How to spot a super ETA

[bowtie2bimmer]

Ok a buddy and I are going to look at e30 tonight that may become our track day car. Its and 87 325es. He says it has that 87 and 88 came with the super eta engine, but from my reading only 88 did. Is there a way to quickly know if its a super eta?

[jlevie]

Only the 88 model year came with a Super ETA engine. From memory that would be production from 9/87-8/88. The main clues would be an M20B25 head casting and only a front mounted CPS. The rest of the engine will look like an ETA.

[VinniE30]

Only 1988 and the badge will just say 325, it wont say have an "e" or an "i" at the end.
But i'm sure theres some exception to this like with anything that someone will point out.
If you really want to know just look at the engine. The valve cover has "BMW" on the valve cover like the 325i engines, not just a roundel like the eta engines. But someone could of corse put a different valve cover on.
The only way to know for absolutely sure would be to look up the number on the engine.

[fronton]

also, check to see if its bronzit. If it is, chances are it at least an eta.

more seriously, run the vin here: http://www.bmw-z1.com/VIN/VINdecode-e.cgi

It will give you the specs you want to know.

[bowtie2bimmer]

I also read something about a higher redline?

[bowtie2bimmer]

were they badges a certain way? This one is a 325es... My buddy says the "s" model came with super eta, while I think it only meant the number of doors.

[VinniE30]

eta redline is 4800
super eta redline is 5200
i redline is 6700

[AsharC]

^^beat me to it.

[mrgraphics]

I just used the VIN decode link above for my 1986 325es, and it says that I have the M20 B25 engine. If I do recall, my head has the roundel and BMW written on it.

[VinniE30]

were they badges a certain way? This one is a 325es... My buddy says the "s" model came with super eta, while I think it only meant the number of doors.

It's probably not a super eta if the badge is 325es.
The badge would just say "325"
The s has nothing to do with it being a super eta or not. The s indicates that the "s" or "sport" package was selected when the vehicle was purchased which included things such as a limited slip differential, sport seats, some of the body was different like the front valence, different wheels.
But again, that's not 100% true all the time because there have certainly been cases where people had "s" E30s that didin't come with everything in the "s" package, because the customer could have opted out of those options and still have the "s" in the badge.

[e30Hungry]

also, check to see if its bronzit. If it is, chances are it at least an eta.

more seriously, run the vin here: http://www.bmw-z1.com/VIN/VINdecode-e.cgi

It will give you the specs you want to know.

it says my eta has a m20b25. Wtf shouldn't it be a b27

[VinniE30]

it says my eta has a m20b25. Wtf shouldn't it be a b27

Don't go by that.

[devon.818]

were they badges a certain way? This one is a 325es... My buddy says the "s" model came with super eta, while I think it only meant the number of doors.

your buddy is a moron.
it is not a super eta, it is a normal eta with the sportier front spoiler, the "es" front spoiler and will likely have sport seats.


valve covers are the same on the seta and the i motors.

[devon.818]

I just used the VIN decode link above for my 1986 325es, and it says that I have the M20 B25 engine. If I do recall, my head has the roundel and BMW written on it.

the head?
if you are looking at the head it would say 885

eta valve cover has the lines run all the way down to a bmw symbol, no "BMW" in the middle

[Raxe]

the head?
if you are looking at the head it would say 885

eta valve cover has the lines run all the way down to a bmw symbol, no "BMW" in the middle

Listen to this guy, he's correct.