My M20 B28 build, 200+ bhp/tq now bits to deal with it

[stonesie]

Just the man i wanted to see, do you have a good and rust free touring 6 pot fuel tank? mine's sprung a leak

[rix313]

Engine looks beautiful looking forward to the fitted pics

[goosiegander]

Have fun running it in dude!

[Andyboy]

Couple of pointers - you'll need to check the tappets again now that the head is torqued down.

Take the plugs out, fuel pump fuse out and crank it on the starter to get the oil pressure up. Once the light's gone out (it can take a while), refit the fuse and give it a quick crank over to get a drop of fuel in the bores - this just makes for a quick fire up. Taking the plugs out and the resulting lack of compression takes a lot of the loading off the bearings.
Once running, hold the rpm at 2000/2500 for ten minutes. Do not let it idle. This is to run the camshaft in, the highest loaded part of the engine. The wear happens at low rpm, not high so 10 mins at 2500 will do nicely. Just letting it idle will possibly do the cam a bit of no good.
Remember - heater on hot, fan on No.2 and keep an eye on the temp gauge although I'm sure it will be fine.


2.7's are sooooo last century.

[stonesie]

Thanks for the tips Andy, i had forgotten about the cam with thinking about running the rings in...

10 mins at 2.5K should warm things up nicely for it's maiden run, 20 miles of fun after about a week of not driving it

The short shift will be nice to get used to too...... Stop raining damnit, im not takeing the rocker cover off in this.



Oh and i found my leak, bit embarasing but the gasket had moved and was more of a spacer and the subframe had to be dropped to get even my small hands in there, all done now and bled as well as it can be without running the engine.... The valve on the heater matrix is 'powered closed' isn't it?

Batterys still off the car.

[Andyboy]

From memory you take the power off the heater valve to open it. You'll have to bring it to Howden. I noticed you weren't there the other day - gotta be either the E30 or the ginger Bird.

[stonesie]

Ah good stuff, so the heater matrix should be bled already I've got the ECU to swap, battery to fit, the oil pump to prime then it's a double check of the oil and water levels, fit the plugs and go for a start up

Also I have managed to get onto imageshack........



Back end up”¦ Nice and high


Old lump




OUT!!!


The raised bit hit the flywheel bolts so it’s a good job the old one is fairly recent


Hmmm

All ports black, but a snapped stud on number 6 (shocking, I know) must have been drawing air in.


Lovely summer weather










It should be at the next Howden, you might get handed the keys and asked to give your opinion

Work got in the way of the last one

[stonesie]

I followed Andy's cam run in instructions to the letter, it was already bled from having its nose so high when it was filled (and the tank raised)


I followed the Ring run-in procedure from the puma race engines site and so far have 12 miles on it, it fookin flies I managed to light the back tyres up leaving my street by driving it how i used to have to drive the B20


Im one happy bunny, roll on 1000 miles so I can get it to a reputable RR... im hopeing to crack 195 bhp/Tq with the raised compression

[Andyboy]

That's going to be a bit hairy on the 4.1 320i diff........

I'd imagine the acceleration from 60-100 in 4th/5th will be 'lively'.

Anyway, good work.

[stonesie]

Thanks, Its no slouch but more tame than you might imagine with it's 3.73 diff..... I still have the origional 4.27 though

[Nath325i]

Good work fella will have to let us know what shes putting out after the RR . Can't wiat to start mine

[daimlerman]

Well done,run it in carefully,well worth the wait!

[stonesie]

Its already claimed a local chavvy victim I didnt even take it above 3.5K and the corsa with a drainpipe exhaust couldn't keep up, im suprised that my magnex backbox is so quiet, just a burble really now its mated to a genuine center box

Im getting a full refund on that clutch, the AP 320 clutch is nice and so far is takeing the extra torque in its stride... Im even getting used to the lightweight flywheel and short shift, I would recomend both mods to anyone.



