ok...Ive learned ALOT..but who is using the 260?

[matt]

I chose to use the proper tranny for the job, not a half assed approach so I don't have much experience with using the improper number of bolts to hold my engine to the tranny. Forgive my lack of knowledge on the subject, I was merely voicing some common sense.

Even without an inspection plate, you are allowing debris and water to enter the bell housing much more easily than it could otherwise.

And yes, dowel pins are there for a reason too. That reason is to locate the parts since a bolt on an oversize hole is not designed to do that.

I like the new guy. :up:

[JRKOUPE]

260 set up///

ok..so which holes do not line up?........

[Charlie]

I chose to use the proper tranny for the job, not a half assed approach so I don't have much experience with using the improper number of bolts to hold my engine to the tranny. Forgive my lack of knowledge on the subject, I was merely voicing some common sense.

I've seen people using the 260 for this swap for 10 years. Track usage, street usage, the whole gamut. Never seen a catastrophic failure. I wouldn't be too worried. Frankly, I'd rather have the 260 in there than the POS e36 unit.

-Charlie

[CarsSuck]

Does anybody have some solid numbers regarding the transmission differences?

[matt]

42

[Farbin Kaiber]

42

Where are the handtowels?

[B3M2W5]

brave.n00b.com/bossinsiteowneraround.htm

+1 i thought hmm hes got nuts man... hahaha
But on the subject I would think 4 would be all right for DD running around town, but like I said to What HE said in the beging, that he plans on running a well maintaned (RELIABLE) track car i would have to say MORE bolts.

[B3M2W5]

Ok so this is what i have at least....
Red ones are the Two big ass bolts at the top, and the starter and the blue ones are the two torks heads bolts that are pretty good sized one that i mentioned.
This is all i have for now i plan on putting some more in later when i get back under neithe my car.

[StereoInstaller1]

So the 260 obviously holds up well, even missing a bolt or three.

I think everyones experience shows that the tranny fluid pickup is OK, 10 degree tilt or not.

What I wanna see is a better solution for the shifter linkage.

[B3M2W5]

For mine it was kinda goofy i wasnt finding any pic on what to bend, where to bend it and how far.

So i just got on my back and looked at what needed to go where and how to do it. So i took the selector rod put it in my vice and heated it up with a propane torch till it was red hot took some chanel locks and bent it down wards.
Grabed the can of WD-40 that i saw sitting next to me and said hey this might work to cool it down, sprayed it on there, walked out the garage coughing worked but makes lots of smoke. But needless to say it wored fine brought it right back to where it should be and seems to shift fine. Cars not running yet but it will be soon

(I dont have a lift, im 19 and doing this all by my self)(Engine lit on fire) So im going th cheaper route. Here a pic.
B4


After


Now

[JRKOUPE]

So the 260 obviously holds up well, even missing a bolt or three.

I think everyones experience shows that the tranny fluid pickup is OK, 10 degree tilt or not.

What I wanna see is a better solution for the shifter linkage.

..do you mean to correct the way the shifter is tilted toward pass. side in the cockpit?..or?

[PiercedE30]

Put the tranny on the motor before dropping the motor in. I had to wait to put the tranny in and I am covered in grease and my back hurts.

[dougsic]

My s50/260 has been in use for over 2 years with a LOT of trips down the dragstrip. I haven't had a single problem with it.

It doesn't grind when downshifting or anything else abnormal but I haven't had it on a road course (convertible).

When the motor was first installed, the shifter being offset to the passenger side was annoying. But in truth, I quickly got used to it and drove it that way. Later, another e30 friend drove my car and commented about the shifter. Oh yeh, I was going to fix that.

So I did.

I sawed the shift rod in half and was working on a jig to position it with the rotation I thought it would need before I welded it solid.

At the last minute, I saw a bolt laying on the work bench and stuck it inside the hollow shift rod - for whatever reason I'm not sure.

Well, the bolt was such a perfect fit that I had to screw it into the rod! So I cut the bolt head off and threaded the other end into the other half of the shift rod.

I twisted the shift rod to what I measured to be 10 degrees and installed it on the car. WAY too much twist!

Took the rod out and made it a little straighter. STILL way too much twist!

It took three tries before I got the shift rod just right. If the rod sits on a bench, you can hardly see that the two ends aren't in a straight line anymore.

I welded it with the bolt still in there. The bolt was surely just a standard thread bolt but I didn't think to measure the thread pitch before welding it up. The fit was so good that I wouldn't hesitate to have used it without welding but since I had the welder fired up, and I enjoy welding . . . .

If it hadn't been for that bolt, I would have spent the day tacking the shift rod, installing it, cutting the welds, straightening the rod, tacking it again, installing it, cutting the welds, arrgh.

FWIW I still have the vibration damper on the stock 325i driveshaft and there is no interference with the shifter.

[EtaSport]

as for those dowel pins, USE THEM. especially if you are using the plate that does in between the engine and trans (which is obviously highly recommended). if you do not use the dowel pins you could have problems with starter/flywheel mesh. Also, dont forget to use the correct pilot bearing for the trans you are using.

[BDSax]

i drilled a hole in the bell housing to put a bolt in on the bottom for extra support. you wont have any problems, and buy Doug;s tranny mount.