gmccormack

Also, the engines exhaust manifold (4 stud) will not match the cars exhaust system (3 stud) and there will be no oxygen sensor fitting in the cars exhaust either. Be sure to get the radiator and hoses that belong to the 90 engine, they are different too.

Hi, Im looking at a e30 318i manual to buy and use it as a daily runner.

What should I watch out for? Any common issues and where do the rust appear usually?

Also What kind of fuel consumption can I expect from it? Its facelife model.

After a stint trying to use a e34 535i as a daily I want something which is reasonable on gas.

Any Input will be much appreciated thanks!

Rust under the battery and in the cabin vent intake area is common, wet carpet is a give away.

Worn cam shaft and or noisy tappets are common too.

My auto 318 gets 11km/L around town and 13km/L on a trip, a 5 speed should do better.

Make sure you find out when the timing belt was last done too or do it straight away.

Don't know how to tell if its an SA Import, have papers though will they be on them?

If the brand name on the window glass is "Armourplate" it's South African as opposed to "Sekurit" on the German cars.

How did you get around the auto inhibitor switch?? Sounds to me like most, if not all of the problems have been caused by improvised wiring rather than removing the inhibitor switch wiring loom properly.

Sorry to bring up my old thread but need some help urgently.

So my central lockings playing up and its meant i can't open my petrol flap to fill it up.

Is there a way to manually open it without fixing the central locking first?

Reason is all this while all this was happening my reserve light came on and i'm not sure if i'll make to the auto sparky/wreckers to fix it.

Remove the right hand side boot lining, then unbolt the central lock motor from the fuel filler flap.

are the distributors in different places? ive seen photos of m20b25s and the distributor is in a different place to mine, mine is stuck on the end of the block right next to the fan...

No, the distributors are always mounted directly on the end of the cam on M20B25s. If the distibutor is out the side it is not a M20B25.

Common problems for E30 autos when cold can be;

Little or no forward or reverse drive with engine at idle, with drive only kicking in when the engine is given a rev.

Or the transmission will not make the up-shift from first to second gear until it has warmed up.

Or the car will try to pull away from a stand still in second gear.

A fluid change may help, but if it doesn't don't expect to get too many more km's from it.

hi i have never heard of machining rotors wrong making a grinding noise u should check any metal clips or squeal shims to see if there touching the rotor.

have u checked ur rear pads???

Bad machining can cause problems. I had it done once, it was a disaster. Caused a bad vibration through the pedal and a grinding noise.

On one of the HT leads on a m40 engine there is an inductive pickup, does anyone know what it function is?? The wire running to it has snapped on mine car but everything is still running fine, but it has become a little had to start lately and I'm just wondering if it could be the cause. Any thoughts??

You can use an Allen key and a spring scale (the type you would use to weigh a fish) With the Allen key in the tensioner pulley, place the spring scale 85mm along the key and pull until you reach 2kg on the scale. Keep the scale at 90 degrees to the key.

The very earliest E30s had control arms in which both ball joints could be replaced seperately if needed, later the design was changed slightly and only one ball joint could be replaced. I think it is the inner that can be replaced, so if the outer was worn you had to replace the whole arm ( or I could have that the wrong way around) I wouldn't bother replacing either ball joint no matter which arm design you have as the complete arm with two brand new ball joints is so cheap. The last time I got an arm from the dealer ( about 1 year ago) it was only $160+gst.

However, my understanding is that the Le jettronic will compensate if you do things like air filter / and freer flowing exhaust (EG you don't need to chip it if you change those things and it should add more fuel based on airflow.)

Would be interesting to dyno a E30 320 race car with Motronic verse Le Jettronic as I suspect the Le might produce a bit more on the dyno due to the allowable exhaust change. The Le should add more fuel as a result.

Others may be able to put me right here if I've got it wrong.

I don't think L-jet can compensate for any changes as it is an open loop system and only matches fuel to air flow below a fixed rpm. Once the revs climb above about 3000rpm at WOT the ECU almost ignores the AFM and works from a fuel map. Motronic, however can cope and adjust to small changes.

Only have some side windows, boot carpets and a centre console. Everything else has gone to a good home.

Sorry I don't have any electric window switches. If yours aren't working they usually just need to be taken apart and cleaned.

I have some parts in the garage I'll never use, so if anyone wants them just come and get them.

Parts include; M40 auto radiator, pfl powersteer rack, heater core, 318 rear sway bar, heaps of side windows (coupe,sedan, electric and non electric,pfl and fl), rear window, 5 grill halves, pfl instrument cluster, various switces, centre console etc, etc..........

I would prefer if someone would take the whole lot, but if you only want a few bits thats OK too.

PM me or ph 021 136 7007 or 299 7942.

Thanks.

Do you have a signal wire that goes between the head unit and screws in the factory aerial? (e30)

and the cable that connects the Trip computer and dash?

No, chucked all that stuff away.

Do you have an aerial and the mechanism?

No

I need the following E30 parts within the next day or 2.

1 x air box - the plastic one, with or without AFM

1 x Drivers side electric window motor

1 x fuse box lid

1 x little metal spring clip that is on the AFM plug

1 x metal clip that holds the fan shroud onto the radiator

4 x female plug that the plastic panels behind the headlights attach to

phone: 027 544 8699

email: ollie@bimmersport.co.nz

I've got the plastic air box, electric window motor and the 4 little plug bits for the headlight panels.

I may have the clips for the rad shroud too but I'm not sure. I have fuse box lids, but they all have broken clips. I have only had one good lid out of 9 cars. The dealer is the only place you'll find a good one. I don't want any money for them.

021 136 7007 or 299 7942

Lights are mine if still there.

They're not smiley ones Andrew, does that matter?

Hey mate - after a e30 coupe drivers door electric window mech - now worries if motor's no good, I just need the large cog bit as mine has stripped a few teeth. Thanks smith.campbell@gmail.com

Sorry, you're about a week too late, they went to the scrap metal dealer with the body shell.

is that the opening side windows from an e30 coupe graeme?

Sorry, I have just about every window except coupe rear side windows.

Facelift headlights $60, M40 auto radiator $40, FL powersteering system $40, heater core $10, centre console $20, side windows $10 each, rear sway bar (12mm) $20, heaps of other little bits and pieces.

There is a black/yellow stripe wire behind the glove box. One end has a plug on it that is unused, the other side of the plug goes out to the trans wiring. Disconnect it from the trans loom and reconnect it to the unused plug.

There is also a fuse mounted on the left hand side of the blower/ventilation/aircon box thingee.You need to take out the glovebox and some of the trim to get at it.

I just sold one to another guy on the forum for $80