E91 Straight Six Bearding

[Northern_Wanderer]

MajorMantra said:

+1, that's about £2k more than I'd be willing to pay for the age and mileage. And it's an auto...

Thanks, I’ll see what he’s willing to drop it down to. Just convenient to find an auto, with a towbar, locally.
Would prefer to pay that for a newer one with less miles.

[stevesuk]

helix402 said:

Pattern window regulators tend to be a bit rubbish. I’d recommend a new or used gen BMW one. To secure the window cut the reg wire and wedge up with a block of wood.

Thanks - cut wire, slid window up and then cut a short piece of baton to wedge (and zip tie) between the window motor body and the bottom of the glass Seems pretty secure (more secure than plastic shrink wrap anyway) and water tight, so that's bought some time to get hold of a part.

If you don't mind me asking - what's the score with refitting the membrane afterwards? Just stick it back as best you can reusing the original gloop? Does it get very wet, or is it just to stop damp/vapour?

ferrisbueller said:

http://www.bmminiparts.com/DiagramView.aspx?Diagra...

Thanks - this is one issue I found - a lot of places seem to have the left rear in stock, but nobody (other than eBay) have the right side. But I'm assuming its part # 7140590 I need (Window Lifter Rear Right)?

To be honest, we rarely ever operate the rear windows (which is possibly why it broke - 15 years of barely being called in to service). So perhaps a good used part would be OK - and save spending 15% of the value of the car just to allow one rear window to open :-)

[JakeT]

stevesuk said:

If you don't mind me asking - what's the score with refitting the membrane afterwards? Just stick it back as best you can reusing the original gloop? Does it get very wet, or is it just to stop damp/vapour?

It is to stop the damp, but some people get water leaks if they're not fitted right too. Butyl tape is a good plan to re-stick the door membrane.

https://eshop.wurth.co.uk/Butyl-tape-SEALTPE-VEH-B...

[stevesuk]

JakeT said:

It is to stop the damp, but some people get water leaks if they're not fitted right too. Butyl tape is a good plan to re-stick the door membrane.

https://eshop.wurth.co.uk/Butyl-tape-SEALTPE-VEH-B...

Thanks - will check that out. Have ordered a used genuine BMW regulator (which also looks to have the motor attached) for £19 on eBay. If it works, that'll be a nice cheap fix!

[JakeT]

Bargain! A good idea is to give all of the window rubbers (Not the horizontal ones at the bottom) a go over with some sillicone spray. Helps stop them sticking and makes the window reg last longer.

[bongotvr]

I'm looking for an E91 Touring 6 pot, and I think I want a manual (currently drive a Golf R Manual).....

So..... I've driven a 330i Auto, and other than the steering being awful (not sure what was causing that), I felt like it didn't really suit the auto box, with most of the power being higher up the rev range. It might be that I'm just not used to driving an auto?
I've driven a 330d Auto (and the steering was fine!), and I felt that went quite well, but just ran out of revs just as it got going (being a diesel).

I've not driven a 335 (d or i). There seem to be a few about, all auto as I understand. I'm concerned those engines have far more to go wrong and aren't as reliable as the 330s.

I'd love to hear people opinions...... and if it comes back to 330i manual, how long will I be waiting to find one!?

Cheers,

[cerb4.5lee]

I've had both a 330d and 330i(both auto) and I didn't think that the auto really suited the 330i. The auto was a much better fit to the 330d though. The 330i deserves a manual for me...but I couldn't be arsed to wait for the right spec one to come along. So I went for the auto instead.

[Mr Tidy]

What age was the car you tried?

I had a 2006 325i E91 for a year with the hydraulic PAS and the steering was great, but performance was a bit lacking!

So last year I replaced it with a 55 plate E90 330i also with HPAS but later models had the potentially troublesome N53 engine and EPAS.

Both are manuals which does seem to suit the N52 engine and as much as I would have preferred an E91 330i they don't come up for sale very often, and those that did were all out of my budget!

I think there are manual 335is, but all 335ds are autos.

Edited by Mr Tidy on Tuesday 22 September 02:53

Edited by Mr Tidy on Tuesday 22 September 02:56

[bongotvr]

[quote=Mr Tidy]What age was the car you tried?

The 330i was a 57 plate. There was a lot of movement in the steering wheel, more than just the tracking it felt like.

[Swervin_Mervin]

57 plate will be ePAS I think. Shouldn't have play though. That said I'd always seek out the pre-LCI hydraulic PAS models personally.

As for hte auto - I think it's fine. It's one of the last of the older style slushies fitted before they started to switch to the much vaunted ZF8 (which I think's overrated). There's plenty enough torque for everyday driving that the slusher doesn't matter, and I actually find it incredibly relaxing in such situations. If you want it to be more brisk though, you'll need to knock it over to Sport/Manual mode, and this I find also spot on for those occasions when I need a quicker pickup.

