Tuned! 332whp! My Engine Build - Cams, Airbox, LTW Flyhweel & more :)

[Rudbari]

Congrats

[SteelGreyM]

Congrats! Enjoy the build!

[0-60motorsports]

Congrats that’s great news

[bigjae46]

Fantastic work!

[Code7rpd]

Congratulations! That’s awesome!!

[Syfon]

IT's RUNNING! Perfectly! No weird noises. Idled perfectly. Revved freely. Valvetrain quiet. No knocks.

Had a few issues to sort during the day.

We couldn't get oil pressure to build after 3-4 lots of ~15secs cranking. Ended up pulling the oil filter housing and manual filling the block with oil whilst manually cranking it back & forth. Reinstalled the OFH, cranked it off the starter for 2 x 15secs, removed oil filter lid, full oil. We had oil pressure. Fantastic.

After re-checking the entire motor/front end, battery on, started it. Fired right up however was missing (or so we thought). After checking coils (which are perfect), pulled all plugs and cyl 1 & 3 were not getting any fuel. Bone dry. Turned out injectors 1 & 3 weren't firing. Removed the air & fuel rails to check the plugs and confirm we were #1 getting the correct voltage & #2 confirm they were correctly pulsing/cycling the voltage. With this confirmed to be true and therefore not an electrical fault, I borrowed a set of injectors from a friend (massive shout out to STAATS), installed everything and bingo!

She fired right up, smooth as silk after 2-3 seconds. Took ~15min to achieve operating temp. Oil temp around 95c. Zero leaks of any kind. Revved it around between 1.5-3k rpm, held it for short periods at differing rpm's. Total first-start run time was approx. 30-35min.

Also used a laser temperature sensor; each exhaust port was roughly the same. Didn't take note of those temps haha

Tomorrow I'll drop oil for fresh 15w-40 mineral run in oil + fresh filter, install front bumper & splash guards etc. then the first drive

[Syfon]

Small update!

Spent a few hours earlier this week installing the rad support, radiator, a/c condensor, mishimoto fan + wiring to aux fan controller. Also attached the carbon kevlar reo bar. Just taking my time and going very slowly with reassembly.

Was going to continue working on it this evening, however an opportunity to attend a corporate box for the Eagles v Collingwood football game; Australian Rules Football - the best kind in the world , came up.

Will update in a day or two with more progress

[Code7rpd]

So over the Easter weekend I ran into a few issues. One of them being the oe exhaust manifold studs are too short to accommodate the (much) thicker flanges on the SSV1 manifolds. The oe manifold flanges are very thin, therefore the studs protrude a fair distance allowing the copper nuts plenty of thread to bite onto. As everywhere was closed on Easter Friday, I ran to the only fastener supplier open in the entire city on the Saturday to purchase 18 x M7 bolts with the same thread pitch. I modified each of the bolts by cutting the heads off and cleaning up the threads. Screwed into the head and manifolds on, the replacement studs are ~8mm longer than before. The SSV1 manifolds are now secure. I didn't get any close up photos of them on the car, but you can see the studs I made out of bolts.

The rest of Saturday was spent replacing the oe rubber steering shaft guibo with a solid aluminium piece from CPM Auto Engineering, and bolting all remaining accessories to the motor (O2 sensors, idle control valve, throttle actuator, hoses, pipes, air con and serpentine belts, etc.).

By Sunday afternoon the JB Racing Lightweight Aluminum flywheel + Clutchmasters FX100 (sprung hub) clutch & pressure plate were correctly installed and torqued to spec. The transmission was also bolted on along with the starter motor.

Last order of business for Sunday evening was to drain the fuel tank. I opened up the tank from the access points beneath the rear bench seat and siphoned ~40L of stale fuel. The fuel would have been ~20months old. Half the fuel went in my car, the other half in my brothers. No issues there lol.

Come Monday morning, everything was set for the engine and transmission to go in! I utilised the assistance of a good friend and his workshop to obtain a piece of steel 300mm x 30mm x 5mm with holes punched on either end. I attached one end to the lifting point at the back top of the engine block and the chain to the top of this steel plate (you can see it in the pics). Reason for this is I wasn't comfortable lifting the motor from this point and having the chain rest against part of the plastic wiring harness assembly or the fuel/air rail at the back top of the head. This simply created a little more clearance and peace of mind.

The motor and transmission went in without too much of an issue. There was 5 of us haha, so with two of us under the car and the transmission on a trolley jack, plus the other 3 up front moving the motor about on the crane, we managed to get it bolted up to the mounts relatively easily. Tail shaft back in with a new drive flex disc (guibo) and centre support bearing. Underbody heat shield on.

Massive load off my mind knowing the motor/transmission is now in the car!

