I apologize for this being so weird, but...

[Literary]

I have an early (1989) e34 that was originally designed to house the m20b25 engine. All the wiring components are fully intact.

So I went in search of a "new" m20b25 with which to get this up and running, as it presently has no engine.

Well, due either to carelessness and/or inattentiveness on my part, the engine I purchased and started to take apart revealed itself to me with a very clear stamp underneath one of the exhaust manifolds: 2.7 ETA.

So here I get to my question: is there any way I can make this work without a major electronic re-building campaign, or is there some method of making this function as is?

I know this is weird, as most questions/concerns about ETA's involve modifying them with both complicated mechanical and electronic procedures, and then keeping them in the cars in which they were built for. My concern, on the other hand, is to keep things as intact and simple as possible, yet move the engine to a different car that was not designed to house it.

Both of the major wiring plugs are round, I believe, and would fit together. It's just all the the other elements of the e34 harness that have me worried I may be looking at quite a few round pegs for square holes. And this does not even mention the question of the DME!

Any advice from someone with any experience here would be most appreciated. I thank you in advance for your time and consideration.

[kendogg]

Keep the bottom end. Source 2.5i top end/electronics/ecu. You'll have a 2.7l i motor, commonly referred to as a '2.7i stroker'.

[nickflic3]

Wouldn't he already have i wiring and ECU? in which case he would only need the i head, right? Seems like the easiest way to go about it...

[matias88e30]

same opinion as kendogg... build your self a strocker!

[Literary]

Thank all three of you for your replies.

It seems that I have an m20 head to find, and then I'll be in business! I'm grateful that a successful resolution is within reach of my abilities and budget.

I'll write back with my results!

[mizhan]

replace the stock camshaft with a racy one while you're at it :)

[briansjacobs]

I heard a 2.7i turbo setup..........oh it is a slippery slope isnt it

[NC325iC]

if you just want a quick solution get rid of the eta and go find an m20b25

[RagtopE30]

if you just want a quick solution get rid of the eta and go find an m20b25

+1
If you "simply" bolt on the i head then you still have to worry about the Crank position sensor (the eta has two mounted on the transmission and the i has one on the front of the engine), Intake manifold, injectors (the eta injectors will not work with the i DME), Throttle body and TPS. I highly suggest sourcing a m20b25 unless you want to make a few trips to the local pick and pull. I believe these were the electronics that kendogg was referring to.

[jlevie]

In addition to the head, you'll need the intake, injectors, throttle body, and CPS & mount from an M20B25. Unless you still have it, you'll also need the injector electrical rail. I don't remember if that has to come from an E34 or if you can use the one from an E30. I hope you still have the engine harness from the E34, if not you'll need to get one of those also.

[Literary]

Thank you all, again, for your replies.

I've decided to go the more direct route by installing a rebuilt M20b25 and saving the M20b27 either for some other project someday (an old 528 sounds interesting, if a little eccentric) or for someone else who loves their e30 'eta' and needs a new engine.

Even though I won't be using the M20b27 this time around, I'm restoring it to the fullest of my abilities (including a machine-shop valve job) so that when and if the time comes, it will be ready to install as a full, working engine that looks as fresh as it will run.

To make the e34 project a bit more interesting, I'll be installing stainless headers and a 'Billy Boat' stainless exhaust (slightly modified, as it was designed for the M30 engine). I'll go the cold air intake route, as well, and find a decent chip. I have the next generation front facia (with the much wider kidney grills) and differently shaped hood, too, that is a direct bolt on and which I think is cosmetically more appealing, particularly if I choose to repaint the car in a two-tone scheme. (I've been inspired by a couple of two-toned e34's I've seen in BMW Performance magazine.)

Again, I'm grateful for the advice I received.

I'm in the middle of restoring an e30ix, which has been a tremendous learning experience because so much of the mechanics of it are entirely different from my other e30's. I was very, very lucky to find really good (used) axles and half-shafts for the AWD function, which had crapped out completely on the car (due to a combination of high mileage and lack of maintenance) and hence gave me the opportunity to buy it for next to nothing.

As they say, "So many cars, so little time....."

I also wanted to mention, for those of you within driving distance, that CR's BMW Wholesale in Newville, PA, has been a virtual gold mine of advice and parts for me -- and very much worth the 2-hour drive it takes me to get there from my corner of Virginia.