The tuning bits are just part of the deal. The idle issue is fairly normal, but the stalling when you put the clutch in at speed has me baffled, but there is a very easy fix for it that I couldnt get done for you over the weekend.
Injectors are pretty much a must with your type of setup, there is some power left in it when you want to go to a bit more of an edge... injectors should give you that ability.
I know there are posts about the stalling bit on here somewhere, just haven't had time to search for it. It's a PCM hack fix, iirc. Dave is researching what needs to be done and then is planning a road trip to plug in and get it done. Hoping to get into the archives tonight to figure it out. Right now, I've gotta get to the airport. Those damn planes take off even if I'm not on em.
Yup, one of my old tuning buddies is aware of what we need & should have something for me this week, thanks to DH making me aware of what others (Darth) have had to do here. The start-up part is from Open Loop not being 100% yet, which is another phase I'll attack soon.
EDIT - we now have the table, and I'll be editing it per suggestions from DarthFiero. Thanks to those letting us know what to look for.
- Dave
------------------ '98 Daytona GTP - MP112 & ZZP I/C (warming up before a RWD 3800SC build) back in '06 - 333.5whpSAE - 12.73 @ 111mph (street tires) GenV, XP, 9.4:1, stock heads, non-I/C Admin of CNY3800 http://geocities.com/dezldave961/
[This message has been edited by dezldave961 (edited 04-29-2009).]
On with the show. Took a few hours this weekend and installed Mr.Mikes Faux leather seats. Tried for leather, but the materials needed to make this color in a good quality are apparently no longer available.
Here's what motivated the project:
Drivers side seat, blowing up in the usual places.
So Off we go. Disassembled the driver's seat, removed the cover. Found the usual worn out padding, which I repaired per Mr.Mike's instructions using cotton and Duct Tape, 2 layers of each. Made a huge difference in how the seat felt in these areas.
Covered the bottom:
Then the top, and reassembled the seat:
Of course, there are two seats in the car. In my case, the passenger seat was in fantastic shape. There is no wear to the padding or the cover. I will be selling this cover as soon as I figure out what it might be worth:
Mr Mike recommends cutting out the seat back foam and reusing, but obviously I didn't want to do that. So to preserve that foam I bought a 1.5" foam mattress top, which feels great and proved to be just the right help for it:
And finally, reinstalled the seats in the car:
I HIGHLY recommend this project to anyone. If you can sit through the instruction video (I watched it once through, then watched the first half again, did the seat bottom, watched the second half, then did the seat top) and do what it says, you are almost assuredly going to succeed on having great looking seats. Everything you need is included, MrMike is great to deal with, and you are going to increase the value of your car by at LEAST as much as you invest in this kit.
Cheers, Rich
[This message has been edited by sabooo (edited 05-03-2009).]
WOW!!! Seats look amazing, dunno how I kept forgetting to check for updates. 1,000% improvement.
Can't wait to get time to see them in person, as the turbo Regal build is nearing transplant time. (sneak peek at that build) This means a few more hard days of 3800 work ahead of me, then hopefully just nitpicking at making his engine bay more show-worthy once it's tuned fast enough to scare me like your car does. My weekends should be free soon, so a visit for fine-tuning/injector upgrades can be expected.
Keep up the good, and very tasteful, upgrading.
- Dave
------------------ '98 Daytona GTP - MP112 & ZZP I/C (warming up before a RWD 3800SC build) back in '06 - 333.5whpSAE - 12.73 @ 111mph (street tires) GenV, XP, 9.4:1, stock heads, non-I/C Admin of CNY3800 http://geocities.com/dezldave961/
The great red money pit lives on. Started it up to head to the MAFOA event at Lititz this morning (about 1.5 hours drive) and I got this little treat. Thankfully it started in the driveway while the car was warming up.
Anyone recognize this noise? No there is no popcorn on the headers.
The great red money pit lives on. Started it up to head to the MAFOA event at Lititz this morning (about 1.5 hours drive) and I got this little treat. Thankfully it started in the driveway while the car was warming up.
