unkown mileage on junkyard m30

[vic_325]

so theres an m30 sitting in an e32 at my local wreckers and the only info i could find about the car is the vin#... the cluster is gone.. it would be a digital odometer anyways.
I've read around and talked to a couple guys who have experience with m30's saying they are solid engines.


For 200 bucks you can't go wrong and if it doesn't run ill have extra parts

taking a good look at it, i noticed;

the good

-automatic car

-the engine is clean

-there are no oil leaks

- took off the oil cap and looked inside to find a nice and clean rocker arm and rod ( like a reduilt head would look like)

- turn the crank by hand (with some effort of course) and could hear the pistons compressing inside.

the maybe not so good

- oil on the dip stick is dark black

- throttle is stiff and hard to open and won't close back on it's own

- no alternator... would my m20 alt. work?

- its been sitting there since last fall


so what would some worries about this engine be?

Thanks,
Vic.

[Doughnut]

the maybe not so good

- oil on the dip stick is dark black

- throttle is stiff and hard to open and won't close back on it's own

- no alternator... would my m20 alt. work?

- its been sitting there since last fall

- Replace engine oil and filter.

- Lubricate TB.

- Are the brackets for the alternator still there? Not sure if the m20 one will work or not.

- Maybe throw a little oil in the spark plug holes and turn it over by hand a few times to get things lubricated.

[vic_325]

brackets are there i think, if the m20 alt doesnt work im sure i could find another alt from an m30 somewhere else.

[Erick]

so theres an m30 sitting in an e32 at my local wreckers and the only info i could find about the car is the vin#... the cluster is gone.. it would be a digital odometer anyways.
I've read around and talked to a couple guys who have experience with m30's saying they are solid engines.


For 200 bucks you can't go wrong and if it doesn't run ill have extra parts

taking a good look at it, i noticed;

the good

-automatic car

-the engine is clean

-there are no oil leaks

- took off the oil cap and looked inside to find a nice and clean rocker arm and rod ( like a reduilt head would look like)

- turn the crank by hand (with some effort of course) and could hear the pistons compressing inside.

the maybe not so good

- oil on the dip stick is dark black

- throttle is stiff and hard to open and won't close back on it's own

- no alternator... would my m20 alt. work?

- its been sitting there since last fall


so what would some worries about this engine be?

Thanks,
Vic.

- oil on the dip stick is dark black
Just flush the system with an oil change 500 miles after you get it running.

- throttle is stiff and hard to open and won't close back on it's own.
Throttle body spring/coil could be bad.... You'd need a new TB at worst case.

- no alternator... would my m20 alt. work?
Most likely no. If you can rig it there, it would work, but I'm thinking M30s have more powerful alternators on them.

- its been sitting there since last fall
It's still probably in much better shape than the M30 I swapped in my car.

[yert315]

-Don't worry too much about the black oil, what does your old oil look like when you change it? Black. At least its not light brown (headgasket).
-throw some wd40 on the throttle body. Worst case scenario, you replace it.
-not sure about the alt question.
-I bought my motor from a junk yard. Who knows how long it has been sitting, but it runs.

Just be ready to troubleshoot quite a bit. If you're lucky, it will fire right up and you'll be on your way. Be prepared to replace gaskets, rails, plugs, wires, etc. Of course, you would do this on any m30 engine you choose to get.

But for $200, why not? That's what I got mine for and I don't regret buying it.

[vic_325]

bought the engine today, i ended up paying $275 b/c picked up the starter, #179ecu and downpipes as well.

i looked at the spark plugs and they looked pretty good, ill post pics tommorw when i get the engine home. ill also be doing a compression test once i get a flywheel bolted on there.

ill be using
-my 87 m20 wiring harness
-3.73 lsd :D

still need to pick up these parts:
-e28 driveshaft
-preferably a 3.3l flywheel
-sach m5 clutch kit
-altenator
-afm, air box and rubber bootings
-e28 rad and hoses
-different throttle body because that one is effed.

as for mounts i think we're going to try and make them ourselves using the my parts car for mock up and test fitting. this way ill be able to get everything ready without too much downtime of my car.

[vic_325]

would an afm out of an e28 work with the e34/e32 b35?

i searched realoem and it shows 13621466349 for the e28 535i and e34 535i.

[yert315]

yes. AFM's are the same between b34 and b35. Be sure the number ends in 027

[vic_325]

got the engine home today but i didnt get to take any pics. I wd-40'd the throttle and got it to free up and moving like it should.

now i just need to wait for the pay check then pick up a 5 speed and order a clutch

[vic_325]

and i was checking the valve clearances today and noticed a crack in the head where the #2 piston's exhaust rocker shaft sits.

i am guessing that the pressure from the vavle spring is forced to the rocker shaft.

sorry for the crappy cell phone pic but you can get an idea of its location and size.





i don;t know if i should just take the head off, remove the vavles and take it to a machine shope. or if i should just run it till she blows. it wont be a DD car but i do plan on driving hard when ever i do drive the car.

Vic.

[Doughnut]

^^^ warranty from the junk yard dude?

[vic_325]

lol no, i bought it with an unkown condition.. because they didnt test the motor. so no warranty.

i am just going to pull the head, disassemble it and get it welded.

[vic_325]

ordered the victor reinz head gasket set from bimmerspecialists.ca. ill be taking the head off this weak. hopefully some better quality pics to come.

while the head will be out. will a port polish on the exhaust ports wake up the b35 at all? how about a cam?

[5KWattson]

i believe for the money a cam isnt going to yield you the hp your looking for, i think a chip and opening up the exhaust will better suit you

[xwill112x]

m30 alternators can be had for cheap.

great buy none the less!