Another N52 swap attempt!

[Striker01]

Slowly but surely making progress. Exhaust didn't fit after fully welding it, was hitting the cross member behind the transmission and flanges were a little off . Now on about version 3. Ended up adding a flex pipe near the inside flange, maybe should've used .065 stainless, .05 moves a bunch. Didn't like the stamped X-pipe so we made one. Made it before I decided to get a new CAT that is a little lower profile, ended up being a single with dual in/outlets. The X-pipe is probably pointless now but it stays because it was 2 evenings of work and it joins both pipes back together before the transmission exhaust hanger. Flanges and V-bands won't fit between the Stromung muffler pipes so I have slip joints and clamps on the way to finish this project up. This part is fully welded now, it moved down when we welded it but I think it'll be fine, just hangs slightly lower than I was planning.



Found a heater core inlet pipe that wasn't too crusty so I shortened it about an inch and my brother welded it up. Gives a lot more room before running into the intake now.



ECU is mostly wired now, engine side of the firewall is done, with the exception of battery powers. Waiting on pins for the Green plugs on the engine harness, so I can shorten those wires as needed. If anyone knows who makes them I'd like to have the part numbers, I ordered a few that I'm hoping are the same, but I won't know until they show up. All ECU connections except the main powers and grounds are wired and rung out from the ECU to wherever they terminate. I've decided to just mount the IVM in the bottom left corner of the glove box, I'll make some kind of partition to protect it.




Found a good spot for the OBD port.

[Striker01]

I guess it's probably designed to only produce so much vacuum and bleed off the rest so it doesn't collapse, or pop other things it's normally connected to. I just work with vacuum doing composites and most people don't understand how strong it is.


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I think that was what Steve and hubcapboy decided in the original N52 swap thread. I kinda figure it worked that way with the brake booster, could only pull so much until you used the brakes again. I don't really know for sure, you may end up being right.

where did you buy that heat/sound insulation that you stuck on firewall?

https://www.eastwood.com/heatshield-...RoCPkEQAvD_BwE

This stuff, it looks good but I'm not sure how long it will last. I've already changed out some of the foil tape that didn't stick very well. The insulation peels away from the tape backing super easy, expected something a little better for that kind of money.

[DesertBMW]

where did you buy that heat/sound insulation that you stuck on firewall?

[adam.nonis]

LMAO!!!

No, I didn't. Thought the consensus was to just cap it and let it be?!

I guess it's probably designed to only produce so much vacuum and bleed off the rest so it doesn't collapse, or pop other things it's normally connected to. I just work with vacuum doing composites and most people don't understand how strong it is.


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[Striker01]

Brake reservoir arrived today. Got a bracket made up real quick. Uses the power steering bracket with a tab into a little hole to keep it from rotating. Also ordered clutch to master and these white brake reservoir fittings, hoping one would be the right size for the ibooster master; both were too small. I decided to cut the bottom of the donor reservoir off and then drill out the holes so these barb fittings are a tight friction fit down into them. Also allowed me use the ibooster hold down screw for the master grommets.





Exhaust is welded from headers to behind cats. Left one slip joint free at the x-pipe to allow for any movement during welding. Will get it test fit this weekend and final weld the last joint before figuring out how to merge it with my existing rear section.

[Striker01]

Waiting on parts for the fuel line and didn't feel like bending more brake lines so I decided to work on the ECU mount. Thank You adam.nonis for sharing your CAD files, saved me a lot of hair pulling! I think I ended up mounting the bracket backward from what you designed because the "right cable" one worked out better for me. I'm hoping to keep the trim piece above the glove box, if I can figure out something for the IVM, and if I mount the bracket with the hold down screws in the front it sticks out too far. As is its a tight fit against the sound insulation but works.

I started with some M6 x 1 20mm countersunk screws, and 6mm U nuts. Widened the holes until the screws sat flush.



Shorter screws would be better because these are pressing into the vent ducts. I will pick some up next time I'm at the local ACE.



