Messages

1

For Sale / on Craigslist in Indy

« on: May 11, 2010, 09:31:48 PM »

For some reason that car looks familiar.  I think i might have seen it on a post over on r3v.  Seats look nice tho, too bad the guy wants to keep em.

I got a email from him just now. Maybe you have seen it. He says that it's a rust-free Tennessee car, and that more photos will be up soon.

Neil

2

For Sale / on Craigslist in Indy

« on: May 11, 2010, 07:34:34 PM »

Not mine, don't know the seller, never saw the car before, yadda yadda. Just sharing in case it could help a fellow M42 fan.

http://indianapolis.craigslist.org/pts/1735650777.html

There is a slight chance that I might be knicking some parts off of it (I'm only an hour away), and if I do, I'll report on it's condition and such if anyone needs that info.

Neil

3

M42 Reference / Electronic Supercharger???

« on: June 30, 2009, 10:06:05 PM »

These electric superchargers are "affectionately" known as hamsterchargers on some of the other BMW lists. Whether the load imposed by these things is compensated by the momentary boost that they give is debatable. There is no such thing as free power, regardless of how it's packaged. If infrequent bursts of short term power are all you need, then the additional energy spent recharging the system might be worth it.

4

Engine + Driveline / Exhausting.

« on: April 08, 2009, 08:47:00 PM »

I knew a guy years ago who had a Stromung 325i exhaust installed on his 91 318i. It was fairly loud, but sounded good. Not fart can loud at all, but no where near factory quiet. It was installed with a y-pipe right after the cat.

Keep in mind that the volume/flow of an exhaust designed for a 2.5l engine may not produce any performance gain on a 1.8l. It may even lower performance and/or fuel economy. Engines need a certain amount of back pressure to work efficiently, and the ideal back pressure varies with the engine's size, state of tune, and so on. This is how they determine the ideal tubing diameter for the application.
Someone on some mailing list I'm on had the formula for determining the flow rate for dual pipes VS. single. I don't remember the formula, but it's not 1 1/2" single = 3/4" duals. Putzing around town, you may not notice the performance gain or loss anyhow.

Neil

Anyone know what would be a good catback to put on that isn't much louder than the standard muffler?

I was thinking of finding a 325i muffler and getting an exhaust shop to weld it on with a Y pipe, that should go ok yeah?

5

M42 Reference / good price for a used m42

« on: April 07, 2009, 11:46:18 PM »

The S14 only came in the E30 M3, though there was a 2.0 liter version in an standard-bodied Italian E30  (320 sport or some such) due to ridiculous import tariffs on >2.0l cars. It was not sold outside Italy.
The E30 M3 was first sold in Europe in 87, and in the US in 88.
ALL US (and most other countries) E30 318i in 84 & 85 had the single cam M10b18 engine. ALL US E30 318i/is/ic from 90 on had the M42b18 engine (B18 = 1.8l). The E36 started with the M42, then M44. The M40 was never imported to the US in any car, though there are probably a few here through gray market import. I don't believe that any other M4x ever made it here, but don't quote me on that.
The S14 and M4x engines were ALL twin cam. Both were derivatives of (don't read this to mean same as) the legendary 1200 hp formula 1 qualifying engine, which in turn was built around a stock (and used) M10(IIRC) block, though heavily massaged.
So, if you believe that you have an 85 M anything or single cam M4x engine, you're mistaken, delusional, on crack, or just plain messing with us. The only ///M cars prior to the E30 M3 were the M1, M635 and M535i.

If someone on told you that S14s were never imported, they were either remarkably uninformed or yanking your chain. If you really do have an S14 that isn't damaged or cracked, sell it and you can easily buy a nice M42 car or two if it's a low mileage engine...

Just so you don't have to say it, yes, I'm a total prick, too. Sometimes I think I'm loosing my edge, but my wife, bless her heart, says that I'm still an asshole.


Neil

6

Engine + Driveline / Exhausting.

« on: April 05, 2009, 09:09:19 PM »

When I bought my Rabbit GTIs a few years ago, the seller was telling me about the full Techtonics exhaust that he'd just had professionally installed. I thought "cool, Techtonics is a well known brand in the VW world, so that's a bonus".
It turned out to be a collection of pre-bent slip-fit pipe sections bound together with band clamps. The "muffler" and resonator were off-the-shelf Flowmaster cans. 2" stem to stern. At first, I though that he was fibbing, but it turns out that is what Techtonics sells.
It was the single loudest car that I've even owned, including the time that I broke the exhaust off my M10 318i at the cat, but it had a tone that made me grin even when it was idling. Some of that wonderful sound was from the worked over engine (ported this, oversized that, decked the other).
Normally I prefer less loud, but it looked scary and ran like a scalded dog, so the loudness seemed natural.

As I said before, beauty is in the ear of the beholder. It's your car, make it sound however makes you happy. That's why we spend far more than they're worth keeping them on the road.

Personally, if you could post a soundbite, I'd like to hear it. I have sound bites of most of the cars that I've owned, and dozens of others that I found on the net. I load them onto my mp3 player as a separate tracklist and let them loop.

Neil

7

Engine + Driveline / Need help with replacing a m42

« on: April 05, 2009, 08:41:02 PM »

Only the early (1st year or so) E36 had the M42. The later 318i/is/ic/ti/Z3 had the M44, which is a modified version of the M42. I don't know what all of the differences are, but it's a 1.9, rather than 1.8.

I know that the header is different (I have an M44 header that I can't use because it doesn't fit in the E30). Maybe the M42 header would work on the M44. Maybe everything as noted previously would still work, but it you'd be best off consulting with a BMW tech before buying an engine that you may not be able to use.

