My E90 M3 Dedicated Track build (with pix!)

[dogbone]

Originally Posted by roastbeef

Maybe I'll try to fly out next year... the bbq and festivities sound like a lot of fun.

Austin is a cool town all on its own. Add to that a $300 million track, a time trial competition with crazy cars, good food and a bunch of nice people, and I think you have the ingredients to have a fun time! Let’s put it this way, I had a brutal experience with my technical issues and long-ass hammer drive, and I don’t regret going. If someone simply flew in, hung out for a couple days and then jetted back out, I imagine it could be fun to check out.

[OG Shark]

Originally Posted by dogbone

Austin is a cool town all on its own. Add to that a $300 million track, a time trial competition with crazy cars, good food and a bunch of nice people, and I think you have the ingredients to have a fun time! Let’s put it this way, I had a brutal experience with my technical issues and long-ass hammer drive, and I don’t regret going. If someone simply flew in, hung out for a couple days and then jetted back out, I imagine it could be fun to check out.

Agree on all points. Austin has so much going on that it is worth the trip alone - maybe better when things normal out a bit though. I was really impressed with the production value of the event too - they have a really good grasp of how to put on an entertaining show!

And as a bonus if you are visiting from Cali you are likely to run into a bunch of people you already know since it seems like half the state is moving here right now

[redpriest]

Originally Posted by OG Shark

Agree on all points. Austin has so much going on that it is worth the trip alone - maybe better when things normal out a bit though. I was really impressed with the production value of the event too - they have a really good grasp of how to put on an entertaining show!

And as a bonus if you are visiting from Cali you are likely to run into a bunch of people you already know since it seems like half the state is moving here right now

Just wait til we bring our real estate prices!

[DRLane]

Originally Posted by redpriest

Just wait til we bring our real estate prices!

And taxes

[SYT_Shadow]

Originally Posted by DRLane

And taxes

Yes... so much I feel like saying on this topic but I'll try to shut up

[b4hand]

Originally Posted by redpriest

Just wait til we bring our real estate prices!

Don't even start, I just got here!

[admranger]

Originally Posted by redpriest

Just wait til we bring our real estate prices!

And forest fires!

Already has your traffic and property taxes. Real estate is getting closer in Austin.

[dogbone]

Nine years into my motorsport journey, I am in the midst of seeing a number of age related issues in the car and trailer. After so many years of largely trouble-free tracking, the sheer number of issues I'm seeing all at the same time is a bit overwhelming.

Figure I'd list them out so people can see what starts to happen as time passes:

-E90 motor---(most likely) head gasket. We already know about this one. The E90 motor went far longer than I ever thought I would with the original internals. The rod bearings were the only parts replaced in the engine.

-Power steering issue. I went to the track yesterday to see if the power steering has been addressed, but a limp mode prevented me from running any hot laps. So, I don't know if the power steering issue has been solved yet. The shop said they found a bunch of wires that were bare copper touching other bare copper wires. Some were part of the servotronic system. They dealt with the wires. We decided not to do the power steering lines yet until I could drive it to see if the wires were the problem. I'm willing to take this one step at a time. But still no answer.

-Limp mode. Oof, this one is SUPER frustrating. This was starting to happen before the engine swap, and the problem has persisted and continued getting worse after the engine swap. The error code is pointing to a vacuum plausibility problem related to the brake booster pump in the fender on the driver side. The pump does not seem to be turning on, and the car is freaking out. The limp mode used to stop happening once the car warmed up, and it never happened when the car was on track. Now, it happens on every start. The car is 100% undriveable now.

I start the car and the rev limiter kicks down to 4k, and the idle jumps from its normal 800RPM to 1100RPM. You know exactly when it goes into limp mode because you can hear the RPM change. I was at High Plains Raceway yesterday and never got a lap. fsmtnbiker was at HPR testing with his endurance team and he took some time out of his day to help me keep chasing this issue down. From what we can tell, the fuse seems good---the volt meter says so, the relay seems good---we swapped DRLane's relay into my car at the track and nothing changed, the sensor seems good---the Bavarian Technic cable/software can monitor live values and we tracked sensor readings on my car and DRLane's car. I had a spare sensor and it acts the same. The E90 vacuum pump has been swapped with the E92 pump so the pump should be fine----neither pump turns on. That seems to leave the wiring as the last thing to be checked. So, the next step will be chasing all the wires. The car is UNdriveable until this is fixed. This is mission #1.

-Trailer: my trailer seems to be falling apart on the inside. It has big fluorescent lights mounted in aluminum. One light completely pulled out and was dangling..... The spare tire mount in the cabinet pulled off the wall. All kinds of trim and screws are popping out or are pulling away. I don't know what the hell is happening with the trailer, but it's kind of scary. I need to get it checked out.

I've also pushed the Go button on tearing down the E90 motor to assess its condition. My current plan is to do the minimum needed to put the E90 motor into the E92. Well see what's required to make that engine run again. If the motor itself is has major damage, then the E92 is done and I'll part it out.


