E30 Series Race Car

[antil33t 90]

Sweeeeeeeeeetttt, Borbets ftw, far cooler than Weaves

[huff3r 347]

Good stuff! Your beating me haha. I dont like it .

I really should stop buying more cars and finish my racecar...

[Gotheschu 1]

So found that lots of the nuts on the exhuast manifold are missing. Thanks for Nathan ( Brams ) I have new nuts for them but Im not sure if the exhuast gasket is shot or not? I don't know how long the car has been missing the nuts but while ive had it its been on and off a trailer and driven to east tamaki and back.

Do I need to replace em or should I be ok?

[huff3r 347]

Personally if you can I'd replace it anyway. Just to be on the safe side. Mine is leaking, sounds terrible, and it is certainly noticeable that it doesnt run quite right.

[$toffz 0]

This has been a really valuable thread, cheers Jack and good luck.

[3series 0]

will bring some gaskets around tomorrow Jack.

[Gotheschu 1]

will bring some gaskets around tomorrow Jack.

Yusss Edited December 22, 2010 by Gotheschu

[OLLIE 26]

I have a couple of pre-facelift exhaust gaskets if you need them - free. definitely replace the nuts and the threaded "bolts" if possible, for a few bucks it's worth doing.

[Gotheschu 1]

Long day working on the car in the sun with my anonymous friend who I can't thank enough for his help =)

Anonymous took the car for a spin and straight away said brakes need serious attention! So someone please help me, they only start working when you are like half an inch from foot down. Took dash out, removed facelift dash loom and fitted pre facelift loom, went all good. Took rubbers out from under the rear springs, so sits about 10mm lower went all good.......

until we tried to start it too move it into the garage.

see here what its doing =( right before christmas and new years and sadly my track debut haha.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EItzHbVbfL0

Its just not firing, its got a spark, rung a few people and theres nothing in a E30's dash wiring ( the wiring we touched ) that controls the engine in anyway. And since its dead I can't get it to any mechanic so posting the video is the only way I can really show anyone what its doing.

Please please please if anyone has any idea what its doing or would like to come help after xmas, that'd be awesome, got a pack of beers ready =D Im in Bucklands Beach =)

Edited December 23, 2010 by Gotheschu

[Gotheschu 1]

6 days to go and list is going good.

DONE:

Car now turns on =)

NEED TO DO:

Replace brake master cylinder. ( HOW THE FARK DO I DO THIS? ) Ideas please =D

[Nobimmer 694]

Unbolt the old one, bolt new one back in place. It's held in by 2 bolts, pretty easy really.

[Gotheschu 1]

Unbolt the old one, bolt new one back in place. It's held in by 2 bolts, pretty easy really.

firstly. this is me we're talking about. and nothing about E30's is easy haha.

Nah all good. Ill have a go tomorrow with it. Maybe recruit some help =D

[DRTDVL 0]

if you need a hand let me know...

021389993 - if it's not raining i'll bring over the 205

[Gotheschu 1]

if you need a hand let me know...

021389993 - if it's not raining i'll bring over the 205

awesome will give you a bell soon.

[Gotheschu 1]

Spent round 2-3 hours bleeding the brakes today with Heath. Flushed out the old crap but the pedal is a bit better but not really as good as I thought i'd be. I still have another master cylinder ready to go in but it would mean buying another 3 bottles of fluid.... and its a bitch to take out and put back in.

Andy's coming over tomorrow to see how they compare to his...

Heath doesn't think its the master cylinder since its not leaking or something ( i forgot ), so is it a case of just bleeding it until its good ( finding the annoying air bubble ) or does someone has one of those pressure things the mechanics use =) Just want it working a bit better for Sunday =D

EDIT: just saw this... http://www.bimmerwerkz.com/forum/3-series-...akes-64930.html

[hotwire 352]

Jack, if the pedal is improving - I doubt it being the MC at fault. No external leak from the cylinder is no guarantee of no fault though - fluid can still bypass the seals internally - cancelling out pressure (just had a quick glance at that link, it also mentions this)

Being rear drum setup - have you checked the rear brake adjustment? They are self adjusting but this doesn't always happen. Loose shoe adjustment will also increase pedal travel. Check this!

