Here is my "catch can" which the pump will pull from. The plastic one is the original one from the BMW.
Below is the can installed. Two plug welds hold it in place.
To attach the top, I first tacked it on all the way around. I also added "wings" inside the tank to plug weld the center of the top to the baffle in the tank. I figured this would help minimize warping.
... and the fully welded finished product with pumps installed. I welded the top about six inches at a time and then let the tank cool before continuing. It took a while to finish it off and the top did warp, but not too badly. Everything still fits without issue. At this point I put some water in the tank to make sure there were no major leaks in the top. A couple of extra welds, and it seems water tight.
I plan on using POR-15 tank sealer on the inside and POR-15 on the outside. That should fill any tiny holes that would cause slow leaks.
This last pic is of the plate that will hold each pump in tank. I plan on attaching this to the tank with three bolts.
Hey, I've been a lurker/member of the Locost forum for quite a while... found your build while doing research to find out about using the 3 series coupe/vert as an engine/ trans donor... watching with sincere interest! Are there a lot of hop up parts for this motor or will it be run pretty much stock? Can't wait to see it running! You should post an update on the forum to let everyone know you're still plugging along!
ReplyDeleteHey, thanks for the interest. Unfortunately I'm going to be one of those builders that starts, but doesn't finish. I'm planning on putting the project up for sale here in the next week. My daughter was born the end of last year and since then I just haven't been able to find the time to work on it. Happy to answer any questions you have tho, might be easier through email (link at the top of the blog). There are a few mods for this engine, but not that many. My plan was keeping it pretty stock. If you're looking for an engine you can mod easily/excessively, I'd look at some of the Japanese engines... nissan has a few that would probably be better options with rear wheel drive configurations. The biggest issue with the BMW motors is they don't sit vertical, they are sit at an angle. In theory it helps balance the weight of the intake/exhaust manifolds and the fact that it's usually only a driver in the car. Unfortunately for locost builds, they're a bit tricky to fit into the frame without some serious widening of the engine bay. They are cheap tho. Got my donor, wrecked in the front corner, but engine ran for $250. So not a bad deal. Let me know if you have any other questions. Would be happy to answer them.
Delete-Dan