jaimzthedrummer

Hey yeah... thanks Dave. :-)

Thanks Glenn. I've done the gearbox reset thing a few times and never really noticed a difference. I shall approach it thusly: 1) An Italian tune late at night on some dodgy back road 2) Scan/clean/replace the EGR I don't want the car to be any faster so I'd only go remap if nothing else worked. Thanks though. Appreciate the advice. ?

Okay, good to know. It's been in the shop once... I'll check if they scanned it. It was scanned as part of the pre-purchase inspection (a year ago), but it was hard for me as a layperson to interpret the results. I knew about the tendency for the EGR to get all sooty, but none of the codes suggested it was a problem... then. I'll get it rechecked. Thanks. :-)

Thanks mate. It's definitely not turbo lag. Pedal goes down... wait a while... then revs start going up. It's most noticeable after making a turn or going over speed humps, so I'm guessing that it's checking all sensors and waiting til the car is fully settled before it reckons it's safe to accelerate. I guess I need a computer plugged in to see if the throttle is programmable..? Certainly nothing available via the the infotainment system.

Hi all, I'm a bit over the laggy throttle in my F11 530d. Putting my foot down is like asking the throttle to write a letter to the ECU, which may or may not translate to acceleration some time in the subsequent couple of seconds. I've heard good things about I-Drive controllers. https://idrivenz.co.nz/. I did try searching for threads on it... but of course searching I-Drive in a BMW forum leads me down an altogether different rabbit hole! :-) Any thoughts or experience with this sort of thing? James :-)

Thanks guys, This is all about comparing the weight of a stock standard e36 323i against the other cars at the front of the 2kcup class - Honda Integras and Toyota Levins. Alister's post shows the BMW factory kerb weight includes driver and luggage, but the listed kerb weights for Hondas and Toyotas don't. We're asking the organisers for parity, but they don't want to accept us subtracting 75kg from the listed weight. So, I'm collecting real world data for 323s with no luggage or driver... and I expect them to be around 1290 - 1310kg (notwithstanding fuel load, which I'll make a note of during the weigh-ins). Hope to see lots of 323s on Sunday! :-D

Thanks Nathan. I need 323s in particular, but I'll see if I can come for a visit anyway. It's been ages... plus I have a new BMW to share. :-)

Hey everyone, It's been ages. I hope all is well. :-) I'm one of 7-8 guys who race e36 323i coupes in 2kcup. We've been winning a few races, and are being faced with having weight added to slow us down (it's a long story). We're trying to find a happy compromise with the organisers but there's disagreement about the factory weight of these cars. I understand the quoted weight of 1385kg includes a driver, luggage and 90% fuel - and that's the basis of our argument - but we want a real world measurement to rely on. Does anyone in Auckland have a stock standard 323i manual coupe who'd be willing to come get it weighed (venue TBC, but probably at a workshop in East Tamaki) in exchange for some beers and a night of e36 chat? More than one would be even better! Or if you all turned up to the next sushi meeting (if they're still a thing!), we could bring the scales. :-) Hit me up if you can help. James :-)

Hey everyone. It's been ages since I visited the forum (sorry). Hi to all the guys I've missed - Dave, Jules, Martin, Kyu, Jayden etc. :-) I'll have to check if the coffee meetings are still a thing! Anyways... I'm currently leasing a garage space in Onehunga to store and work on my (and mates') cars. There is space for 8 and there are two free. 24hr access and it's secure. It's fairly cosy when all the cars are in, but we shuffle things around according to need. There are two outdoor spots too which helps free up space when we need it. Ceiling is high enough for an engine crane, but probably not a permanently installed hoist (although we're looking into it). No problems with making a bit of mess on the floor, as long as it's cleaned up afterwards. I've attached a couple of photos. Cost is $85/wk, or $45/wk for one of the outdoor spaces. If you're interested (or know someone who is) please PM me. James :-)

Hi Andy, Yeah, apparently they did... on the M5 at least. But as factory options I guess they could have arrived on anything. http://www.bmwstylewheels.com/bmw/32 I'd be happy with the ET34 offset ones from an E90+ too... :-)

Hey everyone, I'm looking for some wheels for the race car and one of the best OEM options (in terms of weight) seems to be the Style 32s. I'm after a 16" set with a ET20 offset, off an E39. This will give us a wider track (good for the corners). If there are any floating out there please let me know. James 0212546651

Cool, yeah something like that would be ideal... just have to check whether it clashes with the class rules. All mods are supposed to be OEM, but considering the sunroof we removed wasn't... ;-) I think we'll run with a perspex patch for now (at least so we're not driving a wind sock at track days) and upgrade if required later on. Thanks for the advice. We're one of only 3 BMWs in the 2kcup. Just sayin'... ;-) Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

Hey Dave, Yeah I thought about that... but that'd mean taking all the windows etc out and some tricky seam welding. Probably the most expensive option. Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

