How to Improve a BMW 128i


1. Modify the suspension with lowering springs and performance shocks. One thing the 1 Series suffers from in stock form is a suspension that is softer than optimal for outright road holding. The solution is to remove the stock springs and shocks and upgrade them with stiffer lowering springs, which lower the car's center of gravity, reduce body roll and also help the car look better. Combine the springs with performance shocks.
2. Install wider performance wheels and stickier tires. A set of lighter alloys will make your 128i feel more nimble and also make it look more performance oriented. There are many, many choices when it comes to aftermarket wheels for BMWs. The 128 comes with run-flat tires from the factory, which are heavy and do not provide as much grip as performance tires. Upgrade the tires with non-run-flat ones made from a softer-compound rubber for increased grip. Wider wheels are necessary when installing wider tires.
3. Upgrade the exhaust. The 128’s engine sounds nice in stock form, but is on the quiet side and is also relatively restrictive. Installing a larger-diameter performance exhaust will let the engine breath more freely thanks to the larger exhaust tubing in conjunction with a more free-flowing muffler. This will also sound far better than the stock exhaust.
4. Upgrade the intake and the electronics on the engine. Though the 128i is not as easy to tune for more horsepower as the turbocharged 135i variant, there are still a few ways to get more power from the engine beyond the exhaust. Start with a performance air intake, which replaces the restrictive stock air box with larger-diameter tubing and a larger filter. This results in more cold, dense air being delivered to the engine, which is good for horsepower. BMW itself offers an upgraded factory intake for the 128i. Another helpful modification is a performance upgrade for the 128i’s computer. This needs to be done by a company with the proper computer equipment and software.
5. Upgrade the brakes. With your 128i faster and better handling, you may want to think about upgrading its stopping ability as well. Here, you can start with performance brake pads that will offer more aggressive stopping power. If you want to truly upgrade the brakes, install a brake kit that uses larger calipers, rotors and braided steel brake lines for a significant reduction in stopping ability.
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How to Reset an S8 Service Interval


1. Locate the trip-meter knob in the lower center of the gauge cluster. The knob is black and you use it to reset your mileage on your tip-meter.
2. Push inward on the knob until the service interval light starts to flash. This generally takes about 10 seconds.
3. Let the knob out, and then tap it in one time quickly to turn off the light.
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How to Install a 1992 BMW 325 I Heater Control Valve


1. Disconnect the negative battery cable. The BMW 325 battery is located in the trunk. Let the vehicle cool off for at least 30 minutes prior to beginning procedure.
2. Remove the two screws mounting the air box assembly on the right side of the engine bay. Removing the air box assembly will allow you easier access to the heater control valve. Remove the clamps connecting the air intake hose and set the box and hose aside
3. Disconnect the electrical module from the base of the valve. Use the flat-head screwdriver to remove the clamps holding the upper and lower valve hose. Make note of their position; the upper and lower hoses cannot be swapped during installation. Clamp off the hoses to minimize leakage and prevent contaminants from entering the system.
4. Use the torx screwdriver to remove the three screws mounting the heater control valve, and then remove the valve.
5. Place the new valve in its spot and attach the screws to mount it. Remove the clamps and reconnect the upper and lower hose to the proper location on the valve. Replace the electrical connection to the valve and reinstall the air box assembly.
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How to debadge a car or remove car logos


