LemonHunter

Ballsy project, one of those save myself 7k if sucess or cost myself extra 7k if fail I imagine. I feel like I'm in the stone age digging sand and rust out of my E30 and M20 while you dabble in stuff that wouldn't look out of place on a space shuttle.

I really need to start a PLOG/Shitlist for my E30 efforts... I drained my Radiator to replace the thermostat, there was so much gunk at the bottom of the radiator no fluid came out after removing the plug, some prodding with a thing screw driver detected & dislodged a sandy feeling substance. Just sifting through the dreggs of the fluid... I need a second opinion, and suggestions. Is this sand? This looks a lot like sand... why the funk is there sand in the radiator? How does that happen? I feel like removing and giving a proper flush to the radiator might be a good piece of preventative maintenance. On a related note, now that the muck from the fuel filter has settled, it kinda looks like sand too, albeit finer sand...

No Worries, The set I have available includes: 12 + 44x16 + 40x28 + 28x22 If it doesn't suit you I'll just freight it back to the USA for a refund, garagistic will do that if you ask )

I have a spare set from garagistic. For km motometers there are two types, i didn't want to pull it apart till i had parts to put it back together, so if you need type A I'm pretty sure that's the set i didn't need. You can have for cost plus freight to you, call it $50 couriered. You need to count or read the tooth count on each gear to work out what set you need

Is that a dude in a dress?

Forgot to mention, other stem seal indictator was top of spark plugs being coated in oil more than bottoms, and shitloads of carbon build up on electrode

I must admit to doing a couple of eyerolls till i saw the engine bay pic. But still... 52k? http://www.trademe.co.nz/a.aspx?id=963343679

It only happens during hard driving when I'm on and off the throttle a lot, as i come back on the throttle she puffs a big cloud or if i sit and idle for a few minutes then floor it she smokes hard. This engine was allegedly rebuilt but they didn't touch a lot of areas, I'm wondering if stem seals is somewhere they 'missed' like the well buggered thermostat, dizzy rotor and cap, fuel filter... etc.

Keeping the valves up isn't the problem, it's that the rocker.. er... clamp thingys that hold the rockers in... they seem to be held in place by the head bolts. SOHC head, rockers seem to be on there own shafts which run both sides of the cam, all held in place by one set of bolts https://encrypted-tbn1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRx4lH9GrTMsMrTqG0J1Y0e4_huEAv6ZWy-GabsANVXjdABCGNJUjI4_WOW

So m20b20/23/25. Looks like i can't replace the stem seals without removing the head bolts, and possibly the entire head, as they seem to be holding everything together. Is this correct? I think I'd rather suffer the smoke than piss around pulling the head off an engine I'm probably going to replace with a stroker...

Truuuue, neighbor has a welder, and I have 6 old spark plugs

I've never seen anything like it. Previous owner thought it had been changed recently as far as KM but maybe a long time ago as far as time.

No one is more surprised than me... I've done around 1500km since picking it up. Just decided to knock out all the things in one go. Most of the body sanded back to respray the bits with spider rust, working on firewall and valve seals next week.

So as part of my refresh of my E30 323 i was replacing the fuel filter, what drained out of the old filter was more than a little shocking. And that's from the 'filtered' side. Seeking thoughts on appropriate steps before i put the new filter in... am i best to drain drop and clean the whole fuel tank? Because that does not look fun to do... i.e. remove exhaust and drive shaft. Or just replace filters every tank or two for a few tanks till I've cleaned the sh*t out, then clean injectors etc. Will post update pic once the sediment settles in the full cup.

And any other tools helpful to replace valve stem seals in M20B23. Anyone able to help? Happy to pay freight and a fee.

Bug catcher https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRM8YZVRobE94AcQOZLg5nmI3oL-kmdKcoDO2WKaedCjpWj0HGv_GoTOVZqcw

Well in the potatoes defence it was a bit rooted

Bump & Price drop.

I've always wanted to learn how to weld ;-)

Right on the edge of the strut tower part, plus the old repair on the firewall, plus under every guard lip, every panel needs resprayed, the starter motor just shat itself, stem seals all leak terribly, few other things, I'm going to get it up on a mates hoist and go rust hunting to properly assess where it's at.I'm going to attack the rust i can find with a grinder, make sure it's mostly metal under it. Might learn a few things, mostly about buying a 30yo car unseen against advice from at least one forum member, but also what's involved in making a neglected E30 good.

Well... it's my problem now. I don't think I'd feel right knowingly making this someone elses problem... 'think' being the operative word here. Could probably recover most or all of my money parting it out, seats etc are mint.

Okay... damn... this doesn't look good.

Well my neighbors a kick ass welder... Would your suggestions be to abandon ship or just fix it properly?

Ran cables for a sub... passenger footwell full of water, totally absorbed by a surprising amount of foam rubber though. Looks like rust was repaired but they didn't unblock the drains, so it's filled back up with water that's rusted out the repairs welding and leaking through to the cabin... First inclination was to pretend I didn't see it and flick it on to someone else... but karma would give me the beat down for being that jerk. Evidently it's not too uncommon for E30 to do this, at least if i repair it in mine I don't have to worry about it. Tonights web time will be devoted to finding long term fixes to presumably the air inlets drain holes blocking.

I'm certain i remember this company causing dramas over 5 years ago when I had my Libero and hung out on NZMMC, @breakmywindows might remember him also. Surprised to see him still in business.