Build Thread?
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Thanks! I don't know when scooters is lol, but maybe? I need some tuning love.
I need to pull the thermostat and see if it overheats, I lost daylight and didn't feel like driving it at night. I have used this setup before without issue, but man this time is being a pain.
The thermostat tested fine on the bench, but who knows, it may act up and be the culprit anyway. -
It's not the rad size that's the issue. I was fine before this year, it's either the thermostat or an air pocket.
It's the e30 M42 Rad, so probably the same as the e36.
I don't remember what upper it is anymore, I went through a ton of hoses trying to find one that fit well, and I had an m20 upper hose at the shop that may actually fit better. I shall try that tonight! -
I've read the early model lower radiator hose is supposed to be darn close to what's needed, but haven't bought a hose yet for my radiator so can't say for sure.
ill try that out tonight! I have a few.
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I went through a bunch before finding one I liked.
Overheat fixed, it burped last night and I got more air out upon startup. Drove around for 20 minutes after getting to temp with no overheat issues. Oil temps stay in check now as well, hovers around 200 degrees.
I have a lot of little oil leaks to track down next!
I also drove it under a bridge at WOT, man oh man.
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I am going to try an m20 upper rad hose soon, to see if the bend into the radiator works better for my setup.
I will be honest in saying that anyone that has been near it has either been more motivated to finish their current car, or edge towards an m50...
It is only on 7psi on a crappy tune, which snap and I (more him than I....) will be improving. It still scoots real good though! -
Here is my 4th gear log

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People keep liking my post, but it's a log. It needs some more work before it is a post.
Some shaping and whatnot -
I was gonna ask what hose you used... But then remember it wouldn't work for my car anyways because you no longer have an M20.
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Sometimes I feel like I went full VANOS at some points during my engine build. I had an oil leak from the passenger side of the motor. Turns out that I forgot about some of the gasket that was left on the VANOS delete cover...... Why?
Cleaned the old stuff off, added a dab of sealer to the new gasket and stuck it back on. I would have tested it, but I am trying out this new thing called "following directions". Seems a bit odd, but they say 24 hours to dry/set. What do I have to lose!
All oil leaks have been tracked down thus far, including my alternator leaking quite a bit of oil! -
I get bad at updating this thread in summer.
Things I have done recently:
Installed Rad Fan (so little room!)
Finished the interior
Added rear plate filler
Put the front of the car together
Made/got new charge pipe for the intake side
Moved to a new shopI shall have to get some pictures and post them soon!
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for my m20 swap in my e21 I used the m42 radiator as well. I ended up buying the upper hose from what I believe to be from an e30 320i touring. Part number is 11531722217.
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For those of you that are not on facebook
Last night I loaded up a modified tune from our lovely Mr. Snap and went for a drive having done some motor work the other day, including sealing the compressor housing to the turbo (it had a huge leak) I drove around for a while staying out of boost and enjoying he non hunting idle and the greatly increased driveability. My new bypass valves were working great and everything felt great about the car. I was happier than I have been in a while, knowing that a few settings were holding me back from having a car that was great. Towards the end of my drive I decided to get into boost a bit to see how it felt with the updated settings, I rolled on the throttle a little bit and the car sucked to the ground and just started going like a bat out of hell. I couldn't believe how much difference a tune could make! I let off quickly due to being in a slightly residential area and rolled over to a better street for playing. I turned onto the street and cruised to second gear (which the ecu now recognizes from VSS input and RPM) and rolled on the gas again, the turbo spooled and hit like a freight train, tires spun and I rocketed forward. Wow. This was amazing. I short shifted into third and gave it some more gas, at a 45 roll the rear tires lit up like a christmas tree and it once again launched forward. Something was wrong, something didn't seem right. The turbo had never screamed like it did those last two gears like it ever has, the bypass valves were never that loud. I tapped the peak button on my boost gauge to show the highest recorded boost pressure. It showed 20psi. Shit. When I put the face of the turbo back on I completely forgot to put the wastegate vacuum line back on. Then the car started to run weird, it was missing, it was hanging on rpms after shifts. I rolled back over to the shop and started being not too happy. I had looked at setting overboost protection in Megasquirt the day before, and did, but when I loaded the new tune it wasn't on there and I forgot to go back and enable it, I didn't have my boost gauge set up to warn me when I went over 10psi... Damn. Not good.
I pulled plugs and saw extremely obvious signs of some detonation on the pistons, but it didn't look too terrible. The plugs looked a little bit worse than they did the day before when I checked them. I started it back up again and it seemed to be okay, but the expansion tank on the radiator was REALLY bulged. I hooked the boost leak tester back up to it for kicks and instead of leaking all of the air out of the seal between the compressor housing and the CHRA it just went no where. I couldn't hear the air escape, but it wasn't holding pressure. I waited a second and heard a nice "blub blub blub" coming from the engine... damn again. The headgasket wasn't sealing. I don't think this was brought on by the overboost though. I had issues with coolant dissapearing and doing other weird things earlier so I am uncertain if it just wasn't sealing right the whole time.
The biggest question I have now is, what to do? If I need to get the head decked I will have to take the motor 100% apart again, which means new bolts and bearings in the bottom end, which would cost a fair chunk of change.
If I find an m52 (motor I want anyway) I would spend that money towards getting it rebuilt, and throw a set of rods and pistons in it for a long term motor that could handle many much powers.
I am pulling the motor tonight to asses the situation.TL;DR?
cliffs
New tune rocksPSHHHHHHHHHHHH
SqUALLLLL
HOLY CRAP!
Oh Crap!
Shit
Damn
blub blub blub
Crap
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