Lee Parkes' E30 Alpina B10.

[leeparkes]

Well, bit of an update

As some of you know for the past few months my gearbox has been crunching into third every now and then, so the search has been on for a replacement. its took me a couple of months but i found one over the weekend just 5 miles away from me and they said they had it ages just sitting there

Anyway £90 later and here we have it









Bit too grotty for my liking so out came the wire brush then a wire brush on a drill





You could eat your tomato soup out of this now




Ive got to tackle this problem though (orange arrow)



I might drill a hole in what ive got left to play with and do the other side to match, the gearbox support will sit about an inch further forward but i dont think it will cause any problems.

Question Can i get the gearbox off whilst in pos 3? dont fancy lugging the engine forward just to give a bit more room,
top gearbox bolt is already out (well i never put it in just in case

Where's Cypriotgeeza, ive heard he's done a few

[Rav335uk]

Easy, undo the engine mount nuts on both sides, don't take them off!!
Undo the prop, gearbox mounts, and Gear shift lever, then tilt the engine back to the bulkhead.
I've done it twice so far Lee, and works a treat to get the gearbox off and change clutches too

[Cypriotgeeza]

Where's Cypriotgeeza, ive heard he's done a few

Low blow!! haha
Yea i basically did what Rav just said, loosed off the engine mount bolts and i slightly jacked up the front with the transmission jack at work and a piece of wood..

Just keep an eye on how close the dizzy cap gets to the rad though as mine was basically rizla paper tight!

Mine didnt have top bolts in either so the first time i did it it was nice and easy...But when i was putting the frankenstein box back in i put bolts in the top aswell..what a PITA that was to get back off!! i have slim fingers and arms and it was STILL super tight up there!!

Hope this is a good box for you mate and you dont have the same problems i did haha

[leeparkes]

So you both had no trouble doing it in position 3?

[Cypriotgeeza]

not the first time because the person who put it together only used around 4 bolts to hold it in

it was when i filled all the holes i had problems getting to the ones right at the top..

around 5 extensions and two broken wobly's later it was done haha

[Rav335uk]

So you had no trouble doing it in position 3?

Nope, never had a problem with getting the gearbox off.
Once you do it, you'll see what's what, oh and non of ny top bolts sre in either.

[Cypriotgeeza]

So you had no trouble doing it in position 3?

Nope, never had a problem with getting the gearbox off.
Once you do it, you'll see what's what, oh and non of ny top bolts sre in either.

I got so tempted to do that but i knew it would always be in the back of my mind haha the second time i got it off i regretted i though!!

[leeparkes]

Well what a pain in the arse bastid day ive had

Today was gearbox swap day, started about 10am and had the gearbox off by 11ish no problems so far apart from squashing my hand when pulling the old gearbox from under the car. Then fitted the M20 flange and pushed it back under to refit, i spent about an hour trying to get the gearbox back on, lying on my back with a smashed hand, grit in my eyes the lot.

i tried the long thread method but the M30 box is so massive and heavy i found it impossible to get it in the tunnel, i remember when i pulled the old gearbox out it was scraping the sound deadening off there must be a knack to getting them on whilst lying on your back, at one point it looked like i was fornicating with the car, grunting and all sorts.

Anyway, chain smoked about 3 fags then decided its going to be easier to pull the lump out......

It was out in 50 minutes
The most time consuming job was getting the E28 rad off as the bolts are hidden behind the headlights, but after that i was like a man possessed with no issues...
Anyway with the engine dangling i fitted the box and threw it all back in, all thats left to do now is refit the exhaust and general tying things up!

Ive literally just sat down, knocked it on the head about 9pm as it was getting dark so tidied up and went straight in the bath, got downstairs and ate my microwaved my Sunday dinner, phew

What a mental day


Anyway, a few action pics for you.








Back in






My advise to anyone is don't change an M30 gearbox on the drive, its a lot easier to pull the lump out and split it that way, it takes longer but trust me its less stressful. On a ramp is probably a different story and if id waited i had access to a ramp in 2 weeks

Oh and if this gearbox is a dud the bloke at **** spares had better brace himself because ill be far from impressed.


