Saved a M30 Swapped 91 318is from being parted out project

[Big Chief]

just for fun this is the "before" pic from my first post.

http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/attachment.php?attachmentid=56901&d=1339636922

[LJ851]

Nice work!

[Big Chief]

update - new leather seat covers installed

Still making progress. New leather seats. Installed a door panel that I got from the junk yard. It used to have tan door panels. I used new clips from the dealer. My locks are still acting up so I ordered a rebuild kit.

[FunfGan]

Holy cow! Looks great.

[Big Chief]

Thanks! I really love driving this car! It has to be one of the most fun to drive cars ever, especially with the extra M30 power and the new suspension. I am seriously considering putting a turbo on it or at least a chip and MAF? I have been doing a lot of searching and reading to try and figure out what I want to do performance wise. I like the idea of just putting on the chip and the MAF to give some more power without completely breaking the bank and all of the work involved in turboing it. Decisions, decisions....

[krazykraut]

As per your posts about oil, if you want to give your m30 some love, use zinc additive oils. I run 10w-40 amsoil in Ohio all year long. It quiets down the valve train and frees up your revs.

here's a link:

http://www.syntheticwarehouse.com/amsoil_premium_protection_10W40_high_zinc.htm

you'll have to search for your local supplier



An E.A.T. chip is a must as well.

[Big Chief]

would you go with an eat chip over the Miller MAF -WAR chip combo?

[drumad]

this car has already improved tons

good work sir

[e30m3s54turbo]

Wow! I like how you saved the car and the improvements.

[///Bimmerfan]

Very nice! Looks like a fun solid car now.

[jim325]

You did an amazing job bringing this car back to life. Thank you, every time an E30 is saved from certain death I sleep better at night :P

I would go with Miller maf delete setup, maybe a cam, slightly bigger injectors and some decent exhaust. Those should give you some decent power without breaking the bank.

Turbo's are expensive. I went right to turbo when I did my M30 swap. Kinda wish I just kept the M30 stockish for a while then turboed. Live and learn I suppose.

My car is still crazy fun tho, when it's running........

[krazykraut]

would you go with an eat chip over the Miller MAF -WAR chip combo?

I have no experience with the Miller MAF, but im going to find out on my m20 here soon. Myself, I have only had Conforti chip, which I sold and purchased the EAT for my M30B35 535. Hands down EAT chip is the better buy between those two.

Its all in how much money you want to spend. $230 EAT chip vs. Miller at or around $700.

The Miller MAF makes more sense ditching the door, but with an M30 e30 having upwards of 230-240 hp with an EAT chip, your bigger problem is getting the torque to the ground. So weigh out where your money is better spent.

[Big Chief]

Thanks for the advice. I have been doing a lot of searching and it seems like most of the M30 folks say that the Miller Maf+war is the best bolt on combo before stepping up to a turbo? I still have a few little things to sort out still. I have a rebuilt guage cluster coming from Gregs///M, mine doesn't work. It also has a strange smell after I drive it, kind of like something burning on the manifold, but I can't figure out what that is. And I need to rebuild my door lock. Overall I am thrilled with the car. I have been driving it constantly and hard :)

[Big Chief]

Ok I figured out the stink. It appears to be the transmission shift link seal. It's leaking on the exhaust. looks like no big deal

[VinniE30]

Thanks for the advice. I have been doing a lot of searching and it seems like most of the M30 folks say that the Miller Maf+war is the best bolt on combo before stepping up to a turbo? I still have a few little things to sort out still. I have a rebuilt guage cluster coming from Gregs///M, mine doesn't work. It also has a strange smell after I drive it, kind of like something burning on the manifold, but I can't figure out what that is. And I need to rebuild my door lock. Overall I am thrilled with the car. I have been driving it constantly and hard :)

I have the miller MAF+war chip along with a schrick cam and a few other mods and it pulls very nicely.:)