BMW Z3 - the project i said i wouldnt do (I don't have AIDS)

[Monkey]

When i bought the Z3, i said i wasnt going to do anything to it, apart from general maintenence.

that has now all changed.

Spec when bought:

1.9 Z3. Built March 1998 in Boston Green

Photo of when i bought it

Roof up



Roof Down




when i bought it, the list contained only

New boot lid to remove the luggage rack
New h/U as the car did have one
fix central/remote locking
fix electric seats

Electric seats were taken apart, freed up, rocking mod added and re fitted. and all working

H/U bought, a lovly pioneer MP3 with integrated parrot Handsfree kit, awsome

Central/remote locking fixed

whilst doing all this i found an oil leak, which is comming from crank case. this is a problem, which i still havnt permanently fixed, i was and still am planning on finding another 1.9 engine to drop straight in, and then completly rebuild this one. i was expecting to pick up an enigine this weekend, but it had already sold. so i'm back on the look. i'm NOT going to put a different engine in.

i put the car on a computer, as i noticed a possible miss fire, but i couldnt be certian, it was intermittant at best. the computer showed a miss fire, along with some other stuff (CAS sensor issue) so i check HT leads and found one to be a bit worse for wear (cylinder 3) replaced the HT leads and all codes now gone. and it runs alot smoother.

i have replaced the boot lid, which i found to be a different green entirely GRRRR, but i also bought a new front passenger wing, a new passenger wing mirror (both being the correct colour) and a new gear knob.

i also this weekend removed the mud flaps, and changed the BMW centre caps for new ones.

photo of how it looks now



To do:
Friday it going to get the back end painted so it all matches
need to find a passenger headlight washer jet, as this is how it looks



i want to replace the steering wheel, with a smaller BMW one, but thats not urgent.

and then in 2 weeks it having a very special treat.

i will say that all i'm going to do, but i know it wont be.

[Kneel]

SR20 would be nice in one of these no? I heard they were a bit lifeless with the smaller engines..

[Monkey]

i'd rather stick with BMW engine, non of this jap crap thank you

i wouldnt call it lifeless, it lacks the kick in the back acceleration, but it does love to rev. i think there is alot of power to be got from thw 1.9, it seems quite over engineered.

[Actual_Ben_Taylor]

I have the 2.2

It's not exactly a rocketship, but it makes reasonable progress and sounds lovely

[Ken]

Deb has the 2.8, I really like them

[Monkey]

Ohh we have the start of a little Z3 club it looks like. i do like the Blue on that one Ken.

and do i have you to thank for the thread title edit?

[sxbaz]

i'd rather stick with BMW engine, non of this jap crap thank you

i wouldnt call it lifeless, it lacks the kick in the back acceleration, but it does love to rev. i think there is alot of power to be got from thw 1.9, it seems quite over engineered.

you cant get much power from the 1.9 engines im afraid, its like flogging a dead horse, fastest and easiest way to bigger power is to drop in a 2.8

[bolf]

got the missus a 2.2 one , its fun in the sun

[Monkey]

you cant get much power from the 1.9 engines im afraid, its like flogging a dead horse, fastest and easiest way to bigger power is to drop in a 2.8

Hmm. maybe a rethink. I'm not sure if i want to play with the engine, i may just sort the handling out. do some little engine mods but nothing too much. Arrgghhh i just saw a supercharger kit for my car though.

Boot lid is all painted now. so its back to one colour again.

[sxbaz]

annoyingly i think either the rods or pistons are forged from factory... im not 100% on that but barring getting the engine super or turbocharged you cant get many gains, and then it will only make similar power to a stock 2.8 engine. Either way good luck with the rest of the project and im sure a few handling mods will more than make up for power

[Johnny]

Dont do it dude.

you will never get decent performance out of it, and considering how cheap the "m" Z3s are now, you would be better off selling yours and buying one of them, where the looks, power and handling are already done and proven to work.

I fear if you start to mod yours you will end up with a car with an unnoticeable amount more power but that makes a lot of noise and has a hard ride that you "think" is great but in reality is a little bit too crashy and bouncy for uk roads. ... I say keep it as it is, a fun easy going roadster .. Or sell it and pump the few grand getting a supercharger and mapping and suspension and intakes and injectors and ignition and loud exhaust and stupid insurance costs in to buying a quicker, better looking and all round more competent M series

[Monkey]

Dont do it dude.

you will never get decent performance out of it, and considering how cheap the "m" Z3s are now, you would be better off selling yours and buying one of them, where the looks, power and handling are already done and proven to work.

I fear if you start to mod yours you will end up with a car with an unnoticeable amount more power but that makes a lot of noise and has a hard ride that you "think" is great but in reality is a little bit too crashy and bouncy for uk roads. ... I say keep it as it is, a fun easy going roadster .. Or sell it and pump the few grand getting a supercharger and mapping and suspension and intakes and injectors and ignition and loud exhaust and stupid insurance costs in to buying a quicker, better looking and all round more competent M series

i know, this is what i keep swaying from and too. at the moment, i'm going to get it running 100% sweet. and then do some basic mods i think, breathing and exhaust. i've looked at supercharger, and its $3800 from america + delivery and taxes etc. i'm not that stupid.