When I talked about my E82 BMW 128i before, I quickly learned how much power was going to the back end of my favorite little white coupe. We also talked about the problems of putting a lot of aluminum/magnesium engine behind the front axle. It’s running efficiently and happily, but I wish it had more power. The rugged N52 inline-six engine hasn’t leaked oil since it got some easy but necessary maintenance. It has also kept me calm during some of the hottest track sessions ever. Who would have thought a BMW part could be called “sturdy”? Even though I move a lot and sometimes try to live without anything to do with cars, I’ve been to the track three times this summer. I’ve had some time to think about how far I’ve come in understanding the body and whether or not the changes I made were innovative. Short answer: no problems! Mercury should be stayed away from When I changed the oil filter housing gasket and lower coolant hose on my BMW 128i, which are standard service items for its N52, I mixed distilled water and OEM BMW coolant in a ratio of 70:30. People who live in the warmer parts of the U.S. should be able to get more heat out of the engine if they add more purified water. Still, I would be worried about using this much water if I moved to a place where it regularly gets below freezing. Anything in the car’s cooling system shouldn’t freeze because it could cause the engine to break down. Controlling heat is essential for racing all year, but it’s vital in the summer when temperatures at my local tracks often exceed 100 degrees. I’m glad I went with the 128i instead of its turbocharged sibling, the 135i because the extra heat from the turbocharger kept me from running at the speed I wanted for the whole workout. Even though it has been scalding at Buttonwillow Raceway Park all day, water temperatures have not yet reached dangerous levels. My coworker Chris Rosales is running in the same weather in a warm FK8 Civic Type R, and I feel terrible for him. For the rest of the route, the average temperature was 215 degrees. During the hottest session, the temperature reached 221 degrees quickly. Others who own BMWs with N52 tech say this is a safe zone. In light of this, I will also look into keeping an eye on the oil temperature. Unfortunately, the OBD II port on the 128i won’t send this information to my Apex Pro II software, which I use to track lap times and get real-time reports of coolant temperature while training. This system for suspending works One of my first goals was to make it easy to set up the 128. I didn’t want to worry about turning the balance or fine-tuning the ride height like I would with a set of coilovers. I wanted to change how the dampers bounce back while keeping the 50/50 weight distribution of the frame. I also liked the springs to be stronger. It was an excellent choice to go with Koni Sports and Eibach Pro-Kit springs. After adjusting the rebound of the shocks, the ride is fantastic for enthusiasts while still being comfy in all settings, and the body roll is well-controlled. I’m sure, especially when all four sides are set to level 3, which is the same as three half-turns… The front sway bar needs to be replaced with one from an E93 M3 convertible, which was the stiffest choice then and easily fit my car thanks to BMW’s Lego-like parts bin sharing. Some fans think that a more extensive back bar is optional. Last, adding back subframe mount reinforcements was one of the best upgrades I’ve ever made regarding value for money. The set of brakes is the same. Ferodo DS2500 brake pads and OEM 335i calipers, as well as front-drilled Zimmermann 335i brake discs, performed admirably. The rotors don’t look like they are coming apart, and they have yet to get too hot on the track. Even though they were expensive, these pads have been great and still have a lot of life left in them. After six races and many miles on the road, it’s clear that I need a Castrol SRF brake bleed. Cold treats and hot meats I’m proud of myself for more than just that, though. The 245/40/17 Kumho Ecsta V730 tires on each corner have also done a great job. Even though they’ve already done five events and driven almost 2,000 miles on public roads, they still have at least two more events to do. They don’t have the best grip, but they disconnect gently, talk to each other well, and don’t seem to get too hot when linked to a slimline 128i for a long time. As a result, I just finished second in the B5 class of Speed Ventures’ CSF Bimmer Challenge and have had a lot of seat time over the past year and a half. I’ll take it, even if it wasn’t based on my best lap of the day or even close to it. GridLife’s Plans and Upkeep Again, I’m thrilled with how my beloved BMW 128i has been running. It’s turning out to be a tremendous dual-purpose track car, and I hope it will continue to be reliable as long as I watch what’s going on closely. Before I get back on track, I need to repair one of the swaybar mounts, put in new inner and outer tie rods, and adjust the alignment. I broke one of the studs connecting the front sway bar to the front chassis while looking for a faint noise. Even though it’s inconvenient, I’ve already ordered a new one and must dig out the old one. I’d like you to pray for me without hurting the heater, which is close by. I look forward to watching if everything works out in the last few months of 2023. Over the weekend of October 20-22, I’ll play in GridLife Time Attack at Laguna Seca and as much CSF Bimmer Challenge as possible. I’ll talk more about my plans for this important event in a later blog, but I can’t wait to be a part of this famous series and race on such a great track.
