The comprehensive DOHC engine swap thread.

[bmwe3]

This is how my cars wired 90m3 - 95s50
e30-e36
1-25
4-12
5-23
6-21
7-21
9-20
12-8
13-13
15-15
18-18

any ideas? i dont have the o2 sensor plugged in yet does that matter? it should sit start just run shitty right?

[Brew]

[quote="bmwe3"]

I'm still not getting power to my fuel pump. I don't think my main relay or o2 relay is kicking in either. All I hear when I turn the key to "on" is a relay in the fuse box kick in.

i got my motor completely in and this is exactly what my motor is doing cranks good no power to fuel pump relay i jumped the fuel pump relay wire to a hot and pump fuel in but still no spark im thinking there is no signal going to the dme for it to know when to fire the injectors/spark. the blue/yellow wire on the back side of the instrument cluster gos to what pin on the dme plug? i have a 90 m3 there are also 2 wires under the dash i have no idea where they go red/blk and purple/black. i got my wiring diagram from mike who has done a few e30m3 s50 gotta give him a call tomarrow.

Weird, my car was just out of commission for a few days because of the exact same problem. Fixed it today. Check to make sure that you have power at the DME. On my car it was pin 26, and should be hot at all times. Check for power at the two red wires at the main relay also.

[ian332isport]

Ok, from what I can tell, the DME is not switching on the relays. Would it be possible for me to send someone on the board here (preferably with a HIGH post count) my DME(s) and test them on their cars? Ryan, if you had time, and if you wanted to, I'd prefer that you did it since you have a spare EWS disabling chip laying around that could be tested in one of my DMEs.

It's pretty unlikely that the DME is faulty. Electronics are pretty reliable these days.

I suspect it's either a lack of power to the DMW itself, or the DME does not think that it needs to be energising the main relay due to some other input missing.

As far as I can see, you have everything needed in the C101 connector, so it's probably power.

Did you check to see if you have power on the red wires on the main relay ?

Ian.

[tranceguy]

Yes. There is power to the red wires.
The reason I'm thinking it's the DME is that I bought a silver 413 without a chip from a guy who swore he had it in a pre-21/94 M3 of his. (read: no EWS) So I'm going to try to round up one of TMS's EWS disabling chips. I already tried swapping in a good chip from a red label 413 and a stock chip (good or bad... I dunno) from a red 413. No such luck.

[Ryan Stewart]

Wel my understand was that ALL silver 413 DMEs are from the EWS cars while the red ones were from a 93-94 325i.

Now the billion dollar question is whether the harnesses matter. My understanding from Trent was they had always used the old harnesses too but nothing in my harness depended on the EWS. Just never installed it and popped the chip in and it fired right up. Didnt have to jumper any wires or anything.

[tranceguy]

Wel my understand was that ALL silver 413 DMEs are from the EWS cars while the red ones were from a 93-94 325i.

That was my understanding too, but this guy swore up and down that he had it in his non-EWS M3.

[bmwe3]

got my motor started today the problem was that the main relay power wire was left off :oops: and the relay connections needed to be cleaned out to make a good contact. but it sounds good a big relief since the guy i got the motor from lied about the condition of it. I always thought that the m3 and 325 use the same mount point like my cruise control had to be moved up so that the coolant tank can fit the lower radiator mounts are in a completly different place.

any one running a fan/clutch on there? what fan are you using? doesnt look like the fan will fit.

if anyone needs the wiring diagram for a s14 to s50 let me know ill be glad to help.

[JasonH]

Something strange is going on with these swaps lately. I am experiencing the same problems mentioned above. When I turn the key nothing happens - no fuel pump, no cranking, etc. Unfortunately it is an intermitent problem for me. There car has run great since completing the swap last spring. About three weeks ago, I went out to start my car in the morning and it didn't crank. Mysteriously it started the next day. The same thing happened a couple days after that and again last week. Last week it happened after starting the car several times while running some errands. After the last stop, I tried to start the car and nothing happened (leaving me stranded for the first time). Relays seem to be fine and I'm getting power at the relay connections. I'll be curious to read what solutions others are coming up with while I spend the day trying to diagnose my own problem tomorrow.

[Ryan Stewart]

bmwe3, post if up if you wouldnt mind. This way we can collect as much information online and eventually we will boil it all down from this thread to a writeup that is more complete than is what is online right now.

[Brew]

got my motor started today the problem was that the main relay power wire was left off :oops: and the relay connections needed to be cleaned out to make a good contact. but it sounds good a big relief since the guy i got the motor from lied about the condition of it. I always thought that the m3 and 325 use the same mount point like my cruise control had to be moved up so that the coolant tank can fit the lower radiator mounts are in a completly different place.

any one running a fan/clutch on there? what fan are you using? doesnt look like the fan will fit.

if anyone needs the wiring diagram for a s14 to s50 let me know ill be glad to help.

No engine fan/clutch here. I wired up the aux fan to a switch, but what I will eventually do is make it so that the fan runs at low speed whenever the engine is running, and having a high speed switch for it for idling on hotter days. I should also mention that I hollowed out all the fins in the AC-condensor.

Jason, thats really strange that you mentioned that. My car stranded me last week for the first time due to a broken power connection to the main relay. If the car doesn't crank at all, then its not a problem with the relays. Could be your ignition switch or the wiring to the starter.

[bmwe3]

i think my motor has a vanos noise when i jump off the throttle you hear the timing chain rattle for a quick second but then again the motor hasnt been started in a year i was looking on all-data today and they said hold the rpm at 2500-3000 for 3 mins and then see if it makes the noise try that 5 times if it still makes noise hold it at 3000rpm for 15mins and that should bleed the oil system. if the noise is still there oil pressure is to be checked.

i need a diff 2.93-3.25 asap top speed on my car is only 90mph with the 4.10 but i can burnout in 3rd and 4th lol from a stop.

[kylebes1]

Call Eurodepot for a diff.

They are great!!

the 3.25 would be ideal, probably top out at 13-ish,

I drove my reswapped e30 m50tu today. it currently has an open 2.93 diff. Funn to roast the one tire!!! :roll: but it was still great on takeoff. I think the m50tu makes the right amount of torque to handle a tall diff, and will rev high enough to really make some speed

Be sure to hook up the speed reference wiring, it makes a difference to the redline, goes from 6200 up to the factory 6800. Also makes it run smoother, I could tell a difference anyway.

[bmwe3]

speed reference wire?? where?

any idea what this mean as soon as i start the car the brake pedal gets sucked to the floor brakes applied and wont come up until 5 mins of the car being off?

[DEV0 E30]

I've been reading as much information on an M50 swap as possible, been emailing various places where I could get an engine, planing to do it this summer where I can take the swap slow if need be.

So been looking at the overpriced Project Orca. Would it be worth it to buy before so the swap can be done with minimal setbacks? I don't really know of too many places where all the information is given like Orca. From the few pictures it looks step by step.

Ryan, Brew, kylebes1, and others with would you ever sell your car now? No way huh? Just thinking about having a more modern day engine in a e30 makes me want to go frankenstien on it. :o

/has caught the virus

[Ryan Stewart]

Its been a long time since I have considered selling the E30, or any parts off of it.


According to those who have bought it the ORCA is almost worthless. Mark Distelhorst is the only person to like it but he is like the first person to do one of these on spring break in his garage, now there is just too much information on the internet.

Speaking of, its time to start working on a writeup.