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Thread: 1999 E36 M3 RB26dett project

  1. #1
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    1999 E36 M3 RB26dett project

    Hello fellow members. I am starting this thread to share and document my experience i have had and will have with this project of mine. After many other project cars in my past such as a Lotus Elise, Lotus Exige, Dodge viper, and Noble M400, I wanted to get my hands back on something that i could be a little more involved in. I enjoy tinkering and modifying cars of mine, and had the want to start a project that was unique and more challenging than the typical.

    I'm sure its safe to say that a lot of people on here have the same love and desire to own an authentic GTR at some point in out lives. I decided to look around at the different options to swap an RB26, but as said before, didnt want to take the typical route of swapping an s13/s14/datsun cars. While on this search, I stumbled across a group named Dryden Motorsports that made a mount kit for the European E36 chassis and the RB26dett motor set. I picked up this kit first and then started my search of the perfect donor car for a new heart.
    Before too long, I came across a 1999 M3 in Nashville Tennessee that i felt like I could not pass up. Alot of people said that spending the extra money to get a true M3 would be a waste of money as the sedan or more basic coupes could be had for a fraction of the price. This car just spoke to me though as it had little modifications and made a perfect blank canvas to start my journey. Without further a due, here is a couple pictures of the car as it was when i bought it and drove it back home to Kentucky.... I dont have many pictures of how it started, but you get the idea...







    I also had the RB26 motor set shipped to me along with the mount kit and custom sup sitting and waiting for me when i got home with the car. here is a quick shot just for record as well.....



    As i started I started to plan out my plan of action, I first convinced myself that I just wanted to freshen up the motor with oem parts and run the stock twins at stock boost. Then of course the modifying bug bit me. I convinced myself that I may as well go balls out and do as much as I can, and should ever want to while the motor was out. After considering all options and contacting many different shops to handle the build of the longblock, I decided to trust the guys at Raw Brokerage with the build.
    I sent them my long block along with a mess of goods to include:
    Wiseco Forged pistons, Manley H-beam, ACL rod/main bearings, ARP rod bolts, ARP main studs, ARP head studs, Nitto crank extended crank collar, N1 oil pump, OEM water pump, Tomei MLS headgasket, Tomei Oil restrictor, Greddy timing belt and new tensioner/idler.
    Along with this I sent a complete OEM gasket set. They worked their magic and did all the machine work to include the stage one short block, and the Stage one cylinder head.
    They bolted the long block back together to torque spec and i received this piece of art back on a pallet via UPS....










    and here is the motor after i got to work installing the intake plenum back on, along with having the oem manifold sand blasted to a clean cast look....



    I will leave this post with a quick shot of the mounts that i received from Dryden Motorsports






    I will continue to update this thread with my endeavors.....
    Last edited by Dcreech0; 02-23-2016 at 10:30 PM.

  2. #2
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    Subscribed!!

    - - - Updated - - -

    Looks like we're starting see more and more of RB engines. There's already a guy who's doing the finishing touches on his TB48 turbocharged engine in his E39 with a Ford auto transmission.



  3. #3
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    From here i was very quick to start pulling the BMW's drivetrain and came out with this.....





    I also took this time to mate up my Spec stage 3 clutch the Raw Brokerage provided me. I also took my RB25det Transmission to a local shop here and had the dis-assemble and inspect. I was very relieved to hear that all was good to go internally. they actually told me they were quite surprised on how clean it was inside. I will also attach a picture of the first time I mated the tranny to the motor....




    more later..... thanks for viewing

    - - - Updated - - -

    sooooooo, on my first attempt on placing the motor into its new home, I learned a few things that may need some minor tweaking. So when i mentioned earlier that i was planning a minor build, this eventually turned into this built motor idea, so of course we need more boost correct? lol. I decided to pick up a set of Greddy T517z's off an R32 in Australia. Man were these thing beautiful.... not to mention they have a $3000 plus price tag new......




    not all good things can be true though. I soon found out that these turbos would not work. First issue was that the mounts I planned on using was made for the oem size turbos and not a larger frame like the Greddy units. Once I tried to install the mounts, I found they came in contact with the exhaust housing and does not allows the mount arms to mount to the motor.... sad times.



    so back to the drawing board in the forced induction side of things......... I decided it may be time to consider going to a large single

    - - - Updated - - -

    While cleaning up my tears on the turbo issues, I decided to make my first test run of installing the motor/tranny and moving forward from there. After the first attempt to install, It was not easy by any means. for some reason I could not get any of the holes to line up to where i was comfortable. I eventually decided to ditch the rubber mounts that came with the Dryden kit and source my own. I think that another member on this forum doing an RB25 swap had the same issues and correct the issue himself, so i decided to follow suit.
    I found myself be be highly resourceful and made a set of 240sx poly mounts made by Circuit Sport work perfectly.




    i will also use this post to explain how i made the power steering and the cooler work with this swap. I decided to use a Chasebays power steering reservoir, Earl's pwer steering braided lines, and found the perfect cooler made by Derale that mounted in the OEM location and had -6an fittings. I also had to use a couple an adaptors on the steering rack as well, but was very happy with the outcome....





