Das Race: My '97 M3/4/5 - Printable Version

The following warnings occurred:

Warning [2] Undefined property: MyLanguage::$archive_pages - Line: 2 - File: printthread.php(287) : eval()'d code PHP 8.2.30 (Linux)

File	Line	Function
/inc/class_error.php	153	errorHandler->error
/printthread.php(287) : eval()'d code	2	errorHandler->error_callback
/printthread.php	287	eval
/printthread.php	117	printthread_multipage

Das Race: My '97 M3/4/5 - Printable Version

+- Madison Motorsports (https://forum.mmsports.org)
+-- Forum: Technical (https://forum.mmsports.org/forumdisplay.php?fid=4)
+--- Forum: Member's Projects (https://forum.mmsports.org/forumdisplay.php?fid=12)
+--- Thread: Das Race: My '97 M3/4/5 (/showthread.php?tid=10430)

Pages: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39

Re: Das Pace: My '97 M3/4/5 - Kaan - 11-16-2015

rustoleum paint day at Turducken?

Re: Das Pace: My '97 M3/4/5 - Jake - 11-16-2015

Kaan Wrote:rustoleum paint day at Turducken?

What could go wrong?!

Wait, no, too much. This needs to look a bit better than my E30 did.

Re: Das Pace: My '97 M3/4/5 - Kaan - 11-16-2015

you can get your factory color in rattle cans ($25/can though) and you have someone with some talent do it?!?!?!

Re: Das Pace: My '97 M3/4/5 - SlimKlim - 11-16-2015

Kaan Wrote:you have someone with some talent do it?!?!?!

Depends whether I'm free when he decides to do it. 8)

Re: Das Pace: My '97 M3/4/5 - *insertusernamehere* - 11-16-2015

Bring to turducken. Wait til I'm drunk. Yes yes this is a plan.

Re: Das Pace: My '97 M3/4/5 - davej - 11-16-2015

Jake Wrote:
Kaan Wrote:rustoleum paint day at Turducken?

What could go wrong?!

Wait, no, too much. This needs to look a bit better than my E30 did.

<a class="postlink" href="https://youtu.be/LXbIJ4M37lw?t=34">https://youtu.be/LXbIJ4M37lw?t=34</a>

Re: Das Pace: My '97 M3/4/5 - Ken - 11-17-2015

Jake Wrote:
Kaan Wrote:rustoleum paint day at Turducken?

What could go wrong?!

Wait, no, too much. This needs to look a bit better than my E30 did.

I can make my services available if you need Big Grin

Re: Das Pace: My '97 M3/4/5 - SlimKlim - 11-17-2015

Third Reich Racing

Re: Das Pace: My '97 M3/4/5 - Jake - 11-30-2015

Humpty Dumpty is back together again!

She's back on the ground, finally. Figured I'd do a quick synopsis of how the rebuild went. I'm happy with the results, given I had three weeks to get it done before heading to Road Atlanta this Friday.

The door and hood that I got from the junkyard were white, although the door had started life as black. I had ordered Cosmos Black in spray cans but had to clean up the door first. Started taking the trim and mirror off of the door and realized the white paint was of poor quality and easily chipping off. So, headed to Home Depot and got some aerosol paint stripper and a drop cloth, and got to work:

[Image: QVHqwUK.jpg]

After stripping the paint, I was left with a once-black-kind-of-sanded door that still needed paint, but was likely a better starting point than before:

[Image: rkvKjgc.jpg]

While I waited for the paint to arrive, I took some tires and wheels to my local shop for mounting:

[Image: GbgsbTf.jpg]

...and hung the replacement fender and nose panel on the car:

[Image: KB1Xm1n.jpg]

The fender lines up pretty well and was already black (just regular "Schwartz" from a non-M, but close enough) and has a tiny spot of peeling clear coat. Otherwise it's in good shape. I re-sprayed the nose panel - it was also Schwartz but had a ton of rock chips. I just used some Rustoleum "gloss black" for that, as it's a small enough piece that you don't notice the mis-match (much).

