BMW MAF sensor, what does it do? The purpose of the MAF (Mass Air Flow) sensor is to measure the volume of air entering the engine. Once this sensor determines the amount of air, it sends this information to the DME (Digital Motor Electronics, essentially the brain of the engine) which then determines the correct
Is synthetic motor oil bad for old BMWs? Many older BMW models, such as the E30, were designed prior to the mass adoption of full synthetic or even synthetic blends. The standard rule of thumb when changing oils in vehicles is to use the same type of oil that was used when your engine was
OEM BMW E46 Steering Wheel options: Below are the steering wheel options offered on all BMW E46 models throughout its production run from December 1997 through August 2006. Only two steering wheel sizes were available, 375mm and 385mm. All steering wheel options were airbag equipped. The standard sport package steering wheels did not have the
Oversteer and understeer are two terms commonly used in the automotive world, especially when it comes to talking about performance. BMW models are known to be tail happy due to their rear wheel drive bias which creates oversteer. Below we will go over the differences and advantages of both performance characteristics. What is understeer? Understeer
BMW F10 M5 wheel style numbers, specs: Below are the wheel style options available for the F10 M5 for the world wide market. Only three options were available over the life of the F10 M5. All models were forged aluminum and factory equipped with runflat performance tires. The BMW F10 M5 is BMW’s fifth generation
OEM BMW E30 Steering Wheel options: Below are the steering wheel options offered on all BMW E30 models throughout its production run from 1982 – 1994. Only one steering wheel design was used for airbag equipped models. The remaining five offerings were all non airbag equipped models. The Mtech 1 steering wheel was offered in
What is an engine water pump? A “water pump” is part of the coolant system of a vehicle that moves coolant through your engine block, radiator, and hoses to extract heat from the engine through convection. All BMW motors are water-cooled. This compares to other engine types like older Porsche and VW engines which are
BMW wheel paint codes: Below are the most common wheel paint codes, not all are shown. Modern BMW wheels have become more complex by not only being painted with unique colors, but also unique combinations compared to wheels found on BMW classics, which have typically been just silver. Reference the chart below for the paint
What is the difference between direct and port injection? Direct injection sprays fuel directly into the cylinder head while port injection sprays the fuel into the intake ports. Reference the images below for further clarification on the location of the fuel injectors in the two setups. What are the advantages and disadvantages of direct injection?
BMW rod bearings have tarnished the legacy of the M brand due to premature failure. Learn about the details of how the failure occurs and how to prevent it. What are engine rod bearings? Connecting rods are what connects the piston to the crankshaft. The connecting rod moves the piston up and down as the
BMW F22 wheel style numbers, specs: Below are the wheel style options available for the E36 Coupe, Convertible, Sedan and Compact for the world wide market. Not all wheel styles were available in all markets and not all wheel styles were available on all models. Some wheel styles were optional via the BMW accessories catalog.
Differentials are a common topic among car enthusiasts. You may have heard the terms open diff, open differential, limited slip differential, LSD, locking diff, etc. among conversations on the forums or at car shows. This post is going to go over the basic concepts of open differentials vs limited slip differentials without getting into the
What are run flat tires? Run flat tires feature steel-reinforced sidewalls which allow for a deflated tire to retain its shape without air. This design allows for drivability with reduced speed until replacement of the tire is performed by a shop. This is the origin of the name “Run Flat” meaning you can drive them
BMW E82 1 series paint codes and color options: Below are the BMW E82 1 Series Coupe paint codes and color options for the Coupe models in the worldwide market. Different color options were available for the convertible and hatch back models which are not listed below. Different markets featured different paint color options from
BMW F22 wheel style numbers, specs: Below are the wheel style options available for the F22 Coupe and F23 Convertible for the world wide market. Not all wheel styles were available in all markets and not all wheel styles were available on all models. Some wheel styles were optional via the M Performance catalog as
