My PBMW build....

[Bob_S]

it's just struck me, you weren't thanking me for the trailing arm bushes pmsl!

[moggy]

Great stuff - do you have any pics or can you describe the removal of the sunroof cassette?

We have took out the sunroof winder mech and sikaflexed in the sunroof panel but we have yet to take out the internal cassette that hangs 90% across the roof space. It looks to me that you need to cut out the water drainers then cut the cassette in about 6 places where the cassette is welded to the roof and then prise it off (looks like it's stuck down).

Does this sound about right?

[SteMarsden]

Great stuff - do you have any pics or can you describe the removal of the sunroof cassette?

We have took out the sunroof winder mech and sikaflexed in the sunroof panel but we have yet to take out the internal cassette that hangs 90% across the roof space. It looks to me that you need to cut out the water drainers then cut the cassette in about 6 places where the cassette is welded to the roof and then prise it off (looks like it's stuck down).

Does this sound about right?

Moggy,

Thats exactly what we did (except that we bonded in the closing panel after we had removed the casette).

I (very carefully) used a 6" discer to go through these tabs and then pulled it all away from the roof panel in smaller bits to make it more manageable.
It is a PITA though and not a quick job!

Also, remember to cover the windscreen and rear screen with something so you dont get any molten metal or grinding disc melted into the glass (like I have! )

Its never going to be very pretty inside afterwards but I have painted mine in satin black to make is less noticeable...
Get some pics of your roof up to let us see?

Will try and take some pics tonight for you.

[bramley]

I've just removed the sunroof and mechanism from mine, not a job I want to repeat in a hurry! Like Ste, I didn't realise the sparks from a grinder would cause permanent marks on the glass oh well, I can still see through it!

I didn't separate the bonded bits, I just used a grinder to remove as much metal as possible but left a small amount of metal up there - the bits that are bonded. I lost the will to live by that point, nearly set my hair on fire, damaged the glass and slipped over inside the car landing on my back on the floor, some tools and sharp bits of metal - owww. Oh, and my ears are still ringing...

Just taken delivery of my satin black paint, ordered 10 mini paint rollers and will be painting the whole car soon!

[SteMarsden]

Just taken delivery of my satin black paint, ordered 10 mini paint rollers and will be painting the whole car soon!

Satin black

[moggy]

I've taken some photos but am unsure how to show them?

[SteMarsden]

Moggy,
Roof pics for you..... (I told you it wasnt pretty!)








Jamese30,
Brake pipe pics as promised.....

[rix313]

Looks brilliant as I keep saying


Did you bush the front up with poweflex? Did you go for eccentric or concentric bushes?

[SteMarsden]

Thanks Rix,
I used the standard eccentric M3 bushes and will be fitting Poly ARB bushes in the future.

How is yours coming along?

[moggy]

Thanks for posting the pics of the roof and for the pm

Unfortunately I can't post pics as I don't have a hosting site...

Can I post Images?
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[SteMarsden]

Fitting my coilover helper springs.


Before


The top cap fell out without any compression on the spring... Really not good, imagine how this would make the car handle during a race?



First one fitted to compare


Done. Just needs corner weighting now.....

[nickso]

Great stuff - do you have any pics or can you describe the removal of the sunroof cassette?

We have took out the sunroof winder mech and sikaflexed in the sunroof panel but we have yet to take out the internal cassette that hangs 90% across the roof space. It looks to me that you need to cut out the water drainers then cut the cassette in about 6 places where the cassette is welded to the roof and then prise it off (looks like it's stuck down).

Does this sound about right?

once you have the welds off heat the bonding stuff with a hairdrier to soften it up, i found it a lot easier that way.

[SteMarsden]

**Update**

After booking myself on a BHP trackday on the 2nd June to 'give me a deadline' to work to, there was lots of time put in and late nights to change the motor to the 1.8 supplied by BBB.
But on Monday night it was loaded up on the trailer (thanks bikemanjai) ready for a day in the sun at Oulton Park the following day...


Drivers briefing was followed by sighting laps at 50 mph, quick check of fluid levels and then we were ready to go out in anger.

Session 1
5 quickish laps just to get everything upto speed and then back in.... All going swimmingly but although the motor felt quicker than the 1.6, there was a feeling that it wasnt revving freely.

Session 2
2 laps in braking for Cascades something let go and there was a huge trail of smoke! Clutch dipped immediately and we were recovered back to the pits.

Some oil was found under the alternator bracket so we decided to remove it to have a look.




10.45, 17 miles completed, day over. (Or so we thought until we took Gary's diesel Vectra out which the lads in Radicals must'nt have appreciated but ......)

Notice that number 1 exhaust collet is missing from the top of the valve.....




After having a look through the new hole in the block it seemed that the number 1 con rod and crank looked intact which was puzzling.
Puzzling until I took the head off last night.....





BBB have been brilliant by the way and are sending me a replacement

OR. do I put an M50 in for the rest of the season and worry about PBMW next year? Argh!

[Bob_S]

drop another m40 in and get used to the car

[rix313]

Thanks Rix,
I used the standard eccentric M3 bushes and will be fitting Poly ARB bushes in the future.

How is yours coming along?