1. The very first thing to do is confirm that the badge is held on by adhesive only, and that it is not riveted or screwed on. A lot of logos and emblems that are inset in hoods or trunk lids are actually bolted onto the car. Open the hood or trunk, and look in the back where the logo sits for bolts. Unbolt these, and remove them from the car. If the logo is inset, you will have to fill it with bondo and repaint, but that is for another article. To remove the adhesive only badges, read on!
2. Spray a bug and tar remover of your choice around the seal of the emblem holding it onto your car. This will help to loosen up the glue around the edges of the badge/emblem. Again, this works best for the emblems that are on the flat parts of your car. If the emblem is inset, then it might have a bolt holding it on. Wipe off any excess tar or bug remover.
3. Take your hair dryer and put it on high-heat. Aim it at the badge you want to remove. I recommend that you use a hair dryer instead of a hot air gun because it will not get hot enough to cause any damage to your paint or badge/emblem. You need to keep the hair dryer aimed at the badge until the badge and the metal around the badge are hot to the touch - like on a really sunny day. Keep the hair dryer about 3-6 inches off the badge to optimize the heating of the adhesive. It will take roughly around 10-15 minutes of directly applied heat to start loosening up the adhesive.
4. Take your plastic spatula and gently start to pry around the edges of the badge or emblem - working from the bottom of the badge up. The key here is to try and start to remove the adhesive that holds the badge to the car away from the car body. DO THIS GENTLY, as we do not want to break the emblem. You might want to use them later, or sell them on eBay. When working around the edges of the emblem / badge, you want to try and get a small slit started between the emblem and the car with the plastic spatula. If you can not get any separation, you need to apply more heat for another 5-10 minutes or so.
5. Put on your thick cotton gloves, and then cut about a foot of 10-20lb fishing line. Wrap one end of the fishing line around the pointer finger of your left hand, and then wrap one end around the pointer finger of your right hand. This is why you are wearing gloves - to keep the line from biting into your fingers. Wrap it gently, and not too tight. Using your fingers and thumbs, try to work the fishing line up into the slit you made on the emblem like a saw. You actually want to use a sawing motion with the fishing line and work it up behind the emblem from the bottom to the top. Try to cut close to the emblem. If you are not able to move it along, apply more heat for a longer amount of time until you can get the fishing line up behind the emblem and use the plastic spatula to help you pry up on the emblem/badge.
6. Work the fishing line up behind the emblem until it pops off. Do this for every emblem you want to remove. Do not worry about cleaning off the adhesive left over until you remove every badge.
7. Once the entire badge and emblem are off of the car, you will want to clean off the remaining dirt, grime, and adhesive. You will see some discoloration, but that is mostly because of street dirt and adhesive. Spray your bug and tar remover onto the left over residue, and use your finger nail or plastic spatula to scratch it all off.
8. Take some soap and water and wash the back of your car when all of the adhesive and dirt is gone. You are finished!
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How to Find Information on Mercedes


1. Check your mail. Mercedes-Benz will notify you via postal mail when a recall is issued for a Mercedes-Benz vehicle that you own.
2. Call the Mercedes-Benz customer service hotline toll-free by dialing 800-367-6372. The hotline deals with all recall issues and general customer complaints or concerns. A Mercedes-Benz customer service representative will be able to assist you with any questions you may have pertaining to a recall and can also help you find an authorized service center for your car.
3. Search online for a recall concerning your specific Mercedes-Benz vehicle. Find your vehicle identification number (VIN). Your owner's manual will detail where the VIN is located in your car. It's typically found on the driver's side of your car's dashboard, on the front of the engine block or, on older Mercedes-Benz models, on the inside of the wheel hub of the front wheel on the driver's side. Enter this VIN number into the appropriate field at Carfax.com for an instant overview of any relevant recalls.
4. Review the databases of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's Office of Defects Investigation. This office of the U.S. government oversees all automobile recalls in America. Fill out the online form, entering criteria such as the make and model of the car, to see any current or past Mercedes-Benz recalls that are in effect.
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How to Change the Transmission Fluid in a BMW E30


