Lee Parkes' E30 Alpina B10.

[pegase747]

Hi Again Lee,

Your cars is definitely stunning.

Other question : This exhaust you use is originally for the M3 E30 or E36 ?

Cheers / Pierre

[leeparkes]

that exhaust is the same as mine, they do sound rather lovely don't they!
mine arrived in one piece - delivered by a rather miffed postman!!! he had to use a bigger van than usual that day to fit it in!

Lol,and yes they do sound glorious

Pegase: its off an E30 M3 as it match's the floorpan plus its 50mm bore (as it should be)

After using it for a week with the new zaust on ive noticed it feels like there is more power up the top end of the revs,but has lost a touch of the low down grunt which im not sure i like

I might try a chip to regain some of the lost low down torque,anyone running a speedtouch chip with there M30?

Or does anyone know of a decent chip for an M30

[ImysE30]

Rav is running one IIRC

There's a zaust on eBay

[E30Gheko]

Lee,

As I started the spraybar mod, I also remembered you telling me to reset the valves. Can you tell me how I do that or point me in the direction of a suitable article/thread?

Also, I have a 325 gearbox and prop now so I'm looking to swap the flange on the gearbox for a 325 one as you have done. Do you still recommend this?

[leeparkes]

Lee,

As I started the spraybar mod, I also remembered you telling me to reset the valves. Can you tell me how I do that or point me in the direction of a suitable article/thread?

Also, I have a 325 gearbox and prop now so I'm looking to swap the flange on the gearbox for a 325 one as you have done. Do you still recommend this?

Use this for doing the valves,its an m20 guide but it is virtually the same as the m30 (eccentric/rockers/etc) but set them at 0.30mm

http://www.e30zone.net/e30zonewiki/inde ... M20_engine

As for the prop,mines been on 3 months now with around 3k and no issues,when i put the exhaust on last week i had a good look at the guibo and centre bearing and they were both as they should be with no cracks or splits etc...

The way i see it is a fair few folks have put more power than an m30 through these props with no horror storys
Id use one again!

oh and to get the flange off the gearbox you need a 'slim' deep 30mm socket

[E30Gheko]

nice one Lee. Next few night homework...

BTW, how much can I expect to pay for rocker, sump and inlet gaskets? can you remember?

[leeparkes]

i cant remember mate,i think the sump gasket was about 15quid from cotswold

Hang on!

[leeparkes]

yep sump gasket £14.21, vvvvv

http://www.e30zone.net/modules.php?name ... highlight=

rocker gasket,i cant remember.

Do a list and post in the genuine parts section.

[E30Gheko]

nice one Lee. U have Pm

[Rav335uk]

M30 sump gasket from ECP is about £7 iirc.
Rocker is £5

[E30Gheko]

Nice one Rav.

I want to remove the inlet manifold as I've read it's best to change the gasket whilst it's out the car. I also want to give the whole lump a bit of a spruce up. Should I just take it off with the fuel rail and wiring loom still attached?

[Rav335uk]

Yes, take it off via the bolts, some of them are a bitch to get to though.

[DRIFTBOY]

I want to remove the inlet manifold as I've read it's best to change the gasket whilst it's out the car.

Oh yes!

I also want to give the whole lump a bit of a spruce up. Should I just take it off with the fuel rail and wiring loom still attached?

Fuel rail yes, wiring loom no.

There are two (5mm key) allen headed bolts under the wiring cover, then pull the injector plugs off and any other wiring plugs in the area and remove manifold.

[leeparkes]

Help needed!

I got the E28 rad mentioned earlier in this thread and it turns out to be a goodun,poured hot water into it and its not blocked anywhere and its a genuine one,the only fault is the fins but it looks worse than it is and it only cost me 20 quid!

Now,ive got a thread going in tech help and it expains my problem vvvvv

http://www.e30zone.net/modules.php?name ... c&t=143337

All help appreiciated

[E30Gheko]

I also want to give the whole lump a bit of a spruce up. Should I just take it off with the fuel rail and wiring loom still attached?

Fuel rail yes, wiring loom no.

There are two (5mm key) allen headed bolts under the wiring cover, then pull the injector plugs off and any other wiring plugs in the area and remove manifold.

I've got that far Drfitboy, removed the bolts under the wiring cover, but I don't think I can get under it to remove all of the injector plugs! Admittedly I haven't tried yet but it looks very tight.


Lee, Can't help you I'm afraid! That's one for the serious modders!

[DRIFTBOY]

I've got that far Drfitboy, removed the bolts under the wiring cover, but I don't think I can get under it to remove all of the injector plugs! Admittedly I haven't tried yet but it looks very tight.

It either needs the thin metal spring clips removing from the plugs (fiddly) or just a good hard tug!

[Rav335uk]

AS above, spring clips holding on the injectors.

[DanThe]

Thin screwdriver, carefully open the clip slightly

Replied to your question Lee

[leeparkes]

Replied to your question Lee

Replied mate.

