Rolf's SBF -> 318iS e36 Swap

[MvnTgt]

Ok, I've got the engine buttoned up again and have removed the driveshaft, the rest of the exhaust system, cut the opening in the tunnel for the shifter (may need to make it a bit larger - I'll see), bolted up the e36v8 engine mount brackets, mounted the flywheel and started on installing the clutch. I didn't realize it until I looked at the clutch but it's a Centerforce dual friction material plate. I also ordered a multi-rib pulley to replace the v-belt pulley on the power steering pump and a couple of new steering rack boots after I noticed the ones on the car were ripped. The previous, previous owner had the rack replaced (or so I"m told) and the boots are torn already? After a couple of years, tops?

Edit

Some pictures from yesterday:

Power steering reservoir bracket (now you see it)


(Now you don't)


Coil Pack Bracket

[MvnTgt]

Yes, I'm a drag-ass but I've made a little more progress.

I put the engine/transmission into the car and the clutch slave and fork promptly jammed into the trans tunnel (yes, I was warned). I then got swamped with lots of extra shiftwork and had a fit of apathy. Anyway, I pulled the engine and transmission back out and have modified the clutch fork (hacked off ~1/2")
for more clearance. I'll have to also modify the slave bracket to gain some more clearance. I'm hoping to tilt the mounting plate so the tubing hole and bleed screw point more upwards.

Picture of modded clutch fork:

[Pzary3233]

I like where this is headed!

[MvnTgt]

Staggering forward with pathetic effort? :-)

Ah, it'll get done one way or another. There's just too much potential to waste otherwise.

[Slider91]

ok, im in the middle of the swap myself, but im going carb for simplicity. I didnt buy the manual either =\. and i dont mean to thread jack either. but..... one ?... What slave cylinder are ya'll using. i think i seen something about a 81 280z slave cylinder or something....
O and why is thier a need for the dress up kit. or reverse rotation..... m just deleting my powersteering and a/c.... with a nice serpentine belt for the rest....

[MvnTgt]

Yep, '81 280z non-turbo clutch slave cylinder.

The valve covers and PRC polished intake (I will, however, be going EFI -- I like cold weather drive-ability) came with the engine and I wanted to do the serpentine belt setup and reverse rotation water pump just because. I've driven cars with no ps (volvo 140 series) as a youth and though it's simple, I don't feel like muscling a steering wheel at low speeds.

I've been noodling about the hose connection between the slave cylinder and the factory hardline and I think I'm going the LSx guys' route with SS hose/an fittings and banjo bolt with crush washers. It's lower profile so there's more space to the tunnel sheetmetal but it will be more expensive. Meh.




Luckily, no one can see the <ahem> welding on the backside.
The next opportunity I have, I'll slip it back in and see how it fits.
It's too bad about the powder coating, it was pretty nice while it lasted. :-(

[MvnTgt]

Just to bring this one back. I was leery of the engine I was going to use so I disassembled it again and found more stuff I didn't like. I decided to totally disassemble it and take it to the machine shop for an overbore and new TW forged pistons, get the crank checked and so on. So, it's still happening just being held up by this unexpected engine work and parts chasing.

[BreakDancer]

It's a '68 block from the casting number on the underside so no, it's not a roller block (it does have some advantages over the thin-wall roller castings though) . Howevah, I
do have a set of TFS link bar hyd roller lifters I could use. I was going to save them for another time.

Hmm, when I yanked the head and saw the condition of the cylinders I was not real happy, truth be told, but was going to use this engine as is and hope for the
best. I might have to reconsider. When I measured one of the cylinders, it looks like it's already been bored out 0.030".

The annoying thing is, I have a leakdown tester I could have used before pulling the head. <grumble grumble>.

Vat to do, vat to do...

.030 is as far as you can take a stock 5.0 block. sounds like you want to build a roller anyway you can get stock HO motors cheaper than what the machine shop will charge to over bore that one anyway. Project looks great cant wait for some updates.

