Project: 1998 Dinan M3

[REED]

Alright _ I don't know how much of a project this will be since pretty much everything I want to do to the car has already been done. That being said there are some maintenance issues I need to take care of as well as some more fun stuff.

Basics
1998 Alpine White M3
61,xxx Miles

Mods
Dinan (Vortech) Supercharger
AC Schnitzer Exhaust
Dinan "Stage 3" Software
Dinan ÔÇ£Stage 3ÔÇØ Suspension
Dinan Front Cross-Brace
Dinan Supercharger Pulley Upgrade Kit
BBS RC-J Wheels
Brembo BBK (14" Rotors)
Omnifi 20GB MP3 Player

Plans
Maintenance
Cooling System Overhaul ÔÇô after learning from JackoÔÇÖs errors, IÔÇÖll just let the shop take care of this one. This week I got the overhaul kit from bimmerworld
New OEM Behr Radiator
Aluminum T-Stat housing
New T-Stat
Upper/Lower Radiator Hoses
Stewart HO Water pump.
Rear Trailing Arm Bushings ÔÇô I have a set from Rogue Engineering that came with the car
Control Arm Bushings ÔÇô Ordered a set of these from UUC
Transmission Mounts ÔÇô Picked up a set from UUC as well, Black with the enforcer cups
Crankshaft Bushing (guibo)
Right Rear Spring Silencer

And swap out the fluids ÔÇô tranny/diff and oil

Gauges  Since the car has das boost I dont feel right not having some of the more necessary gauges  taking suggestions
Boost Gauge
A/F Ratio
Oil Pressure
Oil Temp
Water Temp?

I also need to find a place to put all these. I really want to avoid using the A Pillar and my sunglass holder is current housing the controller for the hard drive, so maybe something on the steering wheel column.

Stereo
I want to swap the AlpineÔÇÖs between my civic and the BMW, I was a little worried about going from the sound system in my civic with all the ÔÇ£oontz-oontzÔÇØ, however it seems in addition to replacing the headunit and adding the Omnifi system the entire sound system has been upgraded. It has more than enough ÔÇ£oontzÔÇØ for this guy now.

So after that, I guess I can actually just enjoy having a car, a real car and start getting some autox under my belt. I canÔÇÖt wait to see what kind of competition I will be up against in this car :?

Onto some pics - got rid of that crappy picasa nonsense so I can actual put some pictures up.

[Goodspeed]

Onto some pics
- is there some reason you can't just "copy image location" from Picasa? - stupid google

That never works from that photo service. http://www.imageshack.us

[BLINGMW]

I canÔÇÖt wait to see what kind of competition I will be up against in this car :?

:lol:

Oh, and on the gauges, I think you'll have problems finding room for 4, but if you went with some digital combo gauges from SPA or cheaper mechanical ones from Westach, you could probably get Boost/AF, oil temp/pressure in two gauges.

[ScottyB]

your gauges sound fine, if you're up to it maybe exhaust temp too.

you could mount them low along the center console/tranny tunnel, in the glove box, in the vents (very popular with audis) or in the ash tray.

[Evan]

gauges I wouldnt want to be without (in order of importance IMO)

oil Pressure
water temp (real water temp)
oil temp
egt (on a forced induction car)


narrowband A/F is a worthless dancing light show

[D_Eclipse9916]

you dont need an exhaust temp if you got a wideband, unless you want to go with egt off of each cylinder to watch variations (only hardcore cars do this)

Oil pressure, water temp, oil temp, wideband, and boost gauge sound fine. I mean its supercharged, I dont see REALLY why you need a boost gauge lol. Aside from looks, and a wideband is only useful in tuning or if you are worried right now if that software isnt accurate. You got software, which I am assuming you arent tuning yourself, so wtf is the point of having something that is used for tuning. I hated my wideband in terms of having to watch something with more lights, I have mine disconnected aside from when im tuning.
However the temp and pressure gauges are a must to help you heads up before something happens.

[HAULN-SS]

Why oil temp? That's not going to give a quicker indication of a problem any faster than water, is it?

[D_Eclipse9916]

Why oil temp? That's not going to give a quicker indication of a problem any faster than water, is it?

Your water temps could be fine while your oil temps are getting high.

edit: Typically only a problem at track where your water temps are under control but the oil slowly rises over time.

[Evan]

exactly.

with a good radiator, your water temps will be fine but you are still cooking the oil.