[leeparkes]

UPDATE.

The £20 E28 rad is in but it wasnt without a fight,it took me nearly 5 hours from start to finish




M20 rad was out in 20 minutes,then i slid the M30 rad down to see how it sat and it didnt, i had to chop the passenger side mount off BUT i couldnt get a grinder in there, then i tried the dremmel and failed, in the end cut the weld with a hacksaw blade then lost my temper and belted it down with a two foot iron bar! job done!

Then i lined up the brackets at the top of the rad and drilled the holes to secure it,all was good until i realised i couldnt get the nuts on the back of the bolts so the grill had to come off with the headlights to get to the back of the bolts,then i had to make holes in the shell to get the bolts on.

These are the nuts and bolts in question vvv





Then once the bolts were lined up i tightened it up only to realise my leccy fan had to be moved over a touch as the rad was squashing it against the slam panel,so rad out again and bash and relocated the fan so the rad would tighten up flush against the shell,another job done!

Next problem!
i forgot i needed a bottom hose from an E28,so top bodging skills came out,id got loads of bits of exhaust pipe knocking about so i cut 5inch off some 45mm pipe smoothed the cuts then cut the E34 bottom hose and joined with the piece of pipe to extend it.
The bodge vvv



The next problem was getting to bottom hose to stretch over the bottom radiator stub,so had to take the rad out again and it made it easier to stretch the hose over the stub while it was out of the car then wrestled the rad back it with the bottom hose attatched then bolted the rad back up (again)

After this it was plain sailing apart from scraping my knuckles various times trying the get the bottom hose on the stat housing,
top hose went on with no trouble then put my car back together filled up with coolant and bled it (for about an hour) then took it for a spin.

It is keeping the engine much cooler and i now hardly have to use the fan,IMO the m20 rad will work with the m30 and it 'wont' overheat but the fan is on quite a lot so its a good idea to invest in the e28 535i rad.

Ive took photos of the clearance ive got with the e28 rad





Im happy with it


Next job to do,get it on the rollers and see what its pushing

[don2009]

Cool thread. Just finished reading it.

Lee your engine looks amazing and the final outcome is well worth it. Great stuff dude!

Inspirational stuff. The search for a donor begins

[zaust]

It is much better with the e28 rad. I bearly see mine above a quater on the gauge.


Well done btw.

[Security2U]

Lee after seen this thread i ran out and got myself a 535i going to fit it in to my dolphin in a few months just want to pick up all the bits and bobs down the line.

But if you had money to burn what would you of done to your engine to get more POWER.

[leeparkes]

But if you had money to burn what would you of done to your engine to get more POWER.

To an M30?? Stroke it to a 3.8 then turbo!

[DRIFTBOY]

They seem to take to a bit of forced induction quite well!

[Security2U]

But if you had money to burn what would you of done to your engine to get more POWER.

To an M30?? Stroke it to a 3.8 then turbo!

Yup the M30.

I knew you were going to say that about putin on a turbo.

Lets say if i had a grand or 2 to buy a few nice mods were would i start.

[Rav335uk]

But if you had money to burn what would you of done to your engine to get more POWER.

To an M30?? Stroke it to a 3.8 then turbo!

Yup the M30.

I knew you were going to say that about putin on a turbo.

Lets say if i had a grand or 2 to buy a few nice mods were would i start.

Nos??

[Security2U]

Turbos-Nos dont no lads about that.

I kinda on about internals-manifolds-full exhaust systems bla bla bla.

[leeparkes]

To be honest there's not a lot that can be done to an M30 to give good gains unless you throw a fortune at it,ie cams,head work,maf,remap,etc and you might get up to 240bhp but at a cost of at least 1K you wont see no real gains from exhaust filters over the standard set up

You could have a 100bhp shot of nitrous kit fitted for around £500

You could DIY turbo it for around 2K.

You can stroke them to a 3.8 but cant remember what crank is used (anyone)

If it was me id turbo it,best bang for buck IMO,500bhp is not unheard of!

[Security2U]

I dunno man ill just fire it in ta feck and be happy with it.

[shedrool83]

Awesome read and very helpful.
I have just bought a donor car (1990 535i sport) to rape for the conversion.

Great work Lee your looks spot on,hopefully mines turns out the same.


Jake

[leeparkes]

Awesome read and very helpful.
I have just bought a donor car (1990 535i sport) to rape for the conversion.

Great work Lee your looks spot on,hopefully mines turns out the same.


Jake

Thanks and good luck with it!

[Rav335uk]

Hope you've got some mounts first for the conversion.

[shedrool83]

Hope you've got some mounts first for the conversion.

Not got them yet but i know i need them.

What is the thickness of the e34 rad you can use?
I see there is two types and i want to see if the donor has the right one or not.

[leeparkes]

Aircon rad is no good because its too deep

I think i posted pics in the M30 sticky