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Thread: "Do you need someone to take that to the scrap yard for you?" The $800 M3 project

  1. #226
    Join Date
    Feb 2015
    Location
    Nevada City, CA
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    229
    My Cars
    E60 550i 6MT


    Finished power steering delete; removed about 10 pounds of the PS pump, resevoir, and lines, and added Condor UHMW delete plate.

    Car is headed to fab shop for fresh alignment, new seat mount, and new window net mount.

  2. #227
    Join Date
    Jun 2011
    Location
    Vancouver, BC Ca
    Posts
    3,255
    My Cars
    1993 325is
    Quote Originally Posted by cemmett View Post

    Finished power steering delete; removed about 10 pounds of the PS pump, resevoir, and lines, and added Condor UHMW delete plate.
    Very interested in knowing how heavy the steering gets. I'm mostly interested in how it'll feel in an autocross environment. I understand that you may not be interested in autocross, but still like to hear your feedback.

  3. #228
    Join Date
    Feb 2015
    Location
    Nevada City, CA
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    229
    My Cars
    E60 550i 6MT
    Quote Originally Posted by jakermac View Post
    Very interested in knowing how heavy the steering gets. I'm mostly interested in how it'll feel in an autocross environment. I understand that you may not be interested in autocross, but still like to hear your feedback.
    No worries! It's fairly heavy, but the feedback and reduction in complexity is absolutely worth it. Lower weight, and one less thing to go wrong. Much more steering feel. I will say, though, I am definitely wishing I went with the aluminum Condor speed shop blockoff plate. UHMW melts at ~ 260 degrees Fahrenheit which is about the boiling temperature of coolant, or a bit hotter than the distilled water combo that I run. Couple that with the plate's location next to corrosive chemicals (brake fluid) and it's easy for me to imagine a scenario when, like with the day I'll describe below, the blockoff plate could melt and cause steering failure at speed.



    Overall, a pretty good day! My friend and I shared the car in two different run groups, so the car was driven at the limit all day.

    Thunderhill 5 mile is a AWESOME configuration, and the M3 continues to prove itself to be an extremely capable and stable chassis for all Thunderhill configurations.

    I've been working a lot on my threshold and trail braking, especially without the ABS in the car. Learning to modulate race brakes is still difficult for me, but other than that, dialing in the pressure for the tires has been key. I've been running 29psi front and 27psi rear on the Pilot Cup Sports.

    I did end up having to end before my last session due to cooling issues. I am running an aluminum rad, but the stock plastic overflow tank. It was also a pretty hot day, and with the lower radiator cap pressure, I was spilling coolant and overheating. I'd see a massive fluctuation between overheating and normal temperature, telling me that there's an air bubble and the temp sensor is measuring the temperature of the steam in that bubble before blowing it out the overflow cap. I also found that my auxiliary fan isn't working, so I'll be hardwiring that.

    Also, the 15 w 40 that I'm running is too thin - I'm looking at running single weight oil (probably 40 or 50 weight). What are other people running at the track for ~ 90 to 100 Fahrenheit ambient temps?





  4. #229
    Join Date
    Jun 2011
    Location
    Vancouver, BC Ca
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    3,255
    My Cars
    1993 325is
    Quote Originally Posted by cemmett View Post
    Couple that with the plate's location next to corrosive chemicals (brake fluid) and it's easy for me to imagine a scenario when, like with the day I'll describe below, the blockoff plate could melt and cause steering failure at speed.
    Why do you think you'll have a failure of any kind? At this point in time your steering rack is operating on the mechanical internals. Even if that block off plate were to melt, you'd still be operating in the same manner. All that will happen is the little fluid that is still in the rack (if you didn't drain it completely) will leak a little. No failures of steering.

  5. #230
    Join Date
    Feb 2015
    Location
    Nevada City, CA
    Posts
    229
    My Cars
    E60 550i 6MT
    Quote Originally Posted by jakermac View Post
    Why do you think you'll have a failure of any kind? At this point in time your steering rack is operating on the mechanical internals. Even if that block off plate were to melt, you'd still be operating in the same manner. All that will happen is the little fluid that is still in the rack (if you didn't drain it completely) will leak a little. No failures of steering.
    The rack still needs fluid to lubricate and cool it - the stock rack had cooling loops for a reason; it will still generate heat without a pump.

