Pulled the trigger...my 1988 325 5MT coupe

[phenryiv1]

Nice to see the weaves made it! Enjoy!

Yeah, did yu get my message about the shipping cost? CRAZY! I can't get FedEx to adjust it, either. $90 to ship 4 wheels...all because the FedExKinkos place would not tape them in pairs. $5 in tape would have saved me at LEAST $35.

[Camal Puddle]

I already miss my stick shift knob, not accustomed to the new shape of mine.

[phenryiv1]

FINALLY got the car to my house. I had it towed, because I was too lazy to re-install the exhaust in the lot at the shop and I could not work out a time with the shop owner to use the lift.

I also have a ton of parts and maintainance bits to install. I got brake pads (still need rotors), spark plugs, oil/filter, new battery (old one was toast after sitting), and a stock is spoiler (black). I need to clean it- badly!

Pics, after a quick rinse and wipe-down:

[oekundar]

Looks promising...knowing what you do with cars...this one is going to be something worth talking about shortly.

[phenryiv1]

Looks promising...knowing what you do with cars...this one is going to be something worth talking about shortly.

Thanks for the vote of confidence. My next real project on it will be the timing belt/water pump service. I dread that.

The CSB/guibo was actually pretty simple.

[oekundar]

Thanks for the vote of confidence. My next real project on it will be the timing belt/water pump service. I dread that.

The CSB/guibo was actually pretty simple.

Its not that bad...I do recommend pulling the radiator, but you probably know that.

[phenryiv1]

Thread that I started over on R3V about a stroker build SPECIFICALLY on an S-eta:

http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?p=1687690#post1687690

Any help or input is appreciated!

My parasitic drain thread:

http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum....php?t=1313809

[txtorquemade]

Nice pick up for sure. Im new here but on R3v a lot and e30tech. Just had a nice pick up myself, but ....not jumpin your thread...

Congrats and get to modding

[phenryiv1]

Took her for a drive today in my neighborhood. I re-installed the midsection of the exhaust (took no time with a helper to align the front) and drove it in my neighborhood. This was the first time that I had actually driven it anywhere other than a parking lot.

Impressions are good. Throttle response was pretty good and the idle smoothed out after I had driven it for a few minutes.

There is a squeak from one of the wheel bearings (front, I think) and a weird odd thunk or thump coming from an unidentified area in the engine bay. It is only audible at idle, and is only audible- not evident by feel.

I think it may be related to the timing belt. I did not want to run it for too long with the sound. I am afraid to let it run, but I can't diagnose it with the motor off. I am kinda stuck...

I know I am not giving much to go on there, but...Thoughts?

[Mala]

If you turn it into an autocrosser, are you going to leave the sunroof in?

[phenryiv1]

Update: Already needing a timing belt, I decided that since the car won't be on the street or track until spring, I might as well build this right. I have located an "i" donor car and am getting everything that I can from it to do ao budget stroker build using the S-eta bottom end and pistons and the complete head, TB, IM, 173, cluster, alternator, radiator, etc. from the donor car. I also found a few other nice random parts on the donor (sail panel tweeters, vert FSB). I am basically taking everything forward and on top of the head.

I might need a few things off of the car that I am forgetting, but I can always get them later. Aything from my thread on R3V that stands out that I need to grab?

If you turn it into an autocrosser, are you going to leave the sunroof in?

For now, probably. If I get more serious, I will either weld it shut or look for a slicktop and start fresh or swap in parts.

[phenryiv1]

Sourced the majority of my top end rebuild parts today. I grabbed everything from the head on up and forward:

325i 153 DME/ECU
325i head, including:
325i inner valve springs
325i cam
325i intake manifold
325i throttle body
325i throttle position switch (should be in there somewhere)
325i intake bellows
325i air flow meter
325i 3.0 fuel pressure regulator (Should be in there somewhere)
325i vacuum line from brake booster, to bellows, and to throttle body
325i Gauge Cluster (still have to go back to pick it up)
325i Alternator
325i radiator
325i airbox

A lot of other random stuff- hoses, lines, what looks like a full motronic 1.1/1.3 harness, coolant tank, plug wire set...

