gkn fuel tanks
gkn fuel tanks Related Articles
This BMW X5 FCEV is built using Toyota's tech
This hydrogen fuel cell vehicle, unveiled in 2019, is based on the current BMW X5.As a joint effort between
How fuel efficient is the Toyota Yaris?
Back then, UMW claims that the new engine was an effort for better fuel efficiency, and the Yaris definitely
2020 Proton X70 CKD fuel consumption test, 7.6L/100km possible?
Then the Proton X70’s 60-litre fuel tank was brimmed.Driving behaviour was as per a normal driver
Nissan turned the Nissan Dayz Kei car into an EV for cats!
spaces and the safety technologies on the car.This is definitely a huge step up from the usual Cat Tanks
Ratings: Nissan X-Trail 2.0L fuel consumption, slightly above average score
Nissan claims that the rated fuel consumption for the Nissan X-Trail 2.0L is 13.4km/litre, which translates
16 – 22 May 2020 Fuel update: Price increase for all fuel types
The inevitable fuel price increase is upon us all.
15 - 21 August 2020 Fuel Price Update: Price increase for all fuel types
It was nice while it lasted, but now the inevitable has happened: both petrol and diesel fuel prices
A Toyota fuel cell turned the Eiffel Tower green with envy
Power for the lights came from a Toyota fuel cell-powered generator developed by Energy Observer Developments
Listen to this hydrogen-burning engine driven Toyota Corolla race car vroom by
exist in an age of electrified tech.Akio Toyoda aka Morizo on the rightToyota has produced a hydrogen fuel
What’s the Proton X50’s tested fuel consumption?
Proton claims the X50 returns a fuel consumption figure of 6.4-litre/100 km for the range-topping 1.5
6-12 February Fuel Price Update: Petrol, diesel up
Fuel prices see a 3 sen increase for petrol and 4 sen increase for diesel.The fuel prices for the upcoming
4 - 10 March Fuel Price Update: Petrol and diesel unchanged
Fuel prices will remain unchanged for this week, announced the Ministry of Finance today.The fuel prices
13 - 19 May 2021 Fuel Price Update: Fuel prices remain!
Another week and its time for the weekly fuel price update.
New generation Toyota Mirai to debut
Painted in a shade of blue called Force Blue Multiple Layers, the new fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV
BMW i Hydrogen NEXT gets its fuel cells from Toyota
The only question is, will fuel cell technology catch on with battery?
Elon Musk calls hydrogen cars “mind-boggingly stupid”, but BMW still believes in them
Hydrogen cars are typically hydrogen fuel cell cars which generate electricity from Hydrogen gas (H2)
Bermaz recalls 19,685 Mazda vehicles over fuel pump replacement
Mazda Corporation has announced a worldwide product recall to replace its fuel pump as a precautionary
Perodua issues fuel pump recalls for 2018/2019 Perodua Myvi
Looks like the Perodua Myvi is affected by the global fuel pump issues as well.
10 tips on how to save money on your car's fuel cost
Check your tyre pressureThis is the easiest way to save fuel.
What is the difference between ‘active’ and ‘passive’ safety systems?
car falls under passive safety as wellBut other than that, passive safety also includes placement of fuel
gkn fuel tanks Post Review
The Vulcan ready to fly in front of excited crowds @FIAFarnborough, complete with fuel tanks from GKN in Portsmouth http://t.co/5TUPWazqxp
Global Aircraft Fuel Tanks Market 2017- Boeing, TAG Aviation, UTC Aerospace Systems, Cobham, GKN Aerospace,… https://t.co/xfwmr74ymc https://t.co/s2AM6eZ06X
Slow and steady: HAL's LCH progresses 😍 Manufacturing facility of LCH fuel tank established at Aerospace Composites Division has been inaugurated; Under Transfer of Technology from GKN Aerospace UK, the facility will be used for manufacturing fuel tanks for LCH Pix 2 VAYU 1/2 https://t.co/KKa0vJzFzh
From building life-saving fuel tanks to manufacturing parts for the #aerospace industry's largest aircraft programs, GKN Aerospace's two Tallassee-based plants in #Alabama have been #MakingThingsFly since 1985. https://t.co/fzjKrKiCtC https://t.co/bFrfTzELzV
2/2 HAL's LCH-Fuel Tank Manufacturing Facility at ACD The Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) is fitted with crash worthy and self-sealing flexible rubberised fuel tanks developed and manufactured by GKN Aerospace Ltd., UK Pix: VAYU https://t.co/Nmve7We4Su
Expanding our footprint in the non-metallic category of the aerospace industry, we are delighted to announce that Godrej Aerospace has partnered with GKN Aerospace to manufacture rubber fuel tanks for helicopters. Know more: https://t.co/pLEWWDlAQQ https://t.co/dHXwKt074l
For #ManufacturingMonday we spotlight GKN Aerospace #Alabama operations. #DYK they make self-sealing fuel tanks that can take a .50-caliber gunshot and continue flying? Find out more from Andy Scroggins, Plant Manager of our Alabama Fuel Systems site: https://t.co/KVYd9KCrqi https://t.co/17IjQbJc0Y
Global Aircraft Fuel Tanks Market Growth 2018: GKN Aerospace, PFW Aerospace, Cobham and Meggitt https://t.co/cPzYGDNq4z https://t.co/JKJfS0eetq
The GKN FuelCat was a system designed to support Forward Arming and Refuelling Point (FARP) operation for helicopters and fixed wing aircraft. One vehicle contains generator, pumping equipment and fuel tank, and the other, a crane and trailer for fuel containers /18 https://t.co/rZgpBRECoz
GKN Aerospace to supply fuel tanks for RAF Puma helicopters: GKN Aerospace has received a contract from Euroco... http://t.co/OpU1JcQatn
gkn fuel tanks Q&A Review
How would you upgrade a WWII tank to be effective as possible on the modern battlefield?
