My E30 M50 Swap with pictures

[nholm325e]

This is my first motorswap and im sure there is going to be alot of surprises. I have a 1987 325e with 210k miles. I just got a 92 m50 non vanos engine with 132k from P.A.





I just dropped the motor in without the transmission to see how things were going to fit and line up.






One of the plugs were cut off and im not sure what its for, possibly another 02 or monitor sensor? It branches off the wiring harness where the plug is for the transmission.


Ive always wanted to know whats this for..


So i got the motor sitting in there, i dropped the motor and transmission as one, it was obviously a tight fit. Hopefully i dont have to take it out until this winter...

Im going to start the wiring today and hook up a few odd and ends to see if i can get it to crank over, and maybe see it firing too. I will update soon with more pictures, and hopefully with not too many questions, will see.

-Nick

[nholm325e]

hmm why is it a pain to insert multiple pics..

[So Live]

Great progress man. Good luck with the wiring!

[matt]

The missing connector is probably for the e36 reverse light. Disregard it. The only thing you need to connect off that part of the harness is the one O2 sensor.

The dealie by the fusebox that you can't identify is an aux fuse panel. For adding an alarm or other accessory.

[B3M2W5]

Oh thats what the little dealie bob is for i always thought it was like a battery fuse or something. Hmmm.

[vr4boy]

looking good!

[RyanZ06]

Should have cleaned the motor before you dropped it in! :)

[golde30]

Should have cleaned the motor before you dropped it in! :)

+1.

[BDSax]

+1.

+2

[Mr Deagle]

Should have cleaned the motor before you dropped it in! :)

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1111!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!+1

[nholm325e]

ehh, well i havent driven my car in over a year and im gettin a little excited. Im more concerned with fixing all the little problems and getting all the kinks worked out before i waste my time cleaning. Gotta keep priorities straight...

Plus im gonna boost it this winter, so i gotta tear most of it down anyways so i thought that would be a perfect time to start doing alot of cleaning, painting, and the rest of the final touches sense the motor will be out again anyways.

Its deff. gunna be show car material by spring..

[nholm325e]

I thought the "getrag" transmissions only came stock on the m20 engines. I thought the m50 engines used "zf" trans...guess i was wrong

Anyways mine is a getrag(doesent look a thing like my old e30 trans) and i noticed when i was fitting my e30 guiebo on that it just rubs the bottom of the shift linkage and also their is about a 1/2 inch gap still between the trans and driveshaft after i slide the guiebo in.

--Am i sapose to use the e36 guiebo and are they thicker and/or smaller in diameter, or do i have to do something with my driveshaft??

[FredK]

If you have a post-5/86 eta, then your driveshaft has a larger guibo (96 mm BCD) than the Getrag 250 can accept (78 mm BCD). So you will need a 325i manual driveshaft from either an E30 or E36.

[matt]

If you have a post-5/86 eta, then your driveshaft has a larger guibo (96 mm BCD) than the Getrag 250 can accept (78 mm BCD). So you will need a 325i manual driveshaft from either an E30 or E36.

The e36 one fits better. The e30 one has the wrong size bolt holes for the e36 guibo. It's also a little too short (as you already know)

[nholm325e]

Thanks for the fast response, im trying to figure out what i need to get because i gotta get ordering

so because i have the post 5/86 driveshaft that means i should just use a e36 325i manual driveshaft and gueibo in order for everything to line up and fit??

Or should i just get the smaller gueibo, use different bolts and rig up something for that 1/2 inch gap ill still have??

I keep reading your guys posts im just making sure im following you guys right, Thanks