E30 Zone

Hi... I've owned my White M325 for 20 years an I love it, she's naturally aspirated at 196bhp running old skool.. Ida's , Shrick cam an vernier, VAC motorsports hc forged pistons, steel multilayer hg, modified dizzy from an E28, lumenition, group 5 alloy rad, cheap six branch, 15yr old mongoose back box with a home made center, a group b clutch and 4:7ex touring car lsd from Moseley mc... However iv recently purchased a fully worked big valve head an new cam etc from VAC motorsports, a FULL BTB exhaust system, BC COILOVERS, H&R antiroll bars, an a BREMBO 4POT conversion from GODSPEED.. an I'm itching to get stuck in but I have recently purchased a M535 That I'm recomisioning as it's been garaged for 10yrs, that I'll sell on eventually once I've done the E30, the red tourer is my parents car, a factory optioned M Sport.... The E30 is the only car for me though, there just class.. An Great fun.. Ahem....

Well..... I did not understand a word of what you said but the cars are brilliant mate
Another guy who won`t let go

Mart.

Ha ha... Cheers Mart.. . You don't have to understand tech talk to love cars..!! Especially e30 s.... To b Ed fair I have a slight advantage having been brought up in a garage ha ha

that spec sounds like a good one, looking forward to any updates.

Steve thanks... Combined with the new head and exhaust system it should make a chunk of difference, I plan on changing to MSD ignition too... I will put some pics an info up in due course...
Ps can I ask both you Steve an Mart, as I'm newish to this site I can't seem to see the other 18 pictures I posted..!? Can either of you?
Thanks in advance
Regards Anton

with what you've got planned it will make a difference to how the car feels, i noticed a massive difference when i fitted my highly modified 2.7 in my sport,

MSD ignition? coil pack or single coil? been looking into that myself,
nice to see someone taking interest in the m20 for once instead of simply going down the M5X route.

as for the pics? not got a clue sorry.

OK thanks, It's a mistery where they went ..! Yes... M20 all the way... Using a single coil probably due to having removed the ecu an crank sensor etc but I've not fully explored all options yet.. Msd offer sooo many...!!!

i'm looking at the MSD blaster coil for mine, just trying to find somewhere that sells them but not for the price of a kidney.

Ah OK... There certainly not cheap, I'll defiantly be going with a single coil as my M20 is running a distributor

Steve_k... Regarding the MSD possibly the blaster combo 6al kit pal.... I'm guessing your running yours with its ecu still and the cam driven rotor etc?
Regards Anton

croqy wrote: ↑

Wed Jul 31, 2019 8:21 am

Steve_k... Regarding the MSD possibly the blaster combo 6al kit pal.... I'm guessing your running yours with its ecu still and the cam driven rotor etc?
Regards Anton

yes, mine still has the original ecu & dizzy/rotor arm set up, i may one day got for stand alone with coil pack.

There are obvious benefits of stand alone systems, and obviously more efficient, I removed my ecu, crank sensor and all nessarsary wiring some 12 yrs ago when I decided I was going back to simple raw basics.. Hence the single coil.... And all that's in the wings for my ride.....
I do sometime wonder if I'd have gone down the turbo route as is the big scene on m20 motors these days with big power... But there's just so many..!! I like the individuality of my simple set up, an I have so much room in my bay... ..

i know what you mean,

i'm weighing up my options to either keep the ignition stock, upgrade to a blaster 2 coil, go for a piggyback ecu or go full stand alone, but then if i go full stand alone i need to choose which ecu, who to fit it, who to map it etc,

may just go for the new coil & a full refresh, new leads, dizzy & rotor & take it from there,
never been keen on simple points after seeing how many problems my dad had with his mk1 fez when i was a kid.

Ahh.. I'm not running points an condenser Steve, the lumenition electronic system I'm currently using uses an electronic Eye an contact cutting breaker that sits under the rotor an a electronic box similar to the MSD, I would never choose to go too points... To much of a faff an a pain in the ass, you can get electronic ignition for any old car these days mate... As for your choices of ignition control there are many, my mate an I have a Peugeot 250 stage car that runs stand alone, the providing manufacturer will sell it to you with the ability for it to run straight away but you just need a lamda sensor in the exhaust system for any rolling road to do the final tweeks an set up, they can be welded in but not absolutely nessarsary it can be done without, I've taken the Pug an my E30 to DAVE at MECH SPORT he's only a few hours from me im in Cardiff.... If I'm close, which I doubt, I'd fit it for you... Its part of my daily life.. I run a garage workshop with my dad that he started in 71 see... Our Pug runs a GEMS management system... But there are many, Emarald is one more popular system that springs to mind

glad you aint using points & condenser they belong on a morris 1000 not an e30.

