g240 vs g260

[rattlsnak]

Which would you go with for your swap if you had both available to you?
(going behind a non vanos m50b25 from a 92 325is.) a g240 from an m42, or a g260 from a e36?

What I'm looking for is differences in gear ratios and ease of install (like trans mount issues, clutch, drive shaft issues, etc..)

Its going into a 91 318is in which i still have the 4.10 diff. (but that will be changed soon)

[e30s50dan]

I have the same setup in my 318. M50nv g240 4.10 use an e36 ds e30cb. EASY!!!

[F34R]

Which would you go with for your swap if you had both available to you?
(going behind a non vanos m50b25 from a 92 325is.) a g240 from an m42, or a g260 from a e36?

What I'm looking for is differences in gear ratios and ease of install (like trans mount issues, clutch, drive shaft issues, etc..)

Its going into a 91 318is in which i still have the 4.10 diff. (but that will be changed soon)

The 240 is ok to use if you have nothing else to go with.

The 260 is the way to go but you have to make a bracket or buy one from a member from here. Also the selector rod needs to be bent 15* to be used.

Also so you don't sound E30 tech ignorant the 260 came in the E30 325 models the E36 has the ZF trannys. The only E30 to get a ZF was the early 318 models (ZF s5-16)

The only difference in the 260 is the clutch set ups, single mass and duel mass. You will want to get a SM if it is duel. Sheads LBS and less sloppy.

If you go the SM route get the correct clutch to match the SM fly.


On the LSD get a 2.96-3.25 but nothing higher then 3.46 if you want to retain a DD.

Are you using e28 engine mounts for the m50?

PM me for more info and I also have a complete ZF with 130k.

[ethrty]

240 for ease of install purposes only. (thats what i have used)

260 is stronger no doubt, but i cant weld so its one less (well two less if you count the shifter as well) headache i had to worry about

[SamE30e]

I have a G240 with a single mass, no problems and it's awesome close ratio for Auto X.

[rattlsnak]

Also so you don't sound E30 tech ignorant the 260 came in the E30 325 models the E36 has the ZF trannys. The only E30 to get a ZF was the early 318 models (ZF s5-16)


Are you using e28 engine mounts for the m50?

I hope I dont sound too ignorant! Thats why I ask many questions!! Everything Ive read up until now, says the e36 non M cars, had a g250 trans, but I will verify the part numbers when i get to the shop tomorrow, but every indication so far, says my trans is indeed a g260. (pulled the drivetrain as a unit out of a '92 325is ).

Of course, I also read that a g240 will NOT fit an m50 motor either, which is why I bought the whole drivetrain from another car only to find out, that a g240 from a m42 car, WILL fit!

So, now i have both which is why I ask the question above. I dont mind using the g240 for ease of installation, but i wasnt sure about gear ratios, etc. I also assume the g260 is a little stronger. The car will be used for AX and a lot of track use, not very much, if any, street use.

I have another thread going on about this trans issue, and i will post pictures of it tomorrow.

If I go with the g240, what do you use as a flywheel/clutch package?

I will be using the e36 mount arms and probably the AKG mounts.

[uberCerealkiller]

92-95 e36 non-m's definetly came with getrags... i'm almost positive it wasn't the 260 though, as that's an e30 tranny, but i could be wrong.

I know they didn't get the ZF's until 96+. I've had 3 e36's, one was an auto so we won't count it. i had a 93 325is it had a getrag (i know, i had the tranny out ALOT in that car) and i had a 94 318i, it also had a getrag. My auto car, 93 325i, was supposed to have a getrag automatic, but the P.O. put a ZF out of a 328 in it, WHAT a headache that caused, threw codes constantly, and every time you got on it it would go into limp mode, such a headache...

As far as flywheel and clutch, i've always heard that the single mass m20 and sprung clutch was a good combo, if you can shell out the extra bones get a uuc ltw unit and m5 clutch.

PM me also, i've got something on my other computer that i can send you if you want it.

[rattlsnak]

thanks uber.. i will confirm part numbers on the trans tomorrow..


and one other question on the driveshaft. Why do you have to use one from a e36 325 if using the original trans and it will mount in the original place? why couldn't you simply use the original driveshaft? nothing is changing?? confused on that one..!

[F34R]

I hope I dont sound too ignorant! Thats why I ask many questions!! Everything Ive read up until now, says the e36 non M cars, had a g250 trans, but I will verify the part numbers when i get to the shop tomorrow, but every indication so far, says my trans is indeed a g260. (pulled the drivetrain as a unit out of a '92 325is ).

Of course, I also read that a g240 will NOT fit an m50 motor either, which is why I bought the whole drivetrain from another car only to find out, that a g240 from a m42 car, WILL fit!

