92 nv m50 into 318is

[travis816]

this swap completely sucks. i jsut did it and i hate it. pissed off on how shitty this is. waste of time and money. m20 is litterly about just as fast. better power atleast. the only good thing is reliability. turn key.

[richardb]

Update, got clutch and flywheel in the mail Friday. Bringing flywheel to be resurfaced and machined both sides (to clear oil pan bolts). Going with a stock 325i Saachs kit, euro 323i saachs TOB. I also shortened the linkage and shift carrier 2 and 3/8'', had them welded at a local shop. The list of things I need is slowly ending... finally! Just waiting on those derlin shift tower bushings. Oh and I used valvoline max life (75k +) trans fluid, apparently it is very good stuff especially for the new england winters, and is only $5 per quart.

[richardb]

Ok the trans takes 1.3 quarts of ATF. Some use a manual trans fluid, others use ATF. If you go on realoem.com and type in the last seven of your vin it will tell you what you need.

I also took some measurements for cutting the shift linkage. I need the center of the shift lever ball to sit at 28'', and with the 318is linkage it is sitting at 30 3/8th''. Therefore I need to cut from the center of the linkages 2 3/8th''. I have seen people say " I think I cut about... or around... roughly 1.5'' " But from what I measured it is more than that. Comments?

[Wh33lhop]

I don't have a load leveler/balancer either but I'm going to try and procure one before I start the swap.

[richardb]

Wait... you put the engine in without the clutch and tranny on?....

It will be 10000000x easier if you put it in with the tranny on. At least I found it easier.

Yeah... I did lol

IIRC for M/S50s the common t-stats are 88 and 92C (someone correct me on this) whereas for E30s they're generally 80C. A lot of E30 guys prefer a cooler thermostat so the car sits lower on the E30's temp gauge, even though M50s tend to run better with hotter thermostats. So, good call on the 88C t-stat. However I probably would have dropped the motor/tranny in at the same time.

Yeah I see many guys on here using the lower temp one so that's the one I put in. On a side note, I don't have a load leveler so I'm not sure how I would have been able to get the engine and trans in at the same time with just a chain... although I'm sure it's been done. I am going to lift the front of the engine a few inches so there is clearance to reach the top two bolts for the transmission, I already checked to make sure it's possible (and it is) because the top two bolts are very short.

On a side note, I drained the trans. fluid today and mine has ATF stamped on the trans and also has an orange sticker (ATF only). I asked a transmission expert (Paul at Jerry's in Guilford) the capacity and it was listed in their book at something like 2.3 quarts. However, the owners manual says 1.2 quarts. On my 325i I filled up the trans until fluid was pouring out of the side hole (level with the hole). I'm thinking this is the best way to fill this one as well- I'm using the stock 240.

[Wh33lhop]

IIRC for M/S50s the common t-stats are 88 and 92C (someone correct me on this) whereas for E30s they're generally 80C. A lot of E30 guys prefer a cooler thermostat so the car sits lower on the E30's temp gauge, even though M50s tend to run better with hotter thermostats. So, good call on the 88C t-stat. However I probably would have dropped the motor/tranny in at the same time.

[SamE30e]

Wait... you put the engine in without the clutch and tranny on?....

It will be 10000000x easier if you put it in with the tranny on. At least I found it easier.

[richardb]

Some updates:





I still have a way to go... but it's getting there. Waiting for clutch and flywheel, then will have flywheel machined. Also ordered derlin shift tower bushings, cleaned up the transmission yesterday with a firm wire brush and it worked wonders.

I also put in a new wahler 88 degree thermostat and gasket (I think this is the lower temp one...). I also have a bottle of water wetter to be added when the time comes.

