johna's automotive blog

My 1990 BMW 318is (E30)

2017-12-15T12:00:00+10:00

I bought this 1990 BMW 318is from a dealer on Sydney's Northern Beaches. From memory it was around $17,000 (Australian Dollars).

At the time it had travelled about 135,000 km and I sold it around 5 years later for about $7,500 with around 290,000 km on the clock.

I had only a few issues over the years, mostly with fuel pumps (I think I did at least 3 of them). I also had to replace the clutch. Once the A/C compressor clutch failed and took out all of the belts. I also changed the shifter bushes, dampers and a few suspension parts.

When I got the car it was missing the front spoiler lip. I bought a factory replacement and painted it black (they are usually body-coloured).

I also replaced the dashboard as the original was cracked, fitted a 4.10:1 limited slip differential and found a set of factory sports seats out of a Baur cabriolet.

I fitted a copy of a tuned engine computer chip, and put in a switch so I could change back to stock. I also experimented with drilling holes in my airbox and "ram air" by removing my high beam. I also added a DIY shift light.

As part of some crazy weight reduction idea I had I replaced the fog lamps with blanks, and removed the radio and fitted a blank panel.

I had some great drives in the car. One trip from Melbourne to Canberra via Cooma I will always remember. 6 hours of driving at 140 km/h to 170km/h pretty much all the way.

(De)Evolution of the BMW 3 series ventilation and heating systems

2016-01-29T12:00:00+10:00

I have a strong disliking of the climate control system in my BMW E36, but in my previous E30, the controls for ventilation, heating and air conditioning were near perfect.

Let's look at the E30 system. There are controls for fan speed, temperature, air conditioning, recirculating mode, and individual controls to vary the flow to the windscreen, face level, and feet.

With the fan off, you could still have natural airflow if any of the position controls were open, and recirculating mode was not on.

You could vary the flow of air to any level, however you liked.

Now let's look at the digital climate control system fitted to late model E36s.

It has dual temperature controls. Sure it's nice to have the system automatically maintain the temperature but I've never been a fan of dual systems. Most of the time I find myself setting both temperature settings the same, so it's just two controls to adjust each time. Also, in every E36 I've owned the solenoids that manage the coolant flow for this function have failed.

Then there's a fan speed control. Again, it's nice there's an automatic mode that adjusts the fan speed to maintain the temperature. But there is no way of having natural airflow. It's either fan and airflow on or off altogether.

There's buttons to enable airflow to the windscreen, face level, or feet level, including an automatic mode (which I'm not sure what it does - presumably make all levels of the car the same temperature. You can't have a little flow to one area, and a lot to another like you could on the E30.

The E36 system does have a handy demist setting for the front windscreen. But what about the rear window? On the E30 you could switch on the rear window demister independently of the ventilation system. On the E36 you cannot have the rear window demister on without the ventilation fan on. Why?

One of the worst parts of the E36 system is the separate control for heat to the face level vents. I recall when the E30 was introduced, some journalists criticised it because you couldn't have different temperature settings for face and feet. So on the E36 we now have a separate control for the face level vents to set it for hot and cold.

Even though I've owned several E36s over quite a few years I am still unsure how to control this. Does it still blow hot air to the face if I have the climate control set to a low temperature but the face level vent set to heat? If I have the face level set to cold but the climate control set to hot what temperature do I get? It seems such a pointless system.

The E30 system was reliable except for the fan motor resistor pack which failed due to loose rivets or a dirty switch contact. The E36 system has the common problem with the coolant solenoids that I mentioned, plus the electronic control module itself is prone to problems with capacitors.

Sometimes the simpler the system is, the better it is. I miss my E30.

Lighter Flywheel Options for BMW M42

2012-08-27T12:00:00+10:00

Ever since I bought my 318is I have always felt it would benefit from a lighter flywheel mainly as it is particularly slow to drop revs on upchanges. It would probably also help acceleration too.

According to Julian Edgar in his book 21st Century Performance, it is reasonable to reduce the weight of a flywheel by up to 30 per cent before any significant degradation of smoothness and drivability occurs.

Unfortunately the 318is (or at least most 318is's) have a dual mass flywheel which from my inquiries is not possible to remove weight from as with ordinary flywheels. Many machine shops will not even machine flat dual mass flywheels (ie. usually done when replacing a clutch) and those that do often won't give any guarantee on it's quality after doing so.

