V12 Project Pics

[AndyMac]

Hey guys...I've been fairly quiet about the project as it kinda grinded to a financial halt, but over the last month I've been putting in some evening hours on the motor and was rewarded with some sweet surprises and some not so sweet. but I'd thought I'd give you all an update and a few pics to keep the dream alive.

Still hope to make the physical transition of at least an NA V12 into the zed over the XMAS break, but hopefully the TT will be coming to COWRA next easter.

OK...so the motor, 1990 M70 5.0L V12 out of the 750iL sedan. Purchased from a wrecker with box, computer and loom (don't want the box...but need the loom and ecu's).



Now I didn't really know what condition the motor was in, I was hopeful, being a shortstroke, auto boxed motor (ie low reving) that it was going to be in good nik, but as with anything, it depended on the maintenance. The donor vehicle had done over 250,000km's, but hey...BMW engineers right

So started pulling it all apart and noticed a-lot of crap build up and evidence of a few major oil leaks around the timing covers. These motors are chain driven so the whole thing is practically emersed in oil.



So now I know at least one thing...the oil hasn't been changed in the last 50,000km's if at ALL!!!

Anyway, pull all that off, take the cam covers off and nothing nice to see in here at all....



Yep...snapped head bolt. As you can probably see, they use torque to yeild bolts, so some retard...never mind....heads are coming off....you can also see the wear to the cams from that photo...new or reground, I'll decide later.

Another interesting notion is all the CTS, tempguage and coolant pressure sensors are all at the *back* of the engine...which is just great...so I'll need to make a solid hose from a radiator to the water pump and mount them there, seeing as I'm not going to be able to access the back of the motor once it's in the chassis.



NEXT...heads off, ahhhh...a pleasant surprise, Bores are immaculate...god these alloy blocks are coated in something tough, perfect. Tell me all you VG rebuilders if you've seen bores like this on a 200,000km + VG30 motor?!?!



and here's the evil bolt...



and here's it coming out....



wonderfull....

Heres the block...ahhhh you say...so pretty...



Now on it's end...these blocks are easy to throw around...light as a feather...



Now another sweet surprise...look at these bearings!!!! tell me all you VG rebuilders...seen bearing like these on a 200,000km+ VG30?!?! nuh-aahhh!!!



Ok...thats pretty much where I'm at...waiting on set of rods and pistons before she gets put back together with the heads bored out, polished and stiffer springs and reground (i just decided) cams.

Oh and custom flywheel and bellhousing adaptor to mate it to the zed box...look at this flywheel...weighs almost as much as the block!!!!