14 years - 1991 325ix, Stroker/5-Speed (N52 swap?)

[nando]

I'm going to make a custom intake with trumpets - sort of like the rhd itb kit, but without the throttles.

The 3 stage is good for low end, but the tract is too long for the power goals i have. Its already been done and honestly the torque loss wasn't that bad - vanos tuning can help here.

Plus the E30 is 600lbs lighter than my 330i and has much shorter gearing. It also allows me to keep the stock brake booster, and the sound at 7700+ rpm should be fantastic.

[digger]

i think rama has done a few ITB manifolds for m54 into e30 swaps. really its only the adapter thats needed the rest already exists for most part.

Massive has boosterless setup just being released, im going to look into it as it might make it possible to do a whole new simple intake airbox, keep strut bar and have a scoop down from foglight area

[nando]

Yeah, i was going to 3d print a prototype adapter to test fitup before committing to something permanent. All i need are trumpets so its much simpler - doesn't even need injector ports!

Wonder if Rama could make a permanent one if i develop the prototype?

Eventually i may make an airbox of some sort. I've been looking at some of the ITG filter setups and there looks like a few that would work for now. It's not a daily driver so not as worried as I'd be otherwise.

[digger]

Yeah, i was going to 3d print a prototype adapter to test fitup before committing to something permanent. All i need are trumpets so its much simpler - doesn't even need injector ports!

Wonder if Rama could make a permanent one if i develop the prototype?

Eventually i may make anairbox of some sort. I've been looking at some of the ITG filter setups and there looks like a few that would work for now. It's not a daily driver so not as worried as I'd be otherwise.

send him an email, from what i understand the place he uses may not be interested in small volume orders.

[nando]

Hmm yeah i should. I know there are others interested, but a simpler way to do something similar is to use the manifold from an n54. I know 5 sets could be sold but beyond that.. Guys in newer bmws are really only interested in off the shelf parts, they let somebody else do the thinking (and installation) for them. It is to their detriment.

In other news i found a local shop that might be able to help me with my oil pan. They do all kinds of custom fab and aluminum welding.

[digger]

Hmm yeah i should. I know there are others interested, but a simpler way to do something similar is to use the manifold from an n54. I know 5 sets could be sold but beyond that.. Guys in newer bmws are really only interested in off the shelf parts, they let somebody else do the thinking (and installation) for them. It is to their detriment.

In other news i found a local shop that might be able to help me with my oil pan. They do all kinds of custom fab and aluminum welding.

couldnt you adapt the m50/2 adapter design ? IDK if the angles and shape could be made to work

[nando]

I doubt it, but I don't know for sure. Pretty sure the bolt pattern is different and the holes for the injectors are built into the head rather than being part of the intake manifold. I should probably look into the M50 port pattern and see if it's close.

[digger]

I doubt it, but I don't know for sure. Pretty sure the bolt pattern is different and the holes for the injectors are built into the head rather than being part of the intake manifold. I should probably look into the M50 port pattern and see if it's close.

you could fill holes with weld and re-machine and fill in the injector holes or get a flange plate laser cut with n52 shape and weld the RHD adapter(with flange removed) to it and fill with weld then die grind as needed you could adjust the angle a bit to. low volume jobs whether casting or CNC are still pretty expensive especially if its more than a uniform thickness plate with a profile hat can be laser of water jet cut. i replaced my 3D printed stuff with CNC 6061 for durability, not cheap but better than bits of ABS into the engine

[nando]

OK, I finally have everything I need to mock up the oil pan:







so it actually works out fairly well - once I had it connected to the transfercase, I realized the N52 lower block is shifted over towards the drivers side slightly. This works to my advantage - I should be able to make diff orientation match the required 30 degree angle (I measured and it matched perfectly, even though it was just sitting there). If the N52 block hadn't been shifted like that, the passenger side CV shaft would have to be angled down a little bit to clear the block, which is something I was previously worried about..

It also means I can ignore the holes on the ix oil pan entirely, and it will make the most sense I think to graft this onto a RWD N52 pan. I shouldn't have an issue centering the diff in the stock E30 ix location.

A couple issues are of course the oil pickup - the ix diff section will be shifted pretty far off the center of where the N52 pan was. Obviously the pickup tube will need to be modified. I also need to make sure the shaft is coming straight out of the diff, otherwise it will wobble and this will wear out the splines. I'll need to make sure the windage tray will clear as well.

[Kershaw]

All your parts are so clean.

Lol @ the hole in the diff. It looks hilarious.

[nando]

the trans and transfercase are new.. well, the trans was rebuilt by drivegear.com. I got the transfercase unbelievably cheap.

were you planning on rebuilding this? I was thinking of removing the pumpkin so it would be a little lighter.

[The Dark Side of Will]

you could fill holes with weld and re-machine and fill in the injector holes or get a flange plate laser cut with n52 shape and weld the RHD adapter(with flange removed) to it and fill with weld then die grind as needed you could adjust the angle a bit to. low volume jobs whether casting or CNC are still pretty expensive especially if its more than a uniform thickness plate with a profile hat can be laser of water jet cut. i replaced my 3D printed stuff with CNC 6061 for durability, not cheap but better than bits of ABS into the engine

I can't think of a single reason why he'd ever want to plug the N52 injector bungs. The fuel distribution at the valve seat is part of the port design. Since BMW put a lot of engineering effort into the port design, the injector position, aim and spray pattern has the same engineering in it. It's *MUCH* better to keep the N52 injector position and use a completely dry manifold.

so it actually works out fairly well - once I had it connected to the transfercase, I realized the N52 lower block is shifted over towards the drivers side slightly.

Shifted? Do you mean it's wedge shaped? Thicker on the driver's side and thinner on the passenger side?

[nando]

sort of yes. the bed plate shifts the oil pan over, instead of having it centered on the crank. the width of the oil pan is similar. This works out for me because when you rotate the ix oil pan section 10 degrees to match the engine, the passenger side where the extension piece bolts to would hit the block if it wasn't like this. coincidence or luck, I don't know.. :)

[wazzu70]

Is the E90 ix system similar to the E30 in arrangement? I have no idea, but may be related to your good fortune!

What is the local shop for welding? Im always interested in knowing good places to go for things like that.

For 3d printing your manifold there is Fathom in Seattle. They should have SLS machines which will be better than FDM for the parts. If they can use Windform material on their SLS machine that would be even better. Its what race teams use for 3d printed intake manifolds and other bespoke RP parts.

[Kershaw]

were you planning on rebuilding this? I was thinking of removing the pumpkin so it would be a little lighter.

Yeah. Feel free to take it apart, I guess I'll just hope I can figure out how to put it back together.

I've been casually looking for another 5 speed transmission so I can send it to get rebuilt by them. My trans is remarkably ok for ~405k miles, but it could be better.