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Thread: Help Me Choose My E36 LS1 Swap Parts

  1. #1
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    Help Me Choose My E36 LS1 Swap Parts

    The HG blew on my turbo S50. While I loved the drivetrain and power, it didn't suite my car very well. Turbo fitment is super tight on E36s and it had too much power for the things I was doing with the car. The car is also going to be more track focused.

    The turbo S50 drivetrain will be going into a mint E30 with a big turbo in the future, more of a show car. So now, the E36 is going to get an LS1 swap.

    I want help choosing parts. Originally, I was gun-ho for the CX Racing kit, but now I feel I'd regret it in the long term.

    The parts I'm probably going to go with are:

    M5Hunter's old headers
    Vorshlag motor and tranny mounts
    Sikky steering shaft
    Custom SS or aluminum exhaust
    Unknown ABS delete? (doesn't currently work anyway)
    Unknown wiring harness?
    Built LS1, cam, truck heads, ARP stuff, Fast intake
    T56 Magnum (probably a new one)

    Are these good parts that will work well together? I'm going to start ordering shortly and don't want to regret my purchases.

    Thanks in advance! BTW, if you have swap parts for sale, I'm interested!

    "Believe nothing you hear, half of what you read"


  2. #2
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    Quote Originally Posted by Fender13Bender View Post
    The HG blew on my turbo S50. While I loved the drivetrain and power, it didn't suite my car very well. Turbo fitment is super tight on E36s and it had too much power for the things I was doing with the car. The car is also going to be more track focused.

    The turbo S50 drivetrain will be going into a mint E30 with a big turbo in the future, more of a show car. So now, the E36 is going to get an LS1 swap.

    I want help choosing parts. Originally, I was gun-ho for the CX Racing kit, but now I feel I'd regret it in the long term.

    The parts I'm probably going to go with are:

    M5Hunter's old headers
    Vorshlag motor and tranny mounts
    Sikky steering shaft
    Custom SS or aluminum exhaust
    Unknown ABS delete? (doesn't currently work anyway)
    Unknown wiring harness?
    Built LS1, cam, truck heads, ARP stuff, Fast intake
    T56 Magnum (probably a new one)

    Are these good parts that will work well together? I'm going to start ordering shortly and don't want to regret my purchases.

    Thanks in advance! BTW, if you have swap parts for sale, I'm interested!
    Check out the dorman LS2 intake that just came out. Supposedly uses a Fast lower plenum and flows better than the LS6 intake. Rockauto for under 300 bucks. I am going to use procomp headstuds to save some money, and ABS is already deleted in my car. DIY brake lines to delete is all that is needed along with a proportioning valve.

  3. #3
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    Quote Originally Posted by olemiss540 View Post
    Check out the dorman LS2 intake that just came out. Supposedly uses a Fast lower plenum and flows better than the LS6 intake. Rockauto for under 300 bucks. I am going to use procomp headstuds to save some money, and ABS is already deleted in my car. DIY brake lines to delete is all that is needed along with a proportioning valve.
    Why is the proportioning valve needed with ABS delete?

    Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk

    "Believe nothing you hear, half of what you read"


  4. #4
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    I've read where ABS delete is not a good thing on the E36...ie the brake balance is poor as it sits. The ABS makes corrects it. What is an aluminum exhaust? I recall the 60's used aluminum for exhaust manifolds...but they also came with a caution that the engine should run any length or they would melt!

    Lots of info on this forum...it can be your guide.

  5. #5
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    Guys make the exhaust out of aluminum it saves lots of weight, however its prone to cracking.

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by Tim Mc View Post
    I've read where ABS delete is not a good thing on the E36...ie the brake balance is poor as it sits. The ABS makes corrects it. What is an aluminum exhaust? I recall the 60's used aluminum for exhaust manifolds...but they also came with a caution that the engine should run any length or they would melt!

    Lots of info on this forum...it can be your guide.
    Just thinking of aluminum, we'll see. I made SS exhaust for my turbo build and it was pretty heavy, but also thicker than it needed to be.

    I think for now I'll do ABS delete since it's not working anyway and I'm not sure the reason.


    Also, I bought those used headers and am pretty committed to getting these mounts:

    http://getoffmylon.blogspot.com/p/blog-page_4.html

    Any build threads with those mounts? The one I found the images aren't working.

    "Believe nothing you hear, half of what you read"


  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by Fender13Bender View Post
    Also, I bought those used headers and am pretty committed to getting these mounts:

    http://getoffmylon.blogspot.com/p/blog-page_4.html

    Any build threads with those mounts? The one I found the images aren't working.
    Here's a very tidy build utilizing Chuck's mounts.

    Tipsy

  8. #8
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    Awesome build thanks.

    Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk

    "Believe nothing you hear, half of what you read"


  9. #9
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    Yeah most stainless elbows are 16ga. Really 18ga would work nice.

    - - - Updated - - -

    Quote Originally Posted by Fender13Bender View Post
    and am pretty committed to getting these mounts:

    http://getoffmylon.blogspot.com/p/blog-page_4.html
    Bang for the buck these mounts are amazing. I have a set from him, quality is amazing. Can't say anything about fit yet. They are going to be used on a Z3 coupe.

  10. #10
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    Chuck's mounts are way cool, however of the 5prs that he's currently building... 4 are mine.

    My suggestion is to contact Chuck asap, as he builds them to order.

    cxracing gets the job done, but they are bulky and the NVH is insane. Their headers aren't bad, but shorties / iron manifolds are more what we're looking for.

  11. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by Fender13Bender View Post
    Awesome build thanks.
    Looks like the bumps got some attention. Updates posted.

    Tipsy

  12. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by Ra88it View Post
    Chuck's mounts are way cool, however of the 5prs that he's currently building... 4 are mine.

    My suggestion is to contact Chuck asap, as he builds them to order.

    cxracing gets the job done, but they are bulky and the NVH is insane. Their headers aren't bad, but shorties / iron manifolds are more what we're looking for.
    Yup I've been emailing him. Gonna get a set. Did he give you an eta?

    Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk

    "Believe nothing you hear, half of what you read"


  13. #13
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    Last eta I from him was the same two weeks that I got from him a month or two before that.

    i realize he fabs them up on his own time and it's more of a hobby than anything else, but it's almost time for me to hire a local shop to make them.

  14. #14
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    Quote Originally Posted by Fender13Bender View Post
    Why is the proportioning valve needed with ABS delete?

    Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk
    not sure if it is the same but I would suspect it is. My old LS swapped 95 RX-7's ABS also proportioned the braking. Cars braking is front biased. When you remove the ABS you are basically supplying 100% of the braking to all 4 wheels. You want to bias it to the front with a proportioning valve. Making your own brake lines is pretty easy. You can get a brake line flare tool at harbor freight and watch a YouTube video on how to properly make flares and the prop valves are not expensive. I got mine from summit racing. I am planning on doing an LS swap to my M Roadster and will be removing the ABS to keep things clean and will definitely be using a prop valve to keep the braking bias the same. (or as close to the same as I can)

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