Ol' Smokey

[skubez 0]

Hey all

I noticed the other day that my car has started to smoke. If I have had it running for a while ie been on the m/way, or driving round town quite a bit, when I stop at an intersection and then accelerate off the car will puff smoke.

Any ideas on what this could be? Head gasket? Valve sleeves? Someone suggested to me to use some slightly more viscous oil?

Another problem was when I went to open up the hood to check the oil levels, I pulled on the bonnet release handle and nothing happened. Does anyone know how I can fix this? The handle is hanging all limp now - maybe it needs some car viagara?

[Gus 5]

check the bonnet opening handle is bolted onto the side of the car properly, mine used to be loose as and was a bitch to open..fixed now

[skubez 0]

Forgot to ask whether anyone has recon'd an engine before? Would it be worth recon'ing a 318 or just sourcing and dropping in a new motor like a 325? How much and where??

[Grant 4]

Smoking where?

At the engine, or at the exhaust?

At the exhaust it xould possible be worn piston rings letting oil get into the cylinders, and therefore burning oil. Has the oil level slowly been going dropping?

Good luck tracking the problem down.

Cheers

[bumpstop325 0]

318 to a 325 swap is not a good idea.

you will save sh*t loads buying a 325

you need:

new motor

wiring loom

new gearbox

engine mounts, certed aswell. they dont bolt in.

325 suspention set up. it is different to 318. as block is heavier

[skubez 0]

The car is smoking from the exhaust. I noticed also that there is some oil leaking from what looks like the rear of the car somewhere. Again, I will need to confirm. I haven't noticed the oil as yet, as I am still working on fixing the bonnet release lever.

The thought of swapping engines was just an idea, I really don't have the money for that sort of thing anyway, but thought I would just ask. If I was going to swap the engine, and had the money to do so, I think I would also go for a motor that is already turbo'd. Probably look at something like a SR20DET, or 13B rotary. This would also mean getting some power steering, upgrading the suspension and brakes and basically a few other things like engine management.

As for a recon, does anyone know about these, and where and how much?

[skubez 0]

Just in case anyone was wondering, I bought the car with the intention of having just a run around car. I liked the look of the older BMW's and wanted something like the 2 door. This was cheap, and because of that it made sense as my girlfriend is learning to drive.

However, I now have more of a thirst to modify it, so would like to work with what I have. I like the platform from which I can work from already, and it has that extra wow factor because it is a BMW. This won't be happening anytime soon mind you, I already have another car that I am working on, which is another Subaru.

Later this year I will be looking to do a few more things to the BMW, so I will keeep you all posted. In the meantime, I would like to fix up a few problems that I have with it.

[Viking 0]

Depends how far you want to go with mods....I think I'm becomming certifiable with what I'm plotting.

[skubez 0]

It probably looks like the usual story, someone that has bought a car and has unreal expectations of what it can/can't do or be changed to do. I didn't buy it to mod initially, but I keep thinking of stuff I can do.

At the moment I will be concentrating on fixing up the few minor problems I am having, and if the engine decides to blow in the next few months, then I will have to think hard about what to do - starting with whether to replace the engine with the standard, upgrade to a larger BMW engine, or replace with another engine. The latter 2 options will mean additional cost, so once again my decision will be based on how large my pocket is.

Ideally, given I had the money, I would panel beat and repaint the car (not going overboard, but I would like to have a nice kit on it, there is a lot of mention on this forum and others about M kits), replace suspension (power steering would need to be installed), upgrade brakes, tidy the interior (new front seats, retrimmed rear seats and door panels, repaint or recover the dash and center consoles), upgraded engine (something around 2-2.5L) and with a turbo or supercharger, programmeable ECU, and some new wheels. More than likely in that order too.

Or I will look to sell the car and buy a Honda Civic or something cheap that won't make me want to mod it. Scratch that - make that Hyundai Sonata, modding that would just be embarrasing.

So, anyone got information about reconditioning engines?

[bumpstop325 0]

the 13b unit bolts in the 318 engine bay.

[skubez 0]

the 13b unit bolts in the 318 engine bay.

WOOHOO!!!!

[*sic 1]

So, anyone got information about reconditioning engines?

ok al i can say is "get a rota!!11!#$%1"

then for all your engine recon needs, try your local phone book, or even Google - The magical land of search

[skubez 0]

ok al i can say is "get a rota!!11!#$%1"

then for all your engine recon needs, try your local phone book, or even Google - The magical land of search

Cheers for your useful input!

[skubez 0]

Well, I have been a bit lazy about getting onto sorting this problem, so I paid someone to take a look at it for me.

From initial looks, without taking much apart etc, it looks like the rings are gone. I could be up for around $1500 or so to get these fixed which is just a rough figure.

However, I could be keen on getting a used 318i motor to tide me over, depending on the price etc. I have replied to a couple of posts in the for sale section, but if anyone else hears of a 318i motor (that goes well!) going for sale, please let me know. Cheers.

