my 24v build, slightly different than the norm. Now with dyno numbers!

[2mAn]

If worse comes to worse I have some extra garage space, you could tow it over here to finish up without having to pay more shop time...

That is almost where Im at. He has basically done the hard part, wiring is all done, subframe is modded to fit the downpipe, brakes/ booster is done. Now its just pulling the engine, letting the machine shop do ALL of the work and then reinstalling it. I'm not going to make the same mistake twice, the machine shop will keep my engine and put it ALL together, so when I get it, I know its good to go. Honestly, I would rather have the mechanic finish it, but it seems like it is pointless now. I am expecting to hear from him tomorrow since that's when he told me he would be pulling the engine and taking it to the machine shop. Its been sitting since I got the bad news, I have no expectation on when I will actually be driving the car so that way when its done, its done.

[2mAn]

Motor got pulled today and will be at the machine shop tomorrow. I plan on taking a trip up in the next month or two to clean up the engine bay, maybe do a quick shave and spray. Whether or not I move the car will be decided before I go up. Everything related to swapping a 24v in is already done, so I dont think the mechanic will be too upset if I get the car out of there. Im sure he is tired of looking at it. Who knows for now though.

[2mAn]

wiseco-pistons by 2mAn

piston_plus_rod by 2mAn

block finished3 by 2mAn

block finished2 by 2mAn

went back through these pics and noticed something.... anyone else see what I see??????

First set of pistons is the S52 pistons TMS sent me and I had to return them because they werent the correct bore.

Second set of pistons were the "M52" pistons. My machine shop guy thought they werent the right pistons, but TMS assured me they were the correct ones.

Anyone else think this difference couldve caused piston/ valve contact???

[Wanganstyle]

my 24v build, slightly different than the norm

went back through these pics and noticed something.... anyone else see what I see??????

First set of pistons is the S52 pistons TMS sent me and I had to return them because they werent the correct bore.

Second set of pistons were the "M52" pistons. My machine shop guy thought they werent the right pistons, but TMS assured me they were the correct ones.

Anyone else think this difference couldve caused piston/ valve contact???

Did you check for interference post assembly at max lift?

Piston solo shot has a cavity in the top

Pistons installed in block have flat tops

Would seem to be quite different compression with same head/rod/crank as the middle of the first one is a bowl.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[2mAn]

Did you check for interference post assembly at max lift?

Piston solo shot has a cavity in the top

Pistons installed in block have flat tops

Would seem to be quite different compression with same head/rod/crank as the middle of the first one is a bowl.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

No, I never did. I assumed ( ) that since I ordered factory overbore pistons that I wouldnt need to. I also double checked with TMS that I was sent the correct pistons because my mechanic mentioned they looked different. TMS told me they sent the right pistons so we proceeded. The pistons were sent to me directly from Wiseco though, not TMS so an error could've been made. I never thought to look closely until just now

[328ijunkie]

First ones look like S52 pistons, 2nd ones look like M52 pistons but i dont recall M52 pistons rising that much.. I know M50 pistons run way under deck and i know S52s go overdeck slightly but dont remember how M52 stockers run off the top of my head...

[2mAn]

He still has the stock pistons somewhere if I remember our conversation right. Im waiting to hear back from the machine shop anyday now. They got the motor late last week and said they would be tearing it apart sometime this week.

[e30austin]

Man, that's fucking shitty. I wouldn't know what to even do if I were in your shoes. Why I hate hate hate having other people do shit for me.

[2mAn]

new rings, new bearings, new rod bolts en route to the machine shop, this thing should be done in 2014. fingers crossed... my new motto. do it right AND do it twice!! ballin.gif

[10Toes]

84mm M52b28 crank
135mm M52b28 rods

Left piston M50b25tu--------Right piston M52b28
~11.2:1 --------------------- stock 10.2:1



Hard to tell in that pic but it looks fine/close to what it should be.

[MyE30]

Loving that aluminum block. Your motor build is looking great!
I don't understand why BMW used iron blocks for so long.

[2mAn]

Hard to tell in that pic but it looks fine/close to what it should be.

I think something else is going on. Im kinda bummed by all of this and stay off of R3V and away from E30s in general because I get super bummed about all of this. I really want to know WHY the motor failed and so far I havent gotten many answers.

Loving that aluminum block. Your motor build is looking great!
I don't understand why BMW used iron blocks for so long.

Thanks, its been a rollercoaster of emotions. Someday I will be driving this thing and it should be all worth it...

[wazzu70]

#1 rule. Always check clearances! Parts suppliers make mistakes, the head/block could have been decked, ect. Any of that can cause piston/valve clearance issues.

I have seen people pull parts from one engine and put them in another and have interference issues. Each motor is unique, always measure/verify.

[MyE30]

I think something else is going on. Im kinda bummed by all of this and stay off of R3V and away from E30s in general because I get super bummed about all of this. I really want to know WHY the motor failed and so far I havent gotten many answers.

You said the motor failed. So you actually had the motor running? Obviously, I'm only looking at pictures but if the piston in your picture is at TDC it "looks" correct.

[2mAn]

#1 rule. Always check clearances! Parts suppliers make mistakes, the head/block could have been decked, ect. Any of that can cause piston/valve clearance issues.

I have seen people pull parts from one engine and put them in another and have interference issues. Each motor is unique, always measure/verify.

It was a clusterfuck my last week in Seattle. Between working and packing for a 1200mile move AND trying to get the E30 into a position to be swapped that was one thing that the mechanic NEVER mentioned until AFTER the motor was being torn out. Hindsight, the ~4 -8 hours of his labor I saved by doing a little bit of work myself has not been worth it at all because Ive already spent that AGAIN... like I said, this whole thing has killed my E30 boner

You said the motor failed. So you actually had the motor running? Obviously, I'm only looking at pictures but if the piston in your picture is at TDC it "looks" correct.

The motor ran for no more than 15 minutes before it was determined to be ruined. A lot of theories are being thrown around about what happened. Machine shop is trying to say that having only one of two dowels caused the head gasket to fail. Mechanic thinks the head didnt get torqued down properly. Machine shop also said that my time-serting caused metal to ruin one of the bearings, but I have yet to see any evidence besides a ruined bearing. I would tihnk metal would ne in the oil filter screen also. I was pretty anal about any metal shavings getting into my fresh block. Then theres the question of WHY I would drill the timeserts AFTER the block is assembled and not BEFORE. Again, bad communication between the mechanic and myself. Ultimately, Im the one who has spent a shitload of money and still doesnt have a car

/rant