My 325i turbo build-bring on the boost (video inside)

[ImysE30]

Just catching up on this, great work

[appletree]

Tyres were a proper bargin!!! Wish I'd seen them!

[Lurch320i]

Cheers guys, always nice to hear comments about the car
Just hope I can get it finished in time for the show I want to go to
Fingers crossed ay???

Tyres were a proper bargin!!! Wish I'd seen them!

Stay away from my tyres haha I have a few stacks of them in the workshop
Different sizes, makes, tread patterns depending what I have planned

Hoping to get some federal rsr when she's running better power or maybe even a set of full slicks

[Lurch320i]

Did some more wiring for gauges and the Megasquirt

Finding a switch live was a ballache but a few mins with a multimeter found one on the ignition barrel, follow it back and "T" into that (it's a solid green wire coming from barrel of anyone else needs one"


Also did the lives and earths for the that voltmeter gauge and USB port I got


Onto the MS wiring, I didn't have a plug for the m20 auto tps socichad to get creative



Thought I'd also change the inlet mani over for the black one I painted a while ago and put the new 440cc injectors in







Also changed the two fuel pipes for braided items (heard of a local e30 that the fuel peed rubber pipe burst and set the front end on fire)



All done



Just need to finish a few touched of wiring in the glovebox and then the carpet can go back in (again) after being cleaned, my mate has given me a map he was using on his m20 turbo so I'm going to load that up and see how she handles Untill I can get it down to the mapper for a custom map to be sorted

Also another mate (and previous employer) has an mot garage so it's booked in there as soon as it's done, then roll on getting some boost down its throat


Wish me luck

[Lurch320i]

Long overdue update but yesterday was the day of days for me
Finally got it running on the Megasquirt and its running boost too a˜„ I'm beyond happy

[youtube][/youtube]

So now I just need to do final touches on the gauges and then the interior can go back in and booked in for mot

Speaking of gauges
I think my oil pressure gauge is a bit faulty
When it's not powered it reads just under 20psi
Then I attach a live and earth to the + and - terminals and it instantly jumps to max (over 100psi) the signal wire from the sender doesn't change this reading at all

[Lurch320i]

Doing some finishing touches to gauges and started to fit that volt meter, USB port and Ciggie lighter socket
Felt terrible drilling into a mint center console but needs must and I have a spare one incase I revert back to standard




Then did some mods to the ashtray gauge pod
Switch for the lambda calibration


Then switches for a few other bits and bobs


Nice and tight behind there now


Handy when you have a mate who's good with wiring and can keep me calm


But now I have a small problem
The car won't start anymore
Spark had gone on cylinder 1 and 6 so I think the coil pack is dead which is strange because it's brand new
So more digging is needed as even if that one ignition bank has gone down then it should still run on the other 4 but it won't even run lumpy

[steve_k]

looking good dude, not far now i hope

[Lurch320i]

Thanks Steve, It's having a problem now
The fuel pump wouldn't come on with ignition so I've ran my own power to it on a switch which works fine and gets fuel to the rail, It won't start anymore and its lost spark on cylinders 1 and 6

I hope it's just a dud coil pack so I'll get a new one and a new set of plugs
The lambda gauge reads wrong so I think that's faulty as it reads fine in the ecu

Just need these finishing touches done then can go for mot and a proper mapping session to get it running properly

[Wobbzgurka]

wow great work dude!!

[Lurch320i]

Thanks man a‘aaa» but now she wont start, coil pack was dud so got another from a mate until a new one gets delivered
So now I have spark on all 6 cylinders but still no start

Took the plugs out and my god they're filthy (carbon) even though they're new so cleaned them off and she tried to start but still struggling a bit
Annoying me now

I have fuel at the rail
I have spark on all 6
New cambelt
Map hasn't changed (ran beautifully two weeks ago)

[steve_k]

any updates yet dude?

just a quick question, what route did you use for the vacuum/boost gauge from the ashtray mount?
does it pass through an existing grommet in the bulk head or did you drill a new one??

only ask as a mate is going the turbo route & can't suss out where to route the tubing.

[Lurch320i]

Yeah it runs again but it's too rich so it's needs mapping professionally

The boost gauge is tee'd from the vac line going into the Megasquirt ecu
That goes through the grommet that is behind the glovebox that the main loom routes through

[steve_k]

Yeah it runs again but it's too rich so it's needs mapping professionally

The boost gauge is tee'd from the vac line going into the Megasquirt ecu
That goes through the grommet that is behind the glovebox that the main loom routes through

nice one cheers dude one other thing, did you use silicone hose or the clear(ish) plastic one that comes with the gauge??

at the rate you are going you will have it on the road soon enough.

nice to see a budget diy turbo build, keep it up.

[Lurch320i]

I used 4mm silicone hose
I bought 5m of the stuff from Ebay for £5

But yeah its budget from some people's spec but so far a rough calculation is just short of £6k
But that's entirely what it owes me, turbo parts, suspension, brakes, welding repair, consumables, all the little fittings and clamps etc so it does add up

Yeah it's nearly ready for the road but the engine has just started knocking and I think it's the big ends so that's delayed me a bit

[steve_k]

5m for £5?? off to ebay then

6K's not bad if thats all in, big end's?? oh dear fingers crossed you can get it sorted.

[Lurch320i]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/ulk/itm/190893549485
There's the link for it

Well I'm not sure if it is big ends yet, it's knocking on idle and on revs
Sump is off but didn't whip a cap off to check because a mate broke down so had to shoot

£6k is a lot of money when I have a misses and 3 kids
She thinks it owes me about £1500-2000 tops
I'm dead meat if she reads this

[Lurch320i]

Alright guys
Long one since no post

But basically the turbo kit is now for sale, it's finished and running but I have other plans that need to be done so I won't have time to drive this about, the lot will be sold as a whole bolt on kit and then the car will be sold as a original 325i sport if anyone is interested

I've made an advert on e30zone FB page but I'm yet to write on on here

[Lurch320i]

http://www.e30zone.net/modules.php?name ... c&t=267300

theres the for sale advert if anyone is interested in this full comprehensive turbo build

[DirtyP]

Damn... just read through all of this and it took me back to the days where I dropped a vr6 into a mk2 golf whilst also building a mk1 1.8t with a mate and we both got to a stage where we sold up!

I've now got a 325 sitting on the drive and here I am again contemplating taking on what you've gone through

Hmmm, damn shame man