RE: PH Fleet: BMW M5 (E28)

RE: PH Fleet: BMW M5 (E28)

Author
Discussion

_Casanova_

22 posts

181 months

Thursday 19th April 2012
quotequote all
I had an E28 528i a few years ago that developed an obstinacy possibly related to yours, Chris. Turned out to be a poor contact on the fuse for the fuel pump. Filing down the contacts on the fuses had it back to life again without hesitation!

Tiger Two

136 posts

206 months

Thursday 19th April 2012
quotequote all
Love, love, LOVE the E28 M5!!

As a side note regarding E34's, am I right in saying that 3.8's with the Nurburgring suspension pack, the rear dampers are £1,500...

EACH??!...

eek

m5wagon

510 posts

169 months

Thursday 19th April 2012
quotequote all
Tiger Two said:
Love, love, LOVE the E28 M5!!

As a side note regarding E34's, am I right in saying that 3.8's with the Nurburgring suspension pack, the rear dampers are £1,500...

EACH??!...

eek
No. They're closer to 700 Gbp each.

Cheib

23,245 posts

175 months

Monday 23rd April 2012
quotequote all
Just spotted this one

http://www.classiccarsforsale.co.uk/classic-car-pa...

Looks pretty tidy from what you can see in the photos. Why do people use such bad photos?!?!

e21Mark

16,205 posts

173 months

Thursday 26th April 2012
quotequote all
I owned an e28 M5 back in the late 90's and it was a terrific car. Like any BMW, of that era, rust is the biggest problem, coupled with poor maintenance by some owners. M tax can make some spares expensive, as with e30 M3's etc. Personally, I wouldn't discount the lesser e28's either. A well maintained 528 or 535, with a few choice modifications, can be an epic performer for a relatively modest outlay. The 12 valve m30 engine might be a heavy old lump but it can make an easy 260-280 brake and a shed load of torque. Add that to a relatively light car, by todays standards, and it's great fun.

Gratuitous engine shots from an era before plastic engine covers! cloud9



Edited by e21Mark on Thursday 26th April 09:52

Output Flange

16,798 posts

211 months

Thursday 26th April 2012
quotequote all
Mark, talk me through the "easy" 260-280 brake from the M30 lump...

e21Mark

16,205 posts

173 months

Thursday 26th April 2012
quotequote all
I opted for a similar route to Ian Elliott and his touring. I believe his car makes a bit more though. The original engine, from the e12 M535 made about 214 I think? Anyway, I had a new head casting that had extensive flow work, larger inlet/exhaust valves from an e34 and a more aggressive cam profile from Schrick. My actual engine came from TWR (Tom Walkinshaw Racing) with 240 but that was whilst running the old K-jet injection. We've since fitted triple 45's and a better six branch and 50mm mandrel bent exhaust system. There are still some other tweaks to be done, such as modifying the distributor, before we get it finally set-up on the dyno. I have also fitted an e34 M5 flywheel and 745 clutch as the torque is what really makes this such a good old engine in my opinion. I know Ian tried an e36 M3 clutch and it only lasted a few minutes.

This is Ian Elliott's engine.




Edited by e21Mark on Thursday 26th April 11:36

Output Flange

16,798 posts

211 months

Thursday 26th April 2012
quotequote all
OK. Perhaps "easy" is the wrong word, then wink

e21Mark

16,205 posts

173 months

Thursday 26th April 2012
quotequote all
It's relatively straightforward though. Just basic old school tuning really. Don't get me wrong, my skills end at changing plugs and oil but there's plenty of information out there. You just have to watch who you get to carry out the work for you, as some of the earlier posts demonstrate.

Output Flange

16,798 posts

211 months

Thursday 26th April 2012
quotequote all
I've seen lots of people try to get more power out of the 3.5 M30 in E28s and really struggle - in fact, I'm not sure any of them managed to get more than 230bhp without going down the FI route.

e21Mark

16,205 posts

173 months

Thursday 26th April 2012
quotequote all
ALPINA B10/5 (based on M30B35) as used in the E30 B6 3.5 had the following spec and is pretty much what I have except for the lightweight & oil cooled pistons.

MAHLE lightweight pistons
S38B36 146mm connecting rods (135mm stock)
Hemisphere combustion chambers
Larger intake and exhaust valves
Dr.Schrick 280° duration camshaft (264° stock)
Balanced crank
Oilcooled pistons
ALPINA exhaust manifold
254bhp @ 5900rpm
320 nm @ 4000rpm (235 ft-lbs)

Bottom line is for me, that any m30 powered e28 is great fun and a relative bargain.

Caractacus

2,604 posts

225 months

Thursday 26th April 2012
quotequote all
e21Mark said:
ALPINA B10/5 (based on M30B35) as used in the E30 B6 3.5 had the following spec and is pretty much what I have except for the lightweight & oil cooled pistons.

MAHLE lightweight pistons
S38B36 146mm connecting rods (135mm stock)
Hemisphere combustion chambers
Larger intake and exhaust valves
Dr.Schrick 280° duration camshaft (264° stock)
Balanced crank
Oilcooled pistons
ALPINA exhaust manifold
254bhp @ 5900rpm
320 nm @ 4000rpm (235 ft-lbs)

Bottom line is for me, that any m30 powered e28 is great fun and a relative bargain.
Out of interest, who'd you use to build your M30 lump?

Cheers,

C.

e21Mark

16,205 posts

173 months

Caractacus

2,604 posts

225 months

Thursday 26th April 2012
quotequote all
e21Mark said:
Hi Mark,

Thanks for that smile

They rebuilt your engine (and didn't contract the work out)? No mention of any sort of mechanical services on their site?

Cheers,

C.


Chris Harris

494 posts

153 months

Thursday 26th April 2012
quotequote all
It was the ECU. Bit of TLC and airing cupboard time has fixed it. Rear anti-roll bar bushes needed to MOT, back on the road tomorrow.

Hopefully it'll rain and I'll go find some roundabouts.

Caractacus

2,604 posts

225 months

Thursday 26th April 2012
quotequote all
Chris Harris said:
It was the ECU. Bit of TLC and airing cupboard time has fixed it. Rear anti-roll bar bushes needed to MOT, back on the road tomorrow.

Hopefully it'll rain and I'll go find some roundabouts.
Ahhh - good news smile

You want rain? Plenty here and I'm not too far away from Black Mountain (near Llangadog)...a wonderful place for oppy lock. Just don't mess up. It's a long way down!


e21Mark

16,205 posts

173 months

Thursday 26th April 2012
quotequote all
Caractacus said:
Hi Mark,

Thanks for that smile

They rebuilt your engine (and didn't contract the work out)? No mention of any sort of mechanical services on their site?

Cheers,

C.
Mick (the owner) uses his father, an engineer, for work like that. They do full restorations inc all mechanical & bodywork.

Caractacus

2,604 posts

225 months

Friday 27th April 2012
quotequote all
e21Mark said:
Mick (the owner) uses his father, an engineer, for work like that. They do full restorations inc all mechanical & bodywork.
Oh, OK. Thanks very much. thumbup