when it comes to ecu's/ignition it all black magic to me lol, oily bit i can do, basic wiring i can do but when it comes to the complicated sparky gubbins that run it all then i'm stumped.

pug 205 rally car?? any pics? my ex father in law has a mk1 golf rally car.

steve_k wrote: ↑

Wed Jul 31, 2019 11:14 am

glad you aint using points & condenser they belong on a morris 1000 not an e30.

unfortunately that is what the 323i came with! That combined with piston slap and Jetronic maze of leaky vacuum pipes mean I may have to hang the originality and do something that works

flybynite wrote: ↑

Wed Jul 31, 2019 12:16 pm

steve_k wrote: ↑

Wed Jul 31, 2019 11:14 am

glad you aint using points & condenser they belong on a morris 1000 not an e30.

unfortunately that is what the 323i came with! That combined with piston slap and Jetronic maze of leaky vacuum pipes mean I may have to hang the originality and do something that works

you're a braver man than me to tackle that

Ha ha steve_k
Yes they do....!!!!
Yes here you go.. She's a 1.9 all steel 8 valve dry sumped running Jenvey throttle bodies
218 bhp

Flybynight...
Google Aldon igniter, they do a real compact 2 wire fitting for inside the distributor, very reliable, my father runs them in both his lotus cortina, one being a stage car... There about £80 to £120 depending on your application
Regards Anton

croqy wrote: ↑

Wed Jul 31, 2019 3:38 pm

Ha ha steve_k
Yes they do....!!!!
Yes here you go.. She's a 1.9 all steel 8 valve dry sumped running Jenvey throttle bodies
218 bhp

now thats nice, bet thats fun to drive

Oodles of fun steve_k. Ta ..

croqy wrote: ↑

Thu Aug 01, 2019 11:40 am

Oodles of fun steve_k. Ta ..

my mates 20V T mk2 golf is along those lines lol, total maniac that car.

forget about MSD stuff its junk, a step back from stock. if you are going to upgrade the ignition you want a mulitcoil system with standalone. the reality is the stock stuff is good except in case of boost and high rpm

reggid wrote: ↑

Sun Aug 18, 2019 3:14 am

forget about MSD stuff its junk, a step back from stock. if you are going to upgrade the ignition you want a mulitcoil system with standalone. the reality is the stock stuff is good except in case of boost and high rpm

i've been considering a coil pack conversion but it means the use of a standalone ecu & i can't justify the cost atm.

steve_k wrote: ↑

Wed Jul 31, 2019 11:14 am

glad you aint using points & condenser they belong on a morris 1000 not an e30.

I fitted Accuspark electronic ignition to my Minor, which has worked well for the last few years - prior to that, various other electronic ignition set-ups. Last time I used points on it must have been way back in the early 1990s, though I do keep a set in the car in case the new-fangled stuff packs up!

reggid wrote: ↑

Sun Aug 18, 2019 3:14 am

forget about MSD stuff its junk, a step back from stock. if you are going to upgrade the ignition you want a mulitcoil system with standalone. the reality is the stock stuff is good except in case of boost and high rpm

I'm running old skool triple carbs with distributor on my M20, all the injection an ecu are gone, this is the set up I chose so msd is relavent to me

steve_k wrote: ↑

Sun Aug 18, 2019 9:59 am

reggid wrote: ↑

Sun Aug 18, 2019 3:14 am

forget about MSD stuff its junk, a step back from stock. if you are going to upgrade the ignition you want a mulitcoil system with standalone. the reality is the stock stuff is good except in case of boost and high rpm

i've been considering a coil pack conversion but it means the use of a standalone ecu & i can't justify the cost atm.

The stock ignition system is actually very good I don't think there is much to be gained at all except on some very wild spec. I tried the MSD coil and MSD6a or whatever years and years ago. Total waste of money

For standalone you can get plug and play systems that utilise stock sensors and components sans AFM and TPS. It's pretty affordable and good option. There's no need for multi coil systems or sequential fuel it adds complexity on most engines to be honest for little tangible gain.

The standalone advantage is drivability and performance and IMO mandatory for a performance m20. The AFM and throttle switch is rubbish on a modified engine