E30 #2: 1990 Delphin: RHD ITB M20

[CorvallisBMW]

Fitting a good filter and shield is tough, I know you're pain! Looks like it's coming along though :up:

[318aye]

looking awesome

Thanks, looking forward to your shipment!

[kamotors]

looking awesome

[318aye]

Did more searching on off the shelf filter setups, as well as exploring my options for 4.5" ID CF tubing. I'm down to one tube shop that isn't $700, and I have two filter options. The filter I have on hand is 4.625 OD on the big end, with a 3.5" outlet (no need to step up to the 90mm inlet on the box). The other that I'm looking at (http://www.knfilters.com/search/prod...x?prod=RU-5111) is 4.5" on the nose, but only has a 3" outlet. Going to try and cram the big one into the 4.5" ID tube. May require shaving the filter a bit.

Made a quick model of the end cap. Looks like a $40 shapeways print, but I'll try it on a printer here locally first.

My end goal is basically to replicate the KAMotors intake but in a smaller diameter and length, and with an offset inlet to get everything situated correctly for this airbox.

Also pulled the high beam to see how much room I'm really working with. On another note, the C101 connector clearance was too tight for my taste. Ziptied aside.

[318aye]

this brings back so many bad memories trying to get my airbox to fit lol

Don't put that evil on me . I shudder to think about making it entirely on my own if Rama hadn't gone through with it.

[digger]

this brings back so many bad memories trying to get my airbox to fit lol

[318aye]

Beautiful. and functional.
So on to the intake and filter..

can't wait to see this car at the vintage!

I think I'm doing Saturday and Sunday. See you there.

Beautiful! I'm excited to hear some vids of her running :)

I ran it for maybe 2 or 3 minutes this morning, definitely a change from open trumpets. Filter shows up tomorrow, I'll slap it on and take it around the block Sunday or Monday with the GoPro.

Sooo today I checked the hood clearance. Clayed a few areas to see where the tightest spots were, then doubled up on those. End result looks to be dead in the middle on the driver's side of the "crest", and ends up with about 3.5mm clearance on average (varies a bit front to back). See pictures.

I dropped in my first shot at an enclosed filter box, and it fit like most first shots do. Retaining the ABS pump AND the stock airbox bracket really kills all the cleanliness that the Castro box offers. This did show me that this method really won't work all that well. If I were to enclose the filter, it would likely have to be like the image below:



So now I'm really back to my first option, which was the KAMotors box. I found similar offerings when searching for "carbon fiber canister air filter":

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Universal-Cold-Air-Intake-Carbon-Fiber-Heat-Shield-with-Internal-Filter-Element-/171944634368

http://www.carbuildersolutions.com/uk/remote-carbon-fibre-canister-air-filter

Unfortunately, most of these are 130mm (~5.125") and 4.5" is really going to be the limit in the space I have to work with.

I've ordered this guy: http://www.amazon.com/Green-Filter-7...=sr_1_1&sr=8-1

The lower base diameter is 4.625", which I should be able to juuust squeeze in this space. I think I'll 3D print something that will mount to the airbox bracket to retain it. The plan is to use carbon tube like the other canister boxes, but in a size that will work for me. Will print the end caps as well, and reinforce with metal. Waiting on the filter to arrive to check exact sizing before ordering the carbon.

https://www.rockwestcomposites.com/round-tubing/round-carbon-fiber-tubing/45601-01

Pictures:

[CorvallisBMW]

Beautiful! I'm excited to hear some vids of her running :)

[bradnic]

Beautiful. and functional.
So on to the intake and filter..

can't wait to see this car at the vintage!

[318aye]

See you in a few weeks! Congrats on growing a 3rd pedal.

This is so awesome, thanks for sharing!

Thanks! Hope the info helps somebody down the road.

[KrautnotRice]

This is so awesome, thanks for sharing!

[N2MYE30]

[318aye]

That sounds like a juggling act with getting it all assembled, is the plenum that hard to install/remove after where you couldn't of installed the spacers and plate first?

Looks great in the end, have you driven it yet? It sure alters the sound

According the instructions, you can't get the carbon on/off once the once the spacer/backplate assembly is in place but I didn't test that theory. It would probably have been worth it to try it with the spacer/backplate mounted loosely on the itbs.

Rama also has a theory that the carbon portion of the box itself may pull the backing plate out of plane a bit when it gets tightened down, which may explain why the fitment was way better when I was assembling the spacers to the backplate. This would mean you should leave the bolts securing the carbon a little loose (at least most of them) when doing the final install to keep the spacers correctly aligned. Definitely something I'll look into.

I cranked it up for 2 seconds last night just to make sure I hadn't jostled anything wiring-wise. Sounded very deep :). Might cruise it around the block today.

[whodwho]

That sounds like a juggling act with getting it all assembled, is the plenum that hard to install/remove after where you couldn't of installed the spacers and plate first?

Looks great in the end, have you driven it yet? It sure alters the sound

[318aye]

what about the cone filter the same spot as Miller PSIK?

I'm not a huge fan of having the filter that low. It'd be a 1 in a million chance that I actually drive the car through a puddle and manage to hurt it, but I've beaten those odds before .

Finished the actual airbox install today. Quite the wrestling match. Rama's instructions make sense, loosely assemble everything, get all the bolts started, then tighten down the backing plate, spacers and trumpets together. Then remove, install the carbon, and reinstall onto the vehicle. This resulted in a lot of pre-tensioned spacers, usually in the wrong direction. I could only hand thread about 3 or 4 bolts without leaning on or having to yank spacers to get the holes to line up again. Occasionally had to complete one spacer and then use zip ties to pull the next one into place. I think I may have performed the pre-assembly stuff incorrectly, as it got pretty difficult to get everything to fit. HOWEVER, I was victorious in the end, as only the lower #6 spacer bolt is only hand tight. Everything else worked out fine. I had to shift over a starter cable, and disconnected the main harness from the firewall to get some room. I would rank this install a 7/10 on the PITA scale, but the result is pretty worth it IMO. Also having an ongoing discussion with Rama about how to improve the kit in the future.

I ended up using 2 .125" thick shims under the driver's motor mount to get the booster clearance to around 2-2.5mm. Wasn't a problem, just unexpected. 2" diameter washers did the trick.

Final hurdle is going to be hood clearance, which I'll verify with clay tomorrow. Polished the back plate a bit as well, and drilled for the IAT sensor. Finished up the chopped catch can exit.

Duct hose for the intake connection showed up today as well. Still waiting on the KAMotors inlet duct. Next up will be the design for the intake enclosure itself, as well as filter selection. I think I'm looking for somewhere in the neighborhood of 300 CFM, and roughly 50 in^2 of filter area. This has translated to roughly a 5" by 5" cone filter. More info to come.

Pictures!