E92 M3 ZCP in SCCA Solo F Street

[z3papa]

Originally Posted by Tommysalami

Drove like ass today and Cathers killed it. Cant go out there and drive conservatively, or you end up leaving over a second on the table. Tomorrow will be fun though

No shit he killed it. You two along with Jeff are great bench mark of where all the rest of us need to be. Being humbled by Jeff makes me hungry to get faster. Unfortunately, the last several events I've been embarrassed at how many mistakes I made on my videos to even post.

[Richbot]

The *insert vin number of winner this weekend* M3 is clearly too fast for the other M3’s

[z3papa]

The renewed discussion about banning the ZCP M3 from FS now on FB is so stupid. The fastest drivers have rightly identified the ZCP M3 as a great tool, but it still takes being a top notch driver to bring the best the car has to offer out. A DS 4 cylinder turbo Camaro would have been 4th in FS.

[Rearwheelspin]

Just picked up 2011E92 zcp 6mt 34k and will enter FS. Since everyone has this car, are there huge concerns with the rod bearing?

[CSBM5]

Originally Posted by Rearwheelspin

Just picked up 2011E92 zcp 6mt 34k and will enter FS. Since everyone has this car, are there huge concerns with the rod bearing?

On the internet? Yes, at times panic. I'm on year 7 of owning my M3, at 38k miles now, and I'm not fretting it in the least. If it's going to go, hopefully I'll hear signs of rod knock (been there in the past ages ago with a small block), but if I miss it and spin a bearing taking out the crank, etc, I'm going to go with a Carbahn (Steve Dinan) 4.6L stroker engine in this puppy. So I'm torn...do I want a rod bearing failure or not?

Speaking of which, if one replaces the OE bearings with BE higher clearance bearings, is a car still legal for stock class? The BE bearings are outside of the factory specified range for bearing clearance.

[Rearwheelspin]

That is true, but does it provide a performance enhancement. It would be interesting if someone protested.

[Richbot]

Not blowing up idling back to the grid is a competitive advantage

IMS fixes are codified in the rules for early water cooled porch uhs.

I'd write letters if I were concerned. Somebody may already have written in asking for clarity

I don't think this board has seen a set of stock bearings that looked right when they came out. If I were you I'm not sure what I'd do. Replace with stock bearings and treat as 30-50k wear item until you're done competing? Compete for a year and roll the dice? Dunno

[Tommysalami]

Not allowed unless they're replaced with OEM, which would be a waste. Best to just accept that they've lasted this far and assume they'll be fine for the next few years until the M3 is no longer the best car in the class.

[z3papa]

I called Fall-Line Motorsports about them doing my M3 bearings, and their chief mechanic called back asking why I thought I'd need it done. He said they have raced and prepped other peoples E9X M3 racecars for years with absolute no issue and tore down a few for good measure over these concerns. He flat out said they'd do the job but as long as you change the oil every 7.5k miles and not rag on the car cold start, he'd be dubious as to whether it was really needed.

For anyone interested, this is why I take steps to make sure my car is pampered on daily use, and never, ever driven in anger until the engine is at full temp. Keep that in mind when you are taking runs on cold days.

[Rearwheelspin]

Thanks for the info. I figure it was hyped up info.

[chalbe]

Quick question. The last couple local-ish events have been fairly hot and humid. Driving up to the start for the last one or two runs I have been getting a cowbell sound, but only at low grid speeds. I am guessing that the parking brake shoes and springs'n'things have been getting hot, expanding and binding. This happens when the course is gravely or cleaner. My car has a DCT, and I don't use the parking brake in grid. Overall, I'm not worried about it, I am just curious if anyone here gets this noise?

[Richbot]

I had it intermittent all the time when I was autocrossing. On mine it was usually a small stone. Fuckers find their way in there no matter what

[dnoble37]

Man I thought I was loosing my mind about the cowbell noise. Glad I'm not the only one noticing it.

I guessed rocks, but it seemed to happen too consistently. I suppose the parking brake is a real possibility. Seems to come from the driver side. I've just ignored it and after a couple days I realize it's gone.

[chalbe]

Thanks for the quick replies. I originally thought it was rocks too. By the time I get home the noise is totally gone. If I get really bored I may adjust the parking brake one or two clicks out of spec loose to see if it does anything.

[Richbot]

I would have thought it was parking brake on mine if it didn't also happen for a few days after an autocross in my damn driveway. Usually while backing out or turning out of driveway. Definitely transient small rocks bastards

[z06fun]

Originally Posted by Rearwheelspin

Just picked up 2011E92 zcp 6mt 34k and will enter FS. Since everyone has this car, are there huge concerns with the rod bearing?

There is a really nice thread on here that has lots of info gathered from investigating the rod bearing issues several years ago.
https://www.m3post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=892838

Its interesting because there is input there from very experienced engine builders saying the bearing clearances for these engines can be tighter than anything they would ever use. I haven't read the whole thing, but from what I could gather, seems like BMW doesn't use various thickness bearings to specifically mate a given rod & its crank surfaces, like other manufactures tend to do. So the clearances can get too tight if you get unlucky with tolerance stack up, and a bearing can get starved and wear much more than it should.

[Richbot]

All I've got to say about it is there are plenty of stories of cars with anal-retentive owners who let the car warm up and do proactive oil changes and still put holes in the block. They're not casting more blocks. My car's bearings looked bad when they came out at 102k, changed after lead readings jumped on two successive blackstones. If you're running a ZCP car you don't have the benefit of watching for lead because your bearings don't have lead in them. Govern thyself accordingly, and may God have mercy on your souls

[z3papa]

I will say despite the foregoing, I'll likely bite the bullet and do the bearing just for peace of mind during this winter.

[z06fun]

Anyone know if the oil cooler is the cooler in the lower passenger side intake vent in the front? Or maybe it is the small cooler in front of the radiator?

Seems like it might be helpful to block it until the oil gets some decent temperature, when trying to get the car ready to run at an event.
Thanks!

[CSBM5]

Originally Posted by z06fun

Anyone know if the oil cooler is the cooler in the lower passenger side intake vent in the front? Or maybe it is the small cooler in front of the radiator?

Seems like it might be helpful to block it until the oil gets some decent temperature, when trying to get the car ready to run at an event.
Thanks!

Oil cooler is located in front of radiator. Air flows through lower opening in bumper cover and then down through the oil cooler exiting underneath. The cooler in the right side intake vent is for the transmission.

[z06fun]

Thanks so much, I could not seem to find good info on what was what.

I got the bimmerworld links since a lot of you were saying the Dinan links were too long. I actually stripped out one of the hiem join threaded bolts on the bimmerworld one before it even got decently tight. Luckily it was the upper one through the strut so I could get to it easy and eventually work the nut off while prying the back. My guess is the nut was the weak link there but hard to tell for sure by time I got it off.
So I just cut off 1/4" of the threaded hex tube on the Dinan ones, plus 1/4" on one of the hiem joints that threads into them, and that got me down to about 12 7/8" center to center, which seemed to be enough to lightly rub the steering pleats at full droop.

[CSBM5]

Originally Posted by z06fun

Thanks so much, I could not seem to find good info on what was what.

Anytime. I guess my wording was a bit off as I was thinking of the M2 Comp oil cooler setup. The M3 oil cooler is forward facing in the lower area mentioned and the exit air from it is directed downward under the car.