[BMWdrmz]

*** This is a long thread***
In a earlier thread I said I would be doing my last track day at Watkins Glen this year. Well I made some major chassis changes, so this is my review of the set up:
To start here is the car set up:

Eiback prokit Springs
Koni FSD Dampers
KMAC Stage 1 Front Camber/Caster Plates
H&R Rear Sway
Enkei Racing Series NT03-M Wheels (8.5x18 F and 10x18 R; they're 19 and 20 pounds respectively)
Hankook Ventus Z214 R-Compound Tires (245/40-18 F and 275/35-18 R; 21 and 23 pounds a piece respectively)
ATE Super Blue Racing Brake Fluid
Alignment = -1.8 degrees camber (front and rear) 0.15 in (total rear toe) and 0.12 (total front toe), Caster - 6.35 degrees (left and right)
Tire pressure (cold) 31psi F and 30 psi R --> Fastest lap

Temperature = 85 degrees F and 80% humidity

The good news:
The car is a blast. Its handles so well and just carves through turns. I think some one already mentioned this in a earlier thread... the Koni/FSD package is amazing. The car should have come stock with this set up. The valving and spring rate are perfect for performance driving with out sacrificing comfort. Don't get me wrong its firmer than the stock ZSP set up, but it filters road imperfections much better. I also dd not notice the large amounts of body roll that I experienced with the stock ZSP. With the added grip of r-comps, the suspension, and chassis just seemed to work in perfect harmony. Just for a point of reference, The most lateral acceleration I was able to pull from the car stock on r-comps was 0.95g (measured); today I saw 1.1g. If your looking for a good performance bargain for your suspension, I highly recommend this set up. I've seen mixed reviews on the KMAC camber plates. So far I have a really positive impression of them. The front end is noticeably crisper and turn in is excellent with the additional negative camber. Now the tires, I was going to go with the pilot sport cups, but a good friend of mine swears by these Hankooks. As such, I decided to give them a try. I used the C50 compound, and they just gripped. The harder I pushed, the more they gripped... well except for the time I went into turn 14 way too hot and off line{side bar-intrestingly enough the tires are very responsive and do give quite a bit of feedback}. I was able to recover, but things did get a little squirelly. In any case, can't say enough good things about these tires. I had to roll my fenders to allow these tires to fit. Apparently I did a better job on the passenger side than the driver side as I experienced some rubbing on the rear driver side in turn 11. My best lap was 2:32 (mm:ss) and with the exception of the first lap they all hovered between 2:32 and 2:34 (this was my first time at Watkins Glen and it was the long course with about 25 cars including me on the track. Also, it was an intermdeiate school, i.e. you needed a minimum of 6 days under your belt and have solo'd with atleast one other club). That track is awesome. Its deceptly fast and easy to get yourself in trouble. I saw a number of people loose it. You really have to commit yourself and follow through; as well as set up the car properly especially in turns 1, 8, 9, 11, and 14... oh and 6 going into th bus stop. Some guy in a C6 corvette went sideways and flying going into the bus stop.
Now the bad news. After 6 track sessions this summer I finally experienced limp mode. I have the 6MT and oil cooler. In the latter part of the second session (when it was at the max ambient temp) my oil temp was hovering around 280 and the car went into limp mode. I actually think the coolant temp really got to hot trying to cool the engine and the turbos. Now, I'm a pretty methodical guy. I prepared for this event the same way I do every event except I did TWO thingS different. 1) When I gave myself an oil change I used Mobil 1 0W-40. That is not a good oil to use if you track this car. It just doesn't have the viscosity to lube this engine properly and reduce thermal friction in a track environment. I tried it because someone said they noticed their temps during daily driving reduced when they used this oil and the engine rev'd more freely. As an everyday commute, this is a great oil and the engine did seem to rev better with it, but it doesn't hold up in a high stress track environment. For everyother event I've used Castrol TWS 10W-60 Motorsport (BMW motorsport unique formula). Today wasn't even the hottest track day I've done, and with the exception of today I've never seen my oil temps above 255-260 on track. This just really make me that much more confident that this engine is very sensitive to ambient temperature and oil viscosity. Before I started using the 10W-60 my oil temp would get near 245-250 during normal street driving. After switching its normally around 230. I will definitely go back to 10W-60 next summer. 2) I didn't get my coolant flushed before the track day. I checked my coolant after I got back to the paddock area and it was smoking like it was boiling. So if I had to guess, I would say the coolant temp is what put the car in limp mode. I definitely think the high oil temp contributed.
All in all, it was a great day. I think I found the set up that suits my style and level of driving and I frimly believe if you're going to track your car then you need a really good motorsport oil, ie Castrol 10W-60 or Motul 300v. Secondly, I think the car could benefit from a larger capacity oil cooler and radiator. I think these will be my next mods and a larger intercooler.
So that's my review and its been a great summer. Comments, suggestions welcomed

