I'm getting ready to swap an S50/ZF into my '91 318i, and have been researching the driveshaft / differential solutions for literally weeks if not months. Still, I have confusion as to whether or not I can use the driveshaft I purchased with the swap parts.
Along with the engine and trans, I got what I believed to be the driveshaft from the '95 M3 parts donor. After researching, I learned that the early driveshafts don't work, and started to look for 328is (manual) driveshafts. The problem as I understand it lies with the length and output bolt pattern of the shaft. However, when I look at the later model driveshafts, I am beginning to question if what I have really isn't a 328 shaft... it has a 4-bolt output and looks like U-joints, with the 3-bolt input (no guibo came with it). Is this possibly not an M3 shaft?
My real question is, given that the driveshaft I have uses a 4-bolt rear, the problem comes down to length and I am curious where to actually measure that length from. Part lookup and forum posts confirm a length of 1492mm, how can I match that up on my part? Flange to flange?
Along with the engine and trans, I got what I believed to be the driveshaft from the '95 M3 parts donor. After researching, I learned that the early driveshafts don't work, and started to look for 328is (manual) driveshafts. The problem as I understand it lies with the length and output bolt pattern of the shaft. However, when I look at the later model driveshafts, I am beginning to question if what I have really isn't a 328 shaft... it has a 4-bolt output and looks like U-joints, with the 3-bolt input (no guibo came with it). Is this possibly not an M3 shaft?
My real question is, given that the driveshaft I have uses a 4-bolt rear, the problem comes down to length and I am curious where to actually measure that length from. Part lookup and forum posts confirm a length of 1492mm, how can I match that up on my part? Flange to flange?