Inquiry.....Automatic M42

[g.ruff561]

I have heard that the E30 M42 came as an automatic on some verts. If this is true is there anyone who has an E30 M42 Automatic tranny, Ecu, and wiring harness for sale. My car is a 1991 318is 5 speed. I wonder if the E36 318 auto tranny bolts up.?

[ThatOneEuroE30]

From my understanding m42 cars were only manuals

[DesertBMW]

I wonder if the E36 318 auto tranny bolts up.?

It does.

[TobyB]

Nope, there was an auto M42 vert for '91-92.

It got a (unusual) small case 4.27 diff ratio, which is quite nice up at Mission in the 2002

I can't imagine they sold more than about 12 of them, though. Only 11 still have their diffs ;)

And yes, early E36 parts should work. Don't know about driveshaft length/configuration, tho.

t

[g.ruff561]

I love the torque of the 5 speed but bad knees from sports is like ahhhhhh no. I actually was looking into an S52 Automatic swap. For me that would be butter.

[alisterh]

If you are really keen you could use a gearbox and driveshaft from an auto M40 euro car. It should bolt up perfectly. Try and find someone who has engine swapped an imported M40 touring.

[g.ruff561]

Thanks for the advice. Wow, no M42 automatics in the U.S.A.???? It probably would be easier to find the E36 318. I have seen a few of those swapped from auto to M50 or S52.

[g.ruff561]

Any 91-92 verts out there want to swap my 5 speed componants for your automatic componants???? HMU.

[TobyB]

no M42 automatics in the U.S.A.????

I don't believe this is strictly true- I've found several 4.27 diffs locally,
and BMW swears they only came in the M42 auto.

I also don't think there were very MANY of them!

t

[ThatOneEuroE30]

Ive got a medium case 4.27 lsd sitting in my shed that i pulled out of my 325is manual. I think it was swapped in at some point cause the case says s3.73 but thats not the case with the car being in 5th gear sitting at 5500

[Codym42]

I don't believe this is strictly true- I've found several 4.27 diffs locally,
and BMW swears they only came in the M42 auto.

I also don't think there were very MANY of them!

t

I pulled a 4.27 LSD (small case) out of a 318i convertible a few years ago. I'm pretty sure all 318i convertibles came with a 4.27 and were manual. LSDs were optional (cold weather package). I've never heard of an m42 e30 with an automatic but I could be wrong.

[TobyB]

Shit, you might be right-
I just went to look at RealOEM, and there's no auto option
for the M42. There is for the M40, but that's not a lot of help in the US.

So I was wrong- no auto M42s in the US, I guess.

t

[g.ruff561]

I do not know much about the E36 318. What are the stats on the auto engine? What are the chances it will bolt up to the E30 M42.

[TobyB]

It's the same engine. So they will bolt together. But.
As to whether the trans fits in the tunnel,
or how you get a driveshaft of the right lengths,
I do not know.