So, in a nutshell the brake pedal is not as firm as it should be and often is quite soft and kinda takes way too much travel at very low speed (and engine speed) while coming to a stop... but can be "pumped" to firmness...
but the more specific thing that is weird is when on track and I am full threshold braking and shift into gear and then blip the throttle and let out the clutch the rev of the engine as the gear engages brings the firmness back in the pedal enough to often get me a little chirp of the tires as the brakes bite due to the pedal "coming back to me"
I would prefer to buy the correct part(s) to fix it and not chase my tail on this one.
Any help is greatly appreciated.
Sounds like possibly the brake booster. There's a thread around somewhere of a discussion of this, especially about the fact a bad booster should make the brake pedal harder, not softer.
I had a similar problem, but I know exactly what symptom you're talking about. The pedal firms up quickly and actually feels like it's pushing back up into your foot as you downshift. And you think, WTF!?
I replaced and bled and etc, and when I replaced the brake booster, there's only a hint of that problem left, and extremely infrequently. That hasn't worked for everyone with these symptoms.
Well... I definitely do not have a problem of the pedal being too hard... and I also read that would be the symptom of a bad brake booster.
However, I do hear the sound of the air going shh, shh, shh as I pump the brake pedal while stopped... which sounds like a brake booster symptom.
Last edited by MemphisRob; 05-25-2017 at 01:49 AM.
I'm sorry, I wasn't clear. A SOFT brake pedal and the pedal 'pumping up' as you described, is sometimes fixed by replacing the brake booster, even though it's counter intuitive. That's exactly the symptoms my car had and replacing the booster fixed it. I'll see if I can find the older thread and post it.
I've had about 9 track days sense I replaced the booster. Over those 9 days, I can remember that symptom occurring maybe 4-5 times, and only very very slightly. Nothing like prior to replacing the booster.
- - - Updated - - -
Here's the older thread discussing the issue:
https://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/s...e-booster-HELP!
After my 1st caliper rebuild / brake bleed on the E36 with a power bleeder I had the same issue. Pedal goes shhh shhh and soft brakes. I re-bled using a 2 X 4 cut to length to hold the pedal down (2 man method but with 1 person) and no more problem. I rebuild my calipers yearly and have not had it happen since going to 2 man bleed method. May try bleeding the brakes first.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N910A using Tapatalk
When having brake problems, never a bad idea to go to whatever extent needed to bleed the brakes, again.
I'm keying off the OPs comment "let out the clutch ......the pedal "coming back to me" "
If true, it's more than air in the lines. And a classic symptom of the brake booster. Of course, can be other things too.
"pumped to firmness" sounds more like a master cylinder to me.
If the booster were bad (not holding vacuum) then the pedal effort would be really high (no booster assist).
The whoosh whoosh noise could be fluid going past the seals in the master.
What's confusing is that it gets better with engine change... that does sound like a booster.
So, Booster or Master Sorry I couldn't help more.
2002 BMW M Roaster.
1998 BMW 328is SCCA E Production road racer.
My advice would be to buy both parts from FCP Euro - the booster is SUPER simple to swap out and check (two bolts on the master, one hose, one bolt on the pedal).
If that works, return the master. If not, you've got what you need.
2002 BMW M Roaster.
1998 BMW 328is SCCA E Production road racer.
I had to remove my ABS pump when I replaced the booster. So not super simple on my car (95 E36), but certainly not terribly difficult.
Last edited by CoMZ302; 05-26-2017 at 10:34 AM.
2002 BMW M Roaster.
1998 BMW 328is SCCA E Production road racer.
Both my e36's have a hissing/wooshing sound when i push the pedal with car off. On my 96 if i miss a blip and lock up the rears a bit abs kicks on (could be the firming feeling). I am battling soft brake pedal on my 94. Im getting the abs cycled this weekend professionally. Bled many times with power bleeder. Now im going to pay someone else.
FCP Euro doesn't show a brake booster available. I have a feeling that the OEM part number has been replaced because I have two E36M3 and both numbers are:
1996 M3
ATE: 10.6362-1905.4
BMW: 34.33-2227778.9
and
1998 M3
ATE: 10.6362-1905.4
BMW: 34.33-2227778 J
Anyone know a current part number to use to make sure I get a compatible booster/MC? Both my cars have ASC+T and ABS.
Got mine from Rock Auto, but mine is a 95, if that matters.
That was the first place I tried. http://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/show...diagId=34_0563
It seems that the number they have is for the whole assembly and it isn't clear as to specifically what the "new" part number is that is correct for the E36 M3 with ASC+T and ABS.
RockAuto shows this, and lists it as "Alternate/OEM Part Number(s): 34331160614, 34331162965":
http://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo....313643&jsn=397
If it's the wrong part, RockAuto's return service is excellent.
Seems RockAuto also has a rebuild service for your booster, so if you have the time, that'd pretty much guarantee fit.
yeah... I have that in my Rock Auto cart right now... but I was hoping for an OEM/ATE option. I was looking at getting this but I can't tell for sure if it would be correct... http://www.ebay.com/itm/BMW-e36-manu...BWFy6D&vxp=mtr
edited to add... I just found a definite match... http://www.ebay.com/itm/201895668891
Last edited by MemphisRob; 05-28-2017 at 11:49 AM.
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