E91 Straight Six Bearding
Discussion
2 GKC said:
Interesting. Why didn't you think them a good match?
The only thing I don't like is that the gearbox is sometimes too eager to change down; it won't let you give it some in a high gear and ride out the torque. Other than that it's beautifully smooth and quick to change. Mine's an SE, it never was or never will be a sports car so auto suits it nicely 90% of the time.
I thought that if you were just going steady and taking your time the gearbox was fine, but when pushing on I found it to be inconsistent/unrewarding and not really a good match to the lovely free revving engine. The only thing I don't like is that the gearbox is sometimes too eager to change down; it won't let you give it some in a high gear and ride out the torque. Other than that it's beautifully smooth and quick to change. Mine's an SE, it never was or never will be a sports car so auto suits it nicely 90% of the time.
Also because I'd been used to the very torquey 330d auto previously...it made the 330i feel very flat and a poor match to the auto for me. In the 330d auto you didn't need many revs to make progress, but with the 330i auto it was obvious that you were trying hard to go quickly with the car revving very high(although it never actually felt that quick unless you were right at the top of the revs) and that to me just didn't suit it.
I guess if I'd not had the auto 330d previously to compare to it then I would have maybe appreciated it more. My conclusion was that I feel that a manual gearbox is better suited to the N/A 330i engine, and overall would offer more enjoyment/satisfaction. In saying that though my E92 M3 was a manual, and I thought that the DCT would suit the engine's characteristics far better...so you just can't win!!
bmwmike said:
Swervin_Mervin said:
No, ZF 
What model do you have that pairs the ZF8 with the N53?
Hi I've got a f10 530i. I just nose in here on the e9x six bearding every now and then coz there is no f10 version What model do you have that pairs the ZF8 with the N53?
Swervin_Mervin said:
No worries! I just wondered what paired the two. I have the N52, but the ZF6 obvs. But the ZF8 in an F20 125i. I'm not sold on it in that tbh, but I think that's largely because it's kept far too busy with an engine that has a much narrower powerband. I wondered what I would be like mating it to the N/A straight 6 in mine.
I think it works brilliantly tbh. It is quick off the line and the power keeps building. The box is quick to change in manual mode and you don't need to lift off. When in auto mode D it can sometimes get caught out in the wrong gear but DS or manual solves that. It locks up nicely too, so roundabouts etc are a breeze where you slow down a bit then get back on it to power through. I like it anyway I've always preferred manual gearboxes wherever they were available.
But my 325i with the N52 engine might be better with an auto as my manual is so high-geared! At 3,000 rpm in 6th is doing about 85 mph - and this with an engine that revs to 7,000 rpm. In 6th that would equate to nearly 200 mph.
And peak torque doesn't arrive until 2,750 rpm, which is nearly 80 mph in 6th.
At least once a week I leave the M25 at J12 onto the M3 Southbound and the first mile has a 50 mph limit with average cameras, so when I get to the end of it I have to drop it down to 4th to get any meaningful acceleration - kickdown might be a better option!
Strangely my Z4 Coupe with a 3 litre N52 is geared a bit lower, and picks up much better in 6th from 50 - but I tend to use 4th anyway as it sounds so much better!
But my 325i with the N52 engine might be better with an auto as my manual is so high-geared! At 3,000 rpm in 6th is doing about 85 mph - and this with an engine that revs to 7,000 rpm. In 6th that would equate to nearly 200 mph.
And peak torque doesn't arrive until 2,750 rpm, which is nearly 80 mph in 6th.At least once a week I leave the M25 at J12 onto the M3 Southbound and the first mile has a 50 mph limit with average cameras, so when I get to the end of it I have to drop it down to 4th to get any meaningful acceleration - kickdown might be a better option!
Strangely my Z4 Coupe with a 3 litre N52 is geared a bit lower, and picks up much better in 6th from 50 - but I tend to use 4th anyway as it sounds so much better!
13aines said:
My (new to me) 335i has consumed 5 litres of screenwash since Friday - and I have not driven the car much either. Yesterday the warning came up on the dash again.
I hoped that I would go to fill it and barely get any in - but that would mean a dodgy sensor. Anyway, it took a full 5 litres again (water this time!) which I am pleased with, I think a sensor would be more costly.
...
For now I am avoiding using the washers and monitoring the level to see if it drops.
