2, 2013 18:37
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rscott posted:when I grow up I want to be you
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Aug 2, 2013 20:21
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TRIGGER PULLED ON Z4M Delivery Tuesday.
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Aug 2, 2013 22:07
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So as a follow-up to my post last week about the feasibility of replacing my own alternator, I was wondering if anyone had any experience buying alternators from places like Advanced Auto Parts. I'd like to order from Pelican, but kind of want to get the car on the road as soon as possible. Is it worth rolling the dice, or should I just order a remanned Bosch alternator and wait for it to arrive?
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Aug 2, 2013 22:13
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Confused_Donkey posted:Rare shot I had of the E30 Collection lined up, Posted it in the Wagon thread but figured it belonged in here. I want that wagon. Nice collection
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Aug 2, 2013 22:21
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UnkleBoB posted:I was wondering if anyone had any experience buying alternators from places like Advanced Auto Parts. You will use the lifetime warranty 3 or 4 times in 6 month or less intervals before you finally break down and get a proper rebuild.
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Aug 2, 2013 22:33
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Jealous Cow posted:Holy poo poo I didn't think you posted here anymore. I'm on here every day, just don't post much. Lemme know the next time you are in town.
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Aug 2, 2013 22:41
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Motronic posted:You will use the lifetime warranty 3 or 4 times in 6 month or less intervals before you finally break down and get a proper rebuild. Confirmed my suspicions. I'll just order a quality part.
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Aug 2, 2013 22:44
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