LQ9 into E39 Swap

Finally the spool lid can be put back on. It took me a few tries to align it with the bolt holes in the spool case, all while making sure the I used the same method that I did installing the ring gear. Use bolts to get it started a few threads in, then remove bolts. The friction of the spool lid is so great that it won't go anywhere once you remove the bolts. The key was to tighten them all equally (1 turn at a time or so) to make sure each end of the lid came down roughly at the same rate.


The cover is cocked in this picture, one of about a half dozen attempts to get it aligned perfectly. Once it's close rotationally I used a rubber mallet to further seat the cover. It won't ever fully seat without the bolts because the tension of the Bellevue washers resists that.


The bolts were pretty nasty. Remember, these were inside the spool lid, which is inside the main diff case, and somehow **** still got in there (in a bath of oil as well). I cleaned the threads with a fingernail, rag, and brake cleaner.


Before reinstalling the bolts, I blew out the threaded blind holes with compressed air and found a nice little specimen of OEM threadlocker.


Bolts partially snugged down, about 25 ft-lbs with Red Loctite.


It really takes some torque on the bolts (evenly of course) to bring the cover down and compress the spring washers.


I torqued to 25 ft-lbs first pass, then about 60 ft-lbs second pass.


At this point it's all ready for new races and bearings, that's happening tomorrow morning.

That is a limited slip. not a spool. A spool locks both axles together pertinently and does not allow any differential action.

http://bc4x4.com/faqs/yj.cfm?cat=7&faqid=156

Originally Posted by nsogiba

Everything is a mirror image from now on, starting with that second dog bone assembly. The "line of symmetry" is between the dog bones.

After the dog bones are together and in, the next main side drive gear goes in, teeth down.


You can see the drive gear teeth meshing with the dog bone planet gear teeth.


"Crown cap" goes next, notched V side down.


The ears of the crown cap fall nicely into the slots machined in the main spool case. Very tight tolerances so it all slides down slowly on a film of oil.


Another clutch disc


And the teeth line up nicely with the end of the main side drive gear.


Followed by a dog ear friction disc, which slides nicely into the slots.



Bellevue washer, narrow cone end up

It probably didn't matter but I kept all oil control washers and spring/Bellevue washers side specific.


Oil control washer, groove down


Small diameter spring washer, narrow cone end up


Followed by the last oil control washer, groove end up.

weather is getting nicer. was able to work on the car with the door open for the first time in months.



exhaust is done. CTS-V manifolds, stainless 2.25" mandrel piping



oil pan is on. it was warm out so my fiancee decided to help out.

Manifolds are finally done, painted with VHT Flameproof header paint





Luckily I didn't have to trim any of the OEM manifold heat shields to fit the exhaust. Forgot to snap a picture of those bolted onto the manifolds.

My rebuilt Stage 2 T56 will be here Friday, along with the Diamond lightweight flywheel. I'll bolt up the flywheel, Diamond Stage 2 clutch/pressure plate, and hopefully install the motor for the last time this weekend.

Also ordered a Tick speed bleeder to bleed the new system quickly and easily. I still need to figure out whether the new 4th gen F-Body clutch line can be modified the way the E36 guys do, since the E39 master may be different.

Well, lots going on.

Ordered a 1330 slip yoke locally, it came in yesterday, test fit it today, and of course it's the wrong one and doesn't fit. I am going to return it and go to another, more competent shop locally (Denny's Driveshaft).

Also wrapped up the clutch line. Rather than modify the camaro master cylinder fitting to match the BMW, i just had a local hydraulic shop mate the 2 lines. Installed and fits perfectly. I also installed the Lokar throttle cable; the outer sleeve was the perfect length, but the inner line was just a tad too short, so $5 later, a bicycle brake line trimmed to fit finished the job. I finished up the pedals, put them all back together, and we're good to go. I would have bled the clutch but didn't have any spare fluid on hand.



I rebuilt the driver's side engine mount to clear the alternator, and was inspired to get creative with the sharpie...i think it was the brake cleaner fumes







These also came in. I need to buy one of those 45* filler necks so the oil filler cap lines up with the cover.




T56 came back from Texas Drivetrain



and it all went together smoothly.



Then, my daily driver decided to surprise me on Thursday morning



It was broken into 5 pieces, and shredded that tire. I grabbed a replacement spring from a junkyard and had it on the road again later that day.

Chipping away at the little things...

Alternator mounted up, new eyelet crimped to batt (+) wire, hooked up to alternator
My fiancee helped me bleed the clutch using my Tick Speedbleeder (great product, I can't even imagine doing it from under the car). I've never driven a 4th Gen F-Body before, but the clutch feels like what I would expect in one. At this point the pedals are completely wrapped up and done...it felt nice to sit and make vroom vroom noises while playing with the gas and clutch.

I also finally found the cranked 12V+ wire, so I will hook that up to the starter this evening, put some oil in it, and possibly bump the starter just to see if anything blows up (plugs are not in yet, coils aren't hooked up, and injectors aren't wired, so no harm).

very cool, I just sold my GTO and got a 540i. While I love the LSx motors, that swap looks a bit too daunting for me. Im actually pretty happy with the stock power output of the m60 4.4 for a daily driver anyway.

Did you stick with LQ4/9 or go for an all aluminum option ?

Originally Posted by ls14winter

very cool, I just sold my GTO and got a 540i. While I love the LSx motors, that swap looks a bit too daunting for me. Im actually pretty happy with the stock power output of the m60 4.4 for a daily driver anyway.

Did you stick with LQ4/9 or go for an all aluminum option ?