Hey all, Is this really the first post in this sub forum? Cool! I have an e36 318is that I'm turning into a 2kcup racer. I've removed the sunroof unit (which was an aftermarket jobby installed in Auckland, not factory) and now have a sunroof sized and shaped hole in the roof! Because it was aftermarket, there's no bracing of any kind left so the sheet metal is unsupported and very flappy (driving at 80kph+ is a noisy experience!) I'm wondering: - What would the best way of covering it up (i.e. a large patch over the top vs an insert inside the hole sealed around the perimeter vs something else?) - Does anyone know a good fabricator I could take it to? Because what's left of the roof is a bit flappy, I wonder if it would need to be stretched or tensioned as part of the process... Any thoughts or recommendations welcome. :-) James Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

Hey all, I have Nitto Invos on the RS4 (they came with it). They seem to be a pretty solid tyre but nothing amazing. I did one track day on them and they were definitely the limiting factor, but then that's usually the case for road tyres. One thing I wondered about them... their grooves toward the outside of the tyre are quite thin and shallow, so I wonder if they'll get pinged early at a WoF. A couple of peeps have mentioned Eagle F1s, but it's important to know there is more than one type. My pick of the bunch is the GSD3s. I ran them on my VR-4 years ago and found them to be a very good all rounder, although fairly high wear rate. They also pick up stones like nobody's business. Another honourable mention is the Yokohama Advan AD08Rs. I understand they're the pick of the bunch for the NZ Superlaps guys who run in the street tyre class. Almost as good as a dot rated tyre around the track apparently. And that's everything I know about tyres. James :-) Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

Update: Arron, you legend! I got the P&S guys onto this and yup, the bearing is an off the shelf replacement. Problem solved! I dunno if you're based in Auckland but if you ever come along to the monthly sushi meet, your lunch will be on me! Thanks again. James. :-) Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

Hey Arron, Sorry for the late reply. I've been out of touch for a few days. Really..!? Mechanic said the bearings were built in to the gear... and I don't know enough to have questioned this. I will now though. Be interested to hear about the UK options though. I'll send you a PM. Ta, James

Hey guys, The thrust gear in my vanos unit (s50 b30) has melted its bearings so I'm looking for a new one.... or failing that, a replacement vanos unit. By thrust gear I mean the gear that pokes out the back of the vanos assembly and pushes into the cam to advance the timing. They seem to be very hard to find in NZ. Everyone I've approached (including Ray at HellBM), has suggested looking to UK for a solution - either just for the gear I need, or a whole unit. Does anyone have a spare unit lying around..? :-) Failing that, can anyone recommend a good supplier over there? I've sent the crowd called 'Mr Vanos' a message, and have also been in touch with 'Dr Vanos' in the US. Might be nice to deal with a company that doesn't sound like a supervillain. Thoughts and suggestions welcome. James

Yeah, thanks for the heads up. I'm sourcing them from Turner Motorsport, and they've got all that under control. Mine's a 3.0 so no floating rotors (although I'm pricing some up...) Good advice Dave. I figured that all the things you listed leave drips on the ground. Brake pads... not so much. I shouldn't have relied so heavily on the wear sensor, although it alerted me fine when my rears were low last year. They didn't

Hey guys, Wondering if someone can help me out. I destroyed my front pads at Pukekohe yesterday and there's literally nothing left of them on the front left side (see picture). I'm looking for any old used set (both sides) that I can use just until I head to the states in a fortnight where I'll pick up something decent. Plus it might be good to have backup pads in case this were to happen again! I'm not looking to spend much (if anything), but I'd be spending a hundy for a bargain basement set at Supercheap so anything would be better than that! Thanks in advance. James

Wow. So... um... anyone interested in a group buy? *ducks for cover* I'm cool with sourcing the seals from Jon but will make contact to find out more about them. As for the rattle kit, looks like Beisan may still be the best option, so then the "well, I'm already paying for shipping" thing comes up. p.s. Isn't the fact my VANOS quacks like a duck on startup fairly good evidence that something is bung? Just sayin'.

Totally! An e36 M3 get together. Sounds great! Actually Richard, I already had your number in my phone so we must've met before! I'm sorry... my memory's shot. I blame the kids. I'm sure I'll recognise you when I see you. I'm free this weekend but not next... or the one after that... or the one after that. Next Sushi meeting in Penrose is 1 March but I'm afraid I can't make that one. How does 8th March suit? James

No reinforcements... just the repair. I asked the ex owner about it (he's part of the race series exec and knows his stuff) and he said don't bother... just reweld if I see a crack! It's what he does with his race car... but maybe has a different perspective on things. I'll think about a brace or reinforcements :-) Thanks dude.

Hey Dave, Finally got around to reading the whole of this thread. Nice to piece together the details of what I've seen in the flesh! One thing that you didn't seem to have planned was the top plates for the rear strut towers. Did you have something going on back there or was it a precautionary measure? I often think about cracking of the chassis at the top of those towers. I understand it's a common problem and do a visual inspection often (not that I really know what I'm looking for..!). It had happened to my fronts but this was picked up in the pre-purchase inspection and got fixed as a condition of sale. Wonder if a strut brace like yours would help prevent further issues... I've got a power steering leak too but it's a slow viscous affair (I guess because it's been happening for a while and has created a long sticky snail trail). Doesn't leave anything on the ground. Anyways, VANOS and braided lines for me next. Thanks for the heads up with those. James

Yeah me too. Happy to support a forum sponsor for sure. My timeframe isn't quite as short as Haven't but let's see what Jon says. Ta.