[JakeT]

If you're driving any E90 after a Golf R it will feel flat.

A manual 330i is the car of choice around here, but they're expensive for what they are normally. I agree that the auto isn't all that bad and doesn't feel awful to me. The steering should feel nice and tight with no play (obviously). I think mine feels pretty pointy just off centre.


For the N52 lovers, my mate with the N53 powered 630i had a bit of an issue with getting his through the emissions test on the MOT. He fitted a new O2 sensor in the hope it would sort it. Then we got the IR thermometer on the cats. Bank 1 was nice and hot, but Bank 2 was cooler. Much cooler. Voltages of the O2 readings were the same too. He bit the bullet and bought a new cat, and upon removing the old one...




Self decat! I think some time of running with poorly injectors has killed the cat. His has had a slightly hard life before him, and has been running with bad injectors for an unknown amount of time.

[MajorMantra]

^^blimey! Hate to think what a new cat must have cost...

[cerb4.5lee]

Swervin_Mervin said:

As for hte auto - I think it's fine. It's one of the last of the older style slushies fitted before they started to switch to the much vaunted ZF8 (which I think's overrated). There's plenty enough torque for everyday driving that the slusher doesn't matter, and I actually find it incredibly relaxing in such situations. If you want it to be more brisk though, you'll need to knock it over to Sport/Manual mode, and this I find also spot on for those occasions when I need a quicker pickup.

I did like how relaxing the auto made my 330i to drive for sure. I think that I have a downer on the auto in the 330i because I had the auto in the 330d. Having both really elevated to me what a poor match it seemed to the high(ish) revving engine and low(ish) torque feeling engine that the N52 is(I do love the N52 don't get me wrong because it is silky smooth and free revving all the way to the top of the revs).

The first time I put my foot down in the auto 330i both me and my mrs laughed because the engine revved its arse off but it didn't actually make that much progress. Do the same in an auto 330d and it will just pick up and go effortlessly in comparison. Having both really highlighted that to me, hence why I'd always recommend the manual in the 330i now(most people always have anyway to be fair).

[bongotvr]

What's everyones views on how the 335s compare to the 330i/d and how good (or not!) are those engines!?

[Swervin_Mervin]

cerb4.5lee said:

Swervin_Mervin said:

As for hte auto - I think it's fine. It's one of the last of the older style slushies fitted before they started to switch to the much vaunted ZF8 (which I think's overrated). There's plenty enough torque for everyday driving that the slusher doesn't matter, and I actually find it incredibly relaxing in such situations. If you want it to be more brisk though, you'll need to knock it over to Sport/Manual mode, and this I find also spot on for those occasions when I need a quicker pickup.

I did like how relaxing the auto made my 330i to drive for sure. I think that I have a downer on the auto in the 330i because I had the auto in the 330d. Having both really elevated to me what a poor match it seemed to the high(ish) revving engine and low(ish) torque feeling engine that the N52 is(I do love the N52 don't get me wrong because it is silky smooth and free revving all the way to the top of the revs).

The first time I put my foot down in the auto 330i both me and my mrs laughed because the engine revved its arse off but it didn't actually make that much progress. Do the same in an auto 330d and it will just pick up and go effortlessly in comparison. Having both really highlighted that to me, hence why I'd always recommend the manual in the 330i now(most people always have anyway to be fair).

The 330i is not under-endowed in terms of torque though - it's just that people's perspectives have been skewed in the last 2 decades by the torque of diesel and turbo petrol engines. The auto box doesn't change the inherent difference in driving characteristics of either the petrol or diesel engines.

That said, I've always been of the view that an auto is the only way to do a diesel engine properly as manual diesels just make the experience all the more miserable.

I'd be intrigued to try a 330i auto with the gearbox mapped though - I've never bothered but I can see how upping the responsiveness might improve matters a little. That said, mine seemingly has some days where it seems lazy and others when it's like a hair trigger - I'm sure there's some learning going on when you first set off and that if you take it easy for a bit it thinks that's how you want to drive, and vice-versa

[JakeT]

bongotvr said:

What's everyones views on how the 335s compare to the 330i/d and how good (or not!) are those engines!?

335i = Two engines. Early is an N54 up to late 2010 (I think). Not the most reliable due to injector, and turbo issues. Easy to make mega power though. N54 boys love them for 500HP on standard internals. Later is N55. More reliable, less scope for tuning.

335d = One engine. M57. Very stout engine. I've owed a few in '30d' trim. More than quick enough, but auto only. Turbos can give issues, but they're not awful. Other diesel issues apply.

Manual 335i tourings are rare, and as a result expensive. As others have said, I don't mind the auto gearbox, I think it's just the right balance of old school sludge pumper and new age speed and efficiency. You pays your money though.

