My M30 conversion

[ImysE30]

Just a pic of the pipes please

Sorry, I'd forgotten all about this, I'll take some pics when I get home tomorrow evening

No problem dude, no rush

[Bristol_Jer]

Brake pipe pics:









Back end is all finished now, going to get the engine and box bolted together tomorrow and finish the rest of the brake pipes on the car. Should be putting the engine in the car next weekend

[ImysE30]

Nice work, not long left now

[Bristol_Jer]

Thanks mate

Finished all the brake pipes today and fitted front Goodridge hoses. Finances are looking a bit dire at the moment so may just put the standard steering rack back in for now just so I can get the car ready for trackdays. Haven't got the money to get the proper spacer and custom pipes yet, the car is on SORN so need the money to tax it!

[charlE30]

Haven't got the money to get the proper spacer and custom pipes yet, the car is on SORN so need the money to tax it!

You can reshape E30 pipes if your on a budget and spacers are easy enough if you look on ebay at metal offcuts you find all sorts on there

Brakes look really good, how much longer do you reckon till she'll be on the road?

Coming along nicely

[Bristol_Jer]

You can reshape E30 pipes if your on a budget and spacers are easy enough if you look on ebay at metal offcuts you find all sorts on there

Brakes look really good, how much longer do you reckon till she'll be on the road?

Coming along nicely

Thank you Charlie

I'd never have even thought about the offcuts on ebay, nice idea I'll take a look

I've cleared the shed and chucked it all on ebay/ other forums so I might have freed up some cash to sort it now!

As for when it will be ready, I'm hoping to have the engine in the car this weekend provided I go steady on the , I've got one more brake pipe to make, and then it's all the small bits. The last main hurdle will be welding up the exhaust downpipes to my 325 system as I can't weld (yet!) so I'm gonna have to ask a favour to get that sorted. So realistically it will be a couple of weeks yet.

I'm really looking forward to taking the car for it's first drive, I haven't driven it since the middle of December!

[leeparkes]

Your 325i exhaust will slide into the M30 downpipes then clamp it up, no need to weld them
I think Charlie has a pic of this activity

[Bristol_Jer]

Well, thats a very good bit of news!

Cheers Lee

[leeparkes]

M30 pipes are 50mm M20 pipes are 46mm and the steel is just under 2mm thick
They fit together perfect and all you need is a hacksaw and a couple of clamps

[charlE30]

Your 325i exhaust will slide into the M30 downpipes then clamp it up, no need to weld them
I think Charlie has a pic of this activity

I'll go and dig it out

[charlE30]

M30 downpipes



Cutup M20 downpipes (Is stupidly cut my stainless scorpion pipes )



Not ideal but worked very well indeed, 325 downpipe slides inside the M30

HTH

Charlie

[Bristol_Jer]

Lovely, thank you!

[Bristol_Jer]

A quick update:

Just about to be bolted together:



On it's way in:



Engine in it's new home:



Wiring, plumbing and exhaust to do now!

Just noticed the bottle of beer in the 2nd pic, my mate Matt who helped me must have put it there while I went to get the camera!

[ImysE30]

Nearly there

[charlE30]

Getting there mate, nice feeling isn't it when it slots in and bolts up don't forget when it's wired and plumbed in you HAVE to start it up with no exhaust, it's an unwritten M30 law and sounds very similiar to a WWII spitfire...

When do you reckon you'll be doing your first test drive?

[Bristol_Jer]

Yes I'm glad it's in there at last!

I've got to work next weekend unfortunately so won't be able to do much, so it's going to be an hour here and there in the evenings. So it's going to be a week or 2 I expect before I can start it up (with no exhaust of course )

[leeparkes]

[Bristol_Jer]

Got the engine mounts into position 3 this evening as we only got it into position 2 when we put the engine in. Bit worried about the head to bulkhead clearance (or lack of!).

The front of the car is jacked up pretty high, and the nuts on the engine mounts are loose so I'm hoping the engine has just slid back against the bulkhead because of this. Does this sound about right? I've read on here that some people have had to bash the bulkhead out the way, but most people find it ok, hope I don't have to! Would it be wise to jack the back of the car up to tilt the engine forward a little before tightening up the engine and box mount nuts?

Should hopefully have time to spend 3 or 4 hours tomorrow afternoon sorting a bit more of the wiring and plumbing, have got my 328 prop and z3 gearstick to fit too.

