Build Thread: Korman 535i Turbo 2.0

[Glove7]

Sorry no headrests.

[E34DIYer]

I may be catching the E46 M3 bug... Pondering my build plans and cash flow.

[clevertd]

Does this help or hurt?

[ZenitramNaes]

An other unfinished m30 turbo build?

[E34DIYer]

Nah, I'll probably still Megasquirt it. I think I can recover my investment if I do it up right. But my long range goal is now to save up for an M3.

And no, that picture doesn't help at all. The E46 is my favorite M-car.

Update: Trying to schedule tune/dyno time. Once they have a slot for me, I'll have Megasquirt, the O2 sensor, and my injectors installed. Funds are ready, just waiting now...

[E34DIYer]

Update: Bought new Bosch 42lb injectors. Now I just need a wideband and Megasquirt!

[clevertd]

I've got an unused LC-1 and XD-16 in the garage if you're interested in it.

[E34DIYer]

PM in the mail.

Working on my fuel pressure regulator setup. As the M30 guys probably know, the stock fuel pressure regulator seals directly to the fuel rail on the return side, so you can't easily delete it from the system. Looks like I'll need one of these: http://store.bimmerworld.com/afterma...ter-p1284.aspx

Or these: https://www.bmpdesign.com/product-ex...earch_model/32

This will replace item #6 below and will provide me a hose barb on the return side of the rail. (By the way, does anyone know the inner/outer diameter of the return fuel hose? #14 below)



I just need to find a good place near the stock regulator to mount my Aeromotive #13109 fuel pressure regulator...



There isn't really an ideal place I see to mount a regulator near the stock location, so I may mount it near the lower-rear side of the intake manifold. As I recall, there are a couple of threaded holes down there for mounting the clamps for the stock fuel hard lines.

[E34DIYer]

On the other hand, it occurs to me that I could just leave the stock regulator in place, since I'll want fuel pressure greater than or equal to the stock pressure. The downstream regulator would simply create additional restriction, boosting pressure. I may just do that to keep things simple. But I do need to figure out where to mount my aftermarket regulator... hope to do that today.

EDIT: After staring at my engine bay, I have decided to use one of the lower intake manifold mounting bolts. I plan to use the aluminum bracket supplied with the regulator, bend it 90 degrees, trim it down with a cutoff wheel, and drill a hole.

Also, it looks like my setup already has a secondary fuel pressure regulator. Anyone recognize this thing?

[E34DIYer]

Car is at Markert Motor Works undergoing inspection. Want to make sure it's healthy before I Megasquirt it. About to buy my LC-1.

Update: Got my Aeromotive FPR, Bosch injectors and LC-1 are on the way. Now all I need is the Megasquirt box... but neither of my sources is responding yet. Hoping to wire the LC-1 into the stock O2 wiring on my M30 engine. If anyone has instructions for this, I'd love to see them.

Car's back from the shop. Overall the engine is healthy. Compression numbers are 175-185. Dave found and fixed a couple of vacuum leaks, including the brake booster check valve and an uncapped nipple on the intake manifold (??). I may have a slight oil leak at the turbo drain line, and the valve cover gasket is up for replacement soon, but otherwise good to go. Also pleased to report that the idle has improved thanks to vacuum leak curing.

Still waiting to hear back from my Megasquirt suppliers. May need a third plug-and-play option - open to suggestions. Also need to fab up a straight aluminum tube with the open element IAT sensor for Megasquirt.

[E34DIYer]

Help this build along! Buy some of my parts and help fund Megasquirt... everything else is ready!!

-6/-8AN fittings for sale: http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum....php?t=1946170

M30B35 shortblock ($100): http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum....php?t=1935126

1989 BMW 535i partout: http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum....php?t=1894098

1994 BMW 530i partout: http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum....php?t=1937748

[paul burke]

Researching cam profiles now. I happen to have a good friend who's a race engine builder,and he'll be cleaning/porting my M30 cylinder head. I'm thinking about upgrading the cam and valvetrain IF someone can convince me that it's worth the money. Found this cam profile listed for M30 turbo application:
Duration (intake/exhaust): 276/268
Duration @0.050" lift (intake/exhaust): 238/229
Duration @0.200" lift (intake/exhaust): 169/161
Total lift in inches (intake/exhaust): 0.450"/0.430"

As I recall, the stock late M30 head has dual valve springs already. Do I really need upgraded race springs and retainers for my application? I'm not exactly going wild with the cam...

Where did you find those numbers?

Thats my T31 grind.

Will work with stock B35 springs but intake side is on the edge.

Have intake spring up grade available.

info@bmwpowerparts.com

Paul

[E34DIYer]

Paul,
Thanks for weighing in on the cam numbers. Not sure where I found those - did some random Googling for M30 mild turbo cam grinds. Sent you an email.

Update: Trying to figure out which of my two Megasquirt sources makes the most sense. Will provide details once the deal is finalized...

[E34DIYer]

Still need to install my fuel pressure regulator. Somebody remind me - what diameter are the stock m30 fuel lines? 6mm? Think I need one of these kits to plumb my Aeromotive regulator: (redacted - see updated part number below)

Edit: Ordered the Turbosmart fuel fitting kit, hope to install my fuel pressure regulator this weekend. Also decided that Keith/whodwho's Plug and Play Megasquirt is the best option. I may have that in as soon as next week - details to follow. Looking for another shop in my area that can dyno & tune my Megasquirt.

EDIT: Stock fuel lines are 8mm, not 6mm. You want THIS kit: TBS-TS-0402-111

[E34DIYer]

The Turbosmart fitting kit is perfect for my Aeromotive 13109 regulator. I know it's a small victory, but I'm always relieved when the little things start to come together.



