E36 Tramlining

[MilesP 13]

Just noticed the tendency of my E36 to follow lumps in the road quite a lot. I drive a reasonably lumpy road each day and the car follows the road quite viciously.

My old Honda was easy because you just point it down the road and hold the wheel straight but the E36 needs a lot of corrections and persuasion to get it to go straight.

Is this common in these cars or is some thing more sinister going on?

[bimmer boy 21]

I recommend leaving Christchurch = no more bumps...

[Eagle 1530]

Is it lowered? Making sure the wheel alignment is within spec would be the first thing id do

[BM WORLD 1264]

yes lowered and wide tyres will make it hunt around both my ones do

[Michael. 2312]

I recommend leaving Christchurch = no more bumps...

HA.

But yeah, as what 3pedals said.

[MilesP 13]

Tires on the car are the correct ones and are all in great shape as far as I know. How ever car does feel easier to turn left then right and the steering wheel is not straight when driving straight. I have no record of an alignment on the car.

On friday it is getting a set of new mags but the old tires will be put on them as they are the same size and the tires are in good shape. When I do this what you would guys recommend?

If I get the wheels aligned what company would be best? I went to Tony's once and they were not good.

Tires on the car are 205/60 R15

Edited July 24, 2013 by MilesP

[Eagle 1530]

If you are getting tyres swapped then no reason why you shouldn't get an alignment at the same time, i have no idea who is good in Chch but i usually specify my alignment settings anyway.

The 318ti has no rear adjustment from factory iirc so you can only really adjust front toe. I specify 1-1.5mm Toe in(+) on each side usually as ive seen alot of places adjusting toe in to excessive amounts.

[MilesP 13]

If you are getting tyres swapped then no reason why you shouldn't get an alignment at the same time, i have no idea who is good in Chch but i usually specify my alignment settings anyway.

The 318ti has no rear adjustment from factory iirc so you can only really adjust front toe. I specify 1-1.5mm Toe in(+) on each side usually as ive seen alot of places adjusting toe in to excessive amounts.

I am taking the car to Eurocare.

Every time that I have been there they have known everything I researched on the net and they all own themselves and only service/deal in BMW. So I will ask if they can align.

[MilesP 13]

Tramlining is not normally an issue for medium profile tyres so it suggests:

- something is seriously out of alignment or,

- you have something incorrectly fitted i.e. wheels with wrong offset or,

- there is a mechanical fault in the suspension.

I am assuming it is not lowered?

Rear toe out makes these cars wander which can feel like front end bump steer , you can pick this up at about 30k by feeling if it is a front or rear shift - not all ways easy unless you know what it feels like.

My issue is this. I don't know if its just the E36 or its the specific car.

My Honda drove the same road perfectly straight with no problems at all. But the BMW is honestly a struggle each morning.

So what should I look at first? Seeing as the steering wheel isn't straight could this be an alignment issue?

[Eagle 1530]

Just start with an alignment as the info it gives you can tell you a lot and its probably most likely thing. If it doesn't solve it then you can eliminate it being that and look at other things mentioned

[E30-323ti 66]

Get a proper wheel alignment where they centre the rack and reset the steering wheel.

My E30 tramlines a fair bit, but as 3Pedals said, is due to toe-out, lots of -ve camber and big tyres, but it's only used on the road to get to the track

[westy 614]

Just noticed the tendency of my E36 to follow lumps in the road quite a lot. I drive a reasonably lumpy road each day and the car follows the road quite viciously.

My old Honda was easy because you just point it down the road and hold the wheel straight but the E36 needs a lot of corrections and persuasion to get it to go straight.

Is this common in these cars or is some thing more sinister going on?

Any way you can borrow a different set of wheels with different tyres (good) fitted?

[E30-323ti 66]

If the steering wheel has never been off and the rack connection unmolested then no "resetting" is required, people who do this don't generally know what they are doing!.

Thats a lot of 'if's for an old car.

