E36 M3, from dual purpose to track only

[aeronaut]

More boring, but it's all finally coming together.
ARP studs; is 75ftlbs vs 85 ftlbs still a debate? The ARP instructions say 75.

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And, bought an infrared kerosene heater. 70,000BTU of heatness, but damn it, you just can't get away from that kerosene smell.

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[pshooter]

Last set was 75ft/lbs.
There is a note about scuffing up one side of the washer to give it traction against the head to obtain proper torque.

I've experienced the washer "slip" and thought the stud was yielding. But was not the case.

[aeronaut]

Interesting. I did clean and dry the washers and the washer-seats in the head. Nothing felt funny!

[aeronaut]

New lifters, cause FCPEuro...

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And we've been here before....
Trays in, cams in. And man putting those cams in is touchy. How do folks get higher lift cams installed without that big honkin BMW tool?
I actually looked at other BMW heads to see if I could find longer studs for the trays. 3-5mm longer would be awesome. I should have just McMaster Carr'd it.

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New switch panel to be installed.

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[olemiss540]

Last set was 75ft/lbs.
There is a note about scuffing up one side of the washer to give it traction against the head to obtain proper torque.

I've experienced the washer "slip" and thought the stud was yielding. But was not the case.

I did 85 ftlbs if memory serves (was a long while ago). Also used lube on both sides of the washers. Whoops.. Basically this: https://www.google.com/search?q=arp+...DwbkPteW_qAk20

[aeronaut]

I'm sticking with 75lb-ft, that seems to be up to date from ARP.

Switch panel done, I guess this could have been a bit smaller. (I'm putting 1 or 2 switches on my steering wheel.)
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[aeronaut]

Rebuilt VANOS. You'd think by now I could install the VANOS without issue, but somehow I messed up on the first go around and had to redo (I rotated the exhaust sprocket fully CCW before tightening down). I just had to pull the VANOS assembly and re-engage onto the spline. But still! lol.
It's "just" accessories and install now. (Other than integrating my new AiM PDM!)
Need to get the flywheel/pressure-plate to the machine shop for balancing.

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[Yahweh]

Maybe to late, but id use Genuine head gasket and Genuine lifters. INI seem to be prone to ticking over time and VR headgaskets seem to leak oil.

[aeronaut]

It's an Elring HG. I do wonder if/when Elring will equal VR quality, or vice versa.

[aeronaut]

And still no Behr Z3 radiators available anywhere. I thought FCP would have them sometime this winter.
The Nissens version is starting to pop up.

[aeronaut]

My version of the achilles obd1 coolant port conversion (https://www.achillesmotorsports.com/...chcap-obd1.htm)
Ugly, but it should work....
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Damn it, I would have sworn I had look at the flywheel. I've already resurfaced this one once, so I guess I'm FW shopping.
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I get to do some fancy stuff with my new AiM PDM08, so adding a few buttons.
One will switch the display.

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[aeronaut]

After thinking about the hundreds of ways to measure oil temperature, I went with the S54 flange from Morehead Speed.
The TMS version comes in m12x1.5 for which there's no AiM sensor of that size (but plenty of $15 sensors that work just fine but need a pull up resistor and 719 connector, etc). So, while I don't think NPT fittings belong on cars, I went with NPT. lol.
Sometimes, plug and play is the right answer. Although, I'm not convinced this thing will always be covered in oil.

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[aeronaut]

Oil Temperature flange and sensor installed on the S54 oil pan.

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Home-made panel and a few switches test fitted on the steering wheel.
Waiting for coiled wire and some plugs to arrive to wire.
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[aeronaut]

Got a new flywheel in, and took the flywheel/pressure-plate to the machine shop for balancing. Waiting on that to finalize engine assembly and install.
Got the button panel installed and connected on the steering wheel.

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[aeronaut]

Just getting around to the intake side of things.
I knew there was at least a little metal in here.
Even the ICV path had chunks.
Back side of throttle body.

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Intake manifold.

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[aeronaut]

It may not seem like much, but I finally decided on some power cables and routing for the AiM PDM and cabin. Got the fancy PDM connector and harness wired and connected. PDM located on the right side footwell.

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[MPWRCPE]

VERY interested to see how the PDM turns out as I'm hoping to do it this summer. Hurry up!

[aeronaut]

I'm waiting on the machine shop (FW/PP balance), so will be spending time with the PDM wiring for a few days.
So yea, I'm a little concerned moving things like Fuel Pump control to the PDM cause the OEM DME and relays just work. But hey, I love throwing relays in the garbage can.

[olemiss540]

Fuel pump control is dead simple anyhow, those are the easy ones to bring over to that sweet piece of machinery. So excited for the fire up and more thorough wiring routing pics! Better make it clean thats where I screwed the pooch and am paying for it dearly.

[aeronaut]

Yea, 100% agree on keeping the wiring clean, labeled, and easy to trace and debug.
Also agree the fuel pump control is easy, it just forces an all-in-faith in the sweet piece of machinery.

I'll eventually throw an AIM input channel on the O2 sensor heat relay to see when it's activated and I expect I'll find "on when engine is running", so I'll share a PDM power output for the fuel pump and O2 heat and be down to 2 relays.
That DME relay is an odd beast, and the only reason I can figure out it's there is to prevent damage to the DME if the battery is accidentally hooked up in reverse. So, it should be an easy one to get rid of, but haven't planned for that yet.

I have a relay that's needed for the ABS just to pull low when the brake is on. The AiM RIO module should be able to provide that but there's a bug when the RIO is used with the PDM and AiM says "it's on the list to fix but we don't know when".

Below is my prototype layout/wiring of all the modules I have; AiM RPM converter, TPMS, USB power, AiM RIO, AiM CAN expansion, and fuel level converter. One power output channel of the PDM will easily drive all this. On when IGN on.

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[aeronaut]

I have high hopes for the PDM08, and there's a lot of cool things that can be done with it in the RSA3 configuration software.
But, AiM's documentation and use of CAN is about as confusing as it can get. I'll post what I learn, but if someone really understands the difference, limitations, and uses of "CAN AiM", "CAN ECU", "CAN2", "EXP", "GPS", "CAN2 stream", and the rest of the various random CAN terminology AIM uses, I'd love to get an understanding that doesn't end in "well, except when....".

[aeronaut]

FW/PP balanced together lead to this.

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[aeronaut]

Oh I didn't even notice this, weight added on the PP.

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- - - Updated - - -

Version 2 on the prototype module board.


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I decided to sandwich the modules between the chassis and the mount board.

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[jakermac]

FW/PP balanced together lead to this.

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Oh I didn't even notice this, weight added on the PP.

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That's kind of ugly. It could have been done so much more cleanly than that. But in the end, as long as it stays in balance it's hiding inside the bellhousing, so who cares. I just hope it wasn't super expensive.

[aeronaut]

Finally got around to splitting the FW and PP to prepare for install. And sumbitch, the flywheel looks like it was thrown in a bucket of other parts. About 8, 1-2" long scratches. None deep, but mother, what carelessness. Called shop, "bring it in and we'll resurface it while you wait".

Now I'm deciding between resurface or a light scuff with a brillo pad or such. A few I can feel with a finger nail, some I can't.
It's just the carelessness of it all. Never to return to that shop!