The 318is

[skrapez]

10mm spacers

[Byron]

I pulled the adjusters today to measure, and unfortunatly there is absolutely no room for any spacers until I roll the fenders for real. The wheel lip is sitting about 1mm away from the inner fender lip at rest. No more rubbing though!

Picked up my driveshaft today and pluged in the wiring. The e32 harness attaches to the power junction block differently than an e30 one does, so I didn't get to start it though.

[skrapez]

roll dem fenders... we can do mine too!!!!

[Richard318i]

Where did you get eibach springs?
And how lower is your car now 60/60?
Sorry about my english
You can answer in PM.

[Byron]

Eibach makes them for Ground Control, I bought them from them. They only fit on coilovers though.

My current drop is probably around 95/75

[skrapez]

[Byron]

Won't be driving it to the show tomorrow though. I'll get into details when I'm in a better mood.

[da_joint]

Why did u painted the headers? the paint ain't gonna stay there when they get hot

[Burn535i]

ceramic coating if i had to guess. it does wonders for heat

[Byron]

It's a high heat rust prevention paint- withstands up to 2000 degrees. We welded the headers with normal steel wire because the stainless was just melting when we tried to tig them. Painted them to prevent the welds from rusting.




Been slacking on updates the past few days. My boss and I got the exhaust all made so we could try starting it without the neighbors complaining. Turned the key and got nothing. My starter was wired wrong and I couldn't figure out why- I could get it to crank by putting power directly to it but the switched power wasn't getting to it. Saturday I called my friend Mike of e30 truck fame to come help, and he had it figured out in about ten minutes lol. Turns out the 7 had a remote start system spliced into the engine harness, so we cut it out and ran the wires to the starter like they should have been and it started right up. I still haven't made the coolant lines that go to the heater core though so we couldn't run it for long. We went to bleed the brakes while he still had time, and the 3/8" steel rod I used just bent as soon as we started getting pressure . I spent about an hour trying to figure out why it was bending, but I have to be out of the shop by 7pm so I ran out of time. Went home dejected.

Since I've got some time now before the next show, I think I'm going to try the bellcrank idea that I should have done in the first place. Once that and the heatercore are done, the swap will be done! I'm real excited to finally drive the car again, it's been like 9 months since I blew the engine and drove it last.

[Byron]

Updates tonight

[skrapez]

bump for mr. byron

[Byron]

A day late on the updates lol, I just fell straight asleep last night.



Brake linkage: Done

I pretty much completely redesigned the brake linkage so it wouldn't bind up/bend again. I attribute the bending to the heim joint binding up on the bolt head where it attached to the pedal. I moved the mounting location for it to the center of the pedal rather than the outside. I used washers as spacers at first but they would bind too so I switched it up to 3/8" tubing.



This made it not fit through the existing hole in the firewall, so I made a new one.



Then it hit the strut tower support, so I cut that out. I've got a plate made up to bring back the strength, I just haven't welded it in yet.

Rather than the rig I had going before with another heim, the slotted flat bar with the centering pin, and the mismatch of old parts, I just beat down the end of the rod (switched to 1/2" rod too) and fit it directly to the booster. Drilled a second hole so it wouldn't flex.



And the whole setup



I had my boss watch while I stomped on it as hard as I could and it doesn't flex at all. Quite happy with this setup now.


Then I turned my attention to the cooling block and the heatercore. Not once in my research did I hear anyone say how much of a pain in the ass this was haha. I spent all day sunday working on this.

It started with plugging the nipples for the automatic transmission cooler. Cant really see them too well in this pic



Then the heatercore inlet



Then this beautiful contraption for the heatercore outlet/overflow tank





Then I got bored with taking pictures so the rest is all words haha. Mounted the firewall overflow and went to connect it, but the plastic nipple broke off. So I rushed home and got a spare I had laying around so I could get it all bled before I had to leave. Did that and this one started leaking out of the same nipple :facepalm. Went to shut the hood and pull it outside, and the overflow wouldn't fit :doublefacepalm. Probably should have checked that first lol. So now cooling system plan B has failed too. Plan C is to either make my own overflow out of some sheetmetal, or to run a 325e coolant bottle over where the battery tray was.


It's so close! It's killing me to not be able to drive it even though it runs haha.

[Byron]

Drove it tonight! The exhaust hits the transmission support hardcore when you get on it haha.

[1rawc4]

I have to see this in person. must be hell of a lot of fun to drive