M52 engine with 330Xi drivetrain in e30 325ix

[jute91]

but making ''grease'' change like oil. wont need to pull it to apart :D new goes in, old comes out.

[nando]

it's not something you have to replace though. either use the original BMW grease (you can get it from a BMW motorcycle dealer) or try to find Dow Corning Molykote BR2-plus. it doesn't wash away, oxidize, or push out. when I tore my parts down, the original grease was there after 225,000 miles and 20 years..

[The Dark Side of Will]

well, i could make it go backward, if i can cut it to part and weld to complete again. biggest problem is that E46 has +40mm wider front than e30. positive is that e46 driveshafts cost only 400e when e30 cost 1500e. those are about 550 and 1700 in US dollars.

It's easier to use the oil pan from an E53 X5 3.0i, as it will put the axle *MUCH* closer to where it belongs in the E30 body.
You'll need to use the E53 diffs, as they have a different case than the E46 diffs. However, since you're in Europe, you can get the good ratios more easily than we can here. An E53 X5 3.0d stickshift has 3.07 gears, which I think would be perfect for the 3.0 24V in an E30.

Here's the E46 oil pan:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/320810930679

Note that the axle centerline is very far forward.

Here's the E53 oil pan:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/260916148755

You can see that the axle centerline is MUCH closer to where it is with an E30.

[Fidhle007]

I have a cammed and chipped 330xi at that gives E36 M3s a good run but I wouldn't wish that drivetrain in an E30... I love my xi for what it is, a comfortable daily that scoots when I want it to but it will never have the raw connectedness that my E30 had right up until the t-case broke...