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kabeer
Joined: 20 Mar 2010 Posts: 8 Location: Kuwait
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Posted: Mon Mar 22, 2010 12:48 am Post subject: 318 iS Auto upgrades....??? |
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Hi to all,
New to E36 group as I just got a 318is Coupe (1995 151k) auto with both seats stuck. Car was not used for 7 years (2003 onwards) and good thing, the owner made it PASS (equivalent of your MOT) before handing over to me.
New battery, new thermo and coolent, opened the air box, it was full of sand !!
Needs to clea-up the engine bay this weekend, and no check lights so far:
Before that, need some input from you guys:
Planning to replace the stock steering( with air bag) with a 260mm carbon fiber wheel. I’m having a CF wheel with E30 hub.
Will this fits to E36 ??????
What’s the replacement for a good head unit?
Anyone went thru a AFM to MAF conversion?
Which Con filter setup good for 318iS ?
How to fix the struck seats ?
How to clean the A/c Blower fan?
some rattling and hum can be heard from different corners -
Is it usual E36 charactor ?????
rest, i'm still monitoring here and there for any foul smell...
Would appreciate your feed back
cheers and hope to have a good time here. _________________ E36 318iS - waiting for upgrades |
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walshja
Joined: 03 Apr 2001 Posts: 1139 Location: guilford, ct, usa
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Posted: Mon Mar 22, 2010 2:29 pm Post subject: |
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welcome to the forum !!
only question I can answer is about your head unit, easy swap with any brand.
I think the Alpines look the best in the car, as it is more of a business look, versus the flashy units kids put the Japanese cars. Swapping out units will take only a few minutes if you buy the adapter for your car.
good luck, sounds like you have a lot of work to do !! especially in getting the sand out ! _________________ joe
1994 325iC, 195k miles
http://home.comcast.net/~walshja/index.html <--- check it out
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Henry
Joined: 03 Apr 2001 Posts: 2878 Location: NYC
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Posted: Wed Mar 24, 2010 6:06 am Post subject: |
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Well, the following comes from owning a 318is from new, since 1992 and having driven it 220k+ miles.
Leave it alone.
Everything I've read says to leave the engine alone. There's no efficient cost to benefit gained from spending on the vehicle. It's all together much cheaper to start with a 325is than to try to make this engine more powerful.
We're getting 138hp out of 1.8 litreThat's 76.6hp per litre. Some have chipped it, gone to Dinon for more or supercharged the thing. However, all that would have cost a bundle of money. Cheaper, much cheaper to have started out with a 325is.
For my money, I'd install Bilsteins and leave it at that. In addition, I'd change all my fluids, install slotted front discs, detail the heck out of it and have a really beautiful vehicle.
Why take out the airbag?l Excuse me... |
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kabeer
Joined: 20 Mar 2010 Posts: 8 Location: Kuwait
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Posted: Thu Mar 25, 2010 12:17 am Post subject: |
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Thank you for all for your quick reponse.
Henry wrote: | We're getting 138hp out of 1.8 litreThat's 76.6hp per litre. Some have chipped it, However, Cheaper, much cheaper to have started out with a 325is........ Why take out the airbag?l Excuse me... |
I'm so much get used with CF Wheel from my E30/M30, so if it is possible to swap it, it would be nice
Will the E30 strut brace fits in E36 (M42) engine bay ?????
This week-end i'm going to remove both seats and pryout look what got stuck inside...
Yes, ther's quite a lot of sand(dust) inside to clean-up.
cheers _________________ E36 318iS - waiting for upgrades |
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Henry
Joined: 03 Apr 2001 Posts: 2878 Location: NYC
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Posted: Thu Mar 25, 2010 10:00 pm Post subject: |
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I don't know about removing airbags. It's never come up on the forum. However, there are sensors involved. And sensors mean circuits. And circuits mean fuses. And all of this means electrical schematics. And all of this means either something or means nothing, perhaps.
