Finally out on the field

[Jean]

Here is one shot of my car running in SM on saturday, this was event #3.




During the last event I couldn't even get one run completed as the car died and I had to get it towed 60 miles back home. I later discovered a broken distributor rotor, a battery probably hit the distributor housing while I was running the car on day 1, 1st run and I lost all power at the end of the run :ohsnap:

Obviously it needs power, as I was going wot through most of the course and by the time It builds up speed through the slalom it was time to slow down for a corner. I got 4 clean runs and managed to post a better time than a couple miatas (i was faster than a couple faster cars with 2-3x as much power, but they weren't regulars), as that's probably all I can gauge my car against in terms of weight/power. Once results are posted i'll gauge myself against other cars in different classes to see how it stands and go from there.

I am currently trying to figure out what is causing some major vibration in my car that vibrates the crap out of my rear view mirror. I had to baby it home and after getting under the car, found 1 13mm nut on the lower tranny bracket was loose but unfortunetely that didn't fix a problem as the vibration is still present if I give the car 1/3 throttle. I could not see the condition of the CSB, but tried moving the driveshaft around with my hands and didn't notice any play in it.

[jlevie]

Is the vibration worse in the lower gears when using a generous amount of throttle? And does it disappear in the top gears when crusing? That set of symptoms tends to point to a bad driveshaft and center bearing.

A vibration that is always present and that gets worse with increasing speed tends to point to wheel/tire.

[jhower08]

for the vibration if the CSB is still good just try double checking the guibo bolts. i replaced my CSB and a week later i thought it went out again, turned out the guibo bolts just worked themselves loose.

[JGood]

Really check the CSB... not just a little jiggle. If you still have the heat shields in place there is no way you can properly check it. You have to grab the driveshaft right at the CSB and shake the shit out of it.

Your trans mount nut should NOT have been loose. How are the trans mounts? Motor mounts? Guibo (flex disk)? Has the driveshaft ever been removed/replaced? Was this a gradual problem or did it do it instantly one day?

Also, check the bolts like jhower said.

[Mystikal]

How did you end up in SM already? I didn't know you had that many mods yet.

-Jay

[backtrail69]

Shouldn't you be in STX or STS? I run STX with my eta.

[Jean]

Really check the CSB... not just a little jiggle. If you still have the heat shields in place there is no way you can properly check it. You have to grab the driveshaft right at the CSB and shake the shit out of it.

Your trans mount nut should NOT have been loose. How are the trans mounts? Motor mounts? Guibo (flex disk)? Has the driveshaft ever been removed/replaced? Was this a gradual problem or did it do it instantly one day?

Also, check the bolts like jhower said.

Heat shields are still in place, I am going to see if I can remove them w/o dropping he exhaust to check the CSB.

The guibo is brand new and I did turn the driveshaft and all the bolts are present. The lower tranny mounts are IE urethane and also new. The nut on the lower tranny brace/bracket was the only nut I found that wasn't tight. The engine mounts are stock, I did inspect them and they don't look damaged but I do plan to replace them (they were on back order when I ordered the tranny mounts).

The problem didn't exist until two things were done, a new clutch was put in along with a flywheel at a shop and I replaced the rear open 3.64 with a s3.73. It was ok for about a month and then started doing that only in 2nd gear, now pretty much in any gear it does that. When I had the car on the jackstands after I tightened the 13mm nut on the lower tranny bracket to the car I started the car and ran it through 1st and 2nd and there was no vibration present at all. I lowered the car back on the ground and took it around the block and it was vibrating again.

I don't think it's a wheel or tire combo as it vibrates only if I give it gas, so I can be moving with no vibration still in gear with only partial or no throttle at all.

How did you end up in SM already? I didn't know you had that many mods yet.

-Jay

I decided to just go ahead and stick with SM for now as a couple of my friends are running in SM and I am just getting the feel of the car to take it to the next step. This way I can see how I am doing against a couple good drivers and shoot for getting closer to their times.

[Mystikal]

Interesting approach. I appload your ambition, if anything. :p

-Jay

[JGood]

Oh, it was a shop that did it? Shit, I would have taken it back right away. Probably something not balanced properly. Maybe the clutch disk is off center, flywheel not machined properly, etc... Maybe they didn't put the driveshaft back in right (didn't align the two halves) and as the CSB wears, it is getting worse. So many possibilities. I'd have it back at the shop ASAP. How long ago was that?

