Coolant Connections
I needed to connect the passenger side heater core to the back of the head and the upper radiator hose to shortened coolant pipe. All solutions were found on Amazon. I had the original hose out of the back of the head, found a 3/4 to 5/8 hose barb fitting reducer and used it to connect the 5/8 heater hose from the heater core. The upper radiator hose was trickier, the connection to the coolant pipe was 36mm and the radiator upper connector was 32mm. I found silicone 38mm hose with a 90 degree elbow bend and a 32mm hose with a 90 degree elbow bend, cut them to size and married them together with a 1.25" to 1.5" coupler/reducer.
Transmission/Driveshaft
This was more challenging than it needed to be. First off, the car had originally been set up for a Getrag 245 5-speed. The factory mounts had been cut off and rewelded in the transmission tunnel. So easy, just use these existing mounts. No so fast, the original owner was probably using a "dangler" shift platform, because the lower brace setup on the Blunt 5-speed shift platform was interfering with the transmission mount on the driver's side. I thought about cutting out the repositioned factory mounts, but ended up modifying the lower brace that attaches to the trans, slotting the mounting hole so I could move it up to clear the transmission mount. The transmission support was fabricated from a piece of "C" Channel stock I bought at Home Depot. I slotted the support bar mounting holes for some adjustment and also slotted the hole for the rubber transmission mount (E3). When the transmission tail was lifted up, it sat pretty much in the middle of the tunnel, but the shift platform was pushed to the passenger side. With the slotted, hole for the rubber transmission mount I was able to move the transmission closer to the driver's side of the tunnel and center the platform.
Now the easy part, just install the driveshaft, NOT! I had purchased this pre-shortened driveshaft from IE years back, but had never tried to install it in a car. I installed the metal alignment Guibo from @halboyles at 2002sOnly on the driveshaft and bolted it to the output flange of the Getrag 245 and then attached the center bearing to the frame to see how square and level the front section of the driveshaft was sitting without any shimming. Turns out it was pretty square at the stock position, but I added a larger fender washer under the E3 rubber transmission mount to lift the output flange slightly and it sat perfectly square. I swapped out the metal Guibo for the OEM rubber one, loosely reattached the center bearing and moved back to the differential connection. Nope, the driveshaft was about 3/8" too long. I loosened the 4 nuts holding the differential to the subframe and loosened the nuts on the differential hanger and pushed the differential back as far as it would go, still about 1/4"too long. OK, maybe I can get the motor to move forward 1/4". I loosened the motor mounts (swapped the driver's side motor mount completely out because the metal cup was installed facing the wrong way), and pushed the motor forward as far as it would go and retorqued the motor mounts. The differential flange and driveshaft were square, but their is a 1-2mm round ridge in center of the driveshaft shaft flange that still would not clear. I finally removed all the large 19mm bolts and nut holding the differential to the subframe and managed to slide the round ridge into the mating cup on the differential. I torqued the Guibo nuts, the driveshaft to differential nuts, the differential to subframe nuts, the differential hanger nuts and finally preloaded the center bearing and bolted that in.
While I was under there, I noticed that the front sway bar was nearly touching the passenger side strut, while the driver's side had a 3/4' gap. I loosened all the sway bar attachments and used a rubber mallet to persuade the sway bar to an even position between the strut tubes. Retightened everything and breathed a sigh of relief that the drivetrain was finally complete.
Brakes and Clutch
In my last blog post, I mentioned my bonehead idea of connecting the clutch slave cylinder hose to the clutch master and promptly cross threading the fitting. OK, so while I was struggling with the transmission and driveshaft, I decided to correct my mistake. I pulled the clutch master, put it on the bench and used a M10 x 1.0 tap to clean up the buggered threads in the clutch master. For the fitting for the clutch slave hose to the master, the M10 x 1.0 Die wasn't threading straight, so I purchased Metric thread restoring file and used it to clean up the fitting. I attached the clutch master to the hose fitting under the car and then installed the clutch master back in the pedal box.
Now that all the connections we good, I filled the brake fluid reservoir with fresh Dot 4 and used my homemade pressure bleeder to bleed the brakes and clutch. Everything was going great until I noticed a small pool of brake fluid under the rear subframe. The hard line fitting from the rear splitter to the passenger side control arm soft line was leaking under pressure. I used a "crows foot" to hold the soft line fitting so I tighten the hard line fitting and the leak stopped. It didn't take long to get the air out and the brake pedal was firm. The clutch was quick and easy, no leaks or drama.
Throttle Cable
I have done a number of throttle cable solutions for my cars over the years, (mostly Lynx, based on the TEP solution). The S14 conversion is a little challenging because the throttle lever pull in up on top of the motor and I'm not using the stock air cleaner. So I decided to fabricate something that should give me a working throttle until I come up with something better. First I had to straighten the "Z" lever for the gas pedal, so removed it and beat it into shape. I found some metal pieces at Home Depot and used my angle grinder to fabricate a plate that attaches to the top 2 studs that hold the brake booster to the brake booster support. I then bent that plate to fold over the brake booster and give me a spot to weld on a bracket to hold the cable that connects to the throttle lever. The other bracket is just an "L" that attaches to passenger side of the pedal box support structure that attaches to the brake booster support. I attached a cable fitting to the end of the throttle lever on the pedal box, ran a wire through the sleeve between the two brackets I fabricated, and attached the other end to throttle lever on the ITB's using a barrel fitting to hold the wire. It's not the best solution, but it works and I did manage to get it to pull WOT with the stock components. I may rework it with a Bell Crank, but after I get this thing started.
Steering
I did manage to get the missing horn ring installed and then installed the steering shaft and my 320i Sport Steering Wheel. I tried to order a new shroud for the Sport Wheel because the PO broke off all the plastic pieces holding it to the wheel and tried to glue it on. Turns out that these are now NLA and I did find one in Europe for $200, so I might be regluing mine as well. Of course when I put everything together and tried turning the wheel, it would not turn. I knew I would need to hammer on the down header of the S14 in order to make enough room for the top of the pitman arm nut at the center link to clear the header on the passenger side. I was thinking about why the car steering wheel wouldn't turn and had a epiphany! Maybe the Steering Wheel is LOCKED! Turned the key, Steering Wheel turns, what a dope! I spent the afternoon hammering on the S14 header, man that thing is stout. Eventually, wheel turns lock to lock in both directions.
Next Up
Electrical systems test
Thanks for checking in!
Mark92131
IMG_3803.MOV
- Read more...
- 0 comments
- 1,714 views