E36 vs E39 Gearbox for M5X swap

[e30maniac16]

Hi All,

so new guy here :)

so long time BMW fan and had previously an e90 and e60 and thought I'd join the fun with an e30.

So planning an m50 swap and I am stumbled a bit with gearbox selection.

I was wondering if the e36 328i zf gearbox would be the same as the e39 528i one. Or are they different? i am not referring to the gearing etc but rather to the bellhousing etc (the physical characteristics)

Thanks for your help :)

[pazi88]

I was wondering if the e36 328i zf gearbox would be the same as the e39 528i one. Or are they different? i am not referring to the gearing etc but rather to the bellhousing etc (the physical characteristics)

If the e39 has zf also, then the gearboxes are identical. It's funny that e36 m3 zf is really expensive, e36 328i is also quite expensive and e39 zf gearboxes are dirt cheap. Even thought those are all the same. But before you run buy e39 gearbox, remember that all don't have zf frol factory. Some have lot worse getrag.