Newbie, swap m52

[reyesch3]

Hey guys,

well im new to the e30 forum and i currently have a 1991 318is bmw with a about 250k miles on the engine.

im currently leaning towards the m52b28 for the swap, the motor im purchasing was fully taken apart, block and head decked, hot tanked and cleaned.
-o.e.m gasket kit, chain tensioner, guides, etc
-o.e.m water pump
-o.e.m valve seals (intake & exhaust)
-Ireland Engineering M52 Race Main bearings
-Ireland Engineering M52 Race Rod bearings
-Ireland Engineering M52 Piston rings
-ARP head bolt set
-Vac Motorsports custom metal headgasket (84x120)
-brand new o.e.m fan clutch
-brand new 140amp alternator
-brand new o.e.m fuel injector o-rings
-oil pump nut is tack welded to prevent it from backing up and causing damage to the engine(common e36 problem)
-m50 intake manifold
-behr radiator
-factory fan shroud with coolant reservoir
will come with full factory harness with DME (computer), and all accessories are included.


what else will i need for the swap and also can i use my 5-speed getrag 240 for the engine?

thanks a lot, i have been reading a lot of the information provided, but need more guidance for this swap.

[e30forlife]

I just did this swap on my 91 318i...Im running m50 manifold, s52 cams, and headers to a 3.73lsd..

Just throwing out a couple things that stick out that had me guessing on my swap is...

- I used original brake booster by adding some washers on my left/driver side engine mount for manifold to clear booster.

- e36 325i manual drive shaft

If you need any help or questions just let me know.

[RobertK]

Shimming the engine will create drive line alignment issues and premature guibo / ujoint / center support bearing / transmission seal failure.

You would need to shim it quite a bit to use the stock booster without first notching the firewall and moving it over at the very least.

Sounds like you are already spending good money on an engine so don't skimp.

- E32 735iL / E34 540i / E30 iX Brake Booster
- E32 735iL / E34 540i Brake Master
- 92-95 E34 M50 525i Brake Reservoir
- E36 328i / M3 ZF320 5sp Transmission
- E36 328i / M3 ZF320 Manual Driveshaft
- M50Manifold.com Intake Manifold Kit (to adapt OEM oil separator)

The G240 is a much weaker transmission. They often fail when beat on behind a stock M42. Board members report about a 50/50 success rate with them. The G250 from an E36 325i isn't much better. There is a reason an E36 328i comes with a ZF320 from the factory. Long term durability under performance driving conditions. E46 M3 guys install them behind modified S54s for track duty.

Take your time, install quality parts, and if you don't feel comfortable with a part / tool / method your using then trust your gut and wait it out until you can do it right.