Final list of questions to complete SE30 build

#21

Just to throw in my own experience to add to the collective, I had OP issues on long left sweepers when running a quart high and no scraper. The next weekend I installed a scraper and continued to run a quart high and the pressure stayed in the 20’s. Problem solved. :stuck_out_tongue:

#22

Ranger wrote:

My data is not sophisticated, but I have data. I have a low pressure idiot light on my dash in plain view of my camera. I review my “game films” to see where I can improve. I’ve never seen the light flicker on film except at hot idle in the pits.

My data may not be as easily reportable as Jim’s Stack setup that cost more than private school tuition, but I don’t believe it should be completely ignored.

As we used to say in HS band, I wonder if I will ever get laid. But I digress.

General concern, yes. Advocating that there is definitive proof of a problem, no. I don’t think it does anyone any good to have the general impression out there that SE30 motors grenade regularly unless you take extreme measures. It simply isn’t true.

I think the anecdotal evidence shows that motor life is damn good for two categories:

  1. professionally built motors
  2. junkyard motors that aren’t messed with beyond valve adjustment up top and crank scraper down below
#23

Ranger wrote:

[quote]

Jim, where are all these sensors installed and how did you calibrate them all. Just calibrating my one OP sensor was enough of a pita that it took a half dozen repetitions to get it right. How on earth did you set up a sensor to record brake line pressure?[/quote]

It is all part of the STACK system, the brake pressure sensor measures fluid pressure. The OP, I can’t recall.

BimmerWorld installed all of it / calibrated and the car is at Craig’s house. I’ll check on the location.

#24

If you run at Thunderhill, and you have a crank scraper - run 3/4 of a quart high… If you do neither, see you at the Pick-a-Part the following Monday.

This is what we know and is the end of West Coast related arguments. Out here it’s not even a point of discussion.

If you’re an old school BMW Club member like me, then it’s just part of the “to-do” list before you go on track “did I put that extra oil in?”…

Even my Dad has to put the extra oil in his 95 M3… It’s just what we do…

#25

Steve D wrote:

[quote]Ranger wrote:

My data is not sophisticated, but I have data. I have a low pressure idiot light on my dash in plain view of my camera. I review my “game films” to see where I can improve. I’ve never seen the light flicker on film except at hot idle in the pits.

My data may not be as easily reportable as Jim’s Stack setup that cost more than private school tuition, but I don’t believe it should be completely ignored.

As we used to say in HS band, I wonder if I will ever get laid. But I digress.

General concern, yes. Advocating that there is definitive proof of a problem, no. I don’t think it does anyone any good to have the general impression out there that SE30 motors grenade regularly unless you take extreme measures. It simply isn’t true.

I think the anecdotal evidence shows that motor life is damn good for two categories:

  1. professionally built motors
  2. junkyard motors that aren’t messed with beyond valve adjustment up top and crank scraper down below[/quote]

“definitive proof” and “motors grenade regularly” are stronger phrases then I usually use. I like to use caveats like “think”, “IIRC”, “IMO”, etc. Mealy-mouth weasel words like that give me cover when it turns out I was wrong again. What I advocate is general concern. And one person’s “extreme” is another person’s “reasonable”.

What pressure is your OP switch set to?

#26

secu wrote:

[quote]ctbimmer wrote:

[quote] As a practical matter I doubt there’s a racetrack in the US where a SpecE30 can get to that speed so the ECU is probably not a problem for us.
[/quote]

I was running a 525 last year and would hit the speed limiter on the back straight at Road Atlanta about 100-150 feet before the brake zone. Would hit at around 125 mph I think. Hit it a few other times at other tracks an instant before braking at the end of a straight. Long story short, I’d just get a 173 and not worry about it.[/quote]Very cool; I stand corrected!

#27

Ranger wrote:

[quote]Steve D wrote:

General concern, yes. Advocating that there is definitive proof of a problem, no. I don’t think it does anyone any good to have the general impression out there that SE30 motors grenade regularly unless you take extreme measures. It simply isn’t true.

I think the anecdotal evidence shows that motor life is damn good for two categories:

  1. professionally built motors
  2. junkyard motors that aren’t messed with beyond valve adjustment up top and crank scraper down below[/quote]

To be fair it’s been Ranger’s experience that motors go BOOM.

My motor has never had a thing done to the inside other than oil changes and an occasional valve adjustment. Raced for 3 years (not including this year because I haven’t been to a F’n race) and nothing close to a problem, much less a boom.

My motor is neither professionally built nor hack built. It’s just the way it was when I bought it from the guy who had it as his part-time daily driver.

So with that said… I think it’s safe to say Ranger and Steve D are both making generalizations based on their own experience (as am I)

E30 motors are da-bomb not a bomb :dry:

#28

Ranger wrote:

I believe it is a 20 psi switch. Might be a 15.

It is set to “Uh oh”. :laugh:

McMennannannammammy is right. Problems exist. I just think it is a disservice to the class to overstate their frequency. Ranger wants to give new folks air warning about precautions that can be taken. It’s all good.

#29

I’m planning to run my 200,00+ mile engine like ScottMC till it blows up. I hope that it won’t, and if it does then I will take precautions before installing the next junkyard engine.

#30

Steve D wrote:

[quote]Ranger wrote:

I believe it is a 20 psi switch. Might be a 15.
[/quote]
Site just ate my post. Cliffnotes:

Like your OP light, neither of my 20psi warning lights go on while running laps. But the data shows my OP dropping to the high 20’s in the middle of long left turns.

#31

I’ve found that when you want a car die it will live forever and if you want it to live it will blow up on you. In my experience with owning 4 e30s in the past decade(still have 87is, 88ix and now 89i) i’ve found that the m20 is pretty much bulletproof.
6 years ago I was told that my 87 iS didn’t belong in SCCA STS autox class because it had a real lsd and should be competing with the mustang gt, vw r32 and wrx in stx class. I decided i needed an s50 or s52 for the Street Mod class, but my m20 deserved to go out with a bang. I wanted so much power that the engine would explode and i wanted to do it as cheaply as possible. I decided on a turbo and bought a ebay turbo intercooler and piping kit for about 400$ plus a megasquirt2 kit. Everything possible failed to keep the motor from grenading. First it was intake piping boots poping off everytime i hit boost and when that got fixed it was several very unspectacular head gasket failures. Then arp head studs and 3 sets of cometic mls gaskets later I gave up on killing it and rebuilt it with an IE 2.9 stroker kit and thousands more dollars in parts. Amazingly the cylinders didn’t even have to be bored or honed after 200k miles of abuse.

My brothers 85 rx7 parts car became his track car for the next several years after a several hour attempt to rallyx it to death in the snow on my parents 40 acres.

pics and video here http://www.fuzionllc.com/exp.html