    - - - Updated - - -

    my next puzzle that I decided to tackle was going to be the radiator issue. The OEM BMW radiator caused its own set of issues. First issue was going to be the inlet was on the incorrect side for the RB motor. The second issue was how the OEM radiator mounted left ZERO clearance with the PS pump. They physically touched. From here, I knew that i would going to have to be resourceful on picking a radiator and tuck it under the radiator support. I decided to take a Mishimoto unit from an S14 and making my own brackets. I had to grind down the frame horns, and trim up the radiator support a little, but came out with this. I will attempt to get a picture soon of the clearance this game me and update this post

    Last edited by Dcreech0; 02-23-2016 at 10:33 PM.

  4. #4
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    Will have to read again but have you done anything on the oil pump issue these motors see?



  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by auaq View Post
    Will have to read again but have you done anything on the oil pump issue these motors see?
    Yes sir, I sure did. I tend to read up and do some homework before getting knee deep into things. I had raw brokerage install the extended crank collar drive to maximum contact is made between the crank and the oil pump. I also installed a new N1 oil pump from Nissan. This unit is just an updated oem unit that produces more oil pressure. The last provision I took was to have a time I oil restrictor installed in the block. This prevent the "oil pooling" issue. At high rpms, the Rb motor is know to suck all the oil into the cylinder head.
    Hopefully this will suffice, some people fit an external oil drain from the head, but some find it to be over kill if built correctly.

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dcreech0 View Post
    Yes sir, I sure did. I tend to read up and do some homework before getting knee deep into things. I had raw brokerage install the extended crank collar drive to maximum contact is made between the crank and the oil pump. I also installed a new N1 oil pump from Nissan. This unit is just an updated oem unit that produces more oil pressure. The last provision I took was to have a time I oil restrictor installed in the block. This prevent the "oil pooling" issue. At high rpms, the Rb motor is know to suck all the oil into the cylinder head.
    Hopefully this will suffice, some people fit an external oil drain from the head, but some find it to be over kill if built correctly.
    Good to know. I know some RB owners like to upgrade to the HKS oil pump that has a more surface area of contact and tighter tolerance than the stock oil pump. I know that some work was required in the heads to drain back all the oil; otherwise, as noted by you they tend to retain oil up in the heads causing lack of oil in the bottom end. Of course, not a good thing to have. If my memory recalls one would have to tap/drill and have a separate drain back and allow all the oil drain back to the oil pan.

    Back on the higher oil pressure, do you have to have a slightly bigger tolerances for the main and rod bearings for high rpms use? Or do you think it won't be a problem at all?



  7. #7
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    Next up was to decide what route I was going to take with the forced induction department. I decided that going to a larger single may be the way to go to utilize the space I have and to take full advantage of the motor that I have built from top to bottom to handle a fair amount of boost.
    For the manifold, I turned to the guys over at DOC RACE to churn out a beautiful manifold for me. These pieces really are works of art. They hand weld all of their units and hand port them before shipping them out to customers. I decided to go with a single scroll with a Tial MVR wastegate flange. On a side note, I found a good deal on a Tial MVR and Tial blow off valve. I emailed back and forth with Tial and confirmed they were authentic. On to some pictures.







    for the turbo, after much debate and searching I decided to settle on a brand new Precision 6766 with the posted H cover. I was surprised on how massive this thing was when i first held it in person..... I will put up a picture of the turbo by my daughter for reference. LOL




    The intercooler, I decided to choose the Treadstone TR1235. I read many good things about this unit, and it actually is a very stout unit for the money. Very well built. The end tanks even have a baffle to divert air evenly throughout the core....




    More updates to come........

    - - - Updated - - -

    Fueling..... So far I have collected parts to include a Sard billet fuel rail, Injector Dynamics 1000cc injectors, Aeromotive adjustable fuel pressure regulator, and a Fuelab pressure gauge....
    I am still debating on what route to take with the fuel pumps. I plan on making custom stainless steel braided lines. Here are some pictures.....





    Last edited by Dcreech0; 02-23-2016 at 10:34 PM.

