Lifted E30 V2

[GunMetalGrey]

I have thrown in the white flag. Time to switch back.
Got more air worked out of the system but still doesn't want to idle or run normal, and then will frequently just rev itself up to 4500 or so and just sit there with no throttle input while smoking white (blue?) a whole bunch. 
Either the motor is toast or the pump isn't working right, with my suspicion more toward the pump.

[straight6pwr]

[Bassboy3313]

selling the diesel setup then?

[Boris3]

Sorry to see this. It was a great project idea and the running/road pictures were priceless.

Just a final 'evil voice in your ear' thought before others suggest it or to counteract any good advice and to potentially save @Bassboy3313 from himself. Perhaps consider one last rumbling, smoke belching, engine destroying ride through the e30 picnic grounds? If it's going to go perhaps go in style? We might lose the site for future picnics but could be worth it...  

[Jdesign]

Where is that dislike button?!?!??! 

Seriously do NOT let this thing defeat you, you were and are sooo close!

Maybe find a trust worthy diesel guy and have him look at it? 

Maybe find a pump that you can convert to run instead? 

There has to be somethign you can do other than give up.

I would be happier if you did do a cummins swap though vs another M20. (sorry not sorry)

[GunMetalGrey]

Easy gentlemen! 
I appreciate the words of not giving up, and you are all correct. I am not letting this win (just yet), but I want to drive the damn thing a bit, so I'm throwing the motor that works fine back in it. 
I will be building a rolling cart to put the diesel on so I can roll it outside and play and try to get it working. I don't need a chassis for that, which is quite convenient. The more I think about it the more I don't trust the pump. That's the only thing that makes it work, and the motor isn't working right. 

There is a running driving 524td for sale that I may go look at, a spare motor wouldn't hurt, and there is a chance it has a similar enough pump that wouldn't require a whole bunch of wiring. 

I have reached back out to Dave and Ivo to see if someone can find another pump.

For the time being I think driving it with an M20 is more fun than not driving it at all!

It does suck to be 3k deep into something that I'm taking out though lol.

[dealindave]

Jdesign said:

I would be happier if you did do a cummins swap though vs another M20. (sorry not sorry)

I always thought it would be neat (albeit impractical (depending on your definition of impractical)) to swap a 4bt or 6bt into an E30

I will do my best to find a suitable replacement pump so you don't have to reinforce the front end of the car to support a cummins though lol.

[YoungCR]

Getting it running on a stand is a great idea. Get'r done and driving to the picnic!

[Jdesign]

As long as your not giving up, I am no longer upset.

[GunMetalGrey]

YoungCR said:

Getting it running on a stand is a great idea. Get'r done and driving to the picnic!

My first non booked evening is Friday, so it's an ambitious plan. 
It also looks like rain saturday

[jc43089]

Cummins engine stands up straight and would be way too tall.  30.7" tall.  Also 800ish pounds would make the handling somewhat non optimized.

[m42b32]

GunMetalGrey said:

It also looks like rain saturday

Looks like only a 30% chance at the moment though!

[B C]

Last year it rained and I mistakenly left my umbrella at the picnic. Im hoping its still there

If anyone could get this thing going it would be you

[Jdesign]

jc43089 said:

Cummins engine stands up straight and would be way too tall.  30.7" tall.  Also 800ish pounds would make the handling somewhat non optimized.

Dont be so negative. Ive seen it done in a Miata and it fit perfectly.

[YoungCR]

lol at the intercooler pipes through the headlights.

[Earl]

I have your umbrella Snap

[B C]

Earl said:

I have your umbrella Snap

This whole time?!?!?

[GunMetalGrey]

Things have gotten out of hand.

I finally bought that "no title" E28 524TD on friday, leaking fuel pump and all. Drove it for about 10-15min before putting it on the trailer and everything was in order. Shell is 99% rust free and it's actually pretty decent overall. 
The plan was ambitious, very ambitious. Could one drop an E28 off at the shop at 830pm and having the motor out and running in the e30 in time for the picnic? 
I had a good crew, Mr. Mike, and Brett, my resident VW Diesel Specialist, also long time wrenching friend. They got after it on the E28 while I dropped off the trailer, and I returned to the shop around 930 to a shop full of people, and an e28 that was largely disassembled. 

I worked on the E30 while mike and brett attacked the e28, the shop quickly became a total mess, tools piled on the workbench, fluids all over the floor, and man did the floor get slippery.

Both motors were pulled and I started stripping the one from the e30 down a bit to get the parts I needed off it. The other guys started stripping the e28 motor down, this was at about 1am. Brett decided he had to turn in for the night, and left to catch some well deserved sleep. Mike and I plugged away for another half hour and decided to call it off; a task too large to be completed, and I was starting to loose things and not remember what I was doing, the lack of sleep was getting to me. 
It was a valiant effort, and I cannot thank Mike and Brett enough for their unrelenting help. 

I'm now left with a pile of motors and parts. I got the pump off the new motor and have found a few spots it's leaking from so I will be replacing those seals and throwing it back in the motor and into the E30. I ordered a new set of glow plugs for it, as one was broken, and I got yelled at by a few guys for the thought of just replacing one. The thing ran and drove well considering fuel was streaming out of the pump, and I'm pretty excited to have a motor from a car I got to drive before buying. 

I will not let this dream die lol.

[suspenceful]

One of your more solid updates - I like the pictures and story. I'm also glad the trailer situation worked out.

Looks like you tried your hardest to make @SteelBlue eat a shoe! I'm sure it'll be back on the road soon...

[AsparagusMike]

Super stoked your not giving up on this, yets hope with a different motor we can see it spending more time on the road and less on the jack stands.

Keep up the good work!