Author Topic: 9 Weeks to Build a E30 318IS Track Car - Nurburgring 12th April 09 (Read 17944 times)

e30guydownunder · « **Reply #15 on:** February 08, 2009, 05:07:13 PM »

Hi finite...unfortunately no i wont be doing the nurburgring, see location. I'll be racing on local tracks...Eastern Creek, Oran Park and Wakefield Park.

Sounds like your going great thou, but i would be hesitant to weld the engine mounts to the subframe. A set of Heavy Duty mounts would be much better, still permitting engine movement but also stronger and more durable.

Goodluck!

Might want to check out some of these links for racing parts. I'm not sure what sort of aftermarket support is avaliable in the UK for the E30's

http://www.turnermotorsport.com/

http://bimmerworld.com/

http://www.uucmotorwerks.com/

http://www.bmw2002.com/

http://www.bavauto.com/

http://bmaparts.com/

http://www.treehouseracing.com/

http://www.vorshlag.com/

http://www.ground-control-store.com/products/category.php/CA=6

That should get your started

finite · « **Reply #16 on:** February 10, 2009, 06:27:23 PM »

hey e30guy thanks for the links! Good luck with the racing, watched some of those tracks on you-tube, you guys got some quick rx7's out there

had an eventful couple of nights in the garage, will post some pics as soon as i get them on the laptop. So progress so far:

1. Oil sump lower gasket replaced

2. Thermostat replaced - not working right, concerned may have cooked head gasket! Compression tester purchased.. any hints on what to look for?

3. Exhaust system removed, will be reusing rear mid-box to replace cat in front half and new PowerFlow twin DTM rear section turned up (hmmmm shiny!)

4. Prop in process of being removed - what a nightmare the bolts are! Took me an hour to get one undone on the front flex joint, the others feel like Titan himself couldn't move them

5. Tank - new one arrived (more shiny!), got to strip all other bits from old tank (pump and sender assembly -this looks like I have to tap round the housing to release??). Going to have to get new mounting fixings I think. Anyone got an opinion on welding a rear half cage in with the tank in place? Or should it be taken out?

6. Throttle body, upper lower and inlet manifold removed exposing a mass of split hoses

7. Removed mass of split hoses ready for throttle body heater plate bypass. Noticed head return coolant hose is atrophied and was kinked... wonder if this might be causing an air lock in the system hence the no heater!!??

8. Removed ICV and hoses ready for repositioning/replacement

9. Checked plugs for ECU temp sensor and gauge temp sensor... they were the wrong way round! Check temp guage for function - all ok, went straight to hot when grounded (took half hour to work out which fuse was fuel pump fuse though as had injector rail out!). How do I tell whether the cold start injector plug and ecu temp sensor plugs are on the right ones!!!

10. Noticed rear subframe mount bushes are a bit knackered... on the back burner as they dont seem too bad

11. Put the jack through the rear o/s sill... now have to patch that and a hole in the o/s inner wing, hole in the o/s lower wing and put on a new n/s wing.

12. Third new thermostat on it's way from the guy I bought the car from... right one this time! Also bleed screw for rad. Going to remove rad and flush. How hard is it to get the heater matrix in and out considering I have all but the dash and centre console out of the car already? Would be nice to have this out and flush. Also which way do the pipes go on... keep seeing conflicting answers.

13. Ordered all inlet manifold and tb gaskets, fuel tank bits and pieces, and plastic head water pipe from local bmw stealership.

14. Made an even bigger list of jobs to do! Including making a tool to remove the viscous fan and getting the water pump out for inspection.

Here's praying the coolant issues haven't cooked the head or worse and it all works when it's back together!!!

finite · « **Reply #17 on:** February 11, 2009, 04:08:02 PM »

Powerflow exhaust and Speedline wheels with Yoko A549s turned up today...

Going to reuse the mid box from the old rear section to replace the CAT in the front section... length and angles are perfect!

More dissasembly today, rad out, thermostat out... loads more to do tomorrow. And just to be a pain the E46 daily-driver decided to drop one of it's exhaust mounts today so it's welding time tomorrow!

finite · « **Reply #18 on:** February 13, 2009, 06:39:28 AM »

Progress pics... can anyone identify if I have the heater hoses on properly.

318ishonk · « **Reply #19 on:** February 13, 2009, 12:17:02 PM »

Cylinder head and cover are M42 as well as is the oil filter. I can't see any sign for the engine being an M44.

The water hose from the cylinder head (engine water OUT) goes to the heater connector on the bottom (car water IN). Behind that connector (on the drivers side) is an electrical valve.

The upper connector on the car/heater side (car water OUT) goes to the thick plastic tube (engine water IN) underneath the cable tree of the engine.

Appletree IS supercharged · « **Reply #20 on:** February 14, 2009, 12:53:59 AM »

Hi, judging by your plate your in the UK, UK IS's are super rare to find with a CAT in the exhaust, do you have a lambda in the exhaust? my middle section looked the same as yours and when i chopped it out other than in weighing as much as a boat anchor it was streight through, just a resinator so might be worth checking first

After the supercharger had been done i decided to make a new exhaust system for the car using the start of the down pipe and then making the rest from stainless steel from work heres the apre a bought just before i chopped the box out.

All tacked up after ages groveling about under the car on axel stands trying to line it all up.

My new back box from sebring

Fitted to the car

Since then i made another section to remove the rear resinator as well

finite · « **Reply #21 on:** February 14, 2009, 06:00:52 PM »

I'll take some pics of the exhaust tomorrow, just finished building it today. Cut the "cat" out which yep turns out to be a massive resonator that weighs about 8kg!! Mate of mine, String, replaced it with a small box resonator from the old rear section and extended the new rear section, fits a treat!

