First time LS swapper, first time e46 owner.

[LM7E46]

I don't have all my wiring routing figured out yet, but my intent at this time is to use the existing factory holes to run everything. The area you have drilled for your EFI wiring I'm saving for an Accusump. All my wiring subject to change as I actually install the Holley EFI.

The holley EFI, that's just a stand-alone ecu used in place of the factory engine management? Why'd you go that route if you don't mind my asking?

[Matt330LS]

The holley EFI, that's just a stand-alone ecu used in place of the factory engine management? Why'd you go that route if you don't mind my asking?

I did a lot of research and it's easier to set up and tune than the factory ECU primarily (and more customizeable), especially since I'm not using factory displacement, injectors, etc. I switched back to cable throttle instead of the factory throttle-by-wire so the ECU that came with the engine I bought wouldn't work anyway. At the end of the day it's just a better, cleaner setup for my purposes for minimal cost increase and far less hassle.

[LM7E46]

I did a lot of research and it's easier to set up and tune than the factory ECU primarily (and more customizeable), especially since I'm not using factory displacement, injectors, etc. I switched back to cable throttle instead of the factory throttle-by-wire so the ECU that came with the engine I bought wouldn't work anyway. At the end of the day it's just a better, cleaner setup for my purposes for minimal cost increase and far less hassle.

Nice, did it come with the harness and the module?

I went with the factory GM ECU and unlocked it with HP Tuners, added a speed density patch, and changed my injector data for the ls6 injectors that came with the ls6 intake. So far it has been fairly user friendly, and the junk yard ECU cost 75$, and the HP Tuners MPVI2 cost 300$ plus 50$ in credits to unlock that ECU. the credit thing kinda sucks, but at least now that i've unlocked that ECU I won't have to pay again and i can make as many changes as i want.

[Tim Mc]

I used the Holley HP EFI setup for our L33. I parallel Matt330LS' comments. The self tuning fueling can offset costs of dyno time especially if you plan to change your components in the future (more power).

[LM7E46]

I used the Holley HP EFI setup for our L33. I parallel Matt330LS' comments. The self tuning fueling can offset costs of dyno time especially if you plan to change your components in the future (more power).

That's a great point regarding the self tuning, and i was unaware that was a feature Holley offered for the more advanced, port fuel injection style engine management systems. I had a buddy with a 72 Nova, 327 SBC, China turbo, and the Holley throttle body injection engine management system. Only sensors he added were MAP, AFR, ECT, and IAT. I'm 90% sure he had no engine position sensors. And that set up was capable of self tuning, making adjustments as more data is collected by the unit. I was really impressed, thing ran great! 12.8 sec 1/4 mile on street tires.

[LM7E46]

Slowly but surely chipping away at the list. There's so many things i want to do to the car that if i were to actually try and complete it all before just getting it out on the track, I probably wouldn't be behind the wheel for years. So I'm trying to prioritize and here's a couple of things that made the list.

IMG_3591.jpg

This is the beginnings of a bash bar/jack point. Also my first time notching tube. I'm feeling pretty good about the outcome thus far. Everything has fit together really well actually. Especially since this is my first time ever notching tube and welding tube together. I'm trying to decide on the final design. I've got two general structures that i'm going back and forth on.
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Lemme know if you have any input on either design, or even a variation of either one.

The other little thing i got done today was a safety shut of switch. I thought that i had read somewhere that it was a requirement for SCCA racing, and even if it weren't it wouldn't be a bad idea to have one anyways. I'm not sure if i'm going to stick with the location, but for now it does the trick.

IMG_3590.jpg

[LM7E46]

Took a break from tube notching this evening and got something done i've been meaning to do for a while.

external oil filter.jpeg

I'm going to paint it to match the engine bay, try to get it to blend in. I was going to go with 10AN hoses/fittings, but the price difference was too much, and i'll always be able to go back and do the nice braided hoses in the future, but for now just going to keep it simple with rubber hoses and hose clamps
the oil pan i'm using doesn't have a spot for the oil filter, but does have to 10AN male fittings, so i got two 180 deg 10AN - barbed style fittings, and the 5/8th's barbed fittings in the picture to match. I'm going to sheath the hoses in a reflective heat insulation sleeve, for some extra peace of mind.

I've been cutting a lot of tube in recent days and I just wanted to share my experience with this Dewalt Chop saw i've been using. The thing is a beast, and capable of very repeatable, consistent cuts. Model number D28730. It was like 200$ on amazon, and it blasts through whatever i put under it. Here's a picture of a couple of the pieces of tube that i cut up for the bash bar.

image1.jpeg

[LM7E46]

Bash bar complete.

