please help ASAP!! (cooling/oil problem)

[SynSyx]

One question I had while shopping for motors.. there are two different cooling types correct? One with the coolant tank by the drivers side fender, and the other on the passenger side. Mine is the former of the two. I was looking at a motor that had the latter. I'm assuming that since they connect to the radiator differently that they are not exchangeable if I kept my radiator etc

[blunttech]

One question I had while shopping for motors.. there are two different cooling types correct? One with the coolant tank by the drivers side fender, and the other on the passenger side. Mine is the former of the two. I was looking at a motor that had the latter. I'm assuming that since they connect to the radiator differently that they are not exchangeable if I kept my radiator etc

you can use either. ive swapped early m20 motors and vice versa. just use the coolant transfer tube on the front of the motor or dont depending on which way youre going

[meidlin]

looks like your car has a std..

[SynSyx]

Decision.

Alright I've come to a decision as to what to do. This week I'm gonna buy 2 e30s, a 86es and a 88ix from the same guy. The es is very mechanically strong as far as engine tranny and suspension, but has a cracked dash, lots of rust, and no interior. The ix needs only a little bit of work to be a really really nice e30, plus it has 15" basketweaves! It needs a radiator and possibly a new steering column. Both cars need batteries and tires, but I have extra tires already so thats no big deal. Picking up both cars for $1500.

Long term plan is to drive the es until I get more money to fix up both my cabrio and the ix. For now I can live with driving a rusty beater with no radio while I slowly fix up the other 2 cars. Plus I have the option of building a stroker out of the es engine and putting that plus the es's 5spd in my cabrio.

All I need after this is a 318is and an m3 to have a pretty well rounded e30 collection haha

[e30slut]

and then the eta fails....

[dannyg]

I'd rather have one really nice car, than 3 junkers. But what do I know. And you do realize the IX will have its own problems down the road, which are even more expensive to fix than the 325 convertible.

[SynSyx]

I'm changing gears, so to speak, as to how I've been approaching this whole e30 thing. I'm confident in the approach I'm taking.

[e30slut]

I havent a clue how you could be so confident to boldly take on 3 e30's when you obviously can't manage 1... all it takes is a lil common sense and wise shopping to have that vert reliable again...

and where will you be keeping three e30's? I thought you didn't have space?

omg I sound like a total douche.. wow

I was like you once... Now I know better... I'm on my 3rd e30.. I love her so.

[Unearth078]

this thread makes me laugh, i pissed a little on post 52..
every time the op says something its a totally different direction almost..

what you should have done was indeed swap out the motor, having a late model car only means youd have to change the water pump if you got a motor out of an early model...

if you plan on paying to fix an e30 every time it dies you do realize when you blow up the ix your in a world of hurt'n as well as every e30. having 3 is not a good idea... especially when you seem afraid to do a task like swap a motor which is very simple in an e30

[SynSyx]

The convertible could be a reliable DD, but the car has such a legacy in my family and so much sentimental value, I can't stand to put it through another winter with no protection, getting rained on, snowed on, etc. Plus, during the school year, I live in a pretty bad part of town and if anything ever happened to it, I'd never be able to forgive myself.

I've always wanted a 'backup' or 'rainy day' e30. And, I've always wanted another e30 I could really get my hands dirty on and wouldn't feel bad if I fucked something up. Now I have both. The es is not permanent, but I wanna turn the iX into a second reliable e30, and then hopefully by the time next summer comes the cabrio will be ready to come out again

[dannyg]

I saw both of those cars...That es is a rust bucket, and the IX had a power steering problem iir and a few other things that I can't remember off the top of my head. Should have just went with a honda to get around in, and cruise with the E30 on nice days.

[ILoveMPower]

Hey man, this is Jeremy, I met you at the BavAuto meet. Based on the thread I highly suggest you just get a used motor and get the vert running. Find a couple local guys that are willing to give you a hand. I'm no mechanic either but if you get a couple buddies who know what they are doing, and are willing to get your own hands dirty, you can get a lot accomplished.

The last thing you want to be stuck with is three E30's that all have big problems. As was suggested earlier, buy a beater Honda or something to DD while you get the vert all buttoned up. M20's are pretty bulletproof, they just have to be installed correctly. Get a bentley and get to work!

Best of luck

- JK

[Alkasquawlik]

subscribed for engine fail in 3 months and ensuing OP bitching

[e30slut]

^lol..

so I guess this is the reason r3vers seem like assholes to newbs... omg it all makes sense now...

dude, did you buy 2 other e30's?

I hope you were just bs'n...

buy a honda....... spare time, fix the vert... win win

[YAN-3]

oh man thats some jacked up stuff.