|
I bought a E30 as my first actual intended-to-be-a-project project car. More specifically, I bought a 1991 318i with 260,000 miles... before several years of daily driving by the previous owner. It came with a mechanic's report. According to the shop (which I trust somewhat), the parts in good, functioning order are: the front brakes. And I still want to upgrade them if I can squeeze it into my budget. It's had a hard life, but it looks pretty OK.  Well, from most angles it looks OK.  It's got three Tire Rack store brand alloys and one stock bottlecap. I don't know what I'm going to do about this yet, because I can't really afford all new wheels and also get this thing into driving condition at the moment. Thankfully, TR still sells the alloys, so I might have to throw out $100 bucks and get another.  The paint is pretty bad, and I'm planning on plastidipping it the closest color to Inka Orange, because I'm a euroricer shitbag.  The interior isn't that bad, really. The driver's side seat is a little worn, and I've got a passenger side normal seat in the garage waiting to go in.  Its even got high-tech gauge mounting (literally glue stick glue, with a stick included in case it falls off). That's one of the two non-functional temperature gauges. One reads all the way cold, one reads all the way hot, so it averages out to decent. That's how it works, right? This may be related to the total lack of any oil or coolant in the car, or at least any that I can find.  In the engine bay, there's a lot of "plugs to nowhere". They're probably important in some way. I didn't bother taking any pictures of the engine, and it's dark now, but it doesn't really matter. It's getting pulled in exchange for this:  A M52B28 and ZF 5-speed from a Z3 with only 97,000 miles. I wish I could have sprung for a S52, but see above comments about being on a tight budget. My goals for the project are for this to be my new daily driver. I haven't needed a car for a while, but I need one soon. The logical solution, clearly, was to buy a basketcase project that needs an immediate engine swap. What else could I possibly do? The next step is going to be probably doing all the rear end work it needs: a new diff (which I have, it's a 3.15 non-LSD but it was free with the engine), new axles, and new brakes with rotors. Then, I'm going to dive head first into the morass of the engine swap. I'm planning on doing the harness and the ECU myself. I'm an embedded systems engineer, and a PCB for a agricultural management computer and an automotive wiring harness are basically the same, right? Feel free to suggest things I might not have thought of/call me an utter loving moron.
|
#
?
Jun 19, 2014 04:14
|
|
|
|
| # ? Apr 24, 2024 12:54 |
|
|
Looks like this will be a fun project car! Is that an aluminum block M52? I've had my 318iS for over 5 years now and still love it, despite how horribly low powered the engine is.
|
|
#
?
Jun 19, 2014 20:41
|
|
|
BraveUlysses posted:Looks like this will be a fun project car! Is that an aluminum block M52? I've had my 318iS for over 5 years now and still love it, despite how horribly low powered the engine is. I only got it yesterday, and I haven't had time to make sure, but I think it should be aluminum. There's an extreme likelihood that there will be future engine fun, with S52 cams and a M50 manifold swap on the table, and FI on the long-term roadmap. It's going to wait for a little bit, but that's the plan. Sinestro fucked around with this message at 20:59 on Jun 19, 2014 |
|
#
?
Jun 19, 2014 20:52
|
|
|
That thing will haul rear end with that motor.
|
|
#
?
Jun 19, 2014 20:54
|
|
|
Always good to see another E30 thread pop up. Looks like a decent base for a project car. For the wheels you should be able to find a complete set of bottle caps for next to nothing if you can find your local E30 group. I'd guess for $100 you'll be able to get a set, think that's the most I've payed for them. If you don't have the Haynes manual pick it up. As always E30tech and R3vlimited are useful resources, as is realoem.com.
|
|
#
?
Jun 19, 2014 20:57
|
|
|
NitroSpazzz posted:For the wheels you should be able to find a complete set of bottle caps for next to nothing if you can find your local E30 group. I'd guess for $100 you'll be able to get a set, think that's the most I've payed for them.  I'm pretty sure these are the wheels I need. Actually, I'm reading that the wheels it has now are actually OEMed by Enkei and beloved by miata guys. They're not beautiful, but I like them better than bottlecaps and I already have three of them. EDIT: I already need to do most of the work for a 5-lug conversion, so I might just do that and switch to newer BMW stock wheels. Remember what I said about poor decision making skills? For the 5-lug swap, I need front control arms, front offset bushings, front knuckles, front brakes, and front struts from a 1996+ M3, and Z3 rear brakes and hubs, correct? I think I confusingly want the brakes from a I6 car and the hubs from a I4 car. Sinestro fucked around with this message at 22:36 on Jun 19, 2014 |
|
#
?
Jun 19, 2014 21:11
|
|
|
Sinestro posted:For the 5-lug swap, I need front control arms, front offset bushings, front knuckles, front brakes, and front struts from a 1996+ M3, and Z3 rear brakes and hubs, correct? I think I confusingly want the brakes from a I6 car and the hubs from a I4 car. Here's the link I give out anytime someone mentions 5-lug swap - http://clavinzero.com/e30-5-lug/ There's another good one buried on E30 tech I think. Engine swap and 5-lug should make for a pretty fun car.
|
|
#
?
