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Q. Do I need a heat shield for my air intake?
A. Yes, heat and horsepower do not mix. A general rule of thumb is that for every 7° F increase in temperature (above 60° F) your engine will
experience roughly a 1% loss of horsepower (an additional rule of thumb is that for every additional 1,000 feet in altitude, your engine's
horsepower will drop by about 3%). For example, at 95° F ambient air temperature, your 240 bHP M3 is now producing about 228 bHP.
Additionally, compounding the ambient air temperature with your engine and radiator heat can severely reduce your performance.
Q. What is an x-brace?
A. The x-brace or cross reinforcement is a BMW OEM part designed for the M3 Lightweight (discussed in the Other section) and M3 convertibles. It
effectively stiffens the chassis for improved steering response at a fraction of the cost of your average strut brace and with better results. The
install is relatively straightforward, but make sure you do not mount the stock brace in addition to the x-brace or you will alter the safety
characteristics of the engine in the event of a frontal impact. Also, you may want to install a buffer stop which reduces engine twist and thus helps
attain proper drive line attitude. Detailed installation instructions of the x-brace can be found at Ron Stygar's web page
http://www.unofficialbmw.com/e36/suspension/e36_rons_xbrace_install.html
.
BMW Cross Reinforcement
P/N 51.71.8.410.212
BMW Buffer Stop (not shown)
P/N 11.81.1.095.700
(image courtesy of UUC Motorwerks)
Q. What does it mean to get sharked?
A. When a vehicle is sharked it simply means that Jim Conforti's
http://www.bonnevillemotorwerks.com/
performance chip has been installed.
Q. Can I install both a lightened flywheel and an underdrive pulley?
A. No, the combination of a lightened flywheel and underdrive (also lighter) pulley will not be able to effectively dampen crankshaft vibrations. The
increased vibration (and reduced ability to prevent a resonant frequency) will likely result in crankshaft fatigue and failure.
Q. Will the BMW aluminum pedal set (for E46 BMWs) fit on my E36 M3?
A. Yes, but it is a good idea not to use the accelerator pedal that comes with the kit as the geometry and shape is slightly different. Also, be careful
when drilling the holes (especially in the plastic clutch pedal) as they end up very close to the edge of the pedals.
BMW E46 Aluminum Pedal Set
P/N 35.00.0.006.949 (manual transmission)
P/N 35.00.0.007.018 (automatic transmission)
