My e30 won't start I need a little help.

I dropped my friend off at his house and then when I was getting ready to leave she wouldn't start. We smelt gas so we figured it was just flooded because it hasn't been idling so when I stop I have to keep pressing the gas peddle. But after that it still wouldn't start. We changed the fuel filter because we thought it was clogged and we saw gas coming out of the hose running to the filter. That still didn't work. We found a hole in the boot going to the idle control valve and the last time we started it the valve started smoking. Will that make it so the car won't start?

no. thatll make it idle erratic. i would go more towards the ignition, or for some reason not getting spark

Fouled plugs

Before it wouldn't start it wouldn't idle. but I just changed the spark plugs and I'm going to do the wires and cap and rotor tomorrow.

coil?

The timing belt broke and broke the rocker arm on cylinder 1. Pain in my ass.

The timing belt broke and broke the rocker arm on cylinder 1. Pain in my ass.

If it banged the valves hard enough to break a rocker arm, you can be certain you've got bent valves, too. The head's gotta come off. Even more of a PITA than you thought.

I have an 87 528e that has some funky wiring and doesn't run right. I am wondering if I could swap heads onto the e30 or if I should just swap motors. any thoughts?

1

The 'e' engine is designed for low revs and high torque. The head will not suit your E30 engine. You would need the 'e' computer and loom to swap engines but you say the 'e' loom is damaged.
Get brave and have the original head fixed and change the cam belt on time in future.

Thanks for that before I screwed something up. I think I'm just going to get another e30 to drive around. I can get an M30 for cheap and stuff that in this one.