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New to me today:
1990 325i 5 speed. 213,xxx miles. Been sitting for 3 years.
Thinking I need to do the timing belt before I even try to crank it.
Found belt & water kit on Ebay for $100. Good start?
Daily driver for now - Spec E30 when it shows up in Texas…
All newbie advice appreciated
Jim [file name=bmw_1.jpg size=334039]http://spece30.com/media/kunena/attachments/legacy/files/bmw_1.jpg[/file]
You can do a visual inspection of the timing belt by removing the cap and rotor and the top timing belt cover. Not a big deal to do and will need to be removed anyway if you do need to change it. Look for cracks and dry rot. If it looks ok, change the engine oil and turn the engine by hand using the large bolt in front of the crank. Two full turns ought to do it. After that go ahead and fire her up. Good luck on your build.
Thanks for the advice - I’ll be sure to take a look at the belt.
Any comments on the best place to buy a belt, tensioner? , and water pump - assuming the belt is fried - as I assume it will be…
I did get it to fire today on Ether - but there’s no fuel pressure at the rail - looks like the pump is kaput - so I’ll need one of those too…
The fun is just beginning I know…
Thanks again
Jim
Check out sponsors on the site for good deals on belt/tensioner/water pump. You might also consider changing the camshaft seal while you have all of the front engine stuff off - they tend to leak.
Ed
A quick search couldn’t find anything, but I’m sure this has been discussed before… is it feasible to “slowly” convert a street car to Spec E30 ? I would like to keep my car as a driver as long as possible, so the plan would be:
Spec E30 Springs, shocks, sway bars
Spec E30 15" wheels and full tread depth Toyos
Spec E30 Exhaust (with a cheapie Cat to pass emissions). Ground clearance issues? Thinking that I order an extra center pipe, put the cat in it, then have an extra center straight pipe for the track. No visual emissions, but it has to pass idle & 2500 rpm no load.
Z3 Short shifter - mine is shot.
poly engine & trans mounts
Eventually some racing seats - do I need to wait until the cage is in so I know how to mount them?
And finally a cage… at which point it becomes a track-only car - although it would be nice to keep two front seats in it so I can scare the wife on track days - and drive it to work once in a while. At some point I guess the sunroof has to go too…
Another big issue is AC - I’d like to keep it as long as possible. Here in Texas, the car is useless for 6 months a year without it. Do most of you guys keep the power steering or not?
Any other suggestions?
Thanks,
Jim
You can do alot in stages, its just with things like the suspension it all has to come out to do bushing, camber plates, and things like that, so unless you want take it apart twice, do all that stuff at once.
You’re list looks good, but I’d move the shifter and solid mounts up to the top. Go ahead with the seats and build the cage around them (and you).
Removing AC and power steering is a one day deal, so leave it in until you’re ready to race. It isn’t going to be that big of a deal to remove when you’re ready, and you’ll want both as long as its a dd.
Jim,
Sure it is possible to use the car as a street car as you build it up. That is exacly what I did. It took about a year from the time I committed to build the car. My car still has two seats, is still registered and insured, and I do drive it to some DE events.
Advice? Do the suspension first. The kit is reasonably compliant on the street and completely changes the car on the track. You can run whatever wheels and tires you want. I bought one set of wheels and some used RA-1s when I was just doing HDPE. A set of full depth R-888 14s on the bottle caps would be a decent step for all around use if a second set of wheels is not in the budget
Do the seat(s) and belts second. This was one of the more dramatic improvments I felt. with the proper suspension and sticky tires it takes a alot of effort to keep your ass planted even in sport seats. The racing seat helps to make you feel more in tune to the car. Keep in mind though, if you do two race seats at once you virtually eliminate access to the rear seat with a 2 door car.
Do the sunroof at the same time as the cage. The GRM report has some goo tips about this part of the build.
Most of all, have fun.
Don
Probably another stupid newbie, question - but what else in the suspension besides springs, shocks, and bars should I expect to replace?
I see entirely new suspension arms on Ebay - both front and rear I think, but do you guys run some type of special urethane bushings in all the arms? Can’t I just replace the bushings in the arms I’ve got - or do you just replace the whole thing?
And I forgot the camber plates and a front strut bar are part of the deal too - but after re-reading the GRM article it looks like you can’t really get much adjustment because of the small hole in the strut tower?
The GRM article did make me smarter about the seats and mounting - but Boy I really hope I can find some decent seats for less than $1000 per…
THANKS for all the tips.
PS - This isn’t “my first rodeo” as they like to say down here - but all my previous experience is in Formula Vee and Formula Ford - so all this door-slammer stuff is NEW TO ME !!!
Call up BimmerWorld for suspension arms and bushings, they will steer you right. Search the threads for camber plates, there’s lots of different kinds and you’ll find commentary on each.
Seats: Find a way to go sit in a lot of seats. Find a couple models that you like and then look for a deal on them used. Once FIA certification expires you just have put on a seat back brace. First decision tho is halo or not. Halo is pricey, and you won’t find too many of them used. But if I had to do it over again I’d probably have gotten a halo seat.
As you can see, the consensus is that this is a feasible approach. Suspension and bushings should be the first upgrade and as Ranger says, talk to Bimmerworld. I’d say that the first round would be;
Control arms & maybe tie rods
Springs, shocks, & sways
Camber plates
Control arm, trailing arm & subframe bushings
Motor, transmission, & differential mounts
Shifter bushings
Bimmerworld can supply all of that and it will be of good quality. A short shift kit would be nice, but fresh bushings in the stock shifter will help lots.
