***Editors Note: I've wanted to feature this car several times and there was always a reason not to, even this time he wanted to get it painted first, but after a little nudge he caved and has blessed us with pics of this. I saw this car in person years ago and loved all the little touches, a true 'lifer' car. Excited for the fresh paint and changes planned for the future. Congrats bmwman91 you're R3vlimiteds February 2022 Car of the month!***
Options: 318iS Base Coupe w/ Sunroof
Color: Brilliantrot 308
Interior Color: Black
Engine Modifications: Metric Mechanic Rally 2.1L, custom MAF conversion, WBO2, 7.4lb RHD Engineering flywheel w/ M20 clutch, full custom Sssquid Tuning tune, M30 air intake box (65% more surface area vs. stock), COP ignition conversion (fun fact: I invented it for the M42 back in 2006!)
Exhaust: Supersprint cat-back
Transmission: Stock G240, Garagistic DSSR & solid bushings, Z4 short shifter
Differential: Z3 medium case 4.10 w/ WaveTrac (built by Wanganstyle)
Suspension: Bilstein HD, M-Tech sways, E36 solid CABs, Garagistic front strut tower brace
Wheels: 15" Euroweaves
Exterior Modifications: Z3 antenna, Euro ellipsoid headlights w/ bi-xenon converison, Euro rear plate filler, BMP Design front plate delete (blast from the past!)
Interior Modifications: Full reupholster w/ micro-suede, map light rear view mirror, RMT-200 head unit w/ 605nm orange backlight conversion
Other: Jordan-rebuilt ABS unit, tri-amped custom designed sound system that looks 100% stock, rear headrests & armrest seat back, M-Tech 1 steering wheel, M3 illuminated shift knob, fully rebuilt engine & front-chassis electrical harnesses
Story: Shortly after totaling my first E30 318iS while driving thoughtlessly and way too fast, as many young men tend to do, I purchased this car in late 2005 for $2000 (talked the seller down from $2200 due to obvious angry timing case noises). I changed the timing chain tensioner in his driveway, handed him the cash, and was on my way. The car ran well for most of the following years, although the oil pump did eat a chunk of timing chain in 2006 which was a bit of a chore to fix. Otherwise, it got me through college and my early career.
From 2010-2012, I had multiple issues with the timing case. The deflector sprocket lost its bearings, the main guide rail’s top bolt stripped out of the head, and finally in 2012 the deflector sprocket snapped off of its mount on the timing case. At that point, I should have just sold the car for parts and bought something newer and more reliable…but where’s the fun in that?
Instead, I called up Metric Mechanic and asked them to build me a max-spec (for the street) NA M42. It took about 6 months to get the new engine (by then I was married and my wife was thrilled that I had no car for that long). Due to supplier problems, I ended up having valve springs break in that engine twice in the first year. Metric Mechanic paid all of the costs for shipping and repairing things both times. The first time I pulled the whole engine, and the second time I pulled the head and sent that in. Fast forward to 2019. The car ran OK ever since 2013 when I put the rebuilt head back on, but I would not have described it as running great. At one point, the original crank damper started failing, leading to some major detonation, and a couple of months later the head gasket finally let go between all 4 cylinders.
So, back on the phone with Metric Mechanic. I was not ready to give up on the car, as tempting as it was. I had maintained a positive working relationship with them throughout the problems with the valve springs, periodically checked in with them over the years, and they offered to effectively build me a new engine at cost if I pulled it once more and shipped it back to them. So, that is what I did, and I am really happy that I did. Maybe I had not cleaned things properly when I reinstalled the head in 2013, maybe cylinder clearances were off in the first one, I don’t know. What I do know is that the second engine was exactly what I would have expected from MM. It ran great, sounded great, pulled hard (for an M42) and smooth, and got 20% better fuel economy than the first one.
Were it not for COVID, I would have gotten back into autocross with the car now that it is running great. The OEM+ suspension isn’t exactly “competitive” but at this point I like having the ground clearance, and the car is still plenty of fun to sling around. Plans for the car include a full respray since the paint is wearing through in several places, a full aftermarket ECU conversion (Link E36X with 100% custom harness that adds duel knock sensing, wide band control, various fluid pressure & temperature sensors, etc), and an ITB conversion. The ECU project is already underway, although a job change has limited my available time for that, and I would like to keep the car in a running state for a bit longer so that I can enjoy it!