[cerb4.5lee]

Swervin_Mervin said:

cerb4.5lee said:

Swervin_Mervin said:

As for hte auto - I think it's fine. It's one of the last of the older style slushies fitted before they started to switch to the much vaunted ZF8 (which I think's overrated). There's plenty enough torque for everyday driving that the slusher doesn't matter, and I actually find it incredibly relaxing in such situations. If you want it to be more brisk though, you'll need to knock it over to Sport/Manual mode, and this I find also spot on for those occasions when I need a quicker pickup.

I did like how relaxing the auto made my 330i to drive for sure. I think that I have a downer on the auto in the 330i because I had the auto in the 330d. Having both really elevated to me what a poor match it seemed to the high(ish) revving engine and low(ish) torque feeling engine that the N52 is(I do love the N52 don't get me wrong because it is silky smooth and free revving all the way to the top of the revs).

The first time I put my foot down in the auto 330i both me and my mrs laughed because the engine revved its arse off but it didn't actually make that much progress. Do the same in an auto 330d and it will just pick up and go effortlessly in comparison. Having both really highlighted that to me, hence why I'd always recommend the manual in the 330i now(most people always have anyway to be fair).

The 330i is not under-endowed in terms of torque though - it's just that people's perspectives have been skewed in the last 2 decades by the torque of diesel and turbo petrol engines. The auto box doesn't change the inherent difference in driving characteristics of either the petrol or diesel engines.

That said, I've always been of the view that an auto is the only way to do a diesel engine properly as manual diesels just make the experience all the more miserable.

I'd be intrigued to try a 330i auto with the gearbox mapped though - I've never bothered but I can see how upping the responsiveness might improve matters a little. That said, mine seemingly has some days where it seems lazy and others when it's like a hair trigger - I'm sure there's some learning going on when you first set off and that if you take it easy for a bit it thinks that's how you want to drive, and vice-versa

Yes and I'm with you with pretty much all of that.

I will admit that after having had my 330i(the last NA engine I had) I was a little bit nervous buying my NA engined 370Z, because I generally much prefer a turbo engine than a NA engine especially in a heavy car(which the 370 is). I think the manual gearbox in the 370 helps a bit when compared to the auto though, but that might just be me.

Petrol turbo and diesel turbo engines have definitely spoilt me over the years with their effortlessness for sure. I do still really enjoy stretching the legs in the 370 from time to time though(I only use it occasionally). For me personally I do prefer a turbo in a daily driver for certain. As most people know...I just didn't get on with my E92 M3 in the daily driver situation at all!

[cerb4.5lee]

JakeT said:

335d = One engine. M57. Very stout engine. I've owed a few in '30d' trim. More than quick enough, but auto only. Turbos can give issues, but they're not awful. Other diesel issues apply.

Yes and I'm also a fan of the M57 engine(had it in a 330d). I had its successor the N57 in a 640d and I thought that it was a very punchy feeling engine. I still really miss that engine and it was so effortless at overtaking stuff. The 335d is a quick car out on the roads for sure.

[bmwmike]

Swervin_Mervin said:

The 330i is not under-endowed in terms of torque though - it's just that people's perspectives have been skewed in the last 2 decades by the torque of diesel and turbo petrol engines. The auto box doesn't change the inherent difference in driving characteristics of either the petrol or diesel engines.

That said, I've always been of the view that an auto is the only way to do a diesel engine properly as manual diesels just make the experience all the more miserable.

I'd be intrigued to try a 330i auto with the gearbox mapped though - I've never bothered but I can see how upping the responsiveness might improve matters a little. That said, mine seemingly has some days where it seems lazy and others when it's like a hair trigger - I'm sure there's some learning going on when you first set off and that if you take it easy for a bit it thinks that's how you want to drive, and vice-versa

Agree, and, its torque at the tarmac is what counts, not necessarily whats coming out of the flywheel

[JakeT]

MajorMantra said:

^^blimey! Hate to think what a new cat must have cost...

Over £500, as these engines all have the cats in the manifold for quick warmup times. He was pleased he only needed one!

cerb4.5lee said:

Yes and I'm also a fan of the M57 engine(had it in a 330d). I had its successor the N57 in a 640d and I thought that it was a very punchy feeling engine. I still really miss that engine and it was so effortless at overtaking stuff. The 335d is a quick car out on the roads for sure.

I didn't mind mine. The first was an early E39 530d with loads of miles on it. That one felt nice, but I had a 204bhp E46 with the six speed manual and it felt one dimensional. Only did well at motorway driving. On country roads near me (In fact you know stuff through Upper Bucklebury and The Avenue) it felt like a chore to drive. Auto diesel would have been fine though.