Dumb Question Thread - No Flaming Allowed

[PSUEng]

Can I get the best link to high quality DIY brake caliper painting? On the fence as to whether I farm this out if take a crack at it.

I used Duplicolor caliper spray on the ZCP set I just finished rebuilding and I am very pleased with how they turned out. Now, I can't speak to the longevity of the finish, or how it might turn out on a non-ZCP set (i.e., not pre-painted).

[sketch]

Every set of headers has bungs for primary o2s, at a minimum. Some have a second set of bungs for secondaries as well, not to mention one for egt.

Not sure what you're asking. Primary o2s have nowt to do with emissions.

Think you need to clarify.

you answered my question. Thank you!

[tlow98]

Just got them. The box looked good, each bearing has the ACL logo as well as some sort of part number stamped on. Pretty happy with them. One thing that did throw me off was that the main bearings' box did not include s54 in the list of applications. then I found out BMW uses the same main bearings on a lot of different models from a 316i to the M3. Who would've thought?

good to hear. I recently just bought ACL main and rod bearings from hack engineering and redline 360, respectively. I shopped Amazon, as well, but chickened out bc I was afraid they’d be fake and having never seen them in person before I couldn’t verify.

after looking at the seller on Amazon (located in San Diego) they seem pretty legit. Good to know!

another, favorable note about ACL is people use and love them in the K20 Honda world. A high revving, demanding and well designed engine. Gives me faith for their use in our motors!

[Da Jemster]

Can I get the best link to high quality DIY brake caliper painting? On the fence as to whether I farm this out if take a crack at it.

I used Testor's (model paint) as they can withstand high temps. Going on 18 years and still looking good.

[Cubieman]

What's the most effective method (other than replacement) to get rid of this corrosion?

[toy4to]

How do you know when spherical bearings/mono ball bearings in coilover top mounts are worn? Are brand new top mounts difficult to move back and forth?

[Mystic3]

Post #920
Dremel and appropriate sized scotch Brite

[Tbonem3]

How do you know when spherical bearings/mono ball bearings in coilover top mounts are worn? Are brand new top mounts difficult to move back and forth?

When they're new, they can be stiff, but if they're not new, then prob bad if they are really stiff; stiff like stuck not stiff and smooth. Could be a lack of leverage to move them around on your part, though. If they're bad, that means no lube so if should feel "dry" or there's wear and they're loose, tick tock.

You won't be able to recreate movement as well with them just in your hands.

If these are already on the car, I wouldn't sweat it too much unless you can plainly tell (or hear) that they're bad - they don't do much. The amount of movement is very small - we're not talking cv joints or RBs. And the mass + inertia of that corner compressing will always be able to move them even if they are stiff.

I would guess noise is the first symptom and/or a knock felt through the cabin/wheel.

[tlow98]

Ok, in this installment of Help Me Build an Engine in My Garage we have a ring discovery and a question.

I bought and am using the NPR rings in the OE size. As seen here where I bought them: https://www.hackengineering.co.uk/pr...-ring-set-s54/.

They also come with an authentication code and so I believe them to be genuine. Many people on the UK forums use them and many believe them to be the OE rings.

Here is the discovery/discrepancy/whatever. Ring #1, the top ring, is a slightly different dimension in the X direction. See below - it is 0.5mm less than the original ring.



After some measurements of the ramp and the bore vs piston spacing at the ring location I'm seeing the following differences in the amount of ring that touches the ring land in the piston:
Old = 2.84 mm of ring touching the ring land
New = 2.53 mm of ring touching the ring land

This equates to about 11% less ring-to-ringland support.

So, would this bother you? Should I email everyone in the world?


Bonus Stat if you made it this far... at 211,000 miles the OE ring #1 had worn from a factory-new spec of 0.2 - 0.35 to 0.6! So yeah, if you have high mileage, you also have about double the ring gap you should and are losing some very real sealing power. Ring #2 was also about double the spec'd gap.

[Slideways]

Ok, in this installment of Help Me Build an Engine in My Garage we have a ring discovery and a question.

I bought and am using the NPR rings in the OE size. As seen here where I bought them: https://www.hackengineering.co.uk/pr...-ring-set-s54/.

They also come with an authentication code and so I believe them to be genuine. Many people on the UK forums use them and many believe them to be the OE rings.

