Another N52 swap attempt!

[DEV0 E30]

I don't think the E90 booster will fit with the 3 stage intake, didn't look into that. I have an electric booster.

I don't think it will either, I believe those who are/have run the E90 booster were running the N54 intake.

So you're running the Tesla iBooster? That's likely my long term plan too, feel free to share anything about that here.

[Striker01]

I don't think it will either, I believe those who are/have run the E90 booster were running the N54 intake.

So you're running the Tesla iBooster? That's likely my long term plan too, feel free to share anything about that here.

I posted some info here https://www.r3vlimited.com/board/for...booster/page16.

I haven't worked out the reservoir yet. reservoir supply is on the side pointing towards the driver's fender and brake line outputs point down. I want to use elbows from the master and some short tubing to use the e30 reservoir. You reminded me I need to order a connector kit for power.


I'll make some kind of bracket/shelf for the reservoir to sit on and mount it here.




I have an extra extended clevis I can send you, if you decide to go this route. Not sure why they made me two.

[hoveringuy]

At some point when I switched from N54 to DISA intake I fit the Tesla booster just to prove that it fits.

[Striker01]

Thanks again adam.nonis!! Got those cam bolts installed. They are shallow and the exhaust side are super difficult to get a torx on. While I was in there I installed MILVs, that turned into a nightmare. Dropped one of the spring spacer washers under the exhaust cam and down an oil passage. So the oil pan had to come back off, gave me a chance to check crank clearance though, I forgot the first time.

I didn't like the way my original valve cover fit, the two areas on the back of the head between the outside and center bolts were bowed and it didn't even seem like they were pinching the gasket to the head. I was going to run it and change later if it leaked because the BMW ones are so expensive. I found that some companies are offering an aluminum option, not a bunch of reviews but the few I read were positive. Only complaint is the valvetronic bracket. They're cheap enough its worth a shot and I'm pleased, see how it does in the long run.

The gasket appears to be sealed nicely all the way around, great here where my original didn't fit well.



The bracket didn't line up with the mounting holes on the edge and center valley, looked like it spread because these bolts were tightened down too much. I loosened these two bolts and tightened them after the cover was torqued down.





Made a bracket to secure the dipstick. All the dents are from "massaging" it because I wasn't smart enough to mock up the dipstick placement with the power steering bracket in place.

[ome30]

That is one spiffy looking valve cover, good call on checking the crank clearance!

[hoveringuy]

Good looking motor, look at those headers!

[Striker01]

Good looking motor, look at those headers!

Thanks!! Lots of work but rewarding to see them on the motor, knowing I modified them. Engine is ready to go in. Time to push it into the corner and start engine bay work. Been procrastinating that job.

[Striker01]

Been traveling a lot lately but found time to get the brake booster connector and harness put together.





Unfortunately I broke the connector so I'll try and get another one without having to buy the whole kit.

[Striker01]

Not really swap related but I hate putting messed up stuff back on the car, since I needed that dash out to fill a couple holes on the firewall I decided to fix some cracks. What a tedious process, I don't ever want to do another one. A few tips if anyone does this. When you spray the texture back on make sure you start spraying before the stream is over the part and make long steady strokes. The front side turned out almost like the factory vinyl but the top didn't. I should've applied the texture thicker and sanded it with a little more pressure. I used 400 grit with light pressure. It's not even close to perfect but way better than it was.

Dremeled out the gaping cracks down to where the foam wasn't cracked anymore.



Used plastic welding fiber to fill the cracks as close to level as possible.



I didn't get a picture of the filling process but I used padded dash filler, followed with SEM vinyl products.

Finished product.

[Striker01]

I got the dash re-installed and wiring cleaned up this weekend. The Z4 cruise stalk clears by about 1/4", worked out nice.



I can't figure out what this connector is for. Comes out of the same harness as the AC switch. I labeled everything I removed so I don't know if it was ever connected or if it was obvious so I didn't label it. Only thing I could find was something about it going to an ECU near the DME, I don't have an ECU for the passenger side dash unless it's in my interior parts, in storage. No place for it on the M20 ECU or the cruise box, which I think came from the passenger side. Any ideas?



All N52 required wiring from the dash/EKP is routed to the passenger side and ready for the ECU. For the OBDII port I decided to use the 12V constant and ground that were for the flashlight charger I don't need, the switched 12V and other ground are shared with the radio. Those circuits are already fused at 7.5Amps, OBDII calls for 5, going to try as is so i don't add anymore fuses.

[adam.nonis]

Not really swap related but I hate putting messed up stuff back on the car, since I needed that dash out to fill a couple holes on the firewall I decided to fix some cracks. What a tedious process, I don't ever want to do another one. A few tips if anyone does this. When you spray the texture back on make sure you start spraying before the stream is over the part and make long steady strokes. The front side turned out almost like the factory vinyl but the top didn't. I should've applied the texture thicker and sanded it with a little more pressure. I used 400 grit with light pressure. It's not even close to perfect but way better than it was.

