135i build thread. I'm done hobcobbling posts together

[i_love_cars]

Update: turbo is installed!

There was a significant delay in receiving the new hardware and lines for the turbo that I required. Finally arrived yesterday so I got everything back together and filled with fluid, primed the water pump, and then today TJ stopped by right as I was priming the turbo so he got to be the first witness to the car starting up. Everything appears to be in order - no leaks, no unexpected noises/grinding/explosions/fire, and no warning lights. I've gone through a couple cooldown cycles of the engine over the past 6 hours consecutively idling for 2 minutes, 15 minutes, and 30 minutes (just finished the 30 minute run). I'm calling it good. 

Things still to be done:

-Re-install subframe and hook up suspension bits and get the front of the car back on the ground.

-install JB4, colder spark plugs, flex fuel wires, N20 3.5 tmap sensor, and Fuel-It stg2 fuel pump

-map appropriate tune.

-get to Big Bear Tire on April 8th for an alignment

[i_love_cars]

I got bored last night at about 9:30 so I went out to the garage to get the passenger side engine mount as well as the subframe in. 

All in all wasn't too bad, but I did have to improvise at one point, lol. I spent probably 45 minutes working to get the subframe lined up perfectly straight. This is a critical part of the process so that you don't cross-thread the bolts. For anyone who wants to do a turbo on a car like this, I will say this was probably the part requiring the most patience. I got it to the point where I was able to just freely use my hand to thread all 6 subframe bolts all the way in. Great.

Then I go to grab the 4 bolts (2 for each engine mount) that need to go through holes in the subframe and into the threads on the engine mount. Rut-roh. Forgot to line those up! I was so focused on making sure the subframe bolts themselves were lined up that I forgot about these other holes. I had already torqued the subframe bolts to 80 ft lb so I was not interested in re-doing any of that. 

I was able to reach the 4 bolts that attach the passenger side mount to the block, so I i loosened them enough to the point where I could wiggle the engine mount to line it up with the subframe and get the bolts in. On the driver's side, other than the 2 subframe-to-mount bolts, the engine mount is only secured by a nut on top which I was able to get from the top side of the car with a 2 foot extension. So I loosened the nut on that one as well and was easily able to shimmy it to line up with the subframe.

So now I just need to re-attach the control arms and I'll be able to put the car back on the ground. 

Total time spent was 2 hours which I think is pretty good considering I had to raise the subframe with my jack and align it by myself (much easier if you have two people).

[i_love_cars]

Time for an update. I've been busy with all 3 cars basically fucking me in the ass repeatedly. If this is what prison is like, I'm really glad I chose college. 

The bad news is that not only does the piece of shit Miata I bought need to have the engine torn down and rebuilt, but 2 days ago the turbo on the Subaru died. Luckily I was close to home and it wasn't smoking - seems like shaft, possibly bearing. No check engine lights or abnormalities other than no power and awful clanking/scraping sounds. New turbo is on its way. 

The good news in all this is that the 1er has been back together for almost 2 weeks and hasn't blown up yet. I put about 150 miles on it with a Stage 1 OTS map (low boost) until I could get PTF to send me a backend flash for the Cobb. Terry over at BMS does not provide a BEF for my DME version. Awesome. So I paid PTF to basically dial in my BEF, and then dial in a JB4 custom Map 6. A few days ago I got the first revision of the BEF tuned for E50. 

For 10 glorious minutes, the car pulled like an absolute freight train. It was disgustingly fast. Then all of a sudden with the pedal matted to the floor in 3rd, I got a boost leak code. It wasn't in full limp mode, just cut boost out. Data logging showed peaking around 5 psi. Fekkin shit I hate leaks. Verified that it is indeed a large boost leak after comparing actual load to requested load in the data logs, and the wastegate duty cycle is where it should be. 

I checked the hot side charge pipe as that was the only boost-related pipe I removed during the install. Things seemed legit. My fear of my shiny new DV+ diverter valve being the culprit was looming. I may have forgotten to lube the piston in the DV+, and I may not have tightened one of the bolts enough. So tonight I pulled the water pump so I could get the DV+ out, rebuilt it PROPERLY this time, and tightened it down the right way using a ratchet with a hex bit instead of a janky hex wrench. 

Picking up coolant tomorrow morning and will re-test the car. If still leaking, well, I already have an N55 pressure leak test kit coming in the mail. I figured for 35 bucks I should probably have one anyway because I drive a doomsday devi - i mean an N55.

[B C]

Best of luck on your weekend endeavors. Im still not convinced that college was the right choice.

[i_love_cars]

Brian post the vid!  I need validation that my car actually works now. 

btw I checked the logs when I got home tonight - we were only running 17 psi. Plenty more boost to be had as the tune gets dialed in

[suspenceful]

Videos? I wanna see!

