The road-going racing car - Sam McKee's BMW E36 328i
Discussion
Synchromesh said:
Stop it. Just stop it. I want it back.
Hehe, tough 
Cheers guys, very pleased with the progress so far. The brake lines are Driftworks' own brand, I don't actually know who makes them but since I was ordering parts from DW anyway and knew people who'd fitted them before, seemed worth adding. Nice chunk cheaper than the Goodridge benchmark.
Next event is undecided so far, my work's sprint club will be running again in September, possibly at Blyton again, but I'm hunting for a good value track day on a "proper" circuit. It'd be good to get some real miles on it!
I thought that as well, I was very impressed, especially ordering it on the Monday evening and having it arrive Wednesday morning! £46 before a 10% discount for working for an (unrelated) OEM myself too, nice policy 
It is the very most basic key you could have for a late E36, though - I don't have remote locking and this one doesn't even have the little flashlight, it's just a mechanical key with EWS II transponder. I imagine the more complex ones are a fair bit more expensive.
Thus far I've found the dealer to be absolutely excellent, I use Lancaster BMW in Milton Keynes and nothing is too much trouble. Stuff not in stock arrives extremely quickly, same day if you ring in the morning, and prices are very good indeed for any BMW-manufactured parts. Parts that come from suppliers (eg. alternator, air con condenser etc) are definitely not cheap, mind.
It is the very most basic key you could have for a late E36, though - I don't have remote locking and this one doesn't even have the little flashlight, it's just a mechanical key with EWS II transponder. I imagine the more complex ones are a fair bit more expensive.
Thus far I've found the dealer to be absolutely excellent, I use Lancaster BMW in Milton Keynes and nothing is too much trouble. Stuff not in stock arrives extremely quickly, same day if you ring in the morning, and prices are very good indeed for any BMW-manufactured parts. Parts that come from suppliers (eg. alternator, air con condenser etc) are definitely not cheap, mind.
Life support required after a lonely six weeks at home while I finished off my year's placement:
But with the battery charged back up, she fired without any trouble and ran fine. There were some tappety noises from the head, but a short drive cleared those and then she sailed through an MOT with no problem at all. I'm preparing for another day at Blyton this coming Friday, which involves a shakedown to make sure all was still well (seems so), fitting a less restrictive intake system (more on that to come as parts arrive next week), and bleeding the brakes as the pedal was very, very long. I had some issues with that:
Both rear bleed nipples looked like this, which didn't impress me much. Anyone have any ideas which don't involve replacing the calipers? I bled the fronts anyway, and got a fair bit of air out of those which has helped the pedal feel a bit but it's still spongier than I'd like (and much longer than my E46's very nice response).
Getting back into this after doing a few thousand miles in my E46 reminds me that it's very, very direct and a fair bit quicker!
But with the battery charged back up, she fired without any trouble and ran fine. There were some tappety noises from the head, but a short drive cleared those and then she sailed through an MOT with no problem at all. I'm preparing for another day at Blyton this coming Friday, which involves a shakedown to make sure all was still well (seems so), fitting a less restrictive intake system (more on that to come as parts arrive next week), and bleeding the brakes as the pedal was very, very long. I had some issues with that:
Both rear bleed nipples looked like this, which didn't impress me much. Anyone have any ideas which don't involve replacing the calipers? I bled the fronts anyway, and got a fair bit of air out of those which has helped the pedal feel a bit but it's still spongier than I'd like (and much longer than my E46's very nice response).
Getting back into this after doing a few thousand miles in my E46 reminds me that it's very, very direct and a fair bit quicker!
Thanks - I did try molegrips but the problem was that mine are too wide, so I couldn't clamp just the surface that's meant to have flats, I was getting the nipple itself too. I'll have to see if I can find some narrower ones, but it really does look like they've been welded in place for all the car's 17 years which is confusing!
Another very successful day at Blyton Park, this time on the much more technical Eastern layout. Recommended - it took a few sessions to really get my head round it and the great big long right-hander "Curva Grande" doesn't seem to have any correct answer, so there's plenty of challenge there for an airfield track.