[RED FURY]

Any Pics or Videos ? I like to see, hear and feel the track

Any report on your car verses the other cars out there ?

[RMRC]

Thanks for the writeup.

Yeah when my car went into limp home mode my oil temp was 285-290 with the BMW 5w30. In my case I recorded coolant temps in excess of 240 degrees and I don’t doubt the same thing happened to you. For track work, the car needs either a bigger oil cooler or radiator, perhaps both.

I’m currently in search of an oil that’s lighter than the 10w60 but suitable for the track. I’m concerned the 10w60 is a bit thick for the turbos and that BMW would point the finger at the oil and void the warranty if there were engine/turbo failure of any kind. I’m considering Royal Purple 5w40, Amsoil 5w-40 European and Valvoline Synpower 5w40. The Amsoil claims BMW LL-04 but it’s only a claim and it’s not approved by BMW. The Synpower is BMW LL-04 and is awaiting final BMW approval. One thing is for sure, the car runs hot on track using the BMW 5w30.

Here's a website with a ton of oil discussion and analysis information. There's a lot of knowledgable guys on there. It may be a good resource to help us come up with the best oil for our cars. www.bobistheoilguy.com

[BMWdrmz]

Originally Posted by BMWdrmz

*** This is a long thread***
In a earlier thread I said I would be doing my last track day at Watkins Glen this year. Well I made some major chassis changes, so this is my review of the set up:
To start here is the car set up:

Eiback prokit Springs
Koni FSD Dampers
KMAC Stage 1 Front Camber/Caster Plates
H&R Rear Sway
Enkei Racing Series NT03-M Wheels (8.5x18 F and 10x18 R; they're 19 and 20 pounds respectively)
Hankook Ventus Z214 R-Compound Tires (245/40-18 F and 275/35-18 R; 21 and 23 pounds a piece respectively)
ATE Super Blue Racing Brake Fluid
Alignment = -1.8 degrees camber (front and rear) 0.15 in (total rear toe) and 0.12 (total front toe), Caster - 6.35 degrees (left and right)
Tire pressure (cold) 31psi F and 30 psi R --> Fastest lap