[Guest Andrew]

Drive it till it dies.

The 6 cylinder swap is a no brainer.

Suspension setups are the same - you just need different springs.

[*sic 1]

ok al i can say is "get a rota!!11!#$%1"

then for all your engine recon needs, try your local phone book, or even Google - The magical land of search

Cheers for your useful input!

that was helpful biznitch.

listen to me!!

[skubez 0]

Ok, I'm hooked on an engine swap now, and the 320i engine sounds like what I am wanting to do. I guess no matter of mods to a 4cyl will make it sound nice and smooth like a 6cyl!!

If anyone hears of a 320i 6cyl + loom going, can you please let me know? Cheers. I assume when you say a no brainer, that means that it bolts straight in and you don't need to do much else? I will need to get some wiring info later on once this is off the ground.

I am also on the lookout for a new steering rack. While the engine is out, I may aswell replace the rack and power steering stuff.

[Gus 5]

dont go the 320, its a seriously thirsty engine, and still isnt really that powerful. go for a 325 engine (m20b25) as there is the same amount of work (virtually exactly the same engine) and its so much more powerful....trust me, youll thank me later!

[skubez 0]

dont go the 320, its a seriously thirsty engine, and still isnt really that powerful. go for a 325 engine (m20b25) as there is the same amount of work (virtually exactly the same engine) and its so much more powerful....trust me, youll thank me later!

I wasn't too sure about the 325i, but now you have confirmed what I really wanted. I was just looking into the 320i cos I heard (through Andrew) that it was a straight swap.

It will need to get a new gearbox with the 325i though, putting that much more power through would eat the current gearbox. Would I have to do the same for a 320i? Plus new brakes and suspension too. With the 320i, I might almost get away with the current suspension and brakes, with small upgrades like the springs and brake pads.

How much are we talking for one of these engines? Rough ballpark estimate?? Don't worry, I won't do anything yet, I am just information gathering to see what can and can't be done.

[Gus 5]

not sure how much for a 325 engine....you would need a new gearbox with the 320 anyway, as the 6cylinders share the same box. as for breaks, get new fluid, new pads and discs (you prob have rear drums, but drums arent as bad as they seem) and get someone whose good at it to bleed them properly (andrews mums car a 318 has had all new stuff...its brakes are bloody good...better than mine with new front pads and discs) does your car have rear drums? the suspension setup on all e30's is the same (except m3) so all you would need are some better springs (but if you were wanting to lower it anyway...heres ya chance) the 318 springs would prob be ok for a while if your strapped for cash, but springs arent expensive, and well worth it. shocks can wait (i am!) as the stock ones do ok (will prob bounce with diff springs but its not the end of the world) its the same amount of work for a 320 engine and a 325 engine....no point in not doing the 325 really! if in doubt....ask andy what he said last nite in my car..... im sure i heard a "i want a 325" in there somewhere!

[skubez 0]

An initial price for a 325i engine (unsure if this is with a gearbox, and/or a loom) was $1950 + GST. Is this a good price?

Does anyone know how much it costs to get everything certified?

[Gus 5]

im not really sure.....although considering that you could buy graemes car for somewhere in the region of 3700 (i think) that is in mint condition, i wouldnt say so! i know on a 320 certification isnt needed, as the engines look identical....not sure if you could pull it off in a 318 though

[gmccormack 0]

I wouldnt consider doing a engine swap from 4 to 6 unless I had the complete car to take all the parts from.I bought wrecked 325 for $900 which made it easy as it gave me all the parts I needed.If you had to buy all the parts seperately the cost would get out of hand.Parts that are different include-Springs,swaybar,radiator,gearbox,diff,wiring.Actually you may have to change more parts than that as it depends on the age & model of the car/engine combo your using(those are just the parts that are different between a 323 & a 325) but you get the idea.

Good luck Graeme

[skubez 0]

im not really sure.....although considering that you could buy graemes car for somewhere in the region of 3700 (i think) that is in mint condition, i wouldnt say so! i know on a 320 certification isnt needed, as the engines look identical....not sure if you could pull it off in a 318 though

Is Graeme's car still for sale? Is it in the for sale section here?

I wasn't really thinking of spending that much just on an engine. I thought that price was a bit high for what it is.

[skubez 0]

I wouldnt consider doing a engine swap from 4 to 6 unless I had the complete car to take all the parts from.I bought wrecked 325 for $900 which made it easy as it gave me all the parts I needed.If you had to buy all the parts seperately the cost would get out of hand.Parts that are different include-Springs,swaybar,radiator,gearbox,diff,wiring.Actually you may have to change more parts than that as it depends on the age & model of the car/engine combo your using(those are just the parts that are different between a 323 & a 325) but you get the idea.

Good luck Graeme

I was afraid of that. I will keep an eye out for a donor car, but at this point, a lot of the advice points to either just giving up (something I am not used to!) or not upgrading as you say from 4-6.

Decisions, decisions........