So it seems that if you want a lighter flywheel on a 318is you need to purchase an aftermarket light weight flywheel which typically cost at least $700 USD. The other option though is to fit a conventional flywheel from another BMW model.

From information contained on BMW's ETK (parts catalogue on CD-ROM) it seems that there were three flywheels fitted to the 318is over the years. The initial 1989 models were apparently fitted with the M40 conventional flywheel which weighs 9.973kg but later models were fitted with a 11.45kg dual mass if they had air conditioning or a 12.25kg dual mass unit for models without air.

The M40 flywheel is a bolt-in replacement for any generation of M42 (E30 or E36) as well as the M44. To replace the standard dual mass flywheel with the M40 unit you need just the flywheel, clutch (usually purchased as part of a kit which includes pressure plate and throw-out bearing) and the shorter bolts from the M40. Unlike the M42 clutch, the M40 clutch has a sprung centre.

It is also possible to fit a flywheel from the 1988-91 325i. This modification requires a 325i clutch and flywheel, 325i pressure plate, 325i drive pinion for the starter motor and a E21 (1978 - 1983) 323i throw-out bearing. You will need to remove the spacer from the M42 flywheel (attached with rivets) and will also need shorter flywheel bolts.

The following table compares the weights of the various components for these options:

According to the BMW ETK (parts catalogue on CD-ROM), the above flywheel choices weigh as follows:

	M42	M40	M20
Flywheel	12.25kg	9.973kg	8.5kg
Clutch + Pressure Plate	5.036kg	5.58kg	6.98kg
Total	17.286kg	15.553kg	15.48kg
Difference	-	-1.806kg (10.45%)	-1.733kg (10.03%)

M42 (left) and M40 (right) flywheels and clutches compared:

M40 flywheel with weight removed:

My new M40 flywheel and clutch:

My old M42 flywheel and clutch:

UPDATE 1 Oct 2023

See my later post for more information: www.motortraders.net/posts/1408-more-about-flywheel-options-for-bmw-m40-m42-and-m44-engines

Dual Switchable Chips for BMW E30 M42

2012-08-27T12:00:00+10:00

Having finally purchased an after-market performance chip I wanted to be able to easily switch back to the original chip to make comparisons and perhaps even in case of unavailability of high octane fuel.

From my old days of repairing Commodore Amiga computers, I remembered that we used to inexpensively make a dual ROM switch just by soldering two chips together and fitting a switch on a couple of pins. I figured the same would be possible with the BMW Motronic unit.

The new chip arrived and was a standard copyable EPROM (a 27C256, 120ns to be exact). I made a copy of it and a copy of the factory chip and made a simple switch to choose between the chips. The switch is hidden underneath the dashboard so that it can't easily be switched whilst the engine is running (which could do something bad).

How to make a dual-chip switch

This will probably only work if your after-market chip is a 27C256 EPROM. Some makers use non-copyable chips and I have no idea if this will work with them. I take no responsibility if you or this modification damage your chip(s) or your car in any way.

You will need the following tools:

• Soldering iron (and solder)
• Socket or spanner to remove the Motroonic unit
• Torx type screwdriver to dismantle Motronic unit (I can't remember the size)

You will also need the following parts:

• A SPDT switch, any type you want (I used a toggle switch)
•Three wires (I used three wires off a computer type ribbon cable), length will depend on where you want to fit the switch
• Optional - one or two blank 27C256 120ns (or faster) EPROM chips - if you want to use copies of your chips (You will also need access to an EPROM programmer)
• Two 22Kohm 1/4 watt resistors
Optional - a 28 pin IC socket

Follow these steps:

1. Remove the Motronic unit and take off the lid held on by four Torx screws.
2. Remove the EPROM chip which may be held in place by a plastic clip.
3. Bend up straight pin 22 of both EPROMs (or socket).
4. Place one chip (or socket) on top of the other. You may want to bend all the pins straight first so that the chips stay in place by themselves.
5. Solder all pins (except the bent pin 22's) of the top chip/socket to the other chip.
6. Twist the leads of one end both 22Kohm resistors together and solder this end to pin 28 of either EPROM.
7. Solder the other lead of one resistor to pin 22 of one of the chips.
8. Solder the other lead of the other resitor to pin 22 of the other chip.
9. Solder a piece of wire to pin 22 of the socket and the other end of the wire to the centre pin of the switch.
10. Solder another piece of wire to pin 22 of one chip and the other end to either of the outer pins of the switch.
11. Solder another piece of wire to pin 22 of the other chip and the other end of the wire to the other outer pin of the switch.
12. Plug the two chips into the socket.
13. The switch is completed so now all you need to do is fit it into the Motronic unit, run the wires out of the unit so that they don't short out, and find somewhere to mount the switch. You should ensure that insulation (heatshrink or electrical tape) is used to ensure that nothing shorts out with the switch.

