E28 - the long slog
Discussion
You are. HTH.
E28 news - the bits of interior I dropped off for trimming haven't been done yet, which is fine. So rather than a two-phase approach (where one seat and door card was going to be done as a test) I'll drop the rest off a week Saturday so it can be done as one. There's going to be some fabrication required to make mounts for he front seats, but one benefit of the race car is that I've now found some sliders I can use, albeit they'll need the seat rails modified.
E28 news - the bits of interior I dropped off for trimming haven't been done yet, which is fine. So rather than a two-phase approach (where one seat and door card was going to be done as a test) I'll drop the rest off a week Saturday so it can be done as one. There's going to be some fabrication required to make mounts for he front seats, but one benefit of the race car is that I've now found some sliders I can use, albeit they'll need the seat rails modified.
Some, but not really for the red car!
The race car is currently undergoing a bit of work. After the trackday I discovered that the brakes are useless and it was running very rich, so it's getting a servo fitted to the front brake circuit, which should help. It'll also get new pads, the bias adjuster is now fitted properly and then some new fluid.
The M5 has gone to a bodyshop for a respray - there were little things all over it that needed doing, so may as well get the whole thing done, with a new pair of front wings to go on too.
I'm literally about to go and pick up a newly built diff for the race car, and so once that's swapped over the diff for the 518i will be available again. The red car should be disappearing for surgery at some point in Jan - it's going down to Martyn Scott @ Scott's Performance, but he's the one looking at the race car at the mo, so it'll be one in, one out.
And the remainder of the interior needs dropping off to Bespoke Leathering too. Suspect that'll be after Xmas.
The race car is currently undergoing a bit of work. After the trackday I discovered that the brakes are useless and it was running very rich, so it's getting a servo fitted to the front brake circuit, which should help. It'll also get new pads, the bias adjuster is now fitted properly and then some new fluid.
The M5 has gone to a bodyshop for a respray - there were little things all over it that needed doing, so may as well get the whole thing done, with a new pair of front wings to go on too.
I'm literally about to go and pick up a newly built diff for the race car, and so once that's swapped over the diff for the 518i will be available again. The red car should be disappearing for surgery at some point in Jan - it's going down to Martyn Scott @ Scott's Performance, but he's the one looking at the race car at the mo, so it'll be one in, one out.
And the remainder of the interior needs dropping off to Bespoke Leathering too. Suspect that'll be after Xmas.
Been after some of these for a while - not any more. Boom!
Current order of events:
- finish fixing race car
- replace fuel tank, lines and sunroof motor on M5 so it can go for paint
- do everything to 518i
So it should be getting some attention around the end of Feb at this rate.
Currently having a bit of a dilemma over wheels. I've got a set of 16" Style 5s from an E38 for it, which offer a good balance between aesthetics and ride comfort. I've also got a set of 17" Style 5s on the race car that I could put on it, but then I lose the ride comfort part to a degree. Plus I've had the 16s refurbished and new tyres fitted. Don't know - will probably have to toss a coin closer to the time.
Output Flange said:
Been after some of these for a while - not any more. Boom!
You are now officially in the realm of too many things that can be adjusted.
I can guarantee you'll never be happy with the setup, because at the back of your mind you'll be thinking "well, I could try adjusting that".
Don't think I ever put pics up of this from a while back, which is wrong considering how good a job he did.
I had John @ Bespoke Leathering refurb the leather in the M5, which showed every one of the 223,000 miles it has covered. The outer thigh bolster on the driver's seat was broken, but strangely so was the inner on the passenger side. It transpired that the seats had been swapped over previously.
Anywany, before:
During:
After:
That's in this one, in case you've lost the will to live:
I had John @ Bespoke Leathering refurb the leather in the M5, which showed every one of the 223,000 miles it has covered. The outer thigh bolster on the driver's seat was broken, but strangely so was the inner on the passenger side. It transpired that the seats had been swapped over previously.
Anywany, before:
During:
After:
That's in this one, in case you've lost the will to live:
[Cut to race car]
OK, so I picked up the race car yesterday from its fettling.
The job list included:
- fitting a servo to the front brake circuit
- swapping the diff to a 188 case 3.91 LSD
- changing the fuel lines to braided and running them in the cabin
- getting it to run properly
- changing the PAS pump
- fitting some RS29 pads
At the last outing the brakes were rubbish - solid pedal that did nothing, and the bias was heavily set to the rear, despite having an adjustment dial. It transpired that the garage selling it (see stickers for details) had plumbed the front and rear circuits the wring way round, and had ballsed up the bias dial fitting something chronic. So, the plumbing to the MCs was rejigged, the bias adjuster mounted correctly, and a servo (which IIRC is a MGB item) added to the front circuit. That, added to the new pads up front mean that once the pads are bedded in, I ought to be able to stop now and then.