[REED]

Oh, and on the gauges, I think you'll have problems finding room for 4, but if you went with some digital combo gauges from SPA or cheaper mechanical ones from Westach, you could probably get Boost/AF, oil temp/pressure in two gauges.

I had actually looked into the SPA gauges, since, as you said, space is at a premium. I'll look into the Westach gauges as well.

Oil temp/press. are easily first on my list, then A/F and Boost, lastly water.

you got software, which I am assuming you arent tuning yourself, so wtf is the point of having something that is used for tuning.

You are right I'm not going to be doing, well I don't plan on doing any at least. But it seems more pointless to get a narrowband, If I'm going to have the gauge I might as well have the option of tuning it at least - right?

I'm considering getting a water gauge to replace the garbage stock one, If it is going to be taking up space in my cluster, it might as well be functional.

[Apoc]

I had oil pressure, oil temp and water temp in a cluster where your HD controller is. The VDO gauges were color matched and fit really well so it's looked as stock as you can get. That would be my recommendation if you can swing it.

Note mine, but it looks like this minus the bling.



Be sure to do your research on the aftermarket oil pressure sensor. Unfortunately I can't remember the brand, but the one I had would trip my warning light at idle when the outside temp was above 70┬░. My leak down and compression tests were normal, so it was purely a sensor issue. I guess I could have put a piece of tape over it but it was pretty annoying.

[REED]

UPDATE! - it has been awhile and some things have been fixed

Plans
Maintenance
Cooling System Overhaul - CHECK
Rear Trailing Arm Bushings - decided to not go with the Rogue Engineering set up and went with stock E46 M3 bushings
Control Arm Bushings ÔÇô The UUC ones I picked up actually didn't fit very well, "lots" of slop, well enough that the clanking would have been annoying. So I just went with a set of OEM bushings.
Transmission Mounts ÔÇôUUC Black with the enforcer cups - CHECK
Crankshaft Bushing (guibo) - CHECK
Right Rear Spring Silencer - CHECK

And swap out the fluids ÔÇô tranny/diff and oil - CHECK, CHECK & CHECK

Stereo
The alpines have been swapped, and I decided to remove the Omnify Harddrive. I'm sure when it came out it was a phemomenal addition to a car stereo - and it works great for the most part. my biggest complaint is the "scroll wheel" that doesn't really work so trying to find an artist or specific song is a major pain. to the point that you won't even bother.
If you just stick it on shuffle and let it go its fine. I think I'll eventually just go with an iPod adapter for the 9815 in the M3.

gas mileage has been pretty horrible actually. that is probably more due to the driver than the car, the power is horribly addicting - the worst I saw was the 1st month ~ 14mpg - now with city i see around 18 for the most part and up to 26 on the highway

had the car strapped to the dyno yesterday at the UMD Meet - the previous owner had it dyno'd in California on 89 I believe and put down 277ish (which is right inline with what Dinan estimates) - now that it has had some good ole' 93 in it i was hoping for something a bit better

best of 3 pulls was 312/263 - so I was pleasantly surprised to say the least. that is until I saw the actual print out

HOLY SQUIGGLY LINES Batman!

I don't pretend to know anything about tuning - but I'm pretttttty sure it isn't supposed to be this jumpy

[ScottyB]

actually that may be ok, i know alot of dyno graphs have smoothing incorporated into them and some dyno operators do it more than others. again i'm not really sure though.

[BLINGMW]

did you get a printout of air/fuel?

[REED]

it just doesn't "look right" to me

and no I didn't get an air/fuel printout

[ScottyB]

despite the shakiness that is a pretty awesome power curve

[D_Eclipse9916]

Its very good power under the curve but there are a few points on that curve that make me wonder what is going on. Especially the 5.5 to 6.5 range and then WTF happened at exactly 6.5.

Looks like it was already corrected for so I am wondering what is happening with your timing and a/f curves.

Also the shakiness may just be the sensor getting noise or not fully attached, ive seen this happen on a few dyno graphs.

[HAULN-SS]

looks like there was noise to me - i've had a pull or two come out like that before

[REED]

a few questions then -

I've heard "good power under the curve" before what exactly does that mean

I seem to remember something happening near the top of the rev range while it was on the dyno - it almost looked/sounded like a backfire - I don't remember any particular sound but there was a random large puff of black smoke. I barely caught it.

[xvxax]

The smoothing is also on 1, most graphs usually show more smoothing. If you're interested in a new tune for your car Nick G of Technique Tuning will tune it for you.