1990 318i ..wee bit of extra power wanted

[d.p.n.s 15]

hi all

ive just picked myself up a 1990 e30 318i 2 door

its in ok condition with 17" rims.(will be changing for 15s or even standard rims)

i bought it for some fun to have on track days and spped events out at ruapuna.

i have had e30s in the past but all 325i powered ive never had a 4 cylinder 1.

now i am not wanting to do an engine convertion on it i am just wanting to

up the power a wee bit and just make it breath better.

so what are the best ways of doing this?

and how much weight can i take out of it while kepping it road legal?

cheers

dan

[_ethrty-Andy_ 2136]

in my opinion (others may vary) waste of time even trying to make it quicker other than i assume its manual already? youd be better off throwing money at making it handle good. E30s are one of those cars you don't need a lot of money or power and they are a great fun, all while this side of the speed limit.

[_Matt_ 42]

rip out the interior, you're good to go

[d.p.n.s 15]

in my opinion (others may vary) waste of time even trying to make it quicker other than i assume its manual already? youd be better off throwing money at making it handle good. E30s are one of those cars you don't need a lot of money or power and they are a great fun, all while this side of the speed limit.

i agree 100% they are fun and yes its manual and lsd.

[Silver Fox 43]

The race drivers might not agree on the power bit, the race cam and chip sure liven them up a fair bit. About $900, and about 12 to 15extra hp.

[Etwenty1 45]

I've heard that changing the diff on the m10's is the cheapest way to get more go. To one say out of a std 320i, i am planning to do this to mine (then selling) now i have fiiiiiinaly sorted a running issue caused by a bad tps.

Any comments or experience?

[nipe 1]

I've heard that changing the diff on the m10's is the cheapest way to get more go. To one say out of a std 320i, i am planning to do this to mine (then selling) now i have fiiiiiinaly sorted a running issue caused by a bad tps.

Any comments or experience?

Diff ratio does make a change but there is a loss of top speed involved.

[oscar90 0]

I have a spare set of 325i sway bars front and rear for sale, pm me if your interested.

[liyi_92 37]

rip out the interior, you're good to go

Amen

[nipe 1]

What is actually legal to rip out? By wof standards I mean.

[_Matt_ 42]

I assume anything unless it compromises safety. So take everything out everything except drivers seat, steering wheel etc, one seatbelt.

complete guess though

[dubman 39]

^ i think if you have a seatbelt, you need a seat there. So take out the belt and seats haha

Interior carpets, sounds deadening, rear boot lining, OEM seats etc all collectively weigh a bit. If its not a daily, 4.45 ratio diff and stripped out car is the way to go. Not pleasant at all for daily, but will be good for track use.

[d.p.n.s 15]

thanks guys

it will be raod legal so i can drive it to the track and back home.

so if i take out as much as i can and just leave the front seats with belts and just whats needed dash wise thats a good start. (still good for a wof?)

so then maybe do shocks ,springs (it has lowed king springs) and brakes.

i do have a nice fj20et sitting in my escort van thats not doing much lol...but i dont realy want to do a convertion just yet.

any one want to swap some standard e30 rims .im after these with tyre

for these they are 17s dont know what the tyres are like yet

anyone keen

[_ethrty-Andy_ 2136]

pretty sure you need to certify the removal of seats, my econovan for work has a cert and the only mod listed is the removal of rear seats. no M52 conversion yet

[richard 384]

chuck out the glovebox , center console, radio,heater ( keep the fan )to demist, just to name a few.

[nipe 1]

are the door skins legal to be removed?

[antil33t 90]

http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/used-cars/...n-520139590.htm

You didn't buy this did you?

Because I wouldn't call it "OK" condition.

Edited October 24, 2012 by antil33t

[d.p.n.s 15]

http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/used-cars/...n-520139590.htm

You didn't buy this did you?

Because I wouldn't call it "OK" condition.

hard to see as been removed from trademe but probly the one....

is it in bad condition?

[antil33t 90]

It's a sack of sh*t.

Rear panel has come unnatached (Rust) and you can wiggle the tail lights.

it probably doesn't have an LSD, it's not DOHC, it's just a crappy M40.

bonnet won't even open properly, as it's damaged.

one of the diff bolts was like half sticking out and the owner said "that might be why it clunks"

It's filled with poor repairs ect.

Tyres are shagged.

You either got it for a steal, but I doubt it'll ever be able to be repaired without huge money spent.

Edited October 27, 2012 by antil33t

[d.p.n.s 15]

It's a sack of sh*t.

Rear panel has come unnatached (Rust) and you can wiggle the tail lights.

it probably doesn't have an LSD, it's not DOHC, it's just a crappy M40.

bonnet won't even open properly, as it's damaged.

one of the diff bolts was like half sticking out and the owner said "that might be why it clunks"

It's filled with poor repairs ect.

Tyres are shagged.

You either got it for a steal, but I doubt it'll ever be able to be repaired without huge money spent.

i was told about the rust and i allready have a rear panel ill weld and i do about 99% of my own work .

i was just going to take it to vtnz see it fail on all its going to fail on and just work me threw it.

it will be just for 100% track fun but will need to drive it to and from the track.

i will be pissed off if its not a lsd and not twin cam but i didnt pay much at all for it and hes dropping it to chch for me.

did you have a good look at it? if so did you notic any other major rust? and is the inside clean or stuffed.

cheers

dan

[slowe30 0]

i had just one drivers seat in my old car when i went to vtnz for a wof, left the belts in the back evan. got pulled over one day as a "random" check aswell and they just asked why it was like that. i had damp carpet so removed it all to dry out and just put one seat in to get me to work an back.

and i thought door cards and pillar trims have to on aswell for internal protection rules, but could be wrong

[Greg111 13]

i was told about the rust and i allready have a rear panel ill weld and i do about 99% of my own work .

i was just going to take it to vtnz see it fail on all its going to fail on and just work me threw it.

it will be just for 100% track fun but will need to drive it to and from the track.

i will be pissed off if its not a lsd and not twin cam but i didnt pay much at all for it and hes dropping it to chch for me.

did you have a good look at it? if so did you notic any other major rust? and is the inside clean or stuffed.

cheers

dan

If it's not an IS then it will have a single cam M40, it won't have an LSD either.

[antil33t 90]

I jacked up one wheel off the ground and was able to turn it... might not be the correct procedure, but it was raining and I didn't want to get too wet....

I had an OK look, it's rough, paint f**ked, Dodgy repairs, pretty sure there's rust all the way up the 1/4 panel.

front and rear valances were banged up.. .

I'm not an expert on rust, interior was average, had seat covers on... exhaust pretty much gone, sounded like arse...

diff bolts hanging out. (this is why it may have an LSD, if someone was stupid enough to swap one in, but we know they are not cheap)

As I said, I hope you got it cheap, and really in future if there's cars in Dunedin anyone wants, I'm more than happy to look at them.

I even told him it's definitely not Twin Cam... it's 100% obvious it's not. I said I doubted it had an LSD also. Guy wasn't prepared to listen.

Edited October 29, 2012 by antil33t

[_ethrty-Andy_ 2136]

i can think of better ways to test if it has an LSD in the rain

[antil33t 90]

i can think of better ways to test if it has an LSD in the rain

No REG no WOF, almost flat tyres, diff bolts hanging out... f**k that sh*t son.