My E90 M3 Dedicated Track build (with pix!)

[dogbone]

Originally Posted by roastbeef

when you're going through the esses at the 24 second mark, it looks like your entire car is over the rumble strip. do they kinda frown upon this, or is it something everyone is doing?

At first I was hesitant to run over the orange berm there. But I finally tried it and the car rolled over it without issue. So I kept going on there. No one ever said anything to me about it. I think you had to keep a wheel on the red and white berm and it was ok, but I’m not 100% sure to be honest.

[dogbone]

Okayyyyyy, let's file this one under: What?!

So, I called AIM today to check in and see if there was any news regarding my Solo2DL. I'm just really curious to know if the AIM is the cause of my problems. I talked to the tech working on it and I got a pretty interesting answer!

I asked him if they had a chance to look at the unit. And he sorta pauses, and he says, "Yeah......there's.....uh definitely something up with it. I connected it to my Volvo when I went out to lunch and it disabled the car. All kinds of errors started showing up. I had to run back into work and get an OBD device that could clear the codes to get the Volvo working again......The crazy part is that all boards are properly attached and all the soldered stuff is still in place......"

WUUUUUT!???? I'm like, don't send me that unit back. Send me something else. He said they're going to keep looking at it, and that whatever they send back to me will be fully tested and operational.....Yeah whatever.....don't send me that unit back!!!

So, I guess it's safe to say the AIM was the culprit. Holy cow! I'm so happy [and lucky] I was able to sort that out 2 minutes before SuperLap started!!!

So, if you drop your AIM, don't keep using it! Even if it looks like it's working!!! Because mine looked like it was working perfectly!!!

[///Mobbin]

Originally Posted by dogbone

Okayyyyyy, let's file this one under: What?!

So, I called AIM today to check in and see if there was any news regarding my Solo2DL. I'm just really curious to know if the AIM is the cause of my problems. I talked to the tech working on it and I got a pretty interesting answer!

I asked him if they had a chance to look at the unit. And he sorta pauses, and he says, "Yeah......there's.....uh definitely something up with it. I connected it to my Volvo when I went out to lunch and it disabled the car. All kinds of errors started showing up. I had to run back into work and get an OBD device that could clear the codes to get the Volvo working again......The crazy part is that all boards are properly attached and all the soldered stuff is still in place......"

WUUUUUT!???? I'm like, don't send me that unit back. Send me something else. He said they're going to keep looking at it, and that whatever they send back to me will be fully tested and operational.....Yeah whatever.....don't send me that unit back!!!

So, I guess it's safe to say the AIM was the culprit. Holy cow! I'm so happy [and lucky] I was able to sort that out 2 minutes before SuperLap started!!!

So, if you drop your AIM, don't keep using it! Even if it looks like it's working!!! Because mine looked like it was working perfectly!!!

Nice, glad this issue is finally sorted and glad you figured it out before SuperLap!

[dogbone]

Originally Posted by ///Mobbin

Nice, glad this issue is finally sorted and glad you figured it out before SuperLap!

On that topic-----I spoke to AIM today. Ultimately, they could not figure out the problem with my device. So, they replaced the main logic board and the input board. The only thing left from the original device is the GPS board. They tested it and said it's good to go. (Although the dude was afraid to attach it to his Volvo.....hahaha)

Anyway, they took care of the whole thing under warranty! I've said many times over the years that AIM support is fantastic. Here's yet another example.

My E92 M3 here in CO has an AIM CAN connection on it. I'll be hooking it up to that and driving around see how that goes for now. It's going to be a bit before I can get back into my E90.

[SYT_Shadow]

Hahaha, probably having nightmares about what the AIM did

[dogbone]

Originally Posted by SYT_Shadow

Hahaha, probably having nightmares about what the AIM did

Poor guy. I feel bad about that. He was so nice on the phone. The AIM support people are all as nice as can be. But I didn’t send the device back to the manufacturer thinking the device would be attached to a real car! I figured it would sit on a tech bench connected to analysis equipment, and maybe a testing ECU.....but some dude’s personal car? Didn’t see that one coming......It makes for an interesting anecdote though!

[//steve\\]

Originally Posted by dogbone

Poor guy. I feel bad about that. He was so nice on the phone. The AIM support people are all as nice as can be. But I didn’t send the device back to the manufacturer thinking the device would be attached to a real car! I figured it would sit on a tech bench connected to analysis equipment, and maybe a testing ECU.....but some dude’s personal car? Didn’t see that one coming......It makes for an interesting anecdote though!

When it doubt, test in PROD

[gmx]

lol like I to joke in my field of work. Your prod env is our test env. :P

[tdott]

Originally Posted by gmx

lol like I to joke in my field of work. Your prod env is our test env. :P

Sometimes you just can't duplicate the results.

[magus4286]

Originally Posted by tsk94

Interesting note how little weight the headlight blanks save. I was a bit skeptical of them saving 40 lbs, but Bimmerworld is usually pretty reliable with that kind of information so I assumed it was true..

I've been convinced someone yelled across the shop "fourteen!" and someone heard it as 40 and wrote the product description. I had weighted my headlights at ~7 lbs each....