I also ordered a cheapo BOV and straight pipe to replace the AFM, which gets deleted with Megasquirt. I will order and weld (well, have welded) a stainless bung on the BOV pipe so I can attach the inlet air temp sensor. Here's the BOV and piping:


Inlet air temp sensor: http://www.diyautotune.com/catalog/g...tail-p-62.html

Weld-on bung for IAT sensor: http://www.diyautotune.com/catalog/3...sor-p-231.html

[E34DIYer]

Possible wrench in the works... my car has an auto transmission at the moment, which may not work with Megasquirt. Stand by for further.

[ZenitramNaes]

Possible wrench in the works... my car has an auto transmission at the moment, which may not work with Megasquirt. Stand by for further.

Ahhhh, just a little wrench. Sorry to hear that. Positive side, you could end up with a manual transmission.

Also, how do you adjust the Aeromotive 13109 regulator? I still haven't figured it out.

[E34DIYer]

Lol yeah... just need to "end up" with an extra $1200 or so to complete the swap.

You loosen the nut on top, turn the screw with an allen wrench (righty tighty/raise pressure, lefty loosy/lower pressure), then retighten the nut to lock in the adjustment. Make sure the spring is properly installed or it won't work at all.

EDIT: I would much, much rather buy whodwho's Megasquirt plug-and-play, but at this point the W.A.R. chip might be the only way to go. Will advise as soon as I have news.

EDIT #2: So apparently I'm the first person in the history of mankind to attempt to run Megasquirt on an E34 with a stock auto transmission... I may attempt to clip some wires and do some testing this weekend.

[E34DIYer]

Update: Just got off the phone with Miller Performance. I misunderstood a couple of things about their W.A.R. chip options, which I'd like to share:
A) The base W.A.R. chip is unsuitable for 42lb+ injectors, as is the standard 3" MAF they sell in their $699 kit.
B) The turbo tuning kit is what I need for my turbocharged setup, which includes the upsized draw-through MAF and a W.A.R. chip with turbo basemap. The bigger 4" MAF is the same as that on the M-cars and apparently is meant to be installed UPSTREAM of the turbo compressor inlet (hence the "draw through").
C) The turbo kit, at $1100 (I don't need the injectors), is definitely well outside of my budget.

At this point, my options are to either get Megasquirt to work on my car as-is, or swap to a 5-speed manual and THEN get Megasquirt to work. I can't justify $1100.

[ZenitramNaes]

You loosen the nut on top, turn the screw with an allen wrench (righty tighty/raise pressure, lefty loosy/lower pressure), then retighten the nut to lock in the adjustment. Make sure the spring is properly installed or it won't work at all.

Ahhhhh!! Gotcha.

EDIT #2: So apparently I'm the first person in the history of mankind to attempt to run Megasquirt on an E34 with a stock auto transmission... I may attempt to clip some wires and do some testing this weekend.

lol

Well, that's good news about thew auto transmission. I want that turbo pachage BAD. Would be so nice, but yeah, a little expensive.

[JesterMX6]

sub'd because m30. good luck with the transmission experimenting.

[E34DIYer]

Hoping we can resolve this and that this writeup will someday be useful to someone else.

The problem here is that the stock ECU sends a fuel load signal to the transmission computer. Apparently you can't just cut this wire, because the trans comp (aka TCU aka EGS) goes into safety mode. Steve Majewski at seattlecircuit.com makes an emulator that's supposed to be able to send the fuel signal without having the ECU installed. Strictly speaking, his emulator is really meant to provide accurate miles-per-gallon readings when you upsize your injectors, but we hoped that it could help us work around this ECU-transmission computer issue too. Another user reports that the emulator isn't solving the problem. I hope to get with the guys at DIYAutotune and do a little more research into this. Hoping they can do some experimenting with my car and come up with a solution, as this would expand their customer base into M30-equipped BMWs with automatic transmissions. As always, will provide updates when I have them! Feel free to add comments/questions.

EDIT: If this doesn't work out, I may be in the market for an auto-manual swap. In the meantime I'll probably sell the parts I've collected so far to help fund the swap, including:

Aeromotive 13109 adjustable fuel pressure regulator - including 6mm hose barbs for direct fitment w/stock fuel lines (EDIT: Stock lines are 8mm, not 6mm!)
Bosch 42lb high impedance injectors
6" stainless steel straight pipe with knockoff BOV - for deleting AFM
Innovate LC-1 wideband O2 sensor & controller
Inlet air temp sensor & steel bung - required sensor for Megasquirt; easily welded onto the BOV pipe

I'd sell all the above for $500 shipped... If it comes to that.

[E34DIYer]

Sad day - my collection of parts is up for sale: http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum...1#post25936141

Next steps will be interior/exterior refurbish, or auto-manual swap. Hoping to reattempt this Megasquirt nonsense in the fall.

[E34DIYer]

I tried cutting the fuel load input wire at the transmission computer (white w/black), and the trans threw an error. So this does indeed pose a major problem for anyone wanting to use MSPnP on an auto e34.

But while I was in there, I soldered in a wire so that I can have someone measure the signal with an oscilloscope. Hoping that someone can engineer an emulator or something to make the trans comp happy.

[E34DIYer]

My car was very patient as I unsuccessfully attempted to convert it to Megasquirt standalone engine management. After a year and a half of no modifications whatsoever, I thought it needed a little something.

So I bought this:



Apparently the Nardi Blackline steering wheel is among the more rare wheels out there. When I saw it, I knew it was the wheel I'd been waiting to find. Looking forward to bolting it on!