Options: 318iS Base Coupe w/ Sunroof
Color: Brilliantrot 308
Interior Color: Black
Engine Modifications: Metric Mechanic Rally 2.1L, custom MAF conversion, WBO2, 7.4lb RHD Engineering flywheel w/ M20 clutch, full custom Sssquid Tuning tune, M30 air intake box (65% more surface area vs. stock), COP ignition conversion (fun fact: I invented it for the M42 back in 2006!)
Exhaust: Supersprint cat-back
Transmission: Stock G240, Garagistic DSSR & solid bushings, Z4 short shifter
Differential: Z3 medium case 4.10 w/ WaveTrac (built by Wanganstyle)
Suspension: Bilstein HD, M-Tech sways, E36 solid CABs, Garagistic front strut tower brace
Wheels: 15" Euroweaves
Exterior Modifications: Z3 antenna, Euro ellipsoid headlights w/ bi-xenon converison, Euro rear plate filler, BMP Design front plate delete (blast from the past!)
Interior Modifications: Full reupholster w/ micro-suede, map light rear view mirror, RMT-200 head unit w/ 605nm orange backlight conversion
Other: Jordan-rebuilt ABS unit, tri-amped custom designed sound system that looks 100% stock, rear headrests & armrest seat back, M-Tech 1 steering wheel, M3 illuminated shift knob, fully rebuilt engine & front-chassis electrical harnesses
Story: Shortly after totaling my first E30 318iS while driving thoughtlessly and way too fast, as many young men tend to do, I purchased this car in late 2005 for $2000 (talked the seller down from $2200 due to obvious angry timing case noises). I changed the timing chain tensioner in his driveway, handed him the cash, and was on my way. The car ran well for most of the following years, although the oil pump did eat a chunk of timing chain in 2006 which was a bit of a chore to fix. Otherwise, it got me through college and my early career.
From 2010-2012, I had multiple issues with the timing case. The deflector sprocket lost its bearings, the main guide rail’s top bolt stripped out of the head, and finally in 2012 the deflector sprocket snapped off of its mount on the timing case. At that point, I should have just sold the car for parts and bought something newer and more reliable…but where’s the fun in that?
Instead, I called up Metric Mechanic and asked them to build me a max-spec (for the street) NA M42. It took about 6 months to get the new engine (by then I was married and my wife was thrilled that I had no car for that long). Due to supplier problems, I ended up having valve springs break in that engine twice in the first year. Metric Mechanic paid all of the costs for shipping and repairing things both times. The first time I pulled the whole engine, and the second time I pulled the head and sent that in. Fast forward to 2019. The car ran OK ever since 2013 when I put the rebuilt head back on, but I would not have described it as running great. At one point, the original crank damper started failing, leading to some major detonation, and a couple of months later the head gasket finally let go between all 4 cylinders.
So, back on the phone with Metric Mechanic. I was not ready to give up on the car, as tempting as it was. I had maintained a positive working relationship with them throughout the problems with the valve springs, periodically checked in with them over the years, and they offered to effectively build me a new engine at cost if I pulled it once more and shipped it back to them. So, that is what I did, and I am really happy that I did. Maybe I had not cleaned things properly when I reinstalled the head in 2013, maybe cylinder clearances were off in the first one, I don’t know. What I do know is that the second engine was exactly what I would have expected from MM. It ran great, sounded great, pulled hard (for an M42) and smooth, and got 20% better fuel economy than the first one.
Were it not for COVID, I would have gotten back into autocross with the car now that it is running great. The OEM+ suspension isn’t exactly “competitive” but at this point I like having the ground clearance, and the car is still plenty of fun to sling around. Plans for the car include a full respray since the paint is wearing through in several places, a full aftermarket ECU conversion (Link E36X with 100% custom harness that adds duel knock sensing, wide band control, various fluid pressure & temperature sensors, etc), and an ITB conversion. The ECU project is already underway, although a job change has limited my available time for that, and I would like to keep the car in a running state for a bit longer so that I can enjoy it!
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