My new e30 resurrection project

[shawmcbigdis]

I ordered a refurbished gauge cluster PCB off ebay, coming from Europe, so not sure when it will arrive. Found a few parts local I am trying to snatch up. Should finally get my hands on a glove box, hooray! Also got a line on a complete b25 motor for only $50. Motor is locked up, so not sure what state it is in, but I just want to build a cheap stroker, so I just need the head, intake and some of the pulleys. Even if the head is shot, the intake, throttle body, wiring harness and ECU are worth the $50. I just need to find a way to get it to my house and store it, since I have neither a cherry picker or an engine stand.

Oh, and here is a pick of the car after the suspension. Much better now without the 4x4 looking ride height it had;



If only I had some nice basket weaves for it. Someday, just like everything else.

[shawmcbigdis]

Finally got it all finished up tonight. Holy cow are those lollipops hard to get on. At least when the control arms are in the car. Took the arms back out and was able to just put the bushing on the ground and push the arm into it, then used a socket to hammer it on the rest of the way, super easy. Wish I knew that before i installed the arms the first time.

Anyway, got it all buttoned up and took it out for a test drive. OMG it is so awesome now. The new suspension with the e46 steering rack is awesome. The only car I've driven that is even close to as nimble and tossable is an NA Miata. It is so much fun now.

The exhaust leak is really annoying now, since the suspension ins't making all kind of noise, all you hear is exhaust now. Got to get that fixed, or better yet, just get a real exhaust installed. But alas, I promised the wife no more major projects on it for at least 6 months.

So next up is to pull the cluster back out and see if I can fix it. I've replaced the odo gears, the SI board batteries, and the speed sensor in the rear diff. But the only gauge that always works is the fuel gauge. The temp gauge works after I smack the dash, and the speedometer works sporadically. The tach and OBC worked right after I swapped the batteries, and then were sporadic for a while, but lately they just never work. Not sure what it is, or where to start, but I guess I will just pull it out and inspect and see if I can see any obvious problems. I didn't see any issues at the sensor in the diff when I had it up for the suspension, the connector and cables looked good back there.

[shawmcbigdis]

Well of course USPS screwed me. Strut retaining nuts still haven't shown up. Tracking shows they arrived here in OKC on Wednesday, then for some reason went to Mobile AL, then just limbo until 6PM last night it shows they arrived back in OKC. We'll see if they actually deliver them tomorrow. I really hope so, I'm excited to drive it with new suspension.

[shawmcbigdis]

Well, that's what I did, removed the bar from the car. Tried pushing the endlink on, but still couldn't, ended up putting end link on the ground and standing on bar to get it into the end link. Then I put the end link on a socket and stood on it again to get it all the way on.

Way freaking harder then it should have been.

Worst part is I ordered the wrong sway bar bushings, I got 14mm, which now I realize is only for M sport suspension, not the normal sport suspension that the es came with. So old bushings back on, at least it was easy to bolt back up. And really the bushings we're in good shape, I'm not even going to replace them.

So the whole rear is done and back together. New strut retaining nuts should be here today, so just need to assemble to struts, get them in the car then put on the lollipops and done. Can't wait to drive it.

Thank goodness the snow and ice that was scheduled for this weekend doesn't look like it's going to happen. Still going to be freezing, but at least I can drive without fear of spinning off the road.

Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk

[shawmcbigdis]

The way that works for me is take the swaybar off the car, stand it up vertically, and twist the dog bone on with downward pressure and plenty of lubrication. You can shimmy the swaybar off/on the car without having to drop the subframe.

Wow, that seems like a lot to get the end link on, but makes sense, nothing I tried was working.

If I'm doing that I guess I'll swap the bushings also. Are the rear brackets as hard to get on with new bushings as the fronts? If so I don't see how you can even do it since there isn't as much room to clamp them down.

