clairifications on g250 swap

[vagabond80]

Hey all

I've about worn out my keyboard googling, and info has been inconsistent, and mostly doesn't -seem- relevant to the specific setup I'm hoping to use.

car is an '85[built 11/'84] e30 318i with the M10b18 and 5speed manual which I guess this means g240, but 3rd gear is out
petitioning the faceSpace groups over the past few years for this swap, I have purchased an m52b28 (apparently out of an e39) and a g250 with nothing on it (shift linkage etc). guy did include a rusty clutch kit I can only assume will work(and I can probably clean it up easily enough).

I'm trying to keep costs down, and not throw good money after bad. I actually just got the old m10 running again so I can drive as I compile parts, and hopefully have everything ready to go all at once.
Where I live shops wont/cant help and sourcing any parts at all means getting things shipped/ebay/forums. long stories but I've already been plenty screwed over by this.
I think I have everything needed on the engine side down, minus hearing too late that the e39 m52 exhaust wont clear.

my remaining questions now are on the trans side
I've heard it suggested that the original drive shafts will work with this swap, but I might need to do a 10mm to 12mm fix? or get a different guibo? or do I absolutely need to find the driveshaft for a g250?
It looks like some companies have started making adapters that are newer than the swap guides. any of these useful?
I will still need to figure out all the shift linkage/carrier/dssr stuff. I really dont want to try to source a different trans and then still have to get all the extra parts, but at what point is it not worth the 250?

thanks for any advice, sorry I'm sure most of this has been answered somewhere in the vast reaches of the internet over the past couple decades but trying to come in late to the game, it all seems convoluted and some outdated.

[mtech325]

The G250 isn't particularly strong, so if you can find a ZF 5-speed or even the e30 g260, you'll have a better transmission to start with.

If you're dead set on using the G250 though, you would want to use the manual e36 325i driveshaft with an e30 center support bearing installed (early model CSB in your case). For the shift linkage you would use the carrier and selector rod parts from the e36 with the g250 (325i or 323i e36 models) with an e30 rear carrier mount (you'll have to confirm if your early model e30 has the provisions to mount the late model rear shifter support bracket).

Alternatively, if you don't want to source all the shift linkage parts, you can make the 'poor man' DTM style shifter by using the early model sheet metal shifter console, trim it, bolt it to the top of the transmission tunnel, then install the selector rod. Just make sure your transmission mounts are in good shape though.

[vagabond80]

The G250 isn't particularly strong, so if you can find a ZF 5-speed or even the e30 g260, you'll have a better transmission to start with.

If you're dead set on using the G250 though, you would want to use the manual e36 325i driveshaft with an e30 center support bearing installed (early model CSB in your case). For the shift linkage you would use the carrier and selector rod parts from the e36 with the g250 (325i or 323i e36 models) with an e30 rear carrier mount (you'll have to confirm if your early model e30 has the provisions to mount the late model rear shifter support bracket).

Alternatively, if you don't want to source all the shift linkage parts, you can make the 'poor man' DTM style shifter by using the early model sheet metal shifter console, trim it, bolt it to the top of the transmission tunnel, then install the selector rod. Just make sure your transmission mounts are in good shape though.

For some reason I didnt get the notification for this reply but thank you very much. With what i still need to source, getting a proper g260 or zf along with the driveshaft and shifter components would be just as easy and probably not much more expensive. This whole project has gotten so out of hand...