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1990 M3 Diamantschwarz

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    1990 M3 Diamantschwarz

    Now that I am more active on this forum, thought I would copy over some of the details of my car from other forums where I have been more active.

    I bought the car with 141k miles in August 2012, I am now at ~150k miles.

    When I bought it:



    Nearly immediately I replaced the wheels with stock 15x7 wheels, as the 17" Team Dynamics were rubbing on full lock. Here is a picture I have of it with my very first BMW, a 95 325is, which the M3 replaced:



    It quickly became apparent the sunroof was not keeping water out, and in Seattle that was a problem. Apart it came to fix the sunroof drains and dry everything out.


    Not much later someone hit it at Fred Meyers



    Thankfully Haury's straightened it back out, and re-painted the rear bumper in the process.

    I picked up a set of 16x8 Style 4 wheels for summer use, but didn't get them taken off last winter, made for a good photo opportunity when it snowed.



    Over the past 6 months I have replaced a number of broken/cracked pieces (side marker lights, fog lights, etc.), new emblems, re-painted the wheel caps, and installed a new set of US Ellipsoid lights, as I always liked the look. I also raised it ~1" on the adjustable Ground Control suspension (Eibach springs, 375lb/in front, 450lb/in rear, with Bilstein Sport struts)
    As it sits:



    I am trying out 4300K HID bulbs, and 6500K LED high beams (only color/temperature available). The LED is a bit blue for my taste, but not too terribly tacky, considering high beams are never really on when anyone is looking at the car.


    I also picked up a 385mm M-Tech 1 wheel (those 370mm wheels are expensive!), and an OEM single-piece shift knob


    I also decided to put the stock exhaust back in for the time being, as the SuperSprint Race exhaust was a bit too loud for my taste


    Immediately after changing the exhaust I realized I was suffering from a failed rear shock mount (I couldn't hear it clunking over the exhaust before), so put in the turner HD rear shock mount with AKG re-inforcement plates


    Projects in the near future when I find time are:
    1) Distributor cap + rotor
    2) UUC Evo 3 SSK w/ DSSR, Garagistic delrin bushings
    3) Sunroof seal
    4) Brown+Blue engine coolant temp sensors

    I also have suspicions that the rear wheel bearings or drive axles may be due for replacement soon (hopefully not an issue with the diff). When starting out from a stop there seems to be a bit of hesitation to get the wheels to turn, and there is a slight metallic humming sound at speed on the highway, though no noticeable vibration. I plan to tackle that job this spring.

    I am also having issues with rough running when warm (hesitation under throttle, vibration at idle), I am hoping the distributor cap+rotor or temp sensors may be the sources of that issue. In the past the car would randomly die, and unplugging and plugging the AFM back in always solved the issue for a few minutes, but that issue hasn't plagued me for a while now, after adjusting the AFM sweeper arm. It is possible the AFM is still sending mixed signals which is causing the running issues though.

    And eventually when finances are looking better and everything is running as it should:
    1) New headliner installed
    2) Re-spray the roof/trunk and front bumper (or maybe the whole car)
    Last edited by hankolerd; 01-05-2016, 05:32 PM.

    Daniel
    1990 M3 - http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=376104
    2011 328i Sport Wagon - 6sp Manual, RWD, Sport

    #2
    When u were hit it looks like they dented the bumper as well. Was this repaired?
    "I'd probably take the E30 M3 in this case just because I love that little car, and how tanky that inline 6 is." - thecj

    85 323i M TECH 1 S52 - ALPINEWEISS/SCHWARZE
    88 M3 - LACHSSILBER/SCHWARZE
    89 M3 - ALPINEWEISS II/M TECH CLOTH-ALCANTARA
    91 M TECHNIC CABRIO TURBO - MACAOBLAU/M TECH CLOTH-LEATHER

    Comment


      #3
      The bumper was warmed, reshaped, and repainted, though after curing there is still a bit of a wave in the panel. I should have gone back to Progressive and told them the panel was unrepairable and demanded a new rear bumper, but at the time I wasn't too concerned about it. I did make note of it with Haury's after the repair, and they took detailed photos of it after the repair, so not sure if it is possible to re-open the case in the future and get it replaced by Progressive.

