M42club.com - Home of the BMW E30/E36 318i/iS
FAQ / REFERENCE => Member Profiles => Topic started by: chance on March 04, 2012, 10:32:34 AM
-
Just bought this car a few weeks ago. Its a 1991 318i. The body is dinged up here and there, but the interior is pretty nice (minus the terrible dash) for its age. Working full time and going to school for mechanical engineering means very slow progress on the car.
I have been racking my brain on what to do with the car. I bought it knowing it needed work, as the previous owner thought the head gasket was bad. I pulled the head and cylinder 2 is cracked from the valve seat to the water jacket :(
So I have been bouncing back and forth on what to do with the car, should I m50/52 swap it, should I keep it stock, or should I turbo the m42?
Well my trip to PullAPart yesterday finalized that decision. Ended up grabbing a GT25 turbo off a saab. So now marks the beginning of a budget (for now) turbo build.
Plans include running this turbo intercooled at a modest 8 psi, chip the motronic thats in the car, and hopefully have close to 180rwhp. Someone has already installed a 4.10LSD in it, so it should be very fun at 180 wheel. I also need to get the handling sorted out. My front shocks are beyond blown, the CABs are falling apart, and I need to sort out the very wobbly/loose steering and the shaking I get when I hit a bump in the road.
And down the road I hope to prettier her up by swapping out the steelies she sits on currently.
and of course pics. These are from the CL ad, I have taken some myself but they do not show up well when the car is in the garage.
(http://i42.tinypic.com/2cfw8i0.jpg)
(http://i44.tinypic.com/15n6hhf.jpg)
(http://i44.tinypic.com/2im1ca8.jpg)
(http://i41.tinypic.com/t8qe0i.jpg)
-
Welcome to the 'club...looks a lot like mine did when I bought it.
I'll look forward to your progress, both auto and career...
-
Cool car and plans!!!! Welcome!!!!!
-
I'll add my welcome. Kudos for going to school, but man, working full time as well is killer. I imagine your bike is your DD?
-
Welcome to the 'club...looks a lot like mine did when I bought it.
I'll look forward to your progress, both auto and career...
Thanks! It definitely needs a lot of TLC. And I hope to get a good engineering job. Im about a junior and a half or so lol.
Cool car and plans!!!! Welcome!!!!!
Thanks, I never have had a turbo car before. will be interesting in the least.
I'll add my welcome. Kudos for going to school, but man, working full time as well is killer. I imagine your bike is your DD?
Bike is another toy :D Ive got a gas chugging tundra as a DD:( Im hoping I can get the e30 pretty reliable and get decent MPG out of it.
-
oh, and look what I found.
(http://i43.tinypic.com/1ftyqt.jpg)
-
^^^^^^^Nice find!!!^^^^^^^^
Thanks, I never have had a turbo car before. will be interesting in the least.
Yessir!!! I wish you the best man!!! As I'm still learning, there are a lot of factors that make it all come together to be dependable and fun.
-
making head(way)er
(http://i55.tinypic.com/zjaqs4.jpg)
-
well, I got the JOM coilover/adjustable spring kit from keflaman on here,then I got bilstein sports, m3 offset CABs, intercooler piping, intercooler, oil catch can, boost controller, and a flange for my turbo in the mail on their way to me. Its going to be raining parts here through tuesday!
-
Looking forward to watching your progress!
-
So the JOM coilovers are completely incompatible with Bilstien Sports on the front of the car. The piston of the shock is muuuuch larger than the factory shocks. Now I need to rethink the suspension. I may have a lead on some H&R springs on a friends car. I dont know when he is going to swap them out for something else though. Who else makes good springs for these cars?