Technical

E30 Technical

Like any BMW, the E30 is a complex precision machine, precision-built and designed to last. But even the simplest of machines needs maintenance occasionally, so keep your E30 running the way it should, it helps to familiarise yourself with the design, and the components. The Technical section of the E30 Zone Wiki is your one-stop source for maintenance tips, common problems, upgrades and troubleshooting.

Your E30 is broken down into separate sections, to help you understand each part in turn.

Engines

To maintain and repair your engine, you need to know what lump you have under the bonnet of your E30. Below is each engine, listed by model and year, for the E30. By clicking on the engine, you will have access to information regarding Maintenance, Cooling systems, Fuel, Intake, Exhaust and Electrical systems, as well as Common Problems and Upgrades.

Name	Volume	Engine	Valvetrain	Fuel	Output	Torque	Engine code	Years
316	1766cc	4cyl	SOHC 8V	Petrol	99hp (66kW) @4500 rpm	103ft/lb (140Nm) @4250 rpm	M10B18	1982–1990
316i	1596cc	4cyl	SOHC 8V	Petrol	102hp (75kW) @4500 rpm	105ft/lb (140Nm) @4250 rpm	M40B16	1988–1995
318	1766cc	4cyl	SOHC 8V	Petrol	104hp (77kW) @4500 rpm	103ft/lb (140Nm) @4250 rpm	M10B18	1982–1990
318i	1796cc	4cyl	SOHC 8V	Petrol	113hp (85kW) @4500 rpm	122ft/lb (165Nm) @4250 rpm	M40B18	1987–1995
318iS	1766cc	4cyl	SOHC 8V	Petrol	140hp (104kW) @4500 rpm	127ft/lb (172Nm) @4250 rpm	M42B18	1989–1991
320i	1766cc	6cyl	SOHC 12V	Petrol	123hp (92kW) @4500 rpm	0ft/lb (0Nm) @4250 rpm	M20B20	1982–1985
320i	1766cc	6cyl	SOHC 12V	Petrol	127hp (95kW) @4500 rpm	0ft/lb (0Nm) @4250 rpm	M20B20	1985–1991
320iS	1990cc	4cyl	DOHC 16V	Petrol	192hp (143kW) @6750 rpm	155ft/lb (210Nm) @4750 rpm	S14	1982–1990
323i	1766cc	6cyl	SOHC 12V	Petrol	139-150hp (104-110kW) @4500 rpm	0ft/lb (0Nm) @4250 rpm	M20B23	1982–19850
325e	1766cc	6cyl	SOHC 12V	Petrol	101hp (75kW) @4500 rpm	103ft/lb (140Nm) @4250 rpm	M20B16	1982–1990
325i	1766cc	6cyl	SOHC 12V	Petrol	101hp (75kW) @4500 rpm	103ft/lb (140Nm) @4250 rpm	M20B25	1982–1990
325iX	1766cc	6cyl	SOHC 12V	Petrol	101hp (75kW) @4500 rpm	103ft/lb (140Nm) @4250 rpm	M20B16	1982–1990
M3	2302cc	4cyl	DOHC 16V	Petrol	197hp (147kW) @6750 rpm	176ft/lb (0Nm) @4750 rpm	S14	1986–1988
M3	2302cc	4cyl	DOHC 16V	Petrol	212hp (158kW) @6750 rpm	170ft/lb (0Nm) @4600 rpm	S14	1989–1991
M3 Evolution	2302cc	4cyl	DOHC 16V	Petrol	197hp (147kW) @6750 rpm	176ft/lb (0Nm) @4750 rpm	S14	1987–1987
M3 Evolution II	2302cc	4cyl	DOHC 16V	Petrol	217hp (162kW) @6750 rpm	181ft/lb (0Nm) @4750 rpm	S14	1988–1988
M3 Sport Evolution	2467cc	4cyl	DOHC 16V	Petrol	235hp (175kW) @6750 rpm	177ft/lb (0Nm) @4750 rpm	S14	1990–1990
324d	2443cc	6cyl	SOHC 12V	Diesel	84hp (63kW) @4600 rpm	112ft/lb (152Nm) @2400 rpm	M21D24	1985–1993
324td	2443cc	6cyl	SOHC 12V	Diesel	114hp (85kW) @4800 rpm	162ft/lb (220Nm) @2400 rpm	M21D24	1985–1993

Over the years, many E30s have been played with, and many other engines can now be seen smuggled under the bonnet of both racing and road-going E30s. If you're interested in changing your motor for something with a bit more grunt, check out the Engine Swap section.

Gearbox and Differential

The following were fitted to each E30:

Brakes

Drum or Disc

Body Styles and Fittings

The E30 was offered in a number of body styles. A 2-door and 4-door Saloon, Cabriolet and Touring

Maintenance

To get the most out of your E30, it pays to look after it. After all, everyone needs a bit of TLC occasionally, and your car deserves to have these things done to it on a fairly regular basis:

Upgrades

While they left the factory as the ultimate vehicle of their time, some drivers feel that the E30 needs improving to keep up with modern traffic. This list of popular improvements will highlight the most common ways to increase the performance of your car.

Engine Swaps

While every E30 is a sublime driving machine, the desire for more power leads many to look at their options. Since many E30 engines are unsympathetic to "tuning" without spending serious cash, the following engines are popular choices to replace your current donk:

M50 M52 M30

Tables

Tables can be somewhat tricky. Good information can also be found on the wikipedia site: Tables Help

Tables on this site should be created like the below:

Please note the class="wikitable" attribute.

{| class="wikitable"
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|+'''Table Title'''
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|'''First Column Header'''
|'''Second Column Header'''
|'''Third Column Header'''
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|We
|Love
|E30s
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|Old
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|Cool
|}

This should look like:

Table Title

First Column Header	Second Column Header	Third Column Header
We	Love	E30s
Old	Skool	Cool