1987 BMW E30 316, 41,000 Miles, Scotland

[johnnyp]

Hi Johnny, great to hear from you and thank you very much indeed for replying and for your kind words - that's much appreciated indeed :-) Great to hear from someone who has owned a 316!! Those 7 years in Switzerland must have been very pleasurable? What was your 316 like? You have confirmed the niggling suspicion that I had that the 2BE was a bit of knightmare setup...but seen as how im a purist im not going to bow down to the "just replace it with a Webber" ethos that ive heard so much about. I would genuinely and sincerely really appreciate the scans of the pages from the manual, thank you :-) Did you experience any woes with your 2BE at all? Hope you are well. Kindest Regards, Russell.

Hi Russell, well mine was a bit more road worn than yours. Fair bit of rust and the interior was pretty beat up as well. This weekend I'll have to dig around my external hard drive, round up some pictures and make a post about it (had quite a few options on it which you wouldn't expect for a base model). At the lab where I was working there were a bunch of older cars like mine that were passed around every few years or so between people coming and going and it showed.

So yeah the 2BE... if a part electronic computer controlled carb sounds like a crazy idea, well it was. How is yours running right now? Since your 316 has pretty low mileage, probably all of the main electronic components are still in good working order (choke flap actuator especially). Probably worth it to replace all the vacuum lines, since they can dry out and crack. Also if the car has spent a lot of time not being driven over the years, the gas evaporating from the carb float bowl can leave quite a bit of internal varnish. One of the best things I did was rip the whole carb apart and clean out all the built up varnish with naphtha. A point of warning though, before you start taking apart the carb for whatever reason make sure you mark all the relative positions of how all parts are mounted to the main body (again the choke flap actuator especially since you can rotate it and get it out of whack when you loosen the hold down plate)

With a bit of work I got most things in good working order but was always at the mercy of how well choke flap actuator was working on a given day. Most carbs have multiple ways to richen up the fuel mix at different times while driving, but with the 2BE all of these are handled by the choke flap actuator and if that goes on the fritz you'll have all sorts of rough running. Mine had the habit of closing up too much during a cold start, making the only way to get the car running by standing outside and having one hand under the hood manually keeping the choke open and one hand inside the car turning the key. Out of frustration I did actually go out and buy a replacment Weber but honestly even though it was easier to start with its manual choke, it never ran as well was the 2BE. Once nice thing about the 2BE is that it really sips gasoline, which made the car great for road trips.

Let me know how yours is running and if you run into any issues. It will be awhile before I can dig up the Haynes manual from storage but I have a fair number of pictures that could be useful depending on what you might need to do.

[RustyRuss]

Thanks very much for your kind words Shameson, much appreciated indeed :-) It took me va long time to find one as clean as this one I have to say! Ahh I never realised the m10 was released with injection in the states - the m10 318i was released here in 85/86 until 87 and the m40 b18 318i replaced that in 87 just like the m40 b16 316i replaced my m10 316 in 87. I really hope you find the early 318i your after :-) Ill certainly keep you all posted - sincere thanks :-) Hoper you are well. Kind Regards, Russell.

[shameson]

What a fantastic car, I love seeing them like this as you can admire how they looked straight out of the factory 27 years ago. How hard was it to find?

But actually in the US, the '84/'85 318i came with m10. When they rereleased the 318 in '91 it had the m42 which I have. Oddly, I really want to own the early 318i, with no options. Want it with manual windows, manual sunroof, a 5 speed and with euro bumpers. Something about that is really appealing. Certainly weird seeing the m10 in a late model, but that makes this car interesting. Definitely a cool find, keep us updated with more pictures :p

[RustyRuss]

Hi Johnny, great to hear from you and thank you very much indeed for replying and for your kind words - that's much appreciated indeed :-) Great to hear from someone who has owned a 316!! Those 7 years in Switzerland must have been very pleasurable? What was your 316 like? You have confirmed the niggling suspicion that I had that the 2BE was a bit of knightmare setup...but seen as how im a purist im not going to bow down to the "just replace it with a Webber" ethos that ive heard so much about. I would genuinely and sincerely really appreciate the scans of the pages from the manual, thank you :-) Did you experience any woes with your 2BE at all? Hope you are well. Kindest Regards, Russell.

[johnnyp]

Wow that's a nice e30 and a 316! My first e30 was a 316 that I owned for 7 years while working in Switzerland. Even though they're at the bottom of the engine totem pole they're still quite a pleasure to drive. Always wondered how many more of these cars were still out there in the wild, and I never expected to see one in such nice shape or post face-lift.

