jibbajabbas E30 M3 S38

[ifixum]

Superb!!!

[jhaurimn]

My god.

[Dave @nz]

Well done I agree it looks superb a real credit to your skills.
Dave.

[norMcal]

Glad to see it finished and all up and running.

[jibbajabba]

Spent another day at the dyno with Neel from Apex Speed Technology.

Made 312.7hp and 270lb ft at the rear wheels on a SuperFlow Autodyne 30. If you figure a 18% drive train loss, it's roughly 381hp / 329lb ft at the flywheel ... which meets my goal of 100hp per liter. I think there is a little more in it once some issues are figured out though.

It was being VERY sensitve to knock so he wasn't able to give it much timing. Also having a weird idle issue with the afr's fluctuating even though the isc was dead stable and it wasn't responding to any fuel or timing adjustments. So something is amiss there that needs to be sorted.

Thanks again to Neel and to Don at Motor Machine Super Shop in Carmichael for use of his very nice dyno room.

[Motorsports14]

312hp on a Superflow is very respectable. Most E46 M3's put down around 265whp on those dynos. How much timing are you running at peak torque? Would love to hear that thing rip, post some videos!

[Apex Speed Tech]

It was being VERY sensitve to knock so he wasn't able to give it much timing. Also having a weird idle issue with the afr's fluctuating even though the isc was dead stable and it wasn't responding to any fuel or timing adjustments. So something is amiss there that needs to be sorted.

It was a pleasure working on this car and I am looking forward to more! This is where there's no substitute for experience in tuning. We have 3 guys working for us, in various stages of their tuning education, and I mistake I see them making is also common to many of the cars I come to tune. Its too easy to tune around issues and not notice non-electronic things need to be sorted out first.

The issues with this particular project are straightforward and I'll let jibbajabba fill in the details when he has it all sorted. But the thing is probably one of my favorite E30 M3 swaps yet - there's something about the torque and simplicity of the S38 that gives it character none of the S14 cars could match.

I'm really looking to do an S65 E30....

[jibbajabba]

I belive the common mistakes Neel is referring to is the placement of the IAT and being able to verify base timing.

My plenum mounted IAT sensor was getting badly heat soaked. It has now been relocated to inside the airbox behind the headlight.

It proved to be difficult to verify base timing with the timing light because of everything being in the way. You just couldn't see the timing marks. Now I'm pretty sure It was correct, when I dialed it in originally, but to actually verify it later was impossible. I have since made new timing marks that are visible and also made marks on the flywheel, viewable from underneath through the bell housing cutouts.

Thanks again Neel. I'll be calling you shortly to schedule another day to wrap this thing up. I've been eyeing S65 engines for sale. Maybe one day I'll pull the trigger!

[alekshop]

Great work Josh!

[jibbajabba]

New IAT relocated to prevent heat soak and engine bay tidy up.

[jibbajabba]

Well it's been almost a week of driving in the Sacramento heat, around 100 degrees, sitting in the bullshit bumper to bumper traffic and no cooling issues.

Still want to do a hood vent of some sort though to help let some of the heat out.

[jibbajabba]

In reference to others wondering about the weight of an S38 swap, here are some actual #'s

Fully dressed engines, as removed from a car with harness and ecu's on top.

S54 - 522lbs
S38 3.6 - 597 lbs
S62 - 603 lbs
S65 - 630 lbs!

However, on my car...with the A/C compressor, bracket and smog pump removed, the cooling system changed to the 3.5 system and the headers changed to the M88 headers, it dropped 70lbs off the actual motor. And my ignition harness is easily 5 lbs or more lighter then the stock one. So it weighs the same as a S54!

It's surprising how heavy a s54 is, even more so how heavy the s65 is! Like Bruce said, when BMW advertised that the S65 was lighter then the S54, they were referring to the block only, not fully dressed.

[Alpina]

I have said it before and do it again,,, stunning car and superb swap....

[jibbajabba]

..

[GK-E30M3]

Sexy I like it without the Bumper Tape