E30 Restoration

jozi

Why didn't you fit it yourself?

I'm just seeing on Facebook, some guy who sells a how to engine swap for the m30 for $14 if you happened to need it?

kdevitt

jozi wrote: »

Why didn't you fit it yourself?

Have two kids, a wife, and no driveway - if I'm lucky I get to spend an hour in the weekend working on the cars - would have taken an eternity.

jozi wrote: »

I'm just seeing on Facebook, some guy who sells a how to engine swap for the m30 for $14 if you happened to need it?

As above Also have someone sorted for the job.

jozi

Sorted then so. I tend to not realize how these things go since I've no kids or a wife but I have a drive.

Madman2

Will you be attempting any of Rav's M30's mods for your new powerplant?, and are you still going with the manual conversion?

kdevitt

Madman2 wrote: »

Will you be attempting any of Rav's M30's mods for your new powerplant?, and are you still going with the manual conversion?

No power mods planned at the moment. Think a healthy M30 would have enough poke for the E30 anyway. That might change later down the line though.

Manual box is going in at the same time - gearbox needs some work first though.

kdevitt

Things are beginning to pick up pace with this now -

Here's the engine which will be going in.





Inlet manifold, alternator and a few other bits are coming off for vapour blasting. Engine is having an overhaul while its out - so a substantial parts list has been ordered.

Rocker cover will be powdercoated, but nothing overly ostentatious.

First parts started arriving this week too - have also bought all new shifter parts so that the manual box will be as sharp as possible. E46 M3 shift lever is going in - hopefully not too short a throw for my liking.

kdevitt

Lots of progress today from my man with the skills!

Engine on its way out of the donor -



Its a big lump. The eagle eyed viewers amongst you may notice that this swap is a distraction from an altogether more exciting project!



Clutch has seen better days - will be replaced with a Sachs kit



The synchros were gone on two of the gars on the box from the donor car, so needed to source a new box or fork out for repairs. Decided to take a chance on a box which hadn't been used in a few years, but was guaranteed as having been removed from a 32k mile car. At the moment, it appears the gamble paid off! Oil needed a change though



Would be a shame to leave grotty exhaust manifold gaskets on it, so off came the manifolds -





Some degreaser and a quick scrub seem to do the trick on the head -



Only piece of bad luck was a stud snapping off the manifold -



Going to price up a stainless steel manifold, might just buy a used standard manifold off eBay if the price is over the top - could be easier than getting this out.

Madman2

Should make for a very nice conversion with Dave on the job

kdevitt

Lots more done with the donor engine, but its not all good news unfortunately. Looks like the budget is going to explode - but more of that in a bit.

Here is it as it currently stands!



As of this morning this is how it looked -

Before a clean up -



After -



Plenty of parts had come off at this stage though!



Hadn't intended taking the head off - but when looking at the exhaust valves, one appeared oily. Not much point sticking the engine back in and then having to lift it out again if there was an issue, so Dave did a leak down test - the results of which weren't positive. One cylinder had an 80% exhaust valve leak, so make the decision to whip the head off.

Unfortunately there was bad news - one of the valve seats was damaged.



Looks like something was floating around in there and doing some damage -



So its off to get a cylinder head rebuild priced up. To add to the woe, looks like the cylinders potentially need a re-bore.