BTW, as for engine mounts, you can't really inspect them. You need to get a pry bar and try to lift each side of the engine, or something like that. They can look perfect, but be separated (the gap would close under a few hundred pounds of weight).

[Jean]

Oh, it was a shop that did it? Shit, I would have taken it back right away. Probably something not balanced properly. Maybe the clutch disk is off center, flywheel not machined properly, etc... Maybe they didn't put the driveshaft back in right (didn't align the two halves) and as the CSB wears, it is getting worse. So many possibilities. I'd have it back at the shop ASAP. How long ago was that?

BTW, as for engine mounts, you can't really inspect them. You need to get a pry bar and try to lift each side of the engine, or something like that. They can look perfect, but be separated (the gap would close under a few hundred pounds of weight).

I can't say a shop did it, all they did was a clutch job/cylinders/flywheel and guibo and I was assured they put everything back correctly (other than the loose 13mm nut that I found myself lol) and I did ask them about aligning the two halves. This was about 1-2 months ago. I really don't want to point fingers but I am going to have an independent mechanic look at it this week and go from there. I was thinking maybe I screwered something up when I swapped the rear diff, it's hard to say now.

Looks like I might be looking at couple hundred to fix this, doubt at this point it's going to be something simple but we'll see . http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/BMW-D...QQcmdZViewItem

I'll order new engine mounts, maybe just put oem ones in for now until I figure out if I am going to keep the m10 or go a different route.

Thanks for all the suggestions!

[JGood]

I can't say a shop did it, all they did was a clutch job/cylinders/flywheel and guibo and I was assured they put everything back correctly (other than the loose 13mm nut that I found myself lol) and I did ask them about aligning the two halves. This was about 1-2 months ago. I really don't want to point fingers but I am going to have an independent mechanic look at it this week and go from there. I was thinking maybe I screwered something up when I swapped the rear diff, it's hard to say now.

Looks like I might be looking at couple hundred to fix this, doubt at this point it's going to be something simple but we'll see . http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/BMW-D...QQcmdZViewItem

I'll order new engine mounts, maybe just put oem ones in for now until I figure out if I am going to keep the m10 or go a different route.

Thanks for all the suggestions!

You have every right to point fingers. They messed with all (and the only) components that cause the symptoms you described.

If it were me, I'd take it back, say you have a vibration ever since they did the work. If it's a decent shop they will drive it, diagnose it, and repair it for no charge if it's a failure caused by their assembly.

Why pay another shop to mess with it if the original shop messed up and should repair it for no charge?

The garage I worked at years ago repaired anything, 100% free of charge to the customer, if it even might have been something we did. Any good shop will, their rate of return customers will skyrocket.

[ed94r]

Sorry to hear 'bout your problems. Hope the fix comes easy and cheap.

On another note...you should consider running the car in it's class. If it's stock, SP, or an street tire class, you'll learn things along the way and make friends in each class. Your prep level and set-up preferences are groomed slowly, and you have time to experiment. Street Mod is a great place to get killed and not even know why. Lots of rope to hang yourself from.

Course management+eliminating bad habits first. Mods second.

Your car looks like a G stock car on streets. A set of Koni's on the stock suspension with some 225/50-14's and you could do pretty well. IMO.

Ed

[JGood]

Your car looks like a G stock car on streets. A set of Koni's on the stock suspension with some 225/50-14's and you could do pretty well. IMO.

Ed

Very true. A good running e30 with good shocks and V710's could whoop some ass.

[Jean]

I ran against a celica gts with good shocks and kumho v710s in GS in 2005 and have to agree, and also ran in DS in 06. I am going to stick with SM or maybe finish the rest of the events in FSP. I just don't want to be the only car running in the class, it's boring. I am going to stick with rt615s this year atleast, next year if all goes well i'll have a dedicated set of wheels/tires just for autox.

As far as my mods, other than mostly lots of maint. items upgrades include bilstein sports, gc coilover kit, gc camber plates, offset m3 front cabs, 3.73 lsd, rear disc brake swap.

[Jean]

I dropped the car off and we'll see what happens.