My New Project: LS/T56 swap into a 2003 E39 M5

[Schitzo]

One again showing you are the Top Gun on this Forum!

I concur. Keep the updates coming!

Thanks for the kind words! :-)

Long post ahead. Cliffs: Played around with tubing then ran into a snag.



I have made great progress on the passenger side header since yesterday but unfortunately, I ran into an issue that required I stop working on the header. Sadly, I shall not make as much progress this weekend as I had hoped. Here what I did between yesterday and today.

I started with the number 8 tube on the passenger side and had it done Friday night. My two key goals when fabricating the tubes were to have yas few cuts per tube as possible and ensure the joints were as tight as they can be. To achieve the latter, after cutting each tube, I used a double cut bastard file to do a rough dressing on the face of the joint followed by final dressing with an 80 grit belt on the sander. I periodically check the straightness of the edge using a flat block of aluminum. When done, I want the edge to look like this:



Once the joint surface is done, I use a smooth double cut file to chamfer the edge of the joint. This ensures I will have adequate weld penetration all the while using minimal heat.

As mentioned earlier, the first tube I made was #8: it was relatively easy. It exits the head, drops down and curves slightly to the front of the engine then curves to the back. Tube #8, was made out of portions of a single 1.875" O.D. 3” radius J bend. I am trying to use as few pieces per tube as possible to minimize the amount of welding required. Once #8 was done, I started working on #6. Here you can see tube #8 and #6. I can easily fabricate tube #6 on the bench since its shape is highly dependent on tube #8. All I needed to do was follow the outside edge of #8 tube while maintaining a small gap between the two tubes. The minimum size of the gap is dictated by the widest section of the OD of the double slip joint.


On the car


Using the same procedure described above, I started on tube #4. One other important thing I have to keep in mind is how the tube exits the exhaust port on the head as this affects proximity to the spark plug wires; I tried to maximize the spacing between the tubing and spark plug wires. I also installed the GM factory spark plug wire metal tubular heatshields to make sure they too would clear the header. Here I have made the initial bend on tube #4 and started on #2. Tube # 4 drops down then immediately hugs #6 with a 3' radius.



Next up was #2. It exits the port and hugs #4; nothing too crazy. After fabricating each tube, I check to make sure there is plenty of room to insert a spark plug socket and wrench.




With even tubes (#2-8) mostly done, I figured I should make the first (primary) pair of collectors so that I know where to terminate the primary tubes (this will be a 4-2-1 header). The primary collectors will be made out of 2.000” 20-degree mandrel bends and 1.875” and 2.000” double slip joints. They will then join into a secondary 2 to 1 collector………………something like this:



As mentioned in an earlier post, I ordered all my tubing from Stainless Steel Headers who are local to me. I placed the order last summer. When I picked up the tubes, they were all in a big box in the front office. I paid for them, shot the breeze with the guy seen in the header fab video, loaded the box in the car and headed home. I unloaded the box of bends and put in the garage; the box has been seating where I placed it until this past Friday. I assumed all the pieces in the box were as I had ordered. Unfortunately, as I was getting ready to fabricate the collectors, I learned there had been an error in my order. They gave me the wrong size and quantity of tubing for the collectors.

I always double check parts I buy as soon I receive them but for whatever reason, I didn’t do it with this order. I trusted that everything was as I had ordered. Luckily I always keep my invoices so I still have the invoice from this order. I will drive there Monday morning to see if they exchange what they gave me for the correct size bends.

Pretty bummed about this!! I am at fault for not verifying what I received was what I ordered as much at they are at fault for giving me what I didn’t order. We shall see what they have to say. I will probably start mocking up the driver’s side header tomorrow.

Anyway, here is what I have thus far.

[JimLev]

So far they look like a million bucks. You do great work. Sorry to hear you didn't have the correct parts.
I'm waiting for mine to come back from getting coated, then still need to figure out how to make them match up to the pipes going into the CAT's.

[tptrsn]

Wow wow WOW!!!!! Amazing work!

