325e block - 325i head - 325i short skirt pistons...

[dirtethirty]

FIRST POST!

Peeled my '85 325e apart and just picked up a 325i head - going to build a hybrid out of this and so far from the research I've done I can't seem to find a definitive answer to all this.

Will 325i short skirt pistons work with this combo using the existing 325e rods?

Thanks guys!

[jlevie]

From what I remember reading, no. SuperETA pistons will work.

[dirtethirty]

Well that sucks
I just bought a set of piston heads of eBay
325i short skirts - read on another site that 2-3mm have to be shaved off the top for these to work with the 325e block and 325i head

Has anyone here actually done this yet?

[3vilE30]

You'll get piston slap, although I've heard you can shave a few MM of the "I" pistons. If you want to use e rods, and I pistons you have to use a different crank preferable a m52 84mm crank

[3vilE30]

Well that sucks
I just bought a set of piston heads of eBay
325i short skirts - read on another site that 2-3mm have to be shaved off the top for these to work with the 325e block and 325i head

Has anyone here actually done this yet?

It's been done before, but you run the risk of damaging structural rigidity of the pistons by allowing more heat to get through and on to the thinner parts of the pistons see where this is going?

Only "safe" way to do a cheap stroker is to find some super eta pistons, they can be found in 88 325's and 528e's

[dirtethirty]

Don't really want to build a stroker at all just wanted to build the hybrid - seeing as it's an '85 325e that some knuckle head never bothered to take care of the engine is really tired and there are a lot of parts inherent to the e that are a pain to deal with

figured going with the i head, and throwing the i pistons in there would be a more reliable way of going about this

shit balls I guess the pistons will have to go get machined then

Just so we're clear - if I run the 325e block, crank. rods and i head - I have to machine a few MM's off the i pistons? Or do I have to still swap out the crank?

I wanted to run the e rods on the i piston heads bummer

[dirtethirty]

none of you guys just sold a wiring harness off ebay just now did you?

[digger]

if you use an eta rod, eta crank and b25 piston you will need to shave approx 2 mm from the top of the block which would require an adjustable cam gear to get the cam timing corrected.

i don't know if the skirt clears without mods.

i've heard of this but only a few seem to have done it probably people don't want to deck the block alot.

[3vilE30]

Hybrid...stroker...

You can run the I pistons with 2-3mm shaved off, ask around for people who've had success with it.
The alternative to shaving the I pistons is using an 84mm crank along with the I pistons and 130mm (e) rods to yeild a 2.8 stroker with raised compression some where near 9:75:1

[dirtethirty]

Hybrid...stroker...

You can run the I pistons with 2-3mm shaved off, ask around for people who've had success with it.
The alternative to shaving the I pistons is using an 84mm crank along with the I pistons and 130mm (e) rods to yeild a 2.8 stroker with raised compression some where near 9:75:1

Thanks for the help eh!

Looks lik to make this work I'm going to need the crank out of a 524td

Ill keep yoi all posted as to the progress

[E30-325iS]

I'm pretty sure the 524td crank has the same 81mm stroke as your eta crank and is heavier.
Before buying any more parts take some time to read through all the stroker threads here and on e30tech.

[dirtethirty]

Same stroke 81mm yup but heavier duty
TD is forged and the ETA is cast
If I'm not mistaken

[3vilE30]

http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/archive/index.php?t-112188.html

[digger]

don't worry about the TD crank there is no advantage in using it the eta one will take everything you can throw at it. if you want another crank get a bigger stroke