E36 cheap track day toy
Discussion
Back to the workshop. Bumper this time.
Initial fit up, surprisingly good. With the front end stripped I made a bracket up to mount the new tow strap.
You can see what I'm going for, but I ran out of time. So fitted up and unpainted for now it will stay.
I would have carried on with the modifications today, but I kind of bought a M54b30.
So I have a bit of stripping to do now.
Initial fit up, surprisingly good. With the front end stripped I made a bracket up to mount the new tow strap.
You can see what I'm going for, but I ran out of time. So fitted up and unpainted for now it will stay.
I would have carried on with the modifications today, but I kind of bought a M54b30.
So I have a bit of stripping to do now.
Dived into the engine stripping tonight. Cam cover off, cams out, head off. I will keep the inlet cam as this can be used in the eventual stroker although I may go for a set of aftermarket cams if money allows by the time I do the build.
Then I spun her over, ripped the sump, baffle and oil pump out of it.
The block itself doesn't look to bad and will probably go back on eBay after a clean.
Then the important bits, pistons, rods and crank.
All in need of a good clean but looking relatively healthy. Now I need to find somewhere to keep them and get the rest of it back on eBay. See if I can recoup some costs.
Then I spun her over, ripped the sump, baffle and oil pump out of it.
The block itself doesn't look to bad and will probably go back on eBay after a clean.
Then the important bits, pistons, rods and crank.
All in need of a good clean but looking relatively healthy. Now I need to find somewhere to keep them and get the rest of it back on eBay. See if I can recoup some costs.
iSore said:
I have a feeling the M54 can be converted to either non or single Vanos - you'd need the M52 front timing cover and crank pulley, M52 cam cover etc.
Too late now though! You using an M52 or M50 block?
It can be, but then you'd need to swap the exhaust cam for a non-vanos item, etc. You'll gain far more from swapping the internals into an M50/2 block/head setup and using an M50 inlet etc. The swap works well with the trimmed M54 inlet cam in an M50/2 head also. If you have management where VANOS timings can be changed (on/off) you will gain more by keeping it engaged slightly longer mid range. I've had a lot of fun with the engine in the past couple of years.... such as I'm just in the middle of building another now to a different spec, in an M50 block again. The low down and overall performance from the DIY M54 conversion is well worth the time and effort vs the cost of a battered M3 3.0 lumpToo late now though! You using an M52 or M50 block?
Edited by f0xy on Wednesday 3rd August 10:28
Hi Foxy, are you the same foxy who's engine build I have been reading on Cliosport.net? (Unusual place to find an e36 build!) If so then you are partly responsible for the way my build is going.
Yes I am keeping the 52 block, with 54 internals, probably 54 inlet cam and already have the M50 manifold with bbtb on the car.
With everything apart tonight I have done a lot of cleaning. It's not at a rebuild level of clean, but is at a bits I don't need can go back on eBay clean.
Yes I am keeping the 52 block, with 54 internals, probably 54 inlet cam and already have the M50 manifold with bbtb on the car.
With everything apart tonight I have done a lot of cleaning. It's not at a rebuild level of clean, but is at a bits I don't need can go back on eBay clean.
Before you go too far, that's a twin vanos M52TU/M54 block, post 1998 E39 and E46. Look on the inlet side of the block by cyls 1 and 2 and you'll see the big square coolant passage - that wasn't there on the M50 and M52 and so an M50/52 head won't work - you'll need a twin vanos type head with the matching square coolant hole.
This is what the E36 single vanos alloy block looks like: Bear in mind post 8/1998 E36 units (Coupe/Convertible/Touring) used the E46 type crank sensor in the back of the block under the starter and it runs off the big trigger ring bolted to the back of the crank, E46 style. USA market iron block M52's used this first.
This is what the E36 single vanos alloy block looks like: Bear in mind post 8/1998 E36 units (Coupe/Convertible/Touring) used the E46 type crank sensor in the back of the block under the starter and it runs off the big trigger ring bolted to the back of the crank, E46 style. USA market iron block M52's used this first.
Edited by iSore on Thursday 4th August 10:38
No way, you were in front of me in the touring going past Devils Diner. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=thhgxs1-FJM
I had a crap time that weekend too, oil cooler departed company after the rad expanded and broke the bracket
I had a crap time that weekend too, oil cooler departed company after the rad expanded and broke the bracket
Yeah thats my thread (I came from an engine swapped track day Clio so know a lot of the folk on there)... glad you found it useful. Drop me a message if you need any further info about any of it, a lot of the general info on the web is a bit misleading. They go well with the M50 inlet and associated bits, M54 inlet camshaft is worth the simple swap
A sunny Saturday afternoon, spent with my arse in a bush stripping the front end ready for engine removal.
A fair bit of tugging and levering involved. As you can see I made a right mess of the chassis. Every cloud though. Despite the head lights being almost totally destroyed, my xenons still work. So they can go back in the coupe.
Finally everything out of the way. Hopefully soon I will be ready for the engine to come out. One of my friends has very kindly offered to let me store it in his garage until I'm ready to do the build.
