E30 Zone

Hello everybody!!

Thought I would start a build thread showing how I'm getting on with my car. Firstly I'll give some background info. This all started about 3 years ago when I bought an abandoned 325 supercharger project. The set up had been running on another 325 but was very roughly fitted when I got it and a lot of work had to be done to get the shell sorted and get the engine running. I started looking into it and the management used was very old school, it was running a maf, standard size injectors etc and had been putting out 212hp and 298ftlb. Anyway to cut a long story short after speaking to people and doing some research into I decided I wanted to turbo the car instead.

So 2 years ago I rebuilt an engine using b20 block bored out and fitted all the b25 bits and pieces with new rings, shells, gaskets, pump etc. This wasn't the origonal idea but a machine shop f**ked my b25 block but thats another story.


Thats when I started on the shell. I had quite a bit of welding to do on the front end but was working on it outside and it was always pishing down and my landlady was basically an arsehole so I had to buy a new house with better garage space.



So finally just over a year ago I got better garage space and could get stuck in so I finished building a jig for better access for welding. Unfortunately the more I worked on the shell the more dodgy repairs I found and the more hidden rot I found. I decided that even if I fixed up everything I would still woudnt be happy with it so decide to cut my loses and get myself something good to start.

In Feb I found myself I nice 318i auto with fsh, 116k, solid, never been welded, needed a wing and a bit of paint sorting but all in a good buy.


So now I could start having fun:







067 rack



old out



fully rebuilt, 12.9 high tensile head bolts, stage 3 clutch, lightened flywheel etc



I am away from home working at the moment and don't have any more photos with me but will try to list the work done and spec so far but probably a few things i've forgotten

m20 block bored out and full rebuild with b25 crank, rods head etc
255 fuel pump
manual box getrag 260
stage 3 race clutch
lightened flywheel
short shift
quick rack p/n 067
lsd 3.64
toe camber adjuster plates with eccentric bolts on rear
billet high spec 4 pots and 306mm discs on front
rear disc conversion
braided line and new hard lines
koni adjustable shocks
h and r cup 40/60 springs
m3 offset wishbone bushes
eibach adjustable arb
poly diff mount
all new mounts and bushes

Like I said prob a few more things I cant remember at the moment. I am currently running in the engine and clutch. The next head ache will be the megasquirt which I will be fitting when the car is still N/A. After this turbo, intercooler, exhaust etc etc

I like this...

thanks, i like your wheels

Can anybody spot the mistake in the second last photo (engine photo)?

The spigot bearing lying on the pallet...?

Correct me if I am wrong, but in the same photo isn't the water hose on the rear & fitting on the rear of the head on the wrong way round ??

Just sayin ...

Correct sir, the bast*rd hose was the wrong bast*rd way round. wish you had seen the photo before I fitted the engine. let me tell you removing and refitting the bast*rd was a bast*rd.

normally I would keep quiet about embarrassing mistakes like that but I just noticed the photo and thought I should point it out before someone else did.

Fortunately I fitted a new spigot bearing and that was the old one lying on the pallet. Good spot though....

No updates on the car yet. Still away working but should be back on Thursday. Need to run the engine in and then fit the megasquirt. I am trying to do everything in stages to minimize variables in case of teething problems so will get her running N/A on MS first. Only about 20 miles into running it in but hopefully by the end of the weekend I should have put a decent milage on her and fingers crossed get good compression readings.

I printed off a few guides on MS and have been studying them. I feel that I am ready to give it a go but its all new to me so I will see how I get on. Ordered some 550cc injectors and should be waiting for me when I get back. Any thoughts on fitting the big injectors and trying to get the MS running N/A? Will it be a mission to set the idle? Any thoughts greatly appreciated.

MS 3.57 v2. Heres a photo just since I have one handy on photobucket

Could anybody suggest a good place to get a 4 pin connector that would fit a vauxhall (omega/cavy) v6 coilpack? had a look around the local scrappy but there wasnt many older cars and most of the looms were chopped. Anybody know any other makes models that would have same connector or maybe somewhere online that could supply quickly? any help would be greatly appreciated

latest update: put quite a few miles on her now and getting 175psi on the compression tester. seem a little high but better than a low reading.

Regarding the coil pack connection.

I'm running a wasted spark coil from a vauxhall and I got the connection from here.

http://polevolt.co.uk/acatalog/Junior_P ... ctors.html

Make sure you get the pins , rubber seals aswell(last few items on the page )

Perfect buddy, Thanks very much

FYI found a plug that fits the coil pack on a '98 vectra ecotech connected to the afm

Afternoon all. Wonder if anybody with MS experience can advise on a cable to connect laptop and MS? Wasted a couple of days trying to get a usb to 9 pin working and have finally decided its useless. Went to maplins and bought 15 pin to 9 pin adapter. Hooked it up through a cheap ebay 9pin male/male adapter. when i power up the ms through the cars ignition my screen resolution changes (so something is happening) but tuner studio is still not detecting the MS. Should this setup of cable/adapters work with messing with drivers or something? I dont have a pc card connection on my laptop so not sure if there is any other alternatives.

Any help very much appreciated

thanks man but got sorted already. The 15 to 9 pin setup didn't work, the usb to 9 pin cable I had was a waste of time. I read online that the cables without the prolific chip are hit and miss and after trying about 15 different drivers for it I gave up. Ended up buying a used laptop the same as my old 1 for £40 and made a good one out of the 2. Its got an express card reader so got an express card to 9pin for £10, put a driver on and it fired up first time. Needed a garage laptop anyway since my good one was getting oily finger prints all over it as well as boot prints all over the kitchen floor so now everybody is happy. Had to go away working straight away after so not had a chance to start tuning yet. Just going to get her running na first of all so I can a feel for MS and to make sure its all ok. shes been run in and all wiring mods done.

Got a few more things to do before the turbo goes on. Biggest things are the manifold and exhaust. Got an ebay t3 manifold and will be modifying this to make a t4 divided and adding wastegate pipework as well. got a big 3" intercooler, and 3" exhaust pipework to be fabbed/installed. Still on the hunt for injectors. Bought some already, 550cc, lucas (so good make), been flow tested and good price but wrong size. what a fanny. Will hopefully have some good progress in the next couple of weeks so will update soon