My first real built thread. 1990 325i

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Hello, I have been on R3V for awhile now. Bought my first daily e30 about 2 weeks ago. I bought it off another member. I had to trailer the car home, and I used this forum to get the car back on the road again. Well here are some pictures then I will tell you the problems I need help with yet again.

Pictures:

When I got the car:





After replacing:
Spark plugs
Plug wires
Cap/Rotor
CPS (dont think it was needed,but oh well)

Then the car was running good.
The car had already a Dinan chip, m50 injectors, and a cat back.

Then I switched the interior to all black leather, with sport seats.



After interior I purchased some e38 Style 5's 16x8's with a 195/50-16 Dunlop's. Using 20mm adapters.



The car came with "Ground Control" coils with eibach springs.

So me and my buddy cut off the spring perch and welded on a nice metal ring for them coil to sit on. Doing this to go a bit lower.



And thats where it is today. My head gasket is leaking oil so I'm ordering a a top end gasket set in the morning.

MY PROBLEMS: So yesterday I drove my car on a 100 mile round trip and on the end of the way to my destination my car started running poorly in the lower RPM's. I suspected spark. So when we got back to my house I hooked up a timing light to check just for a quick thing and it showed perfect spark. I then thought fuel, wishful thinking I had a fuel filter laying around so I put the new one in. That still didn't fix it. Now I'm thinking maybe injectors? Maybe go back to stock ones and ditch the chip so I can run 87 oct fuel again. What do you guys think?

And there is a high pitch whine coming from the engine bay while driving.. can decide what it might be.

Also tomorrow I will be installing a IS front lip and maybe order some 15mm adapters for the front so I can go a little bit lower.

[N2MYE30]

This car looks very familiar. ;) Im really diggin those wheels. They may hafta be my next set.

I would start from a stoct tune and go from there. If your rough ride just started to happen, it may be something else.

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Yeah I believe I need stock m20 injectors to run the stock tune though. So I will have to locate those first.

[mbonanni]

Curious as to why you switched seats?

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Leather is nicer than race seats IMO.

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Hey guys I am going to be doing my head gasket this weekend, its a 1990 stock m20 currently, are there any other heads I could purchase with fewer miles on it to alter the compression? I have read up on 2.7s and such and am looking for some personal guidance.

Thanks

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UPDATE: Well today I went to do the head gasket and after removing the radiator and intake manifold. I noticed that the head gasket had in fact not been leaking and the crank case oil return was the source or half the leak, and the other half was when the previous owner replaced the intake gaskets he forgot to tighten all the bolts as most were finger tight. So new gaskets went in there, along with O rings and other necessary parts got replaced. Put it all back together.

Then when I test drove it the car still had the same problem were between 1800 and 3500 rpm's the car would stumble as if not fuel. I took a buddy for a ride who is very motor talented and explained it to my brother, diesel tech, and they both say that it must be the fuel pump, injectors, or possibly the Dinan chip is failing.

Thoughts?

[e30m20TurbO7]

Could have a vacuum issue , could e a vacuum leak creating when you get to a certain rev point

[CreamBeam]

my 325es had a similar problem, i replaced the TPS sensor and the problem went away mostly, also had a bad o2 sensor.

comp chips don't really fail that often especially a dinan one.

however if your buddies who are mechanics are saying fuel problems id explore that first since im not a mechanic by trade.

[Mr. Tasty]

fuel pump?

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Update:
All is good now with the car as far as running issues. Knock on wood. I am running the stock wheels with studded snow tires. Will hopefully et some pictures up soon. I have an IS lip on now as well. And will be putting a wooden rack on in a couple weeks here.

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Here are some updates of what I have been doing lately, first being red tails.



Next being a custom roof rack I should finish up today.





And some updated interior shots, only a few more little things left to do to it.



And custom cup holder I made over thanksgiving break.



Thanks for looking, and sorry for the poor photo quality.

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Roof rack completed:

[mbonanni]

More info on the cup holder please? any other pictures of it?

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For the cup holder I went to our auto store bought a cup holder, a thing of bondo. And went to my buddys house and used his band saw. Attached it with hot glue then went to town with bondo.