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

[Cracker]

I'll be working in the garage Friday so definitely stop by. I have plenty of the good stuff so just bring your palate.

Wife and I are heading up north for the weekend and I get to drive the in-laws Honda Odyssey.

[16valex]

No updates. Between work and my wedding, I just haven't had time to work on the car in the past 3 weeks.

Whoa! Major news! Congrats Robert!

[Schitzo]

Wife and I are heading up north for the weekend and I get to drive the in-laws Honda Odyssey.

Why so sad! Think of all the leg room you get in that thing.

Whoa! Major news! Congrats Robert!

Thanks Alex.

[Schitzo]

[tptrsn]

Looking sweet -- You must be ecstatic!!

[JimLev]

Your on a roll, is that the last thing you need to finish and install before its tire smoke time?

[Schitzo]

Looking sweet -- You must be ecstatic!!

Ecstatic is an understatement! Can't wait to hear this thing run.

Your on a roll, is that the last thing you need to finish and install before its tire smoke time?

Exhaust work was the last big fabrication job I had left.

[nsogiba]

Is she making noise yet? Great work on the longtubes.

[Schitzo]

There are times I work in the garage and can fabricate things pretty easily and have them turn out exactly how I want them. Then there are days where I just can't seem to fabricate anything; I struggle with even the most basic of jobs. Unfortunately, this last weekend was one of those times I am off. Despite spending most of Saturday and Sunday in the garage, I made very little progress; in fact, I think I regressed. Not only did I not make the progress I wanted but I made a pretty dumba** mistake that I now have to correct . Take a look at the pic below. Can you spot the stupid mistake I made?



If you can't figure it out, just remember kids, the primary tubes should be fully welded, including the double slip collectors, before welding the tube to the header flange. I have to cut off all the tack welds at the flanges so as to remove the primary tubes from the flange. I think Dremel cut off wheels and grinders on a flaxible shaft should do the trick.

[bimerok]

Ouch! Can you remove just 2 primaries and be able to access around the slip collector on remaining two?

[Schitzo]

Ouch! Can you remove just 2 primaries and be able to access around the slip collector on remaining two?

I did think of that but I am not sure if I will have full access to the weld joint. I will take another look when I get home this evening. Worst case, I will end up removing 3 tubes.
Edit: Looking at the header pics a little closer, looks like I can get away with removing the tubes on each end (i.e. cylinder 1 and 7).

[Schitzo]

All fixed. Removed #1 and 7

[JimLev]

Nice quick work Schitzo, you make some of us look like hacks, lol.

[Schitzo]

The headers are pretty much done (save for welding the tabs for the collector retention springs on the passenger side header). They turned out great and fitment is perfect! I was contemplating having them ceramic coated but there is no way I am entrusting them to another soul . This will be it for exhaust updates. Next up is engine assembly.






In preparation for engine assembly, I thoroughly cleaned the block and ported the intake manifold.

Port matching intake to cylinder head transition and optimizing the injector ports........more on that later.


Block cleaned and ready for assembly.

[unnatrl]

Beautiful work. Can't wait to see updates!

[JimLev]

Those look great, very nice tig job.
For some reason I thought the engine was already all together.

[nsogiba]

Nice FAST manifold. Looks like a Gen 4 block, care to share details?

[Schitzo]

Beautiful work. Can't wait to see updates!

Thanks! Lot's more updates coming.

Those look great, very nice tig job.
For some reason I thought the engine was already all together.

Thanks Jim. All I have done thus far is have the block machined and rotating assembly balanced. I wanted to wait until I was done with fabricating the big items before assembling the engine.

Nice FAST manifold. Looks like a Gen 4 block, care to share details?

Norb, it is indeed a gen IV block. It started out as a 5.3L block which I then had re-sleeved with Darton sleeves and bored to 4.125". Stroke will be 4.000". Btw, that's an MSD intake. I decided to give it a try since it eems like it gives nice gains over the stock intake. Too bad it's ugly as sin.

[tptrsn]

Man I can't wait to hear this beast exhaling through those works of art you created!! What are the tube sizes on those again? Tri-Ys, right, so probably two tubing sizes prior to the merge collector megaphone?

[JimLev]

I want to hear it with open headers........

[tptrsn]

Absolutely!!

[Schitzo]

Can't wait to hear it either. The headers are 1.875" to 2.000" to 3.000".

[clew]

Some beautiful work you've done here!
Having built manifolds/headers myself I know how frustrating it can be to really get it perfect.
Not just getting it to fit, but to allow ease of access to everything.

Keep up the good work!

[auaq]

Is that manifold made out of plastic?

Beautiful work so far!

[ckpitt55]

Headers came out great Robert. Nice work.

Looking forward to engine assembly