Getting there slowly! Just got my new diff from Hoshy along with some mid braided lines and sub frame poly bushes so will be spending a weekend doing that lot at some point. Just need to do my gearbox, get the engine started and running and get my big brakes blead.

With regards your brake lines, you can get straight lengths from BMW for pennies for future reference. Having said that I'm yet to shape mine, can you use any small pipe bender?


Bit of a blow to the engine, did a proper job of that, be able to pick a new one up for pennies.

[JimmyC]

Blimey Ste, that sucks, sounds familar though. You need to do another 4 to catch me ;)

You out at snet next week?

[SteMarsden]

Are the M40's more liable to detonate than the M20's then Jimmy? I dont want to change another 4 of them! Fuc*!

Not out at Snet, and wondering whether I'll even make Oulton.....

[Black_Potato]

Famous last words.. but I've seen and heard of a lot more M20's going pop than I have M40's.

That said you do run a fair risk dragging any 100k+ engine out on track but the alternative ground up rebuild is a lot of pennies.

[cragles]

Or buy a car which is possibly overpriced but with over £9K in receipts for full service history like we did and then hope that it does not go bang!

We are considering a new rebuild engine over the winter, but we really want to get a reading from the schrick meter so we know where we are with this one first!

[JimmyC]

M20's are alot more prone to going bang, normally due to oil starvation on number 6, only heard of a couple of M40's go.

Craig get along to a RR for a more usable figure, series sponsor on the side of your cars local ;)

[SteMarsden]

Im going to strip this next M40 when I get it for piece of mind I think, dont mind investing a few £ so that I have piece of mind whilst trying to get some signatures.

Would it be fair to say that a healthy top end would be a good way to stop it going bang again? One of the reasons that I went down the PBMWC route was that its not a chequebook formula and loads of people run engines out of road cars (meaning without being rebuilt rather than blue-printed)....

Im convinced that was the problem with the other engine, it had a top end rebuild but was still noisy..... Any advice on this?

[JimmyC]

Get a good scrapper and get racing, dont bother with a rebuild you can do that for your second or third season.

[SteMarsden]

Jimmy, thats exactly what I thought I was doing..... KABOOM........

[JimmyC]

Get an untouched road engine, thats quiet and low mileage

Give BBB a call Richard may have one in stock

[SteMarsden]

I took your advice when you recommended him, and thats the motor that blew up!

...you pay your money and takes your choice....'

He has been very good about it and didnt hesitate in sending me a FOC replacement, just a little nervous about being in the same situation with the new motor thats all.....

[JimmyC]

Stick it in, give it a service, oil pump, water pump, belts, plugs etc and give it a go

M40's are normally pretty good, maybe a testiment to whoever did the work before hand!

BMW engines seem more agro once they have been taken apart! /voe

[SteMarsden]

BMW engines seem more agro once they have been taken apart! /voe

...is that the voice of experience?

Just doing the work you said you certainly keep the time and £ reasonable before OP in August.....

[Black_Potato]

£££ its a difficult one....

If I was doing it again I would probably spend £1k-1.5 to have any engine refreshed from 2 donors on day 1. It just depends on how much value you place on time or more to the point lost time. For me each race I didnt finish I would equate to £500 wasted and each engine swap I would probably equate to another £500 wasted.

Anyway, out of 2 donor engines you should be able to get a good bottom end, set of valves, pistons, have the crank journals re machined, head skimmed, all cleaned up etc... Then pay for new bearings, valve fitment, guides, rockers, cam, water pump etc...

Mine actually cost more than that as I had all new valves, pistons etc.. but I had to get mine done after it started sounding rough at Lydden and in time for the next round 2 weeks later. Turned out I had a couple of bent valves so I made the right call I think & so far its been as good as gold (touches wood)

[Brian28]

Crank machined??

[SteMarsden]

Pretty similar to me as Im very time poor at the moment....
Sounds like a sensible rebuild you had there.

I might just do as Jimmy suggested, pumps, belts and a service and cross my fingers....

[Grinzzz]

m40 engines reliable? cough cough.

[Black_Potato]

Crank machined??

Crikey... PBMW police even here ;)

I'll clarify, Crank Journals as per 5.7.1 iii

[Brian28]

Crikey... PBMW police even here ;)

I'll clarify, Crank Journals as per 5.7.1 iii

Just checking

By and large they are pretty reliable, at least compared to M20s. But also can be difficult to tell what is a good one and what is about to let go. I bought one that had been tested and made decent power, when I stripped it down pistons and bores were badly scored from piston slap so the bottom end was scrap. This was probably only a few hundred miles (albeit track miles) after the engine had been making good power on the rollers.

[SteMarsden]

Well, I have news.

After spending a while on realOEM last night, I noticed a bl00dy glaring omission. The oil spray bar is missing! No wonder the thing was noisy at the top end!
The cam lobes near the oil spray bar mounts are in pretty good nick but the other ones (which I guess would have been starved of oil) have taken a hammering!

There were also two snapped exhaust studs, and two of the three thermostat bolts have been 'rounded and another cross-threaded.
It all sounds a bit doom and gloom but at least I have found something!

[JimmyC]

Sounds like its worth just servicing the new engine you got from BBB and going for it

PBMW is not about engine rebuilds, its about cheap affordable fun!

Brian, want a job