[B C]

30 ROLL

https://vimeo.com/161447646

[KaiserRolls]

2 Wibimmers dudes sharing a ride. Only audible words "this guys gonna get his ass rammed"

Pretty standard

Car sounds great

[suspenceful]

KaiserRolls said:

2 Wibimmers dudes sharing a ride. Only audible words "this guys gonna get his ass rammed"

Pretty standard

Car sounds great

...while listening to Justin Timberlake's "You Got It On".

The car sounds fantastic underneath that bridge. Can't wait to see in person.

[patsbimmer1]

I'm glad to see you guys didn't end up in a fiery ball on the side of the road.

[B C]

suspenceful said:

KaiserRolls said:

2 Wibimmers dudes sharing a ride. Only audible words "this guys gonna get his ass rammed"

Pretty standard

Car sounds great

...while listening to Justin Timberlake's "You Got It On".

The car sounds fantastic underneath that bridge. Can't wait to see in person.

Nice catch [emoji23][emoji1303]

[B C]

40 ROLL

https://vimeo.com/161475745

[i_love_cars]

i was wondering if anyone was gonna catch on to the music. I wanted a nice cozy environment for taking Brian out on our Mexico racing date.

also great timing brian, LOL - there was some slow SUV in front of us and all you hear is me saying "this guy is gonna get assrammed" LOL 

my friends are known for their comedic timing

so, the update:  I have boost again after unplugging my JB4 boost solenoid sensor. I put the stock one back in and all my boost issues disappeared. It's odd because as of right now, we haven't even started a JB4 map 6 yet - my car is still running with JB4 in Map 0 (disabled) while the cobb BEF gets sorted out. It's possible i didn't seat the sensor properly so I'm gonna re-do that when the weather is better, but if there is still an issue I will be looking at BMS and saying "wtf". Could be Jb4 ISO 5.9 but I doubt it. 

So right now I am at least happy to be at normal operation with an early cobb tune running peak 17 psi which in the next couple weeks will be getting sorted towards 19 psi more consistently across the board, with a peak around 21 on E50 once I get the JB4 issue sorted out. The car is very strong even as it currently sits. I took another friend of mine for a ride last night who likened the brutality of the pull to when he drove a 458 Italia last fall. 

Once I have the Cobb tune sorted, I will probably get a dyno chart before starting on the Jb4 map 6, for comparison purposes.

[suspenceful]

Awesome. I have a dyno appointment at Beyond Redline on Friday, April 22nd. Would be cool to run both cars if you're up for it.

I want to know what my car is putting down before I race the 1/2 mile at NoFlyZone in Illinois on the 30th.

[i_love_cars]

Whaaaat dude we need to caravan for that. There's no way my tune will be ready because dzenno is on vacation from April 9 through the 18th or something but I would totally go along to watch some cool cars.

Beyond redline is hours away from me so I will have to pass but let me know what your plan is for the 30th

[suspenceful]

i_love_cars said:

Whaaaat dude we need to caravan for that. There's no way my tune will be ready because dzenno is on vacation from April 9 through the 18th or something but I would totally go along to watch some cool cars.

Beyond redline is hours away from me so I will have to pass but let me know what your plan is for the 30th

Are you going?

My friends and I are getting a hotel on Thursday night in Milwaukee (heavy drinking will probably be involved). Then we will drive 3.5 hours to a hotel in Champaign, IL for Friday and Saturday night. The airstrip races are about 20 minutes away from our Champaign hotel.

[i_love_cars]

i didn't even know it was happening until you mentioned it. It's a hell of a hike. I was hoping it'd be closer and not so far south of chicago.  ;(

[i_love_cars]

update: cobb flash is done and starting on jb4 map now. The BEF used in the videos taken above is hitting about 11 psi at 3k and getting up to 18 at 5500 and holding that to redline. For JB4 will be initially on 17 psi across the board from 3k rpm, and with a couple tweaks hopefully end up closer to 20 psi across the board on e50. 

I still can't believe how well this turbo holds boost at higher rpm. It's such a staggering difference from a stock N55 turbo which just utterly ran out of breath at like 5200. This thing hits 6500 and keeps going. 

if this shitfuck wisconsin weather would just...fix itself...

[i_love_cars]

installed kW street comfort coilovers this weekend and just had Big Bear Tire do the adjustments today. H&R springs were a cheap way to prove whether or not I could get in my driveway if I lowered my car, but I definitely think I waited too long to get these coilovers. The ride height is so much more even now between front and back. Before the front was sagging over the tire and the back was 1.5" above the tire. Not to mention having springs that are matched properly to the damper in a proper coilover setup has dramatically improved ride quality. 

[patsbimmer1]

Looks good man!