Things are finally progressing with Project: e30. It's taken a really long time, but I can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel. It's not a finished car by any means, but at least it soon will be roadworthy, and then some.
Still, there were issues to be solved that have yet to be addressed. So here are some more trouble-shooting updates:
1. Door lock problems: Still needs to be taken care of. I'll work on this when after all the engine stuff is done.
2. Brake problems: As explained before, the brake lights are out of whack, the ABS only works intermittently, and I've got my hands on an e38 BMC. So far the electrical system was just checked and contacts cleaned. We'll see if this fixes the lights and ABS, but we won't really know until the car is actually running.
3. Body damage: This STILL is last on the list.
4. The aribag sensors are shot. There's a strange black goo that had leaked out, and it's solidified into a rubbery solid. Normally I'd be more worried, but I'll be swapping the ancient airbag steering wheel with a non-airbag M-Tech 2 part anyway, so I'll just get rid of these.
I'm sure more problems will arise when I actually start running the car. But hopefully, the list won't be too long. In the meantime, engine work continued.
The block has been honed to remove the surface corrosion. Port and polish job has been done, and a lot of work was put into balancing the crankshaft, pressure plate and flywheel. The crankshaft also got new bearings. New valves are to be fitted, since the old ones are showing signs of wear. New valve springs and retainers are about to be put in, too, and the valve guides have been properly matched. The valve guides were also shaved a bit for better airflow. The flywheel was also lightened as it was being balanced. A slightly more aggressive camshaft is on its way - a 272 degree item that should give me a bit more push without sacrificing low-end torque.
Bernard and I have talked about installing a Unichip piggyback ECU controller to manage all the changes made to the engine. The Unichip was the first choice because it's fairly well supported here in the Philippines, and most of the poeple I know who installed this system have favorable reviews. However, at Bernard's suggestion, we are considering using Miller Performance's WAR chip instead. This is so that we can have multiple maps installed and I can switch between normal road driving, economy, and track settings on the fly. I need to do more homework on this before I make my final decision.
If all that sounds like a lot of work, it is. However, it's almost done. The engine itself still needs to be put back together, but at least the components are pretty much done and ready to go. The net effect of all this work is that we may even exceed my target power output. Bernard expects a compression ratio of about 10:1, which is a huge jump from the stock m20's 8.8:1 compression. But this leads to a couple of issues.
When compression goes up, it means more power is being generated, but it also means more heat will be generated, too. The stock cooling system may not be enough, especially in typical Metro Manila traffic, and even more so in the summer. Did some reading on several forums and one option is to upgrade to a high-performance radiator. Apparently, the 1988 and up models have the same radators as the standard e36s, so an e36 M3 radiator should be a direct fit to the stock piping. It's got a thicker core, though, so I'll have to check out the clearances. I'll look into uprated oil coolers as well, as they may also be needed. What isn't 100% clear yet is if the electric fan conversion (the stock setup is a mechanical unit with a clutch) will also help.
To deal with the increase in power, I'll also be considering further brake upgrades. I'm already running on better pads and rotors, but I am now seriously thinking about a big brake kit for the front wheels. That's not a cheap fix, so I'm going to decide only after taking the car on a few braking test runs. I'm just worried that a BBK will mean that I can no longer use my beloved BBS RS 16s. The rims barely clear the calipers as it is - there's just 3mm of space between the two - so having a BBK will almost definitely mean new rims. I was really looking forward to using my RS's, so I'm a bit disheartened by that. Another option could be some wheel spacers, but I've had some rubbing issues to begin with. I really don't want a wide body kit. I was really hoping for more of a sleeper look, so the only way for that to work is to pull my fenders out a bit. I hope I can find someone who can do a good job of this.
If much of the work I've mentioned here isn't very well explained, there's a simple reason why - all this in new to me. My previous cars have been modified for simple aesthetics, with a big helping of car audio. My last e46 stepped up a lot in the handling department, with uprated parts for the brakes and almost every imaginable bolt-on upgrade to the suspension, including a set of PSS9s coilovers. But this is the first time I've ever got into engine tuning (aside from the typical intake/exhaust upgrades that nearly all car enthusiasts have done), so much of the technical aspects are very new to me. Massive thanks are due to Bernard Sy (my tuner), the guys in r3vlimited.com (rav320uk, Wanganstyle, MR 325, SkiFree, nando, and many more) and my dad, who is a certified petrolhead OG.
I'm still a student in this, but I'm definitely looking forward to learning this new phase of my petrolhead life. And whatever new stuff I learn, rest assured I'll be putting it here.
