Kato Kids BMW M3 powered 71' 240Z

[peter t]

Bladdy hell, Glad I stuck to L26 and SU Carbs. Good work mate.

[NZeder]

The bmw security/key/ecu/sync think is a PITA but when working you can know that if any part is replaced/tried to bypass = car will start but only run for 10-15 seconds. You need to have the system hooked up to a bmw diag thing and resync - this is only done by a bmw service agent and I am sure if your bmw is stolen they will know about it and not do it for you. The down side to this is if one of the ECU gets fried like the Targa BMW I have bit crewed on before (and it just happens to be long weekend with no bmw ecu handy or agents open) you are basically screwed until you get to the agent (reads one day out of the event)

 

Guys that race in the BMW series here in NZ have successfully replaced the whole setup with Autronic ECUs from across the ditch (ie your part of the world in VIC)

[Sirpent]

Hey David,

 

Seeing what you have done is both inspirational but also terrifying, Id wish you luck but don't think its needed somehow I think your meticulous preparation will pay divedends and any start up issues will be clinically dealt with as always.

 

Cheers

 

John

[KatoKid]

Mike.

 

Agree EWS is a PITA but is worth persevering with to enable the use of the factory ECU. I spoke with Autronic and others and they all said that after market ECU's will produce good peak HP but will never replicate the excellent factory driveability. The dual Vanos is infinitely variable and the mapping time for this alone would take days to get half right and then every time you make a change there you need to revisit fuel and ign mapping as well as they are all interdependent. Too much dyno time and cost (plus the ECU purchase) for something that will not be as good as factory. The factory ECU can be reflashed for higher top end HP but I'm  told this compromises mid range....all compromises.

[NZeder]

So true David, BMW setup is just outstanding out of the box so sticking with the stock system has its rewards as you have pointed ou + would love to see the look on a BMW service agent when you book in your E36 EVO M3 and rock up with a 240z powered by said cars engine and ask them to run a diag on the ECU/Engine

 

I just love the sound they make for a standard road car/setup just amazing

[KatoKid]

Wiring is done......its a bit rudimentary but will suffice for the purpose, the in car installation will be much tidier.

 

I could start it now if I had all the other bits I need! Should have planned ahead better as I'm still waiting on:

Speedhut gauges

Walbro GSS340 pump

Radiator - same as the one FuFu has just got.

 

My brother has donated his old exhaust off his SS Commondore to be used on the test stand, will cut and shut to my needs. Need to build a fuel tank (20 litre oil drum), plumb the fuel feed and return hoses. Install radiator, fans and hoses. Should see it ready to run.

 

Any wonder BMW's are so heavy, the left over body harness would weigh easily 20kg.

 

Waiting , waiting!

[Zedman240®]

While its on the test stand, attatch a blender to the crank for those c0cktails... looking yummy there; specially when its in between the strut towers!

[KatoKid]

Walbro pump has arrived, just need to adapt it to the BA/BF wagon fuel module (thanks Mike!), also the female plug for the fuel module (thanks again Mike!)

 

Gauges left the US yesterday.

 

Radiator.....mmm will be the hold up, I reckon a couple of weeks yet.

 

Picked up the standard VY SS Commondore exhaust from my brother on the weekend (thanks bro) and all I had to do was cut off the first few inches off where the engine pipes would normally join the cats and then weld to the first two feet of the BMW front section that I received with the engines from the UK. Very easy! Should be nice and quiet so I can get a good listen to the engine Vanos system.

 

[RBZ 260]

awsome. make sure u get a video cam running as well  and post it for us to drool. 

 

 

[Sirpent]

David,

 

AWSOME, maybe you would like some company when you go to crank it over, Im sure some of us would be more than willing to give you some moral support in hitting the start button?

 

Cheers

 

John

[NZeder]

You have to let me know when it is ready for the road - I see a visit to Oz to check all this out in the flesh might be in my future

 

Good news David

[Zedman240®]

David,

 

AWSOME, maybe you would like some company when you go to crank it over, I'm sure some of us would be more than willing to give you some moral support in hitting the start button?