Next up - the diff. I'd pinched the 210 case 3.64 I'd built for the 518i as an interim for this car, but wanted to go a bit shorter, and in a small case. Why a small case? Two reasons. Firstly, CWPs are easier to find (as are LSD cassettes, come to that). Secondly, it weighs less. They used a 188 case on the E36 M3 3.0, so it ought to be able to cope.
The diff was rebuilt by Competition Transmission Services in Markyate (they did the 3.64 too) and at my request they added some oil cooler unions into the back cover. They're blanked off for now, but if I do some longer races in the future I think it could be a good idea.
Fitting this diff was a bit of a nightmare, however. The case bolted up just fine, but the drive shaft ends were too big, and the rear mount was nowhere near the bolt on the body. To cut a long story short, what I thought was an E28 donor case turned out to be something else (E34 I think). After quite a bit of swearing an E28 donor was found, the output flanges and back cover swapped, and it all bolted up properly.
I'd saved the PAS pump from the 518i, and as the only difference across the range (M5 excepted) is the pulley, that swapped over just fine.
Now, the running issues had been a bit of a problem. It'd run fine for a bit, then it'd go really lumpy and run stupidly rich. To the point that at Bedford the marshalls said that if I couldn't make it smoke less, I wouldn't be back out on track. I couldn't, and I wasn't.
The apparent cause of the poor running is the alternator. It appears that the regulator has gone, and coupled with the fact that the car runs a small race battery, the ECU isn't getting proper voltage, which they really don't like, hence the strange running. I'll know for sure later, as I've sourced a new alternator to collect this afternoon.
Today's job is to go over the car once more in preparation for Brands Indy tomorrow, and to test fit another set of wheels/tyres I've got. It's currently sitting on worn R888s, and I have a set of Federal RS-Rs to try out. I suspect I'll end up running Kumhos, but we'll see how tomorrow goes.
The upshot of all of that is that the M5 is now in for a bit of fettling before it goes off to paint. Would expect to be picking it up by the end of next week, at which point the 518i goes in...
Some pics, since you've asked.
No servo:
A servo! And some fuel lines.
New diff:
Daft rubber fuel lines:
Alignment, pre-adjustment:
Obviously having 7 degrees of toe-out on the front wheels isn't ideal.
Stickers will be coming off today. The CTCRC stickers are from a previous owner, whereas it'll be going into CSCC Future Classics. And also, quite frankly, the garage on the rear quarters deserve no mention at all.
I'll end this post with a recommendation to you. Should you find yourself needing a garage in Dartford, you simply must go and see Martyn Scott at Scotts Performance. Top man.
OK, so I picked up the race car yesterday from its fettling.
The job list included:
- fitting a servo to the front brake circuit
- swapping the diff to a 188 case 3.91 LSD
- changing the fuel lines to braided and running them in the cabin
- getting it to run properly
- changing the PAS pump
- fitting some RS29 pads
At the last outing the brakes were rubbish - solid pedal that did nothing, and the bias was heavily set to the rear, despite having an adjustment dial. It transpired that the garage selling it (see stickers for details) had plumbed the front and rear circuits the wring way round, and had ballsed up the bias dial fitting something chronic. So, the plumbing to the MCs was rejigged, the bias adjuster mounted correctly, and a servo (which IIRC is a MGB item) added to the front circuit. That, added to the new pads up front mean that once the pads are bedded in, I ought to be able to stop now and then.
Next up - the diff. I'd pinched the 210 case 3.64 I'd built for the 518i as an interim for this car, but wanted to go a bit shorter, and in a small case. Why a small case? Two reasons. Firstly, CWPs are easier to find (as are LSD cassettes, come to that). Secondly, it weighs less. They used a 188 case on the E36 M3 3.0, so it ought to be able to cope.
The diff was rebuilt by Competition Transmission Services in Markyate (they did the 3.64 too) and at my request they added some oil cooler unions into the back cover. They're blanked off for now, but if I do some longer races in the future I think it could be a good idea.
Fitting this diff was a bit of a nightmare, however. The case bolted up just fine, but the drive shaft ends were too big, and the rear mount was nowhere near the bolt on the body. To cut a long story short, what I thought was an E28 donor case turned out to be something else (E34 I think). After quite a bit of swearing an E28 donor was found, the output flanges and back cover swapped, and it all bolted up properly.
