///My 328i :D :D - with pics, finally!

[moranor@axis]

the fan wont need to run if the air flow over the radiator is enough so it will be very inefficient to have it running all the time... it would actually be more efficient to put the viscus back :yuck: than run the electric fan all the time...

 

[Alister ///M]

the fan wont need to run if the air flow over the radiator is enough so it will be very inefficient to have it running all the time... it would actually be more efficient to put the viscus back :yuck: than run the electric fan all the time...

like i said depends on the current

 

[328-iM]

I am here in Amanzimtoti on holiday an already saw a few nice e36 today in Durban while visiting USharka Marine World.......nice weather an sunshine............:rollsmile:

 

[Alister ///M]

I am here in Amanzimtoti on holiday an already saw a few nice e36 today in Durban while visiting USharka Marine World.......nice weather an sunshine............:rollsmile:

would have been nice if you could have met some of the guys when you were down , most fo us stay fairly close to toti

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small update...

so i decided to strip the intake side of the motor because the car was very rough under small load when cold. this is what i found

also the breather on the tappet cover was quite brittle and broke when i was removing it, so that needs to be replaced, the ccv is terrible to say the least, everything else was ok just needed a good cleaning. so tomorrow is the hunt for spares. piping, new ccv, some electrical goodies, electric fan, o2 sensor, etc. then i will wire up the fans close everything up and hope for the best. once thats all good i can prep for paint AND REMOVE THAT DAMN SPOILER!!

 

[freerider]

it will be better to get an extra fan you dont want to take a chance freerider has a writeup about fitting one if you have not seen it

yeah it would be better as a precaution, i dont wanna be in a situation where the aux fan fails and i dont have a failsafe.. i think i seen that write-up a while ago.. ill search it n go through. but im thinking ill use the new fan running constantly on a separate circuit and the aux fan as it normally functions because the aircon also controls the aux fan and i dont really want to interfere with that circuit.

you dont want it running all the time if i remember right FR wired it so it would go on with temp so there is no need to have it running and making your alternator work hard all the time

depends on the current the fan pulls, it would be easier to let it run one way. but if the current is too large then a temp switch is needed. however, at operating temp the fan needs to be running anyway so y not just leave it on... im going in circles.. ill just see when i get the fan

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i hope one day to turn it into a full on track car but that will be years from now also the [legal] racing scene isnt so grand down here in Durban.

for now just a street car for our private test track :rollsmile:

See you on wed night:rollsmile:

im on a DL larnie :fencelook:

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The current draw has nothing to do with why you should not run the fan all the time.
Your thermostat works to regulate the engine temperature, so the coolant is not always flowing through the engine, if now you have a fan running permanently drawing air through the radiator and effectively now "supercooling" the coolant that is not flowing, when the thermostat opens, you will have cold coolant flowing into a HOT head/engine.
I dont think I need to elaborate on why this is not going to end well.

When you did the viscous removal, did you change the thermostat and thermostat switch as well?

 

[Alister ///M]

I haven't been driving the car much. I only did the mod last week, only because I had the tools for one day. Thanks for the info though, I will be putting the 318 switch with e30 thermostat. I understand the concept, its all about temperature regulation not cooling, but the above was about drawing from the alternator, I just had a spur of the moment idea, but clearly a bad one. Hopefully I can gather all the parts today, atm the car still in pieces.

 

[moranor@axis]

FR i did not think of the other implications when running a fan all the time, but running an electric fan all the time will use more energy then a viscus because of the losses you get converting mechanical energy to electrical then back to mechanical...

the only reason electric fans are better is when not used they draw nothing from engine power and you have a little bit of a buffer with the battery...

 

[Alister ///M]

update... you would not believe how hard it is to find parts for this car. i went to all the spares shops i knew and could not find 1 thing i was looking for. even the dealer had none. :bangdesk:

so for the breather i just bought a breather pipe from another car that had kind of the same shape and just cut to size, seems to be working well.

the old ccv just got cleaned and put back, no issues so far.

i found a tear in the pipe on the icv, bmw didnt have that either, so i ordered one. i have no idea how long thats going to take so i cut and joined and siliconed another pipe to the existing pipe. not ideal but working for now.

O2 sensors are nowhere to be found, i called bosch and they dont have, i tried siemens no luck. so i ordered the parts from pelican and hope they arrive.

then my geyser decided to break :argh: which is a huge setback for me because i wanted to start prepping for paint which is going to have to wait now.

but on a good note, i cleaned out the interior completely today and made a list of all damaged parts i need. i also gave the leathers a good clean and condition. the amount of kuk found under the carpet and under the rear seat was unbelievable. once finished i sat back and smiled, it made the week before just fade away and all seem worth it.