I wouldn't recommend that you switch between chips with the engine running. I am not sure what the result is but it may damage something.

One other thing I have noticed is that the 318is seems to tune itself to fuel quality, etc and store this information. When you disconnect the battery (or just the Motronic unit) it seems to forget these settings and run rough for the first few miles. It may be a good idea to reset the Motronic unit when switching chips by disconnecting the battery negative lead or pulling the Motronic fuse for a few minutes.

(Thanks to Alvaro from Spain for the attached diagram)

Low Cost Shift Light for BMW E30

2012-08-27T12:00:00+10:00

A shift light is one or more lights that warn you that you are approaching, or have reached the maximum engine speed.

I wanted to fit one to my car and decided to build my own using an electronics kit from Jaycar Electronics (Australia). There are shift lights available off the shelf but I wanted to choose how and where it was installed, and I thought I could build one myself for much less.

First I purchased Jaycar kit KC5265 which is called Rev Limiter / Gear Shift Indicator Kit for Cars. It has three lights, two green and one red, and all the components can be mounted in one box (not included in the kit) if you like. Its front panel contains a power switch, the three lights, and four potentiometers for adjusting when the lights come on.

I chose to fit the lights in a small custom made display mounted at the top of the instrument cluster. The rest of the components are mounted in a box installed out of sight above the engine computer.

The kit can also connect to an optional rev limiter kit but that is not needed on a 318is because the engine computer already does that, of course.

The kit requires power (12V DC), ground and an engine speed signal.

I connected power to the cigar lighter, and for engine speed, I connected to the tachometer input of the instrument cluster. Unfortunately when it was connected the tachometer stopped working so some components in the kit had to be changed to make both work.

Parts Required:

• Jaycar Kit, part number KC5265.
• Box, if required, for mounting circuit board, switch, etc (use Jaycar HB-5970).
• 5.6K 1/4 watt resistor.
• You may also want an additional box and wire for fitting the lights remotely, as I have done.

Instructions:

• Construct the kit according to the instructions and assemble for the low voltage input option, but do not install the 1k resistor on the low voltage input or the 10k resistor closest to the ignition coil/points/hall effect input.
• Fit a 5.6k resistor in place of the above mentioned 1k resistor.
• Connect the 12V and ground (0V) where you like (the cigar lighter is a fairly simple choice).
• Connect the engine speed input to pin 7 of C1, the connector on the back of the instrument cluster closest to the tachometer.
• Calibrate it according to the instructions and your personal taste, for example, first light on at 5750, second on at 6000, third at 6250.

BMW E30 short shifter options

2012-08-27T12:00:00+10:00

Looking for a short shifter? Gear levers from some other BMW models will fit straight in. Popular choices are:

• The lever from the Z3 1.9 (P/N 25111434148). Some quotes from people who have fitted this lever:
"Has a really nice feel... the shifts are noticably shorter than stock... no bending required..."

• The lever from the Z4 3.0 (P/N 25117516160). Some quotes from people who have fitted this lever:
"The force required to change gears will increase... The height of the gear knob is also something to consider. The new shift position is not as far forward as the old one..."

Before:

After:

• The lever from the X5. Some quotes from people who have fitted this lever:
"Installs just like any other SSK but it is much taller than the stock shifter while still having a shorter throw. I like it. The shifter is close to the wheel and easy to reach. Feels like a rally car..."

• One owner made his standard gear lever into a 'short-shifter' by: "I made short shifter by myself. Just cut apart and welded in ~4 cm length bolt. It's ~1.5cm gap between shifter and driveshaft."

BMW M42 Engine Technical Information (E30)

2012-08-20T12:00:00+10:00

Reproduced from the BMW TIS.