Finally, my paint arrived and on Thanksgiving morning (I had until about 1 PM before I had to be anywhere) I got started, first with primer:

[Image: eJ535p3.jpg]

Then a few coats of Cosmos Black, and a few coats of clear:

[Image: laqzUMn.jpg]

I let it all dry for a few hours, threw the panels in my basement and left for Thanksgiving dinner. On Friday morning, I hung the door and hood, reinstalled the side skirt (with all new clips) and got the ol' girl on the ground:

[Image: CFZNbQn.jpg]

As far as how bad this crash ended up damaging the car... the final tally:

Hood
Fender
Nose panel
Driver's front door
Driver's rear door (not replaced)
Turn signal
Side skirt
Small tree-sized dent in floor pan where driver's doors meet, not structural
Fender support bent and cracked (thanks again, Kaan)
Bumper mangled but fixable with a few zipties
Destroyed front lower control arm
Bent driver's side tie rod
Ruined Toyo RR tire
Bent rear lower control arms
Broken transmission mount crossmember

I put new trans mounts and a new crossmember on it (thanks, DJ, for the spare), was able to re-use the side skirt and ignore the rear door, already had Hoosiers ready for the wheels anyway, and had RRT do the rear arms.

Bonus shot of the front control arm that I taco'd:

[Image: HgVBLZq.jpg]

Re: Das Pace: My '97 M3/4/5 - PDenbigh - 11-30-2015

Nice Jake! Glad to hear it's all back together. Kick ass at RA and stay safe. Props for the thrash job to get it all together.

Re: Das Pace: My '97 M3/4/5 - Jake - 12-08-2015

Road Atlanta - "Santa's Toy Run" with NASA Southeast

This was my first time going to Road Atlanta, and my first time attending a NASA Southeast event. Mid-Atlantic is known for being fun, friendly and welcoming to new faces and Southeast impressed me with a similar attitude. My friend Tom (does DE's in a gray WRX) said he would come with me. When you have a friend offering to split the towing and take photos all weekend, you take him up on that offer.

[Image: WXAlqFC.jpg]

We left on Friday around 10 AM - was supposed to be 9 AM but had to deal with some trailer wiring issues (wire insulation stripped, the running lights were shorting out on the metal deck and blowing the fuse on the Denali). I blew through a few fuses as we tried fixing it. Thankfully GM included fuses for every option offered that Denalis don't have... so the four-wheel-steer and HID fuses were donated to the trailer running lamp cause and we were back in business.

Oh, the Denali threw a CEL as I filled up to leave town. My Torque app wouldn't connect to the ECU (common GM problem) so I happily ignored it for the entire trip. Probably a loose gas cap or something goofy.

Made it down to RA with no hiccups aside from some traffic in a few spots. Took about 10 hours including stops for food and fuel. Got the car unloaded and went out to "The Hat" for dinner, which was actually pretty good (and cheap!).

[Image: Uccp3QB.jpg]

Saturday morning rolls around, we get to the track early to check in and have the all-hands meeting. Pretty standard stuff. It's my first time driving hard(ish) on Hoosiers of my own, I'm at a new track, and I wrecked the car the last time I had it out. Oh, and the sun was rising and was directly in my eyes coming down the front straight and through T1. So, I took it suuuper easy and focused on learning.

[Image: Sq09oEa.jpg]

That theme carried on to the following few sessions - we got 5 each day. I followed a FR-S for a few laps to try and learn his line, which helped a lot, and he also chatted me up in the paddock to give me a few pointers. While I was doing this, and starting to pick up speed, I realized that the car was very down on power.