      I should mention the front fenders and hood are DOT-R panels, and considering the underside of the roof is a dark blue I imagine the car was rolled in its lifetime (it is carrying a rebuilt title since 1991).
      Last edited by hankolerd; 01-05-2016, 06:21 PM.

      Daniel
      1990 M3 - http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=376104
      2011 328i Sport Wagon - 6sp Manual, RWD, Sport

      Comment


        #4
        Looking good! I bet the car also feels a bit more peppy after switching back to the stock 15 inch wheels.

        Comment


          #5
          Nice ride and great progress. I like the thoroughness in drying it out while repairing the leak.
          ACS S3 Build / Dinan 5 E34

          Comment


            #6
            Awesome car!

            You might try Greg at Bavarian Restoration to get your AFM refurbished. He does great work and I've certainly noticed an improvement in mine since it was rebuilt.

            Comment


              #7
              Thanks for the recommendation. I have certainly been considering buying one and sending mine in as a core, but I notice he doesn't offer the e30 M3 for direct sale any more. I will contact him to see what the turn-around time is if I send mine in.

              Daniel
              1990 M3 - http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=376104
              2011 328i Sport Wagon - 6sp Manual, RWD, Sport

              Comment


                #8
                Over the last couple of weeks I replaced the coolant sensors, distributor cap + rotor, and O2 sensor, though none of them seemed to help. Yesterday I replaced the plugs and plug wires and am very relieved that it is running like normal again. No more stumbling under acceleration.

                I ripped one of the wires in half taking it out, which I know is not uncommon, but I think also speaks to them needing replaced.


                I also got a pair of Philips 9005 HIR bulbs, but I haven't decided which I want to run yet... I realized I never mentioned that I swapped out the low beam projectors for the Morimoto Mini H1 bi-xenon.


                I also got my fogs working simply by digging around in the wiring looking for a culprit, though I am pretty sure they went out in the middle of my drive, so I think I have a short or fractured wire to track down.
                Last edited by hankolerd; 01-29-2016, 01:47 PM.

                Daniel
                1990 M3 - http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=376104
                2011 328i Sport Wagon - 6sp Manual, RWD, Sport

                Comment


                  #9
                  What lights are you running the LED's in ? Hella H4/H1's? Also how do you like the LED kit now that you've had them a while? The stock plug wires look nice and neat on the S14 but that causes a lot of problems with the wires themselves. All that vibration/heat takes a toll on things.
                  "I'd probably take the E30 M3 in this case just because I love that little car, and how tanky that inline 6 is." - thecj

                  85 323i M TECH 1 S52 - ALPINEWEISS/SCHWARZE
                  88 M3 - LACHSSILBER/SCHWARZE
                  89 M3 - ALPINEWEISS II/M TECH CLOTH-ALCANTARA
                  91 M TECHNIC CABRIO TURBO - MACAOBLAU/M TECH CLOTH-LEATHER

                  Comment


                    #10
                    They are standard US Hella Ellipsoids, 9005/9006. I posted a bit of my thoughts on the LED's in the lighting thread I started - http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=371831 - but in short, I don't know that they are that great with this reflector, because the LED bulbs just create two hot spots, instead of a nice even distribution. But those hot spots do seem pretty bright. It is hard for me to say with much authority though, as this is my first e30, and I haven't yet had it next to anyone else's at night to compare. Another problem is I swapped to the bi-xenon low beams, which by themselves are pretty stunning and make a high beam mostly unneccessary. What I ought to do is test just the LED high beams by themselves against the Philips 9005 HIR. If I get around to that one day I will certainly post it up.

