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Thread: Progress is a Slow Process e36 Track/Autocross Build

  1. #201
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    Quote Originally Posted by Pat533i View Post
    ^ pretty sure he's talking about removing/replacing the cams.

    It's not bad really, just need a little common sense and patience. There is some good videos on YouTube showing the process.
    Right. It will still make life easier when installing the new ones and setting timing and installing the Vanos unit. For as cheap as the tool is it's worth the buy.

    Op if you don't want to buy it send me a PM and you can borrow mine if you pay for shipping.

  2. #202
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    You can probably buy the tools of amazon for cheaper than shipping. I got my set for $40 i think with cam locks, flywheel lock, timing gear rotate'er and something else i think. It was easier for me to buy using amazon prime than drive a couple towns over and borrow my friend's.

  3. #203
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    Jason, a bunch of us have the tools or have access to them. I borrowed DJ's set to do my work, if he says you can use them then I can meet you and hand them off.

    The VANOS install is pretty easy and Dr. Vanos has a good install guide you can print out and have with you to help.

    I found cam removal to be a lot scarier in theory than in practice when I actually did it (as part of my head gasket job a while back). Just make sure to loosen bolts in a star pattern, a few turns at a time, to equally remove pressure across the entire cam. Oh, and keep your lifters organized as they have to go back in the same spot they came out of. I think I was drinking a few beers when I reinstalled the cams so I don't remember the exact process to fit them back in.
    2011 F-150 FX4 | 1997 BMW M3 #404 GTS2 | 2006 BMW M3 Convertible
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  4. #204
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    Thanks for the help guys. I'm going to borrow Dorrian's cam tools. He's only like 25min away from me. I would buy them, but any little bit of money I can save right now is helpful with some expensive purchases i.e. tires/vanos/cams coming up in preparation for Hyperfest.

    I've been reading more into replacing the vanos and cams and watching some videos on it. Doesn't seem too bad. Lifters shouldn't have to come out if I'm just replacing the cams, right? Anything I should be replacing while I'm in there? Upper timing chain maybe? I replaced the valve cover gasket maybe a year or two ago.

  5. #205
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    Yeah, lifters can stay in place since it's just the cams you are taking off. I think the other item to keep organized is the cam caps that hold them down. I seem to remember that being an important step.

    It's worth ordering another VCG as I bet it's getting old and hard with a few years of track use on it. They're like $20 from FCP.

    Timing chains are not really a wear item that I know of. You could replace the timing chain guides, but that is a more involved process than simply replacing the VANOS unit. If your car has never had them done, they're probably brittle. You'll only deal with one guide when you do the VANOS (supports the chain that goes between the two cam gears) but there are two (?) others that are probably more brittle than the top one. Replacing them requires yanking the crank bolt and front timing cover though, which is a bigger and more sucktastic job unless you've got the whole thing torn down for a head gasket already, as I did.

    TLDR: Don't bother with the chain or guides right meow.

    You going Hoohoo or BFG for tires?
    2011 F-150 FX4 | 1997 BMW M3 #404 GTS2 | 2006 BMW M3 Convertible
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  6. #206
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  7. #207
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    Quote Originally Posted by Brake_L8 View Post
    Yeah, lifters can stay in place since it's just the cams you are taking off. I think the other item to keep organized is the cam caps that hold them down. I seem to remember that being an important step.
    You're right that the cam bearing caps should be kept in their original positions, but its easy because they're labeled/numbered. Just remember E is for intake and A is for exhaust!

  8. #208
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    Quote Originally Posted by TXBDan View Post
    Just remember E is for intake and A is for exhaust!
    It pays to remember they designed these things using German as their primary language!
    2011 F-150 FX4 | 1997 BMW M3 #404 GTS2 | 2006 BMW M3 Convertible
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  9. #209
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    Quote Originally Posted by Brake_L8 View Post
    Yeah, lifters can stay in place since it's just the cams you are taking off. I think the other item to keep organized is the cam caps that hold them down. I seem to remember that being an important step.

    It's worth ordering another VCG as I bet it's getting old and hard with a few years of track use on it. They're like $20 from FCP.

    Timing chains are not really a wear item that I know of. You could replace the timing chain guides, but that is a more involved process than simply replacing the VANOS unit. If your car has never had them done, they're probably brittle. You'll only deal with one guide when you do the VANOS (supports the chain that goes between the two cam gears) but there are two (?) others that are probably more brittle than the top one. Replacing them requires yanking the crank bolt and front timing cover though, which is a bigger and more sucktastic job unless you've got the whole thing torn down for a head gasket already, as I did.

    TLDR: Don't bother with the chain or guides right meow.

    You going Hoohoo or BFG for tires?
    Thanks man. Yeah I think I'm going to just go ahead and replace the valve cover gasket since it doesn't add any time.

    I'm just going to continue to run the R7's for now. I corded one set with 24 heat cycles at the last event that I'm going to have to replace for hyperfest, but I have another set with like 18 heat cycles that still have some rubber as well as some fresh H2o's. The bfg's are tempting though. If I wasn't poor, I'd probably give them a shot.

    Quote Originally Posted by OCRentAPopo View Post
    Thanks! Good find! I need to reach out to this guy because I picked up a set of cams and they ain't lookin so hot. The exhaust side journals are pretty scored and has one rust spot. The intake is better but has one scored journal. All the lobes look fine, but I'm debating on whether or not I should take these to a machine shop to try and have them polished or if I should ditch them and try to get the ones linked above. What do you guys think? Salvageable? Here are some pics...






    Also I noticed today that a rock must have taken out a big chunk of the top coat of epoxy of my wing last event. Luckily I still have some West systems epoxy left over from the carbon work I was doing so hopefully I can make it smooth again. I was pretty disappointed to see that it cracked like that already especially right on the leading edge...

  10. #210
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    S52 cams polished up nicely and got them in there in time for Hyperfest. Got on the Dyno on Friday and gained 13hp for a total of 212hp, but torque went to shit and I lost 8ft/lbs at the peak. Torque from 3.5 - 4.2rpm and 4.8 - 5.3rpm hovered around 150-160ft/lbs so it was impossibly hard to get any power coming out of corners. Ended up costing me about 2 seconds per lap even on fresh tires. Currently considering cost/time/benefit of either swapping in an s52 or putting in a m54 crank and making this thing a stroker. Also I still have a power dip at 5.7k rpm and a rough idle so I still need to get to the bottom of that.



    In other news, the crack in my wing polished up nicely...

    Last edited by Jfriday11; 05-22-2017 at 12:28 PM.

  11. #211
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    Haven't really been competitive in GTS2. Been getting blown away on the straights so it's time for a new powerplant. Picked up a healthy aluminum m52 out of a z3 with 105k miles for cheap. Also got an s52 crank and m54b30 pistons and connecting rods. Gonna turn this thing into a stroker with a fresh seals, rings, gaskets, bearings, etc. Going to timesert the block and use head studs so I can avoid head gasket issues and make it super reliable. The goal is to have a nice fat power band with an engine that takes 53lbs off the nose of the car. I still have some things to workout like the head gasket size and such, but hopefully I'll have the engine all swapped out by the next race in August.










  12. #212
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    Sep 2017
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    BMW E36 M3 GTR
    Hy Jason, i am from Austria and i build also an BMW E36, i saw your headlights, the smal one, they are not so deep you write, can you tell we where i can buy this headlights ? because i Need also place for the air funnel to the airbox ! Thanks !!

  13. #213
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    Quote Originally Posted by gerr36 View Post
    Hy Jason, i am from Austria and i build also an BMW E36, i saw your headlights, the smal one, they are not so deep you write, can you tell we where i can buy this headlights ? because i Need also place for the air funnel to the airbox ! Thanks !!
    They're just the stock headlights that came on the US spec e36's. Maybe the euro e36's are different. You can probably buy them from most OE US distributors.


    Just got my engine back from VAC motorsports today. Huge shout out to Mo, Brian, and the guys in the machine shop for helping me out with everything. They did an incredible job. Ended up cleaning everything, did a .5mm bore and hone, timesert, some decking, and picked up some oversize JE pistons to get 11:1 compression ratio as well as some raceware headstuds. Now that I've got all my parts, it's time to assemble.


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