The bracket fits as designed, with connectors installed but I modified it to push the ECU as far towards the passenger door as possible. I did lose the cutouts Adam designed to keep it from sliding left or right but its plenty secure without them.

Here it is, as designed. Super cool how he designed it to use the cooling fins to keep it from sliding.



Modified and installed with a little more room for wiring.



I may have to trim the upper trim piece but I'll cross that bridge when I get there.

[Striker01]

I thought once the engine was in things would start to get easier. I was wrong and am really learning no matter how much I thought I had figured out, I still should've spent more time on the planning side. I guess for my first swap I shouldn't expect anything to go smooth.

RHD master cylinder showed up and I got the brake lines made, only to realize that they interfere with the power steering pump reservoir, so I will hopefully get those re-made this weekend. My fuel line won't work, It prevents the crab box from mounting to the intake manifold. It's a really tight squeeze between it and the engine arm. Waiting on a quick connect with a 90 degree AN fitting to hopefully get that sorted.

When I planned the pressure regulator mount I made sure it wouldn't interfere with the charcoal canister but didn't even think about the master cylinder or intake boot so I got a big surprise when I went to mount it. It was too tall to fit under the master cylinder and in it's normal spot looks like it will be in the way of the intake boot off the throttle body.

I shortened it about an inch and flipped the bracket upside down to make a little more space. The hose routing as pictured here isn't ideal, it rubs between the booster and intake manifold so I now have it ran between the brake booster and inner fender.

[Striker01]

I heard that these manual transmissions that come on N52 engines have a problem with 1st gear synchronizers, once it wears out it pops out of first gear and it is something that you can't even fix

I haven't read anything about that. I know hoveringuy has been working his hard car for a couple years and I don't think he's had any transmission issues.

[DesertBMW]

I heard that these manual transmissions that come on N52 engines have a problem with 1st gear synchronizers, once it wears out it pops out of first gear and it is something that you can't even fix

[Striker01]

I just capped it. It's lubricated and everything. I looked at removing the entire assembly but it's integral with the oil pump drive so would be pretty hard to actually remove.

Thanks.

[hoveringuy]

LMAO!!!

No, I didn't. Thought the consensus was to just cap it and let it be?!

I just capped it. It's lubricated and everything. I looked at removing the entire assembly but it's integral with the oil pump drive so would be pretty hard to actually remove.

[Striker01]

“Capped the vacuum pump with an extra bedpan bolt, cut down, and clamp. Hopefully this will be sufficient.”

Did you take the vane out of the pump, or is this thing gonna look like it was trying to see the Titanic?


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LMAO!!!

No, I didn't. Thought the consensus was to just cap it and let it be?!

[adam.nonis]

“Capped the vacuum pump with an extra bedpan bolt, cut down, and clamp. Hopefully this will be sufficient.”

Did you take the vane out of the pump, or is this thing gonna look like it was trying to see the Titanic?


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[sydmonster]

Thank you for the honest and frankly detailed updates!!

[Striker01]

More progress today. Carrier and shift linkage are shortened. Amazing how little has changed on BMWs on the last 30 years. It looks like the SSK I have will work in this car, with the exception of the DSSR. The E30 shift joint on back of the transmission will fit on this transmission, the E90 one is just a little wider and wouldn't fit into my DSSR, but with the bigger guibo I need the one with the kink in it.



As proven before, about 1/2" almost centers it up.



Worked the engine arm with the finger sander and fuel line is now installed with plenty of clearance.



Capped the vacuum pump with an extra bedpan bolt, cut down, and clamp. Hopefully this will be sufficient.



Master cylinder with ports on the correct side arrived last night. Going to be fun getting the lines bent correctly and installed but hopefully I only have to do it once. I was planning on using the car's original reservoir but it seems like quite a bit of work since the spacing between the master and reservoir are so different. Ordered the 2002 one and some hose, hopefully will work with my original cap.