Only 1 fluid leak to report, the coolant level sensor somehow came a bit loose... I did think 'oh F**K!' when i spotted the pool of coolant under the front of the car though


The only niggles are that its still a bit tappety but that will be sorted at its 1K service an the temp gauge is flicking about so the clocks are comeing out to check that infamous nut, it appears to be running cooler at about 1/4 but that might be that nut again, the 320 lump had a new genuine thermostat last year so that was transfered over.

[StuBeeDoo]

Only 1 fluid leak to report

I wish I could say the same about my 2.7.
It leaks out of the camshaft seal and the rear main seal. I'll live with it though, I'm buggered if I'm taking the 'box out until I've really got to. Cam seal I'll do when I have to replace the belt.

[stonesie]

Do you have a lightweight flywheel ?


I found a loose earth on the inner N/S wing which probably explains the dip beams flickering over bumps and when i use the indicators and the infamous nut was tightened half a turn.


The petrol costs though..... I had forgotten how painful £1 a litre was, cant wait to get it fully run in and rr tested so i can get the LPG upgraded and working again (43.9p/Litre will be much easier)

[oakey]

Are you going to get it properly set up on a rr for the lpg? Should see more power that way too (dependent on the setup)

[StuBeeDoo]

Do you have a lightweight flywheel ?

Yep! 5.9kg

I found a loose earth on the inner N/S wing which probably explains the dip beams flickering over bumps and when i use the indicators and the infamous nut was tightened half a turn.

I had a nightmare with that one for about a year when I first had the car. The nut was tight, but I still had earthing problems. I eventually found that the brown wire had been bodged with a ScotchLok.

The petrol costs though..... I had forgotten how painful £1 a litre was, cant wait to get it fully run in and rr tested so i can get the LPG upgraded and working again (43.9p/Litre will be much easier)

Apart from the first 10 miles, mine's been on LPG all the time. I know some people say run it in on petrol (some even say first 10k miles!), but 12k miles on, I've had no problems at all with the engine - just my foolish fitting of a 45mm mixer, and obviously that's not an engine problem.

[march109]

Another 2.8 that's awesome, they really are good motors about time we saw more of them!

[e301988325i]

Rolls Royce, run their engines in for you. 'On the bench for you sir. Using lpg, much better for the engine sir.'

[StuBeeDoo]

Rolls Royce, run their engines in for you. 'On the bench for you sir. Using lpg, much better for the engine sir.'

If it's good enough for RR, it's good enough for my M20!

[stonesie]

Rolls Royce, run their engines in for you. 'On the bench for you sir. Using lpg, much better for the engine sir.'

If it's good enough for RR, it's good enough for my M20!

And mine, just got to get some more gas pipe as the inlet is different on the bigger vaporisor.


It passed its 100 mile milestone takeing the gf to work this morning so it will be serviced tomorrow, its not smokeing too badly now either, i cant see any in the mirrors when i give it a bit of load

apart from all that the temp gauge is still flicking about even with the engine off, C191 and 101 plugs are fine so the sensor will be swaped.

[stonesie]

I've had my first scare with this lump, not an excess of throttle/greasy road kinda scare either (that's fun )

No, a metallic thumping from the front of the engine


After adjusting all the tappets and it still being there I remembered the old trick of a long screwdriver placed against various parts of the engine with the other end to your ear, that narrowed it down to the waterpump and guess which cock forgot to threadlock the bolts that hold the pully on

Glad it was something so simple after all that, thought I would share the experiance.


Progress so far
260 miles, pulls like a train but still the odd whisp of oil smoke on over-run... the hone was a bit on the rough side and its still improving

Bits from tinleys and a new BOSCH lambda have shown up so it should be back on gas the next chance i get to work on it.

[stonesie]

Oh cock...

After a spirited drive home i may have accidentally let my foot slip off the clutch in 2nd gear, since then there has been a engine related vibration that peaks at 3K rpm

Even shakes at idle but it's not a misfire, it pulls too smoothly from low revs for that.

Im suspecting the replacement clutch cover bolts i had to fit may have parted company (they were off something french so may have played surrender-monkey), so off to see sweep tomorrow and see if he has any going spare and buy that fuel tank from him, then the joy of joys that is takeing the gearbox off to have a look, will have the clutch plate out too for a look at.

