1987 325e sedan M30B35 swap

[CorvallisBMW]

Tell me more about the e36 radiator. What engine was it designed for?

[st.petebiodiesel]

Tell me more about the e36 radiator. What engine was it designed for?

It’s a e36 M3/325/328 radiator. They can be bought on eBay for $100 shipped! Just don’t expect the quality to be top notch.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[st.petebiodiesel]

1987 325e sedan M30B35 swap

Today I had some minor set backs with the swap. The guy I bought the swap from included the exhaust manifolds with the down pipes. The B35 manifolds use a ball/socket type flange, which is great but my forward manifold was hitting my engine mount arm.

Aft Manifold.

Fwd manifold.


I had several options here.
-cut the Engine mount arm
-use B34 exhaust manifolds
-modify the fwd exhaust manifold.
Options 1 & 2 kinda suck. Don’t really want to hack up my engine mounts or run a more restrictive exhaust manifold.
You can see here the difference in outlet diameter between the B34 and B35 manifolds.

Even though the port flanges are the same size.

The B34 manifolds are much shorter and provide excellent clearance.

Plenty of room for a flange followed by a bend to clear the Engine mount arm.

I am going to attempt removing the collector flange off the B35 manifold to shorten it an inch or two and welding a pipe straight to the manifold. This ought to be interesting.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[LowR3V'in]

The b35 manifolds are excellent.
can't you just remove the mount to fit the coupler then reinstall or still in the way?

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

[st.petebiodiesel]

The b35 manifolds are excellent.
can't you just remove the mount to fit the coupler then reinstall or still in the way?

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

Yeah at this point I’m already committed. I cut the flange off already.

Hopefully they weld up alright. I’m betting they are cast steel and not cast iron.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[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.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[wworm]

curious as to how this header scenario will play out

[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?

[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.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[e30m3s54turbo]

Sub'd.....

[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

[wworm]

jeez louise thats loopy lol.

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

[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.






Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[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]

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.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk