E36 M3 Track Car - S50 to LS1

[Inflame]

I can most likely keep hosting the pictures through google photos, though I'll have to add the links through chrome which gives out a image URL instead of the crap I.E. shoots out. (work comp)

Over the weekend I decided to do a few modifications to the car. I've been eyeing the Z3 power steering racks for quite a while as I've been getting more and more annoyed with the stock 95 rack. Compared to friends s2000, same turn, I have to input 45-60* more steering for the same radius...

The stock 95 rack is a progressive rack, slower on center and faster after 200* of rotation, 19.8?:1 to 15.4:1 or so.... the Z3 rack is 13.9:1 across the board. Can't wait to have to turn less!


Also, rebuilt my master cylinder - Found out I was pushing the push rod to the piston at a slight angle which overtime wore away at the piston and left some scratches on the cylinder walls. Threw in a new piston, adjusted the push rod attachment point up to straight out movement and all is butter smooth now Easier effort than before.



I also removed a spacer from the AST struts which allowed me to install the lock nut even further down which now gives me additional clearance to run more caster!

That's about all for now, Grid Life this weekend at Gingerman, hope to set a new PR for myself!

Suspension = Blown

[Inflame]

Well... Gridlife happened and it was an epic fail on my part. I rebuilt the master cylinder prior to the event with knowledge of the light scratching on the cylinder walls. Being in a bind, I ran the master cylinder with the newly installed piston. Well, I guess the light scratching on the cylinder walls was enough to cause damage to the new piston, which also had 2 rips on the lower seal, so it was a combination of the scratching wearing away at the upper seal and the lower seal failing, which caused me to not run the entire weekend -_- looked like an epic event, master cylinder is getting fixed and car is being put away for the rest of the year.

Dead...



Plan for over winter (extremely tentative) in order of highest priority:
1) AST 4100's rebuilt to 4150 spec.
2) HANS Device
3) New helmet
4) 850# Rear springs
5) ATI or Fluidamper crank pulley, 10% undersize or so.
6) Corvette Intake Setup
7) Cam to shift power band and rev to 7200
8) Porsche 911 brakes
9) Chassis stiffening, most likely fastfab90's strut tower brace.

[Inflame]

Quick update.

Car is getting ready for jackstand mode. So far, I've received a quote from Vorshlag to rebuild the 4100's. I can't seem to find any other suspension for what I can get the AST + rebuild costs, which would be around $1500 or so (sold price + rebuild).

So far I've bought the ATI Super Damper, should be in by Friday. Pretty excited to feel the difference that will make! This will also allow me to up the RPM's to 7200 or so.

I ordered a pair of 996 Porsche 911 front calipers... I got lucky on these, I think! They'll be in today, but the jist of it is that he had them listed as rears at a discounted price though the part numbers say they're fronts. I'll find out what I get today. If they're rears then I paid normal pricing, if they're fronts I got them 50% off Found a nice pair of rears for the same price which I may purchase my next pay checked.

My entire brake setup will be going up for sale this weekend! Along with my 750 rear springs.

[Inflame]

Looks like I got part numbers mixed up on the 911 calipers -_-

I bought 996.352.425/6 when I needed 996.351.425/6.

I bought 996 Twin Turbo REARS which are the same as the Boxster Fronts but different piston size, so they'd work BUT I'd be shifting my brake bias by about 20% to the rear lol, not a good thing. So I'll be selling these.

[Laptime61]

Looks like I got part numbers mixed up on the 911 calipers -_- I bought 996.352.425/6 when I needed 996.351.425/6. I bought 996 Twin Turbo REARS which are the same as the Boxster Fronts but different piston size, so they'd work BUT I'd be shifting my brake bias by about 20% to the rear lol, not a good thing. So I'll be selling these.

ouch, that sucks.

[pMak26]

Very curious to hear your feedback on the brake setup when you get it done. After I'm done with my LS swap that is the next item to tackle. Then a Widebody325 rollbar. The stock brakes have been pretty darn good for what they are with porterfield pads, but they're not really suited. More clamping force would be nice.

[Inflame]

ouch, that sucks.

Ya, dumb mistake. Good thing I didn't pay much at all for them! On craigslist and back on ebay they go.

Very curious to hear your feedback on the brake setup when you get it done. After I'm done with my LS swap that is the next item to tackle. Then a Widebody325 rollbar. The stock brakes have been pretty darn good for what they are with porterfield pads, but they're not really suited. More clamping force would be nice.

For sure, it won't be until spring/summer next year. I do expect much more braking force but almost a much higher heat tolerance.

[Inflame]

Sold the red calipers and bought some nice black ones, right p# this time

IMG_20151101_145639200.jpg

[Inflame]

Started the suspension removal and getting ready to install the new ATI super damper





Massive Porsche Calipers!!




Getting rid of the AST setup for most like the Ground Control DA's! Can't wait to feel the upgraded car! Also getting the roll center and bump steer correction kits!

[jakermac]

Nice HeadShok!!

