Your not wrong Zeti I cant belive this is her second Christmas!!
Monkey Machine
- Thread starter machine monkey
- Start date
Also the hydraulic steering conversion was a massive success. It feels so much nicer than the electric set up. If you have driven a z3 or e36 e46 and then a z4 you must have noticed the lack of feel in the steering. It’s pretty much a straight swap. I had a few problems basically I thought I brought a system off a car. It turned out I brought bits and pieces. Get a full kit off a 1 car and its simple.
So i have been busy building an intake plenum. The plastic unit fitted to the m54 engine won’t cut the mustard with boost. The crimped plastic joints can cause boost leaks. Plus the dual length runner system and DISA flat that activates it is not needed. The solution was either going to be easy or bloody difficult! Good news it was easy.
I brought a second hand intake. And started chopping and filing it down so i was left with the manifold that bolts to the engine. And then a few inches of the runner to each cylinder intake. I can then make an aluminium plenum and connect the 2 with silicone connectors. It looks a bit like this. It’s not finished obviously yet the TB will be bolt straight on to the front of the plenum. And i can weld a port on to the plenum for things like vac line boost gauge. Turbo reference line for the waste gate control solenoid and MAP sensor as i am doing away with the restrictive MAF sensor.
All being well it will be heading to SCS Delta to have the ECU fitted and mapped soon.
I brought a second hand intake. And started chopping and filing it down so i was left with the manifold that bolts to the engine. And then a few inches of the runner to each cylinder intake. I can then make an aluminium plenum and connect the 2 with silicone connectors. It looks a bit like this. It’s not finished obviously yet the TB will be bolt straight on to the front of the plenum. And i can weld a port on to the plenum for things like vac line boost gauge. Turbo reference line for the waste gate control solenoid and MAP sensor as i am doing away with the restrictive MAF sensor.
All being well it will be heading to SCS Delta to have the ECU fitted and mapped soon.
looks very smart!
would not also be easy to have a metal flange built later to make the whole thing aluminium?
would not also be easy to have a metal flange built later to make the whole thing aluminium?
I have the ability to do it. But it’s having accesses to a CNC machine to machine the sealing gasket profile. This is the easiest way and i can’t see any problems with it being this way. If there are then yes I may have to make the manifold. But i am hoping not too.
new bits!!!
So had a good day Saturday. Turbo spooling nicely and the oil system is now working at the right presure.
Hear is a rare picture! Of my zed not in the workshop and not on my driveway. Yes it’s road legal and driving! All be it without the charge pipe connected as the ecu keeps crapping it’s self. I have all the turbo noise (and it’s as addictive as crack) without all the extra go (for now)
I have bloody missed this car. They hydraulic from electric steering conversion changes these cars in such a good way!!
I have bloody missed this car. They hydraulic from electric steering conversion changes these cars in such a good way!!
stance looks great, what sort of power you hoping for?
Thanks lots of work to get it like this and not rub too much! Hoping to be switching back to 18” wheels soon.
Hoping for anything above 300bhp and 370nm
Ok forum friends I am very close!
My new deadline for the car to go away for the ECU work is this coming Monday. I should touch wood make that!
I have been chasing a boost leak. And it’s been a PITA to find. Isolate and blocking off sections of pipe work connect the compressor pressurise it and check adjust. Then repeat!! I there are still leaks! But I am loosing about half a bar over 20 minutes. So for now ok.
Next round of work over the winter will be new plenum head studs gasket and inter cooler. St that point I will ask to borrow a friend of a friends pressurised smoke tester. Get it spot on and go for serious power!
My new deadline for the car to go away for the ECU work is this coming Monday. I should touch wood make that!
I have been chasing a boost leak. And it’s been a PITA to find. Isolate and blocking off sections of pipe work connect the compressor pressurise it and check adjust. Then repeat!! I there are still leaks! But I am loosing about half a bar over 20 minutes. So for now ok.
Next round of work over the winter will be new plenum head studs gasket and inter cooler. St that point I will ask to borrow a friend of a friends pressurised smoke tester. Get it spot on and go for serious power!
So after a 14 hour day fitting and fettling. I had the car loaded to take to Norwich and our trailer lights packed in.
Literally where working then stopped. Checked fusses and all the other obvious stuff. But no luck. And after 14 hours we had had enough.
Anyway I brought a cheap number board slapped that on yesterday. And we were off on what turned out to be an 8 1/2 hour trip. But it’s at SCS awaiting its brain transplant. And then mapping. Very excited and I have a feeling this will be a long 2 week wait!!
Literally where working then stopped. Checked fusses and all the other obvious stuff. But no luck. And after 14 hours we had had enough.
Anyway I brought a cheap number board slapped that on yesterday. And we were off on what turned out to be an 8 1/2 hour trip. But it’s at SCS awaiting its brain transplant. And then mapping. Very excited and I have a feeling this will be a long 2 week wait!!
Not been hear for a while sorry!!
Life has been busy. The car isnt finished unfortunatly.
But it booked in for mapping on the 15th so very close.
Life has been busy. The car isnt finished unfortunatly.
But it booked in for mapping on the 15th so very close.
After the car went to have the ECU fitted a few issues where highlighted.
An oil leak from the turbo. This turned out to be residual oil in the lines filling the turbo and then seeping out through the oil seal.
I have completly re built the system so that i no longer have the stand alone oil tank and it is now fed from the engine.
The engine couldnt breath through the extra piping and turbo. So i have added a flapper valve from a volve marine engine.This alows the engine to breath NA until boost presure is greater and closes and seals.
A whole host of other small issues have been fixed i hope to start and test the car Saturday fingers crossed!!
An oil leak from the turbo. This turned out to be residual oil in the lines filling the turbo and then seeping out through the oil seal.
I have completly re built the system so that i no longer have the stand alone oil tank and it is now fed from the engine.
The engine couldnt breath through the extra piping and turbo. So i have added a flapper valve from a volve marine engine.This alows the engine to breath NA until boost presure is greater and closes and seals.
A whole host of other small issues have been fixed i hope to start and test the car Saturday fingers crossed!!
Will do Tony 
Looking forward to reading about this
I am on the stock fuel pump so that will likely be the restricting point. But I know of a supercharged Z4 in Germany pushing 380bhp on one. I would be happy with that.
Agree with HT I Hope you can show some video footage.