Technical
Contents
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 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 316i | 1766cc | 4cyl | SOHC 8V | Petrol | 101hp (75kW) @4500 rpm | 103ft/lb (140Nm) @4250 rpm | M10B16 | 1982–1990 | ||
| 316i | Template:Convert | 4cyl | SOHC 8V | Petrol | Template:Convert @5500 rpm Template:Convert @5500 rpm |
Template:Convert @4250 rpm Template:Convert @3900 rpm |
M40B18 M43B18 |
11.5 11.3 |
Template:Convert Template:Convert |
1990–1993 1993–1998 |
| 318i | Template:Convert Template:Convert |
4cyl | DOHC 16V | Petrol | Template:Convert @6000 rpm | Template:Convert @4500 rpm Template:Convert @4300 rpm |
M42B18 M44B19 |
10.2 | Template:Convert | 1992–1996 1996–1998 |
| 318i | Template:Convert | 6cyl | DOHC 24V | Petrol | Template:Convert @5900 rpm | Template:Convert @4700 rpm Template:Convert @4200 rpm |
M50B20 M52B20 |
10.0 9.9 |
Template:Convert | 1991–1994 1994–1998 |
| 318is | Template:Convert | 6cyl | DOHC 24V | Petrol | Template:Convert @5500 rpm | Template:Convert @3950 rpm | M52B25 | 8.0 | Template:Convert | 1995–1998 |
| 320i | Template:Convert | 6cyl | DOHC 24V | Petrol | Template:Convert @5900 rpm | Template:Convert @4700 rpm Template:Convert @4200 rpm |
M50B25 M50B25 |
8.0 7.5 |
Template:Convert | 1991–1993 1993–1995 |
| 323i | Template:Convert | 6cyl | DOHC 24V | Petrol | Template:Convert @5300 rpm | Template:Convert @3950 rpm | M52B28 | 6.9 | Template:Convert | 1995–1998 |
| 325i | Template:Convert | 4cyl | SOHC 8V | Diesel | Template:Convert @4400 rpm | Template:Convert @2000 rpm | M41D17 | 14.4 | Template:Convert | 1994–1998 |
| M3 | Template:Convert Template:Convert |
6cyl | DOHC s24V | Petrol | Template:Convert @7000 rpm Template:Convert @7400 rpm |
Template:Convert @3600 rpm Template:Convert @3250 rpm |
S50B30 S50B32 |
5.4 5.2 |
Template:Convert | 1992–1995 1995–1998 |
| 324d | Template:Convert | 6cyl | SOHC 12V | Diesel | Template:Convert @4800 rpm | Template:Convert @1900 rpm Template:Convert @1900 rpm |
M51D25 M51D25 |
12.0 | Template:Convert | 1991–1996 1996–1998 |
| 32td | Template:Convert | 6cyl | SOHC 12V | Diesel | Template:Convert @4800 rpm Template:Convert @4600 rpm |
Template:Convert @2200 rpm Template:Convert @2200 rpm |
M51D25 M51D25 |
10.4 | Template:Convert | 1993–1996 1996–1998 |
The E30 was available with a number of engines. The M10, the M40 and the M42 are the four-cylinder engines. The M20 is the six-cylinder engine, fitted to the 320 and 325. A rare version of the M30 was fitted to the 333i, available in South Africa, and the M30 remains a popular choice among engine swaps. In mainland Europe, the diesel engine M21 was also fitted. but very few were sold in the UK.
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 and M52
Uploading images and files
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Once logged in you will see the toolbox in the left panel has an Upload file link. You can use this to upload images for you pages.
To use an image in a page just use
[[Image:Filename.jpg]]
Please note filenames are also case sensitive.
Formatting
This page details the guidelines for how to edit pages on the zone wiki.
A great list of simple formatting options is on the Wikipedia site here: Wikipedia Cheatsheet
For pages that are incomplete please add the stub template by placing the following text at the start of your article:
{{stub}}
This will ensure that it's easy for users to find and update articles that need updating.
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"
|-
|+'''Table Title'''
|-
|'''First Column Header'''
|'''Second Column Header'''
|'''Third Column Header'''
|-
|We
|Love
|E30s
|-
|Old
|Skool
|Cool
|}
This should look like:
| First Column Header | Second Column Header | Third Column Header |
| We | Love | E30s |
| Old | Skool | Cool |