$1000 Sedan - Turbo Build

[Northern]

I don't think you'd even need to block the ports if you do run it, it's just a sealed loop inside the end tank.

[iso_hi]

Good to know, thank you.

This should have been finished a couple weeks ago. Been waiting on the crossover tube from a member here for almost 3 weeks. They stopped responding and failed to provide tracking. Disappointing.

[iso_hi]

I ended up getting the part, the coolant crossover tube. Then after when I tried to install it I realized I needed a later model timing cover and water pump for the tube to attach to, what a surprise. So I'll be ordering those parts today and hopefully it's good to go next weekend.

[jacobthegoat]

Go with the late model Saleri. Other manufacturers I’ve had fail on me. OE is also good but $$$

[iso_hi]

I ended up just cutting off the tab that attaches to the water pump. I didn't want to deal with all the coolant coming out the block and buying a new hose for the new expansion tank.

Anyways, the car is back on the road. I've driven it about 10 miles, just lightly. I'm so happy my manual swap worked out perfectly and nothing major happened on the first drives. I copied an ignition and fuel map from a build pretty similar to mine and everything sounds great so far, rpms go up without any choppiness. I'll probably change the waste gate to something else soon from 6 psi. I insured it and reinstalled the front so I'll be driving it to work tomorrow.

Video: https://live.staticflickr.com/video/...YWUiLCJ2IjoxfQ

[iso_hi]

Took the car out for a drive around town, lasted about an hour. So far I'm just getting a tiny leak on the turbo drain. I've tried two different gaskets and recently gasket maker and it still leaks enough to produce a bit of smoke. I'm also going to switch out the waste gate spring to 10+ psi instead of the 6 I'm running then I'll get it tuned.



I managed to fit the intercooler with AC and not cut anything.



Need a shift boot and a 7k cluster for the interior. I need to add gauges as well. I'll probably skip on a radio and use that panel.



Deleted power steering on this e30 as well. With the swapped steering rack I really don't miss it at all.

Anyone have recommendations on megasquirt tuners in the phoenix/tucson area?

[jacobthegoat]

If you crank it up to 10 psi I’d recommend changing the stock intake boot to something stronger. Anything past 8 psi will tear it to shreds under boost. If it doesn’t happen immediately it will happen eventually.

[Panici]

Looking good, nice cowcatcher!

Your video isn't working for me btw.

[iso_hi]

Do I need to keep my ICV with this setup?

[Tibboy12]

Yo! This is the thread that I've been waiting for. I'm pretty much on a similar path with my $1200 325E that started off as an automatic as well lol.. I'm doing the 885 head swap conversion first then eventually will turbo the m20. Looking forward to your progress. Are you on Instagram?

[iso_hi]

Yo! This is the thread that I've been waiting for. I'm pretty much on a similar path with my $1200 325E that started off as an automatic as well lol.. I'm doing the 885 head swap conversion first then eventually will turbo the m20. Looking forward to your progress. Are you on Instagram?

Hey man, my IG is turboeta. I'll be posting more frequently soon.

Just saw your thread. Looks like you're off to a way better start than me. I didn't have a goal when I got the car so took a while for me to get where I am.

If you're still on Motronic 1.1, I'd suggest to start gathering the newer sensors and engine harness. You'll need it anyways if you're going to use MS2PnP. You could probably get by with the older engine harness if you're going to wire it all up yourself. If possible buy a whole m20b25 with harness. I don't even want to add up how much I spend piecing everything together.


And an update for the car. I put it back in the garage and pulled the wastegate off to swap in new springs. Before I had a 6psi spring fitted and was only seeing 3.5psi of boost. I added an additional 10psi spring. Hoping to be at over 10psi overall. I'm using an eBay WyntonM wastegate.

[iso_hi]

A few updates tonight.



I removed the ICV and put in a silicone boot. I ran it with the ICV unplugged and I didn't notice any differences. I also got a proper length coolant hose for the expansion tank to radiator connection. Before I had like 3 hoses put together.



Since I got rid of the ICV I was able to clean this side up a bit more. I swapped the intake manifold cap for a later model style which allowed me to get rid of the vacuum hose tee from the FPR to Megasquirt. I had some white vacuum hose laying around but I might go back to black. I also swapped the exhaust manifold gaskets to single gaskets without covers. The covers weren't doing much and mostly interfering with the tight space around the spark plug wires and turbo. I still need to make a harness to extend the wires for the AC fan switch to the other side. In the future I'd like to clean up the wiring by the firewall and maybe paint the intake manifold/valve cover but for the moment I'm pretty happy.



On the interior I did some work to the gauges. I previously had a 5k tach but since I swapped to a 885 head I needed to change it. I was surprised by how much clusters let alone single tachs cost now. My cheap ass decided to order an overlay kit for a 7k tach and a 7k coding plug. I'll confirm if it works tomorrow. I also swapped the broken odometer gears.



I would have loved to put in a euro clock but prices so I settled for a garagistic led replacement light. Not sure what I'm going to do about the radio. The wiring is messed up.

Tomorrow will be my first drive with the swapped waste gate springs. Will report back with good or bad news.

[iso_hi]

Just drove the car. At first I couldn't get it to idle. So I removed the nipple cap where the vacuum hose used to connect to the fpr and adjusted my throttle cable to get the idle steady.

My tach experiment didn't work. Needle would just sit there. Before it was fine but the rpms would just read a lot lower than what megasquirt showed. Prob need a proper 7k tach or cluster, might experiment with a cheap android tablet and shadow dash.

I was able to hit 7.7psi of boost taking it pretty easy around the neighborhood and after adjust my ignition/fuel tables a bit. I'm going to swap in the walbro I've had sitting. I definitely need a proper tune even willing to consider remote. I do need a wideband still if anyone has an install guide.

Does having the oil level sensor unplugged give a check engine light? I have it on my car when I drive around but I think it might have to do with my o2 sensor and short exhaust/downpipe.

Does anything look odd here?

[Panici]

I wouldn't be getting into boost until you have a wideband installed.
That way if your tune is lean you can at least get off the throttle.

Right now you won't know until you melt something.

[iso_hi]

I took your advice and garaged my car. I just received my Innovate LC-2 Wideband.

So to be clear I can just chop the harness off my stock sensor and wire the LC-2 controller to it completely? Or do I have to find a separate switched power source and ground point?