Conversion for the convertible: M30 it is! DONE!

[gareth]

an idea i'm thinking of is to machine the manifold mating faces (that attach to the head) at an angle so it tilts the manifolds inwards towards the block a bit.

or moving the rack casing over to the O/S a bit but leaving the track rods as-is so the joints / rack guts stay in the same position in relation to the chassis (to save gemoetry issues). the downside will be limited right hand lock and probably scrubbing on left hand lock (lock stops on the rack could cure this though.)

personally, i'm thinking of combining all of the tricks mentioned above in a desperate attemp to get a Z3 rack on there!

[Ziggy]

Well the joint doesn't rotate Next step is to pull it off the car & see what I can do about it... & hopefully not break any studs in the process. I'm not bothered about fitting an E36 rack (for the moment), I just want to get it running!

If anyone does find a suitable e34 mani with a rotating joint on the front section, please lemme know (yes please Jaffro!)! (Guess I might need the downpipe too? Will have to find out if all e34 / e32 ones are the same.) I doubt I'm going to get chance to spend a decent amount of time on the car until next weekend anyway.

Rad looks like it'll go ok once I've lopped the aircon pulley off. So if I can sort the mani joint out, the engine can stay in its current position for now. Well actually, I'm sure I'll have to sort the mani joint out anyway, so either way.

Mounting holes for the prop centre bearing are going to be in slightly the wrong place, so I'll have to make some kind of li'l bracket to adapt them. I can see me going to a custom prop before long, but I'd rather get it up & running as soon as poss, then fettle away afterwards.

Hmmm... hardly progress, but it's time that needed spending I guess.

[jaffro]

ill have a look at scrappies a let u no 2moz mate

[Ziggy]

Cheers!

[Ziggy]

Toby, did you have any issues with E28 m535i bits?

[Brianmoooore]

Spare ECU plugs: Don't worry about them! They're not involved with anything essential.
Steering shaft clearance: Don't know if it's relevant to your problems, but it's easy to move the steering shaft on the bulkhead across a bit. I moved both the steering shaft and the brake servo outwards years ago when I did my first M50 conversion.
IIRC, the clutch pedal bearing needed shortening one side, the master cylinder ended up bolted to the other side of the pedal, and the bottom of the pedal was bent to take it away from the brake pedal.

[Toby_Unna]

which bits Jon?

if you're on about the exhuast mani, then don't bloody go there. makes fitting an e34 one look like a walk in the park

[Ziggy]

Spare ECU plugs: Don't worry about them! They're not involved with anything essential.
Steering shaft clearance: Don't know if it's relevant to your problems, but it's easy to move the steering shaft on the bulkhead across a bit. I moved both the steering shaft and the brake servo outwards years ago when I did my first M50 conversion.
IIRC, the clutch pedal bearing needed shortening one side, the master cylinder ended up bolted to the other side of the pedal, and the bottom of the pedal was bent to take it away from the brake pedal.

Cheers Brian! All good stuff - I'll forget about the plug & contemplate moving the steering shaft if it turns out to be necessary... or just when I want to chuck an E36 rack on

which bits Jon?

if you're on about the exhuast mani, then don't bloody go there. makes fitting an e34 one look like a walk in the park

****. I'll tell Jon that I don't have a use for his spare one then afterall!

[jaffro]

found you a manifold

[Ziggy]

Hero! What was it off? Has it got a flexy joint, or just a 'normal' one? Assume the flange on the front bit rotates, as that's my current problem!

Have you got it, or just found it (ie is it still at the scrappies)?

According to realoem the downpipes are the same for e34 & e32, so hopefully that'll be ok...

[SPADGE]

Ziggy
In all the M30 conversions i have done i found grinding the excess off that flange gave sufficient clearance between the steering shaft and the exhaust manifold.

[jaffro]

Hero! What was it off? Has it got a flexy joint, or just a 'normal' one? Assume the flange on the front bit rotates, as that's my current problem!

Have you got it, or just found it (ie is it still at the scrappies)?

According to realoem the downpipes are the same for e34 & e32, so hopefully that'll be ok...

its of e34 ive took it off already pm ya address a il post it it got the rotateing flanges

[Ziggy]

Ziggy
In all the M30 conversions i have done i found grinding the excess off that flange gave sufficient clearance between the steering shaft and the exhaust manifold.

