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1991 E30 BMW 325i The Ultimate Daily Driving Machine project

73K views 302 replies 65 participants last post by  fizay 
#1 · (Edited)
For the people that followed my Road Trip thread, you will remember that I picked up a E30 in South Carolina while relaxing in California. My brother found it on Craigslist being sold by an aircraft mechanic. Couple of messages and phone calls back and forth and the car was mine. The drift tax was low that day so I picked up the car for $2600. The E30 is originally from Arizona so so it has zero rust. What needs to be changed soon is the automatic transmission.

My goal for this car is to make a fun daily driver. First this first, I need to source a manual swap. From there I will decide what else I want to do to the car. Sport seats and M-Tech II steering wheel are high on the list. This will be a slow build for now since I have my STI project going.







The information I received from the previous owner. Since he is an aircraft mechanic, he did all the work himself. He did hand me some receipts to what he bought and the previous owner did. The person I bought it from had it since 2008, the owner before him had it since 2000. I am the fourth owner and the 325i has 192,xxx miles on it.

Previous Owner said:
Here's my estimate of significant maintenance performed.

2009 ~ 140K: LH and RH lower ball joint assemblies (wishbones), Front brakes and rotors
2010 ~155K: Timing belt, drive belts and water pump
2011 ~170K: Rear brakes and rotors, spark plugs, distributor cap
2012 ~180K: Alternator, transmission fluid w/pan seal
2013 ~ 190K: Starter, windshield, all tires
2014 ~ 192K: numerous rubber items in engine compartment, rubber fuel hoses from engine to tank/filter, emergency brake adjusted

Notes:

1) a/c system never needed to be serviced and has worked well
2) Mobile 1 10w40 or 20w50 was always used since purchase with ~129K
3) Fuel filter was changed at least three times
4) I did not adjust the valves (recommended)
5) Unless the exhaust system was changed by the previous owner it is likely the original system.
6) It never had a check engine light during my ownership
7) No window or sunroof leaks ever
8) Original rims, none damaged
9) Fuel tank had previous minor dents under car likely from a shop that positioned the jack wrong
10) Steering wheel rattles a bit on hard braking (bushings?)
11) Ask me anything and I will be happy to answer

Regards, Tony
 
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#90 ·
These guys are doing an S50 swap into an E30 wagon. It seems so simple.

[video=s50 swap[/video]
It isn't to hard, the part that takes some time is if you want to make the A/C and power steering work.

I know someone who might be able to help you with Hartge wheels. I can post here later if has a lead on them.
Please do. :thumbup:
 
#91 ·
I have a friend with a shop that specializes in old BMWs... I figured he might have some Hartges, but no luck.

Sounds like you will stay with four bolt set up if you're open to 15s/euroweaves... That's what I had on my old e30. I do like style 5s on e30s, but that requires more work.
 
#93 ·
#95 ·
Got around to working on the E30 again. Plugged up all the holes that lead to interior and cleaned up the engine bay. Deleted the SRS system but couldn't take off the sensors in the engine bay because I don't have the correct socket. Also start on the manual pedals swap, while at it, deleted the aftermarket alarm system that was wired in. Once the pedals are in, I will clean up the wiring.


 
#97 ·
I wish I could do stuff like this.
 
#101 ·
The PO of my car tried to dent the stock booster. I tried to be optimistic and left it in there at first, I got the car finished up and driveable and there was no vacuum, I guess the diaphragm was damaged. I had the AKG swap mounts (Group N hardness, the $225 mounts) they were super nice. Even with my crappy Rev**** mounts and the AKGs, my 944 booster was still REALLY close to my manifold with the fins shaved.
 
#102 ·
The IX booster and master cylinder came in, hopefully it works correctly. Problem now is the wiring harness. Sent out my wiring to be repinned by Markert Motor Works, now I regret that. They promised a 1 week turn around, it's coming up on 4th week. I am being fed,"we will have the harness out by the first of next week" for weeks already.
 
#103 ·
Started assembling the front subframe assembly. Used CAD(Cardboard assisted design) to relocated the steering column shaft hole to line the shaft up with the steering rack swivel joint. Also, installed the 325ix booster and master cylinder. I flipped over the master cylinder on the booster so the vacuum hole is now easier to access plus this lowers the booster by around an inch. Going with a BMW 2002 remote brake fluid reservoir since I decided to stay with the IX spacer. Some people take the spacer off but that leaves you with a brake booster being held on with 2 bolts.

New parts installed:
- Steering rack tie rod assemblies
- Sway bar bushings
- HD sway bar end links
- Steering rack swivel






 
#107 ·
Excellent thread! Keep it up. E30's are such rewarding cars when gone through


My s50 swap should be up and running this week *thumbsup*

Nice. Can't wait to hear mine running. Still need to send out the ecu to have it tuning.

I don't recall, but did you decide to go with a faster rack for this car? Supposedly there's a few different ones that will swap directly onto the E30 that have faster ratios.
I went with a 1997 E36 M3 steering rack. This is the reason I have to relocate the hole for the steering column rod.

