Administrators RTz Posted July 3, 2009 Administrators Share Posted July 3, 2009 (edited) A little history.... http://forums.hybridz.org/showthread.php?t=118747 Last summer, I installed a set of coilovers/HTS dampers from Beta Motorsports, and a fresh 3.36 NISMO Comp. LSD center section, along with a rear disc brake conversion (280zx). A stock L28E and 5 speed was dropped in as well. Last week, BRAAP offered me a scorching deal on a BMW S52 drivetrain... http://forums.hybridz.org/showthread.php?t=150131 Why?... I've built/driven/campaigned a number of V8Z's. They're loads of fun. Fast, affordable, and effortless to maintain. However, the silkiness and refinement of the Z was lost in every case. I love the smoothness and aural qualities of the L6, but the L6 is so technologically challenged that it requires an incredible amount of money, time, and talent to build generous, street-able power. Some modern alternatives include the JZ and RB. Each has merit. So does the S52 Stock trim is 240HP, with a fat torque curve. 250-260HP is 'easy'. 300HP is not unreasonable with some effort. A street-friendly 9-10lbs/HP is looking feasible... N/A. And boosted results have been very respectable. Edited March 22, 2010 by RTz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators RTz Posted July 13, 2009 Author Administrators Share Posted July 13, 2009 BRAAP and I weighed the S52 package this afternoon. On the same digital scale, a stock L24, fully dressed & dry, weighed in at 389.4 lbs. The S52, with equivalent components and oil, water, motor mount brackets, weighed in at 406.6. These two motors are within a handful of lbs of each other. A very welcome surprise. The ZF trans weighed in at 83 lbs (wet), also very close to the L-series weight. BRAAP will be posting the pictures in this thread, post 2 and 13... http://forums.hybridz.org/showthread.php?t=125246 The car will be weighed before and after to finalize the numbers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators RTz Posted July 14, 2009 Author Administrators Share Posted July 14, 2009 An interesting discovery... we noticed, after removing the intake manifold, the backsides of all the valves are spotless. Absolutely no build up. Not representative of a 190K motor. I also noticed a non BMW tag on the block, "LKQ Corporation"... an automotive recycler. Maybe it runs like a low mileage motor because it is? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators RTz Posted September 25, 2009 Author Administrators Share Posted September 25, 2009 (edited) Turns out the '96 and later EFI is a nuisance. BMW incorporated a security system (EWS II), with a matching ECU (Siemens), and key w/embedded resistor & antenna. As I understand it, the matching ECU is a non-issue, but the rest of the system must remain functional. I'm not super excited about the extra complexity and cost of retrofitting the EWS system in the 260. An alternate choice is to use an earlier harness and ECU. BMW did use an an earlier EWS system (EWS I), but Conforti makes an EWS delete chip that fits the older Bosch ECU, for $300. Much cleaner and not a bad price... until you start sourcing a harness, ECU, and schematic. Now we're sneaking up on the price of a midrange aftermarket ECU. There goes the budget Edited January 16, 2010 by RTz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators RTz Posted October 6, 2009 Author Administrators Share Posted October 6, 2009 (edited) With the drivetrain sitting in the '77, it was clear the tranny needed to sit as high as possible. For giggles, I stuffed a stock Datsun mount under the trans, and found it to be a near perfect fit. Only needing to trim some of the flange off the front side, re-weld the flange at the cut, drill two holes for the fasteners, and a little massaging of the surrounding bolt hole area with a press (to provide enough flat area for the bottom washers to rest against). Took longer to clean and paint than to modify... This location puts the tranny about as high as practical, with the height of the output shaft about 1/8" lower than stock, and the motor longitudinally within an 1/8" of of the pictures above. If the rest of the swap was this easy, I'd have it done in a couple of weeks Edited October 6, 2009 by RTz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators RTz Posted October 13, 2009 Author Administrators Share Posted October 13, 2009 (edited) De-greased the slimy bugger... BRAAP donated the only structurally straight parts car on the property, a '75 (thanks!). Dropped in the S52 and gearbox, and bolted up the trans mount. Fits well, mostly... Heater lines look workable... Oil pan is going to clear... With the front of the motor sitting on the steering rack, I rigged up an adjustable mag-base and laser pointer. Spun the output shaft by hand and adjusted the base until the circle became small enough