318 vs 325 differences?

[bmwmike]

other than the engine of course, what are the differences in a 318 and 325. Is the differential the same? Suspension components? Brakes? Anything else in the chassis?

[Gr00v3]

the 91 318is doesn't have trunk tar as far as i remember, and different insulation under the hood
________
LovelyWendie

[Rob]

please read this thread, http://www.r3vlimited.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=20195

[bmwmike]

please read this thread, http://www.r3vlimited.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=20195

yes well i read that, and i already realize the 318 is lighter and gets better gas mileage, and the 325 has 2 more cylinders and is slightly faster, that and people like to argue on about this for 6 pages, but really Im wondering about specific things here.

Is the differential different? Are the brakes bigger on the 325? Is the chassis and suspension different in any other way?

Im asking because im buying another e30 for a project where I'll be swapping motors. And I just want to know some of these differences.

[bmwmike]

ive been looking and i can get a really nice 318 for about a grand, or a half decent 325 for 2 or more. Ill buy the 318 but only if im not going to regret it later (during the swap) when I realize the 325 had something that wouldve made the swap better for it

[Dominick]

early 318's lighter, 4 cyl, drums in back, no rear sway bar, i think the diff is different,half shafts different b/c no ABS, smaller brake cylinder, dont OBC, dont have check panel,slow,slow,slow

[rwh11385]

http://www.strictlyeta.net/technical/differences.html

At the opposite end of the spectrum was the 318i. The 1984-1985 318i was equipped with the M10 1.8 liter SOHC inline 4 (which was first seen on the 2002 and revised for use on the E21), capable of 101 horsepower @ 5800 RPM. It used the basic L-Jetronic fuel management system (as opposed to the more modern Motronic system used on the M20 and S14), and came with very limited standard equipment. It was hard pressed by its competition and was dropped after only 2 years of service. But the 318i badge returned for 1991 and featured a brand new M42 1.8 liter 16-valve DOHC 4-cylinder motor, putting out 134 horsepower and 127 lb-ft of torque. With a fairly lightweight body and a high revving powerplant, the M42 318i was a lively car and was BMWs new entry level vehicle, though it was only in production for one model year in the US.

So what exactly are the differences between a 325e and 325i? What does that "s" mean in 318is, 325es, and 325is? Is the '84-'85 318i the same as the '91 318i? What the hell is a 325iX? And why do the M3s look so different than the rest of the E30s? This guide will attempt to explain the differences between the American spec E30 models. (If you are looking for actual specs, click here.)

The main differences between the 325e and the 325i are in the engine. Although both models have engines from the same M20 family, the 325e has more displacement than the 325i (2.7 liters vs. 2.5), but drastically less horsepower (121 vs 167). The "e" stands for "eta" (the Greek character for efficiency) and was the theme for the 325e, which was conceived during the gas crisis of the late 1970's. However, the 325e's long stroke motor helped contribute to its large torque output, and it actually has a higher torque rating than the 325i (170 vs 164). The "e" has a low 4800 RPM redline but a relatively flat powerband to compensate and a very conservative 2.93 final drive (2.79 for the earlier models) to allow for low freeway RPMs and increased gas mileage. In contrast, the sport oriented 325i was equipped with a much shorter 3.73 final drive (4.10 in some automatics) and a much higher revving engine (redlining at 6700 RPM), despite its smaller size. In contast to the 325e, the 325i has a hotter cam, dual valve springs, larger valves, larger intake manifold, larger throttle body, larger exhaust manifolds, dual pipe exhaust system, and self-diagnosis capabilities (through Motronic 1.1 and 1.3).
Any model with an "s" suffix, such as 318is, 325es, and 325is, denotes the sport model, which only came in 2-door form. It can be easily recognized with its front spoiler with integrated foglights, rear decklid spoiler, and 14" BBS cross-spoke "basketweave" rims. It also featured a limited slip differential (optional on the 318is), bolstered sport seats, thicker swaybars, slightly stiffer shocks and front springs, and a leather-wrapped 3-spoke steering wheel (except '90 on, which had a 4-spoke leather-wrapped airbag wheel). The 325es and 325is also came with an on board computer, power windows/mirrors/sunroof, central locking, and a premium sound stereo system. In 1991 there was no official 325is model, although all of the aforementioned items were still available as the Sport package.

http://www.strictlyeta.net/technical/specifications2.html

[MR 325]

M10 318 vs 325 cars, big differences

M42 318 vs 325 cars, not as many differences

[Borat]

other than options can you please explain some of the structural differences please. I am aware about drums, no rear sway, smaller front sways, smaller struts, diff, g/box but what else is there that the 318 (M10) is missing or is smaller?

[bmwmike]

M10 318 vs 325 cars, big differences

M42 318 vs 325 cars, not as many differences

such as?

[Wes325]

M10 318 vs 325 cars, big differences

M42 318 vs 325 cars, not as many differences

such as?

Bro, dont be lazy....just search around, This info is everywhere.

[bmwmike]

ive searched quite a bit and its hard to actually find what im asking above. If anyone who knows could answer, I would greatly appreciate it. Im not exactly a newbie here, i mean i havent posted much but ive been a member for a while, and i usually do find the info by searching, its just ive spent a while trying to find these answers and there hard to find.