Starting an E30 302 Build. Warmachine.

[jalopi]

Wow, looks like they even let you keep the stock pedal without modification... this makes me sad that I didn't know about this when I did my car :( It's a little pricey, but even with pedals and cylinders I think you'll come out OK (e30 v8's way will cost you $350)

Does your friend also have a v8 e30? I wonder how well a rad designed for a four cylinder would work for a (probably) less efficient (heat disbursement-wise) v8 2.5 times its size in displacement.

Here's some pics of my throttle cable setup. This is why the standalone willwood pedal isn't cool; the way you mount it blocks the original hole for the throttle cable. Making the new hole was a bit of a bitch, because if I messed up and went a bit too far to the right I'd go into the wiring harness hole... that would be bad I think.



Pic of the cable mount - the circled piece of metal came with the intake manifold, I think it's some kind of generic old school american cable mount or something.



General shot



My solution for mounting the cable onto the carb. The m42 cable is designed a bit different than the m20 - difference being is that the end of the m20 cable is threaded with an adjuster on it. I originally ran a bolt through the carb linkage, drilled a hole through it and put the threaded bit through that. Bit easier to do the m42 cable... kinda sorta.

[THQ]

Thanks for the pointers! and the pictures.

He's just running an M52 but it just runs hot as hell all the time. But true on the displacement.

I have a lot of parts from different vehicles that I can test out, and if they fit/work/make sense I'll make note of it. Crown Vic P71 radiators, jeep radiator and a Suzuki Samurai throttle cable around here somewhere too.

[saturnv7890]

Nice progress! Want to do something like this but EFI, in for the results!

[jalopi]

If you want to do an EFI build, do a LS engine. And when I say LS I really mean an LQ or something like that.. it's basically the same engine, just the 5.3L out of the yukons, tahoes, trucks, ect.

Reasons:

* A 'proper' ford 302 kit for the e30 does not exist

* Manual brakes suck

* t5's don't exactly have the best reputation for holding up to power

* Not as much potential power, throttle response, fuel economy from the 302

* If done right, the 302 swap isn't significantly cheaper than a LQ swap. A decent set of heads (including rockers & pushrods) will set you back $1500-2000. LQ's come with the same heads that LS's do, and they flow like a motherfucker. The LQ, cam and rebuild kit will set you back about the same price, but at an additional 50-100whp or so

* Sikky is finalizing a LS swap kit.... shit is beautiful. Prices haven't been posted yet, but I don't imagine they're cheap. V8 swap prices are not for the faint of heart... unless you don't care about your engine blowing up shortly

[THQ]

Nice progress! Want to do something like this but EFI, in for the results!

Do it! I'm trying to keep updates rolling as often as I can.

As of today, I'm selling my 289. I found a buyer pretty quick, and I found a crazy deal on a mild cammed 302 with all the bells and whistles... and with a borg-warner T5. 30k mile rebuild and I even got to drive around the foxbody it came from.. then pull it out. The owner was awesome too. Gotta love Massachusetts!

$350 302, T5, Brand new radiator, brand new starter and alternator and I got the driveshaft.

[jalopi]

FYI, just found this out over the past week:

The stock 2G alternator isn't up to snuff on our cars (especially with an electric fan). My alternator finally took a shit. Do yourself a favor and make sure you get a 3G alt when you put everything in.

Also, woah... that is a pretty good deal. Just add heads and you're good to go

[saturnv7890]

If you want to do an EFI build, do a LS engine. And when I say LS I really mean an LQ or something like that.. it's basically the same engine, just the 5.3L out of the yukons, tahoes, trucks, ect.

Reasons:

* A 'proper' ford 302 kit for the e30 does not exist

* Manual brakes suck

* t5's don't exactly have the best reputation for holding up to power

* Not as much potential power, throttle response, fuel economy from the 302

* If done right, the 302 swap isn't significantly cheaper than a LQ swap. A decent set of heads (including rockers & pushrods) will set you back $1500-2000. LQ's come with the same heads that LS's do, and they flow like a motherfucker. The LQ, cam and rebuild kit will set you back about the same price, but at an additional 50-100whp or so

* Sikky is finalizing a LS swap kit.... shit is beautiful. Prices haven't been posted yet, but I don't imagine they're cheap. V8 swap prices are not for the faint of heart... unless you don't care about your engine blowing up shortly

Really good info, thank you!!

