BMW 326rb build thread...

[ctnewman]

Originally Posted by GSXRJJordan

Says it allows the rail to be tapped for 1/2" NPT, but fits -10an fittings? Am I missing something? -10an > 1/2"NPT...

I assume you're using -8an fittings/line?

Rail is extruded at .703 ID, .940 OD

10AN requires a 7/8-14 UNF thread which is a .8125 drill diameter
8AN requires a 3/4-16 UNF which requires a .6875 drill diameter
1/2" NPT requires a .703 drill diameter.

So you can't use 8AN.

An internal 10AN (7/8-14) thread has a major diameter of .875.

That would leave only .0325 (or 1/32") of material on the rail. Not enough.

With the rail already being at the exact size for the NPT tap, I chose that. In fact, tapping an SAE port fucking sucks, because you really need to machine an o-ring pocket.


Regarding line choice, I will probably run -8, simply because it's cheaper, and will deliver PLENTY of flow.

To address your question, keep in mind that it says compatible for -10 fittings because a lot of V8 guys run these type of rails, so they put a 1/2" NPT Male X -10AN Male nipple on the rail and feed 2 fuel rails w/ -10 line.

Does that help?

[GSXRJJordan]

Yup, that's what I thought. I was trippin out cause I knew 1/2" NPT was way bigger than 1/2", but quite a bit smaller than -10an. I'm with ya about the o-ring bitch-factor...

[Def]

Originally Posted by GSXRJJordan

Yup, that's what I thought. I was trippin out cause I knew 1/2" NPT was way bigger than 1/2", but quite a bit smaller than -10an. I'm with ya about the o-ring bitch-factor...

NPT to AN fittings are kind of funny in that the one size down NPT fitting will give an untapered diameter through to the AN fitting. For instance, a fitting with a straight bore all the way through: 1/8" NPT to -4 AN, 3/8" NPT to -8 AN, 1/2" NPT to -10 AN etc.

It has to do with pipe being the approximate ID measurement, and tubing being the exact tube OD(with the ID being OD-2*wall thickness).

[ctnewman]

Painted my honda accord brake booster and polished my honda civic master cylinder and associated mounting brackets. Not a super siqqq job, but it will not stick out like a sore thumb in my uber clean engine bay...

BEFORE:



AFTER




Some other stuff...

Had to order ARP flywheel bolts today... and then i ruined my damper by trying to machine it down, So i had to buy a 500 dollar ATI superdamper. LAME.

Also spent 400 dollars on AN lines and fittings. Just keep spending spending spending...

[Devil Man]

wait you lost me... why the honda BMC? and i dont get why you got the flywheel bolts for a dampner?

[Kinzer SR13gtR]

Bro... if only we could all be so lucky.
"Spending spending spending"! Its insulting.

This is one of the greatest builds online anywhere probably.
I am an avid lover of both BMW's and NISSAN's.
And I have had so much technical training its not even funny.
I only wish I had the "pocket cash" to put my skills/resources to use for myself, as you can. I mean, I am building a car right now, but its so basic by comparison. I gotta get some welding classes next. lol!!

Props on the Build CT. Its absolutely gorgeous.
Not crazy about the rainbow effect, But Hey...
To each their own, its still beautiful!!! lol!!

[ctnewman]

Originally Posted by Devil Man

wait you lost me... why the honda BMC? and i dont get why you got the flywheel bolts for a dampner?

Needed a new damper because i wrecked mine

needed flywheel bolts because i lost mine

needed Honda BMC because the e30 one was HUGE

[ctnewman]

I just dropped my head off at the machine shop. Not gonna port or polish, they're just going to vac test it to see if it needs a valve job. If it does... grrrrr

[ctnewman]

here are some photo updates for you.

Here's a shot of the new rear ebrake setup. Probably one of the few e30s with a completely new oem rear ebrake. Also pictured are purple axle, green dif, yellow strut, blue swaybar and orange subframe. Black is so boring.



Here is a shot of the freshly polished fuel rail. Did that tonight...




