Let's make an E30 M3! (M3 S14 cabrio clone project)

[Kershaw]

Lol, it looks like it was run over.

[igor700]

Love this build. Keep at it.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[2mAn]

It's really a bad sign when your head gasket kit arrives like this:

Its hard to be at your house and NOT a little erect

[AWDBOB]

What HG Kit did you get?

[IronJoe]

It's really a bad sign when your head gasket kit arrives like this:






The perfect curvature for a head gasket -_-





More waiting. :(

[IronJoe]

Update: I ended up checking the valve lash, and found the culprit.

Exhaust valves on #4 had 5x the lash as the rest of them - obviously they aren't closing fully. I suspect they are bent, so I ordered new ones and will be pulling the head off shortly to replace them. I have the OEM headgasket and other associated gaskets on order.

It's a bummer, but in the long run I'll be happy I have a new headgasket on the S14 as I've run her for 6+ years and have no idea when it was last done.

[flyboyx]

aw damn. it does indeed sound like a valve issue. i guess it doesn't mean that you bent a valve, but its possible. you might simply have a clearance issue. you my try loosening the cam journals to relieve the pressure off your valves, then do another compression test to see if that helps.

its also possible that during assembly, some microscopic part fell down the intake and is wedged in between the valve and the head. its also possible that one of the spacers between the cam and the valve is stuck.

if you do pull the cams back off, run the number 4 cylinder to bdc and tap on the top of the valves with a mallet. you should be able to feel if one is stuck.

[dude8383]

Perform a leak down test.

[Wschnitz]

At least it didnt grenade the cylinder!

[e30austin]

Fuck :(

[IronJoe]

Things were going so well, it was about time something catastrophic happened.


I got the car started this weekend, which would typically be cause for jumping around like an idiot and cheering. But, the engine sounded really bad and I immediately suspected it was only running on three cylinders.

I pulled the spark plug wires one by one, and sure enough, #4 was dead. I spent a while troubleshooting and traced the spark (good) and the fuel (good) and finally did a compression test last night - 0 PSI on Cyl 4

I dropped a scope down the cylinder and didn't see any obvious problems (hole in the piston, cracks, etc). At this point I can only assume I screwed something up when I replaced the cam box, and that a valve is stuck open. Bent? Stuck open via misadjustment? Something else?

[IronJoe]

Well it's been a busy week at work so I haven't had time to get much done, but last weekend I made some progress.


-I wired up the C104 connection that was missing from the '89 body harness
-remounted the fenders, bumper, etc
-Finished installing coolant hoses, miscellaneous engine bay parts.


The engine is now all put back together and the wiring is done. Just waiting for some free time to fill it with fluids and try to fire it up.


Panel gaps look great, so the positioning bumper/fender mounts ended up being pretty spot on.


Engine bay looking pretty together :)


Also got new turn signal lenses - just one of countless brand new OEM parts from BMW.

[staysideways]

Wow this build is moving fast. Good work


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[IronJoe]

Once its running, what body work is left to do?

Rear:
Skin the rear quarters, wider rear arches, weld on new quarters
Doors:
weld up the door trim channels
Fenders:
Modify fender bottoms to accommodate vert fender differences

Sideskirts are e30 m3 cabrio specific and bolt up with all new OEM hardware.

Then just paint. Oh and it also needs a new windshield

[2mAn]

Once its running, what body work is left to do?