cheap mods for a e30 325i????

Wed Dec 13, 2006 10:30 pm

Evening all.
Just picked up a fairly clean '90 325i that we are thinking of using for a few track days. Its already been fitted with an lsd and a -40mm springs and shocks kits. Are there any free or cheap mods that are worth doing? Is this model re-mapable with a flasher unit? and if so where will we find a map to download??

cheers all

Wed Dec 13, 2006 10:33 pm

heater plate in the tb makes a difference

there arn't many cheap mods to tune this bmw

Wed Dec 13, 2006 10:38 pm

removal of said plate??

Wed Dec 13, 2006 10:39 pm

search or wait for a cleverer person to come on here

Thu Dec 14, 2006 7:21 am

The best free mod is the removal of weight. Infact it isn't free you make money out of it by selling the bits you remove.

Gary

Thu Dec 14, 2006 11:19 am

incarsolutions wrote:Evening all.
Just picked up a fairly clean '90 325i that we are thinking of using for a few track days. Its already been fitted with an lsd and a -40mm springs and shocks kits. Are there any free or cheap mods that are worth doing? Is this model re-mapable with a flasher unit? and if so where will we find a map to download??

cheers all

Hi,

best mod is to make sure the car is running 100% first.

Then, fit a chip from the likes of E30zone shop

Buy a 6 branch manifold cheaply

Fit some eccentric control arm bushes

Use good tyres

Fit good brakes (not expensive)

Lose weight

Sal

Thu Dec 14, 2006 11:33 am

Full exhaust system and a good induction kit, do they do a Gruppe M air filter for the E30??

Thu Dec 14, 2006 12:02 pm

How do you buy a 6 branch manifold cheaply?

Mon Dec 18, 2006 5:33 pm

find a 2nd hand one like I had for sale last week.

Sal

Sat Dec 30, 2006 10:53 am

Personally I would do the brakes and spend the rest on getting out there, you can get really caught up in the track modifying thing and a well driven car will ALWAYS be faster than a car with more power, power is the las think you need

Tue Jan 16, 2007 7:56 am

M5pilot wrote:
Hi,

best mod is to make sure the car is running 100% first.

Then, fit a chip from the likes of E30zone shop

Buy a 6 branch manifold cheaply

Fit some eccentric control arm bushes

Use good tyres

Fit good brakes (not expensive)

Lose weight

Sal

Hope you don't mind me asking, what brakes would you fit?

Tue Jan 16, 2007 9:00 am

We've got a 2.7 that we use for track days and after speaking to some racers we decided to go for Black Diamond disks and pads all round - good combination of stopping power, fade resistance and cost... with some not so subtle modding of the backing plates to aid cooling ... so far they seem to be upto track day sessions - although if money's no object then an upgrade to WMS or Wilwood would be a step up.
Oh and don't forget dot 5 fluid and briaded hoses....

Tue Jan 16, 2007 10:32 am

Cheers mate, the fluid and hoses are on the list just massaging the budget with regards to the brakes. Cheers

Sat Jan 20, 2007 5:19 am

Gotta agree that for keeping it cheap - strip out anything you don't need to lose some weight, and sort the brakes.

Wasn't that impressed with the black diamond stuff, but it was a few years ago when i had some - they may have improved since then i s'pose. I found the powerdiscs & ferodo pads to be quite an improvement!!!!

Stripping a touring at the mo and i reckon it's quite amazing how much weight you could lose out of one!!!! Was almost tempted to bolt a few bits back on and make another 2.7 car just for trackdays!!!! Just not sensible at the mo though!!

Sun Jan 21, 2007 6:06 pm

get the handling and brakes sorted, also lighten it, get power to weight ratio.

hope thats helped.......

Sun Jan 21, 2007 6:07 pm

also don't am i right i saying people relocate the battery to the boot, or is it allready there in the e30 as im nt sure?

Mon Jan 22, 2007 9:25 am

its alredy there on my '87 325ise

Mon Jan 22, 2007 9:35 am

DJ-325I wrote:also don't am i right i saying people relocate the battery to the boot, or is it allready there in the e30 as im nt sure?

Think all 325s have battery in boot. Mine has too.

Fri Feb 23, 2007 4:14 pm

i have a 316 88 model and i put a 325 in with batt in rear also made a rear anti roll bar and made a exhaust and strippedf it out just for the road light weight is the way to go ps does eny body know where to get a sump realy cheep as all my cash goes on petrol

Sun Mar 04, 2007 3:14 pm

go steady with the stripping though. I use an early 325 2 door for track days and after stripping out everything i could but leaving in just enough for the car to run found the back end is alot livelier than it was before. Most of the weight that is easy to strip out comes from the back. Ideal if you wanna go drifting!!!!

Sun Mar 04, 2007 3:20 pm

hi all, just on the weight saving subject i have removed 83 kg's so far from my car in extra junk that i don't need and i have to keep all the trim including back seats and door cards headlining etc. as the car is a road rally car. and i've still managed to remove 13 stone odd! kev

Sun Mar 04, 2007 10:48 pm

Weight is the enemy and the best mod is to loose it IMHO.

I agree with Taffy also - just get out there and don't worry too much about going into massive detail. The best track days I've had have been with crap road tyres in the wet and you find out exactly all the characteristics of the car, good and bad, so when you come to put some better tyres on, improve brakes etc you really know how to throw it around. I have a pal who's a decent rally driver and he sat in with me & gave me some tuition and that REALLY helped me with my confidence and trying new techniques, going into turns and trying different lines / gears etc.
Hope that helps also..

The total spec of my track car is on my www below.
Any Pics of yours?