E30 325e stroker build with aftermarket I head

[BDubin]

Background, my first BMW (1995 325is) was stolen in NY about 7 years ago, since then my extended Bavarian family (you guys) have all touted the E30 as the quintessential BMW. So I bought a 1985 325e, 5 speed, Diamantschwarz over black, with an "electrical problem" which was shortly revealed to be a blown timeing belt. Upon further disassembly we found the cam had seaized, and caused the belt to pop, #1 and #6 intake valves had mad contact with the piston surface (see pics). Rendering the valves bent, pistons scared (possibly cracked, we will pull them soon and ad pics of any relevant damage), the head is buildable, as is the block.

So what now right? Rebuild an e motor (don't laugh, someone has!) Buy an I motor or I car for a swap? Could even go M50 or S52. Of these options the I donor car was my preferred for speed and cost, however the idea of building an I motor was of great appeal. I have a good friend that is an air cooled VW expert, and he sent me to see Hank Moore at advanced auto fabrication in Spokane Wa. This was an experience in E30 Nirvana! He has the current #1 pro3 car in the country, and has a ton of experience with the M20 motor. He set me straight on questions I had, listened to what I was considering doing with it, and this was his suggestion. He has a source for an aftermarket I head that he says is a high quality part, not viable for a pro3 because it wasn't cast by BMW, but he feels they are just as well made as an original. This comes pre loaded with valves and springs. He has the I harness, a red chipped ECM, and all the gasket kits I will need, he will hook me up with a set of rollers and a cam from a a race car that he can't reuse, and most if the other little bits ill need (its good to have a killer federal). I'm thinking though that after dropping like 1700 at his shop, plus pistons and rings, having the block dipped, and a variety of other bits and pieces I'm thinking it will cost me about 3k to complete this job.


Now this is apparently highly disputed so we will just have to wait and see what the real numbers are when I put it on Hank's dyno. However his claim is that a stock pro3 car is regulated to 185rwhp due to the stock component requirements. As mine will have the 2.7l bottom end, a red chip ECM, and a hot cam, he said I should be in the 225 to 245rwhp range. The experts here say 180 is about all I should get. Frankly, she will be quite quick either way!

So now the REAL fun begins! In this thread my son and I will post plenty of pics, stats, prices, and every trick we pick up along the way!

With that said, please speak up if I'm about to screw something up!I have built a few V8's, but this is my first BMW engine build, and I want it done right!

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Its worth while to mention that Hank said the seized cam was most likely the result of an problem getting oil to the head, I also noted the green coolant instead of the blue stuff that should be there.

And the journey begins!

[pbonsalb]

An S52 swap would get you to that power also, with more torque and further power potential.

[BDubin]

Well the s52 swap is the hardest of the BMW engines to swap into the e30, and frankly I think it defeats the purpose of owning an E30, I mean its far better than say a Ford 5.0 swap! However I bought an E30 for the experience of owning and driving it, that drastic of a change I think would take from that. I have decided I need an E36 M3 in my collection because you are correct, the s52 is one of the best motors ever produced (in my humble opinion), and I do need to own one!

This will be a stroker I car, with a matching numbers M20..

I'm sure this wont be my last swap though, if I'm gonna cut motor mounts and carve up the car, I have to put in something really crazy, like a V12, or an m5 twin Turbo V10!

[bmwdirtracer]

Well, I certainly don't disagree with your doing the rebuild in the way you're proceeding.

But as for future possible swaps, I think that this particular S-62 engined E30 is very wonderful:

https://youtu.be/n3hwvOy3cAA

(No M3 was hurt, in making this car, by the way) But I dare say that the swap is a whole bunch harder than an S52.......

[pbonsalb]

I'd go for an S65 over an S62 in an E30 if money is no object. All aluminum.

I did not know the S52 was a hard swap. Have seen a few but never done one. Seems to me like most other swaps are harder except an eta shortblock with i head, and that gives 0.5L less.

