Uh oh. Can any E46 M3 or Z4M drivers who drift confirm prob?

[Niffty951]

Just recently I'm a tad worried that my LSD is starting to fail? First noticed it a couple of times yesterday as the car passed the straight ahead possition during a slide (as the tail goes from hanging out one way to the other) there was a definite akward jerk from the car.

Today it did it 3 or 4 times in both 1st and 2nd gear at various speeds when the wheels are spinning quite quickly. It feels like it stops violently, holds stright for a sec with a then continues to slide the other way. A glance in the mirror a few times showed there are always two solid unbroken black lines on the tarmac so both wheels are spinning at all times but I don't remember it ever jerking before yesterday. Seemed very smooth usually?

Anyone about who can comment on what to expect as the diff starts to fail and if this is symptomatic?

Regards,

Ben

[R1_NUR]

Ben,

Not experienced that myself. From your other post I assume you are from the Midlands too. If you want to compare notes and check cars back to back I am up for it.

Ben

[Niffty951]

Spooky! Another Ben! Yes that would be great I'll email you and we could meet up for a drink and a quick spin one sunday.

[R1_NUR]

Cool. Look forward to it.

[Niffty951]

Email sent. Perhaps we could organise a midlands BMW meet?

Regards,

Ben

p.s. On a sub note.. great car history and I'm very interested in the VX220 but you bought an S2000?! What happened!! Thats was the biggest dissapointment I ever drove?

I had such high hopes for the legendary Honda Vtec engine in a 2 seater RWD with a hard roof and uncompromised lightweight chassis. It should have been a classic in the making. I took one for a test drive and the guy kept telling me excitably "wait untill you get it over 6000rpm! Its like a turbo" I finally got out of the 30 zone and opened the throttle, there was a strange buzzing sound I asume was the engine and nothing happened! I was bitterly disappointed and then add to that the terrible brakes, the awful stright line stability and so much chassis flex that I never knew whether the front or the back end was going to break away first. All in all I think advertising it as a sports car was almost dangerous! I nearly died on the test drive when I hit the brakes hard from a fair speed and the back end tried to overtake the front!

[scotia_steve74]

Not had a problem that way

[KENZ]

Were kinda spoilt with the fabulous S54 engine..but I too was not impressed by S2000 VTEC engine.

Edited by KENZ on Tuesday 21st October 14:41

[Beedub]

scot post that pic in my z4m pic thread thats awesome

[Niffty951]

I've still not worked out how to post pics? where do I host them?

[Niffty951]

KENZ said:

Were kinda spoilt with the fabulous S54 engine..but I too was not impressed by S2000 VTEC engine.

Edited by KENZ on Tuesday 21st October 14:41

Meant to say yes I do agree, all round it is quite probably one of the best engines ever made. Hard as nails, possibly more economical than any other engine I've owned driven in terms of speed/fuel usage ratio, hugely torquey from no revs so pulls hard in almost any gear.. never driven another car that can pull smoothly from 15-170 on the speedo (5th), high revving, good sounding and phenomenally quick for a 3.2ltr! Cant think of an N/A 3.2 with more power? What’s the Honda NSX?

Would like to say though that although marketing wise no one could ever sell a supercar with 4 cylinders, it is an experience you will never believe driving a 3.2ltr 4cylinder turbo like my modified 944! On a cruise it would do nearly 40+mpg at 70-80 but because of those HUGE pistons creating so much air movement in the exhaust you could put the most ridiculous size turbo on it and it would still spool at around 2000RPM. Ok so on boost it would actually visibly suck the fuel gauge down in front of your eyes but MY GOD did it have some torque! It would run 500ft/lb of torque at 18psi and in a car weighing 1250kg you can think that would be very fast. I knew it would be fast but actually feeling that kind of power was just in another world of performance! It was like having the power of god under your toe!

I sat with a permanent grin on my face just knowing that one flex of my toe would have me riding a wave of boost so fierce it actually made both passenger and driver hold their breath as a natural response until I changed gear and everything dropped forward with a lovely S1 rally car type chatter. Pity it was costing me £3000 per month in parts and needed another £15k spending on it to make it what it should be (now all done by the new owner)!! I'm still intending on buying it back one day when the new owner gets bored of it. You cannot imagine what I spent on the car I bought for only £5k!

p.s. for those still struggling to imagine the power, if you kicked the throttle down sharply without giving it 1/3 throttle for a sec to let the tyres bite, it would light up 275 wide rubber at 130mph on a dry (but cold) road! 5th gear acceleration was similar in feeling (if not slightly more) than the Z4M in 2nd!

[R1_NUR]

Niffty951 said:

Email sent.
... interested in the VX220 but you bought an S2000?! What happened!!

Firstly sorry to 'drift' off topic!

Cool - will reply to your email in a min.

Yes happy to talk VX all day - had 3 covered 100,000 miles - including probably 8-10,000 miles at the Ring in them. Blitzed loads of supposedly quicker cars on trackdays in them. Great VFM.

S2000 started out as a money making thing but much to my suprise I really enjoyed the car and indirectly it led to the Z4. Up until the S2000 the only way I was going was Lotus, Caterham and possibly Radical or X-bow etc. Anyway to cut a long story short the S2000 wormed it's way in to my heart. Great car and so good in fact I eventually overcame my embarrassment at driving it! So I understand your view but disagree with your assessment.

[Niffty951]

Maybe I was too quick to judge. I'll take one out for another test drive and try to keep an open mind.

I cant talk really I'm very embarraced to say I absolutely loved driving the chav edition £1k modified Mk2 Mr2 import with bucket exhausts and matt black halfords paintwork I bought to get me to work whilst my 944 was in the garage! I don't know why but it was just so responsive, light and fun to drive I fell in love with it.

Regards,

Ben