M54B30 with e60 booster - master cylinder - temp sensor

[NvE30]

I read a number of e30 m54 swap posts on different forums and most stated that this booster setup would not work but I tried and i was able to get this to work by

1- rotating the booster 180 degrees so that the check valve port is on the lower driver side corner by the frame rail, and,
2- Shaving off completely a couple of plastic protrusions on the intake manifold

The result was approximately 3/8 to 1/2 inch clearance between booster and intake manifold. I am also using the BMW 2002 cylindrical shaped brake fluid reservoir which clears the DISA valve very well. I also elected to use a large electrical connector with a large circular whole (not sure what it's called) to ground the temp sensor instead of drilling and soldering a ground wire to it. The connector sits between the sensor and the plastic and makes contact with the entire circumference of the sensor. I think this simplifies it a bit and makes it easier to replace the sensor in the future . This is my experience and I hope this helps others attempting this swap.

[Motheye99]

thank you this is juts what im working out on my M54... swap the brakes, how's the pedal feel?

[NvE30]

The brake pedal is as if you are driving a very modern car. I did however do a 5 lug conversion with e36 M3 rotors and e46 330ci calipers in the front along with z3 rotors and calipers in the rear, but this was before the M54 swap and it took very little effort at the brakes to stop the car with the e60 booster/MC combo, i love it. The 180 degree rotation of the booster in my first post was to get it to work with the M54 engine. I'll try to post more pictures as things progress.

[The Dark Side of Will]

You're using the E60 MC as well?

Sounds like a great combo!

On your ground wire, that's just called a "ring terminal" specified by the gauge of wire it fits and diameter of the hole.

[Motheye99]

Thanks,
I'm going to stick to 4 lug and stock brakes for now, ill look at the other MC options. From my understanding the way bmw handles brake basis is through the piston size on the brakes and the MC is for stiffness of the pedal. Did you have to modify the clevis on the E60 booster to work with the E30?

[NvE30]

Yes I am using the booster and MC from an e60. The e60 MC is short and the fluid reservoir ports are all the way in the front of the MC at the booster which is nice because this allows the bmw 2002 brake fluid reservoir I am using to clear the disa valve by about 1/2 to 3/4 inch. As far as the clevis , all I did was drill another whole in it about 10mm (it might have been 15mm, it’s been a while since I did this) on center further back from the existing whole and it lined up perfectly with the attachment point on the brake pedal. This worked out great because I used the existing whole in the clevis to attach the pedal spring. I also used the clip/pin in the pic to secure the clevis to the pedal, I think it was out of an e32 if I remember. I also drilled the booster attachment wholes in the firewall to make them bigger so I can move booster as far as possible towards the driver side and away from the intake.

[NvE30]

Here are some additional views with the brake fluid reservoir and the intake boot installed. You can see where I had to cut the plastic bracket off the reservoir and it fits and clears everything