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An Emerald in the Rough - 12/1986 Dinan M5

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    #76
    Originally posted by bradnic View Post
    any updates? I know you've been working on the mtech cabrio
    Haven't touched this in close to eight months. Needs a good tune, a complete suspension overhaul and timing chain/cooling system overhaul before I do much more with it.

    I have been acquiring parts for it when I see something for a deal...

    -brand new Spax suspension kit, 60/40 and adjustable dampers

    -BBS RS212 wheels (my most favorite BBS RS wheel EVER)

    -parts to get a bitchin stereo back in it (nothing at the moment)

    -repainted all the black trim (made a huge difference)

    -probably will install my NOS 385mm M-Tech 1 wheel and will sell off the rough Alpina wheel

    Also looking into having the door repaired by my PDR guy and the other misc dents removed so I can have the car vinyl wrapped black, until it comes time to have the car properly stripped and repainted. Not really how I like to do things, but I can't deal with the green anymore.
    Last edited by e30austin; 05-17-2019, 10:17 PM.
    '72 2002 pickup | '88 M5 | '89 330is | '89 M3 | '01 Z3M | '11 328xi-t

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      #77
      Well, here's a long overdue, and a bit of a disappointing update.

      About this time, last year, I decided I was going to get the car ready for 5erWest a bit earlier than I normally would have. I got in touch with someone who came recommended to me for Megasquirt tuning and scheduled to get the car in to his shop for tuning. What a nightmare that turned out to be. 6 weeks later, I get a non running car back, because he was quite inexperienced with Megasquirt and somehow, lost my original tune and couldn't do anything about it. Great.

      About this same time, my professional life started falling apart and the car (and all my others) took a back burner until I moved into my new building, a few months back. Upon my arrival here, I had the car towed over from my storage unit and started messing around with it.

      Right before the tuning disaster happened, I pulled all the trim off to detail the car and have the trim painted. Got the trim repainted, but never finished detailing the car. First step was to finish what I started. Decided to buy a Griot's dual action polisher and a bunch of Griot's polishes. About 30 hours in, we had this...


      (after about 10-12 hours in, hood was still chalky and stained underneath, this was when i threw in the towel and bought the GG polisher kit)


      (after)






      (left side unfinished, middle mid-process, right side as good as I can get it)


      (getting there)


      (very impressed with these products, 10/10)

      Much better, still has lots of deep scratches and stone chips, but it fits the patina of the car - whatever. Yellow/green tape is still on, because I still have another 10-15 hours of polishing left - I'm unmotivated to finish, but I don't want to re-tape everything, so...

      Decided to install a rough set of BBS RS212 I had laying around, with some 225/45/17 tires - they just barely clear the pre-rolled fender arches of the M5. Looks muuuuuuch better.





      My friend, AJ, who got the car running, the first time around, came back and helped fix where the last guy fucked the tune up. Got it running and did a few short drives around to see what was going on. We came to the conclusion, that since this is a turbo engine that is also fitted with individual throttles, the computer cannot properly measure the amount of air entering the plenum. We opted to fit a MAF off a 90's Infiniti Q45, as it was a large enough sensor to properly measure the amount of air entering the intake.

      Fitted that, changed a few settings on the MS box and fired it up. Ran SOOOOOOOO much better, better than it ever had. The stumbling on idle was solved, no more variances in AFRs (leaning out HARD before on WOT), smoother transition going into boost, etc. I was so happy. Took it out for a bit of a hot lap on a long road, when AJ told me to punch it (I never really tried pushing it to its limit), so I did. Got it to the top of 4th gear (about 120mph) and we hear a "POOF". Look back to a nice cloud of smoke and the sweet, sweet smell of green coolant. Fuuuuuuuuck........

      Pulled over and collected my thoughts for a minute. We weren't that far away from the shop (about two miles), so I babied it up to about 45 MPH and let it coast back to the shop a couple different times. Made it halfway back and it was starting to get warm, so I just shut it down, grabbed my truck and tow chain and babied it back to the shop.




      (obligatory "yo, ma kar fuckin broke, dawg" pics)

      Decided to take the cylinder head off yesterday, so I could see what condition my condition was in. I had never touched an S38 very much, and while it all looked very intimidating, it was easier than doing a 24v cylinder head removal. The biggest bitch of the job was getting the giant turbo disconnected (which took longer than anything else), so once that was split, away came the intake and cam box and off with its head, of which, the turbo manifold came with (you really aren't removing that in the car very easily).







      Yeah, that isn't a good look. Also, note that one of the exhaust valve seats dropped out and somehow didn't fail completely - probably because of the lower compression pistons that Dinan installed. Wow.





      Took the head down to my preferred machine shop, where they gave it a quick inspection. We discovered that the head had been worked over at least two different times over the years and had some cracks that weren't really cost effective to repair - as I suspected.

      So...I made the executive decision to buy another complete engine that I knew of - another S38B35, with 110k miles - and install it in the car, WITHOUT the turbo parts. It was fun while it lasted, and I will keep the parts around, just in case I have a change of heart (and they are a large part of this car's history), but I just want to go enjoy the goddamn car at this point. Sick of staring at a dead horse that I have had to push around more than any car I have EVER owned, lol

      The good news is, I can look for a spare head in the meantime, and use my original engine to build a nasty NA stroker out of, later on - eventually, I want to change the replacement engine out for the potential stroker engine, and install the replacement engine in my M-Tech cabrio...but we will see what happens.

