A few general questions

#1

Hi All,

I am finally very close to getting my E30 ready for the track. Initially I will be doing DE’s, but I am trying to get the car a race ready as I can before I (hopefully) take it to CMP in May. I have a few general questions…

  1. I am going to flush the brake fluid. I have 3 litres of ATE Super Blue, is this enough? I should probably have more on standby in case I screw it up.

  2. I am going to order an 8.5 x 20 enclosed trailer this week. I plan on getting one with a workbench (unless I decided to add it myself) and a tiled floor. Are there any other options that anyone would recommend? Are there any makes of trailer that I should avoid? Do the dealers usually haggle, or are the prices fixed?

  3. I also need a tool cabinet. I have been looking at the Sears http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00910600000P?vName=Tools&cName=Tool+Storage&sName=Bottom+Rollaway+Chests and Lowes http://www.lowes.com/pd_null_?productId=3028896. Any thoughts?

  4. I’m going to replace the timing belt and water pump this weekend. Is there anything else I should do while I am doing this?

  5. The head shield on the exhaust has disintegrated so I am going to replace that too. I’m guessing that I am probably going to have to replace the manifold studs too. I was reading something online (I don’t remember where and I can’t find it now) about using Loctite. I’ve never used it and really know nothing about it except that it makes things difficult to unbolt. Any pointers would be greatly appreciated!

I think that’s about for now.

Thanks!

Andy

#2

Takes less then 2 liter to flush the brakes. When you are doing a complete flush, it’s easier if you use a different color brake fluid. That gives you and indication that new fluid is coming out of the bleeder.

Going to be hard to put your car in that trailer.

Stuff to do while replacing the tbelt. On this page you’ll see some DIY’s. A couple worth mentioning are putting on a tbelt and adjusting valves. http://www.Gress.org/Home/Cars/TrackTales/track_tales.htm

Look at how you might you might delete unnecessary cooling hoses…hose to/from throttle body and heater hose that goes from back of head to heater to throttle body.

If you’ve not replace your hoses, distributor, rotor and plugs in a couple yrs, do so.

Confirm that your right motor mount heatsheild is in place.

Don’t worry about locktite on manifold nuts. It’s too hot there for locktite. It’s not a bad idea to have spare manifold studs and nuts. If a stud comes out with a manifold nut, it’s not a crisis to put them back in as a unit.

Blue locktite is removable, red locktite has to be burned out with a torch before it will remove. Locktite is your friend. As a general rule, clean your bolts and use a dab of blue locktite on everything. Especially aluminum stuff that you can’t torque down very tight.

Be religious about checking Bentley for torque values. When in doubt, go a little light on small bolts. Especially with aluminum. The locktite will hold the bolt, assuming you cleaned it. All the bolts on the front of the motor can be overtorqued and ruin your day. Go easy.

#3

I’m not a fan of ATE Super Racing Blue. It stains the reservoir and makes it difficult tell what the fluid level is w/o removing the cap. Nor am I a fan of using two different colors of brake fluid. It takes at least twice as much fluid during a flush to see a color change when going from Blue to Type 200 or vice versa. ATE Type 200 is the same fluid, sans dye. So I use it all the time.

It is easy to fully flush the system by measuring the fluid you pull from each caliper. I determined how much fluid was in each brake circuit by injecting a few cc of dye before each bleed and measuring the amount of fluid released from the caliper before the dye showed up. Then I adjusted the quantities upward to be conservative and to use up all of one liter brake fluid. Those numbers turn out to be 250cc from each rear caliper and 150cc from each front caliper. Out of a liter that leaves 200cc for the reservoir.

#4

jlevie wrote:

[quote]
Those numbers turn out to be 250cc from each rear caliper and 150cc from each front caliper. Out of a liter that leaves 200cc for the reservoir.[/quote]

Shouldn’t the first rear require a lot, but the second rear not very much?

#5

greensha wrote:

[quote]2. I am going to order an 8.5 x 20 enclosed trailer this week. I plan on getting one with a workbench (unless I decided to add it myself) and a tiled floor. Are there any other options that anyone would recommend? Are there any makes of trailer that I should avoid? Do the dealers usually haggle, or are the prices fixed?
[/quote]
Andy -

Full disclosure: this is a friend of mine selling this trailer (and dually and golf cart): http://classifieds.specmiata.com/detail.php?id=2756.

This is bigger than you say you want, but this is one sweeeeeet setup. Holds a car and a golf cart (also available), has A/C, cabinets, all aluminum, etc. The side door is large enough to load the golf cart so you don’t have to unload the car to get to the golf cart. He won the MX5 Cup so he is now on Mazda’s ladder running a full season in ST and GT in RX8s. He is selling his Miata, trailer, etc.

If that’s too much for your budget, look at racingjunk.com for a used trailer. It’s been my experience that trailers are like race cars - much cheaper used than new. And there’s a huge price range from bare plywood box to aluminum floor with tire racks, generator cabinets, electric tongue, a/c, e-track on the walls, axle type, tire age, etc.

And buy 4’ longer than you think you need.

#6

Ranger wrote:

[quote]jlevie wrote:

[quote]
Those numbers turn out to be 250cc from each rear caliper and 150cc from each front caliper. Out of a liter that leaves 200cc for the reservoir.[/quote]

Shouldn’t the first rear require a lot, but the second rear not very much?[/quote]
That’s true since the rear calipers share a line. You could reduce the amount bled from the second rear caliper to 150cc. That would save a minute or two when bleeding the brakes.

