leithcm

All common sense really. Just going back to what it was, so will be a piece of ease........ For you guys praising the Aussies on this one, recall..... Victoria tried the system we have currently, with the view that the rest of Aust would change over. It was a shambles, which Victoria quietly reversed their decision a year or so later. Of course, once Victoria reverted back - and the rest of Aust states took note of the mess, none of the other states took up the "new" road rule. Good ol' NZ, followed Victoria so that Aust & NZ would all be the same, BUT.. when Victoria changed back, did NZ?? No!! Had to be the ONLY place in the world with the current stupidity..... Can't wait, will really aid traffic flow - especially in Christchurch - where urban roads have a straight ahead / left turn lane at intersections and the WHOLE line has to stop to give way to some d*ck turning right!!

My TM link...... http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing.aspx?id=454544452 It's 3.64 but very low km's so possible for a rebuild to your preferred ratio???

Can I try it out, please?

Who recoded yours, Glenn?

Well, time to report on the latest. Took the car into Jeff Gray BMW today. Had rung them about 10 days ago and after a day or two to think about it they got in touch to say "Yes, we can do it, bring it in." Long story short, No they could not. For those who thought this will cost an arm and a leg, the bill for their time was less than $70. Probably 30 minutes, charged 6 time units.......... Not a hell of a long time trying everything, I would have thought, but then again I wasn't there. They told me they tried everything they knew, even got in touch with Auckland; but nothing worked. Some story about my particular car and the time of manufacture etc etc - but at the end of the day, they did nothing. Where to now? How did you get on, Glenn, with your experiment?

In the good old days a stethescope was the best way of tuning twin (or triple) carburettor set-ups on cars! Just get the hiss sound of air in the intake exactly the same on all carbs and they were balanced! Best tip ever!

I will be very interested to see how you get on!

The light flywheel will slow down much quicker than a heavy one when going off throttle. A lightened flywheel has much less rotating mass and inertia to resist the decelerating effect of closing the throttle. It is this reason that an engine with a lightened flywheel does not "hang on" as well, say, when chugging up a hill. Heavy flywheels with a high rotating mass take a long time to speed up - and also slow down.

Rang them, they don't offer this service....

JG BMW rang back this morning, appointment 5 March (whole day) to do conversion, will keep you posted......

Having made the change, am looking to get the engine ECU reprogrammed to the specs of a manual. This needs to be the whole ECU - including the engine data Eprom. Does anyone know who can do this in Christchurch? I have got in touch with the local dealer (Jeff Gray BMW) but haven't heard back. Is there any BMW specialist workshop, or perhaps any one else, around that will do this type of work? Thanks.

Got mine yesterday, on today, and look great!! Thanks for organising, Pulse!

Another trick to try. Get a large syringe - about 20 mil is a good one - attach a rubber line to the business end, and fill to the top with brake fluid. Gently push the plunger in until ALL air is expelled. Then carefully place end of rubber line to the bleed nipple of the slave cylinder, the open nipple. GENTLY push on the plunger to reverse flush the slave, then line, then master cyclinder. Problem is the bleed nipple is not at the highest point so is bloody hard to get all the air out. I have used this method with great success. Pushing the fluid through takes all of the tiny air bubbles with it - but keep an eye on the master cylinder as you could overflow it! :-)

Last weekend (4 Feb) I did the job. Took the Jatco auto out and replaced it with the ZF S5D-310Z manual set up. My son, his mate, and I did the job in 9 hours, using the hoist and transmission jack at the son's work (he is an auto electrician). The job included fitting another 3.15 diff, and while I was about it I fitted a new crankshaft oil seal. Very first impression - just how HEAVY was that auto!! By the time all the lines, radiator, auto transmission were taken out, the car must be 50kg lighter at least! The car itself is a completely different animal now. Just about had to re-learn how to drive it! I can now HEAR the engine getting stuck into the work, it is so responsive and damned fast off the mark! Have noticed already a significant drop in petrol consumption - previously I was getting around 12 or into the 13 litres/100 km, now down to 11.1 - and I reckon there is room to improve yet. Just have to work on getting the ECU to think it is a manual now instead of auto - the idle is too high, the transmission warning light is on, and the engine revs hang up when changing gears. The car interior has been fitted out with brand new leather gaitors and gear knob so all looks pretty sharp. Very pleased with the result!

I think you have just hit the nail on the head...........

If I didn't know any better it sounds like your CV's are stuffed.........

Followed this to the letter today, including claying the car prior to polishing. I thought the car was spotlessly cleaned after the wash and clean (including spot work with the Scratchx 2.0) but no; the CRAP that came off into the clay bar! There was quite a difference in the smoothness of the paint once the claying was finished! I just would not have believed the difference. Thanks, COSMOS, for the thread, the results were well worth the effort!

Paid tonight, but may be Tuesday before you see it seeing that the banks do not do a data process over the weekends!!

Thanks, Andy; have PM'd Pulse with order.

Are these just plain plates with the designs at each end a printed piece of paper stuck on with glue? What about the number in the middle, is it on a piece of paper and stuck on as well? I was thinking the whole plate - design at each end as well as the number - would be painted or embossed on, (similar to the NZ PPlates), can it be confirmed one way or the other? Thanks.

Happy belated birthday! Looks like you had a great day judging by the highly appropriate cake!

Probably a dumb question but........ I have fitted the European centre to the front guard of my '96 E36 323i - to take the Euro plate. Are these plates you can get an EXACT fit in the space provided by the European centre? Is there room for the plate surround as well? No point in buying the surround if it will not fit as well. Thanks,

Hi, I would recommend a Nikon D200. These have been superceded by the D300, so second hand they represent excellent value. I use one, and it is a great camera. If you do get one, I could possibly help with a lens as I have one or two spare.

I could get you to Chch tomorrow in a light aircraft. How many of you?

Getting a bit f***ed off with these bloody quakes! Checked in, sitting in Koru Club with all the duty free sh*t, and .....wammo! All out onto the tarmac, and after 2 1/2 hours, told all flights to Australia (we were off to Melbourne) cancelled. Can't get a flight until 6.45 am Christmas Day!! Still gonna go, got tickets to the Boxing Day Test at the MCG!! Just hope 2012 is a bit better. I can see this latest lot putting the rebuilt, insurance etc back another 6 months!! No more damage at home, so a bit luckier than those poor sods at Parklands!