Dremeled out the gaping cracks down to where the foam wasn't cracked anymore.



Used plastic welding fiber to fill the cracks as close to level as possible.



I didn't get a picture of the filling process but I used padded dash filler, followed with SEM vinyl products.

Finished product.

Any chance you could give me specifics on the tiller and texture products? This is timely for me. I have a non-E30 dash I need to repair.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

[hoveringuy]

Any chance you could give me specifics on the tiller and texture products? This is timely for me. I have a non-E30 dash I need to repair.

Yeah, I'm blown-away by how good that looks!

[Striker01]

Any chance you could give me specifics on the tiller and texture products? This is timely for me. I have a non-E30 dash I need to repair.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

1. Dremeled out cracks trying to get as much of a wide V as possible to give the most surface area for repair to stick to, I bored out the foam until I couldn't see a crack or I got down to the base metal.

2. Used Fiberflex plastic welding rod to fill the cracks almost until level. That stuff doesn't sand very smooth so leave it slightly below. On a few of the wide cracks I melted in the metal window screen looking stuff to add a little extra strength.

3. Scuffed the Fiberflex repair area and entire dash with 150 grit.

4. Cleaned with acetone and used 1060FP polyvance filler prep on entire area to be covered with filler.

5. Applied polyvance 2050-9 filler, multiple coats and sanded with 150 and 220 grit between each one, trying to get the top as level as possible.

6.SEM 39863 plastic adhesion promoter before primer, texture, and then again after sanding texture before applying color. 1 can was enough.

7. Applied SEM 39133, flexible primer, to entire dash and sanded with 150 to fill the existing texture. Sanded and re-applied adhesion promoter between each coat. I used 2 cans.

8. SEM 39853 black texture coating, I used 2 cans but one may be enough if you can lay it down nice. Spray with even pace and strokes at a consistent distance from part, start spraying before you have the stream over the part and stop past the part. Error on the side of a heavier coat to make it closer to the original texture.

9. Sanded lightly with 400 grit until surface looked and felt smooth, the filler will lay down like spray paint in a humid environment; rough and hairy is the best way I can describe it.

Here is where I laid it down slightly heavier and sanded with more pressure. You can also see where I had to touch up the top corner after installing the vent, I didn't have anymore of the SEM black and used some black I had laying around.



This is the top, where I applied it from a little further away and didn't apply as much pressure when sanding. I wish it all looked like the top picture.



10. SEM 15243 satin black topcoat, until color is uniform. Spray each coat from a different angle to ensure good coverage. Save some for touch up, I scuffed a few small spots when installing dash and vents and didn't have any left. 2 cans should be more than enough.

11. SEM 13023 low luster clear coat, I applied 2 light coats and one wet coat. 1 can was enough.

12. For touch up after install I used a tiny paint brush and the black sprayed into a dry cut down water bottle.

It was a tedious job but overall I'm happy with the result. My dash looked terrible before. It's still far from perfect but the top is difficult to get flat, and the texture even. At some point I had to say it was good enough and move on.

If BMW would make another run of dashes I would happily pay for a new one before tackling that project again.

Good luck Adam. You seem to be good at this kind of stuff so yours may turn out better with less product wasted. I probably sanded off half of the filler I applied and at least the same amount of texture.

P.S. Any ideas on that connector from the HVAC box?

[projectJTv4]

I can't figure out what this connector is for. Comes out of the same harness as the AC switch. I labeled everything I removed so I don't know if it was ever connected or if it was obvious so I didn't label it. Only thing I could find was something about it going to an ECU near the DME, I don't have an ECU for the passenger side dash unless it's in my interior parts, in storage. No place for it on the M20 ECU or the cruise box, which I think came from the passenger side. Any ideas?

From my car, 90 325i:





Looks like it connects to Motronic 1.3, pins 40 and 41

BK/RD to 40 BK/GY = A/C low pressure cutoff
BK/VI to 41 VI/GY = A/C on input

https://www.e30zone.net/e30wiki/index.php/ECU_Pinouts

[Striker01]

From my car, 90 325i:

Looks like it connects to Motronic 1.3, pins 40 and 41

BK/RD to 40 BK/GY = A/C low pressure cutoff
BK/VI to 41 VI/GY = A/C on input

https://www.e30zone.net/e30wiki/index.php/ECU_Pinouts

Thanks!! Found it on the M20 harness. Just verified with a multimeter on the car that the electric troubleshooting manual is correct. I'll use the connector off my M20 harness to jump them together for now since the AC aux fan control is diode isolated from the high and low speed relays. Might be a good place to get an AC input for a CANBUS controller or whatever solution we can figure out for AC idle control on the N52 later.

Thanks Again!