It's easy to check rather than just assume, what people do when the DO know what they are doing

[MilesP 13]

Car is in today.

850 for pump/thermo/cam belt with the three tensioners needed as well as switching my mags and balancing tires which is already a lot.

They also said that the front rear control arm bushes are worn and need replacing which would explain the tramlining (according to them).

[_ethrty-Andy_ 2122]

Car is in today.

850 for pump/thermo/cam belt with the three tensioners needed as well as switching my mags and balancing tires which is already a lot.

They also said that the front rear control arm bushes are worn and need replacing which would explain the tramlining (according to them).

Possibly. I would just overhaul the whole front end if you are planning on keeping the car. My E34 failed on the front right rear one at last WOF because heavier engine ate the 525i bush. So i replaced the whole front end and what a difference it makes to the driving experience!

[MilesP 13]

Car is back. Drives straight as a nail but the thermostat does not sit at 12 o'clock. All other BMW experience that I have says that the engine temp should be constant and at 12 o'clock.

It decreases when cruising over 70kmph.

Do thermostats have to wear in?

I thought that they just worked asap.

[Allanw 1052]

Thermostat sounds dodgy - cruising should not let it get lower.

On our E39, if you drive down a long hill using no throttle at speed, the temp only drops a few degrees - maybe three or 4 MAX. Once the engine is up to temp, the thermostat should keep it pretty constant.

[_ethrty-Andy_ 2122]

Car is back. Drives straight as a nail but the thermostat does not sit at 12 o'clock. All other BMW experience that I have says that the engine temp should be constant and at 12 o'clock.

It decreases when cruising over 70kmph.

Do thermostats have to wear in?

I thought that they just worked asap.

how much does it decrease? as long as its above 1/4 or the blue depending what gauge you got it should be fine??

[Eagle 1530]

As said it should remain at 12 o'clock position once its upto operating temp, where is it sitting and\or decreasing to?

Only time ive seen the temp gauge move on the BMW's ive owned is a couple of needle widths hotter but thats driving on the track in summer time.

[MilesP 13]

As said it should remain at 12 o'clock position once its upto operating temp, where is it sitting and\or decreasing to?

Only time ive seen the temp gauge move on the BMW's ive owned is a couple of needle widths hotter but thats driving on the track in summer time.

Yeah some thing is wrong somewhere. It sits just about the blue (not in the blue range) when cruising open road and it sits bang on 12 o clock around town.

[Eagle 1530]

Guessing it was fine before you installed the new thermostat?

[MilesP 13]

Guessing it was fine before you installed the new thermostat?

Car we fine but did take a while to get up to temperature (longer than it should). We also replaced the water pump, would a new pump be causing this?

Maybe high speeds = high rpm = high water flow?

[Allanw 1052]

Car we fine but did take a while to get up to temperature (longer than it should). We also replaced the water pump, would a new pump be causing this?

Maybe high speeds = high rpm = high water flow?

The thermostat is there to stop the cool water flowing in from the radiator if the engine is too cool. the pump circulates water continuosly through the block/head, and when the engine temp is higher that the thermostat temp, it lets some "cool" water in from the radiator to mix with the hot water.

Dads E30 runs at less than 1/2 - ever since the thermostat was changed to a cooler running one (which I think was part of the cooling system recall years ago). It always runs at the exact same place though.

Yours sounds like it's not closing properly.

[MilesP 13]

Looked back at the receipt for work done that I got and the thermostat WASN'T EVEN DONE!!! Has got me a bit mad to be honest because I asked SPECIFICALLY to have it done.

[Allanw 1052]

Looked back at the receipt for work done that I got and the thermostat WASN'T EVEN DONE!!! Has got me a bit mad to be honest because I asked SPECIFICALLY to have it done.

Bummer! Probably best to get it done! Shouldn't be a drama, perhaps they'll come to the part a bit on the over lapping costs. I'd have thought it'd be something a tech would recommend.