E30 M52

[B C]

I was talking to the wife during lunch about a possible vehicle change: sell my Infiniti, get a winter beater (the kind you look forward to crashing into shopping carts and snow banks with) and using the price difference to invest towards something I have been wanting to do for a while (no, not gender reassignment surgery). Her counterpoint is that I have complained about driving some of the other cars we have had . I like my infiniti quite a bit, its the first car I have owned in a long time that I really enjoy as a daily driver. My counter to that was that I should be driving the E30 about 7 months out of the year. Her counter was that the E30 isnt reliable enough to drive 7 months out of the year. 

I'm a bit annoyed by the car's reputation as it was a reliable daily driver for 4 years with no engine mods, 1 year with megasquirt, and 1 year with megasquirt and the turbo, then I encountered the perils of boost. 1 snafu which is my fault (overboosted/no boost gauge) and the 2nd which was the fault of the engine builder I used on the rebuild. 

My wife doesn't understand that this new engine configuration has a higher probability of being reliable than the last couple configurations. 

So it appears I have some people to prove something to, and out of spite, I will try my best to but a heap of miles on the E30 this year. 

The goal is to have it ready to go for the first of March so long as weather cooperates

[KaiserRolls]

Reminds me of an Ollie and Sven joke:

**ollie and Sven are standing atop a hill looking over the city.

Sven says to Ollie, “hey Ollie, see that bridge over there?”

Ollie “yes I do Sven”

Sven “I built that bridge, do you think the towns people call me Sven the bridge builder?”

Sven “see that church Ollie? I built that church as well. Think the towns people call me Sven the church builder?

Ollie “why are you telling me this Sven?”

Sven “they dont call me any of those things Ollie, but if you fuck one pig....”

Point being you have one engine failure on a heavily modified car and all the outsiders are quick to crucify you.

[B C]

A+++

[straight6pwr]

1)sell the datsun

2)drive the e30 all year

3)pocket some amount of the datsun sale to cover the 'unreliability' in the future

4)invest the rest in bitcoin

5)lose your ass on bitcoin because its just made up money

6)save your marriage by selling the e30

7)share the minivan with your wife in the winter and use a bicycle in the summer

8)get in great shape because you are biking all the time

9)become an olympic athlete with your sveltness and make millions in endorsements

10)buy several s54 powered e30s

Don't forget us little people when  you are rich and famous

[B C]

A++++

[jc43089]

Tell her the 24V engine is so reliable I swapped one into my Toyota van for my wife to haul our children around in.

[Jdesign]

Ohh hes got a good point!  ^

[B C]

Collector plate registration forms sent

[m42b32]

Collector/hobbyist plates are the way to go!

[Jdesign]

Snap said:

Collector plate registration forms sent

Why no hobbyist plates?

[B C]

I like the blue plates on my black car more than i like green plates on my black car

fight me if im wrong.

[Jdesign]

[B C]

Horns were destructed by my former 17x9 stancebro wheel and tire setup

I installed replacements and once again have functional beepers

These original cable holders are good (top)

But after so many years they are crumbling and I would rather have something more conventional like zip ties so I bought some license plate frame hardware and a cable tie mount (bottom)

I installed the new fog lights and brake ducts I got from gunmetalben. i didnt have them when I had the turbo setup because charge pipes and an intercooler said “no”.

I will need to get some upgraded bulbs. The last set of foglights i had retrofitted to 2300K HIDs but the lenses are all gone to hell and im okay with a warm LED or halogen bulb this time

The bumper and valence are also installed.

I had to unbend a lower mounting bracket that i couldnt use for the last couple years because charge pipes and an intercooler said “no”.

The front end of my car is still rock chip city. I dont really mind it as long as it doesnt start rusting. I’d like to think next winter after a successful 3 seasons of driving that I will so something to make an improvement in the aesthetics department

I still have the exhaust and the stupid brake booster situation to tend to then just cleaning up the interior a bit and connecting a few small things and im ready to rock!

[HipMF]

Nice trick you did there with the license plate hardware. Looks good.

[B C]

I replaced some headlight bulb connectors that had broken tabs and finished wiring the fan with the stock temp switch and relays

Some of you may be uncomfortable with my 92 C thermostat and 99 C fan switch. I have some extra weatherpack connectors that i will wire in to the fan switch harness so i can change the fan to kick on at 91 C if I need to

[jc43089]

FYI you can use an 80/88C fan switch.  Plug and play.61 31 8 361 787

[i_love_cars]

let me know if you need any help crossing the finish line this week/weekend.

[B C]

jc43089 said:

FYI you can use an 80/88C fan switch.  Plug and play.61 31 8 361 787

Thanks for the part number. I dont want the fan to be running until its above normal operating temperature so the 91/99C is my choice. I will hang onto the part number for future use in case this doesnt work out

[jc43089]

Keep in mind that switch is on the cool end of the radiator.  I have used one for a long time and the fan does not run unless sitting in hot temps for quite a while.  That is measuring the temp of the coolant right before it goes into the engine to cool it.  Not the temp coming out of the engine.  I wouldn't want much hotter than that returning to the engine 80C/88C (176/190F).  On my gray car I had a Stewart water pump, 88C thermostat and 80/88C fan switch and no mechanical fan, I don't think the fan ever ran on high, and low only occasionally in heavy traffic.  I had an Autometer temp gauge with the sender in the head.  The highest temps I ever saw were right around 210F, Usually it was about 195F.  I would use that setup again, very pleased with it.  Just my 2 cents.

[B C]

your experience is very appreciated. Sounds like I should probably start off with the 91C trigger and visit a Chick-Fil-A drive thru on a Friday lunch hour in July to see how things fare.