I was dreaming of a nice relaxing day off... HA!!!

[stonesie]

I finally got to the bottom of it, that gearbox bolt at the top inlet side is a swine of a thing

Anyhow, the iron ring in the pressure plate was off center and thats something ive never seen before It explains the vibration and answers the question "will a 320 clutch be ok on a 2.7/8?" NO!, change it while the engines out or you will regret it



New clutch arrives tomorrow, hope they send the right one this time (Morat, if your reading i gave them your reg number to order it, it's stuck in my mind somehow, hope you don't mind)Liquid Compensation can be arranged next time i see you at a meet



Minor update...
The garage got me a clutch today but when i got to see it, it's only the very same one i sent back for being wrong the other day so the cars off the road untill monday at the earliest when the suppliers can get me a different one to try

[stonesie]

The new cluth is here and it looks right, let the fun begin first thing in the morning

[daimlerman]

I have had no problems with my 320 clutch in the 2.7.
The 325 clutch I fitted in the touring is noticably heavier in operation.
But there again I try not to slip the clutch,fully engage then floor the loud pedal....

[stonesie]

I think it must have been a Re-Con... Emphasis on the Con It looks like one or more of the rivets has come a bit loose and let it wander off centre.

This new LUK clutch is lighter to use and the nasty vibrations are gone, I’m happy with it, if I "fully engage then floor the loud pedal" then in 1st it lights the back tyres up when it comes on cam, on a damp road a swift change to 2nd is not enough to keep them from lighting up again


Next task, replace the colander-esq fuel tank and hard lines, front brake lines and suspension... should keep me entertained for a few hours

[Andyboy]

It certainly goes well.

Impressive young Skywalker.

[stonesie]

No progress really, the temp gauge is now totally dead and some parts are on order from cotswold, I want to retain the C191 just in case the inlet ever has to come off so im replacing all the pins in the lower half.

The LPG will be brought back into service once it's been on the dyno with a modified set-up to last time, that won't be long as the miles are racking up nicely and it's only getting smoother...


Roll on the weekend, if the POR15 turns up I can get that replacement fuel tank sorted and fitted... oh joy

[stonesie]

Well, the tank is ready to go on, C191 has been sorted so i have a working temp gauge and it is behaveing perfectly.

The RR is booked for wednesday lunch time so saturday will mostly be spent under the car (for a change) Fresh oil and filter too methinks... Any predictions on power/Tq?

[daimlerman]

190-195bhp and torque around 195 ft lb from 2500rpm up to 5000rpm.
If you get better than this you should be a very happy bunny!
See you at Squires on the 25th?

[e301988325i]

They'll take you're money and tell you how much power and torque your car has?? And about a million times better than the original 320i!
Seriously, I'm guessing it'll be too tight to break the 200 barrier, maybe after it's done 5 figures?? Best of luck

[stonesie]

Yep i hope to be at squires, I asked my mate gaz who has driven it and he says high 160's with mamoth torque.... hmmm im thinking more along the lines of daimlerman it wouldnt have seen off that 3.0 supra with only 170

[daimlerman]

Yep i hope to be at squires, I asked my mate gaz who has driven it and he says high 160's with mamoth torque.... hmmm im thinking more along the lines of daimlerman it wouldnt have seen off that 3.0 supra with only 170

Bring the results with you,beers are on me for better than my prediction....

[stonesie]

We will have to see how it goes... beer sounds good though


Im getting used to this car now, in under an hour working at a relaxed pace I had it lifted up, exhaust, heat shields, tank guards and prop off, and all my tools/bits packed away.

Tomorrow I will get the tank drained and removed, also replacing the hard lines and LPG wiring to the rear, engine service too and investigate where my slight oil leak is coming from (maybe I should have replaced the rocker gasket when I did the tappets ) will re-do those now i've got a better feeler blade and replacement gasket.

On the If-I-have-time list is the suspension kit and all new ARB rubber's for both ends... wednesday afternoon for re-installing the LPG system.... I'm the only one on the street that does regular DIY work on a car