Project M42 Touring..Update-Feb 26-E30 M3 Tacho...

[MikeDE]

Well, the time has come. I had been keeping my eye out for a complete, running e30 318is. I never intended to buy an already-plucked M42, nor did I want an M44 regardless of condition due to the many parts I would need to make it work properly in an E30.
While I was out euro-parts scouting at a used-car handler, this was the first thing that caught my eye:


The hood was popped when I saw it so I open it up and what do I find but an M42, with a fairly new rad...


But I thought, 'probably has a million miles on knowing the Germans...

But too my surprise, it has only 160k km, or 100k miles.

I talked to the Schrottplatz owner, Hans, and he told me it was an Abwrackpraemie(sp?)auto, or German cash-4-clunkers. It was turned in about a yr ago. His brother Thorsen, co-owner of the Schrottplatz, wanted to part it when it came in. But Hans woulldn't allow it, being an ex-E30 M3 owner himself, he knew it's worth. We threw a battery on it, started right up and let it idle for a good 15 minutes. It's a smooth runner. I don't have a place to gut it, but that doesn't matter as a cash-4-clunkers vehicle has no papers and can never be re-reg'd or 'sold'. So Hans said it's ok for me to part it there, as he must crush the chassis afterwards.
There appears to be Koni suspension, the Weaves are in good shape, as are the ellip's. I have to remove the seats to see what they are. The brackets may also be useful. The steering wheel is MOMO, and has the horn button/centerpiece I need for a wooden MOMO that I had found a feew days before.


I plan to have it done latest by early summer, and get it to the 'Ring.

My Plans also include FK 60/40 kit & refinishing my MSW meshes:




Dunno what diff is in the donor yet, but I will see soon. With any luck it's LSD. The rest will be sold off as will the old M40/trans/DS/ecu/yada yada.

[GaryE30]

Thats a cool project you've got going over there! I love tourings.

It just sucks that the chassis must be crushed even though its flawless, yet over here everyone is trying to sell beat up ones. If only we could teleport!

[bataangpinoy]

could you technically use it as a track car and never register it?

[AC Nico]

could you technically use it as a track car and never register it?

you could use it but most tracks want registered cars if they have private days like nurburgring. its not allowed to drive there with a non registered car.

[Roysneon]

I keep thinking of an m42 for my 318i touring, but I think if I'm going to swap it, it has to be either an m50/52 or turbo m20. Is there a big difference between the m42 and m40? How much harder would the swap be? I've never driven an m42 car.

Also, what suspension are you running on the touring? Looks great, wheels are very suiting.

[MikeDE]

I keep thinking of an m42 for my 318i touring, but I think if I'm going to swap it, it has to be either an m50/52 or turbo m20. Is there a big difference between the m42 and m40? How much harder would the swap be? I've never driven an m42 car.

Also, what suspension are you running on the touring? Looks great, wheels are very suiting.

Yeah, I had an M50 w/ everything out of an E36. I bought for 300euro just for the swap, BUT I sold it all. One reason being the degree of 'fitting' that had to be done for the M50. I decided on the M42 b/c it is lighter, revvier and it's plug-n-play with the E30-to-E30 stuff. I want something I can drive the piss out of everyday and not worry TOO much about the speed or fuel consumption. Believe it or not, the M42 gets better mileage than the M40, which must be thoroughly flogged to go anywhere.

As for the suspension, they are shitty, soft 40/35 Lowtec springs w/ shortened Lowtec front dampers and Billy rears. The springs are sub-par factory replacements, and they sag. No good for a touring, I frequent junkyards often and any extra load makes it look like a broken-down lazy ass. I would like to do the FK 60/40 kit, for that I will be making a skidplate. The FK's are stiffer and a bit more asthetically pleasing.

[mikeedler]

I don't want to be the bad guy...........

but is it really worth all that work for 20ps????????
you will have a hell of a time getting TÜV-- ask me why I know-- we did that same swap on a friends wagon about 8 years ago, and TÜV would not help-- my 316it to 325it was no problem to have changed over in the papers.( a 325i wagon was also stock)

I would also not believe the mileage on there, every german knows all you need is a small screwdriver to set the mileage anywhere you want it ( and it was taken apart to paint the needles)

not trying to be the boo guy, but if your M40 superrace motor runs and isnt ticking up a storm, i wouldnt waste my time.

oh, BTW, the diff will be a 4,10 (smallhousing) and only about 30% actually had a posi.

[MikeDE]

The M40 is pretty nasty little lump and I can't take it anymore. As for TUV, that's not a problem.

If it's not LSD, then it's not LSD. I'll live.

I will most likely have to drive this car for another few years before I can afford what I really want, so why not have a bit of fun. I need a touring and the 325i uses way too much fuel. If I could get away with a seta motor I would do it, but the motor is 'older' than the car so it's a no-go.

[Simon S]

Nice project. Points for original m42/touring combo. Those MSWs look sweet!

Houndstooth ski-pass seats make me happy..

[Roysneon]

Updates?

[mRodiek]

WHAT.... a find!

[MikeDE]

Well, I finally got the motor back home yesterday morning. It was a PITA. I had to lount it to the stand at the Junkyard as I have no crane at home. Got it on the trailer and home safely.

Here is where it gets good. I have a 1" thick, 2+ meter long, 75cm wide plank that I use to offload stuff from the trailer. The wheels on the stand are 73cm on the inside track and about 77cm on the outside....sooooo I had about 1-1.5 cm of wheels on the ramp as i'm in front of the motor, slowly rolling it down. Very scary.

Here it is in my small, cluttered, somewhat dirty work area.




And my work area....It will be clean and organized(this weekend I hope) prior to any disassembly.

Beer, PB Blaster, and Coffee, all necessary for me when working...at home.

And a few other things OI have lying around for the Touring.

Wood MOMO, found at junkyard. Good deal. Just have to polish it a bit.


MSW, same as above.


Koni SA's. I have the full set that came off of the iS donor.


I also have an E36 rack that will be going in when the motor is out.

More updates to come after I tidy up and start tearing down.

[MikeDE]

bump/reserve....didn't go to top

[MikeDE]

bump^

[MikeDE]

Made a little progress today with the 1.5 hrs I had before I had to get ready for work.

Pretty much everything to this point went smoothly, except the fan clutch. It was seized on the WP so I undid the WP pulley bolts, and got the long 6mm allen bolt out like so:


Found some scary stuff along the way:


Reached my goal for today anyway by quittin' time, all ancilliaries removed and onto checking the cam sprockets and general condition of the cams/under the valve cover.

They look pretty good to me.

And the cams, sorry for the shit pics, but i'm using my old 10D and there's not too much light in my work area.



And this is how it sits now. I plan to have the Pans and timing covers off tomorrow to get a look at the thrust bearing/crankshaft and timing components.