engine and drivetrain 02 newbie

[mooseheadm5]

So I bought Dan McGinn's car:

Life got in the way of him finishing the car, but I will pick up where he left off. I bought it both as a test mule for future products and as a car for wifey (she kinda wanted one after Vintage last year, and really wanted one after Vintage this year and after talking to Mike Pugh.)

I'll likely put in an FI M4x engine. I was thinking of an M5x engine, but the 02 isn't the best vessel for the twincam 6.

Brad in Cville will help me come up with all the stuff that the 02 crowd needs to have made, and I'll test them out on this car.

I'm not revealing every detail yet, but it should be a great car (it'll take a little while, but at least it doesn't have any rust at all.)

Comments? Suggestions?

[Lebowski]

Looks like you have a great starting point. I'm hoping when you say "FI" you mean forced induction and not just fuel injection!

I'm a big fan of small, creative-minded vendors who develop new products to keep these cars on the road!

[mooseheadm5]

Indeed, forced induction. Fuel injection is a given for me. I dislike messing with carbs. The car will also get ITBs. I'll probably make an adapter to run motorcycle ITBs. They are cheap and can be had on ebay all day long in various sizes.

My business partner works at a shop (we have real jobs too) where he builds custom turbo systems and will fab a turbo manifold for the car. We'll be making a stainless exhaust for the car as well (he built one for my M5, too.) Plenty of other good stuff in the queue. Dan deleted the HVAC from the car, but wifey will want AC. I might use some of that deleted back seat to fit an E30 HVAC case. We'll see about that one.

[BarryA]

and are interested in coming up with new procucts for the '02 aftermarket, you might consider the project as a prototype for a an install kit (motor mounts, etc) - M4x engines have been swapped into '02's, but the fabrication required is beyond the capabilities of and/or fabrication facilities that are available to many folks. I suspect this would be a much more popular conversion if the critical bits were readily available.

Similar thoughts with regard to a/c - there are several a/c retrofit kits in the hotrod aftermarket that shouldn't be too difficult to adapt to an '02, but I don't think anyone has actually worked out the installation and created the necessary brackets and plumbing to make the installation anything near a bolt-in process.

[mooseheadm5]

and are interested in coming up with new procucts for the '02 aftermarket, you might consider the project as a prototype for a an install kit (motor mounts, etc) - M4x engines have been swapped into '02's, but the fabrication required is beyond the capabilities of and/or fabrication facilities that are available to many folks. I suspect this would be a much more popular conversion if the critical bits were readily available.

Similar thoughts with regard to a/c - there are several a/c retrofit kits in the hotrod aftermarket that shouldn't be too difficult to adapt to an '02, but I don't think anyone has actually worked out the installation and created the necessary brackets and plumbing to make the installation anything near a bolt-in process.

I had planned to come up with an M4x install kit. It looks fairly straightforeward if you have the correct equipment, but not everyone has access to welding and fabrication stuff. I'll start with the small stuff (low cost easy to install throttle cable bracket) and move on from there. I already have some repair part designs that I need to get quoted out.

I don't know if I can do anything about aftermarket AC. As I mentioned, the heater case hole has been welded shut in the cowl, so I'll be looking at doing something that most won't want to mess with. Maybe if my friend Brad or his wife want AC I can use one of their cars for that.

I'd also like to make some low cost install brackets for upgraded radiators. I was thinking of the E30 ro E36 M4x radiator since the expansion tank is integral, or the E36 M50 rad since there is a readily available all aluminum radiator that is under $100 (!)

[brad_c-ville_VA]

No A/C is going in my car! You'll have to get Anne Marie to agree to that in hers!

And if you want to see what kind of awesome work Paul and George can come up with, check out this fantastic stainless steel E28 M5 exhaust.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/hand_rail/sets/72157626614276091/

It sounds as badass as it looks. We'll be making a video of it in action for the 5er guys at some point. But some 02 widgets are in the works too!

[mooseheadm5]

I bet that if I offered AMV working AC she'd take it.

[brad_c-ville_VA]

ummm.....yes.

[mooseheadm5]

Brad has pointed out that there is someone here that currently makes/used to make M42 conversion parts. I don't want to make anything that someone has already got a good solution for (why waste time and crowd the market?) If that person is reading this, please email me. I'd be interested in using your parts to put together a complete kit.

[BarryA]

I don't know if I can do anything about aftermarket AC. As I mentioned, the heater case hole has been welded shut in the cowl, so I'll be looking at doing something that most won't want to mess with. Maybe if my friend Brad or his wife want AC I can use one of their cars for that.

picked up in Australia a couple of weeks ago and ran across an ad for an all electric a/c unit (no external compressor) that I want to check into. Original application is apparently mobile refrigeration units - supposedly very compact and only draws 16 amps. Would be pretty cool (no pun intended) to be able to get decent a/c without having to run an engine mounted compressor......

[mooseheadm5]

I had thought about that. The Prius uses an electric compressor, but I am not sure what it will cost compared to a traditional setup. One big bonus is that the compressor can run at it's most efficient speed, so it can be smaller. It can also be placed anywhere you want it and it will work regardless of which engine you choose to run. Email me with any details you have. I'd be interested to experiment.

[HarryPR]

Since you do not have the stock heater any more, you might be able to make this work, if using a regular compressor:

http://www.oldairproducts.com/catalog/1970-1972-camaro/old-air-products/ip-1000/hurricane-1000-inside-package-p-4440.html

[brad_c-ville_VA]

Jakeb is the fella that has done a few m42 conversions who i mentioned, Paul.

http://www.bmw2002faq.com/component/option,com_forum/Itemid,57/page,viewtopic/t,299923/highlight,m42+running/

http://www.bmw2002faq.com/component/option,com_forum/Itemid,0/page,viewtopic/t,345849/postdays,0/postorder,asc/topic_view,/start,0/

EDIT:: you also may want to check out Clay's blog too:

http://tx02.blogspot.com/

[mooseheadm5]

That AC/heater is a definite possibility. I'll try to get more info on that regarding dimensions.

I just made a deal on an M60, so that might mean I'll shuffle motors around in my other cars and end up with an M50 in the 2002. We'll see.

[mooseheadm5]

Found a donor E30 318is for a really good price. Sport seats can be recovered in cloth. I have to replace the timing chain guides and tensioner, but no biggie for me. Will probably do the HG at the same time.