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Lightbulb Out
Apr 28, 2006

slack jawed yokel
I have been not motivated at all to work on cars because of winter.

However, my exhaust strap rusted apart and is now rattling on my already rusted apart muffler and rear exhaust. New catbacks online are $300, which seems ridiculous to me. Also, my diff is leaking from the input side. Also, I need to rewire one of the headlight grounds.

At least it was "warm" today :smith:



Fortunately, my friend has a small case 4.10 LSD that I can buy for cheap and swap into it, and then sell.

Lightbulb Out fucked around with this message at 23:51 on Jan 15, 2015

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365 Nog Hogger
Jan 19, 2008

by Shine
Been doing some thinking about the ix, and I think I'm going to sell it after I get the remaining little issues fixed. It would cost me another $3000+ most likely to get I up to where I want, performancewise, and I don't really feel comfortable modifying a less common and clean example anyway. I'm thinking that in la area I could get $5-7k for it, but its very hard to know, given how infrequently the ix's pop up for sale, in any condition.

BlackMK4
Aug 23, 2006

wat.
Megamarm
I ordered a stock ECU to gut for a housing / 88 pin ECU connector for my 318is. I hate my sanity so I am trying out Megasquirt in a form that I will be able to PNP into my stock harness so I can easily switch back to the stock ECU.

Saga
Aug 17, 2009

Lightbulb Out posted:

I have been not motivated at all to work on cars because of winter.

However, my exhaust strap rusted apart and is now rattling on my already rusted apart muffler and rear exhaust. New catbacks online are $300, which seems ridiculous to me. Also, my diff is leaking from the input side. Also, I need to rewire one of the headlight grounds.

At least it was "warm" today :smith:



Fortunately, my friend has a small case 4.10 LSD that I can buy for cheap and swap into it, and then sell.

Jetex do a good value muffler and center silencer for the M42 (used on mine for a year or two with no issues) and seem to do complete systems for the M20 - no idea if they are as good value once they've been shipped to NA.

NitroSpazzz
Dec 9, 2006

You don't need style when you've got strength!


BlackMK4 posted:

I ordered a stock ECU to gut for a housing / 88 pin ECU connector for my 318is. I hate my sanity so I am trying out Megasquirt in a form that I will be able to PNP into my stock harness so I can easily switch back to the stock ECU.

You figure out everything and take lots of notes. Then once you're done send me a copy so I don't go as crazy trying to Megasquirt the 320i. I've started sourcing the parts to change it over to EFI but plan to drive it for a while before I start that project.

It's slowly nearing being done with brakes, suspension, bushings and 5-speed. I think all that's left is make brake lines, install shifter stuff, install driveshaft (new guibo, new csb), rebuild CV's, rebuild rear axles, mount exhaust and fill all the fluids.

I'm sure I'm forgetting something.


Anyone have a spare differential for a 4sp E30 laying around? Sister in law's car is back on the road finally and it sounds like the diff is dying.

NitroSpazzz fucked around with this message at 14:48 on Jan 20, 2015

SuperDucky
May 13, 2007

by exmarx
trip report on powerflex rear beam bushes: do it.

NitroSpazzz
Dec 9, 2006

You don't need style when you've got strength!


Looks like I'll be joining the beater 5 army. A chipped S38 is a wonderful thing...

Moxie Omen
Mar 15, 2008

NitroSpazzz posted:

Looks like I'll be joining the beater 5 army. A chipped S38 is a wonderful thing...

fucker!!!!

Party Alarm
May 10, 2012
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QWTB62H8vHM

angryrobots
Mar 31, 2005

Been kinda kicking around the idea of getting a gas saver to drive into work and ferry the kids around. The 325is doesn't get much better mileage than my truck, and 2 doors with kids is a hassle.

91 318i 4 door/5 speed just popped up on one of my for sale pages. Contacted them and received some terrible pictures (seriously what is wrong with people, why do you think I want to see your ugly, ill-fitting seat covers as the entire picture). Might go take a look.

rscott
Dec 10, 2009
If you're looking at m10s you might as well get a 5 spd eta, they're cheap as chips (for e30s) and I regularly got 27mpg combined with 75% highway miles and they actually have some torque, they just fall flat on their face after 4k rpm

NitroSpazzz
Dec 9, 2006

You don't need style when you've got strength!


91 318i would be M42 wouldn't it? M10 was phased out in late 80's to M40 then M42 around 1990 I think. Either way the 4 cylinder cars are fun if you rev them and get good mileage if you don't. The Eta M20 engined cars are a great option as rscott mentioned, good torque and mileage just no top end.

318 four door would be a nice little car for commuting and hauling kids.


Interior on the M5 should be finished by next weekend, trying to figure out when I can run up there and drive it back. Only ~500 mile trip so not bad and the car cruises really well. Friend and his girlfriend want to see DC so I might drive up with them instead of flying.

