Project 6.0L Sedan

[D_Eclipse9916]

Had an hour or so last night to play with her. So I did a bit of tinkering. One thing I wanted was aside from the noise/power and obvious acceleration, I wanted the car to be 100% stock inside. That means having all the gauges work, obd2 connectivity, and no annoying CELs/lights etc. I modified the OBD2 harness to connect to the GM ECU. I then tested it using an obd2 scanner I had around. Success, the OBD2 scanner scans and connects to the GM ECU from the stock port in the car. A little FYI, even though OBD2 is considered universal, each manufacturer uses different pins in their connector for data. So it honestly wasn't that hard, I just had to find the BMW data wires and find where the GM puts them and move that in the OBD2 slot.

I started her up and wanted to make sure there wasn't any codes once she ran.
Tach works - check
Coolant temp - check
Oil pressure light comes on at on, goes off correctly once car starts and oil level stabilizes - check
CEL Light worked, came on at on, off once car starts - check
No CEL light activated cause LS1 ECU is happy - check
Alternator light illuminated (I have no belt on), good, means it is showing that the alternator isnt working - check


Video of her running right with a dump right after the cats/x-pipe, can't wait to get a cat-back on her.
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I have a few hours tonight, gotta throw the 3.91 differential in, fill up the trans with fluid, and clean up the wiring before I attempt to start buttoning her up.

[ScottyB]

this rules.

question - is there any kind of involved startup procedure for a longblock like this? i.e., spin up the oil pump to prime, or do you just put gas in the tank and turn the key until it runs?

[SlimKlim]

[D_Eclipse9916]

this rules.

question - is there any kind of involved startup procedure for a longblock like this? i.e., spin up the oil pump to prime, or do you just put gas in the tank and turn the key until it runs?

I used straight 30wt dino oil and poured all over the cam, springs/lifters/pushrods etc when I had the valve covers off, then primed the pump itself with oil. Unfortunately the LS1 would require building a special tool to "pressure it" when it starts. This motor however was already driven, being a used motor, so I didn't feel it was necessary.

That said, I did pull the ignition/fuel and did several 6-second "primes" of the fuel pump before starting her. Honestly the motor was ran last back in June, so its only been about ~4-5 months, that's less than some people even store their cars over a winter.

[BFisch06]

So much awesome. Congrats DJ! As a GM nutjob - errrr, fanboy - I've loved this project from the start. Many can dream, but you cross the bridge to reality like it ain't no big thing.

[navin]

Needs moar wire tuck

[D_Eclipse9916]

Needs moar wire tuck

If I keep the car past 6 months, the plan is to pull the harness back out and build an entirely new harness. I kept all the emissions equipment wiring in case I decide to make it have even the stock air injection. Whenever I decide wether I care, that's when I will be doing a new harness.
For now the aim was to make this look as OEM as possible, it will look just like under the hood of a trans-am or m3, except with a different motor. This was why I debated on the AN line (and actually had bought blue fuel line that turned out to be the wrong fittings), and the throttle cable being so blingy.

[Kaan]

bmws dont have AN fittings?

[JustinG]

Whats the deal with emissions up there with a car like this? No CEL and passes the sniffer = ok?

[navin]

register in h-burg, give zero fucks... that's how we do

[D_Eclipse9916]

Actually...this car should even pass the scanning test, but it will be garaged in hburg.

[RawrImAMonster]

Actually...this car should even pass the scanning test, but it will be garaged in hburg.

Give me the keys, I'll take care of it for you. I'll have experience with both LS1's and E36's now.

[.RJ]

"Fill trans with fluid" - if there isnt anything in there now, better fill that out before running the motor again. The trans is spinning if the motor is running....

[D_Eclipse9916]

^^^ Sorry RJ, meant to say, "change trans fluid". As it had fluid in it.

Got a little work done over the weekend. Filled the 3.91 rear diff with fluid and swapped it in, put on the rotors/calipers and got 90% of the interior together. Unfortunately I found out the hard way that early 90s e36 sedans must be different than later e36 sedans in the rear seats. So I am again on the lookout for rear black folding seats. In the near-term I thought it would be funny to have a panda interior (ill get a pic of this soon).

One thing I do when I go to the junkyard is I usually cut off a bunch of OEM connectors off cars. They have these push down or tab connectors, are high quality and are free. I raided my box of these and after looking at some E46 M3 diagrams (of which I really couldnt find any that matched my seat), I pulled out the battery and a voltmeter and just went to town trying to figure out which wiring was which. Turned out not to be difficult, so both E46 M3 seats were wired up.

The E46 M3 seats are slightly wider and longer so I went to work with a small cutting wheel. I had to stop early so I ended up only getting the passenger seat in, but the driver's seat will be in tonight.

[davej]

favorite thread to see updates in right now. i cannot wait till you're bored with it in 3 months and want to sell it (to me :twisted: )

[D_Eclipse9916]

Interior is 100% together. After finding out that early 90s sedan seats are not the same as late 90s E36 sedan seats, I started putting back the stock interior. And then changed my mind, I mixed a few parts that would fit and now have a Panda interior . This will be short-lived till I find blkac door panels and a whole set of rear black seats. Then maybe ill get around to the dash/carpet/center console when I find one in a junkyard (plenty of them in the junkyard)




I also bolted up the steering rack, tested the brakes to ensure no leaks, and did more cleaning up of the wiring.

Lastly I pulled the front shocks out of the car as I am installing H+R OE sports to compliment the Ohlins. Pictures of pimpy inverted Ohlins behind ugly stock springs/mounts.

[*insertusernamehere*]

I'm diggin the panda style haha

[SlimKlim]

I think you could get away with doing just the black seats and leaving the gray panels and carpets. Maybe it looks different in person. You have the black headliner despite having the gray interior because its an M right? it would be a pain to get all the black trim pieces to go from gray to black up there.

Looks like you're getting really close! When do you think you'll have her on the ground?

[D_Eclipse9916]

I think you could get away with doing just the black seats and leaving the gray panels and carpets. Maybe it looks different in person. You have the black headliner despite having the gray interior because its an M right? it would be a pain to get all the black trim pieces to go from gray to black up there.

Looks like you're getting really close! When do you think you'll have her on the ground?

Hoping to have her on the ground tomorrow night. And headliner may need to be done shortly, I can see it slightly coming off, I cant imagine itll last another summer.

Coolant lines tonight, bleed brakes/clutch, and springs tonight. (and hopefully a second coat of paint in my kitchen)

Assemble front end and small ancillaries such as putting the wiring awy tomorrow night and drop on the floor. God, it all sounds easier than doing it. :lol:

[D_Eclipse9916]

Been working away.

Since I am "okay" at welding, and don't have time to build my cat-back before this weekend, I used a piece of exhaust that someone had left at VIR to create turn-downs. I tacked and welded these real quickly on and should hold through the weekend at Summit.

Front suspension is bolted on and completed. "Technically" she is ready to go on the ground, but I am waiting on one part coming in tomorrow to finish up the upper radiator hose. I am not really happy the way the underhood looks right now since I rushed myself this past week. Guess ill be keeping the hood closed as much as I can this weekend, or ill just get frustrated and not bring the car at all. I am up in the air currently about it. I would really just like another week to clean up, tidy up, and get things the way I want it.

Thanks to Navin coming over and dealing with "pump" "ready" "floor" for bleeding the brakes/clutch.