My first engine swap in lifetime

[Ainas]

Hey, i don't know will anyone be interested to spend valuable time to help random character at the internet, but I try.



So, I am learning myself alone to work with cars, i succesfully put my first engine with transmission inside engine bay and I feel happy for it, but my full goal is to start engine and I feel that I need more information before starting it, maybe someone will be kind enough to guide me.

I gonna list what I have, maybe you will gonna help to say what I need more, okay:

2.7ETA engine
Starter
Ignition Coil
Ignition Cables
6 Spark Plugs
Alternator
Battery

Then I have questions:

Can I start it without computer, jumping starter and ignition coil with battery?

E30 engines are with fuel injection system, can i start it without fuel pump by gravity feeding?

Do i need fusebox to start it?

I really want to start it and I want to know what are the minimalistic parts and wiring just to start it?

[arrisbmw]

i don,t think your get it started without a ecu computer controls the spark timing , via various sensors on the car. your need the crankshaft sensor . as for fuel injection , spray in carb cleaner in the throttle body should get it running for a short while , but have a fire extinguisher handy.

[Ainas]

i don,t think your get it started without a ecu computer controls the spark timing , via various sensors on the car. your need the crankshaft sensor . as for fuel injection , spray in carb cleaner in the throttle body should get it running for a short while , but have a fire extinguisher handy.

Yeah I have computer also and all sensors, relays too.
Maybe I can upload a video to youtube of what I have done already and maybe this will be funny challenge for you guys to help me out through this.

[Topblag]

Build it all up, including air intake and exit, fuel system, electrics, coolant, oil, the only bit you don't have to connect is the drive system. You don't need the throttle cable, you can do that by hand. You don't need the power steering system or a clutch. Connect all sensors - you want to know if it's going to boil up or lose oil pressure.

Hope this helps.

[Ainas]

Build it all up, including air intake and exit, fuel system, electrics, coolant, oil, the only bit you don't have to connect is the drive system. You don't need the throttle cable, you can do that by hand. You don't need the power steering system or a clutch. Connect all sensors - you want to know if it's going to boil up or lose oil pressure.

Hope this helps.

Yeah it helps, how about gravity feeding engine without pump, does it works on fuel injection systems?

[Topblag]

I'd doubt you'd build up enough fuel pressure with gravity but I ain't no scientist.

[Brianmoooore]

I'd doubt you'd build up enough fuel pressure with gravity but I ain't no scientist.

You can if you can arrange for the fuel tank to be around 40m above the car!

The E30 engine loom is self contained, so after fitting this to the engine, along with all the bits connected to it, connecting the red wire from the loom to the battery positive terminal, the browns and/or brown orange wires to body earth or engine metalwork, a nice fat earth wire between the engine and the car body, and an equally big wire between the starter motor solenoid and the battery positive terminal, you will be left with the main engine loom plug.
For the engine to run, the green wire in this needs to be connected to 12 volts+, 12 volts+ needs to be applied to the black/yellow wire to operate the starter motor, and the green/purple wire needs to be connected to a high pressure electric fuel pump.

[Ainas]

Heyyeah, engine runs! Thanks guys!

I got everything from other e30, wires ecu, no minimal start experiments.

But I am still wondering what this cable does?
Since I am connected ground already.

[Tedswagon]

That's one of the two pipes to your power steering pump.

[Ainas]

Thanks for all of the help, but it turns out I was happy too early, engine starts runs from 3 to 30 seconds and dies. This engine had same problem before the swap.

Does anyone experienced same problem?

[Brianmoooore]

Buy yourself a cheap fuel pressure gauge (£15 or so), connect it up and monitor the fuel pressure.

[Ainas]

Buy yourself a cheap fuel pressure gauge (£15 or so), connect it up and monitor the fuel pressure.

Yeah, great idea Brian, gonna get it, it will be valuable in longterm, but right now I have an extra 2 fuel pumps, gonna try them and tell what's going on.

[Speedtouch]

Why would you go to all the trouble of doing the engine swap if you knew of the existing issue(s) with the replacement?

[Ainas]

Why would you go to all the trouble of doing the engine swap if you knew of the existing issue(s) with the replacement?

Why to swap engine in great condition if it's my first learning experience?

I assumed that i will ruin that engine even more and amazed that it works same.

Right now i reached my goal, I swapped engine and started it and I am thinking do I want to continue forward and try to fix this engine or swap to 3 litre engine?

But I am too curious, i want to know at least what's the problem, already tried to change fuel pump that was tested on other e30.
Still same thing, today still trying to figure out the issue.

[Speedtouch]

I see, so you're a bit of a glutton for punishment, by the sounds of it! When I did my first engine swap back in 1994, I completely rebuilt the engine (a 1275cc A-series) and it still runs well.

I would start in your case by carefully checking all your wiring connections, maybe a compression test though if it runs OK for a short while, it sounds like an issue relating to fuelling (possibly sticking/clogged fuel injectors, blocked fuel filter or faulty fuel pump relay) or maybe faulty ignition components...