E89 3DM Motorsport E89 Z4 Atacama Yellow Build

[R.G.]

A lot of guys don’t know about this Co. so in case you may have overlooked them in regards to underbody stiffening


http://www.ultraracing-shop.com/pro...acing_english&___from_store=ultraracing_dutch

 

[doublespaces]

I wonder why they rotated the strut mounts... What kind of calculations go into ensuring you've drilled them in the right spots for how the suspension was designed?

 

[fmorelli]

@doublespaces, as I understand it, Barry took measurements and whipped up a drawing in CAD, which was then used to create the new holes. We have no idea why the mount holes were done as they were, and it has no effect on how the suspension works (once the plates are bolted to the strut tower, the bolts are have no relevance). So no impact to how the suspension was designed, but certainly impact to how the camber/caster plates work - they need to bolt such that the leading bolt is centered pointing forward, as on any E90.

We wondered why BMW did that, too. Barry keeps kidding around that the Z4 was designed by interns

Not sure if this addressed your question... if not, ask it differently - I'm with Barry working on fuel tomorrow and can ask him any questions you have.

Filippo

 

[NoQuarter]

Well.. it was designed by 2 women!

 

[fmorelli]

Yeah ... but that was aesthetics. The more one digs in to taking apart the Z4, the more one finds the little variations. Not to mention all the cheap plastic clips that break, integrated into parts. I keep ordering stuff that just breaks in my hands at $20/pop ... disappointing. It really reminds me of a kit car in some ways.

Filippo

 

[fmorelli]

Ok we've gotten most of the work done, as far as drivetrain and suspension are concerned. We'll finish putting the bottom of the car back together Wednesday, then set ride height, corner weight, and align. I plan to bring it back to my place at that point, and work on finishing the stereo and reinstalling all the interior parts.

I'm going to hold off on posting all the stereo stuff that I've done in the past two weeks, so I can do it in a complete set of posts once the car is back home. I'll cover the rest of the what we put together in the following post. Today I'll cover the Fuel-It and Flexfuel related installation.

Let me add a few suspension photos here, of the rear end. Specifically, Barry notched the inner rear camber arm area so the adjusters can be accessed. Here's how the rear looks once completed.

Filippo

 

[fmorelli]

Today Barry Battle and I spent the day working on the fuel system, from the tank to the HPFP. I took a lot of photos, and I'm sure this will bore some folks, but given the lack of published E89 Z4 information, I'd rather post more than less.

In summary, we removed the in-line fuel filter inside the HPFP, replaced the fuel lines from tank to HPFP, added a 6-micron Fuelab fuel filter (to make up for the removed HPFP filter), and replaced the in-tank filter, and upgraded the in-tank LPFP with a Fuel-It Walbro-based bucketed LPFP. Finally we installed a Fuel-It bluetooth-enabled ethanol content analyzer (ECA). The ECA will ultimately feed the Motiv Flex Fuel box which then pins into the DME harness. The fuel line kit is also from Fuel-It. The Z4 is unique and Fuel-It delivered a seup that worked perfectly on the car.

So for starters, it was just easier to pull the intake on the Z4, so we could get to the fuel hardline connected to the HPFP and running along the block. We need to remove it so we can take the HPFP fine fuel filter out, and then we also start installing the upgraded ethanol fuel line at the rear of the hardline. This is much easier to do on the bench than in the car. In this set of photos one can see the hardline running along the block. Once the line is removed, we could see the in-line HPFP fuel filter with the mirror, and a pick tool simply pulls it out. My filter, at 30k miles, looked pretty clean.

Finally one thing to note! The fuel hardline is bolted to the engine block with an ALUMINUM torx bolt. It is a use-once bolt, since it stretches upon installation. We threw it out and replaced it with a steel bolt.

From here we started the installation, working our way to the back of the car. It is at the LPFP that we'll make the final cuts to the new fuel hose, fitting everything together. We installed the first segment of hose on the back of the hardline.

Ok ... before I move down the fuel line install, let me post some photos of what's being installed. The first is the flex fuel, which will not actually be connected to the DME until the MHD module for flexfuel releases. Props to Motiv for using Deutsch Connectors on their harness. The brown connector then ultimately connects to the ECA (or in my case the ECA has the black bluetooth device which then has the female connector which connects to the flex fuel harness. In the ECA photo, you see a brown connector going to a loose harness - in our case, that will be discarded since the connection be the brown Flex Fuel connector. There is a photo of the upgraded Walbro LPFP, as well.