I'd saved the PAS pump from the 518i, and as the only difference across the range (M5 excepted) is the pulley, that swapped over just fine.
Now, the running issues had been a bit of a problem. It'd run fine for a bit, then it'd go really lumpy and run stupidly rich. To the point that at Bedford the marshalls said that if I couldn't make it smoke less, I wouldn't be back out on track. I couldn't, and I wasn't.
The apparent cause of the poor running is the alternator. It appears that the regulator has gone, and coupled with the fact that the car runs a small race battery, the ECU isn't getting proper voltage, which they really don't like, hence the strange running. I'll know for sure later, as I've sourced a new alternator to collect this afternoon.
Today's job is to go over the car once more in preparation for Brands Indy tomorrow, and to test fit another set of wheels/tyres I've got. It's currently sitting on worn R888s, and I have a set of Federal RS-Rs to try out. I suspect I'll end up running Kumhos, but we'll see how tomorrow goes.
The upshot of all of that is that the M5 is now in for a bit of fettling before it goes off to paint. Would expect to be picking it up by the end of next week, at which point the 518i goes in...
Some pics, since you've asked.
No servo:
A servo! And some fuel lines.
New diff:
Daft rubber fuel lines:
Alignment, pre-adjustment:
Obviously having 7 degrees of toe-out on the front wheels isn't ideal.
Stickers will be coming off today. The CTCRC stickers are from a previous owner, whereas it'll be going into CSCC Future Classics. And also, quite frankly, the garage on the rear quarters deserve no mention at all.
I'll end this post with a recommendation to you. Should you find yourself needing a garage in Dartford, you simply must go and see Martyn Scott at Scotts Performance. Top man.
Nice work.
I did wonder about fitting a servo on the just the front brakes on my e21, but wasn't sure if it would be adjustable enough, when it came to bias. I'm no mechanic (as it probably shows) but I ended up sourcing a remote servo kit, that's designed with dual circuit brakes in mind. It also meant I was able to junk the convoluted linkage that BMW used with the RHD pedal box. Do they use a similar linkage set-up in the e28?
I'd be interested to see what cooler you may run on the diff? I have an e12 sideloader fitted, as they seem pretty tough, but have been considering a cooler. I bought a kit in the US, that includes a pump that runs off the driveshaft.
Nice to see another e28 on track. I think Pristine are taking theirs to Brands next month.
I did wonder about fitting a servo on the just the front brakes on my e21, but wasn't sure if it would be adjustable enough, when it came to bias. I'm no mechanic (as it probably shows) but I ended up sourcing a remote servo kit, that's designed with dual circuit brakes in mind. It also meant I was able to junk the convoluted linkage that BMW used with the RHD pedal box. Do they use a similar linkage set-up in the e28?
I'd be interested to see what cooler you may run on the diff? I have an e12 sideloader fitted, as they seem pretty tough, but have been considering a cooler. I bought a kit in the US, that includes a pump that runs off the driveshaft.
Nice to see another e28 on track. I think Pristine are taking theirs to Brands next month.
Just a technical observation for those that are interested in servos, either vacuum or the Citroen sphere driven spool valve that an E28 has as standard: A brake servo only reduces the brake pedal effort required for the same brake line pressure acheived.
So if the pedal pressure is so high on a system that it is not creating enough pressure to squeeze the calipers (solid pedal),then either the master cylinder bore size or sizes are wrong or the pedal ratio is incorrect.
it is a much better idea to fit a twin master cylinder conversion and end up with a front and rear master cylinder at such a bore size that achieves the correct pedal pressure and brake bias without the adjusment bar going off one end!
So if the pedal pressure is so high on a system that it is not creating enough pressure to squeeze the calipers (solid pedal),then either the master cylinder bore size or sizes are wrong or the pedal ratio is incorrect.
it is a much better idea to fit a twin master cylinder conversion and end up with a front and rear master cylinder at such a bore size that achieves the correct pedal pressure and brake bias without the adjusment bar going off one end!
Output Flange said:
Indeed. The servo was one of a few things aimed at resolving a few issues.
And the answer is that it kinda works, but it's still not ideal.
Back to the drawing board, I think.
Might be worth you chatting to Mick @ Pristine, as he's going through the brakes on his 28 too.And the answer is that it kinda works, but it's still not ideal.
Back to the drawing board, I think.
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