to be useful... Prognoses?... The laser intersects the pinion flange about 1 5/8" too low, and the digital level says the diff and engine are within one-tenth of a degree of each other. Not only does the front of the motor need to come down, so does the nose of the diff. Edited October 28, 2009 by RTz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators RTz Posted February 28, 2010 Author Administrators Share Posted February 28, 2010 . . Motor mounts are fab'd from 10ga (.135" thick) mild steel. Still need some finishing touches and paint... A few notes... Currently using stock BMW 325 isolators. These are not known to hold up to abusive driving, so a set of aftermarket isolators will be fitted. To get drive line angles sorted, I lowered the nose of the diff. (with an RT mount, of course ) and the crossmember is shimmed down 1/2". In this position, the oil pan is flush with the bottom of the crossmember. Clearance between the pan and the rack is 1/2" at the lowest point (diver's side). If the racks radial-locating-dongle-bracket (or whatever the heck it's called) is slid to the passenger side, the full 1/2" clearance can be kept. The transmission mount was modified from the previous post. I was aware that the trans. mount was offset to the pass. side, and I was thinking that it aligned with the diff. I'm only half correct... it's offset about 1/2 the distance... 7/16" at the mount, wherarese the diff. is offset 15/16". I'll post the modified pictures next time I remove it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daeron Posted March 3, 2010 Share Posted March 3, 2010 This is my favorite swap thread ever... (since we can post in project threads belonging to other members now, I just had to pop in and say that.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drax240z Posted March 4, 2010 Share Posted March 4, 2010 Apparently someone had a sale on drillbits. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators RTz Posted March 4, 2010 Author Administrators Share Posted March 4, 2010 Drill bit? Whats that? I build holes with files Passenger mount still needs more 'filing' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkKnight Posted March 9, 2010 Share Posted March 9, 2010 I commend you, very unique and awesome swap you have undertaken! I can't wait to see the finished product and hear about how the car feels! -Travis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators RTz Posted March 13, 2010 Author Administrators Share Posted March 13, 2010 . . One of the aspects of this swap I'm looking forward to is no blasted U-joints in the driveshaft. Using the BMW shaft means a Guibo up front and a CV joint in the rear. So, an adapter was built to mate the BMW CV to the Datsun pinion flange... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katokid Posted March 14, 2010 Share Posted March 14, 2010 Looking good Ron, watching with great interest from afar. You happy with driveline angles we discussed ie straight line from gbox output to diff flange? David. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skib Posted March 14, 2010 Share Posted March 14, 2010 YAY!!!!!! :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators RTz Posted March 14, 2010 Author Administrators Share Posted March 14, 2010 You happy with driveline angles we discussed ie straight line from gbox output to diff flange? Yes, I am now. The combination of the RT diff mount, 1/2" crossmember spacers, and offsetting the trans mount 7/16", puts the driveshaft nearly dead straight, and the bottom of the oil pan flush with the bottom of the crossmember. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drax240z Posted March 15, 2010 Share Posted March 15, 2010 Probably my most eagerly awaited built... you can't get this one done fast enough for me Ron, been dreaming about this one since Hybridz started! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators RTz Posted March 22, 2010 Author Administrators Share Posted March 22, 2010 Probably my most eagerly awaited built... you can't get this one done fast enough for me Ron, been dreaming about this one since Hybridz started! So, I can count on you stopping in for a visit once it's drivable? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators RTz Posted March 22, 2010 Author Administrators Share Posted March 22, 2010 EMS decided on and aquired... Big surprise, eh? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skib Posted March 22, 2010 Share Posted March 22, 2010 Big surprise, eh? Im completely and utterly shocked. lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drax240z Posted March 23, 2010 Share Posted March 23, 2010 So, I can count on you stopping in for a visit once it's drivable? Get it done by June and we'll talk! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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