Anyone recognize this noise? No there is no popcorn on the headers.
Sounds like a rod knock. Been there done that. Did you replace your rod bearings?
And in case anyone is interested, that take off exhaust is for sale. Full Stainless, Magnaflow muffler and Cat, Hooker Dual Exit exhaust tips. Will require the same sort of trunk mod I had done, or trunk removal to fit it in. A bolt up solution to your 3800 swap exhaust concerns. I will start a mall thread once I have it back in my posession, but until then PM if interested.
The great red money pit lives on. Started it up to head to the MAFOA event at Lititz this morning (about 1.5 hours drive) and I got this little treat. Thankfully it started in the driveway while the car was warming up.
Anyone recognize this noise? No there is no popcorn on the headers.
You have to be kidding me, that car is cursed... That is a brand new bottom end fully balanced, with a rod knock already?
Either that, or the single timing chain may have eaten the stock tensioner (happens all too often on upgraded cam/spring setups). If that's the cause, then not running it may save the bottom end. I know Golden86 did the fresh rebuild, so hopefully the bearings aren't the victim.
Drain the oil, and use a clean light-colored pan. Maybe an answer will lie in there.
- Dave
------------------ '98 Daytona GTP - MP112 & ZZP I/C (warming up before a RWD 3800SC build) back in '06 - 333.5whpSAE - 12.73 @ 111mph (street tires) GenV, XP, 9.4:1, stock heads, non-I/C Admin of CNY3800 http://geocities.com/dezldave961/
Hoping to get into it a bit this week. We'll see. That's what I was afraid of too, but hated to believe it.
Edit - I believe it may be timing. I've watched the video I took a few dozen times, and it does not sound like an impact, it sounds like a detonation. Hoping with only 30 secs of run time on it that it hasn't grenaded yet.
[This message has been edited by sabooo (edited 05-17-2009).]
I would suggest that it is very unlikely it is ignition timing.... The timing chain would very well make a sound like that... it also seems to be a bit more random than rod knock would be.
The sporadic-ness of it was also giving me a bit of hope. Unless there is clear and present evidence that there are problems with the timing chain, it's getting torn down completely (again.) Thanks, DH - I appreciate your input on this one. Looking around for a place to take it. Put an email out yesterday, hoping I can get some shop time with a particular German car mechanic.
I'm going to put some duct tape on it and hope for the best.
As I said the other day, drain the oil & see if it's sparkly or has some plastic tensioner bits in there. Also, pull the rear 3 plugs and pray for no damage. (you do NOT wanna attempt the fronts without a good 30min dedicated to cussing w/o kids around).
If your car did this after a start-up, the tensioner might've been weak from prior wear, and finally got terminally shocked by tension during the start. Had the chain actually broken (experienced this on my GTP 1st hand), the engine would have died & not fired back up (don't turn it over again until it's been inspected thoroughly, in case it's salvageable, as an untensioned chain can make valve-piston trouble as well).
Rod knock has a fairly distinctive sound on all engines, which sounds like a consistent 1 cyl. exhaust leak, but with a deeper tone to the ticking.
Unfortunately, a chain job probably isn't as simple in-car as it is on W-body's, where I can actually do every step of a full cam swap without half-dropping the cradle until the cam has to slide out. Let me know if you need any help/parts, and I can come down sooner than planned, if necessary.
I'm not tackling it on my own m8. I'm definitely looking for reinforcements. If you can make a day of it, I'd love to have you. How many tools can you fit in a Grand Prix? Give me a call at your convenience, - I'm home this week.
Also - what can I do to strengthen this area so it doesn't happen again?
[This message has been edited by sabooo (edited 05-18-2009).]
Have you pulled the SC belt to see if its the SC coupler? Mine makes a simular noise when its idleing low or changes RPM fast. If I take the belt off, the noise stops. Just something to try, maybe save you some headaches.
Alrighty, and just to make you feel comfy, my GP used to be my rolling garage when I lived/moved between Flint-Detroit and Minneapolis.
