BRAAP Posted September 4, 2009 Report Share Posted September 4, 2009 New project! Started an LSx powered Nissan 300-ZX project, detailed here; http://www.ls1tech.com/forums/conversions-hybrids/1065342-lsx-powered-late-model-nissan-300-zx-aka-z-32-a.html Moth balled that project, sold the car, kept the LSx and T-56 with plans to use the powertrain in another car more worthy of the conversion, stumbled across a 190,000 mile Quote Link to comment
BRAAP Posted September 4, 2009 Author Report Share Posted September 4, 2009 Installed an Alpine head unit and some speakers as soon as I picked up the car, nothing special, just need tunes that sounded little better than OE. Replaced the front corner lights with smoked and have HID Euro Ellipsoids on the way, (should be here Tuesday or Wednesday, pics to follow). Today made a couple other interior changes as well. Mostly getting tired of my iPhone charge cord always being tangled up around the shifter. I keep my iPhone in the cubby behind the shifter next to the parking brake, sometimes under the parking brake handle itself. I don Quote Link to comment
BRAAP Posted September 4, 2009 Author Report Share Posted September 4, 2009 Just a small update, nothing big, yet Quote Link to comment
BRAAP Posted September 4, 2009 Author Report Share Posted September 4, 2009 No turning back now, game on! A couple hours, (and same amount of beers later), including watching the latest Ken Block video tearing it up at an Airport, here we are! All goes well tomorrow, the 3.2L BMW M-3 S52 engine and trans will be out of the car and weighed on my crane scale. Quote Link to comment
BRAAP Posted September 4, 2009 Author Report Share Posted September 4, 2009 The last few days progress has been snails pace at best, with company, and family to-do Quote Link to comment
BRAAP Posted September 4, 2009 Author Report Share Posted September 4, 2009 July 18th update! Finally got around to spending a little time on the car. Grabbed another stack of my handy dandy manilla wire tags and proceeded to finish tagging each and every engine related connector, hose, plug, wire, etc for the BMW engines new owner while removing the engine harness from the car itself. The original M3 engine is currently being installed in a Datsun 260-Z! I don Quote Link to comment
BRAAP Posted September 4, 2009 Author Report Share Posted September 4, 2009 Update with teaser shots Quote Link to comment
BRAAP Posted September 4, 2009 Author Report Share Posted September 4, 2009 This update is not real big, just taking care of a few incidentals, getting ready for mounts. ;-) After taking a peek around the trans while stuffed in the car, made note of all the little bosses and protrusions that pose clearance issues or could pose clearance issues. Removed the engine and trans from the car, carved off those nubs, bosses, protrusions, blended them in. Removed the CAGS, (Skip Shift solenoid) from the trans, tapped as deep as my Quote Link to comment
BRAAP Posted September 4, 2009 Author Report Share Posted September 4, 2009 Got my lights finally. I Quote Link to comment
BRAAP Posted September 4, 2009 Author Report Share Posted September 4, 2009 Had big plans today to get the heads finished, assembled and possibly installed on the short block! Between running my wife Quote Link to comment
BRAAP Posted September 4, 2009 Author Report Share Posted September 4, 2009 Got around to cutting the valve seats and surfacing the heads today. Machine work is now done. 4 angles on the seats, (technically 5, but the chamber cutter only left its radius, not the flat, so I Quote Link to comment
BRAAP Posted September 4, 2009 Author Report Share Posted September 4, 2009 Happiness is; Torqueing the last bolt on your LSx long block! I dub this mild 5.3 the LS-7/8ths. (just shy of an LS1). Found a good spot for the 16 valve emblem, though probably will end up putting it under the hood somewhere. Valve covers will be wrinkle black! Quote Link to comment
BRAAP Posted September 4, 2009 Author Report Share Posted September 4, 2009 Ohhh.. Ahhh.. Wrinkle black valve covers Quote Link to comment
BRAAP Posted September 4, 2009 Author Report Share Posted September 4, 2009 Not much to update. Just stabbing, restabbing, and stabbing the power train in and out of the car, looking for that elusive sweet spot mounting location. After some component modification and then finessing the power-train in a few locations in the car, I did find a spot I like with few compromises. Keeps the crank C/L Quote Link to comment
BRAAP Posted September 4, 2009 Author Report Share Posted September 4, 2009 Wow, my last update was a week an half ago?!?! Truth be told, I Quote Link to comment
CharlieBucket Posted September 4, 2009 Report Share Posted September 4, 2009 interesting project! will you have a/c or p/s? a bmw without at least a/c seems strange. of course you northern guys are different. Quote Link to comment