BMW has developed a completely new 16 valve, four cylinder engine which is ideally suited for the E30 vehicle. The new M42 engine will be found in two new 3-Series models designated the 318i and 318is.

This engine follows the tradition of other BMW multi-valve engines in that it provides high performance characteristics with excellent routine driveability.

The principle features of the new engine concept are a very flexible power band and excellent torque in relation to the engine displacement of 1.8 litres. Despite the high compression ratio of 10:1 and a power output of 134 bhp, the M42 is a refined, easy-to-drive unit which is especially compatible with everyday use.

Satisfactory acoustic levels are maintained with the use of new technologies and sound insulation techniques.

Low speed vibrations are eliminated with the use of a dual mass flywheel.
Optimum thermal efficiency enables the M42 to provide high power output with minimal exhaust emissions and excellent overall economy.

The new M42 engine exhibits the typical neat appearance and pipe and cable layouts which are found on all present day BMW engines. M42 maintenance requirements are reduced and access to existing service points (spark plugs, oil service) has been simplified.

Cylinder head porting and the inlet and exhaust pipes are designed with adequately large cross sections to provide optimum volumetric efficiency.

The precise cross section and length of the intake manifold-runners ensure effective cylinder filling.

Combustion chamber type and design with the centrally located spark plug result in much shorter flame paths and a more uniform combustion process.

The heart of the new M42 engine is a new crankcase manufactured of pearlitic gray cast iron.

The new crankcase features siamesed cylinder bores and integral oil spray jets for piston cooling. The engine is installed with a 30 degree inclination to the right.

The predominant feature of the M42 engine is the chilled cast aluminum cylinder head, which uses the crossflow principle. The intake and exhaust ports are computer designed and are machined with special cutters for optimum gas flow.

The combustion chamber is a completely new design having a compact, biconcave shape with a centrally located spark plug. The squish zone is distributed between the inlet and exhaust ends of the combustion chamber for minimal energy losses.

The surface of the combustion chamber is cast without machining. This results in a smooth surface which resists the formation of combustion residues.

The combustion chamber volume is divided for effective heat dissipation. The cylinder head accommodates 80% and the piston crown bowl 20%. The large inlet and exhaust ports coupled with dual inlet and exhaust valves ensure that the incoming air/fuel charge is well blended and the exhaust gases evacuated without restriction.

The camshaft housings locate the camshafts and the (self-adjusting) hydraulic tappets. The housings are separate parts which permit removal of the camshafts and tappets without cylinder head removal.

The camshafts rotate in five bearing journals and are lubricated from internal cylinder head oil passages. The relatively short opening duration of 2400 combined with high valve lift (9.7mm) ensure good torque characteristics. The camshafts are of a hollow cast design for weight reduction.

The intake and exhaust valves are arranged in a V pattern with an "included angle" of 39° 45'. The use of dual valve springs ensure rapid, bounce-free closure. Self-adjusting hydraulic tappets reduce valve train noise and lower maintenance costs.

The use of sodium-filled exhaust valves provide effective heat dissipation resulting in long valve life. Due to the unique nature of sodium-filled valves, specific disposal guidelines must be followed when handling or replacing M42 exhaust valves.

The self-adjusting hydraulic tappets function with the use of engine oil pressure, internal chambers and orifice control.

1. Engine oil pressure
2. Large oil chamber
3. Small oil chamber
4. High pressure chamber

Replacement hydraulic tappets are supplied with full oil supply chambers; therefore, proper functioning after installation is assured. Specific procedures must be followed concerning hydraulic tappet spare parts storage, or oil leakage will occur.
Occasionally tappet noise may occur following a cold start. Within certain limits this is normal.

The crankshaft is forged steel supported by five main bearings with 8 counterweights. The 3-layer main bearing shells conform to the BMW Tri-Colour classification.

The forged steel connecting rods have been developed specifically for M42 use. The connecting rod bearings conform to the double colour classification.

New compact, lightweight pistons combined with special length connecting rods reduce oscillating mass and promote smooth running. The piston crowns incorporate a symmetrical combustion bowl and are notched for valve head clearance. The pistons are cooled from oil spray jets mounted in the main bearing oil supply.

A two-stage throttle assembly is bolted to the cast one-piece intake plenum/runner assembly. The 1st and 2nd stage throttle diameters are 35mm and 54mm respectively. The 1st to 2nd stage transition point is 220 of throttle opening travel and provides smooth yet sportslike throttle response.

