Das Beast: My E30 track / street build

[ForcedFirebird]

The red sealant is silicone/Marston (Marston comes in the OEM HG kits). The OEM gasket has the cross hatch patterns and no silicone. I usually take a dime sized ball of "right Stuff" and smear it evenly around the whole gasket, both sides. Never really had issues with the rocker plugs, honestly - they have a nice lip that sits inside the head, and against the shafts. The two major things I have seen over the years is warped covers and rocker shaft retainers holding the cover open slightly.

Warping is far more common. Easy remedy is to glue some sand paper sheets to a piece of glass/granite, or even a hard wood top checked with a flat edge. Rub the cover until you sanding marks all the way around. BOOM, sealed cover. EDIT: Powder coated covers are often warped if taken over 375°f, many colors require 375-400f°

For many years I hear that m20's are just inherently "leaky", but mine have been staying dry. Now if I can get the stupid g260 to stop spitting, then the race cars will come home clean.

[dvallis]

We tried gooping the gasket with Permatex Ultra Grey and it leaked like a sieve. Admittedly our fault because we left it to dry too long. This time we used a gasket with the red line (not OEM), no RTV on the gasket and a skim of RTV around the rubber rocker shaft plugs before inserting them. Very slight leak at the plugs but I'll live with that.

[digger]

rtv the plugs, non hardening permatex tack stuff/ aviation cement the rest for insurance

[Digitalwave]

My VC has been powdercoated twice, I wouldn't doubt that it's warped too.

[dvallis]

Hmm. Last valve cover was powder coated. It leaked. You think the heat warps them?

[JehTehsus]

Now here I am thinking my powdercoated VC is also probably warped...

[dvallis]

Had our first track day yesterday at Harris Hill. It's a 1.82 mile, 11 turn course, 30 minutes from Austin. It's got good elevation change and is a challenge to drive hard. Not enough straight to really test the top end, but in all a great test track.



Got to the track, set up with no problems and did the pre-track brief. Waited for our run group.



22 laps in. Times were coming down to 1:30s, I was getting comfortable with the car and track. Starting to get decent slip angle through the turns. We pass the start finish line, instructor yells "Last Lap!". Two seconds later there's a plume of white smoke behind us. Instructor yelling "White Smoke!". WTF? Gauges are all nominal. Oil pressure, fuel pressure, temperature, RPMs all good. We limp back to pit-in off the racing line, drive directly onto the trailer. Still nothing bad with the hood off.

We called it a day and drove back to Austin. Longhorn Racing Academy was very cool and refunded our 3rd session.

I inspected the data later that night. With dash video, external video plus AIM data, I know exactly when it happened. Front straight into turn 1. Hard braking followed by 1G left hand turn.



My Theories

1) Our turbo oil drain returns to the right front side of the oil pan, 3/4 of the way up. I think the left hand turn piled up oil on the right side of the pan and blocked the return.

2) Our valve cover vent hose has a bad kink. I don't think it's letting enough crank case pressure vent, also restricting the turbo oil return.

3) Our turbo oil pressure regulator return dumps into the valve cover. I saw that Metric Mechanic used to do a oil sprayer bar mod for racing that reduces oil flow into the head. We are dumping WAY more oil than that with the turbo pressure regulator return

So I think we need:

1) Turbo oil return scavenge pump, like this
2) Better valve cover venting
3) Route turbo oil pressure regulator to return line, not valve cover
4) Better oil return location on block (Bitch tube? Oil Fill tube, custom filter sandwich plate?

Comments?

[Nader393]

White smoke could be burnt coolant. Maybe do a combustion leak test. If it was oil, I'd also be worried about oily smoke blowing out onto your rear wheel, unless you've already extended your side dump exhaust routing.

[dvallis]

There was no coolant in the oil or oil in the coolant. We'll do a compression test but are 99% sure it's not the head gasket. There is no oil on the tire.

[dvallis]

Has anyone tapped their block for turbo oil return on the flat spot where the A/C compressor mounts? Or at one of these bolt holes?

[dvallis]

Here's a video of the track day with data overlay.

[Elysian]

Here's a video of the track day with data overlay.

That looks like a lot of fun, I'm maybe 30 minutes from there, gonna have to get my V8 E30 out there

[Digitalwave]

30psi oil pressure at 5,100 RPM sounds like trouble to me. Hell, I'm at over 20psi at idle (~1,200 RPM).

[dvallis]

It's totally oil slosh. Watch the G meter and oil pressure.



So ........ where are rest of the the E30 track rats? Need some informed opinions.

[JehTehsus]

It's totally oil slosh. Watch the G meter and oil pressure.



So ........ where are rest of the the E30 track rats? Need some informed opinions.

Did you go the simple pan baffle route, like the one from IE?