Chrysler 300M

easyrider300m

Keep us posted on the performance of the Yokos---let us know if they are quieter than the Goodyears and how they handle on the exit and entrance ramps---I got mine in storage till the fall when I will change my pads and tires all at once---I got 37k on my Goodyears (did 5 tire rotations) and still have at least 5k left. My goodyears have been ok though they are noisy and I was getting a slight pull to left which got better on a rotation. But they will soon be trashed for the Yokos!

Do you know if the Yokos are a directional tire--they dont appear to be. My avids I had on my Mark were directional so they had to be rotated on the same side of the car--no cross-rotation.

easyrider300m

I use Eagle wheel cleaner--they have a few different types-- I use the mildest which is safe on all types of wheels whether clearcoated or not---but be sure to follow directions and only spray on a cool wheel and just let it sit for 30 seconds and then rinse off.

One of my chromies has a couple of small areas with a yellowish tinge . Dont know if this will come of with a stronger cleaner like maybe ajax. Not sure if I want to use an abrasive cleaner on it though but Scotian had good luck with the ajax. Anyone else have discoloration of the chromies.

EZ

splatt

I used some wheel cleaners (forget which off the top of my head) when they got really dirty, but they never seemed to help. Best way to keep them clean? By hand Once a week I wipe the brake dust off with a cotton towel. They look great. Takes about 10 min. When I wash the car, I wash the wheels with the same soap and I give them a coat of zaino which does seem to help with keeping the brake dust off.

bigmike5

My Razorstars have been on almost 4 years now, and still look really good. I just washed them Sunday. I have done them about twice a week even in winter with a little Dawn or other mild dishwashing soap in warm water and a soft sponge. Have had very little problem with brake dust or other road tar staining them. I did take notice the last time I had the wheels off after someone showed some pics with a lot of corrosion on the inside of the disc. I found some discoloration and small amount of corrosion on the inside. I cleaned that up and oiled the areas to try to prevent any further discoloration or corrosion. I will make this a routine now each time I rotate or have a wheel off. Who would have thunk it?

Have we ever got a definitive answer on how much of the 99M exhaust system is stainless steel? I would like to get an idea if I should keep some of the pipes when I go for duals, or discard them all and go totally new. I think SDMike used some part of the old pipes but he has a newer M. Anyone know? The window sticker from the M doesn't say. It did on my old Aurora's sticker.

easyrider300m

I also am wondering about which parts of my Y2K M exhaust system are stainless as I also want to do duals and will save part of it if its stainless---

It probably would be a good idea to spray that inner center disc area with silicone or wd-40 when the wheels are off the car during a rotation--cant hurt...

scotian

Starting here is how I cleaned my **very** dirty Razorstars:

http://public.fotki.com/Scotian/300m/exterior/razorstar_wheels/cross-drilled_rotors/dcp_459.html

Liquid Tech Metal Finish (available at http://www.myroadster.net/wheelcare.asp) works great!

Matte chrome removal; I only did it because I had to:

http://public.fotki.com/Scotian/300m/exterior/razorstar_wheels/matte_chrome_removal/

scotian

The results were uneven and disappointing. I want to try a different plastic dye.

rstilp

They are non directional tread.
They are also quieter than the eagles. I had 25k on 2 of the old tires and 42k on the other 2. Goodyear replaced 2 tirs and Chrsler replaced 1 bad wheel @ 17k. The ones with 42k were real close to dangerous, so I replaced all 4.
I haven't done any hard driving yet, so I can't tell too much; plus I'm still getting some noise from all the little rubber tips.
Thats an interesting sound.
Rick/Geezer300

easyrider300m

You've had your M longer than most owners here---how many miles on the car? any major problems?

gibsonc23

I just recently got rid of my
Good Year's on 2000 300m and replaced them with Yokohoma Avid T4 (Performance All Season). I love them. They are a lot quiter than the Good Years. I had problems with off the line traction with the Good Years from day one. The Yoko's are a lot better. I have took some hard corners with them, one was in a double turn lane and i was on the outside. I open up full throttle in middle of the turn. With the RSA's i would have went straight into the yard. I was racing a Z28 (I know i am a little cocky) needless to say i beat i out of the turn, the camero lost traction and nearly slid into me but i was 3/4 a car length in front of it. The road noise is a lot quieter than the RSA's. $99 bucks a tire on www.tirerack.com. I live in Chicago so i need tires for the snow and rain also there was one other performance all season tire Michlin Pilot $200 a tire. I looked at the stats and yoko beat in two catagories and was only a few tenths of point behind in traction at $100 less a tire.

