+- Madison Motorsports (https://forum.mmsports.org)
+-- Forum: Technical (https://forum.mmsports.org/forumdisplay.php?fid=4)
+--- Forum: Technical Discussion (https://forum.mmsports.org/forumdisplay.php?fid=11)
+--- Thread: Another project e30: 1990 330iS (/showthread.php?tid=5052)
Another project e30: 1990 330iS - Beej - 11-12-2006
Yep, another project e30 thread. I bought one cause I missed wrenching, and goddamn, that worked out (for better or worse, depending on your outlook). This ended up being a bigger project than I intended and Mike enjoys that. First post is a biggie since I've been busy.
Bought the car knowing these issues:
-Heat doesn't work (fan doesn't work and heat doesn't come even with the temp knob all the way to the right).
-Rattley exhaust.
-Lopey idle.
So the first thing I change out is the spark plugs, and a couple vacuum fittings to see if that does anything for the idle. It doesn't, so something else must be causing it to seemingly miss at low RPMs. The exhaust rattle seems to be coming right from the middle of the car (PO says it started after he nailed a bump, and that messed up his heatshield and crap). So I replace the cat (and most of the exhaust in the middle of the car, including some nasty bends). The rattle remains unchanged. 0 for 2, but fuck it, I need to get emissions tested.
I win the prize on the emissions machine as I double the maximum value of CO, HC's, and NOx at 25mph (but pass 2 of the 3 at 15mph). I hate reading those results, but everything (including the smell) seems to imply I'm running rich. Bought it with an aftermarket chip, so I yank the ECU to see what that is. It's a Racing Dynamics chip...and according to the part number is for 1/95-8/95 M3's (413 ECU). I have an earlier motor, so I have a 506 ECU. Searches return mixed results as to whether this would work or not, so I now have a stock 506 chip in the mail. Fingers crossed.
So I figure that since I have some downtime, I'll address some other stuff. I yank the intake manifold to replace the idle control valve as a shot-in-the-dark thing, check out the heater hoses, and replace the fuel filter. Just as I suspected (PO said the heat worked before the swap), the hoses to the core are reversed. Swapped those back, so I should have heat now. I also take the blower motor out to see what the deal is with that (resistor often goes out on e30's, but usually you have speed 0 and full speed - not none). On positions 1-3, The wires going to it get no voltage; on speed 4, it gets .8 volts (should bypass the resistor and be full 12 volts). Not sure what's going on with that. But since the motor is out, I hook it up straight to the battery, and goddamn those fuckers spin fast. Putting the motor back in was the biggest pain in the ass - there is one metal clip that goes around the body of the motor that is silly hard to get back in. After about 2 hours of messing with it, I finally get it on...but I must've pulled it out of shape, because it pops off WAY too easy now. Fuck.
There's a known issue with GC coilovers in the rear on these things. If you get too weak of a spring rate on a constant ID spring, the spring will bind up. When springs become solid pieces of metal, shit breaks. Luckily, my trailing arms are only dented, and it doesn't look like they took too bad of a beating. Either way, I ordered 475lb. barrel shaped springs (and camber plates for the front) from GC. Rear springs are in, gorgeous camber plates are still sitting.
I also replaced the leaky valve cover gasket and tightened up leaky power steering hoses.
So things I need to address before moving on to bling:
-Running rich (worse comes to worst, new coils, O2 sensor, HFM, etc...trying to find someone to swap parts with first)
-Lopey idle (related to rich?)
-New diff (3.25 to replace the 3.73, which is way too high)
-One new axle because a CV boot is torn
-Exhaust rattle, and probably new muffler since the Brullen is obnoxious
-Lowbeam adjuster clips are busted, so I'm lighting up the sky
- Ginger - 11-12-2006
Glad to see some progress from you. If you ever want a hand just give me a buzz, I'll be happy to hand you the wrong tool and laugh at you when you cut yourself.
Was the PO more cosmetically blign oriented than actually getting thing to function properly at each step along the way? Or did he just get tired of trying to get stuff to work right?
- Beej - 11-12-2006
He was definitely a bling guy...but when it comes to turning wrenches, he was more of a check-writer. I stumped him on a number of questions when I looked at the car...he just wasn't technically competent.
- ScottyB - 11-12-2006
i'll definitely be checking this progress out because i love your car, ha.
at least the majority of the stuff doesn't cause any serious drivability issues. is your fuel pressure regulator the right spec for your software?
also, i wonder if it would be worth it to find one of those mufflers from newer cars that has a vacuum operated butterfly in it. you may be able to snag one cheaply from a scrap yard and enjoy quiet cruising and a loud tone when you jam on it.
- Chris - 11-12-2006
sweet another E30! let me know when/how I can help. I also might have some random parts you need
- Beej - 11-18-2006
Alright, got some stuff done.
- Swapped heater core hoses, and the heat now works
- FINALLY figured out that the blower motor clip attaches to the plastic part in the back, not the (now bent) metal piece that it fit so perfectly in at one end. Got the wrong clip from the dealer, so I stole the clip from the 318 to use for now. Put a new resistor in, but the blower still doesn't function, and the plugs that the resistor goes into don't seem to be getting voltage...so I'll look at the dash switch when I pull that apart to replace the OBC light.
