NOR-CAL General Chat.

[JinormusJ]

NOR-CAL General Chat.

@Bimmerman

I never thanked you for this information. Thanks.
This was EXACTLY what I was looking for

To get an S52 to that level is pretty easy. Keep OBD2, just do a full swap into the E30. It's been done a lot on r3v and opens up a WORLD of good tuning and diagnostic options.

What works for 245-250whp from my experience, and results in the biggest gains:

M50 manifold
Headers -- US SS or TMS Shorties (CARB legal ftw) for curve shape, Euro SS/Raceland for numbers and shitty curve below 4k.
3" exhaust from header back with a GOOD merge
3.5" intake with 3.5-3" silicone boot
Most important: tune. TRM is ok, Epic Motorsports OBD1 or OBD2 is what I would choose. AA isn't bad either.

What doesn't really do much unless you're really shooting for that last handful of power units:
changing injectors (stock 21.5lb injectors should be fine, 24lb are option)
LTW fly
underdrive pulleys
Electric fan
BBTB (unless cammed)

If you want more power than that, add Shricks or MM cams and you may as well do valvesprings at the same time. More aggressive cam will require VANOS to be shimmed, which isn't good for low end torque.

Shricks, M50, US SS, 3.5" intake/MAF, 24lb injectors, solid tune, BBTB, UDP...basically all the things above.

You mean between the quicker 2.7 rack and the run-of-the-mill 3.2? Yeah you can just look at it. The 2.7 ltl will have a smooth metal "sheath" over the passenger's side half of it, like so:

*Z3 Rack Image*

The regular E36 is just waffled metal like the stock rack.

You mean between the quicker 2.7 rack and the run-of-the-mill 3.2? Yeah you can just look at it. The 2.7 ltl will have a smooth metal "sheath" over the passenger's side half of it, like so:

*Z3 Rack Image*

The regular E36 is just waffled metal like the stock rack.

Thanks. I ended up tracking one down locally at one of the local Recycle yards. It looks exactly like that and has a gold sheath over it. Out of a 1999 Z3 2.8 with 61k miles. One of the inner tie rods are bent, but it's super low miles and the rack is in good condition

[Pantless Spency]

NorCal chat y u so chatty when I'm not home

[turge]

NorCal chat y u so chatty when I'm not home

Lol

Sent from my XT907 using Tapatalk 4

[JinormusJ]

:firehop: :firehop: :firehop: :firehop: :firehop:

[JinormusJ]

NOR-CAL General Chat.

Anyone knows what I need to mount it?

I'm hearing some people getting away without modifying the steering knuckle, and others did modify it.

AKG has two kits to instal, airbag and non-airbag, but they only sell e36 kits, so not sure if I'm buying the right thing here

Also, besides some caressing and bending, power steering hoses bolt up no problem?



My car is a non-airbag 89 if that helps

Wh33lhop?

[Cabriolet]

Joey, there is a great right up on the forum if you dont want the AKG kit. you need to cut apart the knuckle and make it shorter.
before starting lock the steering wheel to dead center and measure the rack to center.
then remove both the bolts fully from both ends of the universal
then remove the tierods
then remove the bolts holing the rack. then bend the tabs down slowly
modify the universal. to shorten it.
then reverse the process.
however this new rack is ~1/2 inch shorter so you will need to put spacer in the bottom to lift and fill the gap. then bend tabs back slowly and re-install it all.
also u will need to bend PS lines so they dont bind the knuckle - dont forget this
also HUGE NOTE! make sure you fully seat the splines on the universal. do not half way put it on and then bolt done. the bolt locks each end from popping off. you can see the spot on the PS rack where it is made to clear.
plan 4-5 hours.

[Steven]

I think I've decided to do an m50 swap with a s50 cam as it will still be my daily... But question... Should I repin or get the treehouse racing adapter?

[Cabriolet]

I think I've decided to do an m50 swap with a s50 cam as it will still be my daily... But question... Should I repin or get the treehouse racing adapter?

kickin the M42 to the curb?

[JinormusJ]

Plan 4-5 hours.

