We’re getting ready for our first SCCA Time Trials National Tour event of the year at Virginia International Raceway this weekend, and there’s no better place to do our final prep before the big event than BimmerWorld in Dublin, Virginia.
Our worksheet for Wednesday and Thursday includes the installation of a JP roll bar, which JP boss and former UTCC …
First up, the roll bar. JP Marketing promises a non- destructive experience that uses factory hard points, which seems like kind of a game changer.
first up, seats out.
That reminds me that I need some parts from BimmerWorld.
Same.
The rear descenders bolt to the factory rear seat belt platforms. One open bolt hole is used, and the other bolt goes into a backing plate that slips behind the metal of that platform.
Kevin_at_BW said:Same.
We should plan a shopping visit.
Time to thread the main hoop in. It connects to the descenders with clevises so it needs minimal jiggling once tilted into place.
Now we bolt everything in and together. All connections are to factory hard points like the seatbelt bungs and seat brackets. Really clever stuff.
Tell Big Dave that Jake said hello!
The only destructive event: two slits in the carpet to get it to fit around the foot tubes. Theoretically you could just leave it folded up and not have to cut anything, or, just remove the carpet from the seat rearward (there's a seam right under the driver and passengers' butts). But we went with a tasteful slice for the finished look.
And we're in. Maybe 90 minutes tops from start to finish. Completely impressed with the design and overall cleverness of this JP Marketing bar. Having a competition-legal roll bar that's completely reversible and requires zero fabrication seems like kind of a game changer.
Also on today's agenda: fresh spark plugs. We're going a step colder, which BimmerWorld likes for extended full throttle track use and as a necessary component for our eventual tune.
Things I learned today:
BMW spark plugs require a 12pt socket, and you'll also want to employ a wobble adapter, as the plugs sit at a slight angle relative to the hole. Using a straight extension and socket introduces the risk of cracking the insulator.
How about a race seat? The OMP HTE-R is deep, grippy and FIA-approved. BimmerWorld has a slick seat base that's basically just a whole mess of threaded holes to make whatever seat install you're planning easier. Their multi-mount bolts to the floor and allows you plenty of options for seat mounting.
We're installing sliders and setting the seat fairly low to provide a lot of helmet space and to drop the meat weight as low as we can.
BimmerWorld's Macht Schnell sub mount bracket bolts right to the seat mounts and provides a safe and solid mounting point for the sub strap hooks.
JG, are you planning to overfill the oil by half a quart or so to try to avoid the N55's habit of spinning a bearing? If you're gonna go take my lap record I want you to keep the car in one piece... 
RacerBowie said:JG, are you planning to overfill the oil by half a quart or so to try to avoid the N55's habit of spinning a bearing? If you're gonna go take my lap record I want you to keep the car in one piece...
I think between the weather and my lack of time in the car your record is safe.
As for the rod bearings, the BimmerWorld crew is way more confident in the N55 bottom end on 200s than a lot of the internet seems to be. But I'll definitely ask James about an overfill as cheap insurance.
In reply to JG Pasterjak :
Do tell what he says, because I live in dread of it.
So much room for activities.
the idea here is to be able to get the car "track ready" in a minimal time window. So that will mean swapping the stock seat for the race seat, and street pads for track pads. My goal is 60 minutes. I think that's doable with some practice and streamlining.
In reply to RacerBowie :
Is your car the M235i...is it AWD? what other mods do you have?
#3
That was the bearing that spun on mine and how I started to learn more than I wanted to about my wife's X3. I named it Kim because like the Kardashian, I've learned everything about it against my will.
scrapin240 said:In reply to RacerBowie :
Is your car the M235i...is it AWD? what other mods do you have?
Trying not to thread-jack too much: 2015 M235, RWD, 6 speed, LSD. Very similar mods to what JG is doing, camber plates, brake pads, 17x9 track wheels with 245/40 200tw tires, mild tune (Stage 1, yO!), muffler delete to slap on when going to the track. Also trying to keep the conversion from street mode to track mode around an hour.
So the official word on the extra 1/2 quart is: "It won't hurt anything."
long term we have some ideas to improve the outlook, but the BW crew seems to feel that most of the rod bearing issues on cars with sub-Hoosier grip can be more easily traced to poor maintenance. In other words, they see far few issues on cars with knowledgeable owners who have tracked them since new with dedicated maintenance than they do with multi-owner cars with questionable pasts.
And today, we're a bit ahead of schedule, so we may actually sneak in a dyno pull or two.
any guesses on a baseline number?
Place your wagers. BMW says 303 at the crank. What do the rollers say after 70,000 miles?
In reply to JG Pasterjak :
Barely broken in - 287 hp at the wheels as BMW sandbags on the engine HP
fusion66 said:In reply to JG Pasterjak :
Barely broken in - 287 hp at the wheels as BMW sandbags on the engine HP
Your theory is sound but your number is wrong. We'll give it another hour or so then I'll put the dyno sheet up. Let's see if someone can come closer.
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