It has "no codes" because the CEL bulb is now burnt out :thumbup: so I finally got out my code reader and looked at what the ECU was reporting. It felt like a bad misfire that went away past 1500 rpm. The ECU claimed the cam angle sensor was faulty which I figured to be BS. It also claimed "misfire on Cyl. 5" so I pulled the coils for 5 & 6. Cylinder 5's spark plug hole had some water in it, so we blew that out. It tends to get water back there sometimes if I wash the car and get aggressive with the hose. I need to get the coil cover back on the car...

Went back out and the car was better but still slow... like, runs out of steam above 85 mph slow. Came in and sat there revving it with the code reader attached and finally got it to throw another code, this time for "misfire on Cyl. 3" - pulled that coil and it/the spark plug had oil on 'em. Yay, failing valve cover gasket. I swapped the coil and plug out for spares and pressed on -- and YAY, full power was restored. Big Grin

With all 206 whp at my disposal, I started trying to pick up some time. My first-ever session had me at like a 2:08 (super slow but somehow not DFL...) and by Sunday afternoon I cut that down to a 1:49. I was still nervous about jumping curbs so I approached them with a bit of timidness. Was definitely braking early and turning in a bit early - and not on the throttle as much as I could be. If I go back next year, I know I can be faster still. The lead guy in TTD was running a 1:39 (!!) but the rest of us were at 1:48 and slower. My 1:49 on Sunday put me in 2nd place for the day among our group of 6 or 7 TTD cars.

Chasing down a Miata:

[Image: rwoPWVE.jpg]

Go go go:

The most fabulous 944 of all:

[Image: g5nQEWo.jpg]

I heard this guy much sooner than I saw him in our TT sessions:

[Image: 9FWkQko.jpg]

Not working the event means you get to go watch the races (they had three groups... Lightning, Thunder and Tornado) from different turns. Super fun.

[Image: snaSNFy.jpg]

A little oppo through T10B:

[Image: PI3wOh8.jpg]

The Spec E30 in the grass was my paddock buddy:

[Image: XVfc4an.jpg]

Spec E46 had some great representation all weekend - maybe 8 cars total?

[Image: heX4lNu.jpg]

In all, a great, great weekend. I learned a LOT and driving the track is akin to driving your own roller coaster. Going under that bridge (T11, the "Tequila Patron" bridge with the squares on it) is legitimately scary. Going up the hill at T5 and straddling that curbing is another ballsy moment of "don't hit the bump, don't hit the gravel, stay on the gas." We saw a Spec E30 get pushed off into the gravel pit during the Sunday fun race... he stayed full throttle, kept the wheel straight and caught a foot or so of air with all four wheels as he flew back on to the asphalt. Heading in to T1 reveals you can brake later, turn later and accelerate more. The whole theme of the track seems to be "yes, there's track where you can't see it, just drive" which makes for some sketchy laps when you're new.

All of the Southeast people were nothing but friendly and I'd definitely attend another event with the group. Would be great to get back to RA but not sure if that will happen in 2016, given we have Championships at Watkins Glen and I'd like to be up there earlier in the year for practice.

[Image: NJPw4yZ.jpg]

And of course, video - now featuring a not-tight-enough camera mount, so apologies for some shakiness at points.

[youtube]F_qW2bgtznA[/youtube]

Re: Das Pace: My '97 M3/4/5 - ScottyB - 12-08-2015

awesome job man, and glad you liked the place. i could never get a sense for how freaking steep T12 is until i drove up to the bridge from paddock and then down the access road to the inner paddock. its like falling off a cliff. wish i could have made it over to take some shots and help out but December sucks for my job and time dissappeared on me.

you did a fine job with the lines. its all about playing it safe there, the walls are way too close and there's too many blind sections to get heroic the first time out. glad you got the engine issues sorted out too!

do you take 81-77-85 going down? i used to do ATL to Roanoke and back about 7 or 8 times a year when i lived in atlanta to visit home, and i was either bored out of my skull or white-knuckle traffic dodging the whole way.