Temperature = 85 degrees F and 80% humidity

The good news:
The car is a blast. Its handles so well and just carves through turns. I think some one already mentioned this in a earlier thread... the Koni/FSD package is amazing. The car should have come stock with this set up. The valving and spring rate are perfect for performance driving with out sacrificing comfort. Don't get me wrong its firmer than the stock ZSP set up, but it filters road imperfections much better. I also dd not notice the large amounts of body roll that I experienced with the stock ZSP. With the added grip of r-comps, the suspension, and chassis just seemed to work in perfect harmony. Just for a point of reference, The most lateral acceleration I was able to pull from the car stock on r-comps was 0.95g (measured); today I saw 1.1g. If your looking for a good performance bargain for your suspension, I highly recommend this set up. I've seen mixed reviews on the KMAC camber plates. So far I have a really positive impression of them. The front end is noticeably crisper and turn in is excellent with the additional negative camber. Now the tires, I was going to go with the pilot sport cups, but a good friend of mine swears by these Hankooks. As such, I decided to give them a try. I used the C50 compound, and they just gripped. The harder I pushed, the more they gripped... well except for the time I went into turn 14 way too hot and off line{side bar-intrestingly enough the tires are very responsive and do give quite a bit of feedback}. I was able to recover, but things did get a little squirelly. In any case, can't say enough good things about these tires. I had to roll my fenders to allow these tires to fit. Apparently I did a better job on the passenger side than the driver side as I experienced some rubbing on the rear driver side in turn 11. My best lap was 2:32 (mm:ss) and with the exception of the first lap they all hovered between 2:32 and 2:34 (this was my first time at Watkins Glen and it was the long course with about 25 cars including me on the track. Also, it was an intermdeiate school, i.e. you needed a minimum of 6 days under your belt and have solo'd with atleast one other club). That track is awesome. Its deceptly fast and easy to get yourself in trouble. I saw a number of people loose it. You really have to commit yourself and follow through; as well as set up the car properly especially in turns 1, 8, 9, 11, and 14... oh and 6 going into th bus stop. Some guy in a C6 corvette went sideways and flying going into the bus stop.
Now the bad news. After 6 track sessions this summer I finally experienced limp mode. I have the 6MT and oil cooler. In the latter part of the second session (when it was at the max ambient temp) my oil temp was hovering around 280 and the car went into limp mode. I actually think the coolant temp really got to hot trying to cool the engine and the turbos. Now, I'm a pretty methodical guy. I prepared for this event the same way I do every event except I did TWO thingS different. 1) When I gave myself an oil change I used Mobil 1 0W-40. That is not a good oil to use if you track this car. It just doesn't have the viscosity to lube this engine properly and reduce thermal friction in a track environment. I tried it because someone said they noticed their temps during daily driving reduced when they used this oil and the engine rev'd more freely. As an everyday commute, this is a great oil and the engine did seem to rev better with it, but it doesn't hold up in a high stress track environment. For everyother event I've used Castrol TWS 10W-60 Motorsport (BMW motorsport unique formula). Today wasn't even the hottest track day I've done, and with the exception of today I've never seen my oil temps above 255-260 on track. This just really make me that much more confident that this engine is very sensitive to ambient temperature and oil viscosity. Before I started using the 10W-60 my oil temp would get near 245-250 during normal street driving. After switching its normally around 230. I will definitely go back to 10W-60 next summer. 2) I didn't get my coolant flushed before the track day. I checked my coolant after I got back to the paddock area and it was smoking like it was boiling. So if I had to guess, I would say the coolant temp is what put the car in limp mode. I definitely think the high oil temp contributed.
All in all, it was a great day. I think I found the set up that suits my style and level of driving and I frimly believe if you're going to track your car then you need a really good motorsport oil, ie Castrol 10W-60 or Motul 300v. Secondly, I think the car could benefit from a larger capacity oil cooler and radiator. I think these will be my next mods and a larger intercooler.
So that's my review and its been a great summer. Comments, suggestions welcomed

Thought you guys might be interested in this. So I finally had the time to analyze my last track day, lap times, max speed, max lateral g's, etc. I have to say the Eibach/FSD kit really exceeded my expectations. I thought my max lateral g's were around 1.1 maybe a little higher (atleast that's what I noticed when I looked at the screen while driving... bad idea I know). But in any case the attached pic is a screen shot of the data exported in excel. I pulled over 2g's in one corner and 1.7g's in another .

[S4to335]

Originally Posted by BMWdrmz

*** This is a long thread***
In a earlier thread I said I would be doing my last track day at Watkins Glen this year. Well I made some major chassis changes, so this is my review of the set up:
To start here is the car set up:

Eiback prokit Springs
Koni FSD Dampers
KMAC Stage 1 Front Camber/Caster Plates
H&R Rear Sway
Enkei Racing Series NT03-M Wheels (8.5x18 F and 10x18 R; they're 19 and 20 pounds respectively)
Hankook Ventus Z214 R-Compound Tires (245/40-18 F and 275/35-18 R; 21 and 23 pounds a piece respectively)
ATE Super Blue Racing Brake Fluid
Alignment = -1.8 degrees camber (front and rear) 0.15 in (total rear toe) and 0.12 (total front toe), Caster - 6.35 degrees (left and right)
Tire pressure (cold) 31psi F and 30 psi R --> Fastest lap