E21 is done and on the road once I remove, clean and reseal the exhaust studs. It fired right up into a crappy idle despite sitting for over a year. Need to toss the cotter pins in the rear axle after I torque them a little more and fix the studs then it'll be ready to drive. Need to find the title and stuff so I can re-register it and be legal.


What a tease

angryrobots
Mar 31, 2005

I wouldn't complain about that, just going with what's available. The couple eta I've seen locally have been automatic or asking too much.

And I kinda like wringing out a 4 banger.

Lightbulb Out
Apr 28, 2006

slack jawed yokel
I've been daily driving a '91 318i. It's a great DD, but it doesn't get THAT much better mileage than a 325i, especially the way I drive it....

angryrobots
Mar 31, 2005

Probably better than the 16-17 mpg in my v8 truck though. And a lot more fun.

Lightbulb Out
Apr 28, 2006

slack jawed yokel
It's really really really fun. I average about 28mpg on the highway and 25 in town. If you slow down it does significantly better.

Check the oil pan for bolts, there's a plastic coolant passageway that breaks under the manifold, you'll probably want to replace the chain tensioner, and I think it handles better than my 325 due to the lighter motor. Also, typical E30 rust and bushings issues.

Party Alarm
May 10, 2012
Welp this wheel bearing won't budge. Time to take the trailing arm off and lug it to the machine shop

angryrobots
Mar 31, 2005

I'm sure this is won't help, but it happens that a clutch release bearing from a flathead-era Ford is sized perfectly to (IIRC) fit in the opening behind the bearing.

That, and some 3/4 threaded rod/nuts and bearing outer race sized washers, is what I pushed mine in and out with. Good luck.

Party Alarm
May 10, 2012
I'm going to make a set of mandrels myself at some point, but for now it's gonna be easiest just to use a press

Party Alarm
May 10, 2012





Gonna look good wit dem flares and some fatties

BlackMK4
Aug 23, 2006

wat.
Megamarm

Lightbulb Out posted:

It's really really really fun. I average about 28mpg on the highway and 25 in town. If you slow down it does significantly better.

Check the oil pan for bolts, there's a plastic coolant passageway that breaks under the manifold, you'll probably want to replace the chain tensioner, and I think it handles better than my 325 due to the lighter motor. Also, typical E30 rust and bushings issues.

Yeah, I'm averaging 26mpg city/highway with my 91 318is. It's got heavy wheels on it and I beat on it. Savagely. All the time.

NitroSpazzz
Dec 9, 2006

You don't need style when you've got strength!


Saturday afternoon I was able to drive the E21 out of the garage under its own power. Still have some things to work out but after ~11 weeks it felt drat good to get the thing back on the ground and moving.



Have one brake that's dragging, think it's drivers side rear so need to pop that off and make sure it isn't seized or something. Right now it's headers only so it's loud as hell. The exhaust I bought wasn't made to work with aftermarket headers so I fought with that a bit Sunday. Think I'm just going to drive it as-is to the fab/welding shop a few minutes away and have him deal with it...I hate exhaust work.

Ground Control Coilovers, 15x7 Kosei K1 (E30 fit) with 15mm spacers to clear steering knuckle. May put in some front camber so it matches the rear a little better.

Lightbulb Out
Apr 28, 2006

slack jawed yokel

BlackMK4 posted:

Yeah, I'm averaging 26mpg city/highway with my 91 318is. It's got heavy wheels on it and I beat on it. Savagely. All the time.

There is literally no other way to drive an E30.

Moxie Omen
Mar 15, 2008

I want an E21 again >:|

Sinestro
Oct 31, 2010

The perfect day needs the perfect set of wheels.

NitroSpazzz posted:

Anyone have a spare differential for a 4sp E30 laying around? Sister in law's car is back on the road finally and it sounds like the diff is dying.

You probably don't still need one, but I've got a 4.10 smallcase lying in my garage.

Party Alarm
May 10, 2012


Neato

NitroSpazzz
Dec 9, 2006

You don't need style when you've got strength!


Sinestro posted:

You probably don't still need one, but I've got a 4.10 smallcase lying in my garage.
I've convinced him running the 3.73 out of the parts car isn't going to 'ruin' her car and driving experience. Thanks for the offer.

That the E36 caliper mount for E30? Looks like it turned out pretty good and should be easy to machine if everything lines up.

Party Alarm
May 10, 2012
Yep! Gotta test fit it tonight but it looks promising. Still have to machine the carrier though

Party Alarm
May 10, 2012
Fudged the center to center distance on one set of holes - already redesigned the bracket and will be printing a new one next week.


I'm going to spend the rest of today on designing the rear setup so I can print that out too. If everything goes well next week I can probably get some metal prototypes made.

