'09 Interlagos M3 Coupe Progress Thread

[nsogiba]

Finally got my track season kicked off. Track prep consisted of an oil change, exhaust swap, Power Stop Track Day pads (brand new all around) and mounting up the ancient Federal 275s. I did have to install a new drop hitch as the trailer sat way nose low before. Of course it hit the bumper before it would reach the pin hole, so 20 minutes later on the drill press...















Uneventful 90 minute ride out to Toronto Motorsports Park pulling the trailer. Being a weekday, the track was nearly empty all day - there were maybe 5-6 other cars throughout the day.









I spent the day mostly knocking off the rust and relearning my motions, lines, etc. Played with tire pressures at bit and found that they were happiest at around 30-31psi hot. The brakes worked well but struggled later in the day especially as I ran longer sessions. The wheels would be coated in brake dust powder and front rotors were measuring 700F+. I also tried out the free Track Addict app, which I liked.



Great fun day lapping, biggest issue is being somewhat uncomfortable in the car as the stock seat and belt doesn't hold you in place. I really don't want to hack this car up as it's mainly a street car, so I might look into those QuickFit harnesses.

[nsogiba]

A few days after TMP, I had the opportunity to do an HPDE day at my home track, Watkins Glen, with the GVC Chapter of the BMWCCA. This was a one day event open only to Advanced/Solo participants, so traffic was very light, and the folks out there were fast and smart. The car performed really well at TMP so I didn't need to do anything other than adjust tire pressure for the trip out there. Didn't even unhook the trailer



Bringing my own fuel to the event was great, it was really nice being able to relax during the lunch hour and not worry about heading into town to refuel. I ran the tank down to about 1/4 and would just keep it around 3/8 by refilling periodically. This car doesn't seem to suffer from fuel starvation, so I figured I wouldn't put unnecessary weight in it.

Ghost town in the garage







Despite the weather being in the mid 70s all week, it only reached a high of 50F on the day of the event. It was cold and very windy which seemed great for power production in the morning but made for an uncomfortable time when not in the car/on track. The tires and brakes didn't seem to mind the cold and by noon the sun was peeking out a bit. Oil temp never went over 220-230ish no matter how long I stayed out or how hard I beat on it.

I continued to play with tire pressures trying to sneak up on the arrow on the sidewall but went a bit low, so I ended up settling at 34psi hot which was a happy medium. These are 2017 date code tires so they're well past their useful life - just wanted to get the last bit out of them. Overall I liked the 595-RSRRs, they wore very well and despite being loud on the street were predictable in the dry. Never tried them in the rain.





As I refamiliarized myself with the track I realized I was leaving a lot of time on the table by overbraking, especially on the front and back straights. I would find myself braking firmly but overslowing, then releasing the brakes slowly (but not fully) as I realized I could have gone faster. Each session I got more comfortable braking later and also much more firmly - definitely engaging ABS hard, and not lingering on the brakes during turn in as much. Lap times came way down, but the front brakes were starting to struggle as a result...

The brakes would be great at first (hard bite initially) but after 4-5 laps definitely felt softer and more inconsistent in deceleration rate despite a firm pedal and consistent pressure applied by me.

Front:


Rear:


Front rotors starting to form grooves and cracking around the cross drilled holes. The rotors ended up looking way worse by the end of the event.



The fronts were just puking brake dust powder (not the residue that forms a coating on wheels, but actual black metallic powder) and a quick inspection showed that I was down to about 3/16" material. I pulled the pads just to get a better idea of their condition and found that the friction material was separating from the backing plate.

While pulling one of the front wheels off, I also found this...



Wouldn't come out no matter how hard I yanked with pliers, my guess is one of the steel belts inside broke after hundreds of track miles and slamming over curbing. Between this and the pads, I took it as a sign to call it a day, so I slapped the OEM pads back in and installed the 220Ms for the ride back home.

Despite the day being cut a bit short I was overall happy with my progression. Last year on the same tires and brakes, in 80F weather, I got myself down to a 2:21 and was ecstatic about it. Now with more worn tires and way more seat time, PR was a 2:15.504



Fun fact - Once I got home and pulled everything apart to put the street pads back in and assess rotor damage, I found that the OEM rotors and pads are exactly that....OEM. As in, original to the car from September 2008. I'd say I got my money's worth. I need to remind myself to take a pic of the front rotors in their current state...

