Just Purchased for E30 Build: '87 325i 4dr

#1

Hey guys, I’m new here and looking to build an E30 racer.

After tracking my STi for the first time back in October at Watkins Glen for two days with NASA, I knew I had to get into club racing. And I knew I needed a dedicated car. I picked up this E30 last week for $700. I plan to make it a reliable daily driver, then turn it into a track car for HPDEs, then finally put a cage in and get my Comp License. The goal for all this is two years.

It runs great, is a 5 speed and the body has no rust. I am trying to fix three problems though:
*Rough Idle It idles at 700RPM, but it sounds like it is misfiring. Hot or Cold. I replaced the O2 sensor and plugs. Cap and rotor ar next.
*Vibration under acceleration. vibrates under throttle, 70-80mph is the worst it sounds like I’m in a small aircraft, and it disappears as soon as I let off. Is it the Differential, or CSB?
*Gauges- Intermittent. The tach and speedo both work, but never together. I haven’t taken this apart yet. Aparently it could be the batteries in the SI board

#2

Congrats on the purchase.

For the “Vibration under acceleration” problem, Just get a rebuilt drive shaft. If the CSB is worn there is a good chance the bearings are worn in the joints.

I had the same problem, I replaced just the CSB and the Flex disk(guibo) and it helped, but there was still a minor vibration. a few months later the vibration was back in full force, Put in a rebuilt drive shaft from this online place out of texas and all vibrations are gone. Do it once and be done with it.

#3

Thanks for the help. My mechanic suggested the same thing. he also said the lumpy idle could be caused by the fuel pressure regulator.

The car passed State Inspection today. :cheer:

#4

Vibration under acceleration could be a failed CSB, and the cause of that is almost always binding u-joints in the drive shaft. Meaning that both need to be replaced.

#5

Congrats! My 2 cents:
Get Bently Manual!
Check/test ICV (clean), MAF, temp sensor on block that feeds ECU, TPS, vacume leaks,
3.0 BAR Bosch fuel pressure regulator, gap on timing sensor thingy
clean all sensor plug contacts, try not to break brittle plastics.
Check/get for -173 not -153 ECU maybe.
Clean check replace main relays 3 (one more under dash on 86 87’s)
check fuel filter, lines, pump, screen, ,flush, pump wires.
balance drive shaft, wheels tires. check CV boots and play
check wheel balance too?
(just spray some WD40 on the hood and roof for now lol)
then go to paintscratch.com

#6

You sir, have selected the perfect car. Why? Because it’s identical to mine! :lol: Lachtsilber with peeling clearcoat and 4 doors. You’ll love it.

Check the rubber guibo at the front of the driveshaft. Also check the engine mounts (really, just replace them with poly and get it over with).

You’ll find this car fun and easy to work on. Don’t throw anything away you pull out of it until you’ve offered it for sale on the various message boards. E30 guys will buy almost anything.

My hope was 2 years also. I think I’m approaching year 4. :blink: It will take longer and cost more than you hoped.

Come out to a race and poke around. Introduce yourself. Ask questions. Helpful bunch, this lot.

#7

Subscribed, as I have just bought a peeled-clearcoat black '87 4 door with the exact same intentions and time goal. I used to share an '89 convertible with my brother, and we’ve wanted to get back into e30’s since we sold it.

Only issue I’ve got is a check engine light for the O2 sensor. I tested the sensor with the Bentley routine, and it seems to be sending okay signals. Sensor heating circuit seems to be the problem, so I’ve got to look further into that before my emissions test next month :unsure:.

After that, I’m planning to do the entire suspension at once, since the one on there is quite beat.

Overall, I’m excited about spending an unhealthy amount of time and money on this ugly e30.

#8

Thanks guys- it’s good to see others are following the same path. Hopefully we can help eachother out.