Assume that I was tasked by my country (the Philippines) to develop a tank for the armed forces by only upgrading a WWII tank, I’ll obviously go with any of the tanks that closely resembles modern MBTs of today such as the Panther, Centurion and IS-3 to make development easier since the chassis and frame need not much work. However, considering the terrain in which the tank would most likely be used (urban, jungle and rough terrain - think of WWII USSR roads), threats it would face (most likely Muslim separatists or communist rebels, themselves not equipped with the most modern of weapons), cost (the Philippines currently uses FV-101 Scorpions and GKN Simbas, mostly in the IFV and APC roles, so at best we can only afford “light tanks”) and the fact that most bridges can only support 30 tons at the most, 40 tons for many of the newly-built ones, I’ll go with either the: Valentine Tank or another British design the: Crusader Tank Not only are they already “modern-looking” meaning it will be easier to do work on the chassis and frame, they also don’t look as “boxy” and “life-threatening” like the M4 Sherman and T-34 tanks (explanation later) and either the Valentine or Crusader is light enough to cross most bridges, dirt and jungle roads or be transported by C-130 aircraft. They also don’t have a “large profile” similar to the other tanks which was once used in the jungles of Asia during WWII (Matilda, Stuart and Grant, the last one is a big offender when “tank profile” is discussed since it stuck out of the battlefield like a sore thumb) making them possibly even more effective when it comes to concealment. My upgrades will mainly focus on weapons, armor, engine and other systems. Weapons - ,the original Valentines and Crusaders were armed with 2 pounder guns with later models being equipped with 76 mm cannons at best complemented by MG’s. Either weapons are still useful somehow for “infantry support”, not so much for armored threats. Even though I doubt rebels and separatists can field any armor of their own, just to be on the safe side, I’ll be widening the turret a bit for the vehicles to be able to support at least a “general-purpose” 105 mm. smoothbore cannon. Still not effective against modern-day tanks but good enough for anything else that rebels and separatists will throw at it (besides unless China invades, I doubt we’ll be facing other main battle tanks and the 105 mm cannon is in used by the Stryker Mobile Gun System so it still shows some usability in the modern battlefield). Main ammunition would be high-explosive or anything designed for punching through concrete walls and HESH to be used for steel barriers and vehicles. Support weapons would be the “traditional” turret MG with at least 1000 rounds mounted above the commander’s side and an additional hull-mounted grenade launcher on the larger Crusader frame (as much as I would like to add a remote-controlled weapons system, I doubt we can afford it). Armor - ,the main reason why I don’t like “boxy tanks” like the Sherman, T-34, Panzer IV and Tiger is that there is “not much distance” (flat armor) between the armor and internal components/crew making penetration quite devastating indeed (although mitigated somewhat by the T-34 having sloping armor but still if it gets penetrated the driver is a sure fatality being in the middle of the hull). The 40 - 65 mm is to go and is to be replaced by Chobham armor. ERA might be a cheaper option but considering that the new Philippine “main battle tank’s” purpose would be either infantry support or protecting motorized (those riding trucks) or mechanized (those in the Simbas) troops while having to endure grenade or RPG fire armor which explodes and scatters fragments in the surrounding area might not be a good choice considering (supporting) infantry might get injured by those things. Skimp on everything else, our boys will find a way to manage, just not on armor. Crews will also be given the option to install a “steel cage” on the tank if they so desire like what is being done with the Stryker. Engine - ,something I haven’t delved into as a military enthusiast but I would go for a fuel-efficient diesel engine that is resistant to overheating since the tank is to operate in tropical conditions in a country where fuel prices are usually up. Well, anything that is not a gas guzzler like the M1 Abrams engine, can resist overheating, at least support a 35 - 40 ton vehicle, and can take punishment considering military equipment here have to be hardy. Other features to be added to the new tank “Modern” fire-control systems (modern meaning at least having night-vision or at least something that came out from the Cold War) Gun stabilizers (so it can fire on the move) Airconditioner (a standard for Philippine civilian and military vehicles considering the tropical climate) A stove or heater along with a frying pan and knife (for at least boiling water, making tea or cooking some “basic meals” like eggs, bacon or hotdogs) Water dispenser (to avoid thirst, obviously, cups will be included in the crew’s kit) Floor hatch/es (as a means of escape for the tank commander, gunner and loader should the vehicle be disabled and for waste disposal and knowing the ingenuity of our soldiers - for planting and disarming mines) Smoke/tear gas dispersal systems on the sides of the tank A simple to repair and maintain armored tracks, resistant to small arms, shrapnel and grenades at least. An inner steel wall separating the crew from the ammunition compartment (the best we can afford but I would prefer the ammunition compartment used on the M1 Abrams) Light/s (used in illuminating the interior of the tank when those in the turret are fighting or need to work inside the vehicle at night) And if we the government is willing to afford it: a laser rangefinder, NBC protection systems, a remote-controlled weapons system and a Shtora defense system (to be exported from Russia and possibly reverse-engineered later on). And so “Andres Bonifacio” (a Philippine-made and used upgraded version of the WWII Valentine/Crusader tank, renamed in honor of one of our national heroes) main battle tank is born with the standard crew of 4 (possibly 3 if the government acquires autoloaders), armed with a 105 mm. smoothbore cannon and .50 caliber turret-mounted MG (and additionaly a hull mounted 20 mm grenade launcher operated by the driver on an upgraded Crusader) and protected by Chobham armor. WWII vehicles (not just tanks) can be easily upgraded with Cold War equipment and be effective on that conflict but upgrading them to effectively compete in the modern era is either impossible or prohibitively-expensive, possibly making export versions of MBTs today a cheaper and cost-effective option in the long-run (only the Israelis and South Africans seem to have the balls and expertise upgrading WWII vehicles to modern-day