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Thread: My First BMW – My First Swap – LS2/T56 into an E36

  1. #51
    Join Date
    Jul 2013
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    E36 - 1998 328iS - LS2
    Quote Originally Posted by gpeterson View Post
    If you plan on doing M3 suspension you should return those struts and get blown ones from a m3 and the koni inserts. Non-m struts don't have the M swaybar mounting points.
    Thanks. I've done a ton of reading and don't think I'll bother with an M suspesion. The car is a 328iS with the "Sport" package. From what I've read, the Sport sway bars are actually thicker than the M sway bars, though as you point out, they attach at different points. I'll probably upgrade to 330 brakes at some point.

    I'm no expert but with the H&R and Koni bits and the 330 brakes, I don't think I'm leaving too much on the table. I'll just need to have the rear reinforcement plates welded in at some point.

    Tipsy

  2. #52
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    Mar 2004
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    96 328is 6.0L
    All you have to do then is hit the track and the "virus" will never leave you
    - 96 328is 6.0L. (LS1 to LS2 build thread: http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum...ad.php?2098938)
    - 96 328is 5.7L. (LS1 build thread: http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum....php?t=1289987)
    - 95 ///M3 6.0L. (LS2 build thread: http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum....php?t=1619249)

    - 97 ///M3. (e46 Fender Flares/track car build thread: http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum....php?t=1727098)
    - 96 328is (Dual Fuel Pump to Surge Tank thread: http://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/sh...ad.php?1964025)

  3. #53
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    Jul 2013
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    E36 - 1998 328iS - LS2
    Quote Originally Posted by bimerok View Post
    All you have to do then is hit the track and the "virus" will never leave you
    Sebring is about two hours from here

    Tipsy
    Last edited by TipsyMcStagger; 06-06-2014 at 08:55 PM.

  4. #54
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    E36 - 1998 328iS - LS2
    Spent the entire day in the garage working on the LS2. Made some progress and learned a few things about wrenching on LS engines. I also spent way too much time obsessively searching for a BRP oil pickup tube girdle I bought some months ago. I never did find it. Oh well.

    I removed the GTO oil pan and windage tray and installed my Tick cam. Along the way, I discovered not all LS cam retaining bolts are the same. I had bought a set of ARP 134-1002 retainer bolts but as soon as I saw my LS2's cam retainer plate, I knew something was up. My engine has countersunk holes in the plate and uses Torx bolts. It looks like this:



    So, I reused my stock bolts. Incidentally, these countersunk Torx get torqued to 11 ft lbs. while the older style bolts are torqued to 18 ft lbs.

    I also learned that the cam can be pushed in too far. No big deal really but while I was trying to reinstall the timing chain and timing gear, I couldn't seem to get the gear to seat. I then realized I needed to pull the cam out toward the gear about an 1/8" or so. Hey, it's my first cam swap on an LSx. Now I know. Also installed a new Tick ported oil pump and reinstalled the front cover with a new seal.

    Here's where things went not so well. I started a thread seeking info, so I won't reiterate the situation in detail here; but I rotated the engine upside down and right side up a couple of times in the past day. First, to remove the oil pan and again to let gravity help keep the lifters recessed while installing the cam. In doing so, I noticed oil in the number eight cylinder. I hope it's no big deal. Here's my thread. If you're knowledgeable, by all means...please comment.

    I installed the Improved Racing baffle into the F Body pan, but because of my oil in the cylinder issue, I've held off on installing the pan. I still have to replace the valve springs. I'll get to that early next week.

    Tipsy

  5. #55
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    Feb 2014
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    ohio
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    1995 bmw m3
    Did you get your booster adaptor machined? I can cut it for ya on our cnc machines

  6. #56
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    Quote Originally Posted by TrickFlowGuy View Post
    Did you get your booster adaptor machined? I can cut it for ya on our cnc machines
    Thanks very much for the offer! I am having something fabbed up from steel. Here's a preview. It'll retain the Mustang brake input rod using a shoulder bolt to attach to the side of the brake pedal. As you can see in the pic, the mount is offset slightly on the plate, which allows the shoulder bolt to align properly with the pedal and will hopefully prevent interference between the master cylinder and the strut tower. More info to come.

    Just dropped the modified subframe, JTR engine mounts and valve covers at the powder coaters. I brought the LS2 power steering reservoir bracket too, since it was all cruddy.

    Tipsy



    Last edited by TipsyMcStagger; 06-10-2014 at 04:36 PM.

  7. #57
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    E36 - 1998 328iS - LS2
    Brought a few bits in for powder coating Tuesday afternoon and they were ready for pickup Wednesday evening. Very nice attention to detail. All of the threads were protected (even the nutserts in the subframe for the x-brace).

    I think I'll start to disassemble the front end now that I have my springs, lower control arms, struts and the everything powder coated.