Then the shell will be ready to go to a new home. I have already had a few of you asking after it. The suspension is still fine and a lot of it brand new. So it looks like quite a bit of the old wagon will live on.
Anyone else interested drop me a message.
A fair bit of tugging and levering involved. As you can see I made a right mess of the chassis. Every cloud though. Despite the head lights being almost totally destroyed, my xenons still work. So they can go back in the coupe.
Finally everything out of the way. Hopefully soon I will be ready for the engine to come out. One of my friends has very kindly offered to let me store it in his garage until I'm ready to do the build.
Then the shell will be ready to go to a new home. I have already had a few of you asking after it. The suspension is still fine and a lot of it brand new. So it looks like quite a bit of the old wagon will live on.
Anyone else interested drop me a message.
Hamster69 said:
Finally getting ready for some track action. I thought I would try and dial out some of the understeer I had last year.
I have been reading a bit on toe in and out with relavance to understeer. Some people (on different cars) think a little toe out helps.
A very small amount just to see if it changes anything.
I gave the rear end a tweek too.
It is nice to have the thrust angle spot on before heading out on track.
It has been a long time since my last track outing. Seven months in fact, although I had a session karting last weekend to get my eye in.
Hi Hamster.I have been reading a bit on toe in and out with relavance to understeer. Some people (on different cars) think a little toe out helps.
A very small amount just to see if it changes anything.
I gave the rear end a tweek too.
It is nice to have the thrust angle spot on before heading out on track.
It has been a long time since my last track outing. Seven months in fact, although I had a session karting last weekend to get my eye in.
I got the performance friction pads from PartsBox and their fitted on my 318is ready for an upcoming track day (thanks for the advice), I have put coilovers on my car they have adjustable top mounts, I also have 17" wheels with NS2R tyres.
Now I assume I will need to take the car for a 4 wheel alignment and they will just set it up to the factory settings, not knowing much about it should I ask for different settings? Is there a setting compromise for better handling v's tyre ware? Also unsure about ride height from the coilovers.
Any advice welcome.
Glad you managed to get some pads. They don't have them listed on their site anymore. I'm thinking of going with Pagid RS pads when I finally put the 330 calipers on, but they are rather expensive.
The geo is a bit of a black art. It really does depend on the weight, downforce and stiffness of your suspension. I cant really advise you on ride height. Mine is as high as it can go as that just about stops it rubbing over big bumps. But that is more down to the offset of my wheels and you can probably go lower than me.
Tyre wear is most down to toe rather than camber. The closer to 0 toe you go the better the tyre wear. I usually run 0.2 degrees of toe in on the rear, this helps with pushing you in a straight line. On the front around 0. I have run slight toe out and toe in at different tracks. Again though this is based on real experience in my car, so I would recommend to start with going for zero and seeing how the car reacts.
Camber is slightly adjustable on the rear and not really adjustable on the front. Unless like me you fit adjustable top mounts on the front and adjustable lower arms on the rear. I have found that around 3 degrees of neg camber on the front and around 2 on the rear really helps turn in and steering in the corners. Not really achievable with standard set up, but get as much as you can.
Hope this helps.
The geo is a bit of a black art. It really does depend on the weight, downforce and stiffness of your suspension. I cant really advise you on ride height. Mine is as high as it can go as that just about stops it rubbing over big bumps. But that is more down to the offset of my wheels and you can probably go lower than me.
Tyre wear is most down to toe rather than camber. The closer to 0 toe you go the better the tyre wear. I usually run 0.2 degrees of toe in on the rear, this helps with pushing you in a straight line. On the front around 0. I have run slight toe out and toe in at different tracks. Again though this is based on real experience in my car, so I would recommend to start with going for zero and seeing how the car reacts.
Camber is slightly adjustable on the rear and not really adjustable on the front. Unless like me you fit adjustable top mounts on the front and adjustable lower arms on the rear. I have found that around 3 degrees of neg camber on the front and around 2 on the rear really helps turn in and steering in the corners. Not really achievable with standard set up, but get as much as you can.
Hope this helps.
Hamster69 said:
Where and when do you think that will be?
Me and my mate are booked into Llandow Circuit for next Saturday, its about 10 miles from us in Cardiff and its only £95 but its not a full size race track. http://www.llandow.com/Should be a good try out before we do Castle Combe next.
Really annoying week this week. Spent a long time running round after friends who all wanted to come to Snetterton next weekend, but who just needed to check with their mrs or just needed to make sure they weren't working. By the time they all finally came back to me the track day was fully booked! I'm on the reserve list but not holding out a huge amount of hope.
On the positive side though I have booked another half hour session on track at the next Sunday service. Maybe see some of you there. At least it wasn't totally pointless getting her back out of storage.
Now to finish off the bumper mounting.
On the positive side though I have booked another half hour session on track at the next Sunday service. Maybe see some of you there. At least it wasn't totally pointless getting her back out of storage.
Now to finish off the bumper mounting.
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