  8. #8
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    always trying to make it lighter and faster

    ^^former build: http://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/sh...-neglected-M3/
    current build: http://forums.pelicanparts.com/porsc...car-build.html
    instant grams: doktor_b

  9. #9
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    Jkpgt96 is offline One of those JZ swappers BMW CCA Member
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    How did that Chase Bays reservoir mount up? Got any pictures of it? I need something more elegant for my PS reservoir in my 2j E36, because with my custom IM there is no room for it in the stock location or on the driver shock tower..
    1995 M3 - Forged 9.8:1 2JZ, S366, MS3x, E85, LQ9s, 420g/PMC Motorsport kit, 4 clutch 3.15 LSD Large Case 757whp/710wtq
    2011 X5 Xdrive35d- Blk on Cinnamon, Towing Pkg, Heat Pkg., etc..the tow rig/DD!

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jkpgt96 View Post
    How did that Chase Bays reservoir mount up? Got any pictures of it? I need something more elegant for my PS reservoir in my 2j E36, because with my custom IM there is no room for it in the stock location or on the driver shock tower..
    Yes sir, I will get some pictures up soon of how i mounted it. I just used an existing mount right behind the drivers headlight. I honestly dont remember what was there before i tore it apart. Maybe the cruise control?????

    - - - Updated - - -

    Last couple updates for you all. I took some time to get the turbo mounted where it is going to be. Man will it be a tight squeeze, but i think I can make it work. I am leaning towards purchasing the Chase Bays ABS delete, and maybe the booster delete from them as well to make more room for the downpipe.
    I also spent some time finding a solution to mounting the oil cooler. I knew i was going to put it in the kidney bean grills, and ended up just bolting it down to the bumper beam. I will post a picture to explain. I'm not sure of how to route the lines though as it is a tight fit in there. The whole oil cooler set up consists of Earls spin on adapter, Earls Billet remote filter mount, Earls remote oil thermostat, and a Mocal 10 row oil cooler.





    I also found a local group here to me that does some nice work. I will let the pictures speak for themselves on the before and after....






    I also received a nice package from Wiring Specialties. They are also a nice group of guys that do good work...


  11. #11
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    Oh man! Those covers looks so fresh and very OEM.

    So that's the whole wiring harness built to work on an E36 chassis, correct?



  12. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by auaq View Post
    Oh man! Those covers looks so fresh and very OEM.

    So that's the whole wiring harness built to work on an E36 chassis, correct?
    Thanks very much!!! I'm very happy with how they turned out.
    As far as the wiring harness. It was made to be a direct plug and play for the Rb motor in the e36 chassis. I have not had time to take it out of the box yet to play with it though. Hopefully I will update on it soon.

  13. #13
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    That's a pretty beautiful build so far. I've always been curious what it's like to build/run/maintain an engine like an SR20/RB2x that was never offered here in the States but have been made popular in the tuning scene

  14. #14
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    Hello again friends. Just a small update. Had time lastnight to fit the new valve cover gaskets, new half moon seals in the rear of the heads, and clean up the pcv baffles a little bit. I loosely placed the covers back on the head and stood back to take a glance.



  15. #15
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    Looking seksie indeed.



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    keep up the good work

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    Ok, I had just a little time to work on the car this weekend. I decided to tackle the oil cooler issue. I listed in a previous thread the parts I was planning on using, but had spent that last week or so deciding where to mount the remote filter mount and where to mount the remote thermostat block. I bought most of the goods from Summit Racing, and chose the brand of Vibrant racing for the fitting and hoses. After dealing with these and Fragola, I would have to say that the Fragola was easier to assemble. After mounting the filter mount, I had to go find a filter that was a good fit for it. I brought the Earls part with me to walmart and tried many different filters, but ended up going with the K&N PS1002. I know that i will have to drop the oil and change this filter after running the motor for the first time. Anyway, On to a couple pictures. The black lines are a little tough to see, but I think you will get the point....











    I also spent just a little time trying a location for the FPR and ran my first line from the rail. I ran out of daylight and had to stop before making any more progress....


  18. #18
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    Very cool build. I go hot and cold on the non-BMW motorswaps (not a big LSx guy) but this is a cool undertaking especially with the motor being from a car we never got in the states.\

    What's the ultimate purpose of the car? Street? Drifting? Racing (have to be a very open class)?

    Also, on that oil filter location...can you remove and install a filter given the proximity to the firewall? You probably thought of that but thought I'd ask.

