Just how bad is handling with a 3.5L ?

[Rocla]

Lol, so I can re-use my tranny with a new clutch ! It probably won't last long ...

Some m30 clutches don't fit under 240 bell, grinding helps(only couple mm's).

[euroshark]

I wouldn't waste the time using a 240 just so that you won't have to mess with modifying the driveshaft... It's much easier to go with a tranny and clutch that will take the abuse and pay some dude $200 to cut and weld a standard 535i (or whatever M30 car you get it from) shaft for you.

[george graves]

RE: drive shafts....

Try and find a shop that does work on big rigs. I have a feeling that DS's on 19 wheelers is more of a maintenance item - and is much more common than on cars.

I took my shaft to three places - all refused to work on it.

Ended up shipping it down to Hollywood.

$250 for e30 m3 shaft + $450 for full rebuild with new joints = OUCH

The thing that sucks for me is that I don't want to ruin the drive shaft - so no smoky burn out for me...Kinda sucks.

Other have said to have a shaft shortened for $60. That is the way to go...

...

[Funkmasta]

with a 260 you can use a driveshaft from a 325e (87)

with a 265 you can use an E30 M3 driveshaft.

I have a 280 and am using an E36 M3 driveshaft (shortened an inch)

[george graves]

with a 265 you can use an E30 M3 driveshaft.

Correct me if I am wrong - but G265's come in two flavors, removable bellhousing and non-removable.

I have a G265 w/ removable bell and I had to shorten my e30 m3 shaft ~2.5 inches. I'm also in position 3 at least I think maybe 3.5???

[Funkmasta]

yeah, if you hadnt moved your motor back, I dont think you would have had to shorten it.

all 265s had the removable bellhousing....

[Jean]

Taken from - http://www.jaredsquires.com/ndp/335i/m30/page10.html

"In brief here is my solution for a 1990 E30 325i and a 1990 E34 535i combination. Take the front part of the 535i driveshaft and place it on the back part of the E30 driveshaft. Make sure you install a new E30 center bearing. Install driveshaft. Scratch your head and wonder what everyone else is bitching about. No cutting. No welding. And the driveshaft is balanced enough that unless you are driving for extended periods at 150+ mph you will never know the difference. If you want to get it balanced, be my guest, but you can run for a good amount of time without having to spend $200+ on this. (Update: I have been to a track and done over 100 mph and felt no vibration.)"

Comments ? It makes $ sense to mix and match a couple parts instead of getting a driveshaft cut up and welded in my mind...

[george graves]

No - you are spot on.

I have a "new" drive shaft that I am now deathly afraid to abuse(hard shifting - fast 2k+ launches). Go cheap if you can, if it breaks you might have to cut your exhaust if it is all "one piece" - other wise a DS is what? Three hour job with out a lift and you work slowly and alone?

When is the last time you heard of a BMW shaft failing?

Joe FYI, someone tried to sell me a G265 WITHOUT removable bell housing, so that there is actual INTERWEB proof that it exists...no really!!!

Actually that's why I said "correct me if I'm wrong" - BUT, I will say that the g265(with removable bellhousing) makes pulling the motor a dozen or so times a lot easier.

Plus, the tranny with out the housing looks fucking bad ass on the workbench (if you are nuts about crazy little things like that - as I am)

[Jean]

Cool man. Can i be a complete leach and ask you for the pdf files? If not, ill go buy the repair manual.
Also-- sounds like youre going to have a beast of an e30. Did you do the rear disc conversion yourself? did you change out slave/master and such? i am going to be doing mine soon. i have the arms and slave from a 325i.
Edit: not trying to thread jack. sorry

http://wedophones.com/BMWManualsLead.htm

[Belteshazzar]

Joe FYI, someone tried to sell me a G265 WITHOUT removable bell housing, so that there is actual INTERWEB proof that it exists...no really!!!

maybe it's just the way you wrote it, but what if they where selling you a G265 without the removable bell housing/ as-in, they already removed it, and they're selling you the transmission without ANY bellhousing.

If I can reuse the m10 tranny I am going to do it. It has been my experience with just about any e30 hardware, the only way to really grenade something is to neglect a problem. In some cases you even have to compound the neglect with abuse. So the 265 and driveshaft are made to take m30 power, 'Till I actually destroy a 240 I'll assume the difference is that one is overbuilt and the other is WAY overbuilt.

[BenM]

with a 260 you can use a driveshaft from a 325e (87)

with a 265 you can use an E30 M3 driveshaft.

I have a 280 and am using an E36 M3 driveshaft (shortened an inch)

Yes, but the 260 came in 2 variations.

260/5 from 83-84 533/633/733

260/6 from 86 and on manually equipped M30 cars.

So does the 87 325e fit both the early and later style trannies, or do you need to have a custom driveshaft built to use the earlier style transmission?

[ldsbeaker]

with a 265 you can use an E30 M3 driveshaft.

really? any body, any engine?

[euroshark]

really? any body, any engine?

Maybe not any body since the front half of the driveshaft is a different length for the 2dr vs the 4dr, but any M30 is going to have the same exact length and therefore should work with that combo.

So does the 87 325e fit both the early and later style trannies, or do you need to have a custom driveshaft built to use the earlier style transmission?

There is a length difference between the 260/5 and the 260/6. I don't know what the difference is, but it's the reason the 533i and 535i have different driveshafts.

[backtrail69]

the front half of the driveshaft is a different length for the 2dr vs the 4dr

WRONG. They are exactly the same. Same wheel base.

[euroshark]

Well that's cleared up, I wasn't 100% on that