Schwarz/Houndstooth Mtech1 S52 coupe: 10 year journey

[Habla]

Yeah, I'm looking forward to it!

Got a shitload done today, the motor came out of the e36, got mounted on the stand, and the cars got switched so mine is back in the garage!

Out!



Second token engine bay shot:



Mounted!



Everything in its right place:



Engine refresh next!

[kingston]

Nice update! Two questions:
#1 Are you going to use the E36 steering rack?
#2 Is the white bike an old Ninja 750?

Keep up the good work!

[Habla]

Sure am going to use the rack. I actually had to take it out already to get the sump to clear when hoisting the motor out. I threw it back in loosely, to roll the e36 back outside. I'm wondering how I can move the e36 to its death when the time comes. Should I put the e30 rack in it? Haha

The white bike is my friend's Honda VTR250. I'm surprised you didn't ask about my gf's new Honda Grom. We both used to have Ruckuses (Rucki?), hers died, I traded mine + $ for my car. The Grom is quite the upgrade!

[kingston]

Sawzall FTW! Chop up the E36 & deliver it in pieces to the scrapper. The Gram I recognized, but I couldn't figure out what the white bike was. A VTR 250 is fairly obscure! You'll love the quicker rack in your E30 :)

[Habla]

Gave the car wash some more business tonight with my buddy Seth:



Lots of projects in this trailer :)

[Habla]

Had a bit of a lull there in progress, but lots has happened since.

Got parts:



Think it needs a water pump?



Puzzled over the steering link:



Finished the steering install (toaster pic):



Yum:



Classy cat:



Valve cover time! Janderson lent a hand for design cues for this one. VHT Wrinkle black is what I used. Spray on a good heavy coat, let it get tacky, then spray on a light coat and stick it in the oven (open) on 300 or so. You'll have to rotate it, but watch the wrinkles appear. Add more light coats for coarser wrinkles. Let it dry for a long time out of the oven when you see uniform wrinkleage. These are my results. Pretty good!






After getting the motor in and hooking it all up, the starter just span when I tried to start it. Realized I had both small contacts hooked up to the ground stud on the starter, so I didn't have a trigger wire connection. Fixed that, and two hours later the motor fired right up and idled like a dream! Idling around 700 according to the 7k tach I put in.

Click for vid:


Sent the e36 driveshaft to get the e30 bearing, so gotta pick that up, install a shifter, and then persuade the e36 exhaust to fit with my m52 manifolds.

-Peter

[kingston]

Alright man! Glad to see you back in action on this!

[Habla]

Thanks man! I got the DS back, so I can put that in with the shifter, and then start messing with exhaust!

[Habla]

So here is the e36 ds with the e30 center bearing (CSB). Driveshaft will be offset to the R with this CSB, to correctly center it down to the diff. The e36 csb is symmetrical.




I did this a while back, but I made front delrin bushings for the shift carrier and pressed them in. Today I fastened it to the transmission with a 100m driveshaft nut/bolt, and it doesnt move at all!




I for the rear mount, I used the e36 rear bushing fastened to the early model rear bracket. I had to drill a new hole to mount the arm center, but it works great.

The driveshaft is in, and so is the shifter. That leaves exhaust, and bleeding/topping off fluids to be on the road. Shit, I need a fan, too.

-P

[kid325e]

I happen to know a guy that has an AUX fan setup with brackets to mount on the E30..

Looking good!

[Habla]

I happen to know a guy that has an AUX fan setup with brackets to mount on the E30..

Looking good!

Thanks! Send me the details of that fan please!

[Habla]

Update:

I drove the car yesterday! My exhaust bill for using the e36 exhaust was pretty high, but it runs n' drives now. So yay. Trans and shifter are perfect, a long way from my old shifter, which "was like stirring soup" haha. However, there are a couple issues with the car.

1. The engine cuts at 3500 rpm, in every gear. It doesn't do this in neutral, I can rev it out that way. Also, it doesn't do it every time. I gave it the beans on the way back from exhaust, and I got it smoothly up to 5k or so. Only info I have found from searching is that it might be a bad ecu. I do have the VSS wire, and that would cause a soft cut around 5500...

2. bled the coolant system thoroughly (I think), but it still rides over 1/2 even at 70mph on the freeway. In fact, it went UP at higher speeds. Still have the 2bar cap on the m42 radiator, I think I need a 1.5bar cap? Still need a fan, also.

