Das Beast: My E30 track / street build

[dvallis]

Yeah, I was wondering the same. ARP says 3 equal steps ending in 70ft/lbs. https://cdn2.arp-bolts.com/instructions/201-4305.pdf

Thanks for the reminder. We'll definitely retorque to 70.

[Old525i]

After retorquing, check the valve lash gap.

[dvallis]

Engine all done. Head studs re-torqued to 70 ft-lbs, plug wires sorted, fuel pressure set to 50 psi, oil, fuel and water topped up.



She runs! We dialed in a few turns on the throttle body butterfly set screw and it idles beautifully at 1000 RPM. No white smoke on throttle lift, so the ring issue is solved.

Bled the cooling system and idle temperature settled down to 180F. We took it for a few victory laps of the block. No oil, fuel or water leaks. Throttle response is good. She's got a "good enough" fuel map for now, so we didn't get into it. It's tuned a bit rich just to be safe.



We noticed some "blue fuzz" around the cam gear from the blue kevlar timing belt, so that's got to be addressed. I never liked that damn aftermarket belt. It was bar tight going on, hard up against the tensioner. We're switching back to a stock belt. Not screwing with timing on an interference engine like this.

Victory!

[Metallated]

Congrats! Car is looking amazing

[zaq123]

We noticed some "blue fuzz" around the cam gear from the blue kevlar timing belt, so that's got to be addressed. I never liked that damn aftermarket belt. It was bar tight going on, hard up against the tensioner. We're switching back to a stock belt. Not screwing with timing on an interference engine like this.

Victory!

There is no problem with that blue belt. I'm be more concern about tensioner pulley etc that causes the belt to rub on the cover (most likely the issue)

[digger]

yeah i've been using a fuzzless blue belt last few thousand miles. you haven't use a povo spec tensioner have you ?

[dvallis]

No, just a stock tensioner. But the damn belt is so tight that the tensioner spring won't even fit in there. Belt is basically bar tight against the gears and tensioner without spring. Can't be good. Maybe we got a bad belt ... don't know. I ordered a stock belt and will measure it against the Kevlar one.

[digger]

yeah that doesnt sound right. it should slip on like stock. you arent running a real thick gasket are you?

normally the spring is preinstalled and the tensior locked off in the full retracted position and then released when the belt is on.

[zaq123]

Kevlar timing belt went on in five seconds flat. Timing marks lined up correctly this time. :devil: Crank turned with one finger on the breaker bar. Nice!

post 1339 has you struggling with the belt.

old post 308 (attached) got you a 5 sec install. I'd imaging it was the exactly same belt, no?
Photobucket pics are all fuzzy......... Maybe installation error this time? got post 308 pic in a better quality?

[dvallis]

It's so tight we can barely get the belt over the tensioner in fully locked back position. No way for the tensioner to ever move. So yeah, definitely feels wrong.

We're running a 0.120" MLS head gasket vs the 0.070" stock. I guess the extra 0.050" might make the belt tighter, but that's only 1.27 mm. Pretty damn small difference. Same head gasket as in the photo below.

#_I_HATE_PHOTOBUCKET

Here's that pic

[zaq123]

as a side note, I don't know if blue belt is much stronger vs oem spec..I tested them both , Continental and blue one....both of them have the same stretch when the engine is turning.... stretch nets about 2 degrees of retarded cam timing.

I went with the blue belt as it looks like of much better quality vs Chinese made continental. Although I'm sure Conti belt is up to par as well

[zaq123]

It's so tight we can barely get the belt over the tensioner in fully locked back position. Not way for the tensioner to ever move. So yeah, definitely feels wrong.

We're running a 0.120" MLS head gasket vs the 0.070" stock. I guess the extra 0.050" might make the belt tighter, but that's only 1.27 mm. Pretty damn small difference.

Was it the same belt? Picture shows that the tensioner adjustment was +/- in the middle of its range. If the same exact belt and other components...possible installation error?

[digger]

its not one of dodgey nuke gears with teeth that are wrong is it?

you are also better of keeping the rotor adapter as it works to spread load of the fastener to the alloy cam gear

[zaq123]

its not one of dodgey nuke gears with teeth that are wrong is it?

whaaat? need more info...how one can check that the gear is the good one?

[digger]

whaaat? need more info...how one can check that the gear is the good one?

belt doesnt fit into the teeth very nice