Craig's 328i Sport - e36 Track Car Build Thread

Craig's 328i Sport - e36 Track Car Build Thread

Author
Discussion

joe_90

4,206 posts

230 months

Tuesday 24th April 2012
quotequote all
Do you find bleeding these things is a pain in the arse.

Also.. I think I have a problem with my rad cap.

If I squeeze the pipe before the water pump do you get a hissing noise (air being pushed out) from the rad cap.. Im thinking the seal has gone, which is letting some water bubble over.

Johnboy Mac

2,666 posts

177 months

Tuesday 24th April 2012
quotequote all
joe_90 said:
Do you find bleeding these things is a pain in the arse.
Had a similar problem. I ended up opening the heater return hose - just enough to let air escape, back filling both top and bottom rad hoses and opening the two bleeder screws in turn.

joe_90

4,206 posts

230 months

Tuesday 24th April 2012
quotequote all
Johnboy Mac said:
joe_90 said:
Do you find bleeding these things is a pain in the arse.
Had a similar problem. I ended up opening the heater return hose - just enough to let air escape, back filling both top and bottom rad hoses and opening the two bleeder screws in turn.
2 bleeder screws? I just have one on the top of the rad (I have changed the rad/waterpump etc)and didn't see a second screw?

Johnboy Mac

2,666 posts

177 months

Tuesday 24th April 2012
quotequote all
joe_90 said:
2 bleeder screws? I just have one on the top of the rad (I have changed the rad/waterpump etc)and didn't see a second screw?
A good question, it's been a longtime. 2nd one on l/h/s attached to one of the hoses?


Edit: Don't want to send you off on a wild goose chase and as I said it's been longtime but fairly sure I recall two bleed screws. Hopefully someone else can advise.

Edited by Johnboy Mac on Tuesday 24th April 11:46

Craig!

Original Poster:

349 posts

196 months

Wednesday 25th April 2012
quotequote all
There's only the one bleed screw on the radiator, I found you have to have the heater on high (opens flow to the matrix) the car has to get up to temp fully (thermostat open) and holding the revs at 2500rpm help.

S3_Graham

12,830 posts

198 months

Wednesday 25th April 2012
quotequote all
Craig! said:
There's only the one bleed screw on the radiator, I found you have to have the heater on high (opens flow to the matrix) the car has to get up to temp fully (thermostat open) and holding the revs at 2500rpm help.
I had a nightmare bleeding mine. I read that tilting the front of the car up helps. I.e. putting front wheels up a kerb. Seemed to sort mine. Although it was third time in a week of bleeding it!

BJT

2,344 posts

246 months

Monday 14th May 2012
quotequote all
I finally read the article on your car Craig (magazines are backing up). It looks (looked) fantastic.
Any more updates?

mintno1

154 posts

188 months

Tuesday 15th May 2012
quotequote all
Glad to see the car getting put back together, saw the article a couple of weeks ago, car looked great.
Quick question, where did you get the spoiler from? Is it a 4 piece spoiler or just 2 piece?

Thank you in advance.

Cheers
Gareth

crimbo

1,308 posts

227 months

Thursday 4th October 2012
quotequote all
Brilliant that you have fixed it instead of just getting another, defo the best decision.

great to see the lads at CRM-Tech helping out, I can recomend them to. Installed a M3 evo rear end into my 328 in record time aswell as always having anything I need at a good rate. beer

Look forward to seeing pics of this back on track

Craig!

Original Poster:

349 posts

196 months

Sunday 13th January 2013
quotequote all
Thought I best update this thread as it’s been quite awhile since I have, in fact it’s been quite awhile since I’ve used the car too!

First off, the reasons for not updating this thread are described in the next picture;



Yes, bricks and mortar!

Basically I bought a house that ‘needed a quick spruce up’ this very quickly turned into gut the whole thing and start again. So, over the last few months I’ve fitted new internal doors, external doors, windows, French doors, re-pointed, re-plumbed and fitted new radiators to the whole house as well as rip out all the old decor and start again!

Obviously all this work has took up any spare time I was to have to spend on the BMW, and it’s still not done just yet but give it 6-weeks and it’ll be there.

One of the main plans, and the reason why I bought this specific house was because of the potential for a 3 car drive and an oversized double garage, again I was expecting to do this in the fall but the house work put the brakes on those plans.

So, before knocking down the old garage I thought the best thing to do was utilise the old for now and get the BMW ready for some 2013 track days;



There she is, in all her purple and red glory.

Plans, well same as I planned last winter and never got round to; re-build the back axel and run some new brake lines, and of course paint it red again. Nothing too exciting but really looking forward to spending some time on the old girl, not to mention driving her!

DavidTillyer

38 posts

182 months

Thursday 30th May 2013
quotequote all
I love this project!

I have been looking for my next car/project and after reading this I think the E36 328 might just be perfect for me. A car I can drive to work and take on the track. Also when done right a very good looking car.


wjb

5,100 posts

130 months

Thursday 30th May 2013
quotequote all
Great thread.

The Horse Man

259 posts

170 months

Thursday 30th May 2013
quotequote all
wjb said:
Great thread.
Yup

Read every page, great work. Thanks for posting.

sniff diesel

13,107 posts

211 months

melvster

6,841 posts

184 months

Thursday 20th March 2014
quotequote all
For £5k i would snap your hand off for that price. Wish i was in the position to buy it frown

sniff diesel

13,107 posts

211 months

Thursday 20th March 2014
quotequote all
melvster said:
For £5k i would snap your hand off for that price. Wish i was in the position to buy it frown
Thanks Melv, good to know I've got the price right. TBH I'd rather stick it into storage somewhere than take much less. It's got to be one of the cleanest E36's you'll ever see.

Was tempted to spend a couple of grand to put an M3 engine in it, would possibly be worth even more then.

melvster

6,841 posts

184 months

Thursday 20th March 2014
quotequote all
I would keep it as a 328 if it was mine. Went out in a 328 last yeat at Anglessey which had a shorter the final drive to about 130 mph; top of 4th was about 85 and it felt 3.0 M3 quick up to about 80ish. It's a Blue one owned by a lad on here i think, takes part in a few DN events.

As for the price, i dont think you find a clean rot free shell and build it to your spec for £5k. Should sell quickly especially as the track season is now here.

sniff diesel

13,107 posts

211 months

Thursday 20th March 2014
quotequote all
Sounds like my mate Matthew Pinder's car.

Yeah I've hung onto it all winter, hoping I would have to sell but now the time's here it's best for it to find a new home frown

DanielJames

7,543 posts

167 months

Thursday 20th March 2014
quotequote all
Just read the thread back to front, awesome!

Shame to see a lovely looking M3 being broken but all to a good cause. I've bought some stuff off Chris in the past too, top bloke.

BullyB

2,344 posts

246 months

Sunday 23rd March 2014
quotequote all
Fantastic car, hope it goes to a good home