[Prev][Next][Index][Thread]

Re: A few 320i questions

On Mon, 17 Oct 1994, Darren Gibbons wrote:

> The mileage seems awfully poor.  Or mabye I'm just used to
> economy cars.  I'm getting 19-22 mpg, which seems low for a four
> cylinder.  Am I just imagining things?

My '79 320i before I modified it got anywhere between 18-25mpg.  But let
me qualify this.  When I was only driving it on the street (fall and
winter) I would set the fuel injection idle mixture to 1.5% CO (i.e.
slightly lean) with the timing advanced about 1.5 degrees I would get
~21mpg mixed driving and 25mpg highway. If I set the car up for
autocrossing in stock class (during the summer) I would set the idle
mixture to give 2.5% CO and my mileage would drop a little to 18-19 mixed
and 23-24 highway.  So your fuel mileage values are reasonable based on my
experience.  With my 3.91 50% Limited Slip rear axle (instead of the stock
3.64) and the fuel mixture set slightly rich my mileage has dropped to 
15-16mpg mixed and 20-21 highway at best:(

> 
> Second, the brakes *really* squeak.  The pads were replaced about 3K
> km before I got the car, so that makes about 5k on them.  They still
> look like they've got plenty of material, but they make the most
> horrible sound when I come up to a stop.  They were replaced by BMW
> technicians, so I doubt that they are poor quality pads.

If you want to get rid of the squeal, go to an autoparts store, buy the
brake anti-squeal goop (usually blue or copper color), take your brake
pads out, smear thin layer of goop where the brake caliper pistons hit the
back of the pads, let dry real well (1 hour+), reinstall pads, and your
squealing should be gone (or at least reduced).  My 320i brakes squeal to
high heaven right now with Ferodo Semi-Met pads (good driver school pads)
but it doesn't bother me because the car has essentailly become an 
autocross and drivers school car but my 528i brakes squealed and I used 
the anti-squeal stuff on that car. (Also used the anti-squeal stuff on a 
Ply. Sundance and it quieted the brakes down nicely too)


*******************************************************************************
Walt Barie (wgbst4+@domain.elided, barie+@domain.elided)
Graduate Student
Dept. of Electrical Engineering, University of Pittsburgh

'79 320i DSP Solo II Car
'80 528i

    "You gotta first spin the dice in order to win the game" - esp '95

Of course what I say in no way reflects the views of the University....
******************************************************************************