videoman1

Question #1 - Two months ago I replaced my front pads and rotors. I got the parts at an autoparts store and now they're squealing like crazy and the rotors are slightly warped. I talked to the autoparts guy and he's gonna take back the pads and upgrade them to a better brand (can't remember the name) which should not squeal. But, he refuses to replace the rotors but he's willing to do a slight cut on them to make them smooth again. I argued with him for new ones but got nowhere. He said the rotors may have gotten warped because of heavy breaking or the pads were not properly broken in. So my question is, how do you break in new pads? I can understand that you shouldn't break hard, but for how long? I don't want this to happen again.

Question #2 - I want to clean and shine the valve covers and some other components in the engine. What's the best product to use? Would something like Armor All be bad?

-vman

gibsonc23

Hey Videoman i am almost in the same situation as you. I bought new (Ceramic)pads and rotors six months ago and they are warp. I have been looking on two different news group and i have found a lot of post on the rotor warping. One newsgroup recommend KVR crossed drilled rotors to help get rid of the heat. I wrote a email to KVR www.kvrperformance.com/world/world.html asking about pricing on rotors for my 2000 300 M. Read some of the posts from here

/direct/view/.eea34f8/13037

scotian

http://www.myroadster.net/porterfield_break-in.asp

gibsonc23

Can any toss out any ideals on increasing my dead stop times on a stock 2000 300M? After recently being left by an cute lady in a Lexus SC (i am presuming a 400 left to quick for me to catch if it was 300 but i eat es 300 alive). I love the 300 M for it size and power but am tossing the ideal of switching to a BMW 330 i for quicker starts. I am hestitating because of price and the fact that i beat two BMW 328's one off the line and one on highway. The only change i have is Synthetic Oil. Are there different Headers or RAM air for the 300M ?

sdmike2

Here are some things you can do:

Bosch Platinim +4 plugs ($35, tiny performance gain)

Dual Exhaust ($500, noticable gain)

K&N Aircharger or similar intake mod ($250, small performance gain)

Prowler Pro Gears ($1,500+, results TBD)

Paxton makes a supercharger system for the Prowler (which uses the same engine and tranny) but nobody that I'm aware of has tried to put the supercharger in the M. For a lot more information on mods, check out the message board at the 300M Enthusiasts's Club website at http://pub88.ezboard.com/b300menthusiastsclub

Here are some pictures of my intake and exhaust mods (among others)
http://community.webshots.com/user/bigred300m

splatt

damn mike, you beat me to it Was just about to post that...

muskateer3

What type of pads did you put in? If they were carbon-metallic, they most likely caused the rotor warp by transferring too much heat to the rotors. When you take the rotors off, if you see a blueish tinge to the rotor, this is a sure sign of overheating. If you see little gold streaks, this is the metal from the pads actually being burned into the rotor.

Get your rotors cut, and specify that you want "ceramic" pads. They are much more friendly to rotors.

M3

sdmike2

feel free to beat me to it next time! lol

sdmike2

what are the OEM pads (ceramic, other)? I like them.

denverm

It won't be long before I have to replace my original Michelins (something like HX MXM4 Pilots - I may not remember the designation correctly) on my 2000 PHG M. I've been quite pleased with the Michelins and would either get the same tire again or the Pilot Sport A/S, but the lower cost of the Yoko 420's has me considering them. I definitely want a V-rated tire.

So, I'm wondering whether any owner of a PHG M (preferably one who likes to corner enthusiastically!) has installed the Yoko 420's and can compare them to the stock Michelins, mainly in terms of handling ability. Thanks!

uxca300m

Man those were really dirty. I have the factory equipped chromes and have been using a synthetic resin polish called Liqui-Tech on my wheels. It seems to repel the brake dust and I've had no problems keeping them clean for the 19,000 km that I've had the car. I bought it from a car restoration place that uses it on the re finished chrome on their antiques. Your supposed to leave it on for 24 hours for the best finish but can wipe it off after an hour. So far it seems to be working just fine.

muskateer3

Make sure that KVR will guarantee that the noise their cross drilled rotors will make will not exceed that of stock rotors or your money back.

I had the KVR's, $400 worth, and I threw them away because the noise on braking was unacceptable and they would not take them back. They explained that all cross-drilled rotors make this noise because of air escaping through the holes. I sent them to Andy300m because he wanted to play with them. Just be sure that KVR will guarantee your satisfaction before you spend the money.