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    Hello again all. Long time no see. Today was one of those days for me that I am sure we all have had. Ever had one of those work days where you are in the garage all day, but you feel like you got not much done at all? In all reality, alot got done, but not as much as I had wanted. I decided to spend some time on the fuel lines.
    I went back and forth on the idea of keeping rubber fuel lines, with barbed fitting on the rail and the FPR. At the end of the day, I decided to go with stainless braided lines due to the Sard rail coming with 6an fittings, and the Fuelab filter having -6an fittings on the ends. So then I came to the problem of how and at what point I should convert from the hardlines to the braided lines. On previous builds I cut, and double flared the hardline to convert. I have read now there are compression fitting for this job. I decided to give them a shot. Worst case would be to take them off if they do not work, then flare the old way.
    Will start the picture by showing what I started with....




    And here is the OEM BMW FPR set up.....



    Here is a side by side of the OEM filter and the Fuelab.....




    Here is the first compression fitting I attempted to install. Keep in mind the picture does not show the finished product. I will still find a way to mount the line in the OEM bracket.....






    I didnt have much time to run the return line from the regulator. I actually realized that I was missing one more fitting. I need one more -6an hose union to finish the fuel return..... but will show off the lines i did have time to assemble



    I will post one more engine bay picture for good measure:


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    May be a stupid question, but Can anyone tell me what the blue line is that runs alongside of the fuel filter?

    - - - Updated - - -

    Ok. I know now that is the Evap line that runs to the engine bay to serve as the fuel tank vent. Used to run to a charcoal canister? So my question now is, what to do with it? I have read other swap people have just snipped it under the car and placed a small filter over it to keep junk out but still let it vent.

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    Another very small update for you all this past weekend. I have not been able to make a ton of good progress due to unfortunately coming down with an illness, and waiting on some packages.
    I did get a Small package from Japan though. Nothing that was a huge surprise, but still took forever to get here.
    When I bought my swap, it came with a set of Splitfire coilpacks. I was pretty pumped as it was a surprise under the coil cover. upon inspection though, I found that one of the shit out its guts and was of no use. This left me with 5 that were still usable. there were only a couple companies that sold a single pack and cost an arm and a leg, but didnt see another option, unless I wanted to go back to 20 year old OEM coils. I also decided to take the time to put fresh NGK sparkplugs in. I went to a plug that was one step colder for future goals.....
    Will update again once packages start arriving this week.







  22. #22
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    Very nice!

    I snipped the vent line and attached a hose to it. I am going to run the hose to the rear and just dump it past the spare tire well somewhere. I will put a filter on it though..I don't want to smell like gasoline all of the time, lol
    1995 M3 - Forged 9.8:1 2JZ, S366, MS3x, E85, LQ9s, 420g/PMC Motorsport kit, 4 clutch 3.15 LSD Large Case 757whp/710wtq
    2011 X5 Xdrive35d- Blk on Cinnamon, Towing Pkg, Heat Pkg., etc..the tow rig/DD!

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    Hello again guys. I received another package in the mail today, this time being from the great guys at Chase bays..... :2f2f:





    You might be asking, what might this be?...... I chose to purchase an item that seems to be seen as skeptical in the BMW world. I decide to purchase the entire ABS/brake booster delete from this group. A lot of people question this modification due to the effect it will have on braking performance, but Chase Bays claims to have sized the Wilwood Master cylinder just right to not have much difference in braking performance. I decided to go with this modification for the sole purpose of space needed to generate a down pipe for my swap. I also purchased the bias valve and brake lines to make it a complete package....





    I also decided to weigh in the difference between the setups just for reference for anyone that may be interested. Along with the space this kit saves, and the visual appearance, It also saves around 16 pounds for those hardcore weight savings people out there.... Pictures for proof.....





    I have posted pictures previously of what the OEM setup looked like and how crowded it made the drivers side engine bay look. Here is a picture of what that area looks like with the OEM setup taken out. BTW, it was a BI@$% to lay under the dash on the interior and work to remove connections.....



    I got as far as I could with the install today. I came to a stopping point as the package i received from Chase Bays did not include a small bracket that it should have so that I could connect the Bias valve to the master cylinder. So I only got a chance to mount the booster delete plate and the master cylinder today.
    The kit i purchased also came with a new feed hose for the OEM clutch master cylinder. I decided to use the OEM feed line as it fit perfect on the bulkhead fitting i attached to the Wilwood reservoir. I also came to this conclusion due to having to remove the entire pedal assembly just to get to the clutch master cylinder. A lot of work saved just by using the OEM feed line. Anyway, here are some pictures....





  24. #24
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    So how do brake booster-less brakes work? Just no assist?



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    Quote Originally Posted by auaq View Post
    So how do brake booster-less brakes work? Just no assist?
    yep.
    always trying to make it lighter and faster

    ^^former build: http://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/sh...-neglected-M3/
    current build: http://forums.pelicanparts.com/porsc...car-build.html
    instant grams: doktor_b

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