My turbo 24v alpine coupe

[kts]

Congrats on getting it moving and also the big move down to SC! Exciting stuff!

I was going to say for this...

I just didn't want to daily a 29 year old car anymore and MD is getting stricter with driving historic cars on the daily.

I can't blame you for not wanting to daily a 29 year old car, for the plates you could get MD Street Rod plates which (for now at least) don't have all the BS restrictions that Historic do. But since you're moving to SC probably a moot point now. :)

[tiger_e30]

What part of sc?

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[mitchlevy7]

Congrats on getting it moving and also the big move down to SC! Exciting stuff!

I was going to say for this...



I can't blame you for not wanting to daily a 29 year old car, for the plates you could get MD Street Rod plates which (for now at least) don't have all the BS restrictions that Historic do. But since you're moving to SC probably a moot point now. :)

It helps working at a shop so I can always use the excuse that I was bringing it to work to get some stuff done on it. But from what I know, SC has no emissions or inspection so I should be able to get regular tags.

What part of sc?

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Down the street from you. Spartanburg. Hows the e30 scene around there? I was on Greenville craigslist and there were alot of e30's for sale, which is a good sign.

[tiger_e30]

It helps working at a shop so I can always use the excuse that I was bringing it to work to get some stuff done on it. But from what I know, SC has no emissions or inspection so I should be able to get regular tags.



Down the street from you. Spartanburg. Hows the e30 scene around there? I was on Greenville craigslist and there were alot of e30's for sale, which is a good sign.

Decent amount in the area and there is the upstate euro auto club along with sandlapper cca but no clubs i would call e30 focused.

You need to check out the bmw cca museum right next to the factory they always have some crazy cars.

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[mitchlevy7]

Decent amount in the area and there is the upstate euro auto club along with sandlapper cca but no clubs i would call e30 focused.

You need to check out the bmw cca museum right next to the factory they always have some crazy cars.

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when I was down there I got to check out the Mperformance center. Never seen so many ///M cars in my life!

[mitchlevy7]

Lots of updates from 2 weekends of work.

Finally got it running on the VEMS. I had to play with the ignition outputs and open the throttle body a little bit more. It ran like total crap though. After going back through it, it turns out that the base tune was for a 2.5L, not the 2.8L that I have.

Things Completed the last few weekends:
-Running on VEMS
-Wired in Fan relay (to be controlled by ECU)
-Wired in EBCS (also ECU controlled)
-Installed M50 valve cover w/ obd1 coils (had to buy new ones ) and new VC gasket. Was unaware the gasket was different too.
-Heat wrapped downpipe (arms still itch)
-Rolled both fenders (roller broke midway through so I had to buy the repair kit and finish yesterday)
-Installed both seats
-Installed new PC680 51r battery
-Installed a petcock drain for radiator
-Installed front lip (crap ebay fitment wasn't aligned with the end a valance)

New Issues that Arose:

-Need good mounting point for harness on outside. Right now I have it in the seat mount but I don't like the idea of a m6 bolt and aluminum. I think I am going to mount to one of the roll bar bolts (grade 10 3/8").

-Coolant leaking from spider hose by heater core. It was covered by a vacuum cap which didn't hold well. There is a splice/T there. Going to change it to a 3/4" hose barb splice (someone please tell me if this is the wrong size, this is based of a guess and some research)

-I bought a used oil filter housing for the build a long time ago. I was a little sketched out to see permatex on it at the 2 plug points. Turns out they were leaking oil pretty bad as the permatex was covering the fact that the circlip for the plugs were totally missing. I ordered a new oil filter housing, gasket, and vanos washers. Cheapest price happened to be Getbmwparts, which is right down the street! Going to prematurely do the first oil change when it comes in.

-Mounting for the battery is not ideal. The plastic battery tray doesnt give rigidity to it. I don't think its going anywhere, but I dont think ill pass tech. Thinking of other solutions.

-Seems to be some oil leaking from either the pass side of the motor. Either cylinder head (hope not), vanos (new gasket), or timing cover. I really don't like this. If I take the head off im switching to a cutring gasket.

To do:

-Fix Coolant Leak
-Fix Oil leak/install new OFH/ do oil change.
-Get it running/idling and go for a test drive.
-Order VEMS bluetooth module and a tablet mount
-Mount window switches (any ideas?)
-Figure out a oil temp/pressure gauge situation. It ran through my mind to just run a digital dash but its a little too expensive right now. I have an old prosport setup and also a PLX wideband. Thinking of running the PLX and either multigage setup so I have 1 gauge for everything. I don't like having 5 gauges in my face except when tuning.
-Remount harness in a safer way.
-Figure out headlight situation. One of the adjuster tabs on my brand new lights broke so its super floppy.
-Clean the car
-figure out catch can setup/make lines. I added a -10 bulkhead to the valve cover and a weld fitting in the turbo inlet for this.


Here are pics

IMG_0349 by mitchlevy7, on Flickr

valve cover w/ bulkhead fitting

IMG_0353 by mitchlevy7, on Flickr

doing some rolling

IMG_0368 by mitchlevy7, on Flickr

current battery setup

IMG_0370 by mitchlevy7, on Flickr

lip installed

IMG_0371 by mitchlevy7, on Flickr

meaty fitment

IMG_0372 by mitchlevy7, on Flickr

source of coolant leak (there was a vacuum cap on it before)

IMG_0351 by mitchlevy7, on Flickr

video of it running on VEMS

IMG_0374 by mitchlevy7, on Flickr

engine bay pic w/ obd1 valve cover, coils, heat wrapped downpipe. The strut bar is missing though.

