86 325i | M52B28

[SteSE]

oh you'd like that wouldn't you - fruity bugger.

It's cleaner underneath than it is on top

[bss325i]

What about the sugar in the tank?

And hurry up and get an air filter housing so we can get rid of that horrid cone thing.

It offends me!

[B7]

What air filter housing you need for this gents? I have both M52 and late M20 o te shelf and next week will have the pre facelift metal one as well. If any are any good, let me know and I'l bring one home.

[SteSE]

I need a e34 535i one Trev

And yeah, when we removed the tank the filer pipe was hard and crunchy, emptyed it out and a load of suger was in it which explains why you could only put a litre of fuel in it at a time lol.

Seems some 90's vandle had a grudge against her. All sorted now though and she fills up fine.

[DanThe]

Things to do

1. Fit M3 battery tray cover, part number - 51 71 1 380 392
2. Relocate the coil connection to underneath the battery tray, that jubilee clip is vile
3. Fit M52 airbox as discussed
4. Epic buffty session!

Good decision to kept it Ste, you would have only kicked yourself

[SteSE]

Nice one, cheers Dan.

I like them dirty and a bit rough round the edges

[bss325i]

I thought the jubile and bracket you cant see in the pic was a reasonable solution considering the clutch fluid resovior right next to it is exactly the same as per factory fit.

[SteSE]

New rim’s...E30 M3 16”a



Got some better condition bumpers to fit this weekend. It may even get a clean for the first time in ages

Also, how do I get the coolant and oil lights to go out from the Check Control?

And does anyone have a decent SI board and batteries, pretty please

[Speedtouch]

Looks sweet. Coolant light on is often a duff sensor in the coolant tank - use a multimeter to test it, or try temporarily disconnecting it and see if the light goes out.

Oil light could also be a duff sensor, or loose connection to it.

[SteSE]

Ahh ok I will check sensors, I wasn't sure if you have to do anything different as it is an m52 engine talking to an m20 check control.

The dash board oil light comes on and goes out as it should do.

[bss325i]

No caps?

[SteSE]

I got caps and either bbs or bmw centres bud

you down the unit tonight? round 9pm

[bss325i]

No but I will be tomorrow.

Needs BMW centres.

[anothere21323i]

A bit of an update to follow here folks....

[pacerpete]

A bit of an update to follow here folks....

It's an illness !

[anothere21323i]

A bit of an update to follow here folks....

It's an illness !

But as you frequently remind me Peter, I'm sick but I'm in good company!

[DanThe]

Wheres your update Mr e21323i?

[anothere21323i]

Well Dan it's long overdue, and I've going to get some pics up this week one evening, but suffice to say I've decided against the stroker 2.8 M20 for this bad boy. More to follow

[daniboi328]

brilliant thread

cant help but think i have the perfect set off wheels i may let you have at a sensible price if your interested .....

style 3's

[bss325i]

You're a bit to late daniboi, the car has long been fragged by me but all the morsels live on!

Even the shell!

[anothere21323i]

Ok folks, as promised, here's a bit of an update....

So I was thinking that it was time for another E30 project and I really wanted to get back to my roots - a 2 door saloon, having spent a bit too much time with Tourings recently.

I always regret selling my 320is. It was a pretty special car, and I spent a lot of time on it. It ended up with full M3 running gear and it went so, so well. I loved the subtle look (especially on the 16'' Sport Evo wheels) and it got me thinking that it was about time I pulled my finger out and started to think about building something similar....







So I heard about this chromie and that it might be for sale, but as a rolling shell. I've never had a chromie before and I do like the look a lot. The original engine, transmission and running gear had gone and there wasn't much in the way of paperwork, so this car's originality is long gone. A perfect blank canvas then! I'm thinking along the lines of a very standard looking car with a few choice tweaks here and there - but using genuine BMW parts as much as possible. I'm a big believer that the best modifications are those that were produced at the time by BMW but not necessarily fitted to all E30s, so I'm going to try to stick to that.

I happened to have a complete set of E30 M3 front struts and trailing arms hanging around that needed rebuilding. Part of the deal on the 325i was that the running gear was only to get it moved and that it would be sold on by the previous owner, so there was an obvious solution.....

I started to strip and clean up the struts, along with working out what I needed to start the suspension build. Quite a lot as it happens...



So the look I've decided on for the car is probably not to everybody's taste - as standard as possible, but a touch lower. I'm not a massive fan of overly lowered cars, so I ordered a set of M Technic front and rear sport springs to match the Bilsteins that I already happened to have. I've got a set of 15'' and 16'' M3 BBSs as well as a set of Alpina B6S 8x16s, so I need to decide which ones I'll use. Either way, I don't want it too low but I'm not looking for the standard tractor spec ride height!

I started with the really easy bit at the rear:







And the finished article:



So moving on to the front. I've sanded and scrubbed down the struts, masked up and started painting - more to follow soon!

[anothere21323i]

Got loads done today on the front struts. Just out of interest, I thought that I'd do a bit of comparing, starting with the dampers themselves. On the left, there's an old Boge 325i shock absorber, with a Boge M3 item in the middle. The new Bilstein B4 shock is on the right. I certainly didn't expect the standard 325i shock to be the shortest:



Similarly, I compared the new M Technic spring against an H&R one and a standard 325i item - this was a bit more what I was expecting - the M Tech spring is roughly somewhere in between:



But on the rear, looks like the new M Tech spring is slightly shorter!?



Anyway enough confusing myself. Here's some nice, newly repainted M3 front struts:



And all the new bits to go on:



Taking shape:



Now, very fortunately, this car doesn't have ABS fitted, which meant that I could order some E24 front wheelbearings rather than M3 items. A pair of these Meyle bearings were a fraction of the cost of one M3 bearing - always nice when that happens.....





And with the new brake back plate. Unfortunately I'm still waiting for the other one to arrive (mega back order in Germany )



New disc:



And new studs to finish it off - I ordered 20 new ones...



Tomorrow's job is to start on the rear trailing arms.......

[Blitz]

Epic Paedo action.

This is how an E30 should look. Perfect.

[DanThe]

The standard damper will be partially collapsed, you will be able to pull the rod out of the tube a fair amount to get the true length.

Soooooooooo, whats going in the engine bay?!!!

[anothere21323i]

Epic Paedo action.

This is how an E30 should look. Perfect.

Thanks dude. Can't tell you how much I miss that car!

[anothere21323i]

The standard damper will be partially collapsed, you will be able to pull the rod out of the tube a fair amount to get the true length.

Soooooooooo, whats going in the engine bay?!!!

Funnily enough I pulled it out as far as I could!

So far as the engines concerned, remember the silver Touring......?

[Simon13]

look after my two minty steel wheels you have

[B7]

look after my two minty steel wheels you have

And my two...

[anothere21323i]

look after my two minty steel wheels you have

And my two...

Don't worry chaps - safe and sound. I'm working as fast as I can and I know you want them back ASAP!

[pacerpete]

Epic fiddling/ spending !

[DanThe]

A standard 2.8 engine?

[pacerpete]

A standard 2.8 engine?

M42 ?

[anothere21323i]

Epic fiddling/ spending !

Indeed - don't tell the wife!

[anothere21323i]

A standard 2.8 engine?

That Touring is going to be the donor for this one. The Touring is pretty rotten now but it's gone some tasty morsels on it.

I'm thinking the M52B28 with an M54B30 crank and some cams....

[anothere21323i]

A standard 2.8 engine?

M42 ?

Peter!!!! Wash your mouth out!