M20B29 w/ Triple Webers into my '71 2002

[MR 325]

So sad to see the race car like that, I saw a picture over the weekend. Is Jeff going to fix it?

[SkiFree]

Couple little updates...

Got myself a period wood wheel, with original horn button. And, yes I need to shampoo my carpets.



Was given this old Becker radio. I love these things, they look great in the 2002. Blaupunk and Becker radios were originally dealer installed options. The Becker's were OEM in a fair amount of old Mercedes and Ferraris' of the era, beyond that I know very little tech. on them. Will be interesting to try and restore it (with Ipod compatibility).





Unfortunately the number 13 car didn't fare so well over the weekend....

[SkiFree]

Thanks guys, will try and keep up with the updates.

[M44schnell]

I love a good M20 build!!

[deutschman]

Good to see some progress!

[AndrewBird]

Wow, I had no idea 2002's didn't come with rack and pinion steering.

Great work!

[SkiFree]

I demand updates.

Ok.... rear subframe, diff later this week.



BMW 2002 Rear subframe removal and installation (performance-street oriented).

I am not responsible for any of your screw-ups. If any of this is confusing, take it to a good shop.

1) Get your car on the lift (for the rear pickup point use the space just forward of the subframe straps [use wood blocks]) and remove the rear wheels. Pull out the new subframe and double check everything is ready to go



2) Remove the exhaust system up to the down pipe.

3) Inspect the existing subframe. I found a couple things that were rather alarming. The diff bolts were attached via regular nuts and were quite loose (so that's what the clunking in the rear during shifts was!)



The other was one of axle nuts was about ready to come off, if not for the cotter pin holding it in place I would have had one nasty reason to call Triple A.



4) Position a tranny jack underneath the diff for good measure.



5) Unbolt both rear axles. WARNING these bolts can be tricky, do not use a common Allan-key but rather a proper Allen-head socket and socket wrench. These bolts are often frozen and can shear off which can be rather frustrating (it's not a bad idea to spray on some wd-40 and let them soak for a while).



Once both axles are removed take the time and check the cv joints. (if a boot is torn consider it bad) Place the palm of your hand on the backside and pivot each joint in a circular rotation, if you feel any grinding or resistance you might want to consider getting another axle or if they're not too bad, new boots and grease (which is a topic for later).

6) Remove the rear drum and unclip the brake shoe retaining clips.


7) Using a flared wrench undo the inner rubber brake line where each side connects to the body line. If you're replacing the rubber lines with stainless steel lines (which is a very good idea) you can always snip the line (watch out for brake fluid) to slide a socket wrench on for that extra little oomph. I snipped my lines, they were so constricted/rotten inside no fluid came out!]



8) Unclip the brake shoes and E-brake cables and pull back out through the backing plate.



Have someone inside the cabin undo the nuts threaded on the other end of the cable and push the threaded ends back out of the retainer rings on the e-brake lever.



Tug on the line from the back to make sure it will come out willingly (might need some cajoling from inside the cabin too, including knocking the retainer pin out of the e-brake lever for more clearance). Rust can build up inside and make it difficult.

9) Now remove the bolts that hold the Differential to the subframe, and loosen the nuts on the driveshaft center bearing support (you don't want to be the drivetrain to be in compression during all this). Remove the rear springs if you haven't already and knock the rear shocks off the bottom stud. Place a second tranny-jack under the rear subframe.



10) Unbolt the subframe mount nuts and remove the subframe mount straps.



Slowly drop the jack while you and a friend simultaneously cajoling the mounts down and off the body studs (rubber hammer helps, but take care not to damage the thread on the studs

11) Now you're free to remove the rear shocks. Undo the jam nuts from inside the trank and push the shock out. Using a rubber hammer remove the rubber upper shock mount (since we're replacing the shocks and they come with new mounts).



12) Now were done removing everything, so go eat lunch or something.



13) First thing is to feed the new e-brake cables up into the cabin, certainly nice to have a friend on this. Pretty straight forward, just the opposite of pulling them out. If you knocked the pin out, from before, just get some nuts on the threaded ends to keep them from going anywhere and leave it for now.

14) Place the preassembeled rear subframe on the jack and bring it up slowly.



Once both side are lined up with pins take the time to attach the rear brakeline since this is when you'll have the most clearance.



Continue to raise the subframe up and slide in the new diff-bolts. On the outside, reinstall the straps and using a new lock nut tighten until snug (NO final torquing yet).

15) Slide the e-brake cables through the holes on the brake shoe backing plates.



16) Next put in your new shocks and springs. The rear shock mounts are very simple. Bilstein provide 2 different type of mounts (a single rubber mount to be pressed in, or two-piece mount, they both function the same way). Using a rubber hammer, hammer them in from the top, it's helps to have your friend pulling underneath.