Here is the discovery/discrepancy/whatever. Ring #1, the top ring, is a slightly different dimension in the X direction. See below - it is 0.5mm less than the original ring.



After some measurements of the ramp and the bore vs piston spacing at the ring location I'm seeing the following differences in the amount of ring that touches the ring land in the piston:
Old = 2.84 mm of ring touching the ring land
New = 2.53 mm of ring touching the ring land

This equates to about 11% less ring-to-ringland support.

So, would this bother you? Should I email everyone in the world?


Bonus Stat if you made it this far... at 211,000 miles the OE ring #1 had worn from a factory-new spec of 0.2 - 0.35 to 0.6! So yeah, if you have high mileage, you also have about double the ring gap you should and are losing some very real sealing power. Ring #2 was also about double the spec'd gap.

Try emailing hack engineering or asking on m3cutters.

[Cubieman]

When they're new, they can be stiff, but if they're not new, then prob bad if they are really stiff; stiff like stuck not stiff and smooth. Could be a lack of leverage to move them around on your part, though. If they're bad, that means no lube so if should feel "dry" or there's wear and they're loose, tick tock.

You won't be able to recreate movement as well with them just in your hands.

If these are already on the car, I wouldn't sweat it too much unless you can plainly tell (or hear) that they're bad - they don't do much. The amount of movement is very small - we're not talking cv joints or RBs. And the mass + inertia of that corner compressing will always be able to move them even if they are stiff.

I would guess noise is the first symptom and/or a knock felt through the cabin/wheel.

My BCs don't even appear to have a bearing, it's just the spring against the underside of the camber plate, everytime I back out of the garge and make a small turn a distinct "knock" can be heard/felt, likely from this setup.

I am so uneducated in suspension setups, I want a better set of coils without losing my nice lowered stance but I know it's give and take there.

[Tbonem3]

I'm unfamiliar with BC, but perhaps a different set of camber plates is all you need (if any will play nice with BC's strut shaft). If you're happy with the springs/dampers themselves?

There are two actions going on though, I'm not sure which BC is lacking, but it sounds like the twist of the springs. I can't imagine they don't have a center bearing or rubber/poly bushing for the strut shaft.

[K-Dawg]

My BCs don't even appear to have a bearing, it's just the spring against the underside of the camber plate, everytime I back out of the garge and make a small turn a distinct "knock" can be heard/felt, likely from this setup.

I am so uneducated in suspension setups, I want a better set of coils without losing my nice lowered stance but I know it's give and take there.

There has to be a bearing in the plate to allow articulation of the shaft. You're probably experiencing spring bind when you steer, but it could be something else too.

[tlow98]

Ok, in this installment of Help Me Build an Engine in My Garage we have a ring discovery and a question.

I bought and am using the NPR rings in the OE size. As seen here where I bought them: https://www.hackengineering.co.uk/pr...-ring-set-s54/.

They also come with an authentication code and so I believe them to be genuine. Many people on the UK forums use them and many believe them to be the OE rings.

Here is the discovery/discrepancy/whatever. Ring #1, the top ring, is a slightly different dimension in the X direction. See below - it is 0.5mm less than the original ring.



After some measurements of the ramp and the bore vs piston spacing at the ring location I'm seeing the following differences in the amount of ring that touches the ring land in the piston:
Old = 2.84 mm of ring touching the ring land
New = 2.53 mm of ring touching the ring land

This equates to about 11% less ring-to-ringland support.

So, would this bother you? Should I email everyone in the world?


Bonus Stat if you made it this far... at 211,000 miles the OE ring #1 had worn from a factory-new spec of 0.2 - 0.35 to 0.6! So yeah, if you have high mileage, you also have about double the ring gap you should and are losing some very real sealing power. Ring #2 was also about double the spec'd gap.

for those that find this post in the future.

I reached out to Hack engineering out do the UK, the company that sold me these and regularly installs them. This is the way they are designed and they are fine to be installed. They are slightly different than stock, but have presented no problems after countless installs for Hack.

[heinzboehmer]

for those that find this post in the future.

I reached out to Hack engineering out do the UK, the company that sold me these and regularly installs them. This is the way they are designed and they are fine to be installed. They are slightly different than stock, but have presented no problems after countless installs for Hack.

Thanks for the update. Will probably be going this route when I do my engine build, so good to know.