The Journey of Linda and Friends - the M20b31 Lives

[AWDBOB]

Jake came into town for Reggie's open house and........WE CONVERTED LINDA TO MEGASQUIRT

!!

He came in on Friday and we stayed up until 4am getting the wideband wired in and getting the car fired up on the standalone.

The meet was at 10am the following day, and we (jake) tuned the car on the way to the meet.

Linda absolutely rips- the variable TPS ended up being inop so we tuned without it, and we used the IAT in the AFM for the time being but....... the car on standalone feels absolutely incredible. I was so stoked that I forgot to get a photo with the other E30s at the open house, but right click on the last image (open in new tab) for a quick little 1-3 pull after tuning.

Untitled by Bobbie Morrone, on Flickr
Untitled by Bobbie Morrone, on Flickr
Untitled by Bobbie Morrone, on Flickr
Untitled by Bobbie Morrone, on Flickr

[bradnic]

Sweet vid! You’d be nuts to sell this car, but I’m sure it would do well. Why back to standalone? Is that temporary?

[AWDBOB]

Sweet vid! You’d be nuts to sell this car, but I’m sure it would do well. Why back to standalone? Is that temporary?

Now that I am on the other side I am feeling the same way. The $$ gained from selling the car isn’t going to change life much, but getting to enjoy the fruits of my labor, even for 2 days so far has been incredibly rewarding.

Regarding standalone - the car had a DME CEL with the chip (likely checksum related), and it just ran crazy rich, wouldn’t idle, etc etc. After troubleshooting everything looked fine, no vacuum leaks, etc, so I deduced that the stock ECU wasn’t up to the job, which was always a speculation due to the aggressiveness of the head work/cam.

I don’t think squid man did anything wrong, I just think the build is unique enough that it needed someone sitting in the passenger seat, watching live data, feeling the car, and thus giving the engine exactly what it needs via a standalone.

Even the sound of the exhaust note changed once everything got dialed in.

The drivability/response difference between AFM stock Ecu tuning and speed density has me wanting to buy standalones for everything I own. This was my first experience in that regard.

Im going to rent dyno time soon and Jake is going to remote in to finish the tune after I get an intake pipe made to make the AFM go bye bye (currently using its internal IAT) and install the GM IAT.

[Northern]

Funny how I can follow this thread and see Jake's instagram story with a red 3.1L M20 and somehow I don't put 2 and 2 together until you shared it.

Sounds great, and I'm glad it's working out so well!

[paynemw]

Linda absolutely rips- the variable TPS ended up being inop so we tuned without it, and we used the IAT in the AFM for the time being but....... the car on standalone feels absolutely incredible. I was so stoked that I forgot to get a photo with the other E30s at the open house, but right click on the last image (open in new tab) for a quick little 1-3 pull after tuning.

Sweet. I am very interested in using MS on my built M20... it's still a M20b25, but completely balanced with a lightened fly wheel.

Looks good man, glad it's working out!

[AWDBOB]

Funny how I can follow this thread and see Jake's instagram story with a red 3.1L M20 and somehow I don't put 2 and 2 together until you shared it.

Sounds great, and I'm glad it's working out so well!

bahaha yep, it was a hilarious weekend indeed, with a side of tuning.

Thanks man!!

Sweet. I am very interested in using MS on my built M20... it's still a M20b25, but completely balanced with a lightened fly wheel.

Looks good man, glad it's working out!

I remember back in my Evo days when I had to make my car PA Emissions Compliant. I went from an AEM to a good tune on a stock ECU, and the car was never the same.

I always figured M1.3 was fine because it’s a fairly intelligent engine management for its time, but the car *feels* different in so many different ways, I am hooked.

[AWDBOB]

Spent my first time on track and doing AutoX today in new BMWs, on the IMS road course and a small autocross- such an experience, and it got me hooked.

Untitled by Bobbie Morrone, on Flickr


My best run, out of a measly 3. There are 10000 things I did wrong, but driving behind an instructor on the road course helped wonders in just a short time.

(click photo for autox vid)

Untitled by Bobbie Morrone, on Flickr

[Cajunboyk]

Awdbob, I would love to check out your e30 if you're near south bend Indiana

[AWDBOB]

Awdbob, I would love to check out your e30 if you're near south bend Indiana

I'm about 2.5hrs south.

-----------------

I found a local upholster that seemed willing/capable to take on a pair of sports seats, so I let him do Linda's seats. It was less for him to do both seats including hand making the upholstery with material/labor that it was to buy the LSeat covers which don't have a good match for natur.

Got some seat shocks from my brother, and we were good to go!

Very happy with how they turned out. Perfect? No. Perfect for a car that you plan to drive and enjoy? Yep.

Don't mind the messy xterra, it is my 'work truck', haha.

Untitled by Bobbie Morrone, on Flickr
Untitled by Bobbie Morrone, on Flickr
Untitled by Bobbie Morrone, on Flickr
Untitled by Bobbie Morrone, on Flickr

[e30austin]

hell yeah, brother. those look great. brilliantrot over natur is such a nice combination. thanks for sharing.

[audiquattrot]

damn bro, this is crazy. OEM++++

[Matt@EDC]

Lush!!!

[mjweimer]

Man...those turned out great! It is all coming together....

[twright]

Those seats look great. Did Rudy on 86th do them?

If not, can you reveal your upholstery source?

[AWDBOB]

Thank you gents!! I forgot to respond to these comments. Tom- I used Mr Headliner up here in Anderson! Quality work, and the price was right. I am having him do a few other items as we speak.

I came here to debut what mjweimer has labeled......the un-hoopty. I had a unique opportunity through a friend to buy a totally rust free, repainted, '90 325iS, factory 5sp, rebuilt motor, crack free dash, etc etc recently. The paint job is decent, but not perfect. They sprayed the rockers white and smoothed the front and rear valences which I am not a fan of. There are a few typical paint reassembly quirks like broken trim clips, etc that need to be corrected. The car just needs general TLC for its potential to be fully realized, which I am quite excited to do! The interior needs love as well, suspension is in nice shape but stock, ugly wheels, etc.

My buddy couldn't get the car started after putting the build back together and he had an opportunity presented him to buy a car he was chasing for a while, so I went up to see if I could get this thing running and potentially take it home. After confirming no power to the ECU via no CEL illumination with key in accessory I exhausted normal troubleshooting (main relay, fusible link, etc), and decided to check over the OBC circuitry. I found the OBC relay to be unplugged. Plugged it back in, and the new motor fired right up, dropped right down to a perfect idle, etc etc. It was a nice win. We then bled the brakes/clutch/coolant, and I now have a running/driving car!

I am not sure what the exact plans are at the moment, but this car feels like a great opportunity for a fresh start.

Untitled by Bobbie Morrone, on Flickr
Untitled by Bobbie Morrone, on Flickr
Untitled by Bobbie Morrone, on Flickr