3. I badly need an alignment after the e36 rack swap, so I'm going to start there first. The car steers itself at low speed, and wanders at high speed. Also, I noticed some increased camber. Like a lot. This must be due to the lower ride height of the extra engine weight. Like I said, alignment first, then diagnose.

4. Have a nasty exhaust leak at the manifold flanges. I used m50 gaskets with m52 manifolds. The air ports were welded shut, I can't remember if the backside was filled completely and planed, though. I'm almost positive that the leaks are near the sap ports. Maybe some m52 gaskets will help? They look to be one piece (three ports, one gasket). The m50 gaskets have a material gap between each port.

5. I also noticed a hiss from the engine when I'm off throttle. Vacuum leak somewhere?

I guess finishing is bittersweet. Yay, its done, wait no it isn't.

Any help would be much appreciated!

-Peter

[e30austin]

Update:

I drove the car yesterday! My exhaust bill for using the e36 exhaust was pretty high, but it runs n' drives now. So yay. Trans and shifter are perfect, a long way from my old shifter, which "was like stirring soup" haha. However, there are a couple issues with the car.

1. The engine cuts at 3500 rpm, in every gear. It doesn't do this in neutral, I can rev it out that way. Also, it doesn't do it every time. I gave it the beans on the way back from exhaust, and I got it smoothly up to 5k or so. Only info I have found from searching is that it might be a bad ecu. I do have the VSS wire, an

2. bled the coolant system thoroughly (I think), but it still rides over 1/2 even at 70mph on the freeway. In fact, it went UP at higher speeds. Still have the 2bar cap on the m42 radiator, I think I need a 1.5bar cap? Still need a fan, also.

3. I badly need an alignment after the e36 rack swap, so I'm going to start there first. The car steers itself at low speed, and wanders at high speed. Also, I noticed some increased camber. Like a lot. This must be due to the lower ride height of the extra engine weight. Like I said, alignment first, then diagnose.

4. Have a nasty exhaust leak at the manifold flanges. I used m50 gaskets with m52 manifolds. The air ports were welded shut, I can't remember if the backside was filled completely and planed, though. I'm almost positive that the leaks are near the sap ports. Maybe some m52 gaskets will help? They look to be one piece (three ports, one gasket). The m50 gaskets have a material gap between each port.

5. I also noticed a hiss from the engine when I'm off throttle. Vacuum leak somewhere?

I guess finishing is bittersweet. Yay, its done, wait no it isn't.

Any help would be much appreciated!

-Peter

1. Knock sensors. Replace them. $50 a piece. Perhaps cam sensor too.
2. Late M20 rad or GTFO. Had all sorts of issues with M42 radiators and I will never use another one on a 24v swap. Didn't I sell you one?
3. Go have an alignment done. Did you replace the crush washers when you pulled the lines off?
4. Get the gaskets that match your manifolds. M/S52.
5. They all make that noise. Did you delete the charcoal canister? There is a vacuum port on the bottom of the throttle body that needs to be capped off if so, but you would notice that.

[Habla]

1. Roger. Must be a limp mode cut out.

2. Yeah, I got one from you. I might use it after all.

3. Yessir, replaced the washers. I'm going to bleed again and get an alignment soon; we just got snow too!

4. Yeah, I screwed that one up...

5. Sweet. I used the e30 charcoal canister and the m50 evap valve.

Thanks

[e30austin]

1. Roger. Must be a limp mode cut out.

2. Yeah, I got one from you. I might use it after all.

3. Yessir, replaced the washers. I'm going to bleed again and get an alignment soon; we just got snow too!

4. Yeah, I screwed that one up...

5. Sweet. I used the e30 charcoal canister and the m50 evap valve.

Thanks

1. Either that or your vanos is taking a shit, but I doubt that, unless you hear abnormal noises. When those knock sensors crack, it picks up extra vibrations, thinking there is more detonation going on than there really is. MAF and 02 sensors good? CTS good? Those could all play into it, as well.

2. Do that. Use the stock AC fan too, use the stock wiring and run a switch in to the cabin. They work wonderfully.

3. Awesome, did you make sure to put the spacers on top of the rack too?

4. Oops. Oh well.

5. I would just delete all that stuff. Makes it look so much cleaner under the bay.