1987 325e sedan M30B35 swap

[LowR3V'in]

What's the link too? i have to sign up to see it.

[st.petebiodiesel]

Today was the big day. The first start! All my hard work would be rewarded with the roar of a loud, poorly running M30!
First I’ll go into the wiring and installing the harness. Hands down the easiest way to do this swap is with a M20B25 engine wiring harness. I picked up a 88 SETA harness from my favorite place to get parts, R3VLimited Facebook group. A quick ISO post and a PayPal transaction, I had the harness needed for super cheap. The 88 SETA is technically Motronic 1.1 but the harness is still the same as 1.3, only difference is in the DME.
I’m running a e34 535i 179 DME. The latest and greatest DME for the M30B35, don’t even bother with the 150 DME.

My M30B35 came from a automatic 735i so the throttle switch would need to be changed from an automatic throttle switch.

To a manual throttle switch.

You cannot use the M20 switch. It looks the same but internally it is backwards. So your DME will think your at WOT at idle and idle at WOT. Luckily my Brother’s wrecked 635csi is in my driveway so that part was easy to source.
The M20 harness has the AFM located in the drivers side of the car instead of the passenger side.

This requires trimming of the harness protective sheathing by about a foot to achieve this.

The M20 harness uses a separate harness for the injectors/temp sensors unlike the M30 harness.

I had to remove the harness from the plastic housing so the wires would reach.

I know it looks like shit right now, but I do have the M30 injector plastic wire housing to make it look OEM later.
Using the stock M20 coil.

To get my key to work for starting the car I had to find my old Auto shifter and plug it in with the shifter in park. I need to figure how to jump this connector since I’m using a manual transmission.

I have an extra 2 prong connector on the throttle switch/AFM/ICV portion of the harness. I have no idea what it’s for.

With the harness completely installed I removed the fuel pump relay to prime the fuel system. Using a wire to jump pins 87 and 30 kicks on the fuel pumps.
I also installed rebuilt fuel injectors.
Old

New

Also make sure the spark plug wires you are using have the sensor on the #6 wire.

To my amazement the engine fired up no problem!!! The engine sounded like it had a giant cam because of all the vacuum leaks from disconnected vacuum ports, and no o2 sensor.
Overall I was pretty excited.

https://www.facebook.com/ron.schmidt.3150/posts/908957179261049

Now to finish up everything on the car.
Shifter, clutch, driveshaft, vacuum lines, etc.







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[st.petebiodiesel]

Nice progress. What is the performance difference between the N31 and N21 cam?

I have no idea what a N31 or N21 is.


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[Bearmw]

Nice progress. What is the performance difference between the N31 and N21 cam?

[st.petebiodiesel]

Today I cleaned out my intake manifold. All the runners were coated with a layer of sludge.

At least you can see some aluminum now.


All clean and ready to install. I’m replacing the injectors since the engine has sat in storage for so long.
Installed!


I should also mention I installed a late model M30 starter. I had several working old style M30 starters but wanted the skinny starter Incase I had to change it later.

Then I started on the controls.
I picked up a manual brake pedal from my wrecked M60 e30.

Cut up the old style shifter plate for my chassis mount shifter.


I’m hoping to have the swap running by early December, maybe driving by late February.


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[st.petebiodiesel]

Nice work and brilliant creativity with the forward manifold. I am in the midst of swapping an e32 M30 and g240 into an 84 318i, what are you using for a shifter?

Thanks,
I’m gonna cut the shifter plate up and bolt it to the top off the transmission tunnel just like a chassis mount shifter. Then make my own custom selector rod.
I’ve done this on several swaps and as long as you don’t run stock trans mounts it won’t be an issue with shifting during spirited driving.


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[Stvstr]

Nice work and brilliant creativity with the forward manifold. I am in the midst of swapping an e32 M30 and g240 into an 84 318i, what are you using for a shifter?

[st.petebiodiesel]

Finished making the Manifold and down pipe.
I made it all from the original B35 FWD down pipe and some pieces hacked from the original e30 eta exhaust system.
Here are some pictures during the process.





I’m going to have the 2” down pipes Y into a single 3” followed by an oxygen sensor bung. Then 3” all the way back to a single muffler.
I should also mention to all you online welding critics/experts that I am not a good welder. So hold your criticism because I don’t want to hear it. I’m using a 110vac Lincoln wire feed arc welder with .030” flux core. Getting enough heat into the manifolds was pretty difficult but I am confident these welds will hold strong.



And the finished product. Pretty long but it slips right in where it needs to go.

I also did some more maintenance items on the engine today.
I had noticed the rocker arm oiler tube crush washers were pretty damn crushed.

So they got replaced.


I don’t know who worked on this engine last but many things were done incorrectly.
Also installed new thermostat housings.






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[wworm]

jeez louise thats loopy lol.

Manifold looks good st.pete!
Can we see some more photos of it?

[LowR3V'in]

what kinda pulleys were you using to get an SC to 30psi?

stupidcharger????? hahah. j/k.
turbo all the way sc is just a little step over nos.

didn't like the steep collector angle when flipped so made it long.

m30 turbo adaptor by jet jones, on Flickr

M30 turbo adaptor collector. by jet jones, on Flickr

[e30m3s54turbo]

Sub'd.....

[st.petebiodiesel]

what kinda pulleys were you using to get an SC to 30psi?

You can use the stock manifold inverted for Turbo manifolds.
My Brother built this manifold himself using B34 manifolds.



I have figured out manifold dilemma. They are in fact made of cast steel so they are easily welded.

I’ll post more when I finish the downpipes.


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[wworm]

The b35 manifolds are excellent.

i was running those puppys to 30psi the flow good.

what kinda pulleys were you using to get an SC to 30psi?

[wworm]

curious as to how this header scenario will play out

[st.petebiodiesel]

My cars sunroof drains had completely rotted away beyond repair.
I picked up this homemade carbon fiber delete panel from a member of one of the Tampa BMW Facebook groups for $100.
It was installed on another e30 with just duct tape!


Installation was pretty simple just drilled 4 holes near each corner and fastened with sheet metal screws. I still have to seal it with some aircraft fuel tank sealant.
Still gotta figure out what I’m gonna do with the mildewy headliner.



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