LS1 / T56 DD e28 BMW Build

franken_e28 · Post by **franken_e28** » Jan 05, 2012 9:44 PM

Dang, you beat me to it. I bought a Camaro Z28 with an LS1/T56 just to have the drivetrain and all of the parts associated with the car, as you did. The difference is that mine is not wrecked, but I still got it cheaper than buying just the engine with ECU on Ebay or from a salvage yard! (the rear end is making noise, but who cares!)

This is great work. Thanks for posting all of the pictures and updates!

Now, to decide whether to put the LS1 into an E28 or into a classic American car?!?!? I really want to do the classic but the E28 makes a great, unassuming daily driver and would actually get used and enjoyed daily. I am torn.

Maybe I'll have to go to your place for a visit to be convinced!

jakeb · Post by **jakeb** » Jan 05, 2012 9:55 PM

haha yeah come on over. Buying a car and parting it is the way to go if you have the time and space. My engine/trans is nearly free after selling everything off.

jakeb · Post by **jakeb** » Jan 07, 2012 9:41 PM

Swapped the stock e28 booster back in and look at that...it fits. I had to spin it around so the vacuum port is closer to the outside of the car but running a stock booster is a plus. The one downside is to replace the booster I have to just about pull the engine.

Once I knew the booster would work the engine came out of the car. Dropped the subframe and welded in the steering box reinforcement (no picture). So that is ready to go off to the coater.

Cleaned up the engine bay a little bit. I am still up in the air if I am going to rip all the sound insulation off the firewall and replace it with something new. yes or no?

before...

after...

There is a little bit of surface rust in the battery tray...so that needs to get cleaned up and painted with some POR and painted over with some color to match.

Cleaned the mounts up a bit and fully welded the trans mount. Also made some jigs...anyone want a set of e28 ls1/t56 mounts? send me a PM

1st 5er · Post by **1st 5er** » Jan 07, 2012 10:01 PM

Yes, to the new firewall insulation.

jakeb · Post by **jakeb** » Jan 07, 2012 10:06 PM

I really wish I could get the factory stuff still. Anyone have a REALLY nice one they want to sell?

there are other options and I will more than likely do that but...

johnnye23 · Post by **johnnye23** » Jan 08, 2012 8:13 AM

I think Rack and pinion steering would really make this swap easier as well as installing a small aftermarket Hot Rod power brake booster .

Coming along nicely.

jakeb · Post by **jakeb** » Jan 08, 2012 8:52 AM

yes a rack would make things a lot easier. I really didn't want to get into that tho. One of those really small boosters would probably not even work... I had a 2002 booster which is pretty small and it is even back behind the head.

Matt · Post by **Matt** » Jan 08, 2012 12:14 PM

those solid steel mounts are just the mockups before you build replacements that accept the factory rubberized mounts, right?

ElGuappo · Post by **ElGuappo** » Jan 08, 2012 12:28 PM

Matt,
Pretty sure those are just the arms from the block to the rubber mount.
No way you could solid mount a torky motor like that in a flexible chassis like ours.

jakeb · Post by **jakeb** » Jan 08, 2012 1:22 PM

yeah the stock rubber mount is under the metal bottom plate, you just can't see it under them. I would not run solid mounts on anything....vibrate me to death.

jakeb · Post by **jakeb** » Jan 08, 2012 8:14 PM

cleaned the insulation off the firewall...looks better already.

I have a few more "what's that wire" questions.

1) comes from the fuse box

2) This connection comes from the round connector which also has wires that goes to the funny OBC horn in the battery tray

3) ???

4) 99% sure this is the brake fluid level connection

5) vacuum line for ????

Is this factory looking?

What is this for...just me being curious

What are these clips for?

Post by **mooseheadm5** » Jan 08, 2012 8:21 PM

Oh lord, you didn't label anything.