[mitchlevy7]

Drove it this weekend. Its a BEAST. Hit 5 psi.

Installed the new oil filter housing. Finished wiring and testing the EBCS and Fan setup.

Its leaking coolant at the heater core, I think the manifold is hitting it?

And I forgot the o-ring for the cam sensor. Explains the puddle of oil under the car. So much pain in the ass for a $1 part.

I also finished removing the stock perches for the front springs and welded garagetastic spring perches on. I made the mistake on the first one to grind the whole stock perch flat to the housing, which left a huge gap to weld up. Doubled up on filler and banged it out. No more nightmares about my springs falling through the perch and my car destroying itself.

IMG_0394 by mitchlevy7, on Flickr

I feels SO good to drive and the AKG stage 2 shifter is amazing. I wish I caught some driving on video. My friend was behind me doing a wheelie on his dirtbike as I was driving.

[TeXJ]

need more pics/vids man!

[jeenyus]

love the meat tires. beautiful car.

[mitchlevy7]

Thank you!

Yesterday I left work after lunch to pick up the o-ring and go work on the car.

Things Completed:

-Put a few more gallons of gas in it. Hopefully next time it needs gas it will get there on its own

-Relocated the outside harness strap to the roll bar and tightened the roll bar bolts.

-reinstalled basically the whole front suspension

IMG_0400 by mitchlevy7, on Flickr

-installed my red 46 skid plate

-installed the o-ring for the cam sensor

-Tried to fix the coolant leak at the heater core and failed

The front fitment is like...exactly how I wanted

IMG_0402 by mitchlevy7, on Flickr

Even at this height, the skidplate has some clearance. Shit, on the old car it wouldnt be a drive if i didn't smack the skidplate on the ground at least once.

[TeXJ]

Looks like you have no uptravel.

[mitchlevy7]

Theres a little bit of uptravel, maybe?

This was a really frustrating weekend. I thought the car was close enough that a few hours of tuning and messing around was going to make it streetable.

-I installed the wrong Cam sensor o-ring. The m50 has a 2mm thick o-ring vs the m52 is 3mm thick. I got random thicker o-ring in there in the meantime. I think I forgot it on the m52 (block mounted) crank sensor too.

-I think the headgasket is leaking oil externally, onto the downpipe. Not safe. The motor is just leaking oil out of every orface idling for 2 minutes and theres a puddle under the car.

-I think the timing cover and vanos are leaking. Someone put a bolt (instead of a stud) in the leftmost vanos hole and stripped the threads out. Bolt just spins. Ordered the nut and stud and going to helicoil it.

-Vibrant pushlock fittings....well one of the hoses popped off the fitting on my fuel feed line. That was scary. Going to switch to real ss line and russell crimp fittings. That was a nice waste of $200.

-The only -10 fitting I have left for the valve cover/pcv system doesnt clear the hood.

-The fan cant keep the car at temperature sitting there idling. Creeps up to 105C.

-Intake manifold is still squishing the top heater core line, even after shaving the fin it was hitting.

-Turned out I had a 12psi spring in my TiAL BOV. Went down to 10psi, think its still too stiff. Going to try 8...

-I had a vacuum cap on the PCV fitting on the throttle boot. Now I don't. Must've popped off. Figuring out a new solution.

So, I spent my last dime on:

-16" spal fan to replace the 12".
-Vanos stud and nut
-Cam and crank sensor seals.
-Timing Cover gaskets
-90 degree hose for heater core
-Low profile -10 90 degree adapter
-JE Proseal cutring headgasket
-Honing/knife sharpening stone to get deck flattened
-tie rod end (pass side boot is cut)

Also the brakes seemed to be sticking in front.

I hit like 9 pounds of boost though...

[mitchlevy7]

did you know an m52 head is kinda heavy for one guy to pickup by himself?

head off, block flattened, copper 0.068 spacer and 0.07 cutring gasket installed, head back on.

going to scope the cylinders to make sure the cutrings stayed in place, and then tighten the headstuds. then loosen them. then tighten them. then tighten them more.

spal fan came in. 16" is huge compared to the 12" one I had before. She better keep the temps in control because I cant fit anything in front.

Redid all the fuel lines in crimp russel fittings.

she better not leak this time.

[TeXJ]

So you're mounting the fan between the motor and radiator? I have a stock fan mounted in front of the radiator. Didn't think there is room the other way.

[mitchlevy7]

So you're mounting the fan between the motor and radiator? I have a stock fan mounted in front of the radiator. Didn't think there is room the other way.

I would be able to fit it if it weren't for my oil cooler. From front to back I have FMIC>Oil cooler>Radiator and there all pretty close to each other. I also ditched the whole stock rad fan switch and now it is ECU controlled based on coolant temp too (just on and off, no PWM).

The fan I bought is supposed to be 2.25" thick. The only thing that really gets close to it is the water pump pulley. If its 100% needed I can cut the clutch fan threads off the water pump to give me another inch of clearance. I am running condor delrin mounts so there should be little to no movement of the motor.

Instead of going down to SC to find a place to live, I'm going to be working on it this weekend with the goal of being able to drive it around with no issues on sunday. wish me luck. I really hope the cutrings didn't move when I put the head on.

Im also hoping theres no wiring issues, I cant get the low beams to turn on at all. Didn't help that the relay was totally missing, but even switching one of the other orange relays over didn't help. I bought the OEM bosch low beam relay so hopefully this fixes the issue. I need low beams to be able to drive. Any suggestions on an H1 LED kit?