Meet EVA. Finally got my e30!

[darknezz7]

Just picked up my first e30 today! I'm super excited to start fixing it up just how I want.

Her name was already Eva (pronounced eve-ah), because of the license plate.

Its an '85 318 with a 325es motor swap, manual. Has medium case high ratio diff I think he said LSD too!, rear disk brakes, lowered, nice rubber but crappy rims. Also suppose to have a recently rebuilt tranny and the motor only have 140k.

The inside is pretty damn nice aside from the seats and its got a really cool key less alarm system, everything seems to work ok as well.

The goal eventually is to put my complete m30 motor swap in it, turbo, autox, my dreams. just need the manual trans now, getrag 260 or 265 I believe.










Oh.... It DOES need a head gasket, no oil/coolant mix but it disappears coolant. So simple and cheap (comparatively) on these motors though so why not do head gasket, water pump, timing belt and a tune up. I'll drive it for awhile and save up for the m30 swap then sell the good motor!

Win, so happy.


Oh yeah I paid $600



I have drove some comparable ones around a few years ago and they wanted $800. The last year non running ones have been going for 1000, running beat up 1500+

Even though it needs the head gasket, which I can do right away no prob, it was a good deal.

Even more so the guy I bought it from was a retired bmw mechanic and autox's e21 and e28s and is super cool, some pretty neat cars too. He wants me to come over and do some work for him to see my skills and cause I got the good deal then said he has alot of people needing work but he doesn't want or have the time too.


Pic today in front of the 530i.

[spoonerDee]

Nice little find.

[CMG]

Pics were taken with a typewriter from what i can see but def looks worth $600

[pizzaman09]

Not bad, actually pretty darn awesome for the price. If I could find an e30 like that but with a stock engine for the price, I would love to fix one up.

[darknezz7]

Today I had it idling in the port for a good 20 mins no overheat, topped off and bleed system. Drove it down street to light and it started over heating, by the time I was over the over pass and could pull over on a side street it was between 3/4 and red. I pulled over and felt the radiator and guess what, it was stone cold. So I figure this is easy, stuck t stat and pull off the housing on the side of the road boiling coolant. Well someone else thought of that, no t stat. So this evening I put in a t stat and new water pump, timing belt honestly looks pretty good can still see the markings on it.

Drove it around and its doing great! Also siliconed some cracks in intake boot, cleaned icv and throttle body, some other stuff. Its running great! Needs an oil change and throw some spark plugs in it and hopefully good to go.

NOTE! I found out exactly what is in this car today by the water pump. It seems pre 1987 es cars and others used a water pump with a second hose on the bottom. My engines water pump only had the one outlet. What matches up to that is a 1988 325 2.7 and older motor, not eta, yeah.


This things GETS it too its sooo fun.




I jacked it up today and it does just have cut springs.... and worn shocks... and needs control arms, pretty much needs everythng ofc. Atleast this car I will really feel worth it.


ISO USED e30 lowering springs....

- - - Updated - - -

I know my phone camera sucks. I'm iso a nice cannon or nikon dslr real camera.

The more I look over and mess with everything the more I see how everything works and clean the car is. I realized no glove box lol, but its in the trunk just need new hinge. Everything works, no rust, just 2 minor dings in whole body. ALL the glass and seals are good.

Heres some interior and engine shots.

Last edited by darknezz7; Today at 12:43 AM.

[pizzaman09]

Looks like you have yourself a great project. I am jealous.

[darknezz7]

So after the water pump and t stat I have been driving this car almost everyday for nearly 3 months.

ZERO COOLANT LOSS AND NO OVERHEATING

Also zero oil loss, though the valve cover does drip on the exhaust after a hard/freeway drive, smokey and stinky.

One strange thing... I check my fluids once a week, one time about a month ago my coolant was black! Not oily, just blackish. I thought maybe a hose deteriorating, or exhaust is getting in the coolant (no other signs of that though).
Flushed the radiator and engine a few times, filled back up 50/50, been fine since. Strange.

I got a mp3/aux deck in it now, nothing fancy just an older pioneer. My buddy gave me a 12" Kenwood exceleon so I got that hooked up. Need new rear deck speakers but doesnt sound too bad.

Put in the proper spark plugs wr9ls, made a good difference over the w8lcr+'s I stuck in there because I have a bunch of them.

One annoying thing is the idle started getting worse, bouncing from 1500-2000 at stops, at first not always but then almost every time. If I blipped the throttle it usually settled down. This car has always idled high. Well I went through and changed some vac lines, sealed some stuff and added some clamps, now it does it all the time when warm constantly lol. So I unplugged the throttle position switch and it idles steady around 1800. The intake boot was all cracked and I siliconed it but hoping its just that.

