E91 Straight Six Bearding
Discussion
cerb4.5lee said:
I remember us both disliking the N52 engine/Auto combination...you managed to get out after 10 months...I put up with it for nearly 4 years! 
I had so much hatred for that gearbox and that engine combination, although I liked the car overall as a family run around, and it was a lovely cruiser.
Yes, 10 months and I went M135i manual. 4 years for you then! Wow! But what you said is exactly how I felt about mine. It really, desperately needed that third pedal. In desperation, I pulled the camber pins on the front suspension mounts, hoping it would make it keener, but it was still rather understeery.I had so much hatred for that gearbox and that engine combination, although I liked the car overall as a family run around, and it was a lovely cruiser.
stevesingo said:
And yet manual M Sport Tourings are like rocking horse s
t.
Which is why I ended up with an auto, which turned out to be a horrible, horrible mistake.t.
Well I feel marginally privileged to have a Manual 330i E91 M Sport. However, I dunno if it's just mine, or the mileage, but it's not the greatest box on the planet. Ratios are fine, and it suits the engine fine, but the change isn't the most precise. I removed the CDV- which improved things, I then changed all the fluids (box and diff) - which helped, then flushed/bled the clutch system again, and removed the return spring on the pedal box - which also helped - but it's still not as slick as say my RX-8 box or even my little old mazda 323F!
I do think the DMF is a bit tired and ain't helping - so I'm reserving judgement until I change that and the clutch - and I do prefer it to a friends auto 335i I tried - so not all bad, but so far the box isn't the last word in refinement IMHO.
I do think the DMF is a bit tired and ain't helping - so I'm reserving judgement until I change that and the clutch - and I do prefer it to a friends auto 335i I tried - so not all bad, but so far the box isn't the last word in refinement IMHO.
Swervin_Mervin said:
Last question for now Zippy, but what kit do you need for INPA? Been looking and it seems fairly confusing in terms of laptop requirements, serial ports etc.
Ah yes, sorry, almost ignored you! From what I read, the cable is the crucial bit - get a decent one - which can be a slight lottery from the copy cables etc. I think I got mine from cable-shack, and that got some good rep - but i haven't tried coding with it yet. It works with INPA fine though.You do have to research it all a lot though - I never did find one single useful resource, it's scattered all over the internet.
I'm in the process of building a "car tinkering laptop" which will have some mazda and bmw stuff, so hope to play with ISTA etc. in future .
In the meantime, I'm definitely no INPA expert - all I know is how to bumble my way round to read codes, clear them and read some engine information!
Pretty much all i want t be able to do is read codes tbh. Seems like a lot of faff to go to to do it mind. For now I'll maybe just start checking through the physuical stuff you listed.
Might get Carly for the F20 - I really want to code it so the stereo goes off when you pop the door, as it's bloody irritating it stays on! That and drop the button hold time for the fold in mirrors.
Might get Carly for the F20 - I really want to code it so the stereo goes off when you pop the door, as it's bloody irritating it stays on! That and drop the button hold time for the fold in mirrors.
bennyboysvuk said:
cerb4.5lee said:
I remember us both disliking the N52 engine/Auto combination...you managed to get out after 10 months...I put up with it for nearly 4 years!
I had so much hatred for that gearbox and that engine combination, although I liked the car overall as a family run around, and it was a lovely cruiser.
Yes, 10 months and I went M135i manual. 4 years for you then! Wow! But what you said is exactly how I felt about mine. It really, desperately needed that third pedal. In desperation, I pulled the camber pins on the front suspension mounts, hoping it would make it keener, but it was still rather understeery.I had so much hatred for that gearbox and that engine combination, although I liked the car overall as a family run around, and it was a lovely cruiser.
I'm thinking of trying 225 all round.
Swervin_Mervin said:
Might get Carly for the F20 - I really want to code it so the stereo goes off when you pop the door, as it's bloody irritating it stays on! That and drop the button hold time for the fold in mirrors.
Yeah - Carly is the easy way to do it! You'll be able to scan for codes etc on your E91 with it too.I don't know 100%, but I understand Carly to do shadow codes. Don't be surprised if you find millions the first time you scan - little things can trigger them (e.g. if you unplugged a sensor and plugged it back in once etc.).
I also think E series and F series BMW's had a different communication protocol...or something...maybe! That would explain that. To google my friend
I also think E series and F series BMW's had a different communication protocol...or something...maybe! That would explain that. To google my friend
Aye I did a lot of Googling at the time about it, and there's a lot comes up for E9x issues connecting with ELM327 BT readers. Most seem to babble on about broken pins etc though so I sacked it off at the time 
I'll maybe give Carly a whirl at some point as it looks at least like it'll cover both E91 and F20. Cheers again Zippy.
I'll maybe give Carly a whirl at some point as it looks at least like it'll cover both E91 and F20. Cheers again Zippy.
bennyboysvuk said:
But what you said is exactly how I felt about mine. It really, desperately needed that third pedal. In desperation, I pulled the camber pins on the front suspension mounts, hoping it would make it keener, but it was still rather understeery.
IMO the auto isn't terrible but the engine deserves the manual 'box.Understeery doesn't sound right at all.
For 2 yrs we have run an E90 330i MSport manual as a family car. Although the gearbox is not the best, it is far far from the worst. Sometimes it fails to engage 1st from stationary but a clutch and de clutch fixes that. I don’t get the fixation with the CDV. Both my wife and I manage to drive it smoothly in normal drivin and when I’m pressing on, quick changes and heal toeing are fine. Same on our previous E90 320Si and E46. I think it is some kind of badge of honour for wannabe sporty drivers who think it is holding back their ability to change gear smoothly. People who have removed the CDV gush about how much better the gear change is withou actually articulating what was bad in the first place nor why it is better. All a little strange to me.
WRT understeer, although the 330i does not have as sharp a front end as the 320Si, a terminal understeerer is not how I would describe it. Not by a long way. I would say that if the E90 range didn’t have DSC and TCS that almost all cars that found themselves in a ditch would have done so rear first.
WRT understeer, although the 330i does not have as sharp a front end as the 320Si, a terminal understeerer is not how I would describe it. Not by a long way. I would say that if the E90 range didn’t have DSC and TCS that almost all cars that found themselves in a ditch would have done so rear first.
ferrisbueller said:
bennyboysvuk said:
But what you said is exactly how I felt about mine. It really, desperately needed that third pedal. In desperation, I pulled the camber pins on the front suspension mounts, hoping it would make it keener, but it was still rather understeery.
IMO the auto isn't terrible but the engine deserves the manual 'box.Understeery doesn't sound right at all.
stevesingo said:
Ok. What is crap about it specifically and what does the removal of the CDV do to change the characteristics of the shift?
I agree with you re the cdv. Been driving BMWs since 1994, never felt the need to remove the cdv. It may be one of those internet things, “you must remove the cdv”.Also re short shifts. Even E91s are getting on in age and mileage, most will have some play in the standard linkage parts. A new set of factory bushes/etc will give a very positive change.
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