[TriniGT]

Almost a year ago I took the plunge on a neglected F30 that had been sitting for several years that had been through flood waters and had the engine damaged.

Vehicle was taken to a local shop and the frontend scrapped and the engine removed, dismantled and left there in boxes.

I would have seen the car there and made the owner an offer which he eventually accepted and this would be my first engine rebuild project.

I am a bit hands-on so I have reach the point that I am not as intimidated as I would have been in the past.

Plans for the vehicle would be as a daily driver with a couple upgrades.

Vehicle as it is now,

Attachment 3029562

[TriniGT]

Water damage to the Cylinder walls and Connecting Rods.

[TriniGT]

Sent the block to sleeve and have the head checked for leaks, decked it. Also sent the crankshaft to check for straightness and all was well so had it polished same time.

[TriniGT]

Did some measurements and installed some CPs as the OEM piston/rod/ring combo was way too expensive so did CP std 84mm pistons, OEM rods from Ebay (complete set of used items in good order), ARP connecting rod bolts and 'OEM' (allegedly) BMW main and connecting rods bearings from China.

Used Plastigage and fitted everything dry and measured and all was within specs and then lubricated and finished up the block.

Cleaned Block

Cleaned Head


Complete Block with CPs,

[TriniGT]

Oil pump attached,


Block waiting for the head, thick OEM headgasket used as I decked the block and skimmed the head.


Built head with new valve seals, and cleaned all components,


Together hopefully forever



Setting Timing,

[TriniGT]

Took the complete head and block to the office and fitting components and harness in anticipation of engine install.

[TriniGT]

Car eagerly awaiting its new transplant, in the mean time I am sorting a water ingress leak on the driveside rear flooring and got the interior cleaned.

Interior Cleaned,




Water Ingress ,


And that's where I'm at currently. Hoping next week to reunite the engine and tranny and fill fluids and try to start.

Other things to fit after would be my M Performance big brake upgrade, android screen upgrade, blackout headlights with iconic ring upgrade and demon eyes, M Performance grills, M performance front and rear diffuser, rear 335i exhaust barrel with black tips, M performance style sideskirt extensions, H&R sport springs, OLED tailights, either my M3 rear lip spoiler or something subtle for the rear.

Looking for some BBS LMs Style 20" wheels as well to complete the look I am after.

[TriniGT]

Kudos to the owner and sorry but this is what I am after,

[BMWsE92]

Love the Alpine White F30! Good luck with the build!

[TriniGT]

Front PDC retrofit, M Performance Grills. The sensor harness seems to be for an LHD setup so wire was a bit short and just fit as the connector is on the driver (US passenger) side of the vehicle.

Gonna try a DIY touchup paint on the edges to see how it comes out as I have a couple rubs and chips on the edges, then will fit the M Performance lower lip.

Looking for LED front fogs to retro as well while I'm already here.

Stepped Drill Pit


Front PDC Retrofit


M Performance Grills


Registration Plate removed to install front mounting plate bracket

[KOWTOWN]

great build, love seeing someone truly build it from the ground up. Always want to do something like this one time, but don't want to start until I know I have to cash flow that I'm the bottleneck LOL, not income

[TriniGT]

Thanks guys, engine should be going in this Saturday, fingers crossed my build was done properly. It's my first time so this would be my guinea pig so to speak after which once successful I have some other to tackle i.e. M20B25 rebuild with fresh parts and to turbocharge for my E30 Sedan, an S13 SR20DET block to forge with a VE head and turbocharge for my E30 coupe and to complete my M5 V10 which is on it's home stretch and lastly my GTiR Pulsar with an SR20VET transplant.

Some of the toys to complete,

E30 Sedan [M20B25(T)] - Needs much love but they're not that common locally


E30 Coupe (SR20VET) - To restore factory Alpine White and same time do an M3 exterior





Project E60 M5 V10








GTiR Pulsar SR20VET

[TriniGT]

Got engine fitted today, overlooked s couple items for the install, broken turbo inlet (maybe just go for aftermarket intake setup - recommendations ), broken bonnet cable, missing coolant pump clamp.

Need to drain transmission and differential and replace fluids as the car was in a flood. Filled oil and fitted filter, replaced sump plug, once coolant system complete will fill, tumble to prime oil system then try to start have run for some time and check everything over then take for a spin hopefully. Will replace oil and filter after first spin as I want the rings to seat properly by revving to 4500 rpm between shifts for the first couple Kms.

Need recommendations for turbo inlet (may change immediately), charge pipes possibly, upgraded downpipe and intercooler but this will only happen once I am confident the build was a success.

Engine Bay waiting for transplant,


Torque Convertor installed,

Engine Installed,

[TriniGT]

Guys, fitted the turbo inlet and it crumbled on installation.

Ordered an FTP turbo inlet and FTP charge pipes I got from a seller at a steal. Saw persons modding the upper turbo intake pipe to the airbox to get a more throaty sound and response so may look at that.

Thinking of getting a MAD 5" intercooler and after that once things are progressing I will look at possible upgrade to ECU/transmission, downpipe and exhaust. Now that I have forged pistons and ARP conrod bolts I may look at some point of a bolt-on turbo upgrade and possible fuel setup but I just want to have a fun trouble-free daily commute so just some bolt-ons for now.