Sorry to hear about your snag, but you still made unbelievable progress.

[Cracker]

You did get the hardest stuff done on this side though, bummer about the box-o-tubing.

I barely stayed awake and somehow(phone gps) I ended up getting to 52N instead of 35E. Fun curvy backroads in IGH and then straight 52, as I don't trust most drivers to handle the curvy 70 mph 35E that late at night.

[Schitzo]

So far they look like a million bucks. You do great work. Sorry to hear you didn't have the correct parts.
I'm waiting for mine to come back from getting coated, then still need to figure out how to make them match up to the pipes going into the CAT's.

Wow wow WOW!!!!! Amazing work!

Sorry to hear about your snag, but you still made unbelievable progress.

Thanks guys!

You did get the hardest stuff done on this side though, bummer about the box-o-tubing.

I barely stayed awake and somehow(phone gps) I ended up getting to 52N instead of 35E. Fun curvy backroads in IGH and then straight 52, as I don't trust most drivers to handle the curvy 70 mph 35E that late at night.

It was rather late. That thing sounded great when you pulled away. Should be even better with headers.

Didn't do much on the car today. Ended up cleaning the garage instead since it was starting to look like a tornado went through it. Hope to resume exhaust work tomorrow.

[nsogiba]

another fun read as usual, sucks about the parts. Words to live by: "Trust but verify"

[auaq]

Much Wow! Much fancy!

[Schitzo]

Called them this morning a spoke to lady who indicated the person that could help with the order issue was in a meeting. She took my phone # and said they would call me back. Sure enough, less that an hour later I got a call from Chris. I explained there had been an issue with my order. He asked what tubing sizes I needed and was able to confirm they had them in stock. When I got there, he promptly exchanged the tubes for the correct ones. Great customer service on their part. I would still order from them again.

I will start work on the collector this evening.

While at their office, I got to check out this thing. They made it for SEMA and PRI. The detail and fab work is impressive.

[tptrsn]

Those oval flanges are tasty. I bet they aren't giving those away...

[Schitzo]

Been a busy week. Didn't manage to get to the garage until for a couple hours last night. While there, I made this contraption. e-Cookie for whoever can guess what it is. I hope to test it out tonight. More later.

[rao]

It's a fixture for your simplified collectors

Glad to know you are still at it. I hope there are still private automobiles when it is done.

[bimerok]

Rao at his best!

[Schitzo]

It's a fixture for your simplified collectors

ecookie for you!

Glad to know you are still at it. I hope there are still private automobiles when it is done.

Actually I am hoping the jackstands will still be able to hold it up by when it's done.

[rao]

ecookie for you!


Actually I am hoping the jackstands will still be able to hold it up by when it's done.

I'm not sure - what's the half-life of iron

[turbotalon1g]

This looks amazing, bummed I didn't get to see it in person.
Jason was going to bring me along.

[Schitzo]

I finished fabricating the collectors this past weekend. I decided to make them all in one go instead of first making the passenger side followed by the driver's side at a later date. I will update the thread this evening when I have time.

This looks amazing, bummed I didn't get to see it in person.
Jason was going to bring me along.

No worries. I'm sure Jason will let you know when he is headed back my way so feel free to tag along.

[Schitzo]

As mentioned earlier, I fabricated both the passenger and driver side collectors this past weekend. This will be a 2 step tri-y header with 3 collectors per header so I needed to fabricate 6 collectors in total. Four collectors were made out of 1.875" OD tubing and remaining two, 2.000" OD tubing. Overall length is 18" to 20" (from the end of the primary tube to the end of the header at the V-band). I came up with the length using a Pipemax software. I went with a tri-y header primarily for ease of fitment and ground clearance (I believe I mentioned that in an earlier post). Horsepower and torque were not big factors since no matter the type of header I fabricated, it would undoubtedly outperform the alternative header which is a Hooker 1-5/8" shorty header. That is what I used on my previous swap. Anyway, onto the fabrication.