Yesterday she went for a little exhaust fabrication; mate the SSV1's to my section 1. A little cutting, pipe flaring, welding and it's all done. Exhaust system installed (you can see in the photos the exhaust tips are on the piss, so I'll have those cut off and something bigger to fill the gaps in due course. That's megan racing for you lol).

Next steps are to install Mishimoto electric fan + wire to oe aux fan controller, install entire front end, plug in all sensors/wires/air/fuel/clutch lines etc., bleed brakes and clutch, fill it with fluids, pray to the ///M gods and start her up for the first time!

Likely not doing any work on it over the coming days. Maybe this weekend. I'm on the home straight now, so come the end of April she'll live once again!

Incredible build and really cool to see all of the steps. Thanks for sharing your build journey!

[Syfon]

She’s mobile - a year later

Look forward to seeing yours on the road too!

Feel free to ask any questions. So far no issues 🤞

Fantastic! Great to see she's on the road with no issues.

And Steel Grey over Imola looks mint!

[SteelGreyM]

She’s mobile - a year later

Look forward to seeing yours on the road too!

Feel free to ask any questions. So far no issues 🤞

[Thoglan]

SteelGreyM yeah everyone has their 2c on it. Atleast for me, the advice was synthetic and run usual oil. The protection for the bearings is way more critical in these than trying to let the rings create more friction on the cylinder walls with a non synthetic. I understand the rationale behind it trying to force wear on the bore for a period. But if the block was torque plated when it was honed, and machined properly the tolerances should be tight enough that it is not necessary. Better to put the standard oil in it and have the protection to beat on it a bit. Many will tell you that the break in is done after the first 20 minutes of driving.

Again, it's all a bit superstitious and everyone has their own process. The best advice is to just follow whoever built your engines process, or follow those whom you trust or trust their experience.

[SteelGreyM]

My understanding is this; on a fresh motor with newly scuffed/honed bores and new piston rings, you need to place the motor under a reasonable amount of load in order for both compression rings to seat correctly against the crosshatch pattern within the bores. For the rings the expand and seat into the bores, the motor must be placed under load so the combustion pressure forces the rings to expand and seat. I've spoken with the local business who machined and cleaned all components, an individual who builds s54's over east, plus my brother who has built many 308's. The advice from everyone was the same.

I get what you're saying, however I won't load the engine right up. I'll place it in a lower gear such as 3rd or 4th and drive up a hill allowing the revs to build. I'm aware the mineral running in oil will not provide the critical lubrication and protection at high rpm's and loads, therefore during the run in period, I won't be exceeding ~6,000rpm and no WOT.

For the first ~1,000km, you do not want to run a synthetic oil as this provides too much protection and can hinder the process allowing the rings and other critical components to establish their wear patterns. The Penrite 10 Tenths 15w-40 mineral running in oil I'll be using was recommended by someone who builds s54's and has always run this.

Whatever the case, most people seem to do this a little different, but the end result is the same. I won't beat on the motor while she has a mineral oil, but once I've done ~1,000km and renewed the oil filter and oil for a 10w-60, she'll be seeing redline on a regular basis.

Syfon Correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought loading the motor too high with new rings/hone was the exact opposite of what you are supposed to do. Load is the killer. The recommendation to me was to avoid that wherever possible, better for the motor to rev slightly higher but freely (in a lower gear up a hill for instance) than to be under too much load. Obviously with a run in oil you will have to be careful with revs as well (I just ran normal 10w60 as per the recommendation of my engine builder who builds a lot of s54's for a race application).

Plugs in vs out shouldn't really matter as the starter doesn't really subject the motor to any load even with compression. I opted for plugs in to avoid getting junk in the cylinders as much as possible.

I've just finished the run in on my own engine after the rebuild which was basically about 500-1000kms of nothing over 6krpm and never WOT. That would vary if you have run in oil obviously as it offers almost no protection for the bearings past a certain point in the rev range. But to be honest, I think all of the run in stuff is pretty conjecture based. Not sure there is often a measurable difference in where the engine ends up. As long as there is a period of reduced load and lower rpm for everything to settle you're probably sweet as. At least for me, the first drive at 0km felt exactly the same as the last at ~750km, peachy. Nothing quite compares to a fresh motor.

Every person I talked to about this, including my engine builder recommended non synthetic oil for the first 500-1000 miles for the reasons syfon mentioned above (wear patterns).

I have also heard it’s better to do what syfon was saying about loading the motor up. Letting it do a bunch of engine braking. Going up hills in higher gear. Don’t kill it but you know give it some work to do.


Seems everyone has a different opinion on first 500 miles. Some say dyno. Some say drive it easily. I am going to vary RPM under 5500 and no WOT for 600 miles or so. Then I’m back to 10w-60 and beating on the thing!

[Syfon]

Nice sounds like you also did your research!

I cranked it with the plugs in but now that you say it - I’d do it again plugs out. Will still achieve same goal but should be easier on the starter.