[MvnTgt]

I'm still stalled with this engine debacle but I have another 302 (another lopo turd) I'm leaning strongly towards using for mocking up ( just need to yank it out of a vehicle). I've been stuck with another project (valve stem seal replacement in a 4.6L Crown Vic -- what a PITA job) but it's done so I can focus on this project once again.

I must make progress. I must make progress. I must make progress.

[5literFC]

update!

[MvnTgt]

Engine has been yanked out of the donor vehicle and is on my engine stand. I'm waiting for some bearings, oil pump and gaskets. It's a '89 roller block and I'm going to get the spider hold-down and dog bones and convert it to use a roller cam before I install it in the Bimmer.

[MvnTgt]

Sourced the roller conversion bits from a 5.0 roller Crown Vic at the pull-a-part yard and have a TFS Stage 1 cam plus some other misc parts (flywheel, shifter, ign wires) on order. I decided to pull the E7TE heads and will be using my TW170 heads on this short block. I just finished changing the rod bearings today and still have to do the mains.

Slow but steady progress. Pics tomorrow.

[MvnTgt]

Ok, I lied about the pics but here is one picture of the (roller) short block with the spider hold-down laid in the lifter valley.


Please ignore the date stamp, I didn't realize the batteries had died in the camera earlier.

I've finished changing out the rod and main bearings plus a new rear seal. Now it's just a case of waiting for some parts to show up to start buttoning up the engine and figuring out pushrod length.

Oh, and I grabbed a can of appliance epoxy black paint to spray on the modified slave bracket so it's got a bit of protection from the elements.

[MvnTgt]

[PJ325i]

Tasty!!

[MvnTgt]

Tada
I am slow. Deal with it. ;-)

[MvnTgt]

Minor update:

I ran into a snag with the drivers' side header and the abs pump trying to occupy the same space and the manual suggested tilting the pump to make it clear. No dice. The rear-most header tube just misses the underside of the pump and that's not good enough. I'm going to have to make some brackets to raise the pump up and away from offending tube.

Some 1/8" flat stock and part of an afternoon:







I'll hit the brackets with some appliance epoxy black so they look more purty-like.

[MvnTgt]

Some 1/8" flat stock and part of an afternoon:







I'll hit the brackets with some appliance epoxy black so they look more purty-like.

Later that same evening...

[MvnTgt]

I reinstalled the hard lines to the abs pump and fiddled around with the power steering pump. I'm not quite sure how I'll mount it to this bracket I had kicking around but I'm sure I can make it work.

[PJ325i]

Looking spiffy!!

[5literFC]

In your last pic the front sway bar is missing. Does it infact clear the oilpan /crank pulley without spacers?

[rprbeantown]

In your last pic the front sway bar is missing. Does it infact clear the oilpan /crank pulley without spacers?

I have a completed swap. The six cylinder bar clears the four does not.

[MvnTgt]

What rprbeantown sez: 4cyl bar doesn't fit with the V8 there. Once I have the car running, I'll be looking at my options for the suspension.

[aussiebj]

I am running a 6cylinder sway bar in my swap and im stepping up to a bigger sway bar as mine is a track car.....it only interfears with the drivers header pipe to exhaust crossover pipe but i will be modifing mine when the new engine goes in .. to answer your question yes you can run a sway bar..

[MvnTgt]

I ran into hood clearance issues with the RPM II intake I was planning to use (even with trimming some of the hood bracing) so I switched it out for a Trickflow Street Heat intake. i felt all sad () and inadequate about installing a rusty engine so I pulled the engine back out and shot some red paint on it.

Actually the reason I pulled the engine back out was because I couldn't get the distributor to seat all the way down on the block so before I did something bad, I pulled the engine and dropped the oil pan to see what was up. It turns out when I installed the oil pump I didn't have the retaining clip at the top of the oil pump driveshaft down far enough to keep it from interfering with the business end of the distributor shaft. Things that make you go "hmm".

So, lifter pre-load adjustment is done. Lower intake, injectors, regulator and rails are installed. Upper intake is loosely installed in the picture.

ps: Having dealt with pushrod guide plates for the first time on this engine, I have to say they sure are a half-assed way of doing things. Yeesh.

Oooh, it's RED.

Hood clearance: