Gabriel's 1991 318i sedan

[rightcoastbias]

Updates:
Advancing the cam gives a nice sound to the engine at mid to high RPM. Similar to sound to a Toyota Celica GT-S IMO :giggle:. Many people report a trade-off between low end and high end power. I do not feel a big difference. I'll be leaving it advanced. I did a Gtech run with the car bone stock and need to do a second for a quantitative comparison.

I installed a $20 eBay chip. These are supposed to be copies of Dinan chips, or what not. Throttle appears to be more responsive, but who knows. New rev limiter is around 7,200. Overall, I really like how the car is running. Not quick, but not boring.

Also scored a sport steering wheel.

[trackjunkie21]

Updates:
Advancing the cam gives a nice sound to the engine at mid to high RPM. Similar to a Toyota Celica GT-S :giggle:. Many people report a trade-off between low end and high end power. I do not feel a big difference. I'll be leaving it advanced. I did a Gtech run with the car bone stock and need to do a second for a quantitative comparison.

I installed a $20 ebay chip. These are supposed to be copies of Dinan chips, or what not. Throttle appears to be more responsive, but who knows. New rev limiter is around 7,200. Overall, I really like how the car is running. I've heard its best not to flog M42's, but its really hard not to.

Also scored a sport steering wheel.

any videos of what the car sounds like? Sounds like I may want to do this advancement. Did you use any special tools to "freeze" the cams in place while moving the gear? Also you probably got a copy of the markd chip, dinan chips only let you rev to 6900 and there is only a difference when the car is at WOT. Lastly, whoever told you not to flog an m42 is an idiot. These cars are meant to be winded out. Even says so in the manual

[rightcoastbias]

any videos of what the car sounds like? Sounds like I may want to do this advancement. Did you use any special tools to "freeze" the cams in place while moving the gear? Also you probably got a copy of the markd chip, dinan chips only let you rev to 6900 and there is only a difference when the car is at WOT. Lastly, whoever told you not to flog an m42 is an idiot. These cars are meant to be winded out. Even says so in the manual

No videos. I'll work on that. No special tools, just an bent 10mm (or 12mm?) wrench. I marked the position with a sharpie. Loosened the four bolts on the sprocket. Rolled the cam clockwise (aka forward) a small amount by grasping some of the rough cast portion. Then tightened the four sprocket bolts in an alternating pattern. No space for a torque wrench with the timing chain covers on. I am guessing it was <5 deg by comparing to images I've found on the internet of cams rolled forward 5 deg.

Sh!t, I would rather it not be a MarkD copy. He does good work and supports the community. It was cheap and curiosity got the better of me. The chip shipped out of Tennessee.

Good because I've been making it scream. I've been around an M42 that gernaded itself, so this feels very temporary. Downshifting to ~3000 RPM in second and nailing it feels pretty good.

[trackjunkie21]

No videos. I'll work on that. No special tools, just an bent 10mm (or 12mm?) wrench. I marked the position with a sharpie. Loosened the four bolts on the sprocket. Rolled the cam clockwise (aka forward) a small amount by grasping some of the rough cast portion. Then tightened the four sprocket bolts. No space for a torque wrench with the timing chain covers on. I am guessing it was <5 deg by comparing to images I've found on the internet of cams rolled forward 5 deg.

Sh!t, I would rather it not be a MarkD copy. He does good work and supports the community. It was cheap and curiosity got the better of me. The chip shipped out of Tennessee.

Good because I've been making it scream. I've been around an M42 that gernaded itself, so this feels very temporary. Downshifting to ~3000 RPM in second and nailing it feels pretty good.

I guess I'll have to try this myself. I'm starting to think that you didn't loose so much low end power because of the MarkD chip, the chip was designed to bring alot of the low end torque back on an m42.

[rightcoastbias]

Update:
-Sprayed/dyed carpet and headliner.

Carpet was sprayed with duplicolor Vinyl and Fabric flat black
Drivers Before and Passenger After:

The black is deeper than the image indicates. I am quite happy with the stain.

Afterward, I spent an hour masking off the interior. I sprayed the headliner with VHT Vinyl and fabric Flat Black. It came out great, but that could be the fumes talking.

I'll be driving into work with only a drivers seat and a cardboard floor mat.

[MaxBell]

COOL! I really want to paint my headliner and floors, do you feel that the car feels more enclosed with the black roof?

[rightcoastbias]

COOL! I really want to paint my headliner and floors, do you feel that the car feels more enclosed with the black roof?

Yes, the human eye is instinctively drawn towards light. I find it difficult to focus on the headliner and therefore the car certainly feels smaller. I've driven the car for a week now and can't determine the quality of the paint/dye. It's just black. It just worked. I would do it again.

Note about the cam: I wind the piss out of the motor now... so don't roll your M42's cam forward unless you want to rev above 4k a*lot.

[TrentW]

Definitely gonna dye my carpet black, but unsure about the headliner. I like to open the sunroof in summer and not sure how the dye will hold up on the liner part of the sunroof. Let us know what you find.

[rightcoastbias]

Update:
Black interior is holding up very well.

Scored some bavauto solid control arm bushings on ebay for $12. They make a world of difference. Steering is much sharper and less wandering on sweeping curves.

I'm on a shoe string budget... still rocking steelies with hub caps on only one side.

[e30shmobberr]

nice! great buy for 400

[e30BMart]

solid control arm bushings made that great of a difference? Are they hard to change? like these http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/BMW-E...Q5fAccessories

I'm going to subscribe to this thread, you seem to be making cheap upgrades that are actually noticeable haha. I'll be watching you!

[87_black_325is]

I'll also be watching, I like this thread

[iamsam]

solid control arm bushings made that great of a difference? Are they hard to change? like these http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/BMW-E...Q5fAccessories

I'm going to subscribe to this thread, you seem to be making cheap upgrades that are actually noticeable haha. I'll be watching you!

Chiming in here out of the blue, without reading any context... YES offset M3 CABs make a difference, noticeably better turn-in, and it takes some slop out of the front suspension. Can be a PITA to replace, you need a press (10-ton or so) and a machined piece of stock that you can use to press out the old bushing. Sliding the bushing onto the CA can be a pain also, I lubed it w/ some oil and heated up the rubber on the mating surface w/ a lighter to make it softer, and it went right on. You may also want to sand all the rust off the CA that the bushing needs to slide over.

[rightcoastbias]

Chiming in here out of the blue, without reading any context... YES offset M3 CABs make a difference, noticeably better turn-in, and it takes some slop out of the front suspension. Can be a PITA to replace, you need a press (10-ton or so) and a machined piece of stock that you can use to press out the old bushing. Sliding the bushing onto the CA can be a pain also, I lubed it w/ some oil and heated up the rubber on the mating surface w/ a lighter to make it softer, and it went right on. You may also want to sand all the rust off the CA that the bushing needs to slide over.

Yes, I used a 10-ten press and an assortment of large sockets and scrap hubs/rotors. I keep junk hubs, rotors, bearings, etc for just this reason.

Just scored an unused I4-Z3 rear assembly from an small race team. Its an entire subframe assembly which could be swapped at the track. The assembly sat in a shop for <10 years, so there is some oxidation on the hubs. The rubbers bushings still look vulcanized.

Included:
-Zero mile small case 3.45 LSD (not a rebuild)
-Subframe w/ OEM bushings installed
-Rear trailing arms w/ OEM bushings
-Rear Z3 inline-4 5 lug hubs
-Rear wheel bearings
-Brake Hardlines with Stainless Steel braided hoses
-E-brake lines

I'm not sure I want to go five lug. I already listed the 3.45 LSD.

EDIT:
Wifey surprised me by browsing forums and deciding to make a shift boot from scrap pleather:

[ACHTUNG]

Yes, I used a 10-ten press and an assortment of large sockets and scrap hubs/rotors. I keep junk hubs, rotors, bearings, etc for just this reason.

Just scored an unused I4-Z3 rear assembly from an small race team. Its an entire subframe assembly which could be swapped at the track. The assembly sat in a shop for <10 years, so there is some oxidation on the hubs. The rubbers bushings still look vulcanized.

Included:
-Zero mile small case 3.45 LSD (not a rebuild)
-Subframe w/ OEM bushings installed
-Rear trailing arms w/ OEM bushings
-Rear Z3 inline-4 5 lug hubs
-Rear wheel bearings
-Brake Hardlines with Stainless Steel braided hoses
-E-brake lines

I'm not sure I want to go five lug. I already listed the 3.45 LSD.

Wifey surprised by browsing forums and deciding to make a shift boot:

cool, glad you got that subframe. I was thinking about buying it but passed on it.