1: Level sensor for the coolant tank.
2: Dunno off the top of my head.
3: Some wiring for cars with hydraulic brake boost. Ignore them.
4: Pretty sure you are correct.
5: Vacuum line for interior temp sensor. It needs a restrictor and it needs to be hooked to engine vacuum.
6: Not stock. Looks like someone tried to make the wrong motor fit (there are two different kinds.)

Curious: 32 degree F temp switch.
Those clips are for stuff, I would guess.

Keep in mind that not all of the wires will connect to something.

Make sure you put a heat shield on that driver's side UCAB or you'll put the hurt on it.

jakeb · Post by **jakeb** » Jan 08, 2012 8:31 PM

Well the engine was half gone when I got it so a lot of these wires were already disconnected...pretty much all of them actually.

Is there both a coolant level sender wire on both sides of the engine bay? There is this one on the passenger side which I thought was coolant... The 535 and 528 have the coolant tanks in different spots right?

On the fan it says Behr...I was planning to replace it just while it is super easy to do so...
Should it maybe have the other brand? Was there a cut off date from one to the other.

Will just a simple filter type work as a restrictor? How does this temp sensor work? What does it control?

haha well those little clips are in random spots but nothing is connected/clipped to them.

535is-pa · Post by **535is-pa** » Jan 08, 2012 8:50 PM

!!!!!!! while you in there change the windshield wiper mechanism to the one that was in the part pile! something is up with that one on the slowest wiper setting. it kinda stutters sometimes. the spare one is from my 535 and works perfect.

jakeb · Post by **jakeb** » Jan 08, 2012 8:53 PM

actually I was going through those parts today. thanks for letting me know, I'll be sure to swap it out!!

Post by **mooseheadm5** » Jan 08, 2012 9:02 PM

jakeb wrote:Is there both a coolant level sender wire on both sides of the engine bay? There is this one on the passenger side which I thought was coolant... The 535 and 528 have the coolant tanks in different spots right?

Correct, the coolant bottles are in different locations depending upon motor. Pretty sure the body harnesses are the same for all motors.

Will just a simple filter type work as a restrictor? How does this temp sensor work? What does it control?

The temp sensor reads interior temp for the HVAC. It needs constant airflow over it to correctly sample cabin temps.The restrictor can be a piece of WD-40 straw put into the vacuum line leading to the motor.

535is-pa · Post by **535is-pa** » Jan 08, 2012 9:03 PM

there is only one coolant sensor the one with the paper clip in it is it.

the car had no blower motor when i got it, i had 3 and that one fit the best with some ghetto rigging. it works great an i bought it new in about 2003ish so i just used it.

that white hose went to the cold start valve on the m20.... i remember that clearly because i was freaked out it would leak fuel, it dosnt.

#3 i really dont recognize

i never figured out what those clips are for.

i didnt have #1 hooked to anything as i remember.

Post by **mooseheadm5** » Jan 08, 2012 9:06 PM

535is-pa wrote: that white hose went to the cold start valve on the m20\

No, on the M20 it hooks to the same plate that the cold start valve bolts to, but it is not related to the cold start valve.

535is-pa · Post by **535is-pa** » Jan 08, 2012 9:07 PM

mooseheadm5 wrote:
535is-pa wrote: that white hose went to the cold start valve on the m20\
No, on the M20 it hooks to the same plate that the cold start valve bolts to, but it is not related to the cold start valve.

hu,

well the heat worked great with it removed, i never tried the AC.

jakeb · Post by **jakeb** » Jan 08, 2012 9:13 PM

thanks for the help guys

Post by **mooseheadm5** » Jan 08, 2012 9:13 PM

535is-pa wrote:
well the heat worked great with it removed, i never tried the AC.

On full heat, the heat will work well. Unfortunately if you don't have a working sensor, you only get full heat and you can't get the heater valve to cycle to moderate the temperature.

jakeb · Post by **jakeb** » Jan 10, 2012 1:41 PM

Just put in a HUGE parts order with steve/blunt. I was up in the air about going with M5 sways right now or waiting but just decided to go all out. This order from the UPS man is going to be fun to get.

