SPEC e30 Corona project Questions

#1

As you all know our track time has been suspended for the time being meaning the nearly race ready Spec e30 I bought is now on jack stands and is my quarantine project. I have some questions for anyone willing to listen. so here goes nothing

I’ve got caliper rebuild kits coming with new seals and boots. I was planning on also replacing the old pistons with stainless steel pistons. Is that allowed per the rules? i cant find anywhere it is specifically said no but did not said yes either

I was considering replacing the rocker arms, sprigs and eccentric rockers withe HD arms and springs. But I’m nervous about pulling the head off and trying to do that myself. This has two parts. Is it worth doing the rocker arms and springs; secondly, is this something that could be done in the driveway by someone without much mechanical experience?

I have ordered polyurethane sway bar link bushings; does anyone know anything about the installation and what the benefits are of them? Im planning on doing both in the back links and the bottom one in the front. I also plan on doing solid sway bar mount bushings too.

Im also going to do the timing belt, intermediary shaft seal, camshaft seal, and o-ring. Since I have nothing but time anything else that should be refreshed in the front of the engine?

Im redoing all the bearings. I have the rear ones pressed in and just waiting on a snap ring to finish one side, and all four axle bolts (the retaining ones were used up and I stripped a rear one). I already have the front hubs just need the bolts to hold it on.

I have new control arms and tie rod ends I’m planning on installing. still need to pull the old ones out. Anyone ever done that before or have any experience with it? any tips?

#2

Remember this simple phrase…“if the rules don’t say you can do something, you can’t.” Lack of wording saying you are allowed to replace or substitute a part basically is a statement that you are not allowed to. Of course, If you have a lab reason as to why it should be allowed, you can submit a rule change request…

#3

Why are you considering replacing the rocker arms? Are they worn? Doing it in a driveway would be challenging…but Spec racing is a challenge and you want to learn the mechanics of the car.
What to refresh in the front of the engine? - When you dive into it, you will know. Alternator bushings? Make sure cooling is good. Water pump, thermostat, hoses…
I have new control arms and tie rod ends I’m planning on installing. still need to pull the old ones out. Anyone ever done that before or have any experience with it? any tips?

  • Again, a challenge process…especially in the driveway. It is always nice to have a second set of hands. You got a buddy to help? Like tightening the upper nut on the control arm. Lot’s of YouTubes to help you out there.
  • YouTube
#4

I was gonna do the rocker arms because I bought the car used, it has 2 seasons of racing it on it already roughly and then it sat for a year. I just don’t want the headache of breaking a rocker arm at the track. Missing this much track time makes me just want a bullet proof car so I don’t have to worry about missing more… also I have nothing but time. This whole project stared because I wanted to learn and there were some things that needed attention. Honestly one of my biggest fears is pulling the engine apart, and then it rains and ruins my engine. (It’s a reoccurring nightmare).

It’s just me for now, and Ive watched all the youtube videos. I’ve got the driver side control arm in. I need to get the sway bar in so I can do the other control arm. Hardest part of the control arms was trying to get them out because a pickle fork didn’t work at all, it bent the shit out of it. so i just hammered the center spike out from the top and used a tie rod push to remove the other. Also as far as install; it isn’t hard if you use the right lollipop and a jack. I spent a solid 30 minutes trying to use the wrong lollipop which was frustrating but once I got the right one it bolted right up.

So far I’v done all four wheel bearings, bolted the hubs on. I have both tie rod ends in and the driver side control arm. next is rotors. I need to find someone to sand blast clean my calipers. Ive got rebuild kits for all four here as well as new caliper pistons, and brass brake bushings on the way.

I ordered powerflex front sway bar bushings and they don’t even come close to fitting. they are supposed to be 22 mm but they don’t close around the bar, and if you put it into the ST suspension mount it stick out and the you cant close the gap between flat plate and the mount. I sent an email to ST asking fro a new front bushings and mounts, Im praying they send them with the rear sway bar i ordered from them

#5

I can’t imagine dealing with the rain to wrench.
And yes, time. We all may have lots of it in the months to come. I have three e30s. Projects to do on all of them. I also in the mix of refreshing the head on one of my E 30s. It’s a first time for me and I’ve learned a whole lot. I can’t imagine trying to accomplish this process in the driveway with the rain. It just took way longer that I imagined. And I’m a clean freak so even the time involved in cleaning everything up was extensive. I wonder if it might be worth investing in another head or engine and doing all the work on the head in your kitchen and then yank the other one stick it on. You could probably pull everything off the front of the motor and the intake so that you can prep and clean it all up to get ready for the swap. That would make sense to me if our wrenching in your driveway.
I guess is was little shit that I ran into that added so much time. Like securing the cam gear to the head requires like 47 foot lbs and holding the little bitch still while you crank on it was a pain. So, I found myself always doing these work arounds and they took time. I also won’t do it half-assed. I want to make sure everything is right.

Don’t know if this helps…but happy to give my input.

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#6

The buying a new engine thing would be great if I had a garage, but at some point I’d have to store a second engine in my kitchen too once they are swapped. Also by the time you spend the 1000 (spring, rockers, eccentrics, new fasteners) on parts, and then another 1000 on an engine (tbh not sure what they cost exactly). Wouldn’t the price of the new motor cost about as much as just having a professional install the new parts? Also then I don’t have to worry about messing it up

#7

Any idea why this is so expensive. It cost three quarters as much as the fully built spec car I bought.

https://www.ecstuning.com/b-condor-speed-shop-parts/m20-short-block/se30~cdr/?gclid=Cj0KCQjwjoH0BRD6ARIsAEWO9DvocAW9snQjNPT-G3PC6lwa_8gqol6-Z73G1uQdinhgP-LLAwrnJWgaAqzOEALw_wcB

#8

Nope. But who knows with ECS. Don’t like that company and avoid them if possible. They got gobbled up and lost their quality service and sincerity… all for greed.

Money logic and racing…a perplexing phenomenon for sure. Pay a shop to build it. All your headaches and rainy day issues will go away. Maybe you could pay a fellow racer to build it and keep the $ in the family.

But…I bought an engine for $600. Good used. You can find them for about that out there. Do a kitchen build and then swap. When done, sell the engine you pull for $600 as a good running engine. AND you will understand the car. Just my 2 cents.

Where are you anyways?

#9

I live in Charlotte, NC. Id really like to do it myself. maybe I’ll wait till I build a garage. And then build two motors, so I have a back up in case anything were to ever happen to the first. Seems like a decent idea for endurance racing because you never know what will happen. Id also like to put a crank scraper in too. I was looking for a do it yourself garage for rent but I cant find one around me. I may just have to rent a storage space for a month and knock it out. and then figure it out

#10

We may not be on track until next year at this rate. Build your garage…you will LOVE it. Race the engine you have and short shift the race.I live in mine and with three e30’s there is always SOMETHING to do.