Plenty of challenge for my brakes, too
after four ten-tenth laps I got a big vibration under braking, initially thought a wheel bearing might have collapsed but after a cooldown lap, my rear brakes were still pluming smoke and had scored the discs, despite having lots of friction material left! Oops. EBC Redstuff pads on order for those to match the front!
Other than that, no problems at all, the car performed brilliantly and I was thoroughly impressed with the suspension setup. I had the wheel alignment sorted out, since it appeared to be all to cock since fitting the coilovers, and this was £85 well spent since I had about forty minutes total front toe out, not evenly distributed, and a rear right that toed out while the rear left toed in, crabwise.. Now though, I have the following settings:
Front: -2.00° camber, -12' (1.6mm) total toe (out).
Rear: -1.50° camber, +10' (1.2mm) total toe (in).
I didn't have the caster measured, and the way I have the coilovers installed means I can't adjust it. Less camber at the rear is intentional since it has camber gain when loaded up, the front doesn't. These were based on some collective wisdom for E36 M3 setups and felt hugely better (unsurprisingly), it's now a very adjustable platform and great fun to slide around.
Here's a video of my fastest timed run: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LaKVF37VNdY
And for comparison, take a look back at the absurd lack of body control, failed damper-based juddering and general sogginess when I started out back in May: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpo3WM6pgqM
It really isn't an exaggeration to say it's like driving a different car! I'm thrilled with the results, and notching up a class win and second overall in the sprint series is a nice bonus
Oh, and if it sounds a bit different, that might be something to do with this little setup..
Sounds fantastic, massively louder and gives the car so much more "urge", I love it! Heatshield seems to do its job fine, no apparent loss of power and the inlet temp doesn't seem to rise in hard use. I've got a dyno run booked on Saturday so it'll be very interesting to see a) how it performs as standard anyway, and b) what impact the open filter has when fitted.
Plenty of challenge for my brakes, too
after four ten-tenth laps I got a big vibration under braking, initially thought a wheel bearing might have collapsed but after a cooldown lap, my rear brakes were still pluming smoke and had scored the discs, despite having lots of friction material left! Oops. EBC Redstuff pads on order for those to match the front!Other than that, no problems at all, the car performed brilliantly and I was thoroughly impressed with the suspension setup. I had the wheel alignment sorted out, since it appeared to be all to cock since fitting the coilovers, and this was £85 well spent since I had about forty minutes total front toe out, not evenly distributed, and a rear right that toed out while the rear left toed in, crabwise.. Now though, I have the following settings:
Front: -2.00° camber, -12' (1.6mm) total toe (out).
Rear: -1.50° camber, +10' (1.2mm) total toe (in).
I didn't have the caster measured, and the way I have the coilovers installed means I can't adjust it. Less camber at the rear is intentional since it has camber gain when loaded up, the front doesn't. These were based on some collective wisdom for E36 M3 setups and felt hugely better (unsurprisingly), it's now a very adjustable platform and great fun to slide around.
Here's a video of my fastest timed run: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LaKVF37VNdY
And for comparison, take a look back at the absurd lack of body control, failed damper-based juddering and general sogginess when I started out back in May: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpo3WM6pgqM
It really isn't an exaggeration to say it's like driving a different car! I'm thrilled with the results, and notching up a class win and second overall in the sprint series is a nice bonus
Oh, and if it sounds a bit different, that might be something to do with this little setup..
Sounds fantastic, massively louder and gives the car so much more "urge", I love it! Heatshield seems to do its job fine, no apparent loss of power and the inlet temp doesn't seem to rise in hard use. I've got a dyno run booked on Saturday so it'll be very interesting to see a) how it performs as standard anyway, and b) what impact the open filter has when fitted.
Ah yeah, I almost forgot, a colleague on the last Blyton sprint managed to capture this rather pleasing bit of oppo
And after a few comments that the Kumhos are pleasingly smokey on launch, one of the marshalls decided to take this to demonstrate.. Seems they were right!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6AQDoE2yuOM
Next outing is planned for 1st November, open pit day on Bedford's GT layout, where I'll be sharing the car with my other half! Should make for a great day. New rear discs and Redstuff pads required before then, but otherwise I think it's in good shape
And after a few comments that the Kumhos are pleasingly smokey on launch, one of the marshalls decided to take this to demonstrate.. Seems they were right!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6AQDoE2yuOM
Next outing is planned for 1st November, open pit day on Bedford's GT layout, where I'll be sharing the car with my other half! Should make for a great day. New rear discs and Redstuff pads required before then, but otherwise I think it's in good shape
Nice pic there. Always annoying when you get home from a day out and it looks like you were just commuting in all the photos. Pretty much all of mine did from Bedford a few weeks ago.