Re: Das Pace: My '97 M3/4/5 - Jake - 12-08-2015

ScottyB Wrote:awesome job man, and glad you liked the place. i could never get a sense for how freaking steep T12 is until i drove up to the bridge from paddock and then down the access road to the inner paddock. its like falling off a cliff. wish i could have made it over to take some shots and help out but December sucks for my job and time dissappeared on me.

you did a fine job with the lines. its all about playing it safe there, the walls are way too close and there's too many blind sections to get heroic the first time out. glad you got the engine issues sorted out too!

do you take 81-77-85 going down? i used to do ATL to Roanoke and back about 7 or 8 times a year when i lived in atlanta to visit home, and i was either bored out of my skull or white-knuckle traffic dodging the whole way.

Well, we will be back at RA on March 12-13 as part of a combined NASA Mid-Atlantic and Southeast weekend, so plan to be there now :wink: I definitely didn't want to be "the TT hero" that got all crashy my first time out. Would definitely approach it as a smooth-and-steady thing instead.

There was another black E36 M3 (#40...) that spun at T7 and impacted the tires on the driver's side - whole driver's side, pretty soft hit, still drove the rest of the weekend - and a few other cars that came in on the flatbed as well. Lots of spins, too. Definitely a track that can chew up your car and spit it out if you get wonky.

Tom and I just did 95 to 85 both ways. We live in the same neighborhood and are ~3 miles from I-95 so it's the easy button. And heading south at 10 AM on a Friday was remarkably traffic-free. Very glad to have the company though, it would be a shitty drive to do solo.

Re: Das Pace: My '97 M3/4/5 - rherold9 - 12-08-2015

Nice. Glad to hear the good experiences at RA. I'm definitely looking to expand into some new tracks this fall and this has been on my list for awhile but now makes me want to visit even more. Track layout is actually on point with what Forza 6 has. Will be some good practice before getting there.

So, you think head gasket will be needing another replacements so soon?

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

Re: Das Pace: My '97 M3/4/5 - WRXtranceformed - 12-09-2015

ScottyB Wrote:do you take 81-77-85 going down? i used to do ATL to Roanoke and back about 7 or 8 times a year when i lived in atlanta to visit home, and i was either bored out of my skull or white-knuckle traffic dodging the whole way.

TRUTH! I make that drive 2-3 times a month. You better believe I rent a car when I do. I have seen (and hit) all manner of things on that road. The only redeeming parts of that drive are the Butt Peach water tower in Gaffney and the QT/Starbucks either on that exit or the exit right before it.

Re: Das Pace: My '97 M3/4/5 - Jake - 12-09-2015

rherold9 Wrote:Nice. Glad to hear the good experiences at RA. I'm definitely looking to expand into some new tracks this fall and this has been on my list for awhile but now makes me want to visit even more. Track layout is actually on point with what Forza 6 has. Will be some good practice before getting there.

So, you think head gasket will be needing another replacements so soon?

Well, now that the NASA schedule is out for 2016... come down in March with us!

I played RA in iRacing and I'm sure it's just as accurate as Forza is... great way to learn the layout but you will pucker so hard the first time you do the T11-T12 dance for real. The video games don't prepare you for the g-forces or anything else beyond "we go left and then pause a bit and then straight and then down to the right."

And no, head gasket is holding fine. This is the valve cover gasket that is leaking. It's got the outer gasket as well as little O-shaped gaskets for the spark plug holes. We re-used my old gasket when we did the head work, because it wasn't very old at the time. Seems like one of the O-gaskets is failing.

A new VCG is like $25 and takes 20-30 minutes to swap out, if you're drinking a beer while you do it. I also bought a new set of spark plugs, since I'm running (mostly) old spares DJ had at Summit one time when I needed them. They're ancient.

Re: Das Pace: My '97 M3/4/5 - rherold9 - 12-09-2015

Jake Wrote:Well, now that the NASA schedule is out for 2016... come down in March with us!