Plan going forward:

New OEM rotors and DTC-60 pads through FCP lifetime program
More fresh RBF660
Porsche GT3 brake cooling scoops on the control arms up front
Bimmerworld stainless lines 6x
Mount new 595 RS-RR's that are sitting in my shed

[nsogiba]

[nsogiba]

Aftermath of TMP and WGI 1 day events. I'm almost positive these rotors were original to the car. Pour one out for these bad boys







New SS lines and fresh annual fluid







New pads up front for street use only to replace the OEMs. These are awesome, there is little to no dust output.





Big beefy Hawd DTC-70s for track use. Got them through FCP and will be utilizing the Lifetime replacement to ease costs.



Quite thick

[nsogiba]

The next step in extending pad and rotor life was getting some cooling into the front brakes. For whatever reason there is absolutely no ducting to the brakes on the M3...even my lowly 2001 540i had ducts that shot some ambient air in the general direction of the hub.

I picked up some aluminum backing plates that use a 2" inlet. They needed minor massaging to bolt up, but protect the tie rod ends from heat fairly well.



https://www.aliexpress.us/item/32568...2usa4itemAdapt

I adapted the 2" inlet to 2.5" hose with an off the shelf exhaust adapter and bolted it all up.









For the fresh air inlet, I cut holes in the face of the undertray and bolted up 3D printed ducts made by a member on the E9X Track and Race Discussion FB group.







Clearance is good, it's very close at full lock with 275/35/18s by the subframe but I used a few extra zip ties to suck in the duct and oval it where it was close to the tire.

Fresh rubber - love these tires for their endurance, durability, and price point.



Turbo LS Jag waits patiently for its turn in the garage.

[nsogiba]

For anyone interested, I'm selling my original velocity stack setup.

The sound from these is incredible - simply nothing like it.

https://www.m3post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2052507

These were removed from the inside of an OEM plenum and are a direct fit on any E9X M3. Simply remove your existing plenum and bolt these on using the factory throttle body boots/clamps.

Included are 2 oil breather filters that are to be mounted to the air/oil separators on each valve cover.

$300 shipped OBO.

[bese60]

Originally Posted by nsogiba

I put together a quick video of an oil change for my '16 35i as I've been wanting to get into filming a bit more. No clickbait, no flashy captions, no commentary actually. Feel free to leave feedback and let me know what else you want to see - I also have an E92 M3 and an LS turbo vintage Jaguar that I am constantly working on so I will make some content with those once they come out of storage.


What do you want to see more of? ASMR/no commentary? More POV/headcam gopro stuff? Voiceovers? Driving videos?

Really enjoyed the thread and wish I kept up with this in real time.

For track days - I had the impression that it'd cost $300 a day..... need special insurance.... spend $$ on new set of tires and what not. If i wanted to take my M340i for an event what would out of pocket cost be? and would i need any mods ?

[nsogiba]

Originally Posted by bese60

Really enjoyed the thread and wish I kept up with this in real time.

For track days - I had the impression that it'd cost $300 a day..... need special insurance.... spend $$ on new set of tires and what not. If i wanted to take my M340i for an event what would out of pocket cost be? and would i need any mods ?

Lots of misconceptions about track events. I have only formally run with the GVC/Trillium chapters of the BMW CCA, which are great ways to get your feet wet as a novice.

Cost varies by event, but I typically pay $650 per weekend (Saturday+Sunday) for track time. This includes a dedicated instructor that rides with you each session, coaches you, and provides feedback. Extremely helpful. You get 4 on track sessions, 20 minutes long, each day for a total of 160 minutes of track time. Plenty for a novice. There are also classroom sessions to help familiarize you with technique, track etiquette, safety procedures, flagging, passing, etc.

You may find different pricing with other clubs, but not sure what level (if any) of instruction they offer.

You don't need fancy tires or brakes. As long as your tires have sufficient tread and are not too old, they'll be great. Ditto for brakes, I am not familiar with the M340i platform but provided your stock brake pads have at least 50% lining remaining, you'll be fine as a novice. I would recommend flushing your brake fluid with a high boiling point replacement, this is just smart insurance. No other mods necessary, just make sure your car doesn't leak anything and is safe. The club I run with mandates a tech inspection prior to the event, so they'll make sure your car is safe for the event.

