Quick racks,Z3 conversion-now with pics! for 4 and 6 cyls

[Dan318-is]

I just need an m14 tap but it is proving impossible to find

[mattG]

just checked dan mine set only goes to m12

[Dan318-is]

HSS sight is useless too, im going to halfords in a moment but am not holding out hope. Looks like its going to be a manual rack for a few days much to my disgust!

[mattG]

builds up those biceps

[liam012]

Dan - just to clarify mate what you have done -
1)you used the e30 PAS hoses and just bent them gently to line up with the e36/z3 rack.
2)FEED comes round in front of timing case and hooks up fine but ou are going to make a custom longer hose a la schuey so it fits better/safer.
3)RETURN, you have had to bodge and run under the sump and up to the resovoir - by bodge do you mean take a strange route or actually make your own hose?

Do you think it will e much different onb the m20?

thanks

[Dan318-is]

Hi liam,

1) For the feed to the pump i have used the original hose; it hasn't even been unclamped. The rest is answered below...

2) The feed is the e30 pipe which has bene temporarily bent in place around the front of the timing case and into the pump. I bolted the pipe in place using the 19mm m14 banjo first then bent it with it in place as this was much easier. This is only temporary; i have sent of two banjo spares to the same place as schuey to get a custom pipe which will run along the front of the engine bay near the undertray (liek schuey)

3) For the return, as it is not under much pressure, i have used a rubber hose which has been double jubiliee clipped to the banjo end at the rack, and has been fed maticulously past the rack, near the upper sump & then up past the other side of the block and to the pas.

The only issue i can personally see with an m20 is space to work and UJ clearance but i honeslty wouldnt no mate!

[Dan318-is]

It runs! Just got back from a two hour driving stint and im out of words to describe how much better the car is! It turn in is ridiculous, i thought it was good without pas bu with it its unreal!

The rack has been a nightmare to fit if im honest, i think i have just had bad luck but everything i did went wrong. Thanks to spadge for bailing me out with a new, non cross threaded pump. Today the return started to leake so i have replaced that with a hose pipe schuey style but am not going to leave it on there for good; going to buy some rubber hose from hellfrauds asap. Custom feed pipe should be done soon thanks to schuey once again for that

Enough ranting, here are some pictures:

This is the UJ with the rack mounted on the two manual mounts (e.g. further forward). Loads of clearance although the splines are at their limit:



Current state of the return pipe....



This shows the difference in angles of the feed & return ports on the z3 rack. Note how both the feeds & returns face the same direction away from the block almost towards the corner of the engine bay. Not fun for trying to get the pipes on!



Current state of the feed pipe which i think i have done an ok job on! It is the original pipe which has been bent at the rack end slightly so that it will line up with the port, and then bent downwards and back up parallel with the sump so that the other end lines up with the pas pump ok. Fairly neat but i still want a custom one to run along the crossmember the same as the feed does.




Finally the "full z3 rack" which as delivered to me



Will upload pics of the modded pipes when i get some.

Im going back to this country road i found earlier

[Kedge]

Glad to see it was worth all the effort, you sounded well fed up with it when i 1st spoke to you yesterday.

Glad i've got a spare pump and rack with all it's pipes just incase i have as much trouble as you've had.

I'll have to have a look on Sunday mate

[chu346]

Is that a special coupling can a normal one be used?

I take it this should all fit the same on a 318i

[Dan318-is]

Chu,

all the couplings on e30s are the same as far as i am aware. Normal ones can of course be used! I just replaced my rubber donut with a CNC alloy one as it was knackered & also the new one doesnt get affected by the heat from the manifold and deform etc.

[schuey]

PM dan!

[drifty325i]

Just fitted my e36 3.4 turn rack today, engines still out so im really hoping it will clear the extractors i had made for the v8. There is plenty of room for the sump so thats fine.

So let me get this straight.........

i mounted the steering rack on the rear mounts like the e30 rack was, is that right ?

putting in 2 spacers (underneath)? the e36 rack tomo

then getting the lines hooked up to suit.

Am i on the right track

Hope it makes a nice difference on the road, couldnt really see the point of spending 3times the money on a z3 rack as they are dam expensive here.

cheers

[schuey]

That all sounds fine,most of it will depend on where your manifolds are as to wether the uj will clear,if it touches you could try the rack lower or in the front holes.

