2.8L M20 9.8:1 stroker build: my 323i reincarnated

[AC_Schnitzel]

Yuck. That carpet was filthy! Good job on turning it around. Looks like most stains came out.

[e30fix]

Man i love folex, used it once in a tan interior and now i use it on all my carpets. if you ever replace the dash pull the carpet and pressure wash it. youll be amazed at how much more dirt will come off.

[digger]

you did the carpet cleaning while in the car?

[betz]

you end up with a really nice motor that will go for ever, and feels brand new. Also it's a total sleeper, the engine bay could look almost stock.

Honestly sounds just right to me. Very excited to get this together, thanks!

Right now I'm working on the interior a bit, since it's easier to work on that weekdays after work than the engine.

Totally transformed this carpet. Folex + scrubbing + rug doctor w/ hot water.





Up next is my black door cards, my custom sport seats, and my crack-free dash ;D

[clarkson]

Just came across your build. Nice work. Done a similar build myself. M52b28 crank, 130mm rods, b25 pistons, 885 head. Dbilas 276 cam. Adj can gear. Jb racing flywheel. Raceland headers. Miller war chip. BBTB. It was a fun street engine, lost power over 5800rpm on the dyno due to intake manifold. Made 179hp atw. Torquey AF. Sold the car but still going strong. Would build another. Actually just bought a m52b28 whole engine for $200 so might do so. I would not be expecting a huge power increase from this build but a really nice fun motor all the same. Say add 30% to a stock m20 b25 and that's what you should expect. It doesn't seem like much, and it isn't for all the work and money you put in, but you end up with a really nice motor that will go for ever, and feels brand new. Also it's a total sleeper, the engine bay could look almost stock.

[Kedge]

Coming along nicely, just make sure that the top of the head and rocker cover are skimmed. I'm having problems with blowing out rocker cover gaskets, the presumption being one of them isn't flat. Fingers crossed it's my rocker cover.


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[betz]

I felt like I needed to do something with the valve cover and intake manifold. Since the black has been done so many times (and my block is silver), I decided to just polish the stripes and lettering. Probably one of the more subtle things I could of done, but I like how it turned out.

[betz]

Shipment just arrived



+1 Dramatic effect

[betz]

Head is finished

[betz]

I'm using 10W-40 oil at the moment, may try a 5W-40 as that's recommended nowadays here in the UK. One thing I was told was for the first 100 miles just chuck in some cheap, thin mineral oil for the initial bedding in. Then put in the oil you plan on running with.

The machinist / engine builder I'm working with wants be to use Joe Gibbs 5W-30 break in oil for the first 400 miles. He also mentioned using another oil for the first 15-20 mins so I don't circulate any metal.

I'd also recommend getting an adjustable cam pulley to make sure the timing is spot on after you've given the head a skim and decked the block.

Probably going stock to start. If my timing is a little retarded, in theory I should get more top end power, which might balance out my torquey motor. Either way the motor will run well and I'll think about messing with it later. I don't think the gear is worth it unless I get it professionally tuned.

Already bought both the sintered pulleys.

[betz]

Looks like you didn't use gasket goo on the sump gasket, is it a magical kind that doesn't need it I don't know about??

By "gasket goo" I'm assuming you mean gasket maker. I'm using a paper gasket.

I'm not trying to double up the gaskets. The bare surface of the sump and the block are clean.

[Kedge]

Dang, that CR is crazy high. I have to go to a race track to get octane higher than 91.
Have you considered moving to a standalone EMS?

Probably not going to run an oil cooler to start. Trying to keep it simple since it's my first build. Speaking of which, what oil should I run? Would 5W-30 be to thin even on a basically new motor?

I don't see any need to move to an EMS now it is mapped correctly, everything is work as it was designed to.

I'm using 10W-40 oil at the moment, may try a 5W-40 as that's recommended nowadays here in the UK. One thing I was told was for the first 100 miles just chuck in some cheap, thin mineral oil for the initial bedding in. Then put in the oil you plan on running with.

I'd also recommend getting an adjustable cam pulley to make sure the timing is spot on after you've given the head a skim and decked the block.

[digger]

Oh shit. Thanks for the heads up. Is the timing sprocket that attaches to the cam also prone to failure? I'm assuming the one that goes at the end of the crank is okay, it looks super beefy.

I will def be buying a new IMS sprocket, at $35 its a no brainer.

Get the cam gear and int gear sintered versions

[potatomash]

Looks like you didn't use gasket goo on the sump gasket, is it a magical kind that doesn't need it I don't know about??

[bavarianbeast-khalil]

Dang, that CR is crazy high. I have to go to a race track to get octane higher than 91.
Have you considered moving to a standalone EMS?

Probably not going to run an oil cooler to start. Trying to keep it simple since it's my first build. Speaking of which, what oil should I run? Would 5W-30 be to thin even on a basically new motor?

Yeah that is crazy high, I believe you can run E85 with that compression ratio and a proper tune. E85 is all over California.