[kookie]

What's the end goal sock?

[Socket]

Originally Posted by kookie

What's the end goal sock?

No real target mate. Whatever we can get out of it safely 😀

[Socket]

Mod 120 - Precision Works Solid Subframe Bushings

Upgraded the rear subframe bushing from Nolathane to billet aluminum, after a few of the guys installed these recently and reported great improvements to the rear end stability and chassis response.

The Nolathane bushings have been on the car for about 2 years now and were a great improvement over stock. They simply pushed out (with a bit of help) and I was surprise just how good condition they were in. With a bit of a clean up they will look brand new lol

Big thanks to Vince for organising the group buy and installing these today
Car is off the road for a few weeks while we wait for a new vac pump, so wont be able to test the solid bushings out just yet

Pics below

Pic 1 - Billet Aluminum bushings ready for install
Pic 2 - Car prepped and ready for swap over
Pics 3 & 4 - Nolathane bushings (red) ready to remove
Pic 5 - Bushings removed
Pic 6 - In great shape after all this time...quality parts FTW
Pics 7 & 8 - Pressing in new bushings
Pics 9 & 10 - Done

[Coupes33]

Good work Socks.
It will be good to get your opinion on the noise and vibration from these compared to the poly bushes when you get it back onto the road. Is the replacement vacuum pump as a result of the Spool Helix overdrive on the HPFP?

[Hoper]

Originally Posted by Coupes33

Good work Socks.
It will be good to get your opinion on the noise and vibration from these compared to the poly bushes when you get it back onto the road. Is the replacement vacuum pump as a result of the Spool Helix overdive on the HPFP?

+1 on that question, was thinking about the helix, would be good to know if it's causing an issue for you Socks

[vtl]

Vacuum pump housing has cracked due to the helix. Billet cover from spool had already been fitted

[Coupes33]

Originally Posted by vtl

Vacuum pump housing has cracked due to the helix. Billet cover from spool had already been fitted

What do you believe caused the housing to crack Vince? Could it be the extra weight hanging off it? I have read in some of the US forums about requiring extra support for the HPFP. I would imagine having the delivery steel pipe installed would assist somewhat in this area compared with the hose.

[Hoper]

Originally Posted by vtl

Vacuum pump housing has cracked due to the helix. Billet cover from spool had already been fitted

OH so this is a slightly delayed post about the cracked vacuum pump housing and the billet part replaced it?

[Socket]

Originally Posted by Hoper

OH so this is a slightly delayed post about the cracked vacuum pump housing and the billet part replaced it?

No Hops. Vac cover has been replaced with the billet one from Spool. This is the vac pump housing that cracked, leaked out oil and lost vacuum. Only reason o noticed was lack of brake booster and being stuck in the city with no brakes. Have ordered a new vac pump and will pull everything apart when it arrives. If the vac pump failed due to the helix unit, will need to think about hitting someone up for compensation. New vac pump is $750 plus shipping etc... will make an interesting read .....

[Hoper]

Originally Posted by Socket

No Hops. Vac cover has been replaced with the billet one from Spool. This is the vac pump housing that cracked, leaked out oil and lost vacuum. Only reason o noticed was lack of brake booster and being stuck in the city with no brakes. Have ordered a new vac pump and will pull everything apart when it arrives. If the vac pump failed due to the helix unit, will need to think about hitting someone up for compensation. New vac pump is $750 plus shipping etc... will make an interesting read .....

That's not good Socks, happened pretty quickly too

$750

Holy cracked vacuum pumps Batman, that's alot of moolah

[Torgus]

Originally Posted by Coupes33

Good work Socks.
It will be good to get your opinion on the noise and vibration from these compared to the poly bushes when you get it back onto the road. Is the replacement vacuum pump as a result of the Spool Helix overdrive on the HPFP?

There is no NVH with solid subframe bushings imo, I never noticed a thing going from stock to these. All the new m3/4/5 BMWs come with solid bushings.

Now solid diff bushings will give you a good deal of gear whine from the diff.

The labor to install is as much as the bushings. They are a great upgrade from the non M rubber bushings which deflect. if you are trying to put power down, add these to your list of parts to order.

FWIW these look like a 100% copy of the Turner solid subframe mounts: https://www.turnermotorsport.com/p-1...minum-e82-e9x/




The Helix is known to crack there hence they now have the billet part. There is also new tables etc. to stop the HPFP 'noises'

[Socket]

Originally Posted by Torgus

There is no NVH with solid subframe bushings imo, I never noticed a thing going from stock to these. All the new m3/4/5 BMWs come with solid bushings.

Now solid diff bushings will give you a good deal of gear whine from the diff.

The labor to install is as much as the bushings. They are a great upgrade from the non M rubber bushings which deflect. if you are trying to put power down, add these to your list of parts to order.

