View Single Post
Old 06-24-2019, 05:04 PM   #46
anassa
Senior Member
 
anassa's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: SoCal
Posts: 702
Vehicles
iTrader: (1)
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Motts View Post
Anassa, about the oil in your intake, the crankcase breather hoses route gases back into the intake in order to vent pressure in the case. Check or just replace your CCV valve. They are hard to get to, and kind of cheap so I'd recommend replacing it.
Yup, I got a new CCV valve as well as some other parts to replace as I swap the m50 manifold.


Quote:
Originally Posted by Beemernut View Post
I guess a small explanation on my approach to builds is that I obsess over how I can maximize on my build on a budget. I OBSESS OVER IT. I spend hours a day educating myself and reading up on people's builds, correlating information from other forums, overthinking aesthetics to an extreme, shopping for the best deals on quality parts, etc, etc. And then I have a pretty minimal budget in real life lol.

More specifically on the aluminum m52, is saving 30-50 pounds of weight worth 1) having to look for a harder to find Z3 with a suitable engine in a junkyard, 2) dealing with potential wiring harness issues? and 3) having a slightly less robust, more heat-sensitive engine that most certainly needs timeserts and maybe a cutring gasket in the case of boost (another thing I obsess over). If I did the swap, I would hope to weigh in around 2700lbs with 25lb seats but not a gutted interior and keep the A/C (my car is a slicktop). Approaches to reaching the target weight would involve a smaller/lighter battery, single pipe lightweight exhaust, and losing the spare. Goals for this build are eventually a light-footed, streetable, dailyable, trackable car to somewhat offset my road-tripping, heavy-hitting, turbo e28 build that's happening first.

On a side note, I can't find anything on the weight difference between slicktop and sunroof-equipped TIs. Bimmerforums suggests that 33 pounds or so can be lost with a sunroof delete panel but that's not to say that there's extra reinforcement material in the roofs of the slicktop models.
I basically do the same you mentioned all the time. The biggest problem I have found is "time", time to research, time to learn and build/do everything myself. The last few years I spent more time on regular job/career side to set myself up better for the future so I can have weekends to build/imagine/research different things. I found that to be the only disadvantage, I could teach myself to probably do most everything I want to do - well i would need to buy tools too - but it would come at the cost of the time I invest into a long-term and sustainable career.

Anyways I digress.

I also have imagined the lightweight, fun swapped 318ti - you could also use the 3.0 m54 rotating assembly for a 3.0L m52 for a bit extra torque - I think the aluminum m52 would be awsome if you are limited due to race class purposes etc - because that weight up front will make a difference, but for something that is daily driven or mostly driven on the street the annoyance of finding an aluminum m52 (I have an aluminum m52 block! I was thinking the same thing you were lol) vs how easily available the m52 is makes it not really worth it as much. But! It definitely is cool though.

Also for the heat sensitivity, I know that is 100% true but I always wonder if there is a difference between how the m54 is made vs the aluminum m52, something that makes one stronger than the other? There are people who supercharge their m54b30 330s - so I think it really has to do with keeping your cooling system well maintained - and you also have less margin for error then.

I am also not sure the weight savings of a slicktop - have not seen it officially documented anywhere.
__________________


***328ti Build thread. ***

Even more important:
SUPPORT 318ti.org! CLICK THE LINK ABOVE!
Hosting a forum like this is not free. 318ti.org is one of the best BMW forums on the web because it is member supported, not vendor supported. The cost to become a Supporter is a nominal $10.00... A YEAR! DO IT! NOW!

Last edited by anassa; 06-24-2019 at 05:07 PM.
anassa is offline   Reply With Quote