Author Topic: Just got a 1991 E30 318is (sorry if you have to read through it again :-) (Read 5596 times)

Artem · « **on:** September 28, 2006, 10:44:25 AM »

you probably saw me on BFC, here is my post http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=606463

Bought it a few days ago for about $600 it needed a hood latch fix among other things. I need a new set of wheels or tires for it. I have fixed the hood - as soon as i could. Now I am trying to find ways to improve it. I would like to update the suspension within the next few weeks. I have done this in an E34 and an E28, so I have plenty of experience doing it, I just need to know what to buy. I would be on a budget. , so I would need to think of n optimum (cheapest + best) way to lower the car and upgrade its suspension. As far as I know it may still have the original parts in it. I know the PO bought it for a bit over $5k in 2003 in a dealership in cali and since then all she did was oil changes, brake pads and a starter replacement. This has been a project car for now. I may turn it into something else later - daily driver, etc? I have a non-vanos M50 sittin in my old car in my backyard, I may consider throwing that in there. Any ideas?

I have a hesitation of the engine problem as well, I am going to swap the fuel filter and see if that solves it.

-Artem

dude8383 · « **Reply #1 on:** September 28, 2006, 10:57:49 AM »

Welcome to the forum man!

automatic · « **Reply #2 on:** September 28, 2006, 11:30:33 AM »

I bought my 318i a few weeks ago and I'm looking to do the same thing. From my research on this and other forums, Bilstein shocks and H&R Springs are the runaway favorite. The problem is they cost $600 new for the set and finding them used is not an easy task (i've been trying to find a used set since i bought the car). Bilstein sports with H&R sports will lower the car, Bilstein HD and H&R OE (correct me if I am wrong) do not.

You might want to think about sway bar upgrades but opinions are mixed as to the benefit you will see. I would like to find a M3 rear and a convertable front both of which are a little stiffer then stock and likely to be much cheaper then the aftermarket sets which are $350-$400.

Other then that you might want to replace the control arms and control arm bushings sometime soon but a lot of people seem to get 150-200k miles out of the stock ones.

Lastly you would be well advised to replace all rubber bushings with poly ones.

check out these guides:
http://zoso.no-ip.org/cars-318i.html
http://www.r3vlimited.com/Tech/318is.htm

shutter · « **Reply #3 on:** September 28, 2006, 11:53:42 AM »

Interesting, so the H&R OEs are more of a stock replacement? I want to redo my suspension soon, but I don't necessarily want to drop it. Mostly due to the oversized tires the PO just put on (see my intro newb post). I was going to go with HDs and leave the old springs, but if I could get a good replacement w/o a drop, I'd maybe do it. Need to save the $$$ for it though, and have other priorities first =/

automatic · « **Reply #4 on:** September 28, 2006, 12:48:12 PM »

Quote from: shutter

Interesting, so the H&R OEs are more of a stock replacement? I want to redo my suspension soon, but I don't necessarily want to drop it. Mostly due to the oversized tires the PO just put on (see my intro newb post). I was going to go with HDs and leave the old springs, but if I could get a good replacement w/o a drop, I'd maybe do it. Need to save the $$$ for it though, and have other priorities first =/

Disclaimer: Take this with a grain of salt because I have only been a BMW owner for about 3 weeks.

I am also thinking about doing Bilstein HD's because living in New England roads are pretty nasty for 4-5 months out of the year plus i've got a lowered WRX if I want to hear the sound of plastic and metal grinding down.

My plan is to just get HD's and use stock springs as I can't imagine the performance benefit of the H&R OE's will be worth the cost. I believe there is a thread somewhere on this board (or maybe r3vlimited?) that gives spring rates for most of the popular e30 options that would tell us more then my speculation.

The only downside to not lowering the car is you are still going to have to contend with body roll which could be dealt with by adding stiffer sway bars. But at $330 for the ST set I would probably learn to live with the roll.

Artem · « **Reply #5 on:** September 28, 2006, 12:58:33 PM »

Thank you guys for the info

I think I will go with lowering the car and stiffer sway bars eventually.

