lost in information :/

[OldsCool]

i'm so confused right now about a few things.

1.) engine mount arms. as far as i know i have to use the e36 ones, but a few days ago i#ve read that someone used e34 ones? whats up with that? (i was planing to use the e36 stuff..i'll probably stick to that idea)

2.a) i have a zf310 transmission: which shifter linkage do i have to use. i read on e30.de that the linkage of a e30 320i is recomended. any recomendations? i was planing to do the "shortshift" upgrade with the Z3 stuff... now i don't know what will fit and what not?

2.b) since i have a zf310 transmission ... i've read a bazillion things about driveshafts and now i am completely confused. i have a 4,1 LSD diff and would like to keep it for now(low budget) so what driveshaft do i have to use? any E36 manual driveshaft or just like i read 97-98 E36 328i driveshaft? 88 325e is also possible? or E30 M3? :drink:

3) engine mounts: E28 535i or M5 are recomended as far as my information goes for the best clearance? true?

4) since its a M50 i need a 325ix brake booser.... which brakecylinder(?) should i use? 325ix too?

sorry for the noobish questions but i really got confused, sometimes there is just to much information without input...

[briham89]

1. e36 arms
2. e30 shift linkage. I used my stock linkage from my 88 325is.
3. a 4.10 diff with the zf tranny is waaaayyy too high IMO. I am running a zf to a 3.25 and i am at about 4000 rpm when I'm going 80 on the freeway. I am using a 97 328 driveshaft. The main thing is it has to be 4 bolt into the diff. Also run the e30 center support bearing backwards. I believe a e30 m3 driveshaft will work also
4. I just bought a modded one some im not the best on this subject.

Hope that helps.

i'm so confused right now about a few things.

1.) engine mount arms. as far as i know i have to use the e36 ones, but a few days ago i#ve read that someone used e34 ones? whats up with that? (i was planing to use the e36 stuff..i'll probably stick to that idea)

2.a) i have a zf310 transmission: which shifter linkage do i have to use. i read on e30.de that the linkage of a e30 320i is recomended. any recomendations? i was planing to do the "shortshift" upgrade with the Z3 stuff... now i don't know what will fit and what not?

2.b) since i have a zf310 transmission ... i've read a bazillion things about driveshafts and now i am completely confused. i have a 4,1 LSD diff and would like to keep it for now(low budget) so what driveshaft do i have to use? any E36 manual driveshaft or just like i read 97-98 E36 328i driveshaft? 88 325e is also possible? or E30 M3? :drink:

3) engine mounts: E28 535i or M5 are recomended as far as my information goes for the best clearance? true?

4) since its a M50 i need a 325ix brake booser.... which brakecylinder(?) should i use? 325ix too?

sorry for the noobish questions but i really got confused, sometimes there is just to much information without input...

[OldsCool]

thanks for the input.

1. clear
2. could i use my linkage from my 318? i think not? i assume it has to be 6cyl linkage?
3.i know but money is short and good lsd diffs are $$$
4. would be nice to get more info if someone knows more

[ethrty]

thanks for the input.

1. clear
2. could i use my linkage from my 318? i think not? i assume it has to be 6cyl linkage?
3.i know but money is short and good lsd diffs are $$$
4. would be nice to get more info if someone knows more

2. your 318i one will need to be shortened. easier to find a 6cylinder linkage imho.
3. put up a trade thread on here and/or other E30 forum say what you want and see if anyone bites. good way to not spend money
4. there are a lot of options here. for example i have a porsche 924/944 booster and stock E30 master. dont know about iX stuff (we didnt get iX in new zealand)

edit: fyi the early E32 7 series booster is the same as the iX as far as i am aware

[OldsCool]

a sale/search/trade thread wouldn't bring me results since its an "US" forum and a live in austria. i put already 2 of those threads up in austrian forums but there are not much results.

thats one of the reasons why i look for more driveshaft options. e36 328i driveshafts are rare here. and e30 m3 are either rare or way to expensive.

[RoadHazard]

Is it hard to get parts over from Germany?

328 drive shaft must be from a car with manual trans.

[OldsCool]

Is it hard to get parts over from Germany?

328 drive shaft must be from a car with manual trans.

not really hard, but for some parts shipping is pricey. ...whats about the story with the 88 eta driveshaft? any info about that? i think that one would be easy to get.

i have to check the junkyards nearby..

[rThor432]

325e is also possible? or E30 M3?

3) engine mounts: E28 535i or M5 are recomended as far as my information goes for the best clearance? true?

You can use a stock 325e if it has the big flange (big M3/5-series guibo). I did with my ZF.

Just so you know, both of those mounts will work. The M5 mounts are slightly taller than the 535i mounts (a couple CM) so that might save you the trouble of shimming the mounts. Or if you have the luck mounting everything that some have had, they might set the motor higher than you want.

I think the other questions have been covered enough.

[ethrty]

i have E28 535 mounts and the engine just clears the steering rack. not much in it. lucky the way they mounts are orientated the engine torques up and away rather than down and onto the rack/subframe.

the lower in the car you can get the engine the better from a physics point of view

[OldsCool]

i know that, but my car is pretty low. i think i have about 7-8cm clearance to the ground. well i guess i still have to find out what works out best

[MattM]

the ZF shift linkage works fine too, i put a ZF320 in mine, and all the shifting components from the donor car fit right in, with the E30 support bracket at the other end, i put my bracket in a vice first and bent it up slightly so the selector rod clears the balancer on the DS(when using 328 manual DS). works perfectly.

97-98 E36 328i driveshaft?

yes thats what you want with E30 CSB

[OldsCool]

thanks for more info ;)

[ethrty]

yes thats what you want with E30 CSB mounted backwards

edited for clarity

[RoadHazard]

How to mount the CSB is difficult to describe in words but easy to understand once you have all the parts in front of you. :D