Dropped off the struts, heat shields, backing plates, front subframe, and LS1 mounts to the powder coater last night. Should be one more load going next week. Waiting on a few things to get here first.

It is the end of the semester this week so next week I have a handful of half days and a couple days off so I am hoping to get all the rust fixed and the entire bottom of the car repainted. As well as the engine bay cleaned up a bit more.

On the e28 what is the connector called from the fusebox to the engine harness? I know the e30 is the c101, but don't know the name for the e28. Also if anyone has the pin out for that connector that would be excellent. TIA

Mark 88/M5 Houston · Post by **Mark 88/M5 Houston** » Jan 10, 2012 1:46 PM

Here is a site for you to download the ETM for your chassis. It may not be exact (I seem to remember this being a Euro car), but it should answer a lot of your questions. http://wedophones.com/BMWManualsLead.htm

jakeb · Post by **jakeb** » Jan 10, 2012 1:57 PM

I do have the ETM from there but honestly haven't dug through it that much yet. Knowing the name of the connector would help to put together a pin out though.

jakeb · Post by **jakeb** » Jan 10, 2012 2:09 PM

Search first right...

http://www.mye28.com/viewtopic.php?t=60 ... sc&start=0

Should this be the same for a 85 528e?

jakeb · Post by **jakeb** » Jan 16, 2012 8:00 PM

Does anyone know what this connector is for?
It was off the engine harness near the DME connector

535is-pa · Post by **535is-pa** » Jan 16, 2012 9:10 PM

jakeb wrote:Does anyone know what this connector is for?
It was off the engine harness near the DME connector

umm i still have the harness that was used to run the m30. , that is an m20 harness for parts, it has an issue in it somewhere.

what you are holding is the connector for the idle control module

jakeb · Post by **jakeb** » Jan 16, 2012 10:17 PM

thanks...I cut what I needed out of the harness and tossed it in the scrap bin. I cut that connector off too just in case but now it can go in the scrap too.

Just pulled the c101, c103 and a few of the relays. I am hoping I can use the relay holders because they slide into the fuse box. It will make my harness a little more factory looking.

jakeb · Post by **jakeb** » Jan 20, 2012 8:17 PM

It's coooooollllldddd here in Michigan but got a little done today.

Dropped the trans off to be checked over as I knew it had a problem with the reverse syncro. I also wanted to upgrade a few things in it. Well when the shop got it apart there was a bit more wrong than I was expecting. 5/6 gear was bad, reverse gear is bad, needs syncros throughout, getting brass shift pads, steel 3-4 shift fork. It should be a bit more stout and handle up to 600hp. Pretty big chunk of change but it will be good to go now.

Lots of parts have been rolling in. thanks blunttech
control arms, wheel bearings, brakes, etc etc etc

Jags that run diff flange and brake rotors

Got one of the bigger batches of coated parts.

Reinforced front sway bar mount location

One of the things to work out was the gauge temp sensor. THE GM head is m12x1.5 and the e28 sensor is m14x1.5. So I had a buddy turn it down on his lathe and re-thread it. I really didn't want to drill out the head...sensor is $6 no big deal if it is messed up.

Added the Ireland rear subframe adjusters, subframe can go to the coater now.

Pulled the engine wiring harness off to start slimming it down for a standalone.

Duke · Post by **Duke** » Jan 22, 2012 4:03 PM

Check out this episode of Horse Power - http://www.powerblocktv.com/player/show ... ep_show=HP

They took a iron block LS engine, punched it out to a 408, carbed it (Ultra HP 950 CFM) and stuck it in a 60s Camaro. It made over 500 HP.

MyE28.com

MyE28.com

LS1 / T56 DD e28 BMW Build