IMG_3634.jpg

I might add on to it later, and wrap it around the sides of the car a little ways sometime in the future. For now, i'm really pleased with the outcome. I'm going to grind down the welds a little bit and paint it at some point. But for a first time tube notching and tube welding job I really can't complain.

I also got the fuel cell bracket that i build mounted back into the car. I took it out after originally fabricating it to paint it and to add some 1/16" reinforcement plates at all four mounting positions, to strengthen up the sheet metal where it attaches to the vehicle. I'm not sure it was necessary, but it definitely seems more solid. I'm hoping it adds a little rigidity to the chassis, because i could probably use all the help i can get until it's time for the cage. I've decided to focus my attention on just getting this thing on the track, instead of building it 100% of the way to my final desired outcome.

Here's a picture of the fuel cell, pump, and filter/pressure regulator. Where the filter lets out i'm going to use a 90 deg. fitting and have the fuel line go below the car up to the fuel rail, using the factory fuel/brake line studs for mounting points.

IMG_3625.jpg

Here's some pictures of the bracket's reinforcements, I thought i had a picture of the entire bracket with the fuel cell not installed. Oh well, i'll take one another time.

IMG_3626.jpgIMG_3628.jpgIMG_3629.jpg

[LM7E46]

Haven't posted in a while. Kinda lost interest in keeping up, but this whole social distancing shit has given me waay to much free time.

I re-did my fuel cell mounting bracket, because the previous set up was embarrassingly janky. Here's some pictures from above and below:

IMG_3712.jpgIMG_3714.jpgIMG_3713.jpg

I used some 1/8" plates to fill in the open areas around the fuel cell, a rectangular metal tube in the far back across the two 'frame rails' as added structural support and the rear support point for the fuel cell. Running longitudinally, directly below the fuel cell, i used two pieces of 2" angle iron, which tied into both the rectangular tube in the far back, and also the 3/16" flat plate that i used to tie the left and right rear most subframe mount points together with. I'll also be using this 3/16" plate to tie into the strut towers, and eventually build off of that for the roll cage. But that will have to wait, because i need to spend some time behind the wheel of this thing. It feels like it's taking too long.

Below the fuel cell i've mounted a Walboro 255 and a corvette fuel pressure regulator/filter. I welded up a little mounting bracket for the fuel pump, i'm happy with how that came out. Especially when compared to my previous set up.

I'm considering cutting out the battery box as well, because now it is by far the lowest point in the back of the car. I'd re-position the battery with a hold down bracket of some sort, just infront of the fuel cell. Have any of you done this before? or relocated the battery anywhere else?

[LM7E46]

Also finished up all the body work in the engine bay, and finished painting it as well. I'm really happy with how it came out. I was never intending to enter this car in any car shows, but having an aesthetically pleasing engine bay has always been a goal of mine for a project car. This being my first project car, and my first go at a semi-shaved, semi-tucked engine bay, i'm feeling good about my starting point. it's far from perfect, but i've learned enough to make the next one much better.

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I'd like to see what other people have done with their engine bays, so please post a link to your build with pictures of your engine bay body work cuz i'd really like to see other techniques and outcomes.

[mrallande5020]

Good choice on the gray, wish I did the same color.

[Matt330LS]

Looking good. Engine bay looks great.

[Matt330LS]

What are you doing for cooling? I'm looking at a CSF aluminum radiator that is a drop in factory replacement, but no idea what everyone is doing to cap off the ports from the expansion tank to the BMW block and heater valve that isn't there anymore.

[LM7E46]

What are you doing for cooling? I'm looking at a CSF aluminum radiator that is a drop in factory replacement, but no idea what everyone is doing to cap off the ports from the expansion tank to the BMW block and heater valve that isn't there anymore.

It's still up in the air. I recently stumbled upon a brand new oe style radiator for basically free (will explain in a later post). But now that i have this, I was thinking about doing something similar to what you mentioned. I'm running an AR5 manual transmission and won't need the oil cooler, also running electric power steering, so i won't have that p.s. cooler line either, and i was hoping i could figure out a way to plug the hole in the bottom driver's side of the radiator core, which fed into a plastic tank in that bottom left corner area, where the ATF cooler lines entered. (I'm not sure if this is the expansion tank, i think the expansion tank is mounted higher up on the radiator?) But i was hoping to remove all the plastic tanks on the radiator, which would leave me with two larger, main radiator sized ports, and the one smaller port at the bottom left that i mentioned. And it was my hope that i could plug that lower port, and use BMW radiator hoses, cut off at a certain point, and adapted to Chevy style hoses of some sort. They also make these male-male adapters, for radiator size hoses, with a threaded insert that would allow the installation of a 90 deg barbed fitting for the steam lines to tie into, which is what i'd use for the upper hose.

