Discussion
Couple of hundred miles in and all appears to be well. Performance is strong and it seems much smoother throughout the rev range since swapping injectors.
One thing I have noticed is how much cooler the engine is running now, compared to how it was before when fitted with the larger capacity Moroso sump, despite the much higher ambient temperature. Coolant temperature used to be 90 degrees on regular running but it now stays at around 85. Oil temperature is also lower. I'm wondering if the extra heat was coming from the premature wear in the bearings?
The Eisenmann race exhaust is on route but I have been looking into having a full performance system made to offer to other owners.
There are just a couple of jobs left now, the first of which is moving my seat position. I want to get it as low in the car as I can, whilst increasing the rearward tilt. The lack of space will most likely mean bringing it forward an inch or two though.
There's also a new hillclimb event here in Cornwall. It's the UK's first 'closed road' event since the law was changed to allow them. Hopefully I can enter both days, although my race suit etc is out of date now and replacement isn't cheap.
http://www.watergatebayhillclimb.co.uk/#
One thing I have noticed is how much cooler the engine is running now, compared to how it was before when fitted with the larger capacity Moroso sump, despite the much higher ambient temperature. Coolant temperature used to be 90 degrees on regular running but it now stays at around 85. Oil temperature is also lower. I'm wondering if the extra heat was coming from the premature wear in the bearings?
The Eisenmann race exhaust is on route but I have been looking into having a full performance system made to offer to other owners.
There are just a couple of jobs left now, the first of which is moving my seat position. I want to get it as low in the car as I can, whilst increasing the rearward tilt. The lack of space will most likely mean bringing it forward an inch or two though.
There's also a new hillclimb event here in Cornwall. It's the UK's first 'closed road' event since the law was changed to allow them. Hopefully I can enter both days, although my race suit etc is out of date now and replacement isn't cheap.
http://www.watergatebayhillclimb.co.uk/#
Fitted the Eisenmann exhaust and really happy with the results. It's their race spec' system, so a bit louder than the usual one but it's certainly not over the top. It has a really nice tone and sounds great on overrun. The tailpipes look way nicer too.
I've got a slot in a local hillclimb event in September ( www.watergatebayhillclimb.co.uk ) and am really looking forward to taking it up the hill in anger. Everything appears to be working together and I've really enjoyed putting a few miles on it in the recent good weather. Those Nankang AR-1 have really come into their own. They're an excellent tyre and really inspire confidence.
It's great to be back enjoying the E30 once again. When the day comes that I have to sell I just don't know what I can get that'll even come close?
I've got a slot in a local hillclimb event in September ( www.watergatebayhillclimb.co.uk ) and am really looking forward to taking it up the hill in anger. Everything appears to be working together and I've really enjoyed putting a few miles on it in the recent good weather. Those Nankang AR-1 have really come into their own. They're an excellent tyre and really inspire confidence.
It's great to be back enjoying the E30 once again. When the day comes that I have to sell I just don't know what I can get that'll even come close?
Edited by e30m3Mark on Friday 27th July 16:56
Fitted the Eisenmann exhaust and really happy with the results. It's their race spec' system, so a bit louder than the usual one but it's certainly not over the top. It has a really nice tone and sounds great on overrun. The tailpipes look way nicer too.
I've got a slot in a local hillclimb event in September ( www.watergatebayhillclimb.co.uk ) and am really looking forward to taking it up the hill in anger. Everything appears to be working together and I've really enjoyed putting a few miles on it in the recent good weather. Those Nankang AR-1 have really come into their own. They're an excellent tyre and really inspire confidence.
It's great to be back enjoying the E30 once again. When the day comes that I have to sell I just don't know what I can get that'll even come close?
I've got a slot in a local hillclimb event in September ( www.watergatebayhillclimb.co.uk ) and am really looking forward to taking it up the hill in anger. Everything appears to be working together and I've really enjoyed putting a few miles on it in the recent good weather. Those Nankang AR-1 have really come into their own. They're an excellent tyre and really inspire confidence.
It's great to be back enjoying the E30 once again. When the day comes that I have to sell I just don't know what I can get that'll even come close?