Yesterday we were able to remove the fuel pump and drain the tank of the old fuel, fuel sat for bout 4-5yrs. Fill fresh fuel and gave her a tumble, got oil pressure and fuel filled the line and on the third tumble it came to life for the first time under my ownership and from my first ever engine build, lots of nerves and doubts but everything went smoothly and engine quickly idled like a stock untouched unit.

I am totally excited and grateful that all went well and for the couple of folks that assisted me along the way.

Just some cosmetic stuff to do for the exterior and interior stuff like android or iDrive screen upgrade and to complete all the overdue serviceable items like brake fluid, service check etc. Technical campaigns have been addressed like airbag replacement, grommet removal, camshaft check as well and all is well.

[TriniGT]

Got some stuff done yesterday.

1. Was able to run front PDC retrofit harness to rear trunk area (just to plug in wires)
2. Installed the PDC button by the shifter and wire it.
3. Installed OEM rear camera, problem seems that the video cable is too short to route to the front for the camera module so will have to find an area on the rear RHD passenger side to install the module and connect the video cable. Harness has been run on the passenger side to the front and will be wrapped until I order my upgraded NBT setup as I currently don't even have navigation but have seen some installed NBT no problem.
4. Ordered a set of paddles along with harness and back cover to retrofit to my M sport steering, same time I will fit the new replacement steering.

Things to do,

Brakes and Suspension
1. Send M performance Calipers to powdercoat
2. Install new rotors F&R shields, braided lines and calipers with Hawk 5.0 pads and code 2NH
3. Order bumpstops
4. Install H&R super sport springs

Exterior
1. Install DRL Tailights
2. Install M3 rear spoiler colour matched
3. Install sideskirt extensions
4. Install front M Performance Style diffuser
5. Install rear M Performance Style 335i diffuser

Engine Bay Stuff,
1. Install FTP Turbo inlet (shipped)
2. Install gutted factory inlet top pipe
3. Install FTP charge pipes (shipped)
4. Install MAD 5" intercooler (shipped)
5. Order downpipe
6. Install F30 335i mid pipe
7. Install 335i Rear exhaust barrel with black tips

[TriniGT]

Buttoning Up the frontend,

Front PDC Retrofit complete, yes screen is going when the NBT upgrade is complete and then I can finish my in-progress rear camera retrofit.


Next on the agenda is powdercoating the M Performance calipers and completing the M Performance brake upgrade.

I have also ordered F80 front and rear bumpstops to compliment my H&R supersport lowering springs. Will order the 15mm swaybar as well for the upgrade.

Contemplating whether to install the GTS style rear tails or go for something a bit more standard in the LCI units, will try and see.

[clemsonf31]

Great build thread, very well done. I’m more interested in the E30 with an SR20!

Max

[TriniGT]

Just received LED fogs so will retro those and figure out how to install the VLAND OLED tails.

I have the pre-lci tail so not sure if the inner lights have a wiring harness.

[TriniGT]

LED Foglights installed, just need to code. Have never used Esys before so will try today to do both the LEF fogs and the VLAN V2 tails.

Any help is appreciated.

LED Fogs,


Tailights removed,

[TriniGT]

So tried fitting my VLAND OLED GTS Tails to yesterday. My car is apre-lci so connected everything and activated them and all but the right outer light work. Realized eventually that the right outer pins were mixed up and the indicator and brake were opposite. Upon further investigation apparently VLAND labelled the connector incorrectly and the LCI connector was really the pre-lci connector.

Made the switch and all is well. Just need to figure out how to code both the LED tails and the LED fogs with E-Sys which I have never used before.

Working connector,


Faulty Connector,


Installed corrected and working,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l6dWkjxYGaY

[TriniGT]

Since my car came with regular brakes I thought for both aesthetics and for performance a brake upgrade was inn order.

370mm Caliper upgrade off of Ebay, calipers needed some love so decided to rattle can it with Phoenix Yellow 445 along with some clear. Here is the result, not the best but good enough as they will be hidden away behind the wheels, no biggie.

Along with the calipers I purchased new Zimmerman front and rear rotors, new replacement shields for the upgrade in size and braided brake lines, bolts, brake pad pins, locks and plates. Hoping to complete the change this week along with replacing the leaky brake reservoir, never heard of them leaking but when we were about to drain the fluid we realized it leaked at the top crimped ends of the reservoir.

Chipped Ebay Calipers,

Cleaned, scuffed and used some alcohol to prep for the base coat and then cleared it,

Painters tape removed,


As I said not to worried on the look as they will be hidden and will get some heat and stone chips no doubt.

[TriniGT]

So a couple weeks have gone by. Things accomplished,

Brake upgrade completed - Had an issue with the rear rotors where the inner hub diameter on the Zimmerman rotors was too small so had to get another set. Got that sorted and did the 2NH coding and all is well.

Installed the FTP inlet and charge pipes and also the MAD 5" intercooler.

Finally also got the car running, it threw a drivetrain fault and realized that the Vavletronic motor was problematic, picked up a new one and had to scrap the top to have it installed. Did the run-in programming and all seems well so far.

Also got Bimmercode and completed the LED foglight retrofit and coded the fogs along with the OLED tailights to stay on for daytime driving and whatnot.

Just to sort paddle shifter retrofit and the rear cabin water leak then install a couple of cosmetic items.

Plan is to acquire the 19" 437M wheels and same time install the F80 bumpstops along with the H&R Super sport lowering springs.

After this would be install M Performance front and rear diffusers along with sideskirt extensions and M3 rear trunk spoiler