I just found a ton of oil in the spark plug wells. I believe the valvecover is where the main oil leak is. I will need to replace that as well as a few other things I suppose. I wanted to have to tune up the engine in about 2 weeks though.

I may resort to driving my old E34 for a while until the whole thing is over with.

So far I will get the following: Valvecover/top end gasket set for an M42 engine (should I just get a head gasket set, even if I dont need to replace the hed gasket? --> Its only about $100 for an M42)
M44 tensioner (is there anywhere cheaper than the dealer?)
New tires
New oil/Filter
New spark plugs (I already got a set of bosch platinums (regular))
New plug wires - does anyone know where to find them for cheap?
New fuel filter
Do you guys think I need a new fuel pump?

-Artem

shutter · « **Reply #6 on:** September 28, 2006, 01:03:17 PM »

I hear you. I'm in Chicago, and the roads can just be brutal in the Spring. That being said, I don't drive much since I commute to work on public transportation (15min train commute ftw!) or ride my 10 speed. I mostly drive to my buddies that live on the edge of the city, to get cat litter/food for my fiancee, and most importantly, to get the hell out of the city....far! I avg about 4k-6k miles a year on my cars =]

Anyways, the other consideration is that when doing this type of thing, it's time to do the control arms, cabs, mounts, etc... It adds up fast! Just doing HDs with the replacement parts will cost you close to $700, and that's without the M3 CABs. All this does make the stock springs oh so appealing to me. My car is feeling a little floaty, especially 80 MPH+, I don't notice it slower so much. Think new shocks are definitely in my short term future :rolleyes:

automatic · « **Reply #7 on:** September 28, 2006, 01:44:20 PM »

Quote from: Artem

New plug wires - does anyone know where to find them for cheap?

GRM reported substantial gains (6hp iirc) with Magnacor plug wires and that is dyno testing before and after.

cheapest I've found them so far is $85 at http://www.ultrarev.com

dude8383 · « **Reply #8 on:** September 28, 2006, 02:26:40 PM »

I'm running h&r o.e. sports and bilstein hd's. Fifedog is also running this setup, however I was kinda the guinea pig. Nobody else had tried this setup before me.

They drop the car about an inch...perfect for an urban environment!

oh the the springs have the same rates as the h&r sports springs, just less drop! About half an inch less..

Artem · « **Reply #9 on:** September 28, 2006, 02:31:55 PM »

Nice

I just need to either wait till i get a bunch of money off the E34s

or wait till my parents can give me some money to work on this

How much does a setup like yours cost? O.E Sports with HD Billies?

-Artem

dude8383 · « **Reply #10 on:** September 28, 2006, 04:54:53 PM »

i found my O.E. Sports on ebay for $165 shipped. The shocks I bought from Patrick @ BMA for a price I don't remember. They should cost you around $400 minus shipping.

FL318is · « **Reply #11 on:** September 28, 2006, 06:34:31 PM »

Quote from: dude8383

i found my O.E. Sports on ebay for $165 shipped. The shocks I bought from Patrick @ BMA for a price I don't remember. They should cost you around $400 minus shipping.

Group buy?

shutter · « **Reply #12 on:** September 28, 2006, 07:08:08 PM »

hmmm.... now I'm bummed that the car came with new 205/60/15s instead of 205/55/15 =( H&R springs sound fun.

Jtuner · « **Reply #13 on:** September 29, 2006, 12:14:27 AM »

^^ at least your came with 15's

good luck with the new ride bro,, we'll be here to help you along your way if you need it!!

Artem · « **Reply #14 on:** September 29, 2006, 01:03:05 AM »

Thanks guys. I think i will drive my old car for a while though - a couple weeks, till the school is over.

After that though - I will redo the engine, do the gaskets, belts, etc. I will order from either BMA parts of the dealer (the parts that i will not find at BMA) Is there a way to be 100% sure about that gasket that leaked antifreeze on stock cars?

Also - my lock cylinder in the glovebox just wont turn period.- Refuses to turn no matter what, what can I possibly do?

-Artem