Finally Picked up My M3 LS1 Swap Candidate :)

[Kaane]

Ok, you have a point there.

[Tongboy]

I've been looking some more for those M12 1.0 Bubble Flare unions and I can't find one. Did everyone cut their lines like Bimerok and reflare them using M10 1.0 nuts?

get a flaring tool and cut & reflare, it isn't as scary as you initially think it is.

autozone SHOULD have the m12 stuff in the back - they have a surprisingly impressive collection of brake parts hidden away in the back - search their site and you'll find a bunch of good part numbers.

[Kaane]

Autozone doesn't have it. I searched their catalog. I will cut them off and reflare for M10.

[Kaane]

Got an update from Vorshlag, my mounts that I ordered on 5/6/2011 are sold out. Just got an email that they can't find any. Sigh... now they have to manufacture more and powder coat. So now I have at least week or two delay.

Only took them 10 days to realize they don't have any in stock.

[bimerok]

Got an update from Vorshlag, my mounts that I ordered on 5/6/2011 are sold out. Just got an email that they can't find any. Sigh... now they have to manufacture more and powder coat. So now I have at least week or two delay.

Only took them 10 days to realize they don't have any in stock.

Sounds so familiar, almost identical!

You and I are not the only ones who been there and done that. After couple of months waiting on headers year or two back and talks about "tomorrows" availability, I gave up and went custom route. Never looked back since.

Hopefully you'll get yours quicker.

[Kaane]

I am about to cancel my order and order everything from new age hotrods. They have their shit in stock and their stuff looks amazing. It's a bit pricy, but at this point I don't care.

Delays after delays..... Week delay on cam because they sent me a wrong one. Week delay on my heads because machine shop it slow as hell. Now delay on mounts...

And here I was hoping to have the whole thing done in 30 days.

[SHhhhh]

Got an update from Vorshlag, my mounts that I ordered on 5/6/2011 are sold out. Just got an email that they can't find any. Sigh... now they have to manufacture more and powder coat. So now I have at least week or two delay.

Only took them 10 days to realize they don't have any in stock.

Sorry to hear that. Whatever you do, don't rush it! I would like to see how that NAHR kit goes together though.

[Kaane]

Got my heads back from the machine shop so I started working on the motor.

Took it all apart to prep for head and cam swap.




40K Miles and look how much carbon build up there is. I decided to clean it. What a pain in the ass.



One piston clean.



All pistons clean.



I was planning to have heads on the motor tonight, but it took like 4 hours to clean the block surface and the pistons. Will have to do it tomorrow.

Installed my EPS cam as well and new LS2 timiing chain, new LS7 lifters, new lifter trays and all new gaskets. I was cursing the stupid oil pump pickup tube, next to impossible to remove without taking the pan off. Ended up losening the pan an inch to get more clearance.

[BRAAP]

Heads up in case you werent aware of the delicacy of the oil pick up tube O-ring. You will want to remove the the pan to remove the pick up tube so the pick up tube can be "gently" reinstalled in the pump when get to that point so as not to tear the easily torn O-ring which typically ends in engine failure with these engines. The oil pan gasket is fairly inexpensive and if in good shape when the pan is removed, reusable. ;-)

Hope that helps,
Paul

[mateo m3]

+1

[Kaane]

Once I get the heads installed, I will flip the motor and reinstall the tube. I am not going to take any chances. One stupid O-ring controls all the oil pressure in the motor.

[Kaane]

Motor and Transmission Mounts arrived today!!

New Age Hotrods pieces are NICE!

[mateo m3]

nice piece$!!!

[bimerok]

Sexy!

[Kaane]

Just finished extending the ABS lines. Wow what a time consuming stupid job. Not 100% happy with couple of them, might redo them later, but they should work for now. Just need to wrap them in a couple places to keep them from rubbing.

[hefftone]

Those are sexy indeed! I like how the mount similar to stock, are the pfadt pieces completely necessary? They must be a little shorter than stock E36...

Are you using NAH headers too?

[Kaane]

Yes, I will be using NAHR headers as well. The PFADT mounts are different height wise.

[M5Hunter]

make sure to reinforce the motor mount perches on the subframe if you havent already

[Maynor]

make sure to reinforce the motor mount perches on the subframe if you havent already

You know, I was going to ask about that. Glad someone pointed it out. With those motor mounts, it's looks like some guesseting is needed to reinforce them. Especially since they are alum.

[OC JACKAL]

I have a couple questions. I am not trying to rain on the motor swap parade, but why swap from BMW to American car motor? why not get the M5 motor or build the M3 motor? Is it just a better cost efficient way to make way more power? It looks like an amazing thing to accomplish, and I was thinking about doing it for a 70's 2002 but I was probably going to go with a inline 6. I also have no idea what fits in those cars but if I could get the V8 M3 motor in there, that would be sweet. Of course this is not going to happen anytime soon, which is why I am trolling around in the motor swap section.

I hope I dont sound like to much of a noob and I truly am just interested as to why go away from BMW motors...

[Pzary3233]

IF you have priced a an M5 V8 recently or a built S50/S52 you'll quickly see that the LSx swap becomes an affordable option. HP/$ nothing can beat it.

Not to mention you actually get a slightly bit better weight distribution. the LS1 is almost totally behind the front "axle".

Basically for the price of an M3 or M5 V8 you could complete the LS1 swap possibly even with an LS2 motor.

Besides, who doesn't love the lope of a healthy V8?

[OC JACKAL]

Oh, alright. So not only is it a more affordable way of getting more power, its better weight distribution. I have never priced the M motors, but I know they arent cheap.

As for the sound of the V8's.. they are amazing. I had a 5.0 with some motor work (cams, roller rockers, heads, pistons)done to it and an off road H-pipe and it sounded so good. I would be at a light and it seemed like everyone was looking at me because of how load the car was and of course the blam blam blam sound it made. (not sure if i spelled blam right)

what is the common swap for those old 2002's? I just started looking at this forum and this one was so interesting I havent got to any others yet

[Kaane]

let's say your goal is 500hp. Only way to get there is force induction or V10 swap. It's like 12K + for a complete V10 motor. On top of it, let's say you damage it, parts are just stupid expensive.

I Paid $3900 for my engine and that included the 6 speed transmission. $2000 in mods to get it to 500hp. If I blow it up, I can get a replacement shortblock for $1500, it just can't be beat. You can buy all your maintenance parts at auto zone

[Kaane]

I saw some M50 or S50/S52 swaps into a 2002.

[Pzary3233]

Oh, alright. So not only is it a more affordable way of getting more power, its better weight distribution. I have never priced the M motors, but I know they arent cheap.

As for the sound of the V8's.. they are amazing. I had a 5.0 with some motor work (cams, roller rockers, heads, pistons)done to it and an off road H-pipe and it sounded so good. I would be at a light and it seemed like everyone was looking at me because of how load the car was and of course the blam blam blam sound it made. (not sure if i spelled blam right)

what is the common swap for those old 2002's? I just started looking at this forum and this one was so interesting I havent got to any others yet

Make an intro thread in this forum and I am sure we can point you in the right direction.

let's say your goal is 500hp. Only way to get there is force induction or V10 swap. It's like 12K + for a complete V10 motor. On top of it, let's say you damage it, parts are just stupid expensive.

I Paid $3900 for my engine and that included the 6 speed transmission. $2000 in mods to get it to 500hp. If I blow it up, I can get a replacement shortblock for $1500, it just can't be beat. You can buy all your maintenance parts at auto zone

You got it! and in a pinch, you can swap a truck motor in from any salvage yard and get home.