Discussion
Have been working with CompBrake on putting together a BBK to replace the current Tarox. Initially they wanted a hub to use for measurements etc but Stevesingo came to the rescue and provided a CAD file instead. I'm very grateful to Steve for all his help in recent months.
The front kit consists of 330mm grooved discs and a 6 pot calliper, along with new braided lines and different pads. In fact, one of the reasons I opted for CompBrake is they work with Hawk pads and I thought they were great when I used them in my old 325i track car. These should be quite a step up from the current brakes.
The alternator has been playing up and only making 11.9 volt since replacing the voltage regulator. Fortunately, a quick clean of the wiring and a new belt sorted things. I also cleaned up the pulleys to make sure there was no belt slippage. It makes a steady 14 volts now, although I always leave the battery on trickle charge just to be safe.
A couple of recent sunny days (well dry and above freezing anyway) have given me a chance to try the AR-1 Nankang's out and they're bloody good. I really can't wait to try them on track and really put them through their paces. All being well I've got some track time at Goodwood in late May. I also hope to be going to Spa and the 'Ring at some point.
All appears well with the engine and I'm starting to feel more confident in it. The oil pressure and both oil and water temp's are pretty constant and the new rad is certainly more efficient than the old Mishimoto one. It's good to have a working AFR gauge again too. All being well. I'm going to Castle Combe on Monday and that'll be the first longer journey since the rebuild. I just want to do an oil change first and am toying with the idea of sending a sample of the drained oil for analysis, just to put my mind at rest, but then I saw the cost! Granted it might potentially warn you of an impending engine failure but it ain't cheap!
The front kit consists of 330mm grooved discs and a 6 pot calliper, along with new braided lines and different pads. In fact, one of the reasons I opted for CompBrake is they work with Hawk pads and I thought they were great when I used them in my old 325i track car. These should be quite a step up from the current brakes.
The alternator has been playing up and only making 11.9 volt since replacing the voltage regulator. Fortunately, a quick clean of the wiring and a new belt sorted things. I also cleaned up the pulleys to make sure there was no belt slippage. It makes a steady 14 volts now, although I always leave the battery on trickle charge just to be safe.
A couple of recent sunny days (well dry and above freezing anyway) have given me a chance to try the AR-1 Nankang's out and they're bloody good. I really can't wait to try them on track and really put them through their paces. All being well I've got some track time at Goodwood in late May. I also hope to be going to Spa and the 'Ring at some point.
All appears well with the engine and I'm starting to feel more confident in it. The oil pressure and both oil and water temp's are pretty constant and the new rad is certainly more efficient than the old Mishimoto one. It's good to have a working AFR gauge again too. All being well. I'm going to Castle Combe on Monday and that'll be the first longer journey since the rebuild. I just want to do an oil change first and am toying with the idea of sending a sample of the drained oil for analysis, just to put my mind at rest, but then I saw the cost! Granted it might potentially warn you of an impending engine failure but it ain't cheap!
Veeayt said:
e30m3Mark said:
Anyone who says 4 pots can't sound great needs to hear a sorted s14!
Video proof, pleasehttps://youtu.be/fW7Rp5eWbtE
Now the weather has improved (a bit anyway) and ambient temperature is up I have finally been able to give the Nankang tyres a bit more of a work out. There are some pretty good roads down here and it's not too hard to have a spirited drive without being a nuisance to other road users. The tyres feel great and I'm really looking forward to getting out on track. Initial turn in and front end grip was about as good as you could hope for and certainly gave me confidence.
The engine is still good and healthy. I've been keeping an eye on the oil colour and condition and plan on doing a change in a couple of weeks. I'll take the opportunity to send a sample of the old stuff off for analysis although I don't foresee and problems. I just want to be 100% before I head out on track.
The new brakes should be here next week and should be quite a step up from the current brakes. I've used Hawk pads before and they always proved to be consistent. I'm a decidedly average driver but I am really looking forward to learning more about my car and improving on my abilities. I only do track stuff for fun but I enjoy pushing myself and getting the best from the car. It's why I bought the E30, although I know some folk think I'm daft for taking it out on track.
