RIP 318is, long live 325is that will actually be a 318is

[ajp340]

Sure do. Right now I am focusing on getting the new car running before I start parting but I will let you know when I do.

Sent from my LG-K371 using Tapatalk

Hook it up bro, I really need the sunroof fabric and frame pm me please

[Ronan]

Hey sorry I have run into some issues with my engine and have been working on that. I will pm you tomorrow.

Sorry for the lack of updates I have been busy trying to make it work. Car moved under its own power last weekend but was burning coolant which it wasn't doing when I pulled. Working on getting the head off to see what's wrong. Cylinders 1,3&4 all compression tested at 150psi. #2 is at 30psi. Should have a good idea of what went wrong tomorrow.

[c0rbin9]

Any idea how much power the Frankenmotor M42 is making? Er, was making. Trying to be optimistic here. I'm trying to feel out options for building up the M42 that don't involve spending $9000.

I'm the guy at BMW CCA Houston with the red 318is BTW. Hopefully within the next few months I'll finally have the car out on course...

[Ronan]

Hey c0rbin9! I would be very happy if it was making 130hp at the wheel. Not sure it is though but I can dream Haha. A friend of mine said it feels a lot like what his e30 m3 felt like with the s14 engine in it, so I will take that as a good thing. You have seen how it does at the autox. If I make it to the next one(only 3 weeks away!) I will have Chris take you for a lap in it. You drove your ride out to the autox back in September. I say race it! Then as you make changes you can feel and understand the benefit or lack there of Haha. Just my 2 cents.

Took the head to the machine shop on Monday. They found it was .003 in. warped between cylinders 2 and 3 and my exhaust valves were leaking. They are doing a 3 angle valve job and decking the head. Should have it back by Thursday and hopefully running by the end of the weekend giving me a week to make sure it is ready to race.

[dude8383]

Very cool to see someone giving the M42 a fighting chance! What was the reasoning behind the S52 cam tray's? Are they lighter?

[Kershaw]

And how did you cut them? Pics of where you cut? That's an interesting mod. As far as I know the cam trays on all s/m50/52 engines are the same. The only thing different in the head is the cam.

[getouth]

Very cool to see someone giving the M42 a fighting chance! What was the reasoning behind the S52 cam tray's? Are they lighter?

^^This

[c0rbin9]

Hey c0rbin9! I would be very happy if it was making 130hp at the wheel. Not sure it is though but I can dream Haha. A friend of mine said it feels a lot like what his e30 m3 felt like with the s14 engine in it, so I will take that as a good thing. You have seen how it does at the autox. If I make it to the next one(only 3 weeks away!) I will have Chris take you for a lap in it.

I imagine it's quite a bit more responsive than the stock unit with dual mass flywheel, too.

You drove your ride out to the autox back in September. I say race it! Then as you make changes you can feel and understand the benefit or lack there of Haha. Just my 2 cents.

I'm sure I'll see you out there at some point, hopefully in the near future. Will be nice to have another 318is as a point of comparison!

As my car is my DD and the maintenance history was unknown when I bought it, I wanted to bring it up to a baseline of reliability before autocrossing it. That is mostly done, as I've worked like a slave on it every free weekend for the past 6 months - check out my build thread. :)

Are you out there Brodee? I'm free this weekend if you wanna check out the 318is.

[Ronan]

And how did you cut them? Pics of where you cut? That's an interesting mod. As far as I know the cam trays on all s/m50/52 engines are the same. The only thing different in the head is the cam.

I know that the s/m52 are the same not sure on the others. I swapped them in for the smaller lifters. Swapping the lifters and valves(from 7mm to 6mm) took 2 or 2.5 lbs out of moving parts in the head. If you look at the pictures I posted earlier you can see the oil passage that was machined. As for making them shorter you cut off cylinders 5 and 6. I did it with a band saw.

I imagine it's quite a bit more responsive than the stock unit with dual mass flywheel, too.

Between the flywheel, the m44 crank and the head work I think it is much more responsive.

Brodee is probably moving to his new house with a huge! shop this weekend haha. But Brodee has raced and driven my car. He could give you a lot better description of how my engine compares to other e30 engine options out there. But I am very please and glad I stuck with the m42!

[dude8383]

Very cool. I've heard of people swapping over to a VW lifter that was lighter and fit right into the stock cam tray's as well.

We're still dragging our feet with a 2.1l M42 project car... everyone always doubts these motors!!

[bobaflesh]

Nice project, good luck!

[Ronan]

Yea I was going to get the vw lifters but I found the cam trays and lifters for $75 and that was a lot cheaper than the vw lifters. The m42 lifters are 32mm and the s/m52 are 30mm.

[Ronan]

So I got the head on several weeks ago only to now have an issue with oil in cylinders 1,2 and 4 which I didn't have before. Got pretty frustrated and took a break from it. But this weekend I plan on investigating the issue. I am wondering if they put the wrong valve stem seals on. I still have good compression on all cylinders. Any thoughts on the issue would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Ronan

[Jaker]

How did you make the change from 7mm valves to 6mm valves? I certainly hope the guides were changed!

And just to set the record straight, the M42 (and M50) lifters are 35mm and the M52/S50/S52 lifters are 33mm.

[Ronan]

I actual got my hands on a 95 m42 head which has the 6 mm valves from the factory. This engine has run flawlessly for the passed year.