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Thread: DSTX17's 97 M3/4/5 turbo build

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jan 2019
    Location
    houston
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    My Cars
    2017 F150, 97 M3

    DSTX17's 97 M3/4/5 turbo build

    Let me start off by saying I am in a little over my head with this job. I have surprised myself by getting the motor out as quickly as I did with the help of a few guy from here. I typically just get a few hours on saturday and sunday to work on this. I have been making a lot of new threads lately with questions related to this so I figure might as well start a thread and keep them all in one place. I just got done redoing the entire suspension on this car and now its time to add power.

    Goals:

    I am looking to make 450whp running 93 octane. From my research this should give me some longevity with the bottom end. This car has 187k on it and ran great prior to tear down. I have only put about 200 miles if that on it during my ownership. I bought it, tore the suspension apart and rebuilt that stuff, drove it a few times, and the wife said yes to a turbo
    I would like to stay at $7k all in but I'm not going to quit if I have to spend more.

    Where I am at today.....

    cutring head gasket/copper spacer/arp hardware ordered

    Motor is out of the car. Transmission is separated from motor. Wiring harness is separated from the car and motor.

    I have to get some bolts to mount the engine to my 1000 lb harbor freight engine stand. I bought that and the 2 ton engine hoist yesterday. I believe it was $179.99 for the hoist normally but because I'm a member of their rewards program I got it for $100!
    Does anyone know the proper size and length of the bolts I need? I would like to order them online because the fastenal stores have horrible hours.

    When I was tilting the motor, it started leaking oil out as you can see in the picture. Is this normal? It did not appear to have leaked until I was playing with the load leveler and got it tilted. Also the car was very dry and clean underneath prior to tear down. The engine is full of oil and the pilot bearing is out...it literally just fell out of its hole when I pulled the transmission off.


    I will be doing the following on the transmission:
    detents
    fx stage 3 clutch and flywheel
    oem guide tube
    pilot bearing
    throw out bearing
    shift fork

    On the engine I am still looking for advice towards the "while your in there" attitude

    ordered so far:

    beisan vanos rebuild with anti rattle part

    I have ordered this rear main seal: https://www.ecstuning.com/b-genuine-...t/11142247867/
    Do I need any special tools for this or certain sealants to go with?

    you probably are wondering, where are the turbo parts?....I am still looking for a good used kit. But in the mean time I want to prepare the motor. So anything else I need to be replacing I would like to get ordered.
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    Last edited by DSTX17; 04-20-2019 at 02:56 PM.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Aug 2015
    Location
    Crystal Lake, IL
    Posts
    99
    My Cars
    1996 BMW 328i Sedan
    Bolts : I just re-used the trans mounting bolts to lock the motor to the stand


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jan 2019
    Location
    houston
    Posts
    183
    My Cars
    2017 F150, 97 M3
    Made a little progress on Sunday, did the transmission detents. Basically bought that dasco punch or awl I think it may be called, punched a hole threw the detent covers. Then I put a screw in and pried it out. Worked great.

    Then I changed out that piece that the selector rod goes through on the end of the transmission. The old one had zero foam left in it. Was pretty tough getting the new one in, would not want to do that under the car.

    This is turning into a cx racing build now. I have ordered the kit and will be upgrading the waste gate for sure right away.

    One thing I am needing to figure out now is how do I pass emissions with this set up? I am deleting the sap system and the ccv. Do I just need to have my exhaust build with a catalyic converter? Do I need to have 4 O2 sensors installed in the new exhaust system like the factory?
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    Last edited by DSTX17; 04-22-2019 at 07:51 PM.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jun 2005
    Location
    New England
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    25,402
    My Cars
    F90 M5; E36 M3 Turbo
    You need to have a discussion with a tuner or two.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jan 2019
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    houston
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    My Cars
    2017 F150, 97 M3
    Got the engine on a stand after ordering the proper bolts. Should make some progress tomorrow. Taking the day off work and hoping to get the head off and to the machine shop.

    Couple questions...

    Can I remove this AC bracket if I am deleting AC? Does it serve any other purpose?


    Do I have the throttle body lines properly marked as to hot vs cold?


    I was able to brake the crank bolt loose rather easily yesterday with the engine on the ground. I tried using the flywheel lock pin after reinstalling the flywheel and getting it with my milwaukee fuel 1/2" impact - didn't do it. I just put a 1/2" breaker bar with a half section of my floor jack's handle on there, kept my knee on the alternator to hold that engine from lifting up and broke loose without much trouble. I am going to replace the timing chain guides and crank seal, that is the reason for removal.
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  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jan 2019
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    houston
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    My Cars
    2017 F150, 97 M3
    Made a lot of progress today! Got the head off, cams out, lifters out, and head dropped off at the machine shop. Ended using M3NACE youtube videos for help, they are very good. My lower body took a bath in coolant when I lifted the head off. I must have missed the part where your supposed to drain the block of coolant.

    A lot of my coil packs have little pieces breaking off at the bottom, does this affect their performance?

