My New E30 Project - The Big 25

Post Thu Nov 19, 2015 12:25 pm

Hi Guys,

Excited new e30 owner here. I'd wanted an e30 since I was 10 and last month (for my 21st birthday) after years of saving and searching I finally found the perfect car and bought it on the 25th September. It's a 1990 diamant-schwarz 325i manual saloon. I'm absolutely in love with it and I noticed a correlation of the number 25. The car is 25 years old, it's a 325i, I purchased it on the 25th and for £2500. SO, just for the shits and giggles I'm really set on the car running at 250bhp. The e30 is currently being stored in a nice dry barn while I buy some new parts and finalise the direction I want to take it in but the big question is. What is the but and most reliable way to obtain the power. I've explored a few different options and I realise an obvious one is an engine swap but I'm pretty set on keeping it relatively original. Can anyone help and give me some parts they have used or know are good?

Thanks

Joe

Post Thu Nov 19, 2015 12:38 pm

250hp isn't going to be easy to get out of an m20 without very deep pockets. 3/3.1 litre stroker, with headwork, cams and management will see it. Alternatively a turbo would possibly be cheaper at that power level as it won't need much if any in the way of engine work bar a freshen up and the associated turbo bits.

They aren't easy cars to get power from. Setting a hp goal is the wrong way to go about tuning in my eyes

Post Thu Nov 19, 2015 1:03 pm

Don't worry about the power, you already have the coolest car out of all your mates, yours is going up in value most of theirs are going down

Why not try to get 25hp over standard, that's doable, 80bhp is too, but its big bucks to do right.

Welcome along anyway

Post Thu Nov 19, 2015 2:11 pm

Hi and welcome

With a couple of tweaks your 325i will feel like a flying machine.

I'd give it a damn good service first so it's safe and reliable to drive, remember these are old cars now so fuel hoses likely will need changing.

A big bore throttle body (bored out original) makes it a bit more responsive. Cleaning the injectors does no harm.

If you want to take the engine out, building a 2.7 is good fun and gives much better torque. Having said that, most people go for the M50B28 conversion these days which gives about 225bhp.

Don't forget to check the brakes are all in good order also

Enjoy.

Post Thu Nov 19, 2015 3:37 pm

Only thing to add, if changing fuel hoses you MUST use R9 rated injection hose. Anything less is lower pressure and not rated for fuels with ethanol in them.

The cheaper often R6 rated hose degrade very quickly and are frankly dangerous in the UK.

Post Thu Nov 19, 2015 4:03 pm

I bought mine from BM, i guess they would be ok then ?? not expensive eigher.

Post Fri Nov 20, 2015 12:14 pm

Thanks for the advice guys! maybe an extra 25hp is the way to go first and will the car will definitely be getting a thorough (and probably very costly) service. Luckily the previous owner took really good care of it and changed a lot of parts out for new but will still be digging deep and making sure it's all in order. Can anyone tell me their most noticeable change to their car? the modification that has surprised them the most?

Post Fri Nov 20, 2015 12:59 pm

Replacing all the bushes will be the best thing you will notice right off the bat. Then compliment it with a z3/e46 steering rack, z3 shift lever and all new gear shift bushes and it will feel like a different car.

From there something like a Bilstein B12 kit will finish it off nicely

Post Fri Nov 20, 2015 9:33 pm

ross_jsy wrote:Replacing all the bushes will be the best thing you will notice right off the bat. Then compliment it with a z3/e46 steering rack, z3 shift lever and all new gear shift bushes and it will feel like a different car.

From there something like a Bilstein B12 kit will finish it off nicely

Did similar to all above, when she was std, really nice to drive, after above, really had to stop diving it, as they say "BMW sheer driving pleasure".

Post Sat Nov 21, 2015 12:34 am

motormanmick wrote:
ross_jsy wrote:Replacing all the bushes will be the best thing you will notice right off the bat. Then compliment it with a z3/e46 steering rack, z3 shift lever and all new gear shift bushes and it will feel like a different car.

From there something like a Bilstein B12 kit will finish it off nicely
Did similar to all above, when she was std, really nice to drive, after above, really had to stop diving it, as they say "BMW sheer driving pleasure".

Another +1 for the bushes & rack