Where can I get an alternator for my E30?

[Fish Milk]

Hi, i have an e30 1989 325i convertible and i would
like to find out what kind of oil i should use for my car.
it hasnt been started in a couple months but will be soon after
running through the necessary checks, i looked up the owners
manual since i dont have one myself. it shows a range of oils for
certain temperatures and its a bit confusing, so just to make sure
i would like help on which to choose and also what oil filter i
should get, thanks!

[NEOe30]

So are you looking for an alternator or oil weight? Either way.. search. People use a range of weights and brands.


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[roguetoaster]

Either way.. search.

Yes, this is the best way is to help yourself as this forum is a font of knowledge and opinions.

Remember, these cars are all over 25 years old now, so most every topic has been covered.

[Fish Milk]

Oh okay sorry, I’ve looked around but I just decided to come here Incase what I was looking at wasn’t the best choice and someone had a better place to get them, thanks for the info anyways


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[Kershaw]

You can buy an alternator at any car parts store, autozone, advance auto, Napa..

Buy 20w50 oil, the brand doesn't really matter.

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[Fish Milk]

You can buy an alternator at any car parts store, autozone, advance auto, Napa..

Buy 20w50 oil, the brand doesn't really matter.

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Thanks for the response and info, but for the oil type, the manual has like a chart or something of what kind of oil to use in what temperature or something of the sort, it’s confusing. Does that matter or still go with 20w50?


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[2mAn]

I think OP was so excited to post that he forgot to proofread it haha ;)

[Fish Milk]

I think OP was so excited to post that he forgot to proofread it haha ;)

What’s OP and what lol


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[2mAn]

original poster... IE you

[Fish Milk]

original poster... IE you

Oh ok lol, and I forgot to include what kind of alternator lol, there’s a website my uncle showed me it’s called rockauto or something like that and he said I should get the Bosch alternator for my car because a new one is more reliable, any thoughts ?


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[SOneThreeCoupe]

If your car will sit for extended periods, get something that has a decent amount of ZDDP. It adds a sacrificial layer so even when the oil has dripped off the cam and rockers, they're still protected.

If it won't sit again, it doesn't really matter. Most modern oils have a good detergent package and high shear resistance so it's more a question of "which oil is cheaper by the gallon at Walmart" than "which oil will protect my cam lobes?"

No matter what, get a decent filter. I'm partial to Wix but again, name brands like Denso, Bosch, Mann, Mahle are all acceptable options. You might save $3.50 by going with a cheapo filter.

Buy whatever alternator you can afford. RockAuto usually has extremely good pricing.

[Fish Milk]

Thanks a lot I really appreciate all the info, i guess it’s time to get started buying what i need!


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[McGyver]

If it won't sit again, it doesn't really matter. Most modern oils have a good detergent package and high shear resistance so it's more a question of "which oil is cheaper by the gallon at Walmart" than "which oil will protect my cam lobes?"

No matter what, get a decent filter. I'm partial to Wix but again, name brands like Denso, Bosch, Mann, Mahle are all acceptable options. You might save $3.50 by going with a cheapo filter.

Buy whatever alternator you can afford. RockAuto usually has extremely good pricing.

Eek, not quite.

If you care about your engine, you should only use oils with high levels of ZDDP. The m20, like the m10 and m30, uses a setup similar to a solid lifter. When the piston is at Top Dead Center (TDC) the cam will not be in contact with the rocker arm. This allows the valve to fully close. When the cam rotates, it will slap the rocker as it contacts. (Hence the ticking sound like a sewing machine) The ZDDP provides a molecular barrier on the surface of the metal to protect your rockers and cams from premature wear.

In an engine with a hydraulic lifter, the camshaft is always touching the rocker. That's why modern oils for modern engines have a much lower ppm of ZDDP because nothing is slapping. (That's why newer engines are quieter)

Likewise, if you care about your engine, you should go Mann/Mahle for the filter. Cheaper stuff like Wix/Denso/Fram are made cheaper. You can use them, but they aren't as good.

As for your alternator, if it's the original Bosh unit, you may be able to change the voltage regulator in it for $20 and get another 150k miles out of it. If not, you may have to replace the whole unit. Rebuilt is fine, just remember that you get what you pay for. So a cheap WorldWide chinese unit will work, but they always failed on me in 12 months. Buying a Bosch will last significantly longer. It all comes down to what you're willing to spend, and how often you're willing to change it.

[Kershaw]

Thanks for the response and info, but for the oil type, the manual has like a chart or something of what kind of oil to use in what temperature or something of the sort, it’s confusing. Does that matter or still go with 20w50?

Go with whatever 20w50 is on sale with a filter and change it regularly. It does not matter what brand of oil. You're in MD, 20w50 is fine for you year round. Buy whatever alternator you want. Sure you can buy Bosch, but you can also just go to Autozone and buy a Duralast and it'll be fine. They have a warranty too.

If you care about your engine, .... It all comes down to what you're willing to spend, and how often you're willing to change it.

Yeah, maybe if you just spent $6k and fully rebuilt your motor you'll give it nothing but Amsoil Z-Rod full synthetic. But what about if you just picked up your first beat to shit 200k mile e30? Nothing you do will reverse 200k miles of wear and you're just wasting your money. Oils today are vastly superior than the 80s, whatever store brand you're putting in is better than what it was designed for.

[McGyver]

Yeah, maybe if you just spent $6k and fully rebuilt your motor you'll give it nothing but Amsoil Z-Rod full synthetic. But what about if you just picked up your first beat to shit 200k mile e30? Nothing you do will reverse 200k miles of wear and you're just wasting your money. Oils today are vastly superior than the 80s, whatever store brand you're putting in is better than what it was designed for.

I mean, Shell Rotella (diesel truck oil) is really cheap, comes in 20w50, and has high ZDDP. Nothing is going to reverse previous abuse, but something is better than nothing. Especially if it's the same cost as the cheap penzoil/valvoline/Qaker/casteroil/etc.

That being said, I would tend to use cheap oil in my car because 1) I could tell I was getting close to needing a rebuild, and 2) it leaked a lot and I wasn't going to reseal until rebuilding.