    The insides of the cylinders look great to me. I did have some scoring on the exhaust cam and caps but from reading here, its normal and people just run them. Intake one looked perfect.
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    Last edited by DSTX17; 04-25-2019 at 08:08 PM.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    May 2015
    Location
    Seattle, WA
    Posts
    136
    My Cars
    96 Hellrot 328is Turbo
    Quote Originally Posted by DSTX17 View Post
    Made a lot of progress today! Got the head off, cams out, lifters out, and head dropped off at the machine shop. Ended using M3NACE youtube videos for help, they are very good. My lower body took a bath in coolant when I lifted the head off. I must have missed the part where your supposed to drain the block of coolant.

    A lot of my coil packs have little pieces breaking off at the bottom, does this affect their performance?

    The insides of the cylinders look great to me. I did have some scoring on the exhaust cam and caps but from reading here, its normal and people just run them. Intake one looked perfect.
    The coils are probably not ok. You will find out when you get into the boost in higher gears, it will break up if your coils are starting to go. You will also see it on the dyno sheet even if you can't feel it. I would just replace them.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jan 2019
    Location
    houston
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    183
    My Cars
    2017 F150, 97 M3
    I have the parts to change the timing chain guides and front crank seal, rear main, oil pan gasket. I am wondering what order I should do these in? Since I think both the rear main cover (I bought the more expensive kit with the cover included) and front timing cover make contact with the oil pan gasket.

    My thoughts:

    1) remove front timing cover, replace guides and front crank seal and all gaskets.
    2) remove oil pan and have oil drain fitting welded in, replace gasket and reinstall
    3) replace rear main seal

    Also, I noticed on the oil pan the aluminum area near the drain plug where I planned to have the bung welded in is not straight up an down. Does anyone drill the hole at an angle so that the bung is at an ideal angle for the drain?

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Jan 2019
    Location
    houston
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    My Cars
    2017 F150, 97 M3
    Right now I am waiting on the cylinder head at the machine shop. They cleaned it and no cracks, but they said one of the exhaust valves had 20% on the leak down test. So they are going to do a full valve job, and are estimating $350. Once I get that back I should have everything I need to start reassembly.

    Today in my limited time to work I took off the front belt and some of the pulleys. Took off the oil filter housing, crank bolt, crank hub. Timing case is ready to come off after I drain the oil. The hub came right off, just pulling on it with my hands. It does unfortunately have the groove worn into it from the seal that I can feel with my finger nail so I ordered a new bmw crank hub to put on with the new seal.

    When I pulled off the serpentine belt tensioner, it looks like some pieces came out of the tensioner and stuck to the block. Are those shiny metal tubes supposed to be stuck to the block or did they stick and get pulled out of the tensioner?
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  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jan 2019
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    houston
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    2017 F150, 97 M3
    This morning I removed my timing cover, drilled it for my -10AN turbo drain bung, and am off to a welder to get it welded in. I decided to go this route since I deleted AC I don't have to worry about the ac bracket being in the way and I just don't like the angle fittings sit at when going into the side of the oil pan. I have read others struggled with getting the coolant pipe disconnected from the front cover. I was struggling so I unbolted the coolant pipe from the block so that I could twist it and it came off easily then.
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  11. #11
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    Here is the finished weld. Pretty happy with it, tomorrow I am going to try to get the front crank seal replaced, along with the timing chain guides. Then get the front cover back on.
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  12. #12
    Join Date
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    Made a little tool to remove the front crank seal. Came out super easy, will be putting the new one in tomorrow using this tool also. Going to throw the seal in the freezer as well to shrink it a bit.
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  13. #13
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    So I ended up ruining the first crank seal trying to put it in with that home made tool. I may not have ruined it but I got it going in pretty crooked and had a second one so I just threw that one out and put another new one in. The second try I just tapped it in. First one was a corteco and second was a victor reinz. Went in no problem. I got the new timing chain guides put on, old ones looked ok but broke one of them taking them off so they were definitely brittle. Put a little honda bond sealant at the lower timing cover corners, will do a lot more where it meets the head. Did the oil pump nut safety wire and put blue loc tite on the nut. I just barely have enough room to replace the rear main seal while the engine is on the engine stand. I paid the extra money for the bmw rear main kit that is preinstalled in the carrier and screwed that seal up by not using the tool. Got lazy and didn't know how to use it. So lucky me I also have another new rear main seal . I punched the damaged rear main out and will get that in this afternoon along with a new oil pan gasket.
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  14. #14
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    houston
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    2017 F150, 97 M3
    First pass with the yellow roloc disc. Spent about 30 minutes on this. There is a little bit of corrosion, assuming these spots are coolant passages. Will they be an issue or is this normal?

    I will likely just spend a few more minutes going over this with the roloc disc another day and call it good. Probably put the head on this week.

    What is the best way to clean these pistons? The machine shop said I had a leaky valve guide that was causing it to burn oil, and probably responsible for all the carbon. They ended up doing a valve job, replaced all valve guides and seals. Totalled $553 for that.
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  15. #15
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    another of the current state after using the roloc disc
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  16. #16
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    2017 F150, 97 M3
    I am planning to install the head tomorrow and am looking for advice on whether it is recommended to install the head first without lifters and cams in the head or with them pre installed?