 

Cheers

 

John

 

+1 I'd buy a ticket for that...

[KatoKid]

Got some more done during the week.....

 

The M3 engine requires a 5 Bar (73 psi) pump when most EFI systems are only 3 Bar (43 psi). Fortunately this is a common upgrade for XR6 turbo owners who replace their factory pumps with Walbro 255 lph high pressure pumps either GSS341 or GSS340, difference is that the suction side of the 340 is twice the size of the factory or 341 inlet so most go this way...and so did I. As noted before, Mike (NZeder) has done all the research and so big thanks to him. GSS340 pump was $115 off eBay and the BA/BF wagon module (includes standard pump) was $99.00 also off eBay.

 

Installing the 340 pump was a bit of a pain as the original pump is held in place by plastic clips that are part of the filter on the base of the pump and the filter for the 340 doesn't have these clips on the side so I had to make a bracket out of 1mm sheet and attach with a screw each side of the swirl pot above where the standard filter clips in. No biggie but chewed an hour or so to get it right. I reckon all the Ford boys don't go to this trouble and just let the pump and filter sit on the bottom of the swirl pot. The 340 filter has a plastic frame moulded into it and needed to be cut in the right places so it could be bent to fit inside the swirl pot. The black circle in the base of the swirl pot is a foot valve so the swirl pot is always full of fuel, I tested the set up when I had finished and even with only 40 - 50mm deep fuel in the drum the swirl pot was overflowing with fuel being returned from the FPR.

 

 

 

 

 

[KatoKid]

NZeder also sourced the 4 pin plug for the pump and sender wiring on the top of the module...thanks again bro!

 

The fuel lines (pressure and return) that run from the top of the module to the base are a really hard convoluted plastic, they don't run clamps of any kind and I'm guessing are installed with some heat at the manufacturing stage and when they cool they shrink onto the barbed fittings. They are bitch to get off the original pump but I used a heat gun and got it off Ok and was able to reuse with a clamp this time.

 

For the test stand I'm using a 20 litre oil drum as a fuel tank. The plastic fuel module is attached to the the tank with 6 studs or bolts using a steel retaining ring, this cost me $29 from the local Ford stealer, ouch....could have made it but what the hey! Still need a gasket for proper installation so I got some 3mm nitrile (fuel proof) rubber sheet from Purple Pig and 5 minutes with a knife a had really good gasket...cut a hole in the top of the drum and a few self tappers had it screwed down nicely.

 

Made a bracket to hold the drum on my test stand and then connected the EFI fuel hose. There are no barbs on the steel lines on the engine or on the plastic outlets on the fuel module as they both use clip on fittings which I didn't have so I just used good quality clamps so I could test it out. When the pump starts up you can see the hoses flex and move which is a bit scary....after all its pushing nearly 75 psi. The install in the car will be hard line and top quality (not plastic) clip on fittings, last thing I need is high pressure fuel spraying everywhere.

[KatoKid]

Also tidied up a few things while waiting for gauges and radiator.....

 

Made a removeable bracket for the battery to sit on.

 

Brazed the high and low pressure power steering hoses together to create a closed loop. Need to do this as the PS pump is run off the single serpentine belt that runs everything else so I need some fluid circulating. PS specialist says will be OK? bit worried about high pressure fluid running straight back to the reservoir without doing any work.

 

Made a strap to mount the factory air filter....not really required but took 10 minutes so why not!

 

Gauges this week...radiator??? still a couple I reckon. Getting anxious now....want to see if it runs OK.