The Fuel Lab filter is shown with the connectors we will be using. The angle connector is supplied by Fuel-It to attach the new line to the LPFP upgrade. The two connectors at the bottom (with the two silver bands) slide over the ECA silver lines and lock in place. Finally, the upper two connectors are Russell 624013 -6AN to 3/8 twist-lok connectors which we use to put the Fuelab filter in line.

I'll continue the installation in the next post.

Filippo

 

[NoQuarter]

Definitely interested to see where you choose to mount the filter

 

[fmorelli]

In the last post we had removed the HPFP filter and installed the upgraded fuel line on the outbound side of the HPFP hardline. Barry Battle and I spent some time trying to figure out where the Continental ECA and Fuelab fuel filter would be installed. We initially were going to install them together. I was initially convinced we could find a spot under the car along the floor pan, but the fuel filter is simply too big.

So we decided to separate the two, install the fuel filter at the back of the engine bay where the fuel line comes up from the floor pan, and install the ECA (which is fairly flat) in a floor pan recess by the transmission cross brace.

So first the fuel filter. We decided to make two aluminum L brackets which join to make a T, and bolt the T to a small bellhousing torx bolt. There is plenty of room in this space, and the filter works well with the orientation of the fuel line on both sides. Make sure the fuel filter is installed with the outlet facing the HPFP!

Next we installed the ECA/bluetooth device just in front of the trans mount. There is an unused threaded body insert which worked perfectly. We just had the open up the bolt hole on the ECA, which happen to come with a button head hex bolt that threaded perfectly into this unused threaded body insert. We cut the line from the fuel filter to the ECA and installed the slip-on connector so we could attached it to the ECA. Then on the fuel tank side, we installed the same connector so we can connect on the other side of the ECA. In the photos one can see that the ECA is about 45 degrees to the car, but this follows the lines at that point, and puts the bluetooth extension safely in the trans tunnel area.

From here we ran the new line along the carbon canister line, using MIL-SPEC wire ties. When we reached the back of the car, we drilled a 3/16" hole across the empty connector so we could wire tie the large line to the connector. For the connector above the driveshaft, we ran a wire tie around the bottom of the connector, so we could then slide to wire ties around the first tie and secure the new line on either side of the connector.

Finally I did not take any photos of the fuel pump or filter installation. We were too predisposed dealing with fuel and honestly there was no easy way to take photos of the inside of the tank. Below is a final photo of the new LPFP and filter installed, with the supplied 90-degree fitting.

I hope some of these details help another Z4 owner. Once the flex fuel MHD module is released, we'll install the flex fuel pins into the DME harness.

Filippo

 

[fmorelli]

The car is running in the shop, which is good news. We have some things we are sorting through with the Ohlins configuration. As well the E90 strut bar does not clear the hood, so I'll be modifying that to work with the Z4. I'll cover these things comprehensively once I work through them.

That said, a quick post on the transmission mounts. Lots of folks go to poly, which I'm not a fan. When it comes to engine and trans mounts, there are plenty of stories about NVH woes. I decided to leave the motor mounts stock, and go to Rogue Engineering transmission mounts. At the provided link, designer Ben Liaw does a good job of explaining why the mounts are made the way they are. In short, they are made of neoprene rubber. I added AKG Motorsport aluminum cups.

Two pieces of advice from Barry Battle on the install. First I would not use the flange bolts provided - shoulders are two narrow, both against the aluminum trans mount "forks" and on the aluminum trans cross member. I would reuse the BMW p/n 22316760944 which is an M8 nut with a large integrated washer. On the bottom we used a flange bolt but added a washer to spread the load on the aluminum mount area. Here are photos ...

Filippo

 

[doublespaces]

I like that setup you choose. I may do something like that myself. You're manual? I wonder if this setup will work for the DCT also.

 

[fmorelli]

I like that setup you choose. I may do something like that myself. You're manual? I wonder if this setup will work for the DCT also.

Call Rogue and ask - Ben usually answers the phone. He knows things .

201-783-8600

Filippo

 

[fmorelli]

[I'm posting this on the build thread for continuity, though I post the original work to sort this out on the N54 sub-forum: https://bmw.spoolstreet.com/threads/bl-coil-investigation-and-solution.3291]. Basically the BL R8 coils need significant modifications to work on the N54. The above link goes into details for those that care.

So Barry Battle did the Z4 today. I was not around for it, but he sent photos. The original write-up was done on the 1M.

