Yet another, BMW E-36 LSx conversion... by BRAAPZ

3 minute(s) of a 105 minute read

The S52 M3 engine is currently being installed in a friends Datsun 260-Z! He is even talking about possibly boosting it in the future?!

For those interested, here is the build thread of the M3 powered Datsun Z car, pics, and even weighed the complete S52 power-train...

http://forums.hybridz.org/showthread.php?t=150505

July 18th update!


Finally got around to spending a little time on the car.
Grabbed another stack of my handy dandy manilla wire tags and proceeded to finish tagging each and every engine related connector, hose, plug, wire, etc for the BMW engines new owner while removing the engine harness from the car itself. The original M3 engine is currently being installed in a Datsun 260-Z! I don’t know which is cooler, a Datsun Z car with an M3 engine, (possibly boosted!) or an M3 with an LSx? Race is on! Who'll be up and running first, the M powered Z, or LS powered M?
For those interested, Ron started a build thread for the M3 powered Z car… Beauty of that conversion is it is taking place in my shop next to my M3, so I get to drive the Z car once its up and running!

http://forums.hybridz.org/showthread.php?t=150505


Back on topic, LSx powered M car..

After removing the engine harness, cleaning up a few other straggler wires, I removed the X-member, rack-&-pinion, then 3 cans of GUNK brand Foamy-Engine-Degreaser later, the engine bay, X-member, rack, etc is ... well... at least not grimy any more! Loosely bolted in the X-member and rack, ready for initial mock up of the Lsx.  Tossed around the idea of painting the engine bay a smoke gray as I have done in a few other V-8 conversions, (V-8 powered Datsun Z cars), the thought of completely gutting the engine bay including disconnecting the A/C system was not too appealing, and being as this is a daily driver and the car has 192,xxx miles on it, decided against that and to press on with the conversion. OE black is just fine!

Next on the agenda is trace out the umbilical wires between the engine and car. Need to know which ones I will use with the LSx so the BMW electrics will be happy and also for the S-52’s new owner being as he has the other end of that 3 plug umbilical and I’m sure the Factory BMW ECM will want a few bits of that information to keep from running in "limp home" mode. I heard a rumor that BMW made the car electrical wiring a bit more invasive/integrated in with the EFI wiring…  Soon to find out by how much…


The S52 engine harness… It’s not really as menacing as it looks…

Engine-to-car Umbilical;

Engine bay, de-grimed;