M2 madness

[M3M3]

all "trackified" again. brake pads, tires, diff, alignment, shock adjustment, traqmate connected, etc.

on the street i run a K&N "filter shield" on top of the air filter since it is right behind the grill. kinda like a raincoat for the intake. for track i take it off. interesting, but predictable, result. i data log all the time. with the filter cover off, the AN fuel management software was having to add a touch more fuel in the medium to high rev range. why? the cover was restricting air flow. without it, more fuel needed to keep AFR correct with increased air flow. not a big issue, i just created another fueling map for the AN. now have two primary maps, one for with and one for without the cover.

hoping to get some more in car track video this weekend.

[Colin]

all "trackified" again. brake pads, tires, diff, alignment, shock adjustment, traqmate connected, etc.

on the street i run a K&N "filter shield" on top of the air filter since it is right behind the grill. kinda like a raincoat for the intake. for track i take it off. interesting, but predictable, result. i data log all the time. with the filter cover off, the AN fuel management software was having to add a touch more fuel in the medium to high rev range. why? the cover was restricting air flow. without it, more fuel needed to keep AFR correct with increased air flow. not a big issue, i just created another fueling map for the AN. now have two primary maps, one for with and one for without the cover.

hoping to get some more in car track video this weekend.

Interesting about the cover. How much, as a percentage of additional fuel did you find that you had to add?

I have contemplated doing something similar for my daily as my air filter is right at the grill and I'd like to get one of the "open faced" designs to get more air in but am worried about rain.

[M3M3]

very small....about 1%. the closed loop AN system was autocorrecting, but i like to set the map as close to perfect as possible. i am sure the power difference was not noticeable on the "butt dyno".

rain is why i added the cover. it has worked well in several total downpours while driving. my filter is very exposed.

[mikeb]

You said your exhaust guy has the design in the mandrel computer? Any notion of what he would charge to bend a 2.25 exhaust?

[M3M3]

give him a ring or an email.... http://www.mandrelbend.com/default.asp

ask for greg and tell him i sent you so he knows what car to look up.

[M3M3]

Instructed at an SCCA driving school this weekend at Summit Point Shenandoah track. I hate that track, but any time in the M2 on a track is good!

Had a novice student in an E46 330is. Great student, easy to work with.

Car ran great. No mechanical issues at all. One body issue…..the right side rocker trim fell off and dragged for half a lap. Can’t get the (new) little plastic clips to grab that thing.

Here is link to video from one 20min instructors run group session. not some of my most consistent work, but only have a couple of sessions experience in this particular track. First couple laps warm up, then the sound track gets better…turn up the volume!

Was getting some oversteer that putting rear sway bar at full soft was not fixing…may have to drop the rear spring rate 50lbs and see how that works.

First session of day was on some massively heat cycled out toyo RA1’s. wow did they suck. Switched to some decent toyo R888’s. much better, but still not happy with that tire.

Trackmate showed about a 20hp increase at the wheels from the cams and exhaust change, but I was short shifting it at just under 7k rpm.

[ray_]

That honda sounded like an angry bug. I assume u know him.

Any further impressions on the 4.10?

Cheers,

Ray

[M3M3]

it worked....a bit snappier response noticed in 3rd. ;-)

real comparison will be when i run it on the main track at summit. that is where i had issues with the low gearing in a few turns.

[M3M3]

crap, thread just tripped over another page...getting the "no posts exist" for page 19.

[ray_]

I dunno how you broke the faq board ;-)

Ray

crap, thread just tripped over another page...getting the "no posts exist" for page 19.

[jgerock]

Interesting video. Was that a new-ish red Honda in front of you toward the beginning? I also noticed you flipped your helmet visor down - don't need a deer in the windshield like that other guy.

[M3M3]

yes, think it was that cr-z thing?

always have the visor down when heading out on track.....

Joel in his e30 325is race car was behind me in that session. even with fresh engine in his car he was dropping fast on the straights.

[M3M3]

100+ degrees and humid outside…perfect weather to work on the bmw’s! on way home from work Friday the radiator in my e36 M3 failed in the normal place…the upper hose neck. I had been planning on replacing it, and the leaky power steering hoses, so had all the parts on hand. Radiator, PS hoses and engine oil change turned into the unplanned Saturday morning sweat box project.

Sunday was 2002 day. The mechanical slop in the 40 year old brake pedal linkage had been driving me nuts for a while so I had ordered all new pivots, pins, forks and bolts. Took all the old stuff out and put the new in.

Massive disappointment. Zero change in the slop. In fact, the tolerances in the new bmw parts were worse than the 40 year old beat parts. Even the old poly bushings inside the pivot arm that drives the booster were better than the new ones (bigger, so less slop). Not impressed. Wasted money and time.

So…if you have a sloppy brake pedal and expect new parts to fix it….don’t bother……

[jgerock]

Sorry to hear about the brake parts not being an improvement.

[M3M3]

Part of prep for any track event is doing a “nut and bolt” check. Going front to back on the car visually checking all the suspension, driveline, wiring and hoses to make sure they are as the should be. I am heading to Summit Point this weekend for and event with the NJ Chapter BMWCCA, so check was in order. All was well except for one of the fuel hoses. It had been touching the alternator and had partially rubbed through. Time to reroute both supply and return hoses in engine compt. Decided to route straight up from filter along rad to fuel rail. Made a bracket to hold the hoses off the rad support, ran new lines, covered them in some wire wrap and secured. Should be better…

Sorry for the blur on this one..

Next up, the left side engine mount did not drop all the way down when we put the AKG mounts in last month. Lifted engine slightly, filed the alignment nub a tad, and dropped engine back down.

Next up, put new set of springs in the back. Dropped the rate from 450lbs to 400lbs and lowered rear 1/8in.

On to the brakes. Switching from Porterfield R4 front, R4s rear to Performance Friction 01 front, Porterfield R4 rear.

Rears swapped out easily until I went to put the drum back on. R4 shoes have more material further around the circumference than the R4s does. Drum would not fit on (yes, ebrake disconnected and adjusters backed off!). you can see the shiny spots on the shoes where it is hitting on the extra material. Nothing a slight sanding won’t fix today.

Finish rear brakes, regrease front wheel bearings and put new pads in front today…I hope. If time I may also change the tranny bushing.