I started by making the jig I pictured above. I used it to hold the tubing in place while I cut it on the bandsaw. One side holds 1.875" tubing and the other 2.000" tubing. The square tubes ensure the exhaust tube is parallel to the cut. In addition, the center square tube ensures the exhaust tube will always sit in the same location relative to bend on the tubing. This is why it is shorter than the other two square tubes.

Before I could start cutting the tubing, I needed to realign my bandsaw blade since it has been out of alignment for a quite some time now. With the help of some YouTube videos and some shims, I was able to adjust the blade guides on the bandsaw allowing it to cut as straight as possible. Once that was done, cutting the tubes was pretty straight forward.

Here you can see how the tube sits in the jig.


Finished cutting the 1.875" tubing. The first pair, on the very left, is ready for welding.


Welding the collectors was pretty straight forward. I did the sides then center.


I purposefully cut the tubing with adequate spacing between the tubes so that I could fit my smallest torch in between the tubes. I still needed a long tungsten stick-out though.


After welding, I cut the outlet of the collector to size. For the 1.875" collectors, I want the OD of the outlet to be 2.000". However, when cut, the outlet is more of an ellipse shape than round. As such, I need to reshape the outlet. To do so, I use this expander/shrinker. I go slow checking the OD every so often until I get to 2.000". If I go over the desired OD, I can shrink it back to size.



Once that was done, I tacked on the ends of the double slip joints. The 2.000" collectors follow the same process except their outlet will have a 2.500" to 3.000" transition followed by a short 3.000" straight piece which includes the 02 bung. Fedex delivered the transition pieces yesterday evening so I only had time to finish the pass side collector; I have yet to finish the driver side.



With the collectors done (mostly) I can now get back to joining the primary tubes to the collectors.

[bimerok]

Amazing work!

[JimLev]

Nice work Rembrandt.

[tptrsn]

Beautiful work as always!

I need one of those expander/shrinkers. Where did you find that beauty?

And I need a pair of those shoes! Lol... But seriously.

[Schitzo]

Thx Leo, Jim, and Thad

I need one of those expander/shrinkers. Where did you find that beauty?

And I need a pair of those shoes! Lol... But seriously.

I bought it at a local O'Reilly auto parts store. It is made by Lisle and is part number 32000; they refer to is as a pipe end shaper. I think paid ~$30 for it at the local store. You can also get it from other vendors including Amazon.
http://www.amazon.com/Lisle-32000-Pipe-End-Shaper/dp/B0002STSO4

Those shoes are awesome for welding; you become one with the TIG pedal

[auaq]

Stahp it!! Too much car pron. Can't take it anymore ....

[ckpitt55]

Beautiful work Robert, you're killing it.

Makes me want to scrap mine and start over lol.

Are you using burns double slip joints or were you able to source them from somewhere else?

[Schitzo]

Beautiful work Robert, you're killing it.

Makes me want to scrap mine and start over lol.

Are you using burns double slip joints or were you able to source them from somewhere else?

Thanks Chuck! Yes, the slips are from Burns.

- - - Updated - - -

Stahp it!! Too much car pron. Can't take it anymore ....

You're welcome

[tptrsn]

I bought it at a local O'Reilly auto parts store. It is made by Lisle and is part number 32000; they refer to is as a pipe end shaper. I think paid ~$30 for it at the local store. You can also get it from other vendors including Amazon.
http://www.amazon.com/Lisle-32000-Pipe-End-Shaper/dp/B0002STSO4

Those shoes are awesome for welding; you become one with the TIG pedal

Thanks Robert, I need one of those! I'll probably shoot over to O'Reilly today and see if they have one. If not I'll order one. Looks handy as heck!

Regarding the pedal "one-ness," on top of cool shoes I think I need a new pedal. The one that came with my welder is wearing me out. These are supposed to be nice:

http://weld.com/index.php/shop-weld-...6-model-detail

Sorry for the off topic! Back to more regularly scheduled e39 weld/fab porn. Lol