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Here we go...

3K views 39 replies 5 participants last post by  N-Gen 
#1 ·
Hi guys, this is my first post here and hopefully the first of many!

I just got my hands on an E30 for 1300EUR (roughly $1,666.41), that I can't even describe as it has undergone so many changes that I have no idea what it actually started out as...not to mention the problems it came with. Never the less, I don't tinker much with my daily driver (a little Maruti 800), so I needed to get something nice to play with.

Starting off with the changes it seems to have had. It's a RHD 1984 E30, that I am sure of because it shows on the registration papers. Assuming it is a UK spec since it has a MPH speedo and RHD, we drive RHD cars here. It has post-facelift rear and front lights as well as a BMW 1.6 injected engine (as opposed to the MANY E30s in Malta driven by 2.0 Toyota diesels), which if I'm correct has only been issued post facelift when the 316i was released. The badge on it says 316i, but I wouldn't really go with the badge anyway.

The rest of it, it's in a colour which I have forgot the exact name of, but I have been given a tin of extra paint with it so I could get the name later, it's a shade of maroon. The exterior is mostly fine, just a few minor scuffs....3 (after market?) arch fenders in chrome. Original wheels with no BMW badges and a horrid black paint job. There's some rust in the arches and the underside of the rear, but that was to be expected. Sadly they fit what I can only describe as a 4" fart cannon.

Interior seems decent apart from some rust on the seat rails, dash ha no cracks, electric windows work, electric mirrors...well, one of them works with lots of noise and the other gets the switch click but no motor movement. Central lock is fine, PAS is fine as well. Ventilation does not work at all. Sunroof crank handle has electrical tape on it and misses the knob. Brakes need changing, the brake pedal has dipped down and the brake lights work inversely. Reverse lights don't work at all.

Basically a long read without photos because I have not taken any yet!

The question is....where do I start? My intention is to keep it as factory standard as possible for now, with possibly the future engine swap to a (sacrilegious) SR20DET. And can anyone shed a light on what it is I'm actually driving, considering all the changes?
 
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#5 ·
Yes, sorry about that. Imageshack was being silly, luckily photobucket is being a good boy. Seems like there's more work related to the engine that I thought there would be.

I've seen the coolant level was low this morning before my starter motor died, so I put in around 2.5 litres of distilled water. However the temperature gauge crept slightly above the middle marker, say about 60%. I'm attributing this to the really hot day we've been having though.
 
#6 ·
looks better than your original post suggested. looks reasonably tidy. but filthy engine bay, needs a good clean!

it is UK/Australia/New Zealand specced car, so will have been imported from one of those three countries. other RHD markets have different specs.

i suggest starting with doing the timing belt if it hasnt recentely been done (80,000kms or 4 years whichever happens first). also replacing most or all of the cooling system. then maybe ignition system if you still have change left over, but that itsnt detremental to an engine if it fails.

makes me miss my 316i :(
 
#7 ·
We abide by UK road legislation here, being an ex-colony, so it was probably sold by a dealer locally since importing wasn't so common here back then. Need to get the wiring sorted slowly to see what was messed with it, which seems to be quite a lot.

Is that underside of the dash attached below the steering column something factory fitted or should I get rid of it completely?
 
#8 ·
yes, NZ and Australia are both ex colonys as well

that dash panel is factory fitted, but almost all of them are broken these days. even parts cars at a wreckers are likely to have broken ones. i usually remove it because i get my feet caught under it and put it back when i sell it
 
#9 ·
I'll remove it then, it gives me that same problem although it fits quite well. My daily has a really bare stock dash and I like the good leg room I get rather than being really restricted. It seems to have a dial which I'm assuming to be the headlight trim adjuster? Doesn't seem to work anyway.
 
#10 ·
yes thats exactly what it is, and i have never seen a working system on an E30 these days, only in promotional videos. and only seen one E34 system still working.
its water filled of all things, so if you decide to cut the white lines coming out the back of it be sure to have a drip tray or small container handy.
 
#12 ·
well put it this way. its designed for when you are towing and/or have a full car and boot for touring. are you likely to be doing this?

In my first E30, a 320i i did an M52B28 swap to, i just cut it out and deleted the system, and put a non-headlight adjust panel in. Same as the 316i i had only a few months ago sold it a few weeks back. its a stupid system that doesnt work, and really is pretty useless
 
#18 ·
My VIN returns the details I'll post below. It seems there have been some changes including the engine and transmission. What I can't figure out is why the VIN search returns the colour as silver yet the suspension turrets have stickers saying Calypsorot.

 
#21 · (Edited)
im sure of it. the convesion is just TOO good for it to have been converted to a facelift.

AC62070 comes up with an almost correct car thouhg, its conceivable this is a 318i that just has a 316i boot lid, and has also been manual converted at some stage. but then it says its a coupe and this car definately isnt a coupe :dunno:
 
#23 ·
bottom corner (maybe left) of front windshield (dont know on RHD), firewall, rear fenders, ecu, and i forgot the rest. theres about 10 locations on some cars after the whole chop shop era.
 
#25 ·
Well, took some stuff apart today, found the ECU was misplaced as I believe it should be in the glove compartment (I believe). It had a number on it, which I think could be the actual VIN. A non-operational alarm was found in the location the ECU should have been in. Removed the bottom driver side dash panel and the headlight trim adjuster since it's non-operational at all. Attached to the bulb electric cables for said feature, I did find a sticker which said 28-05-1990, so I think we probably all know what that means.





 
#26 ·
it in the glovebox on LHD cars. My pet peev with using forums. most of them are american based and therefore LHD, i HATE words like drivers side passengers side etc when used inappropriately. thats why youll never see me use the words unless directly related etc.

that will be the actual VIN of the car on the side of the ECU.
click here if you want proof
http://www.realoem.com/bmw/select.do?vin=AB84146
 
#27 ·
I'll use right and left side from now on :p I figured the ECU would have been the safest bet. So that means the ECU location is fine? Is it safe to disconnect it and move it to the glove box top compartment or is that just asking for trouble?

I've also figured my problem might not be the starter motor. I realised after I had started and driven it successfully last Saturday, instead of the dash check lights all (or most) lighting up when the key is turned, only the battery check light is. There are no sounds of anything starting or any motor clicks. It's just dead silent. Electrics are all operational apart from the ventilation (which was not working anyway) and the electric mirrors, which had previously been working. Fuses seem to be all good and I have no idea where to go from here.
 
#30 ·
dont take it the wrong way, but i dont think you will be doing that. there are roughly 40 wires you will have to extend to make it work.

if you insist, the easiest way would be to get an E36 316i loom and use that. the fuse box is on the E36 is on the left hand side in the engine bay.

but i dont understand why you would want to. i think your time is better spent in other places on this car
 
#31 ·
Not taking anything the wrong way, no problem. After all, I wouldn't be here if I didn't want advice :)

I'll leave the ECU where it is, that's probably the best choice as you said. Don't want to waste precious time doing something silly just for a minor aesthetic gain.
 
#32 ·
Put a fully charged battery in, nothing happened, battery light was still on when the key was turned. Primed the starter and the starter turned with no problem. It seems like somewhere there might be something disconnected as there is simply no current going into the starter motor.

I did find disconnected cables in the car and under the hood but I have no idea if those should actually be related, and if they aren't related, of course I'd still like to know what they are.

The first photo shows the disconnected cables under the dash, the second one shows a disconnected plug with cables going into the engine and the air filter.



 
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