You will need a helmet. Check with your specific HPDE event organizer for Snell Certification requirements.

Insurance is not required, but can be a good idea. Some folks "send it" as hard as they can, for them I recommend insurance. For me, it's more about driving pleasure and honing my skill rather than setting a fast time (although this is changing as I acrue seat time). I have never purchased insurance as I do not plan to crash, and always leave myself some level of margin in case things go wrong. Be smart and you'll be fine.

Check our your local BMW CCA chapter website and see what driving schools they offer. In my experience everyone is very helpful regardless of a student's skill level.

https://www.bmwcca.org/chapter/new-jersey-chapter

Out of pocket costs...it's not a cheap hobby.
$650 for HPDE admission
Gas to/from event, and you'll be consuming quite a bit of fuel during the event.
Hotel for a couple nights if you're going somewhere out of town.
Food/beverages

I don't golf, gamble or spend money on other mundane hobbies so it's an easy financial justification for me.

Good luck and have fun!

[nsogiba]

I'm trying to get more into the Youtube thing. Spent some time making a video about my recent lapping adventures this past fall. If you're bored, check it out and consider subscribing. Always open to commentary and suggestions.

[nsogiba]

Made a video about my last build, 2011 Crown Vic with the turbo LS. Give it a watch (Jag content at the end, and my M3 makes a cameo a few times).

[ethhaynes7]

Did you have good success with the brake ducts, SS lines and hawk pads on track?

[nsogiba]

Originally Posted by ethhaynes7

Did you have good success with the brake ducts, SS lines and hawk pads on track?

Yes.

I think the biggest key to helping the stock rotors and calipers survive is good forced cooling to the rotor hat, good quality pads, and high temp fluid.

Although there are much better braking options for track work, this setup has been budget friendly and worked for me. It just consumes pads fairly quickly, which is not an issue thanks to FCP's Lifetime warranty. I have burned through a set of front pads in less than a full weekend, so I always have a spare set with me.

Another thing I'm going to try this year is running with DSC/MDM fully off. There was a post on here where a member analyzed the braking input to each wheel running with the system on and off...with MDM on, the system would lightly pulse the brakes through turns, and even on the straights! That'll definitely contribute to pad wear.

With this being my 3rd year tracking the M3, I feel confident enough to turn the systems off, back off the pace, and see how my brake wear changes.

[nsogiba]

I realized I never wrapped up my notes on the 2023 HPDE season.

Around mid-summer 2023 the car threw its first CEL in my ownership, for a Thermostat code. I hooked up my OBD dongle and monitored coolant temps to find that it was hovering around 165F when "warmed up", so obviously the thermostat was stuck open. Although the car already had the water pump replaced early in its life, I figured it was cheap insurance to do while I was in there.



Surprised to find a plastic impeller, but pleased to be replacing it with a metal one.



I also replaced union o-rings and hoses as a precaution. FCP Euro includes a nice kit for all this.











Of course I broke this little bugger (radiator drain plug) before I realized it was a one time use and had to pay a ridiculous fee for a new one. I also replaced a noisy belt idler pulley/bearing.

[nsogiba]

The GVC Chapter of the BMW CCA hosted their fall event at Watkins Glen at the end of September. This is one of my favorite events due to the cooler temps.

I always make it a point at each HPDE to spend time walking through the garage and to snap photos of the machinery. I remember as a teenager wishing I could spend time around these kinds of sports car when I was older, especially at a racetrack. It's so easy to get wrapped up in worrying about my driving technique, lap times, making sure the car is mechanically sound throughout the weekend, so it's important for me to live in the moment and make sure I appreciate my situation. Really cool to see C8 Vettes out on track getting thrashed.









An old friend of mine came to spectate and drove his B13 SE-R down from Buffalo. Really cool car, I'm trying to convince him to do an event with us. He has a couple of these cars, I think this one has an SR20 with a small turbo on it.





