The 325i and 525i (89) both have m20b25s in them. I have heard sump needs to be swapped, dipstick needs to be moved and engine mounts don't line up. Is there any difference at all? Is there a thread I can be directed to? I have been digging through the forums a while and I have never gotten a definitive answer to any of these questions. Help?
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That's pretty much what I recall. It's been over 20+ years since my buddies swapped an E34 M20 into an E30. I recall them relocating the dipstick. I'm not sure if there was already a hole in the block that was plugged or if they had to make one. As you may imagine it wasn't common practice."I'd probably take the E30 M3 in this case just because I love that little car, and how tanky that inline 6 is." - thecj
85 323i M TECH 1 S52 - ALPINEWEISS/SCHWARZE
88 M3 - LACHSSILBER/SCHWARZE
89 M3 - ALPINEWEISS II/M TECH CLOTH-ALCANTARA
91 M TECHNIC CABRIO TURBO - MACAOBLAU/M TECH CLOTH-LEATHER
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as I remember use e30 mounts and its bolt on. yes, there is difference in oil dipsticks, If you want it like in e30, you should bore the hole.Comment
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Just bolt the metal mounts from the e30 onto the e34 block and you should be good to go. Is there really a difference in the dipsticks?
Just did a quick image search & the e34 2.5L looks the same as the late e30 2.5L Motronic. Would the different dipstick be on an e28 ETA motor due to the mid sump rather than front sump like the e30 and e34? Anyway I guess since the OP has both, it's easy enough to check.Comment
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Do I need to move the dipstick or can I just leave it? Would I have to bore a hole into the block?
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Some early 5-series-specific m20 blocks have a large freeze plug on the back near the bell housing area. These blocks are also missing the mounting boss for the e30 mount arms. Aside from these early blocks (and ix), the rest are same AFAIK. I have only seen two of these blocks in person out of the hundreds we have processed over the years, one we pulled from an '83 528e a couple years ago, the other was inherited somehow from a friend/customer about 9yr ago.
EDIT: Sumps are the same for e34/e30, that's why we pirate the e34 m50 pans for 24v swaps ;) The e28 is a center sump and the block I mentioned we pulled from the 528 also had a steel pan, not the typical aluminum.Comment
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