BMW e30 318 -325 Engine Upgrade
Discussion
Hi,
I've just bought my first beemer. Sadly the engine is a little ratty (165,000 miles) and t be honest I'd like to upgrade it to a burbling 325 / 328.
Does anyone know of any specialist in the merseyside area that can do this?
Any clues on how much all this might cost?
Should I stick with the 318 and get that "sorted"
I'd appreciate any advice
Cheers
I've just bought my first beemer. Sadly the engine is a little ratty (165,000 miles) and t be honest I'd like to upgrade it to a burbling 325 / 328.
Does anyone know of any specialist in the merseyside area that can do this?
Any clues on how much all this might cost?
Should I stick with the 318 and get that "sorted"
I'd appreciate any advice
Cheers
First of all; is the rest of the car worth the expense? ie. is the bodywork in good nick? (Rear arches, scuttle, the metal behind the rear number plate, boot floor etc etc). Does the car have a significant spec (sport leather interior, 12 button OBC, cruise control, air con?), 15" BBS wheels with their caps etc etc.
If not I'm just not sure it's worth buggering about with it tbh. If it's just a poverty spec 318 then it's not worth a great deal breaking it either imo.
I'd tart it up (service it, give it a polish) and flog it on and buy yourself a 325i instead.
If you really want to keep the 318 that's fine but my advice is don't bother installing a 320i - yes it's a 6 cylinder but you get terrible mpg and 129bhp. Ok, the sound is awesome but I don't think would justify the cost to change.
For a 325i you'd need the engine, gearbox, propshaft and ecu as a minimum. Others will be along to tell you exactly what's needed but in all honesty I'd think about just buying a 325i or better yet buy later engine and (M30 3.5 litres of goodness for example) if you're determined to change.
If not I'm just not sure it's worth buggering about with it tbh. If it's just a poverty spec 318 then it's not worth a great deal breaking it either imo.
I'd tart it up (service it, give it a polish) and flog it on and buy yourself a 325i instead.
If you really want to keep the 318 that's fine but my advice is don't bother installing a 320i - yes it's a 6 cylinder but you get terrible mpg and 129bhp. Ok, the sound is awesome but I don't think would justify the cost to change.
For a 325i you'd need the engine, gearbox, propshaft and ecu as a minimum. Others will be along to tell you exactly what's needed but in all honesty I'd think about just buying a 325i or better yet buy later engine and (M30 3.5 litres of goodness for example) if you're determined to change.
Thanks Oi Oi.
The car is a 318i convertible 1993 in silver with full red leather. Bodywork is solid, no rust. Very good indeed.. it even has the original tool kit and petrol refit can. I thinki its worth the work but have a limited budget (and no particular skills other than change spark plugs etc).
I've read some reviews saying that the best engine is an E36 2.8 as they're cheapish.
Its really a question of
how much
and
can anyone recommend a place in the merseyside ares
Cheers
The car is a 318i convertible 1993 in silver with full red leather. Bodywork is solid, no rust. Very good indeed.. it even has the original tool kit and petrol refit can. I thinki its worth the work but have a limited budget (and no particular skills other than change spark plugs etc).
I've read some reviews saying that the best engine is an E36 2.8 as they're cheapish.
Its really a question of
how much
and
can anyone recommend a place in the merseyside ares
Cheers
Ah. Well, this is different. It sounds like a motor definitely worth investing in.
Are you based in Liverpool? Does it have to be Liverpool?
Personally I'd speak to Ant at A-Tech (in kent incidentally).
http://www.fastbimmer.co.uk/
He'd be able to source a decent motor (yes, the 2.8 is a good one) or you could possibly buy a 2.5 litre M20 and a stroker kit and push it out to 2.8 to even 3 litres if you wanted thus keeping it looking original. Depends on your budget of course.
a 2.5 litres engine and gearbox is about £300. better yet. find a turd (or a rear ended one) and take the parts off it and put into your own. If you buy a knackered (but fundamentally sound) 325i donor the great thing is that you 've got all the parts there already. A saloon or touring donor would be ideal for a convertible - it's all the same platform.
I thinnk you'll be looking at £2,000 all in for the conversion. I realise you might be thinking along the lines of £500 but when you're asking someone else to do it.......you inevitably start buying new bits to replace worn out bits and there's always something that needs buying (such as the donut on the prop shaft, new engine and gearbox mounts - they make a tremendous difference to the feel of the car) etc etc. Don't kid yourself you can do it on the cheap if you're getting someone else to do it!
Also - buy a running turd so you can actually see the car running.
Then get both to ATech (or your chosen garage of choice) and tell them to get on with it!
Are you based in Liverpool? Does it have to be Liverpool?
