Did I land on a unicorn?

[CJ_]

Hey guys, new here. I just recently picked up a project e30 from a friend who decided to go a different route. I didn't do much research before I picked it up, other than the fact that I've always wanted to own and restore an e30, and for the price, I couldn't pass it up.

Now that I have it, I've done a ton of research and just want to confirm my findings, okay maybe not a unicorn but..
The car is a 1988 325 (no letter designation) which appears to be the 'super eta'?
The dashboard has the 5500 redline and it has the m20b27 that was just recently acid bathed, honed, and checked for clearances. It also came with a brand new head from bimmerheads with the dual valve springs (true i head?).

The few questions I have are:
Is this an i conversion 'stroker' motor? The super eta pistons will accept the i head, correct?

What else would I need for the full i conversion? intake mani, tb, and headers?

Also is there a way to tell exactly what head/cam I got?

Thanks and sorry for all the questions, just trying to get as much info as possible before I start buttoning this thing up

[packratbimmer]

Clues to whether you have a super eta

1) Look for "885" on the head
2) Look up your build date on Realoem
3) Look at your driver's door jamb
4) Look at your differential ratio tab

[NYCDelphin]

parts list from an 'i' car:
325i cam
325i valve springs
325i intake manifold + 325i fuel injectors +325i fuel rail
325i pressure regulator
325i throttle body with throttle position sensor
325i idle control valve
325i air flow meter
325i intake boot
325i ECU

[StereoInstaller1]

I cant remember if the SETA has single or dual exhaust...

[NYCDelphin]

i have a dual on my 88 sedan.

[TobyB]

Did I land on a unicorn?

Do you feel an unusual pressure... somewhere???

t

[stonea]

Do you feel an unusual pressure... somewhere???

t

Or usual? We don't discriminate here

[TimeMachinE30]

Do you feel an unusual pressure... somewhere???

t

Exactly the way I read it.

[Das Delfin]

OP your car is the easiest to make a stroker build with. It's also the easiest early model to convert to plastic bumpers. It might be worth your while do pick up a late model 325i car because it's gonna have everything you need to swap over.

the bimmerheads head you have with dual valve springs.. I believe the seta heads had dual springs but were different from 885 heads. You might want to call up bimmerheads and see if they can identify which one you have. If it's brand new etc you're going to get more power than an older i head and you may just wanna keep it.

[CJ_]

Do you feel an unusual pressure... somewhere???

t

Eh you guys know what I meant.. hahaha

After checking, its definitely a super eta, 01/88 mfg, 5500 redline, original 885 head.

OP your car is the easiest to make a stroker build with. It's also the easiest early model to convert to plastic bumpers. It might be worth your while do pick up a late model 325i car because it's gonna have everything you need to swap over.

the bimmerheads head you have with dual valve springs.. I believe the seta heads had dual springs but were different from 885 heads. You might want to call up bimmerheads and see if they can identify which one you have. If it's brand new etc you're going to get more power than an older i head and you may just wanna keep it.

Cool, thanks for the info! I have the original head and it has the 885 stamped on it, but its disassembled and all the parts/springs are in a box somewhere, no idea if it had dual valve springs.

Just need some piston rings and it will be about time for the motor to start going back together!

[ForcedFirebird]

seta came with single springs, 7 bearing eta camshaft, seta-specific intake manifold, eta throttle body, seta-specific tach/ecu. It also used the 325i injectors, fuel pressure regulator and the like, so really the ECU is s plug and play (just don't put a 325i ECU straight in a seta or you will float/bend the valves).

Basically you swap the cam, springs, intake manifold (with throttle) and ECU from an "i" to make a "stroker".

[RobDog]

The oil filter on seta's screw directly to the block and does not have an oil filter thermostat adaptor or oil cooler.