$500 325i Vert Build: M52 Turbo

[JRHemmen]

Had another long weekend of working on the car. Hooked up the heater core, bled the brakes and clutch, cleaned up the wiring and got everything ran to where it belongs, mounted the headlights, radiator, fan, and intercooler, and wastegate, and started to map out how my intercooler piping is going to run. Got some other small stuff done too like putting in new fuel hoses, running a few vacuum lines, and cleaning all the paint off the headlights (thanks PO). I'm going to take this weekend off but hope to finalize wiring, coolant hoses, and intercooler piping next weekend. Once I get this thing to a shop to get a downpipe fabricated it should be ready to attempt its first start

[JRHemmen]

[zwill23]

Sweet build! Boost noises with the top down sounds like a wonderful combination

Your intercooler looks really low to me, can you shift it up at all? I went for the G-Line intercooler for this reason so I had a bit more room between the frame rails. I am just able to hide mine behind an "i" valence, maybe you'll be okay with a "IS" valence though?

[JRHemmen]

Sweet build! Boost noises with the top down sounds like a wonderful combination Your intercooler looks really low to me, can you shift it up at all? I went for the G-Line intercooler for this reason so I had a bit more room between the frame rails. I am just able to hide mine behind an "i" valence, maybe you'll be okay with a "IS" valence though?

I assume I'm going to have to chop up the valence a bit. I had to hang it that low to clear the spal pusher. Sent from my OnePlus 7 Pro using Tapatalk

[zwill23]

I assume I'm going to have to chop up the valence a bit. I had to hang it that low to clear the spal pusher. Sent from my OnePlus 7 Pro using Tapatalk

That makes sense, well hopefully with an IS lip and a splitter or something the intercooler won't poke out of the bottom.

[JRHemmen]

That makes sense, well hopefully with an IS lip and a splitter or something the intercooler won't poke out of the bottom.

I sure hope so! I could bring it up higher and further out but that was hitting the valence too. I'm sure I'm going to have to get creative, lol. Sent from my OnePlus 7 Pro using Tapatalk

[JRHemmen]

Got my ECU installed and just about all of the engine wiring done, and the car starts! It's at a shop right now getting a downpipe fabbed, but I did some test fits and I had to pretty aggressively chop the valance to get the intercooler to fit. Hoping I can come up with something in terms of a splitter or lip that doesn't look absolutely ridiculous. I was hoping to keep the front end looking stock but that is not going to be an option unfortunately. Sent from my OnePlus 7 Pro using Tapatalk

[JRHemmen]

As it turns out, I'm still alive. Gotten a good amount of work done since my last post, I'll update with pictures tomorrow. Full exhaust installed, cooling system installed and bled, battery relocated to trunk, new convertible cover cables and release handle, base tune, test drives, vacuum lines installed, etc. All that remains is to finish tuning, get an alignment, and attach all the misc trim/lights still laying around. Sent from my OnePlus 7 Pro using Tapatalk

[JRHemmen]

Up to date shot of the engine bay. Still need to do a fair bit of wire tidying at the power distribution panel. Sent from my OnePlus 7 Pro using Tapatalk

[Northern]

Looks really good!

[ba114]

Had a very impulsive black Friday weekend, made quite a few purchases for the project:

Cutring headgasket
Copper spacer to lower compression
ARP 2000 head studs
Swap engine mounts
Lightweight flywheel
FX250 Clutch
Vanos rebuild kit
Oil pump rebuild kit
New timing chains
Precision 6262 .63 AR turbo
RSI T3 Turbo manifold
New exhaust studs and nuts
Chase Bays brake booster eliminator, BBE line relocation kit, clutch line, vanos line, and slave cylinder line

Sounds like a familiar setup, check out my build thread if you want an idea of what you might expect from it

[JRHemmen]

It's finally starting to come together. I painted all the bumper surrounds and the valance and got that hung back up, though fitment around intercooler piping still isn't great. Also finally cleaned up the wiring around the battery tray. Next weekend will be wetsanding and polishing the rest of the panels, a 255LPH fuel pump, and hopefully an alignment. Pictures below. Sent from my OnePlus 7 Pro using Tapatalk

[JRHemmen]

. Sent from my OnePlus 7 Pro using Tapatalk

[econti]

Did you have to cut the rad support to fit the cooler, and if not, what size is it?

[Northern]

+1 to the above, looking to upgrade soon and looking for options.