Cheers mate, but it'd still be very close on this one! Can't really tell how close, as it actually rests on the coupling at the mo

Would have certainly been worth a try, but if I can get a more suitable mani easily enough from some hero...

its of e34 ive took it off already pm ya address a il post it it got the rotateing flanges

...which I can, I figure that must be the way forward!
Jaffro, you're a gent. PM on the way any sec

[jaffro]

no probs mate

[Andy335Touring]

That fanimould is an oblsolete part, i had one on my E34 when i first had it but had to replace it because it was blowing, the replacement part didn't have the flexi bit but robbed me of £180+VAT from BMW because i couldn't find a second hand one

[Ziggy]

Well that was a blimmin miserable weekend! Weather-wise anyway...

I gave up on trying to use the front mounting positions - getting a rad in there was going to be a nightmare. So I've shoved it back! Was surprisingly easy - no hammering needed, & no clearance issues with the servo. Chopped the aircon pulley off too, so loadsa room at the front. Will see how the prop goes (might have a look tomorrow, or Tuesday), & get a custom one if I have to.

An E28 m535i rad just looks like it's supposed to be in the bay - there's 2 unused holes in the shell that line up exactly with the mounting points on the rad. Curious...
Anyway, that means I'll be getting one of them (the one I've got is $hagged) rather than using the facelift 325i rad as I was planning. Just not worth the effort of getting the E30 rad to fit, for the sake of having to upgrade as soon as the weather warms up! The hoses fit perfectly, but I can't remember if I've used E28, E32 or E30 (pre or post facelift) as I had all of em lying around!

I took the front exhaust manifold section off, but Jaffro seems to have vanished, so I'm either in need of an E34 one still, or gonna have to start chopping / welding... Jaffro, if you're out there, help!

Erm... stuck a new water pump on, but I think that's about it for progress... it's just been too miserable out there! Ah well, at least I'm still going in the right direction. Lots of connecting stuff up to do, but it's all relatively (hopefully) simple, so I should be able to use the evenings, when the rain holds off!

[Ziggy]

Rubbish pics, but hey - pics at least!

[gareth]

haha! looks good!

that washer bottle will have to move to make way for the airbox / filter.

[DRIFTBOY]

Great progress Ziggy!

The weather has been nasty this afternoon here too, looks like you're half way there or more!

The exhaust and the propshaft are the two trickiest parts of the conversion so once they are done you're most of the way there.

Then it's road test time!

I'll be intersted to hear what you think.

Today a mate and I went out for a play in our cars and I quite easily out-dragged his slightly tuned Alfa Romeo 156 2.5 V6 with 200+bhp, he was a little upset!

[Ziggy]

Not entirely sure what to do about an airbox yet Gareth - I've got the ITG off my m20 that I might try & bodge on in the available space, just as a temporary measure. Might have another washer bottle somewhere anyway, shouldn't be a big deal though.

Martin - Not entirely sure what'll happen with the prop as yet - I might get away with what I've got, might need a little bit of a trim with the grinder though, so I'm not sure I'm brave enough! Failing that, I'll just have to get a custom one done. I'm gonna try & find out either way one evening this week, if the rain stops for long enough...

While I'm under there, I also need to:
Get the gear linkage attached properly & poking up into the car! - done
Tighten up the gearbox mounting bolts - done
Bolt on the clutch slave cyl - done
Tighten up the engine mounts - done

Exhaust will have to wait until I either hear from Jaffro, or find a new mani - the E32 one looks just tooo far over - mani received from Jaffro (hero) at the second time of sending - has been attacked with the grinder & fitted!

Then the remaining list of jobs:
Mount & wire a fan - done
Extend coil connections done
Unloader relay wiring might not be needed on the pre-facelift loom...
Swingometer pin swap again different on PFL - C104 mods needed instead
Air filter/washer bottle location - started... done - at least for long enough to get me going...
Swap brown temp sensor for m20 one - done
Heater connections done
Throttle cable (discovered that mine's a bit ****ed, so I must replace it asap but it'll do for now!) done
fuel hoses - done
ECU - done
PAS connections - done
cruise connection? - done


Nice long list, but hopefully most of them aren't too hard!

[BreadBin]

An E28 m535i rad just looks like it's supposed to be in the bay - there's 2 unused holes in the shell that line up exactly with the mounting points on the rad. Curious...

It's almost as if BMW designed it to fit isn't it....

[Ziggy]

An E28 m535i rad just looks like it's supposed to be in the bay - there's 2 unused holes in the shell that line up exactly with the mounting points on the rad. Curious...

It's almost as if BMW designed it to fit isn't it....

Quite! Shame they wussed out...