Filippo

Before modification:

Stock BL R8 coils:

Rubber covers removed:

Rubber covers cut back:

Coil shielding cut:

Reassembled and ready to install:

We removed the additional shielding on the oval connector, so there's room for the coils to run front-to-back:

Front to back installation. Not wiring harness is free behind the connector:

Full depth seating. This is critical. If one doesn't see this depth, the coils are not fully seated:

Modified coils reinstalled:

 

[fmorelli]

The car comes back from 3DMMotorsport today. I have a fair bit to post on the thread, but information is not yet complete, so I've been holding back. Through this month I'll be posting the following topics:

• Modifications, installation, and reassembly for the interior relative to the stereo and adjustable rear shocks. While an earlier post can help those doing disassembly of the interior (and it can be worked in reverse), I always find "do the reverse" to be functional but lacking in gotchas.
• The E90 strut bars sit too high for the E89 front hood. Thanks to the borescope, we were able to figure out fitment. I'll have an upcoming on modifying the ECS Tuning carbon fiber front strut bar. This will not only clear the E89 hood but also make more space to access the valve cover oil cap, which seems to be partially interfered with these bars.
• Barry Battle is the middle of sorting out some rear suspension issues with Ohlins. The USA Ohlins and Swedish engineers are looking into our measurements. Once we have all that sorted out, I'll post up the details on this. Remember the E89 Z4 runs a mostly E46 rear suspension, with a handful of "upgrades".
• Once the suspension is sorted out, we'll cover the corner weighting, ride height, and alignment work.
• While we have the Motiv Flexfuel system plumbed in (minus the DME), we are still waiting on Motiv/MHD to release the software. Once that comes out, we'll cover where that goes.

Though a bit premature to say this, I believe this phase of modifications has gone pretty well. I believe part of it stems from our prior experience - Barry and I were ready for things not to work, and everything went more smoothly.

Filippo

 

[Lurcher]

Barry and I were ready for things not to work, and everything went more smoothly.

Just sad we have to approach things this way

 

[fmorelli]

Just sad we have to approach things this way

Yeah ... but we prevail. Hey I'm still working on the stereo system ... lol ... need to catch you up on that ... soon.

Filippo

 

[Asbjorn]

The car is running in the shop, which is good news. We have some things we are sorting through with the Ohlins configuration. As well the E90 strut bar does not clear the hood, so I'll be modifying that to work with the Z4. I'll cover these things comprehensively once I work through them.

That said, a quick post on the transmission mounts. Lots of folks go to poly, which I'm not a fan. When it comes to engine and trans mounts, there are plenty of stories about NVH woes. I decided to leave the motor mounts stock, and go to Rogue Engineering transmission mounts. At the provided link, designer Ben Liaw does a good job of explaining why the mounts are made the way they are. In short, they are made of neoprene rubber. I added AKG Motorsport aluminum cups.

Two pieces of advice from Barry Battle on the install. First I would not use the flange bolts provided - shoulders are two narrow, both against the aluminum trans mount "forks" and on the aluminum trans cross member. I would reuse the BMW p/n 22316760944 which is an M8 nut with a large integrated washer. On the bottom we used a flange bolt but added a washer to spread the load on the aluminum mount area. Here are photos ...

Filippo

View attachment 10731 View attachment 10732 View attachment 10730 View attachment 10733
View attachment 10734

Nice mounts. Please let us know if NVH increases. It also seems you do not need the modified cups on MT as you do on DCT? Anyhow, the more I read, the more I realize no-one is recommending upgraded trans mounts with DCTs as they do with MTs. However I really wish there was an active solution, where you could stiffen and soften the mounts via bluetooth or similar. Same for engine mounts.

Any particular reasons you went with OEM engine mounts?

 

[fmorelli]

@Asbjorn, I drove the car today - couldn't discern any increased NVH in the shifter or the floorpan. I've also ordered the Revshift 80a motor mounts, and we'll get those in a few weeks - they are saying the NVH for those is pretty much impercetible from stock. So we'll see

Filippo

 

[fmorelli]

Reassembly of the interior begins, sort of. Still trying to figure out sub wiring. But it's home and has begun.

Filippo

 

[fmorelli]

The Revshift motor mounts arrived over the weekend. I ordered 80a and they are supposed to be near OEM on NVH. Very nice quality, on visual inspection. It will be a few weeks before the car is back up in the air, but we'll get these in.

Filippo