24V AWD Swap Knowledge Base

[The Dark Side of Will]

The E53 axle, and I assume the E70 axle, are already close enough to where they are in the E30 that I don't think you'll find anything better. Isn't the E83 similar to E87 and E90?

The E53 transitioned from the M62 to the N62 in 02/03... I @$$umed the M54 to N52 transition was similar, but I see by checking RealOEM that I was wrong.

The part numbers for the N62 pans used in E53 and E70 are different, but that doesn't mean there's much actual difference between the pans.

[The Dark Side of Will]

Does the X3 have something around 3 in the diff? But i assume those pans wont fit a M50?

There are a decent collection of ratios available.

I *THINK* that E46 gears can go into E53 diffs.

E53 ratios: 3.07, 3.64, 3.73, 3.91, 4.10

E46 ratios: 2.35, 2.93, 3.07, 3.23, 3.46

3.07 and lower use "low ratio" case, 3.23 and higher use the "high ratio" case. The low ratio case has more clearance for a larger pinion.

If you want to use the E53 pan, you need to use the E53 diff case. If you want to use 3.07 or lower, you *probably* need to start with the 3.07 E53 case from the manual transmission X5 3.0d.

I don't know what's interchangeable once BMW went to welded crown wheels.

[flyboyx]

i have been looking at my e34 pan to see if it could be modded. the answer i seem to keep coming up with is that it would be pretty difficult. bolt spacing is one issue. you would either have to sacrifice one bolt to put it in the right spot or move it too far which would put the engine dangerously close to the radiator. modifying the subframe would cause the axles to hit the ears on the back of the subframe and also i think nisse pointed out the passenger side axle was a close fit with something else on that side of the car.

that pan is so complicated. i think it would take someone who is practically a rocket scientist to make the right cuts. i happen to have two e34 pans. i wonder if there is a way to make offset cuts in two pans to fit it all together without having to piece in aluminum stock to fill in the gaps that would be left over?

in any case, it would probably be best to just sacrifice one bolt hole where the axle goes through and mod the pan?

[nando]

yeah I think so, that was sort of what I had been thinking. it needs to be moved back like 1.25".

[The Dark Side of Will]

yeah I think so, that was sort of what I had been thinking. it needs to be moved back like 1.25".

Or the rack needs to go forward ;)

[nando]

I'd been thinking modifying the oil pan is the path of least resistance. but yeah, the rack could move.

I might take the plunge and pick up an E70 oil pan to see how it stacks up. of course there's still the issue of CV shafts.. the E34 shafts are obviously one of the simplest to use out of the box.

[FredK]

nando, please do a Honda CR-V K24/K20 hybrid.

[nando]

It's next on the list!

should still take less time than somebody's S54 swap. :p

[FredK]

[Nisse Järnet]

There are a decent collection of ratios available.

I *THINK* that E46 gears can go into E53 diffs.

E53 ratios: 3.07, 3.64, 3.73, 3.91, 4.10

E46 ratios: 2.35, 2.93, 3.07, 3.23, 3.46

3.07 and lower use "low ratio" case, 3.23 and higher use the "high ratio" case. The low ratio case has more clearance for a larger pinion.

If you want to use the E53 pan, you need to use the E53 diff case. If you want to use 3.07 or lower, you *probably* need to start with the 3.07 E53 case from the manual transmission X5 3.0d.

I don't know what's interchangeable once BMW went to welded crown wheels.

Ok thanks! I have a E53 3.07 diff waiting in the garage but I don't know how to use it yet... :P

i have been looking at my e34 pan to see if it could be modded. the answer i seem to keep coming up with is that it would be pretty difficult. bolt spacing is one issue. you would either have to sacrifice one bolt to put it in the right spot or move it too far which would put the engine dangerously close to the radiator. modifying the subframe would cause the axles to hit the ears on the back of the subframe and also i think nisse pointed out the passenger side axle was a close fit with something else on that side of the car.

that pan is so complicated. i think it would take someone who is practically a rocket scientist to make the right cuts. i happen to have two e34 pans. i wonder if there is a way to make offset cuts in two pans to fit it all together without having to piece in aluminum stock to fill in the gaps that would be left over?

in any case, it would probably be best to just sacrifice one bolt hole where the axle goes through and mod the pan?

A E34ix subframe swap might be a good idea, I'm checking that out right now.
That will solve alot of problems! But the steering coupler doesn't seem to line up like the stock rack does..so that's one new problem :P
Any good ideas on that?

Will post pics later with subframe "test fitted"

[nando]

make an adapter. that's what I was going to do with the E46 rack. I have an E46 M3 steering shaft and I need to find a non-airbag 325ix steering shaft to use on the other end.

[nando]

here's an idea so bad it might work..

E70 X5 pan (N52) isn't going to work, comparing these pictures side by side it's obvious the X5 diff centerline is about 1" further forward:




Additionally, CV shafts are a concern with anything other than E34 parts which we know will work fine with the E30 front struts/hubs.

However, the E34 pan possibly needs modified anyway, and the modifications it requires look difficult. But, it appears the bolt spacing in the area around the shaft centerline/diff mount is similar between X5 N52 and E34 ix pans. It looks like I could move it back 1 bolt grouping rearward. here's my terribly scaled mashup of what it might look like:



of course these images are scaled so I don't really know if the bolt spacing is as close as it looks or if the bottom of the block is even the same width.

[The Dark Side of Will]

Which one's the E70 pan?

I don't think those photos are good for comparison... the perspective and lensing is very different.

[nando]

the lower pan

either way you can tell the E70 diff centerline is significantly more forward than the E34.

[The Dark Side of Will]

That's what I thought, but the fact that your E34 pan is REALLY REALLY clean threw me off.

So you're talking about franken-panning the front of the E70 pan onto the back of the E34 pan? What does that accomplish?