Hi everyone. I've been lurking here for a while and don't post much but I guess it's about time I start contributing some. Hopefully my project will help someone else out since I've learned a lot lurking here.
Here is my 2nd E30, I got it in March or April of 2012. Seemed to be in great condition for a German car, any seller advertising no rust here is probably full of it. Anyway, at least it's not as rusted through as my first one and it's the right color.
It was leaking oil and power steering fluid when I got and only passed inspection right after an engine wash so I decided to replace all the gaskets and check the profile gasket. Here's the some of the teardown.
It was disgusting and the timing case and bottom of the head were pretty messed up from a leaky profile gasket.
Unfortunately I didn't get as many pictures as I should have but I will try to be better about documenting stuff in the future. I took the timing covers, intake manifolds, rocker cover, and oil filter lid to get powdercoated, then sanded down the ribs, that took forever. I think it was worth the work, they turned out pretty good. I painted all the timing parts with aluminum colored paint but don't have any pictures of them before installing.
I took the head to a shop to get it and the valves cleaned up and checked out. I installed new valve seals and lapped the valves a little to make sure they seat well. I used some German JB Weld like stuff to repair the head and timing case around the profile gasket (Thanks, Simon S, for that idea). I ordered all new gaskets and most of the engine sensors and hardware from Blunt. Replaced the rod bearings and bolts, crank bearings with the 360 degree ones and new bolts. I could still see the cross hatching in the cylinders after cleaning up the block so I didn't have any work done on it, hopefully I won't regret that later.
Anyway re-assembled the engine and had the header blasted and painted with por-20.
Those of you with a good eye will notice the accessories and alternator carrier didn't come off the M42. I was at the junk yard and noticed an M44 in an e36 looks almost the same but has a serpentine belt which would suit my hopes for an Atlanta Downing kit, before I realized how hard they are to get. I decided to give it a try because I think the serpentine setup would be a lot better, even if I can't find a supercharger. I also snagged a couple electric fans off of e36s, hopefully one of them will work.
Just a slight problem, not sure how I'm gonna attack it yet. I will probably try to bend it to clear the tensioner.
In June 2012 this little knucklehead was born and my car time was suddenly restricted. So the car sat collecting dust in the garage. I didn't even touch it until the spring of 2013.
Once I had the engine out I realized the radiator mount was rusted to crap, along with the window washer mount, part of the battery tray and area above the frame rail, below the brake booster. Since I don't know when to quit I started cutting and stripping. The bolt-in radiator mount sounds like a good idea so that's what I decided to try.
I don't have any pictures of the other rust but when I got the radiator mount cut off I decided why not paint the engine bay while I'm at it. So I started stripping out the interior to remove everything and before I knew it I was in way over my head.
Somebody did me a solid here. Yes, the speaker area is full of expanding foam, you can barely see it in the picture.
Once I had the carpet out I realized there was a little rust in both rocker corners. Here's what I found after a little cutting and stripping on the driver's side. Gotta love rust free cars.
And the carnage.
There was more at the back seam, under the drivers door. Time for some drilling, ordering a welder and new sills. I tried to order the inner sill from Blunt and the dealership, but it was NLA. A couple months later after I got my welding setup and was trying to learn how to weld, I got a call from the dealer. My inner sill had arrived, I thought I was going to have to make my own.
Be careful when working with an angle grinder and twisted wire wheel. They like to catch on stuff and crawl up your body and across the room.
About a month ago I found out that our second baby is on the way and we will have to move in May. The race is on to get this project finished, well I'll probably never finish it, but at least together enough to drive it.
New inner sill, I don't have a brake(Spelling?) so I used a piece of angled steel to replicate the floor seam.
Don't criticize my welding too much. I'm new at this, using basic tools and figure this is a good place to get better.
Also reinforced and had the front subframe powdercoated.
Since the aftermarket outer sill is one piece and I destroyed this junction when cutting out the sill, I wasn't sure how to make sure this area was structurally sound. I boxed it with the angled metal and will plug weld it to the new sill.
When you are trimming to fit new pieces, make sure you measure it right or you will waste hours fixing your mistakes.
Today I spent way too long trimming with my dremel tool to make sure I don't have to fix anymore mistakes. I just hope I don't mess up the welding, this will be my first real test. Hopefully I will be able to get the inner sill area cleaned up, primed well and fit the new outer sill this weekend.
