Help a track noob prepare for the 2021 season

[IamFODI]

I’m eyeing 2021 to finally start tracking my '08 E90 6MT. Got some questions about preparing the car (bolded points below), and would welcome other feedback. I've only been on track a few times, only one of which was a real open track day, and never with this car.

This is not a track build. The car is already way faster than I am, so I'm not looking to make it faster. All I want to do is make sure it doesn't do anything stupid.

Only real mods so far are Öhlins R&T, FTAB monoballs, and camber/caster plates (did those for daily driving fun, not for the track). Tires are Michelin Pilot Sport 4S, 245 front / 265 rear. No R-comps until I’m less of a noob. No powertrain mods of any kind, now or in the foreseeable future. Rod bearings, cooling system, and valve cover gaskets have all been addressed recently enough. Brakes will get a refresh before the start of the season (pads, rotors, Castrol SRF). Pretty much everything else is original. Odo will be around 120k by the start of the season. Tech inspections are a given.

Planning to get a Schroth Quick-Fit, and possibly HANS.

I think most of the events I’ll be doing will be at NJMP, but other possibilities include Summit Point, Watkins Glen, Pocono, and Lime Rock.

Here are the questions I know to ask:

1. Brake pads: Staying within FCP Euro’s catalog, I want as much fade resistance as possible without having operating temps that are out of reach for street tires and stock power. Given those criteria, it looks to me like the best option is Hawk DTC-60. Way overkill, but seems to tick all the boxes. Hawk's mu-vs.-temp curve for it (attached) looks really flat even down to low temps, it'll have all the fade resistance I'll need, and no one seems to have deposit issues with it (unlike, say, Ferodo DS2500). Does this make sense? It doesn’t look like FCP Euro sells anything worth trying, but I’m open to suggestions.

2. Power steering: On one hand, the leaks and failures people have experienced make me want to address them preventively. On the other hand, I’ve read that not all cars have those problems in the first place, and that it’s less of a problem on street tires than on R-comps. Given that, I’m inferring that a CSF power steering radiator and a new OE PSF reservoir should be enough for my setup and expected usage. Does that sound right?

3. Measuring tire and brake temps: In order to make sure my camber settings are reasonable without waiting for pronounced wear, I want to measure relative tire temps across the face of each tire. I have a cheap IR thermometer with an emissivity setting. Is that good enough?

4. Alignment: Camber is around -1.6º front and -1.9º rear. Front caster is 7.2º. Should I dial more in before my first event, or is there no way to know until I start measuring tire temps?

Would love to hear thoughts on all of the above, and anything else I don’t know to ask about.

TIA!

[Estoril]

Maintenance first. It sounds like you have most of that forecast. Get it up on a lift a month or more before the event to see what it needs. NJ BMWCCA has a very good track Tech inspection checklist. I recommend it. Plan on it going on a lift again 2 weeks or less before your events (see the requirements of the sponsor).

I recommend laying off most changes to the car beyond known maintenance or weakness of the platform (e.g. power steering on the E93). Work on building experience first - the car is more capable than the driver. It will do what you need, so avoid advice/leanings to start modding it "to squeeze a few more seconds a lap out of it". Its not a race. Show up with decent tires, pads and fluids and up-to-date maintenance and a "I'm hear to learn! " mindset.

I recommend monitoring tire pressures instead of temperature-taking across the face. You may get to the latter some day - but in your first half-dozen events just work with your instructor on cold temperatures and hot targets for that specific tire. (Taking 12 measurements and recording them takes time, needs to be done immediately upon parking and should be unnecessary for you to put yourself through). Your Instructor should asking you about your cold starting pressures and hots.

Pick only the best DE organizations to run with. They are far from the same. I recommend sticking with BMWCCA, PCA and SCCA to start (I'll probably get heat for that). I'd skip commercial money-makers (I have my reasons for that) for the first 1-2 years.

Know what "stuff" you want in the paddock and make a checklist. Everyone has their own "stuff" recipe. Have your own basic tools, torque wrench, breaker bar, good TP gauge etc.

I'll probably see you at some of those venues!

[IamFODI]

Thanks, Estoril.

Yes, maintenance first. Got a good shop picked out for tech inspections. The general approach you suggest is exactly what I had in mind: zero mods beyond addressing critical weaknesses, don't look for speed, focus on developing as a driver. BMWCCA events primarily, if not entirely.

I recommend monitoring tire pressures instead of temperature-taking across the face.

Interesting. Why is this? To be clear, the only reason I was interested in tire temps was to see if my camber settings made sense, and the only reason I'd care about that is to manage wear. Is that not a good thing to pay attention to?

[Estoril]

Thanks, Estoril.

Yes, maintenance first. Got a good shop picked out for tech inspections. The general approach you suggest is exactly what I had in mind: zero mods beyond addressing critical weaknesses, don't look for speed, focus on developing as a driver. BMWCCA events primarily, if not entirely.