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[MyE30]

However, how the heck do you get the stinking end link onto the sway bar!? I've tried windex, white silicone, PB Blaster, nothing seems to lube it enough to get it to push onto the bar. I can't figure out a good way to clamp it because of the bend in the bar, everything just slides off, so it cant squeeze it on. I can't really think of a way to get it on there. Brute strength isn't working, and I can't leverage it in any way. So its after 9:30, so I just gave up for the night. I really wanted to get as much possible done tonight, because its supposed to be freezing all weekend. Luckily my garage is fully insulated, but it still gets cold in there when the high for the day is only 38.

If anyone has any ideas for getting those links on the bar I'd really appreciate it.

The way that works for me is take the swaybar off the car, stand it up vertically, and twist the dog bone on with downward pressure and plenty of lubrication. You can shimmy the swaybar off/on the car without having to drop the subframe.

[shawmcbigdis]

OK, so the suspension install isn't going nearly as smoothly as I hoped. I got the control arms off, and new ball joints in no problem;



Waiting until I have the correct strut retention nut to force the bushings on the end of the arm and bolt them up. Those won't arrive until Friday. So front end is on hold until those come in.



I was not prepared for what a hassle the front sway bar bushings were going to be, wow. Although after I got the first one in, the other side wasn't nearly as hard.

Since the front end was on hold started on the rear. Again, more hassles than expected. I needed to use spring compressors to get the springs out, even after removing the shock and end link. And I had to really crank them down too, annoying. Based on what a hassle the front sway bar bushings were, I actually didn't change the rear. The front weren't in that bad a shape, and the rears look even better. So I'm not going to bother. New spring and shock installed no problem;



However, how the heck do you get the stinking end link onto the sway bar!? I've tried windex, white silicone, PB Blaster, nothing seems to lube it enough to get it to push onto the bar. I can't figure out a good way to clamp it because of the bend in the bar, everything just slides off, so it cant squeeze it on. I can't really think of a way to get it on there. Brute strength isn't working, and I can't leverage it in any way. So its after 9:30, so I just gave up for the night. I really wanted to get as much possible done tonight, because its supposed to be freezing all weekend. Luckily my garage is fully insulated, but it still gets cold in there when the high for the day is only 38.

If anyone has any ideas for getting those links on the bar I'd really appreciate it.

[shawmcbigdis]

So I ordered some rebuilt calipers from BAV Auto. Unfortunately I guess the reman company only had 1 side in stock, so I have one rebuilt caliper, and 3 weeks later still waiting on the 2nd, lame.

But I did get this delivered today;



I couldn't resist BAV's black Friday sale, so I blew the next 6-9 months of this projects budget on all the suspension parts I needed. Again, I'm cheap, so shocks are Koni STRT's, BAV Auto springs, and ordered the Meyle HD control arm ball joints and Lemforder e36 M3 LCAB. I have a 20 ton press so it will be getting some work this weekend. I got the arms off and 1 ball joint pushed out last night. I still need to go rent a ball joint press because I don't have any sockets/cups big enough for the inner ball joint or the bushing.

Also got every mount and bushing to replace the entire suspension.

I ordered the rear trailing arm bushings, but I'm not going to swap them out yet. Going to wait until I have rear sub-frame and differential bushings and do the whole thing at once.

Hopefully I can get everything swapped this weekend. and finally see what it like to drive an e30 without completely blown out suspension.

Oh yeah, speaking of that, here's some pics of the old parts.

The blown out front strut;



And here is one of the outer ball joints, this one has so much play it almost feels like you can pull the ball out of the joint;



Also both sides LCAB's wear torn up, one side only had about half of one off the 3 sections still attached.

[shawmcbigdis]

OK, so I ordered some super cheap brakes from an ebay vendor. $90 for all 4 corners, rotors, pads, and sensors. Well I should have actually inspected the car before I just blindly bought parts (even though they were stupid cheap).

Got the front brakes apart, and realized that both sides on the front had a frozen slide pin, so the calipers weren't moving at all. Pads and rotors were almost new. No working front brakes, would explain they horrible brake performance. So I unstuck the pins, and just put the front back together. I am going to order some rebuilt calipers and just completely replace them. I thought about just getting the pin/boot replacement, but the piston looks horrible, and I don't trust myself to refinish it properly, and I can't find replacement pistons. So rebuilt it is.

