ttrousdell's Project Thread (E30 M3 & S38 swap content)

[CW325]

Looking good!

[ttrousdell]

I was able to get a few more things done in the last two days. Coolant manifold, t-stat assembly, distributor and wires, fuel rail and injectors.



The custom radiator has really helped out tremendously with allowing me to get all of this to fit. The thermostat housing fits with just enough clearance.



Its pretty obvious that the shop that performed this swap had very little pride in what they were building. Ive have seen so much hastily put together shit on this engine. There is no way that i can use those shitty hoses so i will have to source some.



Basic diagram made of the coolant system. Not sure if im going to install the expansion tank on the passenger side yet. If I do i wont have to run some lines across the bay. I will not be using a heater core. It looks like in the original setup water came out of the exit of the water pump, labeled B, through the heater and into the back of the engine labeled A. Can I just block them or should I run a hose connecting them? From what I could see blocking them would be fine.

[Nick_S]

Awesome thread. Just read it start to finish.

[The Dark Side of Will]

Everything was from the s38b36. The crimp clamps and lines are stock.

Fits like a glove. The lines were snaked under the radiator and along the side of the alternator.

[ATTACH]70478[/ATTACH]

those crimp clamps are not stock. This is stock:


I spent a fair amount of time and money on that portion of my swap to safely connect the M3 oil cooler to the s38b36 oil filter housing and know it would be a serious mess and possibly cost your engine if it blows.

If you have the correct fittings, hose and hard lines and all that's "wrong" is the type of clamps, you can have the crimp ferrules installed.
CarQuest (or any shop that has the "Gates Hydraulic assemblies made while you wait" sign) can do it.

[enigmaticdream]

Very awesome!

[fronton]

ahh I wrongly assumed that it was stock because that is how I received it when I bought the engine. I will look into other options then clamps. Any ideas on how I can use the threaded connection to the cooler and still maintain the same connection to the filter housing or how I can thread it into the filter housing? Aftermarket setup?

I ended up having ~6" extensions welded to the s38b36 hard lines and threaded to connect with the e30 M3 lines rubber lines which uses a nut to attach.

Or you can buy VAC's adapter to run custom AN lines: http://www.vacmotorsports.com/catalo...pter-plate.htm

If you are using the s38b36 oil cooler, the easiest solution is to source the stock lines which is also the safest.

[F34R]

Thanks dude. If you have a passion for it you can do anything.

I was grinding the header smooth and one of the blanks you used to fill the hole fell into the header. Need more amps on those welds grasshopper:p Seriously though you helped me out big this weekend.

That is what friends do when others are in need :)

In my defence first time welding with that style wire and no gas. I had it turned up to try and get it to sink in but it was blowing through the tubing. That other one you ground down needed slight bead on the middle plug after grinding. I think it came out a lot better than trying to flip in the flaps and weld those up.

Good job on getting those on.

[ttrousdell]

ahh I wrongly assumed that it was stock because that is how I received it when I bought the engine. I will look into other options then clamps. Any ideas on how I can use the threaded connection to the cooler and still maintain the same connection to the filter housing or how I can thread it into the filter housing? Aftermarket setup?

[fronton]

Everything was from the s38b36. The crimp clamps and lines are stock.

those crimp clamps are not stock. This is stock:



I spent a fair amount of time and money on that portion of my swap to safely connect the M3 oil cooler to the s38b36 oil filter housing and know it would be a serious mess and possibly cost your engine if it blows.

[ttrousdell]

Nice weekend update. Those oil cooler lines and clamps do not seem adequate, did you end up using the s38b36 cooler?

Everything was from the s38b36. The crimp clamps and lines are stock.

You sir are living my dream life... day job and everything!

Thanks dude. If you have a passion for it you can do anything.

Closing up holes on Tom's headers. Came out great, got a ton done this weekend. I think he is at a good place now to be done in a week or so.

I was grinding the header smooth and one of the blanks you used to fill the hole fell into the header. Need more amps on those welds grasshopper:p Seriously thought you helped me out big this weekend.

Spent several hours just trying to get the headers to fit. After some serious frustration, I decided to chop the extensions that used to go to some exhaust/emissions system to get them to fit better.



To finally get them to fit i had to bring the forward set of headers in from under the car then the rear set had to come in from over the top. The corner of the floor on the passenger side had to be hammered up about and inch. Several of the studs had to be removed to get it to all fit. Pretty pleased with how they look.

[F34R]

Closing up holes on Tom's headers. Came out great, got a ton done this weekend. I think he is at a good place now to be done in a week or so.

[fronton]

Nice weekend update. Those oil cooler lines and clamps do not seem adequate, did you end up using the s38b36 cooler?

[GDA]

Awesome.

Anyone going the S38 route is living the dream in my book. Sub'd.

[HawaiianE30]

You sir are living my dream life... day job and everything!

[ttrousdell]

I've been following your thread for a while, since your first swap I guess...
And I just wanted to say: GOOD FOR YOU MAN! That car was already hot, now it's going to be $$$. Keep it up.

:up: Its taken a lot of time and work to get to this point. It always feels good to know that people enjoy that thread. Thanks man.

Don't ever put a hood on that car.

Is the trans a Getrag 260 or 280?

I test fitted the hood without the throttle cable attached last night. Seems to be very close to fitting but then again 10mm is not much. I don't plan to run a hood until I get pulled over enough to convince me otherwise.

260-6 from a e34 535i. I could have bought a 280 with the swap but he wanted 1000 dollars for it and at the time that was too much for me.

Wow. Great project and Brandon is always willing to lend a hand for help!

Thanks. yes Brandon was a big help...thanks again bud.

I focused most of my attention today to getting the radiator and the oil cooler in place. The radiator was bolted in easily since I did most of the work the day before. Ive read that people have used the M20 oil cooler. I decided against this because the s38 cooler is larger and the hoses that come from it are set up to go to the oil filter housing on the driver side of the engine. This was the final position where I wanted to mount it.



Welding the brackets to hold the cooler.



Fits like a glove. The lines were snaked under the radiator and along the side of the alternator.



Looks mean without the front bumper and valence. May run it without those parts for a little.