Flywheel swap help m20

[Bimmercannon]

I need help from the Rev elders, I've owned my e30 for over a year now still don't know everything about them.

So I'm doing a m20 flywheel swap on my m42 (I know, I know, a million threads about it, I read them all) I purchased a flywheel from bmwstudent recently for the swap and he assured me that it was a m20 flywheel, I really wanted to hold out for a late model flywheel so I know there would be less likelihood of running into issues but he assured me that the late model flywheel will work perfectly in my m42.

Now, he wasn't sure which car the flywheel came from, he thought its from a 2.7 e30, BUT the flywheel is a single mass (that weighs 15lbs, thought m20's weighed 19lbs or so) and I thought I read that 2.7 e30's are 325e's and that all 325e's have dual mass flywheels?

Now the flywheel is in but the clutch and pressure plate don't line up with the flywheel, the holes about 1/4" off in each direction, maybe little more. I bought a clutch kit for a 1990 325i/is, IS THIS THE PROBLEM? Do i need to buy a clutch kit for a early model 325i/is? I thought they were all intercahngeable? Or a clutch kit for a 325e, even though they are dual mass flywheels?

Im sorry if this has been covered before but i can't find it. I emailed the guy I purchased it from 2 days ago and haven't gotten a response, so my backs kind of against the wall here, because the shop's breathing down my neck asking me for a solution I don't have.

Are there different types of m20 flywheels? and is there a way to identify what flywheel it is that I have? guess I should have just followed my gut, hope he gets back to me.

Thanks for any help there may be, try not to eat me alive

-Evan

[Reichart12]

Maybe not the best subforum for this but people will see it. To help out do you have any pictures of the flywheel you're using?

[AlpinaB3]

i used to have 228m m50 flywheel on my m42 and was bolt on. Just in case you choose that route.

[biodose]

I believe, if it's a dual mass flywheel then you need the associated clutch and same for single mass.

[TurboJake]

Not all early 325/325e's were dual mass, just most. After 5/86 they switched to the dual mass.
Early model single mass flywheels do not have the same pressure plate. The dual mass, and late model single mass, do use the same pressure plate.

Any post 5/86 clutch pressure plate will not bolt on to the pre-5/86 single mass flywheel.

Pictures will really help here. Easiest way to tell is if you have the reference pin on there, and the early model single mass is really thick.

[Bimmercannon]

No unfortunately I don't have a picture of the flywheel as the shop has it in the car at the moment. But there are three dowel pins which I'm assuming is the "reference pins" your talking about? and their six pressure plate bolts, with 1 reference pin between every other pressure plate bolt..

And there's no way my flywheel is as big as the one on the left, in the picture previously posted, so that would most likely make it an early model m20 flywheel, correct?

Sorry for no picture, I'll see if the mechanic can get it on the lift and snap a picture for me, they're pretty busy :/ bout to say screw it, scrap the whole thing and just keep it stock :(
-Evan

[varg]

Did your flywheel have a metal stub sticking off of it axially? AFAIK 325e flywheels do, 325i flywheels don't. I have done this swap, I think you have the correct clutch and the wrong flywheel.

This is my M20B25 flywheel:


This is an M20B27 single mass flywheel:

[Bimmercannon]

ok, those photos are great, i think my flywheel looks closer to the first photo, but ill call and ask first thing tomorrow to look for that metal stub to confirm if its a 2.7 flywheel.

and if it is a 2.7 flywheel, will it still work in my car? what clutch kit do i have to have?

thanks for helping everyone, i appreciate it.

[varg]

If it's the B25 flywheel you may have just had the pressure plate misaligned. As I remember, if you have it turned the wrong way the bolt holes don't line up. I am unsure if you can use a B27 flywheel on an M42, it may have too much stacked height with the clutch and throwout bearing.