Messages

1

Engine management / 91' 318i in a coma

« on: December 19, 2008, 11:59:40 PM »

After all the work you just did to it there is no way you can part it out now.  Definitely get the head gasket replaced or maybe even try to diy?
I have heard that it is not too dificult and if you find a nice guide online combined with the great knowledge of this forum it will be a piece of cake.  

Keep the e30!!!  Everyone I know who sold their's really regrets it.

2

Exterior / What do you use in the winter?

« on: October 31, 2008, 09:47:29 PM »

You may also want to look into the michelin x-ice.  I have been running them the past few seasons and they are just as good if not better than the blizzaks.

3

Photoshop, Media, & Artwork / the ultimate driving machine

« on: October 14, 2008, 10:50:49 PM »

Nice!  That is quite the ultimate collection of ultimate driving machines you have.  All you need is an e24 and you have my 3 favorite bmw chassis.  What type of kms per liter do you get?  I have heard the 6 cylinder etas are on par with m42s for fuel consumption???

4

Photoshop, Media, & Artwork / the ultimate driving machine

« on: October 14, 2008, 06:50:02 PM »

Can you post up some pics of your e28?  It is one of my favorite bmw chassis' and I would love to see them.

5

Off-topic discussion / Effects of high fuel price in USA, poll

« on: September 29, 2008, 10:32:59 PM »

:rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:

https://www.healthgoods.com/Education/Energy_Information/General_Energy_Information/fossil_fuel%20coal.htm
http://fossil.energy.gov/programs/powersystems/gasification/index.html

Ok, there you go.  You have your precious sources.  Does that change any of my previous points? No.
Stop hiding behind your "source" excuse and claiming that I am completely wrong.  It adds nothing to the discussion and is just a waste of time.  Don't just list sources and say you are right, use your brain and add some useful analysis.  It would also be nice if you read other people's points, thought about them for a little while, and then added a useful response or statement.

As I have stated before and I have now proved to you with your all-telling sources, coal fired electricity plants are only around 30-35% efficient.
Now think about it in the big picture.  Gasoline vehicles are about 30% efficient as you have previously stated and backed up with sources.  If coal fired electricity plants are 30-35% efficient, where is the drastic change?

A few percent is not what I would call "far fewer".  And you have not even considered the amount of energy required to convert vehicles to electricity or build brand new EV's.

It is a nice idea, but currently does not make any sense.

And another thing, burning coal for electricity is currently the biggest source of emmisions in the US.  Coal fired EVs with todays technology are merely a novel idea that sweeps our problems under the rug without solving anything.

6

Off-topic discussion / Effects of high fuel price in USA, poll

« on: September 26, 2008, 02:01:15 PM »

Can you cite a source of any of your claims? Most of it is just plain wrong.

All sources are within 5-10% of each other.  Depending on which sources you choose of course you can skew the results to your side.  A few percent here or there does not make anyone "plain wrong".
Your source specifically says that one study found EV's would not lower C02 emmisions if the electricity was from coal.  Others varied but either way it is not clear cut.  Believe it or not, nothing is so clear cut like you seem to know, usually there is some gray area.  No one can for sure say what the results would be.
Think about it in the big picture, there is no need to be so unreasonable and claim a few percent variation makes something unacceptable.  Every study weighs variables differently and has incentive to prove something to their benefit.
Gas engines are about 25-35% efficient.  Coal fired electricity plants are about 30-35% efficient.  Not such a huge change as a you claim.  Is a 5% change really worth all the energy required to convert to EV's?  And what about all the new mining needed for Nickel or Lithium batteries?  Diesels destroy coal fired EVs so the global difference would be even less.

7

Off-topic discussion / Effects of high fuel price in USA, poll

« on: September 26, 2008, 11:26:16 AM »

This is a myth. In short, EVs are significantly more efficient in converting their energy into mechanical power. A coal fired power plant is about 35% efficient at converting the chemical energy stored in coal into electricity while a gasoline power engine can only do about 20-25%.

Not really.
Even if you assume electric motors are 100% efficient at converting stored energy into motion (which they are not but lets assume for this example which will make the EV's look better than they really are), they are comparable to gas engines and significantly worse than diesel engines.  Coal fired and other non renewable sources to produce electricity are about 30-35% efficient, but then about another 8% is lost in the transport of electricity to where they are needed.  So you are at best only around 27% efficient, whereas modern gasoline engines are more like 30-35% efficient.  Diesels are at about 45%.
And that is not even including the huge amount of energy required to convert to EV.
EV's only make sense if we get the electricity from nuclear power or renewable sources.

8

Off-topic discussion / Effects of high fuel price in USA, poll

« on: September 25, 2008, 10:19:01 PM »

I too believe electricity is our best option for the short term future, but only if it is nuclear.  
Just as a hypothetical example: lets say that within 10 years the vast majority of automobiles are electric.  The demand for electricity will skyrocket and energy plants will have to keep up with the demand.  
This is where the problem is, currently most of the electricity in the United States is produced from natural gas, coal, oil, or other non renewable sources.  Switching to electric vehicles would only sweep the problem under the rug so to speak and nothing would be solved.  We would still be dependent on oil to produce the electricity we are all of a sudden dependent on.  
But switch to nuclear, now thats a solution.  That would probably be my first choice for the energy needs of the US and the world for the next few hundred years.  Build more nuclear power plants and convert everything to electricity.  Look at France for example, I believe over 80% of their electricity comes from nuclear sources.

9

General Topics / Preventing understeer.

« on: August 11, 2008, 01:12:51 PM »

Not sure about the sway bars but I think if you kept the stock front bar and added a stiffer rear bar it would help your situation.
I think getting some camber plates and setting them on full negative camber would also make a huge difference.

10

General Topics / Preventing understeer.

« on: August 11, 2008, 12:15:43 AM »

Are you running any camber plates?

11

General Topics / How many miles do you have? [NOW WITH POLL!]

« on: July 01, 2008, 04:09:27 PM »

Only 153K here

12

Swaps, Turbos, Buildups / Can M42 Handle 2 bar?

« on: June 17, 2008, 12:11:48 PM »

Wow! 30PSI on stock internals!

Yes, it was actually 27 psi and 359rwhp.

Here is the video: http://youtube.com/watch?v=PRvJQIMnPuM

And his dyno sheet and some build info: http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=567849

He is now building a turbo m30.

With your modifications 2 bar will be no problem.  Who knows how high you will be able to go.  22 years ago bmw got up to 5.5 bar!

13

Swaps, Turbos, Buildups / Can M42 Handle 2 bar?

« on: June 15, 2008, 09:57:38 PM »

If you do all the modifications you listed above, the m42 should have no problem with 2 bar.  There was a guy who turbocharged his m10 with stock internals and ran about 30 psi for I think 2 years before it finally blew.  I am not sure if I have all the details correct but I think he was making around 330rwhp with hardly any other mods besides the turbo.

14

Photoshop, Media, & Artwork / HDR's from Oxford, UK.

« on: May 07, 2008, 10:08:04 PM »

Damn! Those s14's were flying.  I love how they destroy the e36 so easily.  e30 FTW!!!  Nice pics and vid.

15

Engine + Driveline / M42 Power & Performance upgrades

« on: May 03, 2008, 01:35:59 PM »

With enough time, money, and boost, you could definately achieve more power than the ford engine-not familiar with that engine, but it can't be too crazy stock.  It all depends how far you are willing to go.