E30M50: ltw flywheel options

[erik325i]

^ thanks Erik, that was my understanding as well. man i hate it when ppl come out of left field with mis-information.

No problem Cary. Just lookin out.

-Erik

[lateapex31]

The tip of the shaft that slides into the pilot bearing is a different size between the e30 and e36, but the splines that hold the clutch should be the same.

I just finished installing my ZF tranny today and I used my e30 clutch allignment tool, so I know the splines are the same.

The last swap I did for a customer, if I used a machined down e30 flywheel and clutch, with an e36 Getrag tranny.

So in conclusion, make sure to use the pilot bearing matched for the tranny, and use the starter matched for the flywheel. All the splines on the trannies are the same.

-Erik

Well, I originally bought a Getrag E36 325i transmission and an E30 M3 Sachs clutch to go with it. The disk fits on the input shaft fine. I ended up using a ZF transmission out of a 1997 M3. The input shaft splines are completely different and larger than the Getrag input shaft. The Getrag/E30 clutch alignment tool fits in the E36 disk because the hole is larger, so the smaller tool fits fine. I had to get a different clutch disk in order to use the ZF because when I went to put the motor on the tranny while on the engine crane, it wouldn't mate. I took it all apart to discover that the Sachs E30 M3 clutch disk uses a smaller spline than the ZF of the E36 M3.

So, based in my hands on personal experience, and having both trannies side by side on the floor of my shop, with both an E30 M3 clutch and an E36 M3 clutch disk, I can say without a doubt that in my case they were, indeed, different sizes. ZF input shaft is larger than the Getrag (in my universe, your mileage may vary).