What have you done to your MS3 today?

Cleaned my car and found two scrape marks on my back bumper from when I picked up my brother at the airport and he was getting his bag out to go into his house. I thought BMW technicians would be more careful!!!!!!!!! He was just coming back from further training from BMW! I am soooooo pissed!
 
8.5MS3 said:
i found the reason i keep getting part throttle KR constantly....can anyone else see something wrong with these pics? (been on the car 4 months aka about 1000 miles)
Click to expand...

i can barely tell the details in your pics....to me it looks like the coloration is normal but the gaps are huge.
 
Just installed a Jbarone STSP and aluminum shifter bushings and did some fine tuning on the shifter. Just had Motocraft full synthetic tranny fluid put in last week as well. Very nice upgrade - shifting is smooth, but firm and much shorter and enjoyable.
 
oaklandopen said:
i can barely tell the details in your pics....to me it looks like the coloration is normal but the gaps are huge.
Click to expand...
H3br3w_Ham3r said:
+1
Click to expand...
theyre gapped to .028

Saskatchewan17 said:
Yeah the gap looks too big, but they don't look fouled out or anything. I'm guessing that would cause some of that KR.
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the 1st pic is what they actually look like, 2nd one i upped the contrast on the camera to its max to get some definition other than a black area. Theyre completely carbon fouled. my stock plugs with 12k on them still look brand new
 
8.5MS3 said:
theyre gapped to .028
the 1st pic is what they actually look like, 2nd one i upped the contrast on the camera to its max to get some definition other than a black area. Theyre completely carbon fouled. my stock plugs with 12k on them still look brand new
Click to expand...

Yeah, that's exactly what I said. Gap looks fine and they are fouled. (whistle)
 
in that second pic the + electrodes look almost flat/rounded. there was kind of an illusion that they were gapped more, idk. so they're stepped colder i guess? looking at your mods i would think you'd be fine, cuz don't cobb ap's want you to run step colder?
 
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oaklandopen said:
in that second pic the + electrodes look almost flat/rounded. there was kind of an illusion that they were gapped more, idk. so they're stepped colder?
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yea the ITV electrode is actually very very small, like the tip of a pin. these are 1 step colder than stock. Step colder plugs are recommended, but realistically, how often are you at high boost levels in DD, unless your the F&F type....

02+denso+iridium+close+up.jpg
 
8.5MS3 said:
yea the ITV electrode is actually very very small, like the tip of a pin. these are 1 step colder than stock. Step colder plugs are recommended, but realistically, how often are you at high boost levels in DD, unless your the F&F type....

02+denso+iridium+close+up.jpg
Click to expand...

What do you mean? The purpose is to reduce knock when you do get into boost so you don't bend rods . . .
 
finally gave mine the clay bar treatment today, but could probably use a bit more.... i'll do it again in a few weeks.

pretty slick! very impressed with this system. so much better than compounds, IMHO. gave it a good meguires#6 cleaner wax, the followed with the #20 for a nice shine....

looks good.

did my patented fix on a few rock chips as well, but man, i have more to do. i think this might be about the thinnest paint i've ever had on a car. granted, it does get a lot of houston traffic, which is HORRIBLE on finishes.
 
coyfish said:
What do you mean? The purpose is to reduce knock when you do get into boost so you don't bend rods . . .
Click to expand...

This is true, but there's a catch. The purpose of a colder plug is to prevent knock, detonation, and preiginition in a car running hotter than stock. This typically means more aggressive timing and higher boost. However, a daily driver doesn't spend nearly enough time in these conditions. Driving around in traffic, colder plugs will foul as mine did since they didn't see 18psi often enough, causing more KR.

I may switch back once autox season starts since I will see high boost quite often. But stock heatrange is fine. My tune pushes peak torque out to 4k instead of 2600, which is what's really saving me from bending rods.
 
squidmotion said:
did my patented fix on a few rock chips as well, but man, i have more to do. i think this might be about the thinnest paint i've ever had on a car. granted, it does get a lot of houston traffic, which is HORRIBLE on finishes.
Click to expand...

I only use Meguiar's products. I usually go with their wash -> Claybar -> Techwax. I've had the car for about 45 days so it's time to go through the process.

You're in Houston too? I learned a valuable tip from our Team leader. Basically ride 3 car lengths behind everyone and you'll cut your rock chips down by 75%.

Patented rock chip technique? I have to hear this one!
 
H3br3w_Ham3r said:
Cleaned my car and found two scrape marks on my back bumper from when I picked up my brother at the airport and he was getting his bag out to go into his house. I thought BMW technicians would be more careful!!!!!!!!! He was just coming back from further training from BMW! I am soooooo pissed!
Click to expand...

pics.?
 
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