The Cart Before the Horse: Spec 3 Build

[Senor_Taylor]

I would say that engine bay temps are something that aren't a bad idea to lower when the car isn't moving. It's not just about cooling the radiator, but keeping air radiating from the block moving out of the engine bay.

Got the car aligned and asked for custom alignment numbers, which they gave a shot at. around -1 degrees negative camber in the front I guess from lowering it, since it's not adjustable. Basically 0 toe in the front. Rear between -1 and -1.5 degrees negative camber and near zero toe. Not ideal, but much better than it was, I got my Kuhmo Ecsta ASVs mounted in the spec size on my style 32s and the winter tires are for sale. I also got a set of almost new RA1s on Style 29s from another Spec 3 guy.



The car is currently on jackstands right now waiting for me to take the front struts out again. I think I forgot a washer in between the top hat and the upper spring perch which is causing the rubber of the top hat to squeak on the spring perch and not let it turn easily. I also removed the sway bar until I can get new bushings to see if that alleviates the clunk I've been hearing. I also need to pull the belt off the alternator to see if that's what's causing my whine.

Last night I also installed the subframe X Brace. This piece came standard on convertibles and I think later M3s. It ties to two "Frame rails" together with the subframe and protects the oil pan, whereas the stock bar just tied the rails together. Since mine is a 95, the holes in the subframe are pre drilled, but 1) they aren't big enough and 2) they aren't threaded. What needed to be done was buy/rent/borrow a $200 tool to install nutserts. These are threaded rivets that crush on the backside of the hole when tightened. They're a pain in the butt to install because you have to keep the nutsert itself from spinning while tightening or else you have a loose rivet in your subframe and you're screwed.



I started by using a drill bit that was a bit bigger than the nutsert to add a bit of taper to the hole, then I widened it with a smaller bit. I then hammered the nutsert in and put some red loctite on the flange on the nutsert to hold it into the subframe. Then I made a little tool with a longer bolt, 2 washers with grease between then, and a nut. I threaded the bolt into nutsert, tightened the nut down to the nutsert with the two washers between them, then hold the bolt still with one wrench and tightened the nut. This pulls the nutsert down without allowing it to spin and crushes it. It's a lot easier said than done, but overall, it was an uneventful affair.



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