E30 with SR20DET

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Karan
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Thu Aug 21, 2008 11:52 pm

hmmm i have an idea.

basically use all the e30 prop, BUT get the splined nissan bit that goes into the box joint with a flange of some sort onto the front section of the e30 prop. This will make it serviceable etc :cool: and it will have 2 UJs as per the stock e30 design
Theo
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Wed Aug 27, 2008 12:03 pm

I fitted the engine mounts yesterday, Karan has done a good job on them. Engine is central and well seated.

A few pics to show the position of the engine:

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As you can see the gearshift is a touch too far back, nothing an angle grinder can't sort though 8O

The exhaust manifold is very close to the brake master cylinder, even with a heatshield I'm still concerned about what the heat will do to the seals and fluid in the master cylinder. Any input on this issue?

I'm also having intercooler issues. The core on my one was too thick and in general the intercooler was just a bit too big. There are lots of options on ebay, but it's hard to tell whether or not it will actually fit in the gap behind the front valance. There are some quite slim ones which would fit nicely and leave space for an oil cooler mounted above it, but i'm not sure whether they are a bit small? Here are the core measurements - 550mm x 140mm x 65mm or 550mm x 180mm x 65mm. Even with a taller intercooler the airflow will be limited by the bumper, so is there any point going for something larger?

Got a new plan with the propshaft... Use the splined bit which goes into the gearbox, weld that to an e30 gearbox output flange then you can use a shartened e30 front section in conjunction with a standard rubber guibo, standard centre bearing and rear section.
Karan
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Wed Aug 27, 2008 12:31 pm

dude to increase clearance you could just use a shorter engine mount/puck mounts as you could still go 1-1.5cm lower easily
Theo
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Wed Aug 27, 2008 12:45 pm

I can't really go any lower, the geabox bellhousing is too close to the ARB as it is.
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ShakeyC
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Wed Aug 27, 2008 4:52 pm

Can the engine be mounted a tiny bit more forward that will sort your gear shift and brake cylinder to manifold issue in one hit. Regarding the intercooler a 2x or 3x core may be a better option rather than a single tall one that way you have better clearance and mounting options along with possibly better performance to volume.
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Wed Aug 27, 2008 5:04 pm

I really don't want to move the engine any further forward, it would need to be alot further forward for it to make any difference with regard to heat transfer to the brake m/c anyway. The gearshift isn't really an issue, i'll just 'modify' the hole in the tunnel a little bit and then bolt a plate of alloy on there with a grommet fitted to it through which the gearstick passes.

I've ordered another intercooler after a chat with Ant. Here it is:

http://www.universal-intercoolers.co.uk/Large%20IC.html

I think i'm going to bite the bullet and move the servo over by about 25/30mm. It's a pain in the arse having to do this, but probably worth it for peace of mind.

I've got all the propshaft measurements down now, just need to get hold of an e30 gearbox output flange :-x
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ShakeyC
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Wed Aug 27, 2008 5:13 pm

How about relocating the servo behind the bulkhead rather than moving it couple cm away which in all honesty will make little difference unless something like a wall between the two components acting like a heat shield. Only throwing up some ideas, wether they help or not :cry:
Theo
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Wed Aug 27, 2008 5:21 pm

I don't think that relocation is required, perhaps that's wishful thinking?

I'll use a standard manifold heatshield like this:
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And then bodge up and extra shield like this:

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Wed Aug 27, 2008 5:24 pm

me , well I'd drop the E30 servo and linkag in the skip, and cut an E36 pedalbox, servo assy out of a breaker and stitch it all in where the battery used to live.

iirc Glenn did something similar when fitting his S60 ? using transit parts :eek:
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ShakeyC
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Wed Aug 27, 2008 5:28 pm

Looking at that picture gives a clearer idea, the heat shield and some of that exhaust heat wrap over the manifold be my first thing to try before relocating it. As long they do not touch each other even with engine movement you may be ok.
Theo
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Wed Aug 27, 2008 5:29 pm

That's an interesting idea. Might go to a scrapyard tomorrow and eye up how feasible/difficult it would be.

Any idea on brake master cylinder sizes on E36's?
Karan
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Wed Aug 27, 2008 9:17 pm

hmmm I think moving it all over to the drivers side is best too. But that can be done after aanyhoo get the damn turd moving first so I can have a go.
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Gunni
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Thu Aug 28, 2008 9:33 am

Manual brakes?
With great challenges comes great engineering.