The M10 is an easy to work on and bulletproof engine, the carb on the other hand... be prepared. What you have on your hands isn't the nice and simple Pierburgs from the 2002s/e21s but the computer controlled Pierburg 2BE. The electric choke specifically can be a bit of a bear to deal with if it starts to act up. If you haven't already, it's really worth it to track down a copy of the Haynes Solex & Pierburg Carb Manual. Mine is in storage right now, but if you don't mind waiting a few months I'll be able to dig it up and scan the relevant pages.

[RustyRuss]

I love it! What a museum piece you have there. Simply beautiful at how clean she is. Like the day she rolled of the assembly line. The fact that she has no options makes the car special in a weird way, but in a very cool way. Here's to many happy motoring summer days! Cheers.

Thanks very much indeed Sapurvis, that's really appreciated :-) That's one of the reasons I love the car so much is its complete lack of specification it just somehow seems to be the better for it! Im looking forward to some nice summer motoring like you say :-) Ill keep the thread updated with day out photos :-) Hope you are well. Kind Regards Russell. Ps, your E30 looks stunning in your signature :-)

[sapurvis]

I love it! What a museum piece you have there. Simply beautiful at how clean she is. Like the day she rolled of the assembly line. The fact that she has no options makes the car special in a weird way, but in a very cool way. Here's to many happy motoring summer days! Cheers.

[RustyRuss]

Heres everyone talking about coming to Scotland when I myself am going stateside on the 30th of this month - myself and my Mum are taking a trip to Las Vegas for the week as weve always wanted to go...cant wait!! Anyone from Nevada here I wonder? Not sure what to expect really, anyone ever been? It will be bright and vibrant im predicting. Really looking forward to it. Ill be on E30 Watch

[RustyRuss]

I'm too down, we should grab a pint and nerd out about E30's and whatnot haha, I should be headed your way around spring/summer time still working out the details.

A pint and a nerd about E30's is an absolute must when you visit - count me in for that one :-)

[RustyRuss]

Yessiree I do, my family came over from Lanark. We're part of the Craig clan

Fantastic, know it well and about an hour or so from me. Used to go out with a girl from Lanark as it happens!!

[RustyRuss]

Wow, that thing is mint! Gonna keep the auto in there or swap it for a manual?

Seems like quite a few here have Scottish connections. My grandmother is from Edinburgh, and moved around Scotland and England before coming to the US just after WW2. Would love to go and visit all the places she lived.

Many thanks, much appreciated indeed :-) I prefer things standard so sticking with the auto. Fantastic about your Gran - I look across to Edinburgh from our lounge window :-) Be sure to say hello if you do come across - youd love it :-)

[RustyRuss]

Looks clean! Seeing an air cleaner on the m10 in a late e30 looks so strange...

Hey that word cuppa, I though my mom made that up, but I guess not! My grandpa was Scottish and grew up in Hull and married a Canadian and came to California. I guess it's Scottish!? Or just not American!

Cheers Navarone... I agree completely - its the first 316 ive ever came across and it being a facelifted car even for me when I opened the bonnet for the first time I was like wow, just looks so out of place. 1987 on an E reg like this car was the last year the m10 was available being replaced just as few months into the E30 facelift with the 316i. The M10 cars are now extremely rare as they were always the first ones to get parted out for body panels and interior trim - they have always been regarded as the poverty ugly worthless duckling of the E30 range but this makes me love the car all the more - for me less is more! Makes cleaning in the bay great though - its laughable how much space is under the bonnet!! Did the M10 carb fed make it stateside in the E21 or in the 2002 series?

Haha "a cuppa" or "a brew" two great sayings for a cup of tea :-) Great that you have Scottish / UK connections too :-)

[RustyRuss]

how much for the headlights shipped to canada?

Hi Rockafella, :p afraid they will be staying with me and the car. Im sure youll pick some up though.

[henryki]

Thanks all, much appreciated indeed :-) Henryki, that's only about 30 minutes from where I live - be sure to swing in for a cuppa next time your over and you can get a look at the car :-)

Navarone, I have updated the pictures above with under bonnet shots :-)

Kind Regards

Russell.

I'm too down, we should grab a pint and nerd out about E30's and whatnot haha, I should be headed your way around spring/summer time still working out the details.

[dannyyisntt]

Hey Danny, thanks very much mate - much appreciated indeed :-) Aw excellent, do you know what part of Scotland they come from? Kind Regards, Russell.

Yessiree I do, my family came over from Lanark. We're part of the Craig clan