My 89 325is Build thread

[Kevinl]

I have owned the car since October but now I am starting to get serious so I thought I would start a build thread.

Here are the photos from the Cl ad

[Norwegian]

cool :)

[Kevinl]

I went to look at the car and was a little put off by all the dents on the hood and the damaged clear coat

I took the car for a drive thinking I wouldn't like it but I immediately fell in love with the car

Upon looking over the car I determined the odometer didn't work, radio sounded like crap, engine fan had broken blades car idled at 2-3 thousand rpm with the ac on.

There were receipts for a head refresh after the previous owner let the timing belt break, new a/c compressor, new power steering rack although it seems to be leaking now, fuel filter and tune up items and of course a new timing belt.

We came to a deal and I purchased the car and within a couple days was ordering parts

I started with a new fan& fan clutch, new intake boot, roundels,ZHP knob, M stripe for M technic wheel and a dashmat


After replacing the intake boot the car still idled very high with the A/C on a adjustment of the tps finally fixed it.

Before the end of the first week it blew a rear shock mount.

The original Aux fan was missing an after market one was held on with one zip tie and spinning backwards and it was also had rigged wiring since the resistor was bad and I guess they couldn't figure it out.

I rewired the radio so it didn't sound like garbage that was it for the first month

[Kevinl]

November rolls around I ordered the parts from garagistic to fix the odometer and the backlight for the OBC

The same day I replaced those parts the engine decides to jump into the radiator so I ordered more parts

Nissens Radiator
Shroud
Engine mounts
Tranny mounts
Trailing arm bushings
Subframe bushings
Shift shaft seal
output shaft seal
guibo
E30 M3 CAB's

[RagtopE30]

Congrats on the nice find!

[Kevinl]

So I have not done much to the car in the last few months since it is finally reliable. But I knew the suspension was tired I mulled over what suspension to go with but I decided to keep it simple and just go with Bilstein Sports & H&R Sport springs.

I knew the new struts and spring were not the whole suspension so I ordered every remaining wearable part except tie rods not sure what I am going to do with the Steering rack yet

This showed up today

Lemforder Control arms
Sway bar end links
sway bar bushings
new strut mounts
new exhaust mounts



I am still waiting on the Strut/Shocks & Spring they are backordered

After Suspension the seats are getting redone

[e30douglas]

nice start

[pilotskillse30]

I love new parts

[Kevinl]

got my struts,shocks& Springs


My son was eager to open the box



Here is a picture I found of my old E36 328i sport I miss the color & the M52 it was a 5 speed of course I don't mess around when it comes to a transmission

[PeteD]

Young son and still doing a build, That's impressive! Both your cars look nice. Good luck.

[Threehz]

Nice thirty and the E36 actually looks really good. One of these days I'll make it up to Phx for a meet!

[Kevinl]

Well today I took a risk and did something that I had to get out of my system.

I test drove a 1997 M3 Sedan seemed like a solid car from what I could tell from the engine bay and the interior and exterior couldn't really see anything from underneath

Any ways I was expecting to be really impressed by the power but I really wasn't there is absolutely more torque than the 325is pulled pretty hard in the lower rev band bUt above 4k which is where the M20 comes alive it sure didn't feel like 70 more hp I'm not sure if it's the weight or the gearing but I can't see going for the e36 m3 over the e30 yeah there is more power but it doesnt feel like a low 14 second car

I would probably buy the M3 if I didn't have the e30 but I'm not willing to give up the e30 and I don't need two BMW's and I already have a Suburban in case the e30 is down

I think once I get the e30's injectors cleaned and O2 sensor replaced and maybe get a chip it should run pretty strong it runs pretty good now but I doubt the injectors have ever been cleaned and I have no record of the o2 being replaced

[Kevinl]

did the suspension today

getting the rear together



old junk

front torn down
front strut assembled

back on the car
fan blade puller worked great to get the bushings off

[Kevinl]

after pics

[illest318i]

I'm sure it looks good, but your pictures are up side down.