Project Northstar E28

[flemcadiddlehopper]

I know some of you already saw this in the intro section, but I thought I better step up and start a thread in the build section. I am currently working on the driveline. Designing and building the torque tube, drive shaft,clutch shaft bearings and support housing, as well as the input shaft supports and bearing housing. That may take some time because I have to get a flywheel first....for a Northstar.
I am also about to remove the steering box and all linkages to fab in the Cadillac variable assist rack in its place. If I say it quick it sounds way easier.
So because I suck at 'puters you'll have to follow along via Photobucket link.....cool?

http://s1103.photobucket.com/albums/g477/flemcadiddlehopper/

Don't worry about the stance at this point, it has to run before it can crawl.

Gordo.

[Zack01GC]

Good god, why on earth a Northstar? That's one of the last engines on earth I would have chosen, next to a VAG 1.8T.

[kramerbuccs24]

ewwwwww. What an insane choice. You could get an old SBC for the same price and tons of other options for not much more. 1UZ, LQ9, even an LT1 would be worlds better.

[Zack01GC]

LSx, my friend. LSx.

[kramerbuccs24]

LSx, my friend. LSx.

Trust me I'm a bigger LSx fan than anybody, I assume he went for the Northstar because it is cheap, I was listing other cheap v8s.

[Lt. Dangle]

LSX series motor would be my personal choice. Likely an Lq9 bottom end, TEA, or TSP heads, large camshaft, probably ms4 g5x3/g6x3, something of that nature, and either spray or boostz.

Dare to be different I guess. Definitely subscribed. Should be dope when it's finished.

[flemcadiddlehopper]

Ah, now that's more like the response I was expecting....although it took longer to get down to it than on the E28 web site (snobs).

So let me break it down for you..
The Chev 350 would be my engine of choice, you just can't kill the thing. But it a rear sump and won't fit and it's heavy. This Northstar was Free, it fits and its powerful and 60lbs lighter than the Big block six of BMW.
All you people that think this engine is crap...It was 1994 and it was top ten engines and it was for ten years. It beat BMW and Mercedes at power/litre disp. and efficiency. This engine produces 300hp and 300ft/lbs torque bone stock in a Cadi. If all I do is headers and a stand alone computer those numbers should increase by a fair bit. If that is not enough i can then go to the extreme and put the supercharger on which adds 127hp....now that's just over the top, who needs that much power?
I am a mechanic and will fix the common problems that these engines had . But if it is some sense of sanity you are looking for this is not that kind of project. Did you see where i put the trans? Oh uh, I most likely have to remote mount the master cylinder as the heads are too wide for it to stay where it was. The spare tire well is too gig to allow the muffler i want, so I will cut it out and mount it on an angle , as though the spare is on display. I want to Targa rally this car so i will have to put a FIM cage in it, but I still wanrt it to be ergonomically easy, and not have the cage interfere.

I can feel the straight jacket begining to tighten up on me already.....No one has ever done a project like this. I am either crazy ....or brilliant...I guess it depends on the outcome.

This whole project is based on everything on the car to be easily serviced (something all engeneers seem to want to leave out now a days). The clutch replacement should be able to be done in about 40 mins., even the engine should be able to come out that quick. In my daily work on cars i **** the fact that the designers did not think ahead enough to make things servicable. Even Toyota is not beyond this, just try and do your own fuel filter on a V6 4x4...f**k me, stupid engineers. Head gaskets on a Ford truck 24 hrs labour, that's just crazy. Because i don't plan on being really easy on this car when things break, Not if, I want limited down time, and parts availability. Just try and get a TPS sensor for a lexus at a Canadian Tire shop on a Saturday in But F#ck,Saskachawan.

This will not be a typical Stance vehicle that is seen on this site. The ones that come straight of a lot and drop the suspension, spend load of cash on wheels/tires, take some expensive camera shots in HD and wait for the praise of others. Although, I really do love those shots. And this will not be the fantastic cars that Mikey B. pulls off that can drag thier bellies around the streets.
I hope this will be the car that it was only more potent. A race car that can handle all roads that are thrown at it.

I will try and keep the pics up on Photo bucket, as changes occur.

Gordo.

[flemcadiddlehopper]

Just sorted out some of the steering issues. I took the steering couplers from the cadi and the coupler from the BMW. The slip joint from the Cadi was seperated and the U-joint from the BMW was taken off, then the splined end of the BMW slip joint was machined to fit into the slip joint of the Cadi, where it was welded. Now it is Cadi U joint to BMW slip joint and the shaft should run on the firewall seal at the same place.
The Cadi rack and BMW tie rod ends have also been reworked and shortened to fit .

the only issue I have now is the throw is 5 1/2" compared to the throw of the box which was about 7". I would like to shorten the steerin arms at the bottom of the struts or fabricate new ones that are shorter to acheive near the same turning radius, although in only 2 1/4 turns lock to lock.

Pics are not that great but you cansee what I've done.

http://s1103.photobucket.com/albums/g477/flemcadiddlehopper/

Gordo.

[ealoken]

Yo man, i love this

What car has this engine original?

Love the E28

[flemcadiddlehopper]

The engine is from My wife's uncle's 1994 STS cadilac. The engine was pulled to take care of a minor head gasket oil leak,then we (my shop) advised him that it would be a good time to rebuild the trans (145k,will need it within another 20k anyways) as it is out already. He chose to go buy a new Cadillac instead. The engine stayed in his garage until he passed away, and I inherited it. I have the whole harness all sensors and ecms. But I would like to run an AEM stand alone sytem ( I don't think I have the patients to build a Mega squirt .
I have the Eibach Sport lowering springs, but I have a feeling they will not let it sit where I want it to,but I need to get the rest of the parts on and in before I get too worried about that.

Thanks for the interest, Ealoken, I am watching yours too.

Gordo.

[flemcadiddlehopper]

Well, just finished the brackets for the steering rack mount and have the old cadi rack mounted in. This will give me much more room for headers. Still need to take care of the steering arm plates. I will take the ones of the donor car and have them shortened to give me better radius turns and quick steering.

http://i1103.photobucket.com/albums/g477/flemcadiddlehopper/PICT0070.jpg

Enjoy your Christmas everyone, Gordo.

[hoodwagon]

Very interesting build. Def want to see where this goes and everything along the way. best of luck.

[flemcadiddlehopper]

I was able to spend a bit more time on the project as the shop slowes down a tad over the holidays( something about people not wanting to spend money on their cars over Christmas....Huh?)
Anyways, the power steering rack is mounted so I started to prepare the mount for the steering pump. The Idea is to keep the P/S pump and the Alt. as low as possible and still keep them as easy to remove as can be.
Here is a look....crap pic but you'll get the idea.

http://i1103.photobucket.com/albums/g477/flemcadiddlehopper/PICT0104.jpg

Gordo.