 

[moranor@axis]

contact emi he specializes im BMW parts and knows his stuff... 014 5620209

 

[Karthik]

Very nice , nice broomstick in the engine bay too :rollsmile:

 

[rick540]

If I recall correctly in 96 they were not using O2 sensors on these cars, only later.

 

[Alister ///M]

contact emi he specializes im BMW parts and knows his stuff... 014 5620209

Thanks Shawn, much appreciated raise:
i will surely do so.

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Very nice , nice broomstick in the engine bay too :rollsmile:

lol i need to get the lifters

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If I recall correctly in 96 they were not using O2 sensors on these cars, only later.

i also wasnt so sure at first, because they werent there in the first place. but after doing some searching i didnt find any evidence that suggests the car was produced without any. also on the manifold there are two bolts where the sensors should be and above the fuel rail are the two connectors :dunno:

 

[Peejay]

Ali I have a electric back up fan if you want.

 

[Alister ///M]

Ali I have a electric back up fan if you want.

yes i need one, thanks pj... i was so flustered when i went for parts i just left it for another day... thank you :ty: :ty: :ty: really appreciate it

 

[moranor@axis]

good choice the cheapest decent coilovers ive found are the BC racing and they go for about 8k... price the shock and spring combo and decide from there

Really ? because I'm gona end up paying R4.5K for Monroe short neck shocks for my car.... might as well add another R3.5k and get coilies

thats the thing springs and shocks are now costing about the same as coilovers so it kind of makes sense to upgrade

well i need to think about which coilovers to put. which ones are you refering to doom? id love to get some feedback if you get them. for now i decided to put gabriel gas riders for R1500 then later in the year when i change the springs ill see whats on the market for coils.

Ok i was wrong ive done more digging and V-maxx is not the name as the other cheap coil overs... i have sifted though pages and pages on forums and they getting pretty good feedback... they are not as good as something like BC racing but at half the price you cant expect them to be...

If you slam your car there is a good chance you will blow the V maxx shocks... but if you just want to lower you car a little without killing your ride quality these seem better than lowering springs from the feedback i have read...

I am considering getting these for my car now to hold me over till i can get something better I think my shocks need replacing anyway and i was considering doing springs at the same time

 

[Alister ///M]

good choice the cheapest decent coilovers ive found are the BC racing and they go for about 8k... price the shock and spring combo and decide from there

Really ? because I'm gona end up paying R4.5K for Monroe short neck shocks for my car.... might as well add another R3.5k and get coilies

thats the thing springs and shocks are now costing about the same as coilovers so it kind of makes sense to upgrade

well i need to think about which coilovers to put. which ones are you refering to doom? id love to get some feedback if you get them. for now i decided to put gabriel gas riders for R1500 then later in the year when i change the springs ill see whats on the market for coils.

Ok i was wrong ive done more digging and V-maxx is not the name as the other cheap coil overs... i have sifted though pages and pages on forums and they getting pretty good feedback... they are not as good as something like BC racing but at half the price you cant expect them to be...

If you slam your car there is a good chance you will blow the V maxx shocks... but if you just want to lower you car a little without killing your ride quality these seem better than lowering springs from the feedback i have read...

I am considering getting these for my car now to hold me over till i can get something better I think my shocks need replacing anyway and i was considering doing springs at the same time

i was having a look a the bc racing coilovers last night :inlove: but i cant afford them right now like you im also stuck in a situation where i dont know whether to put some good springs like eibach or h&r etc or to go with something like vmaxx. this is very good info you've provided, thank you. it will really help the decision making process.

i coudnt find any bad reviews on the vmaxx either but still not sure whether it will be worthwhile, even though it is cheap. maybe i should just bite the bullet n do do it already.. or ill just wait for your feedback once youve done it :rollsmile:

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http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1206127

 

[Prev]

Ali, where's the updated pics?

:=):

 

[Alister ///M]

http://m3forum.net/m3forum/showthread.php?t=319126

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Ali, where's the updated pics?

:=):

sorry prev, ive been working night shift the whole weekend so i dont have pics. i will take some good pics on monday and post :thumbs:

 

[moranor@axis]

just found AP coilovers they go for about the same price as V maxx but they built in the KW factory and everyone says they way better than the other cheap coilovers... I think im going to contact Eibach in EL and see what price they give me on their springs and coilovers then decide from there... I have seen Eibach coilovers going for about $650 which is very good for what you getting if i can get similar prices here i will almost definitely go for that...

I really dont know where to go on this so far these are my choices for the e46:

V maxx R4000
AP R4500
Eibach coilovers +- R5400
Eibach springs and Bilstein shocks +- R5000
BC R7500

 

[Prev]

http://m3forum.net/m3forum/showthread.php?t=319126

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Ali, where's the updated pics?

:=):

sorry prev, ive been working night shift the whole weekend so i dont have pics. i will take some good pics on monday and post :thumbs:

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No probs Ali