My 1988 325 track build

[///M Powered]

mmm meaty

[phenryiv1]

No progress this weekend, but I took the daily to Summit Point for some AutoX fun. While I was there, I slipped over to the Jefferson Circuit to check out KishG's car and a few other E30s that were running on the real tracks.

Link to my best run, and 2 pics from my AutoX:

[Wh33lhop]

Hellooo lift-off oversteer! I remember getting sideways at about 80mph trail braking in the max after putting coilovers on it. I didn't even bat an eyelash. I had nerves of steel in that car... probably why it's dead now. :p

[evil_twin]

summit point?

[phenryiv1]

summit point?

Yes- Washington Circuit (Triple Skidpad).

[phenryiv1]

Just got a call from the machinist...head is FINISHED! New valve guides and seals, valves re-ground, all hot tanked, magnafluxed, checked for true, re-assembled...

Sweet!

[phenryiv1]

So some progress over the weekend...



$240 later, I got my head back from the machinist. New exhaust valve guides, a 3-angle job on the exhaust valves, single on the intake side (did not pay extra for the 3-angle job), new valve seals, all cleaned up, measuers, examined, etc.





I also got the rear of the DS connected with the diff and connected the halfshafts to the diff.

Brakes were bled all around and the car is just about ready to go back on its wheels, following the install of the wear sensors. (I have them, so why not?)

Hoping to get the head swapped back on the weekend of June 5.

[phenryiv1]

Progress...

The wheels are on the car, the rear struts are connected, and the car is now sitting on concrete!





Fender views:







Wheel gap with the top half of the motor still on the workbench:



I also picked up rebuild kits for my 19 lb./hr injectors. I got the ones for the Ford application. $1.88 through Amazon and Advance Auto matched the price. I bought 7 kits, just in case I mess up one.





I also grabbed a set of exhaust studs. With everything else that is redone on the head, I might as well replace the 12 studs on the exhaust side.

[phenryiv1]

IT IS ALIVE! The 327i fired up on the first shot, and I finally drove it with the motor assembled. Posting from my phone, but pics and more details to come.

A few managable issues, but a HUGE forward step today!

[phenryiv1]

06.05.10

As promised, here are the pics from the final assembly of my 327i motor.

I used Borg Warner Injector rebuild kit (P/N 274081) to rebuild my 19# injectors. Here is a shot of them, installed:



Exhaust manifold (painted flat black) installed:



Intake manifold (also flat black) installed:





A couple of pictures of it back on the block:







The motor fired up on the first shot and after a few minutes of idling, it really settled down to run pretty well. I need to adjust the valves and to install the fan (my technical advisor forgot to bring his slim 32mm wrench to re-install the fan). I might look into an electric fan instead.

While I had the car in the garage, I went ahead and installed the rear section of the exhaust and then took it for a quick drive in my development. I need to work out an odd “thunk” that is coming from the rear end as I get on and off of the throttle. I have replaced the guibo and CSB, so my fear is that it is the 3.73S that I installed. I had never driven on it, and I am hoping that there is not something amiss inside. I am running Mobil1 for the LSD differentials.

First impression is that it pulls like crazy, even on a stock 380 DME. I have a MarkD chip for a 173 that I plan to put in some time soon, but I am trying to work a swap of my MarkD for a 2.5 for one that was supposedly written for a 2.7i/327i motor. All other specs are the same between the two chips (AFM, injectors, octane, etc.).

I also installed white mirrors and took a few shots of it now that it is on all 4 wheels and with the weight of the head in the front end. The nose still looks a bit high on the H&R Sports, but it may settle with a little driving. I guess we’ll see.















I still need to fix the clunk, adjust the valves, fix my shifter slop, swap on my plastic bumpers, and start treating some minor rust spots. Also, my passenger window does not work and the mirror control seems to have a mind of its own.

[phenryiv1]

So it has been a month and I have done just about nothing to my car. I did buy a parts car (86 eta sedan, 5MT), just for fun, but I have not even picked it up yet. I did some brake work for a buddy and he is going to tow the new car to my house (about 100 miles, round-trip) for free. My wife also bought a TL and I bought new tires for my Subaru, so I have not had much extra money to play with.

Oh yeah- and my daugher has been sick, eating up time, money ($1000+) and emotional capital.

That all being said, I did finally get around to ordering some parts to freshen up the shifting mechanism:

25117527252 Z3 1.9 shifter (the updated one)
25111220707 Shifter arm bracket

I also got new clips and o-rings, even though I don't think that I need the rings with the updated shifter. It all arived yesterday!

I still need to buy a DSSR to complete the upgrade.



I also spent about 30 minutes trying to isolate the sound that I am getting from the rear after reassembly. I retorqued my lug bolts, re-tightened my rear upper strut mount bolts, checked the lower bolts, and double-checked the differential attachment points. All 12 allen bolts are tight, the diff input flange is tight to the driveshaft, the guibo and CSB are both new AND tight, and the RTABs and subframe bushings don't seem to be in terrible shape (though I plan to replace both in the next month or so).

The only thing that seemed to hav play is the halfshaft on the driver's side, but it has about 1/4" of lateral play, and the sound is coming from the passenger side. Engaging and disengaging the clutch at a stop or at low speeds is what does it, or if I am at meduim to high RPM and I engage and disengage either the clutch OR the throttle, I hear/feel the "thunking" in the rear.

I hope to get some time to look it over this weekend, but things have been really busy lately and none of my friends around town are "car" guys, so a second opinion is hard to come by.

[phenryiv1]

Over a month and no real progress.

I have been parting my 86 eta parts car to fund purchases for the 88, but all that I have to show for it so far are a new-sed 3.73S differential that I grabbed this past Sunday (not installed- shocking!) to replace the one that I swappe din a few months ago. Since that was the only modification to my driveline that I did and now I have thunking as I get on and off of throttle, I am hoping that this fixes the problem.

I also bought some 15mm drop hats. They arrived yesterday.

[phenryiv1]

More parts...still no installations...



AKG 75D subframe bushings and RTAB removal tool.

I also got my parts car towed away yesterday, allowing me to stop stripping parts and to start installing them...

[phenryiv1]

Hey, look- I did something:



I got my other 'vert sport seat installed. This one needs a new cover, but it is fully functional and matches the one on the passenger side- the one that formerly occupied the driver's side (not that I ever drove the car to use it).

[6gen91]

very very good build, im proud of you. do u mind PM'ing me the details on the injector rebuilt kits as i cant find them anywhere, possibly links. i might have other questions aswell. thanks alot bud.