As far as your bleed nipples go. I had the same problem. Undid them in the end with mole grips. Then replaced them with these.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/321234195912?_trksid=p20...
They aren't seized in usually, they just rust quickly because they are so small. I'm on my third set now. But at least they are cheap.
As far as your bleed nipples go. I had the same problem. Undid them in the end with mole grips. Then replaced them with these.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/321234195912?_trksid=p20...
They aren't seized in usually, they just rust quickly because they are so small. I'm on my third set now. But at least they are cheap.
Thanks! I agree with you there, it's actually worse on the new suspension setup because the car barely rolls at all - this looks pretty pedestrian but was on the limit:
I think replacement bleed nipples are definitely a good idea, thanks for the link. My front ones are fine, it's the rears that are causing the problem, but it's hard to find definitive info on what thread they are. The fronts use a 7mm spanner and the rears a 6mm, and I have read in places that some rear calipers have M6x1 threads. I'm hoping BMW have been sensible and only used the ludicrously small 6mm nut to indicate an M6 thread within...
Maybe I'll just take a punt on M6x1 and hope I can coax the originals out somehow. These ones look nice, for having 8mm nuts which a) is more sensible and b) makes it possible to fit a socket over the nipple end!
I think replacement bleed nipples are definitely a good idea, thanks for the link. My front ones are fine, it's the rears that are causing the problem, but it's hard to find definitive info on what thread they are. The fronts use a 7mm spanner and the rears a 6mm, and I have read in places that some rear calipers have M6x1 threads. I'm hoping BMW have been sensible and only used the ludicrously small 6mm nut to indicate an M6 thread within...
Maybe I'll just take a punt on M6x1 and hope I can coax the originals out somehow. These ones look nice, for having 8mm nuts which a) is more sensible and b) makes it possible to fit a socket over the nipple end!
I thought I'd put the best bits of the footage I have so far into a little video telling the story - if you have a few minutes spare, take a look and let me know what you think
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LHRaiBCeRRk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LHRaiBCeRRk
Thanks! Yours looks a lovely example, I really like that. A baby, at a whole three thousand miles younger than mine!
Now tempted by updating to clear lenses.. and replacing the missing fog lamp.. must keep reminding myself it's a track car and I should spend my money on brakes instead
Now tempted by updating to clear lenses.. and replacing the missing fog lamp.. must keep reminding myself it's a track car and I should spend my money on brakes instead
The pictured 328i was sold a year or so ago, to a Pole who took it straight to Poland on a transporter. I'd stick with the amber indicators on the E36, I think they look better, though it's all down to preference. Some people put Amber indicators back on E46s, even facelift ones, for the "US" look.
Parking my E46 side by side with PHer BorkFactor's example sparks off the amber/clear debate nicely!
I do like the look of my E36 at the moment, but yours struck me as looking a lot more modern and I think the lenses play a big part.
Ever helpful it's on the wrong bloody side! Though I have before now thought "Well, if one's missing I might as well take the other out to match and run some ducting through"..
A little bit down the to do list at the moment, though, first is replacing those nightmare rear bleed nipples and second is deciding what brake discs to go for. Ideally something that won't start overheating and warping once it gets hot against decent pads, but then it needs to keep to the budget approach too
I do like the look of my E36 at the moment, but yours struck me as looking a lot more modern and I think the lenses play a big part.
722Adam said:
McSam said:
Now tempted by updating to clear lenses.. and fitting a cold air feed through the missing fog lamp aperture... because track car.
Sorted that for you it's on the wrong bloody side! Though I have before now thought "Well, if one's missing I might as well take the other out to match and run some ducting through"..A little bit down the to do list at the moment, though, first is replacing those nightmare rear bleed nipples and second is deciding what brake discs to go for. Ideally something that won't start overheating and warping once it gets hot against decent pads, but then it needs to keep to the budget approach too
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