The complete repair, rebuild, repaint, and v8 swap of my early model sedan

[JGood]

Well, got a new sunroof headliner in. Found a trick: Instead of leaving the sunroof halfway slid back to install the headliner like you do to remove it, slide it forward and tilt it the whole way up, and then push the headliner forward, tilt it up and get the sliders on the panel to go onto the roller pins on the sunroof. Then you can snap in the front row of clips. If you try to pull the panel forward with the sunroof slid halfway back, and then try to pull the headliner forward, those headliner sliders will NEVER go onto the roller pins on the sunroof. At least not on my temperamental car.

I'm mainly posting this here so that the next time I do this, in 2, 3, 10 years from now, I can refer back to this post for instructions. Lol



I'm also still battling a rather violent shaking in the rear end when releasing the clutch in 1st or reverse. It's done this since the first time at the drag strip, which was the first time I really beat on the car at all with the m60. It doesn't do it when getting on or off the gas when moving, though. Things I've replaced since I first noticed it:

Rear subframe bushings (AKG)
Rear trailing arm bushings (Lemforder)
Rear trailing arms, axles, hubs, bearings
Differential

If you're keeping track, you'll notice that that's everything. I'm worried that I may have some damage at one of the subframe mounting points or maybe the subframe itself. I didn't see anything when I took it apart though. I may try to get a gopro mounted under there so I can see what's moving.

[kkamakasi]

My god... this thread is the definition of WIN

[cashsterling]

Read all 51 pages... an amazing read. Epic salute to you and everyone that pitched in advice/help.... I learned a lot.

With the engine problems... are you sure that harness is completely sound? You said you've checked continuity [probably tons of times]... Have you checked for suitable isolation between all the various wires/pins in the harness?

I'm wondering if undesired sensor/control cross-talk, due to insulation breakdown, etc., is freaking out the ECU. (i.e. a fluttering voltage on sensor input to the ECU) From reading and seeing all the pictures I couldn't help but think that the harness is old and has probably seen better days.

In my experience working on manufacturing equipment, shunting & shorting between sensor/control wiring can cause some really bizarre and difficult to trace problems. Continuity checks look okay in this case... problem is the continuity check looks good to more pins than it is suppose to!

[JGood]

Read all 51 pages... an amazing read. Epic salute to you and everyone that pitched in advice/help.... I learned a lot.

With the engine problems... are you sure that harness is completely sound? You said you've checked continuity [probably tons of times]... Have you checked for suitable isolation between all the various wires/pins in the harness?

I'm wondering if undesired sensor/control cross-talk, due to insulation breakdown, etc., is freaking out the ECU. (i.e. a fluttering voltage on sensor input to the ECU) From reading and seeing all the pictures I couldn't help but think that the harness is old and has probably seen better days.

In my experience working on manufacturing equipment, shunting & shorting between sensor/control wiring can cause some really bizarre and difficult to trace problems. Continuity checks look okay in this case... problem is the continuity check looks good to more pins than it is suppose to!

Yep, I thought of the same thing. Unfortunately I don't know of an easy way to 100% verify the harness isn't experiencing any of those issues. It may be easier to just grab another one to try. I may do that.



I had the car on a Snap-On Ethos scanner for 4 hours this weekend. Everything seemed fine... I was getting proper readings on all sensors. The O2's were fluctuating between .1 and .9 as they should, the O2 Integrator %'s were moving (short term fuel trims), my idle fuel trims were adjusting. Everything was working as it should.

Next step is to get the Snap-On software for my computer and try to export the logs from the scanner, since the graphing resolution on the scanner itself is pretty slow, I'd like more precise data, to see what's happening with ignition timing and O2 readings at the exact millisecond it's trying to stall or hesitating, etc...

[Da9eldassdraug]

SO...MUCH...WIN!
My favorite build, just perfect!