A throttle potentiometer is used to signal exact throttle position for the DME M1.7 system. Since the engine management system is adaptive, the closed throttle position is always "self-learned". Thus, the throttle potentiometer requires no adjustment and is maintenance-free.

The stainless steel, multiple pipe exhaust manifold is designed for low back pressure restriction and optimum gas flow. Effective heat retention enables the O2 sensor and the catalyst to reach and maintain operating temperatures rapidly.

The M42 is equipped with the latest digital motor electronics engine management system. Designated DME M1.7, the new system features optimized component technology, weight saving design and expanded adaptive self-learning functions.

Functional Diagram of DME M1.7 for M42

1. Fuel tank with pump
2. Liquid/vapor separator
3. Fuel filter
4. M1.7 control unit
5. Ignition coils
6. Spark plugs
7. Injectors
8. Fuel rail
9. Fuel pressure regulator
10. Coolant temperature sensor
11. Throttle valve potentiometer
12. Idle control valve
13. Active carbon canister
14. Evap. purge valve
15. Airflow meter
16. Air temperature sensor
17. TDC and RPM sensor
18. O2 sensor
19. Cylinder identification sensor
20. Battery
21. Ignition switch
22. Main relay
23. Fuel pump relay

The M1.7 DME system controls a new multi-coil, "motionless" ignition system. Each cylinder has a separate ignition coil which is controlled by individual DME control unit final stages. The ignition coils are of a new design using a new ground connection and are rated to 30KV.

1. Ignition coil
2. Secondary resistance
3. Spark plug
4. DME final stage
5. New ground path

A new spark plug developed by BMW is used to complete the new M1.7 engine management system. The new spark plug features a 14mm thread, a three-arm "platform" electrode and requires no adjustment. The platform electrode provides a large conductive area which maintains a constant air gap and a uniform flame front during the spark plug's service life.

The new "motionless" BMW ignition system operates without moving parts thus secondary contact wear and tear is eliminated. Other advantages include a wider ignition timing adjustment range, elimination of secondary arcing and stray RFI with improved ignition coil performance during peak loads.

The crankshaft torsional vibration damper and the pulse wheel are combined. As with previous DME systems, the increment teeth signal engine RPM while the tooth gap represents the TDC reference point.

The M1.7 air flow meter is the baffle (door) type and is matched to the engine's specific requirements. As on previous BMW engines, the AFM unit contains an inlet air temperature sensor, requires no adjustment and is maintenance free.

The fuel injectors, fuel rail, cable rail and fuel pressure regulator are mounted to the intermediate intake runner section. This section is adjacent to the intake ports near the intake valves for effective air/fuel mixing.

The cooling system is designed to promote thermal efficiency. Coolant flows vertically up and thru the engine block, thru the cylinder head to the compact vertical-flow radiator.

The 2-stage throttle assembly is coolant heated (de-iced) by a contact type heating element held in place by a bracket. This innovative approach allows a functional check without opening the M42 cooling system.

The M42 cooling system operates with a higher flow capacity than previous BMW 4 cylinder engines due to the new type high output coolant water pump. The temperature regulating thermostat is now rated at 88°C.

The engine oil pan is made up of two cast aluminum sections. The primary section incorporates strengthening ribs at strategic attachment points. As with other BMW engines, this feature creates a "unitized" engine/transmission assembly which reduces flex, vibration and noise.

The cylinder head cover provides ease of service and effective noise reduction. All cylinder head contact points are rubber insulated. A "Stop" incorporated into the holddown bolt shank base prevents insulator grommet distortion from overtightening.

A spark plug cable removal tool is stored in the spark plug recess within the cylinder head cover.

1 Sound Barrier
2 Liquid/Vapor Seperator

Further, an insulation baffle and the crankcase gas liquid/vapor separator act as a barrier for valve train operating noises.

The identical twin camshaft sprockets are driven in clockwise rotation by a duplex roller chain. The chain guides are acoustically insulated to lessen chain drive operating noises.

A newly designed chain tensioner is used which reduces running friction while maintaining correct chain tension. The chain is lubed and cooled by a dedicated oil spray jet mounted in the timing chain housing.

The internal gear engine oil pump is now directly driven from the crankshaft without a chain.