I played RA in iRacing and I'm sure it's just as accurate as Forza is... great way to learn the layout but you will pucker so hard the first time you do the T11-T12 dance for real. The video games don't prepare you for the g-forces or anything else beyond "we go left and then pause a bit and then straight and then down to the right."

I doubt I'll be able to go. Last semester = two capstones. Doesn't make me feel any better that my 454 professor which is the precursor to 484 (last CIS class) was just like "yeah hahaha, good luck next year in 484. I saw what the project will be on and it is the toughest thing I've seen yet".... Oh okay. Cool.

Anyways. My best bet to get to RA would be sometime near the end of Fall 2016 during the NASASE event.

T10B has always been my worst turn on Forza at RA while I fly through T11-T12 usually with no issue. But it's all different IRL.

Jake Wrote:A new VCG is like $25 and takes 20-30 minutes to swap out, if you're drinking a beer while you do it. I also bought a new set of spark plugs, since I'm running (mostly) old spares DJ had at Summit one time when I needed them. They're ancient.

Welp, that's good at least. :thumbup:

I never want to change any engine gasket with all these horrors I see on here :lol:

Re: Das Pace: My '97 M3/4/5 - Jake - 12-09-2015

rherold9 Wrote:
Jake Wrote:Well, now that the NASA schedule is out for 2016... come down in March with us!

I played RA in iRacing and I'm sure it's just as accurate as Forza is... great way to learn the layout but you will pucker so hard the first time you do the T11-T12 dance for real. The video games don't prepare you for the g-forces or anything else beyond "we go left and then pause a bit and then straight and then down to the right."

I doubt I'll be able to go. Last semester = two capstones. Doesn't make me feel any better that my 454 professor which is the precursor to 484 (last CIS class) was just like "yeah hahaha, good luck next year in 484. I saw what the project will be on and it is the toughest thing I've seen yet".... Oh okay. Cool.

Anyways. My best bet to get to RA would be sometime near the end of Fall 2016 during the NASASE event.

T10B has always been my worst turn on Forza at RA while I fly through T11-T12 usually with no issue. But it's all different IRL.

Jake Wrote:A new VCG is like $25 and takes 20-30 minutes to swap out, if you're drinking a beer while you do it. I also bought a new set of spark plugs, since I'm running (mostly) old spares DJ had at Summit one time when I needed them. They're ancient.

Welp, that's good at least. :thumbup:

I never want to change any engine gasket with all these horrors I see on here :lol:

Heh, 10A and 10B weren't all bad. Pretty easy to pick up after a few laps and you can jump curbing more than I did in the video - although it's pretty rough at 10B so I didn't care to try for much more. Sucks about the project but at least you'll be done by May!

Valve cover gaskets are typically pretty easy to do on inline motors - I had to do the one on my Miata at least twice when I had it.

Re: Das Pace: My '97 M3/4/5 - rherold9 - 12-09-2015

Jake Wrote:Heh, 10A and 10B weren't all bad. Pretty easy to pick up after a few laps and you can jump curbing more than I did in the video - although it's pretty rough at 10B so I didn't care to try for much more. Sucks about the project but at least you'll be done by May!

Valve cover gaskets are typically pretty easy to do on inline motors - I had to do the one on my Miata at least twice when I had it.

I love hopping curves. Nothing better than feelings of foot matted and hopping full curves on the uphill esses at VIR. Definitely will keep that in mind for RA.

Yes, my first event of the year will probably be Hyperfest :thumbup: :thumbup:

Yeah it doesn't seem like it would be too difficult just the worry of fucking up and destroying my motor is my main concern.

Re: Das Pace: My '97 M3/4/5 - Jake - 01-09-2016

Cage Time!

Tom came over and we finished gutting the M3 today. Wasn't much to do - we removed the sunroof cassette, front door panels, roll bar and dashboard. The internet makes dash removal sound difficult but we did it in about 30 minutes. She's off to the cage builder in about a week!

[Image: OakaiJ2.jpg?1]