Das Beast: My E30 track / street build

[dvallis]

Finally progress on the defogger. Main problem we needed to solve was the heater core outlets and bypass valve had to be on passenger side. Driver side is taken up by the wiper motor and linkage. That means long hoses in the cockpit from right to left that are always full of hot coolant. (Remember, it's a bypass valve. Coolant always flows.) We wanted to avoid that.

How do you keep coolant lines away from brake lines and wires? I got the solution in a 1 AM "Ah Ha!" Run coolant lines through the heater core. Copper even radiates heat and adds a few BTU to our core output.



You get a better idea from this view with the core in place.



We're going into the engine bay at the stock location. Why? Because it's the easiest place you can run coolant hoses to given everything going on in the engine bay. Believe me. We looked at every other alternate location. Just wasn't worth all the plumbing gyrations. Connections from heater core to bulkhead will be 5/8" ID formed coolant hoses that fit over the copper fittings.

[dvallis]

Defogger is done so on to boost hose, right?

Wrong.

After sitting down and drawing all this out we had nowhere near all the parts on hand. Waste gate needs to be connected to the compressor housing for boost control. We're using it in manual mode for now. Intake manifold boost needs routing to the fuel pressure regulator, boost gauge and Megasquirt. And every damn thing has a different port size. Oh joy.

Parts will be here Friday.

[dvallis]

Got the vacuum hose system installed today.

Tapped the intake manifold with a hose barb for boost reference. It's 1/4" from manifold to fuel pressure regulator.



Ran 1/8" hose through the bulkhead. It will come from a 1/4 - 1/4 - 1/8 Tee on the manifold hose.



Ran the under dash 1/8 plumbing for ECU MAP and boost gauge.



We spent the rest of the day installing the bulkhead. Mostly wire management and muttering curses. Rob dragged me kicking and screaming but it had to be done sometime. Yes, all the wires fit behind there. Tight, but it works.



Engine goes in this weekend!

[sampayne]

Engine goes in this weekend!

wooo hooo!

[Digitalwave]

Ready to see this thing in action!

[dvallis]

Getting closer to "Das Beast in Action". LoL

Engine came off the stand today. First time in I Don't Want To Know How Many Months. Gotta love our electric hoist. Makes this real easy.



Got the flywheel mostly installed. Seven is the wrong number bolts. We scoured the shop and couldn't find the 8th anywhere. Or the pilot bearing. WTF? We're pretty organized. Everything is bagged, tagged and boxed. This was a real mystery.

Lee Rector at Black Forest Workshop in Austin saved our a$$. Sold us a new set of flywheel bolts and pilot bearing within an hour. Great independent shop. Thanks Lee!

Flywheel bolts installed. Tapping in the pilot bearing. Went in very easy. Everything torqued to spec.



Pilot bearing seated. That's a stock flywheel, resurfaced at a local shop.



I researched a ton of clutch options. What I really wanted was a 240 mm Sachs pressure plate (88 3082 999 765) and 240 mm Sachs organic clutch (88 1864 999 954). Basically the pressure plate and clutch from a 635CSI. Korman used to put them in E30 track cars. Reported the setup was M20 drop-in and good for 500 ft-lbs. However, I couldn't find them anywhere.

Ended up using a Clutchmasters FX400 03010-HDC6. It has a Sachs 228 mm pressure plate and 6 puck ceramic clutch disk. Rated for 500 ft-lbs.

Clutch disk.



Pressure plate, bell housing cover installed and torqued to spec.



Guts of the transmission lubed and installed. Re-used clutch arm. New throw out bearing. Pilot shaft and splines lightly lubed.



Boom. Engine and transmission went together in 5 minutes flat and torqued to spec. FYI I really wanted a clean transmission. We power washed the CRAP out of it and the grease just laughed it off. Stuff is bonded to the transmission at a molecular level. It can stay there.



That's it for today. Ready for motor install tomorrow.

[ForcedFirebird]

Nice choice on the south bend clutch kit. Good stuff, grabs well, and feels stock-ish. :)

[dvallis]

Minor delay of engine install. We previously stripped out every last piece of insulation, sound and heat shielding from this car. There needs to be some shielding put back or the cockpit floor and tunnel could resemble a pizza oven. It's obviously got to be done before engine install but after all the gyrations we just went through. That means ... now.

Enter this stuff: DEI 050502 Floor & Tunnel Shield II - Heat and Sound Insulation. It's 10 mil aluminum, backed by 1/8" fiberglass mat, bonded to pressure activated adhesive. Can take direct heat of 1750 F and blocks 3 db radiated noise (i.e. cuts noise by 50%) Very easy to work. Good stuff.



First step is using butcher paper to make templates for the pieces we need, then transfer them to the shielding. It cuts fine with tin snips.



Here's an easy piece installed.



These type were harder. Just takes patience to cut, fit, repeat.



I'm really happy with the end result. Look great, super light weight and very functional. You can barely see it but we used mil-spec aluminum duct tape to finish the seams. I'm not talking about the cheap fiber stuff at Lowes. This is 8 mil aluminum with high temperature adhesive backing. Just blends into the shielding when you apply it right. Rob said he's seen experienced techs make it invisible. I'm a neophyte so it's an ok job. Nice stuff in any case.



Engine goes in tomorrow!

[parkerbink]

It's tomorrow.

lol

[dvallis]

Patience Grasshopper!

[dvallis]

Das Beast Engine Install Day

Had a quick Ah Ha before putting in the engine. Ditched the stock motor mount heat shields and wrapped them in our aluminum shielding. Subframe and engine mounts protect them on top and bottom. Less weight is good.



Engine ready to lift. Using hardened eye bolts through the motor mount arms and the back driver side block lug for lifting. Spreader bar and leveler are a big help.



Hoisted, with some angle. Process is:

1. Move transmission almost to firewall
2. crank in a lot of angle with the leveler
3. Lower engine a bit
4. Inch car forward
5. Reduce angle a bit with leveler
6. Go to 3 and repeat



Only took a few minutes and the engine was in.



Secured the motor mounts, put a jack under the transmission and unhooked the lift.

Finally! Engine installed. Looks smaller than I remember in the bay. Lots of room to work in there.



We started to install the transmission support but the square headed bolts (#7) that slot into under body channels were nowhere to be found. Called it a day and made a list of other parts we need.



RealOEM picture is kind of weird. My transmission bracket only has two mounting holes for the body. Not four as shown. Can anyone comment on this?



Putting in the major pieces is satisfying. Big progress.

[ForcedFirebird]

Automatic got 4 bolts. Generic pic.

[dvallis]

Thanks for clearing that up.

[Spec_E30]

I truly appreciate this work...

Hi,
I truly appreciate this work! If this car is really build for heavy track use just make sure you don't get too attached to it. In my Spec E30 I installed a new engine in spring and in my first race in the second last round I put it into the steel barrier right in front of a post. Pretty decently hard impact. Part of the frame rail had to be newly welded in etc. I just want to say that with track use anything can happen and sometimes it is better not to put too much detail into the "disposable" part of the build. Of course, a lot of parts can be transferred to a new build if needed.

[dvallis]

Thanks for the comment. I've been racing for 10 years in various SCCA classes: coupes, open wheel, sports racers. Familiar with the potential for stuffing race cars into walls. This build is for the fun of fabrication & learning new things. Will probably have it forever for DEs and such. If my racing coach gets his way I'll also get seat time in a spec "Arrive and Drive" class. It's all good.