use and standards as what was done with the M4 Sherman and Centurion). Yes, many countries still use the T-34/T-34–85 today but those are most likely “un-upgraded” under the employ of (usually unstable) African countries who found perfect use for them in civil wars and generally suppressing rebellions and the local population. While I could take my favorite Panther and turn it into a quasi-Leopard 1 at least, I decided to be a realist and answer from the perspective of a (quite stable) Third World Country looking to acquire a “main battle tank” of its own through upgrading WWII/Cold War vehicles but with more care for the men (another reason I didn’t go for “boxy tanks”, particularly the T-34. I mean look at the GKN Simba we’re using now, even it has “space” between the armor and crew). I am merely a tank enthusiast, not an expert, so feedback and corrections will be greatly appreciated. Addendum (feedback by Quorans in the comments section and my “reaction” in regards to the tank’s “upgrade”) From Mr./Ms. Casey Pak, - according to him/her, the turret of a Valentine or Crusader tank cannot mount a 105 mm. cannon and the armor is basically the frame of the tanks (cast welded I think it’s called but anyone feel free to correct me). If widening (and enlarging the) the turret doesn’t work to mount the 105 mm. cannon then perhaps a new turret can be designed to mount said weapon. As for his/her second point, I did guess that the weight of the Valentine/Crusader would increase (from 20 tons to at least 35 tons, 40 tons at the heaviest) mainly because of the Chobham armor ( that I did expect in the back of my head because most, if not all, WWII tanks are built with the armor (non-modular) meaning that the Chobham will need to be bolted on. Thanks to Mr./Ms. Casey Pak for confirming a few of the “suspicions” in the back of my head. I just can’t say if I am accurate about the weight increase of 15 tons (probably more than that) once the Chobham armor, 105 mm. cannon and other systems is added to the Valentine/Crusader tank. From Mr. Nicholas Gagarin - ,he wishes me luck on having to use the “upgraded” Centurions since they may break down every 5 minutes. From Mr. Carson Lee - ,according to him, a rifled gun might be needed to fire a HESH round, the small turret ring of the Valentine/Crusader might not be able to fit a 105 mm gun without compromising crew comfort (and safety as well), that the suspension and transmission needs to be changed in order to better support the upgrades and that changing every single detail of the tank no longer constitutes an upgrade. If that’s the case, we Filipinos are a hardy lot so if we need to sacrifice crew comfort for a decent gun so be it then or maybe using a Stryker Mobile Gun System style mount might suffice and as for changing every aspect and part of the tank, suspension and transmission included, it’s something that needs to be done to make a WWII vintage at least a bit usable in this day and age. From Mr. Edward Blackwood - ,as with Mr. Carson Lee’s feedback - Mr. Blackwood is also concerned if the Valentine/Crusader can even mount a 105 mm. cannon. According to him as well, it would be better (and easier) for either vehicle to be converted to an IFV instead armed with ATGM’s and protected by ERA.
Which luxury car do you wish to buy?
KOENIGSEGG CCXR TREVITA – $4.8 MILLION The most expensive street-legal production car in the world, this is coated with real diamonds. Yes, you read that right. ‘Trevita’ is an abbreviation translating into ‘three whites’. The carbon fibers are indeed coated with a diamond dust-impreganted resin, called the Koenigsegg Proprietary Diamond Weave. This technology transformed the fibres from the traditional black to shining, silvery white, making the bodywork of this car renowned throughout for its unique design and perfection. And that’s not all. Beneath the coating is a 4.8 liter, dual-supercharged V8 having a total output of 1,004 horsepower and 797 pound-feet of torque. This makes it well-equipped at overtaking semis in the freeway. This car comes with a one-of-its-kind dual carbon rear wing, iconell exhaust system, airbags, ABS powered carbon ceramic brakes, paddle-shift, infotainment system, chronometer instrument cluster, tires monitoring systems along with a hydraulic system. Only three cars of this model had been initially decided upon, before getting reduced to two, because the carbon fibre made it too difficult and time-consuming for regular manufacture. Diamond on wheels Now I am describing it's specifications ***** PERFORMANCE Acceleration: 0-100 km/h (0-62 mph) 2.9 seconds 0-200 km/h 8.75 sec. 0-200-0 km/h 13.55 sec. Top Speed: 410+ km/h (254+ mph) Braking distance: 32m (100-0 km/h) Lateral G-force: 1.5 G Fuel consumption: Highway travel: 18 l/100 km (E85 fuel), Combined: 22 l/100km (E85) Weight-to-power ratio: 1.26 kg/hp Weight distribution: 45% front, 55% rear ***** ENGINE Koenigsegg aluminium V8, 4,8 L, 4 valves per cylinder, double overhead camshafts Displacement: 4800 cc Compression: 9.2:1 Sequential, multipoint fuel injection Twin Rotrex centrifugal superchargers with response system, 1.6 bar boost pressure Dry sump lubrication with oil spray piston cooling Power output: 1018 Bhp at 7000 rpm Maximum torque: 1080 Nm (796 ft/lb) at 5600 rpm Carbon fibre intake manifold with optimised intake tracts Patented response charge system for optimal engine response Tig-welded inconell exhaust system manifold with merge collector Emission levels: Euro IV and Carb Weight: 178 kg ***** ELECTRICAL SYSTEM Solid state digital semiconductors – no fuses or relays. CAN bus operated and fully programmable functionality ***** STEERING Rack and pinion power assisted steering. 2.7 turns lock-to-lock. Turning circle: 11 metres TRW electro-hydraulic power-assisted ***** WHEELS & TYRES Wheels and Tyres WHEELS Koenigsegg forged alloy wheels with centre locking. Front: 19″ x 9.5″ Rear: 20″ x 12.5″ TyRES Michelin Pilot Sport 2 Unidirectional with asymmetric tread pattern Front: 255/35 – 19” (Y) Rear: 335/30 – 20” (Y) ****** CHASSIS Chassis Carbon fibre with aluminium honeycomb and integrated fuel tanks for optimal weight distribution and safety. Monocoque torsional rigidity: 58,000 nm/degree. Weight including tanks: 72 kg. Front and rear suspension: Double wishbones, two-way adjustable VPS gas-hydraulic shock absorbers, pushrod operated. Electronically adjustable ride height. Front: Cro-Mo subframe, with integrated crash members. Rear: Semi-stressed engine and gearbox with support struts, for optimal rigidity and no engine inertia movements. Fully machined aircraft aluminium uprights, with SKF LeMans specification 150mm angle contact ball bearings. GKN hollow/gun-drilled driveshafts. Koenigsegg Z-style progressive and lightweight anti-roll bars front and rear. HOPE YOU HAVE ENJOYED READING
What is AgustaWestland Chopper Scam?
