Matt's E46 LS3/CD009 Build

**MDRracing13** · 02-08-2016, 08:57 PM

Finally making a build thread.

01 330ci
LS3 long block
CD009 transmission from an 08 350z.
Collins lsx-CD009 adapter with their clutch and ACT ls1 flywheel and pressure plate
JRE blower cam
Nick Williams 92mm Cable driven throttle body
Trunion upgrade
Vorshlag Motor mounts
Vorshlag Steering shaft
Holley oil pan
Mason Engineering subframe support
SLR adjustable kit (first version)
BC coilovers
Rear roll cage (getting front half soon)
VAC motorsports rails
M3 front fenders. Waiting on Hard Motorsports coupe flares...

Remaining:
Headers - May order CXracing to test fit while waiting for vorshlag
Forward mount shifter for the cd009
Accusump
Wiring Harness - Wiring specialties ls1 pro harness
Switch panel
Vette fuel filter/fpr & fuel lines
Cable gas pedal
Gauges

On to the pics:

Picked up the ls3 from a shop in Delaware.
IMG_4647.jpg

Engine on the stand, ready to pull the M54.
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M54 gone!
IMG_4818.jpg

Installed all front and rear covers, ls3 intake manifold, fuel rail, and Holley oil pan
IMG_4844.jpg

Installed push rods, lifters, valve covers, and cts-v accessories.
IMG_4872.jpg

**MDRracing13** · 02-08-2016, 09:01 PM

She's in! Just a test fit for now. I still have to throw the t56 bell housing on to check for clearance. Then the cutting/hammering begins.
ls3-e46.jpg

IMG_4886.jpg

Here's some pics of the CD009 setup with the Collins adapter. My t56 bell housing isn't installed yet. This is my brother's finished setup.
IMG_4737.jpg

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**Inflame** · 02-08-2016, 09:54 PM

350z trans huh, interesting. What's the master cylinder setup look like? OEM M3? Wilwood?

**MDRracing13** · 02-09-2016, 11:35 AM

Originally Posted by Inflame

350z trans huh, interesting. What's the master cylinder setup look like? OEM M3? Wilwood?

It utilizes a t56 bell housing and slave cylinder so I'm just using the stock e46 master cylinder and running the line to the t56 slave cylinder.

**doktor b** · 02-15-2016, 09:33 PM

how does the forward mount shifter compare to the location of the shifter on a T56?
i wanted to put a cd009 in my LS e36, but the shifter location forced me to go T56.
i am using the stock seating location, center console, etc. so i can't really have my shifter moved back 5".

any help is huge.

thanks

**MDRracing13** · 02-16-2016, 08:18 AM

Originally Posted by doktor b

how does the forward mount shifter compare to the location of the shifter on a T56?
i wanted to put a cd009 in my LS e36, but the shifter location forced me to go T56.
i am using the stock seating location, center console, etc. so i can't really have my shifter moved back 5".

any help is huge.

thanks

Jason from CBF performance makes a forward mount shifter for the cd009. I still have to take my own measurements to see where I need the shifter to be. So if anyone happens to know the distance from a LSx to the shifter hole, that would be great to know.

Here's a quote from Jason's email:

The distance from a non cut housing to the shifter location is 26 5/8" but I do have a little bit of room to play with if that location will not work. It also uses a bolt on shift lever so you also can use different angles on the shift lever to put it in the exact location you would like it.

https://youtu.be/-yB37qPxzXY

**doktor b** · 02-16-2016, 09:16 AM

Originally Posted by MDRracing13

Jason from CBF performance makes a forward mount shifter for the cd009. I still have to take my own measurements to see where I need the shifter to be. So if anyone happens to know the distance from a LSx to the shifter hole, that would be great to know.

Here's a quote from Jason's email:

The distance from a non cut housing to the shifter location is 26 5/8" but I do have a little bit of room to play with if that location will not work. It also uses a bolt on shift lever so you also can use different angles on the shift lever to put it in the exact location you would like it.

https://youtu.be/-yB37qPxzXY

i saw that guy's FB last night. i was wondering if that's what you were going with.
i'm supposed to be ordering a T56 today....but if the cd009 now has a forward shifter position available, that puts it back in consideration.

thanks

**Novablue454** · 02-16-2016, 11:14 AM

In my car the LS6 and T56 bell housing fit great, but you have to remove the heat shield from around the brake booster (or at least trim it) to clear the CXracing headers. I believe the Vorshlag ones are the same. The T56 hits some stuff in the trans tunnel as well. There are a few plastic hose guides that are screwed on to studs in the tunnel. I had to remove those and cut the studs off before it would go back far enough.

also, this may be helpful with the shifter situation. With the Voshlag mount kit the F-body shifter is centered perfectly in the E46 shifter hole.
375872d1349746634-gto-6-speed-70-camaro-possible-202012d1255831432-t56-mn12-gto-clone-rebuilt-hi.jpg

**MDRracing13** · 02-16-2016, 11:26 AM

Awesome! So the shifter needs to be 29.5". I'll measure my brothers completed cd009 to see where that happens to be.

**MDRracing13** · 02-16-2016, 06:37 PM

Well 29.5" brings it to the beginning of the shifter rod. I'll try to legitimately mock mine up this weekend to double check. If that's right, a crazy forward mount may not be needed. A maxed out relocation kit could work. More to come...

**MDRracing13** · 02-20-2016, 10:35 PM

Got the Collins adapter on today. Did my own measurements for the shifter hole and it looks like 30" is dead center. Brett from Collins is hooking me up with a shifter that's 31" from the bell housing, so that should work fine. Once my CXracing headers are in I'll install everything and post the results. Time to drop the rear for some cleanup and fresh bushings.