There are swap kits available out there with premade mounts and headers which make it MUCH easier. Many people also just drop in stock motors with no rebuild, whereas I chose to tear down the top end of mine to replace many parts and machine the heads. Dropping in a stock motor on premade mounts with headers done would have saved me MONTHS of work, but would have cost me many thousands more. I preferred to make it all myself to build my fabrication skills and to save money (okay, I just am a cheap bastard).

All aluminum prices are absurd now, so I wanted an iron block from the very beginning. Also wanted an LQ9 for higher compression, but ended up saving another grand or so by going with an LQ4, and raising the compression back up by machining the heads. There were a few people that cried bloody murder at the idea of putting a heavy iron block in, but this will be strictly a street car that might see the dragstrip MAYBE once a year, so ideal weight distribution was not a huge concern. It's more of a street bruiser that can have fun on the highway and seat 5 comfortably.

Badass swap, nice work.

Well, may have hit a snag. I wrapped up the power steering system last night and filled it with fluid. No leaks are apparent, but then again I won't know for sure until the motor runs and the system hits full pressure. The low pressure side turned out great, and I was able to reuse the stock power steering cooler on the evaporator bracket. I removed the evaporator itself since I'm not running AC.

I used Russell PowerFlex Power Steering Hose 632610, -6AN size on the high pressure side, which is fine.



My banjo fitting on the box is fine and so is the o-ring to –6AN fitting on the LS pump. However, I did use regular Summit-brand hose ends on the high pressure line. From what I'm reading they're not suitable for power steering use. Is this correct? Here's what I used:




If those are wrong, I'm off to buy more hose ends….luckily all I need is a 90 and a straight hose end. Maybe the local speed shop has a few in stock. I assume this is what I need.





This evening I'm hoping to have the heater lines all done. Corvette radiator gets here tomorrow, I'll mount that up along with the dual fans I pulled off a Monte Carlo in a yard.

Also arriving tomorrow is the Corvette FPR/Filter, silicone intake elbow to the TB, and some replacement sway bar end links. Stock ones were shot and causing some clunks over bumps.

getting closer. I took a week off from work to make progress on the car and blow off some steam overall.

Corvette FPR and filter installed

Cooling system done. No leaks, but it'll really be put to the test once we I fire it up. Here is the final routing I went with.


I also replaced the front sway bar end links as they had been clunking since I bought the car.

Received the last reducing coupler I needed for the intake, so that's all set. I'll be using a section of 3" SS exhaust pipe I have laying around to extend the filter as close as I can to the factory cold air intake ducting in the bumper/fender. Probably going to paint it wrinkle black.

The biggest task of the week was working on wiring. I had to add a few pins/wires to the BMW cluster to be able to accept analog GM tach and coolant temp signals, since the cluster originally got those signals from the DME (now gone) in CAN-BUS. The pins are unlike any other small cluster pins I have seen, but a trip to the yard found me a fistful of these crown shaped connectors out of a white E36. Oddly enough, all the other BMWs there had the common L-shaped pin, both older and newer. I must have spent 2 hours looking for them, but finally got them. I also need a BMW coolant sensor pigtail, but I couldn't find one of those at the yard either, unfortunately.

I went through the GM harness again and removed a handful of circuits I missed the first time around. It's unbelievable how many useless wires and connectors are included in every harness, but I suppose it's easier/cheaper to build them that way as an OEM rather than customizing each harness to each vehicle. Even after thinning it out, the whole mess was still just a huge ball of wires, so there was no chance of laying it on the motor in a clean manner. I spent a day or two on the living room floor disassembling the harness wire by wire, labeling, and separating all the wires. It still needs a bit of cleanup, but it's 90% there. Now it's just a matter of sitting the fuse panel and PCM connectors in their places in the engine bay, and routing/shortening the wires exactly as I like. Time consuming, but much neater and more efficient than trying to untangle on the spot.

Once the GM harness is in and hooked up to all the usual crap, I can make the BMW/GM connections, and once the PCM comes in, I can hopefully fire it up for the first time.

Still need to finish the rear diff and have a driveshaft made before it's driveable.

Mail order tune is done and PCM is on a truck back to me….based on my cam and springs, the Jim at Speed Inc in IL set my rev limit at 6650. Hopefully that, along with the 3.62s and 18lb flywheel, should be fun

awesome build. subscribed and waiting for a video. i bet it's going to sound pretty badass

I cranked it over with the plugs in it last night, with the fuel and coils unplugged. It felt very beefy compared to the M62. Doing the wiring now, hoping to fire up in the next week or two.

Alright...the drum is rolling.......we all had been waiting for this day.

Really excited to see this thing drive! Keep up the good work!

PCM depinned (again) and repinned to fix my own mistakes, all wires routed and taped….tonight I will finally run power and grounds to all sensors and PCM and see what happens.

Getting close. Nicely done.

Getting close. Nicely done.

I've followed this for a long time, really cool to see this coming together. Keep it going!! Nice work so far, thanks for sharing.

only because you guys asked nicely.

Life has been keeping me busy...someone hit my Subaru while it was parked and then ran, but i got the plate, so i've been on the phone with insurance and police trying to get it all squared away. also finally set up 3 interviews for next week, so it's been hectic to say the least.

i had a local ship set up my M5 diff with the 3.62s and as far as i can tell it turned out well. I still have to slap the cover on and install it into the car. then, measure for driveshaft...

oh, and this happened today
[VIDEO]

Damn, Love that sound! Hats off to you for even attempting something like this and then have it run has got to feel great.
TomK

What a great feeling to have it start up! Awesome! Thanks for the posts, I've been following since day 1.


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Congratulations cant wait to see some dyno sheets and more videos.

Nice! Thing sounds like a monster now!