Hello,
e30 enthusiast here on my second e30. It is a 1985 318i with an unknown amount of miles on it. I bought the car about two years ago for 600 dollars and the odometer was stopped at 197,528. needless to say it is a fixer upper. When i picked up the car i knew that it was going to need a transmission, a brake light switch and other minor things (or so i thought). The first thing addressed was the transmission, beings that 3rd gear and second gear went out on me by the time i got home. Luckily i was able to pick up a used tranny for about 100 bucks from the local junkyard. I love half off sales. I then had a shop install it beings i was relatively new to working on cars and i wouldn't have known what to do. Because my dad knew people at the shop i was able to get it installed for about 200 dollars.
About a month later the moonroof flew off of the car going down the freeway. Luckily I was in the slow lane and it didn't hit anyone. The bad part was that it rained for the next two weeks. So a trash bag was taped in its place... until i could pick up another from the junkyard.
Other little things have gone wrong such as the throttle cable breaking, misc. little electric parts, idling issues, cold start valve, battery, alternator, motor and trans mounts, vacuum advance, locking system, and probably a little more.
I have upgraded the seats with an aftermarket set made to fit with a custom bracket i designed and upgraded front brakes to 325i calipers and rotors.
I was also fortunate to pick up a used m10 for free off of craigslist. I tore it apart and found that the head was cracked but kept the block. I later found another head. Beings that I am 21 and don't have an abundant amount of extra money, I decided to keep my rebuild simple and cheap. As much as i would love to install a turbo and have a speed demon, I just don't have the funds and i'd rather my first rebuild be pretty basic.
I have already finished rebuilding the bottom end and it is completely stock, but with all new main bearings, rod bearings, piston rings, oil pump, oil pump chain, oil pump gear, timing chain, timing gear, timing rails, crankshaft gear, tensioner piston, and of course gaskets and seals. It has been really fun learning how to rebuild the block and I'm hooked. Now, something I have noticed is that most pistons that I've seen in m10b18's online are the piano top pistons which to my understanding have a compression ratio of 9.0:1. I believe that I have earlier model pistons that are domed that have a compression ratio of 9.3:1. Please correct me if I'm wrong because I wasn't able to find much info.
Now I'm going to start working on the cylinder head. I figured to be a little more efficient and powerful this is where it really counts. Since its going to be a mild DD for now, and my main purpose is to just have a little more fun, I'm heading in the route of sending a camshaft to Ireland Engineering for a regrind to 284. I'd also like a set of dual valve springs but I'm not sure they're necesary or not. I am also planning on giving a try at port and polishing it to match the gasket. Then I planned on lapping the valves and polishing up some used ones.
Any advice or tips that you can give me will be greatly appreciated. Besides minor things my car has been very good to me and hasn't serisously broken down on me once. It even passed smog with no problem. I'm happy to have an e30 and plan on keeping it forever.
e30 enthusiast here on my second e30. It is a 1985 318i with an unknown amount of miles on it. I bought the car about two years ago for 600 dollars and the odometer was stopped at 197,528. needless to say it is a fixer upper. When i picked up the car i knew that it was going to need a transmission, a brake light switch and other minor things (or so i thought). The first thing addressed was the transmission, beings that 3rd gear and second gear went out on me by the time i got home. Luckily i was able to pick up a used tranny for about 100 bucks from the local junkyard. I love half off sales. I then had a shop install it beings i was relatively new to working on cars and i wouldn't have known what to do. Because my dad knew people at the shop i was able to get it installed for about 200 dollars.
About a month later the moonroof flew off of the car going down the freeway. Luckily I was in the slow lane and it didn't hit anyone. The bad part was that it rained for the next two weeks. So a trash bag was taped in its place... until i could pick up another from the junkyard.
Other little things have gone wrong such as the throttle cable breaking, misc. little electric parts, idling issues, cold start valve, battery, alternator, motor and trans mounts, vacuum advance, locking system, and probably a little more.
I have upgraded the seats with an aftermarket set made to fit with a custom bracket i designed and upgraded front brakes to 325i calipers and rotors.
I was also fortunate to pick up a used m10 for free off of craigslist. I tore it apart and found that the head was cracked but kept the block. I later found another head. Beings that I am 21 and don't have an abundant amount of extra money, I decided to keep my rebuild simple and cheap. As much as i would love to install a turbo and have a speed demon, I just don't have the funds and i'd rather my first rebuild be pretty basic.
I have already finished rebuilding the bottom end and it is completely stock, but with all new main bearings, rod bearings, piston rings, oil pump, oil pump chain, oil pump gear, timing chain, timing gear, timing rails, crankshaft gear, tensioner piston, and of course gaskets and seals. It has been really fun learning how to rebuild the block and I'm hooked. Now, something I have noticed is that most pistons that I've seen in m10b18's online are the piano top pistons which to my understanding have a compression ratio of 9.0:1. I believe that I have earlier model pistons that are domed that have a compression ratio of 9.3:1. Please correct me if I'm wrong because I wasn't able to find much info.
Now I'm going to start working on the cylinder head. I figured to be a little more efficient and powerful this is where it really counts. Since its going to be a mild DD for now, and my main purpose is to just have a little more fun, I'm heading in the route of sending a camshaft to Ireland Engineering for a regrind to 284. I'd also like a set of dual valve springs but I'm not sure they're necesary or not. I am also planning on giving a try at port and polishing it to match the gasket. Then I planned on lapping the valves and polishing up some used ones.
Any advice or tips that you can give me will be greatly appreciated. Besides minor things my car has been very good to me and hasn't serisously broken down on me once. It even passed smog with no problem. I'm happy to have an e30 and plan on keeping it forever.
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