Reproduced from my blog at ,AgustaWestland Bribery Scandal - Timeline & Factual Analysis Q: What is AgustaWestland? AgustaWestland(AW) was formed in 2000 as a merger of Agusta(Finmeccanica's subsidiary) & Westland Helicoptors(GKN's subsidiary). Agusta specialised in making commercial choppers while Westland was the only company manufacturing UK's military choppers. The two companies help merger talks while developing EH-101(aka AW-101), a military cum civil chopper, amidst the consolidation phase of Europe's aerospace and defense industry. The rationale of the merger was not exploiting synergies or cost-cutting but producing newer products used for both civil and military purposes as well as leveraging each other's geographical influence. GKN bought out its share in 2004 leaving Agusta as the sole owner. Q:Why were the choppers needed? What's the background? It was perceived that Mil Mi-8s, the existing choppers in until 2000, would become obsolete due to major operational constraints such as inability to operate efficiently during night time and adverse weather conditions. Also, after the 1999 Kargil war, it was required that choppers be procured which could operate at a height of 6000 meters(Siachen Glacier) and could also be used for transporting VVIPS since Mi-8s weren't that comfortable. Q:What was the criteria to select the choppers? Why were AW-101 selected over its competition? A Request For Proposal(RFP) with the above requirements was floated to 12 vendors out of which 4 responded and the IAF's technical evaluation committee shortlisted 3 including EH-101 of AW. But since EH-101 was not yet certified to fly at 6000 m, it didn't participate in the further flight evaluation round. The Russian helicopter Mi-172 could not comply with 7 mandatory Operational Requirements (ORs). That left only Eurocopter's EC-225 as the default choice and IAF's report was sent to PMO in the latter part of 2003. Then Brajesh Mishra, NSA to then PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee, asked the SPG, responsible for VVIPs protection, for its comments. The SPG apparently said the EC-225 was unsuitable because its cabin height was too short (at 1.39 metres) and that neither the VVIPs nor the SPG personnel would be able to stand upright inside such a cabin. Mishra then asked the then Air Chief Marshal to broaden the competition and consider SPG's concerns. The new specifications being considered suggested the helicopters must be able to fly at an altitude of 4500 meters(same as Mi-8s) since the PM & President rarely traveled at bigger heights and that its cabin must be at least 1.80 m in height. But, in January 2004, the Air Force insisted on keeping height at 6ooo m as anything less would cut off VVIP helicopters from traveling from Leh valley to Srinagar which involves crossing Zoji La Pass as well as the Siachen glacier. This view changed when Air Field Marshal SP Tyagi became the chief and agreed to the reduced height norm. Also, the quantity of helicopters proposed for procurement was revised from 8 to 12 helicopters by adding 4 helicopters in non-VIP configuration for security reasons. It was not until 2006 that a fresh RFP, with the same specifications, was issued under UPA-1 to six vendors. Three companies -- the makers of Mi-172, Sikorsky which made the S-92 helicopters and AW-101 -- responded to the RFP. Meanwhile, the defense ministry put in place a new concept -- the Defense Procurement Procedure. Under this, all companies that bid for contracts above Rs 1 billion have to sign an integrity pact that binds the companies to give an undertaking that no bribes would be paid or that agents would be used in the contracts. The Russian company that manufacturers the Mi-172 withdrew from the competition at an early stage refusing to sign the integrity contract. That left AW and Sikorsky in the race. According to IAF sources, the S-92 was found to be non-compliant on four counts: It could not reach 15,000 feet without maximum power. Its 'hover out off ground effect' was insufficient. Its drift down altitude did not meet the requirement. Its missile airborne warning system was not up to the mark. AW, with its three engines, was a bonus, according to IAF test pilots since one engine failure still meant it had two engines to fall back upon. Sometime in 2009, Air HQ sent its recommendation to the defense ministry and after going through stringent financial and technical requirements, a contract was signed in February 2010. Q:How do the various choppers compare? Which one should have been selected ideally? HOGE ,- The height at which the helicopter can fly in open air. HOGE = Hover Out of Ground Effect. As altitude increases, the air becomes thinner and at a point the machine will no longer be able to produce enough lift to support its weight. HIGE ,- Maximum height (measured in feet) at which the helicopter can fly over a surface. Flying near the ground requires less power to lift the machine. A HIGE altitude ceiling of 12,000 feet and a HOGE altitude ceiling of 10,000 feet means that a skilled pilot could fly over a 12,000 foot peak while keeping the helicopter close to the ground. Range ,- This is the distance that the helicopter is able to travel on a single tank of fuel. As you could see, AW-101, although expensive to procure and run, trumps other choppers on most of the counts. But that doesn't make it the right buy. We required VVIP choppers for high altitude areas(~6000m) and AW-101 doesn't do that job howsoever superior it might be performance-wise. One thing to note here is - IAF, in its evaluation report said that S-92's HOGE was insufficient. But data shows that it's(6500 ft) much better than AW-101's(3500 ft). Higher HIGE & HOGE are desired if the intended purpose of the chopper is to operate in high altitude areas. On these counts, ,S-92 would have been a better buy,. Q:What does CAG have to say about it? PFB the ,CAG report's findings, and my comments: The CAG report points out that the lowering of the altitude requirement(4500 meters) was against the operational requirement(6000 meters) of the procured helicopters, especially in many areas of the north and north east of India. In addition, the single vendor situation remained even after lowering the altitude requirement, because of which the AW-101 of AgustaWestland was selected. ,Comments ,- While it's true that the operational requirement was for 6000 meters, a cabin height of 1.39 m in EC-225 would have been very low. At the same time, in the interest of national security(reaching sensitive locations at heights>4500 m), we should have compromised a little on comfort and chosen EC-225 even if it meant no competition. PFB the guidelines as per Defense Procurement Procedure(DPP) 2002 dealing with single vendor situation. The revised Service Qualitative Requirements(SQRs) in 2006 made competition more restrictive instead of making the procurement procedures more broad based