FWIW these look like a 100% copy of the Turner solid subframe mounts: https://www.turnermotorsport.com/p-1...minum-e82-e9x/




The Helix is known to crack there hence they now have the billet part. There is also new tables etc. to stop the HPFP 'noises'

Thanks for the info on the solid mounts mate. When you say the Helix are known to crack do you mean the rear vac pump plate? Or the vac pump housing itself? We installed the billet rear plate, the failure that took my vac pump out is the actual vac pump side wall itself which is a new fault which apparently spool may be aware of but have not confirmed. From what I understand they are developing a new brace for but it’s only a rumour afaik

[Torgus]

Originally Posted by Socket

Thanks for the info on the solid mounts mate. When you say the Helix are known to crack do you mean the rear vac pump plate? Or the vac pump housing itself? We installed the billet rear plate, the failure that took my vac pump out is the actual vac pump side wall itself which is a new fault which apparently spool may be aware of but have not confirmed. From what I understand they are developing a new brace for but it’s only a rumour afaik

Ah that is news to me, the new failure.

I know a shop that designed a bracket to hold HPFP with overdrive pump. Their Instagram page @gdoautomotive.

[Socket]

Originally Posted by Torgus

Ah that is news to me, the new failure.

I know a shop that designed a bracket to hold HPFP with overdrive pump. Their Instagram page @gdoautomotive.

Yeh have been in touch with spool and they are doing the same (designing a supporting bracket). They are going to send me one of their prototypes to install with my new vac pump, hopefully before Christmas

[Hoper]

Originally Posted by Socket

Yeh have been in touch with spool and they are doing the same (designing a supporting bracket). They are going to send me one of their prototypes to install with my new vac pump, hopefully before Christmas

The definition of bleeding edge Socks....major bummer but thanks for sharing, I'll wait for the support bracket before diving in

[Socket]

Originally Posted by Hoper

The definition of bleeding edge Socks....major bummer but thanks for sharing, I'll wait for the support bracket before diving in

Haha taking one for the team mate.... will be a couple of weeks until Gary is back on the road

[Socket]

A short update on the Helix saga

Spool did not deliver a bracket before Christmas, and there is no ETA on when their bracket will be done, but despite this they continue to sell the Helix unit

New vac pump arrived from FCP, so rather wait for Spool, we pulled the Helix out and reverted back to stock.

Installing the new vac pump was a pita as was getting the damaged vac pump out.
Some homemade engineering to remove the cover plate (no special tools for us lol) and about 4 hours of stuffing around and the job was done.

The vac pump housing was cracked pretty much 75% around the housing (see pics below)

Big thanks again to Vince for getting spcgry back on the road

Pics below

Pic 1 - New vac pump
Pic 2 - Old vac pump
Pic 3 - Close up of cracked vac pump housing
Pics 4 & 5 - Special end plate removal tool
Pic 6 - This is what the sprocket that drives the vac pump looks like
Pic 7 - Avoid dropping bolts into the engine at all costs, tissue paper engineering at its best
Pic 8 - New vac pump installed
Pic 9 - Spcgry back on the road again

[Socket]

Mod 121 - Rear CF diffuser

So technically not a mod because, have had a couple fitted before

Regular readers would know that my CF diffuser was damaged last year, when I was tailended while stopped on the freeway in traffic by a P plater on her phone.

While the insurance company covered the repairs, they could not find a replacement diffuser and installed a basic model.

Finally picked up a diffuser, like the one I had prior to the repairs, so swapped it over this week.

Fitment is not great, so will need to do some more work to get it to sit properly, but happy that the rear end back is back to the way it use to look

Pics below

Pic 1 - Standard CF diffuser
Pic 2 - Removed
Pic 3 - New CF diffuser

[shannon1]

Nice looking rear end

Shame about the vac pump. Hope it gets sorted in the new year.

[Socket]

Originally Posted by shannon1

Nice looking rear end

Shame about the vac pump. Hope it gets sorted in the new year.

Thanks mate. Hope you and the family had a good Christmas 👍👍

[Socket]

Originally Posted by Coupes33

Good work Socks.
It will be good to get your opinion on the noise and vibration from these compared to the poly bushes when you get it back onto the road. Is the replacement vacuum pump as a result of the Spool Helix overdrive on the HPFP?

Don’t notice any additional noise or vibration mate. That said it’s hard to hear anything over the drone of the exhaust lol
Seriously now, rear ended feels more planted maybe a extra 25% up on the poly

[shannon1]

Originally Posted by Socket

Thanks mate. Hope you and the family had a good Christmas 👍👍

Cheers mate. Yeah we had a good Christmas and New Year, although I had to work most of it. Hope you had a great one too mate. Here's to 2020