Track forum general chit chat.

[bigjae1976]

What's up with all of this drain plug stripping?

Anything aluminum, need to start slowly.

[M3 Number 86]

Originally Posted by bigjae1976

Lol...slithering over the cage door bars isn't so bad but the 6pt definitely takes a minute or two. The HANS is the biggest PIA. It's easier to leave it connected then it makes putting the harness together much harder. I can do the HANS last but the posts I have are kind of a pain to do blind. One side is always finicky.

Some highly entertaining first 3 minutes. It doesn't help when you get a shoulder strap twisted.

Those are some pretty good numbers!

At least those quick press straps are good. I got lazy when I switched to Simpson and thought I don't need those but the D ring hooks are so hard to put on - you have to look right to put the right one on. Fucking backwards shit gets me all the time lol

[CorruptCommie]

Oil follow up (S54). Rod bearings are 2.5 years old. Still no copper. Running Red Line 50WT Racing Oil in it now. Will post that report when I get some more track time.

Ravenol vs Total Racing vs Liqui Moly (5-6-15-6 track days left to right)

[roastbeef]

"Don't you already have a few tire pressure gauges?"

"Yea, but this one does it... better."

[dparm]

Originally Posted by CorruptCommie

Oil follow up (S54). Rod bearings are 2.5 years old. Still no copper. Running Red Line 50WT Racing Oil in it now. Will post that report when I get some more track time.

Ravenol vs Total Racing vs Liqui Moly (5-6-15-6 track days left to right)

I would agree with their assessment. No real difference between those oils. I'd run whichever is cheapest or easiest to get.

[Visceral]

Originally Posted by bigjae1976

What's up with all of this drain plug stripping?

Anything aluminum, need to start slowly.

Took it slowly with the "Dimple" magnetic drain plug. First in by hand and then tightening with a torque wrench set to 18 lb/ft. By my estimation I never got to 10 before it softly kept spinning.

Bavarian Autosport sent me two different color Dimple plugs, one blue, one silver (uncoated), both in 12x1.5x12 labelled containers. I'm going to put a pair of calipers on the blue one, but the threads line up and it's visually the same diameter as the stock 6mm allen plug.

If AR can't do a Timesert (which sounds appealing since the "wearing" threads would then be alloy), I'll use this as an opportunity to do a new dipstick oilpan from Bimmerworld. Sucks though that that's $2k of my MCS savings.

[ThunderMoose]

Originally Posted by Visceral

Took it slowly with the "Dimple" magnetic drain plug. First in by hand and then tightening with a torque wrench set to 18 lb/ft. By my estimation I never got to 10 before it softly kept spinning.

Bavarian Autosport sent me two different color Dimple plugs, one blue, one silver (uncoated), both in 12x1.5x12 labelled containers. I'm going to put a pair of calipers on the blue one, but the threads line up and it's visually the same diameter as the stock 6mm allen plug.

If AR can't do a Timesert (which sounds appealing since the "wearing" threads would then be alloy), I'll use this as an opportunity to do a new dipstick oilpan from Bimmerworld. Sucks though that that's $2k of my MCS savings.

I stripped mine first (and last) time using torque wrench. Now I use tiny little ratchet and just make it snug.

[SQ13]

Originally Posted by bigjae1976

What's up with all of this drain plug stripping?

Anything aluminum, need to start slowly.

I stopped torquing mine. I figured if I keep torquing, I’ll strip the hex key hole on the plug, or the pan itself. Shop ended up doing the damage before I could. At least they installed a time sert for me today at no charge.

[bigjae1976]

Lesson learned...

I installed the slide type hood pins because I'd NEVER forget to pin the hood. Well...



I forgot. Luckily I was going about 40mph on the street. Looked like a total moron, nothing new. lol

I was like crap, that's $1500 down the drain. Then I remembered I still have comprehensive! Got a $3200 check, found a blemished CF hood for $525 shipped and spent another $70 on the aerocatch pins. Windshield is lexan so it just has a small mark which is not in my line of vision. Paint is gouged on the roof and fenders, don't care. Roof isn't bent so I got off easy.

Sometimes it pays to be stupid!!!

To prevent further issues, I installed the aero catch pins. Way easier to install! I eventually want to paint the tabs but yellow duct tape will do for now.



So now I can clearly see if the hood is not latched.

[jid2]

Everyone will have this happen at some point owning a race car. My friend and I did it within a month or so of each other, back in our early twenties. Always seems to happen on the street, between about 20 and 40 MPH. Making a 2nd gear pull after you just finished doing something to the car and.......WHAM.