If you have plans to modify the exhaust, may I suggest removing the headers now? Nothing is more difficult than trying to fit wrenches on the exhaust studs when the engine is in the car. You can take it a step further and replace the old studs with studs from N52 with a torx head rather than an Allen head.

http://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?1878686-Exhaust-Mani-Studs&p=24882341#post24882341

I'd recommend a set of raceland headers. They're inexpensive Supersprint copies. Might need some massaging to fit, but then again, so does almost everything else on an engine swap.
I am hoping to stay with the factory headers. I have the complete exhaust from a E36 M3 and will try massage the pipes after the headers to make them fit. After those pipes, I will fabricate a custom exhaust. I don't want my exhaust to be loud nor drone so I will have to play around with different configurations.
 
#106 ·
Exhaust

If you have plans to modify the exhaust, may I suggest removing the headers now? Nothing is more difficult than trying to fit wrenches on the exhaust studs when the engine is in the car. You can take it a step further and replace the old studs with studs from N52 with a torx head rather than an Allen head.

http://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?1878686-Exhaust-Mani-Studs&p=24882341#post24882341

I'd recommend a set of raceland headers. They're inexpensive Supersprint copies. Might need some massaging to fit, but then again, so does almost everything else on an engine swap.
 
#108 ·
Getting ready to swap in the S52 into E30. Figuring out how every is fitted together. Trying to make sure I route all the wiring just the way it was. Used the wet paper method to get the pilot bearing out, easy and clean. Cleaned off the rust on frame rail and charcoal canister, primered both and painted.

New parts installed:
- Sachs clutch kit
- Pilot bearing









 
#110 ·
My M20 had 200k miles on it and it come from factory with 168hp. The S52 has half the mileage, 240hp and I wanted the OBD2 because I can use it for diagnostics and tuning. The disadvantage of the S52 is that it's a heavier engine. As for the brakes, I will try to stay with the stock size and upgrade the rotors, pads, lines and fluid. If I feel that the brakes still need more help, I will look at other options. The OEM solution for brakes is a 5 lug swap from a E36 M3(front), I don't want to have 5 lug spindles because I am planning to get a set of Hartge wheels that come with 4 lug bolt pattern.
 
#114 ·
The oil pan is a lot less exposed than if I stuck with the factory one that hangs 2 or more inches lower than the subframe. I am thinking about adding a skidplate.

Unfortunately, that is not my shop. I towed the E30 there to install the engine. Below is a picture of my garage.

 
#115 ·
Very frustrating Labor Day weekend. Wasted a lot of time on things I had to redo or trash completely.

First, I found some rust behind the aluminum shield that covers the underbody and protects it from exhaust heat. On the inside, there is foam that held water/moisture which resulted in rust. I had to grind/flake away the rust and weld up a small hole. I then prepped it and covered it with Por-15, should be a permanent fit. Next I decided to make a bracket for my remote mounted reservoir. Dug around and found some scrap metal, cut it to shape and formed it so it wouldn't be flimsy. I than primered it and painted it only to remember that I can't use it because I want to run a strut bar.. After a failed attempted at the bracket for reservoir, I decided to do the coolant hoses to heater core and E30 temperature sensor into cylinder head. The coolant hoses were easy, temperature sensor I failed at. I had a borrowed tap and die set from O' Reilly's that just didn't do it's job, I now need a new temperature sensor..

After not having much luck with the project for a day, I decided to do something else, Turner Motorsports M50 manifold adapter. Should have been easy but there were no directions. At the end everything came together perfectly. Seeing that something actually came together as it should, I decided to try my luck with the exhaust downpipes.. No luck.. I used straps, stuck a jack handle for more leverage and heated the pipes to try modify the bents to my liking but it just didn't come out as I would like it. One pipe is to close to sway bar and I don't want to shim the engine, the other pipe is against the control arm bushing and I don't want it that close to a rubber bushing. I made a decision to call a professional shop and let them make me custom downpipes.

Up next was the power steering system. This actually turned out the way I wanted it. The only modifications are: a massaged high pressure line for better fitment and a E46 M3 line that I hacked up to steal the banjo bung. I found that E36 M3s have some reducer in their rack to reservoir return line so I decided to use it. My best guess is that they want the fluid backed up so the steering feels heavier. Oh and I installed the Bimmerworld clutch line, no clutch delay valve.

New parts installed:
- Bimmerworld clutch line
- Turner Motorsports M50 manifold adapter










 
#120 ·
I will be catching up with what I did during this long pause.

From 10-16-16

Got around to my E30 to reinforce the rear sway bar link mounts and add toe/camber adjustment to rear wheels. While at it, installed some new bushings. I am just happy to be done with this job. The subframe bushings are a pain to change and slotting the rear control arm brackets took forever.

Parts installed:
- Rear sway bar link mount reinforcement
- Rear toe/camber adjustment kit
- Rear subframe bushings- OE
- Rear control arm bushings- OE
- Rear sway bar end links -OE






 
#121 ·
From 12-18-16

Mocked up how to position and crimp the e30 to e36 a/c line and then had the local hydraulic hose shop crimp them together. Also, reused a sponge to make a filter at the bottom of the charcoal canister. The other a/c line will need more thought since it is not as easy to just splice together.





 
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