Planning on about that time. Some claimed quicker, but I wanna take my time and make sure this thing is done right. Never messed with power-steering or the rack before, so really, this is all a first, which means I'm an inexperienced noob, and I have a lot of questions

I was reading that the Z3 rack swap was direct plug and play as long as you put spacers where the rack connects to the subframe; only e36s needed to shorten the knuckle due to the nature of the pinion having an extra 4-5* of inward "lean" whereas the Z3 matches the e30 rack. However, people claimed this without sufficient pictures or proof, so I'm red-flagging believing them 100% (Go figure, a mythical rack with mythical mount instructions! )

I've read Robert's write-up on the rack swap a dozen times over, but there are a lot of people in the thread that are posting their own ways of doing it and I'm kinda getting lost on peoples setups (Air bag vs non-airbag, EU-spec vs US-spec, e36 Rack vs. M3 rack vs. Z3 rack)

I've gotten this far:
I know I have to use spacers
I know I have to bend my PS lines
Everything else, I'm completely lost on

Really, I guess I'm just asking if there is a way to mount the rack (I will buy AKG's kit if I have to, I was just wondering if their e36 one will work for the Z3 rack) without having to modify the steering knuckle. I've read a couple people getting away with it, but they didn't go into exquisite detail with their setup. Kinda just looking for someone who's done the same swap (Z3 rack, Non-Airbag car, US-Spec knuckle) to chime in with their exact setup

Actually the Z3 rack may NOT require knuckle modification. E36 racks do, but the splines on the Z3 rack go deeper (oh baby) and may not require knuckle shortening.

The funny thing is, the Z3 rack is such a huge improvement over the stock rack but it's still not THAT fast. For instance, try driving a car with a z3 rack and then driving an Evo or a Mazda3.

We're gettin somewhere

[Steven]

kickin the M42 to the curb?

I honestly love the m42, and if I had a 318is, then I'd keep it, but I just want more power in my vert... I decided I won't be happy without it. Anywho. I'm trying to get parts lists and stuff, but I'm starting from nothing. Can anyone point me in the right direction?

Also. Is it worth it to buy an m50 from picknpull?

[Steven]

Really, I guess I'm just asking if there is a way to mount the rack (I will buy AKG's kit if I have to, I was just wondering if their e36 one will work for the Z3 rack) without having to modify the steering knuckle. I've read a couple people getting away with it, but they didn't go into exquisite detail with their setup. Kinda just looking for someone who's done the same swap (Z3 rack, Non-Airbag car, US-Spec knuckle) to chime in with their exact setup
We're gettin somewhere

You can't do the swap on a non airbag car without modifying the steering knuckle.

[JinormusJ]

You can't do the swap on a non airbag car without modifying the steering knuckle.

Have you done the swap yourself?

I'm just weary on this subject because of all the misinformation regarding this particular swap (About the rack itself, and multiple procedures that people have been doing all producing positive results)


Posts and information like this from people who have done the swap:

http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showpost.php?p=3795089&postcount=14

http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showpost.php?p=3795119&postcount=15

Seem to prove otherwise and not just speculate


EDIT:
Eric, I'm assuming this was the DIY you were referring to?

http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=66247

[Cabriolet]

only e36s needed to shorten the knuckle due to the nature of the pinion having an extra 4-5* of inward "lean" whereas the Z3 matches the e30 rack. However, people claimed this without sufficient pictures or proof, so I'm red-flagging believing them 100% (Go figure, a mythical rack with mythical mount instructions! )

well i only have air bag cars so idk, since our shafts are adjustable, no need to modify anything. and as for the degree difference i was under the belief that the Z3 was the same angle as the e36. - i've never heard a e36 person mention an issue.
shoot me a call if you get stuck and ill do my best to explain what i've done

yes that's the DIY

[Steven]

Ya I've done the swap. Only mine was on an airbag. But after much research, it's is apparent that the knuckle needs to be modified for non airbag cars. The e36 rack and z3 rack should be the same as far as install

[JinormusJ]

NOR-CAL General Chat.

well i only have air bag cars so idk, since our shafts are adjustable, no need to modify anything. and as for the degree difference i was under the belief that the Z3 was the same angle as the e36. - i've never heard a e36 person mention an issue.
shoot me a call if you get stuck and ill do my best to explain what i've done

yes that's the DIY

Because most, if not all, follow the write-up and they are completely fine , but most don't knowing the geometry behind whats happening. The e36 rack is pushed more in line with the steering column (the pinion is at a slightly sharper angle than a normal e30 rack) and thus goes in deeper because this adds height to the rack. Without shortening the knuckle, the e36 rod binds on the first U-joint because it goes in too deep. (I am assuming this is why e36 rack guys shorten the knuckle; it is the only logical reasoning)

The angle on the Z3 rack is the same or almost similar to that of an e30, so the steering system actually NEEDS the extra uncut length in the knuckle to reach the pinion, or so I am led to believe.



I saw... I saw pictures man..!
I... I swear I did!

Ya I've done the swap. Only mine was on an airbag. But after much research, it's is apparent that the knuckle needs to be modified for non airbag cars. The e36 rack and z3 rack should be the same as far as install

You did the e36 rack or z3 rack?