to increase competition. The fresh RFP with revised SQRs was issued to only 6 vendors as opposed to 11 in 2002. ,Comments ,- 4/12(33%) companies responded to the first RFP out of which 3 were selected for the next round whereas 3/6(50%) responded in the second round, which took place within the next 5 years, after a few SQRs along with the maximum altitude constraint were relaxed. The short number of vendors could be because of the minimum cabin height constraint too which choppers like EC-225 didn't satisfy. The Field Evaluation Trial (FET) of the AW-101 was conducted on representative helicopters and not the actual helicopter. The AW-101 was still at the development stage at the time of the FET. ,Comments, - AW-101, aka EH-101, took its first flight in 2000 for Italian navy. The representative helicopters must have been provided due to either some added configurations required by us or transportation issues. Either way, CAG is right in saying that testing must have been done on the actual helicopter to confirm the deal. Although the 2006 RFP had laid down the necessity of carrying out the field evaluations in India, they were conducted abroad. ,Comments, - The FET of AgustaWestland was carried out in UK and of Sikorsky in USA because of transportation and reassembly issues. Given the low utilisation levels of the existing fleet of helicopters, the Ministry was not justified in procuring four additional helicopters for VVIPs. ,Comments, - AW-101s were supposed to be used by VVIPs such as the PM & the President apart from the defense forces for flying at very high altitudes. The defense ministry said that ",The quantity of helicopters proposed for procurement was revised from 8 to 12 helicopters by adding 4 helicopters in non-VIP configuration for security reasons.," There is no specific justification given for the increase. Q:How did Sonia Gandhi's name crop up in the entire issue? On April 8, the Milan Court of Appeals, equivalent to Indian High Court ruled that the Rs 3,565 crore AW contract involved payoffs to Indian officials. Overturning a lower court judgement that said corruption could not be proved, the court of appeals found Giuseppe Orsi, the powerful former chief of Finmeccanica, and Bruno Spagnolini — who headed chopper division AW— guilty of international corruption and money laundering. Prosecutors in the court produced a note purportedly written by Christian Michel to Peter Hullet, India head of the Anglo-Italian company, in 2008 revealing that he had advised the people handling the VVIP helicopter deal on the company’s behalf to target people close to Congress president Sonia Gandhi, including the prime minister and some of her closest advisers, to win the contract. Q:What about Congress' charge that, ,"it blacklisted the company but was delisted & again offered a contract by the BJP"? There was an integrity clause in the VVIP choppers deal with AW and after the corruption allegations surfaced in Italy against the company, Congress had no option but to cancel the contract amidst the public outrage against corruption in general in India. But still, the company wasn't blacklisted. In 2012, both the Indian Navy and Coast Guard had issued a request for proposal (RFP) for 100 Naval Utility Helicopters(NUH). At that time, NUH was a ‘Buy Global’ RFP and only AW and Eurocopter (now Airbus Helicopters) had responded. But after the current government came to power, in a bid to promote Make in India which promotes local manufacturing, it was changed to 'Buy & Make in India' RFP. So, AW and its parent company, Finmeccanica, could bid for defense business, not as prime contractors but as partners or sub-contractors to principal vendors. The company was blacklisted, in 2014, after the NDA came to power, when CBI started investigating the issue. Q:What's the role of middlemen Christian Michel, Guido Hashke & Carlo Gerosa? What's the money trail? Christian Michel is the son of Wolfgang Max Richard Michel, who had close links with the Bitish Labor Party. He even pushed a deal that envisaged a biography of Gaddafi being published in the UK and that country's BAE Systems receiving lucrative contracts from Libya. The plan never materialised though. In 2008, Michel approached the then CEO of AgustaWestland John Grandy via email to provide promotional services for the UK firm that “could be paid monthly in connection with the signature of AW’s first new major contract in India.” His commission was paid by AW Ltd through Media Exim which carried out functions including “press services, Indian market analyses and local support in the office in Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore”. Moorbank, a Singapore-based consulting firm also owned by Michel, was in charge of providing assistance with the offset agreement (post-contract) entered into with the Indian government as part of the deal. There's clearly a conflict of interest here since the same man is dealing with the government and one of the vendor companies, which eventually got the contract. The other two middlemen Guido Hashke and Carlo Gerosa used to inflate the price of consultancy contracts with AW. They would then buy softwares from companies owned by SP Tyagi's cousins, again at inflated prices. There was a note, written by Guido Hashke, and dictated by Christian Michel, about the payments which were divided in four parts carrying initials of "AF" (Air Force) 6 million, "BUR" (bureaucrats) 8.4 million, "Pol" (politicians) 6 million and "AP" (alleged to be Ahmed Patel) to be paid 3 million Euro. CBI & ED have to figure out the money trail to the Gandhi family & other politicians to put them behind bars. Q:Who is SP Tyagi? What's his role in the entire matter? SP Tyagi was the Chief in 2004 when IAF agreed to lower the maximum altitude ceiling from 6ooo m to 4500 m. In its findings the CBI claimed, that back in 2004, Sanjeev, Rajiv and Sandeep - all cousins of SP Tyagi, who had acquaintance with Guido Hashke and Carlo Gerosa and entered into a consultancy contract with Gordian Services Sarl, in Tunisia. Gordian Services belonged to Haske and Gerosa, both of whom stand accused in the scam. The agency found out that amounts of 1,26,000 Euros after May 2004 and 2 lakh Euro after Feb 2005 camouflaged as consultancy fee was paid to Tyagi brothers and some of the money was allegedly paid off to AFM Tyagi himself. Q:References? http://www.prsindia.org/administ... Full text: Statement by Defence Ministry on acquisition of AgustaWestland VVIP choppers How Tyagi brothers lobbied for AgustaWestland after its disqualification in 2002 | Latest News & Updates at Daily News & Analysis ‘Make in India’ saves AgustaWestland bid AgustaWestland AW101 wikipedia.org Mil Mi-8 Explained: The AgustaWestland VVIP chopper scam 2013 Indian helicopter bribery scandal AgustaWestland
I'm buying a 2003 BMW 323i, what are the common issues I can expect? Only 83k miles and well cared for with receipts.
