M3 Touring conversion number 2 - UPDATED 02/08

[old_skool]

hope you do get this done for gaydon. wouldnt mind a prod round a well excecuted conversion and a lengthy chat about what to avoid etc.

hoping to be driving mine to gaydon but it will be work in progress for sure, might even have a boot full of parts and tools yet lol.

If it's not finished for Gaydon then there had damn well better be a good reason for it (snorts onto keyboard!). Seriously though, I'm 99% sure it'll be done within the next 6 weeks. Even if I have to hand bend the manifolds myself

Would be great to meet you and have a chat!

[Brianmoooore]

OOohh! Those lovely wires!!!

[brian325i]

as much as it scares me seein those picks it puts a smile on my face..fairplay...enjoy

[eko]

Looks like its coming along nicely

[jimbob350]

awesome job my friend,, keep up the good work, anything i can help with just holler.....

[old_skool]

Sooo....

After a long while, I am pleased to report a little progress.

The Air Con setup is installed (in the engine bay) with just the hoses to the compressor to get made. I have managed to hunt down a local specialist that will make the pipes, get it all connected to the E30 side and gas it up and test it. Obviously this will be one of the last jobs to do and one that is best left to a specialist!.

Ian has given me a wiring diagram for the integration of the ECU into the Air Con so that that it drops out on full throttle. I am trying to follow it and get that done as the next job. I've also nearly finished the 'other' wiring. The good bit is that the ECU is where it should be and the wiring covers all fit. I have also fitted a new oil cooler and made new hoses.

After lots of measuring and moving I've now got the E36 arbox in place and moved the ABS servo.

Some pics,

New oil cooler connections:



Various pics of Air box and ABS servo:

I made a rough mounting from some 50x50x 5mm angle iron and used some BMW rubber mountings I got from an E36 air box mount to fabricate a new side mounting for the ABS servo. Once I'm happy with the whole fit then I'll remake them in Stainless or Ali. I also need to mount the airbox to the inner wing on rubber mounts.












Fitting the airbox means there are no problems with the MAF etc. plus it should be easy to duct the E36 airbox into the underside of the inner wing for a clean supply of cool fresh air.





Coolant header moved over into battery tray area. This will be piped behind the engine in Stainless pipe and connected to the original system. The E36 M3 mount for the coolant tank can be used with a little modification.

[DieselMeister]

and one for luck:

[buster]

good work mate.Good idea shifting the abs pump up over

[beardymat]

nice solution to the whole airbox/abs problem.well excecuted as always with the minimum of fuss

[old_skool]

Cheers guys,

There isn't enough room to get the ABS pump anywhere behind the headlight and under the airbox. I even took off the intensive wash motor from the headlamp to try and get a bit of extra space!

Rather than have to go to the trouble of putting it under the car I figured this would do nicely. There will still be a good head of brake fluid available at the pump as the reservoir will still be higher. It also saves a lot of pipework getting it all over to the battery tray - not to mention the wiring involved

Pipng the coolant header will be a bit of a ballache but I've found a length of 19mm ali tube to cross behind the block and pipe it up that way. I think it's similar to the way HenryM3 has done his.

[zimmerbimmer1]

Nice one.

Looking forward to seeing it on the road.

[tbmw]

brilliant work as always

so when you gonna be offering this service to other zoner's??

[CiLK_WuRM]

impressive work!

[ricey46]

Sweet!!!! I fancy this conversion at some point!! So I've been taking notes!!!winkeye

It's looking sweet Damion!! Lucky Ba514rd!!

[jaistanley]

Dameon... Congratulations: You've made me look a right lazy pr!ck! I've had all my bits sat around for ages and not got anywhere

Need to concentrate on saving to pay for my manifold before I can afford the oil pump, and all the associated bits to get the lump in the engine bay. As soon as it is I'll be over the wiring like a rash on a Cov lass. You're actually fitting it in exactly the same way as I have planned so you're write up is a MASSIVE MASSIVE help to me! Between your two posts I more or less hasve a conversion manual!

Many thanks.. I'll get an email writting to you presently about the braking spacer plates, the drill and tap, what unions/pipes you have used for your cooler and a load of other little questions..

Love you big guy...

Jai

[bigpimpin]

Whoa, just noticed this thread!

You know it makes sense!

I wish I had thinned down my wiring loom and planned that side of things better now!

Top Job mate......will this be the quickest conversion yet?

[ste]

It'll be quicker than mine that's for sure!

Do I have the honours of having the conversion that's taken the longest? 1 year, 1 week and counting...

[Jhonno]

Na mine wins so far Ste.. coming up 2yrs..

[jaistanley]

I'm at about 18 months and all I've done is take the engine out of the prohect car....

LAME!

Jai

[buster]

mine took approx 2 yrs also
With garage and all the parts i think it could be done in a week !!

