Weak points

[crutts]

Looking to buy a 318i to use a road rally car, does anyone have any tips on what to look at as for weak points? Want to try and make it as bulletproof as possible without emptying the piggy bank.

Cheers

Joe

[bruvs1]

What year joe?

[alan1272]

if it's an e30 - rust!
if it's an e36 - weight!

you'd be best to find a 318is (16v engine, e30 or e36) or a 318ti compact which is probably the best value for money as they're dirt cheap at the moment.

[bruvs1]

Think that sums it up alan !

[Garry.M]

if it's an e30 - rust!
if it's an e36 - weight!

you'd be best to find a 318is (16v engine, e30 or e36) or a 318ti compact which is probably the best value for money as they're dirt cheap at the moment.

Lol,,, aye - sounds about right

[Adam Gardner]

this looks an ideal start to a road rally 318is! no joking aside i can throughly recommend the e30 as a good road rally weapon. had a few good results with mine and only failed to finish when down to driver error!
viewtopic.php?f=3&t=3819

[bruvs1]

318is is probably the better option but fact is that the 318ti is cheaper and plentyful in the spares department.

[Adam Gardner]

totally agree there, i have competed in both. i borrowed a mates 318ti last year for a forest/ gravel based road rally. found the compact to be very good fun to drive although didnt want to fly so good as the e30 over bumps/ jumps. im sure this can be dialled out with suspension or weight distribution alterations.

[GAJ1]

I have a late model (w reg) E36 Compact with the 1.9 8V motor (non sunroof). Bought for spares but may sell on as a complete car for the right money after fixing the burst plastic water pipe under the inlet manifold. Drives nice. A shame to break. Needs a drivers wing and drivers headlight glass.
I Just need a working 4 pot gearbox for our wreck

[crutts]

Sorry forgot to say it was a E36 compact and ti not i. Having driven one at the rallyschol, I am in love with them and the fact they are so fun to drive, so decided if I want to get back into road rallying it has to be one of these or nothing

So I am guessing weight is my main enemy? I had main worries about the diff and the back axle to be honest?

Joe

[Adam Gardner]

get a medium case lsd and a lower ratio sorted for it. 4.44 or simular, you will need a pair of e30 shafts to match the diff outputs normally. make sure the rear axle and diff bushes are replaced with suitable poly items to stop it all moving around.
m42/44 engine mounts are prone to going very soft over the years so renew those too. there are plenty of people using the compacts with high levels of reliability.

[GAJ1]

Don't use the oil filled ones. Use the solid rubber ones from the bigger engined cars.

[alan1272]

your not going to be breaking diffs and shafts with a m42/44.
get a lsd from a e30 or similar, as said a ratio between 4.1 and 5.1 will be ideal.

then get out there and go sideways

[crutts]

The car I am buying has a LSD in it and is caged, guarded and got seats. So the diff hopefully wont be a problem.

What are the engine mounts like? And are the wishbones solid enough?

[GAJ1]

As we found out the std ones are large (approx 3" diameter) but both failed doing a small tarmac SV earlier this year. From advice on here i swapped them for solid rubber ones which are smaller in diameter but much stronger. Fitted to the 5 series 6 pots i believe.
Rear shocker rubber top mounts pulled out of the body at Weeton after several events so suggest nrew / uprated versions to be safe.
We also replaced the gearbox / prop coupling as it looked very poor with lumps missing out of it after two events.