      Anyway, keep watching for updates. I hope that the engine arrives before the end of this month. It's going to be a mad dash to get this car finished for 5erWest!!!

      ...and if not, I'll just take my shitty E28 pickup truck thing (more on that later)
      '72 2002 pickup | '88 M5 | '89 330is | '89 M3 | '01 Z3M | '11 328xi-t

      Comment


        #78
        1) This car rocks, I love the green.
        2) Your polishing work turned out great! I reaaaaly need to do the trim on Linda.
        3) I think ditching the turbo setup for now is a great way to really enjoy this thing. And now you have two S38s....
        1990 Brilliantrot 325iS Build Thread
        1989 Zinnoberrot M3 Build Thread

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          #79
          Sorry about the problems. Hopefully it all works out. Car looks great, keep up the good work?

          [IMG]https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/my350z.com-vbulletin/550x225/80-parkerbsig_5096690e71d912ec1addc4a84e99c374685fc03 8.jpg[/IMG

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            #80
            Originally posted by AWDBOB View Post
            1) This car rocks, I love the green.
            2) Your polishing work turned out great! I reaaaaly need to do the trim on Linda.
            3) I think ditching the turbo setup for now is a great way to really enjoy this thing. And now you have two S38s....
            Thanks, Bobbie! Definitely a lot better than when we started. I agree, the turbo setup has been nothing short of an annoying nightmare the entire time I've owned it. Really ready to just put a bunch of miles on the car and enjoy it for what it is - crappy green paint and all :P

            Originally posted by parkerbink View Post
            Sorry about the problems. Hopefully it all works out. Car looks great, keep up the good work?
            Thank you, appreciate it!
            '72 2002 pickup | '88 M5 | '89 330is | '89 M3 | '01 Z3M | '11 328xi-t

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              #81
              Keep up the good work was supposed to have an ! not ?

              lol

              [IMG]https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/my350z.com-vbulletin/550x225/80-parkerbsig_5096690e71d912ec1addc4a84e99c374685fc03 8.jpg[/IMG

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                #82
                I just bought an s38 motor that I'm thinking about parting out if your interested in a head.
                1986 325es(Possible race car?)
                1987 325e (the show car)
                1992 525it (the new daily)

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                  #83
                  Originally posted by erynapolean777 View Post
                  I just bought an s38 motor that I'm thinking about parting out if your interested in a head.
                  S38B35 from an E28? If it isn't cracked, yes. Details on what you have to e30austin at gmail dot com
                  '72 2002 pickup | '88 M5 | '89 330is | '89 M3 | '01 Z3M | '11 328xi-t

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                    #84
                    Long overdue, but brief, update:



                    More to come later. Still have lots to do. This was waaaaaaaay more expensive than I had ever anticipated. I hope it all runs well.

                    Still have to install the trans/clutch/flywheel and exhaust, but everything is basically ready on the top side.
                    '72 2002 pickup | '88 M5 | '89 330is | '89 M3 | '01 Z3M | '11 328xi-t

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                      #85
                      Looks new!

                      [IMG]https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/my350z.com-vbulletin/550x225/80-parkerbsig_5096690e71d912ec1addc4a84e99c374685fc03 8.jpg[/IMG

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                        #86
                        Originally posted by e30austin View Post
                        Long overdue, but brief, update:



                        More to come later. Still have lots to do. This was waaaaaaaay more expensive than I had ever anticipated. I hope it all runs well.

                        Still have to install the trans/clutch/flywheel and exhaust, but everything is basically ready on the top side.
                        This is great to see. Will it be making it to 5er West this year?

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                          #87
                          It lives! Fired up on the first click. Had a few minor bugs to work out this morning, but was able to limp it over to bkburnout's place (open headers FTL), so he could re-modify the stock midsection to accept the stock US spec manifolds, as it was formerly setup to accept the turbo downpipe. I bought a B&B muffler, which we installed at the same time (took a lot of work to make it work, so much for being a "direct, bolt on replacement".) Has a very nice sound, of which I am happy with.

                          After getting to drive it around this afternoon and learn it's personality better, it made the many thousands of dollars totally worth it. I look forward to bonding with the car further - next job is a full suspension overhaul. It's horrible!

                          AB









                          edit: going to finish polishing it tomorrow morning and take the damn tape off - so sick of looking at all the yellow. maybe it'll be a respectable looking car someday.

                          -------

                          Long but successful weekend. Car performed wonderfully. Finished polishing the car and reinstalled the trim. So weird to think that it's the same car I started with. Excited to start driving it more frequently. It sure makes beautiful noises.

                          Next up is a suspension overhaul. While I like the ride height (I must be getting old), the shocks are pretty terrible and the front control arms are wasted. I have a full Spax kit that I will probably install, but I fear it'll be a little low for what I am after with this car. We will see.

                          Here are some pictures...























                          '72 2002 pickup | '88 M5 | '89 330is | '89 M3 | '01 Z3M | '11 328xi-t

                          Comment


                            #88
                            Nice! Congrats! I'm glad you are finally able to get this car out and enjoy it!

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                              #89
                              some awesome pictures in there. any plans to get euro bumpers?

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                                #90
                                I am glad to hear you finally got to drive it. Perfect weather for it.
                                How to remove, install or convert to pop out windows
                                http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=297611


                                Could be better, could be worse.

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