[jmc330i]

it will depend on where your manifolds are as to wether the uj will clear,if it touches you could try the rack lower or in the front holes.

Have you had any problems with the rack mounted in the front holes?

[DRIFTBOY]

I believe the front holes were standard factory mounting points for manual steering racks. ??
If that's correct, shouldn't be a problem!

[jmc330i]

That could well be right. I think I asked about this earlier in this thread, I just didnt think there was enough material on the leading edge of the front holes for it to be strong enough. Was just wondering how schuey got on - if he needed to reinforce them at all.

Like you said, if its meant for the manual racks it should be ok.

[DRIFTBOY]

I agree it doesn't look very sturdy around those front holes!

[schuey]

Its fine,I sold the car but not until I did about 2000 hard miles and a track day with it fitted,and the new owner has kept an eye on it with no problems-he uses it only for trackdays

After all the rack doesnt move around as its the internals that move,plus the only vibration type loading it gets is down the arms,it may need reinforcing on a rally car where hard wheel impacts will be a problem,but fine on a road car.

[Dan318-is]

I believe the front holes were standard factory mounting points for manual steering racks. ??
If that's correct, shouldn't be a problem!

Its the mounting points for a manual rack

I agree it doesn't look very sturdy around those front holes!

That thought crossed my mind but like schuey says, they are standard holes for a rack which is the same size externally as the ones we are/have fitted. So far mine have showed no stress marks etc! I can see no reason why you can't mount them there other than slightly altering the UJ angle.

HTH

[1an]

so has anyone tried this on an m20 yet?

as i want to know if it will fit as ill do it at the same time as my engine change.

[schuey]

will do it to my M20 when I get 5 mins!!! I forgot how bad the standard rack was

[Dan318-is]

Royal snail finally delivered the pipe on saturday! Huge thanks to schuey, without whom i would probably not have a rack! Anyway, bought some new crusher washers from bmw to go with the new pipe which was waaaaaay long!

Custom pipe vs bodged pipe:



I used the brand new banjo with the two new crusher washers on the pump end



I re-used banjo on the rack end.



Ignore the hosepipe! A proper return is in the garage but lack of time and weather has hurt me

I cleaned up the banjo bolts gently with a small wire brush and they threaded in with the new washers perfectly. ran the pipe from the rack, up the the valance, along under the valance and to the pump; you can hardly see it is there:



From above with the undertray on all you can see is the two ends were they lead to the pump/rack, its tidy enoug for me!

I topped her up with some new fluid, alas the pump is now making a whine i think although it could be an airleak!

z3 rack is a million times better to drive every e30 owner should do it!

[DRIFTBOY]

Nice one dude!

Pump whine will probably go away with a few miles of driving, well, mine did anyway!

[Dan318-is]

LOL it was one of spadge for a tenner so i cant complain! I hope its an air lock if not it looks like il be drinking more PAS fluid this weekend if it doesnt shut up!

[drifty325i]

Ive just put a e36 on in mine im hoping it will be a good improvement over the e30 one, the z3racks here are so dam expensive

[DRIFTBOY]

E36 rack IS a great improvement over an E30 one, you won't be disappointed!

[Demlotcrew]

Dan why have you got M20 engine mounts?

Andrew

[Jhonno]

he hasnt, they are m5 ones

[Demlotcrew]

E34? Has he got two of the same side on each arm?

[Jhonno]

e2eight.. look the same the ones on my s50 swap

[Dan318-is]

E36 rack IS a great improvement over an E30 one, you won't be disappointed!

Ah men to that!

Dan why have you got M20 engine mounts?

Andrew

Andy, they are e28 m5 ones as dan has rightly said; their are two types of e28 m5 one (well, my dealer handed me over two different ones). One on each arm, & both are the same. They are pretty solid, and are about 1.5mm higher than stock i.S. ones, £60 the pair. Are they no good?

[Kedge]

Does it matter what year Z3 the rack is off at all?

[schuey]

nope!

[Karan]

e36 rack is awesome on mine too... its a MUST DO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Theo]

Karan, are there not clearance issues with the coupling with your engine?