How long can an M30 go without coolant and oil??

[CleanAzzE30z]

A friend of mine picked me up in a hooptee 1984 733i and asked me why it was hesitating and stalling. I saw his coolant and oil level idiot lights were on. I checked the oil and it didnt even register. I got 3 quarts and it took all 3 to fill up. I also saw that it had NO coolant and filled it. Funny thing is, I asked him how long he had owned it and if he had ever changed the oil. He said a year and no. OK. I noticed the temp needle PAST the red and assumed he had been driving it like this since he got it. But low and behold, after I put the oil and coolent in it, it still over heated. But it kept running. That was yesterday. Today the engine started making death noises and I assume he cracked the block long ago, but TODAY it took a shit, after I had put oil and coolant in it. wtf?? I cant believe the car ran THAT long!! I knew M30s were bulletproof but this?? I cant believe people drive without paying attention to the idiot lights or the gauges!!!!


Mariano

[mtechnik]

:D That M30 sure sounds to have held its own. The warning lights were like decorative cool lights to him maybe?

[CleanAzzE30z]

HEY MAN!! I was wondering if you were still around!! Good to see you man!



Mariano

[selturk]

looks like he's not into cars.. poor M30 :(


(can't wait to watch Messi this summer)

[lennon]

I had a friend in highschool with an old dodge van with a slant-6. She drove the living shit out of it on a daily basis. I mean offroading, mailbox hitting, whatever. One day another buddy and I borrowed it and decided to check the fluids. Same story... it needed 3+ quarts of oil, and 1+ quart of tranny fluid. The only reason it had water in it was because she overheated it and boiled the water out on an almost daily basis, so she was pretty good about filling it back up and all. She later moved on to a Chrysler Turbo Lebaron convertible, but it didn't last as long.

[Kershaw]

lebarons have the weakest transmission. 50k miles, tops. pos. the day i sold mine i was so happy. in fact, i left the country 2 days later so the buyer couldnt bother me. :pimp:

[dinanm3atl]

I think forever. M30 has high hit points and lots of physical resistance.

[325ix]

Ha that sucks. Always happens when you put fluids in a car thats been going without them.

[Kerrath]

I think forever. M30 has high hit points and lots of physical resistance.

This made me laugh.

To my mind, M30's are like the diesels of gasoline engines. Heavy, big, clunky, good n' torquey but durable as hell. If I had a set of S38 throttle bodies before I started my M50 swap, I would've done me a nice M30 turbo instead.

[ethree]

lebarons have the weakest transmission. 50k miles, tops. pos. the day i sold mine i was so happy. in fact, i left the country 2 days later so the buyer couldnt bother me. :pimp:

But the 2.2L turbos will run forever. It is not a good combo though in the leBaron. Omni glh's do rule though.

[RickSloan]

there is a video floating around of an m30 on a pallet running with no coolant or oil for the 8 mins of the vid at 6K rpms

some say it dies at the end.... others say it runs out of gas

[Erick]

lol the fact I havent been able to blow up my M30 is living proof that these things are BMWs most bulletproof motors. :p

[E30SPDFRK]

I've killed 2 :shifty

[ILoveMPower]

Sounds like he warped or cracked the head but trust me I'm sure he could drive it like that for a while

[JasonC]

But the 2.2L turbos will run forever. It is not a good combo though in the leBaron. Omni glh's do rule though.

The turbo LeBaron and GLH has the exact same drivetrain.