Auto to 5speed Transmission Conversion Write up(56k no

[Steve30]

Sticky please!

[BS87]

The hardest thing i ever did on my E30 before i did my tranny swap was change the brake pads.

Granted, i didn't get the whole swap done in day, but i made damn good time for someone who only had this writeup, the bentley, and questions.


If i can do it, almost anyone can.

[Digitalwave]

this thread is very helpfull,
i will do my swap next weekend, if i get all the parts here by this week
one question, will the 5spd tranny from the e30 fit the m50 engine?

It will fit, but needs a custom cross member because the tranny sits at an angle.

[BS87]

So after quickly fixing the fact that i somehow broke the little ground strap between the starter and solenoid thing, i double checked my wiring, fixed it to look like marvin's and it fired right up. Thanks for all your help guys, and marvin, that picture helped TONS.

[Marvin]

AUTO TO MANUAL TRANSMISSION CONVERSION WIRING.

Solder blue/white wire (reverse switch) and blue/white wire (original harness) together

Solder (2) green/black wires, red/white?? wire (reverse switch), green/yellow wire together. This should start up the car and working reverse light.

goodluck!!!

[BS87]

I honestly don't know what the fuck is wrong. The reverse lights are plugged into the connector (there is a connector after the big auto console plug that they fit right into) yet they wont work, and the green wires and the brown one for the hell of it, are connected. The thing just doesn't want to crank. Maybe i fucked up installing the starter somehow, but it would atleast attempt to crank, right?

Also, i don't have a green/yellow wire, i have two green/black wires.

[Marvin]

Solder together the green/yellow and green/black wires
this make it start.


For the reverse lights, you will need to tap into the green/yellow wire
to power up the reverse switch. And the blue/white wire together.

[Digitalwave]

The two are for the reverse lights. The connector for those is already plugged in. That leaves 2 green wires and 1 brown wire. I had all three together at one point, no go :?

Thats what I did, the 2 green and one brown.

[BS87]

The two are for the reverse lights. The connector for those is already plugged in. That leaves 2 green wires and 1 brown wire. I had all three together at one point, no go :?

[Digitalwave]

I jumpered 3 wires. There were 5 wires in the loom IIRC, and 3 of them are the ones that did it.

[BS87]

This is really pissing me off. The thwo green wires are connected, i'm getting power to everything, the car will just not crank. The only thing i can think of, is that either i missed tightening a ground or something when re-installing my dash, or that little bracket that holds the auto dipstick is important somehow.

[BS87]

What wires did you guys jumper/connect? I've tried every combonation, even the supposedly "Correct" ones, and i'm getting power, it just fails to start.

[Marvin]

Hey marvin, how did you hold the flywheel still while removing the torque converter bolts? Mine just spins, and when i hold it still with a 22mm wrench on the cranknut, i don't have enough leverage to break it free.

Hey BS87,

use a wrench to hold the crankshaft bolt so the flywheel wont spin, then u can go ahead use a "breaker bar" on your rachet (using a pipe to extend the rachet for better leverage)

[Marvin]

I ended up removing the slave cylinder in order to install the metal hose




Bolted up the slave cylinder to the transmission.













Installed the electrical connetors to the Back-up light switch




Pic of the shift lever and shift rod




Pic of the Driveshaft with vibration damper





Here's a pic of the shift rod (using Z3 3.0 shift lever) hitting the vibration damper




Removing the vibration damper by knocking out the (3)bolts















Install the new flexible coupling using a new self-locking nuts. If the coupling has arrows on it, they should face the flange arms.




Here's a pic of the shift rod (using Z3 3.0 shift rod) without the vibration damper.




Install the bolts that hold the flexible coupling to the transmission output flange




Install the bolts that hold the rear of the driveshaft section to the final drive









Now for the shift mechanism




Boot installed




Pic of the back-up light harness connector





Pic of the shifting assembly installed:)




TO BE CONTINUED......

[Marvin]

Before installing the transmission, i went ahead and install the shift console





I used a jack with a lot of padding to lift up the front of the engine. This gave me some extra room during the installation of the transmission.





Sorry, i dont have any pics during the installing of the transmission. I didn't have any transmission jack and its kinda hard when your lifting the transmission and also take pics:)





The transmission support mounting bolts





I temporarily attached the support. I still need to bolt on the starter from the transmission





Pic of the shift console installed






Pic of the clutch pedal over-center helper spring and the spring guide





Connect the hose to the master cylinder

































Pic after installing the pedal assembly












Pic after installing the brake pedal return spring










TO BE CONTINUED......