M10 knowledge.

[E30_Pare]

I do mine at .007 hot...

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How's that treating you. I've done stock .010/.010 I hear a little better response with .008. How do I know I'm doing it right. I quadrouple check the guage, but I always feel like its wrong. I try to get the gauge right by seeing how tight it is with the next feeler up. I try to make it so that the feeler moves, but is slightly snug not biting, then the next feeler up is toight like a tiger. Also how much do u tighten it? They say 8lbs or something. Not to tight, but I'm a man & have a natural tourqe of 1000. How do I make sure it's tight enough, but not loose

[solo318]

BMW never recommends hot lash adjustment. .007 is probably ok, but I always let them sit overnight. it lets the oil drip off of the valve tip and rock arm, and gets you a more accurate adjustment. As for the e30 m10 block, If it isn't cracked yet, than I would boost it :) but pay close attention to the area around the bolt holes. If it's cracked it is only good for NA use. but I wouldn't replace the block just for the sake of replacing a block.
As for removing the MAF, on a stock engine I wouldn't bother (really, my DD still runs it). No computer or carbs will give you substantially any more performance than the engine is capable of. If you want to make some internal Mods, that is one thing, if the engine is stock, your pretty much stuck.

p.s. if you have an 84 318, you can upgrade the engine harness and ecu to the 1985 318 setup and get a better ign module and a better fuel map. the 1985 engine was lower compression to smooth out the idle, but made the same power. It works good with the 9.3:1 compression from the 1984 engine.

[E30_Pare]

BMW never recommends hot lash adjustment. .007 is probably ok, but I always let them sit overnight. it lets the oil drip off of the valve tip and rock arm, and gets you a more accurate adjustment. As for the e30 m10 block, If it isn't cracked yet, than I would boost it :) but pay close attention to the area around the bolt holes. If it's cracked it is only good for NA use. but I wouldn't replace the block just for the sake of replacing a block.
As for removing the MAF, on a stock engine I wouldn't bother (really, my DD still runs it). No computer or carbs will give you substantially any more performance than the engine is capable of. If you want to make some internal Mods, that is one thing, if the engine is stock, your pretty much stuck.

p.s. if you have an 84 318, you can upgrade the engine harness and ecu to the 1985 318 setup and get a better ign module and a better fuel map. the 1985 engine was lower compression to smooth out the idle, but made the same power. It works good with the 9.3:1 compression from the 1984 engine.

What should I look for in head wear? Discoloration?

[jeffnhiscars]

I've had my 84 318i for 13 years but started putting miles on it last year for the 1st time in ages. Yesterday I took the valves down to .008 from .010 cold (where they have always been) and the results were pretty amazing.

It never seemed to want to rev much past 4k which could have been a timing issue. After the adjustment the tach was heading to red line with zero effort and made me want to put the 16" BBS wheels back on it (and put the bottle caps back on the Cabrio) so I could really put it to the test.

Keep in mind the engine internals have never been touched but I have headers with a full Ansa sport cat delete & an aluminum flywheel thats 8lbs (VS 16.5 for stock).

I'm likin it :)

[E30_Pare]

How do you like ansa. I hear they're nice, but die quick.

[jeffnhiscars]

How do you like ansa. I hear they're nice, but die quick.

I think my 74 Alfa had an Ansa so I've used them on and off with good results. It's probably 10 yrs since I installed the set up in the 318i, but it's spent most of that time in a garage in Florida so hasn't really aged. The Sport is fairly free breathing and I like the sound, but if I was going to DD it around town I'd probably add a resonator just to calm it down at the drive through teller. It def breaths better than stock.

As for the 325's, I bought an almost new muffler from a friend when I bought the Cabrio and we just bought a brand new one for the 87 325i for $154 delivered. What other "respectable" exhaust can you get for that money ?

As for longevity, all steel "coated" exhausts are metallurgucally the same IMHO. What effects life expectancy is obviously salt, but also engine tune and how you drive. Absent salt, they rot from the inside out from the combination of moisture and acids from unburned fuel (ie H2SO4). We can go on about this point but I think the basic science is sound.

[E30_Pare]

Ive heard ansa's I dig the sound. It's definetaly an improvement over stock. I've put in just a simple muffler bout 3 yrs ago. The can died in the first year & is quite loud. I'm pretty sure my manifold gasket is done too. I changed them both at the same time & don't seem to last very long.

[jeffnhiscars]

I wasn't clear in post #54. Both the mufflers for the 325s were Ansa. I dont think you can even get a no-name muffler for what I paid for that Ansa.

[Hey_You]

I got my Vibrant muffler for about $130 delivered. I like it, sounds beefy and not beefy (down low has a nice rumble, up high it screams in a good way)

[E30_Pare]

Aren't u running it straight pipe.

[solo318]

Someone posted up the subject of head wear. I have never worn out a cylinder head. Iv'e worn out guides and valves and seals, but never the head. The only head I have seen worn out was from too heavy of valve springs, and it destroyed the cam journals. I have never even cracked a 1.8 head, and I have gotten them VERY hot.
If you have the head off, have a machine shop check the valves and guides, and pressure test it.

[E30_Pare]

K thx that's what I need to know. So then I should just hold off on dual valve springs until I actually get into my build project?

[solo318]

Unless you are running a really big cam, then you don't need dual springs, instead run a lighter valve. VAC sells a set of 8 1mm oversized valves that are stainless.
If you are going to run a really big cam, your going to have to go standalone efi :) or sidedrafts:(
.

[SkiFree]

Anything over 300' start considering dual valve springs, though there is hardly any more usable horsepower for a street car. Not worth the trade-off.

292 or 284 with heavy duty single springs is a nice setup for the street. IE also sells 1mm oversize valves, but I don't think they'd really be too much of a benefit.

All of this information is widely available already in MANY places, if only you'd access the google machine.

[jeffnhiscars]

p.s. if you have an 84 318, you can upgrade the engine harness and ecu to the 1985 318 setup and get a better ign module and a better fuel map. the 1985 engine was lower compression to smooth out the idle, but made the same power. It works good with the 9.3:1 compression from the 1984 engine.

This intrigues me. What would the impact be on this upgrade, do you have the ecu # by chance and the ignition modules I see seem to be for both years so what would you recommend ?

Thanks