The engine is still good and healthy. I've been keeping an eye on the oil colour and condition and plan on doing a change in a couple of weeks. I'll take the opportunity to send a sample of the old stuff off for analysis although I don't foresee and problems. I just want to be 100% before I head out on track.
The new brakes should be here next week and should be quite a step up from the current brakes. I've used Hawk pads before and they always proved to be consistent. I'm a decidedly average driver but I am really looking forward to learning more about my car and improving on my abilities. I only do track stuff for fun but I enjoy pushing myself and getting the best from the car. It's why I bought the E30, although I know some folk think I'm daft for taking it out on track.
Great to see it's back in action Mark, hopefully you can put the saga behind you now!! Will watch in interest how the Compbrake kit works out; amongst the snobs the likes of Compbrake, Wilwood etc are very much seen as the poor relation to AP's which of course are great but cost ££££. So to go from AP to Compbrake should be interesting. Opinions on the Compbrake calipers seem to go from one extreme to the other! Personally I think they look like good value...
Unfortunately the AP's I bought didn't actually fit and I reverted back to Tarox. I remember Tarox being a brand held in high esteem when I first started getting interested in cars 25 years ago, but till fairly recently they appeared pretty much forgotten. They've been great for me though. I opted to go with CompBrake because I knew the name, having used their top mounts on my old E21, but also after seeing Guy Martin use them when he modified his Transit. I figured that if they can haul down a Transit from 150+ they should be OK on an E30!? CompBrake also work with Hawk and I've used their pads in my old 325i. They were excellent, especially given they're a moderately priced pad. The final thing was how CompBrake reacted when I told them what I wanted. They really went the extra mile to help me out and mine is actually their first E30 M3 kit. It should be here in a few days and I'm looking forward to getting a proper look at them and bolting them on. Yes, if I had the cash I would have liked AP's front and rear, but that's a good few £K's and just out of my league. CompBrake might not give me the same bragging rights but I don't see any reason why their brakes shouldn't perform perfectly well.
Well this morning was spent fitting the new brakes from CompBrake. I decided against shiny gold or whatever for the callipers and they look great in black. The whole set-up is considerably larger than the Tarox they're replacing so I'm really looking forward to the increased braking performance.
I've got some track time at Goodwood next month and am in 2 minds whether to go with the suspension spring rates I have, or swap them out for Group N?
|https://thumbsnap.com/TwfTgK3D[/url]
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I've got some track time at Goodwood next month and am in 2 minds whether to go with the suspension spring rates I have, or swap them out for Group N?
|https://thumbsnap.com/TwfTgK3D[/url]|https://thumbsnap.com/9X2TqD4p[/url]Edited by e30m3Mark on Tuesday 20th November 19:14
Well I've put a few miles on the new brakes and took the time to bed the Hawk HPS pads in properly. I may swap out the HPS for the plus or possibly Carbotech? That said, the DS2500 have been pretty good except for the amount of dust they give off.
Although I try not to be too silly, the A39 between Newquay and Bude is good fun. Especially when the sun is out like today. What did surprise me though, was the difference in feel between the old DS2500 and the Hawk. Whilst the overall braking is definitely greater with the new set-up, that initial bite and feel seemed better with the old pads. I guess I could always go back to DS2500 and run them in the new callipers? I'll see how I get on at Goodwood next month.
Apart from that everything seems to be fine with the E30 and I'm just looking forward to Goodwood and finally getting it out on a track I know (kind of anyway) with an engine making half decent power. I also intend heading over the the 'Ring and Spa in June or July.
Although I try not to be too silly, the A39 between Newquay and Bude is good fun. Especially when the sun is out like today. What did surprise me though, was the difference in feel between the old DS2500 and the Hawk. Whilst the overall braking is definitely greater with the new set-up, that initial bite and feel seemed better with the old pads. I guess I could always go back to DS2500 and run them in the new callipers? I'll see how I get on at Goodwood next month.
Apart from that everything seems to be fine with the E30 and I'm just looking forward to Goodwood and finally getting it out on a track I know (kind of anyway) with an engine making half decent power. I also intend heading over the the 'Ring and Spa in June or July.
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