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Re: E36 Track Day Hack (v2) Probably not much different cost wise for a 200kg pallet. Plus I needed it to be a bare block by today, I'd be waiting a week for it to be put on a pallet, picked up and delivered..

Re: E36 Track Day Hack (v2) So after much deliberation, and the realisation I would kick myself if there were any head gasket problems in the future with the repaired threads, I decided to try and find a steel block to use. M50B25 engines are identical bar the material used for the block, and...

Re: E36 Track Day Hack (v2) We'll see Jamie, I've got a few plans in progress!

Re: E36 Track Day Hack (v2) I'm at a loose end at the moment mate.. Drop me a PM if you don't mind?

Re: E36 Track Day Hack (v2) M50 is identical mountings. The US cars used the same iron blocks from factory. The heads are the same casting also. I could get another M52... But what's to say it won't happen again when I torque the head down? This block was all good when I removed the head...

Re: E36 Track Day Hack (v2) Same block and reasons for not using an m3 engine in the first place are earlier in the thread :) Hmmm, yeah I have no doubt they would work, its just doing them correctly and the messing about getting the right ones from overseas that's putting me off at the...

Re: E36 Track Day Hack (v2) The only realistic solution I'd be happy with is a steel block from an M50B25. The M52 head and internals will drop right on and won't have any daft issues like this. I've just about had it with f*cking around with silly problems now! Repairing the thread is all...

Re: E36 Track Day Hack (v2) Yep, commonly used all over the US boards, BUT you have to have their tools to put them in properly. The main UK distributer is Wurth, which are very expensive. Some on eBay too but they don't sell the correct insert (M10x1.5x24.5) for the BMW block, only Wurth do...

Re: E36 Track Day Hack (v2) Hit a big problem now, which I shall explain below :banghead: Finished the bottom end by fitting the deflector and oil pump. Next were a couple of new chain guides, then the main chain (as this cannot be accessed once the lower timing cover is on)...

DanielJames just had my spare set of 328 hubs too, doh!

Sounds like you somehow have the wrong hubs to me. Looked at the pic again and the gap between where the disc enters the carrier looks to big

Re: E36 v2 Managed to use one of the replacement decent rods with my piston, fitted the rings and dropped it into the block, sorted. Now I've got 5 spare rods and pistons, oh well. Lapped in the exhaust valves, then fitted to the head. Quick leak test with some petrol, no leaks after...

Re: E36 v2 Never thought of that, good idea! Its 84mm bore diameter, 83.9xx piston diameter. Just not long picked up 6 spare pistons/rods, so il pick the best and get it in the block later I think!

Good tyre, easily comparable to the RainSports and many other tyres. They are far away from 'ditchfinders' which is how people seem to think Nankangs are, excellent grip in the dry and wet. I wouldn't hesitate to use them as a wet track day tyre either tbh. At the time I think they were sub £40...

Re: E36 v2 The other 5 are in the block with the rings gapped, bearings in and caps torqued. Will just be taking a lucky dip for the best from the spares I think lol!

Yeah 205/50/16, 2 x Rainsport2's and 2 x Nankang NS2's. Use 205/45/16 in Federal RSR for track days but they have a bigger sidewall so not far off the same. Stupidly cheap compared to 17" sizes.

Re: E36 v2 Yeah, they are pretty roughly machined, yet everywhere else is smooth as can be. I could replace the bushing, but that and a new gudgeon pin are pretty pricey. Hopefully picking up a cheap set of pistons this weekend now, shame I will end up with 5 spare :banghead:

Re: E36 v2 Nope just self taught by messing about and trying things, easy to learn quickly that way! Progress has now halted again - when fitting the last piston I wasn't happy with the piston itself being a bit stiff to move on the rod. Took the gudgeon pin back out to check the rod...

I cant remember to be honest - it happened about an hour into a track day at Cadwell Park, came upto the hairpin and couldn't select any gears. Pulled the engine when I got home to find the above like yourself. I think at the time there were a lot of posts on here about Valeo clutches having...

Maybe you have M3 hubs that someone has bolted the 328i calipers to. The caliper mounts are slightly further out on those to account for some of the disc size increase, along with the caliper being different to gain he remaining room. Is the very outer bit of the pad (furthest away from the...

Good stuff, easy to get hold of at times, then really hard at others. Seen single wheels go for as little as £10, and sets go for up to £300+. I have a random collection of 11/12 in all lol.

Much better, its like going from Road tyres > semis all over again. Although on the Mk1s we noticed balljoints wore stupidly fast, and bearings much quicker. Depends on how hard you drive it I guess.

Looks familiar to mine years ago!

That's because I've told him what does and doesn't work on mine over the past 6 months ;)

Re: E36 v2 For this the rings were £10 per cylinder, £30ish for rod bearings and £50 for mains. Next is the machine work - luckily I get it done for free due to the business my family is in, but you'd need the head skimming (£25-30), bores honing (£40ish) and possibly block skimming (£25-30)...

Re: E36 v2 Ah yeah I see what you mean, unsure.. There probably will be out there somewhere. To be honest if I had more time I would turn one up on a lathe but it's finding something close to the sizes required to start with laying about! Cadwell is on Saturday 29th March

Re: E36 v2 Yeah, you can get a fixed size machined compressor from ARP/Wiseco/etc, which are tapered and much easier... But unfortunately very expensive for the use it would get!

Re: E36 v2 Best way is just to do it, easy to learn, especially with all the data out there for torque settings. So getting somewhere now - cleaned the block again, old bearings went back and got the correct mains bearings now. Fitted them.. Dropped the crank back in, fitted the caps...

Tarty :clown:

Re: E36 v2 Thanks for the comments! Plan to have it built in the next week or so Jamie, going to do the swap in a couple of weekends time and run it in beforehand (400-500 miles), drop the oil before Cadwell and give it the beans! Cant wait for a fresh engine coming from this 200k lump...