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Karan
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Thu Aug 28, 2008 11:27 am

Gunni wrote:Manual brakes?
no not manual, still servo assisted but on the drivers side with a bodged up linkage inside the car above the pedal box
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Gunni
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Thu Aug 28, 2008 1:15 pm

But how about putting in manual brakes?
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Theo
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Thu Aug 28, 2008 2:06 pm

Like a couple of bricks tied to a piece of string? :D

Not sure about going for non servo assited brakes, I wanted to keep this conversion as simple as possible really. I don't think anyone is Oz who has done this conversion has had any brake issues. They haven't even moved the servo over from what I've read.
Karan
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Fri Aug 29, 2008 9:41 pm

Theo325 wrote:Like a couple of bricks tied to a piece of string? :D

Not sure about going for non servo assited brakes, I wanted to keep this conversion as simple as possible really. I don't think anyone is Oz who has done this conversion has had any brake issues. They haven't even moved the servo over from what I've read.
ally plate it is then, i reckon ull be fine to be honest... if u look at a GTR where everything is so close to the twin turbos, all they have is some thin plate and thats enough :cool:
Theo
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Sat Aug 30, 2008 11:05 am

Intercooler arrived yesterday afternoon, fits in behind the valance nicely. I'll cut a big hole in the panel to get as much air to it as possible.

Also got hold of a manifold heatshield and a standard gearbox mount which can be attached to the e30 mount to make something like this:

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gareth
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Sat Aug 30, 2008 7:49 pm

that's a rather handy looking shape! result!
captive nuts on the underside of the 'U' section on the pissan mount? if so, dead easy...... if the height is right.
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Theo
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Wed Sep 03, 2008 9:32 pm

Fitted the gearbox support and it lines the box up perfectly. Was really only a few minutes of tinkering to get the two mounts together.

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I've now got the rear section of the nissan propshaft and have yet again changed my mind on the design. The idea of incorporating an e30 gearbox output flange was quite clever, but when looking at an output flange on my old m30 gearbox and my 325i autobox it was apparent that the output flange is cast and would present problems when welding.

Jobs remaining:

Make mounts for intercooler, radiator, oil cooler and electric fan
Remove the fuel tank and fuel lines
Check tank for leak around the filler stub and possibly add baffles whilst fiddling
Fit heatshields to the passenger side floorpan where the downpipe passes
Remove BMW clutch line and the bracket where the slave cylinder threads onto the hardline
Make a clutchline going from BMW M/C to Nissan S/C
Continue making the loom
Cut down the heater pipe stubds and get some appropraite coolant hoses
Sort the throttle cable out
Fit bigger sump
Get a oil filter relocation kit (probably)
Get a turbo timer
Get an electronic boost controller
Get braided turbo coolant and oil hoses
Get a 3" exhaust system made up
Get some braided SS fuel line and route along drivers side and into engine bay
Get a stainless turbo elbow and relocate the lambda
Modify/buy new intercooler piping
Wire up the numerius aux guages - oil temp, oil pressure, AFR, water temp, boost, charge temp, volts
Grind a bit old hole in the front valance and cut a bit of the bumper off to maximise airflow to IC
Paint the horrible rocker cover!
Fit my GRP bonnet and some bonnet pins
Fit Saxo power steering pump
JGG1
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Wed Sep 03, 2008 9:36 pm

Keep the pictures coming mate, this is a quality thread
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Theo
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Wed Sep 03, 2008 9:40 pm

Cheers Jay, i'll try.
gareth
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Fri Sep 05, 2008 2:32 pm

love the niw sig :D you deviant!

That gearbox mount is more than jammy, it was just meant to be! :D
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Theo
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Fri Sep 12, 2008 6:23 pm

Collected the propshaft today, made by autoprop in East Grinstead for £100. Fits perfectly, retains the e30 centre bearing as all the modifying is done on the front section. Has a four bolt flange allowing it to be removed and refitted easily. Very happy with it.

Here are a couple of pics of the prop:
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Position of Gearstick with the gearbox properly positioned:
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E30BeemerLad
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Fri Sep 12, 2008 7:41 pm

Loving your work dude

Keep on truckin' :cool:
Jon_Bmw
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Fri Sep 12, 2008 7:46 pm

Sweet man. Whats left to do?

Probably a lot :(

That first drive is going to be wicked.
Theo
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Fri Sep 12, 2008 8:03 pm

Yup, loads of stuff needs to be done.

Going to remove the engine and box and tidy up the engine bay, remove various bits which get in the way such as the little bracket where the clutch slave hose attaches to the hardpipe coming from the master cylinder. Think I will also move the servo over using the E34 transfer bar thingy.

Need to weld on the mounts for the intercooler and modify the valance.