1. Upper chain guide
2. Cam sprockets
3. Primary guide
4. Chain housing
5. Lower guide
6. Idler gear
7. Oil spray jet
8. Tensioner guide
9. Chain tensioner
10. Cylinder I.D. lug

Front view with belt drives

M42/M10 COMPARISON

Partial cutaway view of engine

Technical data

Engine designation: 18 4 SI
Design: 4 cylinder inline (DOHC)
Displacement: 1796
Stroke: 81 mm
Bore: 84 mm
Power: 134 HP/100 kW
At engine speed: 6000 RPM
Maximum torque: 172 Nm
At engine speed: 4600 RPM
Maximum permitted engine speed: 6500 ± 40 RPM
Continuous engine speed limit: 6300 RPM
Compression ratio: 10:1
Inlet valve diameter: 33 mm
Exhaust valve diameter: 30.5 mm
Oil pressure: 4 bar
Oil capacity: 4.5 (filter 0.36) litres
Thermostat: 88 °C
Digital Motor Electronics: M 1.7 ignition system
Firing order: 1-3-4-2
Spark plug (three-arm ground): 0.9 mm electrode gap
CO value: 0.7 0.5%
Idle speed: 850 40 RPM
Premium unleaded gasoline: 90 AKI/95 octane (RM)

My second 1990 318is

2012-08-09T12:00:00+10:00

This is my second E30 318is. My first one was red and I had owned it for several years, from 135,000km to 290,000km. I sold it and bought a different car but missed the little lightweight 318is enough to sell my new car and buy another 318is.

PURCHASE

I purchased this car in September 2004. It is a 4/1990 manufactured 318is in "Laser Blue" and had travelled around 261,500km.

Here's how the ad for the car read:
BMW 318is 1990 Metallic Blue coupe 1.8L 5 spd manual, Sony CD/MP3 player, lowered, chipped, 16v twin cam M42 motor, much loved car, exc.cond, $7900 neg

ENGINE

Although the car has well over 270,000km on the clock the engine is remarkably still in excellent condition. I have never had to add any oil between oil changes.

The engine is completely stock. Before I purchased it the previous owner had just replaced the head gasket.

DRIVELINE

I have replaced the differential with one from a much lower mileage 318i. This resulted in a much quieter and smoother driving experience.

The 318is has a heavy dual-mass flywheel but this has now ben replaced with a lighter conventional flywheel from a M40 318i. The M42 flywheel and clutch weigh about 17kg compared to the M40 parts which are a little less than 15kg, so it saves around 2.1kg (12.3%).

SUSPENSION

The car had H&R -30mm springs when I bought it. I have since replaced the dampers with Bilstein Sport units. I also bought a second hand set of Kmac adjustable front strut mounts and these were fitted at the same time as the Bilsteins.

Recently I fitted a second hand Eibach front strut brace.

BODY

The body is standard but I did have the front valence panel repaired and a new lower spoiler lip fitted. I also removed the mud flaps.

The car is a "slicktop" model (no sunroof).

INTERIOR

The original front seats have been replaced with a second hand set of BMW sport seats from a 323i Motorsport.

I replaced the original cracked dashboard with a second hand dash.

The last owner installed several AC Schnitzer accessories including pedals, handbrake knob, door lock knobs and gearknob. I have since removed the handbrake and door lock knobs, replacing them with the originals.

A Sony CD player has been fitted and remote central locking.

I also made and installed a custom shift light.

WHEELS AND TYRES

The wheels are 15x7 BBS cross-spoke alloys with 205/55VR15 Federal SS535 tyres.

Used Car Buyer's Guide: 1983-1985 BMW 323i

2004-05-18T12:00:00+10:00

Back in 1978 BMW created what should have been every enthusiasts dream when the combined a powerful six cylinder engine with a compact body. Unfortunately, this original 3-series suffered from a few reliability and handling problems.

Come 1983, BMW released the 'E30' version of the 323i. Not only was the engine refined and the spooky handling of the earlier series exorcised, but the ultimate 3-series gained a sleeker body and, later, a four-door option.

The base price at the time was $27,050 rising into the early thirties for a fully loaded model. This was equivalent to a top of the line Holden or Ford of the time.

After only a few months after release, BMW quietly upgraded the 323i with a more powerful engine and replaced the carryover three speed automatic with a four speed unit.