So, now i have both which is why I ask the question above. I dont mind using the g240 for ease of installation, but i wasnt sure about gear ratios, etc. I also assume the g260 is a little stronger. The car will be used for AX and a lot of track use, not very much, if any, street use.

I have another thread going on about this trans issue, and i will post pictures of it tomorrow.

If I go with the g240, what do you use as a flywheel/clutch package?

I will be using the e36 mount arms and probably the AKG mounts.

I did not mean your ignorant, I was just setting the 260 straight. But I know for a FACT the ZF 5 spd is what came out of the '94 325i that I pulled the m50tub25. I do know the 250 was made for the e36. I was just stating that the 260 does not come in the e36. Unless they did it for a bit till the ZF took over.

A SM fly with a clutch masters or a grip force clutch will be an awesome upgrade. You can buy a 323 fly or get a machine shop to take a stock M20 sm fly down so it is like the euro 323.

240>260 no other way around it. If you cannot weld buy one off a member. Cut and weld the selector rod or heat it up and bend it till it is correct.

[F34R]

thanks uber.. i will confirm part numbers on the trans tomorrow..


and one other question on the driveshaft. Why do you have to use one from a e36 325 if using the original trans and it will mount in the original place? why couldn't you simply use the original driveshaft? nothing is changing?? confused on that one..!

The e36 tranny has a different output shaft. You have to use the shaft that comes with that type of tranny. I also know the 260 has two different sizes too. I am not well versed on the e36 or 240 trannys because they are not as good as the 260.

I waited for the 260 and now own three. If I were you and did not want to wait use the 240. Cannot go wrong and it is much easier to install. It will hold up fine to the tracking you might do.

[SamE30e]

If I go with the g240, what do you use as a flywheel/clutch package?

I will be using the e36 mount arms and probably the AKG mounts.

You can use the M42 dual mass or you can convert to single mass. You use the M20 single mass flywheel, pressure plate, and disk and a euro 323i throw out bearing with a m20 pilot bearing. The linkage is a E30 6 cylinder carrier with I think the 6 cylinder rod (I just shortened my M42 one). The mounts and cross member are the stock M42 ones. Driveshaft is a E36 5 spd with a 4 bolt flange and a E30 CSB installed backwards.

[rattlsnak]

Driveshaft is a E36 5 spd with a 4 bolt flange and a E30 CSB installed backwards.

This is what I dont get. Specifically on the 318is, if using the g240, if nothing is changing behind the engine, (same trans, in the same position, same mounts) why couldnt you simply use the existing m42 (318is) driveline? The trans is going to be in the exact same spot it was in with the m50 engine as it was with the m42 engine. So why does it have to be changed?

I'm missing something here apparantly. Maybe thats a carry over from the e30 325 cars??

[rattlsnak]

oh, yeah, and which starter? the original m42, or m50, or???

and shifter/carrier?

if using the original g240, i assume i can simply use the originla shifetr/carrier, etc.. the trans is already 'rotated' so i shouldnt have to bend or shorten/etc anything, correct?

[ethrty]

This is what I dont get. Specifically on the 318is, if using the g240, if nothing is changing behind the engine, (same trans, in the same position, same mounts) why couldnt you simply use the existing m42 (318is) driveline? The trans is going to be in the exact same spot it was in with the m50 engine as it was with the m42 engine. So why does it have to be changed?

I'm missing something here apparantly. Maybe thats a carry over from the e30 325 cars??

The gearbox wont be in the same position. To put it in crude terms, take off a cylinder at each end of te M5x block, and thats where the M42 sits more or less. Therefore, the 240 sits 'one cylinder' further back in the car, and therefore you need a shorter DS and shifter linkage.
the 260 stays in almost exactly the same position becasue its from a 6 cylinder to start with, and therefore a simple adjust of the stock driveshaft makes it fit

If you want to use an E30 DS, use the Euro 320i DS. In europe 240s came bolted to the back of M20B20s as well, just with an M20 bellhousing on the front (Ignore this if you are in the US, you will NEVER find a 320i DS there)

[rattlsnak]

i am certainly not arguing with you and i understand what you are saying but i am still trying to wrap my head around this, but how can the trans move backwards if it uses the same exact mounting points and mounts? if it uses the same original mounts, it hasnt moved back. i would completely understand if the rear mount had to be changed or modified, as this would mean the rear of the trans has moved, etc, but if its the same, that has to mean the trans doesnt move, as in the extra two cylinders would go forward of the current m42, and you can use the existing driveline, if that makes sense.

the way i see it now: some people say the trans moves back an inch or two and you need the e36d/s. if that is the case, will it still fit into the original mounts? if so, then i undertsnad this whole scenario.
some people say it will not move back as it fits into the original mounts but you still have to use an e36 d/s. this i cannot understand.

i guess what needs to be done is to measure the difference between the engine mounts and the bellhousing on both engines/trans and see what the difference is, if any. That would tell us if the tranny moves one way or another.