Jun 20, 2014 07:47
|
|
|
I've seen interiors with 75k in worse shape (aside from the gauges).  This should be fun!
|
|
#
?
Jun 20, 2014 08:08
|
|
|
What amazing timing! OP, can you do me a favor and have a look under the bonnet and try and locate a plug for me? That should be packing an M42 right now, no? I swapped an M42 into my '74 2002 and I'm getting an idle surge and WOT throttle when I touch the accelerator. It's been over two years since the swap, however, and I've been away living overseas in the meantime. I'm back now and dealing with the issue. I had a poke in the engine bay and I found a plug that isn't connected. It's at the very back of the engine in between the intake manifold and the firewall, and it comes off a major junction in the wiring harness. Someone left a tag on it that says "injector !$#%$%#@!" the second word is illegible. Seems like an obvious culprit, though. Any ideas what it plugs into?  I'm going to put the same question to the BMW thread as well. Good luck with your swap, an E30 will be awesome with the 2.8.
|
|
#
?
Jun 20, 2014 08:56
|
|
|
EDIT: Ignore this post. I need to not try to remember accurate information about my car at 1 AM.
Sinestro fucked around with this message at 22:31 on Jun 20, 2014 |
|
#
?
Jun 20, 2014 09:03
|
|
|
M10? Seriously? that's loving weeeeeeird
|
|
#
?
Jun 20, 2014 18:27
|
|
|
I don't know what the gently caress I was looking at last night. For some reason, even though I knew it had a M42, I thought I should look at pictures from the internet, and looked at the wrong pictures. It's a M42.  McMadCow posted:
I don't know if you've gotten an answer in the BMW thread, because I just woke up, but  It plugs into a... round thing on the right under and behind the intake manifold, right up against the firewall
|
|
#
?
Jun 20, 2014 21:40
|
|
|
Cool project! Love the wheels, I have the 15x8's on my track E30. Cheap, light, strong. What else could you ask for? You should just pay $100 can get a new one to complete the set. 
|
|
#
?
Jun 21, 2014 01:10
|
|
|
I already ordered the brackets from Lithuania for the 5-lug swap, so....
|
|
#
?
Jun 21, 2014 04:38
|
|
|
Rat fucker. Doing exactly the same swap I'm doing to mine. I'm picking up an m52b28 this weekend from that guy up in Rohnert Park. Went to go get it wednesday this week, but it wouldn't fit in the back of my work car  So I'm going back Sunday with a truck.
|
|
#
?
Jun 21, 2014 05:34
|
|
|
Sinestro posted:I don't know what the gently caress I was looking at last night. For some reason, even though I knew it had a M42, I thought I should look at pictures from the internet, and looked at the wrong pictures. It's a M42. I did, thank you! That's the idle control valve, and NOT what my ICV was plugged into! Once I switched the plug everything was golden.
|
|
#
?
Jun 21, 2014 05:55
|
|
|
This should be fun. What'd you pay for the car? My gf has a soft spot for e30's (and more so e28's) so I monitor CL and late models keep creeping up in price... And keep getting less clean! Did you get your wiring harness sorted out? I'd suggest buying new connectors from the dealer, very cheap and by far the cleanest way. I'd then lop off the e30 chassis/harness connector and splice in the e36 chassis/harness connectors. Btdt, by far easiest and cleanest. Or make a PNP with 2 new connectors and a handful of pins.
|
|
#
?
Jun 21, 2014 19:24
|
|
|
SiGmA_X posted:This should be fun. SiGmA_X posted:Did you get your wiring harness sorted out? I'd suggest buying new connectors from the dealer, very cheap and by far the cleanest way. I'd then lop off the e30 chassis/harness connector and splice in the e36 chassis/harness connectors. Btdt, by far easiest and cleanest. Or make a PNP with 2 new connectors and a handful of pins. I've got the pinout worked out, and an C101 connector is on its way along with pins. I need to get a proper crimper before I can start wiring. Unfortunately, I'm keeping the car at my parents' house, so I only can really work on it on Sundays and Mondays. Holy poo poo I just got a line on some Style 5s in good shape for 125/ea. The wheel situation is looking pretty secure. I kinda don't like the idea of having the cliché wheel, so I might get some Style 42s instead. Sinestro fucked around with this message at 21:06 on Jun 21, 2014 |
|
#
?
Jun 21, 2014 21:02
|
|
|
Sinestro posted:The list price was $1,800. I negotiated down to $1,500, but I paid $1,600 and got both sets of seats. (The non-sport seats look literally brand new, and they're for sale!) At "going rates" for the stuff I don't need, I stand to get it all back, or at least close. Wow that's a great deal! I like 42's over 5's. I have a set of really beat 5's for my e39 touring, but I'd reallllly like some 42's. I'll likely be selling the 5's and getting 42's when I eventually decide to pay more for tires (super clean stock 16's ATM). So, flip those 5's and get some 42's!
|
|
#
?