Edited by e30m3Mark on Friday 27th July 21:58
Well the Eisenmann exhaust has been on for a while and a good few miles now and I'm really happy with the fit, finish and most of all, the sound! I know it's subjective but it just sounds so much nicer than the old Supersprint system. The pops and crackles on overrun are much more obvious than they were.
I've just done another oil change and sliced into the old filter to see if there was any glitter evident? There wasn't.
Just clean, gold coloured oil and no hint of fuel aroma. I've been a bit obsessive over oil and coolant temperatures of late but given the past 12 months or so, it's hardly surprising. Coolant is pretty much consistent at 85 - 87 degrees and oil temperature is 87 - 89 degrees.
Hopefully, once Retro Rides is over and my bank account is a little healthier, I can start looking at spring rates and getting the suspension as I want it.
I've just done another oil change and sliced into the old filter to see if there was any glitter evident? There wasn't.
Just clean, gold coloured oil and no hint of fuel aroma. I've been a bit obsessive over oil and coolant temperatures of late but given the past 12 months or so, it's hardly surprising. Coolant is pretty much consistent at 85 - 87 degrees and oil temperature is 87 - 89 degrees.Hopefully, once Retro Rides is over and my bank account is a little healthier, I can start looking at spring rates and getting the suspension as I want it.
I didn't but it was definitely a bit lighter than the Supersprint. Mind you, neither are what you might call light. The splatter is just carbon / water I think? I placed a bit of cardboard behind the car and gave it a few revs but there was no sign of anything untoward.
Just given the engine bay a spanner check and I want to move my seat forward a couple of inches. Hopefully I can get a bit more reclined too and fit the door bars again?
It also looks as though I may be doing a video for Petrolicious soon.
Just given the engine bay a spanner check and I want to move my seat forward a couple of inches. Hopefully I can get a bit more reclined too and fit the door bars again?
It also looks as though I may be doing a video for Petrolicious soon.
As a) I'm heading out of Cornwall and past attempts have been disastrous and b) I will be trying to drive up a hill flat out, several times, I figured I would get the M3 up on a lift today and give it a thorough spanner check. The s14 vibrates a lot and things have a habit of working loose if you don't keep an eye on them. I usually do that trick where you dab a little bit of yellow paint on nuts / bolts as a tell if anything should move. I always check the alternator bracket as I've had those fracture twice over the years.
Having done the oil and filter change last week, it'll be just a case of checking all fluid levels. One thing I do want to do though is move my seat forward a little more. I'm hoping that will then mean there clearance for a couple more degrees of recline? It should mean a better route for the harness shoulder straps although I was thinking of adding a harness bar to the roll cage instead? I also want to refit the door bars but I have a weakness in my left leg which makes lifting it over a door bar pretty difficult. An option may be to fabricate a new bar that hugs the sill?
I want to try and get some video from the weekend so will try and mount the couple of GoPro cameras I have here. Unfortunately neither accepts an auxiliary microphone so the audio might be pretty poor. I'll give it a go though.
Having done the oil and filter change last week, it'll be just a case of checking all fluid levels. One thing I do want to do though is move my seat forward a little more. I'm hoping that will then mean there clearance for a couple more degrees of recline? It should mean a better route for the harness shoulder straps although I was thinking of adding a harness bar to the roll cage instead? I also want to refit the door bars but I have a weakness in my left leg which makes lifting it over a door bar pretty difficult. An option may be to fabricate a new bar that hugs the sill?
I want to try and get some video from the weekend so will try and mount the couple of GoPro cameras I have here. Unfortunately neither accepts an auxiliary microphone so the audio might be pretty poor. I'll give it a go though.
Thank you.
It's funny but I've only ever had a couple of Italian cars. Both were lovely though. A '78 Alfasud 1.5ti and an '82 Lancia Beta 1600, when I was in my 20's. I loved their styling and the 'Sud sounded great too. It was soon after that I got my first BMW. A mint green 1502 which was out the back of a local car dealer for clearance. It had some rust but it drove really well. I was smitten though and have had a BMW of some type ever since.
It's funny but I've only ever had a couple of Italian cars. Both were lovely though. A '78 Alfasud 1.5ti and an '82 Lancia Beta 1600, when I was in my 20's. I loved their styling and the 'Sud sounded great too. It was soon after that I got my first BMW. A mint green 1502 which was out the back of a local car dealer for clearance. It had some rust but it drove really well. I was smitten though and have had a BMW of some type ever since.
sixpistons said:
the bills look properly wounding so hats off for persevering. Nice to see one that's still in the hands of a proper enthusiast and driven, rather than a showpiece for wealthy speculators.
