NCC BMW CCA HPDE Summit Point, August 2011
After a bit of a summer break, GeorgeCo was back at the track with the National Capital Chapter of BMW Car Club of America to instruct for 3 days at the Summit Point Main Circuit August 5-7, 2011. We ran the GeorgeCo E30 Powered by Beano on Friday and the GeorgeCo Blue MINI on Saturday and Sunday. I had two students this time out. My A Group Student was in an E36 M3 and my B Group Student was in an E30 much like mine. Both accomplished GeorgeCo’s Objectives for any Drivers’ School: 1–Have fun. 2–Learn Something. 3–Return home with your ego and your car undamaged.
The MINI is sporting a couple of new mods designed to improve brake cooling and reduce flex under braking. For the brake cooling we took a trip to the local Ace Hardware to get some ducting. Having previously removed the fog lights from the bumper cover and cut a hole in the wheel liners, we connected the two with some ducting to improve air-flow behind the wheels. At the Shenandoah in similar weather in June we saw brake caliper temps in excess of 650 degrees. This weekend, temps stayed below 600. Tough to say if it was from the improved ducting or just the differences in the two tracks, but $15 for a little insurance is well worth it. To firm up the chassis you will notice the red convertible chassis braces in the photo above. Not seen is the lower stress brace that reinforces the link between the sub-frame and frame. This was on sale a few months back so we snapped one up. Install is dead easy and can be done in about 10 minutes.
We got a break in the harsh summer weather we’ve been having here in the Mid-Atlantic and took full advantage of it with 3 glorious days at the track. We had a bit of rain on Saturday afternoon which spiced things up a bit as seen in this first video.
But once we came to grips with the lack of traction on the transitions to the patches, lap times dropped down to within a couple of seconds of our times in the dry. After the rain, the track never had the same level of grip as it did on Friday, but it did give us a chance to try out a new camera angle with the GeorgeCo RePlayXD camera.
We’re also still perfecting the Helmet-cam, but this video gives you bit of an idea of what is meant by keeping your eyes ahead of your hands. Watch for the head to turn before the turn-in point in the corners.
2006 MINI Owner’s Manual
Download the 2006 MINI Cooper, Cooper S, Hardtop and Convertible Owner’s Manual. You’re welcome.
Capping Out the MINI & Enable OBC
One of the great things about the MINI is the ability to customized your car so it is unlike any other on the road. Even if you didn’t get to make all of the choices you wanted in the online configurator before you made your purchase, you can still get many original parts from online sources such as RealOEM and install them yourself or have your local MINI tuner install them at a reasonable cost. Today we’ll look at two projects: Mirror Caps and the On-board Computer. The former just about anyone can do themselves; the latter will need a little help from the right computer.
Mirror Caps:Genuine MINI mirror caps (not covers) are held on to the mirror frame with five clips. The secret to replacing them is to release the tabs without breaking them or your mirror. Here’s how.
Lower your windows, fold in your mirrors, and open your doors. Place a large, thick blanket on the ground and over your door sill. This is so you don’t break your mirror if you accidentally drop it. Work your fingers gently behind the mirror and pull toward you. Try not to flex the mirror — pull straight out. The mirror is held to the frame with four clips. If you have the winter package, you have heated mirrors and they will be retained by the wires once free of the clips. If no mirror heaters, then the mirror will pull free.
Once the mirror is removed, the five tabs you have to free will be very obvious. Start at the bottom of the mirror, release each tab and use a plastic trim tool to start to pry the cap loose. Work your way around the mirror and remember to support the cap so you don’t send it flying. When removed, the mirror frame will look like the photo below.
Clean up any dirt or bugs living in your mirror frame and you’re ready to install your new caps. Press your caps into position and check that the tabs lock. Press your mirror back into place and you’re all set.
OBC: Every wonder what’s in the OBC Retrofit Kit for 2005-2006 MINIs?
The drawing shows the three things you need to retrofit the On-board Computer. The tachometer (which you probably have); the turn signal stock with the OBC button (which you have if you have a MY 05-06 R53; and a box. What’s in the box, you ask? Nothing. It’s so the dealer can charge you for parts you already have and labor to install them. You just need the OBC activated in the body control module. Unfortunately it isn’t something you can activate with your generic scan tool. You need the specialized computer like the one you dealer used to configure your convenience items when your car was new. (The features like daytime running lights, auto door locks, chime when temp drops near freezing, etc.)
You have to navigate to the area where new modules are activated and find the On-board Computer module. Activate it and reset. Then navigate to the instrument control settings module and configure the OBC. For this work your unscrupulous dealer will charge you $214.93 in parts and two hours of labor. If you have a MY 02-04 R53, you actually do need the parts and have to replace the stock, so expect some labor charge (it takes less than 20 minutes to remove a MINI steering wheel and replace a stock). But if you have a later model, you already have the parts and you should be able to schmooze the person with the computer to do it for free.
