24V AWD Swap Knowledge Base

[mw044]

Looks great man! :D Hopefully you wont hate the increased noice :)
I want to fit a GS6-53 too...

Hope so. :D

More bolt-on stuff here. E9x 335i Gs6-53bz and e70 x5 (6 cylinder) atc700 transfer case (compared to e30 ix stuff):




Very very tight around the seat brachets:



Transfercase actuator not installed yet. Still have to cut the tunnel for that. Also the drivers seat front mounting bolt has to be moved somewhere else. Also have to cut the drivers seat just a little to clear the transfercase. Still doable as I measured earlier. No major obstacles yet. :D






Rear part of the package is still hanging ~2cm too low. Couldn't get it in the correct height because I was too careful not to cut too much of the tunnel.

[Nisse Järnet]

Looks great man! :D Hopefully you wont hate the increased noice :)
I want to fit a GS6-53 too...

[The Dark Side of Will]

Ahh, ok.

[mw044]

And that's using an E70 Frankenpan?

No. Pan is from 525ix. E70 pan is pretty useless in e30 because it pushes the diff so far out. Front driveshaft would go ~through the gas pedal.

[The Dark Side of Will]

And that's using an E70 Frankenpan?

[downforce22]

That is one crazy build! interesting to know about that trans bolting up to the m20.

[CrazyPrime]

Thats a nice engine you have bolted to that turbo!

[mw044]

Ok. Ended up with Gs6-53bz from e92 335i (which By the way bolts-on to m20 - gotta love BMW). Test fitting it to original trans tunnel made me realize how huge that thing is. Espesially with engine this far back - there's no way to fit it without opening up the trans tunnel a little bit:



Maybe little less cutting could've been enough, but I wanted to make room for gs7d36sg which has mechatronics unit in the passanger side (read: I fucked up and cutted way too much :D). Still have to cut the drivers side to make room for ATC700 transfercase. It seems to fit without cutting the drivers seat / drivers right leg.

Underside:



Still have to make slight adjustments to alignment of the package. At the moment it's pointing too much to co-drivers side.

[mw044]

You are a king among IX'ers anxiously waiting the outcome good work man!

Hahah. Thanks man :D

I think you will find it will not fit as well with the diff mounted - it will interfere with the steering rack.

Yeah, it's tight in that area and that is the reason I didn't install the engine as far forward as it could've been installed (oilpan).



Made new engine mounts for this position:




As you can see - Using delrin instead of original rubbers. So it's gonna be solid mounted this time. Nisse promised me that I wouldn't hate it. :D Delrin mounts are same size as original so that I can go back to rubbers.... :)

And here you can see the space between firewall and engine. It's really tight, but engine does fit there (may still change after I bolt the gearbox and find out the exact alignment. Shoudn't be very far off though. I think I'll butcher the firewall just enough to have room to remove the gearbox while engine is in original position.



Also test fitted the turbo:



Very tight here too, but opening up the fenderwell and strut tower it might be possible to use this turbo. I want to have access to spark plugs and enough space between spark plug wires and exhaust housing.

Ps. Turbo is borgwarner s480

I'm also still not sure what gearbox/transfercase I'm gonna install. I got 525ix stuff (with broken transfercase :() and gs6-53bz with atc700.. That atc700 is from v8 engine so exactly wrong one. :D It's has ~40mm too long front housing compared to basicly "every other" box.. So it doesn't bolt on to gs6-53bz.. Didn't know that when I was buying those parts.

[nando]

I think you will find it will not fit as well with the diff mounted - it will interfere with the steering rack.

[CrazyPrime]

Ok. Got the front axle assembled back together and installed back. Swapped the steering rack for another used one, but even this seems to have something wrong with it (when turning steering wheel back and forth).. Something to do with the fact that I'm running it without hydraulic assistance..?

Well here's some pics:

Tire placement looks ok. I used the excentric powerflex bushings in the rear, but modified them so that instead of moving the rear of the control arm outwards, they now move it upwards. Control arm angles look ok. Nothing dramatic there so I assume antidive will not be a problem.




And then few mockup pics with the oilpan:




Didn't actually look that bad about the firewall. Might just fit in without doing anything to it. Tomorrow I'll throw in the mockup engine and gearbox.. then it might be whole another story. However - I want it to be serviceable and enough room everywhere so I think I will end up cutting the firewall open.

You are a king among IX'ers anxiously waiting the outcome good work man!

[mw044]

Ok. Got the front axle assembled back together and installed back. Swapped the steering rack for another used one, but even this seems to have something wrong with it (when turning steering wheel back and forth).. Something to do with the fact that I'm running it without hydraulic assistance..?

Well here's some pics:

Tire placement looks ok. I used the excentric powerflex bushings in the rear, but modified them so that instead of moving the rear of the control arm outwards, they now move it upwards. Control arm angles look ok. Nothing dramatic there so I assume antidive will not be a problem.




And then few mockup pics with the oilpan:




Didn't actually look that bad about the firewall. Might just fit in without doing anything to it. Tomorrow I'll throw in the mockup engine and gearbox.. then it might be whole another story. However - I want it to be serviceable and enough room everywhere so I think I will end up cutting the firewall open.

[mw044]

i guess you are sticking with the m20 because its already built? i think a 24v motor would stand up to the abuse better in the long run. also, it fits your oil pan better.

Why would 24v stand up better ? Just asking - the day I swap m20 out is the day I stop fiddling with these. I see this as a learning process and m20 is a nice candidate for it. No idea in changing the engine and starting all over again. Even thought I do realize that there a lot of better/easier engines to get to this point. There is a principle involved in my engine choise. :D

Great to see som updates! :D Im not sure if i said it to you earlier but it seems like the Opel LSD were standard here as well so i should be able to find one too :)
If/when you are machining yours, can you do mine too if i send it to you?

Yes, you mentioned. It should be easy to source then. I have no idea at this point who will make the needed machinings as I no longer have access to machine shop. :( I don't know if I mentioned earlier, but the halfshafts have to be custom made for the opel splines.. The shaft that goes through the oilpan may have to be custom made and then welded to inner joint.. the drivers side one can be made from opels part (also welded to inner joint). Lots to do, but doable.

[Nisse Järnet]

Great to see som updates! :D Im not sure if i said it to you earlier but it seems like the Opel LSD were standard here as well so i should be able to find one too :)
If/when you are machining yours, can you do mine too if i send it to you?

[flyboyx]

i guess you are sticking with the m20 because its already built? i think a 24v motor would stand up to the abuse better in the long run. also, it fits your oil pan better.