So I bought a "new" E30 last week after my beloved 318is was totaled. I have a starting/ignition issue and a motor issue with the car that I will get to further down.
Here's before the death...
And after:
And here's the seta, 1988 325, 5 speed, 218k. (picking it up, then in the shop with its fallen brethren)
I'm keeping the 318 to nab parts from and will eventually scrap it when I've snatched all I can from it.
ANYWAYS.
The 325 was purchased for about $1200. It doesn't run. The reason for the higher price (for a non running car) is because it has lotsa new poly bushings, new Eibach springs and Billy touring's. The fact that is has a sick half ass single-stage orange peel paint job in possibly henna (?), its pretty damn rusty, and 90% of the trim is painted in bedliner increases the value too.
I bought it because its a very solid chassis, the clutch and tranny feel great (besides sloppy linkage that will be getting replaced) and I wanted a project. It also has a very nice interior, crack free dash, HID's, etc, a lot of very good parts.
I digress. The motor issue first. The car had had a starter/ignition issue for a couple months before the his gf over-revved it while push starting (bc of said starting issue) the motor was cold as well, it was the day before Halloween in MN. He thought it had a broken rocker arm but didn't look into it at all because he had too many other projects ( S14 240 w/ 5.3 SBC is one). So I pulled the VC, and there's no visible damage as far as my naked eye can tell. I dumped the oil and it looks normal (no coolant, no chunks of whatever), and am currently working on getting the oil pan off because the gasket needs replacing, and I wanna make sure there's not any broken off motor chunks lurking in the bottom of the motor. He said it made a "really awful noise from the top end". He's a manager at a shop, so I assume he would know what it sounded like, but I can't rule anything else out either. Maybe a shrieking alternator at high rpm when cold.....? Idk, any suggestions as to what it could be or what I should do/test are much appreciated! I'm a pretty capable do-it-myself-er that's eager to learn, so lay it on me. If it is the head, I'd like to confirm this somehow-leak down test?- I will replace it with an i head and do the complete 327i swap.
On to the starter issue. He said the starter just quit working via the key one day, so he just push started it and jumped the terminals on the starter for a while. He was a very honest guy (and I'm still in contact with him so I can get more info) and he told me he really never looked into the issue. The key turns all the way as it should, it just doesn't turn the starter over. Any ideas of what this could be?? Ignition relay..? It was replaced with a used unit a year ago but I suppose that could've gone bad.
Any help is greatly greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance guys.
-Ben
Here's before the death...
And after:
And here's the seta, 1988 325, 5 speed, 218k. (picking it up, then in the shop with its fallen brethren)
I'm keeping the 318 to nab parts from and will eventually scrap it when I've snatched all I can from it.
ANYWAYS.
The 325 was purchased for about $1200. It doesn't run. The reason for the higher price (for a non running car) is because it has lotsa new poly bushings, new Eibach springs and Billy touring's. The fact that is has a sick half ass single-stage orange peel paint job in possibly henna (?), its pretty damn rusty, and 90% of the trim is painted in bedliner increases the value too.
I bought it because its a very solid chassis, the clutch and tranny feel great (besides sloppy linkage that will be getting replaced) and I wanted a project. It also has a very nice interior, crack free dash, HID's, etc, a lot of very good parts.
I digress. The motor issue first. The car had had a starter/ignition issue for a couple months before the his gf over-revved it while push starting (bc of said starting issue) the motor was cold as well, it was the day before Halloween in MN. He thought it had a broken rocker arm but didn't look into it at all because he had too many other projects ( S14 240 w/ 5.3 SBC is one). So I pulled the VC, and there's no visible damage as far as my naked eye can tell. I dumped the oil and it looks normal (no coolant, no chunks of whatever), and am currently working on getting the oil pan off because the gasket needs replacing, and I wanna make sure there's not any broken off motor chunks lurking in the bottom of the motor. He said it made a "really awful noise from the top end". He's a manager at a shop, so I assume he would know what it sounded like, but I can't rule anything else out either. Maybe a shrieking alternator at high rpm when cold.....? Idk, any suggestions as to what it could be or what I should do/test are much appreciated! I'm a pretty capable do-it-myself-er that's eager to learn, so lay it on me. If it is the head, I'd like to confirm this somehow-leak down test?- I will replace it with an i head and do the complete 327i swap.
On to the starter issue. He said the starter just quit working via the key one day, so he just push started it and jumped the terminals on the starter for a while. He was a very honest guy (and I'm still in contact with him so I can get more info) and he told me he really never looked into the issue. The key turns all the way as it should, it just doesn't turn the starter over. Any ideas of what this could be?? Ignition relay..? It was replaced with a used unit a year ago but I suppose that could've gone bad.
Any help is greatly greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance guys.
-Ben
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