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I have seen you folks talk about different ignition systems and Ill be getting one of those in the future. At the moment, its just get it on the road for our anniversary so Im using whats there(mostly). I just found a dead lead and a weak one. so new leads to be ordered. Im looking at £100.00 or there abouts for oem. With a future Ignition upgrade in mind, what sort of leads are you guys running? Within the £100-150 mark

im using some 23yo e30 320i ones (didnt cost much at all)....... well you did ask lol!

would drgonzo send you his old 320 ones? its worth a pm as i think he's chucking them out....

hmmm didnt think of e30 ones. nice one! Ill ask drgonzo ty for the heads up

OE ones are best. The ''performance'' ones on eBay etc are shite.

e21-Mark wrote:OE ones are best. The ''performance'' ones on eBay etc are shite.

I had a feeling someone would say that. It wouldnt be the first time aftermarket was worse! I guess I was just hoping that there would be an aftermarket upgrade that was both cheaper and better.

Well thanks to the good and great gonzo...The 320 is running on 6 cyl again!! yay! now its alignment and fuel mixture then mot. I think she will sail through. Got a realy plesent surprise while I was adjusting the lifters.... The rockers are date stamped 87 in my 81 head. O.O hehe.... the seller forgot to tell me the head was rebuilt...RESULT!!
The compressions a bit low...barely getting 9 bar on my gauge but this could be because I seem to have missplaced my exstention for it and I dont think Im getting a good seal. I priced up rings for the 323 lump I have and I think Ill just get them and put the 323 in this winter.

How much are the 323 rings?

You could probably find a 2.5 for £150 or so.

My price list at W&N says 23 euros plus the usual but I havent called them to verify that. As far as a 325 lump, I kind of want to keep it all e21( although I am planning on boring out the 323 lump to 2.7 or2.8 just a bit poor at the moment so Im using what I have)

By the time you add gasket set etc it'll cost you more than a 2.5 lump.

hmmm...yeah I see what ya mean...but the lump I have I know inside and out. the crank and bearings are fine and the cyl walls just need honing for a new set of rings. If I get a 2.5 lump, Ill need to tare it down and rebuild it to my satisfaction so I would end up spending more I think.

my 325i engine cost £225, it had 108k on it when i bought it.... i heard/saw it running in the donor car for 20 odd minutes, a red two door se with mudflaps no less. looked thru the service history it had 8-10 stamps in its book etc. i threw some service items cambelt water pump etc at it. replaced the rear crank seal as it was a little damp.
ive changed the oil 3 times now since its been in mine.... probably done another 15k now.... its been fine, uses no oil/water. its had its arse thrashed and bounced off the rev limiter more than a few times at drifting days. you dont need to strip and do all the rebuild work if you see/hear it running. youd be unlucky to get a knackard one...

gonzos also sounds perfect too imo, i doubt he'll be having any problems with it.

MIB had the same thing and that engine is about to go into another e21. Silver Surfer also did the same. Are you seeing a pattern here?

It would be a shame to spend dough on a 2.3 only to regret it a little while later.

They'll talk you into it in the end

DrGonzoPOW wrote:They'll talk you into it in the end

lol they will try...hehe all jokes aside ..I see what you are getting at but It will be some time before I am ready finacialy to modify my car that much.

Apart from moving the battery it drops straight in. It's basically identical to your old 2.3.