The fix/upgrade would be the same thing I run in my car, and install in any car with above a base level cam: dual Rollmaster. When reviewing this post before doing the work, I made a mental note about that single chain, but was giving it the benefit of the doubt. Not sure if we can get the timing cover off in the car, but it'll get attempted for sure to check.
The Z-pak clutches for my current project just arrived, so I'll be busy swapping that setup for the next few days. If I can get away later in the week, before our Saturday race with the modified, I'll make a trip. Either way, I'll call in the near future.
nothing coming up in the next few weekends, so dont plague yourself if you cant work it out.
Alright, but I won't be putting it off too long. I know how much you love the car, and I want you to be able to enjoy it again.
That's the right part number if dealing directly from Rollmaster, but the only GP vendor I see currently with them in-stock is 3800Performance, and they have the old price of $299. Unless you email Rob (guy from Detroit suburb who owns/operates the business) and see if there's any way to get a discount, or if Rollmaster themselves still has something available for less, you'll expect to pay that. (FYI - the JP brand sets are lower quality, and have had issues in their short time on the market... that company has since taken over Rollmaster in some manner, which is why the inventory is running out at our vendors).
Again, after the turbo Regal is done, my schedule only involves a race in Oswego, NY this Saturday 23rd, and a shakedown race with the Regal the weekend after. Even during the weeks after that I should be fairly free, if you get some time near home again. Keep me posted via email of any major findings/updates, since I will have to dig around here to figure out how to get email subscriptions for this forum still, so I've had to refresh the page this week.
DR set is ordered. Even if it's not the culprit, makes a good upgrade. I'm hoping to get a chance to get a chance to give it an oil change this week to see if there are any floaters in there, but uncertain at this point.
Edit - DR Set in hand.
[This message has been edited by sabooo (edited 05-21-2009).]
Have you pulled the SC belt to see if its the SC coupler? Mine makes a simular noise when its idleing low or changes RPM fast. If I take the belt off, the noise stops. Just something to try, maybe save you some headaches.
I highly recommend you do this before tearing into your engine again. It sounds very much like a worn supercharger coupler to me. I've owned two different L67-powered W-Bodies and both of them made this noise until I replaced the coupler. Simple low-buck fix. I'm willing to bet if you take the car out for a spin, you won't hear the noise at anything above idle. Take it around the block and let us know.
I'm sorry to have been vague, and I appreciate everyone's input. The plan is as follows - 1.) Diagnose the noise fully. Find the source of it. It sounds to me like it is down low, but again, we are not assuming it's in the timing chain . Once we can tell where it's coming from, we will 2.)correct the cause / fix what's broken / or make a plan to do so.
The cam chain upgrade is something Dave and I have identified that I want to do to either correct a failure that has already occurred (should that actually be the problem) or to prevent a future one. I am fine with the cost of parts and labor here regardless of whether it's the source of my noise or not.
I haven't ruled anything out, but life has been handing me lemons all week, and the taste of lemonade is getting old. Car has slipped to the middle of the priority list for the moment. Will get after it in a week or two.
We will definitely start at checking the cheap stuff, though!
Ok have sent the car over to BMW Guru for a full professional diagnosis & repair... first time in a month I've felt good about this little project. Details as the are available.
Heard from Mrs.Sabooo that the car was safely on its way. Fit it in where you can, m8. I am in Lakeland, FL this week, Daytona for 2 weeks following that, then St Louis for a week, then back to Lakeland for a week, then Daytona for a week, etc. Usually home late Friday night, and out on Monday noontime. A few extra days here and there due to the holiday coming up.
Unsure, to be honest. Should have a better answer by the weekend. I should've had a pool and let everyone wager a buck or two on their chosen malady. Winner take all.
My weekends should be free soon, so a visit for fine-tuning/injector upgrades can be expected.
Started it up to head to the MAFOA event at Lititz this morning (about 1.5 hours drive) and I got this little treat. Thankfully it started in the driveway while the car was warming up.
Give me a call at your convenience, - I'm home this week.