In late 1985 the 323i inherited body and trim enhancements from the latter 325e. These included an anti-theft Alpine stereo, analogue clock, a smoother front spoiler and increased rear leg room.

In addition to the coupe and sedan the range grew to include the Baur cabriolet conversion and a couple of motor sport variants. The John Player Special featured the JPS black and gold colour scheme as well as spoilers and alloys, sport seats and an improved sound system.

Performance wise, the standard manual 323i was capable of a quarter mile time of around 16.5 seconds. This was V8 territory at the time. Automatic models were some three seconds slower.

The combination of a lightweight body and small capacity six cylinder engine also benefited fuel economy. Expect an average of around 28mpg.

At release the 3-series BMW was criticised for it's poor aerodynamics. But a pleasant side effect to this was excellent visibility to all corners, unheard of in most of today's wedge-shaped cars. Even with it's 0.38 CD figure, the 323i was still capable of 200km/h plus and was very quiet at highway speeds.

IN SERVICE

As with all high-performance engines, it is important that regular oil changes have been performed. Look for oil smoke in the exhaust at idle or when accelerating hard immediately after idle. Worn valve stem seals and guides are the likely cause but are not too expensive to repair.

Also check that the timing belt has been replaced every 60,000km and that the proper BMW coolant has been used and changed according to schedule.

If the automatic transmission takes longer than usual to engage reverse it may soon need an overhaul.

All 323i's run on leaded petrol and because of the decrease in potency of leaded in the '90s the engine can be affected. Listen for any trace of 'pinging' under acceleration or load as this can lead to expensive damage. The only solution may be to use a petrol additive octane booster or have the ignition timing altered.

Other common faults include worn dampers, battery leakage damaged service indicator lights and cracked dashboards.

MODIFICATIONS

The E30 3-series is still quite popular and consequently there are many enhancement parts available including body kits, alloy wheels and suspension kits.

Engine improvements are limited to the usual intake and exhaust modifications and chips. There is also several examples on the road with super chargers and turbo chargers fitted.

SUMMARY

The 323i offers a fantastic blend of performance and practicality. As with any vehicle of this age, finding one in good condition may take a little searching.

Also worth considering is the later twin-cam four cylinder 318is and the sensational 325i.

Long term test: BMW 318is 1990

1999-08-19T12:00:00+10:00

Our long-term "budget prestige" 1990 BMW 318is was purchased second-hand in December 1996. The car had one previous owner and had travelled 145,000 kilometres. Because of the higher than average mileage, the car was priced between $3,000 and $12,000 less than comparable models.

Over the period of ownership we are logging the reliability and all of the costs to maintain and repair the car, to give you an idea of the viability of owning a budget prestige vehicle.

The 318is offers a good combination between performance and practicality. We like the fact that it is a front engine, rear drive vehicle. The engine is quite 'sporty' and offers good performance between 4,000 and 6,500 rpm, but is let down a little by poor gear ratios and a heavy flywheel effect.

The handling is quite comfortable yet offers good roadholding, with minimal understeer. Power oversteer is available only in the wet in low gears as the engine doesn't really have the power to overcome grip in the dry.

Inside the dashboard is orientated towards the driver, a long time feature of all BMW's. The drivers seat offers little in the way of lateral support but does offer an excellent view of all corners of the car thanks to BMW's reluctance to follow aerodynamic styling trends. The 3-series BMW's are not known for their rear seat legroom but the rear accommodation is superior to most other coupes.

As is the case with most used cars, when you purchase from a dealer you get the protection of some sort of warranty. In New South Wales the statutory warranty covers you for three months or 15,000 kilometres. But this only applies to vehicles up to ten years old that have travelled less than 150,000 kilometres. Fortunately our BMW just snuck in.

In fact it was very fortunate, as we had to return the car seven times to the dealer for warranty repair.

Soon after purchase we discovered that the car had an intermittent engine misfire which usually occurred under load at low engine speeds. Also noted was a power steering fluid leak. The dealer could not find the cause of the misfire and after three attempts to solve the problem actually paid to have the car repaired by an authorised BMW repairer. An ignition coil had to be replaced and had this not been covered by warranty we would have been looking at a repair bill of over $1,000.

