Some of you may recall the build thread of the BMW V8 powered Tbucket. It's been on the road for a couple of years now. Break stuff, fix stuff, address issues and generally just tinkering on the perpetual hunt for more power.
One day after a spirited drive on the backroads with the intentions of focusing on higher RPM VE tuning for fuel delivery and reaching desired AFR's, after a couple of high rev pulls (8200+rpm) the engine developed a dreaded rod knock.
Dropped the pan, found the culprit on the Cyl #3, the rod bearing seized onto the crank journal and spun in the big end of the rod.
With the rod bearing pryed off the crank journal I could see the crank wasn't scorn. I decided to gamble, knowing fully well the connecting rod big end was toast. I installed new rod bearings and new ARP rod bolts. It lasted 3 days before knocking again, this time even louder then the first spun bearing rod knock.
Time to retire this engine, transfer over the timing components and covers to my spare BMW long block M62B44 I've had sitting on the stand for a few years now.
While installing the cams and timing components I degree'd them to my discovered best settings, -6degrees intake and straight up exhaust from factory timing for a 114 Intake centerline and a 111 lobe separation.
While the engine was out I took the opportunity to clean up everything. Repainted the front half of the frame, tucked and loomed all wires, remade and rerouted water hoses. Removed the transmission, degreased, paint stripped and repainted the transmission. Remade transmission mounts. Generally cleaned and refabricated anything that had issues or was done hastily from when I put the car together.
I also remade the exhaust, using a new set of the same design headers I had previously from a new generation Mustang with a Coyote 5.0. Headers are flipped upside down and have flanges for the BMW bolt pattern welded onto the coyote flanges:
In hindsight I could've converted the BMW flanges into adapters and bolted them to the BMW heads and then then bolted the coyote headers to the adapters.
New mufflers and stainless 4" turn outs. Mufflers are now 3" compared to the previous 2.5" mufflers.
I also acquired some new Man Cave decorations:
The Sun Infra-Red unit on the right is a full functioning piece of equipment. The Sun 1120 on the left is missing some pieces. I am still educating myself on how to set up and use them.
Thanks for checking out my project! -Mykk