I've been eyeing that sikky kit for some time. I actually really want to do an LS swap.. maybe that'll be a graduation present to myself a year and a half down the road. I realize with my budget that kinda thing is not happening right now.

[jalopi]

Do note though: if you do a LS swap with an early engine, do some research on oil baffling and oil distribution through the block... on heavy lateral G's the early LS1s tend to have starvation issues.

[THQ]

FYI, just found this out over the past week:

The stock 2G alternator isn't up to snuff on our cars (especially with an electric fan). My alternator finally took a shit. Do yourself a favor and make sure you get a 3G alt when you put everything in.

Also, woah... that is a pretty good deal. Just add heads and you're good to go

Hmm, nice find! I'm rewiring most of the problems I've had in the past into an organized loom, instead of this crazy butt connector contraption the PO slapped into it.

Strangely enough, the guy fabbed a kit for a 130amp 1wire GM alternator and it has that on it.

and I'm keeping the heads it has for now maybe later I'll change my mind.


What did you choose to have for an ignition box/limiter?

[jalopi]

I bought a HEI distributor (GM style, but for the 302) off of summit for $150 or so... maybe it was less, but I did buy it a couple of years ago so the price may have changed.

Also, yes, the GM 1wire alt is a decent option - the only bad thing I've heard about them is that they don't charge for shit at idle (this can be fixed by swapping the pulley out for a smaller one I believe)

Fair enough on the heads... it's not like it's hard to swap those out or anything - just make sure the 'mild cam' would match up with potential future heads before putting the engine in.

Also, no limiter for me :pimp:

Really no need for a limiter really.... if you're anywhere near the mechanical limit you're SERIOUSLY breaking the law with these cars. A shift light did come with my tach, if that counts.

[THQ]

only update:

Stockpiling some parts for the motor tear-down. I'm keeping it in a storage and everything in my house is always cold so I don't feel like going through it right now.

This is a hibernation but not a forgotten build. If I get a day where my driveway/everything isn't iced over and frigid I'll be able to throw some suspension/brake/fuel system updates.

In the meantime, warm weather will bring some results. I'm in central Connecticut on a mountain, this shit sucks this time of year.


Here's some pictures!



The weird water pump setup intrigued me.





Mishimoto hose! Fancy

and the rucks!


..yes that's a long socket used for the alternator bracket. It was crazy this thing worked. He used a lawnmower belt as the V belt.

[jalopi]

I don't think that alternator bracket is gonna work - for your use I'll recommend the March bracket.

WP looks a little different from mine (in a visual way only) but otherwise looks normal.

[THQ]

Where in Ct are you? I just "finished" my 5.0 for the season, if you're close enough to Stamford and doing work on the weekends I can offer help :D

I'm in Newington, but I don't have an available garage to work in sadly! But I'll let you know when I start diving in :) Thank you! also, did you happen to buy your transmission from a guy in mass? I remember messaging a guy about a T5 and he said someone already bought it, and oddly enough was also from CT, attaching it to a 5.0, and putting in into an E30..

I don't think that alternator bracket is gonna work - for your use I'll recommend the March bracket.

WP looks a little different from mine (in a visual way only) but otherwise looks normal.

That water pump has the strangest setup for bolts I've ever seen too, he didn't have the right lengths so he stacked washers. I picked up a new Bosch unit to replace it but it came with a spaghetti'd up gasket...

The march bracket? I grabbed an adjustable one like yours and was going to mock up sleeves to compensate for the alternator's change in brackets. I have a read up on it at home that I'll link when I get out of work.

[jalopi]

the company is called March - it's somewhere on summit racing.

[eurotrash]

Just use the summit serp alt setup and cut the spacers to length to line up the vbelt. I used a gm 1 wire on mine and it worked fine even with the taurus fan.

Also fyi the taurus is a pull fan not a push so it has to be mounted on the aft side of the rad. I had to cut the core out completely and make my own to fit the rad/fan.