The Right Parts for the Job
I just bought a 1977 633CSi that needs body work. The front fenders are too badly deteriorated to be restored, and I need replacements. I'm wondering whether the E23 7 Series fenders have the same size and dimension as E24 fenders. Are they replaceable?
Karin Tanphiphat
via the Internet
E23 7 Series fenders will not work. E24 6 Series fenders are unique, although the car itself shares certain mechanical parts with the E28 5 Series. Replacement fenders are available through BMW. To my knowledge, no aftermarket replacement E24 fenders exist.
Square Lamps
I read in an article on the Bermuda show in SCC magazine stating that one enthusiast contacted you regarding the BMW E30 square headlamp kit fitted to one of your feature cars. I would like to know where to find one as well. I've searched the Internet to no avail. Can you help?
R.R. Jacobs
via the Internet
The only vender we know that carried this kit was Racing Dynamics. Catalogs from the late 1980s show it. Personally, I recall that it didn't seem to be very popular at the time. The parts included custom grilles and headlight bucket assemblies. Four 4x6-in. rectangular headlamps were used.In any event, this kit is no longer made. I would say the best place to look for used kits would be Ebay and www.roadfly.org.
E36 Camshaft Timing: Not a Simple Matter
I live in Costa Rica and I own a 1993 BMW 325i (with VANOS). The previous owner installed a pair of stock 1995 M3 camshafts in the car, but since he lacked the proper specs, the camshafts were tuned as stock 325i by the local BMW dealer. I know these camshafts can provide my car at least 20 hp more that would be very useful around the track. I have been searching the Web, and sending e-mails to several BMW Web sites, without any luck, for over a year now. That's until I noticed that Pablo Mazlumian reinstalled stock camshafts on Project M3.By any chance can you provide me the tuning Specs for the E36 M3 stock camshafts? I know several good mechanics here that can tune them up if provided with the right specs.
Juan Rodriguez
via the Internet
The actual procedure for adjusting cam timing on this engine is quite complex and several special factory tools are required. The procedure requires diagrams, so I can't retype it here.
E36 Problems Transcend International Boundaries
I wonder if you can give me suggestions for solving two problems with my BMW E36 1996 318i SE auto. It has just 55,000 miles and a full service history.
1. In the first half minute or so after starting it is only firing on three cylinders. It then tries all four a few times, then sorts itself out and runs normally, (except for the next problem which I'll mention shortly). It has recently had new plugs, so I am inclined to suspect that the gaps aren't correctly set, but are there any other obvious things I'm missing?
2. Driving at a steady speed of about 50 to 70 mph, with a steady throttle, the fuel consumption meter fluctuates up and down, not a lot, varying by about 3 to 5 mpg. It doesn't seem to happen if the consumption figure goes high, on a down slope, or low on a hill. I can't be sure but I think there is a slight, barely perceptible surging, in time with the movement of the meter. I am not concerned with the consumption as such, rather if it is indicating a problem somewhere else.
David Marsden
Watford, UK
These problems do require hands-on diagnosis, but we'll give it shot:
1. Initially, there is more to a tune-up than new spark plugs. If this car is running its original air and fuel filters, replace them now and test drive the car. If the problems are still present, I suggest having the ignition coils "scoped" for secondary resistance testing. This will require a trip to the BMW dealership or a well-equipped independent BMW shop. Ignition coil failure is not uncommon on these engines. If you have a bad one, replace all four.Spark plug gaps are factory-set for this engine; there is no need to set the gap if you are using the correct NGK or Bosch copper spark plugs.
2. This problem could be related to the first if, in fact, there is an ignition miss. If this problem persists after fixing the first, then remove the idle control valve and clean it out using spray solvent and test drive the car. If the problem is still there, diagnose the idle control valve using a digital voltmeter and the specifications in the Bentley E36 3 Series Service Manual.
E36 M3 Bilstein Part Numbers
I have 1997 BMW M3. I bought Bilstein shocks and don't know if I have the right part numbers. Maybe you can tell me if this is right and if not what the correct numbers should be. I have: f4-be5-2453-ho.
Robert
via the Internet
We spoke with Doug Mahar at Turner Motorsport (www.turnermotorsport.com) regarding your question. Here are the Bilstein shock part numbers for a 1997 M3:
VE3-A585-H0 Left front
VE3-A586-H0 Right front
BE5-2453 Rear
Looks like you have the rear part number, sort of.
Running Cars Worth More
I have a 1985 two-door BMW 325es with an excellent engine, and also a 1990 325i four-door with a worn out engine. Each has a five-speed manual gearbox. What is involved in an engine exchange from the 1985 325es to the 1990 325i? I have started to remove the 1990 325i engine but I have not yet done the wiring harness because I was told to get more information before proceeding.
Lonnie Smith
via the Internet
Well, the 325es is a pretty cool car. It has Recaro seats, Bilstein shocks, and excellent aerodynamics right from the factory. The low-revving eta engine doesn't have a BMW personality--at least not from that era--but it does make great low-end torque. By contrast, the 1990 325i four-door has a nice rev-happy engine, but, well, it's a four-door.Does the 1990 325i run, at least? A running car is worth a great deal more than a non-running car, even if it requires engine work or an overhaul. Why not sell the 1990 325i and dump the money into the 1985 325es?
However, if you're set on the engine swap, you will need the engine wiring harness, the electronic control unit, the instrument cluster (for the tachometer), and the differential. The 325es differential is probably a 2.93 (it could be a 2.79 depending upon production date), which is good for the eta engine. The 1990 325i has a 3.73, which is better suited to the higher revving engine and essentially unusable with the eta engine. You will also need to swap the complete exhaust system. The gearbox and driveshaft do not have to be swapped.