And lastly, for all you naysayers, here's a shot of the plenum, complete with polished/painted throttle linkage sitting in the engine bay to compare the violet to the green of the chassis. I think these two colors look stellar together!

[ctnewman]

On the right is an example of why you cannot machine the third pulley (PS) off of an RB26 crank pulley. There was really no way of knowing that this would happen by visually inspecting the part...

The lesson learned is quantified by the 510 dollar ATI superdamper (center) and the accompanying waterpump pulley (to clear the larger damper). However, this is supposed to be an EXCELLENT addition to the motor, greatly increasing longevity, so it's not all in vain.

[Devil Man]

ah i got it now.. very nice color for the intake manifold in contrast to the green. and i would love to have one of those ati dampers too! they are great! seems like your getting close to the motor coming on home huh?

[Kinzer SR13gtR]

Ok, i gotta admit....
...the purple and that green are visually stunning!!

[ctnewman]

Thanks guys. The purple also looks sweet with the yellow/gold that the car turns in natural light...

ATi dampers are def pretty baller

[rc1honda]

Ct i remeber reading eairlier in the thread that you were having motor problems. Are you going to have to rebuild the motor and what are your power goals? Sorry if these questions have already been asked. Also this build is probably the cleanest and most entertaining builds i have ever read and the colors are awesome. Good work sticking to those e30 fanboys on the bimmer forums too, those guys are a bunch of tight wads.

[ctnewman]

Originally Posted by rc1honda

Ct i remeber reading eairlier in the thread that you were having motor problems. Are you going to have to rebuild the motor and what are your power goals? Sorry if these questions have already been asked. Also this build is probably the cleanest and most entertaining builds i have ever read and the colors are awesome. Good work sticking to those e30 fanboys on the bimmer forums too, those guys are a bunch of tight wads.

E30GTR-DISASTER: ENGINE PROBLEMS

[GSXRJJordan]

Engine's comin together. Maybe we'll see it in the car before my kids get out of highschool.

Hint: I don't have kids.

[ctnewman]

So i needed to do something about my alternator..

Before (reference pic, mine was actually MORE beat)


After a bunch of hours of sanding, painting and polishing. Again, not super baller or anything, but way better than it was.

[ctnewman]

Finished all the brake lines. Still need to make mounting tabs though.

REAR
Here are the braided connections to the rear:


Here is the T area near the rear dif. In the Background you can see the line from the master where it pierces into the cabin:


Then the line running up to the prop valve:


The prop valve line runs forward up the firewall and in the background of the pic you can see where it pierces through under the master:



FRONT
Here is the braided connection for the front caliper:


Which then feeds this line that goes across the firewall:


And then into this T, which connects to the driver front and then into the master. (IDK why it looks so wet down there. Fluids haven't touched this car in ages. Haha. You can also see the bulkhead fitting where the rear line ties in:

[GSXRJJordan]

Brake hardlines look perfect, which bender do you use?

Your alternator is an inspiration, I've still got my RB25 out, and having painted/cleaned everything else, I think I will wire wheel/steel wool the alternator, and probably leave it at that. You disassembled it to paint it, right?

[ctnewman]

Originally Posted by GSXRJJordan

Brake hardlines look perfect, which bender do you use?

Your alternator is an inspiration, I've still got my RB25 out, and having painted/cleaned everything else, I think I will wire wheel/steel wool the alternator, and probably leave it at that. You disassembled it to paint it, right?

I used a pretty cheap bender from autozone or something that I bought for my old 240sx. It's black and has 3 different spots for 3/16, 1/4 and 3/8 tube. I have been using the 3/16 slot for the 1/4 though with good results. I am using an Imperial Eastman 37* single flaring tool.

As for the alternator, Yeah, I took it apart to paint it. The only things I painted were the stator laminations and the pulley.

The housing was hand sanded and polished using 100, 220, 400, 600, 900, 1200, 1500 then polish. It took a really long time to get done, haha.