Interesting. Why is this? To be clear, the only reason I was interested in tire temps was to see if my camber settings made sense, and the only reason I'd care about that is to manage wear. Is that not a good thing to pay attention to?

If you are focused on camber - then take temps. Its a bit time consuming as I said. Especially if you are debriefing right after parking, due in classroom or skidpad etc.

Note that IR temp gauges are variable and kind of inexact - but you are looking for comparative numbers more than discrete numbers.

There is a pre-made form/graphic out there in PDF that makes it easier to record.

[IamFODI]

If you are focused on camber - then take temps. Its a bit time consuming as I said. Especially if you are debriefing right after parking, due in classroom or skidpad etc.

Got it. Thanks.

Note that IR temp gauges are variable and kind of inexact - but you are looking for comparative numbers more than discrete numbers.

Pretty much what I was thinking. Makes sense.

There is a pre-made form/graphic out there in PDF that makes it easier to record.

Found the attached PDF. Is this what you were thinking?

[Obioban]

I have a tire temp probe you can borrow, if you're trying to use tire temps to set camber.

[IamFODI]

I have a tire temp probe you can borrow, if you're trying to use tire temps to set camber.

Nice. Thanks!

[Estoril]

Got it. Thanks.



Pretty much what I was thinking. Makes sense.



Found the attached PDF. Is this what you were thinking?

Thats works fine. I use the one from Joe's Tire - but same concept.

[Slideways]

How much of a noob are we talking lol. Usually, it is recommended for first timers to do inspection/maintenance and have good thickness on stock pads and tread on tires. After getting a feel for how the car is as it sits, then come the upgraded pads, tires, etc. A fairly stock E90 M3 should be pretty fun and capable in the hands of a beginner. FCP Euro the stock pads hah.

[IamFODI]

How much of a noob are we talking lol.

Probably should address this in the first post, eh?

I've done one open track day (previous car) and a few other events that don't really count IMO. So, more than zero experience, but not much more.

Usually, it is recommended for first timers to do inspection/maintenance and have good thickness on stock pads and tread on tires. After getting a feel for how the car is as it sits, then come the upgraded pads, tires, etc. A fairly stock E90 M3 should be pretty fun and capable in the hands of a beginner. FCP Euro the stock pads hah.

FCP Euro is the plan for everything! Only reason I want track pads is to prevent fade and deposit issues. Only other mod I'm considering is to address the PSF issues this car sometimes has on track. As I said, not looking to make the car faster at all.

[S14]

For a very first timer on track, I'd just get out there and drive. More than likely you'll experience sensory overload the first day, so I'd set the tire pressures and work on yourself. You have a capable vehicle, very good suspension and top tier tires, fiddling with shock settings or tire temps will overall degrade from your learning experience. Do that crap later when the track bug has really burrowed itself in you!

In my opinion DTC-60 is overkill for a novice driver, the HP Plus will most likely be sufficient for your tire choice. If you are experiencing brake fade in the novice group with HP Plus, and your brake fluid is fresh, then more than likely you are overbaking as fast corner entry speeds can be scary.

[IamFODI]

In my opinion DTC-60 is overkill for a novice driver, the HP Plus will most likely be sufficient for your tire choice. If you are experiencing brake fade in the novice group with HP Plus, and your brake fluid is fresh, then more than likely you are overbaking as fast corner entry speeds can be scary.

When you say DTC-60 is overkill, do you mean it'll hinder my development by hiding mistakes the way R-comps would? Or just that it has excess capability that I wouldn't use?

[Slideways]

One open track day (previous car) and a few other events that don't really count IMO.



FCP Euro is the plan for everything! Only reason I want track pads is that I got the stock pads to fade at the Tail of the Dragon, and I don't want to have to worry about brake fade. Got enough other aspects of my driving to work on. Only other mod I'm considering is to address the PSF issues this car sometimes has on track. As I said, not looking to make the car faster at all.

Yeah, fading brakes is not great. My goal on the first few track days was to get familiar with the track, stay somewhere near the driving line, point a lot of people by lol, and having fun. First time out at Thunderhill, I faded the pads on the first few laps, but adjusted (not overbraking) and didn't have a problem the rest of the day. Don't take it too seriously the first few times out. All I took was a jack, fluids, some basic tools and a pressure gauge.

[Obioban]

When you say DTC-60 is overkill, do you mean it'll hinder my development by hiding mistakes the way R-comps would? Or just that it has excess capability that I wouldn't use?

There’s no learning disadvantage to track pads. If you have faded them on the street, seems like a no brainer to me.

[timmo]

My opinion: Go straight to dedicated track pads. I got some advice from people and went with HPS pads, and was told I could just buy better pads once I got faster.

Well 3 track days later I've worn completely through 1 set of front pads and have severe pad deposits. Just put in an order for a set of DTC-60s through FCP with the Black Friday discount