S52 Brilliantrot 318is from Australia

[jsta1109]

Autocross event in the dark? That's new to me. Also, good to know you can use an M54 alternator in a pinch. I'll stash that away for future use if I'm in a jam. Also, I haven't seen your thread before, but i skimmed through it. I'm impressed with the work you've done over the last 10 years. I'm new to the E30 world, but hope I can make a decade of memories going forward.

Also, your paint is and wheels, and ride height are mint.

Hey thanks, I've learnt a lot with this car and it hasn't really felt like 10 years. I'm really slack posting, life tends to get in the way and I generally only get the car out a few times a year now.

The paint certainly looks better in photos, it's a closed door respray that isn't quite briliantrot (so long as I don't park next to another brilliantrot car no one notices). The BBS wheels are overplayed but red centers makes it a unique, I've tried other colours and wheels and I keep coming back to this. Ride height, I always feel like I should go lower but where it sits now is practical and legal height here (100mm) and I'd like to avoid trouble if I can.

[JasonWilson48]

Autocross event in the dark? That's new to me. Also, good to know you can use an M54 alternator in a pinch. I'll stash that away for future use if I'm in a jam. Also, I haven't seen your thread before, but i skimmed through it. I'm impressed with the work you've done over the last 10 years. I'm new to the E30 world, but hope I can make a decade of memories going forward.

Also, your paint is and wheels, and ride height are mint.

[jsta1109]

Long time no post. Not a lot to report except I still own the car and it continues to work.

My decision to not replace pulleys when I had the engine out came back to bite, admittedly it could have been a lot worse. The china radiator was the only victim here, thankfully the bonnet was unscathed. While I had everything out I replaced the water pump, new metal pulley, new china radiator and some new hoses. I also took the time to rewire the puller fan using some higher quality wire and connectors.





Naturally, this wasn't the end. After I had pieced the car back together I noticed I wasn't getting any charge from the alternator. I had also booked a motorkhana/auto-x event that was a few days out and finding an M52 alternator locally (that wasn't over $1k) was a challenge. Turns out M54 alternators work with minimal changes. One switched ignition lead and the exciter wire pinned to a new connector and I was back charging, I was lucky and found this alternator BNIB on Facebook for $50.



In the end I made it to another event, not competitive at all (far too cautious) but still having fun. These photos aren't great but it was quite dark.

[e30davie]

nice! I'd better look at my recirculation valves at some stage.

I think I saw a clip of your car at the skid pan on the skid control facebook/instagram.

[jsta1109]

I got the AC gassed yesterday, I had to move a couple of things around (R12 adapter moved, pressure switch fitting changed a bit) as the drier I got had one less fitting. I forgot an o-ring on the pressure switch but that was spotted when pulling a vacuum.

Overall it's a massive improvement, my previous best was around 7-8c (45-47f) at the vent and with all the new work we saw 3c (37-38f) from the vent. It is worth noting that the previous time I tested the vent temps it was about 35c (95f) and yesterday it was 21c (70f) but with a working recirculation after a short drive I've never had the cabin this cold before.

As a recap, I have a nissens parallel flow condenser, stock m52 (used) compressor, adapted lines and all new components in the recent HVAC rebuild.

Anyway, here's a photo from the skid pan day.

[jsta1109]

Just saw this - you can change the VSS modifier directly so you don't need to change the vehicle speed axis in a bunch of maps. It's defined in Romraider MS41.2 and 41.3 partial.

Also the changeover RPM is different for M52 and S52, so if you're not 100% happy, keep playing with it.

Thanks, I'll have to have a look at that, that probably would have saved me some time.

I did get the changeover RPM dialled, intake, headers and exhaust have a pretty significant impact and I definitely have a noticeable change in power band from stock.

[Northern]

Thanks, I'm thrilled with the end result. I'm in no hurry to attempt headers like this again and I'd certainly start from scratch next time.


I ended up fixing the torque dip, the S52 (MS41.1/2/3) uses vehicle speed to control vanos and the e30 speed signal is 5.3x slower than the expected e36 signal so it was shutting vanos off about 1.5k rpm sooner than it should have (ecu saw 22km/h when I was doing ~110km/h). Did a pull with vanos off and another with vanos on and overlaid the logged load values and switched it on and off where the two intersect and it's all sorted. I also had to divide the x-axis (vehicle speed) by 5.3.

I also previously mentioned my exhaust hangers weren't great, specifically the rear muffler hangers. I purchased two BMW-18211707807 and I should have done this earlier. The rear factory hangers are now functional and dropping the muffler is really easy, just undo two nuts.

