E30/M20 rebuild/turbo project has begun!

[BMWManiac]

The interior was professionally reupholstered by a local shop...he did all the seats and panels.

I re-sprayed the carpet "desert tan" and it matches what the local shop used perfectly!

The headgasket is Elrin brand + o-ring + copper spray + ARP headstuds; basically, I wanted to do this once for a very long time and if I felt like increasing the boost with additional tuning, then I would feel comfortable knowing this would not be an issue

DMS kit uses Megasquirt v2 I believe...I will get to that part hopefully today!

Lastly, there have been a couple of things about this build that have made me smile more than anything else:
1) The fact that it is a top mount turbocharged car and how the turbo sits in the engine bay, and the beautiful downpipe, is by far the best
2) Painted valve cover/intake cover....just another special set of pieces that looks amazing and adds to the "wow" factor
3) Econoboost v2 gauge...how I waited and got v3, but its ok....that thing is just pimp and we tap'd a "blank" for the boost recall button!
4) Motorsport door handles....'nuff said
5) Mtech 1 rear spoiler....got it from GPS, another great looking mod!
6) Rally flaps from Kamotors....looks so old school
7) Lastly, the ///M tri color flag that I have yet to mount....cannot wait!
All of these individuals are on this site, so props!

[saturnv7890]

I do love the way a turbo looks sitting in the e30's bay


Do you have any experience with MS? If not, you're in for some fun! Does it come with a base tune?

[BMWManiac]

No, I have zero experience, but it does come with a base tune and my buddy is familiar with it and will be doing the tuning

[saturnv7890]

Ohh you'll be set then, I've been learning wayyy more than I ever wanted to know with my ms

[sayed ali]

Nice build man :)

[BMWManiac]

Some pics

[e30topdown]

Love your build! Been watching since you started it. I really want to know numbers from Dederic's turbo kit with the basic tune and after your guy gets it dialed in. Not sure that I will go turbo route, but who knows?
I soda blasted that cursed cosmoline off my valve cover and intake manifold a few years ago when I was installing new intake gaskets. I then had them powder coated in a wrinkled black. Like it, but I really wanted the details highlighted like you did yours in the light color. My powder coater said they couldn't mask it well enough. How did you mask off for the highlighting or vice versa?

[e30topdown]

Oh, and I noticed in an earlier pic that the mounted turbo deflected the exhaust manifold screen slightly. Was that enough to interfere with spark plug removal from the number one cylinder or the plug boot?

[BMWManiac]

The intake and valve cover are painted and the white trim is all painted on! I have to look through my notes to remember who did it, but they are on this site....I believe he does work for GPS too!

Yes, there is no issue removing or installing the number 1 spark plug as is

[BMWManiac]

We should be starting the motor today to allow for break-in. Unfortunately, I am traveling in between Louisville and Camp Atterbury all week and I am deploying this weekend....so, no dyno until about mid-December for my mid tour leave :-(

Oh, and yesterday, the sunroof panel material got caught and started to tear.....so looks like I'll be doing the headliner and sunroof panel when I get back....I have the smallest of cracks in the dash and I was thinking about just putting on a dash cover because I don't want to go through the hassle of removal, even for a non-cracked dash, and I like having the original vin plate....maybe when I get back I'll just do it, but for now, thinking of going the dash mat route...hell, that is so early 90s

[BMWManiac]

She's alive! For the first time since November, she has driven on the roads....and that is about it.....did some minor street tuning last night. The roads were wet, it was around midnight, so not too much more than she is driveable.

Right now, fighting an exhaust leak which we think is probably the one complaint about this kit....the wastegate flange is slightly smaller than the flange on the exhaust adapter. We cranked down hard on it to make it as close as possible, but we are pretty sure, it is the culprit....more to follow

[saturnv7890]

Congrats! Always exciting and a little nerve wracking to be running/tuning a brand new motor!

[e30topdown]

Congrats on getting her up and running! Sorry your time is so short that you can't mess more with her. Will keep watching for updates.

[BMWManiac]

Yeah, I don't know how much tuning will get in the next day or so, but I will take a couple of pics of some random stuff like the remote oil filter mount and catch can setup for grins....I need to change the oil today and then try and apply the ///M tricolor flag I have

[saturnv7890]

In for details on the remote oil filter mount!