I might have found some cheap, easily available uprated gearbox mounts, I'll post up my findings if it works out ok

[Rav335uk]

I had to slightly "massage" my bulkhead, but only slightly.
I also did away with some of the sound deadening round the transmission tunnel too.

[ImysE30]

Eager to hear more about the gearbox mounts, just about to order some new one's for my conversion

[Bristol_Jer]

I had to slightly "massage" my bulkhead, but only slightly.
I also did away with some of the sound deadening round the transmission tunnel too.

Sound deadening went in the bin ages ago! How much 'massaging' are we talking Rav, pushed in by 10mm or so? Or a bit more extreme than that?

[Rav335uk]

Not that much,I did enough for the engine to clear the brake lines on the rear bulkhead.
Go a little first.

[Bristol_Jer]

Ok, thanks Rav . The brake line isn't the problem for me by the looks of it, it's the little plate thats bolted to the back of the head thats touching the bulkhead on mine. It's only just resting on it as I can lever the engine away easy enough

[Rav335uk]

Mine was the back of the head touching the brake lines, bu I think I rerouted mine.

[Bristol_Jer]

Bulkhead clearance sorted, PAS pump fitted back on, and trial fitted various bits to see they go on!

When fitting a M535 radiator, do you need to cut off the little metal platforms that hold the plastic bottom radiator mountings? The one on the passenger side is ok, but the drivers side hose outlet won't go past the platform.

Also the big round connector by the fusebox, should this connect straight to the M30 loom one?

[sheebie]

When fitting a M535 radiator, do you need to cut off the little metal platforms that hold the plastic bottom radiator mountings? The one on the passenger side is ok, but the drivers side hose outlet won't go past the platform.

If its an e28 rad you need to cut one side, i did the drivers side one, a bit awkward but do-able.

Also make your brackets for the fan mount and fit them before the rad. Im doing mine again tomorrow because i was too eager first time around

[Rav335uk]

Bulkhead clearance sorted, PAS pump fitted back on, and trial fitted various bits to see they go on!

When fitting a M535 radiator, do you need to cut off the little metal platforms that hold the plastic bottom radiator mountings? The one on the passenger side is ok, but the drivers side hose outlet won't go past the platform.

Also the big round connector by the fusebox, should this connect straight to the M30 loom one?

Yes on the plug, but you need to cut and resolder 3 wires to wrk correctly, can't remember which, but they are for the Tacho swingometer thingy, windows/fan to work and another

[Bristol_Jer]

When fitting a M535 radiator, do you need to cut off the little metal platforms that hold the plastic bottom radiator mountings? The one on the passenger side is ok, but the drivers side hose outlet won't go past the platform.

If its an e28 rad you need to cut one side, i did the drivers side one, a bit awkward but do-able.

Also make your brackets for the fan mount and fit them before the rad. Im doing mine again tomorrow because i was too eager first time around

Nice one, I was thinking the drivers side would be the best one to cut out. I'll attack it with the Dremel tomorrow!

Cheers for the advice about the fan mounts too ;)

[Bristol_Jer]

Yes on the plug, but you need to cut and resolder 3 wires to wrk correctly, can't remember which, but they are for the Tacho swingometer thingy, windows/fan to work and another

Cheers Rav, been trying to fit the plug in today, but it doesn't want to go in for some reason. It looks like it should line up ok, but couldn't get it to fit. I'll have another go tomorrow. I've got a note of which wires to swap

[Rav335uk]

Should fit, mine went in straight away.
You have a chice on the pins, you can buy a pin tool, which can take the pins out for you to swap, or cut and solder.

[Bristol_Jer]

Got plenty of solder and heatshrink here so I'll go for that option. I'm sure the plug will fit straight in when I have another go, always the way!

[leeparkes]

The plug has a locking ring on them, undo this and you can pull the pins out. I found this out just after id cut and shut my wires

The other wire doesnt realy have to go to the small nut on the starter it just needs to be earthed somewhere, i ran a wire along the baulkhead behind the fusebox and earthed it to the bonnet runners.

Regarding the plug not fitting 'i do hope im wrong' but i seem to remember some M30's have a different plug on the loom.

[Rav335uk]

Later ones iirc

[Bristol_Jer]

Think I must have a late engine then! The plug on the engine side hasn't got pins, it is sockets like on the car side Oh joy!

[sheebie]

Think I must have a late engine then! The plug on the engine side hasn't got pins, it is sockets like on the car side Oh joy!

Really? i got a late engine and my plug fitted okay, any chance of a picture?