Personally I'd speak to Ant at A-Tech (in kent incidentally).
http://www.fastbimmer.co.uk/
He'd be able to source a decent motor (yes, the 2.8 is a good one) or you could possibly buy a 2.5 litre M20 and a stroker kit and push it out to 2.8 to even 3 litres if you wanted thus keeping it looking original. Depends on your budget of course.
a 2.5 litres engine and gearbox is about £300. better yet. find a turd (or a rear ended one) and take the parts off it and put into your own. If you buy a knackered (but fundamentally sound) 325i donor the great thing is that you 've got all the parts there already. A saloon or touring donor would be ideal for a convertible - it's all the same platform.
I thinnk you'll be looking at £2,000 all in for the conversion. I realise you might be thinking along the lines of £500 but when you're asking someone else to do it.......you inevitably start buying new bits to replace worn out bits and there's always something that needs buying (such as the donut on the prop shaft, new engine and gearbox mounts - they make a tremendous difference to the feel of the car) etc etc. Don't kid yourself you can do it on the cheap if you're getting someone else to do it!
Also - buy a running turd so you can actually see the car running.
Then get both to ATech (or your chosen garage of choice) and tell them to get on with it!
you could do alot worse, in the interim, of giving the car a full service and basically getting her back to BMW's finest. If the car has been looked after then 165,000 should be a problem.
Mine's done 227,000......and is still going strong. But I service her every 9,000 miles and change the oil every 3,000.
You would always turbo the 318.......(see fastbimmer website - your engine is an M40).
Mine's done 227,000......and is still going strong. But I service her every 9,000 miles and change the oil every 3,000.
You would always turbo the 318.......(see fastbimmer website - your engine is an M40).
If you register with e30 zone there are a number of members on there that conduct engine transplants that are based all over the UK.
There are loads of build threads where the quality of the engine transplant work is easy to see. Some of them are awesome, some of them are utter toilet.
I think there's one chap on there that will do an engine change for £400 (it'll take a day) but you'll have to provide all the parts, fluids, bits and pieces. I'd set up an account with Cotswold BMW - they give a discount and also bmminiparts that give discounts on new and new/old stock parts. You'll be using them - alot.
But I think there's merit in looking at turboing the M40. It'll keep the engine 'stock' - you can source the parts needed; you can sell the parts once you decide to sell the car on if you want (and get your investment back). You'll need an aftermarket ecu, turbo, turbo exhaust manifold (fabricated) and other bits and pieces but fundamentally it's not a massive job. Get the existing engine refreshed and honestly - hey presto. 200bhp with plenty of torque. The old girl will pick her skirts and veritably fly! Plus you keep the light weight 4 cylinder engine and thus the keen handling that that brings rather replacing it with the old iron boat anchor that is the 6 cylinder M20! Job er, jobbed!
There are plenty of threads on e30zone about turboing every engine you can think of with complete write ups and how-to's. You just need cash and a willingness to get amongst it.
edited for grammar and spelling.
There are loads of build threads where the quality of the engine transplant work is easy to see. Some of them are awesome, some of them are utter toilet.
I think there's one chap on there that will do an engine change for £400 (it'll take a day) but you'll have to provide all the parts, fluids, bits and pieces. I'd set up an account with Cotswold BMW - they give a discount and also bmminiparts that give discounts on new and new/old stock parts. You'll be using them - alot.
But I think there's merit in looking at turboing the M40. It'll keep the engine 'stock' - you can source the parts needed; you can sell the parts once you decide to sell the car on if you want (and get your investment back). You'll need an aftermarket ecu, turbo, turbo exhaust manifold (fabricated) and other bits and pieces but fundamentally it's not a massive job. Get the existing engine refreshed and honestly - hey presto. 200bhp with plenty of torque. The old girl will pick her skirts and veritably fly! Plus you keep the light weight 4 cylinder engine and thus the keen handling that that brings rather replacing it with the old iron boat anchor that is the 6 cylinder M20! Job er, jobbed!
There are plenty of threads on e30zone about turboing every engine you can think of with complete write ups and how-to's. You just need cash and a willingness to get amongst it.
edited for grammar and spelling.
Thanks OI OI,
"Fritz" the beemer is now having a checkup to see if anything obvious can be done.
I have to say that you're right, the 1.8 4 cylinder is very torquey even tho its done 165000 miles!!
I've asked my local mechanic to have a look around and see if the engine is worth investing in... or whether its cheaper to get another 1.8 (its the E46 I think). Its the burble I crave... at the mo its a bit tappety - Hydraulic valves? - which are putting me off a bit.
I'll keep you posted on Progress. ... and tanks for all the advice.
"Fritz" the beemer is now having a checkup to see if anything obvious can be done.
I have to say that you're right, the 1.8 4 cylinder is very torquey even tho its done 165000 miles!!
I've asked my local mechanic to have a look around and see if the engine is worth investing in... or whether its cheaper to get another 1.8 (its the E46 I think). Its the burble I crave... at the mo its a bit tappety - Hydraulic valves? - which are putting me off a bit.
I'll keep you posted on Progress. ... and tanks for all the advice.
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