318i + m52b28

[monkeytaco]

Pulled the transmission and drive shaft out on Saturday (sunny and 60 degrees wooo!).

I didn't get to cleaning anything, since I only had about an hour to work, and yesterday it snowed/rained/was cold.

Before I wash the bay, I'm going to remove some of the firewall insulation, and get the rest of the power steering components out of there.

It was nice to see the full underbody, looks like I'll need some new rear suspension bushings, but I couldn't find any rust!

[e30-325]

Pressure wash that engine bay!

[dude8383]

The ABS pump is SO UGLY! Maybe I'll fab some lines and mount it in the trunk. I'm actually thinking the same thing for the washer fluid reservoir, run some wires and extra fluid hose, and I can keep all the stuff and get a sexy bay.

I'm not sure, but if you move the abs pump all the way to the back, you might very well be fucking your brake balance/bias (?)

[monkeytaco]

The ABS pump is SO UGLY! Maybe I'll fab some lines and mount it in the trunk. I'm actually thinking the same thing for the washer fluid reservoir, run some wires and extra fluid hose, and I can keep all the stuff and get a sexy bay.

[dude8383]

Seconded on keeping ABS. Hopefully you'll finish just in time for sunny skies!!

[mega_t2008]

you should keep the washer fluid reservoir, or go with 325ix one, but if u plane to put ABS to the battery place under the hood then you can't use 325ix... And, try to keep the ABS on the car... It's a good thing to have;)

[monkeytaco]

What I did this weekend:

Since I don't care about air conditioning, it is now gone!







I want to clean up the fenders too, what do I do with the washer fluid reservoir? Get a small one and mount it somewhere else?





That is a lot of pounds worth of a/c!




I also took out the m42 wiring harness and ecu-





Pulled off the center console because the guy who owned the car before didn't know how to fit the handle properly, and taking it apart felt good. It's going to get a nice clean up. (and I have GOT to get rid of that nasty shift knob)




Look how nasty and dirty that is... power steering is getting deleted, no dirty lines - bye bye power steering! (maybe a better ratio rack too, if i find the cash.)




I'm also debating removing the ABS all together, but I have mixed feelings about it. If I keep it, I might move it to where the battery should be (since mine is trunk mounted).




Okay enough picture whoring... Next time I'll actually de-grease and clean the bay up before pictures, and get that transmission out of there. :-D

[monkeytaco]

Swap parts!



don't mind the old mount still attached...







Here are the two left side engine mounts I have-



They don't appear that different, until you look close and see the one with the ridge (dirty) has an elongated hole. It was mounted on an m50 powered 94 325i, notice the bolt mounts to the outside. After doing much reading, I figured out that the non-ridge non-elongated hole mount works for m50s but not m52s, which is why I have the other one too.

[monkeytaco]

Well, I took some more pictures of the car, and I've done a few things:

Start them young:


Some pics of the bay, documenting the whole 'before'-






Couple exterior shots -





Real dirty (and yes, i haven't pulled the transmission yet, you're all right about pulling it with the engine, i'm a lazy slacker)-




Notice the cracked dash (and my son 'driving' lol)



Nasty seat covers, but they'll protect the seats from any more damage for now.



nasty seats, think this sat in the sun?


some trunk action (i'm a picture whore)



more interior





Alpine white FTW


more...

[monkeytaco]

Went to the pull and pay today...

the 535 had 340k on the clock and the diff was f'd (car was hit in the left rear - axle looked like it punctured it, BIG accident).

the e36s were picked over. no driveshafts, diffs, intake parts, ecu's... nothin. booo.

the only one with anything on it was a 92 325i with a non-vanos m50. i grabbed the cam and crank position sensors cuz they were $5 each, will these work for the swap? havent found any advice other than "buy new" or "make sure they are obd1....i'm doing this on a really really tight budget...

I managed to scab a couple temp/oil pressure sensors and a couple good hoses, but I'm not that much closer to having the parts...

by the way, it pisses me off that people cut wiring harnesses to get the ECUs out, i don't want a harness without a connector. argh.

[monkeytaco]

Yep, decided to go OBD1, mainly because the wiring is easier and the hp gains, even if minimal, will be worth it.

Sellin parts like mad from the m42 to pay for obd1 parts!

[Gnarles]

So I guess you decided to convert to OBD-I? That is a smokin deal on the oil pan and intake manifold! I am still trying to find an E34 oil pan for my S52 swap at a local picknpull because I don't want to pay $150+ for one!

[monkeytaco]

Picked up some parts today!



That's an m50 intake manifold and fuel rail. my oil pan dipstick & tube - the pickup is in the plastic bag. hiding behind the oil pan is an m50 throttle body just for fun. Also, where you can't see in the box there be hiding some engine mount brackets.

All this for $140. Craigslist + ebay woooo!

The driveshaft and other engine bracket deal didn't work out, so i still need a driveshaft. The local pull and pay has 4 good e36 donor cars I'm going to check out for that and the rest of the obd1 parts (and an e28 535is - crossing my fingers for diff....).

[monkeytaco]

well i have gotten a little stalled as work has been busy and the kids sick, so i haven't gotten into the garage.

i think i've completed my research, as much as i can without doing actual work and getting stumped...

the only dilemma i have right now is whether to wait and compile the parts for the obd1 swap, or just keep it obd2 and deal with the wiring.

since i have the entire 528, i can even keep the ews system and run 2 keys, but I don't know if the hassle is worth it.

the thing that keeps me interested in keeping obd2 is the whole deal will cost less. I'm on a shoestring budget so any savings are good.

speaking of budget, anyone need any parts from the m42? (crank bearings were shot) :-D

[ahriley91]

I'm about to do the m50 swap in my 91 318is. Buying the engine tomorrow!! Which means the swap starts after work on Saturday. Or on Friday night. Keep us updated. Also it says what driveshaft to use in here. http://www.e30dohc.com/wiki/index.ph...HC_Swap_Basics

It says to use the e36 325i driveshaft. I would think the manual too.