[Inflame]

Nice HeadShok!!

Thanks! Awesome bike, I've had it for 10+ years now.

[doktor b]

i'm in for feedback about the ATI crank damper.
i know it'll help with internal engine harmonics. i'm curious if you'll be able to feel it in the car.

[Inflame]

i'm in for feedback about the ATI crank damper.
i know it'll help with internal engine harmonics. i'm curious if you'll be able to feel it in the car.

I'm just as curious as you are. I won't have it on until 2 weeks from now, many exams coming up. The only "test" I can do is revving the engine in my garage as the car won't be driveable until spring time.

[doktor b]

I'm just as curious as you are. I won't have it on until 2 weeks from now, many exams coming up. The only "test" I can do is revving the engine in my garage as the car won't be driveable until spring time.

i have time. all i have for my swap is the longblock. you'll be back on the road before i've finished piling up parts by a long shot!

[modernbeat]

i'm in for feedback about the ATI crank damper.
i know it'll help with internal engine harmonics. i'm curious if you'll be able to feel it in the car.

I have not been able to feel the difference between the ATI, the Powerbond and the stock dampers. But the stockers tend to comp apart in short time, THEN you can feel it. The Powerbond isn't available for many applications. It burns me to see the ATI price for BMW engines versus what ATI charges for domestic V8s. You can chalk it up to economies of scale, but I think they just don't like imports.

[doktor b]

I have not been able to feel the difference between the ATI, the Powerbond and the stock dampers. But the stockers tend to comp apart in short time, THEN you can feel it. The Powerbond isn't available for many applications. It burns me to see the ATI price for BMW engines versus what ATI charges for domestic V8s. You can chalk it up to economies of scale, but I think they just don't like imports.

thanks for the response!

i know Fluidampr makes a crank damper for VWs that doesn't cost the moon. and i imagine those aren't flying off the shelves like LS parts do.
i'm gonna look into all my options between now and first start.
and i'm gonna talk to both companies next month at PRI.

[Inflame]

Hey! I'll be at PRI too!

[doktor b]

Hey! I'll be at PRI too!

we (all of us from work) usually make a quick trip friday if we're not too busy at work.
but i'll be there open-close saturday doing proper research. no wife this year to slow me down or get bored.

[Inflame]

Awesome, maybe we'll run into each other.

[Inflame]

No PRI for me :/ I have exams the following Monday and Tuesday, almost done with my ME degree so I can't slack off now.

Onto small things. I finally had some time to work on the car, so I installed the ATI Super damper. Using Autozone tool 27139 made the job of pulling the old pulley off 100x easier than any other pulley puller.

At first I was a bit skeptical on the install, the snout of the ATI pulley protruded much further than the OEM unit but the part number on the ATI pulley was correct so I went ahead with the install. Once fully installed, the ATI snout definitely sits further onto the crank than the OEM pulley, it actually goes into the front main seal compared to OEM which had a 1/8th gap between the front seal and the rear of the pulley.

Once the outter shell was bolted onto the hub, everything lined up perfectly. As for the belt, I have the 10% under-drive and I remembered the LS2 belt works pretty good, coming in at 77.5". Part number 4060775 cross references with 5060775 which worked great.





Next on the list of things to do:

I ordered a new K&N Air Filter - The main reason for this is that I had a hunch that my old filter was just a bit too small. I did some calculations and, surprise, it was!

Using K&N's formulas, a 5.7L engine will inhale 740 CFM of air at 7200 RPM (or maybe 7000, I don't remember). My current air filter, part number KN-RU-2520 has a max CFM of 459. The new air filter, KN E1997, being much longer, more area, has a max CFM of 873!

RU-2520 - http://www.knfilters.com/dynocharts/RU-2520.pdf
E-1997 - http://www.knfilters.com/dynocharts/E-1997.pdf

Hopefully this will gain me a bit more HP up top.

Also, I ordered the E46 M3/750iL rotors for the porsche swap. I'll be machining the calipers soon, ordering brake pads and adapter brackets hopefully by christmas.

By spring time I have to do the following:

-Everything above
-KW Clubsports
-Fix rear diff front bolt, make mount to prevent future failures
-GC Roll center correction
-Possibly find a nice big adjustable rear bar
-HANS, New helmet and harnesses.

[Inflame]

Test fitted the rear caliper + rotor setup and machined the front calipers. Hopefully this will be all done and taken care of before Christmas break.

[keeganbaker]

Test fitted the rear caliper + rotor setup and machined the front calipers. Hopefully this will be all done and taken care of before Christmas break.

Wat size tyers you useing ??

[kc jr 54]

Wat size tyers you useing ??

IIRC those are 275/40/17

[Inflame]

Yup, 275/40-17 - Only way to get a wide 17. I may switch to a 255/40/17 RE71R since many locals have posted much faster times on that tire than any r-comp.

[olemiss540]

What? RE71R much faster than an Rcomp? Can you elaborate as I am very interested. Currently running NT01's.