    I guess that decision is up to you - in my mind, if you're asking a car to perform at or above its limit, the last place you want to cut corners is the most important vector control portion of the car (Steering). Even a partial failure at speed could mean the difference between accident and not - if the steering suddenly got very heavy or very light when it was unexpected.

  6. #231
    Join Date
    May 2014
    Location
    Noblesville, IN
    Posts
    1,760
    My Cars
    98 328i, 79 911SC
    i ran my steering rack open with no fluid for years without issue. the lubrication is grease on the rack & pinion itself. the fluid is solely there for hydraulic pressure. the cooling loop is to cool the fluid as compressing it (generating the pressure required for power assist) generates heat. plus the PS pump is hard-mounted to the engine and soaks heat from it.
    TLDR: no reason to worry. the blockoff plate keeps dirt out of the rack more than anything else.
    always trying to make it lighter and faster

    ^^former build: http://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/sh...-neglected-M3/
    current build: http://forums.pelicanparts.com/porsc...car-build.html
    instant grams: doktor_b

  7. #232
    Join Date
    Feb 2015
    Location
    Nevada City, CA
    Posts
    229
    My Cars
    E60 550i 6MT
    Quote Originally Posted by doktor b View Post
    i ran my steering rack open with no fluid for years without issue. the lubrication is grease on the rack & pinion itself. the fluid is solely there for hydraulic pressure. the cooling loop is to cool the fluid as compressing it (generating the pressure required for power assist) generates heat. plus the PS pump is hard-mounted to the engine and soaks heat from it.
    TLDR: no reason to worry. the blockoff plate keeps dirt out of the rack more than anything else.
    That makes a lot more sense, and I stand corrected - thank you for the correct info!

  8. #233
    Join Date
    Feb 2015
    Location
    Nevada City, CA
    Posts
    229
    My Cars
    E60 550i 6MT
    Well guys, it's been a good run. Sorry to say that the car has been destroyed by the Camp fire in Paradise, CA today.

    My sympathies are with friends and neighbors who've lost everything as the entire town was destroyed - car was stored there for the winter at my friend's house, and we were in the process of selling the car to him.
    Last edited by cemmett; 11-12-2018 at 04:51 PM.

  9. #234
    Join Date
    Sep 2013
    Location
    vancouver, canada
    Posts
    24
    My Cars
    1971 2002
    So sorry to hear.
    hoping your family is safe and can rebuild their lives.

    best to you and yours through these hard times.

  10. #235
    Join Date
    Jun 2011
    Location
    Vancouver, BC Ca
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    3,255
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    1993 325is
    Quote Originally Posted by cemmett View Post
    Well guys, it's been a good run. Sorry to say that the car has been destroyed by the Camp fire in Paradise, CA today.
    Wow. That is a real kick in the nuts. I know it's just a car and I hope no one was hurt. It is still a huge loss for you. Hope your friends come back strong. And thanks for all the sharing you've done. It's been a real pleasure watching this progression. I'm running to the insurance to re-insure my car. It's in storage in my garage but I let the storage policy lapse. Your's is a good reminder for me of why I should not have let that happen. And my wife has been hassling me for not renewing.

  11. #236
    Join Date
    Feb 2015
    Location
    Nevada City, CA
    Posts
    229
    My Cars
    E60 550i 6MT
    Thanks all - we're working to rebuild our business; inventory and all equipment was lost in the fire, as well as my business partner's home, and several friend's homes.



    Surprisingly enough, his WRX track car survived....

  12. #237
    Join Date
    Jul 2009
    Location
    NoVA
    Posts
    423
    My Cars
    97 M3
    Damn son
    Best of luck in the rebuilding process.
    '97 M3/2/5 Lux, AW/Modena, ~225k, many mods and lots of grip
    Please lift when giving a point by

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