  

I recommend you also consider http://www.appliedrotortechnology.com/ as an alternate.

M3

easyrider300m

I may be wrong but I believe if you get ceramic pads, you should also get the ceramic/metal combination rotor---heat will dissipate faster from the ceramic/metal rotor and should cut down on warpage--I think the problem arises when you have ceramic pads and regular rotors---the ceramic pads will transfer the heat to the rotor and could cause premature warping---I believe it may have been ricva that had a problem with the above.

I think I will go with factory pads or raybestos premium pads and plan on using Raybestos rotors. I believe the factory rotors may have a problem as many here have complained about them warping. Ricva has the raybestos setup and is happy with it.

fastdriver

bigmike5-

LOL... I saw those color statistics too! Had RED when I was 16 with several more from then until now at ?? years old! Black is nice, but I don't want to spend 24/7 cleaning it. Silver, to me, is no color. Dark blue is nice, but falls into the same category as the black. Maybe some new colors will be appealing? Just my .02.

ottowrkr-

Thanks for the invite. I feel out of the loop now. You never know when I might say that I'm on my way to visit my Northern neighbor! ;-))

WOW! I forgot that I got you here! You weren't known as ottowrkr then! ;-)) I remember that first letter I sent you. It took me about 4 hours to type it! I'm sure when you didn't hear back from me for several weeks that I was full of $$$$. As soon as I received your 2nd message saying "still waiting", I knew I HAD to write to you! Hope all is well. Enjoy your vacation! Will e-mail you soon. One project after another around here, but NOTHING like YOUR project! LOL... I think of you everytime I'm in that store!

fastdriver

mb300mgo

2000 300M
Wheels first.
1) The stock 17" chromes have a plastic center cap. After taking good care to keep the wheels clean these plastic caps have fallen off. Leaving behind an UUUGGly hole. Can these be replaced?
2) The wheels corrode along the bead area. I've had the tires pulled off and this area polished to stop air leaks. Is this a common problem?

Tires

I'm moving to the 245/50R17 Mich. Pilot Sport A/S or Dunlop SP Sport 5000. Need good allseasons for upstate NY. Anyone have any good tips on selection??

easyrider300m

for a good handling, good wearing, quiet, all season tire, I dont think you can beat the Yokohama 420's--especially at $85 per tire--dont know if you can still get that price but here is the discount tire warehouse I got mine shipped from--775-359-1300 --ask for Mike---tell him you got # from Edmunds site from a MA customer of theirs---shipping is about $70 cross country but a V-rated quality tire at that price is a great deal--if you have a Discount Tire near you, they may meet that price--tell em you found that price at the Sacrameno, CA store. Some stores are selling the same tire at $139 each so its a real steal. And I have never heard of anyone having trouble with the Yokos--very dependable tire--had a set of AVid V rated on my last car and loved them.

EZ

jona57

mb300mgo

Those wheels should still be covered under the factory warranty (unless you're over 36K miles). I would take 'em back to the dealer to get fixed. If you are out of warranty, those center caps can be bought at about $25 ea (ouch!) from a dealer. I think someone posted the part # here a while ago.

Regarding the bead area- this is a relatively common problem with all aluminum wheels in areas of the country subject to snow/salt. Having the bead area polished should solve the air leaking. I would keep the wheels as clean as possible during the winter "salt season" to help prevent corrosion.

Jon

scotian

They can be replaced, but you might want to seal the new ones you put on:

http://public.fotki.com/Scotian/300m/exterior/razorstar_wheels/corroding_center_caps/

Actually, if you still have the chrome covers you could probably just reattach them with Auto Goop and ignore the clips.

scotian

I like it too. You can get it at http://www.myroadster.net/wheelcare.asp.

scotian

I'm still very happy with my tri-slotted rotors through http://www.MyRoadster.Net/:

http://public.fotki.com/Scotian/300m/exterior/razorstar_wheels/slotted_rotors/

300michael

As stated earler the exhaust and intake will do the most for you on a budget. The Prowler Pro gears would be great, but expensive. As for the Ram air I have it, it will only improve the acceleration about 45mph, so it would not help you much.

scotian

One thing I didn't like about my KVR rotors (other than the fact the drill pattern seemed to self-destruct) is that they were inside-vented, not outside-vented as the OEM PHP rotors are.

sdmike2

make sure to watch the video...

http://www.cnn.com/WORLD/africa/9812/11/flame.thrower.car/

sdmike2

I'm bidding on a set of four (two pairs) of the bass reducers discussed here. If anyone wants to split the cost and take the extra set let me know.
mritchi1@san.rr.com

fastdriver

sdmike2-

Think I saw this once before. I could have used that on Christine as I LEFT the "5-STAR" ;-)))

fastdriver

easyrider300m

they claim it would just blind the carjacker not kill him---but that guy in the video sure looked like burnt toast to me---another benefit--if it doesnt kill him and he gets away, he would be easy to spot--just look for a guy with no clothes, burnt skin, all hair burnt off etc.