Can you pump the pedal up & if so - will it will hold firm? This can indicate brake adjustment required

If rest of system is flushed & bled properly, you can change the MC without having to rebleed the whole system.

Fit the cylinder & bleed that before refitting brake pipes. fit them & leave nuts 1/2 turn loose, pedal down & tighten nuts. Release pedal & repeat a few times - this will extract any air out of the ends of the brake pipes.

Seriously though - make sure they are working correctly before contemplating going on the track. This is no place to find they don't work correctly

[Gotheschu 1]

Jack, if the pedal is improving - I doubt it being the MC at fault. No external leak from the cylinder is no guarantee of no fault though - fluid can still bypass the seals internally - cancelling out pressure (just had a quick glance at that link, it also mentions this)

Being rear drum setup - have you checked the rear brake adjustment? They are self adjusting but this doesn't always happen. Loose shoe adjustment will also increase pedal travel. Check this!

Can you pump the pedal up & if so - will it will hold firm? This can indicate brake adjustment required

If rest of system is flushed & bled properly, you can change the MC without having to rebleed the whole system.

Fit the cylinder & bleed that before refitting brake pipes. fit them & leave nuts 1/2 turn loose, pedal down & tighten nuts. Release pedal & repeat a few times - this will extract any air out of the ends of the brake pipes.

Seriously though - make sure they are working correctly before contemplating going on the track. This is no place to find they don't work correctly

how do i check the rear brake adjustment?

and im not going near a track with these brakes.

[Grant 4]

This is a great thread.

Jack, you are doing a great job! Keep up the good work.

[Gotheschu 1]

Rung some random workshop and they can try doing it today so hopefully Ill be good.

Will have to see though.

Thanks Grant =)

[DRTDVL 0]

Grant - when you pump the pedal with the engine off you get a nice firm pedal, if you keep your foot firmly on the pedal it's not moving to the floor board. I was always told that was an easy way to test if your master or caliper is leaking as you would loose pressure if they where and the pedal would move to the floor with the pressure loss.

There is/was really really old fluid - it was coming out british racing green/forest green - and the plastic filter thingamajig was left in giving the impression that the master was full when it was empty so a fair bit of air was sucked into the system before it was removed and fluid could freely pour in.

Jack's just going to need to play chase the bubbles.

[Gotheschu 1]

ah well. car is with some ramdom workshop now with a guy whose going to have a look at them....

god help me this sunday. haha

[Gotheschu 1]

JUST RANG THE GUY. HE"S SAID SO FAR SO GOOD AND ITS MUCH BETTER. IM GONNA GO TEST DRIVE IT IN A MINUTE BUT =DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD

$50 bucks he said so not badd =DDD

[hotwire 352]

Grant - when you pump the pedal with the engine off you get a nice firm pedal, if you keep your foot firmly on the pedal it's not moving to the floor board. I was always told that was an easy way to test if your master or caliper is leaking as you would loose pressure if they where and the pedal would move to the floor with the pressure loss.

There is/was really really old fluid - it was coming out british racing green/forest green - and the plastic filter thingamajig was left in giving the impression that the master was full when it was empty so a fair bit of air was sucked into the system before it was removed and fluid could freely pour in.

Jack's just going to need to play chase the bubbles.

Heath - yep correct, you will also loose pedal with air in the system (loosing line pressure)

With held firm pedal as you describe & starting the car - the pedal will soften &drop slightly - indicating booster working.

Proper pedal feel but with excessive travel, or building up to good pedal with a couple of pumps (& holding) can be due to mis adjusted brakes - rear shoes, as it is requiring more fluid to compensate for the extra travel of the shoes to drum.

[Gotheschu 1]

BRAKES ARE FIXED! X5 tow car just broke. Dad fiddling and snapped a plastic coolant hose. AA on the way =D

Brakes are heaps better. They adjusted the rears well only one as one's screw was stripped and they couldn't get it out but hes adjusted them and its heaps better. Andy drove it and says its fine for the track.

Haha all goodz though. =D

thanks heath =DDD

[DRTDVL 0]

glad you didn't swap over the master for no reason...