I had my first track day at Lime Rock Park today with my recently purchased E46 M3. The car is completely stock except for an aftermarket exhaust and race pads (Cobalt Spec VR). The car handled well and pulled hard although I did experience some body roll which I expected with the stock suspension. The brakes never faded but I can tell the rotors are warped...

3 Problems I had:

1) The power steering fluid either boiled over or was leaking or BOTH and it made a mess. Any other E46 M3 owners have this problem at the track or on the street??? Anyone know why I am having this problem???

2) I may have had some oil consumption. Any E46 M3 owners experience oil consumption at the track? The orange oil can light came on when I got back from the track after a 2+ hour drive home.

3) A metallic rattling from underneath the car that had gotten progressively worse as the day wore on. I checked underneath several times for any loose parts and found nothing. Any ideas???

TIA

1) not sure... Probably just boiled the fluid and it began to leak from the cap.
2) these engines love oil, wouldn't worry about it.
3) there is a huge metal tray under the car, check that I guess. Its got like... 10 + bolts holding it on.

-Serge

I had my first track day at Lime Rock Park today with my recently purchased E46 M3. The car is completely stock except for an aftermarket exhaust and race pads (Cobalt Spec VR). The car handled well and pulled hard although I did experience some body roll which I expected with the stock suspension. The brakes never faded but I can tell the rotors are warped...


Bimmerworld's front brake cooling kit, Bimmerworld's solid caliper guides, and removal of the rear brake backing plates w/ a dremmel...a world of difference. Not a BBK, but a huge improvement none the less.


3 Problems I had:

1) The power steering fluid either boiled over or was leaking or BOTH and it made a mess. Any other E46 M3 owners have this problem at the track or on the street??? Anyone know why I am having this problem???


Its actually common for the resiviour cap to be loose. You should check before the first run each day.


2) I may have had some oil consumption. Any E46 M3 owners experience oil consumption at the track? The orange oil can light came on when I got back from the track after a 2+ hour drive home.

Varies by car but some folks have as much as 1 liter per 5000 miles on the street. The track will increase that substancially. Again, check at the start of each day.


3) A metallic rattling from underneath the car that had gotten progressively worse as the day wore on. I checked underneath several times for any loose parts and found nothing. Any ideas???

Check the exhaust system hangars and heat shields.


TIA[/QUOTE]

I tightened the power steering fluid cap after my first session as it was a bit loose and it was still leaking after that??? I checked the level today and it was at the middle line of 3 visible lines.

I checked the exhaust and there was nothing loose but did not check any of the heat shields but will have to do that...

I will have to check Bimmerworlds website for those parts.

You mentioned you had a race exhaust, make sure all the heat shields were reinstalled properly.

Did your oil pressure light come on? If so, its normal for pressure to drop lower than normal after running on the track and then coming into the pits, this might have been what you experienced.

You should always bring oil (all kinds, steering, engine, brake fluid, etc) to the track, just in case. Check the engine oil every other run when its hot (just be careful, its hot :)).

Check your steering lines as well, should be able to see whats wet down there, including lines from the rack to the cooler.

No, not the oil pressure light the orange oil light above the speedo/tach.

By the way, what oil temps are e46 M3 owners running at the track? I was midway between 1/2 & 3/4 in 60 degree weather...

[quote=BMW4LIFE;9138644]I had my first track day at Lime Rock Park today with my recently purchased E46 M3. The car is completely stock except for an aftermarket exhaust and race pads (Cobalt Spec VR). The car handled well and pulled hard although I did experience some body roll which I expected with the stock suspension. The brakes never faded but I can tell the rotors are warped...]

Are you sure they are warped.....you may not have bed them properly. It takes a real effort to bed pads...if not you could have built up material on the rotors that simulates warping...double check before you spend $400 on new rotors.

I was there also ( silver M coupe ) what a great day we got! Lucked out on the weather!

Its easy to go crazy.....if you did pads already..the turner cooling kit as suggested already is awesome...( but plug it on the street) stainless lines and change the fluid to ATE Blue or Motul RBF 600....tires are huge as well..then think shocks , springs, swaybars...camber plates...rear control arms...alignements....kinda in that order I think?? good brakes and tires are all you need to have a good day!

1) The power steering fluid either boiled over or was leaking or BOTH and it made a mess. Any other E46 M3 owners have this problem at the track or on the street??? Anyone know why I am having this problem???


I used to get this on my e39M5. Changing to Redline ATF, which apparently has a higher temperature capability, helped a lot and reduced what had been a mess to just some weepage around the cap.

Hey Twinscrew, it twas an awesome day. Could not have asked for better weather.

The rotors are def def def warped. I actually bought the pads slightly used and I bleed the brakes before coming and put in AGIP DOT 4 Race fluid.

Did you have the M coupe with E46 M3 wheels and the front and rear spoilers?

I tightened the power steering fluid cap after my first session as it was a bit loose and it was still leaking after that??? I checked the level today and it was at the middle line of 3 visible lines.



I don't know about the M, but my non-M E46 has a vent hole in the PS cap. That's probably the source of your "leak."

Congrats on your first track day. You've taken your first hit off the 'go fast crack pipe'. :alright

I've warped/pad deposited rotors in 1 or 2 events with the Cobalt Spec VRs so I would not be surprised if your rotors are toast after one event. The Cobalts seem to be prone to pad material transfer.

I used Performance Friction 01s all season last yr (20 events) and did not have any problem with pad transfer. I also used slotted (NOT DRILLED) rotors which you may want to try for your next set.

tblauAG is correct about the vent hole in the cap. That is probably where your leak was coming from. I also start the day with the PS fluid at the low end of the acceptable range to avoid any overflow.

I am going to top off the power steering fluid before my event at Pocono on Friday April 13th and see what happens.

I am not going to worry about the rotors and just hammer them since they are already F'd...

I am going to top off the power steering fluid before my event at Pocono on Friday April 13th and see what happens...

Bring a lot of paper towels. It'll be worse than Lime Rock, which is a relatively easy track on brakes

Is this right? You can really boil the PS fluid? I wouldn't have thought it even got hot!I just can't imagine how heat would get into the system. I mean, it's only helping you turn the steering rack, right? {showing my ignorance}

As for the brass brake caliper guide bushings and precision guide pins, I suggust you research this as they cause me headaches (at least for a street/track car). Others swear by them.