Neil

8

Engine + Driveline / Exhausting.

« on: April 05, 2009, 12:20:15 PM »

I've had a Supersprint on my 318is since '99 and I have yet to hear anything that I think sounds even remotely as good. Beauty is in the ear of the beholder.

IIRC, it cost about $400 at the time. A custom cat back would have been more than that if done properly and in stainless steel. They are $550 now at BMP.
I don't mean this as a knock, but if you can build a system equal to Supersprint, even in aluminized steel, please let me know how you do it. I need a new set of pipes for my M535i, but the whole Supersprint system is $1500, so I'm exploring the idea of building the entire exhaust, headers and all. Someone bodged a Remus M5 cat back pipe and an aftermarket cat onto it at some point after it was federalized.

Neil

9

Site and club discussion / How Did You Hear About Us?

« on: May 17, 2007, 08:12:46 PM »

Some kind soul posted a link to one of these forums on the (yahoo) E30 Digest in an effort to answer another listmember's question. I don't know whether it answered that question, but he at least helped one person, so that's good.

Neil

10

Member Profiles / iamnail

« on: May 17, 2007, 07:57:41 PM »

Ask and ye shall receive. He has a short write up on its conversion from a 325iT.
http://www.terrysaytherauto.com/yet_another_e30_project_car.htm

"Mine" is a little different in that I kept a portion of the rear spoiler.

Neil

11

Member Profiles / iamnail

« on: May 17, 2007, 05:17:47 PM »

No 16 valve drop in the GTI's future. This one is making an estimate 105-110 hp, and that's plenty for it to do what I want.
I had two complete GTIs until I sold the other engine & trans. I would really like convert the second one to rear drive (I could have gotten a perfect 924 for nearly free, too. ), but no space for a years-long project.
I have a teenager and his dad coming to look at the GTI this weekend. I never thought I'd look forward to a kid getting one of *my* cars.
Most have no appreciation for cars, let alone the niche cars that I tend toward, but this one seems different. One of his first 2 questions were what work he could (not had to- could) do on the car, and the other was what SCCA Solo class would it be in. Almost brought a tear to my eye.

Neil

Hey, I can operate a forum after all! Thanks for the tips. This is a Photoshop edit that I did a while back, before Terry Sayther's shop built a real one.
*that fuzzy area on the roof is from the source photo*

12

Member Profiles / re: old car, new member

« on: May 15, 2007, 04:34:42 PM »

Thanks again! I found those skirts the day that I got my copy of 2000 ETK. I was the first person to ask for one at the dealership! Not the last, though.

They found the skirts in St Louis. It took them a few days to locate, but it was worth the wait. They were the second to last set showing up on BMW's dealer parts network, which means that there were likely still some lost and hidden away.

I've been browsing the archives and photos here and I'm pleasantly surprised at how much M42-specific info you all have collected. It's a well done forum, too. If only I'd found it earlier...
Oh, and some of the cars look great, too. I'll get some better photos of the E30 and E28 up after they're detailed.

Neil

13

Member Profiles / re: old car, new member

« on: May 13, 2007, 10:29:35 PM »

Thanks for the compliments! It's by coincidence that they are both Diamond Black. Also a coincidence is that the MINI and Rabbit are also black.

I don't know any details about the touring's importation. Jeff bought it pre-imported, but chances are that he knows the back story. Mike might know, too. Jeff replaced the 2 liter baby 6 with a 2.5, added (5 lug) E30 M3 suspension and some other goodies.
Jeff also has the Dakar Yellow E30 M3 convertible with an S50 M3 drivetrain.
Any E30 nut in the Indy area has seen this car.

There was a white 318is with M3 suspension in the Indy area, too, but I don't know whether it's still around or not. The owner sold it for an E30 M3.

Neil

14

Member Profiles / the stable

« on: May 13, 2007, 12:49:16 PM »

Obviously I don't know how to operate a forum, so I'll do it old-school.
The M535i:
http://www.hitze.com/neil/e28m535i.html

The Rabbit GTI(s)
http://www.hitze.com/neil/gti.html

91 318is
I haven't gotten around to stirring up web pages for the rest, so a few uploaded pics will have to do for now.
http://www.hitze.com/neil/car_photos/318is/P1190482.JPG

87 325is The Borbet wheels on this were originally purchased for the 91, but looked better in this car.
http://www.hitze.com/neil/car_photos/325is/462.jpg
A photo of Jeff swapping the plates on 1/1/2002. Astute observers might notice the 320i touring in the garage behind. I was going to trade the E28 for it, but decided to wait and go for an E30 coupe. It's now owned by Mike White, owner of the E30 Digest list. Nice guy, he is.
http://www.hitze.com/neil/car_photos/325is/P1010465.JPG

03 MINI Cooper S These were from the dealer's ad page. Ironically, the same dealer from which we bought the 318is 12 years ago.
http://www.hitze.com/neil/car_photos/mini/mini_1.jpg
http://www.hitze.com/neil/car_photos/mini/mini_2.jpg
http://www.hitze.com/neil/car_photos/mini/mini_3.jpg
http://www.hitze.com/neil/car_photos/mini/mini_4.jpg

89 325ix as it looked when I bought it. I had the thought of repairing it, but it was a slushbox, and converting to a real transmission would be a nightmare.
http://www.hitze.com/neil/car_photos/325ix/P5140858.JPG

15

Member Profiles / 91 318is

« on: May 13, 2007, 12:29:59 PM »

Here's a photo of the 318is, shot with my old Olympus digital. It has focusing issues, as you can tell.