The comprehensive DOHC engine swap thread.

[bimerok]

Keep e36 trans if you already have it! You will need 328 driveshaft and e30 csb.

[Den_k321]

Keep e36 trans if you already have it! You will need 328 driveshaft and e30 csb.

e36 328i? and does it matter if its automatic or manual? and if i keep the e36 tranny with 328 driveshaft, do i keep my e30 lsd?

Thanks alot!

[pandaboo911]

e36 328i? and does it matter if its automatic or manual? and if i keep the e36 tranny with 328 driveshaft, do i keep my e30 lsd?

Thanks alot!

Yea e36 328 manual, e30 csb installed backwards. Medium case diff, just needs a 4 bolt flange, I believe e36 diffs have cv flanges.

[bimerok]

The drive shaft has to be from manual, CSB installed normally, not backwards. You will also need the guibo and bolts from e36 too as they are bigger in diameter.

The driveshaft will bolt on fine to your diff. No modifications needed there.

[MaxBell]

Hey guys, hoping to get answers to a couple questions regarding my M50TU swap into my 1986 325e.

1. I'm moving my brake booster over 1/2" and I'm wondering how it bolts to the pedal in the cabin. Before the two bits on the end of the booster slid on either side of that tab on the pedal. Now do I just bolt it to the side of the tab?

2. I have 2 G260s, one that is in OK condition with a lot of mileage on it. The other is out of my parts car, with about 50k less KMs, but I've never driven the car, so I don't know what kind of shape its in. It's out of the car and it shifts and everything seems ok, is there some sort of test I could use to see which is better?

3. I get that I have to machine down the flywheel, but how much? Just so I can tell the shop.

4. What starter, flywheel, clutch, alignment tool (is this needed?), pilot bearing, release bearing, throwout bearing and any other tranny to engine piece do I use? M20 or M50?

5. I'd like to make my own tranny brace, should I just mock it up when everything is in the car? Or does someone have some measurements for what mods get made to my stock one?

6. I've loved the sounds of my M20, but I can't find exhausts that sound good for the M50, other then this (see below) and it's $1000. Any recommendations, I don't want loud.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rRdF0NsdYUE

This is good too.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KwfOWSl0HuY&feature=related

[etxxz]

Yea e36 328 manual, e30 csb installed backwards. Medium case diff, just needs a 4 bolt flange, I believe e36 diffs have cv flanges.

and it can also be from the e36 m3 96+.. 328i is 96+ i think.. OBD2 e36's. i got mine from an m-roadster iirc.

[justin_l_]

I'll bite, these are easy enough. Should search if you want a better desctiption, the info is out there.

Hey guys, hoping to get answers to a couple questions regarding my M50TU swap into my 1986 325e.

1. I'm moving my brake booster over 1/2" and I'm wondering how it bolts to the pedal in the cabin. Before the two bits on the end of the booster slid on either side of that tab on the pedal. Now do I just bolt it to the side of the tab? YES

2. I have 2 G260s, one that is in OK condition with a lot of mileage on it. The other is out of my parts car, with about 50k less KMs, but I've never driven the car, so I don't know what kind of shape its in. It's out of the car and it shifts and everything seems ok, is there some sort of test I could use to see which is better? USE THE KNOWN GOOD ONE, PULLING TRANS SUCKS.

3. I get that I have to machine down the flywheel, but how much? Just so I can tell the shop. TAKE THE STEP ON THE BACK DOWN FLUSH OR MORE (THE MORE YOU TAKE THE LIGHTER YOU GET)

4. What starter, flywheel, clutch, alignment tool (is this needed?), pilot bearing, release bearing, throwout bearing and any other tranny to engine piece do I use? M20 or M50? ASSUMING YOUR USING THE G260 AND M20 FLYWHEEL AS STATED ABOVE, USE ALL M20 PARTS.

5. I'd like to make my own tranny brace, should I just mock it up when everything is in the car? Or does someone have some measurements for what mods get made to my stock one? THEY ARE CHEAP TO BUY BUT IF YOU HANDY ENOUGH JUST MOCK IT UP IN THE CAR, THEN WELD IT UP.

6. I've loved the sounds of my M20, but I can't find exhausts that sound good for the M50, other then this (see below) and it's $1000. Any recommendations, I don't want loud.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rRdF0NsdYUE

This is good too.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KwfOWSl0HuY&feature=related

THERE IS A WHOLE THREAD OF EXHAUST SOUNDS, LOOK THERE.

[MaxBell]

Great, thanks duder.

Question 1: my M50 was auto. Is there any special wiring that must be done to put it into my manual car? Which plug is the auto, and which is the X26, since they are side by side in the harness?

Question 2: A power steering bolt was broken off in the E36 M50TU oil filter housing bracket, but luckily I have one from a NV E34 M50. They're the same part # on RealOEM, but I wanted to double check.

M50TU on the left, M50 NV on the right.

[yanal]

searching too much probably isn't a good idea, because half say i should use 5mm spacer with the e28 535i mounts and the other half say i shouldn't !


if any of you have S50 with S52 headers, did you need spacers on the exhaust side to clear the down pipe ?

[BimmerTim]

no

[yanal]

So it looks like I'm using the steel s50 headers rather than the s52 ones, Do I need any 5mm spacers on the passenger side ?

[NERDE30]

SO let me get this right . If I am doing an S50 swap , using the Zf tranny. There is absolutely no way I can use the STOCK 95 M3 DRIVESHAFT ? If I am wrong can someone please help me make this setup work !

[yanal]

You can, but you also have to swap the 95 M3 differential guts with it, the input shaft has 6 bolts, while the e30 or the newer e36 m3 are 4 bolts

[Jonny Cash]

zf trans users, what's the m5 clutch combo youre using to use an oem single mass flywheel. (240mm?)

And only those who have persoanlly installed an m20 cluth combo onto a zf- What modification was needed?

[Jand3rson]

A nice little tip I just came up with this evening.

If you're removing the wiring harness from an engine you're about to put in, or removing it from your existing swap to do some work (like I am right now), get a container of white or brightly colored zip ties, some good wide ones.

Zip one around the boot of each connector, and write what each connector goes to on the excess strap sticking the buckle, then cut them to length. No more guessing where they go! Do the same for your fuel lines, firewall coolant lines, brake lines, etc.