Encouragement for those who need it.

[StinkE30]

First, I would like to thank everyone on this forum for (indirectly) providing me with all the knowledge, experience, myths, instructions, tips, tricks, drama, and entertainment a BMW e30 owner will ever need.

This is a shout-out to all those with a non-running e30.

I bought my 325iX in early January this year and it started overheating in late January of this year. Any money I didn't use for rent or food went into anything I could think of to get my e30 running again.

Here is my four month journey of attempting to get my car running agian -
Water pump
Thermostat
*bleeding*
Throttle body coolant gasket
*bleeding*
Any worn or suspect hoses
*bleeeeding*
Finally admitted I needed to do my headgasket
*all done, but broke my down-pipe and ripped off my pulse sensor from my wires in the process. Result: overheating AND stuttering*
*bleeeeeding!*
Plugs, wires, cap, rotor, fan clutch
*BLEEDING!*
O2 Sensor
Exhaust welded back
*My engine bay will always smell like coolant from all the god damn bleeding*

Finally, after months of one-part-at-a-time and countless bus tickets...my 1988 BMW 325iX is running (and driving) like a TOP!

So, to all those with electrical gremlins, no suck, no squeeze, no bang, no blow, thinking about cutting your loses, or just left your e30 sitting for months with no love: please, don't give up. There is a light at the end of the tunnel, and most of you will only need to rip into your engine once to get it all sorted out. Persistence and patience. It is 100% worth it when it finally all works out; and trust me, it will. :)

[8380 Labs]

well said man, good going!

[F34R]

Congrats on fixing your first e30.

[Komzorz]

Nice dude. It's taken me 11 months to turn my car from a decade-old lawn ornament into a movable machine, and it's still not ready yet.

[StinkE30]

Thanks, guys. This is actually my second e30. My first was a middle-aged woman's 1988 325is and it ran like brand new until I sold it with 310,000 miles. It's all about those service receipts...

[5Toes]

I ALMOST sold mine. I was close.

I gave in and took it to a shop. $240 later and cant imagine selling. now I am all good

[Mlarsen]

Glad to see another iX get saved.

[jeffnhiscars]

I have 3 e30's and the one I've had the longest was my 1st (13 years). In that time I've had an e39, 911 & 550i.

It was up on blocks until last weekend after a blond on a cell phone t boned me in January. In that time I bought a barn find Cabrio that I've done a lot to and grown attached to as well.

I love all "my children" equally...I just have to learn which one to drive on any given day without making the others feel neglected :puppy:

[iSOregon]

good job man. im kind of in the same boat, i need wheel bearings, tie rod, sway bar links, all shocks basically blown, you can see through pretty much all of the eaten bushings, and the center support bearing is long dead and potentially the shaft.

good to see another portlander on here! what part of town are you in? im in LO. let me know if you ever want help on your car, my specialty being painting

[TurboJake]

The only thing my E30 needs is a lot of rust/body repair..

:(

[daffodil255]

First, I would like to thank everyone on this forum for (indirectly) providing me with all the knowledge, experience, myths, instructions, tips, tricks, drama, and entertainment a BMW e30 owner will ever need.

This is a shout-out to all those with a non-running e30.

I bought my 325iX in early January this year and it started overheating in late January of this year. Any money I didn't use for rent or food went into anything I could think of to get my e30 running again.

Here is my four month journey of attempting to get my car running agian -
Water pump
Thermostat
*bleeding*
Throttle body coolant gasket
*bleeding*
Any worn or suspect hoses
*bleeeeding*
Finally admitted I needed to do my headgasket
*all done, but broke my down-pipe and ripped off my pulse sensor from my wires in the process. Result: overheating AND stuttering*
*bleeeeeding!*
Plugs, wires, cap, rotor, fan clutch
*BLEEDING!*
O2 Sensor
Exhaust welded back
*My engine bay will always smell like coolant from all the god damn bleeding*

Finally, after months of one-part-at-a-time and countless bus tickets...my 1988 BMW 325iX is running (and driving) like a TOP!

So, to all those with electrical gremlins, no suck, no squeeze, no bang, no blow, thinking about cutting your loses, or just left your e30 sitting for months with no love: please, don't give up. There is a light at the end of the tunnel, and most of you will only need to rip into your engine once to get it all sorted out. Persistence and patience. It is 100% worth it when it finally all works out; and trust me, it will. :)

I also think so.

[ohthejosh]

Good message, I went through the same exact thing! Now on to the next problem LOL

[zxert]

Of course by runs like a TOP you mean spinning violently out of control. My car also does this.

[Victor_PR]

Thanks for the words of encouragement. I have been through a similar oddessy myself with my recent E30. When I bought her last February I thought that all I had to do was repair the AC. Well, the least I have done is repairing the AC!

Instead I have had to do this list of things: Some things are obviously more critical (and costly) than others...

1. Replaced all water hoses.
2. Replaced Water pump
3. Replaced timing belt and tensor
4. Replaced radiator
5. Replaced thermostat and housing
6. Replaced Temp Sender switch
7. Replaced engine and transmission mounts
8. Replaced ICV with a used one.
9. Replaced brake booster vacuum hose
10. Replaced Rotor, Dist. Cap, Spark plugs and wires
11. Replaced valve cover gasket
12. Repaired transmission with new kit
13. Repaired valve half-moon rubber thingies.
14. Replaced gauge cluster lights
15. Replaced the Voltage Regulator (Last night and what an improvement!)

Still have to replace the oil crank gasket (bad leak), pulse generator at diff, and of course repair my AC!!

I honestly felt very frustrated and was considering selling the car. The truth is that I have invested a lot of money so I'll give her another chance...not to mention I really like the car!!

So again, thanks for sharing your experience and uplift my hopes.

[StinkE30]

good to see another portlander on here! what part of town are you in? im in LO. let me know if you ever want help on your car, my specialty being painting

I'm in NE near 82nd and Sandy. Naturally, being a Diamantschwarz car my paint (or lack thereof) is complete shit. If I decide to commit to saving money for a paint job I'll definitely let you know.

Of course by runs like a TOP you mean spinning violently out of control. My car also does this.

I have yet to try hard enough to get my iX to spin. ;)