1/30/2010 New Tires and Power Steering Inspection

So I signed up for a NASA HPDE event for Willow Springs on February 7th. In doing so it made me speed up getting a few items on my car taken care of. For one the rear tires were shot. The old ones were Sumitomo HTR + which had worn down in the middle. I don't know if it was too much tire pressure or just the way those tires were. Either way my car was sliding around in the rain and would snap loose in first if you gunned it. Sooo Nitto INVOs to the rescue!


I picked the INVO on recommendation, looks and the fact that they're designed for quietness on the road. Vic from eurowurx seemed to think they were the best bang for the buck and I guess he goes through a lot of tires. Also they're supposed to be super quiet. Figured I'd try them out. The last tires I had, BF goodrich T/A KDW 2, sounded like a dune buggy on the highway. Loud tires suck. At 260 tread wear they're pretty sticky. I found a place on ebay that had the 245/40/17 for $130 shipped each. Best deal I could find and they compete with the much more expensive Potenze and Pilot street tires. For a street tire they looked pretty cool and turned out pretty nice. The PO had 245s on all 4 corners. I don't think I have 8.5" all the way around. He Probably just stuffed a 245 on a 7.5 inch rim.

On the way to get them mounted I picked up some much needed wiper blades. The icons were 25% off! Can't beat that! Look at those babies!


I took the car over to discount tire in Glendale to get the tires mounted and balanced. They guy said $20 a tire. There were about 40 tire shops on the street. I said the guy down there told me $15. I Gave him $30 and succumbed my anxiety of handing it over to Glendale's finest.

As you can see the rears were pretty effed up.


Balanced.


Floating M3 pic.


And new tires with Carlos. Tires look a little beefy, but I'm ok with the track as long as the sidewall holds up. Car was pretty dirty from its latest trip to Big Bear. :D


While the car was on the lift I took the time to get under there and check everything out. Not being a California car i was worried about rust, but I can't seem to find anything that would resemble what I'm used to from Michigan. I focussed more on my power steering leak. It looks like it's coming from everywhere.


The droplets on the sub-frame are from the car wash. That's not from the leaking. And yes that is the "darker gray" colored 95 M3 rack with 3.0 turn Lock to lock. I'm not even sure about all this steering rack bull shit anymore. Now I've heard the 95 rack isn't fast at all. I don't know what's right with the z3 rack and the regular blah blah blah...i mean jesus, so sick of what rack is fastest. All I know is that this car's turning radius when stopped or parking is crap compared to every single other car I've owned and driven. What's that mean? I mean I have to make more points when turning around. The rack just does not extend enough. I haven't driven other e36s or the z3 to comment any more from experience or comparison.


The steering knuckle and driver's side motor mount are just covered in fluid. I'm thinking now the seals in the rack are gone, but I'm going to try just the lines and new crush washers and see how much it stops.


Passenger side looks pretty clean. I believe there is only the main housing seals out that way though. So only one area to leak.


You can see here how the previous owner tried to fix the leak from the return line with a new hose. That hose clamp is supposed to be a "hard" clamp. The part is one piece from the rubber to the cooling line. I think the method shown works and saves money, but only if you get the reducer and clamp that down in the middle of the rubber hose. This hose did not have that. It was leaky. Tomorrow I'm going to try and remedy a bit of the P/S system.