24V AWD Swap Knowledge Base

[AndrewBird]

You should be able to do so, remove/put a switch on th ABS fuse/relay :)

There are 2 fuses specifically for the AWD system, separate from the ABS. So I could disable the AWD but still keep ABS.

[Nisse Järnet]

There are 2 fuses specifically for the AWD system, separate from the ABS. So I could disable the AWD but still keep ABS.

Ok, nice!

[Nisse Järnet]

Rear end is gettin it :) Parts coming in!

[stonea]

Hopefully Nisse or Nando can answer my question, but will the e34 ix transmission and transfer case fit in the e30 transmission tunnel with no modification. I know Nisse had to modify his, but I'm hoping thats just because of the motor being pushed back into the firewall. I'm probably not gonna use the e34 ix tans or TC, but its just something I question I had floating around in my head.

[King Mufasa]

Hopefully Nisse or Nando can answer my question, but will the e34 ix transmission and transfer case fit in the e30 transmission tunnel with no modification. I know Nisse had to modify his, but I'm hoping thats just because of the motor being pushed back into the firewall. I'm probably not gonna use the e34 ix tans or TC, but its just something I question I had floating around in my head.

Theirs a guy here I think he goes by usarmy or goarmy who did it with e34 bits I think he moved it to e24 chasis.. and went to skyline bits on his e30.

I have e34 stuff if you need not doing that anymore do to weight purposes.

[Nisse Järnet]

Hopefully Nisse or Nando can answer my question, but will the e34 ix transmission and transfer case fit in the e30 transmission tunnel with no modification. I know Nisse had to modify his, but I'm hoping thats just because of the motor being pushed back into the firewall. I'm probably not gonna use the e34 ix tans or TC, but its just something I question I had floating around in my head.

I THINK so but I'm not 100% sure, I can check next time I'm under the car :)

[nando]

I'm pretty sure it will

Btw i have the part needed to make an E34ix transmission from any zf 310/320.. and i want to sell. :p

[stonea]

Well I was going to to use a M52TUb25 with stock engine management, with a custom subframe, and stock 24v 260 mated with a e30 transfer case, but now I'm thinking something a little more fun.

Stock M54B30 with VAC oil sprocket fix (maybe a cam and some head work?). Aftermarket engine management, Zf trans and I'll buy the part I need off of Nando, e34ix transfer case. Custom subframe with x5 front parts. Maybe talk to Nisse and do some research and throw traction control in there. Not sure about that though, I don't know much about wiring, engine management, or any of that crap. So I'll need to do a lot of reading and research.

*Edit: After thinking about it I think I'm just gonna keep it simple. M52tu and stock ECU, use the e34ix trans and TC, X5 front parts, and custom front subframe. This car is my DD, and I don't need things to get to complicated.

[The Dark Side of Will]

Well I was going to to use a M52TUb25 with stock engine management, with a custom subframe, and stock 24v 260 mated with a e30 transfer case, but now I'm thinking something a little more fun.

Stock M54B30 with VAC oil sprocket fix (maybe a cam and some head work?). Aftermarket engine management, Zf trans and I'll buy the part I need off of Nando, e34ix transfer case. Custom subframe with x5 front parts. Maybe talk to Nisse and do some research and throw traction control in there. Not sure about that though, I don't know much about wiring, engine management, or any of that crap. So I'll need to do a lot of reading and research.

*Edit: After thinking about it I think I'm just gonna keep it simple. M52tu and stock ECU, use the e34ix trans and TC, X5 front parts, and custom front subframe. This car is my DD, and I don't need things to get to complicated.

Once you/we get ONE 24V engine installed, then swapping to another one later isn't nearly such a big deal.

I'm slammed with work and reserve duties until the end of May, but I am planning to start designing the new crossmember then.

[stonea]

Once you/we get ONE 24V engine installed, then swapping to another one later isn't nearly such a big deal.

I'm slammed with work and reserve duties until the end of May, but I am planning to start designing the new crossmember then.

My dilemma is that I have a M54b30 (just the block and head) and I also have a complete M52tub25 (only 27,000 original miles) so I just have to decide which one to put in. Also let me know if you need help on the cross member. I'll be up there this summer. I don't know how I could help, but I'd love to at least help somehow.

[The Dark Side of Will]

Thanks for the offer! You may regret making it :p

I have the data package... so I need to do the CAD work to get all the points entered, then move the ones that need to be moved... then design a crossmember to connect the dots and be something that I can have welded up from laser or water jet cut pieces.

And scratch my head a lot in the process.

Once I have a prototype crossmember and pair of control arms, then extra hands would be handy to swap them out... although I'm not sure the swap crossmember will work with an M20 due to the bulge at the front of the pan.

Basically, to make the control arms easy to build (flat), I'll need to rotate the ball joints outboard toward the frame rails. In order to keep them out of the way of the inner CV joints, I'll have to move them forward with the rack. The pivot axes from the inner ball joints to the lollipops aren't parallel left to right... so moving the rack and ball joints forward will put the inner tie rod end out of position relative to the inner ball joints, increasing bump steer. I'll have to look at it and squint hard to figure out where to put the ball joints, but they will probably have to come back inboard a bit.

I'll also have to evaluate how the E46 Xi rack will work in place of the E30 iX rack. The mounts are the easy part... what's the bump steer going to do? I'll definitely have to have the rack mounts shimmable up and down to fine tune bump steer.

I could make the control arms adjustable for caster.

[Nisse Järnet]

Just mod a E46xi subframe? :)

[The Dark Side of Will]

We know E46 axle is too far forward on the oil pan to work in the E30 body... I think it's pretty likely that the E46 subframe is built the same way ;)

However, there's the X5 subframe:



:p

[Nisse Järnet]

Yeah but it might be easier to modify than building a new one? Or not, I don't know :) But the control arms attach to the subframe and all so if you get the oil pan sorted you're pretty much done!
I wonder how much a E34ix subframe cost new..if you still can get one :P That's by far the easiest way!

[Nisse Järnet]

I'll try to compare pictures of a E46xi subframe to my E34ix subframe and see how big the difference is.