The also threw in a vert front sway bar (endlink to endlink) and A-pillar tweeters. I am trying to get them to give me a spart i muffler that was cut behind the mounting flange.


Pics:

[phenryiv1]

Swapped in a passenger sport seat to the driver's side, just for now. I aso have the driver's side frame and will work on swapping the controls to the proper side, but I don't need much in the way of adjustments. I have it where I want it, which is good enough for now.













Height comparison:



Also grabbed a shifter assembly from a Z3 M to tighten up my sloppy stock shifter.

[kishg]

looks like progress.. carefully check those hoses for nicks though. new hoses arn't that expensive.

[oekundar]

Nice work Pat...she's coming along...

[phenryiv1]

looks like progress.. carefully check those hoses for nicks though. new hoses arn't that expensive.

I plan to replace all of those hoses, rather than re-using them, but they included them when I got the head at the JY.

Nice work Pat...she's coming along...

Thank you. I am worried that the head swap will have me in over my head. Bolt-ons are one thing, but doing the top end swap is a new challenge for me.

Given that I have to do the timing belt anyway, I figured that over-my-head was inevitable.

[kishg]

head swap is cake difficulty wise, its just a pita. removing heat tightened and hard to reach exhaust manifold bolts are a b****. i've had to do it twice this year due to broken rockers and hope i dont have to do another for a looong time!

[phenryiv1]

head swap is cake difficulty wise, its just a pita. removing heat tightened and hard to reach exhaust manifold bolts are a b****. i've had to do it twice this year due to broken rockers and hope i dont have to do another for a looong time!

I got the manifolds with the new head, so I can actually disconnect the manifolds from the downpipes on the car. That way, I can connect the manifolds that are on the new head to the current downpipes and avoid that whole situation altogether!

[kishg]

I got the manifolds with the new head, so I can actually disconnect the manifolds from the downpipes on the car. That way, I can connect the manifolds that are on the new head to the current downpipes and avoid that whole situation altogether!

yes, hopefully the bolts on the where the downpipes meet the manifold arn't rusted to hell. liberally spray with pb blaster and let it soak overnight.

[phenryiv1]

yes, hopefully the bolts on the where the downpipes meet the manifold arn't rusted to hell. liberally spray with pb blaster and let it soak overnight.

Knock on wood, but the ones on my existing 325 came right off. Hopefully, the ones on the to-be-swapped head will as well.

More JY parts...

Eclipse 5.25s sourced from a clunkered Cherokee, E?? leather e-brake handle and boot, and a "spare" Motronic DME (this one a 380, since my "build package" did not come with a 173, like we thought) for my build. They let me keep the 153 as a spare.

[phenryiv1]

For my reference:

http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum....php?t=1200334

[jcbrown630]

Have fun! It's always an adventure when playing with the M20

I'm toying with the idea of forced induction myself. BTW Where'd that bronzit paint on the tires come from?? ..........

[phenryiv1]

Have fun! It's always an adventure when playing with the M20

I'm toying with the idea of forced induction myself. BTW Where'd that bronzit paint on the tires come from?? ..........

Who knows... Tires may be pulled to run something like 615s. Or I may sell them all in the spring and run 15" with high-quality summer street tires.

FedEx did refund a bunch of the fees. It made the shipping cost a LOT easier to stomach.

[phenryiv1]

yes, hopefully the bolts on the where the downpipes meet the manifold arn't rusted to hell. liberally spray with pb blaster and let it soak overnight.

Came right off:



Head goes to the machine shop Tuesday.

[phenryiv1]

Another reference thread:

Caliper Rebuild: http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum...6852&highlight

Also, bought some H&R springs to get started on the suspension rebuild.

Bought some Brembo and PBR rotors (from magnetic1- GREAT vendor!) and have Mintex pads for the street.

Found some light 15s for track wheels, and awaiting paypal payment info to pay for them. Probably going with Falken Azenis RT-615s in 205/50/15 for tires.