[crzydave17]

I always put my hood pins in my seat if they were ever out. That way I'd have to sit on them if I got into the car. That system seemed to work for me.

[dparm]

Forgive my ignorance, but what's wrong with the OEM latch? Those things are pretty sturdy. Are the pins your only way of securing the hood, or are they a failsafe?

[roastbeef]

Some carbon hoods don't have the structure to mount the latch to- or they can't withstand repeated hard closings on the mechanism.

[Richbot]

If any of you nutballs are looking for track wheels I'm selling a bunch of my wheel infestation, Set of BNIB and set of used great condition Apex 17x10's, set of 4 square 219M rears, set of TR MT1 8.5/9.5's (17.5/18.5lb wheels) that fit E9xM with spacers or non-M without

https://www.m3post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1520641

[Richbot]

Originally Posted by CorruptCommie

Oil follow up (S54). Rod bearings are 2.5 years old. Still no copper. Running Red Line 50WT Racing Oil in it now. Will post that report when I get some more track time.

Ravenol vs Total Racing vs Liqui Moly (5-6-15-6 track days left to right)

Looking forward to the UOA on the Model 3

[CorruptCommie]

Originally Posted by Richbot

Looking forward to the UOA on the Model 3

LOL. Still trying to get track pads for it. Carbotech kind of gave up on us since they had to custom make the rear. Might just try out running a front.

[bigjae1976]

Originally Posted by dparm

Forgive my ignorance, but what's wrong with the OEM latch? Those things are pretty sturdy. Are the pins your only way of securing the hood, or are they a failsafe?

Nothing. Saves 2 lbs.

[dparm]

Update on my tire and alignment issue.

When I was getting the new tires mounted at Fall-Line, I had them get it on their alignment rack. The right front, which is the tire that shredded really bad, was definitely out of spec and not what the dealer aligned it to in May. Unsure why that is. Dealer tech could've done something wrong, their machine could be off, on-track curbing might have slightly moved it. The car uses eccentric bolts but he said they were all pretty snug so probably not slippage. I had them redo the alignment and now it looks even closer to the GM "track/competitive driving" spec than even the dealer was able to do. See below for before/after.

On the topic of tire wear, he said the scuffing/beveled wear across the tread blocks was likely the result of slight under inflation. GM says to start your session (cold) at 26psi. He thought that sounded a bit low, especially when they heard my peak pressures on track were only 33-34. They suggested shooting for 36 hot and bumping the cold pressure a few psi. He said 7-8 track hours on those PSS tires is good, despite the alignment being off and pressures being a tad low.

[bigjae1976]

Lol...as he climbs out of the car!

[u2b]I0LcxGFlZUs [/u2b]

[beats]

Originally Posted by jid2

Everyone will have this happen at some point owning a race car. My friend and I did it within a month or so of each other, back in our early twenties. Always seems to happen on the street, between about 20 and 40 MPH. Making a 2nd gear pull after you just finished doing something to the car and.......WHAM.

Can happen to street cars too I guess. I didn't latch the hood to my brothers jeep once. His hood slammed into the windshield on the highway! No accidents fortunately, but it put a nice crease in the hood.

[CorruptCommie]

Originally Posted by bigjae1976

Lol...as he climbs out of the car!

I haven't laughed that hard in a while. I hope Gary continued his racing career.

[bigjae1976]

Originally Posted by dparm

Update on my tire and alignment issue.

When I was getting the new tires mounted at Fall-Line, I had them get it on their alignment rack. The right front, which is the tire that shredded really bad, was definitely out of spec and not what the dealer aligned it to in May. Unsure why that is. Dealer tech could've done something wrong, their machine could be off, on-track curbing might have slightly moved it. The car uses eccentric bolts but he said they were all pretty snug so probably not slippage. I had them redo the alignment and now it looks even closer to the GM "track/competitive driving" spec than even the dealer was able to do. See below for before/after.

On the topic of tire wear, he said the scuffing/beveled wear across the tread blocks was likely the result of slight under inflation. GM says to start your session (cold) at 26psi. He thought that sounded a bit low, especially when they heard my peak pressures on track were only 33-34. They suggested shooting for 36 hot and bumping the cold pressure a few psi. He said 7-8 track hours on those PSS tires is good, despite the alignment being off and pressures being a tad low.

Alignment racks have a specific calibration procedure. And I've witnessed techs not lock the lift or roll the car properly. Lots of variables.

Which is why I've opted to do my own final alignments. I'll still use a chain store to do major adjustments to get it close.