1. Warm your car's transmission by driving it around for about 10 minutes. Be careful not to go far over this time frame, since you want the fluid to be warm, but not scalding hot for this procedure.
2. Turn your BMW's ignition off and lock the emergency brake into place to prevent injury during the fluid replacement.
3. Jack your car evenly about six inches off of the ground and use extra support in the form of jack stands. You will need four jack stands near each tire in order to position the car level with the ground.
4. Find the transmission pan under the front end of the BMW--it is a square, bolted pan-like object.
5. Position the drip pan on the ground, directly beneath the center of the transmission pan. This is to ensure that any hot fluid spills into the drip pan, and not onto you.
6. Release the drain plug at the center of the transmission pan using the socket wrench. The fluid will immediately fall out of the transmission pan, so be sure that you are not in the way of your drip pan.
7. Unscrew the remaining bolts after you are confident that the majority of fluid has drained from the transmission pan. There will still be a small amount of fluid pooled in the bottom of the pan, so use caution as you let the pan down.
8. Empty any remaining fluid from the transmission pan into your drip pan.
9. Wipe the entire transmission pan with the shop rag and a touch of degreaser. Be sure to clean the outside, as well as the inside of the pan, taking caution to also clean the corners, so that the old fluid does not contaminate the new fluid.
10. Mount the transmission pan back into its original position on the transmission, using your socket wrench.
11. Remove the jack stands from under your BMW and lower the car with the jack.
12. Open the hood of thew E30 and locate the transmission fill plug near the windshield, between the center and the driver's side of the car.
13. Open the fill plug cap at the top of the transmission by unscrewing it with your hand. The fill plug on a BMW E30 is yellow and has a dipstick attached to it. The dipstick can be set aside for now.
14. Place the funnel upright into the center of the transmission's fill plug.
15. Begin pouring the new Dexron III transmission fluid into the transmission through the funnel, to avoid spilling.
16. Release the emergency brake after pouring in the second quart of transmission fluid.
17. Turn the ignition key and shift the car into each gear, holding your foot on the brake pedal the entire time. Shifting gears allows the transmission fluid to flow throughout the system, providing a more accurate reading when measuring the level of the fluid.
18. Put your BMW in 'Park' and let the motor continue to run.
19. Add only one-half of the third quart of transmission fluid through the fill plug and funnel.
20. Use the dipstick to measure the level of the transmission fluid by placing the cap back into the fill plug and immediately pulling it out. The dipstick will show you whether or not your transmission is filled to the recommended capacity.
21. Continue pouring small amounts of the third quart of transmission fluid, until the dipstick reads 'Full.' Use extreme caution not to flood the transmission, since the clean-up for such a spill would add significant time to completing this project.
22. Turn your engine off after the dipstick shows the transmission fluid at the recommended fill level.
23. Re-cap the fill plug with the dipstick cap and close the hood of your car. The transmission fluid change is now finished.
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How to Troubleshoot a Power Steering Leak on an Audi A4


1. Add the oil-based dye, supplied in the kit, to the power steering reservoir. The reservoir for the Audi A4 is located on the driver's side inner fender well, just in front of the windshield reservoir. Test-drive the vehicle for 10 minutes to circulate the dye and load the power steering system. This will force small leaks to show up.
2. Use the black light, supplied in the kit, to search under the hood for leaks. Start at the power steering reservoir, following both the small return hose and the larger supply hose to the power steering pump and the rack and pinion steering gear. Note any leaks found.
3. Raise and support the vehicle using the floor jack and jack stands. Then, from underneath, inspect the power steering rack and the power steering hoses. Note any leaks found.
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How to Turn Up a Stock Audi TT Boost


1. Turn off the Audi TT engine and open its hood.
2. Disconnect the hose leading to the wastegate actuator from the turbo.
3. Connect the open hose end to the boost controller and connect that to the turbo's open valve. Tighten the hose clamp around the turbo valve with the flat head screwdriver.
4. Twist the boost controller 'Boost' knob to the right to turn up the Audi TT's stock boost. Start with only turning the boost up a small degree, and test the TT on the street.
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How to Debadge Audi


1. Heat up the badges for a few minutes by using your heat gun or hair dryer, holding the heat source about two inches away from the badges. Try to avoid holding the heat source too close to the paint as you can risk bubbling the paint up.
2. Slide the dental floss or fishing line behind the badge and slide it down. Move it down slowly and work your way down. If you find you are encountering resistance, heat the badge area again for a few more minutes.
3. Apply some rubbing alcohol to the area using your cotton terry towel to remove the remnant adhesive film that may still be on the body panel of your car.
4. Spray the soapy water on to the area where the badge was once applied and rub it clean using your towel.
5. Spray the water on to the body panel to rinse off the area and then dry it using the cotton towel. Repeat the procedure for any other badges you want to remove from your car.
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How to Replace an ML 320 Dust Filter


1. Remove the two screws on the panel beneath the glove compartment.
2. Pull the panel toward the floor of the car to remove it, exposing the dust filter housing.
3. Press the filter housing lid toward the rear of the vehicle and pull down to remove it.
4. Pull the old filter straight down to remove it from the filter housing.
5. Insert the new filter into the housing. Push the filter up as far as it will go.
6. Replace the filter housing access door. Press on it until it locks into place.
7. Replace the panel below the glove compartment. Replace the two screws that hold the panel in place.
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