Cam Rotation - e21 head vs. the 4cyl e30 head

[StoneCold]

I am dropping the lower end of an e21 motor into an '85 318i body. As the heads are different (injectors through the manifold), can the guts of the e21 head be transferred over to the 318i head (valves, springs, etc.)?

Also, most importantly, does the cam in the e21 rotate the same direction as the 318i cam?

Thanks,

StoneCold

[2002maniac]

The cam rotates in the same direction but the distributers rotate in opposite directions. You'll have to use the 318i cam and dizzy.

What year is the bottom end from? The combustion chambers are different so your compression may be a bit wacky.

[StoneCold]

the M10 block is from an '82.
the pistons are .040 over.

[mcgrath]

the 1.8 80-83 cams are the same. On the older 2.0 engines, the cam sprockets are reversed. If you use an e21 block, the lower transmission cover will not bolt up to the block from the 318i transmission. Not a big deal at all as I had to use and e21 m10 in my 85 318i for about a year before I did my m20 swap.
If you are worried about the compression then just use the whole e21 engine as is. I just pulled the CIS injectors out and plugged them with large bolts and that grey permatex gasket maker stuff. Looked ghetto but I needed function at the time since it was my only car.

[terrybpp]

I believe the 1.8 head will mount directly to the 2.0 block. Shoot good & tight a pm. He has done it.

[riverdale21]

Can an E21 dizzy work in a E30?

Also got any stock cam specs for the E30 and E21?

[Tomslide50]

The 1.8 that came in e21's have the same combustion volume as the e30 1.8. The distributors are identical. The early e21's with the 2.0 (e21 cast on side of head) rotate the dizzy the opposite way. That distributor is points, and so it lacks the pickup for l-jetronic. A 1.8 head will bolt on to a 2.0, but the combination of the 2.0's flat top pistons, and the 1.8's more open chambers yields ~8:1 compression. The 2.0 cam gear must also be used, as the 2.0's use a double row timing chain versus the 1.8's single row. Cam specs between e21 1.8 and e30 1.8 are said to be identical. Hope that helps.