[bmwdirtracer]

I guarantee you that the S62 is all aluminum....having punched three holes in the side of one. Plus, it's FIVE LITERS.

[pbonsalb]

Sounds expensive. I thought the S62 was pretty durable. But I still think the high revving low torque S65 would be a better match for a light car like the E30. The S62 might have been the better choice for the E9x M3 since they ended up around 3700 lbs. Did Dinan continue racing the S62 rather than the S65?

[bmwdirtracer]

PM'ed, to avoid interfering further in a cool thread. I want to hear about this M20.....

[BDubin]

So I have some update info and some questions. First the update, in the interest if having a little fun with her I went and grabbed a used eta head dressed it up nice and put it back together. I figured I'd drive her a few months and have a solid benchmark for whatthe original car was like stock. Here's some eye candy of that work!

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So everything went together just fine,but I'm not getting power tovthe coil. I have tested the wireing,installed a new Bosch cps set, and swapped the dme to test it. Is it possible the ignition switch could be the problem? I'm out of reasonable ideas!

[bmwdirtracer]

Check the 2.5mm green wire from the ignition switch. If it gets hot with the key in "run" position, the ignition switch is not the issue.

The ignition switch powers the coil pretty much directly, although the power goes through the C101 (fuse box plug) , and a connector called the C200, which I can't find in the ETMs:

http://wedophones.com/Manuals/BMW/1985 BMW 318i - 325e Electrical Troubleshooting Manual.pdf


EDIT: Note that no computers, sensors, or other technical items are involved in getting POWER to the coil. Make sure that it's power that you're missing: the DME delivers GROUND, not power.

[BDubin]

Now THATS odd! And your right its ground I'm missing! So obviously I need to ring the wire for continuity (it will take a min to find the right pin at the dme. I have a spare dme and I swapped it at one point to make sure that wasn't the issue. So I will check the wire. However the harness is clean and I find that unlikely. So if not the dme, or the wire from coil to dme, what's left?

And I couldn't get that link to work, but that book sounds quite handy!

[shadowpuck]

the link is truncated....

http://wedophones.com/Manuals/BMW/19...g%20Manual.pdf

[BDubin]

OK found the download and the hardcopy of that book. Found my coil ground goes to pin 1 at the DME, and there is a splice right there in the harness by the DME. So I will test that and check the splice in a few min.

[BDubin]

So I have continuity to pin #1 I have a spare dme and have swapped it out. So what the hell else could it be?

I have also noticed, the pump kicks on with the key, but it doesn't shut off. I expect it to pressurize the system and shut off. Perhaps its relevant (or yet another problem) but I thought I would mention it incase anyone had any ideas, or it was helpful.

[bmwdirtracer]

Are your flywheel sensors in the bellhousing connected? Did you disconnect them while the head was off? If so, did you mark them so that they returned to the correct mated plug?

Is the engine computer properly mounted, or at least grounded by its case?

[BDubin]

I bought new ones and have the lower one marked grey on both ends for Identification purposes. I didn't mount the spare DME when I tried swapping it! It case grounds is what your saying?

[BDubin]

Nope, that wasn't it. Swapped DME (this time mounted to its bracket) no effect. Sooner or later I will run out of reasons and this car will start.. lol

[BDubin]

Found it! After running out of viable ideas I towed it over to advanced auto fabrication and it took almost two hours with 5 of us to discover the main relay was a 4 pin, not the odd 5 pin its supposed to be. The previous owner must have swapped it durring his diagnostic, I never knew there was a 5 pin relay, all the ones I had where 4 pin. With a few adjustments she is running great! So I have a viable, stock eta car I can use as a control, and measure all my mods in gains from this baseline.

On a personal note.. Dear God its fun to drive! Even in an eta configuration this is a righteous piece of metal! She pulls hard, revs SUPER smooth, sounds AMAZING, and rides every bit as straight, smooth and quiet at 95 MPH, as a new car!