In short I'm clueless.
However, you couldn't pay me to remove my airbag. In fact my next upgrade bmw will have more airbags than I'll be able to count. I like them.
As for the strut brace. I have no idea about the dimension of the vehicle. I also have no idea about the fit given, perhaps, different angles of the towers.
Yup. Most people leave the 318is alone. What you bought is what you got. However, I did install Bilsteins, slotted front discs, and rear shock rubber mounts from the E-46. You couldn't pay me to lower the vehicle. If you haven't yet heard the rear subframe has torn out on these vehicles.
Probably not on the 4 cylinder since it is a torqueless wonder. However, I'm not taking any chances. If I wanted to modify or to go really like stink than I'm buy a Porsche or an M car. Probably the Porsche. A 1987 or 1988 911. That would satisfy anyones craving and lust for a breathless moment. At present I achieve that feeling by descending on a bicycle and out of respect for longevity or the potential thereof; I do not exceed 40mph. Anymore. I'll let you know later in the summer if this still holds. |
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Henry
Joined: 03 Apr 2001 Posts: 2878 Location: NYC
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Posted: Thu Mar 25, 2010 10:08 pm Post subject: |
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PS
I know how you feel. I've a beautiful 3 spoked with holes, mahogany MOMO steering wheel, with that little center horn ring that once resided in my 1972 2002tii. You gotta believe I want that to live in this car. But, alas, not.
I also have my still beautiful Scheel seat with those high side bolsters and the little hole in the fabric caused back in 1975 (by I will not tell you what fell onto it) that I promised myself would live in my next bmw. Alas, I finally established e-mail contact with Scheel in Germany and was told nein as it is too wide.
It's for sale. Especially if you live close to Santa Fe.
Alas memories. |
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Henry
Joined: 03 Apr 2001 Posts: 2878 Location: NYC
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Posted: Thu Mar 25, 2010 10:10 pm Post subject: |
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PS
I know how you feel. I've a beautiful 3 spoked with holes, mahogany MOMO steering wheel, with that little center horn ring that once resided in my 1972 2002tii. You gotta believe I want that to live in this car. But, alas, not.
I also have my still beautiful Scheel seat with those high side bolsters and the little hole in the fabric caused back in 1975 (by I will not tell you what fell onto it) that I promised myself would live in my next bmw. Alas, I finally established e-mail contact with Scheel in Germany and was told nein as it is too wide.
It's for sale. Especially if you live close to Santa Fe.
Alas memories. |
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kabeer
Joined: 20 Mar 2010 Posts: 8 Location: Kuwait
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Posted: Thu Apr 01, 2010 9:21 am Post subject: |
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Henry wrote: | I don't know about removing airbags. It's never come p on the forum. In short I'm clueless. |
I check with one DIY master called Frank in TX and according to his information it is possible to by-pass steering airbags..
Quote: | As for the strut brace. I have no idea about the dimension of the vehicle. Yup |
Since i have an adjustale E30 strut, E36 Tower to tower is 1inch shorter (approximate) than E30. so it's sorted out..
Quote: | Most people leave the 318is alone. |
THIS IS WERE I WANTED TO TEST HOW FAR I CAN GO WITH M42..
Quote: | Probably not on the 4 cylinder since it is a torqueless wonder. However, I'm not taking any chances. |
especially if you had a M30 powered E30...,yes m42 is torqueless...BUT, SMOOTHER and 16V buzz make a difference
Henry, anyway thanx for your input.
searching for a proper co filter(powertec??) and a rear box (Magnaflow 14815) and AFM delete from MAP-ECU2 with a custom headers and MarkD chip...
let's see how it goes....
cheer..i'll post the steering swap pics once its over. _________________ E36 318iS - waiting for upgrades |
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kabeer
Joined: 20 Mar 2010 Posts: 8 Location: Kuwait
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Posted: Tue Apr 13, 2010 3:18 am Post subject: |
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some updates :
Got the Powertec SL1 induction kit yesterday and going to fix it this week-end.