They are solid if taken care with attention. Keep in mind we are talking about a 2003 model, 16 years old so everything has to be put in perspective during usage for all that time. Regardless of mileage, at that age, the car normally needs a new radiator, overflow tank, thermostat and housing, water pump and hoses. BMWs generally had below average warranty repair costs in 2003 Warranty Direct Reliability index (index 81.41 v/s lowest 31.93). Link:- ,www.reliabilityindex.co.uk, Build date now shown on engine compartment label on top of front nearside wheelarch. The E46 doesn't have many significant problem areas; however these cars are VERY sensitive to maintenance. If you are going to buy a used E46, avoid cars without a good maintenance and repair history. Luckily, the E46 had free maintenance until 36,000 or 50,000 miles (depending on year), so most early maintenance was performed by BMW dealers. Any dealer should be able to provide the service history with just the last seven digits of the VIN. Below are some frequently occuring and well known issues: Window regulators fail., The windows will then either make clicking noises as they go up/down (sign of a failing regulator) or not operate at all possibly leaving your window partially or fully open. This is an extremely common failure and aclear weakspot of the E46. Out of warranty, expect the parts to cost $150 per door for the front and $100 per door for the rear PLUS $500 - $750 per door for labor. Some owners had success asking BMW NA to cover all or a portion of the cost for this design defect even when the vehicle was out of warranty. Tail lamp wiring faults., The updated E46 sedan (from 9/01 to 3/05 production) wiring harness has a design defect with grounding wires for the rear lighting that are too small and are made of poor quality materials, thus leading to wiring harness failure due to overheating. As stated in BMW's TSB, "Customers may complain that one of the rear lights is inoperative. CAUSE: Minor corrosion at the 8-pin rear lamp connector creates high resistance causing damage to the connector housing. CORRECTION: Repair the damaged wire(s) and replace damaged connector housing. Install additional ground wires to both left and right rear lamps." This can be easily confirmed by careful examination of the rear lamp wiring connectors which are usually melted. Symptoms include a "burned out bulb" warning in the instrument panel and (intermittently) completely inoperative rear lamp cluster(s). While BMW has a TSB for this problem, many have occurred out of warranty leading to arguments with the dealer (automotive lighting standards are Federally legislated, yet BMW refuses to repair this design defect once the cars are out of warranty). BMW dealers expect $350-$400, or more, PER SIDE to make the tail lamps work. As a result, check for a NHTSA recall (or a class-action lawsuit against BMW) before you pay for repairs. There are many threads on this problem; see the BMW TIS (search for SIB 63 03 06 if the attached link is inop),here,. This problem was not limited to US market as you can read ,here,. Cheaper DIY repairs can also be found on a variety of web forums, although your results may vary; here is one: ,here, . The cooling system, will eventually fail catastrophically due to a disintegrating water pump bearing. When this occurs all coolant is lost within seconds and the engine will overheat instantly (remember, these cars have only a total of ~2 gallons of coolant). A much better water pump than the stock/OEM unit is available from EMP Steward, but it's pricey ($200) compared to stock ($70). Other items on the cooling system that should be considered maintenance items since they will likely/eventually fail are the plastic/electric thermostat and the coolant reservoir. Therefore, preventative cooling system maintenance replacing these items every 60k to 80k miles is strongly advised. If an engine is allowed to seriously overheat the repair costs can reach several thousand dollars because of warped cylinder heads. VANOS unit wear and failure., This was already the case with the B52 engines in the E36, but it's much easier to repair on the E46's B54 engines since the timing chains do not have to be removed. This defect is mostly related to the Buna o-rings in the unit's control pistons which due to heat induced hardening allow excessive oil bypass, thus leading to less accurate control of camshaft timing. Fluctuating idle or stalling can also be signs of this problem. Depending on maintenance this can already occur at 50K miles. If this defect occurs, there is a noticeable rattle in the engine from the VANOS unit, often around 2,000 rpm and low rpm performance will be affected. Repair is actually relatively easy and a true DIY for someone who has basic skills. Replacing the Buna o-rings with higher quality Viton rings in the VANOS unit will fix the issue. Better yet ,Dr. Vanos, sells complete rebuild and blue printed VANOS units that are even better than new OEM BMW units and ,Beisan Systems, sells the above mentioned Viton seal/o-ring DIY kits. Cam sensors (intake and exhaust) on the VANOS unit are also prone to fail and as small as they are, they are expensive ($100+). The exhaust sensor is usually the first to fail and that occurs often right around 100K miles. It has been proven that ONLY OEM BMW sensors should be installed during repair since all aftermarket units are not that compatible and of lower quality. VANOS units on ZHP cars are especially failure prone for undetermined reasons. Common opinion is that this is related to the more aggressive camshaft profiles. <LI itxtvisited="1">There are many reports of cracked or torn subframe mounting points. Most often the two rear mounting points below the trunk floor are affected. This occurs almost exclusively on the early E46 323i/328i models. BMW later improved the subframe mounting points in the trunk floor of the car and in later E46 325i/330i this problem seems to be absent. This problem seems to be so frequent in early E46 cars that a check before buying a 323i/328i IS AN ABSOLUTE MUST! Repairs are very expensive and difficult since the rear axle and subfram have to be removed and the unibody frame and mounting points have to be welded. Recurring stress cracking often occurs even after a repair has been made. You can find more information as well as what it looks like in these threads: ,Thread 1, ,Thread 2, ,Thread 3 Many E46 models have erratic