#7

Ranger wrote:

I figured I’d leave the rear end hanging out. I was thinking about paper sizes when I typed that. I meant a 8.5x20 trailer!

Thanks for the link, some useful info there. I’ll probably have go at the valve timing. I have new feeler gauge sitting on my coffee table looking for work.

I’m going to leave the heater in for the time being for the defrost capability. I’m going to remove the AC compressor though.

#8

[quote]Steve D wrote:
Full disclosure: this is a friend of mine selling this trailer (and dually and golf cart): http://classifieds.specmiata.com/detail.php?id=2756.
[/quote]

That’s a nice looking trailer. It’s probably a bit big for my needs though. Maybe if I really take to this racing thing I might go that route. I’ve been looking for used trailers but it’s hard to find something that is close by and what I want. I am going to head down to RPM trailers this week and see what I can find there.

Back to brakes and stuff… what is the appropriate way to dispose of used brake and coolant fluid? The local landfill won’t take it.

Thanks,

Andy

#9

A friend of mine who owns an auto repair shop lets me recycle old brake fluid with the used oil. It will burn with the other waste oils. I’m not sure what to do about coolant.

#10

greensha wrote:

[quote][quote]Steve D wrote:
Full disclosure: this is a friend of mine selling this trailer (and dually and golf cart): http://classifieds.specmiata.com/detail.php?id=2756.
[/quote]

That’s a nice looking trailer. It’s probably a bit big for my needs though. [/quote]
I’ve never heard a racer say he wished he bought a shorter trailer. Ever. :laugh: Todd’s trailer is in East Atlanta, so that’s relatively convenient to you I think.

I just save mine up and take it to the track. They always have dump stations for oils and coolant.

#11

Steve D wrote:

I wish I could afford a longer trailer (and appropriate tow vehicle and somewhere to store it). If he’ll take $10k for the whole lot, he’s got a deal!

And for my next question… The windshield was removed for the cage installation. I was going to take it to once of those autoglass install places, but I figured it can’t be that hard to put back in so I’m going to take a crack at it myself. I’ve read about people using a rope to fit around the seal and pulling the rope out and letting the windshield “fall” into the seal that way, but all those techniques seem to be for cars with other kinds of windshield/seal combinations, usually older American cars. Has anyone managed to do this with an E30?

Thanks,

Andy

#12

Take a crack at it…I get it.

Rubber goes in. Windshield goes in.
Plastic retainer/rubber separator goes into the channel.

Get some plastic tools to keep from "having a crack at it."
If the local glass shop will sell you the tool, purchase one to help you lay the plastic into the rubber channel.If not, work the plastic in with pressure from above while you open the channel with the plastic tool.Use soapy water to lubricate.

You can open the channel with a flat blade screwdriver, just don’t crack-up.

RP

#13

Patton wrote:

I think I am missing the plastic retainer. The rubber part is in place around the windshield opening. There is nothing on the glass, except a little bit of what looks like rubber/adhesive. Can you mail order the plastic thing, or is just easier to go to a glass shop?

#14

Don’t know.
Best to go to Strictly German and pull the plastic out so you can see how to fit/wiggle/curse it back into place. you’ll also see how brittle and easy-to break the plastic is. Not to worry, most plastic is broken and piecemealed into place.

RP

#15

There are few things that I trust to the professionals, and automotive glass is one of those things. Pay the money and let the professionals do it.

#16

King Tut wrote:

I will have to agree!!

I broke two perfect windshields that Day :ohmy:

You can buy the lock strip and clip at any of the online parts places.

#17

New glass is the best time to put on a protective layer of laminate from Factory3Performance. There’s some old how-to posts around here somewhere. Make sure everything is surgically clean, cut it so you’ve at least an inch clearance all around, and then cut it vertically in 2 or 3 places. That will allow you to put it on in pieces such that you won’t end up with wrinkle problems.

No matter how much you ensure everything is perfectly clean, you’ll curse yourself for all the grit you allowed to get in between glass & plasic and create bubbles. Think about that when you’ve decided “ok, it’s clean enough”.

#18

I have never put the hard plastic retaining strip back in…

Using the old gasket is much easier than using a new one…put the gasket in a bucket of warm water to make it softer…use ivory soap and the windshield will prcatically fall into the gasket, work from the bottom with a plastic widget and slowly work the lip around the windshield glass. I saw Canterbury do one at the track in about 10 mins…

If your old gasket is toast, email me and I can supply a good used gasket.

Al
wabmw25 AT aol DOT com

ps, finish the T belt job before you adjust the valves, do not turn the motor with the t belt off!!!

#19

I stopped by Strictly German this afternoon and picked up one of those plastic doohickeys. It will be a a few days before I put the windshield back in though. It’s amazing how much easier it is to work on the car with it out.

#20

Taking Steve’s advice about trailer lengths, I bought a 24 foot trailer today. This was my first real towing experience other than towing a u-haul mini trailer with all my worldly possessions from South Carolina to Delaware when I was a student. I was able to get home with out a hitch. The trailer did seem to want to wiggle a bit when in the slipstream of large trucks though. I will be getting a weight distributing hitch next week which I hope will help with that issue. The GTW probably won’t get much above 8000lbs I’m guessing, so I figured I should get an 8000/800lb hitch, any thoughts?

Thanks,

Andy