Fuel tank also off after an hour spent with a pair of mole grips on a rounded rusted bolt head.

GRRR

finite · « **Reply #22 on:** February 14, 2009, 06:03:27 PM »

Oh and no 02 sensor... which is great in my opinion as less to mess around with.

Phase 2 (after germany) will see a full motec or similar going in to replace the ECU and some serious power and chasis modifications. Will use wideband then.

finite · « **Reply #23 on:** February 15, 2009, 01:58:28 PM »

So.... lots of welding today... not pretty but it's solid!

Tank out:

Small hole in o/s inner wing turned out to be large hole!

Thanks John for the panel cutting and general grind-monkeying!

So a lot of welding and screaming at each other later (neither of us are particularly experienced or adept with a welder!) we ended up with a strong but not particularly pretty repair. Here enter the mastic! Will be spraying silver inner and chasis black outer when dry:

Cutout for DTM exhaust, will be sheilded with titanium soon... forgot to take pics of exhaust made by String will do that tomorrow:

Repair... errr... mastic... on the other side of the rear vallance... she is a track day thrash machine, can't afford to do everything (time or money):

Macca's First Gen RX7 last year three months before we went to the ring, it didn't make it that time but it will this time! We decided to stop working on the first gen to concentrate on String's third gen:

Last years Nuburgring trip... services on M25, Stu's 350z going again this year, String's 450bhp+ mental Third Gen Rx7 and my old WRX waggon (long story):

Mapping the third gen RX7 on the M25 on the way to the eurotunel having got an MOT the morning we were going:

All good fun

First services we got to in france... we tried working on the car on the train but they weren't too happy about it being up on a jack on the eurostar while it was moving:

Second services:

Belgium (yes we are dirty scummy pikies):

30 miles from the Ring ran out of fuel... just as well we bought jerry cans (full):

And then finally got to the Ringhause at midnight. Hans promptly issued complimentary coffee and beer and had the cook make everyone steaks. Top man!! See you in April Hans!

Appletree IS supercharged · « **Reply #24 on:** February 15, 2009, 03:37:24 PM »

Sounds Great, i went last year in the bimma and the year before in an old udo 80. had an ace time but both times had problems on route, the bimmas caliper bolts sheared and off on the motorway, not fun, but there was luckaly a bmw breakers at the next services, just before bedburgerland services.

the first time in the audi the heater matrix poped queing to get off the track, shit my self though we was on fire when the steam started coming out the dash and then on the way back queing through hull the top hose rubbed through on the dipstik an pissed water everyware, managed to fix it with a lucasde bottle and gaffer tap and a jubile clip. :-)

video of the audi bodge
http://s251.photobucket.com/albums/gg315/Appletree318is/?action=view¤t=02102007072.flv

Just a few SLR's when we went, they were doing a driver training day.

Me trying to fix my caliper while every one watchs and dave with the golf was trying to find the brake hose that had wrapped round the strut.

Mates 2ltr golf that the gear box gave up on half way round the ring next to hotelnurburg (eddies) were we were stopping:D got it trailered front the ring to the ferry, on the insurane thank fuck. if you go with ADAC you get free recovery off the ring to should the worst happen and its only as expensive as the AA:)

finite · « **Reply #25 on:** February 15, 2009, 04:01:44 PM »

Sounds like you had as much fun as we did!

Got any info on the ADAC insurance and how to get it? We tried last year and failed misserably.

Deyan · « **Reply #26 on:** February 16, 2009, 10:48:10 AM »

Quote from: finite;66346

Powerflow exhaust and Speedline wheels with Yoko A549s turned up today...

....

Hi,
what is the weight of those wheels? I am looking for some good for track wheels.

Regards, D.S.

finite · « **Reply #27 on:** February 16, 2009, 03:21:39 PM »

not a clue mate but a damn sight lighter than the stock ones that was for sure... those things are boat anchors!

Anyone got any hints for removing the viscous fan? I've got a lock tool to hold the pully but still can't get the nut to move!

finite · « **Reply #28 on:** February 17, 2009, 04:18:37 PM »

So took the water pump out tonight... couple of bit of advice to anyone about to do this:

1. Removing viscous fan requires a tool for locking the pully (Drapper do a nice universal one) a massive 32mm spanner and a rugby playing mate to hold the locking tool while you wack the hell out of the spanner to unlock the nut.

2. When you find the pump is seized in the block, as it inevitably will be, don't try the m6 holes and m6 bolts arrangement to push the pump out. The pump housing is made out of swiss-cheese alloy and things just end up braking.

3. Once the pump housing is a mess and the bolt holes are on the floor don't try wacking the pump with a hammer as this just makes matters worse!

I say get a hydrolic puller if you've the experience to acurately use one without ripping your block to pieces or alternately entrust to a suitable garage. That way when they balls it up they'll be paying for the mistakes not you!

So needless to say the pump's out now but there's a couple of small bits of plastic from the proppeller stuck in there somewhere, here's hoping a blast with the hosepipe get's them out!!!!! Couple of gouges in the hole for the pump in the block too, not on the sealing face for the o-ring so crossing other set of fingers this'll be ok too!

AR*E

So after that mess managed to finish applying mastic to the arch repair (shouldn't rust for hell now!) and temporarily refitted inlet tract. Cage should be here this week so car will hopefuly be going over to String for welding in and other bits of fabrication (strut braces, sump guard, cold air box etc)

finite · « **Reply #29 on:** February 22, 2009, 02:31:31 PM »

So!

Cage is in! Modified with some additional bracing, Will get some pics on tomorrow but needless to say it looks trick! Seat subframes fabbed as well, slight alteration needed to drivers side as it's a little too far to the right but other than that brilliant weekend.

Will post updated pics tomorrow.