HVAC fan speed condition, wherein the instrument panel display indicates a set constant fan speed, yet the fan changes speed on a 1hz rate (constantly up and down), or fails to come on at all. This is almost always results from failure of defective original Final Stage Resistors (FSR) whose design provided insufficient heat sink surface area. The improved design FSR's can be purchased for ~$60 to $80 from a wide variety of vendors; installation threads abound. Front control arm bushings, tend to fail after 40-60k miles. You can replace them with Powerflex bushings from Bimmerworld for $149 (pre-pressed into new carriers). <LI itxtvisited="1">There was a recall for failure-prone Bremi ignition coils. Symptoms include multiple yet intermittent "cylinder misfire" OBD-II codes, among with other difficult to diagnose problems. A dealer can tell you if this TSB/recall has been performed in which all six Bremi coils were replaced. There was a technical service bulletin for fading FM stereo reception on cars with navigation with the BM53 tuner. The fix is to replace the BM53 tuner in the trunk. Reference service measure #B65-209-04 with your dealer. There was a technical service bulletin for a 4000RPM power dip on cars equipped with the ZHP Performance Package. The fix is to send the car's DME to New Jersey for reprogramming. Reference service bulletin # SIB 12 17 05 with your dealer - More info here: http://www.linquist.net/motorsports/bmw/sib121705.txt There was a recall of the electric radiator cooling fan on a wide variety of BMW models, to include many early E46's. The problem could result in an engine compartment electrical fire several minutes after the engine was shut off. Several cars (and homes) were destroyed by the resulting fires. The sunroof shade track/rails are prone to failure. The sunroof will sometimes fail to operate in the heat on older models. The interior weather stripping above the coupe doors often falls down after a few years. Easily glued into place. (Some even fell down before the cars were sold new.) For servicing and repairs: ,Independent BMW Specialists Register The BMW E46 is a high-performance German sedan/coupe that is now coming down with the parts frequent list. Here’s a list of the BMW E46 parts and Common Problems, so you can keep in mind probable repairs you may have to accomplish during ownership of an BMW E46 3-series. 1. Cooling System Failure/Leaks from Plastic Components: The E46 cooling system is full of plastic fittings, clips, and reservoirs that all have a habit of cracking, causing major problems with coolant leaks and De-pressurization. eEuroparts sells a kit to replace all the key failure points at once, and includes genuine Made in Germany ROWE coolant to flush the system when done. BMW E46 3-series cooling system refresh kit is ,100k10097,. Also offered is a performance kit that is very similar, but has choice upgrades available. Check that out here as part number ,100K10369,. 2. Weak Rear Shock Mount In addition to reinforcing the rear sub-frame, the shock mount is another area that can use a little love. eEuroparts sells a part that reinforces the rear shock mounts, and it is straight from BMW. The rear shock mount reinforcement also fits E30’s, E36’s and Z3’s as well, and fits on TOP of the mount on the interior of the car. The original design focuses on the bottom of the mount, where the weight of the car sits, but has no emphasis on the top. This makes unloading the suspension potentially hazardous to the other side of the shock tower. If you are doing a rear shock mount, there’s no reason NOT to bolt on this reinforcement. Because of this, we sell the shock mounts, gaskets, nuts, and reinforcements together as a kit- ,100K10157,. This will beef up your suspension mountings and let you focus on other areas of the car. For a little more money, we offer fully reinforced ,Powerflex, versions for ,10mm, and ,12mm, shock shafts. The 10mm shaft versions would be for OE style shocks, where the 12mm versions would be for cars that have externally adjustable mechanisms such as Bilstein B8’s. The extra width would be to accommodate that linkage, you should know if you have installed a larger shaft shock absorber. 3. Tail Light Failure An intermittent ‘tail lamp out’ indicator on your dash could mean a few things, but hands down the most common failure involves the circuit boards inside the tail lights. This is so common that we made a complete kit to replace your components with uprated parts, including a wiring harness that is more capable of handling the heat and current of normal usage. I wrote a DIY blog on the subject, which you can read here ,[click here],. The surprisingly cost effective kit (,100k10107, BMW Tail Light Repair Kit (E46)) includes new Genuine BMW taillight circuit boards for both sides of the car (,63217165865 ,and ,63217165866,), as well as a Genuine BMW wiring repair kit (,61129281435,). You may require the connectors (,12527519956,) and the corresponding terminal pins (,12521433217,) in case yours is melted, which is common. 4. Crankcase Vent Valve Failure/Maintenance: The PCV (,Positive Crankcase Ventilation,) system is meant to separate the oil out of the oily stirred up air that pressurizes the crankcase of the engine due to piston blowby. The hoses and separator therefore see a lot of action when it comes to hot oil, which can build up inside and cause problems. Due to this, the PCV system should be considered a maintenance item, and replaced regularly in order to prevent sludgy buildup from clogging oil vent passageways. A sure clue of clogged or constricted PCV components is that the seals around the crankcase will all start weeping oil due to the pressure that is not allowed to be vented. This includes the timing cover, oil pan, and especially the valve cover. We have two kits for the M54 and M52 6 cylinder engines found in the BMW E46 3-series. They are ,100K10104,, and ,100k10237, for cold climates. The second kit features insulated hoses to prevent water condensation from contributing to sludge buildup. 5. Torn Front Axle Boots / Front Axle Failure (Xi AWD models only): Many E46s suffer premature front suspension balljoint failure. Bushes in front suspension wishbones often need replacing after 3 - 4 years. Means new wishbones. Spate of snapping rear coil springs on 4 - 5 year olds increasingly common. 