[NZeder]

good progress - re the fuel module - nice write up about the pump replacement, something I don't need to worry about. Re the connectors from the pump/module to your hardlines this is what I have done - I have had AN6 stainless fittings welded to my stock 8mm hardlines (my 260z has the same size feed and return lines at 8mm also my 260z is a non pollution/smog version so does not have the evaporator tank in the inner rear guard or the extra vent line from the rear to the engine bay for a carbon canister - so this was another reason for this fuel module as it has valve on the top for venting/pressure balance)

 

Ok got a bit side tracker there. Anyway AN6 fittings - I then got some of the Earls push to connect to AN fittings for the fuel module so I will then run AN6 lines from these fittings to the hard lines. I will find the part numbers and post here shortly for you David

 

Cheers

Mike 

[NZeder]

Correction - it was not Earl's fittings but Russell fittings - I got them from summitracing.com (I had an account there already - they do charge a handling fee - but so be it they had what I needed)

 

I am sure if Russell's make then Earl's or Speedflow should too - I just could not find black from either supplier but Russell's had them.

 

I ordered 1 x 3/8 to AN6 and 2 x 5/16 to AN6 fittings. Here are the links on summitracing

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/RUS-640853/

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/RUS-640863/

And images - if they work

[KatoKid]

Thanks Mike.

 

Aeroflow (Rocket Industries) also have the same.

 

David

[RB30X]

http://www.mscn.com.au/scripts/prodView.asp?idproduct=649

 

I've got one on my car too. Very handy.

[PeterAllen]

Just a note of caution. I purchased one of those just to see how they would go and when fitted to the Holden in-tank pump there was no room to use the special release tool thingo. In other word they would go on but not come off! They only seem to work on the rails where there is room to manoeuvre the removal tool. Just check if you intend to use them on the fuel pump.

 

I reverted back to the Holden lines I removed from my donor car. I also went to a wreckers and cut off a few male ends and used them in the fuel system as well.

[KatoKid]

Thanks for the heads up PeteA.

 

Can you provide details on removal tool? I haven't got or seen then ends from the Falcon but the BMW ends I have are just like a click on garden hose where you just pull back the collar and it releases the fitting...no tool required.

 

Mike have you tried yours?

[peter mc]

they can be tricky but you need to push them in and then squeeze them in and pull back at the same time and they come off no problems. can be fun for the first time but with practise they are easy

[NZeder]

I have had a little look/play with my connectors - my new pump is still in Melbourne so I did not want to push it home on this second hand unit I have in case I did have issue removing it. But I did play with the 5/16 vent line connection and one of my adaptors - they are tricky but do come off - need non computer keyboard hands I bet.

 

Having said that - please see this pdf explains the different quick connection fittings and how to removed. The AN6 fittings are like figure 36 - aka no tool required

 

http://www.wjjeeps.com/misc/quick_connect.pdf

 

This site show also how they disconnect

 

http://foxed.ca/rx7manual/2003mazdarx8/esicont/en/srvc/html/BHE011442692W01.html

 

And as Peter has just pointed out - once you know how they work they are easy - I need to play with the connector more so I am up to speed like Peter is

[PeterAllen]

That's great information, perhaps I didn't persevere enough. The original Holden fitting is a 'latch type' and requires the tool, and perhaps seeing no tabs on the body of my Russell fitting (like the the Holden fuel rail fittings) I assumed (wrongly) it was a 'latch type' - I can't find it at the moment but the photo above seem to indicate it is a two tab fitting with the tabs outside the body of the fitting. Thanks, and apologies for suggesting it was otherwise.

[NZeder]

Ok just popped out the shed and got one of my adaptor things for AN6 to 5/16 quick-connect fitting.

 

Anyway here are some pics that show how they work - so no tool required - however due to the good seal of the o-ring in the adaptor that is what makes it hard to pull off while pressing in the tags. The little clip stays on the fuel module/tube but is easily removed once the adaptor off and out of the way.

 

Ok so some pictures - as they say - worth a 1000 words.

 

Pic 1 - clip removed shows inside the unit on how the clip is retained via the lip

Pic 2 - with the clip installed

Pic 3 - with out the clip installed