[kronus]

I'm also still battling a rather violent shaking in the rear end when releasing the clutch in 1st or reverse. It's done this since the first time at the drag strip, which was the first time I really beat on the car at all with the m60. It doesn't do it when getting on or off the gas when moving, though. Things I've replaced since I first noticed it:

Rear subframe bushings (AKG)
Rear trailing arm bushings (Lemforder)
Rear trailing arms, axles, hubs, bearings
Differential

If you're keeping track, you'll notice that that's everything. I'm worried that I may have some damage at one of the subframe mounting points or maybe the subframe itself. I didn't see anything when I took it apart though. I may try to get a gopro mounted under there so I can see what's moving.

sounds like your rear driveshaft u-joint is binding at low speeds. Check it for play?

[JGood]

sounds like your rear driveshaft u-joint is binding at low speeds. Check it for play?

That's a possibility, I'll definitely check it out.

[kronus]

Also, did you get AKG's regular subframe bushings, or the 12mm-raised ones? There's diff spacers that need to be installed for everything to be groovy back there if you went with the raised option.

[Danny]

Also, did you get AKG's regular subframe bushings, or the 12mm-raised ones? There's diff spacers that need to be installed for everything to be groovy back there if you went with the raised option.

There's diff spacers that need to be installed for everything to be groovy back there if you went with the raised option.

for everything to be groovy back there if you went with the raised option.

be groovy back there

[JGood]

Also, did you get AKG's regular subframe bushings, or the 12mm-raised ones? There's diff spacers that need to be installed for everything to be groovy back there if you went with the raised option.

Nope, just the normal spec bushings.

[JGood]

I've been meaning to put an update in this thread, regarding this post from last year:

Tried to install the back window tonight with a new gasket and lock strip. I don't think I've ever been so angry. Took me an hour just to get the window and gasket in, before touching the lock strip. Now that it's installed, the gasket is so tight that I have trouble even getting a flathead screwdriver in the 'gap' that the 1/2" wide lock strip needs to go. I bought the special tool, which I eventually hurled across the garage because it serves no purpose other then to further complicate the entire clusterfuck situation.

I don't know if it's the piece of shit Meyle gasket or just my complete inability to accomplish this simple task, but either way I'm calling a windshield guy tomorrow morning and having them come finish the job before I throw anything else.

I called the glass guy, and it took him about 2 hours to do the front and rear lock strips, with my help. It was terrible, they did not fit at all. The gaskets got all torn up from forcing the tool into the lock strip groove. I was using new Meyle front and rear windshield gaskets with OEM lock strips.

That shitty Meyle rear gasket ended up shrinking within about 3 months to the point where it no longer extended over the edge of the body. That back window was basically ready to fall inwards. That gasket absolutely does not fit, or work, as intended. So don't buy it.

So a few weeks ago, I bought an OEM rear gasket from the dealer. It took me maybe 20 minutes to install it. Couldn't have been easier. And the fitment is perfect. I'm going to get an OEM front gasket and install it, since we bitched up the Meyle gasket trying to install the lock strip.

So, don't try to save a few bucks with window gaskets!

[TheTacoMan]

Ive read your thread a few times, I may have missed it but what was total cost for the v8 swap?

[JGood]

Today I made some hub extenders. As we know, if you want to use a spacer 8mm or bigger, you cover up the area of the hub that centers the wheel, and you could get vibrations. Once you get to 14mm or so and above, there is enough material in the spacer to add a lip to make the spacer itself hub centric. This leaves spacer sizes of 8mm-14mm basically unusable unless you like wobbly wheels. I wanted 10mm spacers, so this put me in a bind.

So, I made a set of hub extenders which press into the hubs, and are 57mm OD, for the wheel to center on.










Before:





After:

[JGood]

Had a fun weekend with the car! Ultimate Klasse photoshoot/feature coming soon :)










(HIGH RES)

[MR 325]

Fuck yeah! Absolutely loving it over here man. I need a V8 E30 now.

Looks beefy with those spacers installed! Love the paint matched strut brace too.