Phlebmaster Posted September 4, 2009 Report Share Posted September 4, 2009 Nice work Paul! I can wait to drive that thing. :D Quote Link to comment
BRAAP Posted September 5, 2009 Author Report Share Posted September 5, 2009 interesting project! will you have a/c or p/s? a bmw without at least a/c seems strange. of course you northern guys are different. Definitely keeping the A/C, that incredible BMW Power steering, cruise control, ALL gauges etc. Car will drive and function as stock, but with a little bit more power on tap. Nice work Paul! I can wait to drive that thing. :D And you will! Quote Link to comment
Cuts metal like mad Posted September 5, 2009 Report Share Posted September 5, 2009 Wow, thats a good way to eliminate doing a $7000 tranny! :lol: My brother has a 740IL loves thing, but is scared to death of the tranny going out... and its got a wicked lifter tick. I'll have to show him this. :thumbsup: Quote Link to comment
BRAAP Posted September 6, 2009 Author Report Share Posted September 6, 2009 Wow, thats a good way to eliminate doing a $7000 tranny! :lol: My brother has a 740IL loves thing, but is scared to death of the tranny going out... and its got a wicked lifter tick. I'll have to show him this. :thumbsup: The 740iL is such a nice comfortable, roomy freeway cruiser! LSx automatic conversion would definitely help to reduce future maintenance expenses, for sure. Power should still be comparable, yet less expensive to maintain, and if he is so inclined, performance upgrades are far less costly for the LSx vs the BMW V-8 Quote Link to comment
Cuts metal like mad Posted September 6, 2009 Report Share Posted September 6, 2009 Roomy enough for 5 oversized adults! :lol: Yeah, his transmission guy advised against buying the car altogether... but he did. :rolleyes: Do you think its a realistic conversion for an 01 IL sport? Supposedly theres a lot more computer 'integration', with the 01s. When you're completed, you say the gauges will still work, does this include the 'informational' part of the gauges that provide mpg, outside temp, etc? Quote Link to comment
BRAAP Posted September 6, 2009 Author Report Share Posted September 6, 2009 Roomy enough for 5 oversized adults! :lol: Yeah, his transmission guy advised against buying the car altogether... but he did. :rolleyes: Do you think its a realistic conversion for an 01 IL sport? Supposedly theres a lot more computer 'integration', with the 01s. When you're completed, you say the gauges will still work, does this include the 'informational' part of the gauges that provide mpg, outside temp, etc? Not sure about the MPG readout it he OBC, didn't think much about it, now that I am thinking about it, not really interested in it now with the V-8. ;-) The outside temp should work as well as anything else not related to the engine ECU. Some guys say their MPG gauge still swings/works, not sure if it is accurate or not, and my guess is the MPG readout in the OBC as well as approx distance left on current tank of gas is probably not accurate. I think the BMW ECU is what delivers that info, or at least tells the OBC the injector pulse widths for calculating MPG?! There are currently 3 companies offering LSx conversion kits for my car, another guy offering a Ford 5.0 kit for my car, (E-36 chassis, '92-‘99 3 series), all of them are able to keep all the amenities and features functioning as stock. Here are the LSx conversion kits; http://www.vorshlag.com/index.php?cPath=0_1_4_63 http://www.nahrods.com/ http://www.nash8503.com/ Fod 5.0 kit; http://e36v8.com/index.html Not sure about the '01 7 series. I do know the E46 cars, (‘99+ 3 series), have a completely different wiring system, referred to as the CANNED system, not typical wiring, more of a bus bar or computer network system vs traditional wiring and guys are struggling with that system. Quote Link to comment
BRAAP Posted September 19, 2009 Author Report Share Posted September 19, 2009 Small update, (pun intended...) Haven Quote Link to comment
Phlebmaster Posted September 19, 2009 Report Share Posted September 19, 2009 Paul, that is awesome! :D She will remember all the cool stuff she gets to do with you as her daddy. ;) Quote Link to comment
MAG58 Posted September 19, 2009 Report Share Posted September 19, 2009 That's great Paul. My family has a similar picture, of when I was about 5ish of me sitting on the work bench with my dad building his formula V motor. Once it gets in your blood, you just cant get it out. I mean I turned out normal right? Working on stuff as a family is great bonding. I feel I'm closer to my father than most everyone else my age. Great lookin' M3 Paul, keep up the good work! Quote Link to comment
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