[jaistanley]

Especially these days.. People have refined the process somewhat and yourself, Ian, Dameon etc etc are top guys for helping the rest of us no-marks out!

Jai

[ste]

I think if I still worked for myself I'd have finished it ages ago. My problem now is literally finding the time to spend on it. This week, inbetween working in London (and commuting there and back), and spending time with my family I managed 20 mins on saturday of time with the car. I managed to change 1/2 a manifold gasket in that time...

A few days of solid effort would have mine finished, I don't actually have a free day until August 10th though!

[ric325i]

my project is about 9 months so i feel like a youngster in that sense.

Andy Gall did his M30 in a weekend. oh but it took 3 days for the prop to come back........
thats fast

but the wires are clip off clip in nothing like this!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

top work

[old_skool]

So, guess what - more wiring.

I was fed up with getting in and out of the car and the hassle with taking the dash out and struggling on my own so I took the doors off and the windscreen out. Normally to do the S50 conversion the dash could stay in, but because I was adding A/C then I needed it out of the way to fit the new heater box and evaporator.

Taking the windscreen out and the doors off took around 30 mins and makes life so much easier.





Pic of the inside with the new Heater box installed:



The wires loose by the gearstick are new wires for the VDO gauges should I decide to fit them in the future.

Close up of the ECU mounting, in the OE location: (note A/C hoses in bottom of pic)



EWS system, transponder and Vanos controller mounted and wired up:



Closer:



Finished engine wiring:





Next job was to sort the brakes out. I have revised my method since the last conversion and used stainless steel platework this time. It doesn't have the OE look of yellow passivated but it is quick. I changed the dimensions of the relocation too. This one has been fabbed up slightly different to solve a few minor issues with my previous design.

Stainless plates - (two of these are spare just in case I do another conversion):



Fitted into place over original mounts:



A little drilling:



A clean up and paint in the bare edges:



Servo and M/C fitted:



Again:



The servo was trial fitted but will be blastcleaned and coated before final fitting. Tomorrw I am going to refit the pivot housing inside the car. Make the new brake pull rod and crack on with some more.

I'm hoping to have it running by Friday.

Ha ha ha... Did I just say that! How much have I had to drink

[DanThe]

Looking good Dameon

Have you looked into the air-con pipes yet? Ive got as far as finding someone that will change the unions for me, but im now trying to find a supplier for some appropriate flexi hose so I can have whole new pipes made up as im not too keen on the dealers prices for the R134a pipes

[beardymat]

niiiiiiiiiccceeeee

some neat wiring solutions there dameon. oe rules

[oze30]

Dameon,

Could you PM me the numbers of who did your pipes? I need to mate an e30 pipes to the m30 compressor. Can i just use joiners/adapter thingys or will I need new pipes?

[gareth]

Stainless plates - (two of these are spare just in case I do another conversion):

[old_skool]

The rubber pipes in the car should be ok as they are Dan. They may not be barrier pipes to R134a standard but they should still be OK. If it needs regassing every year then it's no great loss.

The other rubber bits that go to the compressor will be replaced anyway when I get the new pipes made to the compressor. The tricky bit is the sizing. pipe to pipe, one set is 15mm od steel the other is 1/2" to 12mm. I have spoken to a firm who reckon they can sort it all out quite easily if I can take the car to them.

Once done, they will pressure test the system, regas it and commission it. (put the nice smelly stuff in)

I plan to get it there next week so I can always enquire as to the cost of another set of modded pipes and fittings for you?

[old_skool]

Stainless plates - (two of these are spare just in case I do another conversion):

Well,

You never know...

I may get bored and want to do another one!

[DanThe]

That would be good if you can mate, dont think I will get time to sort mine until next week now.

[oze30]

Do you know if the pump is the same as on an M30 (fittings wise)? I have my m20 pump and main hose off the car, ready to splice/fit onto the M30. If that's any help in regards to pipe sizes etc, let me know. I need to get this done as I'm starting to get sweaty Butt cheekcs in the AM!

[old_skool]

Do you know if the pump is the same as on an M30 (fittings wise)? I have my m20 pump and main hose off the car, ready to splice/fit onto the M30. If that's any help in regards to pipe sizes etc, let me know. I need to get this done as I'm starting to get sweaty Butt cheekcs in the AM!

Col,

I don't think so. Even if it was the compressor location would still be different - I think you need to just take your car into an AC specialist and let them get on with it mate. Not even hydraulic warehouse places will get involved with AC hoses and fittings.

Try a place called Mitchells in Gloucester (all tyoes A.C specialist - offices etc). Ask for their service dept. They will do it but they will want £Â£Ã‚£'s, not mega £Â£Ã‚£'s but not cheapo. What you will get is a proper job.

HTH

[zimmerbimmer1]

Need a hand oh master of conversion???

I'm gettin bored afterwork

[DanThe]

Sounds like you need a conversion of your own then!