Z4 Coupe track/daily

[ljenster]

Hey guys, here is my update thread on my Z4 track project.
I do some trackdays yearly and this seemed the perfect car for me to be the follow up for my old Mx-5.

So here's a little introduction to my car.

I bought the car like this:

And ended up putting new D2 Coilovers on it and apex arc-8 18x9.5 wheels with 245/35/18 federal 595 Rs-r tyres squared.

And here are some pictures of it i took a couple of days ago:

I am currently thinking about putting buckets in the car but I kinda like the M sport seats already, we'll see how they hold me in place on the Nordschleife.

Also thinking about a brake upgrade on the front, is that worth it? Or should I rather go for just EBC (track compound) brake pads?

 

[t-tony]

I would definitely consider braided brake hoses Lars. I put them on my 3.0i and it made the brakes sharper.

Tony.

 

[ljenster]

Yeah, had those on my miata aswell, might consider them. But I think i deff need different pads on the track, else they will melt away in no time, just thinking if I'd rather go big brake right away..

 

[hard top]

But I think i deff need different pads on the track

Have a word with @Lee

 

[Lee]

Yeah I track mine a lot, managed 5 sessions last year. Value for money wise the standard brakes are very good, just increase the cooling with brake ducts and uprate the pads . I run federal RS-R track tyres and also run M roll bars for a bit more stability to make the car handle better on track I disconnect the rear roll bar, the Coupe is so stiff I end up lifting a wheel otherwise. I think the best improvement that can be made is adding a Quaife LSD. The DSC setting is great on track but does lack an LSD, this is noticeable.

 

[Brian H]

Great Looking Car BTW!

Also thinking about a brake upgrade on the front, is that worth it?

Stick some decent pads in first (I am using performance friction Z rated pads), pop on some braided hoses and flush the fluid with some high temp fluid, the OEM calipers are better than most think!

I found my car to understeer slightly so the Square setup you now have should help the front of the car, what camber are you running on the front?

 

[ljenster]

Yeah was thinking about that, altho I did find a 10 pot setup with new pads, discs and braided hoses for 800 euro's (used calipers), which isn't that far off a new set of EBC pads and braded hoses.

But I might try normal pads and hoses then.

And yeah @Lee I was really considering an LSD.

 

[Lee]

I have these braided hoses on the coupe, they've really firmed the pedal up.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Wezmoto-B...558661&hash=item41db3dc64d:g:h3IAAOSwubRXN1yy

Backed up with this high boiling temp brake fluid

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ATE-Typ2...438666?hash=item3d597e0f0a:g:gAMAAOSw-W5Uv56p

 

[ljenster]

So I kept coming back to a flat tyre, so I went back to the shop that mounted my tyres. Turns out that the tyre was seated properly on the wheel, so got that fixed..

Now I'm still wondering about how to change the right rear fog light to the left side.

 

[hard top]

Now I'm still wondering about how to change the right rear fog light to the left side.

Have a word with @t-tony.

 

[ljenster]

So I've been looking around in ncs dummy and I can't find the option to change the foglight to the other side, can anyone please help me out here, its the only thing holding me back from getting plates at the moment

 

[hard top]

its the only thing holding me back from getting plates at the moment

Delete it, as far as I know if its not on the car they cant test it at the APK so then you have no problem.

 

[t-tony]

As an absolute necessity you could bolt on an after market on at the LH side and feed it via the original fog light, this is acceptable in the UK so should also be in mainland Europe. So long as you have a warning "telltale" light it would pass.

Tony.

ps. We had to use this on imported cars from Japan back in the day. Not ideal, but needs must, OR you can do what I did.

 

[ljenster]

I think I found the coding for the foglight!

A quote from bimmerforum:
"if you ever get to hook your car upto NCS, change the line "STANDLICHT_ALS_NSL_RECHTS" from "nicht_aktiv" to "aktiv". That should make it so that the rear fogs are on both sides instead of just the driver side. "

I'm gonna try to fix it tonight.

 

[ljenster]

Nope, it didnt work

 

[Pingu]

Daft question - is there a bulb in the unlit side?

My E46 just needed a bulb and a small tweek to the circuit board.

 

[ljenster]

Yeah it does have a bulb even swapped the right and left one to be sure

 

[t-tony]

a small tweek to the circuit board.

Which can't really be much different from running a wire across from the other side of the car. You can always take out the right hand bulb if you're worried about overloading the circuit surely?

Tony.

 

[Pingu]

Which can't really be much different from running a wire across from the other side of the car. You can always take out the right hand bulb if you're worried about overloading the circuit surely?

Tony.

The circuit board was inside the light cluster. I effectively turned a RHD LH cluster into a LHD one. It was nothing complicated as the wiring was already there. I've now got rear foglights on both sides.

I'm surprised that it's a software change to do the same on a Z4.

 

[t-tony]

The circuit board was inside the light cluster. I effectively turned a RHD LH cluster into a LHD one. It was nothing complicated as the wiring was already there. I've now got rear foglights on both sides.

I'm surprised that it's a software change to do the same on a Z4.

it isn't on the early one like mine, but Lar's car is the facelift model, he tells me it can't be done. My car has the RH light cluster from a LHD car and I have 2 reversing lights and two rear fog lights. Info freely available on Z4Forum.

Tony.

ps. The easies option is to do as I said, run a power wire to the other side and remove the bulb from the RH cluster.