    Tipsy









    Last edited by TipsyMcStagger; 06-12-2014 at 05:21 PM.

  8. #58
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    Apr 2009
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    99 M3 LS1, '11 WRX
    nice progress man, pc'd parts look good

  9. #59
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    Mar 2004
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    USA
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    96 328is 6.0L
    Looks very nice! The only thing I would recommend is you think about valve cover mounting bolt holes. They have rubber washers and I'm not sure how well they would seal with powder coat in there.
    - 96 328is 6.0L. (LS1 to LS2 build thread: http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum...ad.php?2098938)
    - 96 328is 5.7L. (LS1 build thread: http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum....php?t=1289987)
    - 95 ///M3 6.0L. (LS2 build thread: http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum....php?t=1619249)

    - 97 ///M3. (e46 Fender Flares/track car build thread: http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum....php?t=1727098)
    - 96 328is (Dual Fuel Pump to Surge Tank thread: http://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/sh...ad.php?1964025)

  10. #60
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    E36 - 1998 328iS - LS2
    Quote Originally Posted by bimerok View Post
    Looks very nice! The only thing I would recommend is you think about valve cover mounting bolt holes. They have rubber washers and I'm not sure how well they would seal with powder coat in there.
    Yeah, I thought about that after-the-fact. It might be wise to try to clean up those spots...though I'm not really sure how to go about doing that???

    A quick Google image search shows quite a few LS1 valve covers that are coated in that area...though that doesn't really mean much.

    Tipsy

  11. #61
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    Mar 2004
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    96 328is 6.0L
    Maybe with fresh rubbers it won't be an issue...
    - 96 328is 6.0L. (LS1 to LS2 build thread: http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum...ad.php?2098938)
    - 96 328is 5.7L. (LS1 build thread: http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum....php?t=1289987)
    - 95 ///M3 6.0L. (LS2 build thread: http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum....php?t=1619249)

    - 97 ///M3. (e46 Fender Flares/track car build thread: http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum....php?t=1727098)
    - 96 328is (Dual Fuel Pump to Surge Tank thread: http://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/sh...ad.php?1964025)

  12. #62
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    E36 - 1998 328iS - LS2
    Got the valve springs installed today. First time I've done that. As with everything, there was a bit of a learning curve. To keep the valves from falling into the cylinder, I used compressed air. But on the first cylinder, it leaked down so quickly, my 30 gallon compressor couldn't keep up. It was running constantly because it could never reach the switch-off pressure. After a bit of thought, I figured that after sitting for a year or more, perhaps the rings were too dry to make a good seal. So I gave each cylinder a few squirts of oil, cranked the engine over by hand several times and tried again. It worked! This time, it took about 10 minutes or so for the cylinder to leak down enough for the compressor to kick-on.

    There was a bit of a learning curve with the Proform valve spring compressor as well. The first cylinder took nearly half an hour because I was having trouble keeping the valves centered in the retainer, which made it difficult to insert the locks. Ultimately, I learned it was better to to use a ratcheting combination wrench to compress the spring, instead of a socket wrench. It just provided more control to keep the springs positioned properly. By the last cylinder, I was down to five minutes.

    Tipsy






  13. #63
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    E36 - 1998 328iS - LS2
    Today's accomplishment was spending money I've never been too big into aftermarket wheels, much preferring the OEM look. But my German-car buddy's have told me that DS1's and DS2's are very soft and bend easily. They warned me to keep away. I like LTW's, which are known to be very strong. But finding a decent set is not so easy these days.

    So, I picked up this set of BBS RG-R's. They are in very good shape, though the tires are pretty much worthless and they need center caps. I'm not a huge fan of the polished lips but I'll give it a while to grow on me. I might take some very fine steel wool to the lips. We'll see.

    It started pouring on my way home, so all I have is the crappy CL picture.

    Tipsy



  14. #64
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    Apr 2013
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    Carlos MN
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    73 Camaro, 67 Nova
    Just a quick note on changing valve springs with the heads on. I've used the soft nylon rope in the cylinder route with great success. Just bring the piston down, thread in the rope thru the spark plug hole leaving plenty of length outside, then bring the piston up to compress the rope against the valves. I use a strap from the flex plate to the block to keep the piston from rolling back away from the valve. Not high tech but it does work. No worries about air compressor capability.

  15. #65
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    E36 - 1998 328iS - LS2
    Quote Originally Posted by 73 L92 View Post
    Just a quick note on changing valve springs with the heads on. I've used the soft nylon rope in the cylinder route with great success. Just bring the piston down, thread in the rope thru the spark plug hole leaving plenty of length outside, then bring the piston up to compress the rope against the valves. I use a strap from the flex plate to the block to keep the piston from rolling back away from the valve. Not high tech but it does work. No worries about air compressor capability.
    Rope was the backup plan, but compressed air worked fine once there was some oil in the cylinders. I did bring each piston to the top of the cylinder, just as a backup.