I can't deny it's been a bit of a struggle finding the cash but my Mrs has been very understanding and my job means I can pretty much work for as many hours as I can stay awake for. It wasn't always easy to stay motivated though. That said, this is a very 'first world' problem and I'm well aware just how lucky I am to even own an E30! I know what you mean about the whole 'squirrel away as an investment' ethos some owners have though. It's just not an option for me. I used to daydream about having a car like this over 25 years ago and driving it takes me back to that time. I know how corny and cliched that sounds but it's true. I like it when I see people do a double take. I guess people just don't expect to see an E30 M3 on the road nowadays, let alone one that barks and pops on overrun like mine? I like seeing other people enjoy it. I've lost count of the times I've come out of Sainsbury's and hung back while people take pictures. As I say, I'm very lucky.
Well last weekend I racked up about 600 miles, which included a handful of 'spirited' runs up the hill at Shelsey Walsh. The car was simply fantastic and never missed a beat all weekend.
The only things of note were the clutch, which was slow to bite on the 3rd run. In fairness the tyres were hot, there was a lot of rubber down and I did give it a fair bit of throttle but it just didn't bite as hard as you'd expect / hope. Just to play safe, I am going to fit a paddle clutch before next months event at Watergate Bay. The other thing was my losing some brake pedal, although taking up some slack on the rear (using a couple of clicks of the handbrake) brought it back again. I'm going to swap pads anyway, so a thorough inspection is in the post.
I'm also making a film for one of the larger, more established YouTube channels and they were there filming all day Sunday. Some of the footage is just brilliant and the car looks and sounds great. There are 2 further days filming down here in Cornwall (including drone footage) and then it'll be released a week or 2 later I believe? The only downside is my appearing on camera, as nobody wants that inflicted on them, including me! I'll apologise in advance!
Hopefully I will have a few pics from the day a bit later.
The only things of note were the clutch, which was slow to bite on the 3rd run. In fairness the tyres were hot, there was a lot of rubber down and I did give it a fair bit of throttle but it just didn't bite as hard as you'd expect / hope. Just to play safe, I am going to fit a paddle clutch before next months event at Watergate Bay. The other thing was my losing some brake pedal, although taking up some slack on the rear (using a couple of clicks of the handbrake) brought it back again. I'm going to swap pads anyway, so a thorough inspection is in the post.
I'm also making a film for one of the larger, more established YouTube channels and they were there filming all day Sunday. Some of the footage is just brilliant and the car looks and sounds great. There are 2 further days filming down here in Cornwall (including drone footage) and then it'll be released a week or 2 later I believe? The only downside is my appearing on camera, as nobody wants that inflicted on them, including me! I'll apologise in advance!
Hopefully I will have a few pics from the day a bit later.
stevesingo said:
helix402 said:
Do you have a hydraulic handbrake? The normal one works a set of brake shoes.
Losing some brake could be pad knock back. Do your calipers have anti-knockback springs?
I don't know is the honest answer Steve, but I'm pretty certain the problem relates to the rear brakes somehow. In fact, after applying and releasing the handbrake a few times, it seems to have fixed itself. I'm still going to strip the rear system when it next goes to ARM though and I want to replace the Hawk pads for something with more initial bite. The Hawk are great once they've got some heat in them though.
I spent the day at Shelsey Walsh / Retro Rides filming with Thomas Garner Films and Mumbo Vlogs, who were shooting on behalf of Petrolicious. They also came to Cornwall where we spent a further 2 days filming and the footage of the car itself is simply stunning. The sound recordings really captured the very best of the s14. All being well the video is due for release in mid October. Just fast forward to bits with me in.
In just over 2 weeks I am entered in a closed road hill climb event near Newquay. In fact there will be a couple of E30 M3 as ARM are also entered in their Grp A rally car. It's promising to be quite an event. www.watergatebayhillclimb.co.uk
This time next week the first days hillclimb will be over, so I've been giving the car a thorough spanner check. I'm also changing the plugs and oil, plus replacing the brake fluid. Unfortunately I just cannot afford to fit the paddle clutch just yet so will just have to drive with an element of mechanical sympathy, which I usually do anyway.
