The LS3 pulleys are closer to the engine than LS1 F-body etc. I should have got CTS-V accessories apparently but they were expensive in UK and only came with aircon, which I didnt need.
To get the alternator to line up I got 22mm machined off the back of the bracket and that lines up perfect. I couldn't do the same for the PS pulley so I have that on the other side on a custom bracket using a 4PK1028 belt. I will post pics of that at the weekend. I should have perhaps just spent the cash. I have kinda given up on cost now lol. Ordered a set of CCW LM20's last week - being made right now

Thanks for the kind comments btw.

 

A few pics showing latest progress:

Brackets powder coated
http://www.flickr.com/photos/7197859@N04/5191827058/http://www.flickr.com/photos/7197859@N04/5191827058/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/7197859@N04/, on Flickr
Engine re-fitted and plumbed up.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/7197859@N04/5196331996/http://www.flickr.com/photos/7197859@N04/5196331996/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/7197859@N04/, on Flickr
http://www.flickr.com/photos/7197859@N04/5196331256/http://www.flickr.com/photos/7197859@N04/5196331256/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/7197859@N04/, on Flickr
http://www.flickr.com/photos/7197859@N04/5195732869/http://www.flickr.com/photos/7197859@N04/5195732869/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/7197859@N04/, on Flickr
http://www.flickr.com/photos/7197859@N04/5195730399/http://www.flickr.com/photos/7197859@N04/5195730399/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/7197859@N04/, on Flickr
Next job is to change the cam, and fit driveshaft and exhausts. Wiring looks easy enough. I already have the +12v cables made up.

 

Well after much work I finally got the engine started today for the first time.

It started on the 3rd attempt and ran ok for a while. On restart the engine wouldnt hold idle. It seems to run ok on the throttle and I can get it to idle on the throttle but it (just) dies with no pedal. I did get it to idle ok for a while but with a bit of throttle applied it died again.

The engine is LS3. I have fitted the hot cam and have the GMPP LS376/480 coontroller kit. It have a DBW throttle and that is responding ok to pedal demand. I'm 95% sure the cam is timed ok, but I have a little doubt going on in my head!

Oil pressure is good which is a relief. I need to measure fuel pressure - need to go get an adapter for that. I'm using the standard BMW fuel pump through a Corvette FPR. The engine check light is on, but i dont have a code reader yet

When I first powered the ECU the engine check light was flashing - now its just on solid. Clearly I need to see what the code is.

One thing to note is that the connector for the cam sensor wouldnt fit. There was a tag in the socket and no corresponding feature on the connector. I cut the tag off inside the sensor and its connected ok. I'm wondering whether there is an incompatility there...

With the hot cam do I need to drill a hole through the throttle plate??

I was a bit unsure about the connection for the breather - can anyone advise whether I have it right from the pic below?

Any help now would be greatly appreciated.

 

great job man !

i think you should run the hose from the valve cover to a pcv valve or some sort of catch can then to the intake.

 

Nice work! The execution is very nice!! V8 Archie has stopped using the GM controller for drive train applications like yours for the exact problem you're having, holding idle. Consider Street & Performance or Speartech for a custom programmed ECM/ECU -- bet that addresses your problem like it has Archie's from numerous LS3 installs.

 

Intesting, thanks for that! I have tried a couple of 'free' ELM327 scan tools and one says code P0103 MAF high input. Could this cause the idle problem??

 

you need to send the ecu off to get it tuned to all your specifications

 

OK thanks for that I will look into getting that done. Clearly it means sending it from UK. Am I better off just getting a dyno tune done here in country?

Here is a vid of the engine running:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sWWZyKl9ur8

I'm tempted to drill the throttle plate for now so it will idle.

 

Happy new year guys.

I have been thinking about the idle problem and wonder whether it could be a problem with cam sensor wiring? I don't have a jumper harness between the harness and sensor. Should I have one? The connector didn't fit.

 

You shouldn't ever have to drill the throttle plate to get it to idle. It will cause problems later.

 

Problem number two with the car now is getting the clutch to disengage. I'm concerned the cluch and flywheel are not compatible. I had to make a 15mm shim under the slave to get it to fit up! I put a post in the manual transmission section about it:

https://ls1tech.com/forums/manual-tr...take-look.html

If anyone can help that would be good

 

I got the clutch sorted out - it ended up being the clutch adjuster that had activated and I just needed to reset the springs. The engine has been out and back in twice sorting that though do its been a lot of hard work for a small problem. I think the cam sensor is now working after a mod to the wiring. I reversed the polarity of the outer wires. Its idling a lot better now. Sounds rather mean actually:-)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2A1UIAv3LTk

You can see that all the work has been done in a 8ft wide garage. Just to add to the callenge lol.

Remaining jobs are getting fewer - mount accelerator pedal, finish wiring off, fit electric cooling fan and put the front end back on. I'm hoping to take it out for a drive next weekend.