Since you have to pass emissions and will be driving this on the street, retain a stock exhaust and cats for now.
I assume the car has wheels, so I’d say to move seats and harnesses up above wheels. If this is a coupe you can give up the back seat and install a harness bar until time for a cage. A halo seat is preferable for a race car, but would be rather a bother when driving on the street. As previously mentioned, expired seats would be a start.
By Halo I assume you mean that big head support on the GRM seat? Does look like it would block your street vision “just a bit”. I have to buy a Hans device for the Formula car - will using one in the SE30 eliminate the requirement for a Halo seat?
Maybe you can only use Halo seats on the street if you already have a roll cage? 
That and the rattle-can paint job should scare them away when I put the blinkers on…
The other thing that I just noticed after reading the GRM series is that they never changed the TIMING BELT ??? I mean they had a really nice roll cage but their engine effort seemed a bit lacking…
Also - did some searching, but all the roll cages are custom? No one sells a weld-in kit? I have a TIG and a 110v wire feed… That GRM cage is sweet…
Jim
Agreed, it would be a bad idea on the street (but a good idea on the track). I’m not 100% sure it’s legal on the street, either.
Aren’t there issues with the legality of harnesses as well?
Keep the questions coming Jim. I am starting my build so this is good. Removing my 318 engine this weekend. Calling Bimmerworld today.
Dexter
No problem - my builds & troubleshooting are usually good for general forum entertainment - just ask the RX7club forum guys… :laugh:
The GRM build series is more than I could have hoped for really - I just need some help in the transition stages since I’m not going full bore race car right away.
I know the wheels and exhaust can wait but I need some bling and my stock exhaust is about to fall off - and I’m an engine geek so that type of mod is fun.
I don’t think my state inspection guys are smart enough to figure out the belts aren’t DOT legal… hopefully. As long as the horn, wipers, and lights work - and I can pass emissions, I should be good.
I plan to do some NASA HPDE events in the fall when it cools off some. Hopefully some other Texas SE30 guys will spring up soon. Otherwise I think it will just be me in a sea of Spec Miatas…
Jim
[quote]By Halo I assume you mean that big head support on the GRM seat? Does look like it would block your street vision “just a bit”. I have to buy a Hans device for the Formula car - will using one in the SE30 eliminate the requirement for a Halo seat?
Maybe you can only use Halo seats on the street if you already have a roll cage? That and the rattle-can paint job should scare them away when I put the blinkers on…
The other thing that I just noticed after reading the GRM series is that they never changed the TIMING BELT ??? I mean they had a really nice roll cage but their engine effort seemed a bit lacking…
Also - did some searching, but all the roll cages are custom? No one sells a weld-in kit? I have a TIG and a 110v wire feed… That GRM cage is sweet…[/quote]
The problem with a Halo seat on a DD is that your visibility to the rear is severely impeded. You can’t turn in the seat and see behind the car. It is great on the track and allows one to not have to install a center net, but not so great on a DD.
To race a HANS type device is required and has nothing to do with a halo on no-halo seat. Without a halo seat the rules require that the car have a center net.
The roll cage in the GRM Spec E30 was built by Kirk Racing. I have the same cage in my car and you can get it as a kit as I did. But be aware that a weld in kit cage will require access to a tubing notcher rig as the parts are furnished slightly over size and will require trimming to fit.
Of the various things that would be good DIY projects, a cage doesn’t come to mind. I’d think about saving up a bit and dropping some serious coin on a really nice professionally done cage.
I think that Ebay link is for the 325E - but I ain’t no expert…
Based on a recommendation I got from E30 Tech, I bought the following from RM European:
Name Qty
Timing Belt Kit Contains: (1) Timing Belt (1) Adjusting Pully (1) Mileage Sticker 1
Belt A/C Compressor 13 X 810 1
Belt Alternator 10 X 965 1
Belt Power Steering 10 X 825 1
Water Pump (Single Outlet) NOTE: Also use- (1) 11 51 1 722 677 gasket 1
Radiator Hose Lower 1
Radiator Hose Upper 1
Water Hose Thermostat Housing to Water Pipe 1
Seal for Camshaft and Intermediate Shaft 38 X 50 X 7 (2 Per Car) 1
Cam Flange O-Ring (RED) 1
Rocker Shaft Plug In Head (4 Per Car) 4
Valve Cover Gasket NOTE: Also use- (4) 11 33 1 264 519 rocker shaft plug 1
Water Pump Gasket 1
Thermostat 80 deg. C 1
SubTotal: $145.31
Discounts: $0.00
Tax: $0.00
Shipping: $0.00
Handling: $0.00
Grand Total: $145.31
Cage - I second what Jlevie mentioned that Kirk will sell you a kit that you can weld in.
Exhaust - Contact Paul Poore at Poore sports. He can probably build you a cat back version of the spec exhaust. If not, the kit is cheap enough (relative to stock parts) that you can buy one and have you local exhaust shop modify it to “cat back” configuration. After that, acquire a second set of down pipes from the junk yard and have the same exhaust shop fabricate a “catless” set of downpipes. That way you can bolt the cat on for the street, off for the track.
Seat - I started with FIA expired non halo seat and it was fine on the street. I have moved that seat to the passenger side and now have a halo seat. It sucks on the street.
Don
![http://spece30.com/media/kunena/attachments/legacy/files/bmw_1.jpg[/file]](http://spece30.com/media/kunena/attachments/legacy/files/bmw_1.jpg%5B/file%5D){kind=link}