Budget M42 turbo build

[CorvallisBMW]

good work so far, i cant wait to see more progress!

anyone ever retrofit the e36 coil pack into an e30? i think it would really clean up the engine bay. is it even possible? im talking about #1 in this image.

Why on earth would you want to do that??? Do the coil-on-plug conversion, much much better.

[Schnitzer318is]

Why on earth would you want to do that??? Do the coil-on-plug conversion, much much better.

Can't run the M42 cover though... ;)

Seriously... that's the only reason I haven't gone COP yet. Want to so bad, but the motors just look like ass without the cover there. JMO though... others may think it looks great. Too fuhraze for me though.

[TooTall90]

Can't run the M42 cover though... ;)

Seriously... that's the only reason I haven't gone COP yet. Want to so bad, but the motors just look like ass without the cover there. JMO though... others may think it looks great. Too fuhraze for me though.

exactly.

[CorvallisBMW]

then make a custom cover. Besides it it's done right, it looks totally stock and factory.

[gearheadE30]

I'll be going COP eventually fwiw, but right now I'm getting up there in the budget and that $200 can go elsewhere right now. That's an easy thing to do later, and even without the cover, if you do it right, it looks pretty good.

btw I'll be gone for about the next week, but I did get the stock exhaust and header out and am mocking everything up right now. Next time the car runs, it will have a turbo :)

[Dj Buttchug]

I think it looks cool when the cover is off and the coils show.

[e304me]

the cop can look good:

http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=334897&d=1274578739

[gearheadE30]

all unnecessary brackets on the passenger side of the engine bay have been removed and I cut off the wastegate port on the manifold because it would force me to delete AC. Time for lunch, then pull AC lines temporarily and start mocking everything up. So far, so good...

[Dj Buttchug]

i have a stupid question. How did you get the exhaust housing off of your turbo?
I need to reclock mine but I cant get mine off. Not sure what turbo your running but Im using a garrett gt2871r

[e30m3s54turbo]

Nice project.

[e30guydownunder]

i have a stupid question. How did you get the exhaust housing off of your turbo?
I need to reclock mine but I cant get mine off. Not sure what turbo your running but Im using a garrett gt2871r

There should be about 6 bolts screwed into the turbine housine from the centre side. there will be some half moon plates between each pair of bolts, this is the clamp. Loosen all of these and once you crack any bond (the turbine might have temporarily stuck to the centre, a light tap with a rubber hammer should free it) the turbine housing should be able to rotate in relation to the centre.

Same deal for the compressor housing.

You got a project thread? 2871 sounds interesting and is where I would plan to go if I'm not happy with the results I get.

[Schnitzer318is]

Sweet... you'll never go back to non turbo.

Still need to get the pics of my gauges. Also just added a hallman manual boost controller. MUCH better than my previous controller. No more boost leak past 4500rpms... 11psi all the way to redline!

[Dj Buttchug]

There should be about 6 bolts screwed into the turbine housine from the centre side. there will be some half moon plates between each pair of bolts, this is the clamp. Loosen all of these and once you crack any bond (the turbine might have temporarily stuck to the centre, a light tap with a rubber hammer should free it) the turbine housing should be able to rotate in relation to the centre.

Same deal for the compressor housing.

You got a project thread? 2871 sounds interesting and is where I would plan to go if I'm not happy with the results I get.

A hard wack with a rubber mallet did the trick!! I was afraid to beat the shit out of it but it worked out well.

No build thread yet. Im waitiing until I finish the build. I went with a 2871 because its perfect for m42 displacement. Its also common on sr20det.
spools around 3k and is capable of 18 or so psi

[Schnitzer318is]

Here's what I ended up with for my gauges. I like this much better than the setup I had before. Also installed a Hallman Pro boost controller. No more boost bleed/leak for the win. I recommend one if you don't have something else lined up already.

[gearheadE30]

That looks really nice, but I want to keep that storage area. Still trying to decide what to do there....

Also, with a good chunk of luck, I *might* be able to get the car running tomorrow. I got the manifold back from the shop today and now the downpipe and everything else fits, new bolts and gasket for the turbo, manifold studs, oil pressure limiter, and a few other odds and ends. The 9006 HID bulbs for the ellipsoids also showed up so I'm not blinding people with teh HID H4s. I'll post pics comparing the cutoffs once I get it all installed.

BTW for boost control I'm using a Tial 38mm wastegate with a 7.5psi spring for now. Once the tune is good, I already have a 10psi spring waiting :)