Well now ive got to take the compact to work tomorrow and i probably wont get there as ive got head issues with that


The joys of E30 ownership

[Rav335uk]

So all in all you had a "Lovely" day

I always use a ramp Lee, no way would I attack that on my drive, no way!

[Cypriotgeeza]

M30 + Gearbox =problems!!

glad to see you got it sorted though mate!

+1 Rav!! I wouldve killed some1 (or the car) had i done mine on my driveway!!

Your a brave man Lee

[leeparkes]

I always use a ramp Lee, no way would I attack that on my drive, no way!

Ill remember next time, looking back i wish id paid a garage to do it, this is probably the worse job ive ever done, it comes close to when i swapped an engine years back in a mk2 xr2, in January on a sloping drive with a basic tool kit

[Cypriotgeeza]

Ill remember next time, looking back i wish id paid a garage to do it, this is probably the worse job ive ever done, it comes close to when i swapped an engine years back in a mk2 xr2, in January on a sloping drive with a basic tool kit

yea imagine doing it twice!! i was so gutted when the first set up didnt work!

[shedrool83]

Looked like a nightmare Lee but you got there top work .

[charlE30]

Looking good Lee, nice to see another that "does it all" on the drive none of this ramp usage.

In fairness I'm really jealous of guys that have access to ramps.. gits

[Rav335uk]

Looking good Lee, nice to see another that "does it all" on the drive none of this ramp usage.

In fairness I'm really jealous of guys that have access to ramps.. gits

Love the "Small print"

[ImysE30]

Top work Lee , defo looks a nightmare job

Thank god i've got someone doing it for me

[leeparkes]

Well its done and the new gearbox is a good un

But, when the engine went back in yesterday i snaped this off, what is it? its some sort of sensor

[Rav335uk]

Oil pressure switch

[leeparkes]

For the light on the dash?

[charlE30]

For the light on the dash?

Yes mate,

I think GSF sell them if you can't get a second hand one.. I went through 2 when I first fitted my engine

[Rav335uk]

As Charle30 said, get a new one, about £6 iirc.

[leeparkes]

Champion

[Rav335uk]

Just a bit of a shitt3r to do though

[Baz666]

Look BHS the old mans section...look your both here Rav and lee

[TouringTash]

Blooming eck all on ya own, thats impressive.
I would have lasted about three hours and then gone on a cat killing rampage.

Fair play fella.

[Rav335uk]

Blooming eck all on ya own, thats impressive.
I would have lasted about three hours and then gone on a cat killing rampage.

Fair play fella.

You haven't seen his arms, they're the size of Bazz666's legs

[ImysE30]

You've seen Baz's legs

[e30topless]

a 6 pot e30 with box probs? fook crawling round on the floor

donk and box out of the top everytime, it's far easier ! also a good excuse to fix a leaky sump and clean the bay

[Rav335uk]

You've seen Baz's legs

He was wearing shorts at the last Mids meet

@ steve. you actally clean?

[Baz666]

all joking asized guys........just for a minute

lee your doing a great job on your own fella...credit to you

You haven't seen his arms, they're the size of Bazz666's legs

[leeparkes]

Look BHS the old mans section...look your both here Rav and lee

Still not sure what you mean Baz

[Rav335uk]

He's jealous Lee, and wants to join the group of "Bulletproof" engines

[maxdrift]

looking really good mate, should of kepted the discs they fit onto the e30s

[leeparkes]

Cheers! brake discs??


While im here ill stick these up

At the pod this year 14.5 was my best time, i know it can do better and im maybe thinking of going back to a 3.64 ratio as i was ready to change into 5th a fair bit before crossing the line.

Listen to my 11 year old son in the second vid

He was the one with the camera btw

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[zaust]

I will have to put my figs up when I get back from work, upto 1/8th were almost identical then it gets strange.