                    I have read that about the plug wires, and someday plan to investigate better options.
                    I was wondering about a coil pack conversion (if any exist), but figured it would require a new engine management solution, and am not yet in a position to do that. I got this 7MM set still in original plastic with new Bosch X5DC plugs for $100, so decided for now it was a no brainer. Once I settle in to a house of my own and can afford to throw a bit more at this car I will :)

                    Daniel
                    1990 M3 - http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=376104
                    2011 328i Sport Wagon - 6sp Manual, RWD, Sport

                    Comment


                      #11
                      Rsonator?

                      Isnt there a resonator that goes with that aftermarket exhaust?

                      The supersprint isnt suppose to be loud at all. I think that might be the cause of the loudness.

                      Comment


                        #12
                        They produce a resonated and non-resonated version (they also have a metallic catted version). I have the non-resonated. They also produce three different mufflers, I have the 'race' muffler, which doesn't offer all that much muffling.
                        Not my video, but this gives an idea of how loud - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_TBC2Ftwd_I


                        Normal muffler vs. Race muffler
                        Last edited by hankolerd; 01-29-2016, 02:39 PM.

                        Daniel
                        1990 M3 - http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=376104
                        2011 328i Sport Wagon - 6sp Manual, RWD, Sport

                        Comment


                          #13
                          I like the NGK plugs in mine honestly. I did not have any a good experience with the Bosch X5DC. They seemed to burn cleaner and hotter giving better off throttle response. Granted I have an Iigomotive SP93 chip vs a stock chip, but my White M3 ran better on them as well.

                          Do you like the Morimoto kit? I had been considering doing that. Really need to drive my M3 this year, I've put 8 miles on it in two years. Eek Not good but was in heated storage.
                          https://www.facebook.com/BentOverRacing

                          Comment


                            #14
                            Originally posted by M-technik-3 View Post
                            I like the NGK plugs in mine honestly. I did not have any a good experience with the Bosch X5DC. They seemed to burn cleaner and hotter giving better off throttle response. Granted I have an Iigomotive SP93 chip vs a stock chip, but my White M3 ran better on them as well.

                            Do you like the Morimoto kit? I had been considering doing that. Really need to drive my M3 this year, I've put 8 miles on it in two years. Eek Not good but was in heated storage.
                            Yeah, I wasn't even planning on doing plugs, but the guy I bought the wires from had these too and threw them in for free. I ran the last set of X5DC plugs for 8k miles, and didn't seem to have a problem. I actually am not sure that my plug wires were the real cause, as I found on cylinder #2 that the spark plug cap was awfully corroded, so it is possible that my issue was entirely from corrosion on the spark plug cap. However, since I ripped my spark plug wire in half pulling it out I was not able to verify which was the root cause. Thanks for the heads up though, I will consider NGK next time around.

                            I do like the morimoto kit for the most part. I do have a few gripes. First is that the build quality is not stellar, particularly in the reflector (kind of looks like runs from chrome spray paint), though I am not sure it affects them functionally. Second, I apparently did not do a great job sealing them, as I am getting moisture in them. At some point I am going to pull them back apart to dry them and attempt to re-seal them. It is worth noting that I have the Mini H1 6.0, and they just recently launched the 7.0, with the most notable difference being that they say the 7.0 is safe to use with their 50W ballast, and has a slightly wider beam. J.T. also has an updated Squared adapter for the MH1 7.0, which he has moved to a metal plate which he says keeps the optics closer to what Morimoto intended. He also has a page to show off some of the members results - http://squaredmotorwerks.com/pages/customer-photos. I would love to upgrade to these if I am going to be taking them apart, but not sure it is worth another ~$250 at this point. I do have a back-up set of new US Hella Ellipsoid low beams in case I can't fix the moisture issue, in which case I would probably just run a 9006 HIR bulb and call it a day.

                            Daniel
                            1990 M3 - http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=376104
                            2011 328i Sport Wagon - 6sp Manual, RWD, Sport

                            Comment


                              #15
                              Very nice car! I see ur enjoying it rather then shelter it away.
                              sigpic
                              E30love

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