Sterling... M Roadster Daily

[OldFogey99]

I bought "Sterling" in September in the Bay area. - trucked to Nashville.

I have done the following since then:
-treated all rubber/seals with gummy fledge, warm air, repeat
-cleaned the top and sealed it
-bought OEM rear "windscreen" and tonneau cover for top-down days
-replaced the rear window (BMW OEM zipper window)
-oil and filter changes
-coils & spark plugs
-Drain and Fill Diff
-Drain and Fill Transmission
-new fan (the explodie one)
-vacuum hoses and intake boot (was leaky)
- replaced seal in 3rd brake light
-replaced driver's taillight (was crazed/cracked... or something.. bugged me to death) with used matching OEM in perfect conition
-fitted a Apple Carplay receiver - as it is my daily
-New Conti DWS06+ all around
-motor mounts
-transmission mounts
-guibo, Center Bearing Carrier, and associated parts
-stainless clutch line
-stainless brake lines
-ensuing master cylinder seals (hahahahaa)
-installed hardtop fit kit and a Titanium Silver hardtop for winter/summer extremes
-refinished wheels to actual Hyper Silver and replaced "M-blems" on the wheels

Valve cover seals, oil separator/CCV kit, and Idle Air Control Valve hose are in boxes awaiting my time and warm weather. An M50 manifold has been purchased, but I am on the fence about it... because it inevitably involves an (actually cold) air intake, 3.5" MAF, schrick cams... tune.... keep ASC or delete... hahahaa... it gets real bad real fast. I will likely do oil pump nut and timing chain/guides before intake shenanigans.... because I am forever tempted by Aussie ITBs on the S52.

Scratch/chip correction and a full paint correction are on the docket t some point.

Pickup Day Photo:

 

[OldFogey99]

Had a good friend move to town with his Pcar... they make a pretty decent pair... despite the roadster's "flexy" tendancies.

 

[DomiMik]

How tiny it looks next to that Porsche

 

[t-tony]

You think that looks tiny, you should've Frankie's M between 2 American cars outside Denny's on the US192 in Kissimmee a couple of years ago.. It really did look like a bit dropped off.

Tony.

 

[OldFogey99]

How tiny it looks next to that Porsche

yep. With the exception of length, they are, in fact, incredibly close by the numbers! buuuttt... It doesn't look like that.

Wheelbase
Cayman 95.08
Roadster 96.8

Width
Cayman 70.91
Roadster's 68.5

Length
Cayman 172.13
Roadster 158.46

I don't have numbers on the Roadster's track width front & back, so I can't compare that.

Cayman is 221 lbs lighter and has 55 more horsepower... but.... with the exception of the "float" from being hooked up turning one direction to being hooked up turning the other direction, the little roadster does alright. hahahaha...

(related caveat... I'm not sure that I will go with DWS06+ again... it didn't float this bad before these went on... oddly the previous tires were Conti contact sport+... the Discount Tire exclusive "version" of the DWS06+ ??? gah.)

 

[OldFogey99]

Some time has passed since I've updated.

This week I pulled the intake components and installed...

Race German Intake/Filter housing
Bremi 3.5" HFM [pins 1 & 4... black and brown/orange need to be tied for the ECU to read the ...803 HFM - Bosch or Bremi]
Bimmerworld ASC delete silicone boot ( I made a 10 Ohm 10watt resistor connector - so that I can disconnect and remove the actuator for ASC - but it could always be put back if need be.)
Dinan BBTB
New Throttle Position Sensor (because why not at this point)
M50 intake manifold (m50manifold.com kit w/ Race German IAT threaded for the M50 manifold)
new BMW AOS and hoses, new ICV host to Bimmerworld boot
24lb injectors (Bosch 0280155832)
Remote tune from Randy at Epic Motorsports

Purely to have a objective data point the mods, I timed several 0-60 pulls with Dragy. The best time I could muster was a dissappointing 6.57... buuuut that 1st to second shift takes forever in my car.... forrrever... also on All Season tires.

After the mods, I managed a 5.93. That's still not to factory spec, so I decided to check cylinder compression.

With the engine warm (not hot), numbers were 181-186 - that's within 3%. Without knowing what this compressino guage would read on a known cylinder, I don't know whether it's in the 180s because of the rings in this motor... or whether it's a global variance with this guage and 14mm adapter.

All of that said, after putting a few hundred miles on the tune - rolling plenty of backroads, it is pretty dang good.

We were at an even the other night with loads of super and hyper cars - GT3RSs... Guntherworks, Pagani, plenty of Ferraris, an actual OG Cobra, and again - more 911s than is reasonable in one building.

Driving home - on the backroads with the top down, I don't know if I would enjoy anything else more (on the street). The power and chassis are perfection for sporty street driving. It would get slaughtered on a track with long straights. hahaha

Next up -
1) Ireland rear Subframs and OEM Trailing Arm bushings, new rear sway bar bushings and end links)
2) Front end refresh (control arms, donut, tie rods, sway bar bushings, end links, and mount)
3) mechanical fan delete - lower temp thermostat, lower temp aux fan switch, stewart water pump, aluminum WP pulley, new belts

Having been at least this far I'll say: If it's about horsepower and torque, anyone's money is better spent just buying a S54 roadster. I've become attached to the S52. I like (the idea of) not having to have valve adjustments and bearing replacements on the regular. ... and it IS a blast to drive... making an S52 perform significantly better than stock (or even as good as in my case) is just not an easy or cheap path.

gah... I think that's it. .. busy fall. Hard Top will be back on in a month or so.