The Adventures of Meintii, The "NO CUT" M20 Swap

[Meintii]

All was good for a few months, I was working on a few small projects on the car, and then this happened.

We have determined that this was caused because I forgot to put the safety wire on the control arm bolts, and that caused the bolts to back out (one sheered off). Stupid stupid stupid. Oh well.

Needles to say, this happened in July at my friends house while pulling up next to his driveway, and I didnt get to fixing it until October or so because school had started right after this happened.

[Meintii]

Although the car was sitting waiting for a new fender, brake lines, control arm bolts, and and new strut mount, I still had another project going on for her.

Fixed up and ready to go again (WITH SAFETY WIRE!)

LED TAIL LIGHTS!

I did a HUGE write up on this and Im not going to post it all here, but Ill put the link on here so you can find it. Here are the results anyway.

Videos [CLICK THEM!]

Im SO glad that I decided to do these tail lights, and that they turned out so well!

Link to the How to project so you can build your own!

http://www.bmw2002faq.com/component/option,com_forum/Itemid,50/page,viewtopic/t,365899/

[Meintii]

As a winter project, I have finally decided to pull the (whole) engine for the first time on my tii. Its leaking like a mofo from everywhere and getting horrible fuel economy, as well as being under powered.

My goals while this is out are to:

Fix all leaks and replace every seal known to man on this engine.

Convert to a 73+ tii Intake to eliminate vacuum leak issues I've been having.

Powder coat everything I can get my hands on after cleaning thoroughly.

Have the bottom end fully serviced, and the top end inspected.

Do a few small upgrades like 284 cam, and maybe lightened steel flywheel.

Reduce crank load by removing mech fan and replacing with an electric unit and by installing an under-drive alt pulley.

New Urethane motor mounts

Have all tii injection components and linkages inspected and repaired is needed.

Paint the engine bay, nose and underside of the hood to be shiny like the rest of the car.

Clean up wiring under the hood.

This all sounds well and good, but Im moving to NC for a job a building the cars at Richard Petty's Driving experience from Jan to the end of April (without the car) and I want to have it done by V@V in the end of may. I should be able to do it, but $$ is going to be my biggest issue.

I wanted to have an idea of how much power I was actually missing out on, so the day I pulled the engine out, I went to have her dyno'd. This gives me a baseline in which I can see how much Ive gained after its done.

81WHP, 100FT/LBS Torque. I guessed 81whp believe it or not before I got it dyno'd, was shocked that my guess was actually right! There is some crazyness going on at the high end of the rev range, and that is where one of my biggest power flaws is.. no top end power, no bottom end power either.

Heres a vid of one of the pulls (note the smoke at the top end)

[Click]

Here are some pics from removing the nasty old engine, and disassembley. CANNOT WAIT TO HAVE A GREASE FREE ENGINE!

There! Im now caught up with the current projects again!

Tomorrow I plan to degrease a bunch of parts and prepare them for bead blasting, then powder coating.

[Meintii]

FINALLY!!!!

Brand New OE Turbo spoiler! Also got a GoPro HD hero2 for xmas, cant wait to get this thing driving again some I can get some killer footage.

[Meintii]

Well, after getting all my prices for the thing on the engine I wanted to replace, I've decided im still not going to be happy with the power that my car will be getting even after everything is rebuilt... my totals came to:

$2200 for all parts to rebuild engine

$2800 to rebuild all fuel injection components

+ $900 in machine shop work..

NOT WORTH IT ON THIS CAR!

If I wasnt 21, and I had a job that payed more than $12.5 per hour, maybe I'd fork it out, but WHY would I spend $5k+ to have a less reliable and less powerful engine than an M20? Sorry purists, Im NOW IMPURE AND UNHOLY, DEAL WITH IT!

Plans now are to sell off the tii stuff to get $$ to buy a running '88+ 325i to have as a donor car and begin the transplant!

[Guest]

You already cut the out the body for fender flares, an M20 can't do any more harm Now the car's power will match the turbo body kit.

Remember when buying a car, you'll be able to make back $500 or more on the parts so it's worth it even if the car is $1500 or more. Especially if it's an IS. It's even worth buying an auto, getrag 260s are not expensive, a driveshaft is $50, and the M10 228mm flywheel/clutch is the same dimensionally as the M20 so you don't even need the M20 single mass flywheel.

[AceAndrew]

Nice to have a another Crazy on board.

Enjoyed following you and your dad's progression, will be nice to watch this evolve.

[craaaazzy]

good choice zac. looking forward to reading about ur swap.

[eurotrash]

FK it, get an aluminum 2.8 from an M Coupe and really get shitty. Its only about 10 lbs heavier than your Tii set up..

[Guest Anonymous]

FK it, get an aluminum 2.8 from an M Coupe and really get shitty. Its only about 10 lbs heavier than your Tii set up..

yea... but then it would be way more $$ too! Im good with 155whp

[Meintii]

Finally found the right parts car for my swap! A 1989 325is, with front end damage. $700, 154k with a full rebuild back in 2006 (new pistons, rod and main bearings, etc etc a $2400 job) I have the receipt with all part numbers and parts replaced/used. Went about 30k before wrecking. Stopped by Pullapart to get the remaining missing pieces that broken (upper timing cover and hardware and other misc parts).

With this victory, also comes with a loss though. Poor Margie, my rusty 2002 shell that has been with me for awhile, was taken to the scrap yard... I decided she was too far gone, and that I needed to only have one junker in the backyard to keep the neighbors happy. So my buddy and I picked her up and slid her onto his utility trailer, and off to the claw of death she went.

R.I.P Margie!

Once I move back home (first week of may) I will pull the engine and begin tear down (not separating the block from the head though) for new gaskets all around, then powder coating EVERYTHING! Save up money for the parts I need, and then re-assembly and test installs before repainting the engine bay.

And here she is as she sits in her horrible current state ...

[potentialm20]

Nice. Take lots of pictures before you pull the donor apart and label anything you disconnect.

"yea... but then it would be way more $$ too! Im good with 155whp :)"

Also, stock HP on that m20 you bought is 165ish with a chip that jumps to 180ish. I ended up with 2 dinan chips during my swap, let me know if you want one.

[Meintii]

Nice. Take lots of pictures before you pull the donor apart and label anything you disconnect.

"yea... but then it would be way more $$ too! Im good with 155whp :)"

Also, stock HP on that m20 you bought is 165ish with a chip that jumps to 180ish. I ended up with 2 dinan chips during my swap, let me know if you want one.

How many arms and legs would i owe you for that?

[potentialm20]

Maybe three fingers and a knee cap.... I think $75 is the going rate for them in conventional currency though.

[Meintii]

Maybe three fingers and a knee cap.... I think $75 is the going rate for them in conventional currency though.

Ok. Once I get further down the road ill get back in touch with you about it.