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M325i vs SR20DET.

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I believe the expansion tank is like a breather for the battery in case it overflows. Probably a good idea to leave it in so you don't get battery fluids leaking into the boot.

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*ahh runs off to see if i've thrown mine out*

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I believe the expansion tank is like a breather for the battery in case it overflows. Probably a good idea to leave it in so you don't get battery fluids leaking into the boot.

This I know, lucky I have a fully sealed battery eh :D It's been years since I've seen a battery with an overflow built in.

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Well well well.

Just did a Summit Rd run. In the wet. Am I stupid? No. Did I go easy? No. Am I crazy? Yes.

Did the West run which goes from Dyers pass to Gebbies pass, has a 100kph speed limit, hard to get that fast though because it's much more difficult than the East run, (and it was wet).

I am so impressed with what this car can achieve. Gone are things like:

Hesitant turn in. Understeer, front end grip is massive and highly controlable. The whale feeling during fast switchbacks (I attribute this to the sunroof removal). The rear end getting left behind on corner exit is gone, now it just follows perfectly, it even feels like its going faster than the front end ha, a lot of turning moment (not drifting, whats known as 'inbetween grip and slide' A floaty grippy feel is the best I can describe) can be made from the rear now if I like..

Throttle control is something that is much more technical now, if you are not smooth on the throttle the car will instantly punish you with under or over depending on where you are in the corner, I had some very heart wrenching moments early on.

It is very balanced, I had the dampers a bit firmer in the rear to get some more bias towards front grip for the bumpy road. When corner technique was excecuted correctly, there is no one end of the car that lets go before the other. The spring rates are perfect. The ride height is spot on. Didn't slow down for any big bumps or the cattle stops. Even did the ol' Takumi 'gutter technique' and few times without leaving my Tech1 in bits.

I will do more wet runs for sure. That was the most challenging drive I've ever done, and the drive where I have learnt the most about very important things, like throttle control and constant, rapid steering corrections.

Would like to try a dry run, it would show that the engine is not powerful enough though, but nothing can be done untill summer. There's no way to get decent speed in winter down here, the ABS goes nuts cause the brakes are hot and working so well and the tires are still ice..

I will keep training.

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sounds awesome, love having a wee bash in my wallowing E36 round there so doing it in a car that can handle and with some pace must be amazing!

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It should go better now! Just got an alignment as I suited up as the Michelin man to wave at cars heh.

Had over 2mm of Toe In on each wheel. Ouch. Now a perfect 1mm out.

Front camber is dead even at -3.40 degrees each side. Won't touch that untill I get the sway bars. Front castor is 9deg34' L and 8deg18' R, almost a degree off, but apparntly it's supposed to be like that?

Rear camber is -1.42 L and -1.58 R, ride height adjuster is at about halfway, toe is -0.6 L and 1.0 R (Negative is toe in), total is 0.4mm toe out, So one of my trailing arms is a bit bented.

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Personally I think toe out and >3 degrees camber on the front is mad, but if it works...

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I'm a religious trail braker, it works eh

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I think you need to get it to the track where difference can be measured - too much is too much. Those settings could potentially be sacrificing grip, braking, and stability. Actually on the track, the toe is probably good.

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Yeah I know the camber is way out of line, but I'm getting amazing grip for the road without the big sway bars and with 30 psi in the tires. When the bars finally get here I'll get it set to match the body and tire roll. It's not a track car at this stage, still a daily which corners well.

Yeah the interweb says Toe out gives mid-corner grip with loss of turn in precision, suits my style heh.

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Ive dropped mine down to 2.7 on the font now, very happy. Had good turn in and I couldn't even lock the fronts (with warm slicks) so its not affecting the brakes

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3.5 degrees is not so good for tyre wear (and maybe not grip), and you are highly unlikely to be getting enough grip that the camber is necessary. That's all. (yeah - what Riley said - more like 2.0-2.5 degrees)

Maybe there is more grip to be had at the front - then you can back the rear shocks off again for more grip at the rear, etc.

Edited by CamB

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Yes indeed, it's a good point you make. But I'm liking having it so ridiculous while this kit is new and people want to see it and see what it can do, already had a few PMs on here asking about it, and in real life it's good to own the jappa driving friends with the massive adjustibility. By summer it will be sensible and fast. Thanks though, appreiciate it.

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Oh, by the way, I didn't choose to set the camber at that. I just put the plates to max camber when I installed them. didn't touch the camber settings today. Just fixing the toe :)

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I just put the plates to max camber when I installed them.

LOL - I think I was just seeking to get that admission out of you.

Can't the majority of your jappa owning mates just buy something off the shelf, for less money?

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Had to know what it could do :D

Having compared so far, these can move much further, and are better quality. But yes they don't pay 500 for a set, more like 2-300..

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UPDATE WOW!!!!111!!1

Just put the delrin engine mounts in. Such an easy job. The hardest part is jacking up the car.

So then you jack up the engine via the oil pan, with a 4inch thick sponge between therm to spread the weight. (I hear doing this cracks the pan gasket, sniff sniff)

Getting a standard socket over the tall bolts on the old mounts is hard too, you slip the socket over, then have the ratchet only halfway in the socket, and keep the pressure applied or you will loose your nuckle skin when it pops out. Or just use a deep socket..

New mounts went in much easier.

The instant I cranked the car I noticed the difference. A nice vibration at idle, if you let the revs dip below idle, (<600) what seems to the be resonant frequency of the entire dashboard is found! :lol: What a noise...

No vibration above 1000 rpm, this engine is a smooth 6 remember.

Shifts are much more direct, much more in the lower gears especially. Launches are smooth and beautiful, car drops all the power to the wheels and pulls away at a slight angle with 2 nice parallels. Engine also seems louder, transferring more noise vibration to the chassis, it's nice.

post-1573-1247008109_thumb.jpg

post-1573-1247008121_thumb.jpg

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My new car has solid urethane mounts, defintely notice the difference. +1 on that

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So my main goal in life at the moment is to make an amazing Summit Rd video. So I tested out mounting a camera to the passenger seat yesterday. Duct tape for the win hahaha!

So I made this wee corner thrash vid for you :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mcTAn-9Nqvw

Edited by Incary

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Guest Simon*

Nice Henry

Good to see someone else using NZ's roads like they're supposed to be

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Cool video. Is that "Summit Rd"?

Edited by E30ONP

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nice man!

james, i think summit road is more of a windy uphill road...

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Cool video. Is that "Summit Rd"?

Haha nah, this is just the road behind Chch airport. 4 bumpy ass corners, before I did all this work on my car I couldn't go near that quick, the wheels didn't stay on the road ahaa.

This is the Summit Rd http://maps.google.co.nz/maps?f=q&sour...=13&iwloc=D

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Oh my bad. Just had a look on "Streetview" on that link, Looks pretty intense & slippery aha.

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