E46 Things

[B C]

Jdesign said:

For serious?

Yes, seems to be working well

[Jdesign]

Interesting. I always used 3M super 77 or 80. I would be fearful using repositionable spray on something I wanted permanent.

[B C]

Took a little drive with a friend today.

[B C]

Track day next Wednesday the 18th. Things to do:

-Bleed brakes

-Check lugs

-Install missing spacer on front swaybar end link (Big Bear pointed this out during the alignment)

-Adjust rear sway bar (left and right sides are set to different holes for some reason, Big Bear pointed this out)
UPDATE: Thanks JC for learning me something new. I am now realizing why my E30 sway bars were advertised as having 3 settings despite only having 2 holes. 

-Check fluids and battery tie down

-borrow spare tire kit from father in law’s 335i

[jc43089]

As for the rear sway bar, setting the sides to different holes does not make one side act differently than the other, it is like a half setting if one set of holes is too stiff and the other is too soft.

[patsbimmer1]

B C said:

Track day next Wednesday the 18th. Things to do:

-Bleed brakes

-Check lugs

-Install missing spacer on front swaybar end link (Big Bear pointed this out during the alignment)

-Adjust rear sway bar (left and right sides are set to different holes for some reason, Big Bear pointed this out)

-Check fluids and battery tie down

-borrow spare tire kit from father in law’s 335i

I've got a slim plastic tote that fits in my trunk that I use for tools and such if you'd like to borrow it.  I'm guessing it'd fit in your car the same as mine.  I'd also be happy to let you take some of my tools if you wanted.  It's always nice to have the stuff there "just in case".

[B C]

jc43089 said:

As for the rear sway bar, setting the sides to different holes does not make one side act differently than the other, it is like a half setting if one set of holes is too stiff and the other is too soft.

Thanks for the input, I had never considered that

[B C]

patsbimmer1 said:

I've got a slim plastic tote that fits in my trunk that I use for tools and such if you'd like to borrow it.  I'm guessing it'd fit in your car the same as mine.  I'd also be happy to let you take some of my tools if you wanted.  It's always nice to have the stuff there "just in case".

 Thanks, I may take you up on that once I start getting things packed up

[straight6pwr]

you should probably set that rear bar to full boner so you can powerslide the carousel

[i_love_cars]

My track pads for that car from Blackhawk last year are literally like new with 99% life left. Do you want them? They are good PFC pads. I picked up on the caliper failure early enough that I was able to get off the track before the pads melted.

[B C]

Thanks,  we will discuss this further.

[KaiserRolls]

i_love_cars said:

My track pads for that car from Blackhawk last year are literally like new with 99% life left. Do you want them? They are good PFC pads. I picked up on the caliper failure early enough that I was able to get off the track before the pads melted.

B C said:

Thanks,  we will discuss this further.

Do this

[Boris3]

KaiserRolls said:

Do this 

Agreed, PFCs are a great track pad.

[Boris3]

Bring:

-torque wrench and check lugs between sessions once things have cooled down

-tire pressure gauge, may want to bump pressures up or down depending on your car. BFR has a compressor and air hose

-extra quart or two of oil, check level between sessions once things have cooled down

-small tool kit (sockets, screwdrivers etc), because racecar

-cooler and water for you to drink. Sun will take it out of you, keep hydrated. The track sells ice.

-Hat...same reason

-windshield cleaner and paper towels to clean bug debries off windshield. RainX if it looks like rain.

-fill up gas tank before getting to the track. Several gas stations just off of I90.  The track has gas on site but not cheap...cheaper though than RA

-in car camera /GoPro, etc securely mounted. Impress your friends with your skills. Memory card so you can actually record.

-remove loose stuff from car... you know the drill.

[KaiserRolls]

“Memory card so you can actually record” 

speaking from experience @Boris3 ???

[B C]

Saturday was spent doing some prep for Wednesday’s trip to Blackhawk Farms. @patsbimmer1 so generously offered to let me borrow his GoPro, and @i_love_cars hooked me up with a set of track brake pads. I replaced the pads, took my time, cleaned everything thoroughly and had one of the kids help with bleeding the brakes which actually worked out rather well.

I got the camera setup and tried out the Track Addict telemetry software.

When I returned home I noticed a check engine light for a cam sensor 

I sure hope the sensor or VANOS solenoid will hold on until after Wednesday. I reset the code and went for a 20 mile shakedown run and everything is running tip-top, the code did not return so perhaps its a fluke.  The weather forecast shows storms Later in the week so lets hope those also hold off until after Wednesday

[Boris3]

Rain will be fine as long as your tires have good tread. Brake a bit earlier in the braking zone depending on conditions. Shiny looking parts of the track in the wet have less grip.  Due to drainage patterns, track will puddle in a few places such as on the inside of T3 as you enter the carousel, the inside of T3d, and the inside of T6 after the silo  (6a on some track maps). Stay off the painted rumble strips in the wet, tend to be slippery. Stay on the track, grass is glass in the wet. 

[patsbimmer1]

Wet bad, dry good...

[i_love_cars]

patsbimmer1 said:

Wet bad, dry good...

The standing water was a real thing that day. Those were good times lol

[B C]

Sessions 1 and 2 I was not driving anywhere near the limit of this car’s ability and was not recording. Session 3 was incredible! I had the camera setup but it  did not start recording through the Track Addict app. I made a mistake by turning the screen off on my phone and I dont think it runs in the background.

This car is quite fast and I certainly have not had to point anyone by in this class. 

The car is performing flawlessly with a smidgen of safe understeer on turn and I’d love to see what it could do in the hands of an advanced driver.

The instructor is signing me off on Novice group though I need to work on looking ahead and using my peripheral vision better. I should be able to record session 4.