[dogbone]

Originally Posted by magus4286

I've been convinced someone yelled across the shop "fourteen!" and someone heard it as 40 and wrote the product description. I had weighted my headlights at ~7 lbs each....

haha Yes, I'm sure the Bimmerworld shop is a very loud and vibrant environment. That must be it.

You know, there was so much going on when we installed those, I never really did talk about the blanks much.

The tech who transported our cars to COTA did the install in a COTA garage the night before the Chin event. I'm glad I didn't do it. The carbon pieces arrived without any screw holes pre-drilled, so the pieces needed several holes drilled for the install. Ultimately, the fit of the pieces is nice. We didn't have to massage anything. Perhaps the tech was just a drilling genius! I'm sure I would have been a big chicken trying to drill holes in them the night before an event.

Since the carbon is completely raw unfinished carbon, we put some clear track wrap tape on the headlights. The tape is not holding up very well. Not sure what the long term solution is. The answer might be spraying the carbon with one of those hard clear coats. My friend did that to his canards and they look great.

I did buy those headlight decals directly from the company that makes them. I asked them to change something in the graphics. I haven't put them on the blanks yet. The look of the carbon blank is growing on me. We'll see.

[tsk94]

Originally Posted by magus4286

I've been convinced someone yelled across the shop "fourteen!" and someone heard it as 40 and wrote the product description. I had weighted my headlights at ~7 lbs each....

Haha yeah, must of been something like that. $600 to save 40lbs, good deal. Not so much for 14lbs. I was on verge of picking them up, glad I came across dogbones post..

[dogbone]

Originally Posted by tsk94

Haha yeah, must of been something like that. $600 to save 40lbs, good deal. Not so much for 14lbs. I was on verge of picking them up, glad I came across dogbones post..

A few years ago, Racewerkz Engineering suggested simply gutting the headlight assembly. They were willing to jump on it, but at the time, I just wanted to keep the functioning headlights.

I don't know how hard it would be to gut the headlight, but it sounds like a cheaper way to lose a number of pounds.

[OG Shark]

Originally Posted by dogbone

haha Yes, I'm sure the Bimmerworld shop is a very loud and vibrant environment. That must be it.

You know, there was so much going on when we installed those, I never really did talk about the blanks much.

The tech who transported our cars to COTA did the install in a COTA garage the night before the Chin event. I'm glad I didn't do it. The carbon pieces arrived without any screw holes pre-drilled, so the pieces needed several holes drilled for the install. Ultimately, the fit of the pieces is nice. We didn't have to massage anything. Perhaps the tech was just a drilling genius! I'm sure I would have been a big chicken trying to drill holes in them the night before an event.

Since the carbon is completely raw unfinished carbon, we put some clear track wrap tape on the headlights. The tape is not holding up very well. Not sure what the long term solution is. The answer might be spraying the carbon with one of those hard clear coats. My friend did that to his canards and they look great.

I did buy those headlight decals directly from the company that makes them. I asked them to change something in the graphics. I haven't put them on the blanks yet. The look of the carbon blank is growing on me. We'll see.

Did you say stickers for headlights?




I'm pretty sure BW meant the pre pre pre pre LCI headlights were 40lbs - just haven't updated it recently.

[dogbone]

Originally Posted by OG Shark

Did you say stickers for headlights?

Haha yup that’s pretty much what I got!

[dogbone]

Can I tell you how much I effing hate iRacing?

[Bartledoo]

Originally Posted by dogbone

Can I tell you how much I effing hate iRacing?

Bahahaha. I was hateful too, until I learned how to really sling that damn Miata and not get taken out by hits. Still sucks getting taken out occasionally though.

[dogbone]

Originally Posted by Bartledoo

Bahahaha. I was hateful too, until I learned how to really sling that damn Miata and not get taken out by hits. Still sucks getting taken out occasionally though.

haha so much hate.

I. Just. Can't. Take. It. Anymore. The Crashing. My god. The crashing. It's like I've never seen a car before.

Gonna look into Assetto Corsa. See if I can gain my sanity back. geezus.

[ThunderMoose]

Originally Posted by dogbone

Can I tell you how much I effing hate iRacing?

Me too. I can't do 2 laps without spinning.

[dogbone]

Originally Posted by ThunderMoose

Me too. I can't do 2 laps without spinning.

Exactly. I mean really. What mysterious bullshit physics alternate-universe does this game live in?

[Bartledoo]

Originally Posted by dogbone

haha so much hate.

I. Just. Can't. Take. It. Anymore. The Crashing. My god. The crashing. It's like I've never seen a car before.

Gonna look into Assetto Corsa. See if I can gain my sanity back. geezus.

First time I tried assetto...Pulled out of the pit at my home track and spun out immediately! With TC on halfway!! Like wtf I've never even spun in real life with TC OFF.

Once you get the hang of driving with no feeling in the butt iracing is pretty fun. I haven't tried any other car besides the F3 with TC on, and that crazy loose spec ford racer. The ford racer is still hard with TC on lol

[gmx]

Sims give you a sixth sense of grip. Esp old days where FFB was mundane or often completely turned off.
I raced quite a bit with one of your mates in bimmer challenge over a decade ago