One problem is probably more criminals than honest people would buy it. What a great way to avoid getting a speeding ticket or for criminals to avoid arrest. Only in Africa... you wont see that here unless the mafia starts a black market.

easyrider300m

another use for that flamethrower is to distract that Corvette you wnat to beat in a drag race. Also would tend to attract some strange looks from bystanders thinking you must be running nitrous oxide.

sdmike2

I was thinking a more practical solution would be to just spray gasoline out. That would most certainly incapacitate them, and there's a ready source of fuel. Better yet, after spraying the gas have a little arm come out with a Bic lighter just daring them to make "one false move". lol

sdmike2

if you read the article it states that it flames both sides at the same time. I feel sorry for the guys standing innocently at the bus stop when you flame the Lincoln LS on the other side.

easyrider300m

pepper spray with red dye---lot safer

bigmike5

Knock on wood, no major problems with my 99M. Am at 46K on the mileage. Think I am going to order some tranny speed sensors from Wyckoff just to have on hand if that problem arises. Seems like my local dealer always has to order just about every replacement part for the M. So far once the part is in I have been able to wait for every repair to be done. Never lost more than a couple of hours of work time, or needed the shuttle or a loaner.

On rotors-- About a week ago, I put in the Applied Rotor Technology cryogenically treated and slotted rotors, and they came with Pinnacle Carbon Metallic pads. The jury is still out on this changeover. I will update in a couple of weeks. Had some initial problems, but Dean at APT has been good to work with so far. Questions, e-mail me off line.

guesswho1

which tires come on the 01 php? thanks

300michael

Besure you use Flame Proof paint. Personally I would prefer an model I could direct the flames. It wouldn't hurt to have it on the front of the vehicle too, to deice the roads:)

fuzzywuzzy

Word of advise from a past Dunlop user. Do not use Dunlop tires on the stock rims. Dunlop tires are very picky about the rim width. They will transmitt vibrations, & be very hard to balance. I had the SP 9000's in 245-45-17 in the stock rims, & had alot of problems. It was tire related. I could put a stock set back on, & everything was smooth.

fuzzywuzzy

The KVR rotors I had were correctly vented. Maybe you did get the wrong ones, or they just weren't made right.

muskateer3

Don't have your email address but would be very interested in your comments on ART rotors / pads.

Is the issue you are having related to noise?

sdmike2

Michelin Pilot HX MXM4

blonda

I have those exact size Michelins on order right now. If I EVER get them I'll let you know how they are. Sears called Michelin today (ordered 2 weeks ago) evidently they had a "problem" with one of their delivery trucks so they are expected tomorrow or Friday.

Although I live in sunny San Diego, we do have a couple mountain ranges within an hours drive, plus lots of skiing places within 2 hours so I went with the all seasons. I think the tread wear on those are better than the regular Pilot Sports anyway.

russklass

Decision time is here!
The release date for the Holiday Inn Select, Brampton, Ontario is Thursday (July 18th)
We have the Chrysler corporate rate of $70.00/nite for Sunday, August 18th, with the plant tour on Monday.
The phone # is 905-792-9900.
Don't miss out!

videoman1

Well, if you read a few posts back you'll see that I had squealing and pulsating front rotors after changing them in April. I took the pads back to the autoparts store along with the rotors. He re-cut the rotors (said he only had to take off very very little) and set me up with Wagner pads that are ultra quiet. We'll see. He then said that the front rotors may have been getting heated up too much because the back brakes weren't doing their job. He said if there was a problem with the back brakes, all the work would be done on the front which over worked them.

So I told that to my mechanic who checked the back and he said the auto parts guy was wrong. He said that's only a case with drum brakes. However, disk brakes is pretty even with it's work load and there's usually never a problem. He also said mine were wearing fine.

So I'm not sure if I should go to a different place like Midas (or even Chrysler) to double check the back brakes. If there is a problem I don't want to wear out the fronts again.

What do you guys think? Could all of our warped front rotors be caused by bad rear brakes?

-vman