I could go on, but it's very boring. Lots to do and it will no doubt take fecking ages. Would have been nice to do a couple more trackdays this year or a ring trip :( :? :-x
cliffybabe
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Thu Nov 13, 2008 12:28 am

Theo how u getting on with this one???
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e30bmlover
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Thu Nov 13, 2008 8:35 am

good work theo! what sort of power will the ricer engine put down?? im guessing 280bhp??
Theo
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Thu Nov 13, 2008 2:59 pm

Made a bit of progress, but not as much as i would have liked.

Servo has been moved over by 45mm which is the maximum possible, I didn't really need to move it this far but nevermind. Just need to get the modified interior bracket fitted and chop the e34 transfer rod to the right length, I've already extended the thread on the pedal end.
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The radiator brackets are done, as are the lower intercooler brackets but I need to change these as the intercooler could do with being about 15-20mm lower.
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I've now got an electric power steering pump from a pug 106, I thought I was going to be unbeliveably lucky at first as the feed and return hose connectors are M16 and M14 respectively (the same as the BMW rack) but they use brake pipe style unions, and the ports in the BMW rack are off centre. (This probably makes no sense, but it's not interesting enought to warrant pics) So I'm going to have to get some custom pipes made up with the correct banjo fittings.
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Other things i've done... Remade all the brake lines for the car, fitted a braided steel hose in place of the rear brake line which runs through the car via a proportioning valve. I've fitted a grommet in the bulkhead for the fuel hoses which are going to run through the cockpit as the Nissan engine has the fuel hose connections on the opposite side to the BMW.
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I've got an oil filter relocation kit with a remote filter head which should make the plumbing that bit easier.
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Removed rear subframe and fuel tank. Poly trailing arm bushes fitted, which I should have done ages ago when I had the subframe off. Front brake discs skimmed, new pads front and rear.

I tested the Nissan and BMW coolant temperature gauge sensors side by side, and they operate at different resistances. I got an extra water temp gauge which will let me know more accurately what temperature the engine is at, problem is the sensor for it was 1/8th NPT and the Nissan sensor was M12x1.25. So I got an adaptor which was far too long chopped a bit off and extended the thread all the way through so the sensor is in the flow of coolant. To compliment this gauge i've got the matching boost, oil pressure and volts gauges which were ebay bargains. These will go in a sheet of alloy which i've molested to the point where it sort of fits the E30 dash.
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Got a stainless turbo elbow which is larger than the standard one the car had previously. Fitted with a new elbow gasket. Also got a nice set of braided turbo hoses for the the oil and coolant lines.
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I've also got some 10mm servo hose and a 10-12mm adaptor to link the BMW servo hose to the Nissan part. Got 6m of fuel hose for the new lines, oh and a big fire extinguisher for when it all goes up in flames!!
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Should refit the engine soon and start connecting everything up. Wiring is partially done, exhaust is being made shortly - just the intercooler piping, clutch hose, throttle cable, oil catch tank and wiring to get the tacho working to think about now.
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Thu Nov 13, 2008 3:05 pm

Slacker :P
Got cable ties? Get diffin..

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Theo
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Thu Nov 13, 2008 3:10 pm

I had to wait over 2 weeks for some cock to send me a holesaw which I needed to relocate the servo, gave up in the end and bought one elsewhere. That was a big delay.

I also managed to successfully removed a manifold stud which was sheared flush with the head, which pleased me. Alas Nissan want £5 for a stud, outrageous! I need 4 (3 for the downpipe) :(
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Thu Nov 13, 2008 3:12 pm

Theo325 wrote:Alas Nissan want £5 for a stud, outrageous! I need 4 (3 for the downpipe) :(
8O 8O 8O

Who says BMW's are expensive to maintain?!!

Some good work going on there.. I am appauled at the lack of cable ties however :)
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Theo
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Thu Nov 13, 2008 3:13 pm

e30bmlover wrote:good work theo! what sort of power will the ricer engine put down?? im guessing 280bhp??
About 270bhp and 260ft/lbs I think. If I went to 'stage 2' which is just a chip and some injectors I would be around 300bhp and 300 ft/lbs. Karan will clarify this matter, he's a rice lover at heart.
Theo
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Thu Nov 13, 2008 3:16 pm

Jhonno wrote:
Theo325 wrote:Alas Nissan want £5 for a stud, outrageous! I need 4 (3 for the downpipe) :(
8O 8O 8O

Who says BMW's are expensive to maintain?!!

Some good work going on there.. I am appauled at the lack of cable ties however :)
LOL, not needed any cable ties yet, I probably will when I start fitting all the hoses and wires etc!

Nissan are serious rapists, their gaskets must be crafted by hand out of platinum, such is the cost.
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