Just ordered:

Delete	Part Number	Availability	Description	Price	Quantity	SubTotal
	13-32-1-270-038-M14	100+ in stock Ships Today!	Fuel Filter Brand: Bosch, 1987 BMW 528e Sedan [More Info]	$9.50		$9.50
	13-71-1-285-479-M200	28 in stock Ships Today!	Intake Boot - Air Flow Meter to Throttle Housing (through 2/87) Brand: MTC, 1987 BMW 528e Sedan [More Info]	$5.75		$5.75
	13-54-1-271-457-M42	55 in stock Ships Today!	Throttle Housing Gasket - Throttle Body Housing to Intake Manifold Brand: Goetze, 1987 BMW 528e Sedan [More Info]	$1.75		$1.75
	11-42-1-266-773-M67	100+ in stock Ships Today!	Oil Filter (Spin On Type) Brand: Mahle-Knecht, 1987 BMW 528e Sedan [More Info]	$4.75		$4.75
	11-33-1-264-519-M17	100+ in stock Ships Today!	Rocker Shaft Plug In Head (4 per car, sold individually) [More Info]	$1.00		$4.00
	11-12-1-730-229-M17	100+ in stock Ships Today!	Valve Cover Gasket Brand: Victor Reinz , 1987 BMW 528e Sedan [More Info]	$7.50		$7.50
	11-12-1-285-609-M213	69 in stock Ships Today!	Camshaft Seal, Intermediate Shaft Seal, 38 x 50 x 7, E30 325/e/es, 325i/is, 325iC/iX; E28 524td, 528e; E34 525i [More Info]	$5.75		$5.75
	11-12-1-265-087-M213	100+ in stock Ships Today!	Cam Flange O-Ring (RED), E30 325/e/es, 325i/is; 325iC/iX; E28 528e, E34 525i [More Info]	$1.50		$1.50
	11-31-1-267-746-M9	17 in stock Ships Today!	Tensioner Spring for Timing Belt Adjusting Pulley Assembly, 325/e/es/i/is/iC/iX (1984-91) [More Info]	$1.50		$1.50
	TB-131-K1-M21	100+ in stock Ships Today!	Timing Belt Kit Brand: Contitech , 1987 BMW 528e Sedan [More Info]	$38.00		$38.00
Click here for recommended items that qualify for FREE shipping, based upon items in your shopping cart.
Subtotal:		$80.00

At that point I will have around $280 into the car.
At a $600 purchase makes it pretty good.

I love driving my e30 every time.
Though when I get in the 6spd v8 it feels pretty beast too.

Can't wait for m30 swap!

Hmm I thought I posted this in the e30 section. Time to make a build thread soon.
Oh I do have one in e30, meant to post there sorry.

[SpeedsterBek]

don't have experience with that engine in your E30, but my guess for high idle is sticky or dirty throttle/overtightened throttle cable or vacuum related?
Anyway, nice find. I would run that motor down till it dies. I bet it still fun even in the stock form

[e34please]

Probably vacuum issue if the intake boot was all cracked up, I'd go over everything and triple check for leaks.

Great find dude, that is a sweet little e30 for 600 bucks! Glad to see it in a good home where it will be looked after, it's painful to hear about older bimmers going to the scrap heap =(

The springs were cut and it wore out the stock shocks?? Shocking!!! (See what I did there?) Looking forward to seeing a build thread for your swap!

[darknezz7]

I have been over the vacuum hoses, there not too many on these engine so I don't see missing any. Cleaned throttle body and adjusted stuff.

But yeah none of that will help with a cracked up intake boot, parts should be here tomorrow.

I'm pretty impressed by how it handles still with cut springs, blown shocks and worn suspension components.

Next on the list before swap though is def suspension. Going to get vogtland coils (found for $215, would like to buy used!) and probably cheap shocks for now, stagg ($130) or kill your butts gr-2 (around $170 for all 4)
Along with HD mounts and reinforcement plates.

I don't have a ton of money right now and with 3 vehicles to upgrade and maintain stuff kind of has to be on a budget, so don't go expecting koni coilovers anytime soon unless I win the lottery which won't happen because I do not play ^_^

[darknezz7]

So got all those parts in yesterday, except oil filter.
This should make it stop smoking after a good drive, it had this funny honking noise when first started on revs over 3k, I think that was the tensioner, that's gone.
I really wanted the idle surge to settle down, the silicone I put on the boot had definitely failed, with stuff set right and the screw on the ICV turned tightly all the way in it is fairly steady around 1200. Once it warms up the idle still surges but now between 1000 and 1500, so this is progress from before. I noticed if I unplug the ecu temp sensor while surging the idle went to a steady 800... But if you tried to give it gas it would stumble choke and almost die. I already ordered one, $6, hopefully that helps. Same piece went out on the 530i, as soon as it warmed up idle was all over and had no power.

Otherwise the engine is running great.

Man this thing is dirty under the valve cover, been seeing some pretty poorly maintained engines lately.

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Easiest timing belt I've done in awhile aside from the car being low and hurting my back.

[auaq]

Tons of space to work in there! Easy to reach to the oil filter.