Hoffbro's Scheisse-rot Turbo

[Hoffbrohaus]

Ah bummer!
Personally I would avoid MLS and stay with a (good, like Goetze) stock HG.

mikey.antonakakis what is it about the Goetze that makes it good? I ask because it looks like only Pelican has them with no description.

Autohaus has VictorReinz which i generally don't buy
FCP Euro has Elring & Corteco, their site says Elring is "OE" and Corteco is "OEM"
Bimmerworld has Elring and an unamed one

[McGyver]

Per this thread, Goetz is NLA, Corteco is likely better than Elring, VictorReinz is still garbage

[Hoffbrohaus]

Per this thread, Goetz is NLA, Corteco is likely better than Elring, VictorReinz is still garbage

Thanks McGyver looks like Pelican's web team needs to update their page, it shows the Goetze, but when you add to cart sure enough out of stock. So Corteco it is.

Just dropped off the head at the machine shop. Excited to see it after the hot tank and a clean shave 😁

Also found this while getting it ready. No wonder it took forever to warm up the car in the winter...

[bangn]

Yeh I wouldn't run an MLS if that block isn't getting a machined deck, it will leak. Then again you're probably better off with a factory one until its tuned and proven to be reliable as if you had done what you did with an MLS then you'd have piston damage instead of just a gasket

[Hoffbrohaus]

Hey guys, got the head back today. Looks good. Within spec, quick turn around.



A couple questions though... The guy removed the cams to do the work and reassembled. He says it's at TDC but how do I verify that with the head off? The valves are in different positions than when I gave it to him and the TDC mark is just pointing straight up, when mounted it lined up at an angle.

Head is sitting on the exhaust side in pic, so turned sideways.


Also there is carbon buildup on the exhaust valves, is this anything I need to care about? Can I take a wire brush to it?

[Hoffbrohaus]

Sorry I knew this.. The timing mark for the cam is on the head. So it's definitely not lined up. Can I simply rotate the cam gear until it lines up? Or do I have to pull the rocker arm shafts, cam gear and cam out to re align?
I see the Bentley manual says "It is permissible to rotate the camshaft drive gear by hand one or two teeth in either direction to ensure proper alignment." We are talking 8!

[Dj Buttchug]

Yeah when you go to install it set your crank at TDC then align the markings on the cam gear with the head. Good to go!

[Hoffbrohaus]

Got it running again and nothing blew up! I don't know about you guys but after doing all that work I was so scared to start it. Everything seems fine, maybe a little more clatter.



So just wondering how would I know if I am off a tooth on the timing belt? Would it clatter more? I'm thinking it's valve adjustments even though I checked them before I put the valve cover back on. I will be pulling the valve cover off to re-torque the arp head studs since I ran it through a heat cycle. I guess I'll check valves again.

[Hoffbrohaus]

Went to tuner today. Got it dialed in so I can safely drive 😎. Problem with the wastegate he thinks though. Spring in there is 11psi and I'm hitting fuel cut at 12psi. Plus he doesn't want to boost that high yet. So I have to take it home and wait for it to cool off, swap out the springs. 🫤

At least I can get into it a little now and not freak out.

[McGyver]

Not gonna lie, I'm jealous of your progress on this. I should start assembling my NA stroker build this winter and going turbo winter 2025, 5 years after I started collecting parts...

Congrats man!

[varg]

The only way to check the timing is to line the timing marks up. It shouldn't be off if you did that, and it wouldn't clatter more unless it was off enough to damage the valves. It looks like it's fairly easy to get to your wastegate and change the spring, I'd put a lighter spring in it and use boost control to increase it, but realistically having boost cut 1psi above target is not going to do you any good while tuning. You don't need an 11psi spring to run your boost target; I'm currently running 15psi in my wagon with a 4psi spring, though with my big turbine the exhaust pressure is low so you may want to go with 7ish.

[Panici]

Good stuff! How does it sound at full song on the dyno?

I agree with running the lighter spring. I like to start with a 4psi spring to get the fuel map under boost dialed in before turning it up.
Personally I use a manual boost controller with a knob, but I do have a MAC valve ready to go into the E30 if I want to tailor the boost curve.