Temperature = 85 degrees F and 80% humidity

The good news:
The car is a blast. Its handles so well and just carves through turns. I think some one already mentioned this in a earlier thread... the Koni/FSD package is amazing. The car should have come stock with this set up. The valving and spring rate are perfect for performance driving with out sacrificing comfort. Don't get me wrong its firmer than the stock ZSP set up, but it filters road imperfections much better. I also dd not notice the large amounts of body roll that I experienced with the stock ZSP. With the added grip of r-comps, the suspension, and chassis just seemed to work in perfect harmony. Just for a point of reference, The most lateral acceleration I was able to pull from the car stock on r-comps was 0.95g (measured); today I saw 1.1g. If your looking for a good performance bargain for your suspension, I highly recommend this set up. I've seen mixed reviews on the KMAC camber plates. So far I have a really positive impression of them. The front end is noticeably crisper and turn in is excellent with the additional negative camber. Now the tires, I was going to go with the pilot sport cups, but a good friend of mine swears by these Hankooks. As such, I decided to give them a try. I used the C50 compound, and they just gripped. The harder I pushed, the more they gripped... well except for the time I went into turn 14 way too hot and off line{side bar-intrestingly enough the tires are very responsive and do give quite a bit of feedback}. I was able to recover, but things did get a little squirelly. In any case, can't say enough good things about these tires. I had to roll my fenders to allow these tires to fit. Apparently I did a better job on the passenger side than the driver side as I experienced some rubbing on the rear driver side in turn 11. My best lap was 2:32 (mm:ss) and with the exception of the first lap they all hovered between 2:32 and 2:34 (this was my first time at Watkins Glen and it was the long course with about 25 cars including me on the track. Also, it was an intermdeiate school, i.e. you needed a minimum of 6 days under your belt and have solo'd with atleast one other club). That track is awesome. Its deceptly fast and easy to get yourself in trouble. I saw a number of people loose it. You really have to commit yourself and follow through; as well as set up the car properly especially in turns 1, 8, 9, 11, and 14... oh and 6 going into th bus stop. Some guy in a C6 corvette went sideways and flying going into the bus stop.
Now the bad news. After 6 track sessions this summer I finally experienced limp mode. I have the 6MT and oil cooler. In the latter part of the second session (when it was at the max ambient temp) my oil temp was hovering around 280 and the car went into limp mode. I actually think the coolant temp really got to hot trying to cool the engine and the turbos. Now, I'm a pretty methodical guy. I prepared for this event the same way I do every event except I did TWO thingS different. 1) When I gave myself an oil change I used Mobil 1 0W-40. That is not a good oil to use if you track this car. It just doesn't have the viscosity to lube this engine properly and reduce thermal friction in a track environment. I tried it because someone said they noticed their temps during daily driving reduced when they used this oil and the engine rev'd more freely. As an everyday commute, this is a great oil and the engine did seem to rev better with it, but it doesn't hold up in a high stress track environment. For everyother event I've used Castrol TWS 10W-60 Motorsport (BMW motorsport unique formula). Today wasn't even the hottest track day I've done, and with the exception of today I've never seen my oil temps above 255-260 on track. This just really make me that much more confident that this engine is very sensitive to ambient temperature and oil viscosity. Before I started using the 10W-60 my oil temp would get near 245-250 during normal street driving. After switching its normally around 230. I will definitely go back to 10W-60 next summer. 2) I didn't get my coolant flushed before the track day. I checked my coolant after I got back to the paddock area and it was smoking like it was boiling. So if I had to guess, I would say the coolant temp is what put the car in limp mode. I definitely think the high oil temp contributed.
All in all, it was a great day. I think I found the set up that suits my style and level of driving and I frimly believe if you're going to track your car then you need a really good motorsport oil, ie Castrol 10W-60 or Motul 300v. Secondly, I think the car could benefit from a larger capacity oil cooler and radiator. I think these will be my next mods and a larger intercooler.
So that's my review and its been a great summer. Comments, suggestions welcomed

Where do you get 10-60W>?

[2e9x's]

Originally Posted by S4to335

Where do you get 10-60W>?

BMW dealer I think...If I read the article in Roundel right, it is the oil BMW specs for the M3.

[BMWdrmz]

Originally Posted by S4to335

Where do you get 10-60W>?

+1 ^ You can get it at your local dealer. Its about $11.00/ quart where I live.