The rears were functioning, but really worn, no surprise there. So I replaced those. Did find out that the pad wear sensor in the rear, the wire for it was snapped/cut off after the connector, so no way to hook up the new pad sensor. Need to see if I can find a replacement for that someplace, and solder it in, so I can hook up the sensor.

Got it all back together and did a quick bleed on the system. Stops a lot better now, but still not great. Once I get the rebuilt calipers I will probably put the new pads/rotors on the front, and do a complete flush/bleed of the brake fluid.

Next up suspension. As I've said before, everything needs replaced. I think I am just going to start piecing together parts a bit at a time, and then install everything when I've got all the parts. Right now I am heavily leaning towards Koni STR.T's and BAV Auto springs. There are some serious mixed reviews over them out there (the Koni's, not the springs), but I'm not dishing out Bilstien money on this car, not yet at least. Besides, it won't get tracked, it might see an occasional auto-x, but besides that, its a weekend car, in an area with no fun roads. It's Oklahoma, it's not like there are any cool mountain roads to have fun on.

[325isman]

Great start on project...you are well on the way.

[shawmcbigdis]

Installed the bottom rear cover when I got home today. Decided I'm not going to put on the rear top part. The arm rest doesn't really work and then I cover the cool hounds tooth.

The black level color difference doesn't look so bad in real life as it does under the flash of this pic;



And the whole interior;



A cheap dash cover and some black floor mats and it will be done for now. Well assuming I can find a reasonably priced glove box.

[shawmcbigdis]

Got a few minor things done this weekend.

Replaced the blower motor resistor, so all 4 speeds work now. Also lubed up the blower fan while I was in there, so it doesn't sound like a caged cricket any time the fan is on now.

Also installed some super cheap seat covers on the front seats. They were less than $30 for front and back seats, so I didn't expect much. For what they are I think they are good enough until I can get the seats really re-covered.

So front seats, especially the driver side, are in pretty rough shape;



I tried to cut out some foam to fill the really big gaps, and used duct tape to hold it down, and also smooth out the cracks in the leather. SO this is it just before putting the cover on;



Both front seats fully installed.



Well, I guess not fully, because I still have to do something about the side handles.

I might have a local source for a new door and rear bumper. Just need to see if they will fit in the monthly project budget.

I also "picked up" a black rear seat bottom cushion that's in pretty good shape. Unfortunately it's in California with my stash of other parts. We will probably drive back there in May to visit family, and pick up my parts, so those won't be installed for a while.

[N2MYE30]

I do like budget builds that keep getting updated. :up:

[shawmcbigdis]

I'm not sure what it is but sometimes those couplers get stuck so damn tight, even on the newer cars. Others slide out like butter, I guess it's just a hit or miss. Keep your eyes out on Craigslist, maybe you can find a good original exhaust system in the future off a part out or something.

I check Craigslist multiple times a day. but e30 parts are few and far between out here in Oklahoma. I really want to get a stock 325i exhaust from the downpipes back. That way if I ever do the i head swap I'll be good to go there.

But for now, I need to focus on brakes and suspension. If I can get those sorted, then I can start driving it more often, instead of just short trips on the weekends. At my $100/month budget, suspension is going to take a while, as every single thing needs to be replaced. So I need to decide if I'm going to just order parts as I get money, and wait until I have everything to do it all at once, or if I will just piece meal it as I go, but then I need to make sure I do things in the right order, so I don't take things apart multiple times that i don't need to. Maybe I'll do 1 axle at a time. Although I have to imagine that would drive super weird having one end completely new, and the other end completely worn out. Now I kind of want to do that, jsut to see what it's like :)

[KIRIEIW]

I'm not sure what it is but sometimes those couplers get stuck so damn tight, even on the newer cars. Others slide out like butter, I guess it's just a hit or miss. Keep your eyes out on Craigslist, maybe you can find a good original exhaust system in the future off a part out or something.