Front cover off of the CD009

Collins adapter installed

Some Interior shots. Rear half cage with the mason rear subframe support

ASD hydro with dual wilwood calipers.

**Novablue454** · 02-21-2016, 01:12 AM

That cage is pretty!

**MDRracing13** · 03-15-2016, 10:58 PM

Not much of an update. My CXracing headers finally came in. I put them on and dropped the engine in for a test fit. Had to cut the metal box around the brake booster. Other than that, it fit great. I didn't get a chance to see if the vorshlag steering shaft fit, but it looks like there should be just enough space to clear. Slapped the front end on to take some measurements for my radiator, then pulled the motor again to get the headers ceramic coated. Ended up going with the Griffin 17.5" x 19" x 3" double pass aluminum radiator. We'll see how that ends up being mounted.

Brett from AllBoost Motorsports is making me a custom shortened shifter for the CD009, which should solve that issue. Here's an example of his sc300 CD009 shifter. Mine will be almost the same distance as this one.

**Novablue454** · 03-16-2016, 10:50 AM

Cutting out that booster heat shield is a PITA, I ended up pulling my whole booster to do it. The Vorshlag steering shaft fits easy with the CX headers too.

**MDRracing13** · 03-16-2016, 11:45 AM

Originally Posted by Novablue454

Cutting out that booster heat shield is a PITA, I ended up pulling my whole booster to do it. The Vorshlag steering shaft fits easy with the CX headers too.

Yeah that sucked. Came close to cutting a brake line by accident a few times lol. Glad to hear about the steering shaft.

**Jaxchrisfla** · 03-26-2016, 08:04 AM

Glad to see the cd009 trans swap is gaining popularity over here. I spent all summer last year contemplating on running it but I didn't want to be the test mule at the time with no other info out on it in a bmw. Also a bunch more options out there as far as shifter location goes now I see as well.

Congrats on the progress, looking forward to seeing more in the future

**MDRracing13** · 03-27-2016, 10:20 PM

Originally Posted by Jaxchrisfla

Glad to see the cd009 trans swap is gaining popularity over here. I spent all summer last year contemplating on running it but I didn't want to be the test mule at the time with no other info out on it in a bmw. Also a bunch more options out there as far as shifter location goes now I see as well.

Congrats on the progress, looking forward to seeing more in the future

Thanks man. Can't wait to get this thing running. I'm waiting on a gen 4/cd009 pilot bearing and the shifter and it should be ready to drop in for the last time.

A few updates:

Finally got the T56 clutch line figured out. A 3an line from the slave cylinder to a gen 5 camaro master cylinder fitting (same e46, but with a 3an female end).

Installed the cable driven e46 gas pedal. I just need to figure out the rest of the throttle cable and that should be good to go.

**Novablue454** · 03-28-2016, 10:50 AM

I like your clutch solution a lot better then mine.

**MDRracing13** · 04-26-2016, 08:54 PM

4/26 Update:

Shifter from AllBoost Motorsports installed. The throw is extremely short and will definitely take some getting used to. Seems like the shifter will end up dead center but the base of the shifter caused some cutting. More on that later.

CXracing headers (ceramic coated) installed and CD009 bolted up and ready to drop in.

In for good! I had 0 problems fitting in the T56 bellhousing and CD009.

Driver's side header clearance. Trimmed the ABS "shield". Vorshlag steering shaft isn't install in the pic, but it's on now and fits perfectly.

Passenger side header clearance. No problems here.

And the wiring begins. I ended up going with the painless LS1 harness. Everything is labeled and looks straight forward. I only routed the harness and plugged a few connectors. I need to figure out the ls1 knock sensor and need to order ls3 coil pack harnesses and that should be it. I have the extended harness which brings the ECU all the way to the passenger side footwell.

Here's where the shifter ended up. I ended up cutting a portion out to fit the base of the shifter. Time to have my fabricator make me a trans mount and that should be all set.

**Novablue454** · 04-27-2016, 10:55 AM

Nice! It looks so goo in there. Are you keeping ABS?

**MDRracing13** · 04-27-2016, 06:40 PM

Originally Posted by Novablue454

Nice! It looks so goo in there. Are you keeping ABS?

No, not keeping the ABS. I didn't want to mess with the brake lines so I left everything there

**MDRracing13** · 07-06-2016, 10:01 PM

Haven't updated this in a while. I've been traveling a lot for work, so I haven't been able to put too much time into this build. Motor and trans are in for good. Wiring is complete... finally. I also figured out my throttle cable situation. I attempted to start it, but it just cuts out. I'm not sure if this has to do with the ls1 tables or what, but I'll be bringing it to East Coast Supercharging as soon as everything is all buttoned up and ready to go. I tried to upload a vid of the attempted start, but photo bucket is a failure.

What's left:
Run coolant hoses
Mount X3 welded diff
Drop off at Mr. Driveshaft for a custom driveshaft
Clean her up, then time for the tune

Some pics:

Starting to come together and looks like a car again..

My fabricator did an awesome job on my trans mount.

He also mounted my Griffin rad:

**jalopi** · 07-07-2016, 12:23 AM

that's one beefy radiator bracket!

**blake261** · 09-01-2016, 09:27 AM

any updates?

**Novablue454** · 09-01-2016, 11:17 AM

Bummer its not running correct. What ECM are you using? I believe you have to get in to the programming and modify some things to make them run right with swaps, like turn off the immobilization feature and delete all the EGR and rear O2 codes.