HPDE proofing 335i, vir full times?

[MrBlah]

My track car is a R53 mini it's fun and cheap to run, but it's not terribly reliable. I do 2 HPDE's a month but if it breaks I would take the backup car.

Just picked up another n54 this time a 335i anyone HPDE these? I'm curious what it takes to HPDE proof these, I run in nasa 3 or 4, and the advanced run groups for those that do colors. I have never tracked a heavy RWD car, hoping all I need is a better oil cooler, intercooler and some pads. The car has a jb4 & snow meth kit already.

I settled into comfortable laptimes in the mini I'm not really pushing every inch of braking zone as I just do it for fun right now, the mini runs a reliable 2:21 at vir on hankook RS4

little vid from vir grand a couple weeks ago

[aeronaut]

My good friend, also an instructor, runs the snot out of his 135i. 100% stock drive train. PFC08 pads, TCK DAs, rims & NT01s. That's it. He's been doing 25 or so days a year in that car for 4 years, and is on track every chance he gets. The 335i is what, 2-300lbs heavier than the 135i?

[MrBlah]

yeah something like that, I had a 135i but it was too nice to track so I sold it

I'm surprised he's not getting limp modes from the oil temp from what I've read the oil temp is the biggest issue

[aeronaut]

Ya know, come to think of it, he has cut a FEW sessons short due to highish oil temps!

[MrBlah]

someday I'll get another 135i, right now the spare car needs 4 doors & back seat, the 335i replaced our e39 540i.

[Nugs]

I would remove the JB4 or run the mildest map.
Then the rest of your plan sounds good, oil coolers, intercooler then decide how far you want to go with the usual track stuff (brakes, suspension, wheels, weight reduction etc).

[TXBDan]

I would remove the JB4 or run the mildest map.
Then the rest of your plan sounds good, oil coolers, intercooler then decide how far you want to go with the usual track stuff (brakes, suspension, wheels, weight reduction etc).

Totally. Step 1: Remove the tune. They overheat and limp around enough with a stock tune. After that, call the cooling capacity you can add.

[BehindTheCones]

Ahh what fond memories I have of tracking my 335i...

My first track day ever resulted in one of the wastgates being stuck closed. Was in limp mode but still boosting

Best advice I can give you would be to sell the 335i and buy a E36 M3 sedan Thats what I did and it has been great.

In lieu of that, definitely remove or at least disable the tune and meth; and then add a large oil cooler and intercooler. And remove as must exhaust restriction as you can tolerate to help EGTs

[MrBlah]

I already have a dedicated track car, the 335i is backup daily driver and backup track/autocross car

why would you remove the meth? It helps cool quite a bit, on the mini as long as you do not tune for it it just functions as IAT lowering and octane boost

JB4 has a track map, lowers boost and I think it runs the water pump max

- - - Updated - - -

oops I think it's jb4 map 1 with max cool selected to run the fan/water pump harder

[JBasham]

Cool, please let us know how it goes long-term. I remember when those came out there was a bunch of internet BS whether they were tough enough to track. The e92 M3 guys had wallet envy and the 335i guys had V8 envy so they really just pissed all over each other, in the absence of any real track experience with the car. It will be nice to see what the real deal is.

I personally believe VIR lap times with anything that heavy will be all about the tires and the talent, but I could be wrong. At 2:21s in the Fahrvergnugen, it looks like you already know what to do. RWD through the climbing esses is much more of a high-risk, high-reward thing. Get it wrong at the second apex and the third apex is likely to be stacked tires. Plenty of oversteer opportunities in T5 and Hogpen too. But don't use the traction control, the BMW system stinks on the track and slurps up rear brake pads like they're cardboard. Not in the same league as the Porsche stuff; it's designed for the road not the track.

[MrBlah]

that's no Fahrvergnugen it's a mini cooper!

The car wont see more than 1 or 2 hpde a year max, if the mini stays as reliable as it's been

[JBasham]

My bad. My brain saw the "R" and skipped a track.

Have fun!