    Tipsy

  16. #66
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    SpecE46, 99LS/M3, 07GMC
    FYI - You can get wooden dowel rods and and insert them to keep the valves up.



    I used this tool but didn't have much problems. Took maybe 1 minute each valve. It centers itself. (for next time)



  17. #67
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    Quote Originally Posted by Spec3HOR View Post
    FYI - You can get wooden dowel rods and and insert them to keep the valves up.
    Dowels work well for keeping the lifters up, but they won't do much for the valves. I just rotated the engine upside down to keep the lifters out of the way. Gravity works well.

    Tipsy

  18. #68
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    SpecE46, 99LS/M3, 07GMC
    Quote Originally Posted by TipsyMcStagger View Post
    Dowels work well for keeping the lifters up, but they won't do much for the valves. I just rotated the engine upside down to keep the lifters out of the way. Gravity works well.

    Tipsy

    I just rotated the piston on that particular cylinder up so the valve couldnt fall...if it fell. Didn't have any issues. Car runs well... Well aside from a Vorshlag driveshaft exploding.

  19. #69
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    Quote Originally Posted by Spec3HOR View Post
    I just rotated the piston on that particular cylinder up so the valve couldn't fall...if it fell.
    I did that as a backup to the compressed air. No problems. The compressed air worked very well once there was some oil to help the rings seal.

    Tipsy

  20. #70
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    E36 - 1998 328iS - LS2
    Made a little progress today. Removed all of this:



    And was left with this:






    I did a bunch of reading and watched several Youtube videos before getting started, so things went pretty smoothly. No big surprises. Having the right tools makes all the difference and star of the day was definitely this:



    It's a ball joint separator and it works really well! It's the best $15 (with 25% off coupon) I've ever spent at Harbor Freight. It makes short work of removing the tie rods and outer ball joints and it does NOT tear the boots! This is obviously important if you intend to reuse the tie rod or control arm (though I am not). The tool cannot be used to separate the inner ball joints, but they came out with just a few precisely placed blows to the control arm, with a BFH.

    The car has 87K miles. I honestly have no idea if all of these parts were original (the struts appeared to be) but they were actually in pretty good shape. None of the ball joints were very loose and the tie rods were pretty stiff. The tie rod boots are in excellent shape, so I suspect the tie rods might have been replaced recently. But, since I had to take it all apart, it's all going back together with new parts. OEM tie rod assemblies, OEM '95 M3 lower control arms, OEM '95 M3 control arm bushings, OEM sway bar end links, OEM sway bar bushings, Koni Sport struts and H&R Sport springs.

    The other star of the day was my Harbor Freight 1/2" Earthquake impact gun. You can't beat it for the price. I also picked up a set of 1/2" impact swivel sockets and non-swivel sockets. It's a good thing I grabbed both. Not only because the swivels come in handy but because each set is missing a size or two that are needed on the E36. For instance, one set includes a 16mm socket, while the other set does not. These impact universals are also very handy to have. The only thing I didn't have that would have made things easier is a lift. Oh well, one day.

    Tipsy

  21. #71
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    Here's the modified subframe with JTR's base plates installed.

    Tipsy


  22. #72
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    Toronto & Amherst, NY
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    96 LS1 328is, 06 330i
    Jesus. All the front end bits you pulled out look absolutely mint. So used to seeing all of that just covered in rust from all the salt they put on the roads here in winter.

  23. #73
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    Quote Originally Posted by jai5 View Post
    Jesus. All the front end bits you pulled out look absolutely mint. So used to seeing all of that just covered in rust from all the salt they put on the roads here in winter.
    Yep, this car has spent it's entire life in FL and most of it garaged. I did degrease those parts a bit prior to snapping that picture, but they are all rust free.

    Tipsy

  24. #74
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    96 328is 6.0L
    Looks real nice!
    - 96 328is 6.0L. (LS1 to LS2 build thread: http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum...ad.php?2098938)
    - 96 328is 5.7L. (LS1 build thread: http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum....php?t=1289987)
    - 95 ///M3 6.0L. (LS2 build thread: http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum....php?t=1619249)

    - 97 ///M3. (e46 Fender Flares/track car build thread: http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum....php?t=1727098)
    - 96 328is (Dual Fuel Pump to Surge Tank thread: http://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/sh...ad.php?1964025)

  25. #75
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    Quote Originally Posted by bimerok View Post
    Looks real nice!
    Thanks! I really need to get the vacuum booster removed so I can mock-up the hydroboost. I removed the drivers seat yesterday to make it a little easier, but at 6'2", 215lbs, it's still a tight squeeze working under the dash. It's also super hot in the garage.

    And my third procrastination excuse; the car is currently on four jacks stands and I'm a bit leery about getting in the car. I have this vision of the car tipping backwards. I think I'll try to put some wood under the diff as additional stabilization.

    Tipsy

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