- New ICV, fuel filter, and correct 506 (stock) chip. Car still idled like crap at first, but after I took it for a trip and the ECU adjusted itself, it seems to idle a lot better. It also doesn't smell as bad (but doesn't seem perfect), so maybe I'm not running as rich. We'll see when I re-test emissions on Monday.
Even better was the tank of gas and lunch that Mike bought.
- Mike - 11-18-2006
i'm a nice guy.
- Beej - 11-19-2006
I renig on that a bit - car still misfires a little at low rpms and runs rich.
Stopped by a local guy's place to swap parts today, and he had the code reader that none of you assholes have.
Pulled codes. One was MAF, one was not a code found in the Peake book.
Swapped MAF's and the car basically ran the same. Then we swapped coils, O2 sensor, ECU (chipped 413) and TPS in varying order, and the car still ran the same. Put all of my crap back in (save for the good MAF), and then cleared the codes. I threw a lambda sensor after that. Cleared that, then I threw the O2 sensor code. Alright already, I'll replace that.
Even if the O2 sensor is done, I can't imagine it's causing the car to run like this, but I'll probably have an 'accredited shop' replace it for a retarded amount of money...that should put me over the $$ hump so that I'm exempt from emissions. No reason that this car shouldn't eventually run clean, but I need it to be street legal for now.
igh:Gonna stop by RRT tomorrow morning to see if they have any outstanding ideas, cause I'm running out.
- ScottyB - 11-19-2006
what are your spark plugs, and what are they gapped to? just thought i'd throw that out, you never know, especially when they're super cheap to replace.
- CaptainHenreh - 11-19-2006
Your oxygen sensor is going to make the car run pretty shitty, as the car is running closed loop all the time. Running rich + O2 sensor code, I know you've changed everything else, but still...I'd try that and see what happens. (And I know you're already going to, just saying.)
- Beej - 11-19-2006
Sparkies are brand new NGK BKR6EQUP's...they're 4 prong platinum blings, so they can't be gapped.
I'm halfway between it being fun to chase down the problem and thinking it's a nightmare. My 3rd half just wants to buy every single thing that bolts onto the long block brand new.
- Nick325is - 11-19-2006
Lose the platinum plugs. I've seen alot of problems related to running them in bmws.
-Nick
- Beej - 11-19-2006
Nick325is Wrote:Lose the platinum plugs. I've seen alot of problems related to running them in bmws.Had them recommended to me by a couple mechs, and they have good reviews on bfc (it's made from real panther) so you know it's good. Took out non-platinum NGK's to put these in, and the car behaved the same before and after.
-Nick
- ScottyB - 11-20-2006
Nick325is Wrote:Lose the platinum plugs. I've seen alot of problems related to running them in bmws.
-Nick
yeah thats part of why i asked....us audi guys have big problems with platinum plugs...i stick to cheap old copper (NGK BKR6E's, actually)
hang tight BJ, i'm sure that it's a single thing that's just keeping the whole engine messed up. and besides, if you didn't know everything there is to know about that engine, your going to :lol:
- Beej - 11-20-2006
ScottyB Wrote:hang tight BJ, i'm sure that it's a single thing that's just keeping the whole engine messed up. and besides, if you didn't know everything there is to know about that engine, your going to :lol:Yeah that's the worst part. These motors are actually pretty damn simple - I don't know what I'm missing.
- BLINGMW - 11-20-2006
Nick325is Wrote:Lose the platinum plugs. I've seen alot of problems related to running them in bmws.
3rd that. I highly doubt it's causing your problem, but the cheaper bosch or NGK are the way to go. From what little I understand, those platinums provide lower resistance, which helps on a sub-par ignition system, but just screws up our super awesome, superior bimmers. :wink:
When you swapped MAFs, did you reset the comp, let it idle for a while and drive it around a bit to let the comp learn the new part?
If it's actually running pretty well, and throwing O2 sensor codes, hopefully giving it an 02 will fix it. I'd replace it myself and retest, it'd be nice to know that it's not running rich anymore.
- Beej - 11-20-2006
RRT was way too busy to have a look-see today. The guy I went with apparently doesn't know Barry as well as I inferred. :roll:
Hmm, got a part number for spark plugs? There's like a gabillion different versions.
Yeah, I'm still running his MAF and it's been a couple hours now, and the car still runs the same. Doesn't seem to miss in above say 2k rpms, but it's not so hot below that.
Gonna order O2 sensor, coolant temp sensor (I wonder if the car knows that it's warm?), lower temp thermostat (runs a little wamer than I'd like), FPR for giggles/peace of mind, and maybe send the injectors out to get done.
- Mike - 11-20-2006
so by the time you have this thing running right it'll have cost the same as the STi, no?
- Beej - 11-20-2006
Mike Wrote:so by the time you have this thing running right it'll have cost the same as the STi, no?Bah, not even close. All those parts listed above are gonna be like $120. Besides, this is fun, right? And I have other corny reasons like it being something I built (or something someone else built but I fixed) and pride, or something like that.
And nobody ever took cell phone pictures of the STi. I've caught two people doing that already.
- Mike - 11-20-2006
yeah, they were just sending pics to their friends to laugh at your clown wheels.