If you haven't replaced the belt tensioner, consider doing so. Our E30 has been sidelined for the past year and a half due to catastrophic head damage due to a broken tensioner. We had put a really nice rebuilt head in our car but I never considered replacing the belt tensioner. It's about $30.by sdp - Technical Forum
Depending on how many miles are on the car and if it's never been replaced.. put in a new belt tensioner too. Ours broke and blew out the entire head...... $35 part....by sdp - Technical Forum
254mm in an inch.. not 256. 8 / 254 = 0.31495by sdp - Technical Forum
Well.. turning the crank with the new tensioner and belt didn't help.. It was pretty much stuck in both directions so I started with removing the valve cover. Major disappointment. 5 broken rockers and that wouldn't have been the worst thing... 1 broken bracket between 5-6 and cracked bracket at the end of the rocker shaft. Pulled the head and all 6 exhaust valves created indentatioby sdp - Technical Forum
Yeah... I knew I had to get the timing right before any cranking was done. The belt was not completely loose since the housing kept the tensioner pulley relatively in place. Provided the belt did not skip I would think that the crank/piston advanced without advancing the cam at the point the engine seized. That would mean that I should be able to reverse the crank a bit before putting the new belby sdp - Technical Forum
Bummer... We just put in this rebuilt head a little over 1 year ago. In hindsight, we should have replaced that tensioner. Having the bearing go out is one thing but I didn't realize that the pulley is a pressed in fitting and not a weld or bolted down. Seems like a weak point for something so critical.by sdp - Technical Forum
I heard a screech from my sons car and I pretty much decided the water pump was going. I told him to avoid driving it since the pump could go at any time. I ordered the pump and he was going to make a short drive somewhere. He came back in the house and said the car died not more than 20 feet from where he was parked. He didn't tell me until later that the car just suddenly stopped/stalleby sdp - Technical Forum
I do believe the temperature reading will show -22F if the wiring from the temperature sensor is disconnected. The temperature sensor is on the air duct (for brake cooling) below the front bumper. (left side I think)by sdp - Technical Forum
I guess for now, it is what it is... I'm not in the mood to get under the greasy pit under there especially since it has that drum around it. I'll assume the boys put it on right.. I'm wondering if we put it on INCORRECTLY 5 years ago, hence it only lasted 5 years.by sdp - Technical Forum
True.. we are definitely in a temperate climate but it does get into the 30's for a good portion of winter where I live.by sdp - Technical Forum
Hi Bob, This guibo had arrows pointing in each direction. One for each hole.. front, back, front, back... all the way around. I guess different manufacturers have different markings. I should have posted a PDF of the instructions for reference. I was hoping a press wouldn't be necessary for the bushings.. it means I have to take the housings somewhere and that means my sons "busy&by sdp - Technical Forum
Hi Rick, Nah.. No picture needed. The instructions showed the arrows and bolts lining up.. It just seemed that there was too much info and also showed the rotation. Half the info that they pointed out was unnecessary and only created confusion. I can only hope the boys put it on correctly. I had a fight with my son because he has been driving the car for almost a month with a blown guibo and cby sdp - Technical Forum
Interesting. Our heater hasn't worked for a long long time. My son is griping about the cold. I assumed that the valve or something else has died. Now I'm wondering if I have this airlock.. BUT it's been a couple of years since it quit working. Could it have this airlock for that long?by sdp - Technical Forum
Hi All, I'm trying to extend the life of the old E30 which my son has beat to death. I have a few questions. #1. Front and rear suspension is totally shot. The front wheels shake when driven above 50 mph. I know for sure that the Control Arm Bushing has a LOT of slop and big gaps. Without going into major suspension repairs, I'm looking for partial repairs. How hard is it toby sdp - Technical Forum
Hey all, Getting harder to get the OEM tire size (195/65R-14) for this E30. Discount tire offers a Falken, Kumho and a Hankook. The reviews were poor for the Falken and Kumho but good for the Hankook.... I just don't like the "kook" in the name.. Just sounds kinda off... Any thoughts aside from different rims? Peterby sdp - Technical Forum