And then I would have a remote mounted expansion tank/reservoir that would be fed by the heater core inlet/outlet on the water pump, or something along those lines.

Anyways, I hope that makes sense, its hard for me to explain stuff through a computer sometime. Maybe someone else will happen to read this back and forth and be able to chime in.

[LM7E46]

So i purchased a 2003 330ci with a blown transmission for incredibly cheap. The situation was that the previous owner just had too many vehicles rotting away in his front yard. Except for it was actually's his mom's front yard, and he needed to get vehicle's off the property asap. So i obliged.

Originally it was the rims that drew me to the post on offer up, but the more i talked with the dude, and thought about it, the more i realized this was definitely worth the time and effort it'd require. I was able to quickly sell the catalytic converters, and after a day of cleaning, and scrubbing rust off of the cam lobes, I also go rid of the M54B30 motor. It had been sitting for a long time, but i was told the motor was still good and the transmission was the issue. After getting all of the rust of the cam and chain, i squirted oil all over the valve train, filled fresh oil into the crank case, and did a cranking compression test, and the thing made 230psi! 100psi on the first compression stroke! I was impressed, and made 4x my money back on the engine alone.

But what I'm most stoked on, is definitely the wheels and the brakes. The 330 brakes fill out the wheels so much better than the 325's. Since i'm switching to hydro e-brake anyways, switching out the rears was a breeze. And, for the price, i really couldn't be happier with the outcome. I sandblasted all four calipers down, got rebuild kits, painted em black, and I think they look great.

E42E079A-9430-4DD7-BF57-9F18D366E5E7.JPGFD3C3FF8-EB24-41FA-903D-D1AC375C1361.JPGIMG_3774.jpg

[Matt330LS]

It's still up in the air. I recently stumbled upon a brand new oe style radiator for basically free (will explain in a later post). But now that i have this, I was thinking about doing something similar to what you mentioned. I'm running an AR5 manual transmission and won't need the oil cooler, also running electric power steering, so i won't have that p.s. cooler line either, and i was hoping i could figure out a way to plug the hole in the bottom driver's side of the radiator core, which fed into a plastic tank in that bottom left corner area, where the ATF cooler lines entered. (I'm not sure if this is the expansion tank, i think the expansion tank is mounted higher up on the radiator?) But i was hoping to remove all the plastic tanks on the radiator, which would leave me with two larger, main radiator sized ports, and the one smaller port at the bottom left that i mentioned. And it was my hope that i could plug that lower port, and use BMW radiator hoses, cut off at a certain point, and adapted to Chevy style hoses of some sort. They also make these male-male adapters, for radiator size hoses, with a threaded insert that would allow the installation of a 90 deg barbed fitting for the steam lines to tie into, which is what i'd use for the upper hose.

And then I would have a remote mounted expansion tank/reservoir that would be fed by the heater core inlet/outlet on the water pump, or something along those lines.

Anyways, I hope that makes sense, its hard for me to explain stuff through a computer sometime. Maybe someone else will happen to read this back and forth and be able to chime in.

I get what you’re saying. And reading your post just reinforced my decision to skip a factory style replacement radiator. I ended up ordering a Chase Bays tucked radiator, raised filler neck, and coolant overflow can. Greatly simplifies the system, gives me a place to route the steam crossover, and eliminates the need for an expansion tank.

Also, nice score on the 330.

[LM7E46]

I get what you’re saying. And reading your post just reinforced my decision to skip a factory style replacement radiator. I ended up ordering a Chase Bays tucked radiator, raised filler neck, and coolant overflow can. Greatly simplifies the system, gives me a place to route the steam crossover, and eliminates the need for an expansion tank.

Also, nice score on the 330.

Thank you

And yeah that's a solid plan. I got their brake booster eliminator w/ clutch master cylinder feed line adapter. Their products definitely make things simple. I'm gonna look into that tucked radiator as well. Ideally, if i were to come across a couple more of those sweet part-out craigslist/offer-up deals, and had the money to afford it, i'd switch the whole cooling system over to -AN style fittings. I really like the look of those fittings and they're really easy to work with. I did my whole fuel system with -AN, using a return-less fuel rail, and corvette style filter/pressure regulator mounted pretty close to the fuel cell to save money on the nylon braided hose.