I had a feeling my brake cooling scoops might be too fragile, and sure enough the track heat beat them up a bit. I jury-rigged them well enough to continue running the rest of the weekend without flying off. Always bring a bag of zip ties.







More cool stuff.









Sunday dawned clear but cold. My wife and kids made the trek down to check out the track and spend time with their beloved "Blue Car". Some really awesome memories made.









Loaded up and en route home in one piece:


At home, coming off the trailer I snagged the undertray on the ramps and that was the end of the scoops. I later remade them using steel.

[pirategenes]

Originally Posted by nsogiba

I picked up some aluminum backing plates that use a 2" inlet. They needed minor massaging to bolt up, but protect the tie rod ends from heat fairly well.

I have a set of these backing plates too and will be doing the install soon. I'm a little concerned about fitment. Do you mind sharing any tips or tricks for the "minor massaging" you did?

Thanks in advance for any advice!

[nsogiba]

Originally Posted by pirategenes

I have a set of these backing plates too and will be doing the install soon. I'm a little concerned about fitment. Do you mind sharing any tips or tricks for the "minor massaging" you did?

Thanks in advance for any advice!

You might have to open up the mounting holes a bit to get them to line up, and bend them slightly. Not a huge deal.

[pirategenes]

Originally Posted by nsogiba

You might have to open up the mounting holes a bit to get them to line up, and bend them slightly. Not a huge deal.

Indeed that does sound like "minor massaging" and not a huge deal. Thanks for the tip!

Thanks also for all the updates - looking great!

[nsogiba]

October brought a fun weekend spent at Pittrace. The Delaware Valley Chapter sponsored an HPDE over a weekend, so I got to catch up with some familiar faces.

Although my M3 is nearly stock, I still choose to trailer it to events since I don't want to be stranded in case a mechanical issue comes up (or worse yet, an on track incident). My trusty F15 X5 has put in a couple years of towing duties now and performed really nicely. The combination of a shorter hitch and Airlift Bags have reduced squat significantly. Having a support vehicle also gives me the flexibility to bring spare wheels, tools, extra gas cans and food/drinks to reduce trips into town. Also, I don't really know why, but I love towing stuff.









The Uhaul trailers are okay functionally, but it was getting old renting one for every event; not only was it inconvenient to have to go grab it and return it, but obviously made little financial sense to rent. I am making a conscious effort to keep costs in control with this hobby, so I picked up a car trailer at auction:



I'll be modifying it once I get it back home to better suit my needs. I'd like to store a spare set of tires on it permanently, and mount my toolbox and a rack for gas cans. The idea is to minimize the amount of unloading when I get to the track, and packing when I leave. In the meantime back to Pittrace:





Pittrace is small in comparison to the Glen, but I think it's more scenic and a more "playful" track. It rained on and off Saturday but really started pouring Sunday. No problems - just kept the defroster running and heated seats on. Sometimes not having an all out racecar is awesome...













Obligatory cool car little kid appreciation post



I put together a video of some typical prep and laps.

No issues other than guzzling gas and wearing out a set of pads up front. I am convinced that DSC/MDM is significantly contributing to pad wear by applying the brakes whenever it likes. This year I'll be running with all that jazz turned off and am curious to see if my pads last longer than a weekend.





I'll be back in May for the Genesee Valley Chapter's first event of the year.

[nsogiba]

I squeezed in one last track day at the end of October by heading over to Toronto Motorsports Park in Cayuga, Ontario. I've been going to this track since 2016 and love it here. 1 hour away, lots of runoff, low stress easy seat time.



Because it's so close, it's easy to get a bunch of friend together to head out. This time around we had the turbo B13 SE-R, a supercharged E46 M3, an FR-S, and my buddy's 339,000 mile E39 M5 set up for track work. He actually just picked up another M5 that he's converting to track duty - check out his channel for more detail.

https://www.youtube.com/@technician1177

Again, cool temps made for a really enjoyable day with the boys.









Since my buddy with the SE-R loves to hate on V8s, I had to give him a hard time about lending him gas for the 4 cylinder...



The E39 M5 (affectionately known as EPICJRNE), was fighting some limited slip diff issues and kept lighting up one tire in certain corners.

The supercharged E46 M3 did really well considering the owner just bought the car. Cold temps and older rear tires made for a loose rear end.