[Toby_Unna]

blue temp sender is fine

brown one needs swapping for m20 one with single pin, or temp gauge won't work (i think e32/4 uses a 2 pin sender)

[Ziggy]

Cheers

[johnl320]

Ziggy is your old water pump shagged or have you changed as recomended. If your old one isn't knackered I'll take it off your hands at the filthy meet.

john

[jaffro]

hi ziggy manifold posted 2day soz for not getting bk my net been bust

[Andy335Touring]

Throttle cable (discovered that mine's a bit ****ed, so I must replace it asap but it'll do for now!)

You may as well get a new genuine one as the last one i bought was less than £15 i think.

[Ziggy]

hi ziggy manifold posted 2day soz for not getting bk my net been bust

Cheers mate! No prob, just thought you'd disappeared!

[Ziggy]

Throttle cable (discovered that mine's a bit ****ed, so I must replace it asap but it'll do for now!)

You may as well get a new genuine one as the last one i bought was less than £15 i think.

Expect I will do - ta Mine works fine (so it'll do for fitting purposes & getting it running), but the outer's looking a bit dodgy & the last time a throttle cable broke on me (2.8 capri, middle of the night, luckily only 30 miles from home!), getting back on an adjusted throttle stop was... interesting!

[Ziggy]

Ziggy is your old water pump shagged or have you changed as recomended. If your old one isn't knackered I'll take it off your hands at the filthy meet.

john

Still got it & it worked as far as I know, but it didn't feel good! New ones aren't expensive... but you're welcome to it of course. Might be late to the meet (party the night before!), but I'm not fussed about the driving (as the E30 won't be ready) so it's more about meeting some people at the pub

[johnl320]

Ziggy is your old water pump shagged or have you changed as recomended. If your old one isn't knackered I'll take it off your hands at the filthy meet.

john

Still got it & it worked as far as I know, but it didn't feel good! New ones aren't expensive... but you're welcome to it of course. Might be late to the meet (party the night before!), but I'm not fussed about the driving (as the E30 won't be ready) so it's more about meeting some people at the pub

Thanks mate, I'm skint at the mo so a rough one is better that nothing, Mine has about half an inch play in it at the edge of the pulley.
Not sure what I'm going to the meet in yet, my old 320 is back with me at the mo for some urgent suspension work.

cheers

john

[Ziggy]

Got a new rad & throttle cable, & the day off tomorrow so I should be able to get to a pretty healthy stage if the wheel bearing on my Caddy doesn't take too long! Gearbox mounts, clutch slave cyl & gear linkage / shifter are done.

Prop's just too long :'( It goes on if pushed, but that pushes the 'box forwards a li'l bit on its mounts; definitely not a good thing. It's very tempting to trim the overlap of the joint... Wouldn't need much taking off, & it looks to me like it'd still be strong enough. I wouldn't be happy with it anyway I guess, but I might put it on just so I can move the car if I don't find an m3 prop soon! Guess that only applies if I manage to sort the exhaust manifold sometime soon...

hi ziggy manifold posted 2day soz for not getting bk my net been bust

Hey mate... how did you post it? No sign as yet...

Thanks mate, I'm skint at the mo so a rough one is better that nothing, Mine has about half an inch play in it at the edge of the pulley.
Not sure what I'm going to the meet in yet, my old 320 is back with me at the mo for some urgent suspension work.

cheers

john

John, don't know if you made the meet (as I didn't!) but I'll keep hold of the pump for ya - sure I'll get it to you soonish.

[Ziggy]

Got some more done today... of course that means discovering more problems too!

M20 throttle cable isn't long enough. Knew I should have checked before ordering a new one! Anyone know if facelift ones are longer, as people seem to use something without any problems!

Fitted the fan, just need to wire it up.
Cruise, PAS, fuel connected.
Swapped the brown temp sensor over.
Tightened up the engine mounts!

Header tank'll fit over t'other side, just got to work out how to mount it.
Need to work out where the pipe to the header tank comes from too!
Pipe to brake servo isn't long enough, so I need a bigger bit.
ECU wiring through the bulkhead & ECU plugged in, but the loom could do with being a little bit longer...
Need to get a slightly bigger bit of tube to use my ITG.

[johnl320]

Ziggy,
I used a slightly modified m10 carb throttle cable and it works fine.

I did make the meet ( i was in the tank).
Do you want to sell your prop? I've got a dogleg box so it may fit , it may not but at least I'd have a start point.

whaddya think??

regards

john

[DRIFTBOY]

M30 E34 / E32 throttle cables is a straight farward, no modification required fit.

Good progress though John, nearly there, any updated pics?