Taking apart the alternator is REALLY easy, however before you take any bolts out, there is a small hole (about 1.5mm) on the back of the alternator. Slide an allen key in there to hold the brushes in place. Works great.

[GSXRJJordan]

Originally Posted by ctnewman

I used a pretty cheap bender from autozone or something that I bought for my old 240sx. It's black and has 3 different spots for 3/16, 1/4 and 3/8 tube. I have been using the 3/16 slot for the 1/4 though with good results. I am using an Imperial Eastman 37* single flaring tool.

As for the alternator, Yeah, I took it apart to paint it. The only things I painted were the stator laminations and the pulley.

The housing was hand sanded and polished using 100, 220, 400, 600, 900, 1200, 1500 then polish. It took a really long time to get done, haha.

Taking apart the alternator is REALLY easy, however before you take any bolts out, there is a small hole (about 1.5mm) on the back of the alternator. Slide an allen key in there to hold the brushes in place. Works great.

you. I'll probably pull the alt apart. That's a lot of polishwork for a part that hides under the IM lol. Love it.

As for the bender & flare tool, I'll have to see what kind of benders Autozone has - the one I got years ago had was literally just two solid pieces pivoting on a rivet that made these sideways, large radius bends no matter what you did lol. If they have something cheap that'll actually hold the tubing, I'll check into it.

I have yet to see a cheap 37* flare tool that doesn't suck balls, so I use flareless fittings (with the inserts) on things like fuel rails to go to -AN, and save all the brake hardlines :/ I guess you can't be a baller without a 37* flare tool, can you?

[xBtony]

OH MY GOD! Just tuned into this..and its freakin EPIC! Love the colors too..Haha

[ctnewman]

For the record, some of the really tight bends I bent about 45 degrees with the bender, then used to box end wrenches to cheat the bends to 90 with a smaller radius...

[ctnewman]

OK. Did work...


Mounted the fuel filter in the engine bay. Should be easy to get to. I machined that mounting bracket from billet.



Then I ran the -6 return line to a new bulkhead fitting on the tank (I still need a grommet.




Then I mounted the pump and ran the lines. I feel like a lot of guys spend pretty big money on braided fuel lines then turn it into a hackjob by ziptieing it to frame members. I wanted mine to be clean, so I used some shaker motor cable clamps. These are easy to install and look/hold great. (I also machined the fuel pump bracket)















































Oh yeah... this too:






Upgraded oil pump drive collar...

[ctnewman]

I'll let the pix do the talking...

[ctnewman]

Made 2 new mounting brackets and made 4 of these: (2 spares)



BEFORE:


AFTER:




11.75 x .81 w/ 4 piston -> 13 X 1.1 w/ 6 piston

[Kinzer SR13gtR]

hoooly poop, thats gorgeous
Yeaa, I need to get some brackets so I can get the 12.75" Brembos, that I have on the front of my 240. OUch... need something larger than a 16" wheel though. hmmmm!?

[ctnewman]

Took a half day and worked on the top end from 12-11. About half this was already done from a few days ago...

Head on:


Intake manifold on:


Coolant pipe on:


Balance tube and IAC valve on (also a ghetto hose clamp in the middle of a hose trying to relieve a kink):


Kink fixed with prebent tube, waterneck on:


Injectors and oil filter in:


Fuel rail on:


Plenum on:


Cams in, with custom valve shims...


Timing backing plate:


Timing gears and belt installed. All tensioned:


Rocker covers on:


Another shot:


Everything else. It's not really pink in person, it's more purple. The camera just doesn't represent it very well.

[96Turbo]

looks great. so whats the status on the head?? your billet mounts look pretty slick. however, i think you should move that fuel pump up above the tank...

it just seems a little vulnerable sitting so low. you'd probably never bottom out on it, but i suppose it would be possible backing into a steep driveway or somethin... it might get some rocks kicked up at it, etc. just somethin to think about....

[ctnewman]

I may make a protective cage for it, however, it will realistically be about 10+" off the ground...