 

I get the pedal fitted onto a bracket and have the position just right after some trial and error.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/7197859@N04/5378622065/http://www.flickr.com/photos/7197859@N04/5378622065/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/7197859@N04/, on Flickr
The engine bay is nearly finished now. I have changed the TB out to the pre 2009 version. I inderstand the later version is not compatible with the ECU and that seems to be the case since the DTC light is now out. Unfortunately the engine still stalls on return to idle. I have decided to buy HP Tuners next to try tune that problem out. A second problem is with the fan control - it seems there is no signal coming out of the GM relay box. I hope that will be easy enough to fix. If these are the last problems I have I will be doing good.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/7197859@N04/5419248223/http://www.flickr.com/photos/7197859@N04/5419248223/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/7197859@N04/, on Flickr
http://www.flickr.com/photos/7197859@N04/5419246815/http://www.flickr.com/photos/7197859@N04/5419246815/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/7197859@N04/, on Flickr
http://www.flickr.com/photos/7197859@N04/5419851578/http://www.flickr.com/photos/7197859@N04/5419851578/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/7197859@N04/, on Flickr

 

I got the car taxed and insured so today has been time for a proper first drive out. I have done about 6 miles - a rather nervous experience I have to say worrying about what may go wrong. Anyway its so far so good, no leaks or major problems. There is an occasional buzz from the transmission where I think I have a small foul. The sound of the engine is terrific I seem to be getting lots of people head turning as I drive along

My custom power steering system seems to be working ok. I have a couple of hoses in contact so need a different pump inlet fitting. A very minor problem easily fixed.

My son took a little video outside home...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KSkYDl0oBcg

HP Tuners arrived yesterday so Im just getting that going and will be tuning the idle, rev counter setting and dropping the cooling fan trigger temp (which it seems is set to a rather high 100deg), to start with. Im also thinking about buying a wideband sensor so I can do a diy remap. Im not convinced the stock GM tune for this engine is right. I was expecting a bit more torque.

Its been a long and expensive job, but its great to be seeing it coming to an end and to be driving the car again!

 

i love it dude , i had of them back in 98 with the a hamman kit and it was fast , i wonder haw dose it feel now , congrats on the gret build

 

whats more picturesque than a sunny day in the uk?

a droptop bimmer with an ls

 

Great job. I love that body style, and I'm crazy about this one. Love the color. Might make my camaro run blue all over. Thanks for all those posts.
.

 

I have now done around 100 miles driving and the nerves are still intact lol. Its pulling really strong through the rev range. I have had to spend time tuning it with HPT and its paying off good. The HPT forum has been great for help and guides to get me up and running quick. I fitted an Innovate LM-1 and its showing good AFR. Fuel trims are close to zero. The standard GMPP tune was a mile off so I thing getting HPT or EFI Live is a must for this type of conversion. In the UK was are short of experienced LS tuners. The engine is still dying on return to idle sometimes - stalled twice today in 40 miles of driving. I have ordered some honeycomb material to put upsteam/downstream of the MAF and I hope that will help with idle stability to fix that.

Problems so far seem few but here's a list of what I know:

Buzzing noise from gear lever - I think I didnt put enough clearance around the housing. Difficult to fix for now. Im also not happy with the lever - it has more travel so a short shifter is a future mod for sure.

I had an oil leak from the temperature sensor I fitted in the little housing above the oil filter. Thats now sorted with a Dowty washer and loctite.

Cooling fan was pushing instead of pulling - stupid error there lol easily fixed.

Airfilter location seems not right. Its pulling ambient plus 10degC when driving and shoots up to +50deg when static. I need to build a separate compartment around the filter or make an airbox to separate the filter from the air in the engine bay.

The engine runs quite hot standard and I'm thinking about fitting a lower temperature thermostat. Not sure about that yet since there are lots of opposing opinions around. Engine oil is running up to 110degC and I think I would be happier to see that cooler than 100. A 170 stat seems a good choice to knock it down a bit but still keep the oil hot enough to burn off the condensation.

Anyways overall the car is going good and I'm happy to see it at this stage. Shame about the fuel consumption though and petrol now at £1.32/litre (nearly 8USD/gal!)

 

very very clean swap. My Ls1 swap into a 2000 E39 is almost a year old now and has been great to drive. Im sure you will enjoy yours as well.

As far as the temp, I would start by lowering the fan turn on/off temps using HPtuners.180F is not high at all.

 

I'm making progress on the car but its just at the weekends at the mo so not that fast. Recent runs are showing some knock retard and I can sometimes feel the power holding back. It may be false knock but I need to chck it out further. I do have a foul on the shifter so that may be causing it and a header pipe runs very close to the o/s knock sensor so that could be setting it off. Im going to do some tests at the weekend to see whats causing it. If necessary I can turn down the sensitivity of the sensors.

I put some honeycomb material upstream and downstream of the MAF and that seems to have made it respond to throttle blips a lot better. Doing this has thrown the tune off a bit so I have to re-tune the MAF tables again.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/7197859@N04/5577217213/http://www.flickr.com/photos/7197859@N04/5577217213/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/7197859@N04/, on Flickr
Engine inlet temperatures have been too high and I now have that sorted by creating a sealed compartment between the air filter and the rest of the engine bay. The engine is now pulling in ambient temperature even at idle. Job sorted.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/7197859@N04/5577216573/http://www.flickr.com/photos/7197859@N04/5577216573/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/7197859@N04/, on Flickr

I have figured out how I'm upgrading the brakes and will post more when I start that job. I have some Brembo 6 and 2 pot 135i calipers and will use 345mm front discs and 320mm rear discs. I trial fitted the rear caliper and it fits great with no adapter needed. The disc shown there is standard MR rear 312mm diameter. 135i rears are 324mm but they dont fit on the Z3 due to offset. The nearest disc I can find is off an E46 330d.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/7197859@N04/5577217861/http://www.flickr.com/photos/7197859@N04/5577217861/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/7197859@N04/, on Flickr