Just saw this - you can change the VSS modifier directly so you don't need to change the vehicle speed axis in a bunch of maps. It's defined in Romraider MS41.2 and 41.3 partial.

Also the changeover RPM is different for M52 and S52, so if you're not 100% happy, keep playing with it.

[e30davie]

To wrap the HVAC build up I caught up with some friends at a skid pan event

https://youtube.com/shorts/WmHi-DMGghk?si=r89jGSaYE5QB9h-H

nice one!

They do a good job those skid control guys. I went a few times last year. ill have to go again.

[AusScare]

Nice one mate, once my S54 swap is done we'll have to get the cars together and do a drive or go to some of these events.

[jsta1109]

To wrap the HVAC build up I caught up with some friends at a skid pan event

https://youtube.com/shorts/WmHi-DMGghk?si=r89jGSaYE5QB9h-H

[jsta1109]

Can you elaborate on the recirculation flaps failure? edit, was yours broken like this?

https://www.r3vlimited.com/board/forum/e30-technical-forums/general-technical/335450-broken-recirculation-door-pull-fitting

Recently ive noticed mine are stuck "open" as the diesel fumes in front of me are making it into the cabin.

Also I've seen your car a few times at the Coorparoo coffee and cars. car looks great in person. One day ill catch you and introduce myself!

good to get the AC sorted. makes for a useful car in queensland for the 11 months of the year its not winter.

Yeah bingo, snapped off at both of the ball head joints. It was really quite hard to find a used one that didn't have the same issue. Unfortunately both of mine were snapped off and the broken piece was missing on one. I was able to epoxy one back on, the JB-Weld plastic bonder worked really well for this and it's now a spare for me.

I try to get to at least a couple cars and coffees there, unless something pops up I'll be at the next one and you can't really miss me. I do try to park in the same area ~5:45am so feel free to bug me.

[e30davie]

Can you elaborate on the recirculation flaps failure? edit, was yours broken like this?

https://www.r3vlimited.com/board/forum/e30-technical-forums/general-technical/335450-broken-recirculation-door-pull-fitting

Recently ive noticed mine are stuck "open" as the diesel fumes in front of me are making it into the cabin.

Also I've seen your car a few times at the Coorparoo coffee and cars. car looks great in person. One day ill catch you and introduce myself!

good to get the AC sorted. makes for a useful car in queensland for the 11 months of the year its not winter.

[jsta1109]

Long time no post. I've been really enjoying the functional AC up until the evaporator decided to spring a leak. For those in the know E30's are not really meant to be RHD so naturally the evaporator core will not come out without at the very least dropping the steering column and pedals or pulling the dash. I did the latter and removed the entire IHKS/HVAC box and went at restoring it.



I've learnt that this is a pretty common failure being broken recirculation flaps. I ended up purchasing a second hand unit with good flaps that I used.



The crusty old evaporator core vs. the brand new one.





And the complete box. Plenty of videos out there on how these come apart. The most time consuming part is cutting new gaskets, it isn't overly complicated though.

I haven't got the system re-gassed yet (one, I got sent the wrong expansion valve and two it's winter in upside-down land) but hopefully with functional recirculation, new blower motor, new evaporator core and a barely used parallel flow condenser I should finally see some ice cold vent temps.

I should add, I only just replaced my heater core and blower motor + resistor in situ within the last 6 months. I probably should have just done all this work at the same time but you know what they say about hindsight.

[jsta1109]

wow , what a work on those headers .

I do like the sound tbh , sounded great on the dyno pull !

Thanks, I'm thrilled with the end result. I'm in no hurry to attempt headers like this again and I'd certainly start from scratch next time.


I ended up fixing the torque dip, the S52 (MS41.1/2/3) uses vehicle speed to control vanos and the e30 speed signal is 5.3x slower than the expected e36 signal so it was shutting vanos off about 1.5k rpm sooner than it should have (ecu saw 22km/h when I was doing ~110km/h). Did a pull with vanos off and another with vanos on and overlaid the logged load values and switched it on and off where the two intersect and it's all sorted. I also had to divide the x-axis (vehicle speed) by 5.3.

I also previously mentioned my exhaust hangers weren't great, specifically the rear muffler hangers. I purchased two BMW-18211707807 and I should have done this earlier. The rear factory hangers are now functional and dropping the muffler is really easy, just undo two nuts.

[QuiqueUy]

wow , what a work on those headers .

I do like the sound tbh , sounded great on the dyno pull !