E30 Zone

It does seem like the choice is between: 1) Small welding to keep it going for another year or two 2) Cut and run (scrap and buy newer one) 3) Throw money at garage for full resto 4) 1) + doing the bodywork myself as time allows the next year or two Currently I'm in favour of 1) and 4), as 1) allows...

The bodyshop I've known for a while, I know the owners fairly well and their work is top notch (they work on Porches, Lambos and Ferrari too), I suspect the bill will be well above 2k if they do it - I'm more worried about the car becoming a money pit during restoration than their abilities tbh. Opt...

Hi all, Well my cab (1986, 168k, 325i manual/leather) has been fine for a long time, but the last two winters have taken their toll and I'm wondering what to do :(. It failed the MOT on rust on the right front wing going into the sill and floor (12" from the front mount = MOT fail), and also the rea...

has the gearbox got any oil in it Err unknown at the minute! Thinking about it, when going from cold its harder to shift into 1st. i'll check it at the weekend. How do I check!? Get the a new container of the right oil and undo the filler/level bolt on the side. Squeeze as much in as you can until ...

If it is like my cab you need to completely rewire the speaker wires - front and back - the old system used a common earth system with a 'balancer' in the front. Not compatible with modern radios as they want to energise both ends of the wire! If you are lucky there are built in wires going to the d...

It sounds like you want poly bushes N00b, so I'd get those then.

Just don't expect anyone who knows these cars to recommend them

nickscott wrote:the clock not working and also the rev counter now!

Sounds like you have blown a fuse - I'd check them all before doing anything more difficult!!

Does the clock light up with the lights?

G.

Solved:

Fuse 28

Obviously it does rather more than it claims in the manual...

When I open any door (2 door 1986 convertible) the courtesy lamp comes on nice and bright .

The courtesy lamp just never goes off properly - it is always red hot unless I pop the window cutout on the dash or switch it off on the lamp.

If you are in neutral and just jack up one, handbrake off, it will be very difficult to turn by hand (as it is linked to the wheel on the ground via the lsd.

Bonnet up for charging (as I'm not using it regularly), no key and I'm sitting inside with the door open, courtesy lamp on. I notice the windows do not work - normally they work without a key if the door is open. I close the door and the courtesy goes out but stays red. As in red-hot, a tiny bit on....

Check the engine earthing strap is good and working.

When I fitted (IIRC 35mm) Eibachs on mine it dropped straight away and look right as soon as the wheels were down and the car rolled a little to settle the suspension down off the jack.
It hasn't dropped since either - so I think yours is as low as it will go now...

If you change the bearing then (ffs) change the backplate at the same time if it doesn't look mint.
The ease of the job depends how easily the axle slides out of the hub. Sometimes they just don't.

Even on my car with sport rear springs i had to use compressors! If the suspension is standard and especially on a touring you ll need them! Same here - With eibach lowered springs on my cab. I just used one compressor lightly and it did the trick easily - it is not the marathon exercise that one d...

Hi Ant!
So is it best to upgrade the 173 and stick that in, or have the 073 done and use that?
i.e. when chipped are the two identical?

> 1987 , means up to 1987 , and 1988 > ,means from 1998 on , with no mention of teatime . OK, I wonder why anyone would write > 1988 when they could write "up to 1988" - perhaps this is to confuse anyone who has done maths (< and > have specific meanings - i.e less than and greater than). It also l...

My seat back was clear on the left hand side but on the right hand side it was attached to the frame by the lever that you move to tilt the seat forward (to allow passengers to get into the back seats) in the middle of the side of the seat back. There is a bit of plastic that locks the seat back to ...

Remove the seat back cover, 2 screws on the bottom edge and slide up and over the tilt levers. remove the seat back, 2 screws towards the bottom of the back I had one of the top clips fall off my seat and I could not slide the back off because the tilt lever would not come off on the side of the se...

I've had a look at the evolve site, but they do 2 chips. http://www.evo-s.co.uk/shop/index.php?cPath=6_2279_2290_2292 Evolve Performance Chip - E30 325i 1988 > Evolve Performance Chip - E30 325i >1987 So is that less than 1988, 1988 and after, just after 1988, sometime around teatime in the 80's?? T...

The vacuum pipe from the manifold to the fuel regulator will affect the mixture.
TBH the engine should run just as well - mine did, perhaps there is a simple test to check timing accuracy someone knows?

Cheers guys, I'll whip off the panel and checkout the connector and part number tomorrow then.
£50 sounds OK for a chip, anyone else tried chipping their 325?

Cheers

3/8 are only about 1/2 the strength of 1/2" IIRC - I'm not sure I'd use a scaffold bar even on a snap-on 3/8ths. 1/2" should be fine - there is much more metal on the socket etc. One thing that does help me is a oxygen+gas welding set - you can get the tiny benzomatic ones at various tool places. Th...

Hi chaps, I've got a 1986 RHD 325i (convertible) with its original ECU (part number unseen) and I also have a spare Motronic from a later (1992) 325i, part number 0 261 200 173. So a couple of questions: Where is the ECU actually fitted in the car? Will the later ECU be better? Which one of Ant's ch...

I had regular (flat) covers on there and I just bought a pair of Alpine tweeters with their own pods and fitted them - they look fine. JBL are better quality however and one important thing: throw away the stupid capacitor and fit a proper 2 way crossover from Maplin. By using the supplied capacitor...

So what is the most cost effective way to LPG an E30?
Will any 2nd hand kit (of a 2.5litre capability) work ok?
Does the cab need a special tank?

Checked for a good spark?
Is the engine earthed well?

Not to blag Ice's thread, I wonder if there is anyone or a MOD that can explain how I would get a great tech walthrough posted into the forum of how to replace all the gear shift linkage bushes to stop that sloppy gearchange so typical on E30's? That is if it would be of use to anyone of course? It...

I got mine in the US from Pelican Parts as I was going there anyway.
It was about half price: Made in spain, shipped over to the USA and bought there, rather than 4 miles down the road at the dealer in the UK

Crazy.

When I did mine I found an old cheap socket, and ground two flats on it.
Then I used the socket with a C spanner on the flats, and the allen key went down the middle.

Handbrake.

If that side of the diff is already disconnected then try 1st gear.

Hmm - a puzzle. How did you test the sparks - taking a lead into a plug and seeing it yourself? - it crackles nicely once per rev as it should? - check it looks a nice strong spark. The plugs definitely have fuel yes - it looks and smells like fuel? The engine is definitely earthed correctly is it? ...

That's a good plan - thanks guys. I'll see how amiable the sub-frame mount is on that side, else it's filler pipe removal... I was a bit worried about having to buy a new rubber filler pipe if it didn't seal well afterwards, but if the tank fitting is not too 'sticky-outy' then the nut-gun could get...

Hi People, Having failed to get my exhaust side hub/axle to separate I took the whole trailing arm off with the help of a large nutgun. I did this as I have spare new bushes for them and I can take it to a garage to press the axle out for me.. Then the site locked me out for a bit, which is now sort...

Hex heads are old bolts and can snap off and get caught on the cam.
Little Torx heads are the replacement stretch and can only be used once anyway...

... so you need to buy a new set from the dealer.

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