Differences between early and late 325i Sports

[Gun]

Other than the obvious external differences between the early and late cars would someone be able to detail for me any of the other differences between the two e30 Sport versions?

Many thanks.

[maxfield]

Well first the earlyer ones were higher compression

[hammoj28]

Yeah, i think they were. Bit faster than the newer ones.

[Ant]

Tech 1:

9.75:1 CR
3.64 LSD as std fare
Smaller exhaust manifold
Earlier Engine management setup


Tech 2:
8.8:1 CR
3.91 LSD now std
Larger type cast manifold
Later Managament with revised trigger system and better OBD
Coolant system revised

The rest is body/cosmetic/ease of production

anymore ??

[Simon13]

one similarity is that they are the only E30's that rust like an austin 1100!

tech 1 had bilstein inverted shocks

tech 2 had boge gas shocks

[Taylor325i]

one similarity is that they are the only E30's that rust like an austin 1100!

tech 1 had bilstein inverted shocks

tech 2 had boge gas shocks

I think you are right on the rust issue although I was once told by a bodywork specialist that the older models had a better resistance to the brown rot than the facelift models. imo each car fares depending on the kinda life it's had and the level of care taken by previous owners.
If only they were all Waxoiled from new



Taylor.

[Gun]

Thanks guys.

Please forgive my ignorance. I've been driving other Beemas for years but have never looked into the finer details of the e30 Sport.

Did the tech 1 have the same rear view mirror with the map reader lights?

Are there any other subtle differences?

How much difference in size is there between the tech 1 & 2 exhaust manifolds?

Are there some Sports with a battery tray in the engine bay and some without or is it my imaginination?

Thx again.

[Gun]

Steering wheel is different between tech 1 & 2.

[jmc330i]

I was once told by a bodywork specialist that the older models had a better resistance to the brown rot than the facelift models.

Probably to do with the Mtech2 kit on the later Sports - water gets in there and can cause serious rot and because its behind the kit it doesnt get noticed until its bad.

Are there some Sports with a battery tray in the engine bay and some without or is it my imaginination?

All facelift 325i Sports (and all other 325i saloons) will have the battery in the boot - Im not sure about the early 325i.
Only the 325i touring/Cab will have the battery in the engine bay.

[Blitz]

The mtec 2 I had before had the older mtec 1 steering wheel for some reason.

[Gun]

I think most Sports I've seen have the battery in the boot but I've also seen Sports with the battery in the boot that still have a battery tray in the engine bay.

[dazleeds]

all 325s iv ever seen or had have batt in boot but still have the front batt tray
its only a cable to rear not diff shells etc

tech 1s also had inverted bilstein shocks i think
whereas tech2 dnt

i dnt think all tec 2s came with a tech2 steering wheel either

black mast leccy aerials too

[jmc330i]

all 325s iv ever seen or had have batt in boot but still have the front batt tray
its only a cable to rear not diff shells etc

Sorry, I didnt read the post about the battery tray properly

All the shells are the same so all the cars (316-325i) will have the battery tray in the engine bay, but as Daz said the 325i has a cable to run the power up from the boot.

[Simon13]

The mtec 2 I had before had the older mtec 1 steering wheel for some reason.

only from 1990 onwards were tech 2 s/wheels fitted to tech 2 sports!

[Speedtouch]

I've read many reports of the rear arches having to be replaced on Sports. Is there any particular reason for them to have worse rust issues than normal models, ie. were they built at a different plant or farmed out to a specialist to have the Sport bits fitted? Or is it the fitting of the bodykit that creates the rust traps?

Cheers,

James, intrigued of E. Kent ('88 325iSE)

[mrLEE30]

older E30's i.e pre face lift did not have the same thickness of zinc coating on their bare metal, so under equal conditions the older ones will rust earlier then the face lift, but as mentioned the sport tech2 bodykit can allow water/salt etc etc to attack the lower sills/ valances as they hide the problem and most owners would not have taken the care to ensure under the bodykit they were cleaned and dry. Also could be something to do with the owners too, the later sports came out in a more yuppie age and were likely to have been bought by younger buisnessmen type who doubtless would have not cleaned their own cars properly, hence why an immaculate tech2 sport is quite a rare find.

other differences are a larger fuel tank (55 litres on preface lift, 63 litres on face lift) but this common to all cars not only sports.

one question that i have not been able to answer is this.... the tech 1 sport came out in Sept 86, the facelift cars came out in (april??)87 and the tech 2 sport came out in Sept 88, (dates are from memory guys sorry if not exact ) so did BMW sell preface lift sports alongside the facelift models during the overlap period until the facelift sport came out?

mrlee