  17. #17
    Join Date
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    houston
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    2017 F150, 97 M3
    Got the head back on yesterday. Finished the 85 lb torque sequence a little bit ago. The copper spacer did not fit as well as I would have hoped. Had to remove one dowel pin to get it to line up right, and even slightly widen a few of those mini head bolt holes at the front of the head with a small file. I got the new shorter exhaust studs in. Used the double nut method to get the old ones out. I was told by my machine shop I need to replace the metal seal on this bolt at the rear of the head, that is circled and tagged....Anyone know the part number for this?
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  18. #18
    Join Date
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    2017 F150, 97 M3
    So starting to drop the intake cam back in, does this look right? Trying to get the cylinder 1 lobe pointed straight down so it is the only one under pressure against the valve spring. But on the far left of the cam (front) near the stud in the picture it is a very tight fit. Is this right? Do I put the cap over the cam and just start slowly tightening it to draw it down?
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  19. #19
    Join Date
    Aug 2015
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    Crystal Lake, IL
    Posts
    99
    My Cars
    1996 BMW 328i Sedan
    pelican parts has a good how-to for installing cams without breaking them or using the now defunct BMW tool :

    https://www.pelicanparts.com/BMW/tec...ft-removal.htm


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  20. #20
    Join Date
    Jan 2017
    Location
    RI
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    160
    My Cars
    1994 325is
    This guy outlines the procedure in good detail.
    https://youtu.be/wRnqy-7dT28

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  21. #21
    Join Date
    Jan 2019
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    houston
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    2017 F150, 97 M3
    I have spent a ton of time timing this motor and I feel like I have it down pretty well now. I ended up doing it a few times but I kept leaving the 4 torx bolts on the exhaust cam gear loose per the directions. It said to leave those loose until after the vanos is installed. Well I did that but then always got the urge to turn the motor over after and so the exhaust cam would turn but not the intake and I'd throw the timing out of whack. Then I'd do it all over and it took a few times until I figured it out.

  22. #22
    Join Date
    Jan 2019
    Location
    houston
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    My Cars
    2017 F150, 97 M3
    Couple of updates:

    Got the timing all wrapped up. Installed the cx racing manifold with the N52 studs. Wow, going to have a lot of fun if I have to take off the manifold in the future. I was using an open wrench for almost all of the copper nuts, and it was at bad angles where it would be super easy to strip. Do they make a special wrench that is better for this?

    I installed my tial waste gate (10 psi spring) with the cx racing dump tube. Do I have it set up right? The tial instructions are horrible.

    This is the journal bearing CX racing GT 35. It definitely has play in the input shaft. I emailed them a video and they said it was normal for a journal bearing turbo. We'll see what happens.
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    Last edited by DSTX17; 05-18-2019 at 09:34 PM.

  23. #23
    Join Date
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    F90 M5; E36 M3 Turbo
    Ratcheting flex head 11 mm wrench. Also available in stubby, maybe even flex head stubby. For the easier ones, a short handle flex head or rotating ball 1/4” drive ratchet works. For the hardest ones, it’s a fraction of a turn at a time with whatever you manage to fit.

  24. #24
    Join Date
    Jan 2019
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    houston
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    My Cars
    2017 F150, 97 M3
    Installed the coil packs and new spark plugs today, gapped at .022. Coil packs look to be original but I am going to run them and just change if I have a problem.

    Mounted my fx stage 3 clutch today. Hub towards motor (part that sticks out on clutch disc) I purchased new oem flywheel bolts because I wasn't sure on the quality of the fx racing bolts. I went to install them and they were far too long. Ended up having to use the FX racing supplied bolts. Also had to remove the factory dowel pin that the flywheel slides over, as all the bolt holes on the fx racing clutch were too small for the dowel.

    Installed a new pilot bearing, pilot bearing guide tube, the arm behind the throw out bearing, new throw out bearing, and a stainless pivot pin from rally road. Installed the transmission, needed to use a few bolts to get it started but pulled it right on with ease. Planning to drop engine in car soon, not sure if I am missing anything else that should be done before dropping motor back in? Any advice would be appreciated.

    Easier to install motor mounts to engine arms or install engine mounts to sub frame? I have new lemforder mounts to go in.
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    Last edited by DSTX17; 05-19-2019 at 04:29 PM.

  25. #25
    Join Date
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    2017 F150, 97 M3
    Things are starting to come together...Have most of the wiring complete, need to figure out how to rewire the hot block section and then just a few more connections once the intake manifold is ready to go on.

    Waiting on a rally road oil line and maximum psi throttle body boot also.

    Can someone point out the holes in the M52 manifold that need to be plugged or epoxied? I am doing a ccv and sap delete. I have already plugged the Y in the oil dip stick tube with a vacuum cap and zip tie.

    I did end up massaging my passenger fender to get the turbo to fit, only to find a lot of the problem was I didn't have the trans mounts in yet so the angle was consuming extra space in that area. Oh well I think it may have needed some work anyway. Right now it definitely looks like I will need to cut a spot in the hood. Any recommendations on vents to make the modification look ok?
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