Jun 21, 2014 23:51
|
|
|
SiGmA_X posted:Wow that's a great deal! I like 42's over 5's. I have a set of really beat 5's for my e39 touring, but I'd reallllly like some 42's. I'll likely be selling the 5's and getting 42's when I eventually decide to pay more for tires (super clean stock 16's ATM). The 5s sold in the time it took for me to figure out where the place was, but they still have 42s for the same price.
|
|
#
?
Jun 22, 2014 00:09
|
|
|
Sinestro posted:The 5s sold in the time it took for me to figure out where the place was, but they still have 42s for the same price.
|
|
#
?
Jun 22, 2014 17:34
|
|
|
Buh-buh-but they're not the staggered ones  I'm getting them probably Monday along with the stuff for the 5 lug swap.
|
|
#
?
Jun 22, 2014 23:22
|
|
|
I didn't get anything done Sunday, and I while I worked for a little while today, I didn't have much time because  . gently caress. The car as it currently sits. The hood's off and the radiator is out. The engine is either disconnected or about to be disconnected from the body in every way, I just need to actually take it out when it's not one hundred and on fire degrees out. I was hoping not to need to open up the front more than that, but without TARDIS technology, there's no other way to get the new engine in. I made my big Turner order today, getting everything else I still need for the swap. I have all the E34 parts already, except for the accelerator cable, but I don't want to go back in the garage to take pictures, and anyway, they're not interesting in the least. How much would I hate the ride with 17" wheels? The roads here suck, but I'm pretty willing to put up with a bit of bounciness as long as it isn't a nightmare.
|
|
#
?
Jun 30, 2014 20:27
|
|
|
I went from 15" to 17" on my E36 and the only difference I can tell is from the added weight (the new wheels weigh something like twice as much). Otherwise it's the same.
|
|
#
?
Jun 30, 2014 20:31
|
|
|
shocks and bushings play into harshness moreso than tire sizes, IMO.
|
|
#
?
Jun 30, 2014 21:19
|
|
|
Dampers are a pretty big deal. I've used tall tires to compensate for badly set up suspension before, but if you can get a strut with a fast rebound you're good to go. Usually, these tend to be a little soft feeling, which is counterintuitive for "feels sporty!" but it is. Then you can tune handling with swaybars, and (if you're really nerdy) bump stop height. I'd say give it a shot on the 17s - initial turn in should improve and maybe corner grip might help too, but you should experiment with tire pressures to see if you can live with the occasional kidney punch. Seat Safety Switch fucked around with this message at 04:48 on Jul 30, 2014 |
|
#
?
Jul 30, 2014 04:45
|
|
|
Seat Safety Switch posted:Dampers are a pretty big deal. I've used tall tires to compensate for badly set up suspension before, but if you can get a strut with a fast rebound you're good to go. Usually, these tend to be a little soft feeling, which is counterintuitive for "feels sporty!" but it is. And if you're really, really nerdy (and made of money), you buy a shock/spring dyno and corner weights. Then you start matching individual spring/shock combos to each wheel  drat I miss being able to play with fancy things.
|
|
#
?
Jul 30, 2014 04:58
|
|
|
I haven't been able to make it out to my car to work on it for the last month. That changed today. I started working at 8 AM, and I got the loving engine out at 7 PM. gently caress this car so hard. This was made so much harder because every bolt seems to be made out of very soft cheese. Eventually, this happened. I was too busy and angry to take pictures, so I can't really provide much of a text update. I stopped giving a single gently caress about the old engine/trans, just loving broke poo poo if I had to. Only really hosed up the shifter, though. What I somehow didn't notice until I removed the bumper cover was that this car has clearly been in some sort of front end minor wreck, and it was repainted with literal white appliance paint. Found a oil leak on the new engine, valve covers. Need new tensioners too. Here's what needs to be done still:
I'm going to go cry now.
|
|
#
?
Aug 5, 2014 04:27
|
|
|
I've been budgeting out all of the swap you are doing and I am also crying. At least you know that thing will haul rear end when you're done.
|
|
#
?
Aug 9, 2014 02:14
|
|
|
While you got the motor out it's a good time to beef up the front crossmember These motherfuckers for the engine mount point: http://www.akgmotorsport.com/gallery/?level=album&id=11 And these bitches for the front swaybar mount http://www.akgmotorsport.com/gallery/?level=album&id=2
|
|
#
?
Aug 14, 2014 08:31
|
|
|
|
| # ? Apr 24, 2024 12:54 |
|
|
Bump to keep out of archives. I've gotten exactly loving nothing done, except for clean the engine bay, in two and a half months. Yay for a busy time at work combined with lots of other expenses leaving no money for car poo poo.
|
|
#
?
Nov 6, 2014 01:36
|
|