M30 Touring Build - Done!

Tue Sep 27, 2011 11:14 am

The project is still chugging on, I would have liked it to be finished by now but I took a week or two off from cars and just relaxed for a bit! The car is now incredibly close to being finished, all the niggly jobs are done such as wiring the fans, fitting an E34 535i throttle cable (this wasn't fun!), fitting an E34 washer bottle, relocating the coil, plugging any air leaks, servo hose, fitting a powerflow back box (saving 5.5KG over the OEM box) etc etc

All that's left is finishing off one of the exhaust downpipes and finding out why the engine won't idle! I lost my temper with the exhaust downpipe last night so I'm getting my mate to take a look at it! As I moved my manifold flange, I had to modify the downpipe to suit, when I tried it went very wrong!

As for the idling problem, I'm open to suggestions... It won't start unless the throttle is open, and when I let off the throttle it stalls. The engine revs lovely though. The engine had a few air leaks and funnily enough the engine wouldn't idle properly with the leaks but it started easier with them. I fixed the leaks and it needs the throttle open to start! My mate reckons the engine might be getting too much fuel, and it ran better with the leaks as it had more air to combust with the fuel. As far as I know everything is installed properly and connected up. Fuel is gushing from the return and all air leaks seem sealed. One thing is that my fuel pump is connected to ignition 12v live since the shell has a dry connection in the fuel pump wiring, but I can't see this being a problem since it ran the M20 fine!

I also had some fun with the bonnet. I had to remove the original bonnet catch since it was in the way of the fans, and as a result I was going to fit bonnet pins. If I'm fitting pins, I might as well see if I can reduce the weight of the bonnet and offset the weight of the M30 at the front end. I gutted the 2nd bracing skin and only left the locating wheels at the back. I think I saved around 5KG including the hinge mechanism at the front which is now gone. I've kept the original bonnet incase I want to revert back, so I'll be rocking a black bonnet for the time being

I took it for a test drive last night with the engine basically open headed which was very fun! It drives great apart from the idle problem. As soon as the clutch goes down, the engine dies.

Tue Sep 27, 2011 12:55 pm

Is the engine earth strap OK? Otherwise, it may be earthing through the clutch, and when you put the clutch in, the earth is cut off, hence the engine dies!

Tue Sep 27, 2011 3:57 pm

That's a good idea but the engine earth is definitely on and in good condition. Also it's not exactly when the clutch is used, it's just when I let the revs drop.

Tue Sep 27, 2011 4:11 pm

TPS adjusted correctly??

Tue Sep 27, 2011 4:37 pm

No idea! I haven't touched it at all...

Also, I never had this engine running in the E34 before I removed it, a stupid alarm system stopped that. So I don't know how it was running before.

Fri Sep 30, 2011 5:57 pm

Just a quick update. It now idles perfectly, it turns out the ICV was seized. I had smacked it a fair amount just incase it was tight but it was firmly siezed up! Another ICV was borrowed and it idled into life

The exhaust system has about an hour of work left in it and then the conversion is well and truly over!

Fri Sep 30, 2011 6:17 pm

Congratulations, fella!

Fri Sep 30, 2011 9:12 pm

Mon Oct 03, 2011 2:54 pm

top job mate, have you given it a good drive yet, i'd be really keen to hear how it drives with the light flywheel and paddel clutch combo

Mon Oct 03, 2011 11:41 pm

Unfortunately not, illness has stopped me in my tracks, hopefully next week.

Thu Oct 06, 2011 10:08 am

Stop the clock! Finished!! It's taken me pretty much a month of 2-3 weeks nights for most of the conversion. I had fitted the clutch and M10 box a few months previous which helped. I also had a week off as I couldn't be bothered to work on it and a week off because I came down sick. I would say you could do it in a week with a full weekend and all the weeknights if you really pushed it and had all the bits to hand.

Last night saw me finish off the exhaust completely and tidying up the loose ends. Here's the finished downpipe to get past the E36 rack.

And the modified manifold

I don't know if other people have better/easier exhaust solutions for M30 and E36 racks, but this definitely was the longest part of the conversion.

With the exhaust and the engine quietened it really was apparent how the lighter flywheel lets the engine rev. Here's a vid, but the revs aren't dropping, due to a tight throttle cable.

[youtube][/youtube]

I then took it on a proper test drive and I wasn't disappointed! The car is effortlessly quick and with it being a bit wet I was losing traction in 3rd with out really trying (I'm babying the clutch to wear it in!). The M10 box works very well with my 3.91 diff.

I'll throw up some photos when I get the car in front of some sunlight

. Thanks to everyone for their advice and previous build threads, they really helped make this engine conversion very simple! I've looked through the engine swap section of this forum for years and I must say I think the boat anchor crew are the most helpful and friendly!

Thu Oct 06, 2011 11:02 am

Excellect work.

Good to see another boat anchor out there. I just lurve that whole "ooooh, terminal understeer, I know a little throttle will sort that, woooah back end" driving experience of an M30'd E30 in the wet.

Martin.

Thu Oct 06, 2011 11:07 am

rob0r wrote:I don't know if other people have better/easier exhaust solutions for M30 and E36 racks, but this definitely was the longest part of the conversion.

I went the pick up phone, hello, is that BTB route. Better, yep. Easier, definately. Credit card stung quite a bit compared to a bit of welding on the logs.

Gratuitous fannymold porn shot.

Martin.

Thu Oct 06, 2011 2:10 pm

nice work mate, love it.....got a link to the supplier??

Thu Oct 06, 2011 2:14 pm

jimboe39540i wrote:nice work mate, love it.....got a link to the supplier??

BTB's E30 page is http://www.racecar.co.uk/bmwexhausts/bmwe30exhausts.htm

Fabrication like this is not cheap, so be sitting down when you look at the prices.

Martin.

Thu Oct 06, 2011 3:34 pm

flippin heck...you're not wrong about the cost!! but how does it fit arround the e36 rack?? would it fit arround a normal e30 rack also?? nice bit of kit though mate

Fri Oct 07, 2011 12:14 pm

Well I thought I was finished and then found out in the freezing cold last night that I couldn't do my windows up and the heater wasn't blowing... A quick call to my mate confirmed that I had the "unloader relay" problem. A quick look on google told me that connecting pin 15 on the E30 C101 to the smaller starter terminal would sort the problem, as I was in a rush I connected it to earth and windows/heater is now restored.

I got some photos this morning...

I was worried when swapping to bonnet pins and ditching the front hinge system would make checking the engine bay a right pain. All I do is pull the bonnet out of the roller catches and prop it up with my new "bonnet support"

Not the tidiest, function over fashion

Fri Oct 07, 2011 2:04 pm

Another m30 touring on the road. Nice one fella.

Sat Oct 08, 2011 3:45 pm

well done rob. glad this car found a good home!

looks ace with the black bonnet.

Tue Oct 18, 2011 1:19 pm

Cheers Murran.

It's popped the f'ing top rad hose... Does anyone have a spare for a late M30 3.5 E34? It's the short and wide radiator...

Thu Nov 17, 2011 12:22 pm

Life is currently conspiring against me, this is for sale

http://www.e30zone.net/modules.php?name ... c&t=209468