E30 Zone

Found this little gem through word of mouth down in swanage. Went down there from reading on the off chance it may be worth saving but being a sea side car expected the worst. It's on 94k hadn't been on the road since 2009 and turns out I'm the second owner from new, strange spec. As I said 1983 320i Recaro seats so nice been told but steel wheels, and the cool bit I like it only has one mirror. This was a fag paper off being broken up for parts but I just couldn't bring myself to do it. After 6 years of being stood up all it needed for the mot was a pair of wiper blades, a front number plate and to free off the osf caliper. However since the mot it's not starting and idle problems have occurred. Never mind, I've only had it 2 weeks and it's had some starting problems. Starter motor went and now the ignition switch has worn out and I can't find one. Here's some snaps of it anyway.


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A45366295180_zpshgc4bdki.jpg.html][/URL]


More pics soon after some more work

Found some more snaps

Lovely motor! Got to be one of the first right? Deserves a set of bottle tops or BBS's though imo.

The d90s came up dirt cheap, I'm not doing anything to it irreversible as I understand to some people originality is important but I've saved from the scrap heap, I guess it's one of the first down to the mirror?

MrHines wrote:The d90s came up dirt cheap, I'm not doing anything to it irreversible as I understand to some people originality is important but I've saved from the scrap heap, I guess it's one of the first down to the mirror?

Great stuff. Well done for saving it!

It looks great. Those seats are so nice

Have you seen the pair on eBay, absolutely shot to bits and well over £200 reserve not met

It looked nice until you stanced it.

Nice seats worth more than the car itself

great to see another 83 Y plater, like i said on instagram, if you want a pair of matching headrests for the rear I have some when you are ready...

Any luck with the running issues?

clean shell!!!
Keep it and take care of it. DONT drive it like a Kev and slap a welded diff on it or any toss like that. Good clean shells are going up in money - often worth more than the car itself. The fact that it's so early will have the purists wetting themselves.

It's a got a bit of scab on the bottom of arches, not looked at running issues yet, starting problem is getting worse and it hasn't really idled badly today but I'm sure 1100-1200 rpm. Don't worry from where it is now it's just having bodywork taking it back to being clean. I made the mistake of welding the diff on my last e30 and lasted a hole week before I bought a replacement diff. Never EVER again, I've fallen in love with this car and I can't see myself parting with it so rolling resto it is, let me know prices on the headrests bud

Those wheels have got to go.

The wheels are staying I'm afraid, although I can't stand the colour of them or the tacky centre caps, they going silver with silver caps

There picture with the Bmw and plane. Thats in Woodley

You are correct sir, it's behind my house

Blimey another E30 in Woodley. Can see the plane if i stand on my window sill.

Where are you then mate? I've seen 3 other chromies in woodley, a white d plate loon, a dark blue vert down welfare road and I see a silver one in the morning on the way to work oh and my mate has a nissan powered tech 2 on kiddo. Bridge road

What are these "loons" and "vert" they speaketh of?

A saloon and a convertible young sir, fine engineering

MrHines wrote:It's a got a bit of scab on the bottom of arches, not looked at running issues yet, starting problem is getting worse and it hasn't really idled badly today but I'm sure 1100-1200 rpm.

A common problem with pre-facelift 320i/323i models - the usual cause is a corroded air-slide valve:

http://www.e30zone.net/e30zonewiki/inde ... lide_Valve

Thank you ^ I shall investigate tomorrow

MrHines wrote:vert down welfare road

Sounds about right.

Nice one for getting this back on the road.

B7 wrote:What are these "loons" and "vert" they speaketh of?

Reading speak Trev.

I have seen this in the flesh, & its as good as it looks

However, I note the Wiki also states:

"Jetronic cars were also equipped with an idle valve, used to stabilise the engine speed when the throttle is depressed. Unlike the electric ICV in Motronic systems, the Jetronic Idle valve is driven by engine vacuum to hold the throttle position at a fixed position when you let go of the accelerator pedal. On early systems this was 1200rpm, although it was later dropped to 1000rpm for economy reasons."

So, it's possible that the 1200rpm idle is correct for your car. I would still be inclined to check the air slide valve though, as a high idle can make for awkward driving in traffic.

As far as I remember the idle speed for an L jetronic car should be around 850rpm +/- 50rpm.
The idle adjuster screw is in the manifold valve above the rocker box; as arrowed in photo;


This should only be done when all the system is correct ie no vacuum/air leaks/ timing correct/plugs OK/mixture correct etc.


The 1200rpm refers to overrun when the system cuts off fuel until it drops to 1200rpm. That's why it is always a bit jerky when coasting on overrun as the revs drops off. That's how I remember the system.

Corr I wish my engine bay looked that good, I went over the air leaks side today and couldn't find anything

The vacuum control valve (the one on the other side of the engine bay in the picture) may also have been tampered with on the length of the spring etc.

BMW manual states the spring should be 33mm +/- 0.3mm from the front of the spring to the mounting bracket.
There then should be a gap of 3.5mm +/- 0.1mm between the throttle lever and the idle stop screw (the one towards the front of the engine).

What a beaut. Well done. My chromie had also been stood since 2009 and was tax, mot and insured a couple of weeks ago

Well lads, some progress!! Cleaned various bits and pieces, changed the plugs, changed the fuel filter dated 1986, found a squashed vacuum hose and well it idles fine and gos like shit off a stick. Still need an ignition switch and on another note it's decided it blows the ns sidelight fuse every time I turn them off??




The vacuum hose went from manifold to thing on airbox was crushed under the top rad hose jubilee clip

How cool is that relic of a fuel filter

I'm itching to give that engine bay a jet wash!