I’d leave the front end off for the first 20 minute start up. I didn’t even have the aluminum underbelly stiffening plate thing. Just leave as much off as you can as it will allow you to spot leaks easier and faster.

I hope your MAP sensor doesn’t give you any headaches. Personally I’d finish the car before doing that then install that later. You want the smallest number of things to troubleshoot in case it won’t start.

[QUOTE=SteelGreyM;n97601]

Yeah I'll do it with the plugs out. No compression means it will be a bit easier on the starter.

You're probably right re leaving the front end off. I'll see what I end up doing as I may just want to assemble everything bar the underbelly panel just to have it done.

I can't see the map sensor giving me any issues. The dme has already been flashed with the CSL software for the purpose of reading a map sensor, plus a base tune for the airbox & cams.

Will report back in due course with progress and/or issues.

Syfon Correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought loading the motor too high with new rings/hone was the exact opposite of what you are supposed to do. Load is the killer. The recommendation to me was to avoid that wherever possible, better for the motor to rev slightly higher but freely (in a lower gear up a hill for instance) than to be under too much load. Obviously with a run in oil you will have to be careful with revs as well (I just ran normal 10w60 as per the recommendation of my engine builder who builds a lot of s54's for a race application).

Plugs in vs out shouldn't really matter as the starter doesn't really subject the motor to any load even with compression. I opted for plugs in to avoid getting junk in the cylinders as much as possible.

I've just finished the run in on my own engine after the rebuild which was basically about 500-1000kms of nothing over 6krpm and never WOT. That would vary if you have run in oil obviously as it offers almost no protection for the bearings past a certain point in the rev range. But to be honest, I think all of the run in stuff is pretty conjecture based. Not sure there is often a measurable difference in where the engine ends up. As long as there is a period of reduced load and lower rpm for everything to settle you're probably sweet as. At least for me, the first drive at 0km felt exactly the same as the last at ~750km, peachy. Nothing quite compares to a fresh motor.

My understanding is this; on a fresh motor with newly scuffed/honed bores and new piston rings, you need to place the motor under a reasonable amount of load in order for both compression rings to seat correctly against the crosshatch pattern within the bores. For the rings the expand and seat into the bores, the motor must be placed under load so the combustion pressure forces the rings to expand and seat. I've spoken with the local business who machined and cleaned all components, an individual who builds s54's over east, plus my brother who has built many 308's. The advice from everyone was the same.

I get what you're saying, however I won't load the engine right up. I'll place it in a lower gear such as 3rd or 4th and drive up a hill allowing the revs to build. I'm aware the mineral running in oil will not provide the critical lubrication and protection at high rpm's and loads, therefore during the run in period, I won't be exceeding ~6,000rpm and no WOT.

For the first ~1,000km, you do not want to run a synthetic oil as this provides too much protection and can hinder the process allowing the rings and other critical components to establish their wear patterns. The Penrite 10 Tenths 15w-40 mineral running in oil I'll be using was recommended by someone who builds s54's and has always run this.

Whatever the case, most people seem to do this a little different, but the end result is the same. I won't beat on the motor while she has a mineral oil, but once I've done ~1,000km and renewed the oil filter and oil for a 10w-60, she'll be seeing redline on a regular basis.

[heinzboehmer]

that would be great. Especially after a long period of use.

Can you briefly describe how it works in inpa? I almost only use ISTA ...

I'm pretty sure you can use ista to run the pump as well.

I would have to bring up inpa to get all the menu names correct, but it's something like this: (starting at inpa start screen) E46 -> engine -> MSS54 -> activate -> fuel pump/EKP

That will make the pump run for a few seconds.

[Thoglan]

Syfon Correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought loading the motor too high with new rings/hone was the exact opposite of what you are supposed to do. Load is the killer. The recommendation to me was to avoid that wherever possible, better for the motor to rev slightly higher but freely (in a lower gear up a hill for instance) than to be under too much load. Obviously with a run in oil you will have to be careful with revs as well (I just ran normal 10w60 as per the recommendation of my engine builder who builds a lot of s54's for a race application).

Plugs in vs out shouldn't really matter as the starter doesn't really subject the motor to any load even with compression. I opted for plugs in to avoid getting junk in the cylinders as much as possible.

I've just finished the run in on my own engine after the rebuild which was basically about 500-1000kms of nothing over 6krpm and never WOT. That would vary if you have run in oil obviously as it offers almost no protection for the bearings past a certain point in the rev range. But to be honest, I think all of the run in stuff is pretty conjecture based. Not sure there is often a measurable difference in where the engine ends up. As long as there is a period of reduced load and lower rpm for everything to settle you're probably sweet as. At least for me, the first drive at 0km felt exactly the same as the last at ~750km, peachy. Nothing quite compares to a fresh motor.