With the bottom washer and sleeve on the top of the shock slide it up through the rubber mount, add the top washer and nut on top.

Push up the trailing arm and get the Shock onto it's stud and using a new lock nut and washer, tighten it all down.



17) With the shocks and springs in place, next up is installing the brake shoes and drums on the backing plate. Rotate the hex bolt adjusters on the backing plate so that the pin is inward .



Position the brake shoes so that both sides have the pointy end up and attached the bottom retainer spring then place the bottom end of either shoe under the retainer plate on the backing plate.



Now grab the e-brake cable and attached it to the hole in the trailing shoe . Now attached the upper retainer springs and bracket to the upper part of the shoes and put the shoe's pointy ends in either end of the wheel cylinder (this might take a little finagling). Insert the trailing retainer pin (the forward pin should have been installed when assembling the subframe). And slide both retainer clips in place.



With the shoes now secured take the drum and place over top (if it doesn't slide right on DON'T PANIC, simply tap the individual shoes up or down until they line up (at which point the drum will slide on). Last part is to adjust the drums, this simple procedure is covered many places on the internet (and plan on adjusting the drums at every oil change).



18) Now do all of your final bolt tightening. Be sure to tighten subframe mount bolts, Diff bolts & nuts, driveshaft center support bracket nuts, body studs & nuts, trailing arms bolt &nut (it can be tricky to get a wrench over the outside trailing arm nut, bring the wrench in from the front side of the subframe for better clearance).



19) Using a block of wood so as to not damage the trailing arms, compress each arm in turn with one of the jacks (to simulate the car's suspension under load)



and install the sway bar endlink. DO NOT bend the bar to any odd angle, simply disconnect the heim-joint and slider from the endlink bolt, slide them up the bar to your desire spot (the further up the bar you travel the stiffer the bar acts, but go too far and the endlink will bind and break during spirited driving.) then run the bolt and assembly down and thread into the heim-joint. Do not start cinching the heim-joint up the bolt (since the bar should already be at the desired level), simply use the jam nut to make sure everything gets snug.



Now with the sway bars done we're on the home stretch.



20) Next up is the axle installation, using only NEW 10.9 hardware (never reuse these, seen them fail on a number of occasion) and the existing torque plates go ahead and torque everything to spec.



21) bleed brakes (this might take some time and a fair amount of fluid), if you're not familiar with brake bleeding, just use google.

22) reinstall exhaust

23) put rear wheels back on. Lower onto ground and tighten axle nut, this nut is the infamous “jesus nut” and requires *** to properly torque, you'll need a lengthy breaker bar and a heavier guy standing on it to do it justice. Once torqued, take the wheel off and slide a cotter-pin through one of the holes.



24) Done, now go for a drive on a particularly twisty road to enjoy the fruits of your labor!

[drumad]

I demand updates.

[craiggroves91]

Nice to see the M20 getting some love!!

Great work keep it up!

[SkiFree]

Things have been moving along slowly. Here's how the workbench sits right now, you can see the diff is pulled apart waiting for the limited slip pumpkin .....




Just piecing other small bits together including a new thermostat housing assembly. Didn't want to run the corroded heap that was on there. Made a new thermostat kit on the website since we get regular calls for the assembly. ( http://www.iemotorsport.com/bmw/E30-...g/M20ThKT.html )

Old Vs. New


Components


Starting to assemble valvetrain components. including IE 272 cam, and IE HD rockers w/ new hardware, SS IE valves (standard size).

[deutschman]

I used the 4 bolt e21 diff with a e30 small case pumpkin. It will be fun to see it done differently. There is always more then one way to skin a hores ha? lol
Some one called me Andrew in my build thread yesterday hahaha.
I just got my fly wheel back yesterday an picked up some fuel line and an inline fuel filter. Getting so close to piecing it all together.

[SkiFree]

The difference was night and day, most everything that came off was 40 years old!

Weekend after next the rear suspension will be going in. For now I'm piecing together bits for the M20.

Differential setup will consist of an open E21 case with a late E36ti LSD. If ANYONE has a late E36ti small case LSD that they want to trade for some parts please let me know. Turns out Jeff/Jeremy had a good dozen or so they gave away before I started working. We have plenty of LSD's ready to go, but I wanted the experience of building one myself.

I found a late E21 open case diff w/ 6bolt flange covers to start with, going to go with 3.64 for the gearing.





135mm Ireland Enginering H-beam rods will be used, with the included ARP 2000 bolts, double checked weight and sizes.

[N2MYE30]

Amazing build. Keep the updates coming! :up:

[MR 325]

Excellent work on that front suspension, it's got to be night and day!

[iwantspeed]

Driving this car after all the new goodies must have felt nice.