Matt from Everett (Hi Bob)
Posted by Milo
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Hey all, longtallsally told me to come here for all my E30 questions...well here and E30tech but my membership has been pending over there for weeks now. They don't like me I guess.
My name is Matt, from Everett, WA (like Bob) and I'm a motorcycle guy. I've been riding/building Moto Guzzis for ~20 years and have enough tools to do some real damage. 
I was looking for a cheap commuter that was fun to drive (RWD was a huge plus) and cheap to own, my kids vetoed a cool Focus wagon with a clutch so on a whim I bought my E30. I probably paid too much but I feel the car has good bones under some minor cosmetic issues. No rust no leaks, she tracks and brakes straight and the clutch is solid. 
My 325 (no e or i) I've had it for weeks and haven't found time to change the timing belt (kids, work, life...) so it's still in dry-dock while I wait for a free weekend, Saturday looks good so I'll probably be asking dumb questions all day. The window tinting has to go, it needs some paint TLC before rust starts and a friend who was driving it home for me lost the rear end on a wet corner and dinged a bottlecap rim into the curb..so I need a new one. Big learning curve but I'm looking forward to having some fun, love the torque and light weight. |
Hey Matt- Welcome aboard. If your 30 is a 1988 it could be a super eta (basically an E bottom and an I top), check the production date on the pillar post, or I think there is a way of checking from the vin number. Feel free to ask anything you need to, doing the timing belt you'll want to replace the idler pulley and the water pump while you're in there. Alternator bushings and small things like that might come up too but those can all be handled as you see them. The fan nut is a lefty and you can get by without the special tools to hold the pump from turning but more on all that later. I'm an old biker myself; I've ridden Norton most all of my time on two wheels, but have started with older Jap fours for the last four or five years (needed the push start), at 65+ I'm getting to old to kick em! I love the Guzzis, I've always had such a love affair with the 850T, but that was a long time ago. I remember seeing one in roadrace trim win at a track by me; it was very controlled and had a great settled pace but he was flying past everyone quietly and without a lot of fuss. I'll never forget that day. 1985 Suzuki GS700e, 1985 Nighthawk 650sc, 1985 Kawasaki GPz 550 and a 2007 CRF 230f Honda trail bike are my latest buddies B) I just finished the GS a month or so back and have been riding it most of the time (after two years of parts and work), when I'm not fixing storm windows and getting ready for winter! brrrrr Cheers, Rick |
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Hi Matt and a big welcome to BEN. This is the place to get your technical questions answered.
Congrats on the nice looking 325 
You're going to enjoy driving this car. When you do the timing belt, don't forget to put a new tensioner on and while you're at it replace the water pump(it doesn't require much more effort since you are already there and it will save you having to go back in when the darn thing fails). So don't be afraid to ask questions and remember, there are no dumb questions 
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Oops, I edited out the year in a rewrite. It's an '87, 122 horsepower of fury.
I've got the belt/water pump/tensioner kit in a box, patiently waiting. Ten years ago I had a T-3 cafe' bike, not many pics of it as it died a premature death a Northern California ditch. 
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The link I have has been taken over or changed by BMW
I'm sure one of us saved it all to hard drive or CD though 
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Welcome Matt, nice looking 325 you have there, that is the first one I have seen on here that is the same colour as mine, I was beginig to think the States never got that colour, although mine is a 4 door 318i M40, you can see it in the registery.
Looks like there are a bunch of biker types here, I have been riding two wheels since before I can remember, still riding my GS1000G that I love to bits, she is currently under total rebuild at the moment. Like the boys have said, there is a wealth of talent here so ask away, there is nothing these guys don't know, and what they don't know is probably not worth knowing.
Nah, saved it, in case it dissapeared, surely not, I doubt anyone will have it......  ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- E30'S AREN'T BUILT, THEY'RE CAUGHT IN THE WILD!!! 
When in doubt, use full throttle, it may not improve the situation, but it will end the suspence. |
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I tried to edit but it didn't work.
I wanted to add: If you aren't in a hurry it might be good to also get the seals and gaskets that go on the front of the engine and replace those when you do the timing belt. They could be pretty old. I replaced mine last summer and even though I had put them in there 6 years earlier, they looked pretty used up. It won't add more than a couple of hours to the job. Remove the water pump before you remove the front engine cover if you decide to replace the seals. If you get that backwards, the water will run right into the oil pan. 
John |
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Welcome to the crew! And good to see some more NW BMW owners around. I live about 4 hours south and to the east of you. My E30 makes the drive to Seattle a 1-3 times a month (silly females and their influences), and it hasn't failed yet!
Don't be afraid to ask the silliest of questions. Most of us don't bite, and we've all had out shots! ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1989 - E30 - M20 - Manual. Approximately 270,000 miles 2000 - E46 - M52TUB28 - Manual. Approximately 110,000 miles 
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