It would be useful to ramp in some boost after the natural torque peak, and have some boost-by-gear for traction sake.

[Hoffbrohaus]

Not gonna lie, I'm jealous of your progress on this. I should start assembling my NA stroker build this winter and going turbo winter 2025, 5 years after I started collecting parts...

Don't be too jealous, it may look good in pictures but so many times now I'm thinking why did I do this? I should have let it be, it was stable and reliable. Now it's loud and I'm scared to drive it after blowing the head gasket. But time heals all wounds so I'm getting better as I see more reliability now that it's tuned.

Oof sorry to hear about the HG failure.
Too late now, but you want to take things slowly for best results when boosting.
Base maps are really just meant to get a car started, not into boost.


I learned to tune on my M52 when it was N/A. Then when boosted I started with a 4psi WG spring and made sure to get the maps and knock detection dialed in before adding boost.

Heck, coming up on season 3 of boost now and still haven't gone above 7psi. Although I did just add a turbosmart manual boost controller

It looks like it's fairly easy to get to your wastegate and change the spring, I'd put a lighter spring in it and use boost control to increase it, but realistically having boost cut 1psi above target is not going to do you any good while tuning. You don't need an 11psi spring to run your boost target; I'm currently running 15psi in my wagon with a 4psi spring, though with my big turbine the exhaust pressure is low so you may want to go with 7ish.

Great advice for all, if I had pulled the spring from the wastegate sooner I most likely would not have blown the head gasket. I have now pulled the 5psi spring and left the 6psi spring in. Not hitting boost cut and driving very nicely. Going to get colder plugs, gap them right, and then take it in for more tuning.

Good stuff! How does it sound at full song on the dyno?

Sounded great, problem was I kept hitting the boost cut around 4500 so never got a full run. Now that the WG spring is only 6psi I recorded some runs down the street and recorded, I'll have to post soon. varg recommended the Dynomax Super Turbo Muffler - 17674, it sounds bad ass, like a mean v8. The screamer pipe is kinda ridiculous too, super mean when the WG opens, but it's probably too much so I may put a mini muffler on it or find someone who can plumb it into my DP. Probably will want a resonator too since it drones in the cabin at hwy speeds.

In addition to new plugs (BPR7EIX) I will be re-doing my vacuum/boost sources. My WG only has the 6psi spring in but I am showing a max boost of 3psi in tuner studio. Not sure if I believe it. So I am wondering if i'm splitting the tiny intake source too many times. Off the back of the intake my late model has 2 fittings, one for the FPR, and then the other I am using to feed the EBC, WG, BOV, and Megasquirt. So I'm thinking I should get a 6mm boost signal right after the compressor for the EBC & WG, then tap unused throttle body spot above the brake booster source for the BOV, and then the Megasquirt will be the only thing on the back of the intake manifold.

[moatilliatta]

"maybe a little more clatter" and "how would I know if I am off a tooth on the timing belt?"

I would take a few steps back and retrace them.

1. Make sure your Cam & Crank timing marks are ON
2. Recheck your valve adjustment
3. Compression Test - Health Check

Worn eccentrics & Valve stem tops can make more tick.

It'll run a tooth off, but the powerband will be severely shifted and the tune will be a waste.

[Hoffbrohaus]

"maybe a little more clatter" and "how would I know if I am off a tooth on the timing belt?"

I would take a few steps back and retrace them.

1. Make sure your Cam & Crank timing marks are ON
2. Recheck your valve adjustment
3. Compression Test - Health Check

Worn eccentrics & Valve stem tops can make more tick.

It'll run a tooth off, but the powerband will be severely shifted and the tune will be a waste.

Yea timing marks are dead on. I went back in and readjusted the valves since I had to re-torque the arp head studs anyway. I wish I had the spring loaded eccentric tool, can't find anywhere to buy it. I replaced all the eccentrics a few months ago too.

The clatter is definitely better after the 2nd adjustment, sounds like it used to before the blown hg. I think I'll still do a compression check just to check that box.