First E30, First motor swap. M50NV

[scottinAZ]

So I have spend the last two evenings working on the car. Jesus Christ... Eff these Ebay Headers. Buy the shorty headers, don't buy these long tubed headers, they smash into everything and rest on the sway bar and require some... persuading.


Can I use the O2 sensor from the E30? Or does that not work cause its a 2-wire? Something tells me that I need an O2 sensor from an E36 with a M50.

Headers are a bit close in some areas, so yeah, they are a challenge.

O2 sensor is the same in Late Model E30's, I have one from an M42 318 in mine now, late "I" should be the same. Will plug right in. easy money.

as for your fan stub, if the water pump is used, REPLACE IT. gets rid of 2 problems at once, the stub will be gone, and you have piece of mind that the water pump is working, and the cooling passages are (fairly) clear

[SkorcherX]

So speaking of O2 sensors... I have 2 bungs in my eBay headers for one... But guess what?! I can't use either. One is obstructed by the other head, and the other is obstructed by the firewall. So no O2 sensor to be had in the headers. I guess when I get exhaust fabbed up a bung will need to get welded on further down the line.

/sigh.

[scottinAZ]

I got the o2 sensor in the rear header. its a bit of a challenge, but it will fit, barely

[SkorcherX]

Got a wee bit more work done tonight.

My work space:


Got the Brake Booster out!


Made some measurements:


Started cutting then chewed up my dremel bit and quit for the night.


Alright lets play "Guess the wires!?"

I have been reading around, and I am pretty sure I do not need this. Sanity check please.


This is the other end of that wire (its splits into two):


So here is the real bone head question... What are these lines? They come up from under the car and look to be fuel lines... And if that is the case... why are they connected to my AC lines?!


So I got my shift linkage all corrected... damn does it look good. Just need to buy a shift knob.

[scottinAZ]

the lines across the firewall are a "fuel cooler". completely useless and can be safely removed.

[SkorcherX]

the lines across the firewall are a "fuel cooler". completely useless and can be safely removed.

Hey thanks for explaining that. So I got those torn out now. I would like to eventually run AC, but it's looking like a project for down the road. I am going to have to source all the lines and fittings and I'm just not up to the task at the moment.

I also got the power steering res bolted up to the mount arm.


Alrights on to more questions...

1. This wire is for the fuel pump (Green/Violet). There is no terminal on the starter small enought to bolt this on. What do I do?


2. This wire is for the starter (Black/Yellow). Once again there is no post on the starter small enough for this to connect to.


3. These two 3-pin plugs go down to the G260 transmission. There is nothing in the E36 harness to plug these into. Are these to be ignored?


4. Which way does the arrow on the ISV face? Towards the manifold?


5. What are these two prongs for? Do I need these any longer?


Any response to these questions would be greatly appreciated. Thank you so much R3vlimited!

[SkorcherX]

So I got a bunch of stuff done. My to-do list is starting to twindle.

Power steering is all hooked up.

Bought a junkyard 325i starter for $35. Got that all bolted up.

White325is' tranny brace is in the car, pre-loaded the drive-shaft, and buttoned up the exhaust shield.

Found my slave cylinder was fuct real bad. Going to have to buy one tomorrow, and get it bled.

Replaced the water pump, and the thermostat. I bought 92 degree thermostat, and then found that the old one I pulled was an 88 degree one. Well I hope this wont cause much of a head ache. Hopefully just need to invest in a good electric fan.

So only things left are to deal with what ever wires go to the gauge cluster. I need to repair my O2 sensor wiring. I need to buy an O2 sensor. Mine is a 3 wire. Not a 4 wire. So I need to get a 4 wire one to work with the harness. And I need to deal with the brake booster (only thing stopping me is lack of proper tools to slot the holes in the firewall).

Then I need to figure out my cooling solution. See if I can use my radiator or if I need to buy something else. It's getting close.

Oh! and I got my Xmas present early!!!! Got a 2hp 20gal snap-on air-compressor. I am excite! I don't have any air tools, nor do I even have hose for anything. But I'm excited to have it. Hopefully I will get some air tools in my stocking!

[White325is]

Pics of mounted brace? Thoughts?

[85e325]

Very nice build I am truly jealous of all those new parts

[SkorcherX]

I need to take pictures...

Brake booster has been moved over. New slave cylinder is installed (needs to be bled). Intake manifold is in (needs to be fastened). We shaved the fins on the manifold for clearance. Its pretty snug.

Got all the vacuum hoses connected, got the fuel lines hooked up. Got the wiring harness cleaned up a bit... its still kind of a mess. I will have to figure it out later... once its confirmed that the car runs. We got the C104 wires hooked up (Engine speed and MPG Consumption).

I just need to ground the DME, ground the harness, hook up the wires that go to the power distribution block.Still need to run the wire tot he green plug on the back of the gauge cluster... But I need to buy a 325i gauge cluster. My 325e cluster doesn't rev high enough.

Then I need to complete the cooling solution, before I can really drive it. I need to get a new radiator as my old 325e one will not work. Then I have to wire up a fan, or get the aux fan to kick-off when needed.

But I am getting pretty close. I will try to take pics tonight. I have been really lazy about pics as I have been really trying to make progress.

More to come.

[SkorcherX]

IT FUCKING RUNS!!!!!



Video tomorrow. Still tons of work to do.

[ParsedOut]

Grats man, video better have some spinning rubber...none of that put put around the block bullshit.

[SkorcherX]

Alrights, here is a short video of me starting it up and lightly blipping the throttle. I realized I did not cap the vacuum line on the throttle-body, and I know that I have not hooked up the wire that goes to the back of the gauge cluster on the green plug. So It likely isn't running perfect.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gg33EIuqAyk

Here are some engine bay pics. I have lots of tidying up to do, but I had to prove that the damn motor would start before spending more time on fit and finish.

[SkorcherX]

Grats man, video better have some spinning rubber...none of that put put around the block bullshit.

God damn you... I don't even have a radiator in it... burn out video will be next... promise. :)

[Wishno87]

You have the wrong radiator in there.