Well, 24 hrs in and the level has dropped down the narrow tube a good few inches without any washer use, but probably not showing enough volume loss to lose the entire 5 litres in 5 or 6 days. I hoped that I would go to fill it and barely get any in - but that would mean a dodgy sensor. Anyway, it took a full 5 litres again (water this time!) which I am pleased with, I think a sensor would be more costly.
...
For now I am avoiding using the washers and monitoring the level to see if it drops.
If that's the case perhaps i'm losing it at the headlight washers somewhere when using the washers, *and* out of a leaking tank/tank seal.
I'll have to keep observing for a few more days without using the washers, then pull the arch liner out and inspect the pump seals and/or remove the bumper to check out the headlight washer connections.
ferrisbueller said:
I think there's a plastic connector or two in the washer lines which can crack/split when the washer fluid freezes. Can be a bumper off job to get to them I'm afraid. Sucker punch is that if the car has Xenons then functioning washers is checked on MOT.
I never understood how they check.Most headlight washers only activate after a certain number of washes (say 5).
So does the tester keep using them until they activate the headlihht washers? Do they then top up my screenwash because they've wasted 5 squirts?
I watched mine get MOTd a couple of times and never saw then check the headlight washers
13aines said:
I'll have to keep observing for a few more days without using the washers, then pull the arch liner out and inspect the pump seals and/or remove the bumper to check out the headlight washer connections.
Mine has a similar problem. Fill the bottle up and there is a small puddle that forms by the drivers side wheelarch. Most of the fluid remains though, but there's obviously a leak somewhere. Need to drop the arch liner and check the bottle/pump/seals etc. bmwmike said:
Nail on head with the gearing Tidy. Also auto tend to have a different diff ratio which is shorter (quicker?) Than manual
Thanks, I do remember having an early E90 325i Auto as a courtesy car from Sytner many years ago that felt much more lively - that might explain why! Maybe my gearing would be OK if I had a 330i, but they all seemed to be twice the price of 325is.
Mr Tidy said:
I've always preferred manual gearboxes wherever they were available.
But my 325i with the N52 engine might be better with an auto as my manual is so high-geared! At 3,000 rpm in 6th is doing about 85 mph - and this with an engine that revs to 7,000 rpm. In 6th that would equate to nearly 200 mph. And peak torque doesn't arrive until 2,750 rpm, which is nearly 80 mph in 6th.
At least once a week I leave the M25 at J12 onto the M3 Southbound and the first mile has a 50 mph limit with average cameras, so when I get to the end of it I have to drop it down to 4th to get any meaningful acceleration - kickdown might be a better option!
Strangely my Z4 Coupe with a 3 litre N52 is geared a bit lower, and picks up much better in 6th from 50 - but I tend to use 4th anyway as it sounds so much better!
Are you saying it is revving too high or too low? But my 325i with the N52 engine might be better with an auto as my manual is so high-geared! At 3,000 rpm in 6th is doing about 85 mph - and this with an engine that revs to 7,000 rpm. In 6th that would equate to nearly 200 mph.
And peak torque doesn't arrive until 2,750 rpm, which is nearly 80 mph in 6th.At least once a week I leave the M25 at J12 onto the M3 Southbound and the first mile has a 50 mph limit with average cameras, so when I get to the end of it I have to drop it down to 4th to get any meaningful acceleration - kickdown might be a better option!
Strangely my Z4 Coupe with a 3 litre N52 is geared a bit lower, and picks up much better in 6th from 50 - but I tend to use 4th anyway as it sounds so much better!
majorjoy said:
congrats on a pain free sale...A very rare and wonderful thing!
Still was for me. This was after two rounds of AT adverts, two timewasters (one of which I had to wait 6 weeks to come and see it) and one guy who rang me over 20 times offering half the asking price, then got arsey when I told him no 
royobannan said:
I need to replace my headlight washer nozzle but being thwarted by this screw. Anyone know what I need to use to get it off?
gizlaroc said:
It's a popper isn't it?
Push the centre in with something and you can then pull it out.
Similar to this.....
Don't push the centre pin in too far as it will fall out and you will lose it.
Push it till you feel it click, then you can pull the whole thing out.
I've not seen a metal popper on my e91 yet, and I've taken most pieces of underbody trim off at some point, so I think this is unlikely.Push the centre in with something and you can then pull it out.
Similar to this.....
Don't push the centre pin in too far as it will fall out and you will lose it.
Push it till you feel it click, then you can pull the whole thing out.
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