Off Road Success

[Gilles]

they're two BMWs' wrecks specialists that I know in la Sarthe.

Can you please tel me which engine you would like to find...
... have you any idea of budget (I know you'ld like to answer as few as possible....)

[Robbo SPS]

MArk -

If you are looking for the odd BMW 330 D engine in the 205bhp spec - twin turbo etc, let me know, my comapny have had a few - injuries of late!! including an X5 D losing its life on a motorway.

No idea what they do with the lumps, but it could be a good unit ?? THe X5 unit gives out 230bhp i think. Our 330's are 205 from the 05 specs i believe.

Why not try from the 535 lump. Thats awesome and diesel.

[rcutler]

All I know about the diesel that they require is that they want one that is less than 3000cc if it is 1cc more then they end up back at the bottom of the next class up.

[mgmark]

Gents,

           Thanks for the thoughts re engines.   The basic criteria is that it needs to be the straight six 3.0 litre diesel (actually 2997cc) with a 4-valve per cylinder head (our existing 1994 vintage 2.5 is a two valve per cylinder head).   We know that it is the same basic block in terms of size, engine mounts etc, and most importantly, will match the existing gearbox without modification.   This will keep us in the same class, but with an extra 500cc (effectively 1 litre running at 1 bar boost) and more charge volume passing into the head and thus give us a bundle more power and torque.    The 3.0 litre has been fitted to both 3-series and 5-series, but we're not sure yet at what point the head became multi-valve, or when the electronic gubbins in the ECU become still too new to bypass/modify.   In addition, much as we'd love to go for the more modern engine from the new 535d (which is still actually 2997cc!) the electronics gubbins are still too new to bypass/modify and the twin turbo pumps out the sort of torque (414 lb/ft!) that will mean uprating/changing the gearbox, diffs, halfshafts etc.   

Robbo - thanks - I may well be in touch when I have more info.

Gilles - similarly I'll let you know, although we may well be able to find the same here.

All the best for now,

Mark

[mgmark]

As intimated in another post, a couple of days ago we collected a 3.0 litre BMW diesel engine of the right sort of vintage and mileage (from a 2002 530d) with an ECU that can be fiddled with.   We've found a specialist BMW dismantler/spares business, who is interested in publicising their business via the vehicle and racing, so hopefully we will be able to reach a mutually beneficial arrangement.   

We now have about 3 months to get the engine modified and installed (along with the rest of the jobs that need doing) before the first round of the 2006 season.   This year's rounds are below - the dates are pretty well fixed, but the venues are still provisional - however, taking an educated guess for any of you that may wish to plan to come along,to asny of them, I suspect we will have: 

8-9 April - Radnor Forest, Wales
3-4 June - Ellsemere, Shropshire
1-2 July - Castle O'er, Scotland
9-10 September - Driffield, East Yorks
28-29 October - Sweet Lamb, Wales

Looking forward immensely to surprising the opposition with being in the same class, still with a diesel, but with sh*t loads more power and torque.   Just need to make sure that we surprise the opposition rather than ourselves with the greater speed with which we could arrive at the scene of the accident!   All the best for now,

MG Mark

[rcutler]

Will put the dates in the Diary Mark, I expect we can make most of them. Certainly the ones south of the Scottish border.

Good news about the engine, You should leave the competition for dead with the extra power. Seeing everyone else had the 3.0 lter at Sweet Lamb and you did not I think your performance was quite unmatched.

See you soon.

[Dan Lowe]

Fantastic news Mark!! 

A racing diesel.... it'll never catch on 

[mgmark]

Thanks for the good wishes guys - look forward to seeing you there .   In the meantime, on with working out which 6 or 7 wires of the 60-odd coming from the ECU loom are the ones we actually need.........

Mark

[mgmark]

Fantastic news Mark!! 

A racing diesel.... it'll never catch on 

and we were there long before audi............

[Lorry]

 In the meantime, on with working out which 6 or 7 wires of the 60-odd coming from the ECU loom are the ones we actually need.........

That's brave.  And with 414 ft lb I'd strengthen the chassis too.

Good luck

[mgmark]

Dates for 2006 rounds are the same, but the venues have changed - here they are:

Round 1      April      08 /  09      DRIFFIELD - East Yorks
Round 2      June      03 /  04      ELLESMERE - Shropshire   
Round 3      July      01 /  02      CASTLE O’ER, LOCKERBIE - Scotland
Round 4      September   09 /  10      RADNOR FOREST - Wales
Round 5      October      28 /  29      HAFREN FOREST - Wales

MG Mark

[mgmark]

Dear all,

            Just to let you know of progress so far leading up to Round One of the 2006 season at Driffield on 8/9 April.   The new (at least new to us) BMW 3.0 litre diesel (hey, we were there before Audi...) engine has been in and out of the car a few times sorting out the plumbing, mounting, modifications etc.   It is now back in the car for the final time, mid-way through being wired in - may even get it fired up for the first time this weekend with a bit of luck   The rebuilt/modified gearbox is immaculate and built to withstand the substantial increase in power and torque.   If anyone needs to know how to re-engineer a ZF HP22 box (non-electronic) using the internals from the much beefier ZF HP24 box (electronic) without bringing all of the electronic gubbins with it, then we know a man who does.   We shall see how the diffs and halfshafts stand up to it all, but running an automatic transmission will help cushion the loads.   The suspension still has to go back together, but at least that is a straightforward "put back what come off".   Although we are, to put it kindly, a tad short of time before round one, we should be there and running under our own steam all being well.    All the best for now,

MG Mark

[mgmark]

Dear all,

            Just to let you know of progress so far leading up to Round One of the 2006 season at Driffield on 8/9 April.   The new (at least new to us) BMW 3.0 litre diesel (hey, we were there before Audi...) engine has been in and out of the car a few times sorting out the plumbing, mounting, modifications etc.   It is now back in the car for the final time, mid-way through being wired in - may even get it fired up for the first time this weekend with a bit of luck   

As of yesterday afternoon at 1500hrs, ladies and gentlemen, we have a working race car... fully wired and plumbed in, fuel system bled and engine fired up first time.    Makes all the right noises except in the turbo department, where it makes a mixture of squealing pig, clatter clatter, and grining noises - exchange turbo unit beng delivered tomorrow and them we're set to go.   Pre-season testing will probably consist of driving it round the yard and on/off the trailer.....

MG Mark

[amazing 1]

Check your oil system for debris,when a turbo brg/impeller shaft go bad it can pollute the oil.Good to hear it is all systems are go.How bout some pics?

[rcutler]

Picture taken at Sweet Lamb rally complex last October, It had the old engine then though.