Checked the steering wheel hub, E30 hub will not fit into e36. need to get a e36 steering from scrapyard and make it fit with the CF sport steering.
Needs to change A/c blower fan and heater rad, so the dash is ripped nd in the middle of wiring pasta..
CCFL Angel eyes on it's way...
cheers _________________ E36 318iS - waiting for upgrades |
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walshja
Joined: 03 Apr 2001 Posts: 1139 Location: guilford, ct, usa
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Posted: Tue Apr 13, 2010 3:42 pm Post subject: |
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I hear the heater core is a pain to replace, good luck with that !!
I added cheap angel eyes / projector headlights to my car, wish I didn't get the cheap version ! my angel eyes stink, but the projector lenses are decent.
add some pictures !! _________________ joe
1994 325iC, 195k miles
http://home.comcast.net/~walshja/index.html <--- check it out
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Henry
Joined: 03 Apr 2001 Posts: 2878 Location: NYC
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Posted: Tue Apr 13, 2010 4:23 pm Post subject: |
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Hey Kabeer,
Sounds interesting. Let me know where this goes and how much difference it all makes.
By the way there's a lightened flywheel and some some changes to the rear end that in conjunction with a new chip, new airbox (see Dinon) new exhaust should give your vehicle some additional power.
As for me, well, it's a matter of cost v. effectiveness. The above is all very expensive. I believe the factory tarted up a M-42 and used it for racing.
All this costs beaucoup bucks. So I'm staying with what I already have. The conventional wisdom that I've come across during the years all state go get benefits will cost money that should be put into a trade up to the 6 cylinder.
I'm just repeating what I've learned. However, please pass on what your experience is. We all share your excitement. |
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kabeer
Joined: 20 Mar 2010 Posts: 8 Location: Kuwait
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Posted: Mon Jul 19, 2010 3:36 pm Post subject: |
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sorry for the long delay posting pics.
see the difference with the stock wheel with airbags..and before installing...
[img][/img]
here goes the Powertec filter CF steering wheel.
[img][/img]
and steering removed...
[img][/img]
i'll be making a heat shield enclosure for the filter with a transperant top, like a roof window.
_________________ E36 318iS - waiting for upgrades |
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walshja
Joined: 03 Apr 2001 Posts: 1139 Location: guilford, ct, usa
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Posted: Tue Jul 20, 2010 1:00 pm Post subject: |
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with no drivers side airbag, will that cause errors to be thrown by the computer?
I've thought about the cold flow air intake, how do you like it? _________________ joe
1994 325iC, 195k miles
http://home.comcast.net/~walshja/index.html <--- check it out
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kabeer
Joined: 20 Mar 2010 Posts: 8 Location: Kuwait
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Posted: Wed Jul 21, 2010 1:13 am Post subject: |
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No errors codes from computer..
Powertec really makes a mooving growl above 4K rpm.
i'm planning to make a carbon fiber heat shield with cold air intakes using M3 radiator cover and intake snorkets from front side..
Yesterday my door glass got stuck..
Also there is a lose of power when A/c is on..!! as if i'm driving with 2 cylinders...!!!
Why..?
How's e-bay exhaust headers..? it's around US$ 190 with shipping.
I can't find a proper magnaflow rear box, wat about Scorpion and Cybox..? _________________ E36 318iS - waiting for upgrades |
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walshja
Joined: 03 Apr 2001 Posts: 1139 Location: guilford, ct, usa
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Posted: Wed Jul 21, 2010 10:19 am Post subject: |
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on the 5 series, the door/window regulators go bad quite often, not sure if that is the same problem you are having.
does your AC work properly? on my 6 cylinder when I run the AC, not much power is lost, maybe it's more noticeable on the 4 cylinder? _________________ joe
1994 325iC, 195k miles
http://home.comcast.net/~walshja/index.html <--- check it out
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