Powersteering and A/C are out. I fixed the gauges by reflowing some of the solder joints on the speedo board. The SI batteries were good. I have a driveshaft, flex disk, and csb on order from a member at r3vlimited.com. I took David’s advice and posted some stuff for sale up there too. I cleaned the ICV, checked for leaks and replaced the O2 sensor but the idle is still rough- the mechanic thinks it is the fuel pressure regulator. I’m trying to find a used one. I also have a fuel filter that needs installed.

More Pics:

and one of the STi:

#9

Perhaps you can finally reval to me why Subaru guys are so obsessed with horns that they feel the need to upgrade them and make sure they are visible through their grill.

#10

I don’t know the origins of the Hellas, but I think they are a cheap mod that looks cool. Plus they are useful- deer run, people get out of the way and tractor trailers move over.

#11

Looks like 3 of us in the same boat - 87 4 door/lachtsilber. Ordering the suspension springs/struts for June install. I also installed the UUC race shifter and double-shear rod and alum. knob. when i swapped the original 5spd with bad 2nd gear synchro for an 89 tranny that was in better shape. very nice and slick shifting now. And yes amazingly i did the trans swap in that little rental garage with a slanted asphalt floor!

Will start HPDE’s next spring but with a baby on the way…the mrs. approves of the whole idea so that’s helpful!!

Good luck

Dan

#12

And here’s the picture…The busted fender has been replaced…

#13

okay my last try posting the pic…

#14

I’m building my first car as well 88 Coupe.
My fuel tank and pumps are trashed. Going to install Fuel Cell instead and replace fuel lines.
It will be an experience :frowning:

#15

E 30 Projek wrote:

[quote]I’m building my first car as well 88 Coupe.
My fuel tank and pumps are trashed. Going to install Fuel Cell instead and replace fuel lines.
It will be an experience :([/quote]

You may want to seek IndyJim’s advice on a fuel cell (or search the forum here for mentions of “fuel cell”). Also, replacement of the stock tank is a cheap project that the Grassroots Motorsports guys did on their E30 last year.

The disadvantage of a fuel cell in our cars is that the trunk is designed as a crumple zone and “crumple zone” and “good place for flammables” don’t really go together. Arguably, the weight distribution is better with the fuel load in the center and down low - where the stock tank is.

Steve D.

#16

As Steve mentions I wouldn’t just automatically go for the fuel cell. In my particular case it didn’t seem like my car would ever run right despite effectively rebuilding the entire fuel system so it was kind of a last ditch attempt.

If you simply need to change the tank, hoses, and pump do it when you replace the Rear Trailing Arm bushings and the Subframe bushings. It is a lot of work but all stuff that ‘needs’ to be done.

The Fuel Cell pretty much requires someone that can do a lot of fabrication vs. just home mechanic type skills. Plus more organizations (not NASA yet) are requiring certification of cells and limiting the number of years they are valid for making a fuel cell a much more expensive proposition in the long term than just staying with the stock setup.

#17

IndyJim wrote:

And by this, Jim means that he couldn’t do a 3 hour enduro on one tank, bypassing all his competitors while they languished in the pits. :laugh: The cell cured that “problem.”

Just kidding, Jimbo. Fuel delivery gremlins do seem to be one of the most common problems with old E30s turned racecars.

Steve D.

#18

We call that added value.

#19

Had to post theese from 2 weeks ago.
Beating up on some Subarus with the E30, 1/8th mile
We won some and lost some passes to these 2 subarus with the E30.
This was my first win vs. WRX turbo I think?

I can tell by the stance. This was just a few hours after we installed the new Spec E30 legal H&R Race springs. I Love them!!!

Two old farts racing team…
Pops first run ever in my car vs. another Subaru:
http://s209.photobucket.com/albums/bb258/Delphin25/?action=view&current=PopsRacerMovieShort.flv

#20

^^ Pretty good vids. Great driving to take down a WRX like that.

I was able to replace the driveshaft this weekend. This fixed the vibration I was seeing under acceleration. The driveshaft that came out of the car had some pretty messed up U-joints. The install took me about 4 hours- mostly due to stubborn bolts and not having second set of hands.

Oh and the color is Cirrusblau Metallic