Ready to Rock the BMW M20 Engine, Rocker Replacement DIY
Unlike other DIY projects for the E30, if you do a quick search on the internet for “BMW M20 replace rocker without removing head” you won’t find much in the way of quality advice. I found one lengthy writeup which may be the single most poorly written and profane set of DIY instructions I’ve ever seen. At least it provided some inspiration and I was able to figure it out myself. So the answer is yes, Virginia, you can replace a broken rocker on the BMW M20 engine without removing the head. Here’s how. (Disclaimer: Use at your own risk, your experience may vary.)
I broke the intake rocker on the #6 cylinder. You will get a range of advice on replacing just one rocker. Some say just to be safe, replace them all. If you have the improved rocker from the later years of the series, you can probably get away with just replacing the broken one. That was my case.
Here’s what you need to consider before you begin: you will need to remove the camshaft gear to get to the rocker arm shaft. To get to the cam gear, you need to remove the radiator and the timing belt. If you replace the timing belt, you should replace the tensioner, and the two seals behind the cam gear. If you don’t remember the last time you replaced the water pump, you should replace it as well. I replaced my water pump recently so I just went for the seals, tensioner, pulley, and new hoses. You will also want to replace the valve cover seal as well. Since you’re going to pull the spark plugs to make turning the engine by hand easier, you may want to replace them as well. Since you’re going to drain the coolant, you need to buy a new supply of coolant. I also changed the oil while everything was apart just in case any bits of rocker fell into the oil. (Turns out it was a clean break.) Replace your AC, PS, and Alternator belts too if you can’t remember the last time you replaced them. And of course you’re going to need a new rocker, eccentric, washer, bolt, nut and clamp.
Since these parts are relatively cheap, pick up a couple of spares in case you get into the project and realize any more rockers are cracked. Of course, having your trusty Bentley Manual is a must. Now you’re ready to start. Give yourself at least twelve hours of work time to do this if you’ve never done it before. You will also need an assistant once you get to step 29.
1. Place your car on jack stands and remove the front wheels, plastic under-tray, and hood. Take the transmission out of gear.
2. Drain the coolant out of your radiator using the drain screw at the bottom of your radiator and the 19mm screw plug on the block. You will make a mess so be prepared. The M20 engine holds about 3 gallons of coolant.
3. Remove the hoses to the radiator and remove the radiator by removing the bracket that holds it at the top and lift it out of the car. There will be some coolant left in the radiator so be sure to drain that too. If you are replacing all of the hoses, remove the rest of the hoses that go to the water pump as well. At a minimum you will need to remove the metal pipe that crosses in front of the waterpump and attaches to the timing belt cover.
4. Remove the mechanical fan using a long thin 32 mm wrench and fan pulley holder.
5. Remove the distributor and the rotor using a 3mm allen key.
6. Cut you belts or loosen the brackets for your AC (if you have one, I don’t), power steering pump, and alternator and remove your belts.
7. Remove the pulleys from your water pump and vibration damper.
8. Remove the cover that protects the position transmitter wire that crosses the timing belt cover.
9. Remove the timing belt cover, both halves.
10. Remove your spark plugs. (Optional, I found it easier to rotate the engine manually with them removed.)
11. Remove your valve cover and gasket.
12. Remove the oil pipe that runs the length of the head so you don’t damage it.
13. Note which rocker is broken. (I’m describing what worked for me with intake #6 rocker.)
14. Using a 22 mm socket, rotate the engine clockwise until it reaches Top Dead Center (TDC). This will be marked on both the cam gear and the crank. On the cam gear there will be a line on the head and a mark on the cam gear indicating TDC. On the crank, there is notch on the crank gear wheel. These two marks should both line up, otherwise your timing belt is installed wrong (not uncommon to be off by one tooth.) Freshen the markings so you can be sure you can find TDC again.
15. Rotate the engine manually in the clockwise direction until the pressure is relieved on the remaining 5 intake rockers. This will occur when the cam lob for the broke rocker is at its highest. Rotate until you are just ahead or just past the peak, but the other 5 rockers remain without tension. This will make replacement easier as you’ll see later.
16. Using a different color paint, mark this point on your cam gear and your crank gear wheel at the same line on the engine as TDC. Once we remove the timing belt, you want to be sure neither the crank nor the camshaft has turned while there is no tension between them so you don’t bend a valve.
17. Relieve pressure on the timing belt tensioner and remove the spring.
18. Remove the timing belt.
19. If you’re replacing your water pump, follow the instructions in the Bentley manual and replace the water pump now.
20. Remove the cam gear using a Torx socket. The Torx bolt is a T50. The corresponding socket is an E12. (Older cars may have an allen head bolt.)
21. Remove the bracket that locks down the two rocker arm shafts at the font of the cylinder head.
22. Remove the blind plug closest to the front (cam gear end) of the cylinder head. Use a screw driver to carefully pry it out and discard it. You’ll want to replace all four plugs while you have the valve cover off.
23. Remove the clamps that go over the rockers on each of the intake rockers.
24. All six rockers (including the broken one) should be loose on the rocker arm. Slide them off the valve perch toward the back of the engine. They should slide freely on the rocker arm shaft. You may need to lube to get them moving. Loosen the eccentrics if you don’t have enough play.