Just for reference about how long this project is taking. I started before this little guy was born. He's 20 months now.
Thanks for looking.
Ty
Here is my 2nd E30, I got it in March or April of 2012. Seemed to be in great condition for a German car, any seller advertising no rust here is probably full of it. Anyway, at least it's not as rusted through as my first one and it's the right color.
It was leaking oil and power steering fluid when I got and only passed inspection right after an engine wash so I decided to replace all the gaskets and check the profile gasket. Here's the some of the teardown.
It was disgusting and the timing case and bottom of the head were pretty messed up from a leaky profile gasket.
Unfortunately I didn't get as many pictures as I should have but I will try to be better about documenting stuff in the future. I took the timing covers, intake manifolds, rocker cover, and oil filter lid to get powdercoated, then sanded down the ribs, that took forever. I think it was worth the work, they turned out pretty good. I painted all the timing parts with aluminum colored paint but don't have any pictures of them before installing.
I took the head to a shop to get it and the valves cleaned up and checked out. I installed new valve seals and lapped the valves a little to make sure they seat well. I used some German JB Weld like stuff to repair the head and timing case around the profile gasket (Thanks, Simon S, for that idea). I ordered all new gaskets and most of the engine sensors and hardware from Blunt. Replaced the rod bearings and bolts, crank bearings with the 360 degree ones and new bolts. I could still see the cross hatching in the cylinders after cleaning up the block so I didn't have any work done on it, hopefully I won't regret that later.
Anyway re-assembled the engine and had the header blasted and painted with por-20.
Those of you with a good eye will notice the accessories and alternator carrier didn't come off the M42. I was at the junk yard and noticed an M44 in an e36 looks almost the same but has a serpentine belt which would suit my hopes for an Atlanta Downing kit, before I realized how hard they are to get. I decided to give it a try because I think the serpentine setup would be a lot better, even if I can't find a supercharger. I also snagged a couple electric fans off of e36s, hopefully one of them will work.
Just a slight problem, not sure how I'm gonna attack it yet. I will probably try to bend it to clear the tensioner.
In June 2012 this little knucklehead was born and my car time was suddenly restricted. So the car sat collecting dust in the garage. I didn't even touch it until the spring of 2013.
Once I had the engine out I realized the radiator mount was rusted to crap, along with the window washer mount, part of the battery tray and area above the frame rail, below the brake booster. Since I don't know when to quit I started cutting and stripping. The bolt-in radiator mount sounds like a good idea so that's what I decided to try.
I don't have any pictures of the other rust but when I got the radiator mount cut off I decided why not paint the engine bay while I'm at it. So I started stripping out the interior to remove everything and before I knew it I was in way over my head.
Somebody did me a solid here. Yes, the speaker area is full of expanding foam, you can barely see it in the picture.
Once I had the carpet out I realized there was a little rust in both rocker corners. Here's what I found after a little cutting and stripping on the driver's side. Gotta love rust free cars.
And the carnage.
There was more at the back seam, under the drivers door. Time for some drilling, ordering a welder and new sills. I tried to order the inner sill from Blunt and the dealership, but it was NLA. A couple months later after I got my welding setup and was trying to learn how to weld, I got a call from the dealer. My inner sill had arrived, I thought I was going to have to make my own.
Be careful when working with an angle grinder and twisted wire wheel. They like to catch on stuff and crawl up your body and across the room.
About a month ago I found out that our second baby is on the way and we will have to move in May. The race is on to get this project finished, well I'll probably never finish it, but at least together enough to drive it.
New inner sill, I don't have a brake(Spelling?) so I used a piece of angled steel to replicate the floor seam.
Don't criticize my welding too much. I'm new at this, using basic tools and figure this is a good place to get better.
Also reinforced and had the front subframe powdercoated.
Since the aftermarket outer sill is one piece and I destroyed this junction when cutting out the sill, I wasn't sure how to make sure this area was structurally sound. I boxed it with the angled metal and will plug weld it to the new sill.
When you are trimming to fit new pieces, make sure you measure it right or you will waste hours fixing your mistakes.
Today I spent way too long trimming with my dremel tool to make sure I don't have to fix anymore mistakes. I just hope I don't mess up the welding, this will be my first real test. Hopefully I will be able to get the inner sill area cleaned up, primed well and fit the new outer sill this weekend.
Just for reference about how long this project is taking. I started before this little guy was born. He's 20 months now.
Thanks for looking.
Ty
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