Anyway, it's been a tough few months of chasing issues down, and I haven't been having much success. Hopefully, I can continue narrowing some of this stuff down to finally solve this stuff.

[admranger]

Frustrating to have so many problems all at once, especially right when track season opens up.

Knock things out one at a time. Probably a few good trailer places near you that can address the issues you're having. Remember that you're subjecting that trailer to an hour long earthquake every time you use it.

[SYT_Shadow]

I'm sorry to hear about these issues. It's very frustrating to spend money chasing down unknown gremlins. I've been down that road.

Take it one thing at a time. Whatever the issue is, there's a cause to it and you will find it. Don't get discouraged.

[dogbone]

Thanks guys. I’m not discouraged, but I absolutely admit to being frustrated. The hunt for solutions continues.

On that note, I have a couple updates from this afternoon.

-we may have found the culprit for the limp modes. It appears there is a bad ground wire going to the brake booster vacuum pump. A volt meter found that. We jerryrigged a temporary ground and the pump turned on and the car fired up not in limp mode. So we have a direction to go on that one. Remember, this was occurring before the motor swap, so something in the wiring was on its way out prior to the motor problems.

-the E90 motor tear down has begun. They are telling me that the motor looks excellent on the inside. I was there today checking it out. I’m no pro, but the inside looks pretty clean. The issue is a small head gasket leak. We caught it early. We will tear down far enough to access the main bearing. They were telling me the engine looks good enough so far that I should consider putting it back in the E90. With the main bearing being confirmed, the motor will be super fresh when they’re done......we’ll see.....

[dogbone]

Cory sent over some nice pix of the E90 motor tear down.



The yellow rectangle shows where the head gasket was failing. Hot fuel and air were forcing their way from the cylinder, pushing through the gasket and into the coolant hole at the bottom of the rectangle. I'm being told the pistons look really good and the cylinder walls are super clean.






Haven't gotten to the main bearing yet. Curious to know what that will look like. Also, we will have an opportunity to see what the replacement rod bearings that EAS put in look like after about 4000 miles of track-only use.

[tsk94]

Not bad so far. Really interested to see how the RB looks!

[roastbeef]

hell, while its all apart, bore it out a little!

[tsk94]

Originally Posted by roastbeef

hell, while its all apart, bore it out a little!

Built low compression supercharged S65, yes please

[roastbeef]

its a great way to lose some weight up front, too.

[derbo]

Glad thinks are starting to look smoother now and addressing gremlins!

[dogbone]

Originally Posted by tsk94

Built low compression supercharged S65, yes please

haha......the last thing I need right now is a 6 month $60k engine and tranny project......

[tsk94]

Originally Posted by dogbone

haha......the last thing I need right now is a 6 month $60k engine and tranny project......

It's out of the car already so what the heck!

Even just the engine build alone wouldn't be cheap. I don't know if the DCT could handle the increased torque of a built supercharged motor, so a sequential might be needed. Then standalone ECU, tuning etc... Ya it would sure add up quick.. Maybe one day

[dogbone]

Originally Posted by tsk94

It's out of the car already so what the heck!

Even just the engine build alone wouldn't be cheap. I don't know if the DCT could handle the increased torque of a built supercharged motor, so a sequential might be needed. Then standalone ECU, tuning etc... Ya it would sure add up quick.. Maybe one day

My understanding is that the stock DCT system is rated to 440 ft lbs of torque. If my supercharger is putting out 370 ft lbs at the wheels, and you assume a 15% loss for drivetrain, then that means my car is putting out around 435 ft lbs of torque at the crank. So I'm already at the limit at the transmission. Does anyone even make parts for a BMW DCT to take way higher torque? I have no idea.

[tsk94]

Originally Posted by dogbone

My understanding is that the stock DCT system is rated to 440 ft lbs of torque. If my supercharger is putting out 370 ft lbs at the wheels, and you assume a 15% loss for drivetrain, then that means my car is putting out around 435 ft lbs of torque at the crank. So I'm already at the limit at the transmission. Does anyone even make parts for a BMW DCT to take way higher torque? I have no idea.

That sounds about right. So anything more and it would need to be addressed.

From a quick google search there seems to be some clutch upgrade options available. Engine + tranny and all the associated elements to get it sorted would make it a huge understanding, both time and money wise. If you would be able to keep the DCT and just upgrade the clutches, a low compression built motor becomes slightly more reasonable - but still expensive to say the least lol.

[roastbeef]

Originally Posted by dogbone

My understanding is that the stock DCT system is rated to 440 ft lbs of torque. If my supercharger is putting out 370 ft lbs at the wheels, and you assume a 15% loss for drivetrain, then that means my car is putting out around 435 ft lbs of torque at the crank. So I'm already at the limit at the transmission. Does anyone even make parts for a BMW DCT to take way higher torque? I have no idea.

yes. ssp makes a couple of lightweight baskets (might as well while you're in there) and a higher torque clutch pack. good for 900 ft/lbs.
https://www.sspperformance.com/bmw-d...n-package.html