25. Lube the rocker arm shaft and see if it spins freely. Try to move it forward without prying. You are trying to slide it out the front of the engine far enough to reach the broken rocker. If you can’t get a good grip on it, wrap a piece of brass around it (or split a small piece of copper pipe) and use vice grips to get it to move. You want to be sure not to damage the surface of the rocker arm shaft.
26. Replace the blind plug at back end of the cylinder head.
27. Place your new eccentric into your new rocker along with the bolt, washer and nut. Be sure to put it in correctly so the adjusting hole is up and away from the rocker arm. Spin the eccentric so it creates the largest gap to the valve perch when installed. It will be adjusted later.
28. Slide the new rocker on the end of the rocker arm shaft.
29. Have a helper climb up in the engine bay with a large screw driver and press down on the valve spring of the rocker you are replacing. Remember that since the lob is up, the piston is down in the cylinder so you won’t damage the valve. You need to apply quite a bit of down ward pressure to free up the rocker on the rocker arm so you can move it back into position. Once the rocker is fully on the shaft and while keeping the pressure on the spring, use a rubber mallet to move the rocker shaft back into position. Be sure to align the rocker in the correct position so you can reinstall the clamp.
30. Spin the rocker arm shaft so the indentations are parallel for the bracket to be replaced that holds the arms in position. Reinstall the bracket.
31. Move the 5 loose rockers into the correct position above their valves and reinstall the clamps on each rocker.
32. Put a new blind plug at the front of the rocker arm shaft. (Replace the two plugs on the exhaust rocker arm while you’re at it.)
33. Before you reinstall the cam gear, you should replace the two seals behind it. Pull the guide cover off. Discard the o-ring and replace it with a new one. Pound out your old shaft seal, clean up the guide cover, and use the old seal to press in the new one. Lube it up along with the new o-ring and replace. You’ll be thankful you did this when your new timing belt puts additional tension on your old cam gear seal and you’re taking all of the timing belt parts off again next weekend because your cylinder head is leaking oil after you put on your new timing belt. (Don’t ask me how I know this….)
34. Reinstall the cam gear. Tighten it but don’t torque to spec until you have the timing belt back on. Check that the timing lines (the one you painted, not TDC) still line up.
35. Follow the instructions in the Bentley Manual to install your new timing belt tensioner and timing belt. Torque the cam gear nut. Verify your marks line up for TDC. Rotate the engine clockwise 4 cycles to make sure they still line up.
36. Follow the instructions in the Bentley Manual to adjust your valves.
37. Put the oil pipe back on the top of the cylinder head.
38. Put a little RTV Black on the Rocker Arm Shaft bracket as well as along the tops of the four blind plugs. Put on a new valve cover seal, and reinstall your valve cover.
39. For the rest, as they say in the Bentley manual, installation is the reverse of removal…
Welcome Red MINI
Some changes come to you when you aren’t expecting them, like this car. You may recall from the last post that the GeorgeCo E30 currently has a broken intake rocker. The repair isn’t huge, just time consuming.
For those of you who have been reading this blog for a long while know that we’ve walked a thin line with the GeorgeCo Blue MINI, trying for maximum track performance, but still being used it as a daily driver. With the addition of the noisy light-weight flywheel, and super sensitive SPEC clutch, it hasn’t been the best commuter car. That, and with the current springs and struts that will knock out a filling on a good sized pothole, nobody but GeorgeCo would ride in it. For the last couple of months GeorgeCo has been thinking about getting a new street car, always comparing potential replacements to the MINI. Finally, it dawned on us, why not another MINI?
Take all of the things we love about the MINI, and leave out the things that make the Blue MINI such challenging ride on the street. The mantra for this car is fast, quiet, and comfortable. That means yes to CAI, pulley, and tune, but no to stiffer springs and struts. Yes to thicker sway bars, but no to camber plates. Yes to comfort items (leather, armrest, parcel shelf, XM-radio, iPod) but no to cat-back exhaust. The feature set of the desired car was pretty limited and surprisingly difficult to find: 2006 MINI Cooper S; less than 50K miles, non-smoker, leather, cold-weather package, and limited slip and that’s it. The hardest part was finding a car without a sunroof, but eventually we found it. Meet the Red MINI.
[Click the photo to launch the slideshow]
This weekend was all about moving comfort items from the Blue MINI to the Red MINI: armrest, cubby organizer, parcel shelf, window auto-up circuit, AUX audio cable, leather shift and ebrake boots, XMDirect, and the R90 wheels with non-runflats to replace the R84s with runflats. Now we can leave the Blue MINI without rear seats and start to pull interior trim items so we can install a roll-hoop. After a quick 90 mile trip to GeorgeCo’s current undisclosed work location today, the biggest thing GeorgeCo noticed was the drop in noise. The Blue MINI is well over 100db at highway speed. This leads to ringing in the ears after a long drive. (GeorgeCo hasn’t minded in the past as the ringing drowns out the voices in his head.) The Red MINI is less noisy and thus less stressful to drive, though it is important to look at the speedo now to tell how fast you’re going as noise is no longer a solid indicator of speed….