My cousin is an instructor & officer here in the San Diego BMW club.. He hooked me up to go on a ride-along with an experienced instructor in a M5 Dinan??? with nice track slicks. They do the races in the parking lot of the San Diego stadium... Well he rode it hard.. for my sake I guess. Anyways.. I nearly sheet my pants with the drifting, twisting and flying past the endless rows of oraby sdp - Technical Forum
Let me add a correction.. We did completely drop the exhaust system but we left ours intact and did not pull it out from the engine compartment.by sdp - Technical Forum
I don't know anything about the bearing but make sure you have about 2-3 feet of extensions (and one with a wobble end helps) to get to the upper transmission bolts. You will probably need another set of hands for final removal and installation ( I can't imagine it being done alone). I think it says to remove the exhaust, but I don't believe we did remove ours... although we probabby sdp - Technical Forum
Sounds logical.. I always used a wood clamp or C-Clamp to push my pistons back in... Anybody else do that or do you just lay into it?by sdp - Technical Forum
I think we used a 2-3 foot 1/2 breaker with a reducer... the only problem with long breakers or extensions is the limited clearance you have under the car.. maybe we used our 1/2 torque wrench.. Can't remember... You doing this all by yourself? No one to help you support the tranny?by sdp - Technical Forum
We replaced the transmission on ours a few years ago.... Get several long extensions and at least 1 with a wobble connection make it weasier to get the upper transmission bolts...by sdp - Technical Forum
Thanks all... I think an O2 sensor change would be a easy fix and would probably help the gas mileage, no? BavAuto and PelicanParts are in the $80-90 although I see them for sale on Amazon & EBay for about ~$55. Anyone have any experience with parts through Amazon/Ebay? EBay O2 Sensor Amazon O2 Sensorby sdp - Technical Forum
Hi Rick, I'm the original owner 1990, 6 cylinder 325is... The CAT is original, O2 sensor is original.. 200k++++ miles I haven't driven the car in 7 years so it's hard to even estimate the mileage especially since the odometer doesn't really work.. This car has the extended onboard computer with the extra buttons.. is the gas milage on that independedent of the "odoby sdp - Technical Forum
Hi All, Just had a smog test for our 1990 E30. It passed... but barely. @ 15mph (1888 rpm) %CO2 = 14.5 %O2 = .2 HC = 43/108(max) CO = .17/.71(max) NO = 681/767(max) @ 25mph (1948 rpm) %CO2 = 14.6 %O2 = .1 HC = 16/83(max) CO = .12/.40(max) NO = 706/706(max)... heh... So I looked up high NO emissions... 1. Lean Fuel Mixture 2. Defective EGR System 3. Defective Catalyticby sdp - Technical Forum
Here is a discussion about M20 heads. M20 Heads A shop advertised on Craigslist a like new head for $200 except it was the 1264200 casting. Their mechanic said it would work on my 325is but the redline was lower and power was lower. I think I'll stick to the 885 casting and get one in Aneheim for $230.by sdp - Technical Forum
Hi all, So I have a couple of heads I've found locally. Some have said to look up the part number of the head (i.e. RealOEM), but the problem there is that the part number is not stamped on the head.. Most people selling the head go by the casting number on the side. I also see that there is another number (in my case) "91" with 2 dots.. I assume that means Feb 1991. If I seby sdp - Technical Forum
Thanks, Very good point.. I didn't think about the cams/valves being different. I just spotted a head for $325 on eBay in my area... I also saw another head (same casting) which said: BMW 2.5 325, 2.5 525 Rebuilt head 87-90 #1705885 So maybe 325/525's are interchangable?by sdp - Technical Forum
I looked up the "casting number" and found this in Wikipedia... M20B25 Applications: 1986–1994 E30 3 Series 1989–1990 E34 5 Series 1988–1991 E30 Z1 So these vehicles all use the same head it seems.. then I see: The 2.7 L M20B27 Applications: 1982–1987 E30 325/325e/325es 1982–1987 E28 525e (or 528e in the US) "In cars produced from September 1987, the eta engiby sdp - Technical Forum
We removed the head yesterday and at first I was hopeful. The internal surfaces of #4 was oily and #5 was rusty. I thought it might just be the gasket. But my sons friend who works at a auto shop was able to spot the crack. That being said... need a replacement head or another car. Given that my son already wrecked one car and ruined this head... I'm not about to get him a car... He can gby sdp - Technical Forum