17" wheels easily damaged on inner rim. Clonks from the rear either mean a coil has snapped or the diff has torn away from its mounting. Can also mean that the rear suspension subframe has torn loose from the floorpan at its mounting points. The front axles on these cars are notorious for having problems, specifically with the CV joints and related boots. These problems are accelerated with lowered cars, so it’s important to pay attention to the CV axles on your all-wheel drive model. If you catch it early, you can get away with just replacing the boots. The boot isn’t super easy to replace, because in order to do so you must remove the axle. However, replacing both axles at a dealer will run you more than $1700. Replacing four CV boots (each axle has an inner and an outer CV joint) will cost under $100 and a few hours of time. The CV Boot numbers are ,31607507402 ,for the outer (the more common to fail) and the inner is ,31607507403,. If the boot has been torn for a while, there is a high probability that the joint has run dry and been contaminated with dirt, grit, and road grime. In this case, the tight tolerance joint wears out quickly and the entire axle will need to be replaced. We have two front axles available for the E46 AWD, a cost effective Empi as well as a higher end GKN axle. The Empi numbers are ,A807916 ,for the front driver side, and ,A807917, for the front passenger side. The high qualty GKN front axles for the BMW 325xi and 330xi are ,31607505199A ,for the front driver side, and ,31607505200A ,for the front passenger side. 6. M3 Camshaft Gear Bolt Failure (S54 only) The S54 engine has been known to have the cam gear bolts break. It is recommended to have these replaced every 30,000 miles at the same time as the valve adjustment. If one or more do break there would be catastrophic engine damage. We sell a kit with all of the necessary hardware, ,100K10240,, that comes with the necessary ,Loctite® thread locker,. 7. Engine Oil Filter Housing Gasket As with many soft engine gaskets, the oil filter housing gasket, part# ,0816965,, is a common failure point. This gasket will harden over time from the heat cycles produced by the engine and oil contaminants causing it to leak. If you see oil on the driver side portion of the engine block near the oil filter you know this gasket is leaking. Depending on the size of the leak, this may also cause the low oil light on the dash to illuminate. We have seen instances where this leak will cause the belt to slip off and jam into the main seal behind the crank pulley. 8. Rear Sub-frame Bushing Failure Like mentioned above, the rear subframe takes a lot of abuse in these cars from lateral movement. Besides the subframe itself, the bushings take a ton of abuse and subsequently wear out. When the bushings wear out, it will cause clunking and banging, and accelerate wear on the subframe itself. Aside from the sub frame reinforcing, it’s a good idea to make sure your bushings are all fresh to keep the car from hammering and banging itself apart. The key bushings to look at here are in this kit we put together, ,100K10187,. 9. Rear Spring Failure / Rear coil spring failures increasingly common. The rear springs are notorious for breaking on the bottom coil where it sits on the control arm. This is due to the fact that water and road salt will collect in this area and corrode and weaken the steel spring causing it to eventually break as it compresses. The rear springs for rear wheel drive models are ,06165,. The rear springs for the all-wheel drive models are ,06254,. Springs can be tricky sometimes so check correctly 10. Driveshaft Flex Disc / Center Support Bearing Failure Driveline vibration which can be felt through the body of the vehicle may hint at a worn flex disc and support bearing on the drive shaft. The main function of the flex disc is to absorb vibration and as this item wears it transmits those vibrations throughout the chassis of the vehicle. If left un-repaired, the disc will actually start to tear and can damage the pinion flange on the differential. Worn center bearings will heat up and bind which will prevent the drive shaft from rotating freely, and can cause catastrophic failure. Rear wheel drive vehicles will use Center Bearing ,26127501257, and Auto Trans Flex Disc ,26117511454,, and the kit is ,100K10241,. Manual Transmission cars use Flex Disc ,26111227410, and that kit is ,100k10242,. All-wheel-drive vehicles will use Center Bearing ,26121229317, and Flex Disc ,26111229360,, and the kit for these cars is ,100k10243,. 10- Window regulator / Report of windows dropping and roof opening overnight on 65k 2004 BMW 330i convertible, probably due to moisture ingress to the locks, windows and roof ECU inside the driver's door. 11-Heater fan resistors can fail leaving fan only running at full speed but BMW aware of this and will meet cost even though not covered by 2nd and 3rd year standard dealer warranty. 12-A/c computer fault can flatten battery if car left parked for 2 weeks after a/c settings have been changed several times on the preceding journey. BMW dealers have a cure. 13-Make sure the electric engine radiator fan works. Even it it does, a previous failure could have resulted in head gasket failure so check for the usual signs of this such as emulsified oil under the oil filler cap. 14-General Warning about Automatic Transmissions: Many BMWs have "sealed for life" automatic transmissions. Regardless of whether you have a full BMW service history, the dealer will never change the auto fluid. Many of these boxes are failing around the 120-150k mark -This is commonplace in the US and means the 'box should last the life of the car rather than being the cause of it being written off. General advice is ensure the fluid is flushed out every 60k or more preferably at each Inspection II. 15-Fuel tank sender pumps can fail. 16-2 litre 143PS four cylinder engine can be trouble from around 100k miles. Cam sensors fail. Crankshaft sensors can fail suddenly, out on the road with no prior warning. 17-, ,Report of two timing chain failures in E46 320d, despite regular oil and filter changes at 6,000 miles. First failure occurred at 124k miles; 2nd failure at 194k miles, which wrote off the engine. But car was purchased at 63k miles, so its previous history may have had something to do with the premature timing chain failures. 1-,BMW 3-Series E46 Common Problems And Solutions 2-,BMW 3-series E46 (1998 - 2005) 3-,2003 BMW 330i: Review 4-,Pros and Cons of 2000 BMW 323i 5-,BMW 3-series E46 (1998 - 2005)
HOME