[richardb]

Ok so the engine is in, I'm not gonna lie it was a pain in the ass (I did it solo). I dropped the motor half way into the bay, then bolted on the headers, then bolted on the passenger side mount arm. Next I lowered it more onto the passenger motor mount, and the driver side gave me the most trouble but I finally got the stud to slide through the hole. I had to do it a second time because I wanted to know how much I had to shim the passenger side mount. I used four stainless steel washers under the mount arm for about 1/4'' of clearance. It has 1/16th'' between the header and the subframe currently, and the rear header is touching the trans. tunnel. I think it is touching because there is no transmission to weigh it down.

Also, I couldn't manage to get the motor in with the chain over the intake manifold because there was not enough room. I had to remove the intake so the chain wasn't between the motor and the firewall. Just a tip.

Next question, it appears there is a very very small gap between the new rear main seal and the crank, you could fit a piece of paper in between the seal and the crank. Yes, I ordered the right rear main, it just seams that the old one was tight around the crank. Any chance it will leak or is it ok? Just wondering if someone here has run into the same thing with a victor reinz rear main.

Thanks
Will post some more pics soon.

[MattM]

1. Drop in the motor with ebay ss reps attached to head?

Apparently this is easier... i have some ebay headers on the way aswell, so we will see


2. Where do I connect the spider hose end that is supposed to go to resevoir...

to a late style E30 resivoir.

[richardb]

Anyone?

[richardb]

I have questions after test fitting the motor today...

1. Drop in the motor with ebay ss reps attached to head?

2. Where do I connect the spider hose end that is supposed to go to resevoir...

3. Charcoal cannister line plugs in where? Is it necessary? Couldn't find a straight answer when searching

4. Fuel line with blue writing and green writing... which is which?

5. How to install the dipstick tube... I had a hard time jamming it in, I pushed very hard but it doesn't seem to "pop" all the way in. Suggestions?

Thanks alot.

I have will have the following this weekend:
ebay headers
323i throw out bearing
m50 325i pilot bearing
535i green motor mounts
new exhaust studs & nuts
rear main seal

m20 clutch/flywheel/starter paid for and on the way I hope?!

Here are some shots:

[apexhead]

I don't know how you got the driveshaft to work the csb on backwards. I had it on backwards on the same driveshaft and put a huge kink in it. I think it should go on the right way. I am running it on my car and I works great facing the right way.

[SamE30e]

Thanks guys. I figured out the wiring- turns out I kept the e36 connector from the harness so I just pulled back the boot and found the correct colors for the pin number you gave me(same on the chart...). SO...

E30---brown/green (pin 5)-----[oil pressure switch]------E36---brown/grey (pin 23)

E30---white/blue (pin 11)-----------[SI reset]------------E36---white/green (pin 19)

I had a white/green I just didn't see it last night.

The rest of the wiring I went by the chart posted, and I connected E30 green/yellow (02 sensor power relay) in with the E30 red/yellow (ABS hydro) both of them connected to the E36 green/white. Essentially I just connected the E30 ABS wire in to the 02 relay.

As far as the driveshaft is concerned, I asked another member what he did so I planned on doing the same (he had 318is also). I will probably just end up using the entire e36 shaft to make it simple.

What secret?

When I did my wsap I realized that those wires were messed up. Just hook the ABS upto any switched 12v.

And I used the whole E36 5spd shaft with the E30 CSB on backwards.

[richardb]

Thanks guys. I figured out the wiring- turns out I kept the e36 connector from the harness so I just pulled back the boot and found the correct colors for the pin number you gave me(same on the chart...). SO...

E30---brown/green (pin 5)-----[oil pressure switch]------E36---brown/grey (pin 23)

E30---white/blue (pin 11)-----------[SI reset]------------E36---white/green (pin 19)

I had a white/green I just didn't see it last night.

The rest of the wiring I went by the chart posted, and I connected E30 green/yellow (02 sensor power relay) in with the E30 red/yellow (ABS hydro) both of them connected to the E36 green/white. Essentially I just connected the E30 ABS wire in to the 02 relay.

As far as the driveshaft is concerned, I asked another member what he did so I planned on doing the same (he had 318is also). I will probably just end up using the entire e36 shaft to make it simple.

What secret?