Lightbulb Out
Apr 28, 2006

slack jawed yokel
Hey guys if you get an extra differential don't forget it in your trunk because it will fall over and leak fluid out of the vent hole everywhere

Pro tip

Party Alarm
May 10, 2012
Now you can enjoy the smell of gear oil forever

OBAMNA PHONE
Aug 7, 2002

Party Alarm posted:

Now you can enjoy the smell of gear oil forever

It's the party that never stops!

When I was in college I had a neighbor who had 5 gallon bucket spill in his jetta a few years prior. You could still smell it from the outside of the car.

Seat Safety Switch
May 27, 2008

MY RELIGION IS THE SMALL BLOCK V8 AND COMMANDMENTS ONE THROUGH TEN ARE NEVER LIFT.

Pillbug
I spilled gear oil in my Subaru, although nowhere near that much.

Household Air Sponges get it out if you can park the car in direct sunlight with the windows rolled up during the summer for a few days. Swap the sponges out once they start to shrink inside the canister.

They're my secret weapon for any interior stank once the source is removed (look inside seat rails and mounting holes in the carpet for discarded food!)

Lightbulb Out
Apr 28, 2006

slack jawed yokel
Changed my bad diff, made a world of difference for noise inside the car.


Here's a picture of a rusty E30 M3.


Got out the red car.


E30 livin', ya'll.

Party Alarm
May 10, 2012
Walking for my graduation this coming Saturday, getting an award for my contributions to the university. Got to do some great research for the Navy and made a lot of great contacts along the way. Soon I'll be able to actually call myself an engineer :D



Made some progress on the brown car, FINALLY.

M50b25tu pistons (just a vanos M50) in an M52b28 with b28 rods and crank.



Rough measurement of piston to deck of stock M52b28 pistons


Same with M50b25tu pistons



e: Better CR calcs

You can use deck height, piston compression height, head gasket thickness, and cylinder head volume to calculate compression, but I can't find decent measurements. The height of the piston at top of stroke should be 209.55mm, but the deck height for an M52b28 block I saw was 208.XXmm. Not the case as you can see.


Compression ratio = 10.2:1 = swept volume + (Cyl. head volume, HG volume, clearance volume, ect) : (Cyl. head volume, HG volume, clearance volume, ect)

10.2 = (465.5cc + X ) / ( X ) where X is the sum of those hard to measure volumes.

9.2*X = 465.5cc. X ~= 50.598cc.

If those compression heights are accurate (seems reasonable) the reduction in volume is 4.045cc.

50.598-4.045 = 46.552cc

(465.5cc + 46.552cc) / ( 46.552cc ) = 10.99 CR

I didn't measure CH and we're going by BMW's CR, so there still could be issues. Still pretty decent for very little $$ spent!




My brother brought home Thor's Hammer so I could finally bust the crank pulley nut off. Took the rest of the block apart.




Not too bad...





:barf:



Chem-dip to the rescue.

Party Alarm fucked around with this message at 17:42 on May 4, 2015

NitroSpazzz
Dec 9, 2006

You don't need style when you've got strength!


Party Alarm posted:

M50b25tu pistons (just a vanos M50) in an M52b28 with b28 rods and crank.

I think a local BMW shop is doing the same M50/M52 hybrid type thing. Interesting build.

Party Alarm posted:


Chem-dip to the rescue.
drat I'm going to have to keep Chem-Dip in mind, that cleaned up great.

Debating between a S50/52 or M20 stroker for a possible future project. Thought it was as simple as using some parts from a super eta engine but apparently there's about a million drat ways to do it. Guess I need to figure out how much money I want to spend and how much power I want.

Lightbulb Out
Apr 28, 2006

slack jawed yokel
Thanks for the write up so far, Party Alarm. I really really am interested in the aluminum block engine in an E30. Driving my 318 and 325 back to back its super obvious that a lighter motor would be better.

Moxie Omen
Mar 15, 2008

Friend of mine built a ridiculous LS E36 M3 and now I'm kind of thinking of doing that for my E30 bronzit sedan. :|

Slow is Fast
Dec 25, 2006

Moxie Omen posted:

Friend of mine built a ridiculous LS E36 M3 and now I'm kind of thinking of doing that for my E30 bronzit sedan. :|

Vorshlag has done both e36 and e30's. They have threads on corner carvers about both builds. TLDR, vorshlag owner says e36 LS swap is easy and worth it, E30 is a PITA and not worth it. YMMV, but those are good places to start.

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Tashan Dorrsett
Apr 10, 2015

by Deplorable exmarx
e30 thread? e30 thread!

I daily drive a 1988 325is with a ton of miles and I wouldn't have it any other way. It's been giving me trouble lately re:bmw thread but I still love it. There's a good chance the next car I buy will be another e30.

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