ETA to "i" Conversion?
I purchased a 1985 E30 with a 2.7-liter engine supposedly built by MK Motosports in Germany. The MK Motorports logo on the speedometer and gold painted rocker arm cover look original. I contacted MK Motorsports who have no record of the VIN and cannot tell me what went into the engine. They suggested I ship the engine from Canada to Germany and they could rebuild it, but that's too expensive.
I suspect that the conversion uses the BMW diesel forged crank, with possibly changed rods and pistons. The original cam was changed and replaced with a Bavarian Autosport European 323i cam O.E.M. BMW part. The engine pulls from as low as 1,200 rpm and strongly from about 3,000 rpm. It hits the wall at about 4,200 rpm and will continue to rev up to about 5,800 or 6,000 rpm, but there is really no point to it. I'm not sure what the differential ratio is. A dyno test at the rear wheels produced maximum torque of 138 lb-ft at 4,000 rpm and max horsepower of 119 hp.The goal of the project was to build a really nice handling and sweet sounding road car, to use on occasional rallies and the odd autocross event.
I like the torque but would hope for a lot more power from 6,500 to 7,000 rpm. I have the old cam I understand can be reground to mimic the original profile. The exhaust manifold is cracked so a better replacement can be considered. The whole exhaust system needs replacing since the catalytic converter is optional as 20-year-old cars do not have to meet emission limits in Canada. I wouldn't want to do any major machining of the cylinder head other than ensuring that the valve seals and guides and seals are good and injectors are working properly. Given the absence of what originally went into the engine, do you have any suggestions on how to obtain what I want from a 2.7 M20 engine, or should I forget about this as a non-viable project and start with a later model 325i or an M50 transplant. Am I dreaming?
Alan Morris
via the Internet
From your description of the performance of this engine, what you've got there is an M20 eta engine. Whether it was smiled upon by MK Motorsports or someone just bolted on a few of their appearance parts, I cannot say without disassembling the engine for inspection. Building an eta into an "i" engine is pure folly. If you want an "i" engine, remove the eta and install an "i" engine. You'll also need the engine wiring harness and ECU, the tachometer to show the higher rpm scale of the "i" engine, and, if you want to do it right, a lower (numerically higher) differential.
Your current differential ratio is probably either a 2.79 or a 2.93, both eta ratios. The "i" engine was combined with a 3.73 ratio. The hot setup for an "i" engine is a 4.10 limited-slip differential from an E30 M3. Naturally, a 4.10 is totally unsuitable for an eta engine due to its low-revving, low-end torque personality.Have you autocrossed this car yet? Before tearing into the engine compartment, try autocrossing with the eta. You might like that low-end torque.
Lightweight Flywheel HP Gains
Is there a horsepower gain with a lighter flywheel? If so, would it only be at the crank or actually transfer to the wheels? I like the concept of a higher revving engine with a lighter flywheel. Do you as well recommend a lighter crank pulley to release more lost horsepower?Please let me know, as I am looking to purchase one or both of these items. According to the data provided on the Web by different manufacturers, it is an average gain of 2.7 hp per pound shed by these components. Would this equal out to a gain of 33 hp by combining these two components together? Am I being overly optimistic? Should I just purchase a bigger turbo?
Michael Czok
via the Internet
Reducing an engine's reciprocating mass will facilitate faster revving, but not necessarily higher rpm. There is a slight horsepower gain because reciprocating mass causes parasitic power loss--the energy it takes for the engine to spin its own parts. I'm not sure where they got the 2.7 hp per pound figure, and I think the only way you'd know for sure would be to dyno the engine before and after flywheel installation. Yes, you'd have an increase at the wheels, but faster revving would be the chief benefit. I think 33 hp would be a bit optimistic. Also, lightweight flywheels don't always mesh well with forced induction. You want to let the blower work for you, and making the engine spin quicker can work against that to a degree. I'm not saying don't do it, but I'd stay away from the very light aluminum flywheels. If you want to get rid of a dual mass flywheel, which is truly a boat anchor, and replace it with an earlier steel version, I think that would be fine even with a turbocharger. However, I'd also recommend that you run this past the turbocharger manufacturer and get a second opinion. In particular, the manufacturer's engine management software may count on a certain amount of flywheel weight, depending upon the model BMW we're talking about here.
Mass is mass and if it spins it can be lightened, so a lighter crankshaft pulley would have the same effect, only to a lesser degree than the flywheel. Be careful about the construction of the pulley, though. Lightweight alloy pulleys may be fine for limited race duty but not necessarily sturdy enough for forget-about-it street use.
M20 Turbos Available Again
First, great work for the inspiration and knowledge you guys give that has helped with my project a 1991 BMW 325i. I have seen many editors and techs say that there is no forced induction available for the BMW M20 engine. I would like to inform you guys that the Mossleman turbo system for $4,850 does exactly that. Check out Ireland Engineering. It goes from 170 hp stock to the 240 hp after the kit is installed.
I would like to know if there is a past or future issue where you explain how to swap a 1998 BMW M3 (S52 engine) into an E30? Also, do you have any recommendations for tuners in Colorado (preferably in Denver)?Graham Lee Shepard
via the Internet
Mossleman turbos have always been available for the M20, but the question was always, "where?" It has always been difficult to find an outlet for these systems, and your letter may explain why: You can bolt an S50/S52 engine into the car and get that same 240 hp, probably for the same amount of money, and without the complications of turbocharging.
For a while Mossleman turbos were simply not sold in the United States. We're glad Ireland Engineering stepped up the plate on this, as they often do.We've never done a story on the S50/S52 into E30 transplant, but Zionsville Autosport (www.zionsvilleautosport.com) has an instruction CD for precisely this project.