Although I fitted a new AFR gauge I've been obsessively checking the plugs for their colour and sniffing the oil for any sign of excessively rich mixture. I've also been looking for any sign of metal in the oil. Fortunately everything remains in fine fettle and performance is really strong. The exhaust note has changed a little now there's a bit of carbon build up in the new silencer but it still sounds great. There's no drone on dual carriageways either, although it was never going to be exactly quiet was it?
Unfortunately, when checking the bodywork, I found a small scab of corrosion on the front screen surround. It's nothing major and mostly cosmetic but it'll mean removing the front screen to do the job properly. I'm tempted to use it as an opportunity to fit a heated front screen as I will most likely take the car off the road over the winter. I should be at Mallory at the end of November and if I can work enough hours, I want to get across to the Nurburgring too, so repair will most likely have to wait till after then. It's only been a couple of years since the front screen was replaced and there was no corrosion then, so just shows how quickly it can appear I guess?
Now I need to go and sort the tow straps for next weeks hillclimb and make a timing strut for the front.
Although I fitted a new AFR gauge I've been obsessively checking the plugs for their colour and sniffing the oil for any sign of excessively rich mixture. I've also been looking for any sign of metal in the oil. Fortunately everything remains in fine fettle and performance is really strong. The exhaust note has changed a little now there's a bit of carbon build up in the new silencer but it still sounds great. There's no drone on dual carriageways either, although it was never going to be exactly quiet was it?
Unfortunately, when checking the bodywork, I found a small scab of corrosion on the front screen surround. It's nothing major and mostly cosmetic but it'll mean removing the front screen to do the job properly. I'm tempted to use it as an opportunity to fit a heated front screen as I will most likely take the car off the road over the winter. I should be at Mallory at the end of November and if I can work enough hours, I want to get across to the Nurburgring too, so repair will most likely have to wait till after then. It's only been a couple of years since the front screen was replaced and there was no corrosion then, so just shows how quickly it can appear I guess?
Now I need to go and sort the tow straps for next weeks hillclimb and make a timing strut for the front.
lastofthev8s said:
Have been reading through the thread over the past few days as love what you’ve done with the car, it’s a real credit to you. Some seriously bad luck with things along the way and I admire your persistence with it - I guess it’s just worth it for the good times experienced. Again great car, best of luck with it and hope you get a trouble free run once things are all sorted to how you'd like it
Thanks. Yes, I guess it's a bit like child birth? All that grunting, groaning, moaning and pain but you forget it all when your baby is everything you'd hoped.
That and the never ending expense!I've decided to just replace the whole front scuttle now they're readily available from BMW. You have to produce your V5 and matching identification obviously. I just figured it's better to continue doing the jobs properly than risk not getting every bit of corrosion and having to do the job again a couple of years from now. I'm going to drop the suspension and either replace it or at least have KW do a refurb'. I'll also look at messing around with spring rates and finding a more compliant set-up.
I'm really looking forward to www.watergatebayhillclimb.co.uk this coming weekend. I have a few friends entered in various other BMW, including Joe from ARM (who look after my car) in his full on rally E30 M3. His makes well over 300bhp, revs past 9K rpm and has a Drenth sequential gearbox and flat shift. It sounds incredible and he's a pretty good driver, so I imagine it'll be a respectfully quick time he puts in. Some of us are just there to have fun and make up the numbers though!
Edited by e30m3Mark on Tuesday 11th September 10:22
Slippydiff said:
Have you sought advice on fitting this Mark ? They're normally a bit too fierce for road cars, far better just to find an upgraded cover and plate rather than going to a paddle (though clearly it depends on what type of paddle you intend using ? Organic or sintered ?) The latter would be brilliant for hillclimb starts, sequential/dog 'boxes, but grim for road use.
No, although I ran one in my old E21/m52 2.8 daily so know they can take some getting used to. The one I'm fitting was in ARM's car for a couple of hours but was changed when they swapped out the flywheel and went with the Drenth sequential gearbox. I believe it's an organic, so not quite as severe, but if it's too harsh I'll just take it back out again. 
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