Another N52 swap attempt!

[Striker01]

Car is running well and I have a couple hundred miles on the swap now. Few small items to still workout but overall extremely pleased with it. I'm getting a brake switch implausible code a lot, need to chase that down and see if I switched the wires at the ECU or something, hoping if I fix that the cruise will magically start working. On some cold starts it will stumble and almost die but runs fine once it recovers, doesn't throw any codes. I replaced the PCV hose but it still does it so I have new VANOS solenoids on the way.

It's amazing how hard this car pulls now, I'm still impressed every time I drive it!!!

Finally got my front panel and plastic bumper back from the body shop, that was a 10 week fiasco. She's still not super pretty but looks way better than the 88 metal bumpers did.



I'm happy with the engine bay, with the exception of the intake. Now that it's driving I'll come up with something better. Also need to figure out AC lines at some point.

[Striker01]

Wanted to give an update after a month or so of driving the car. It runs great and is still a hoot to drive. I replace the VANOS solenoids to try and solve an idle hunt that it does on cold starts sometimes, that didn't fix the issue, I guess its just a "feature" of this engine. The car starts every time hot or cold, just hunts for a few seconds before settling in. I had 22RPD bump my idle speed to 875 RPM, at stock 775 it rattled the car pretty good. That was a huge improvement, so much smoother now. I'm guessing the poly engine/trans mounts are the culprit.

EPAS is great, no complaints with it. Hoveringuy sent me the variable assist based on speed controller for the EPAS and its awesome, so much better than adjusting manually while driving.

The ibooster works great as well. I'm not quite happy with the reservoir setup but hopefully will have an over complicated solution after amazon makes a delivery today. The 2002 remote booster seeps where I tried to attach it to the master, I used some stupid expensive epoxy, for poly, but that didn't seem to fix the problem. Most of the reservoirs that come from other cars are tilted forward due to different firewall shapes. They work but my brake fluid light flickers under acceleration. You can't use the hall effect sensor built into them because they are normally closed as opposed to our e30s. The master cylinder mounted reservoirs also make intake removal more difficult than it needs to be.

I still need to mate the N52 AC hoses to the E30 ones, hopefully I can get that done soon.

I have one major issue that is preventing driving it now. The Lantzfab clutch kit. I DO NOT RECOMMEND BUYING THEIR KIT!!! It fits and really improved the clutch feel and pedal engagement location but their 3D printed clevis is junk or they cut the threaded rod from the willwood too short. Mine failed after about a month and another member's failed after a day. I was in contact with them and they offered to send another clevis but that won't fix the issue. I would believe I possibly did something wrong if 2 of their kits didn't fail in the exact same way.


Here is my clevis.



Another member here.



Here is how little thread engagement mine had, barely more the width of the jam nut. This is with the clutch pedal on a lower plane that the brake pedal, with the pedals even I didn't even want to try and run it.

[Striker01]

Made a new clevis for the clutch. It's not pretty but not bad for a couple hours with a bandsaw and belt sander. It's about 10mm longer than the Lantzfab one and hopefully aluminum threads will fare better. I made it 8mm wide and added 1mm nylon washers and a little silicon grease to prevent metal on metal rubbing. I can't test it until I get my brake reservoir re-installed but I don't foresee any issues.




I never noticed this clevis bolt has the clevis sleeve offset. Strange