The power steering fluid leak persisted and was one of the faults reported at all seven visits to the dealer. It was finally rectified - probably after the dealer replaced virtually every pipe and fitting in the system. Though, as of early 1999 this fault has recurred.

Other problems during the three month warranty period were various parts falling off or breaking (gear knob, manual sunroof winder and window winder) and an excessively noisy fuel pump. We were told that the noisy fuel pump was normal and that it's life could not be predicted.

Just after the warranty period expired the fuel pump failed. This problem almost left us stranded, but with the help of the local motoring organisation's road service facility the vehicle could be started by persistent banging on the fuel tank in the area of the fuel pump. The car was fixed by a local repairer at a cost of around $230. Kindly, when we told the dealer of the problem they agreed to pay for the cost of the parts.

Overall the dealer has been very helpful and courteous at all times and the frequent need for warranty repairs is probably more an indication on how sometimes it is better to have a vehicle repaired by a franchise dealer or a repairer with experience in that make and model.

Early in 1997 we decided to fit a new set of shock absorbers in an attempt to restore the original ride and handling. We decided to go with a set of Australian made Monroe shocks which firmed up the ride a little but overall made little difference to the ride or handling. Cost was $550 installed. In hindsight we feel it would have been wiser to invest in an after-market suspension kit to improve handling.

March 1998 and the radiator expired. We first noticed a little steam coming from under the bonnet but as it was raining at the time it did not seem out of the ordinary, but as temperature rose towards the too hot mark we pulled over and found the cause to be a holed radiator. It was re-cored and cost us $435.

Strangely, after the repair of the radiator, the temperature gauge reads abnormally low engine temperatures. On cold days it is not unusual for the gauge to read in the blue cold section and on hot days, the highest it will read is about a quarter. Previously, on hot days and in traffic the gauge would go as high as three-quarters. We are not sure whether the new radiator is too efficient, the gauge is faulty or the thermostat is faulty. We will replace the thermostat ourselves to see.

Still in 1998 and after 177,000 kilometres the clutch started to slip very badly. Replacement by a local repairer cost around $700 using after market parts. Due to the type of flywheel used on the 318is it cannot be machined and therefor it should be replaced with the clutch. As the price from BMW was over $1000 for a new flywheel we decided against replacement at the expense of a very minor amount of shudder when taking off from rest.

While the gearbox was out we had some parts replaced in the shifter mechanism to restore the gear change feel. Most E30 BMW owners have or will experience a fair degree of slop in the shifter after a lot of miles. To have this rectified it cost about $130 on top of the clutch replacement.

In March 1999 the fuel pump failed again and was replaced for around $270. This time though, the car had to be towed. It is suspected that the cause of the short life of the previous fuel pump may be the non-standard fuel cap, which may be letting in moisture.

Other problems have been the window winders breaking (they seem to be pretty weak) and a worn tie rod end.

We have handled regular oil changes and routine maintenance ourselves in keeping with the 'budget' concept. Basic genuine parts are pretty expensive but if you can handle the labour yourself servicing costs are minimal.

The whole idea of the budget prestige long term test is to see the costs involved in running such a vehicle, and also to see what sort of enhancements can be made to performance and styling at a minimum cost.

Over the next few months we plan to make a few modifications and repairs:

The tyres are now worn and the alignment out due to the tie rod problem. The tie rod has been replaced but we are waiting to get a new set of tyres and the alignment done. What we would like is find is a set of tyres that offers improved grip but is also long lasting and good in the wet. We will be consulting a suspension specialist to find out the differences between a standard wheel alignment and a performance alignment.
Part of the exhaust system needs replacement, and we hope to use the opportunity to replace it with a freer-flowing sports system to see what sort of performance improvement can be attained, if any.
We would like to experiment with low cost performance upgrades like EFI computer chips, cold air intakes, etc.
The paintwork is a little tired and faded. What can be done at a low cost to restore the paint to its former glory?

SPECIFICATIONS
Price: $40,910 (1990) $14,000 to $25,000 (used)
Engine: 1.8-litre, DOHC, 16-valve in-line 4-cylinder; 100kW @ 6000rpm; 172Nm @ 4600rpm
Transmission: five-speed manual
Suspension: Front - struts; Rear - semi-trailing arms
Brakes: Vented discs/discs
Wheels/Tyres: 5.5 x 14-inch, 195/65HR14
Weight: 1125kg