1990 325i Touring S50 Swap Thread

[nl328i]

I had been planning on using the m20 rad, as I have heard I will likely encounter less overheating issues. So the e36 airbox wont with with the m20 rad and fan?

I might just bite the bullet and buy the used carbon conforti intake with K&N filter and just figure out a heat sheild after the fact.

[mammoth_e30]

I had been planning on using the m20 rad, as I have heard I will likely encounter less overheating issues. So the e36 airbox wont with with the m20 rad and fan?

I might just bite the bullet and buy the used carbon conforti intake with K&N filter and just figure out a heat sheild after the fact.

Never tried the e36 airbox but it is unlikely it will fit without modification and can't say I have ever seen it used...

I'm using a KAMotors intake:

http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=130323

Mishimoto e36 radiator (similar to stock radiator m20, just a bit thicker & all alum)

80 degree thermostat pn 11531466174

80/88 degree fan switch pn 61318361787 (turns the push fan on low speed at 80 degrees and high at 88 degrees)

16" Spal push fan setup from this thread:
http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/show...1&postcount=57 (this thread has tons of good swap info fyi)

That should keep you cool all day long.

[nl328i]

Thanks guys.

I just got back from the shop and they might. E able to start in on extracting the engine this weekend, might be next weekend.

They told me that it will be easier and more cost efficient for them to custom mount the e36 differential into the e30 rather than swapping the diff internals. They also said that if we run into driveshaft problems they can custom fab one for me.

Sounds good to me! Thoughts?

[Roysneon]

I would rather just get a different E30 diff and an E36 328 driveshaft before I let someone 'custom mount' an E36 diff in my car.

[nl328i]

So I decided to go on a bit of a hunt to see what old bimmers were in a local parts yard for differential options.

There are a couple ones which caught my eye. I have heard the LSD out of a e28 will work. There is a 1984 528e auto there, but i couldnt see the stamp on the diff. The last 7 digits of the vin number are: 9272174. Anyone know if this came with a LSD?

There is also an e30 ix, but im guessing that the Diffs in that would be useless for my s50 swap.

Any advice or input is appreciated

[328ijunkie]

Hows this going? :D

[nl328i]

Hows this going? :D

Going well. The shop that is dismantling the donor car is behind so I'm kinda at their mercy. I forwarded the rest o he money to your guy rob for th engine mounts. I'll send down the harness as soon as I get it :)

[nl328i]

So, a brief update.
The shop that is doing the work FINALLY removed the engine this past weekend from the m3. I'm really nervous about this all working out smoothly, but here we go.

328ijunkie, I sent you an email re: wiring harness.

I also bought the engine mounts from 328ijunkie :)

I had another question though- do I need the pedals and pedal box etc from the m3 if this is being swapped into an auto e30?

The shop wants to scrap the carcass of the e36 asap, so I want to make sure I get everything I need :S

Quick responses greatly appreciated!!

[nl328i]

The Swap has started!!

The engine is out!


Do I need any of this stuff?

[nl328i]

Advice needed

Also, as you can see from the pics, the ECU was damaged. AM I able to just buy any ECU for a 95 m3?

The good news is that when I looked inside the ECU there was a racing dynamics chip! bonus!

[M3PO]

You can use any 413 DME but you need to make sure that the chip is for an S50 and doesn't have EWS. If you buy a new chip (the racing dynamics on may have EWS), you might want to think about VSS delete.

[evandael]

Yikes, that donor was trashed.

And no, thats the booster/master/ABS stuff, you don't need any of it.

[nl328i]

Recent Purchases:

- Motor mounts from markert motorworks
- E30 manual pedal box
- m-tech II steering wheel (being re-wrapped in grey alcantara with m stitching)
- revshift transmounts
- revshift 24v flex disc so I can use the e30 driveshaft
- kamotors carbon fibre cai (seemed like a good way to actually get cold air rather than a regular cai with no heat shield)
- 80 deg themostat
-80/88 temp switch (I can use this with the stock system correct? no NEED to buy a pull fan?)

[evandael]

with the 80* thermo and 80/88 fan switch, you should be fine using the m20 rad with no puller.

the only thing i would suggest is getting a quality pusher fan in place of the stock aux fan.. something that flows a lot more CFM.


what booster/reservoir setup are you planning on using?

[nl328i]

I was planning on using the stock e30 and just move the booster.

Is there a push fan you suggest I get?