Battery relocate with M30 swap?

[Mr. Burns]

Hey all,

I've seen a few folks that have NOT relocated their FRONT mounted battery with an M30 swap (verts specifically)

I have the parts to relocate mine from front to rear, but the more I research the more I see others have maintained the battery upfront with an M30 in the bay

If so, was there a work-around?

[the imitator]

I dont believe so, I am relocating mine to the rear anyways, in fact, I need to do an update here soon, my e30 didnt have the punch out provision for the battery relocation, so I had to cut and grind a hole myself.

[glnr13]

what type of work around do you mean?

what year is your car? if it's an 84-85 the cutout where the rear battery tray would normally go is not big enough to fit an e30 battery as imitator mentioned above. BUT 2mAn (m50 swap but still relevant) and a few others have used miata batteries. I don't know about verts in regards to the cutout in the rear.

my battery is still in the front after my swap and it doesn't interfere with anything but the rats nest of unused wires/connector from the engine harness. I'll deal with that mess in the next month or so.

[Mr. Burns]

So that just it...
Mines a 1990 vert, is there nothing aside from esthetics to relocate the battery to the trunk!

[CorvallisBMW]

It will help with weight distribution, and it allows you to remove that massive "vibration damper" weight in the trunk. Overall you end up with a better front/rear balance and lose about 50lbs total off your car's weight. Worth it IMO.

[Red88]

I think it would prove to be very difficult to reach the #6 spark plug with the engine in the car. Never tried it but I wouldn't want to.

[the imitator]

Not that it's too hard to move the battery :P lol

[CorvallisBMW]

I think it would prove to be very difficult to reach the #6 spark plug with the engine in the car. Never tried it but I wouldn't want to.

It's not easy, even with the battery tray empty.

Not that it's too hard to remove the battery :P lol

Hard? no. Kind of a PITA though when all your stereo and OBC stuff resets itself

I put the iX washer reservoir in my battery tray, and I have to remove it to get to the #6 spark plug.

[the imitator]

Good point about the resetting stuff, but hey, if you're redoing plugs wouldn't you want to reset the ecu anyways ;)

With that little area my plan was to get a small aluminum box fabbed together for a smaller window washer fluid res, and then have a coolant res sitting on top of that so in the winter time I have warm washer fluid for icy days.. When it happens.

But I bought another swap so idk anymore..

[Mr. Burns]

You abandoned the m30 swap??

[the imitator]

No it will be done this week mandatory. Just purchased an n54b30 from engine to fuel tank, just have to hand him the down payment in person next week.

[ThatOneEuroE30]

Find beater and keep te m30 swapped in

[Bearmw]

On my 89ic I relocated a slightly smaller and lighter than stock battery to the rear using all factory E30 parts (except for part of the hold down). I am also running e28 long tube headers and Otis mounts. I needed a good bit of firewall clearance with liberal use of the BFH. I then reduced the stock battery tray down to about 2/3 it's original size and run a small (I think E36) washer reservoir sitting there. Plenty of room now for spark plug changes....

[CorvallisBMW]

Do you have a picture or p/n for that e36 reservoir?